Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost
40. Meaning of blessing (6)
If Jang Namuk, who possessed ‘Eyes of Star Maiden’, saw something like this, there was no doubt.
‘Demons, who raise Seeds of Curse, are connected to it, huh?’
The Demons’ scenes weren’t often used in the game.
Compared to other Jin people, the number of Demons was quite big, and if we exclude some exceptional cases, they didn’t usually create groups, and lived freely.
With such habits, it was difficult to precisely guess Demons’ movement pattern, and categorize their gains and losses, and their actions themselves as good or evil.
But even so, there was a Demon that could be certainly confirmed as ‘opponent’.
‘There was a Demon, who raised a toast when Jegal Jaegeol died, right?’
I remembered the pattern embroidered on the robe that Demon was wearing.
A higher being, one of Demon Gods of 7 Deadly Sins, Avaritia of Greed.
That Demon, covered with a robe of that Demon God, even among Avaritia’s fanatics was considered the highest priest.
‘He is connected to Tao Sihu’s injury this time, huh? But I had no idea if the priest of Avaritia was involved in the assassination during the four Groups’ secret war.’
It was difficult to see this as an assassination attempt on Tao Sihu.
The four Groups’ secret war hadn’t started yet, when considering each Group’s tendencies, even if they ended up starting the secret war right now, there was nothing the Dark Mastermind could gain.
In addition, Tao Sihu simply recovered with a recovery item.
There is no way they would be so clumsy about targeting Tao Sihu.
Jang Namuk, who pressed the glasses’ bridge with his index finger to fix them, opened his mouth again.
“Sihu is usually using the Electro Art as his battle skill. However, the army curriculum includes the general martial arts.”
“It’s the same at Eungwang School. Because training general martial arts improves overall abilities.”
After Hwang Jiho added, Jang Namuk nodded as he replied.
“Yep, it’s as Jiho said. During our self training, we added a condition of ‘martial arts using weapons’, with a goal to improve our overall stats. Today, the otherworld simulation was set to a low level, because we started training with the goal of clearing by utilizing only close combat skills….”
Tao Sihu chose twin swords as his weapon, saying that he attended the twin sword dojo, which Ju Su-hyeok attended, for a while.
The initial stage of the conquest proceeded without any incidents, but the problem occurred in the boss room.
“When the boss was in front of him, Sihu’s movements suddenly slowed down. Then, for a second, his movements stopped completely, and he took the boss’ attack with his bare body, and collapsed…. But, even so, Sihu wasn’t forced to quit the simulation.”
“Even though the conditions for the forced quit were met?”
“Yeah. The forced quit conditions were set to default ones. And at the time, Sihu’s HP fell to 0.”
In the simulations, a Player’s HP is set to virtual, and if they obtain damage beyond it, it’s treated as the Player’s game over or death, and they’re forced to quit.
Moreover, no matter how strict the forced quit conditions are set, the virtual Enemies can’t deal fatal blows.
In the first place, if the Player’s vital signs values fell under the normal range, not only the relevant Player is forced to quit, but the otherworld simulation automatically shuts down itself and the Association and the closest medical facility is called.
“Because from the moment Sihu’s movements became strange, I raised the output of ‘Eyes of Star Maiden’ to maximum to examine Sihu, I saw that seed.”
“What about other team members?”
“When Sihu got hurt, they blocked the way in front of Sihu and faced the boss Enemy. But the movements of kids around Sihu also became sluggish, so…”
The instructor, who monitored the training, tried to halt the otherworld simulator operation, but only an error message popped out, and it couldn’t be halted.
“The boss Enemy’s rarity was low, so even in the worst situation, he wouldn’t die, but if it went on like this, Sihu would be seriously injured. The classmate, who knows the machinery very well, forced the simulator to shut down, so we lived.”
“Classmate who knows machinery very well?”
“A kid who operated the tiltrotor the previous time. The otherworld simulator operates on the wireless power source, so she stuck the entrenching shovel into the part of power source and broke it.”
The genius that was previously a member of the research institute under the Ministry of Defense?
But did you say entrenching shovel?
No way, did she choose an entrenching shovel as her weapon?
If not, does she always keep an army-issued entrenching shovel with her?
“Thanks to that good colleague, Tao Sihu wasn’t seriously hurt, huh? That’s lucky.”
At those cliché words, Jang Namuk made a sincere and truthful, unnecessary addition.
“… But it seems that that kid was more interested in the malfunctioning simulator than injured Sihu. Because even though she was there, she had no idea how hurt Sihu was.”
It seemed that this cadet was more special than I thought.
After Jang Namuk explained the entire situation, he opened the carrier he dragged here.
It was full of items, from everyday items like tableware and towels, to support grooming oils and recovery items cards, which Players usually possessed.
“I brought all personal items Sihu brought after May. But because some of them are consumables, some may be already used up.”
I asked Hwang Jiho, who was looking into the carrier by my side.
“Hey.”
“Speak.”
“Do you feel anything here?”
“Nothing in particular. I can feel remains of a superpower wave, but I can’t say anything with just that, eh? If the superpower wave was transformed into mana, holy power, etc. it becomes even more difficult to detect.”
Weren’t those the items that passed through the Military School’s tight inspection? It couldn’t be helped it was difficult to find traces.
‘There is still time until midnight.’
In this world, the time Gwangrims reseted matched the midnight in Korea’s standard time, or in other words, Greenwich time, GMT +09:00.
It was a time I didn’t have to bother about using up the Gwangrim time.
“Step back.”
Right now, the only people here were Hwang Jiho, who already knew about my Gwangrim, and Jang Namuk, who had stupidly sincere personality and there was no way he would sell his friend, so I had no reason to hold back on using Gwangrim.
⟨Using Gwangrim ‘Player’s Trajectory’.⟩
Paat!
Thanks to learning ways to control Player’s Trajectory, right now there was only one card at my outstretched fingertips.
The character I was using was the main character of the ‘Dragon King God’s godly maidens’ scenario, the godly maiden candidate.
***
Eungwang School Research zone, Gwangrim Research building no. 4, Silver Shadow (Eunyeong) Building’s basement.
Somewhere inside of Eungwang School’s facilities, in front of the barrier on the unmarked floor.
Jeok-ho was leaning against the wall.
Beyond that barrier was Jeok-ho’s son, Kim Sinrok, who he shared one or two conversation a day in the recent days.
— Today, I plan to interrogate that ‘impostor’.
Before coming to this place.
Kim Sinrok spoke as if he was reporting.
He believed that Kim Sinrok, the torture’s specialist, would do his work well, but he was worried as Kim Sinrok, the Ung tribe’s descendant, was about to face the impostor, who was the Ung head’s right hand.
Out of worry, Jeok-ho asked if they could go together, Kim Sinrok made a face like a tiger, who saw a chestnut[1], as if he couldn’t believe it, and then slightly nodded.
After Jeok-ho and Kim Sinrok, the father and son duo, happily and harmoniously moved to the Silver Shadow (Eunyeong) Building’s basement, where the impostor was confined.
Kim Sinrok, who stuck thumb tacks and pen leads under the impostor’s finger nails and tongue, hesitated and then spoke:
— It’s difficult to concentrate when You’re watching like this. I’ll call You if something happens, so can You please step outside to wait?
As Kim Sinrok, who in the past, wouldn’t show anything even a bit, no matter how uncomfortable he was, spoke like this, so Jeok-ho happily nodded.
— My apologies. Though I came all the way here…
— Rather, if You have time, so… I acquired a good drink. If You’re okay with it, if You’re not busy, I’ll make side dishes and…
While talking gibberish, Kim Sinrok proposed a drinking party to Jeok-ho, who was leaving.
Even though there was a fishy smell of blood in the air, and just in front of him was the dirty Ung laying face down, Jeok-ho, who heard his son’s awkward words, was overwhelmed with deep emotions, and he was bubbling inside.
‘The day when that child offers to share a drink first came!’
Jeok-ho and Kim Sinrok lived long lives, but Jeok-ho was tied to the Red Rack for a long time and could never properly act as a father.
After the Clash of Different Worlds, he stepped down from the rack to help the Ho tribe in the mortal world that fell into chaos, but he couldn’t bear to act like a father to a son, who drew a line by calling him ‘Jeokho-nim’ and was uncomfortable with him
When Hwang-ho sometimes held drinking parties on a whim, if Jeok-ho was there, Kim Sinrok would end up leaving.
‘I should thank Hwang-ho, eh?’
Jeok-ho recalled the distant old days, when the Ung tribe betrayed them and Hwang-ho made a contract with him.
If not for that contract, the day like today wouldn’t have come.
When he was recalling distant past, he sensed a familiar presence.
Pat, pat.
The sound of footsteps of the owner of that presence trace wasn’t masked and drew closer.
As only the Ho tribe and their descendants could step into this place with their two feet, it could be considered as not being wary about one’s well-being.
After the other party came close enough for his face to be discerned, Jeok-ho spoke to the owner of the presence.
“Baek-ho, did You come to interrogate the impostor?”
“Something like that.”
Baek-ho was holding the divine beast in his arms with a blunt face.
Jeok-ho, who greeted the divine beast, spoke:
“Can You please wait just a moment? Currently, my son is trying to test some things.”
Baek-ho, who kept walking past Jeok-ho, stopped and put the divine beast on the floor.
The divine beast wagged its tail as it circled the two tigers, and then ran around, while sniffing around the barrier.
“Now you always call him a son, eh?”
“Now I know that my son considers me a father. So I also decided to call him my son.”
“Do you talk often with that child?”
“Yes. Opportunely, it’s the middle of the Eungwang School’s vacation, so there are many opportunities to meet… “
After that, only Jeok-ho spoke.
Jeok-ho spoke all about what he talked about with Kim Sinrok, what reaction he showed to what he said, what he was doing so well, and etc.
As he talked longer, his words gradually changed to praising his son.
When Jeok-ho was describing how Kim Sinrok was digging for the information from the confined Ung before.
Baek-ho, who was quietly listening to the story, suddenly opened his mouth.
“Just come out.”
“… Yes?”
When Jeok-ho asked back, the door behind him opened.
Creek….
In the gap of the opened door, Kim Sinrok with a burning face appeared.
All that was seen inbetween the door crack, was the right side of his face with a single eyelid, not covered by hair, which resembled Jeok-ho.
Jeok-ho, who blatantly realized that he was acting like the good-for-nothing head of the Yong tribe, was embarrassed.
Kim Sinrok stepped out from the door, and bowed his head.
“… I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. My apologies.”
“… It’s okay.”
The father and son duo were breathtakingly awkward.
Woof, woof!
The divine beast ran back and forth between the father and son duo, barking brightly.
Jeok-ho and Kim Sinrok were embarrassed and looked at Baek-ho, asking for help, but Baek-ho left the two behind, and passed through the barrier border and golden rope, entering inside.
The faint smell of blood spread in the space behind the golden rope.
Kim Sinrok cleaned it thoroughly, but as there was a lot of blood, it seemed that the scent of it couldn’t be all washed away.
“Oh….! Keuk….!”
The impostor, who didn’t open his mouth even a little bit under Kim Sinrok’s cruel torture, trembled violently at the moment he saw Baek-ho and opened and closed his mouth.
“….”
Baek-ho stared down at the impostor with sunken low eyes.
“I heard you said ‘If ‘something like this’ happened, then the ‘opposite thing’ can happen, right?’.”
He repeated the words the impostor spat out when Jo Uisin used Baek-ho’s power, while he gestured towards the sky.
Clang!
After shortly calling the sword name, the greatsword with a black and red handle, Bear Hunting Claw, appeared in Baek-ho’s hand.
When Sinin and Ho tribe held a hegemony on Korean Peninsula, and fought a war with foreign enemies and Ung tribe.
It was a great sword which made the impostor taste humiliation a few times on the front lines, and harbor an undesirable longing out of desperation for that military prowess.
The impostor stared at the Bear Hunting Claw, which massacred his brethren like possessed.
“Tell me what you mean by that.”
Baek-ho added a word for the impostor, who couldn’t take his eyes off of the Bear Hunting Claw.
“And how your tribe head is doing right now.”
*~*~*
[1] a tiger, who saw a chestnut — from a proverb ‘Tiger who was scared by a hedgehog, bows to chestnut after seeing it’. It means to be very surprised and dumbfounded (I think).
Translator’s note: … How I wish the war between Ho tribe and Ung tribe never happened… Also, that sword handle… Damn it… ㅠㅠ
Did you see a mistake? 🐞
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