Chapter 434: Trust and tests (13)

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Jecheondaesung and Hwang Jiho stared at each other without a word.

I couldn’t see them properly since I was hiding so I don’t know what their expressions look like, but the heavy atmosphere made me sure that it wasn’t a friendly air around them.

‘Hwang Jiho knows about Do Sihoo’s powers so he must’ve guessed to some extent that he’s related to Wu Zhiqi.’

And the fact that Jecheondaesung was here makes it clear that he figured out the connection between Wu Zhiqi and Do Sihoo.

It was a very short time interval, but I simulated various situations in my head.

And it was difficult to stay optimistic.

‘Worst case scenario is we’d have to engage with Jecheondaesung.’

It will be difficult to fight him up front since we don’t have measures and strategies set up in advance.

It would be different though if Hwang Jiho fights Jecheondaesung and by extension the Monkey Clan, all for Do Sihoo.

But that situation seems difficult.

‘The 12-point alliance has a treaty of mutual non-aggression. But now that Do Sihoo is in the hands of Jecheondaesung, if Hwang Jiho forcibly tries to get him back, it would mean that the Tiger Clan showed aggression to the Monkey Clan first.’

Jecheondaesung once handed Hwang Jiho the gingojuto prove that he wasn’t the traitor in the alliance.

If Jecheondaesung or the Monkey Clan breaks the non-aggression agreement and essentially betrays the alliance, Hwang Jiho will get the gingoju.

However, neither Jecheondaesung nor the Monkey Clan acted against the agreements of the 12-point alliance.

‘...If we’re to fight for Do Sihoo right here, Jang Namwook and Yoo Sanghoon would be involved for sure. What should I do?’

Should I ask Hwang Jiho to take Jang Namwook and Yoo Sanghoon away?

More than anything, I was most concerned about the two’s safety.

“Oh? You’re here too, Jiho? Long time no see!”

A huge catastrophe.

Jang Namwook’s bright greeting smashed the tension in the room.

It was an innocent greeting, but the aftermath of those words could be devastating.

‘Does Jang Namwook see 20s Hwang Jiho as Hwang Jiho? Well, he’s not wrong but...’

Jang Namwook has the skill Eye of the Star Maiden.

I don’t know how much his skills improved, but it was clear that it was high enough to recognize Hwang Jiho.

“Did you get taller? Your vibe is very adult-ish too.”

“Long time no see. You look a little taller too.”

Why is this old man not refuting his words...

Jang Namwook was the tallest among us during the entrance exam, and he must’ve grown even taller after all this time.

Being tall is something to celebrate, but that greeting from Jang Namwook caused problems.

“...?”

Hearing Jang Namwook’s greeting and the 20s Hwang Jiho’s nonchalant response, Yoo Sanghoon’s expression tells me he noticed something strange.

Jang Namwook isn’t in the same school as us so it could be okay, but Yoo Sanghoon often encounters Hwang Jiho on campus.

He felt that something was wrong for sure.

That old man knew Yoo Sanghoon was watching and listening, but he couldn’t give a damn about hiding his identity.

The biggest problem facing us is Jecheondaesung, of course, but should he really disregard hiding his disguise like that?

“Why did that man come with you?”

“Huh? Oh, we ran into him while coming out of the Military Academy. I heard he’s an acquaintance of Sihoo.”

Jecheondaesung? An acquaintance of Do Sihoo?

What’s he talking about?

And then, Jecheondaesung spoke for the first time since getting here.

“I didn’t say we were acquaintances. I just said I knew that guy that he was carrying in his back.”

“Eh? Isn’t it an acquaintance relationship if you knew him? Anyway, this guy said he’d help us so I let him.”

“You’re very polite. I like polite children.”

I felt it from the moment I heard that he gathers children at the Special Luncheon, but Jecheondaesung seemed to really treasure children.

Maybe it’s because their clan has no descendants and that his dongsaeng went missing.

I understand that feeling too.

If I can meet my dongsaengs again, I’d want to give them some snacks.

But there was something that bothered me.

‘...I think he’ll recognize Yoo Sanghoon.’

I changed my physique and hid my voice, unlike Yoo Sanghoon.

Jecheondaesung would recognize him right away.

“I owe your sister.”

“Ah...yes.”

As expected, Jecheondaesung knew Yoo Sanghoon right away.

Yoo Sanghoon wasn’t fazed, perhaps he expected that his identity wouldn’t be hidden anyway.

This Yoo Sanghoon bastard’s courage is something else.

“Are you two also friends with this child... this Do Sihoo?”

“...It seems so.”

After some moments of thinking, Yoo Sanghoon nodded.

Do Sihoo’s jokes were unfunny and he wasn’t as good as him in basketball, but since we’d often bump into him and talk...

Well, we could say that I’m not fond of him, but we could consider him as a friend too.

At least at this point, I realized that I was very worried that Jecheondaesung might hurt Do Sihoo.

I nodded too which made Jecheondaesung smile.

“It’s as easy as turning the palm of my hand if I wanted to punish the one that bound my sister. However, my mind changed after I met this Do Sihoo child. Meeting this child’s friends made me think so too.”

Do Sihoo’s friends?

He could be talking about me, Yoo Sanghoon, or Jang Namwook, but it felt like Jecheondaesung was referring to someone else.

“Many children come to the Special Luncheon hosted by your truly. Children who are lacking, children who are bright and good, and children with poor conduct. Among them is a child that caught my eye.”

“Who are you talking about?”

“Joo Soohyuk. I think you people know him too.”

An unexpected name came up.

Who knew that the title hero’s name would be mentioned here?

Everyone in this room knew Joo Soohyuk, but everyone seemed surprised that Jecheondaesung mentioned him.

“That child is talented and has a great personality. He’s going to be a hero. I always listened to stories about that child with interest. He picked Do Sihoo as his close friend, and he’s always talked about him.

Jecheondaesung continued speaking.

“Not just Joo Soohyuk. Do Wonwoo, Namgung Gyuyeon, Oh Hyeji... A lot of people have talked about Do Sihoo. All of them were nice and smart children. This child doesn’t come to social gatherings often, but he’s often talked about. I wanted to meet him someday.”

The reason why Jecheondaesung didn’t use his hands to hurt Do Sihoo must be because of all the good things he heard of him.

Do Sihoo wasn’t named in the PMH game, but his existence was surely there.

During the 4 Major Groups scenario, someone crossed a dangerous bridge to save Joo Soohyuk and eventually loses his life.

That guy was someone from the military academy.

In a game where he wasn’t even named, Do Sihoo saved Joo Soohyuk’s life.

“That’s why I want to hear what happened. This child being a friend to all those brilliant kids, something deeper must’ve happened.”

At that moment, Hwang Jiho, who was standing near Jecheondaesung, suddenly spoke.

“I think Do Sihoo is waking up soon.”

As soon as Hwang Jiho’s words were over, Do Sihoo’s eyelids began to tremble.

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