Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost
65. Faith and test (9)
There were candidates for the ‘Long Tail’, who betrayed the Ho tribe, among the 12 Zodiac Alliance.
Kim Sinrok was able to exclude one of the Long Tail’s candidates through the clue he obtained through the Replay.
That Jin clan was the Won tribe.
— 申[Strongest in the Universe Heaven’s Equal Great Sage] “Ah, I know, I know. And the Jin tribes without descendants will die from sorrow.”
During the 12 Zodiac Alliance’s chaotic meeting, the Won tribe’s head ‘The Strongest In The Universe Qítiān Dàshèng’ made such a comment.
I don’t know if the trigger was sadness at the lack of descendants, but Qítiān Dàshèng hid his identity and created a social party.
With the trigger of the tycoon son’s kidnapping, he made the ‘irregular luncheon’.
And after obtaining the confirmation that the Won tribe was not the Long Tail traitor, Hwang Jiho contacted Qítiān Dàshèng.
— I met the Won tribe’s head at the irregular luncheon.
There, Qítiān Dàshèng made a certain request to Hwang Jiho.
The content of that request was to find his dongsaeng, Wúzhīqí.
— I was searching for the whereabouts of his dongsaeng, Wúzhīqí, with the clues provided by Qítiān Dàshèng as a basis.
The clues Hwang Jiho was chasing connected with the map of the Frozen otherworld’s locations.
— The place those clues led to was the TC Research Institute.
And the moment I received Eun-ho’s message when going to the TC Research Institute with Yu Sang-hun and learning that Yeom Junyeol and the Student Council’s members were here.
I made up my mind to play the best move.
One of those best moves was calling Qítiān Dàshèng.
‘I should do my best to hide how much Ho tribe knows and interfered in.’
It still wasn’t known by anyone that Hwang Jiho and Qítiān Dàshèng joined hands.
It was the situation where Hwang Jiho held a meeting to inform about the existence of a traitor.
Everyone knew for a fact that the Ho tribe was wary of the 12 Zodiac Jin tribes right now.
But who would believe that Qítiān Dàshèng handed over the freaking Tight-Fillet Spell to prove he is not a traitor?
If Qítiān Dàshèng suddenly raided the TC Research Institute, they would think that Sūn Wùkōng personally found a clue about Wúzhīqí and invaded, they wouldn’t be able to imagine he borrowed the Ho tribe’s hands.
‘If it’s Qítiān Dàshèng, even if he suddenly appeared and attacked this place, it wouldn’t be strange. If it goes well, we will be able to hide the Ho tribe’s interference.’
It was difficult to block the unseen moves and the moves with unknown intentions.
So the PMH’s protagonists had a hard time facing and blocking the Dark Mastermind, whose identity wasn’t revealed.
I hoped that the Ho tribe will deal with the Frozen Otherworlds with Yong Jegeon, and if possible, I’ll block them from coming down here.
I conveyed my thoughts to Eun-ho right away and called Qítiān Dàshèng here, and requested that he’d be passed the superpower poison antidote on the way.
It was said that though he was on the verge of being plunged into the underworld, with his cloud somersault he flew from Water Curtain Cave to South Sea within half a day, so he couldn’t get here right away.
As I expected, Qítiān Dàshèng gloriously appeared right on time.
“… The reaction is lukewarm, eh?”
There was no way that the researchers, who were stiffened with the Law Of Immobilizing A Body, would have a big reaction, or that I, Yu Sang-hui, Yu Sang-hun or Tao Wonu would cheer for that.
When the silence prolonged, Qítiān Dàshèng made a sullen face as if he wondered when would he get to shout cheerful lines?
‘Based on what Hwang Jiho said, he was called the ‘host Jin’ during the irregular luncheon. Wasn’t he hiding his identity?’
Looking at Tao Wonu’s reaction, it seemed he completely hid his identity, but I guess he was itching for a while.
Instead of facing Qítiān Dàshèng, Yu Sang-hun looked at me through the mask, and spoke quietly.
“… I thought you had something planned when you made that suspicious expression.”
It looked like Yu Sang-hun was certain that I summoned Qítiān Dàshèng.
Due to the crow mask’s form, the corners of the mouth were visible from certain angles, so I guess my particular suspicious expression was all visible.
Just as he said that, Yu Sang-hun, who had a blank face until a moment ago, curled up the corners of his lips as if he recalled anew all that he saw.
“Sheesh… what is with that mask?”
Yu Sang-hun said and covered his mouth.
I already saw it, so it was too late.
“Hm, hm. Then let’s listen to the story. In the past I would summon a local land god[1] and hear all the details of what’s going on here, but now it’s difficult to contact the higher beings in the human world.”
As if embarrassed, Qítiān Dàshèng talked even though no one asked.
He came with the best intentions to help, so I felt a bit sorry for him.
The first to reply to Qítiān Dàshèng’s words was Yu Sang-hui.
“… Please let me and those people go.”
As the researchers’ whole bodies were stiff, the syringe that threatened Yu Sang-hui became useless, but she was afraid like the injection needle was going to be embedded in her neck.
Qítiān Dàshèng’s eyes were covered, but he kindly spoke to her, like he could clearly see her.
“Tell me the reason in detail. We have enough time to hear the whole story. Those people can’t do anything with this Qítiān Dàshèng in front of their eyes.”
“…”
“Throughout my long travels and adventures, I developed an eye for differentiating heroes and small-minded people. The person who threatens you is a mere street ruffian. What are you afraid of?”
Qítiān Dàshèng indeed possessed great insight.
In the Journey to the West, Sūn Wùkōng came across numerous delinquents like those researchers on his pilgrimage to obtain the Buddhist scriptures, so he would know what’s going on here at a glance.
“My dongsaeng’s fate was that he would die if he didn’t awake his superpowers. Those People brought my dongsaeng’s superpower awakening forward.”
“So? It seems you repaid them enough.”
“… I don’t know what will happen to my dongsaeng if his superpowers disappear.”
There was fear in Yu Sang-hui’s voice.
I felt something wasn’t right here.
‘… If it were so easy to remove the superpowers, the Dark Mastermind would do this to Ju Su-hyeok or An Dain.’
Qítiān Dàshèng spoke with doubt.
“You can’t that easily remove superpowers. How can it be that those street ruffians have such an ability? There are cases among humans, who lose their abilities during growth, because the body doesn’t keep up with the superpowers development. But your dongsaeng seems already grown.”
“But!”
Yu Sang-hui said with a voice filled with fear.
Yu Sang-hui said something unexpected.
“One day, the superpowers of my dongsaeng’s classmates disappeared. This case was mentioned even at the TC Research Institute, and if that happened to my dongsaeng too…”
I felt my head go blank for a moment.
On the April Fool’s Day, the superpowers of the two illegally admitted guys, who were bullying Bak Seung-hyeon, disappeared.
As those illegal admissions were in the same class as Yu Sang-hun, it wasn’t strange for Yu Sang-hui to think like that if this case was making rounds in the TC Research Institute.
Rage directed at myself and the TC Research Institute surged in me.
They cleverly used the thing I did to shackle Yu Sang-hui!?
“It was my doing.”
I couldn’t endure and spoke right away.
“I erased those trashes’ superpowers.”
“Erase superpowers?… Hoo….”
“Those guys can’t do that.”
Full of certainty, I glared at the stiffened researchers.
The researchers’ eyeballs were rolling around, flustered.
I guess they didn’t think the person involved would be here.
“Alright, then I’ll release one person.”
Paat!
Once Qítiān Dàshèng clapped his hands, the researcher, who was aiming the syringe at Yu Sang-hui’s neck, was released.
At the same time, Qítiān Dàshèng took out the miniaturized Rúyì Bàng from behind his ear.
Swish!
Qítiān Dàshèng, who took out the treasure of treasures that left numerous legends, Rúyì Jīngū Bàng, popularly called Rúyì Bàng, shouted pompously:
“I shall confirm the truth. If you erase the superpowers of this crow mask, I’ll protect you bastards in the name of Qítiān Dàshèng.”
The released researcher just trembled and lingered about.
Even though we waited for a while, the researcher did nothing.
‘If you don’t have the Weight of Life and Fortune, you can’t do that, so that’s natural.’
Me who was designated as a test subject if he could erase superpowers.
Qítiān Dàshèng, who stood between us.
The researcher, who looked at the two of us alternatively, bowed his head to Yu Sang-hui, and said:
“Sanghui-ah, sorry…. I’m sorry…”
“… Were You lying to me the whole time?”
The researcher didn’t reply to Yu Sang-hui’s question, he trembled, then he smiled obsequiously, while speaking.
Even while acting submissively, he used a tone like he was soothing a fussing child, so it seemed he still didn’t come back to his senses.
“We were wrong. Ye? But if everything goes well, it will do good to you too in the end, so… Keuk!”
Peuk!
Yu Sang-hui’s fingers struck the researcher’s neck.
The researcher bent and fell forward, unable to breathe.
“How… could you play such a dog-shit trick using my dongsaeng!?”
Peuk! Puk!
Then, the one-sided violence started, but no one stopped it.
Yu Sang-hun’s hands also seemed itchy, but it seemed he decided to leave it to Yu Sang-hui for now.
Unable to withstand Yu Sang-hui’s vital point strike, the prone researcher fainted.
When Yu Sang-hui, who kicked the researcher’s head until he started to come back to his senses again, picked up the syringe that rolled on the ground.
We heard Yeom Junyeol’s voice.
“Apologies for being late… Sanghui noona?”
“Sanghui-ah!”
“Guys-ah, why are you here…!”
Puk!
Yu Sang-hui roughly plunged the syringe she was holding into the depths of the researcher’s mouth, and rushed towards the Student Council’s members.
The researcher with an injection needle stuck in his mouth, wriggled like a bug hit by pesticide, but the existence of the researcher seemed to have been already erased from Yu Sang-hui’s mind.
“There were Enemies around here, why did you come when it’s so dangerous…!?”
“We were worried about you and Wonu, so we naturally came.”
“Sanghui unnie, are You okay?”
As if Yu Sang-hui was worried about the Student Council’s members, who came battling the Enemies, she checked them with her healing skill.
As expected, my Playable Character greatly cherished her peers and juniors.
“Oh, the Yong tribe’s descendant, eh?”
“Hello, You’re the Host of the irregular luncheon! How did You get her…. ah.”
My polite disciple greeted Qítiān Dàshèng, and then looked at me.
After Yu Sang-hun, I guess Yeom Junyeol also figured out I summoned Qítiān Dàshèng.
Yeom Junyeol smiled, while looking at me.
“You’ve said that if we discovered a powerful energy source, we should not damage it and secure it. I did as You said.”
Behind him, I saw Yeom Junyeol’s Hongryong dragging an enormous water tank.
It was brimming with Demonic energy, so it seemed that it had a powerful seal on it.
Qítiān Dàshèng, who looked at Yu Sang-hui and the Student Council’s members with a pleased face, turned his focus to the water tank.
“Something is inside, eh? It’s tightly sealed. Over here, this Sūn Wùkōng’s Taoist arts… um, it’s a bit complicated!”
It would be easy to shatter it with the Rúyì Bàng, it would also damage what was behind the seal.
It didn’t seem that the Demonic seal or the content could withstand the Rúyì Bàng’s power.
“This seal is a work of a Demon. I’ll solve it.”
“Hoo…”
If it was filled with the power of Demons, it would be easy to release with kotodama.
I used Jegal Jaegeol’s kotodama again.
‘… Looking how tight the seal is, what is inside is certain, eh?’
The content still wasn’t visible, but I thought I knew what was put inside of it.
Whooosh…!
Soon, the moment the entire Demonic seal was released and what was inside was reveled, I heard the system message.
〈Skill ‘Power of Fate’ activated.〉
* * *
Military Academy, cadet quarters.
The lounge exclusive for the 1st year cadets.
“Sihu-ah, what are you doing?”
“Uh? Ah, I can’t contact Wonu’s hyung. I’m looking into that a bit.”
Jang Namuk was slightly sorry.
It was because after Ju-Oh Dragons defeat in the Korean Series, he couldn’t bother at all about his surroundings.
Even when he exchanged the device messages with friends, he didn’t listen to stories of others, and was only indifferently talking about himself, so it bothered him.
Jang Namuk, who promised himself to stop talking about baseball today and listened to his friends’ stories, suddenly felt a surge of superpower wave in his surroundings.
Paaaa….!
Shining chains appeared from Tao Sihu’s body.
Jang Namuk noticed right away that Tao Sihu was activating his Gwangrim.
Jang Namuk took a step back.
Because he knew very well that if you’re tied by those shining chains, your superpower wave will be sealed.
“Sihu-ah…? Why are you suddenly using Gwangrim?”
Was Tao Sihu trying to seal his superpowers with Gwangrim again as a stupid joke?
Just when Jang Namuk had those doubts, Tao Sihu started to wriggle.
It seemed that Tao Sihu tried to control his superpower wave with a surprised expression, but the light emitted by the shining chains gradually grew stronger.
It looked like the Gwangrim was being forcibly activated.
“Uu… uk…!”
“What? What is going on, sir?”
Namkung Gyu-yeon, who was doing self-training with a military shovel, rushed to them.
But neither Jang Namuk nor Tao Sihu had time to answer.
Jang Namuk looked at Tao Sihu with the ‘Eyes of Star Maiden’.
Something deeply dark and heavy was hovering around Tao Sihu.
‘It’s different from those ‘Seeds of Curse’. What is it…? Fog? No…’
In Jang Namuk’s eyes, Tao Sihu seemed to be submerged in dark and malicious water.
On the other hand, Tao Sihu heard a voice filled with resentment in his ears.
He had no idea what it was saying, he knew that this resentment was directed at him.
Tao Sihu recalled the trauma that he had buried deep in his memory.
‘I heard that voice in the past, when I was kidnapped…’
Jang Namuk shouting his name, his peers swarming around, and Namkung Gyu-yeon, who stabbed the military shovel into the ground and was doing something.
All of it felt distant.
Soon, Tao Sihu’s mind fell into darkness.
*~*~*
[1] local land god – 土地神, a lowest ranking divine under the Jade Emperor.
Translator’s note: No one being excited about Sūn Wùkōng … What a world.
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