WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: LilGuyBlastoise
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Plague Doctor in a Peaceful World ◈
Chapter 14: I’ll Check the Situation First
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I’d torn up blankets at the abandoned animal shelter just to test the “Divine Punishment” skill. In winter, when they needed blankets and throws more than ever. Of all things.
“Mom, do we have any blankets or throws we don’t use? I want to donate them to the shelter.”
“Really? How about this one?”
“It’s too heavy.”
After looking through the blankets at home, I sent messages to friends and acquaintances.
[Collecting unused blankets and throws for an abandoned animal shelter. No heavy blankets, including cotton-filled ones. Please use your judgment on anything too filthy.]
Replies came in.
-[We have loads.]
-[Long time no see lol. Does this work too??]
-[I’m surviving on one blanket lol. If you get any good ones, donate one to me too.]
-[Did you get discharged?]
-[Are small ones okay?]
-[You go to a shelter?? Which one?]
-[Are brand-new ones okay?]
-[Where should I bring them?]
I checked their condition through photos, made appointments, and went around collecting them.
In two days, the back seat and trunk of my car were filled with blankets and throws.
My college classmate Seong Eunji had also spread the word among people she knew and collected quite a few.
“Thanks so much.”
“What are you thanking me for? You volunteer at the shelter, and you even collect and donate these yourself. That’s more impressive.”
“Heh. Finals are coming up soon, right? How’s studying going?”
“I’m taking a leave from school too.”
“Really? Why?”
I was surprised.
Back in our first year of college, when everyone was busy drinking and having fun, Seong Eunji had been the one who resisted temptation and studied hard.
“The more I think about it, the more I feel this path isn’t for me.”
“Only now?”
“I know. You probably think I’m talking nonsense when next year is my final year. But what am I supposed to do when studying only makes me feel more certain this isn’t right for me?”
“It’s your life, so it’s not my place to say anything. But what path is right for you, then?”
Seong Eunji adjusted her glasses.
Her expression turned solemn.
“Acting.”
“...”
“I know. You’re probably wondering what acting someone with a face like mine could possibly do.”
“No, I wasn’t thinking that...”
“But what I want isn’t the spotlight. It’s acting itself. I can’t help it. Acting is just too much fun. So.”
Seong Eunji pulled a crumpled flyer from her pocket and unfolded it.
Holding it out to me with both hands, she said politely,
“Please show it lots of interest, audience member.”
I had come to collect donations and received a theater flyer as well.
“Please promote it to people around you too, audience member.”
“Uh, sure.”
“It’s a horror play, so it’ll be even better if you come with a girl you’re seeing! The chances of natural physical contact go up!”
“That’s enough, Eunji.”
“Okay.”
In high spirits, I drove to the abandoned animal shelter. I had gotten pretty used to driving by now, so I hummed as I went.
“Hello, shelter director! I brought blankets and throws!”
“Oh my, Bongsik. Did you come all this way at this time just to bring these?”
“The one I tore while shaking out the dust before had been weighing on me. And it’s getting colder, so I gathered these as quickly as I could.”
“Thank you so much.”
“Where should I put them?”
“In the office for now. We’ll lay them out ourselves when we clean tomorrow.”
The shelter director and I carried armfuls of blankets and throws into the office.
A beautiful woman who looked vaguely familiar and a staff member were drinking coffee inside.
The staff member looked surprised.
“What are all these?”
“Bongsik brought blankets and throws. I think the old blankets in the kennels bothered him when he saw them during cleaning.”
“Haha, hello. Hello.”
“Yes, hello...”
I greeted the staff member, then the beautiful woman too.
People who visited the shelter usually came with good intentions, so I seemed to greet them more brightly than people I met elsewhere.
Not because she was especially pretty.
“Maybe today is some kind of special day. Mi-hyeon donated loads of pee pads, and Bongsik brought loads of blankets and throws. My heart feels full too.”
Mi-hyeon?
Ah, she was that celebrity who had come with her fans before.
She had been wearing a mask then, so it took me a while to recognize her.
“Would you like some coffee too, Bongsik?”
“No, thank you. Since I’m here, could I just take a quick look at the cats and dogs?”
I should earn some experience while I was here.
“Of course. Just make sure you close the doors properly.”
Shin Mi-hyeon gently raised a hand.
“Could I come with you too?”
All I had to do was mutter, “Treat, yes,” so I nodded.
“Sure.”
We headed first to the container building where the cats were.
“Thank you for last time.”
“For what?”
Shin Mi-hyeon followed slowly behind me as she spoke.
“For telling me that I seemed to have a fever and should rest instead of pushing myself. I’m a little slow to notice things, so I usually don’t realize I’m sick until the symptoms get bad.”
“Ah.”
When we had run into each other by the kennels, her expected MP cost for treatment had been rising in real time, so I had told her that.
“Even my manager and fans didn’t notice I had a fever. You must be very observant, Bongsik.”
I puffed out my shoulders.
“Yeah. I am.”
Shin Mi-hyeon burst out laughing.
“Anyway, I went home and rested as soon as you told me to, and I think the body aches backed off before they could set in. Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
She really was pretty, being a celebrity and all.
Maybe that was why my replies came out short. We were never going to get close personally anyway.
I, Kang Bongsik, knew my place pretty well.
“Do you have a cat or dog too, Bongsik?”
“Yeah. I have one dog.”
“Really? What kind?”
“A brown Pomeranian. He’s male and very gentle.”
Arong was the puppy my father’s coworker had given us when their dog had a litter.
We arrived at the container building where the cats were kept.
I spotted two green [Contagious Disease Patient] messages.
What was going on?
Nothing like this had happened in the cat room before.
“I have a cat...”
“Please wait here for a moment.”
“What?”
“I’ll check on the cats’ condition first.”
If you went in there, you could pass something on to the cat at home.
At my gesture, Shin Mi-hyeon hesitated, then nodded.
“Okay.”
I carefully went inside and closed the door.
When I opened the second cat-proof door, the skittish cats had long since hidden in the corner.
“Where on earth did you catch it?”
[This is a Contagious Disease Patient. Would you like to treat them?]
[(Expected MP Cost: 60)]
Both had an expected MP cost of 60.
“Treat, yes. Treat, yes.”
But more than fifteen cats lived together in this cramped space. Some could still be in the incubation period and not yet show up as [Contagious Disease Patient]s.
Just in case, I should come back tomorrow.
“How were the cats?”
As I came out and closed the door, Shin Mi-hyeon asked with a puzzled expression.
“A few of them seem to have colds. I don’t think you should go in, Mi-hyeon. You don’t want to pass it on to your cat at home.”
“Gasp. Really?”
After washing my hands thoroughly, I told the shelter director that a few of the cats seemed to have colds.
“Then I’ll be going.”
“Okay. Thank you, Bongsik.”
“I should get going too, shelter director. I’ll come again.”
“Okay. Drive safely, Mi-hyeon. Thank you so much for today.”
Shin Mi-hyeon’s car was another compact car parked beside mine. We exchanged goodbyes and got into our separate cars.
Before starting the engine, I checked my phone and saw a DM from Happy Quokka.
-[Hello, Plague Doctor!]
-[I’ll be on SBC’s “Unknown Singer” today!]
-[I really hope you’ll watch it! Hehe.]
Happy Quokka was finally making her TV debut.
As a longtime fan, I felt proud.
It felt like only yesterday that her YouTube views had been modest.
[Yes, I’ll definitely watch it live! :)]
* * *
Lee Mun-yeong sat in front of the TV.
She had tuned in to watch the first broadcast of SBC’s Unknown Singer, the show Ju Hye, for whom Lee Mun-yeong had recently asked the Plague Doctor for a healing prayer, would be appearing on.
‘The Plague Doctor asked which show Ju Hye was going on back then. I wonder if they’re watching this broadcast right now too?’
The MC’s greeting and the introductions of the judges dragged on.
There was also an explanation that the judges would decide who passed the first preliminary round, while the second round would be decided by the judges’ evaluations and audience votes.
[The third round will be broadcast live, and the winner will be decided solely through real-time text and app voting.]
Lee Mun-yeong took a cold can of beer from the refrigerator.
Click.
“Ahh. That hits the spot.”
Meanwhile, the first contestant came out and sang.
Lee Mun-yeong drank her beer while fiddling with her phone.
‘What number is Ju Hye? She passed the first preliminary round, right? She won’t tell me because she says it would be a spoiler, even if I ask.’
She was getting up to throw away her empty beer can when someone familiar appeared on screen.
A petite woman started singing while playing the guitar.
‘Happy Quokka is on this show too.’
It was the song Lee Mun-yeong had first heard when she attended Happy Quokka’s concert.
She sat back down on the sofa.
‘It’s a good song. She sings well. She’s not going to meet our Ju Hye in the finals, is she?’
After appearing at the K University festival, Happy Quokka’s name had begun to gain real recognition. Lee Mun-yeong had heard that she was being invited to many festivals and that her concert tickets were selling very well.
‘From the circumstances, Happy Quokka seems to know about the Plague Doctor’s abilities too... Could she know their name and face as well?’
Happy Quokka had deleted the posts about the Plague Doctor from her social media.
She had also deleted the comment she had left on a post of the Plague Doctor with a homeless person.
Ta-da.
Happy Quokka softly raised her hand as she finished her song.
“...?”
Smiling as she lightly touched the tips of her index fingers together, Happy Quokka made a small heart.
The entire stage brightened, and the camera switched to the judges.
[Wow... That tone.]
[What was that at the end? Wasn’t it absolutely adorable?]
The judges continued their gushing comments.
The result was a pass.
Ju Hye came next.
[Could you say a few words about passing the first preliminary round?]
[Can I say two?]
[Yes, of course.]
Ju Hye thanked the teachers and friends at the welfare facility.
[And your second thought?]
Ju Hye smiled brightly at the camera.
[Today’s ad~! Ad, ad...! Thank you!]
“...”
Lee Mun-yeong’s mouth fell open, then she burst out laughing.
It was Ju Hye’s own thank-you message to the Plague Doctor.
Meanwhile, Kang Bongsik was also watching SBC’s Unknown Singer.
In front of him was a basin holding live octopuses that wriggled about.
“Hahaha. I should subscribe to YouTube Premium later.”
His parents were away on a two-day, one-night trip. His older sister had gone to a friend’s house with Arong, so no one else was home.
[System]
-Needles have been equipped.
-You can use the skill “Bloodletting.”
Holding a needle, he quietly intoned,
“Activate ‘Bloodletting.’”
A red circle marked the octopus’s vital point.
His hand moved like lightning.
Water splashed everywhere.
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