EX-rank’s Replay (380)

Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost

 
60. Party (3).

Inside Red Lion private plane.

Instead of accompanying us to Britain, Yeom Bangyeol guided us inside.

I was deeply impressed that Yeom Bangyeol didn’t leave the role of the guide to the crew composed of plane captain, vice-captain, or an automatic maid, and guided us in person.

It seemed that because I, a benefactor, a junior, who was an assemblyman, came, he was giving special treatment.
 

‘You bought such a private plan just to use it to go see Yeom Junyeol?’
 

Naturally, the sliding doors were installed between the passenger seats with quite a bit of space put between them, but there was even a bedroom, shower room, meeting room, fitness room, cafeteria and a mini bar.

At first, I thought it was a bit excessive, but I soon agreed with Yeom Bangyeol’s thoughts.
 

“I imagined it would only be used by family. But our Junyeol-yi ended his abroad studies early, so it was almost not used at all.”
 

If I had ability and power to prepare transportation for Snare or my Playable Characters, I would also put this much thought into it.

While imagining a private plane with a seat and toys exclusively for Snare, I abruptly thought about the flight last vacation.
 

‘Thinking about it, last time Hwang Jiho didn’t have a private, but a chartered plane[1] to stand on stand-by in China. Did he procure it on the spot because I suddenly decided to return home?’
 

That day I received a message from Sawol Seeum and decided to go back right away.

When Hwang Jiho heard of my intentions to go home, he prepared a chartered plane.
 

‘It was probably faster to borrow it than bring the private plane, that was almost never used, to China, because it would have to be set up so it could set of.’
 

Hwang Jiho probably kept neglecting the private plane.

Because though he would have it prepared as a basis, he would almost never personally use it.

The reason why Hwang Jiho didn’t use the private plane was obvious.
 

‘I don’t know about moving around the Korean Peninsula, but the abilities of Hwang Jiho’s alter-egos outside the Korean Peninsula are limited. Even if he was living lazily, he probably abstained from the trips abroad.’
 

Inside the chartered plane heading from China to Korea, Hwang Jiho materialized a golden chess board and a king chess piece with his superpower wave, and said this:
 

— Moving alter-egos outside the Korean Peninsula is quite complicated. To compare… It feels like playing chess by embodying the brain and hands with the superpower wave.

— My thinking power, the skill precision and concentration would decrease greatly. So I would take care of all important matters before going out on this overseas trip.
 

As I recalled that memory[2], I thought I did well not telling Hwang Jiho beforehand.

Because it was possible that in the situation where there was a lot to do, Hwang Jiho would follow me for no reason.

Moreover, I wasn’t yet able to figure out the ‘way to kill Hwang Jiho’.
 

‘I wasn’t able to figure out the Dark Mastermind’s method to incapacitate Hwang Jiho. As such, it would be better for Hwang Jiho not to leave outside the border where his authority is weaker.’
 

While I organized the thoughts in my head, I looked around the private plane’s key facilities.

Yeom Bangyeol, who finished guiding, looked at me and Seong Gukeon, leaving behind words before he left the private plane.
 

“Then have a safe journey. Gukeon-ah, as this child overdid it yesterday, take care good care of him.”
 

Seong Gukeon and Jeon Mu-yeong, who finished goodbyes with Yeom Bangyeol, quietly looked at me.

Their gaze was confirming whether there was something wrong with me or not.

As the treatment was completely finished, the two couldn’t find any particular problems, but Seong Gukeon didn’t let just pass.
 

“Overdid… Is it related to the broadcasting station incident? Teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim’s name was there. And Red Lion even interfered in the settlement process.”

“But there was no Unknown Supernova among the Players participating in the otherworld conquest.” [3]

“I guess there was something that shouldn’t be left in the Association’s record, eh?”
 

The incident at the broadcasting station yesterday was reported on the large scale and became a hot topic.

As the incident occurred at the time[4] of Playlist’s last filming, it couldn’t avoid drawing public’s attention.

As if the Red Lion side used their power, nothing about Cadmus case was revealed.

Moreover, it wasn’t a day or two when the Red Lion overreacted about an incident involving Yeom Junyeol, so no one found their active interference strange.
 

“I won’t purposefully dig into the things the Red Lion and the Association covered up. But I’ll dig if I deem that’s necessary. Hahahee!”
 

Seong Gukeon laughed heartily.

The skill to figure out the existence of a buried incident and the party that buried it from just one word of Yeom Bangyeol, without going through any special information gathering process, was outstanding.

In addition, he drew a proper line by expressing his will to not make enemies with any other side!

Outwardly, he looked just like a spirited senior-nim, but he had an uncommon instinct of the re-elected assemblyman.

Seong Gukeon changed the topic as if asking when did we ever talk about the broadcasting incident?
 

“Uisin-ah, you don’t have any baggage.”

“I plan to buy the necessary things in the meantime.”
 

Because I didn’t have time to return to the dormitory and pack the baggage, I was no different from being empty-handed.

I put daily necessities in the item window in case of unpredictable situations, so I was fine even if I couldn’t buy them, but for watching eyes, I planned to go shopping.
 

“Okay, tell Muyeong-i anything you need.”
 

Seong Gukeon ended on those words and didn’t ask for anything else.

Perhaps it was because Seong Gukeon was a type, who thought on a different scale than others, so his thinking wasn’t ordinary.

After we took off, when an announcement that it was okay to unbuckle the seatbelts, the three of us moved to the meeting room.

At Seong Gukeon’s recommendation, I sat at the opposite side from him and Jeon Mu-yeong handed me printed materials.
 

“Please destroy those materials after reading.”
 

In the materials handed by Jeon Mu-yeong, the detailed information about the tentatively named ‘Halloween party at the old castle’ was neatly printed.

Even just glancing at the content of those documents, it didn’t seem like information obtained by the ordinary routes.
 

‘There is not a lot known about the Halloween party hosted by the Jin tribe as a whole, but you investigated this much! Jeon Mu-yeong is indeed talented, huh?’
 

When I was memorizing the place, time, strange phenomena that occurred at the time of Halloween for years, Seong Gukeon asked.
 

“Uisin-ah, speaking of the teacher-nim that came to send you off a moment ago.”
 

Two teachers came to send me off.

Instead of calling Yong Jegeon ‘teacher-nim’, Seong Gukeon just openly called him ‘Yong’, so saying ‘teacher-nim’ pointed to Kim Sinrok.
 

“Why did He come to send you off all the way here?”
 

It was abrupt, but a reasonable doubt.

Kim Sinrok wasn’t a 1st year class 0’s homeroom teacher or vice homeroom teacher, so it would look strange.
 

‘That said, I can’t reveal Kim Sinrok’s true identity, or connection to the Ho tribe.’
 

I decided to use an excuse that Kim Sinrok used when coming to the Yong tribe’s base.
 

“Teacher Kim Sinrok-nim came because He was worried about me, a dormitory student.”
 

There were a few hundred of dormitory students, so it would be a bit strange to come to send off a student who was going abroad.

But thanks to Jeon Mu-yeong adding a few words, my words got persuasion power.
 

“Though teacher Kim Sinrok-nim didn’t express Himself well in the past, He had a lot of affection even in the past. During my time, perhaps because He just took office, He was awkward with students and tried to keep His distance. Even so, he always showed an attitude overflowing with consideration.”

“… It was such a teacher, eh?” [5]

“He surely was worried about the students, who were involved in the broadcasting station incident, leaving the country the next day. So He came all the way here.”
 

It was the first time I saw Jeon Mu-yeong, who always stood like a shadow, to so actively step forward.

Seong Gukeon insincerely agreed, while listening to Jeon Mu-yeong’s praises and boasts about Kim Sinrok.

It seemed that Seong Gukeon was thinking of something every time Kim Sinrok’s name was mentioned, but he didn’t express it out loud.
 

“That teacher seems to be close with that Yong.”

“I heard that teacher Kim Sinrok-nim kept working at Eungwang School after taking the office. As He spent years in that position, he probably got acquainted with teacher Yong Jegeon-nim.”
 

Jeon Mu-yeong didn’t hide his trust in Kim Sinrok.

He even put up a shield and questioned every time Seong Gukeon spoke.

Even though I didn’t open my mouth much, it seemed like this topic would be coaxed well, but I also decided to add a word.
 

“I apologize.”
 

I aimed for right timing and started with an apology.

Instead of being flustered because of the abruptness of it, Seong Gukeon asked what I was apologizing for with a soft face.
 

“Even though I knew that senior Seong Gukeon-nim is wary of Jin people and descendants, I moved without consulting You beforehand.”
 

Anyone knew that the master of Red Lion team married the Yong tribe’s descendant, and they were in-laws.

Seong Gukeon asked for my cooperation, while saying there is a Jin targeting the Korean Peninsula, but I in fact borrowed the power of a person close to the Jin tribe, so it was a matter worthy of apologizing for.
 

“Hahahee! Right. It was sudden. Even so, it’s okay. From the beginning, if I didn’t trust senior Yeom Bangyeol-nim, I wouldn’t board this plane.”
 

Hearing my apology, Seong Gukeon said it was fine and smiled.
 

“I don’t know about other Jin people or descendants, but I trust senior Yeom Bangyeol-nim. He is a Person, who, if the Yong tribe tried to target the Korean Peninsula, would try to persuade them with all his might. I have an eye for people.”
 

I was thankful for those words, but putting aside an eye for people, I don’t’ know what kind of eye he had for Jin people and descendants.

If he had it, he wouldn’t so openly lump all Jin people and descendants together and be wary of them.

Yong Jegeon had many sly corners, but as there were many grudges piled up in the past, it wasn’t strange that Seong Gukeon kept his distance.
 

‘Such Seong Gukeon trusted and followed Kim Sinrok.’
 

Of course, there was a chance it was because he believed Kim Sinrok was a human until the end.
 

“As we have a thing to steal in this case, if we moved an ordinary plane and loaded the item there, we would have to get through a complicated procedure. That was a good choice, junior-ah.”
 

Saying this, Seong Gukeon reached out his hand over the table and patted my shoulder.

The power of said pat was enough to shake my body.
 

“You probably know everything already, but the first goal of this trip is to steal ‘Imoogi’s Rise to Heaven’.”
 

Seong Gukeon opened the picture of ‘Imoogi’s Rise to Heaven’ on the hologram.

It was a clue left by Seong Gukeon and Seong Siwan’s grandfather, the Player’s Association Korean Branch’s head, who died a long time ago during the Dark Age.
 

‘If that old student of painter Hong Gyeongbok didn’t sell Min Geurin’s work overseas, there wouldn’t be such trouble.’
 

Seong Gukeon’s explanation continued.
 

“Ah, I heard the full story of ‘Imoogi’s Rise to Heaven’ from you, but after that, I went to hear a more detailed story from painter Hong Gyeongbok-nim.”
 

I guess Seong Gukoen didn’t just find the painting’s whereabouts.

While opening the last page of the documents on the hologram, Seong Gukeon briefly explained.
 

“From the time of commissioning the painting, the time it took to make, the method of obtaining materials and… to the method of differentiating whether it was the genuine thing or not. The materials are written on the last page, check it.”
 

I read the last page a few times, memorizing it.

Thanks to Seong Gukeon’s explanation and Jeon Mu-yeong’s materials, I easily imputed even trivial content into my head.

When we finished briefing about the ‘Imoogi’s Rise to Heaven’, Seong Gukeon said something shocking.
 

“We have obtained the list of auction items that would come up on this year Halloween action, and it seems that stealing it will be easier than expected. ‘Imoogi’s Rise to Heaven’ isn’t a main item.”
 

No, what do you mean my Playable Character’s first work isn’t the main item of the auction!

Even though the quest’s difficulty dropped, I didn’t feel good at all.
 

“Hahee! I understand your feeling, Uisin. I also feel similar. But the place of the party isn’t our home ground. And I think it’s good that penalties decreased.”

“… Yes.”
 

When I soothed my crying heart, Seong Gukeon continued his explanation.
 

“This time one of the four treasures of Tuatha Dé Danann, the Danu gods tribe, will be placed on the auction. As it’s an item with a myth, left in reality by higher beings, the ‘Imoogi’s Rise to Heaven’ cannot help but drop a tier.”
 

There were four treasures of Danu gods tribe.

First, the ‘Stone of Fál’, which was a great stone that when touched by a person with qualifications to be a king, lets out a sound.

Second, the ‘Sword of Nuadha’, in front of which no one can escape.

Third, the five-forked ‘Spear of Lugh’, which guarantees victory.

Fourth, the ‘Dagda’s Cauldron’, which produced infinite crops and was the symbol of the weather.

I didn’t know which among those four treasures were going to be put up on the auction, but my shock skyrocketed.
 

“… the treasure is going to be put on the auction?”

“Yeah. It’s certain.”
 

The treasure which was the symbol of divine authority and an object of awe since the old times.

The treasure, which only a being approved by the higher beings was said to be able to own, was being sold on the dark auction?
 

‘I can only think of one party that could think of doing such a wicked thing.’
 

In the myths, they had an alliance with the Danu gods tribe, but they were someone who caused a war a few times to confront them and awfully lost.

In the myths, they were described as cruel and wicked aggressors.
 

“The hosts of this auction are the Fomori Demons, eh?”
 

It seemed that we would face Demons on this Halloween party.
 

*~*~*
 

[1] chartered plane and private plane — I think I missed it before. The word for leasing something is ‘전세 (jeonse)’ can also mean a situation on the battlefront/situation of the game. Hwang-ho explaining his power on the chess board there suddenly makes more sense. Now, to not make the same mistake, the word for exclusive ‘전용 (jeonyong)’, here translated as private, can also mean ‘for something not to be used where it’s intended/should be (=-= already matching, huh?)’ or ‘taking on the dignified attitude or appearance to refine one’s complexion’, or ‘being whole’, or ‘used completely’.

[2] recalled that memory — literally ‘recalled that thought/idea’

[3] “But there was no Unknown Supernova among the Players participating in the otherworld conquest.” — Jeon Mu-yeong’s sentence.

[4] at the time — literally ‘biting each other’.

[5]“… It was such a teacher, eh?” — from then on instead of referring to Kim Sinrok as ‘teacher-nim (선생님 seonsaengnim)’, Seong Gukeon starts to refer to him as ‘교사 (gyosa)’ which also means teacher, but it just means a profession, plain, without respect.
 

Translator’s note: Seong Gukeon, I don’t think you have a very good eye… neither for Jin and descendants nor for people.
 

 

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