Translator: Wan ED/PR: Solarin
63. Surveillance (1) [1]
The existence of TC Research Institute had been bothering me since the past.
I hadn’t visited it even once yet, but my Playable Characters were deeply connected to it.
‘The Tao and Cheon families, Tao Wonu and Cheon Dongha, have direct connections with TC Group. And Yu Sanghui is also involved.’
The people involved weren’t only Playable Characters.
There was also Yu Sang-hun, and Tao Sihu, whom I was acquainted with.
“Seeing Hwangho-nim and Uisin hyung reactions, I guess there is something about TC Research Institute. Can I ask for an explanation?”
“I guess it wasn’t content in the game, eh?”
“I know of an arrangement for the so-called ‘Four Groups’ secret war scenario’ breaking out. The TC Group will also be involved in that. However, the size of TC Group is considerable, so I don’t know how and where and which departments were involved in that secret war.”
Hwang Jiho reacted to the words ‘Four Groups’ secret war scenario’.
But as if he prioritized conveying information rather than digging into that scenario, he swallowed a question.
“Let’s postpone asking about that scenario for now. The trigger for this one to learn about the TC Research Institute is somewhat complicated. Where should I start…. Alright.”
Hwang Jiho, who organized his thoughts for a moment, started to speak with a bright tone, as if he came up with a good idea.
“Ah, first I should tell you how Jeok-ho got injured, eh?”
“What happened to Jeokho-nim?”
Eun-ho’s voice was tender, yet sounded rigid.
‘From all the times, this story comes out when Jeok-ho is not here?’
Perhaps Jeok-ho was watching over Eun-ho’s descendants, or he went to see his son, who had a mentally hard time today, but he wasn’t here.
Hwang Jiho took this opportunity of Jeok-ho not being here and started to excitedly tattle.
Compared to Baek Ho-gun, who was quietly sitting at the side and observing the situation, he had a very light mouth.
“It happened when I ordered the surveillance of one of the 12 Zodiac Alliance members, the Don tribe[2], which dared to betray the Ho tribe. Someone detected Jeok-ho’s Red Smoke, and Jeok-ho was attacked, right?”
At the time of the incident, Jeok-ho was pierced by the Nine Iron Teeth Rake’s forks and was gravely injured.
But it was a situation where Jeok-ho couldn’t use common healing skills or items.
After Kim Sinrok secretly took the divine treasure and committed a sin of using it on Jeok-ho, Jeok-ho took on and carried big restrictions.
At the time, the one who helped was Yu Sang-hui.
“Such a thing happened, eh? This Yu Sang-hui[3] still has a connection with the goddess of healing, Panacea… no, Acea, so she was able to help.”
“It wasn’t the only time we received help from Yu Sang-hui. During the summer break, at the time of the Youth Training Camp, this one made a mistake and there were injured…”
By the injured, did he mean the children, Song Daeseok and No Yeongim, who suffered from supernatural poison?
But it wasn’t just Hwang Jiho’s fault.
Because it was me, who made a plan with the information I knew from PMH as the base.
I, who didn’t properly figure out the existence of variables, was much more at fault.
Taking this opportunity of Hwang Jiho taking a break from speaking, I opened my mouth to try to explain this fact, but the quick-to-notice geezer kept cutting me off.
That geezer wasn’t the only quick-witted person.
“Uisin hyung, I guess You want to say that the injured that happened at that time were hyung’s fault.”
“Hahaha! You indeed have wisdom worthy of the Ho tribe’s first head, eh? You understood the benefactor’s intentions right away, huh?”
Though those days were spent as a human, wasn’t it thanks to Eun-ho living for a very long time, equal to the geezer laughing at the side?
I still wasn’t able to bring up the subject, but was completely refuted.
Just hearing Hwang Jiho’s explanation, Eun-ho clearly figured out the events of the Youth Training Camp, like he personally saw it.
Finishing his analysis, Eun-ho laid out the reasons why the events of that time weren’t my fault, and concluded saying:
“Strange. Is there a part I misunderstood?”
“No, Eun-ho, there is nothing wrong with your analysis.”
“Is that so?”
As the geezer added spiteful words, and Eun-ho drew a conclusion, I had no place to cut in.
As I wasn’t able to refute anything, I had to drink the tea Eun-ho handed to me.
“I know Uisin hyung’s thoughts very well. However, it’s useless, even if hyung says this. Because neither me nor Hwangho-nim will ever think it was because of hyung.”
“Yeah, I didn’t think it was because of benefactor, and have no intention of changing my thoughts.”
I guess the Ho tribe’s old head and current head matched each other very well.
Cooperating so closely, didn’t they really look like someone who was close for thousands of years?
Satisfied that I shut my mouth, Eun-ho and the geezer started Yu Sang-hui’s story again.
“Then let’s return to talking about Yu Sang-hui. Hwangho-nim, it seems You’ve learned something in the process of repaying gratitude to Yu Sang-hui, are my thoughts correct?”
“Yeah. Yu Sang-hui is having future-prospect problems related to TC Research Institute and was in an awkward position. Because she owes them the life of her dongsaeng, Yu Sang-hun, she can’t easily refuse.”
“… Owes dongsaeng’s life.”
Eun-ho repeated the words ‘owes life’.
Players, who played through PMH’s 1st year part, would remember the 3rd year senior, who jumped to the front lines to avenge her dongsaeng.
That senior, Yu Sang-hui, chose the goddess of revenge, instead of the goddess of healing and embarked on the road of revenge.
The target of Yu Sang-hui’s revenge were all Demonic Beast species Enemies, and she consumed her lifetime to annihilate those Demonic Beast species Enemies.
The user, who was somewhat pessimistic and skewed, claimed that this was kind of character-breaking.
It was a user who remained in the PMH fan community for quite a long time, and periodically posted criticizing posts that you didn’t know if they were a fan or an anti-fan.
‘… They said that it’s absurd for a student at Korea’s most prestigious highschool, who maintained highest ranking grades, to choose a senseless method of revenge.’
The key of what they said was that the revenge Yu Sang-hui chose was senseless and unreasonable.
A method so absurd as what had happened to her dongsaeng, Yu Sang-hun.
That was how much Yu Sang-hui treasured her family.
It seemed that Eun-ho also remembered that Yu Sang-hui.
“The Yu Sang-hui I know would approve almost any suggestions if it was related to the life of her dongsaeng. Yu Sang-hui must have a reason to worry, eh?”
“I’ll explain the project carried out by the TC Research Institute.”
On the hologram Hwang Jiho unfolded, the writing ‘Higher Beings Artificial Descent Project’ appeared.
Higher beings can interfere in the human world through very limited ways.
I could feel the desire of the beings of this land to try to wield this enormous power according to their whims.
The moment he read the introduction under the crazily arrogant title, Eun-ho hid his expression for a moment, while drinking tea.
“There are beings this stupid and arrogant in this land?”
Putting down the tea cup, Eun-ho’s expression was as usual, but there was deep rage buried in those short words.
From the Ho tribe’s standpoint, who had a deep connection with one of the higher beings, Heavenly God, they wouldn’t be able to help but feel rage towards this project.
Eun-ho, who suppressed his rage, continued to think.
And Eun-ho’s thoughts arrived at the same conclusion as I.
“… this project — it may be related to ‘that person’, who targets the divine realm.”
When considering the Dark Mastermind’s actions, the ‘Higher Beings Artificial Descent Project’ had a serious place in them.
For now, it was difficult to judge if this project’s direction overlapping with what the Dark Mastermind was pursuing was a simple coincidence or not.
‘But as the Frozen Otherworlds are lying dormant around the Research Institute, there is a much higher chance it’s by design than coincidence.’
Anyway, if the Dark Mastermind knew about this project’s existence, then there was a high chance they would interfere with it in some way.
Taking the opportunity of Hwang Jiho and Eun-ho’s conversation halting, I asked about the matter I requested before.
“Did you keep surveillance on senior Tao Wonu-nim?”
“We’re watching him. But as Tao Wonu is an outstanding Player, the degree of surveillance isn’t that high.”
“Please keep watching him.”
“To what degree should we watch him?”
In my heart, I wished to check on his every move, but I knew very well that it would be difficult.
So I decided and stated the minimum I thought of.
“Enough to continuously know senior Tao Wonu-nim’s location. I wish there are no situations when senior-nim acts alone.”
“Act alone… though he is about to leave this position, Tao Wonu is the Student Council president, and he is a son of TC Group. It’s rare for him to act alone.”
“Please make sure that rare moment doesn’t happen.”
Hwang Jiho gladly nodded and added one more thing:
“Got it. In exchange for that, you also refrain from acting alone.”
Why did the arrow suddenly turn in my direction?
I didn’t exactly think of moving alone, but I had plans to do so if necessary.
“Hahahee! Looking at that face, I guess you were thinking of moving alone if something happens. Tao Wonu may be in danger, so you are not going to refrain from acting alone? You should do the same.”
The geezer read my thoughts and laughed.
Isn’t me moving alone and Tao Wonu moving alone different stories?
No, in a way, isn’t the context the same?
I carefully thought about it, thinking that if I thought about it a bit more, there would be room for rebuttal, but I just shut my mouth at Eun-ho’s words.
“Uisin hyung must have made such a request, because He has no plans on moving alone. Correct? Hyung isn’t a person who would force others to do something He himself hates to do, isn’t that correct?”
When Eun-ho spoke like this with a smile, it was difficult to refute with anything.
After that, I wanted to discuss a bit more about the countermeasures somehow, but Eun-ho glanced at the outside that was darkening, and suggested going to sleep.
“Everyone must be tired for today, so let’s end here. We will talk in the morning.”
“That’s a good idea, eh? Jo Uisin, just go to rest.”
The two tigers spoke like it was an already established fact that I’m staying at the mansion.
It was still the working week and the second day I would be staying here, so I felt it would be impolite and I was about to say I’m going back to the dormitory.
But a lovely sound blocked my words.
Woof woof!
The angel was holding a new, different from yesterday, Snare-sized pillow.
As Snare, who was bored and lonely while the tigers were conversing, was acting cute, I couldn’t dare to refuse.
In the end, I hugged Snare and wished goodnight to the tigers.
“… Sleep well.”
Hwang Jiho kept laughing as he watched this scene, as if there was something to laugh about.
Eun-ho said, ‘Uisin hyung didn’t change at all’.
I had no idea what on earth didn’t change.
“Hahahaha! I did well to buy a new pillow at the Divine Beast’s pestering, eh? Okay, sleep soundly, we’ll see you in the morning.”
“Have a good sleep.”
“…”
After Baek Ho-gun, who wordlessly nodded his head, gave the last goodbyes, I headed to the room I was staying in the side building yesterday.
As I finished washing up and prepared to sleep, the sleepiness already poured in, but I decided to check my device which long messages kept coming in just before going to sleep.
The one who sent the messages was Jang Namuk.
[Jang Namuk] We’ve lost, but I think we were fighting well.
With that comparatively short starting message, the messages gradually got longer.
‘Ah. He is talking about the results of the Korean Series?’
While I was in the United Kingdom, the Korean Series ended.
Ju-Oh Dragons and SZ Stars fought a head-to-head battle until the 7th game, ending in defeat.
‘Ju-Oh Dragons ended up as a runner-up again, so from the fans’ standpoint it must be upsetting, right?’
When I was choosing words of comfort while reading Jang Namuk’s so-very-long messages, a call came.
The caller was Yu Sang-hun.
*~*~*
[1] Surveillance — 감시 (gam-si) dictionary definition is to watch something/someone carefully out of caution or to supervise, it can also mean to look down from a high place.
[2] Don tribe — ‘don’ for pig.
[3] This Yu Sang-hui — more precisely, ‘this place’s Yu Sang-hui’
Translator’s note: Ah, Ju-Oh Dragons, you’re almost like our other little dragon…
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