Translator: Wan ED/PR: Solarin
63. Surveillance (7)
Underground of the Red Lion team’s building, the Yong tribe’s territory.
Today, a guest came to a place that only Yong tribe members and some members of the Red Lion team could enter.
When running into that guest, Kim Sinrok, the Yong tribe members, who were acquainted with him, happily greeted him.
“Yong Jegeon’s only friend visited again, eh?”
“It’s good to see your face often. You said you’re using the name ‘Kim Sinrok’ now, right?”
“Sinrok-ah, come in.”
“Hello. I shamelessly came again.”
“What shame? You grew up and now are nitpicking on useless things, huh?”
While Kim Sinrok responded to greetings with an awkward smile, the surroundings became noisy.
Yong Jegeon and Yeom Junyeol, who went to their bedrooms to change into comfortable clothes, entered side by side.
The Yong tribe members left Yong Jegeon alone, and gladly welcomed Yeom Junyeol.
“Oh… our Junyeol-yi came, huh! Did the two of you greet each other?”
“… Yes.”
“Yes. I exchanged greetings with teacher Kim Sinrok-nim when returning from school. I’m back.”
Yeom Junyeol smiled without any negative emotions, while responding to all the love directed at him.
Seeing that sight, Kim Sinrok swallowed a bitter smile.
Watching such sight of a descendant loved by Jin people, bitter feelings automatically came up.
‘If possible, I didn’t want to run into Yeom Junyeol until he graduates from school…’
Not a long time ago, Hwang-ho asked Kim Sinrok whether he would accept the dispatch mission.
The content of the mission was the interrogation of Dragon Slayer Cadmus, who was locked up in the Yong tribe’s territory.
Kim Sinrok, who had a relationship with the Yong tribe, accepted the dispatch mission right away.
Cheongryong, who received the news, commanded Yong Jegeon to bring Kim Sinrok to the Yong tribe’s territory.
— Sinrok-ah, thank you for coming for the sake of the Yong tribe. Now then, I have a suggestion regarding a visit to our territory…
Yong Jegeon made Kim Sinrok a suggestion with his characteristic sly tone.
It wasn’t a long time after their reconciliation from the argument they had about Seong Gukeon’s matter, but the shameless Yong Jegeon was embarrassing Kim Sinrok once again.
— How about you try to talk with our Junyeol-yi?
— … Why?
— If you’re going to visit the Yong tribe’s territory often, you may one day run into Junyeol-yi. Wouldn’t it be better to show your face beforehand?
Even though annoying, Yong Jegeon’s words had proper logic.
There was quite a chance that Kim Sinrok would run into Yeom Junyeol when visiting the Yong tribe’s territory.
How flustering it would be if there was a descendant he saw for the first time in the Yong tribe’s territory?
As someone, who moved under the Ho tribe’s head’s order, he couldn’t be the one surprising the Yong tribe’s precious descendant.
Kim Sinrok was forced to nod.
— … Got it.
— Then let’s return from school with Junyeol today. Great!
Thinking about the after school matters, Kim Sinrok’s mood hit rock bottom.
Unlike Kim Sinrok’s mood, which had hit rock bottom, Yong Jegeon was very happy.
Seeing this, Kim Sinrok’s mood got even worse.
He hated to see Yong Jegeon smirk, so he bowed his head and pretended to organize papers.
— Speaking about our class’s Han Yi, who you’re so concerned about… She had a spar with Miro today. Are you curious about the results?
— ….!
Kim Sinrok raised his head in surprise at the name ‘Han Yi’.
Because of the momentum, the papers Kim Sinrok was organizing scattered on the floor.
Kim Sinrok belatedly thought ‘aghr’, but the documents were already all disorganized.
— Speaking of the Eungwang Brilliant Light Children’s Home Han Yi belongs to, don’t Cheong-ho’s disciples often visit it these days? Kwon Jane who they liked so much came to Korea. I didn’t expect them to be more enthusiastic about volunteering at the Children’s Home than Kwon Jane.
Snap! Paaat!
Yong Jegeon snapped his fingers, filled up the surrounding with spaces and started to organize the documents spread on the floor.
He really detested it, but it was an amazing skill.
After Yong Jegeon organized and handed over the documents, Kim Sinrok just snatched them without saying thank you.
As if Yong Jegeon didn’t mind Kim Sinrok’s somewhat rude attitude, he continued to speak with a smile.
— And it seems that the children’s home is under the Ho tribe’s surveillance.
It seemed that as worthy of Yong Jegeon, who was sensitive to gazes, he noticed whether there was Ho tribe’s surveillance or not.
‘I probably should report to Hwangho-nim that the dragon seems to have noticed something, eh? But what was the result of the spar…?’
He was curious how the reincarnation of his old master Cheong-ho, Han Yi, did in the spar, but Yong Jegeon didn’t tell him the spar results and only made sounds to scratch Kim Sinrok’s insides.
When Kim Sinrok was estimating how many push pins and thumbtacks he had left in his pockets right now, and how many would hit Yong Jegeon’s forehead if he threw them all.
— Hahaha! Don’t make such an expression. I will stop playing. Let’s eat lunch, while we watch the spar video together.
He felt like he was playing into Yong Jegeon’s scheme, but he decided to leave it alone, as he got the spar video.
The video of Han Yi and Dokgo Miro’s spar coupled with Yong Jegeon’s explanation when watching, was seriously impressive from the standpoint of Kim Sinrok, who remembered Cheong-ho.
‘… Cheongho-nim’s personality is the same even after she was reborn, huh?’
As he thought about Han Yi and Dokgo Miro’s relationship, it was even more so.
Cheong-ho was clumsy with explaining her feelings through words, but she expressed her trust and friendship through actions.
And after classes.
Yong Jegeon introduced Kim Sinrok to Yeom Junyeol, who finished the Student Council’s activities.
He seemed surprised by the fact that Kim Sinrok was a descendant, but soon spoke brightly.
— I had no idea that teacher Kim Sinrok-nim was Jegeon hyung’s friend! I heard the Earthly Wings Council’s kids boast about their teacher-nim a few times, but I couldn’t imagine it.
— The Earthly Wings Council’s kids boast about Sinrok-yi?
— Yes, that every time when snacks come to the Earthly Wings Council, they always leave a share for advisor teacher-nim. I also heard that teacher-nim likes sweets.
Each time he visited the Earthly Wings Council Hall, he would eat snacks with children because they asked to eat with them, but Kim Sinrok could not even imagine they had such inside knowledge.
Kim Sinrok recalled the slightly warm expression the children made every time he ate snacks, and his face grew hot.
— So the Earthly Wings Council’s advisor teacher-nim is a descendant like me, eh? Please take care of me in the future, teacher Kim Sinrok-nim.
At the words Yeom Junyeol spoke without any ill will, he felt his cheeks, which had became slightly hot, instantly turn cold.
Because Kim Sinrok wasn’t at all like the Yong tribe’s descendant Yeom Junyeol.
Looking at Yeom Junyeol, who received a warm reception among the Yong tribe members, while he talked about what happened at school, Kim Sinrok became certain once again.
Kim Sinrok took his eyes off Yeom Junyeol, as he said.
“Guide me to the place where the dragon slayer is.”
“Alright. Cheongryong went first and is waiting.”
Yong Jegeon spoke, while obediently taking the lead.
While they moved deep into the Yong tribe’s territory, Kim Sinrok adjusted his mind and superpower wave.
He had never tortured a dragon, so there were many things he wanted to try out.
Yong Jegeon abruptly asked Kim Sinrok, who sharpened his mind to his best.
“Sinrok-ah, did you have a good talk with Gukeon-i?”
“How did you…!?”
Looking at the ecstatic expression Yong Jegeon made, Kim Sinrok stopped talking.
Clearly, that damn dragon again sounded out Kim Sinrok with a tricky question.
When Kim Sinrok gritted his teeth, Yong Jegeon’s smile deepened.
“I’ll support you, Sinrok-ah. Tell me if you need my help at any time.”
Even when Kim Sinrok said he needed none, cutting him off like a knife, Yong Jegeon kept smiling.
* * *
Yu Sang-hun and I decided to move to the restaurant we made a reservation at before talking.
I accepted the opinion of Yu Sang-hun, who said he wants to eat meat, and decided on the menu with stakes.
“I want to eat samgyeopsal[1].”
“I got a place where it’s possible to reserve a private room.”
“Uh… Okay.”
The appointed location I decided on was the place where it was possible to reserve a private room, and the security was thorough.
The place we were heading to right now was a dry-aging stake house store, located in Hwang Myeong Tower, and was a restaurant that received Hwang Jiho’s praise.
At the words private room, Yu Sang-hun immediately agreed.
After that, none of us talked for a while.
Yu Sang-hun continued the conversation after finishing eating fennel soup[2] that came out as apéritif before me.
“It seems that your vice homeroom teacher often picks up fights with our homeroom teacher.”
Yong Jegeon with Kim Sinrok?
As their long history probably spanned nearly a few thousand years, it would be difficult to stop it with my power.
It seemed that they had fought not a long time ago and then reconciled, but I guess Yong Jegeon couldn’t endure it in the meantime and picked up a fight again.
‘They said they plan to send him to the Yong tribe’s territory to deal with Cadmus’ matter today.’
Yong Jegeon, who was excited that his close friend was coming to his house to play, picked up more fights than usual, was vivid in my eyes.
“There are many fans of our homeroom teacher in our class. They said that if it seems that our homeroom teacher keeps having a hard time, they plan to attack Yong Jegeon. I don’t plan on stopping it.”
… Wasn’t Yu Sang-hun’s class on the gentle side?
I blanked out for a moment, because it was a plan that seemed to be made by class 0.
I recalled a certain fact at the words following it, and blanked out even more.
‘Wait, the 1st year class 1’s president is An Dain. Such a plan was made even with An Dain there?’
Wouldn’t the chances of success rise if An Dain participated in that attack?
Thinking of the Shooter of Divine Bullets, An Dain leading the 1st year class 0 and sparring with Yong Jegeon, I wanted to cheer for both sides.
Anyway, we put aside the rare fierce battle that would spread inside Eungwang School, and continued the meal while chatting.
When all the main dishes were empty, Yu Sang-hun got to the point.
“There is something I want to consult on.”
Yu Sang-hun started the conversation like this, but he didn’t speak easily.
It was an attitude of someone who was confused as to where he should start and how, and if it was even good to consult on.
I didn’t urge Yu Sang-hun.
I thought that even if Yu Sang-hun just didn’t say anything, and we went back, I wouldn’t be able to help it.
“… Remember when I said that I had a weak body when I was young?”
It seemed that Yu Sang-hun decided to speak.
When I nodded, Yu Sang-hun calmly described the process of his fight with the disease.
Yu Sang-hun spoke of only facts, without any subtractions or additions, but even then, the content was awful enough to chill my spine.
But looking at all the empty plates of the stake until now, it seems he had completely shook off that devilish disease.
“That illness got better after I awakened my superpowers. But there is something strange about that awakening process.”
“Which point?”
“The timing.”
Yu Sang-hun explained the process behind Yu Sang-hui taking him into her hands and going to the superpower center.
“A day before going to the superpower center, I had a seizure so I don’t remember well, but I heard that my heart stopped for a few minutes and was revived after getting CPR. Because I didn’t come back for some time, they cracked my ribs.”
I imagined that scene from Yu Sang-hun’s words.
It was clear that Yu Sang-hun’s heart didn’t beat for a long time, even after they kept putting pressure on his chest.
Yu Sang-hun came back to life only after cardiopulmonary resuscitation was repeated until it broke his ribs.
“They judged it would be difficult to bring me back if another seizure occurred. And two days later, I was suddenly put in a wheelchair and taken to the superpower center.”
The subject was omitted, but the one who took Yu Sang-hun would be Yu Sang-hui.
It was certain that Yu Sang-hui moved while thinking there was no way to know when Yu Sang-hun might die.
“I don’t remember what happened in that superpower center very much. I worked hard to remember something, so I recalled some things, but…”
Yu Sang-hun summarized the things he saw and heard in the superpower center.
“In addition, there was no staff at the superpower center. Instead, there seemed to be researchers from the TC Research Institute.”
TC Research Institute’s logo.
Yu Sang-hui, who cried and begged to please do something.
And someone wearing a robe with a strange logo.
“Do you remember how that logo looked?”
“… Not precisely.”
Yu Sang-hun turned on the hologram, worried for a few minutes, and then completed the logo.
As the drawing was a bit misshapen, it was difficult to recognize, but there was something I recalled when seeing it.
One of the Demon gods of 7 Deadly Sins, Avaritia of Greed.
What Yu Sang-hun drew was the symbol engraved on the robes worn by the priests of that Demon god.
*~*~*
[1] samgyeopsal — 삼겹살, grilled pork belly. Its name means ‘three layer meat’.
[2] fennel soup — from the fact that the name borrowed from English is used instead of a Korean word, I’m guessing fennel is mentioned because it’s native to Mediterranean and appears in Greek mythology sometimes.
Translator’s note: This series of chapters will go live on a very specific moment in raws, won’t they?
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