Translator: Wan ED/PR: novio
7. Sacred Tigers of Gaecheon Myth (3)
Jeok-ho stood at the balcony railing, which wasn’t even one hand wide.
‘He is currently using the Red Smoke skill.’
The red fog around the Jeok-ho was an effect that appeared when he was using the Red Smoke skill, which hid his identity and raised defense power.
He would use it to not be caught by the dormitory’s outer wall CCTV.
“I received a message from Hwang-ho. I’ll accept the deal student Jo Uisin proposed.”
“Thank you. I wish to make one more request in addition to the deal.”
Jeok-ho, who was fooled by Ungnyeo of Grief and committed a mortal sin, considered protecting Eungwang’s divine realm and students as a part of his atonement.
‘I shouldn’t be the target of this protection.’
There was a possibility of Jeok-ho, a specialist in information gathering, withholding important information to protect me.
“Let me accompany you when dealing with this teacher.”
“Unknown Supernova. It’s said that you subdued the R+ rank wanted Enemy, but the one you’re facing this time is Eungwang School’s teacher with relations to the Ung tribe. To put students in dangerous situations…”
I took out an item card.
It was a failed item passed to me by Ungnyeo of Grief on the day of the Fantasy Auction.
‘Scale of life and fortune’
It was an item that represented the will of the Ung’s Eight Immortals to exterminate Heavenly God and Sinin.
Now it was evidence I faced the Eight Immortals and survived.
“I’m okay.”
The moment Jeok-ho saw the card in my hand, the red lightning flashed in the night sky and struck down.
I heard screams from somewhere in the dormitory.
Jeok-ho, who was standing on the balcony until now, left behind the red lightning, jumped down and walked up to me.
“What are you thinking?”
The student who belonged to the divine realm Eungwang School and a target that had to be protected.
The player who had met with the Ung tribe, but survived and is handing over information about them.
Because those two kinds of facts conflicted with each other, Jeok-ho looked confused.
His stiff face hardened more than usual.
“I’ll give you the name of the teacher. Please proceed with the investigation of that teacher’s list of assets and the list of students he was in charge of during the special screening personal interview. I’ll prepare a strategy based on the results of the investigation.”
“Student Jo Uisin…”
“Please listen to my strategy and then decide whether to let me accompany you or not.”
Jeok-ho looked between the ‘Scale of life and fortune’ item card in my hand and my face.
A short moment passed, but he nodded slightly.
“…Understood.”
Done.
“I also want to know the personal details of the parents of one of the students.”
“Are they related to this case?”
“Yes, a little.”
Considering those parents’ performance, there was a high chance of a connection.
Though it didn’t seem to be a personal connection.
“The teacher’s name is Choe Pyeondeuk. The student’s name is Lee Lena, it’s about her parents. When you finish the investigation, contact me through the device.”
Lastly I asked about something which kept bothering me.
“Do you like the color black, perhaps?”
“……No, not really.”
At my words, Jeok-ho’s stiff expression became dazed for a moment.
‘When he appeared in the game, he always only wore dark black clothes.’
Looking at him today, he seemed to have a quite good fashion sense. Then why did he look like that in the game?
Though there were fans who liked him like that.
Was it because it was annoying to create new polygons and choose clothes colors for a game like that hypewreck?
With such unsatisfying thoughts, I sent Jeok-ho off.
***
The mystery of the red lightning which hit in the middle of the night became a hot topic for a moment.
However, there were no casualties, so people thought that someone’s superpower just went out of control for a moment, and it was soon buried.
As a result, the incident was added to the collection of numerous ghost stories at the Eungwang School.
“Hwang Jiho, thank you.”
“Did you have a good conversation with Jeok-ho?”
“Thanks to you.”
It was before day-start meeting. In the classroom, besides us, was only Han Yi sitting in the front row and studying.
Han Yi couldn’t hear, but I lowered my voice as I conversed with Hwang Jiho.
“Here, I wanted to thank you, so I brought snacks.”
“Oh, those are Moon Rabbit Rice cakes. The moon rabbits send gifts every year, so I enjoy them a lot.”
Hwang Jiho received the wrapped rice cakes with sparkling eyes.
‘Come to think of it, Ho tribe and To tribe are allies.’
The Moon Rabbit Rice cake set I got from Seong Siwan was too much to eat alone, so I redistributed the remaining rice cakes among Hwang Jiho, Kim Yuri and Han Yi.
Everyone admired the taste of the rice cakes.
In particular, Hwang Jiho, savored the taste through the entire break.
It was quite useless information, but I learned that the 5 thousand year old man really likes rice cakes.
***
After the day-start meeting ended, I looked for Ham Geun-hyeong.
It was a contrasting situation to when he called me yesterday.
“Teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim.”
There was no one on the corridor leading outside of the 1st year building.
“Jo Uisin…? Looking at this expression, it’s not about joining the Guideline Club”
What is with my expression?
Yu Sang-hun also mentioned something about my expression quite a few times, it seemed.
I don’t think I belonged with people with particularly expressive faces.
“You’re making an expression as if you’re thinking about something.
My hand was read again.
Ham Geun-hyeong noticed, like a demon.
“I want to make a request.”
“Okay. I got it.”
He agreed straight away, not even knowing what my request was about.
I stared at his face intently.
“How many years do you think I lived as a Player and a teacher? Among previous students, there was a guy similar to you, Jo Uisin. The entrance exam case, Lee Lena’s case, Bang Yunseop’s case. It was only the three I saw.”
Ham Geun-hyeong’s eyes were looking somewhere far away in the past.
Even considering my previous age, Ham Geun-hyeong was older.
He might not have knowledge from the game, but he is more experienced when it comes to people.
“Tell me, Jo Uisin. What do you need my help with?”
I was a little touched.
Ham Geun-hyeong was a playable character in the game. Among the teachers, he was the person who was the fastest to understand and help Ju Su-hyeok and An Dain.
‘When I saw him in the game, I thought there was no other teacher in the world who could respond with such words.’
There were good teachers like Jegal Jaegeol, but they died early and didn’t play much of an active role.
In comparison, Ham Geun-hyeong survived for a long time and when he could use his teacher’s position to help, he didn’t question deeply and reached out his hand.
“I’ll give a detailed explanation through the device.”
Before saying goodbye to Ham Geun-hyeong I asked:
“Who was that student in the past?”
Who was similar to me?
It bothered me a little.
“…The guy who created Wings Club 15 years ago.”
Are you talking about the Student Council president who kicked out corrupt directors and dormitory managers?
Ham Gaun-hyeong turned his back to me when he answered, so I didn’t know what type of expression he had when he said that.
***
The results of Jeok-ho’s investigation arrived within one day.
The materials about the three things I requested were all well organized.
‘The list of students of which Cheon Pyeondeuk was in charge of a special screening interview, Cheon Pyeondeuk’s assets list, Lee Lena’s personal details. Did he do such a perfect investigation in such a short time?’
The interview list even stated whether the student passed or not. Among the four people who successfully passed were the names I was looking for.
The composition of the successfully passed was as follows.
Two false admissions.
One student who was worse than the false admissions.
And the remaining one was a playable character, Maeng Hyodon.
‘Among those four, only Maeng Hyodon was worthy of admission to the Eungwang School.’
The special screening process was decided through the accomplishments made in teenage sports competitions for pre-players[1].
Maeng Hyodon was a talent who competed with Jo Su-hyeok in the finals a few times.
However, currently, Maeng Hyodon couldn’t come to school even once, because he was sold as a fighting slave to the ‘Fighting Club’ managed by Choe Pyeondeuk, to pay his father’s enormous drinking debts.
‘Maeng Hyodon was allowed to pass to sell the brand of an ‘active Eungwang School’s student’.’
Maeng Hyodon lost his mother early and only had his father.
That father spent all the remaining family fortune on alcohol and gambling. He had a habit of cursing and beating up Maeng Hyodon, as he wasted himself in alcohol.
‘Maeng Hyodon isn’t good at using his head but is excellent at using his body. And he also treasures his only family member.’
For that reason, Myaeng Hyodon didn’t pay attention to his father’s curses and accepted beatings.
He even looked for and competed in sport competitions to give the championship rewards as drinking money for this type of father.
‘Choe Pyeondeuk knew that Maeng Hyodon’s father frequently visited casinos. And he thought that Maeng Hyodon’s amazing fighting abilities could be turned into money. He smelled money!’
He would exploit him for this.
According to the scenario’s future developments, Ju Su-hyeok would smash the fighting club and save Maeng Hyodon in his second half of the 2nd year.
In addition, as expected from the grandson of the chairman of the JuOh conglomerate, he paid all Maeng Hyodon’s debts in a cool way, however…
‘I don’t think about waiting until then.’
Next, I checked Choe Pyeondeuk’s assets list.
Among them, the first to check were five buildings owned by Choe Pyeondeuk in the Eungwang district.
‘There are the Ung tribe members in one of those five buildings. I have to deal with them and Choe Pyeondeuk together.’
Choe Pyeondeuk was a common son of the bitch, but wasn’t incompetent.
His reputation among students was the disaster, but his abilities for handling administrative work were remarkable. And his paper manipulation ability was also fantastic.
‘If compared by abilities, Choe Pyeondeuk is a few notches higher than Byeon Sunhoe with the Fantasy Auction.’
Choe Pyeondeuk was on friendly terms with the board directors and in addition to knowing how to behave weak before the strong, he also knew how to hide his evil heart from the righteous teachers like Jegal Jaegeol.
Among the teachers, he was thought to be a sincere teacher with outstanding administration skills, though his lecture evaluation was low.
And the Ung tribe members in this case weren’t bystanders like Ungnyeo of Grief, but were deeply involved.
‘I prepared the move to solve this case.’
I organized the plan I had been thinking about and sent it to Jeok-ho.
A bit of time passed until Jeok-ho answered, but he sent OK.
***
[Today the rain is expected in the entire country. Especially in the Seoul and surrounding provinces, the strong wind and thunder is expected to accompany the heavy rain from the evening, so please take countermeasures and avoid rain. The Seoul and Surrounding Airbus corporation announced that they will suspend the airbus operation from 9 am. The rain will stop at noon tomorrow, but the severe cold snap will continue and the day-night temperature differences will be very large…]
Shaaa—.
Friday morning.
I listen to the sound of pouring rain outside my dormitory room’s window.
I wondered if it won’t stop later by chance, so I checked the weather forecast, but let alone saying the rain will stop, they rather said it will rain with the set of thunder and strong wind tonight.
‘It rains a lot.’
Today I decided to accompany Jeok-ho and strike Choe Pyeondeuk, but it rained that much.
‘Though I planned to endure embarrassment and show the world the Red Wall Thief one more time, only in the worst-case scenario.’
When it was raining, Red Dragon’s power would be cut in half and even Yeom Junyeol’s condition would deteriorate and the levels would drop.
‘But there are other methods than the Red Wall Thief.’
I took an umbrella and headed to school.
Today was the last day to join the club.
Today was also the day I had to answer to the club invitations I received.
I planned to answer Yu siblings’ invitation through the device message.
However, Yu Sang-hui said she will come to the classroom to see my face and Yu Sang-hun came on his own before I could say anything, because his class was just beside ours.
“I decided to join a different club. I’m sorry you went through the entire trouble of inviting me, senior Yu Sanghui-nim. Sorry, Yu Sang-hun.”
Finally, I had to refuse Yu Sang-hui’s Student Council and Yu Sang-hun’s Basketball Club face to face.
“What are you sorry for? Come whenever you want to play basketball.”
Yu Sang-hun had an attitude like he didn’t care that much from the beginning.
After all, you could join a basketball match, even if you weren’t in the club.
Yu Sang-hui looked a bit regretful.
“Uh, okay. I’m rather sorry if you apologize like that.”
The people who were observing Yu Sang-hui from afar sent me small boos as a joke.
The resentful voices gloom her pure expression.
“And call me Sang-hui noona, Uisin.”
Booooo—.
Suddenly the resentment got bigger.
It didn’t seem like a joke this time.
Yu Sang-hun staggered with a dark face as if he swallowed mold.
“No, no Sang-hui noona. Sang-hui noona…Ack!”
Yu Sang-hui pretended to stealthily lean against Yu Sang-hun’s back and swiftly struck his ribs.
I decided to save poor Yu Sang-hun.
Though he is going to be attacked again when they go home.
“Sang-hui, noona. It’s raining, but it’s not too late to take a ground bus. You should go.”
“…Yeah! Uisin. See you next time.”
“Yes, goodbye.”
My mind still wasn’t prepared to call highschool students hyung or noona.
I was okay with calling them seniors because it didn’t bother me if I thought about them as seniors who attended this school earlier than me.
‘It’s strange…’
Anyway, Yu Sang-hui disappeared with a satisfied expression.
Yu Sang-hun, who knew nothing about my troubles, muttered ‘Just not Sang-hui noona’ and looked at me with the same eyes as he would look at moldy bread.
‘Okay, go get well beaten by Yu Sang-hui when you get home.’
I sent Yu siblings off and returned to the classroom of the 1st year class 0, but there was still some time left until day-start meeting.
Even today a shameful number of only four people came to school following 1st year class 0 motto ‘come to school on time’.
Everyone was pretty much intimate, because the number was so small. We brought up the topic of club activities.
“Me and Dain joined the Student Council together. When we were in the girls’ middle school we also were in the Student Council.”
She said that in middle school, An Dain was in fact Student Council president, and Kim Yuri was vice-president.
I guess because they have experience with Student Council activities, Kim Yuri and An Dain decided to join Student Council together.
‘Then Yu Sang-hui, Kim Yuri and An Dain all are in the Student Council.’
Therefore, it seems Ju Su-hyeok will join the Guideline Club like in the game.
The Guideline Club lost An Dain, so they would never let go of Ju Su-hyeok.
“Did Han Yi joined Taehokwon small group?”
“Yeah. I decided on the first day.”
Han Yi nodded at Kim Yuri’s question.
It was to be expected.
Only one person was left to ask, Hwang Jiho.
Using the flow, I decided to try to dig up where he is going.
“Hwang Jiho, where are you going?”
“It’s annoying to decide, so I’ll go where Jo Uisin goes.”
Are you thinking of following me?
I made an expression of blunt dislike, but Hwang Jiho looked very pleased with my face.
“I wish you luck with your club activities.”
Ruined.
Even if I try to hide where I’m going here, he could check whenever he wanted the club registration papers with his chairman’s authority.
In addition, even after this week, which was the period to select the club, passes, the club can be changed in the middle, if a club’s advisors and executives agree.
It seems that it’s confirmed, I’m going to join the club with Hwang Jiho.
“……Okay.”
However, there may be a place to use him somewhere if we move together.
Whatever he knew my hand or not, Hwang Jiho’s eyes sparkled as he asked:
“So where are you going? Jo Uisin.”
I received invitations from four places: the Student Council, Basketball Club, Guideline Club and Wings Club.
I declined all of them.
“Newspaper Club.”
At my answer, Hwang Jiho and Kim Yuri made surprised expressions.
I had no intention of joining this club, but I had no choice.
Meanwhile, the class bell rang.
‘Today’s first bell is Ravel’s Jeux d’eau, the ‘Water Games’.’
The melody was as if a water fairy was dancing on the piano keys.
Listening to this music, I was in a comfortable mood as I looked outside of a window at the pouring rain.
‘Thinking about today’s plans, it would be best if the rain stopped quickly.’
It was the first day it rained since I started to attend the Eungwang School.
Maybe the Broadcasting Club prepared special class bells for the first rain, the entire song selection was related to water and rain.
‘The school is peaceful.’
The rain gradually grew stronger.
***
11 pm.
At the time appointed with Jeok-ho.
The rainstorm flashed with lightning. It was terrible enough that riding airboards and air shuttles outside was prohibited and even the air hotels had to land at the hotel sites.
‘He arrived on time.’
Jeok-ho punctually appeared on my balcony.
He didn’t have an umbrella or raincoat, but wasn’t even a little wet, because he had Red Smoke wrapped around him.
“Student Jo Uisin, do you really think about accompanying me?”
I guess he was still hesitating, even after hearing my strategy and agreeing to it.
It was one hour before I’ll carry out my strategy, the X-Day, Choe Pyeondeuk’s birthday.
I’d score some points with Jeok-ho by exploiting that bastard’s birthday party.
“Yes. I want to give him a suitable birthday present…No, a birthday cake smash.”
In addition, I can’t forget about the ‘bonus’.
*~*~*
[1] pre-players — Called them reserve players or players-in-training before… Sorry for the mess, but I can’t find a good word for them. Pre-players will probably be the best?
Translator’s note: Jo Uisin is such a good person. Celebrating everyone’s birthdays…
Besides, now that I think about it. There may be something up with everyone among allies reading Jo Uisin’s so easily…
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