Translator: Hong | Editor: Darling

“Okay. I get it.”

Sanghoon instantly nodded his head. 

Sanghee and Namwook looked at Sanghoon’s face appalled. 

“Hey, Yoo Sanghoo!”

Sanghee abandoned her calm demeanor and shouted. 

Namwook turned his appalled face from Sanghoon to Sanghee.

“I am going to follow what Eushin said.”

“What, are you crazy? Did you forget that you nearly died?”

Despite Sanghee’s fierce convincing Sanghoon continued to look at me and said.

“You better explain so that everyone can understand, Jo Euishin.”

With that, everyone’s attention fell on me. 

Perhaps Sanghoon had read my mind or decided to believe in everything I had said I wasn’t sure but I decided to speak up. 

“Son Minki is being treated like a hero. At our expense, where we are being treated as his sidelined props. Which isn’t false.”

Son Minki had lost his right arm and leg from the item I had thrown. 

He had gained public attention by appealing himself as a hero in an interview for having thrown himself to save his friend. 

Right now, Minki would appear as the main protagonist in a young boy’s heroic tale. 

“Even if we serve as witnesses it would only make us look like we’re trying to defame him out of jealousy since minki is a star. After all, we’re too fully attached compared to Minki who lost his limbs.”

The objective of the Player’s association was to “suppress enemies” and “protect its players”. 

To them, they had no reason or right to stand up for secondary students who were unregistered association members and not even considered formal players.

That day the reason Gyubin visited me was due to a link between the unregistered player and the wanted enemy. 

“It’s a dilemma for Hwangmyeong corporation to make a move.”

Just as much as Minki was the center of attention, the security matter of Eunkwang high that was run by Hwangmyeong corporation was equally drawing attention. 

Some of the players and members of the press shared the view that ‘They are lucky to be unscathed and dissolving the problem with minor interference when they were against the Jin group’.

As for the rest of the world, the only impression left was that a secondary student who had been on his way to the entrance exam of Korea’s most elite and difficult high school had nearly died. 

“Fortunately a warrant was issued and the investigation went smoothly and they were able to obtain necessary evidence. However, Son Minki is a secondary student. In the face of the Jin family, he is just a secondary schoolboy who pulled off a deranged act. In court, as long as he puts up an act of repentance, even if he found guilty, he will be let off with merely a probation.”

Even if this decision was to cause an uproar, this was the reality in Korea. 

Where teenager’s rights help to prioritize the assaulter over the victim.

For teenagers even if they were the assaulter, they could easily hide behind the shield of pity and young age. 

If the assaulter was born with a gold spoon they often used the press to their advantage.

A portion of the society were forgiving towards the assaulter. These were the few drunk on their own feelings of benevolence.

“Son minki distributed the news to the press within a day. He probably has connections in the press. A fair fight results in losses and takes a long time. The chances of winning are low and a lost fight even if he wins.”

My throat hurt after talking so much. 

Even during the Rinoseron round, I did not talk this much. 

I drank my plum tea that had turned cold to quench my throat. 

The lukewarm tea tasted bitter. 

Countless seconds had passed since I’d finished talking yet the room was silent.

I decided to wrap up. 

“Negotiate an agreement. Then….”

***

Minki’s side agreed to the terms immediately. 

After all, it was the celebrity Minki. 

The one who had epitomized the meaning of sacrifice by giving up his limbs for his friend. 

His background as the future student of Eungkwang high 

His more than average looks.

He was Minki who had recently received a love call proposition from the entertainment business. 

Should he become a star player a settlement fee of millions must mean nothing to him. 

‘He may think that his past was getting in his way now that he had become successful.’

They tried to keep the case under control by offering a higher settlement fee. 

They immediately agreed to our offer to keep Jang Namook’s mouth shut if they raised the settlement fee. 

In return, they placed a condition that should the secret be disclosed we were to return three times of what they initially offered. 

The settlement fee agreement was closed but it had taken a toll even on mink who operated several businesses. 

‘Materialistic Savages.’

Minki raged disregarding the presence of his lawyer and guardian. 

Minki, who had appeared in a wheelchair and kept quiet until he signed the agreement papers, finally showed his true colors. 

Once the agreement papers were signed the 360 change of attitude in the opposite party no longer had any effect. 

‘He must have known this and waited until he had signed.’

Namwook who was also present was about to say something but I nudged him to keep shut. 

Even Namwook is like this imagine if Sanghee had come it would have resulted in a violent scene

‘Are you really okay, Sanghoon?”

Namwook asked Sanghoon who seemed expressionless. 

Sanghoon answered him nonchalantly. 

‘Ya. Eushin’s face looks exactly as it did during the time he was discussing the strategy.”

What kind of face was I making?

I looked at my reflection in the window but didn’t notice any difference than usual. 

***

I am currently at Eunkwang high after arranging an appointment to meet the chairman of Hwangmyeong corporation.

Of course, he was not an easy person to meet but once I pleaded to Jegal I was granted an appointment. 

‘The chairman too has some personal stories he would like to share.’

Excluding the principal and vice-principal, Jegal who was the head of department had the most association with the chairman.

It was a stroke of luck to have received Jegal’s number that day

In the worst-case scenario, he may have needed to reach out to Kyubin to make this arrangement. 

“Thank you for arranging this meeting.”

“I only made a phone call that’s all.”

After a minute upon boarding the internal school air shuttle with Jaegal. 

I wondered if we had boarded the shuttle meant for visitors as I did not see any school buildings or facilities. I could only see air shuttles people on airboards passing by.

It was a missed opportunity to see the game environment in real life.

I was too busy to notice after the exam. 

‘Well I’ll see it every day once I start attending’

Just as I was having such thoughts, the air shuttle stopped in front of the main building of Eunkwang high. 

A golden pillar supported the white building that drew a beautiful curve in the sky. 

The glass windows covering the external walls reflected the sun giving the building the appearance of being wrapped in light. 

‘It looks like a CG game.’

As I was appreciating the building internally we passed by a marble corridor and came to a door engraved with a tiger where on a panel the title ‘Chairman’ was indicated. 

“I’ll be outside so give me a call once you’re done.”

I wondered if he was really going to do so much for me, a mere secondary school kid he had seen once from despite his other pressing work. 

I wanted to thank him once more but he had already started walking away. 

The chairman was in a meeting that had overrun. 

“I’m sorry. The chairman is still engaged right now.”

The secretary advised me to take a seat and offered me some coffee. 

A mahogany oak sofa and table. 

An enamel painted bone china cup. 

These were not things that looked good on a student. 

‘Perhaps this was a part of the Chairman’s test.’

The chairman of Hwangmyeong corporation enjoyed observing people. 

If I didn’t satisfy his expectations my future school life would be difficult. 

“Thank you.”

I replied curtly and sat comfortably on the sofa. 

The secretary smiled and it was hard to guess what she was thinking. 

“The chairman is expected to arrive in 10 minutes.”

Her smile suddenly jogged a memory. Even in the game, she was smiling like this while standing behind the Chairman. 

If she was a character that appeared in the game then perhaps I could verify her personal details?

But….

<This character is not found in the database. There is no information on this person>

Just like the students and professors, I had met in secondary school I was unable to verify their personal information. 

‘The Hwangmyeong secretary doesn’t have a line in the game but was definitely in it. But it is not registered.”

The secretary was not a character found in the settings home. 

It was just to associate that the Chairman had a secretary. 

Could it be that the future predicted by the visionary space in the game if you did not have a big role in your personal information was not accessible? 

With this assumption, it left me with a frightening prediction. 

‘The future has already changed when several characters that ought to have died were saved. One day an enemy whose information I can not read may turn up.’

Even so, I could not do nothing. 

Out of fear of the butterfly effect, could I just stand and watch the likes of Namwook and Sanghoon die?

No, I could not. 

“Student Eushin.”

I lifted my head to see Chairman Hwang. 

The signs of age were visible from his hair but he looked visibly healthy to believe that he was in his sixties. 

No, he was not in his sixties.

‘Chairman Hwang is a part of the Jin lineage.’

The lineage that existed over 5000 years ago even before the establishment of the country. 

<’Notification on Hwang Myeong Ho’s Profile.>

[NAME] Hwang Myeong Ho

[TITLE] Chairman of Gwangmyeong corporation, Lineage of the legendary myth, The yellow tiger from the legendary myth, guardian of the new age 

[BELIEF] God willingly blessed my wishes

[ORDER] Inactive

[CONDITION] Normal

[Overall skill] Lv.??

[Skill]

Magician Lv.??

Leap Lv.??

Brightness Lv.??

Roar Lv.??

(Failed to load partially)

[Explanation]

The yellow tiger that appears in the legendary myth.

Blessed with the power to ‘exist anywhere’.

As long as it is the land of god he shall exist wherever he wishes.

He has locked up the white tiger voluntarily; he is one allowed by God. 

In the settings page, most of the Jin lineage were marked as (unclear), and as expected it applied here again. 

Just like how I’d thought, most of the Jin lineage were not playable characters so did not appear in the settings page. 

‘Perhaps due to the Jin lineage’s power, the futuristic space was unable to perfectly analyze.’

Hwang Meyongho was an exception even amongst the Jin lineages as he had received power directly from God himself. 

“Hello.”

“Yes, let’s sit.”

I stood up from my seat and greeted him respectfully.

He sat opposite me and offered me to sit with a smile. 

“I’ve seen your great contributions. Your ability to base your situational analysis to resolve an unexpected accident was admirable. I am happy to have a student like yourself in our school.” 

His wrinkles framed his smile across his face. 

Had I not known about his identity I would have perceived him to be a grandfather like a figure in a high position. 

As I was planning on how to bring up the favor, the chairman cut me to the chase. 

“I assume you are here to ask a favor regarding student minki?”

The chairman was still smiling.

I was unable to tell what he was thinking within the game.

The chairman never acted rashly regardless of how tragic the situation was. 

He simply observed leisurely with the use of his authority.

“All of the student’s practical exams are recorded on video but I have no intention of revealing it without a warrant.”

Even if the white main building of the school was dyed in blood red. 

Even during the dying moment of his comrade white tiger with whom he had shared 5000 years together, the yellow tiger still did not show up. 

‘To be honest, one of the plot twists I’d anticipated was the surprise appearance of the yellow tiger and him suppressing the white tiger.’

From a certain point in the game, he stopped appearing all together including the final round. 

“The board of directors are looking to quickly dismiss the case.”

I could not understand the yellow tiger but one thing was clear. 

He found this humorous. 

If not he would never have agreed on a one on one with a mere secondary student. 

‘That is not why I am here.’

What he wanted was humor and unexpectedness to which he would react.

“I came to request you not to pay Minki’s expenses.”

There was a glint of light in his eyes.

“…Is that all?”

“Yes. Otherwise, I’ll abide by the final decisions of the board.”

The directors of the board were well aware of the Chairman’s identity.

If the Chairman wished it, all of the directors would agree unless they had a death wish. 

The chairman seemed amused by my words.

The lines by his eyes deepened.

“Then I have a condition.”

Condition?

“Enter class zero.”

Class 0, class zero.

More commonly known as the special class, those famously labeled to have “dormant possibilities” or those seeking special attention were found in this class.

‘Even if the latter was acceptable, the former would be a problem.’

After causing a problem, to enter the most elite school in Korea meant I must have the skill to make up for that problem. 

To enter class zero was the equivalent to hugging a bunch of timebombs that could go off any time. Even so, there was only one answer for me.

***

3 Days since my deal with the Chairman.

The news of the ‘small hero’ which had slightly subsided was brought back into the limelight. 

‘Chairman Hwang must have made his move.’

The wearable device I had bought with my bounty was in the form of an earring and transmitted a hologram. 

To practice wearing the wearable device that sprayed particles and formed the shape of the hologram I read the news from various portal sites.

[Eunkwang high Hwangmyeong corporation refuses to compensate hospital fees for the small hero]

[‘Small hero’ Son Minki, not eligible for players insurance…hospital expenses estimated to be around 20 million dollars]

[The bankrupt tragedy of our ‘small hero’ who tried to save his friend]

[Hwangmyeong Corporation’s change in terms, ‘investigation is in process’]

Amongst the many articles, there was an interview with Minki’s parents. 

-’Overnight they changed their word, initially a spokesperson form the corporation visited and told us not to worry about the expense, that we should focus on using all items for a speedy recovery. They had said they were sorry for the poor security of the school, but now we are unable to get treatment or be discharged from the hospital as we don’t have the money. The surgery for just his limbs is estimated to be a few million….’

I scrolled through related comments.

[The whole nation knows how rich Hwangmyeong corporation is…seriously those with money are worse off.”]

[Eunkwang high school insurance covers accidents that occurred on school grounds yet they are refusing to pay up.]

[Eunkwang high sucks that’s why I never went there]

[Korea’s most elite school engaging in power play. What a disappointment. I am ashamed.]

There were also related articles on starting a fundraiser for Minki’s hospital expenses. 

[We are starting a fundraiser for Minki who became a cripple while trying to save his friend.]

[Minki stay strong, it’s a small amount but I would like to contribute.]

[Contributed]

[What a piece of trash~~~!!! Minki…I contributed. Stay strong mate!!!]

[I intend to start a one-person riot in front of Eunkwang high….if there are others up for it we can all go together.]

A day or two passed since the articles were published. 

Even though days passed, the Hwangmyeong corporation refused to make comments. 

Just when the press were at their peak and the civilians started a large riot in front of Eunkwang high.

A video with a dark gym as the background was broadcasted via the public broadcast channel.