Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost
59. True nature (2)
After all pre-recordings were finished, before the live broadcast started.
A superpower wave was detected outside the barrier.
At first there was wariness, but soon they learned that the people, who left to conquer the otherworld, returned.
The people, who kept anxiously glancing towards the door, cheered at the Players’ return.
When Yeo Raehun waved the bronze khakkhara, the translucent barrier in the door disappeared and the Players stepped into the studio.
“Teachers-nim, You have worked hard! Guys-ah! Are you hurt anywhere?”
When they entered the studio with Ham Geun-hyeong, Jegal Jaegeol, and the 1st year class 0’s children at the forefront, Kim Yuri smiled brightly and greeted them.
“Ah, right. What about Uisin-i? And teach Yong-nim?”
“Teach Yong-nim said He would take him with Him.” [1]
“Uh? Senior Yeom Junyeol is going on the stage as emcee, but He went without watching it?”
“Then…”
Kim Yuri felt dubious, but there was no person to answer those doubts.
On the other side, Jegal Jaegeol was persistently examined by the 2nd year class 0’s students if he perhaps wasn’t hiding injuries.
“Teach Jegal-nim! Come here! Aren’t You hurt anywhere? Are there no places that hurt? Aren’t You tried because You excessively used superpower wave?”
“I’m fine.”
“Teach Jegal-nim’s standards of fine are a bit…”
“Even if teach Jegal-nim can’t lie, He sometimes speaks to hide or plays down facts!”
“I’m not hurt.”
“No, there is something strange about teach Jegal-nim’s expression. It’s the face of the person, who was through something!”
Geun Chansol and Wang Chansol persistently asked to find a hole, but Jegal Jaegeol didn’t answer them.
Their momentum abated because the words of not being hurt were proven true, but they were sending suspicious looks towards their homeroom teacher just like before.
Even under those gazes, Jegal Jaegeol said everything he had to say, while comforting the children.
“I stopped by, because I thought you guys would worry. I think I should go to deal with the aftermath with the Red Lion team members.”
“Yes? You mean You’re already going somewhere?”
“No! Where is the Person, who just came, going?!”
“The students also participated in the conquest of the otherworlds, so shouldn’t I watch over the settlement process as one of the guides?”
“But someone else can take care of it…”
“Teacher Yong Jegeon-nim left with Uisin-i, and teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim should watch the performance of his class kid, so I have to go.”
At Jegal Jaegeol’s words, the 2nd year class 0’s students pursed their lips like ducks.
They showed their dissatisfaction with all their might, but it didn’t get through Jegal Jaegeol, who saw his disciples make such faces every day.
“I’ll try to come back quickly. Listen well to teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim. Chansols-yi take good care of Garam-i and Haeon-yi as class representatives.”
“Yess…”
“Yaap….”
Geun Chansol and Wang Chansol showed their true energy when replaying with the duck beak like mouths full of dissatisfaction.
After hearing out 2nd year class 0’s class’ children’s answers, Jegal Jaegeol moved.
Before Jegal Jaegeol left the studio, he said thank you to Maeng Hyodon.
“Hyodon-ah, thank you for before.”
“Uh… Yes…”
The 2nd year class 0’s children, who bowed their head, acting defeated, flashed their eyes, while avoiding Jegal Jaegeol’s gaze.
After Jegal Jaegeol completely disappeared, Geun Chansol and Wang Chansol rushed to Maeng Hyodon.
Maeng Hyodon was short, so when the 2nd year class 0 surrounded him, it looked like seniors were bullying their one-year junior.
“Wait a moment! What was that sound about the thanks?”
“1st year class 0 junior Maeng Hyodon-nim-ah. Speak, what the hell did you do to make teacher Jegal-nim thank you?”
“Uh… That’s because… Should I talk about it…?”
“What was it?! Speak quickly!”
“Quiiiiiiick!”
“Seniors-nim! Teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim is watching behind You!”
Kim Yuri quickly cut in to stop them.
Ham Geun-hyeong went to the place where Dokgo Miro was waiting under the staff’s guidance and was having a short conversation, but he was staring in this direction.
Even the second-to-none 2nd year class 0 took a step back, gritting their teeth with soft faces, as if folding in front of Ham Geun-hyeong’s grave impression.
In the end, after unfolding a temporary barrier with the items so other people couldn’t hear, Maeng Hyodon decided to inform them about the situation at that time.
Maeng Hyodon briefly summarized the events that happened in the underground parking lot.
The 2nd year class 0, who heard the explanation, trembled with fury.
They had to suppress their anger with all their might, because they promised to Kim Yuri not to show their personalities in front of the junior.
“Isn’t it a bastard who caused the incident at the Eungwang School’s main gate before? I know all about that incident.”
“Me too. Wasn’t he hospitalized because of the group electrocution incident not a long time ago?”
“I didn’t see him on the Playlist staff list, so I thought he was moved to another broadcast after being discharged from the hospital.”
“That person is no longer PD.”
Dokgo Miro’s homema Jeong Haeon spent more time at the broadcasting station than at school or home.
Jeong Haeon knew about the people and incidents involving the Playlist better than common reporters.
“While hospitalized, that person claimed that the electrocution incident occurred because of another person’s instigation. So the police investigated the people, who could have a motive.”
“Ah, I think I know something about it.”
“It looks like he just confessed to his old crimes, that were buried in the past, huh!”
“Right. That PD caused a few incidents in the past, but I guess it was buried by higher-ups. Because the advertisers hated such scandals, usually if a PD caused an incident, they would choose to bury it instead of punishing him.”
Jeong Haeon recited the crimes of the PD revealed by the investigation agency.
The representative example was extorting money under the pretext of appearing on the broadcast from the innocent freshmen in society, who didn’t have social experience, or student trainees.
The PD’s fraud method was to postpone the schedules under various excuses, and then when there was no place to take money from, he would use them as the audience members or staff errand kids, and then cut contact.
It was said that the victims were preparing a collective lawsuit.
“I guess the broadcasting station didn’t cover it up this time.”
“That PD pricked the Hwang Myeong Foundation last time. If they buried it this time and got caught, Hwang Myeong Foundation would step in. Besides that, he was caught embezzling production funds, so he was instructed to resign.”
“He was fired from his PD post, so he would be short on money… Did he target teach Jegal-nim under someone’s instigation?”
The 2nd year class 0’s students started to whisper and exchange information.
It seemed that they were making a plan to investigate the cases involving Jegal Jaegeol from the beginning and take revenge.
Kim Yuri sensed danger and quickly took Maeng Hyodon out from among them and joined the 1st year class 0’s kids.
“Jiho didn’t say anything for some time. What are You doing?”
“… I’m a bit busy, because of the communication work.”
“Yes? Jiho isn’t touching the device right now.”
Hwang-ho was in the middle of a call through his alter-ego, but he had no plans of explaining all of it.
At Sawol Seeum’s question, Hwang-ho smiled meaningfully, without replying.
Han Yi looked at that meaningful face with a tired face.
At that moment, someone entered through the entrance.
It was employees of the Player’s Association in suits.
“They have the entrance ID with Association mark around their necks. I guess they’re from the Player’s Association.”
“Are they here because of the otherworld without warnings that occurred in the underground parking lot?”
“Then they should go the underground parking lot, why did they come here?”
“Won’t they want to ask us something?”
The 1st year class 0’s children, who participated in the Enemy subjugation, prepared to answer with nervous faces.
But as if the Association employees didn’t have interest in the Eungwang School’s students, they didn’t head towards them.
Though, one of the Association’s employees saw the Eungwang School’s uniforms, took out the paper and pen, and was about to dash to them, but was hit by the person assumed to be his superior.
“… It seems they’re looking in the direction where Lena’s unnie is.”
“Do They have business with the People from the Namkung Group?” [2]
The place the Association’s employees were observing was in the direction of the audience seat marked as ‘Namkung Products Otherworld Industry Company Team 1’.
Perhaps because of the majority of the employees of the Namkung Products were ordinary people, not Players, it didn’t seem like they noticed that the Association’s Players started to observe them.
They just sat in stiff postures, watching the stage.
Kwon Lena looked at Lee Yeoreum with an anxious face.
Mok Uram, who observed Kwon Lena from the side, also became anxious.
‘Lena-…. Didn’t look comfortable for a while now.’
Kwon Lena was extremely conflicted as she looked at the superpower violin card held in the card holster.
For the extremely small number of the genius performers Players, like Kwon Jane, the superpower instruments were sort of a weapon that could instill superpower waves into the sound waves and deal damage.
But the superpower instruments like the superpower violin were everywhere categorized as musical instruments not weapons.
So as it wasn’t caught at the security check point and didn’t have the sticker sealing the weapon items, it was possible to materialize.
Even then, Kwon Lena couldn’t go to fight.
‘… My muse didn’t grow up enough yet to fight with the superpower instrument. Even so, seeing her friends heading to the battlefield probably hangs on her heart.’
From Mok Uram’s standpoint, who knew Kwon Lena’s secret, the existence of ‘Lee Yeoreum’ was also bothering.
But what worried Mok Uram the most right now was Kwon Lena.
While he hesitated what words of comfort he should use, Min Geurin broke the silence.
“Ah, I got a message from Daeseok-yi.”
“From Daeseok-yi? Will Daeseok be able to come today?”
“No, it still seems like Daeseok-yi won’t be able to come. I guess he had something to do at the research institute… He is asking if anything particular happened, should I tell him what happened?”
“It seems that today’s events already appeared on the news, so I think it’s better to tell him honestly.”
“Uh, Miro is going up on the stage! Seeing how other Candidates are going too, I guess the first stage is starting!” [3]
Mok Uram lost the opportunity to console Kwon Lena and shut his mouth.
In the situation where some were anxious, some purely looking forward to the fun, the first stage finished safely.
* * *
The geezer sent the message to wait.
I only checked the floating notification that automatically appeared on the screen, and decided not to enter the chatroom.
Because I thought it would be more annoying if it was marked as ‘read’.
I decided to ask Yong Jegeon for confirmation.
“… Teacher Yong Jegeon-nim, is there a Ho, who can enter here?”
“Uh, there is.”
Seeing how Yong Jegeon replied at once, I guess it was true.
But it would be a bit complicated if I was taken back to the Ho tribe’s side now.
“Ah, is the Ho, who can enter, coming to take you back, perhaps?”
I didn’t say anything, But Yong Jegeon figured the reason for my question like a ghost.
I was in awe of my Playable Character’s sharpness, but at this point countermeasures were needed more than analyzes of the cause.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of that Ho.”
… My Playable Character not only analyzed the reason, but also had perfect countermeasures, huh!
When I was in awe, taking the advantage of the video of the interviews with the audience, Cheongryong and Yeom Bangyeol spoke to me.
“Because we were busy, we couldn’t properly greet a guest. You already know it, but I’m the Yong tribe’s head, and Yeom Junyeol’s uncle, Cheongryong.”
“Red Lion team’s master and Yeom Junyeol’s father, Yeom Bangyeol.”
Their voices were solemn, but because they were holding the sparkling Hongryong cheering sticks, they didn’t feel that serious.
Those two good-for-nothings couldn’t leave out their relationship with Yeom Junyeol from their self-introductions.
‘Yeom Bangyeol and Cheongryong are sworn brothers. So Cheongryong and Yeom Junyeol have an uncle and nephew relationship.’
Those two good-for-nothings looked very close in PMH, and even in reality, they matched very well.
Conscious of the ears around, they chose appropriate words.
“We’re indebted to you with this matter, so we want to give you something.”
“We tried to prepare a gift for the guest, but we didn’t know what would be good.”
I guess the Yong tribe’s head and the Red Lion team’s master wanted to give me a gift.
A compensation, you say.
Because it was the natural thing to save my Playable Character, something like a compensation wasn’t necessary.
Even so, there were a few things I wanted to request from the Yong tribe in this case.
‘One of them is asking if I can participate in the joint purchase of those cheering sticks, but…’
I glanced at the sparkling cheering sticks in Cheongryong and Yeom Bangyeol’s hands filled with envy.
I coveted the cheering stick, but there was something more important at the moment.
‘If I return to the Ho tribe’s mansion, there is a high chance of my schedule being twisted.
Soon is the Halloween and I had to leave Korea.
But my ankle would be caught by the geezer.
At the end of my worries, I opened my mouth.
*~*~*
[1] “Teach Yong-nim said He would take him with Him.” — Sawol Seeum’s sentence
[2] “Do They have business with the People from the Namkung Group?”— Sawol Seeum’s sentence
[3] “Uh, Miro is going up on the stage! Seeing how other Candidates are going too, I guess the first stage is starting!” — Sawol Seeum’s sentence
Translator’s note: Just randomly occurred to me, but ‘Ji’ in Hwang Jiho’s name stands for 志 hanja, which in Korean translates to ‘meaning/intention/true heart’ (among like ten other things). So him making meaningful expressions has similar energy to Jo Uisin making suspicious expressions.
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