212 – My Victory of Survival #4
“What did you buy so much of?”
Seo Ye-rim neatly put the raw meat and alcohol packed in the bag into the refrigerator. It was a variety of items one would expect from a mart, including pork belly and neck meat, dipping sauce, lettuce, and PT bottle beer.
“Looks delicious.”
Seo Ye-rim liked these simple and ordinary foods. Characters from dramas or movies portrayed wealthy tycoons pairing expensive beef with wine while acting all haughty, but in reality, life was quite the same for everyone. Seo Ye-rim also had moments when she boiled noodles for herself and ordered chicken for delivery. During her training camp days, ordering chicken while in the visitation room had even made headlines.
So, when Seo Ye-rim first watched a drama called a “rich person story,” she was taken aback. She was shocked to think that the image of wealth held by common people was like that.
“Hmm, hmm.”
Anyway, Seo Ye-rim prepared an outdoor barbecue grill while humming a tune. She actually enjoyed inviting people over and hosting since she was young. Today was a day with interesting attractions.
On such a day, even seeing Haildo’s silly expression wouldn’t make her angry.
“Ye-rim, your house is just so… lovely! Was it designed by an engineer from Europe? I want to live in a place like this when I earn a lot of money later…!”
When she stepped into the living room, Kim Yoo-mi, an A-ranker ranked 7th, got up immediately upon seeing Seo Ye-rim. Kim Yoo-mi was extremely excited that she had been invited by Seo Ye-rim, one of the most renowned S-rankers and a wealthy heiress in Korea.
Kim Yoo-mi was also somewhat famous, but Seo Ye-rim was a celebrity among celebrities.
‘So, it’s real that Haildo is close to Seo Ye-rim…! Now that I’ve become friends with Haildo, I’ve immediately made connections with Seo Ye-rim…! I’m so lucky…!’
Everyone wanted to be friends with S-rankers. There couldn’t possibly be anyone who didn’t want to enjoy the crumbs that fell from them.
Pa-da-da-da-!
At that moment, something was running around wildly in a large hallway. It was the Squirrel Beast Kkungkkungi that Haildo had brought.
“Kkung…!”
The Squirrel Beast Kkungkkungi was darting around the spacious house as if unable to collect itself, climbing the walls and hanging upside down from the ceiling.
It even squeezed into a jar that looked very expensive, poking only its face out, looking extremely pleased.
Kim Yoo-mi thought while watching that scene.
‘So… cute. I wish I could train a squirrel too.’
Kim Yoo-mi was an archer. A hunter.
She thought that being able to train a squirrel would help improve her own skills in the future.
An archer commanding a squirrel. It would be visually pleasing as well.
“This little guy is so well-behaved; I like it. The ability to be immobile is an important virtue for snipers. This spider could make an excellent sniper.”
Do Jun-hwan, who had come up beside her, spoke up. On his palm sat a Ghost Spider Kkungkkungi, looking extremely calm, yet Kim Yoo-mi felt a bit of a chill.
The spider was somewhat scary because it was the size of a palm. Its colors were a rainbow-like array of RGB colors, suggesting it might have some terrifying poison.
“C-Could you please move that spider away? I… I’m not too fond of animals with lots of legs…”
Kim Yoo-mi stepped back hesitantly. Soon, the Ghost Spider Kkungkkungi on Do Jun-hwan’s palm let out a soft, pitiful sound as if it understood her words.
Seeing that, Kim Yoo-mi thought the spider looked a bit pitiful yet cute.
“Still, the Ghost Spider might be okay…”
“Kkung…!”
With that feeling, everyone gathered outdoors.
Flame—.
Seo Ye-rim, known as the Flame Witch, used her ability to ignite a fire and grilled the meat perfectly, leaving Kim Yoo-mi greatly impressed.
She never anticipated that the third-generation heiress, an S-rank Seo Ye-rim, would grill pork belly for them.
‘I feel like I could risk my life for Ye-rim! The one I wish to pledge my loyalty to is right here!’
The meat tasted great.
Soon, Nymphs waved their hands in excitement.
“I have never eaten such delicious meat before…! In the opinion of this Inoi, Ye-rim’s grilling skills are of Core Prime level…! Clearly destined to be the number one bride…!”
Number one bride.
Hearing that, Kim Yoo-mi quickly joined the conversation.
“It’s really, really delicious…! If I marry Ye-rim, will I be able to eat such tasty meat every day? Whoever ends up being her husband is pretty lucky…!”
Kim Yoo-mi said that while looking at Haildo. She had heard rumors in the Awakened community about Haildo and Seo Ye-rim having a budding relationship.
However, Kim Yoo-mi quickly corrected her thought.
‘They don’t seem to match. The world they live in is too different.’
Haildo was an entirely ordinary middle-class citizen, while Seo Ye-rim could be called a perfect upper-class citizen.
They didn’t mesh well, and even the unnoticeable Do Jun-hwan seemed to think the same way.
“Ye-rim, I heard rumors that you’re dating Haildo. Is it true?”
Do Jun-hwan was tipsy from drinking. The beer he had consumed had a label reading “Illinois.” It was the drink made by the Nymph of drugs, making him feel high and lose his self-control.
Though Do Jun-hwan had been trained to not reveal his inner thoughts under any kind of torture, resisting Illinois’s superconductive highball was futile.
“What? What do you mean?!”
Seo Ye-rim soon flared up.
“What kind of ridiculous rumor is that? Media is the problem. They get all worked up to connect us in any way possible if we’re together for even a moment! No matter how important view counts are—.”
Seeing Seo Ye-rim getting upset, Kim Yoo-mi felt that opportunity had arrived.
She must score points by matching Seo Ye-rim’s mood in any way!
“Of course! I think so too! I’m sorry for Haildo, but frankly, their lives are too different, and their dignity doesn’t match! What could possibly warrant such rumors in such different worlds!”
Flame—.
Suddenly, the flames beneath the meat soared high into the sky.
Looking at that, Coris trembled.
“Ah! The flames are so hot that the meat has all burned…! This Coris feels as if they will become a Nymph of boiling water due to this hot and ruthless act…!”
The kind and gentle Coris growled as all the meat got charred.
It was due to Seo Ye-rim failing to control the heat while grilling the meat.
‘She’s probably annoyed by the indiscriminate rumors.’
Just as Kim Yoo-mi thought that, Do Jun-hwan, with the Ghost Spider Kkungkkungi perched on his shoulder, chuckled.
“Well, rumors are usually like that. But I believe many misunderstandings will clear up when this airs. Haildo is actually dating Jin-ah, right?”
“Hmm?”
The guy who was devouring the meat like a person starved for days stopped momentarily. His expression seemed to ask, “What?”
Do Jun-hwan continued.
“Isn’t that right? I thought you two were dating beautifully together. You and Jin-ah were covered in a blanket in the office, sleeping together and everything.”
Boom-!
At that moment, the barbecue grill that was grilling the meat exploded with a loud bang.
Seo Ye-rim exclaimed.
“Oh my, this is completely defective. Since we’ve eaten plenty of meat, let’s head back inside to review this. You can go over there. It’s almost time for the broadcast!”
# # #
“A survival game featuring around 30 participants—. Who will be the victor—!”
Spectacular, grand-scale footage played on a wide screen. The chaotic atmosphere of drinking and eating meat transformed in an instant.
“No matter the situation, we have to give it our all.”
My interview appeared briefly. I thought it was a wonderful interview.
“Kkung…!” “Zzi-ji!” “Hioon…!”
However, the camera focused more on the animals for a longer period. Their appearances were cute on TV, yet it was well over double the time of my interview.
Anyway.
With that feeling, we binge-watched the first episode.
In an hour-long video, our exploits were featured for about 20 minutes, and the editing was quite satisfying.
Especially toward the end of the first episode, a scene was inserted where our team faced Han Ju-ryun’s team. Boom-! Do Jun-hwan got hit by lightning, causing him to be eliminated, and he frowned at that moment.
“That was such an empty elimination, even watching it again.”
Swish-swish-.
I rubbed my palms together, building excitement.
“Now the masterpiece scene is coming. Watch closely.”
Everyone in the country is probably watching this screen right now!
“0 and 1 are different.”
That punk Oh Deok-soo was seen puncturing his hand and fainting. Following that, a scene broadcasted where I fought magnificently against Han Ju-ryun. There, I realized one unfair fact.
“Wait, where is the scene where I fought without Kkungkkungi, Ahn Ahn, and Bang Bang?”
I had fought without the animals at times.
It could be considered a 1:1 fight between me and Han Ju-ryun.
The moment that would be the starting point for me, Haildo, to be called ‘Legendary Haildo’ instead of ‘Squirrel Haildo’!
However, for some reason, that scene had been completely edited out, and it swiftly transitioned to the scene fighting the “Superconductive Dragon”!
Watching that spectacle, Do Jun-hwan exclaimed in awe.
“Just moments ago, when we were enemies, everyone quickly unites to fight against the common enemy—. What a splendid sight. At that moment, I had already gotten hit by lightning and had been eliminated.”
Sizzle-!
Finally, the fight against the Superconductive Dragon ended with an intense shock that the camera couldn’t capture.
After witnessing that, Seo Ye-rim remarked.
“Well, Haildo, you fought quite well against an S-rank demon.”
Seo Ye-rim, who had been grumbling until now, praised me for the first time.
It must have been because I handled things perfectly, even in her eyes.
Now, the first episode was nearing its end.
I had indeed adorned the finale of the first episode of a five-part series, and it was quite an emotional moment.
“Haildo, pull yourself together!”
The fallen me, Haildo.
Then I saw Han Ju-ryun approaching me in the camera. It was a scene I didn’t remember, making me watch attentively.
“Heartbeat—.”
But then something astonishing happened.
In the video, Han Ju-ryun began to repeatedly pound on my chest with her hand!
Boom-!
Han Ju-ryun exerted effort into her palms, creating enough friction to attempt to revive my heart.
“Did I get it wrong…?”
Soon the video showed Han Ju-ryun taking a deep breath as if resolved, then she covered my nose with her hand and brought her lips close to mine!
“Ha, ha…! Don’t die…!”
Our lips pressed together, and as Han Ju-ryun pulled away, the camera beautifully captured the moment of her gasping for breath! It resembled a scene from some movie or drama’s kiss scene!
Seeing that, Seo Ye-rim shouted in surprise.
“Hey! Haildo, what’s going on?!”
“I…I don’t know what happened…!?”
I suddenly felt dizzy in front of my eyes.
