studiobondurri Chapter 177
Chapter 177
1.
The saint liked her new friends.
“The bipa is such an alluring instrument. Don’t you think its mournful melody and clear tones are just wonderful?”
“We mostly study dissonance. We’ve taken the same sound manipulation class, right?”
“The ability to captivate listeners with your performance is also part of sound manipulation training.”
Voice Girl felt uncomfortable with the saint's friendly demeanor.
It wasn’t just because she was part of a villain organization, but also because the other person was a big shot.
“I’m so happy these days. Compared to the days when I was worried about how to heal the most injuries with the least loss, or whether to let someone doomed to die pass away while calculating the cost-effectiveness, worrying about the tone of the bipa is truly a happy worry, don’t you think?”
The conversation felt heavy.
She couldn’t say out loud, “Don’t bring this stuff to me, you’re a war hero and part of a villain organization!” Voice Girl forced a smile instead.
“Sister Haeung-eung is really kind, though. She delayed her return and accepted me staying here, even giving villains like us a chance for redemption. Isn’t that right?”
If she said "no," would this woman shatter my eardrums with the bipa or smack me on the head with it?
The saint, with her angelic looks, had unexpectedly high combat skills in CQC (Close Quarters Combat).
“I’m just grateful, really.”
“Humility is a great virtue that extends your life, Voice Girl. I hope you remain humble for a long, long time. I don’t want to lose a newly made friend.”@@@@
What does that mean?
Is she threatening to kill me if we don’t stay friends?
That’s a threat, right?
Voice Girl smiled outwardly but was silently crying inside.
This woman is terrifying.
I want to run away.
“Sister, using such violent expressions will scare Voice Girl. How about using gentler words so there’s no misunderstanding?”
“Dash Man, I appreciate your concern for my friendships, but you must have finished your martial arts training by now, right? If you’re running away using me as an excuse, I’ll be disappointed.”
“Are you still dwelling on that one time? It was my first time, that’s why.”
Dash Man pretended to act casual and stayed by the saint’s side, while Voice Girl took the chance to slip away from the saint’s gaze, exiting the training hall.
‘I have to find Whisper.’
What was the boss thinking? In just three months, he’d completed his local adaptation training to the point where he could stream with all kinds of random games.
Now, the only person she could trust was Whisper, a senior executive in the organization, someone who even the boss found hard to deal with.
[Whisper, it’s Voice Girl. I’d like to discuss changes to the mission.]
Voice Girl spoke to Whisper with more caution than she had with the boss.
Before joining the organization, there had been countless rumors about Whisper: psychopathic serial killer, cannibal who ate human flesh, a death row inmate who killed a hundred prisoners before escaping from prison.
Even within the organization, there were dark rumors surrounding Whisper.
‘I hope he doesn’t get angry just because I suddenly spoke to him...’
“Whisper... What have you been fighting alone all this time...?”
He had been fighting these vile viewers while carrying out the organization’s activities by himself. The painful battles he must have faced made Voice Girl's heart ache just by imagining them.
“As you can see, there are malicious viewers who are hindering the event and causing trouble. To stop them, we need to get the Silent Swordsman to stream.”
“That’s not going to be easy... He only does what he wants, and won’t do anything he doesn’t feel like.”
“That’s why I went to Haeung-eung and negotiated with her.”
“Really?! How did you negotiate?”
“If I win even once in a fight with her, he’ll start the broadcast.”
“...Isn’t that an announcement that he’s never going to start the broadcast?”
It felt like the opposite effect.
She hesitated for a moment.
But remembering that Whisper had always challenged the impossible, Voice Girl decided to remain optimistic.
She wouldn’t say anything negative and risk making Whisper upset.
“I’ll help Whisper be in a better position in the fight. I’ll use my awakening ability to weaken the guild leader’s combat power!”
“Just as expected. You’re the executive I’ve chosen as my successor. I trust you, Voice Girl. Prove the worth of the trust I’ve placed in you!”
Voice Girl and Whisper’s plan to get the Silent Swordsman to start streaming began.
Kim Je-cheol, the man in a hanbok, made it to the quarterfinals and became an official martial arts instructor in the Haenampa guild.
Wanting to get closer to Haeung-eung, he accepted the position and worked his hardest, but unfortunately, he worked too hard.
“One hour and I’ve mastered all the basic forms! So, the remaining hour, let’s spend it together, peacefully...”
[Try practicing the forms in reverse order. With your talent, I think you’ll make significant progress by this time tomorrow.]
“...Reverse?”
Unlike a regular workplace where finishing work quickly means leaving early, the martial arts world made him work even harder the faster he went!
His martial arts skills grew rapidly, but the date he had hoped for with Haeung-eung didn’t happen.
“That’s enough for today! Finally mastered my martial arts! No more performing all the forms with my eyes closed, no more doing them all at full power within 10 seconds, no more performing them on slippery marble with water splashed on it!”
[Well done. Now, you can start teaching the other disciples. Please take good care of their education going forward.]
“...”
Should I quit the guild?
As he wandered around the guild grounds, feeling life’s futility, he spotted something strange.
A woman always wearing large headphones.
She was one of the fighters hired after the martial arts tournament.
“Are you the Black Army’s boss?”
“Ah, yes... Hello...”
“How come a grown woman is walking around with a sign around her neck?”
“W-well, that’s...”
“Did you, perhaps, steal something because you couldn’t change your bad habits from your villain days?!”
Voice Girl snapped and glared at him.
“Don’t treat me like a petty criminal! I’m Voice Girl, an executive in Black Army. Even if I’m involved in crimes for a great cause, I’ll never commit a crime for personal gain!”
Unlike her usual quiet self, Voice Girl was genuinely angry, pointing her finger.
Her finger moved from pointing at the sign to resting at her waist, and Kim Je-cheol’s gaze followed the large brushstroke on the sign.
[I'm the person who used my voice manipulation ability to make Guild Leader Haeung-eung listen to a 100-minute morning call. I’ll wear this sign for ten days as a token of remorse for my actions.]
“Ah! Where do you think you’re looking?!”
“...So, for the greater cause, you made the guild leader listen to a 100-minute morning call?”
Voice Girl, who had been the relatively normal one in the Black Army, found that her carefully crafted image had been completely ruined.
She was no longer normal.
She was now the human morning call machine.
The alarm terrorist.
Her ears were burning with shame as she lowered her head.