Chapter 431: Trust and Tests (10)

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The Destiny skill always activates without warning.

The first time it activated was when a preliminary card appeared that helped me break down Son Minki’s ruse.

After that, the Destiny skill continued moving as its own entity.

I don’t know when and how it activates, so I was inevitably nervous whenever it does.

But because of the Destiny skill, I was able to save Kwon Lena, had Yeom Junyeol as my student, got the Fate of the Unknown card in my hands, and found the kids who cheered for me during the chess tournament.

I was able to meet several superior beings too.

And those weren’t the only things.

‘If it weren’t for this skill, Eunho would still be…’

The Destiny skill saved many people.

Considering my experiences so far, I should be glad and welcoming of the system alarm notifying me that it activated.

Nevertheless, I couldn’t find myself relaxing.

‘If I make a mistake here, I’ll miss something important.’

I get a lot of hints and important opportunities through the Destiny skill.

During the entrance exam, although it gave me more recourse to deal with Son Minki, I still had to take care of the guy with my own hands.

If I hadn’t reached my hands out to catch Kwon Lena, if I hadn’t made an offer to Yeom Junyeol…

The what-ifs flooded my mind.

Things will surely go wrong if I miss hints and don’t move accordingly.

‘What’s going to happen? Is it a superior being again?’

Since we’re in the research institute that had the artificial descent project, I thought for sure that it would be another encounter with a superior being.

However, my prediction was wrong.

The unique phenomenon when superior beings descend didn’t occur.

“…!”

Yeom Junyeol and Jecheondaesung sensed something and raised their energy waves.

It’s similar to when Hwang Jiho sensed the Destiny skill getting activated during the chess tournament, and it seems like only royal lineage and descendants can sense it.

It could also be simply because those two have superior senses to the others.

Fwaaa…

Shards of light scattered beyond the released seal.

Because of the energy waves left on the letters engraved through the Spiritual Word skill, the contents of the seal and the shape of the fragments weren’t visible at first.

After a moment, the fragments stayed around me for a while before disappearing.

I clearly saw its shape.

‘…It’s definitely a chain.’

Was it the Destiny skill’s intention to make me see it?

It’s somewhat strange to think that skill has its own will and intention.

I haven’t made a proper judgment yet, but the situation turned around quickly.

Hwik!

The view wasn’t clear, but Jecheondaesung moved quickly as if he could clearly see what was inside.

I saw him lift the Ruyi Bang, so I shouted without realizing it.

“Everyone, defend yourselves!”

I stood in front of Yeom Junyeol who I judged is the most in danger among us.

Those who found out what was happening a beat later raised their energy waves in astonishment.

Shwiik!

Jecheondaesung’s Ruyi Bang passed through the huge tank.

Since the tank itself wasn’t as solid as the seal of the Demon Race, the tank was smashed in just one swing of the Ruyi Bang.

When the tank was destroyed, water and debris from the tank exploded.

Kwaaaaa!

The destructive power was unusual.

It was as if the Demon Race’s mana remained in the water inside the tank.

The surrounding area quickly became a mess.

Thanks to my quick reflexes and Do Wonwoo’s light skill forming an iron wall to defend us, our party was safe.

However, the researchers who were still paralyzed and the demon that Yoo Sanghoon threw aside all crumpled like pieces of tissue paper and rolled toward the walls.

“It’s difficult to use Hongryong when submerged in water like this. Thank you.”

The first thing my good student did after the aftermath of the destruction was thanked me.

I felt emotional for no reason at Yeom Junyeol’s sudden expression of gratitude.

My playable characters aren’t weak so they wouldn’t get hurt by something like this easily, but I think it’s best to be sure.

I immediately complained to Jecheondaesung.

“We almost got hurt.”

He looked distracted by the tank so I didn’t think he’d respond, but the answer came out quicker than expected.

“I was in a hurry and my hands moved first. You guys wouldn’t get hurt by something like this. Look.”

Jecheondaesung didn’t get wet at all.

But unlike his first appearance, Jecheondaesung’s jacket was off.

Woosh.

He had his jacket in his hands, something wrapped inside it.

In his arms was a girl with a body size small enough to be wrapped in Jecheondaesung’s coat.

Yoo Sanghee’s face turned pale when she saw the girl.

“…There was a person in there?”

Yoo Sanghee must’ve known about the tank’s existence, although she’s unaware of its contents.

Jecheondaesung spoke in response to Yoo Sanghee.

“This child is not human.”

Jecheondaesung looked at the child that he held in his arms.

The child’s eyes were closed.

Jecheondaesung’s face was mixed with pity, sorrow, and anger, but also a relief.

“…The child’s energy is weak so I didn’t recognize it right away, but this child is a royal lineage.”

“Yes, this child is royal lineage.”

Jecheondaesung nodded at Yeom Junyeol’s words, and then he uttered the name of the child in his arms.

“This is Wu Zhiqi. My long lost dongsaeng.”

Jecheondaesung’s dongsaeng, Wu Zhiqi.

There were theories of Mu Jigi being a monster of water, and there were some that regards her as a god.

After the otherworld collisions and myths and legends turned to reality, some beings remained as royal lineage while some became superior beings.

Jecheondaesung and Hyunmoo are those that could be superior beings, but they chose to remain in this world as royal lineage.

It wouldn’t be strange if Mu Jigi could be a superior being considering the power released just now.

“Wu Zhiqi ran wild in the human world and was sealed by King Wu. Chained to chains and irons, she was thrown under the riverbed. Well, it’s this bastard’s fault so I planned to cool off my head first before bringing her back in.”

The appearance of Wu Zhiqi depicted in myths and legends were very different from her appearance now.

If Jecheondaesung hadn’t mentioned her name, I would have no idea who she was.

‘Is it because she’s been sealed for a long time? The texts describe her as someone a few times taller than regular human beings.’

The jacket didn’t cover her whole body, and Wu Zhiqi’s toes were visible a little.

Her foot had a red chain mark.

Seeing that there was no chain binding her now, it seems like the chain that bound her was made of energy.

“After the otherworld collisions, I belatedly traveled to greet my dongsaeng, but when I arrived at the river, Wu Zhiqi wasn’t there. There was only one piece of iron left.”

Jecheondaesung had no idea if Wu Zhiqi escaped on her own or was taken by someone.

He didn’t seem to think that it was the latter.

After all, who would dare mess with the younger sibling of Jecheondaesung, a royal lineage with powers close to superior beings?

But there were people in this world that once called themselves the “Docheon”

Docheon, which means to be filled with a great amount of water, or to despise the sky and heaven without fear.

Those men who didn’t fear the heavens have come to kidnap Wu Zhiqi.

“…I see Wu Zhiqi has been here all this time.”

The once powerful monster who possessed great power and caused disasters was now laying powerless in her brother’s arms.

No one dared to speak while Jecheondaesung looked at his dongsaeng.

Wu Zhiqi had her eyes closed, and we could see her body shake a bit.

Although she hasn’t awoken yet, her body functions seemed to return little by little.

Jecheondaesung took her pulse.

“…You’ve become very weak.”

According to the book Journey to the West, Jecheondaesung was also well-versed in medicine.

There was even an anecdote that Sun Wukong heals an ill king.

However, in the novels, Sun Wukong treats the disease with medicinal herbs, not his own healing skills.

It would be difficult to heal his sister at this location if he doesn’t have any herbs on hand.

Unlike Yoo Sanghee, who possesses a healing light skill.

“…May I treat her?”

Yoo Sanghee couldn’t hide her guilt.

“I’ve done tests on this tank before. I didn’t know that your dongsaeng was in it, but those experiments that I did…”

The researchers and Yoo Sanghee only saw the tank tied with a powerful seal as an energy source.

Who knew that there was a royal lineage trapped and sealed inside?

If only she knew that there was someone’s dongsaeng trapped in there, Yoo Sanghee wouldn’t have participated further.

Jecheondaesung’s expression sunk at the word “experiment”, but he soon nodded.

“…You will tell me about it later. Treat my dongsaeng first.”

Yoo Sanghee repeatedly apologized.

I don’t know what sorts of experiments she’d done, but it’s certain that they placed a great burden on Wu Zhiqi.

Jecheondaesung shook Yoo Sanghee’s hand and said that there was no need to apologize, and Yoo Sanghee soon began to heal Wu Zhiqi.

The wind carrying Akea’s power wrapped around Wu Zhiqi.

Wu Zhiqi was carried by the wind away from Jecheondaesung’s arms and became enveloped in powerful light particles.

“That guy likes to keep shiny things around him for sure.”

Jecheondaesung was looking at me.

He was blindfolded, but the direction of his gaze was clear.

“I will not forget this grace, nor my resentment.”

…Jecheondaesung must’ve heard something from the tigers before he came here.

He seemed certain that I was the one who called him here, and he would be correct.

Everything seemed to be working out well, but there was still something that bothered me.

‘Why in the world did the Destiny skill activate?’

Nothing happened yet, and it bothered me.

The Destiny skill points me to hints and clues, and the fact that I can’t see anything happening means I’m missing something here.

‘…Those chain fragments must have something to do with it.’

It can’t be a coincidence that those fragments of chains that held Wu Zhiqi appeared in front of my eyes.

It was Do Wonwoo who activated his light skill and created a wall of iron chain to protect us from debris when Jecheondaesung suddenly destroyed the tank.

As if he was also bothered by something, Do Wonwoo began to speak.

“Those chains earlier…”

Do Wonwoo felt my gaze and immediately shut his mouth and quickly hid his expression.

It was astonishing that he can put up a calm front in a split second.

‘I don’t think those chains were Do Wonwoo’s.’

I’ve used Do Wonwoo’s light skill before, and I saw what those chains look like for sure.

‘Do I have to do something once I find out?’

And then it hit me.

‘Do Sihoo’s light skill!’

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