Translator: Wan ED/PR: Solarin
[1]
‹Using Gwangrim ‘Player’s Trajectory’.›
When I activated the Player’s Trajectory to be able to respond to anything that may happen straight away and waited.
In front of my eyes, the system window appeared and started to flicker.
‘Part of the item window is shining, you know?’
After I opened the item window, I saw one of the item names among the sorted list sparkled.
Nine Iron Teeth Rake.
The rake I stole from the Don tribe’s head, Zhu Ganglie.
‘No way. Is the thing Power of Fate aiming for is…’
The moment I took out the Nine Iron Teeth Rake’s card and materialized it.
A light gushed out from its nine teeth.
Paat!
After I blinked once because of the powerful light, my surrounding scenery changed.
White space with nothing.
It was the same place I heard the voice of the Nine Iron Teeth Rake.
But there was one difference.
‘What is that?’
A blurred silhouette in front of my eyes became tangible.
The silhouette had a headpiece covering their face until the tip of the nose.
Dobok[2] engraved with the taiji of the Yin Yang Dao[3].
Holding a buljin[4] in their hands.
And this situation.
As I gathered the information, I took a guess of the identity of the silhouette.
“Daode Tianzun, Taishang Laojun?”
I saw the silhouette nod his head as if confirming my words.
The being who made the Nine Iron Teeth Rake using the Eight Diagram Furnace.
I guess that Taishang Laojun had something to speak with me about.
‘His presence is blurred.’
White Shadow[5] used Hwang Jiho’s interpretation to hand over the ‘Unknown Fate’.
Acea also borrowed Yu Sang-hui’s Gwangrim.
Nonetheless, as if time was limited, they both one-sidedly spit out words and then disappeared.
‘The Nine Iron Teeth Rake is a medium, but…’
It seemed that there was a limit to smooth communication by only activating the Power of Fate.
‘Hwang Jiho said that Taishang Laojun wanted to retrieve the Nine Iron Teeth Rake from Zhu Ganglie, right?’
I tried to guess the reason why Taishang Laojun would be searching for me, so I asked:
“Did You come to retrieve the Nine Iron Teeth Rake?”
Taishang Laojun shook his head.
But it seemed it was correct that he came searching for me because of the Nine Iron Teeth Rake.
“Is there something I have to do?” [6]
Taishang Laojun nodded.
He raised the buljin he held and then pointed in turn at the Nine Iron Teeth Rake and then at my ears.
Nine Iron Teeth Rake, ears.
I recalled something thanks to this motion.
Paat!
As if the time limit ended in the meantime, I returned to my dormitory room again.
The activation of Unknown Fate ended, but I grabbed the Nine Iron Teeth Rake and continued to think deeply.
‘It seems that Taishang Laojun wants me to hear the Nine Iron Teeth Rake’s voice.’
I held Nine Iron Teeth Rake and waited with anticipation.
However, there was no response.
It looked like a simple weapon.
‘No way, do I have to replicate that situation, so I can hear its voice?’
The moment I heard the Nine Iron Teeth Rake’s voice was the moment my stomach was pierced by the teeth with Forking activated.
‘Should I stab myself while Gwak Gyeong-gu’s Gwangrim ‘100 seconds of Grace’ is activated?’
When I was in the midst of worrying about how to put this into practice.
A golden dust paper shopping bag filled with Nok tribe’s elixir caught my eye.
‘Let’s try to think of a different way first.’
I decided to leave self-harm as the last option.
***
Monday morning.
After finishing both the training and a meal.
As I boiled the liquid I got from the pouch, which I didn’t know if it was medicine or sayak[7], my mood turned depressed.
‘I have to drink this disgustingness on the first day of the week?’
While I opened the zipper of the disposable pouch and emptied the content, I gazed into the abyss of taste again.
Is this how it would feel to drink from the swamps of hell?
‘A week in front of me.’
The Nok tribe’s elixir given by the Ho tribe’s head.
There is no way it wasn’t good for the body, but it seemed that I was in an abnormal state because my sense of taste disappeared.
To change my mood, while going to school I unfolded a hologram to read newspaper articles.
‘Articles about the boat party incident came out, huh?’
The second Otherworld without warning phenomenon of this year.
Powerful natural superpower wave’s emission.
Phenomena of recording devices breaking because of that.
Player’s Association’s suggesting a ban on using special sea routes following that.
Here and there I saw headlines worthy of causing public panic.
As I checked the comments, many people were cursing the Association for not detecting the SR rank otherworld beforehand.
‘If it’s only to this degree it won’t be a hindrance to the Association’s work, comments like those are on the better side.’
Because if it looked like the Association side couldn’t handle the ‘Otherworld Summoning’, Dark Mastermind could become careless.
‘Moreover, there are also articles that received even more attention…’
What took the portal’s first page was Ju-Oh and TC Groups’ joint project announcement.
I thought that it might get buried because of the incident caused by Dark Mastermind, but it seemed that thanks to that incident it received much more attention.
Was it because except for that Player from the attack team, who suffered minor injuries, there were no victims among ordinary people?
Majority of the comments’ content were responses to the joint project and praises for Cymopoleia’s safe return voyage.
‘Luckily most of the received attention is on the positive side. And it also seems to be thanks to Hong Gyubin directing the news course well. But this is a bit unexpected.’
Eungwang School’s famous student Player, ‘Iron Lock’ To Wonu.
Articles about his active role in the attack team on the boat party, following the Jamsil Baseball Stadium, were eye-catching.
The comments under that were very unexpected.
[Why doesn’t our school have a student council president like that???]
[I want to transfer to Eugwang School… As I can’t go, can you please transfer Wonu ㅠㅠ…]
[Ripped out from manhwa~ Truly;;; His face, study abilities, superpowers, background, personality, they all suit a student council president of a prestigious high school from manhwa. I bled a few times, but it was only from my nose~ ha.]
[It’s something like a personification of the concept ‘Mr. Prefect’~. Born with everything~.]
[↑ Invalid, because among numerous friends there are no chaebols.]
[Hearing rumors about TC Group, this is complete bullshit. How can this child be like that~?]
[↑ Mmhmhmhm! (Content: a snob roughly throwing accusations)]
‘There is not even a word saying it’s corrupted, you know!’
In the game, even when crossing paths with him as a Playable Character, the corruption couldn’t be felt.
‘If we exclude his image in front of Yu Sang-hui, the favorable impression goes up a bit.’
But the title hero, Ju Su-hyeok also was on the ruined side a few times in front of An Dain, so it would be difficult.
***
1st year class 0’s classroom.
The moment I entered the classroom, Hwang Jiho, who came to school early to wait, quickly walked up to me.
Hwang Jiho, who observed me for a few seconds with an expressionless face, smiled with satisfaction as he spoke.
“You drank it, eh?”
It looked like he examined me to see if I drank that elixir of mind-boggling[8] taste or not.
‘If I came here without drinking it, he would tell Snare, right?’
I should endure it and drink it even if it’s painful.
When I was mourning over the thought of my awaiting taste of hell.
“I saw articles. You really have a lot of trouble, guys!”
“This time I talked with Yuri beforehand to share the preparations.”
“And I was also bothered that Uisin treated us food throughout the entire previous week…”
Kim Yuri and Kwon Lena made snacks.
They didn’t even have to, but my Playable Characters were extremely kind.
The menus prepared by the two were: roll sandwich and oriental melon[9] marmalade.
They were menu selections using seasonal fruits.
Was it because of that damned taste I experienced this morning? They tasted much more delicious.
“It was said that there are no video recordings this time because of a natural superpower wave emission phenomenon, right? I’m curious how the fight went.”
“Yeah, me too. Hyodon’s fighting scenes are truly satisfying and Uisin’s use of magic is so marvelous. And I could use it as a reference for my own fighting scenes against the Enemies!”
“Have they fought before?”
“Ah, Geurin didn’t get to see it. I shall show you the video of the Jamsil Baseball Stadium incident!” [10]
Somehow, it ended up as an appreciation assembly of the video of the incident, in which I and Maeng Hyodon played an active role.
After the video appreciation assembly ended, the topic changed to the chess lessons for beginners held by the Stalemate.
The next topic was predictions about the alias Maeng Hyodon would receive.
And then after that, the next was the new cake at the west gate handmade bakery ‘MITRON’.
Then teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim came to join the tea party and we chatted until the classes were about to start, while passing time.
Lunch time.
While I was replying to messages, which were left unread and piled up in the device, before the classes started.
I saw an eye-catching message.
‘You’re saying that the results of the inspection detect nothing weird? In that Tallae middle school? What is that sound?!’
The answer to the civil complaint and results of the processing about the Tallae middle school from which Maeng Hyodon graduated.
In addition, the reply was completely ridiculous and only filled with macro phrases[11] as if they were written by a robot.
‘What is this?’
‘Nothing weird’ was utter nonsense.
They either didn’t even try to investigate, or they investigated but had no thoughts of dealing with it.
There should be a way of filing a civil complaint again by supplying additional materials, but it wasn’t a particularly good move.
On the contrary, it may receive the label ‘Repeated civil complaint of closed case’ or ‘Malicious civil complaint’ on the basis of sending the civil complaint of the same content.
First of all, I jotted down the administrative organization responsible for responding to the civil complaint, the person in charge and their contact information.
‘Should I entrust it to a person who can solve it?’
Just in time, the Wings Council president Seong Siwan sent a message asking how am I, after he saw an article about the incident.
After replying with ‘thank you for worrying’, I asked when Seong Siwan’s older cousin and a member of the National Assembly, Matchless in the Nation Seong Gukeon, had time.
[Seong Siwan] I’ll ask Gukeon hyung!
The other side asked for the meal first, so it would work out well if I was able to see them this week.
‘Almost all people I exchanged device codes sent a message.’
Even Maeng Hyodon’s middle school homeroom teacher sent a message asking if I’m fine, as if he somehow knew.
Messages from Kwon Jane and Jared Lee also arrived.
I replied to them and then, as I asked ‘Can I come together with class children when visiting for the interview?’ a call came.
[When a visit? Welcome! Tomorrow? Today!]
Jared Lee spoke with an excited voice while using weird Korean.
He seemed to be hinting that besides the mentioned class children I should also bring all members of the String Club Kwon Lena belong to.
‘I guess they’re curious about Kwon Lena’s friends.’
So is this why an unusual amount of executives among the Eternal Lake team members came as staff during the Hoyeon building performance?
I replied the String Club would be difficult, but I’ll contact them after confirming a schedule with the class children.
‘I should ask them tomorrow, right?’
I hoped that all the 1st year class 0 children could go together.
While I was replying to other messages while thinking like this.
A dirty-looking message popped into my eyes.
[Ok Toyeon] Benefactor, are you okay?
[Ok Toyeon] I asked that tiger bastard, but there is no way he is going to tell me about benefactor’s state! ㅠㅠ
[Ok Toyeon] Benefactor, benefactor
[Ok Toyeon] Benefactor… __ __
[Ok Toyeon] … are you sleeping?
[Ok Toyeon] I asked are you sleeping!
As I looked at the messages in this context or at their amount, I particularly hated to reply to them.
Even so, as she was worried about me and also used the Moon Palace Guide well as asked, I sent a reply with a rough content of ‘I’m fine’ and ‘Thank you’.
Like this, using the lunch break, I replied to all other messages.
Though, I omitted Yu Sang-hun’s article link and the ‘?’ in the group chat, as I left it all to long replies of Jang Namuk, because he was informed.
***
After classes, Newspaper Club.
Newspaper Club’s president opened his mouth.
“Last week was utter chaos.”
Last week, the 3rd year class 0 caused an incident in the residential zone.
It looked like thanks to that, the Newspaper Club which planned to gather news materials, was also swept away together with the Wings Club in charge of the residential zone.
“Moreover, it was almost fruitless as we were fishing for the public garden… Then the matter turned curious when a certain famous 1st year caused an unexpected incident.”
Certain famous 1st year?
At those words, suddenly all the club members looked at me.
“A smoker famous as a bread shuttle.”
“Bread Shuttle of the suspicious 1st year class 0’s vice president.”
They’re talking about Bang Yunseop, huh?
I guess, my Bread Shuttle, Bang Yunseop, did something.
I guess Bang Yunseop was suffering because he was forced to stop smoking, thanks to Ju Su-hyeok and Maeng Hyodon’s persistent hunting.
“I think tobacco addiction is scary.”
“I feel his devotion.”
“That guy gets caught by Su-hyeok secretly smoking cigarettes all the time. Firmly poisonous becomes poisonous firmness[12]?”
The story told by the Newspaper Club members was as follows:
Bang Yunseop decided to enter deep within the Heavenly Wings Mountain to secretly smoke cigarettes.
Of all things, he smoked in the vicinity of the 3rd year class 0’s stronghold.
As a result, he set off the alarm thanks to a smoke detection system installed throughout the entire Heavenly Wings Mountain.
‘Because the ley lines were uprooted, the Ho tribe are terribly sensitive, right? I guess they installed a smoke detection system in that wide area, huh?’
Mun Saeron spoke while looking into the distance.
“The moment the alarm rang, a dozen of people came flocking, holding fire control items. I guess the 3rd year class 0, who were playing group pranks and Bang Yunseop, who were smoking cigarettes, were scolded badly.
It seemed that those someones who ‘came flocking’ were probably Ho tribe members belonging to Hwang Myeong Foundation.
“The 3rd year class 0, who had their stronghold suddenly robbed, were working hard to give their wandering junior a new start in life. But the process was a bit rough.”
“And then Bang Yunseop sent a SOS to the Wings Council, crying for help.”
“The things were settled when the Wings Council president came. It was dog shit chaotic, right? Hahaha.”
The more I listened, the less it seemed like some simple chaos.
In the end, gathering news about the 3rd year class 0 plans for revenge on the Energy of Universe was ruined.
Instead, the Newspaper Club ended up writing articles about the fire prevention and teenage anti-smoking campaign.
Immediately after I finished organizing my allocated work, I glared at the hologram.
“Jo Uisin, what are you doing?”
“Choosing bread.”
I organized a list of the selected menus from renowned bakeries scattered across the entire Seoul and then sent it to Bang Yunseop.
Then after I added one more delicacy bakery in Gyeong-gu province[13] because of the curses sent in the reply, it turned quiet.
It seems that we will be able to have a bread party tomorrow morning.
***
Seo tribe’s head, Cunning, seemed to be in a good mood in recent days.
He was extremely excited when he saw Jo Uisin win the Eungwang School in-school chess tournament, saying he liked this.
However, he returned home frowning.
“I wanted to talk to him. It is because he doesn’t go out from the divine realm often. But when he does, there is always someone at his side.”
Before anyone noticed, Cunning wasn’t using respectful speech, he was using it when he was in a good mood.
“I also wanted to talk with that child, who is Blue Violinist’s relative.”
“Relative of Blue Violinist?”
“Yeah. I found out about that kid when she asked me to investigate. I want to meet her in person quickly, but she doesn’t leave the school. They said that these days she only practices violin inside of the school!”
Cunning’s expression gradually turned darker and his subordinates tensed.
“And someone else is watching the Ho tribe’s surroundings. Thanks to that every time I go to the Eungwang District, my mood turns bad.”
“Head-nim, who would do something like that besides You…?”
“Among Demons, there are a bunch of psychopaths with voyeurism tendencies, those guys would, right?”
It’s not a sound You should make, head-nim.
The subordinates thought like that, but they shut their mouths.
Cunning extremely detested the other party on the subject of liking to peep.
It wasn’t for a day or two when he detested the same of his kind.
“Let’s think of a way to get rid of them.”
Cunning mumbled like that and then he crammed inside his personal laboratory.
His subordinates promised to themselves not to approach in the vicinity of Cunning for the time being and carefully left.
*~*~*
[1] No title – Title of this chapter is Weapon’s voice (2) =-=
[2] Dobok – refers to a uniform for an unspecified martial art. For example, karate uniforms would be a form of dobok.
[3] taiji of the Yin Yang Dao – The symbol you probably think about when you hear ‘yin yang’ is probably taiji, in other words the symbol of yin yang dao. There are many types of taiji, with the black and white symbol being the most popular, but depending on the era and location you may find many different taiji. For example, the central symbol in the South Korea flag is a type of taiji.
[4] buljin – a whisk used by monks to suppress evil spirits. I refuse to call it fly whisk or duster.
[5] White Shadow – clarification, I’m using silhouette and shadow interchangeably for the same word. More correct word is silhouette, but as White Silhouette sounds a bit weird to me, so I’m using my translator privileges for this one.
[6] “Is there something I have to do?” – a fun detail. In the previous question Jo Uisin used 습니까 grammar, which is considered to be super formal, a bit stiff sometimes, but here he used 나요 which is still formal, polite form, but a bit less stiff, more friendly. To explain the nuance, Jo Uisin was probably very nervous about his new weapon being taken away from him, so he spoke super politely, but when he realized that it’s not about that, he relaxed a bit.
[7] sayak – deadly execution poison.
[8] mind-boggling – literally ‘taste which makes the soul leave’ in raws.
[9] oriental melon – cucumis melo ssp. agretis var. Makuwa
[10] “Ah, Geurin didn’t get to see it. I shall show you the video of the Jamsil Baseball Stadium incident!” – Sawol Seeum!
[11] macro phrases – phrases which are basically placeholders for automatically generated content. So simply speaking, text generated by AI. Also, this novel was published its first chapter about 4 years ago… What do you mean Jo Uisin had to deal with ChatGPT and AI generated content bullshit 4 years ago?? Why did this novel become more relevant as the time passed?
[12] Firmly poisonous becomes poisonous firmness? – 둑하다(dokhada) has two meanings here. One to be poisonous and second to being very strong-minded. So in raws it’s play of words repeating 둑하다 two times.
[13] Gyeong-gu province – Seoul is located in Gyeong-gu province, but is treated as a separate administrative entity. So in other words, Jo Uisin sent Bang Yunseop somewhere outside of Seoul.
Translator’s note: Bread Shuttle Bang Yunseop! The protector of Universe!
Did you see a mistake? 🐞
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