Chapter 603: First Christmas (14)

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Ahn Dain kept an eye on the situation beyond her rifle’s scope.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t do anything because she was afraid of the royal lineage.

It was because the red-haired man next to Yong Jegun looked like her homeroom teacher and it flustered her.

Although the features were different, his expression and aura were all too similar to the Kim Shinrok that Ahn Dain knew.

‘It’s Professor Kim Shinrok’s real appearance…!’

Ahn Dain immediately realized why Kim Shinrok hid his identity.

Kim Shinrok was the target of all the royal lineages and the minions present at this moment.

It was strange that it was Kim Shinrok, who can’t resist their attacks, was the one being targeted instead of Yong Jegun who was shielding Eungwang High from the snow.

No, it wasn’t that Kim Shinrok was helpless.

‘No, the Professor is going to fight.’

Kim Shinrok took out an item card and seemed to be boosting his energy waves.

But his attempt ended in vain.

‘Professor Kim Shinrok is a descendant of a royal lineage. He can’t resist the royal lineage in front of him because he’s related to them.’

What kind of clan is trying to kill their descendant?

Ahn Dain was filled with questions and anger.

They were why Kim Shinrok wanted to distance himself from his students.

First is to hide his identity, and second is to stay away from the royal lineage who tried to kill him.

Yong Jegun, who knew everything and tried to protect Kim Shinrok, has his life on the line now.

At that time, Yong Jegun spoke.

— Seeing that you can’t fight, those guys must be from the Bear Clan.

— Stop talking.”

The mention of the Bear Clan intensified Ahn Dain’s anger.

She remembered how Kim Shinrok was seriously injured and had to undergo regenerative procedures during the incident last entrance exam.

Jwaaak!

Then, Yong Jegun’s spatial skills broke down.

As soon as she saw Yong Jegun cough blood through the cyan space, Ahn Dain was prepared to shoot her energy gun.

‘…It’s hard to wait for backup. I should break through. The professor will recognize it if I shoot my gun!’

Kim Shinrok wouldn’t be willing to accept Ahn Dain’s intervention, but she didn’t want to sit back and watch.

As soon as she tried to pull the trigger, the bear said something again that broke Ahn Dain’s concentration.

— Kill the Tiger Clan’s descendant first.

Ahn Dain suspected that she misread the bear’s lips, but she thought again.

‘Descendant of the Tige Clan? He just said that Professor Kim Shinrok is a descendant of the Bear Clan. Don’t tell me… he’s a descendant of both?’

All the puzzles were solved in Ahn Dain’s head.

The Bear Clan and Tiger Clan are at odds.

The two clans have been feuding since the age of myths, but there are no accurate records that remain.

It was a fact that everyone living in Korea knew.

She couldn’t imagine how Kim Shinrok would’ve been treated between the two families that have been against each other for the longest time.

At least it was clear that the Bear Clan hated Kim Shinrok so much that they wanted to kill him.

‘Professor Kim Shinrok… Just how long has he been suffering from those people…!’

Ahn Dain felt heat go up her eyes, but she bit her lip and held it in.

She had a great year coming into Eungwang High.

She was able to spend such a time thanks to her kind homeroom teacher, Kim Shinrok.

She wasn’t afraid of the Bear Clan if she’d be fighting for such a teacher.

Ahn Dain prepared to invoke both her light skill and derived skill at the same time.

‘…What is that?’

Suddenly, her scope was covered with a red fog and visibility was obscured.

Then, she heard a very small whisper.

“Dain-ah.”

She turned her head and saw two people standing.

She couldn’t fathom how they can hide their presence this well even though they were right in front of her.

If either of them hadn’t been familiar to her, she would’ve attacked without realizing it.

The other person, still with a low voice, asked Ahn Dain something.

“Wait for a little.”

***

Student association hall, near Exit 1.

The battle was now over.

Since it was a situation where enemies appear sporadically, students who have just taken turns monitoring their surroundings vigilantly.

I couldn’t run away under the pretense of fighting against enemies.

“It’s your time to rest, just in time. I hope we can talk together, Euishin.”

Gong Cheonghwon was smiling, but he gave me no room to refuse.

While I tried to somehow delay the conversation, Gong Choenghwon turned to Yoo Sanghoon who was next to me.

“Hmm…”

“Do you have something to say to Euishin, Sanghoon?”

“Ah, speaking of the class president…”

“You mean Dain?”

Was Yoo Sanghoon about to talk to me about Ahn Dain?

I thought it would be better to talk to Yoo Sanghoon than get caught by Gong Cheonghwon.

I tried to intervene, but Yoo Sanghoon was faster than me.

“I was curious about something but… seeing that he’s suspicious, I think it’s okay.”

No, what the hell is this guy on about?

I thought I’d overcome this situation with my friend’s help, but Yoo Sanghoon quickly stepped out.

Gong Cheonghwon nodded and smiled at Yoo Sanghoon’s words.

“I see. Then excuse us first. Euishin, do you want to go inside and get a drink? You couldn’t get a sip of water because you kept fighting all this time.”

“I’m okay.”

“You don’t have to refuse. I heard that the student association succeeded in securing drinking water.”

So I was led into the student association hall by Gong Cheonghwon.

When we entered, I saw students who used up their energy waves resting up.

The student association had opened all facilities such as conference rooms except for the student association room which was used as a temporary command center.

Still, most students were gathered in the lobby.

Everyone was sitting or lying on the floor with sleeping bags, blankets, and coats.

‘There’s a sofa in the conference rooms though. Installing partitions can free up personal space.’

Maybe people want to rest where other people were.

No, none of the students here seem to be actually resting.

The student association hall houses event materials and item cards.

Some people were studying or sharing opinions on how to build barricades and make necessary tools using the items they currently have.

Most of them were discussing types of enemies and how to attack them.

‘A sit-in in PMH became possible because all the students worked hard.’

In PMH’s First Christmas Scenario, the so-called concrete layer collapse of the game, the students were also like this.

All the students fought hard even in the snow.

Although their minds were shaken as students get trapped and they were gradually exhausted.

It’s completely different now.

One of the pieces of evidence was Gong Cheonghwon in front of me.

“Do you know someone called Jeokho? He led me to the school and asked me to find you. I’m sure you know him though.”

Inside the empty conference room, Gong Cheonghwon spoke as he handed me lukewarm water.

There was coffee and tea too, but I decided to drink plain water to leave some for the other students.

‘Jeokho’s the first thing he asked.’

It’s Jeokho who brought him here after all, and it was a relief that he talked about him.

I prepared how to explain the relationship between Jeokho and me.

“The power he used to guide me wasn’t ordinary. It’s a very effective force in this situation. But he seemed to have something more urgent to attend to.”

Gong Cheongwon spoke anxiously.

Rather than wondering who Jeokho was and what he did, he seemed to be concerned about him.

“Are you worried about Jeokho?”

“Yes, I talked to him for the first time today because people who often come to the nursery introduced him to me, and he seemed to be wary of danger while we were talking.”

Gong Cheonghwon seemed to have a special feeling for the tigers even though he doesn’t have his memories as Shinin.

It was strange since Hani doesn’t seem to feel the same.

Gong Cheonghwon didn’t ask Jeokho anything while they were on the move.

“So you came here without asking anything?”

“Strangely enough, there are people who I want to do a favor for no particular reason. It’s the same for student Hwang Jiho too. That child is… I have a lot of apologetic feelings for him.”

Hwang Jiho’s name came up.

Gong Cheonghwon still has the emotions that he held for the Tiger Clan when he was still Shinin.

“But I was relieved.”

“…What?”

Gong Cheonghwon looked at me.

“Seeing that you’re acting suspiciously, I think Jeokho will be okay.”

Gong Cheonghwon spoke like Yoo Sanghoon.

***

“Jeokho-nim!”

Wodook!

The foot of Jeokho caught by the trap made the sound of a bone breaking.

As soon as lightning was released, an ash tree trap, famous for being a tiger trap.

It was as if it reacted to Jeokho’s lightning.

Usually, the trap can’t penetrate the body of a legendary tiger, but it penetrated Jeokho’s skin.

Jeokho didn’t blink an eye, but he lost the center of balance.

Kim Shinrok, who was watching from behind, seemed unable to breathe properly.

“I expected you to be around your son, Jeokho. Unlike then, Yong Jegun is outside this cumbersome red fog.”

“…”

“That person told me to kill you, but I beg to differ. I know he doesn’t know your wife is one of the Eight Real Bears.”

At the mention of the Eight Real Bears and the word “wife,” a blood-colored energy wave rose from Jeokho.

However, since he was caught in a trap, Jeokho couldn’t move.

Instead, Jeokho spoke.

“What’s so great about a group of bears who went insane? I heard there are two crazy bastards, but including you, that makes it three.”

“You speak more beautifully than you used to. The power of love is so great.”

Beonmin, the Bear of Anguish, spoke with genuine admiration.

Some people didn’t hear him, but it was no situation to ask questions.

“It’s very painful for a couple who loved each other dearly to be separated. Don’t you think so?”

It was known that two of the eight bears went insane while three fell into a deep sleep.

In Jeokho’s eyes though, all of them were insane.

He made his words kinder in consideration of his son watching nearby.

“I’ll give you a choice, Jeokho. Work for the Bear Clan just like old times.”

Beonmin pointed to Kim Shinrok.

“If you do, even if you lose your son, you will get your wife back.”

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