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.”

Listening to Jang Namwook’s words, Hwang Jiho was visibly dumbfounded.

He soon rebuked Jang Namwook with an acrimonious tone.

“Are you out of your mind? You entrust your friend to someone with a blindfold who appeared in the middle of the night?”

“Ah… If you put it like that…”

“…You speak harshly.”

While Jang Namwook acknowledged Hwang Jiho’s words, Jecheondaesung muttered quietly in a slightly sullen voice.

But no one paid attention to him.

Jang Namwook soon came up with an excuse.

“I didn’t think of doubting this person because his aura looked good in my eyes.”

That’s because he has the aura of Sun Wukong, the Victorious Fighting Buddha.

Jang Namwook’s excuses went on.

“Right before we ran into this person, Sihoo’s condition got a lot worse. I thought I had to go back to Gyuyeon, but when he released energy waves, Sihoo’s condition get better again. That’s why I asked him to come with us here.”

Jang Namwook explained without taking a breath.

Just listening to what he said, it seems like Jecheondaesung actually protected Do Sihoo.

As if having the same thoughts as me, Hwang Jiho asked him again, in a softer tone this time.

“How did you get here? I thought you’d be busy taking care of your dongsaeng.”

“You haven’t forgotten the power of I, Jecheondaesung, have you? I can run at 108,000 li

, and I can summon all of my 84,000 hairs into alter egos. There’s nothing to worry about, I have alter egos watching over my dongsaeng.”

“Jecheondaesung? Huh? Oh…! The royal lineage from the Journey to the West?”

Jang Namwook’s voice hardened in astonishment after discovering that the man standing next to him was in fact the Jecheondaesung from the Journey to the West.

He must’ve thought he was simply an acquaintance of Do Sihoo who wanted to help in this hectic situation.

“Your power decreases the more alter egos you release. That number is negligible. It’s meaningless to use that argument since it seems like it’s your main self that came here.”

“Hahaha, don’t be so wary. I didn’t follow this kid with bad intentions in mind.”

“Didn’t you run here because you thought that the source of the power that sealed your dongsaeng was Do Sihoo’s? How can you expect me to think that you don’t have bad intentions?”

The room fell silent when Hwang Jiho finished speaking.

Jang Namwook and Yoo Sanghoon, not having the same amount of information as Hwang Jiho and I, were slower to grasp the situation, but they seemed to understand things now after what Hwang Jiho said.

I could feel the remarkable increase in vigilance in both of them.

“Yeah, it’s natural that you’d be wary, of course.”

Jecheondaesung said it with a slight laugh, and I felt confused by that action.

“When Wu Zhiqi’s treatment was done, I followed where the chains that bound my dongsaeng led.”

Swoop.

Jecheondaesung laid down Do Sihoo on the long sofa.

When his hands completely left Do Sihoo’s body, the atmosphere in the suite felt visibly lighter.

“Wu Zhiqi’s grudge was on a child named Do Sihoo. She must’ve heard of this child right before her powers were sealed.”

“A grudge… I didn’t feel anything when I saw Do Sihoo before.”

“That grudge was buried on his light skill chain. It would’ve been difficult for you to recognize it too if he hadn’t activated his light skill.”

Jecheondaesung looked our way.

“Are the young humans there friends with these children? They can come out. This Jecheondaesung doesn’t treat young and weak innocent beings recklessly.”

It was useless to hide any further now that Jecheondaesung sensed our presence.

Instead of being embarrassed by having failed to hide my body, I wanted to go out proudly.

Thinking the same thing, Yoo Sanghoon nodded at me.

“Hello.”

As soon as I went out and greeted him, Yoo Sanghoon followed soot.

The corners of Jecheondaesung’s mouth went up.

“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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