Translator: Wan ED/PR: Solarin
34. Final test (3)
[Jang Namuk] Sorry, I only read your messages now.
As if Yu Sang-hun also checked it, the message sent by Jang Namuk was marked as read straight away.
[Jang Namuk] Sorry for reporting late.
[Jang Namuk] Thanks to you, I returned safely.
It’s good that he returned safely.
I sent a reply straight away.
[Me] We heard you were in the infirmary.
[Jang Namuk] Eh? Who did you hear that from? I just had a general inspection.
[Me] We know about disciplinary punishment.
[Yu Sang-hun] n lies
The Player Military Academy, which trained Player soldiers who were no different from human weapons, was famous for being much more rigorous than other special schools.
As they gave the flag bearer the disciplinary punishment to make an example out of him and break the spirit of the 1st year unit, there was no way they were sloppy about it.
[Jang Namuk] I received a disciplinary punishment for writing Sihu ask-for-leave instead of him, but it wasn’t anything particular. I’m fine.
[Yu Sang-hun] — —
It seemed that I’d have to remind him the exact nonsense he said to the disciplinary senior officer and the calamity he called upon himself.
Looking at the emoticon Yu Sang-hun sent, he was probably thinking the same as me.
[Jang Namuk] Really, it’s fine. There is currently a guy not really in great shape at the infirmary right now, so it would be a bit much for me to feign pain.
[Me] Guy not in really great shape?
[Jang Namuk] Yeah. While I was receiving an examination, he came and left the infirmary a few times. Because he exceeded everyday recommended recovery item usage, he was receiving a common treatment.
[Yu Sang-hun] ?
[Jang Namuk] He was sparring with others and ended up like this.
I could guess the identity of that guy.
He was probably the snitch To Sihu mentioned.
[Jang Namuk] Isn’t it in preparation for the practical exam we will have in the future? According to everyone, he will have to spar a lot in the future. I thought that he was a guy with a strong desire to win, but it seems that he is working diligently for the final practical exam ahead of time. This guy is like this, so as a flag bearer, I can’t feign pain or illness, right?
It seemed that that snitch getting cheerfully beaten up through spars with the 1st year cadets from the Military Academy.
By getting treated and then calling him out again.
‘Something like this deserves unit bullying, but… something like that won’t happen if Jang Namuk is the flag bearer of the unit, right?’
The military academy bastards knew that, so they would be beating up the snitch through a healthy sparring somewhere.
As if Yu Sang-hun also noticed it, he didn’t make any particular remarks.
[Jang Namuk] There are a lot of messages I have to send, so I’ll call you next time. I’m really thankful to both of you. If not for you, I may still not be able to find Sihu and was worrying alone.
[Jang Namuk] I’ll buy you a meal when we meet next time!
[Yu Sang-hun] k
[Me] Sure.
This time it was safely settled, but I had to scold Jang Namuk for going to die alone and barely surviving it.
While I thought of making him buy an expensive and tasty meal as retribution, I made a list of great restaurants.
***
Next day, after classes.
Stalemate’s club room located in the General Club Council Hall.
“You came to play a match, correct? Uh, Jiho, you came today too?” [1]
“Hahaha! If I knew he would be playing a match, I would’ve came to watch yesterday too.”
“… You have a lot of interest in chess. No way, are you also good at chess?”
At Han Yi’s question, Hwang Jiho smiled meaningfully.
Looking at that mischievous face, Han Yi made a subtle expression.
I guess she sensed that this guy could also play chess well.
“Then let’s go to the match room together! Ah, senior Yeom Junyeol came.” [2]
When we were about to enter the match room, Yeom Junyeol and Cheon Dong-ha appeared.
“Senior-nim, hello!”
“… Yeah, hi.”
The moment Yeom Junyeol saw Sawol Seeum, his complexion turned a bit dark.
Yong Jegeon, who caught that little change, looked between Yeom Junyeol and Sawol Seeum, and then asked Cheon Dong-ha.
“Did you come to see Junyeol’s match?”
“Yes. Jinseung made a fuss that he would come, but we thought he would end up disrupting the match. Instead, I decided to come to watch.”
Cheon Dong-ha, the 2nd year student of the Guideline Club, had a monster-like memory.
As he, the previous year’s chess champion and genius, said he would come to watch and then give an explanation, Ma Jinseung could probably do nothing but relent.
“Then let’s take a seat.”
Yeom Junyeol offered a seat at the chessboard table.
At that moment I had a doubt.
‘Why didn’t you react at all when you saw Hwang Jiho?’
Even though he wouldn’t be able to recognize that Hwang Jiho is a Ho tribe member, he would be able to recognize he is a Jin.
It seemed that Hwang Jiho didn’t enter the eyes of the current Yeom Junyeol.
“We will watch. Good luck.”
“… uhu, yeah.”
Even when Cheon Dong-ha threw words of support, the entire reaction was poor.
Before the match started, when I was shaking hands with Yeom Junyeol, the feeling of incongruity grew.
‘His hand seems colder than the previous time.’
Like before, his temperature was higher than mine, but Yeom Junyeol’s hands were cold.
If his state isn’t good, wouldn’t it be better to delay the match?
It seemed that Yong Jegeon, who took the position of referee, had the same thoughts, but Yeom Junyeol spoke with a polite tone.
“Please toss the coin.”
Yong Jegeon wasn’t particularly willing, but finally followed the words of the descendants, whom he cherished like his own younger brother[3].
The result of the coin toss:
Yeom Junyeol was White, I was Black.
After the opening easily unfolded with the Sicilian Defence, it continued to the middle game.
‘… what is that move? What is your intention?’
A move, which intentions I couldn’t predict, came out, but it wasn’t not in a good sense, but in a bad sense.
‘How the hell are you thinking of settling it? … You’re handing over both a knight and a rook at the same time, you know?’
I shook hands with Yeom Junyeol, but in chess, without thinking of overlooking it, I mercilessly burrowed into his camp.
When the white chess pieces gradually decreased.
Ping.
The moment Yeom Junyeol pressed the chess clock and passed the turn.
I saw Yong Jegeon and the audience open their eyes wide and turn flustered.
I also checked a few times, as I couldn’t believe the move Yeom Junyeol played, but even when I looked again, it was the same.
‘Yeom Junyeol played a suicide move…!’
In chess there were a few banned moves.
Suicide move was when you play your own king to be captured straight away.
Supposing there were no more moves to play but a suicide move, the game would end in a stalemate, but in the current game situation, there were still many moves left to play.
If a suicide move is played in such a situation, it would be a foul defeat according to the rules.
‘You didn’t notice…?’
Chess was a game of manners and courtesy.
I couldn’t open my mouth until the other side admitted defeat.
I stared hard at Yeom Junyeol.
“…?”
Yeom Junyeol, feeling my gaze, raised his head and looked at me.
I looked down and quietly stared at his king.
Yeom Junyeol also looked at his king and his complexion changed belatedly.
“… I lost.”
Yeom Junyeol stretched out his icy hand to ask for a handshake.
Yong Jegeon lifted the sound-isolating space, and the surrounding murmur started to enter.
As if there were a lot of fans, who came after hearing that Yeom Junyeol would be playing a match, there were a lot of noisy sounds from here and there.
“Yes? What just happened? Uisin didn’t call the check.”
“This game is Jo Uisin’s victory. The Yong tribe’s descendants ended up with a foul defeat.”
“Foul defeat?”
“If you look at the last location where he moved his bishop…”
Hwang Jiho unfolded a hologram, while giving an explanation to Sawol Seeum and Han Yi.
Yong Jegeon approached with a stiff face and spoke up to Yeom Junyeol.
“Junyeol, let’s go back to rest.”
“Yes?… There is still time, because the match ended so soon, you know? If only Uisin agrees, one more time…!”
Paat! Pat! Pat!
Yong Jegeon used the Space Art to covered every chess board in the match room with the color imbued with space.
The sharp like knife superpower wave spread and the matchroom fell silent as if someone poured cold water.
It seemed that Yong Jegeon blocked the sound between the audience seats and the chess table again.
“In that state? It’s not polite for your match opponent to play a game like this.”
“Jegeon hyung…”
“We’re still at school, so you should be calling me teacher-nim.”
“… My apologies.”
Yong Jegeon also sometimes treats Yeom Junyeol sternly, huh?
I thought so, but the instant Yeom Junyeol turned around, he made a sad face like he didn’t want to say that much.
He seemed to regret hurting Yeom Junyeol with the words he said a few seconds ago.
“I’m sorry, Uisin. If that’s okay, can you name a later day, so we can play again?”
“Of course. Let’s play next time.”
“Okay, thanks.”
Yeom Junyeol smiled with a face that lacked energy and then turned around to leave.
Yong Jegeon lifted the Space Art and followed after him with an appearance that seemed to lack even more energy than Yeom Junyeol.
“Senior Yeom Junyeol-nim. Is he sick somewhere?”
“Hm…”
Sawol Seeum spoke with concern and Hwang Jiho was observing the situation with sparkling eyes.
It seems I have to quickly change the conversation topic before Hwang Jiho does something to dig into it.
“We’re asked for groceries. Let’s go shopping.”
“Ah, today Geurin and Daeseok will also come, correct! Let’s also buy snacks!”
“The candies we received as a bonus yesterday were delicious. Let’s buy them.”
Today I also decided to buy snacks, thanking them for coming to support me under an excuse.
At the words that I’ll be buying, Hwang Jiho laughed and decided to go to the newly opened dessert shop at Hwang Myeong Tower and choose expensive snacks.
Even so, they only chose the delicious one and all the class children were predicted to like them, so I decided to get over it with a broad mindset.
Kim Yuri’s house, to which we arrived after finishing shopping like this.
“Ah, you’re here!”
Kim Yuri received us a few times more happily and gladly than usual.
The atmosphere in the living room was a bit sunken.
Maeng Hyodon, who was sitting with a half-wit face.
Kwon Lena, who smiled awkwardly and waved her hand.
I felt a sense of incongruity somewhere in this scene.
‘I don’t see Min Geurin. Did she go home?’
However, Song Daeseok was crouching in the corner of the living room with a depressed face.
It was evidence that Min Geurin was here.
Because if she wasn’t here, that guy would go home without looking back.
After examining the surroundings, I asked Kim Yuri.
“What happened?”
“How should I explain it? It’s like this… Daeseok and Geurin fought.”
***
West Seoul Lake Park.
Eternal Lake team building.
Team members were moving busily around the building entrance.
The people were memorizing the script written on the hologram and checking the movement paths.
“You had to hire a professional screenwriter in advance?… Hell, how much time it had to take.”
“Wouldn’t it be more natural to buy more curse-removing items?”
“Team doc acting is too terrible~. Honestly, I can’t look at it~.” [4]
Currently, the whole Eternal Lake team building turned into something like a movie set.
This was triggered by team master Kwon Jane’s comment.
— When Lena visits next time, I’ll remove Oath of Silence curse.
The team members, who were at first confused, heard about Kwon Lena having two Oaths of Silence on her and were extremely enraged.
Jared Lee, who already knew that fact, was enraged anew so much that he went to beat up Kwon Lena’s adoptive parents again, who were locked up by Cunning.
And they stopped Kwon Jane who was stubbornly saying that she would use curse-removing items to hold a meeting first.
The meeting results: they decided on the curse removing plan ‘Pretend it was completely accidentally’.
This way the team members were mobilized to build and make a stage play.
“Hey, start the rehearsal!”
At Jared Lee’s signal, team members started moving busily.
As Jared Lee, who took the position of the director, was dissatisfied, the rehearsals weren’t progressing very well, because bloopers and script changes repeated a few times.
‘It’s still long until my turn, huh?’
Kwon Jane, who was staring outside of the team building entrance, while observing it, had a quiet lake in view.
It was late afternoon so it was gradually darkening and it was the time for the sun to set, but there was still some light remaining.
Dusk, the border between day and night.
She, who was appreciating the color of the sunlight from the setting sun reflected in the water surface, felt a different kind of superpower wave.
It was an indistinctive and vague trace, but she was able to recognize its identity straight away.
‘Butterfly’s scale…!’
As she recalled the Jeop, Kwon Jane had a sensation as if her organs were burning.
Kwon Jane kicked the surface of the lake and started to run following the scale.
When she left the team building far behind after running for a while.
She saw a silhouette with a fluttering hem of a long dress.
“Why are you here?”
Kwon Jane’s voice trembled slightly, but around her body, a blue superpower wave, with the energy of a knife, started to circle.
“They say that birds listen during the day and rats listen during the night[5], you know? I hate both birds and rats, so I came at the time when it’s neither day nor night.”
The Jeop coiled in the scale powder had no substance.
In that state even attacking that Jeop with all her power was meaningless.
Rationality returned to Kwon Jane, and her superpower wave subsided.
“I don’t want to hear your words. Communicate your information through the Ho tribe.”
“That side had too many eyes.”
“I’ll call Jared.”
Before Kwon Jane could turn around and leave the place, the Jeop spoke with a voice filled with laughter.
“Your one remaining blood may be in danger. Because it seems that They are planning to select a sacrifice among Eungwang School 1st year students.”
Kwon Jane took a short breath.
It felt like her insides, which were ablaze a moment ago, were frozen.
‘You know about Lena…?’
She recalled what happened to her family through the Jeop’s choices.
‘… And ‘They’? ‘Sacrifice’?’
Kwon Jane’s blue eyes blurred.
*~*~*
[1] “You came to play a match, correct? Uh, Jiho, you came today too?” – Sawol Seeum’s sentence.
[2] “Then let’s go to the match room together! Ah, senior Yeom Junyeol came.” – Sawol Seeum’s sentence.
[3] own younger brother – a blood-related sibling, from the same parents.
[4] “Team doc acting is too terrible~. Honestly, I can’t look at it~.” – remember the person among cadets who used the ‘cute/ change into noun tone’ I mentioned some time ago? This person used the same speech tone.
[5] They say that birds listen during the day and rats listen during the night – to be specific. It’s ‘the words spoken during the day’ and ‘words spoken during the night’. Or ‘day talk’ and ‘night talk’ for short.
Translator’s note:
Gwak Gyeong-gu → Played on defense → Gave up
Yeom Junyeol → Played on offense → King suicide
And the chapter is a final test… Curious.
Did you see a mistake? 🐞
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