Translator: Wan ED/PR: Solarin
47. Loser Resurrection Match (8)
After the Clash of Different Worlds, the country’s economy was greatly shaken, because the Korean Peninsula faced an extreme crisis within its territory and the state of affairs was precarious.
The four great companies of the modern Republic of Korea, which survived amidst this crisis were Ju-Oh, Hwang Myeong, TC and Namkung Groups.
Tao Sihu was a child of one of those four great Groups, TC Group.
In addition, his father was a businessman and a Player famous as the ‘Ship King’.
The Ship King bought the otherworld metal processing and ship manufacturing[1] technology from Hwang Myeong Group, and resurrected the marine transport business, which was withering.
He cooperated with the Ministry of Otherworlds and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries to establish sea routes with low frequency of otherworld occurrences and found a breakthrough in the transportation logistics which were stalled by the Clash of Different Worlds.
“Dad, you did all of this?”
“Yeah. But… It’s okay when it’s only the two of us, but use polite tone when we’re in front of people. Especially at family gatherings.”
“Ok! I’ll! Tell me more stories!”
The young Tao Sihu enjoyed listening to his busy father personally telling him about his activities.
He also liked that his father’s alias had a ‘king’ attached and very much liked his kingly actions.
In the clash with the Jin people, who were in the place of the maintained sea route, the Ship King personally stepped out and negotiated.
He participated in the sea transport process, which resumed for the first time after the Clash of Different Worlds and saved the boats that fell into the crisis of sinking because of Enemies, etc.
No exaggeration or lies were mixed into those stories, and Tao Sihu deeply admired his father, who had such achievements.
He was proud of the father who stepped back from the power struggle of the dysfunctional house of TC Group and built a business from ground up.
But regretfully, unlike his father, Tao Sihu couldn’t receive the love of the sea.
Tao Sihu almost died from seasickness after boarding the ship for the first time.
The family coaxed the sulking Tao Sihu.
“It’s okay, even if you can’t get on a boat.”
“How about getting used to water first, Sihu-ah? Do you want to attend a swimming class?”
But regretfully, Tao Sihu couldn’t board a ship, nor could he get used to water.
Tao Sihu was born with outstanding motor skills, but he couldn’t float in water at all.
The only things Tao Sihu accumulated in one year of the swimming class were trauma and shame.
Because he was compared to his two years older second cousin[2] hyung, Tao Wonu, who also attended the same swimming class, he sulked even more.
“Pitiful bastard.”
After a few months of attending swimming class, Tao Wonu, who had completely ignored Tao Sihu before, started to talk to him.
Tao Wonu was a difficult type to approach, but as if something happened after he attended a superpower center, talking with him became easier.
As a result, among the relatives of his age, he became comparatively close to Tao Wonu.
“I’ll be okay because Wonu hyung swims well.”
“Good. Just don’t play close to water in the future. Do you want to die?”
The words were harsh, but when Tao Sihu was struggling in the water during the swimming class, Tao Wonu was the first to run and take him out.
While expecting that someday he would float in the water, Tao Sihu stubbornly attended the swimming class.
But that didn’t last long.
The trigger for it was ‘Tao Sihu kidnapping incident’.
Tao Sihu was abducted by a ship at the commission of a TC Group’s relative, and the Ship King, who personally stepped out during the rescue process, sustained a great injury and ended up retreating from the front lines as an aftermath of it.
If one were to divide people into victors and losers on the basis of the environment they were born in, Tao Sihu was a victor.
But after that incident, Tao Sihu became a loser.
“Does that incident still hang on your mind?”
“With your grades, you could go to Eungwang School, you know? Wonu is also attending Eungwang School, so how about going there?”
During the middle school days, Tao Sihu’s parents, who saw the career path survey results, looked at Tao Sihu with faces full of worry.
They seemed to be sorry that Tao Sihu was born in such a house.
“The sea sickness may get better someday, and I may be able to swim. I want to prepare for that moment.” [3]
All the highschools Tao Sihu aspired to go to were places with the sea-related departments.
“I’ll fight at sea instead of dad someday.”
Tao Sihu’s parents dissuaded him to the end but finally respected Tao Sihu’s heart.
But all marine schools had a swimming test on their entrance exams.
Tao Sihu received falling marks on all entrance exams.
The marine schools were probably playing it safe, afraid that the son of a conglomerate would die on campus.
The only place that stuck was the Player Military Academy.
“But your grades are enough to go to the Eungwang School. And it doesn’t seem like you want to become a soldier…”
“Eungwang School’s entrance screening ends late, so how about making an additional application, even now?”
Even after the Player Military Academy stuck, he received lines of such recommendations, but Tao Sihu was stubborn.
‘I can take marine curriculum when going to Military Academy. It’s fine!’
It wasn’t what his heart wanted, but Tao Sihu decided to be satisfied with the thought that he obtained a chance anyhow.
Tao Sihu was admitted as the first place in the rankings of the Player Military Academy, took an interview, which was kind of a custom for the first and second place before the school started.
“Ah, hello! I’m Jang Namuk!”
And there, he met this year’s very nervous and stiff second place, Jang Namuk.
“Then Jang Namuk-gun, please take a seat.”
“Yes, ah, can I sit here?”
On the other side, the instant he heard that sound, Tao Sihu almost burst out laughing on the spot.
It was because Jang Namuk’s name sounded a bit different in his ears, as interviewer was speaking somewhat fast.
‘Jang woodcutter(namukkun)!’
Thanks to silently giggling alone he was treated as a strange bastard, but with this event as a trigger, Tao Sihu made up his mind to make sure to become close to Jang Namuk.
“Jang Namuk-gun was in the group 13 of Eungwang School’s practical exam, which was swept in an incident, correct? Is it related to Your reasons to apply to the Military Academy?”
“… Yes, that’s correct.”
“Was there no opposition in Your surroundings?”
“There was, but there are many things I want to learn at Military Academy.”
Jang Namuk was nervous, but he conveyed his intentions related to the reasons behind his admission without hesitation.
As he went through a similar process of shaking off the opposition of his surroundings and being admitted to the Military Academy, Tao Sihu liked Jang Namuk very much.
Jang Namuk nagged a lot, but he was a good friend.
‘But why I’m having such thoughts?’
Tao Sihu, who fell into thoughts about the past, felt a sense of incongruity.
Serval scenes and feelings quickly flashed past him, like in a kaleidoscope.
At that moment, he abruptly heard someone calling him.
“… Sihu-ah! Hey! Tao Sihu!”
He had a somehow hazy feeling of being slapped on the cheek.
Tao Sihu suddenly came back to his sense and opened his eyes.
When he opened his eyes, he saw where he was standing.
On the rooftop of the common-use barracks.
Just beside him, Jang Namuk was tightly holding Tao Sihu’s arm with one hand, and hitting Tao Sihu’s cheek with the other.
“Why am I here?”
“… You don’t remember? You suddenly ran to the rooftop!”
Tao Sihu realized he was standing barefoot at the rooftop railing and made a surprised face.
He heard the yells of his colleagues from the training ground attached to the common-use barracks.
“Hey! Just leave him be!”
“Ow, that crazy fucker sleeping habit is terrible.”
Below him, several training air mattresses were laid out.
Even so, as if the cadets couldn’t relax, they were laying out additional mattresses.
“… Was I sleepwalking?”
“How a sleepwalker can do such things, sir?”
He heard a sharp voice behind Jang Namuk.
Namkung Gyu-yeon was leaning against the wall and holding a military shovel.
“Do you remember locking the door the moment you entered the roof? It seemed there would be a little bit of trouble if I didn’t break it, sir.”
As if Namkung Gyu-yeon’s words were true, Jang Namuk didn’t say anything.
Tao Sihu just stared with a confused face at the air mattresses laid out on the ground and the broken rooftop door.
* * *
Jang Namuk was a bastard, who lived an extremely proper life, as if he copied it straight from manual.
Usually, he wouldn’t call at this hour if the matter wasn’t urgent.
I decided to answer straight away.
[Uisin-ah, can we talk right now?]
“Ye, it’s fine.”
Jang Namuk explained the situation with a gloomy voice.
[Today I went to sleep on time, to prepare for tomorrow, but I suddenly woke sensing a movement…]
Jang Namuk briefly explained the mysterious events that happened in the Military Academy common-use barracks.
In the dead of the night, Tao Sihu suddenly stood up, mumbling something and went outside.
Because of the serious atmosphere, Jang Namuk took off his glasses and observed Tao Sihu with the ‘Eyes of Star Maiden’, while running after him.
[At first, I couldn’t see it well, but when I concentrated, Sihu’s body was connected to hundreds of branches[4]…]
He said that after that Tao Sihu ran up to the common-use barracks rooftop at a frighting speed, moving unnaturally as if he was controlled by something.
He even locked the rooftop’s door, as if to stop them from chasing.
[Somehow it seems it wasn’t Sihu’s hands, but something else which closed the door. I can’t be certain, because I wasn’t in my right mind, but…]
Because Jang Namuk asked for help from his colleagues, while moving, some academy cadets gathered.
He said that they broke the rooftop door with the military shovel and followed after him.
[Sihu climbed the railing and I tried to drag him back, but he didn’t budge.]
After arriving at such a situation, other colleagues laid out air mattresses and informed the assistant drill instructor on duty in case something happened.
Tao Sihu came to his senses in the middle of it and the matter came to an end.
Tao Sihu had a thorough physical and mental inspection, but no problems were discovered.
[Superpower waves are unstable in teens, right? It seems They concluded it was a seizure similar to sleepwalking influenced by them. However… I think….]
It seemed that Jang Namuk was worried about the ‘Seeds of Curse’.
‘It’s still not the time for Tao Sihu to die and it’s too sloppy.’
Even if Jang Namuk wasn’t there, this incident would be stopped.
And Player Military Academy common-use barracks had three floors.
Even if Tao Sihu fell from the barracks rooftops, there was a high chance of survival.
‘Even so, it’s a clear sign something is happening.’
I ended my worries, and answered:
“Let’s perform the Byeoksa ceremony one more time.”
[… Thank you! When can we meet?]
After setting up a meeting with Jang Namuk, I continued to worry about Tao Sihu and the TC Group.
No certain answer came, but considering the connection with Tao Sihu and the current situation, which was different from the development in the game, I had doubts about the circumstances.
‘No way, is it aimed at that event?’
There was no proof, but it would be better to prepare to deal with it.
I worried about what kind of move to play and went to sleep late.
* * *
“Uisin-ah, hi.”
“…..”
When I almost couldn’t sleep and stepped out of the dormitory building, the Earthly Wings Council president Seong Siwan and the next Wings Council president Gye Idam spoke up to me.
It seemed that the two people were busy with the Earthly Wings Council matters starting from the morning.
“Hello.”
“Yeah, ah… I have something to say.”
Seong Siwan looked around and then spoke with a quieter voice than before.
“Idam also decided to help Gukeon hyung.”
Are you talking about the help Seong Gukeon requested in Hongcheon?
I didn’t know how Gye Idam would turn out, but I guess he in the end decided to accept it.
“Senior Gye Idam-nim, please take care of me in the future.”
“…..”
Gye Idam nodded but didn’t say a word just like before.
If the Earthly Wings Council president is this reticent, won’t work be difficult in the future?
It didn’t seem like something I could do anything about, as I didn’t belong to the Earthly Wings Council, so I bowed my head once and hurried to school.
* * *
1st year class 0’s classroom.
After ten people attending school at the moment gathered, everyone started a conversation related to one topic.
“Teachers-nim will take the role of the defense team, and the students will take the role of the attack team?”
“Yep, but either a homeroom teacher-nim or vice homeroom teacher-nim will follow, right?”
“It would be good if teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim would come?”
“I want Dragon Teach-nim! I wanted to see how to use Flight skill in actual fight.”
“I have no problem with either.” [5]
This week, the first attack team lesson was planned.
‘If it went according to the original plan, it would be the day when Ju Su-hyeok and An Dain discovered Frozen type otherworlds.’
It was necessary to be careful about how the situation changed.
*~*~*
[1] manufacturing — I just find it funny how ‘building ship’ in Korean is ‘Joseon’.
[2] second cousin — first cousin twice removed (before someone gets confused).
[3] “The sea sickness may get better someday, and I may be able to swim. I want to prepare for that moment.” — he is using polite tone here, while he was using casual tone when he was alone with his father.
[4] branches — or plant stems.
[5] “I have no problem with either.” — Mok Uram’s sentence.
Translator’s note: Yes… A lot of things to be careful of here…
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