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“…Is something wrong with the ship?”

At Han Seo-jin’s question, PD Choi’s confident expression faltered, and his pupils shook.

“It’s a ship escorted by the British Navy. That can’t be… Surely not…”

“For now, let’s try contacting the ship periodically and gather the production team and cast from the other side of the island at the base camp.”

“By any chance, Hero Jeong Gyeoul, do you have any ideas?”

The guard team, who knew better than anyone the extent of a hero’s abilities, gave Jeong Gyeoul a burdened look, but she didn’t have a suitable solution either.

Well, to be precise, she had a method, but it didn’t seem feasible.

“I can carry about ten people at a time… But what if something attacks the camp while I’m gone? That monster boar doesn’t even flinch at bullets unless you shoot it straight through the brain.”

“…That would be a problem in itself. By any chance, can the guard team handle that boar?”

Since it was a situation directly related to safety, the guard team was also participating in what felt like a meeting.

But they weren’t much help either.

“It seems impossible without casualties. If we could aggro it back and forth among ourselves, it might work, but we don’t know how intelligent it is. If it heads toward the production team, we have no way to stop it.”

Jeong Gyeoul was essential to get them off the island.

But the moment Jeong Gyeoul leaves the island, the safety of the people in the camp can’t be guaranteed.

In this impossible situation, Jeong Gyeoul raised her hand.

“Yes, Hero, please speak.”

“By any chance, what rank is the hero from the competing team?”

“B-Class.”

At the mention of B-Class, Jeong Gyeoul’s head tilted.

Jeong Gyeoul is known to the public as an A-Class hero.

It was strange that a B-Class hero was set as her competition.

And soon after, she remembered the attitudes of the production team and cast.

‘They underestimated me because I’m young? Even though I’m A-Class, I’m only 14, so they thought a B-Class hero would be a match for me.’

She didn’t feel resentful or anything.

Even if ignorant civilians underestimate her, it’s just their subjective opinion.

It didn’t even scratch Jeong Gyeoul’s self-esteem.

“B-Class is enough. Once that person arrives at the camp, I’ll get everyone off the island, and they can protect the camp.”

As a solution emerged, everyone’s faces lit up.

But PD Choi’s expression remained unchanged.

“…This has deviated from the original purpose of the casting. Will they agree willingly?”

“If a hero refuses to save people, they’re a villain. Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”

“That’s a relief.”

Currently, no one in the hero industry could ignore Jeong Gyeoul.

Not just because of her skills, but because they couldn’t handle the connections behind her.

Those in the know understood that Jeong Gyeoul was more fearsome than even Association Head Jeong Ho-min.

Whoever the hero from the competing team was, she was confident she could get them to cooperate.

‘A B-Class hero could take on five of those boars alone. It’s enough.’

PD Choi had already instructed the other filming team to return.

They were probably packing up and heading to the base camp.

“Then it seems roughly settled… Do we have anything to eat? I’m hungry.”

The meat they were grilling earlier was ruined due to the boar incident, and it all burned.

Jeong Gyeoul, who had been using her powers without eating, was starting to feel her energy running low.

Preparing and grilling the boar would take too long, so she planned to fill up on the production team’s food for now.

“Proper supplies are coming tomorrow, so there’s not much… But we should have enough for a quick meal.”

“That’s more than enough. We’ll manage with that for now. If we run out, I’ll prepare the boar or something.”

“…Is it okay to eat that boar?”

“I enjoy eating monster meat. It’s fine. It’s not poisonous.”

“That’s a relief. We’ll prepare the meal for now. Please rest.”

“Yep, thank you.”

The group headed toward the tent assigned by PD Choi.

“…What on earth is going on? This wasn’t here during the pre-scout.”

“Could there be a wave hitting this island?”

“With today’s technology, we’d know about a wave a week in advance.”

“That boar isn’t normal. Something’s definitely off.”

The overall atmosphere of the camp was chaotic.

Perhaps because PD Choi was overwhelmed, there hadn’t been any official announcement about the meeting yet.

‘They’ll figure it out, whether they talk during the meal or gather separately.’

Feeling tired, Jeong Gyeoul lay down in the camp.

“Gyeoul, will we be okay?”

“Don’t worry. Once the hero from the other side joins, I’ll get everyone off the island.”

“…You saying that makes us feel like baggage.”

“In this situation, you are baggage. Anyway, I’ll meditate for a bit.”

“Ah, okay! I won’t disturb you.”

Jeong Gyeoul responded cynically to Winter and Yuna’s words and closed her eyes.

Jeong Gyeoul didn’t usually meditate; she just found them annoying.

Soon after, one of the writers called everyone over, saying the meal was ready.

Several foldable tables were set up in the center of the base camp.

“Cast members, please head to that table.”

“…Isn’t there too little seating? If we all go there, where will the production team sit?”

“We can sit on equipment bags or the floor. We’re used to it.”

“…Even so.”

“Gyeoul, it’s rude to insist too much. They have their own rules.”

For a moment, she wondered if it was okay to dismiss it as their own rules…

But if they were fine with it, what could she do?

On the foldable tables were cup noodles, canned tuna, canned braised beef, canned perilla leaves, and even tube-shaped stir-fried chili paste.

It was literally a feast of preserved foods.

Having seen Jeong Gyeoul’s appetite at the brunch café and company dinners, the production team placed more than five times the usual amount of canned food in front of her.

“We emptied out all the food we had. Feels like a last supper?”

“Writer Wang, that sounds a bit off. A last supper?”

“…My mistake. A hopeful feast, perhaps?”

“…Just don’t say anything.”

At the banter between PD Choi and Writer Wang, everyone chuckled, and the mood lightened a bit.

It almost felt like a scripted attempt to lighten the atmosphere.

“Alright, before we eat, I’ll make a quick announcement. Some of you may already know, but once the filming team from the other side of the island returns, Hero Jeong Gyeoul will help move about ten people off the island at a time.”

“Is the ship still out of contact?”

“…For reasons unknown, yes. It’s still out of contact.”

People with many questions directed them at PD Choi, who answered them.

Jeong Gyeoul ate.

***

After finishing the meal, someone spoke up with a worried tone.

“…Why aren’t they here yet? Even with all the filming equipment and stuff, it’s taking too long.”

“Ten minutes ago, they said they were on their way… I’ll try the radio again.”

While PD Choi went to get the radio, a few members of the guard team approached Jeong Gyeoul.

“What’s the matter?”

“We came to give you a weapon you can use, Hero.”

“A weapon? I’m fine…”

For Jeong Gyeoul, her body was her weapon.

She didn’t need a separate weapon, but…

She changed her mind.

“Wait… Can I use that gun?”

“…Huh? Do you know how to use a gun? I thought Hero Academy doesn’t teach firearms.”

A 14-year-old middle school girl suddenly asking for a gun would make anyone panic.

The guard was no exception.

“That’s right. No firearms training. You know the academy well.”

“Embarrassingly, I wanted to be a hero once, so I looked into it. But I couldn’t awaken, so I gave up.”

“Ah…”

For a moment, it felt like she had touched a sore spot, and she felt sorry.

“If you ever awaken, let me know. I’ll get you into the academy somehow.”

“Haha, thanks for saying that.”

The guard, thinking it was a joke, chuckled and handed Jeong Gyeoul the Glock from his waist.

“This pistol’s name is…”

“Glock 17.”

“…You know it?”

“Of course, when I was in the… unit…”

“Unit? What do you mean…”

“…Hahaha, a game. It’s obviously a game, right? A 14-year-old like me couldn’t have been discharged, right? If I wrote a novel like that, I’d get cursed at.”

Jeong Gyeoul almost became a 14-year-old middle school girl with military experience.

Even after living as Jeong Gyeoul for eight years, her past life sometimes popped up.

Flustered, Jeong Gyeoul rambled while expertly checking the Glock’s condition and magazine.

“…Seeing how you handle it, I don’t need to explain anything.”

“Thanks for the great gift.”

While the guard and Jeong Gyeoul were having a pleasant time, PD Choi came running toward her.

“Hero! Hero! We have a big problem!”

“What’s wrong?”

“After hearing screams on the radio, the connection was lost. It seems something happened to the filming team coming this way!”

After the violent monkey group, the appearance of the monster boar.

The ship lost contact, and now the filming team heading this way seemed to have run into trouble.

Jeong Gyeoul quickly drew in her magic power to detect anything… but nothing appeared on her radar.

Only then did she remember that when she went to catch the boar, she hadn’t sensed the filming team or the hero’s magic power on the other side of the island.

‘Damn… What’s up with this island?’

 

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