CHAPTER 215: FOR THE GREATER GOOD

"IS IT our Wony or Wony Ahjumma?"

’Ahjumma.’

A term used for middle-aged ladies.

[I’ve switched to my older version again...]

"It’s me," Wonhee said, getting up. It seemed like Yool and Ahyeon had moved her to the bed when she fainted after the older Wonhee ’stole’ her consciousness earlier. "I don’t think I’ll ever get used to my older version suddenly taking over my body."

Yool let out a sigh of relief and leaned against the chair. "I’m glad you’re back. I don’t think I’ll warm up to your older version anytime soon."

"The older Wony Noona is cold and a bit scary," Ahyeon, kneeling on the floor while holding Wonhee’s hand, said. "She also says scary stuff..."

Right.

[I remember the things that my older self did and said.]

Wonhee turned to Yool with a serious look on her face. "Yool-ah..."

"I already told you, Wony-ah— I need to go," Yool said in a serious tone. "I appreciate your concern, but this is something that I want to do. You’re not the only one who wishes to protect her loved ones, you know?"

Oh.

[But it’s not like I don’t already know that.]

She was just being stubborn, and by doing so, she was putting the entire world in a dangerous situation.

But after hearing what the older Wonhee said...

"I guess I understand why Seodam-ssi and Ruda-ssi hate my kindness," Wonhee said, wondering out loud. "It seems like the kindness of a privileged person like me can come off as arrogance to some."

"That’s true, but that’s not the case for me," Yool said frankly. "I know that you just want to protect me, Wony-ah. But I want to lessen your burden because I also care about you."

Oh.

Yool wanted to lessen her burden like Yejun and her older siblings.

Because they loved her.

[And yet I’m making things difficult for them just because my sense of duty.]

The older Wonhee became jaded because she carried everything on her shoulders. But the older Wonhee had no choice but to carry all the burdens in the world because she had no one else to rely on.

However, that wasn’t the case for the current Wonhee.

[I am surrounded by people who love me.]

Hence, it would be an insult to the older Wonhee if she kept rejecting the help of the people who just wanted to lessen her burden.

[After all, I’m sure the older me would have appreciated a helping hand back then.]

Wasn’t that exactly the reason why the older Wonhee woke up the older Yejun from his deep slumber?

[She needed help, but there wasn’t anyone else she could turn to.]

On the other hand, Wonhee...

"Yool-ah?"

"Yes, Wony-ah?"

"I’m sorry, but can you help me?" Wonhee asked, clenching her hands tight. "Please retrieve the data from your original body."

Yool looked surprised at first, and then he smiled and nodded. "Of course, I’ll help my best friend."

She let out a long sigh.

[I don’t really want to sacrifice Yool, but I have to respect his wishes.]

"Wony Noona and Yool Hyung are both brave," Ahyeon said, teary-eyed. "I’ll support you with everything I have."

Wonhee and Yool turned to Ahyeon and spoke at the same time. "Thank you, Ahyeonnie."

A warm feeling flooded Wonhee’s chest.

She wouldn’t let their trio friendship end, no matter what.

"System, Tannie, tell me what we can do to send Yool to the other world the safest way possible," Wonhee said, staring blankly into the air while waiting for her Status Window to pop up. "And I’d also like to know if there’s really no way to send Yool back here. If there aren’t ways to do that, then let’s make one."

The only reason she didn’t want to send Yool to the other world was because the System didn’t give her assurance that her best friend would return to this world safely.

But, come to think of it, the System needed to send Yool back here.

[They need the data, right? But maybe the System has a way to absorb the data that Yool retrieves from the other world without sending him back here? If that’s the case, then I want the System to assure me that my best friend will live, at least.]

Her thought process was interrupted when her Status Window suddenly popped up.

[Would you like me to send you and your friends to somewhere your first question will be answered?]

Oh.

The System sounded ’calm.’

[This is not Tannie.]

"If it’s safe, then please send us there," Wonhee said, and then she turned to Yool and Ahyeon. "The System said it will send us somewhere to get our questions answered."

***

YEJUN looked up when he felt the shift in the air.

"What’s wrong?" Graham asked nervously. "Is a Crack threatening to burst open nearby?"

"Not a Crack," Yejun assured him. "It’s the System— it’s sending some people our way."

One of them was definitely Wonhee.

[I can feel it in my bones.]

And he was actually right.

A ’warp gate’ opened up as if it was tearing up the night sky.

Yejun kicked the ground to launch himself as he leapt towards the sky to catch Wonhee, ignoring Gong Yool and Do Ahyeon who kept free-falling while screaming.

[Graham will take care of Gong Yool, and the baby herbivore is an S-Class.]

Yool landed safely while carrying Wonhee in his arms. It was cute how Wonhee wrapped her arms around his neck, with her eyes closed, as if she already knew that it was him. "Wonhee-ya, what brings you and your friends here?"

***

POOF.

To be honest, Wonhee wasn’t a fan of the System teleporting her to somewhere else.

It only took a second, and yet she felt like she rode a roller coaster for at least five minutes.

[I feel like throwing up...]

"Wonhee-ya, what brings you and your friends here?"

Oh.

When Wonhee opened her eyes, she found herself in Yejun’s arms.

To be honest, she wasn’t surprised.

She had her eyes closed the entire time, but she knew it was Yejun who caught her.

[I’m already so used to being caught in his arms that I can’t mistake his body for someone else.]

She was already getting used to the feel of her body against Yejun’s body.

[Ahem.]

"The System sent me here," Wonhee said, looking around to check on her friends. "I mean, sent us here."

She found Yool safe in Graham’s arms.

And it seemed like Ahyeon landed on his feet safely.

[Thank goodness.]

Wonhee looked around to see where the System had taken them, and...

"The Namsan Tower?"

"It is the Namsan Tower, but it has already turned into a dungeon," Yejun explained while putting Wonhee down carefully. "So, stay near me, Wonhee-ya. This place is dangerous since that Crack is the first L-Grade Crack in the world."

That was shocking.

According to the rumors, the highest grade for dungeons and skills was ’L.’

[That’s why Bitna is amazing.]

But an L-Grade Crack sounded dangerous.

[So, why did the System bring us here? How would a dangerous Crack answer our questions?]

"You shouldn’t be here, Yool-ah."

Hmm?

Wonhee turned to Graham who told Yool that he shouldn’t be there.

[This is the first time I saw and heard Graham-ssi this serious because he was often playful, especially around Yool.]

"That’s not for you to decide, Graham-ssi," Yool said firmly. "Put me down."

Fortunately, Graham listened and put Yool down.

"Why am I not supposed to be here?" Yool confronted Graham, crossing his arms over his chest. "Explain yourself, Graham-ssi."

Graham just avoided Yool’s gaze.

[He doesn’t want to answer Yool?]

Wonhee couldn’t contain her curiosity, so she turned to Yejun. "Come here."

Yejun understood what she wanted him to do as he leaned forward, smiling as if getting his face near hers was a delight to him.

Aigoo.

[So childish.]

Wonhee covered her mouth with her hand when she whispered in Yejun’s ear. "What’s happening?"

Yool whispered his response in Wonhee’s ear. "The requirement to raid to L-Grade Crack is Gong Yool’s entrance to the tower."

To be honest, she felt ticklish when Yejun’s hot breath hit the sensitive side of her neck.

However, the ’bomb’ that he dropped was more overwhelming.

"What?" Wonhee asked in disbelief, her hand touching the side of her neck where Yejun’s hot breath still lingered. "The dungeon wants Gong Yool?"

"The dungeon wants me?"

Oops.

Wonhee didn’t realize that she raised her voice until Yool spoke.

"Can you explain it to me?" Yool asked, eyeing Yejun this time. "This issue involves me, so I have the right to know."

"I’ll do it— I’ll explain everything to you, Yool-ah," Graham said, grabbing Yool by the arm as he turned to Yejun. "Hwang Yejun, can I leave this to you? I’ll talk to Yool."

"Fine," Yejun said, shooing Yool away. "Go."

Wonhee looked at Yool worriedly. "Yool-ah, do you want to go with Graham-ssi?"

"Yeah," Yool said, nodding. "See you later, Wony-ah, Ahyeonnie."

***

"DON’T go, Yool-ah."

Argh.

Yool was a bit surprised when Graham suddenly hugged him from behind as soon as they returned to his house.

To be precise, they were in Graham’s bedroom at the moment and...

"What’s wrong?" Ahn Kisoo asked worriedly, getting up from the bed. "Did something happen?"

"There’s an L-Grade Crack that appeared, and it wants Yool to enter the dungeon alone," Graham explained, his arms still wrapped around Yool’s waist while his face was nuzzled against Yool’s shoulder. "And I can feel that Yool wants to go and sacrifice himself."

"What? Yool-ssi, don’t do that," Ahn Kisoo said in a panic, suddenly hugging Yool so Yool was now trapped between Graham and Ahn Kisoo. "Yool-ssi, we’ll protect you, so don’t even think about sacrificing yourself!"

[Why are these two acting like this? I can’t breathe.]

Yool felt like he was being suffocated to the point that he wanted to faint.

Wait, he was actually losing consciousness.

"Yool-ah!"

"Yool-ssi!"

[The heck is happening to me?]

***

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