Chapter 142
“Teacher, what’s going on here?”
Seong Guk-eon’s voice sounded wary.
‘Are you wary of Teacher Ham Geun-hyung?’
15 years ago, the two people were priests. There was a strange tension between the two.
“Let’s eat together next time. I will not go.”
“Yes? Teacher, why are you just leaving?”
Sung Siwan was embarrassed and stopped, but Ham Geun Hyeong promptly turned around without any regrets and tried to leave.
Seong Guk-eon then spoke after him.
“Why are you just trying to cover it up? He knows what an old disciple who only had accidents would do to your younger disciple.”
“Wasn’t it difficult for me to be here?”
“You are a good teacher. He is also respected as a player. But the teacher…”
“I know what you want to say,” Professor Ham Geun Hyeong said calmly. “I don’t have any ill feelings towards me, but I’m probably worried that I’ll be acting like a geek and disturbing your juniors.”
This is the first time I had seen Professor Ham Geun Hyeong use such blatant words. Even though he used them radically, Seong Guk-eon’s attitude that did not contradict it was even more surprising.
He smiled cheerfully and said, ‘Haha! Kkondae, what are you talking about!’
I thought I was going to hit him, but he kept his mouth shut.
“Brother! what are you talking about? Teacher Ham Geun Hyeong has a terrifying appearance, but he can communicate well.”
While Sung Siwan embraced Ham Geun Hyeong, he dissed his stern face. Meanwhile, Seong Guk-eon, who heard Sung Siwan’s words, looked on in disbelief.
“…Communicate… through words?”
“Yes! You didn’t come here to scold or spy on us in the first place. I came here because I wanted to serve lunch. what happened bro? Why did you appear all of a sudden?”
“You know you shouldn’t provide food to faculty and staff, right?”
“I haven’t taken any classes from Ham Geun Hyeong this semester. Although you are the head of the student body, you are not in charge of life guidance for the third year… It’s okay because this is not job-related. Come in, sir.”
Sung Siwan arranged the situation like Chairman Jiik and went inside with Seong Guk-eon and Ham Geun Hyeong.
Even after reaching Numaru through the wide Daecheongmaru, the two priests were acting awkwardly.
‘The two are acting differently from usual.’
Even in the game, there was no scene where the two meet, so it was quite difficult to compare them.
It was clear that the appearance of these two proved to be very different from when they met separately.
“Gye Dam, teacher Ham Geun Hyeong and Seong Guk-eon-hyung are here.”
“…”
Gye Dam, who had been admiring the willow tree visible in the backyard in front of Numaru, stood up. Without a word, he bowed 90 degrees and greeted the two of them. He still showed reticence, as if practicing silence.
“The meal will be prepared by Gye Dam and I. Please sit down.”
“I’ll help too.”
“Euishin is sitting. We can’t pamper our juniors who come to our house for the first time. After all, her mother had everything prepared and went out, so there was nothing to do.”
Seeing Gye Dam was eating without much hesitation, I could tell it wasn’t his first time coming here.
After the two seniors of Jiikhoe disappeared, I began to speak carefully. “I don’t know what happened between the two participles, but Mr. Ham Geun Hyeong is not a kkondae, nor someone who will interfere with his students’ work.”
With that remark, I had tried to say, ‘Seong Guk-eon is not someone who is going to have an accident with his juniors. Just looking at the actions of Sung Gook-eon and his junior Jeon M00-young in the game, the accident was huge.
Even after listening to my words, Seong Guk-eon did not take his eyes off his suspicious eyes. “I made a lot of mistakes with Guk-en. It’s only natural to think that way.”
“…I know that the teacher acted that way because he was worried about the students, not for self-defense, unlike the bastards who were there back then.”
“As a result of choosing to act that way, you are hurt.”
It seemed like we were talking about 15 years ago. At that time, Eungwang High had been published amidst Hwang Jiho’s indifference. In that mess was a self-proclaimed, old-fashioned person of principle, Professor Ham Geun-hyung.
There was also Seong Guk-eon, who was the best thinker in Eungwang High with an unconventional behavior, and the head of the student council. Clearly, there was a conflict between the two.
‘Teacher Ham Geun Hyeong used to look at me and think of Seong Guk-eon while talking 15 years ago.’
In addition to this, Professor Ham Geun Hyeong had always made choices that were careful and considerate of the students.
‘Fifteen years ago, teacher Ham Geun Hyeong was fired when he first entered Eunwang High.’
It would have been impossible for him to adapt immediately to the mess in his first year in office. The fact that Ham Geun Hyeong was not a perfect teacher from the beginning made me feel human again.
“I used to feel like I was yelling at a wall when I was talking to my teacher.”
Having said that, I was a little curious about the Byeok Chang-ho version of Ham Geun Hyeong. Shall we find a video record of Ham Geun Hyeong from that time?
“The teacher has changed.” Seong Guk-eon was confused, yet understood it all the same.
It was not that Ham Geun Hyeong had changed, but at that time he probably didn’t know how to treat students.
“Sorry. I was misunderstanding the teacher.”
“You don’t have to apologize. I’m still an idiot.”
“Haha! Kkondae, what are you talking about? The teacher is saying that because he doesn’t see the real you. If you come to Yeouido, I will introduce you to real Kkondaes.”
“Done. I am not curious.”
Seong Guk-eon, who smiles cheerfully, and Ham Geun Hyeong, who answered bluntly. Now it seemed like they had returned to being the two people I knew.
“Lunch is ready!”
As the two continued to talk sporadically, a lunch table centered on buckwheat had been prepared. The most delicious was the Hongcheon Buckwheat Rice Cake.
The spicy and cool taste of radish and Chinese cabbage filling the inside of Buckwheat Jeonbyeong was somewhat impressive.
“Did teacher Ham Geun Hyeong feel that Korean language was a burden to her older brother when he was in Year 3?”
“Yes. At that time, the homeroom teacher was often away on business trips, so it was almost like the homeroom teacher.”
“OMG. Why didn’t you tell me all this time? Please tell me about Seong Guk-eon-hyung when he was in high school!”
“The national language is the same as ever before.”
At this, the two adults reconciled and did something similar, and Sung Siwan ate in the middle, so the conversation went smoothly.
In particular, the episodes of Seong Guk-eon in his senior year of high school proved to be really heartbreaking. A case where the superintendent, who was arrested without detention on the ground that the crime was minor, and who had endured in the dormitory, said he was possessed by an evil spirit.
There was a case in which the device had been modified so that the crime name and expected sentence were displayed on the electronic blackboard whenever teachers who ate a slice with the deputy chief went to class.
When the board of directors tried to play a game, the door to the boardroom dedicated to the board of directors turned into a portal and connected to the old school’s old toilet. After all the dormitory corruption supervisors were cut, non-alcoholic champagne was poured into the school fountain for three days.
As expected, my playable character’s pranks were on a different scale and yet, full of justice.
“Oh right. Guk-eon-hyung, why did you come here?”
When the topic of conversation changed, Seong Guk-eon spoke with a smirk. “I got the call that you came to Hongcheon’s house. I wanted to hear the progress of my assignments.”
“Are you talking about investigating ghost stories?”
At Seong Guk-eon’s words, Sung Siwan gave a brief briefing about the ghost story research we had been doing.
A secret passage hidden between the Senior Vice President and the Student Union.
The old simulator that was hidden there.
A video of his grandfather in the boss room.
The relationship between the ear gate and the Ley of Mt. Cheonik that I investigated.
Sung Siwan finished the explanation neatly enough that even teacher Ham Geun Hyeong, who did not know the situation, could easily understand.
“I will give you my conjecture by adding the information I researched in my grandfather’s study today.”
In the morning, the investigation of the study left by the former head of the Korean branch was over. Sung Siwan explained that, and sent the data file to everyone by sharing the data on the device.
“His grandfather’s studies were related to the intellect and geography of the Korean Peninsula. By comparing the activity history of the Jiikhoe, the area where wild boars frequently appeared and the location of the rear gate, that is, the location of the ley, coincided.”
Sung Siwan said while displaying a hologram that contrasted the map of Mt. Cheonik that I had previously sent with the research data left by the former head of the Korean branch.
“Something tried to destroy the Ley of Eungwang High, and I think my grandfather knew that and buried it in a ghost story to warn him. Did Kuk Eon notice that while attending Hyeongdo?”
As Seong Guk-eon nodded, Sung Siwan continued speaking as if he had gained confidence.
“And the beings who tried to destroy this ley were probably Jin. That is why his older brother was wary of the Jin people and their descendants. That’s why his grandfather didn’t even give a direct warning.”
Clap clap.
When Sung Siwan finished speaking, Seong Guk-eon slowly clapped his hands.
“That’s right. Great.”
Seong Guk-eon looked around us and said, “There are Jinjoks who are targeting this Korean Peninsula. Although only indirect evidence and heartache. And the aggression will probably start from Eungwang High, which has the most powerful intelligence on the Korean Peninsula.”
Looking at Seong Guk-eon’s actions in the game, he could vaguely guess, but he must have sensed the existence of a black screen and moved.
His words continued. “The influence I can exert in Eugnwang High is limited. I’m sorry I did the test. I’d like some help though. It’s dangerous, so I’ll give you time to think.”
Sung Siwan, Gye Dam, and Seong Guk-eon, who looked at me in turn, stopped in front of Ham Geun Hyeong.
“Teacher too.”
* * *
The next morning, Hongcheon.
I stayed at Sung Siwan’s house, and Ham Geun Hyeong spent the day in Hong Kyung-bok’s hut.
‘Sung Siwan and Ham Geun Hyeong will of course agree with Seong Guk-eon. I don’t know how Gye Dam will come out.’
Seong Guk-eon didn’t seem to want to hear an answer right away. He didn’t seem to want to get caught up in the atmosphere and say he would cooperate in a dangerous task.
‘If we move with Seong Guk-eon, some scenarios will be easily organized in the future.’
This was especially true for scenarios that would take place outside of school. A development that was difficult to intervene as a student.
‘The number of places I can have has increased.’
In that way, I organized my thoughts and organized the device messages in a pleasant way. The first message I checked was a group message room with Jang Namwook and Yoo Sang-hoon.
[Yoo Sanghoon] ?
[Yoo Sanghoon] Hey.
There were only two messages from Yoo Sanghoon.
‘There is no message from Nam-wook Jang.’
The most recent message from Jang Namwook was that he would check the coordinates I gave him and come to catch Do Sihoo.
‘What happened? I think Yoo Sanghoon is also curious about what happened.’
Even if one was tired, Jang Namwook was the one who explained how it ended. He cared, but now there was more urgent business.
“You seem to have a lot of energy. If this is enough, the association will not send reinforcements. Because the association suffers from a shortage of manpower every day. Haha!”
The ominous ointment of Mt. Gari had been observed. Artists Hong Kyung-bok, Ham Geun Hyeong, Sung Siwan, Gye Dam, and I responded to the association’s pre-recruitment of target players.
There were Seong Guk-eon and his secretary Jeon Moo-young, who joined this morning. Although there were only seven people, it was a powerful party with talented people from Korea’s best high schools and veteran players.
“Then we will divide it into the raid and the defense. First of all, Senator and I will enter the raid. There is also the issue of promises.”
“I like the one who has an older brother in the national language!”
“It doesn’t matter where.”
In the middle of the party distribution outline. I raised my hand and said, “Can I take charge of the garrison, me and Mr. Ham Geun Hyeong?”
When the youngest person said these words, everyone had a surprised expression, probably because it sounded a little arrogant.
“Oh, the confidence is strong.”
“If you put all your energy into the raid, you can clear it quickly.”
His gaze turned toward Ham Geun Hyeong. It seemed like I was going to follow the advice of my homeroom teacher.
“Okay.” Ham Geun Hyeong immediately agreed.
Seong Guk-eon’s eyes lit up as he watched his cool attitude. Compared to the past when I was a Kkondae in the wall window, it definitely did seem that way.
Jigsaw… supportive…
“It’s a gap in another world.”
Soon, an alarm went off on the smart device at the same time as the spark. The SSR-class dungeon had been created according to the time predicted by the player SAT-K.
Soon, those in charge of the raid entered the dungeon wishing each other good luck. The only ones left were Ham Gyeung Hyeong and I.
“What are you going to try?”
I guess my homeroom teacher guessed what he wanted to do. “If you point out that I am a ranged attack type, it seems like I want to try my melee attack skills.”
“Yes. There is something I wanted to use in practice.”
I took out an equipment card from the item window.
“A UR-class item in the form of a pitchfork…! No way…”
Teacher Ham Geun Hyeong looked at the Sangbosimgeumpa, which was materialized with a shocked expression.
Jeo Gang-ryeol appearing in the Journey to the West was very famous in the Korean peninsula, so there was no way that a player with that level would not know the Sangbosimgeumpa faction.
Pot!
As the materialized pitchfork was held in my hand, the sound of the system could be heard in succession.
<Skill ‘Use of Everything’ has been activated.>
<Warning, Enemy is approaching.>
“If I can’t stop it, then please support me.”
Soon, a gigantic hair-covered enemy appeared through the gaps in the otherworld. The opponent ended up being a monster type Enemy.
It was a close-range attack type in the physical system that was good for testing the Sangbosimgeumpa wave.
Kuo-!
Not a simulator, but an SSR-class otherworld. It was the first time he had dealt with an Enemy as a close-range attack after he had faced Linoseron during the entrance exam.
At this, the monster-type Enemy raised its front paws larger than my torso and swung it towards me. However…
‘It’s slower than Baekho-gun!’
Compared to Baekho, who wielded a white eye and attacked Yeongho, this kind of energy was nothing.
<Skill ‘Eye Glow’ has been activated.>
Faat!
Before the monster’s monster attack hit, he stiffened with his eye light and boldly dug inside.
‘The weak point is the soul stone, the crystal of the soul hidden between the hairs!’
In order to aim for the vital point above my gaze, I jumped off the ground and swung the reward heart.
Whoops!
The pitchfork’s blade accurately hit the vital point, but the dark red soul stone of Enemy only cracked and did not break.
‘The overall stat level was lower, but I thought I could overwhelm it with the performance of the weapon…!’
Kuooooooooo!
The Enemy began to run wild due to the shock of cracking the Soul Stone. As a bonus, the Eye Glow skill was also released, so I had to take a step back.
Visor! Whoops!
Sangbosimgeumpa then collided with a shock wave of energy, and sparks burst sporadically. A system sound was heard in the midst of the explosions.
<Warning, the enemy is approaching.>
I haven’t been able to defeat the monster type enemy yet, but it seemed that another enemy was now being added.
‘Because it is SSR-class, the speed of the appearance of the enemy is fast.’
Ham Geun Hyeong also sensed this, and Lee Neung-pa ended up being bitten by an arrow at the demonstration.
At that time…
[Forked…]
A voice I heard from somewhere proved to be muffled.
As I recollected, I immediately remembered its identity.
‘…It’s the voice of the Sangbosimgeumpa that I heard on Cymopoleia!’