After discovering her system's other features, Joo-Hee approached Chae Nayun with a big smile.
She was still tending to another hunter, her focus unwavering as she worked, even daring to glance and entertain Joo-Hee who was approaching her.
"Ms. Chae, I'm done," she announced, her voice bright with joy.
"Thank you again for those potions."
Nayun looked up from her task, a beaming smile lighting up her face.
"I guess you're finished practicing your healing abilities and experimenting with them," she said, her eyes glinting with admiration.
"That sphere of healing energy you created earlier was rather innovative, but it looked rather mana-intensive. You should come up with a countermeasure for that."
Joo-Hee felt a jolt of surprise at her words.
The mention of "practice" and "experiment" caught her off guard.
She had expected to garner attention after being called out, but she didn't anticipate that Chae Nayun would be so straightforward.
She laughed nervously and gulped as she lied.
"Ah, you must be referring to those orbs, Ms. Chae. I actually learned that technique a few months ago. Sadly, I wasn't able to come up with a solution for it."
Nayun chuckled softly, tilting her head slightly as she observed him.
"What's with the worried face? You did an amazing job actually, Joo-Hee. And no need to worry about that. People practice to get better, after all."
Her kind words made her feel a bit lighter, but Joo-Hee couldn't shake the feeling of suspicion as she noticed Nayun's eyes held the same inquisitive glint as the space mage's.
With a final awkward nod and smile, she turned away and headed back toward her team, her heart palpating with unease.
As she glanced toward the reception area, her gaze landed on Ji-Hoon, who was observing her with a mix of curiosity and scrutiny.
A chill ran down Joo-Hee's spine, and she instinctively looked away, feeling the weight of the space mage's probing stare.
'How is he still not done with this staring thing?' Joo-Hee wondered, suddenly feeling self-conscious under Ji-Hoon's watchful gaze.
'I better lay low in the meantime.'
She took a deep breath, steeling herself against the scrutiny.
'I'm sure they won't figure it out. I have already removed all traces of nature mana from Hyun-Woo's body, after all.'
Joo-Hee quickened her pace as she went back to her team.
As Joo-Hee approached her team, her eyes landed on Da-Sol, and a pang of recollection settled in.
'Right,' she thought, 'the potions!'
The memory of waking up and realizing she'd been taken care of in the dungeon, potions used on her without a second thought, stirred a sense of obligation in her.
Pulling out one of the middle-grade potions, she assessed its value; it was half-worthless to her now, considering the benefits from his last quest were already gone.
These potions were more like a cash reserve or something to replenish her mana in a tight spot.
Her team greeted her with relieved smiles, and she returned the warmth with a nod.
"Glad to see you guys back!"
"Ah, I think we'll be heading back to the training center any minute now," she said, glancing over at Ji-Hoon, who was busy preparing the transport gate in the reception area.
"Before I forget, here, Da-Sol," she said, extending the potion towards him.
"This is the payment for that debt."
Da-Sol's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Wait, a middle-grade potion? But I only gave you low-rank potions when you were out! You don't have to do this, Unnie."
Joo-Hee shook her head, a firm smile on her face.
"No, I insist. It's only fair. You helped me when I needed it, and this is the least I can do in return."
Da-Sol hesitated, looking at the potion as if it were a fragile treasure.
"I really can't accept this…"
"I mean it, really. I appreciate your help earlier, you know," Joo-Hee urged, her voice softening.
'Take it now, or this broke ass of mine might change its mind,' she thought, though her mind said otherwise.
With a reluctant sigh, Da-Sol finally relented, accepting the potion.
"Alright, but only because you put it that way," he said, a small smile breaking through his initial shock.
"Thanks, Unnie~"
As they continued chatting, Joo-Hee's hunch was proven right after just a few minutes.
Mr. Kang's voice boomed across the training ground, "Alright, everyone! Gather up! We'll be wrapping this up soon and heading back."
The announcement brought a wave of excitement across the group.
Eun-Bi practically lit up.
"Finally! I can't wait to get home," she said, her voice filled with relief.
Min-Soo chuckled beside her, patting his bag.
"Don't forget, we're getting a prize for finishing fourth!
The whole team buzzed with excitement, speculating about what reward could be waiting for them.
Yoon-Ji threw in her guess.
"I just hope it would be a discount on dungeon rentals. The entrance fees these days are no joke, after all."
Da-Sol nodded in agreement, looking thoughtful.
"I know, right? If that's the reward, then we'd save a couple of hundred thousand won that way."
At the mention of "save," Joo-Hee's ears practically perked up like radar, her mind quickly flashing to her dwindling bank account.
'A discount?!'
One could practically see dollar signs in her eyes, keeping her excitement carefully contained.
Clasping her hands in silent prayer, she thought,
'Please, God of Heaven, I'm just a humble, poor shepherd trying to make it out here. Just this once, let me save a little...'
At the reception area, the teams lined up, each waiting to enter the transport gate.
One by one, the teams were summoned, each stepping into the manmade portal with a mixture of exhaustion and relief.
When Team 4 was called, Joo-Hee's heart thudded with excitement.
She could almost imagine the satisfaction of receiving the hard-earned prize.
She didn't forget to prepare to activate her [Healing Touch], bracing for the peculiar, soul-tearing sensation that accompanied gate travel.
Though she had experienced it before, it still felt strange, as if her very essence were being pulled and reassembled on the other side.
As Joo-Hee stood just a few centimeters from the gate, she heard a faint murmur behind her.
Ji-Hoon's voice was barely a whisper, but the words struck Joo-Hee like a thunderbolt.
"Double dungeon."
Instinctively, Joo-Hee's head snapped around to look at Ji-Hoon, who was covering his mouth with his hand, a grin spreading across his face.
'Crap! I shouldn't have turned my body,' she thought, quickly moving forward again as she stepped through the gate.
Inside the training center, her mind buzzed with questions.
'Is that why that creep kept staring at me like that?' she wondered, replaying the scene over in her mind.
'Wait a minute, he clearly directed those comments to me. How did he lear—'
Joo-Hee's brows furrowed as she dismissed the thought.
'One thing's for sure, that bastard must be up to something.'
A surge of unease washed over her as she scanned the room for Ji-Hoon, but he was nowhere to be seen.
She clenched her fists, feeling the leather cloak wrap around her like armor.
'I can't put myself or Jin-Woo in danger... not when we are still weak,' she thought, the weight of her responsibility suddenly feeling even heavier.