The Grill-Wielding Saintess of the Dead

Chapter 107: S-Rank Promotion Test! Part 4

Shinan Province had survived the aftermath of the First Great Rift, but during the Second, the enormous impact nearly obliterated the entire administrative district.

Of course, over time, the city and towns had been restructured, and the reconstruction efforts were successful. However, the new foundation was populated not by the original inhabitants but by those who couldn’t find a place to live in the sunlight.

It became a hiding place for debtors, wanted criminals, gamblers, and drug offenders—those who evaded the nation’s eye in various ways.

And there were also Park Won-hyung and Lee Seon-mi, the parents of Park Yoon-jung, who roamed the regions gambling.

“…..Ugh, uugh…”

“He, heek… I was wrong, I’m so sorry… I was wrong…”

The two of them knelt on the floor, trembling in a gambling den smeared with torn flesh and blood.

A gambling den is a place where criminals gather, employing unregistered or criminally awakened individuals for security, not official Hunters.

Their employers paid considerable sums to them for protection, as these individuals were quite skilled.

On average, they hired B-rank individuals, and occasionally even those with abilities comparable to A-rank guarded the den.

“I expected more from Korea’s lawless zone… but it’s just filled with petty criminals?”

And yet, all those awakened individuals were slaughtered by just one person.

The guards didn’t even notice their deaths. Suddenly, they found themselves impaled by shadow spikes rising from beneath them. Those who managed to dodge the initial attack didn’t last more than ten seconds before falling to Wang So-yeong’s assault.

“Captain Wang So-yeong, all remaining personnel have been dealt with. I think it’s safe to say there are no eyes left watching.”

“Is that so? Good job.”

The awakened individuals who bowed their heads respectfully to Wang So-yeong wore not the red attire of other guild members visiting Korea, but clothing and masks adorned with black plum blossoms.

They were all direct subordinates of Wang So-yeong, members of the Black Plum Blossom Unit, with abilities specialized in assassination and mass killing.

Most Hunters sharpened their skills to fight monsters, but Wang So-yeong and her Black Plum Blossom Unit had been born to efficiently kill and torture not only monsters but, above all, *humans*.

“Official records would be dangerous, but this place is a legal vacuum the government has long abandoned.”

This region had become a literal dumping ground, gathering criminals, lawbreakers, and others with dark pasts.

The government had long decided that, rather than apprehending them all, it was easier to monitor if they stayed concentrated here.

In simple terms, after the two Great Rifts, Shinan Province, though technically Korean territory, was practically a lawless zone where Korean laws didn’t apply.

Clack.

“Hiii…”

“So, it doesn’t matter who dies here.”

Clack.

“Or who kills whom… because no one would ever know.”

Park Won-hyung and Lee Seon-mi trembled as they saw Wang So-yeong approach them with a venomous smile.

“Just to be sure, let me ask again. Are you Park Won-hyung and Lee Seon-mi?”

“Y-yes… yes…”

“He, heek!”

“Oh my, don’t be so scared. I’m here to make you both a very favorable offer.”

“O-offer…? Weren’t you debt collectors?”

“Quiet, woman! It’s obvious they want money or, if not, maybe an organ or two…”

“Hehehe, you’re overestimating yourselves. You’re not even A-rank awakened; what do you think an ordinary person’s organs are worth? Even if we drained every drop from you, you couldn’t repay even a tenth of your debt.”

“……”

Both swallowed hard, realizing they had no words left.

Then… why would such strong and terrifying people seek them out?

“I’d like to discuss Park Yoon-jung with you.”

“…Yoon-jung… who’s that…”

“Our daughter…”

“Was that her name?”

The parents’ detachment from their child made Wang So-yeong laugh internally.

This was going to be easier than expected.

“I promise you. What I’m about to offer is something neither you nor Yoon-jung would ever regret… a golden opportunity.”

Golden.

At the mention of that word, greed filled the eyes of the two.

○○○○○○

“W-wait! Just give me 30 seconds!”

“Thirty seconds?”

“It’s nothing. Just something personal…!”

“Well, yeah. Everyone has their private life. Maybe you’re just looking at something spicy?”

“Y-yeah, exactly! That’s it!”

Bang!

With that, Shia walked into her house and immediately grabbed the curled-up blade centipede, fast asleep, before Yoon-jung could enter.

[Screech?]

Thwack!

[Screeeee!]

Then, like a soccer ball, she kicked the coiled-up centipede straight into the storage room.

[Miracle – Silence]

Though the centipede whimpered in a voice of betrayal, wondering why it was suddenly being treated this way, Shia ignored it and cast a silence miracle, completely muting the centipede’s sounds.

If Yoon-jung saw a 15-meter-long blade centipede crawling around her house, cleaning would be the least of her worries…

“O-okay, you can come in now!”

“Excuse me…. eek…”

The moment Yoon-jung entered Shia’s returnee shelter, she was shocked at the sight before her.

The furniture was simple.

A bed, a computer, a TV, and several large orbs that seemed like Hunter assistant drones.

And the kitchen… the kitchen was filled with various ingredients like green onions, garlic, sauces, cooking oils, milk, and a large, slightly greasy fryer.

Yoon-jung was already feeling faint, but her gaze shifted to the floor, where over fifty chicken boxes, picked clean to the bone, were scattered.

Beyond the chicken boxes lay leftover jokbal, bossam, and empty pizza boxes. The entrance to the veranda was completely blocked by over a hundred one-liter soda bottles.

“Oh my god…”

“Uh, um, uh…”

“What the hell…”

“Uh, what?”

“Why aren’t you cleaning this mess up already?!”

Startled by Yoon-jung’s tiger-like roar, Shia flinched.

“Start recycling this stuff immediately! There’s a garbage disposal outside, didn’t you see it?! Get moving!”

“…But, I have purification skills, so it’s okay…”

“It’s *okay*? You think it’s okay?? Do you not even smell the rotting food stench? Has your nose stopped working?!”

Every time Shia used her purification miracle, the stench and dirt in her room disappeared.

But purification was just that—it removed dirt but not the garbage itself, which kept piling up, only to rot and stink again.

“This won’t do. Brace yourself today! Start by taking out those empty bottles rolling around your room!”

“…Okay…”

“Hurry up and move, you pig!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

The only fortunate thing, Shia thought, was that Yoon-jung hadn’t found the centipede… she quickly gathered the empty bottles with her tentacles and dumped them in the trash.

Upon her return, she was met with the sight of Yoon-jung—who had somehow obtained an apron—starting a full-fledged cleaning operation in her house.

“Are you a creature of darkness?! Why didn’t you draw the curtains when you left? Pulling the curtains is basic common sense when you go out!”

“…It’s always evening when I get back anyway…”

“Let me ask you—what’s the first thing you do in the morning?”

“…Uh… I just wash up and eat…”

“What about cleaning?”

“……”

“The vacuum and mop are right there; you just ignore them? You know, back in my day, we didn’t even have vacuums; we spent all day sweeping with a broom! All you have to do is press a few buttons, and you still can’t manage?!”

“…I was planning to do it later…”

“Later? *Later*? When exactly?! How long have you been living here?!”

“…Six months…”

“And you think it makes sense for the place to look like this in just six months? Get to it right now, you fool!”

When Shia avoided her gaze, Yoon-jung clenched her jaw.

“This, this, and this—throw it all out!”

“But, those still have some use…”

“You think expired milk is useful? Goodness… go ahead, drink all you want, drink it all!”

“I’m sorry… I’ll throw it out…”

From the moment she entered Shia’s returnee shelter, Yoon-jung couldn’t hide her shock as she began to tidy up.

No, rather than simply tidying up, she stormed through the room like a thunderstorm, producing a deafening noise as she cleaned.

Despite being only a high school student… she was incredibly skilled at cleaning.

All Shia managed to do was carry out the piled-up trash, but in that time, Yoon-jung was moving through the house at lightning speed.

Dusting, vacuuming… she was no novice.

An hour… no, after two hours, Yoon-jung’s efforts began to shine.

“Alright. Now, this looks more like a livable place…”

“You did a great job.”

Luckily, Yoon-jung hadn’t entered the storage room.

If she had seen the centipede, she might have fainted…

“You did a great job, so I’ll treat you to a meal.”

“…But we already had pork-bone stew, didn’t we?”

“That was that, and this is this. A Hunter lives on food.”

After that intense cleaning, Yoon-jung was indeed exhausted and low on energy.

Besides, in the midst of cleaning, night had already fallen.

Having no reason to refuse, Yoon-jung nodded.

Meanwhile, Shia ordered as usual—ten chickens, five portions of bossam, five portions of jokbal, and draft beer for Yoon-jung.

“You like this, don’t you?”

“…How did you know I like draft beer?”

“Just a hunch.”

“…A hunch, huh.”

And so, they began their meal, accompanied by beer.

Of course, Shia ate far more, but Yoon-jung smiled faintly, watching her eat with such gusto.

“You really eat so happily.”

“Hehehe. It’s delicious.”

“Right, right. It’s nice to see someone enjoying their food. Ah, and you… kid… how can you let your place look like that? Even if I’m not around, you should be cleaning at least once a day, or at least once every other day…”

“Not ‘kid.’”

“Huh?”

“Don’t call me ‘kid’… call me by my name.”

At Shia’s sudden request, Yoon-jung fell silent.

Hearing the sound of water droplets falling into the clean sink, she chuckled.

“Why so suddenly?”

“Just…”

Because it felt nice.

Even being criticized and nagged like this… it reminded her of old times.

As if she could go back to the warmth and harmony of those days…

“I just… would like that. Please.”

“…”

Please.

Why did that word feel so heavy?

“Maybe, after this… I won’t ask again.”

“…!”

Understanding the meaning behind those words, Yoon-jung bit her trembling lips.

“I’ll probably… go for my promotion test starting tomorrow.”

“A promotion test, huh. Good for you.”

“I want you to cheer me on.”

No, I can’t show this face.

I think we both know it.

We’re each putting on faces we can’t show each other.

What kind of face do you have?

I’m probably wearing a face you wouldn’t want to see…

“…Do well.”

“…”

“Shia.”

I’m such a terrible person.

That was all Yoon-jung could say.

Though she uttered it like a passing comment, Shia smiled.

Her smile was so bright and pure that Yoon-jung couldn’t meet her gaze, like shielding her eyes from a dazzling sun.

But Shia seemed happy.

For the last time, this is it.

With this, we’re Shia and Park Yoon-jung.

This is enough.

“Thank you.”

Shia’s smiling eyes didn’t shed a single tear.

But to Yoon-jung, it looked like she might burst into tears at any moment.