Chapter 203

[Hong Gyubin] …Euishin?

As expected, Hong Gyubin replied right away.

Seems like the professor was getting some well-deserved sleep.

[Hong Gyubin] It’s only been an hour since I started resting though… TT;;;

He seemed to notice that I contacted him to make him do more work.

The fact that it’s been less than an hour since he started resting means that he’s been working overtime.

‘Ah, so he hasn’t left yet. That’s good.’

The newspaper department’s schedule has changed, so it might be a little tricky to leave the country.

Hong Gyubin’s messages flooded my inbox before I could even tell him what to do.

[Hong Gyubin] Seeing that you contacted me at this hour, it doesn’t seem like you need ordinary work done. Is everything okay with Professor Jegal?

[Hong Gyubin] Did something happen to the press trip?

[Hong Gyubin] Where are you now? According to the schedule, you should be near the training center for Chinese players. Should I contact the branch over there? Did something happen to Jegal?

Jegal’s safety is really important to Hong Gyubin so he had to ask twice.

I explained the situation to Hong Gyubin. 

I told him about Hyunmoo, and how he handed over Mok Wooram.

The gist is, we need Hong Gyubin’s help to bring Mok Wooram back home.

[Hong Gyubin] It’s been a long time since the Hyunmoo intervened in human matters. You’re telling me he did it for a student of Eungwang High this time?!

[Hong Gyubin] But Euishin, what is your classmate doing there in China? You told me he never attended school right?

Hong Gyubin asked the question, but he seem to have figured it out on his own.

[Hong Gyubin] Ah right, you’re from Class Zero. This year’s batch of Class Zero is relatively obedient, I forgot that you’re even class zero.

The infamous Class Zero is known within the association as well.

Well, that’s not unexpected.

Given the events of that one Teacher’s Day when the Year 2 Class Zero students made a mess, it’s impossible to not know about how nefarious Class Zero is.

Hong Gyubin bought an early morning flight ticket to Chengdu, and Hwang Jiho’s subordinates picked him up on time.

“This is a good idea. Bringing Hong Gyubin here.”

Jiho suddenly spoke to me when I turned off my device.

“He sure took on a lot of responsibilities. This is the path that Hong Gyubin chose. If it’s for the players’ society, especially for Eungwang High’s Jegal, this guy will happily accept it.”

I doubt that Hong Gyubin ‘happily accepted’ the request, but it was unlikely that he’d refuse to do something for Eungwang High.

‘What does Hwang Jiho know about Hong Gyubin?’

Come to think of it, Jiho once mentioned that he knew Hong Gyubin.

— That’s right. I observed Hong Gyubin for a while because he received an order from an annoying person of royal lineage. It was delightful to watch him turn into a great player.

Hong Gyubin, who has Yeji Skill, received orders from an annoying royal lineage. The royal lineage that gave him the order was the head of the Rat Clan. 

Hwang Jiho mentioned before that he took interest in Hong Gyubin. 

Hong Gyubin seems to have graduated from Eungwang High. Does this mean that Jiho observed him since high school?

“Team Leader Hong Gyubin graduated from Eungwang High, right? I heard he was a disciple of Professor Jegal.”

“No, he didn’t graduate from Eungwang High. He’s from a normal high school. He hid his skills until he graduated from high school.”

I thought Hong Gyubin was from Eungwang. So he’s from a regular high school and just hid his powers?

I wasn’t very convinced with what Jiho said.

I decided to ask him.

“But Professor Jegal has been at Eungwang High for a while now.”

“That’s true. Jegal has worked for Eungwang High only.”

Jiho’s eyes shined as he said those odd words. 

He seems to be testing how far I can deduce.

‘Hong Gyubin graduated from a regular high school, but Jegal has worked for Eungwang High only. And the age difference between the two isn’t that big. Until now, I thought about the possibility that he was Hong Gyubin’s teacher given that Jegal graduated from university around the time that Gyubin was a senior in high school. It doesn’t seem like the case so…’

My reasoning ended quickly.

“So Jegal taught Hong Gyubin as a private academy tutor?”

“Correct. Jegal used to work part-time as a one-on-one tutor when he was in college. You realized it faster than I expected.”

The thing is, I worked part-time as a tutor when I was in college too. 

But of course, I won’t tell that to Jiho.

“Is there a connection between Hong Gyubin and the fact that Professor Jegal can only work at Eungwang High?”

Jiho nodded his head once.

“Humans who lived through the dark ages were reluctant to have their children become players. Although times are different now, there are still humans who remain that way. Hong Gyubin’s family is like that. Jegal helped Hong Gyubin achieve his dreams but in exchange… Jegal lost a lot.”

My playable character has taken risks for his student long before the main story of the game began. 

“The process is a bit complicated… but it’s not my story to tell. Ask Hong Gyubin or Jegal to tell you if you’re really curious.”

I ignored Jiho’s words and kept asking.

“I was the one who hired Jegal at Eungwang High. There were some people who were against it, but they can’t go against my decision.”

Does this mean that there’s more to this story?

There must be something else given that it’s Hwang Jiho.

“Since then, Hong Gyubin is given permission to visit Eungwang High at all times. As long as Jegal is working at Eungwang High, he will never harm the Hwangmyeong Foundation.”

Hwang Jiho proudly added that no matter how high-ranking one’s position at the association is, it’s not easy to gain permission to visit Eungwang High at all times.

I learned some important things about my playable character.

“Since we still have time, shall we look around at Hyunmoo’s Yashi Night Market?”

I accepted Jiho’s proposal of strolling around Yashi before returning to the hotel.

The items in here were difficult to identify, but I decided to buy a gift from here.

After much consideration, I chose a semi-transparent Korean paper that glows a unique color according to a player’s energy wave.

Hwang Jiho saw what I chose.

“That’s nice.”

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“Buy something different.”

“Hahaha! Don’t worry I won’t copy you.”

He decided to buy something behind my back, and I took my time in choosing something.

I wanted to find something that looks like Olmu, but there’s really nothing here that can match Olmu’s level of cuteness.

I gave up and bought something simple, but Jiho was just laughing at me the whole time.

Looking at him now, no one would think that the old man Yellow Tiger was already well into his 60s.

‘He laughs like a kid despite his age.’

While he laughed and made fun of me, I was formulating ways on how to kill this annoying old man.

After a few hours, we left the territory of Hyunmoo and transferred Mok Wooram to a subordinate of Jiho.

We returned to the hotel after everything.

“Jo Euishin, don’t you have anything to say about the crow mask?”

Hwang Jiho was standing on my room’s balcony again.

I told him the truth because I didn’t really intend to hide it.

“It has something to do with the Demon Clan.”

To be exact, it was intended to bring out the Crow King and Sidelentium, the demon king of silence. 

Hwang Jiho said something while looking at the crow mask in my hand.

“There is no mutual exchange or diplomacy between the Tiger Clan and the Demon Clan. Even if there is one it won’t mean anything.”

Jiho didn’t seem like he was done asking questions, but he didn’t seem to ask further.

“I’ll deduce the mysterious power from you during the chess tournament on my own.”

After saying those words, he disappeared out of the balcony like a villain from fiction.

* * *

The next morning.

When I went out to the lounge for breakfast, I saw a huge hologram displayed saying ‘Newspaper Department’s Victory’.

But something seems odd.

‘Did the newspaper department really beat Year 2 Class Zero?’

Most of the newspaper members were sleeping all over the lounge, and Jegal was walking around and covering the members with blankets.

On the other hand, the losers of Year 2 Class Zero were hovering over Jegal.

“Hello. Is something wrong?”

When Jegal finally talked to them, Geum Chansol and Wang Chansol answered proudly as if they were waiting for Jegal to ask.

“The newspaper club members poured all their energy into beating us, and now they’re all fast asleep!”

I can see that the newspaper department members worked hard to win the match, but I don’t understand why the Class Zero seniors don’t look exhausted at all.

As if noticing my concern, the GeumChanWangChan duo spoke again.

“The newspaper department members forgot the essence of this trip because they were too focused on winning against us!”

“Our goal is to have fun with Professor Jegal. The match against the newspaper club wasn’t even our concern.”

After that, they continued to give a further detailed explanation.

It seems like the Class Zero seniors have thoroughly analyzed the newspaper department’s itinerary. 

The games and competition last night were part of their strategy.

The games that required the use of headgear were exhausting so the Class Zero seniors focused on saving their energy instead of winning against the newspaper department.

On top of that, the newspaper club members were already exhausted from another all-nighter the other day.

Even Moon Saeron, who said she’d only watch the games, participated and fought fiercely in the end. 

The same goes for the other members.

The newspaper club members won but fell asleep from exhaustion. 

Although the Class Zero seniors lost, they were very lively still.

“A foolish victory and a wise defeat! An ugly victory and a beautiful defeat!”

“Looks like the Nameless Supernova and the Crazy Hwang of Year 1 Class Zero didn’t fall for our tricks. Well, the two of you handed over the first edition of Professor Jegal’s magazine, so I’ll let this one slide.”

“Professor Jegal is all ours for the whole morning! Although, we’ll have to pay the hotel fees tomorrow since we lost last night.”

Leaving behind the newspaper members, the Class Zero seniors spoke excitedly.

“Professor Jegal! Let’s go have breakfast!”

“I’d feel a little sorry to the club members if you wake them up when they’re sleeping so well.”

Pff, ‘feel sorry’ my ass.

Yeon Garam, the ace of the theatre club, really looked genuine. 

I almost fell for it despite knowing the postwar situation.

“Since we lost the games, let’s have takeout food for breakfast! I don’t like the room service here that much.”

“Ah, but we don’t know what the newspaper members like to eat. Professor Jegal, help us pick up some food for them too!”

They must be thinking of going out of the hotel with Jegal and enjoying morning shopping.

In the end, the Class Zero seniors, Jegal, Hwang Jiho, and I went out for a while. 

When we arrived at the lobby on the first floor of the hotel…

“Ahk!”

“It’s the clingy, original number one student!”

“What a sight. You’re really pathetic. How did you come all the way here?”

The GeumChanWangChan duo became straight-faced when they saw Hong Gyubin.

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On the other hand, Hong Gyubin was also standing beside someone with an unpleasant expression on his face.

‘That person is…’

I haven’t encountered that person a lot, but that acquaintance was standing to Hong Gyubin.

Right then, I heard Hwang Jiho mutter something in a serious voice.

“That prankster…”