There are a few beings that Hwang Jiho respects that are “asleep”.
The god, Son of God, and Silver Tiger.
If the one that Hwang Jiho respects the most is among them, that one must be asleep in the basement of Silver Hall.
‘The superior being, god, isn’t in this world. Son of God became human in the form of Gong Cheonghwon. That means…’
I recalled a conversation I had with White Tiger.
— Is Silver Tiger dead?
— No. He’s just not opening his eyes.
‘It must be Silver Tiger who’s asleep below the Silver Hall.’
In honor of Silver Tiger (Eunho), the territory of Tiger Clan was named Eungwang (Silver Light), and the school built in it is Eungwang High.
There were a lot of facilities starting with “eun” inside the school too.
The office of the Chairman is the Silver Hall (Eunhwigwan),
The place where White Tiger Trains, Silver Training Center (Eunryeongwan)
Some places in Eungwang High that don’t start with ‘eun’, like the Concert Hall (Hoyeongwan) but the ones that the Tiger Clan frequently use all contain the syllable “eun”
Silver Tiger’s existence did not remain in the Myth of Gaechon, but the Tiger Clan cherished him just the same.
‘Maybe the myth that Silver Tiger appears in is a clue for Sungheon…?’
There are a few clues that connect the two.
I recalled what Cheon Dongha said before I met Cheon Sungheon.
— Yeah. Do you remember when I said something about my brother?
— You said something about LIS.
— Yeah, the condition of my brother’s energy wave is very similar to something called ‘deep sleep’ with people of royal lineage. I’m cooperating with them in the research on how to wake those of royal lineage in deep sleep.
Cheon Sungheon’s energy wave pattern is similar to those of the royal lineage who are in deep sleep.
Silver Tiger is one.
The transcendent universe directly pointed to the place where Silver Tiger is asleep so I’m sure there must be some correlation.
‘That’s one similarity. But it’s still not enough to conclude anything…’
I had a few hypotheses, but I still don’t have enough clues.
Then again, it won’t be easy to gather clues about Silver Tiger who isn’t even on a lot of records.
If there’s anything that can give me more clues, it will be the tigers who lived in the same era as Silver Tiger.
I tried asking the one who was in front of me first, Hwang Jiho.
“What kind of person was Silver Tiger?”
“…Jo Euishin, are you aware of how you are acting right now?”
Hwang Jiho looked half worried and half absurd.
As much as I want to be as cold with this situation as possible, I just can’t.
The whole situation must be strange for Hwang Jiho too.
I suddenly talked with a school sunbae’s younger brother and ran to Cheonik Mountain, and then I’m suddenly asking him about the former head of his clan.
Even I would find everything suspicious.
But it’s not just once or twice that this old man became suspicious of me and investigated me, so I decided to just be thick-faced about this.
I can clean up this mess.
“I’m okay. Tell me about Silver Tiger. Personality, why he became the head, what he likes and what he hates, anything. Tell me anything.”
“I don’t mean to hide anything about Silver Tiger, but Jo Euishin, your condition right now is…”
I didn’t have the energy to retort, so Hwang Jiho frowned and tightened his grip on my shoulder.
If he puts strength into his grip, Hwang Jiho could easily turn my shoulder into powder, but seeing that I’m still fine, the situation must be ridiculous enough for Hwang Jiho.
He sighed as if he decided on what to do, and then he removed his hands from my shoulder.
“If you promise to stay in the mansion today and get enough rest, I will tell you.”
“Okay.”
I nodded my head right away, but judging from Hwang Jiho’s expression, he must be even more confused.
We began to walk down, and Hwang Jiho spoke again while he was doing something on his device.
“I got us an air shuttle. We’re going to the mansion right away.”
The air shuttle will come all the way here and take us to the mansion.
I thought we were going to Silver Hall first.
There is something in Silver Hall that I need to know, and I can’t let this day pass without going there.
“…!”
“…Jo Euishin?”
I tried to refute it immediately, but as soon as I opened my mouth to speak, my body let out a slight cough and my tongue began to taste iron.
It’s not as bad as last time, but I seemed to vomit blood anyway even if it didn’t come out of my mouth.
I shut my mouth for a moment and cleared my throat.
“…I want to go to Silver Hall’s basement first.”
“You just vomited blood.”
Even though the blood didn’t come out of my mouth, I still couldn’t fool this tiger’s sense of smell.
Still, I didn’t give up and spoke again to try to persuade Hwang Jiho.
* * *
The basement of Silver Hall.
Inside the boundary designed and reinforced by Yellow Tiger, an existence was hiding behind the pillar and looking at the elevator.
It was as if they were waiting for someone to come.
Eventually, the elevator began to move.
It was a sign that someone was coming down.
The number on the panel displayed the density of the energy wave instead of a floor level, and when the existence checked the number displayed, they confirmed that it must be two beings headed to the basement.
One of them has an incredible energy wave, so it must be the Mythical Tiger.
The person stared at the elevator, expecting Yellow Tiger and Jo Euishin to appear.
Dding!
Finally, the elevator reached the basement and the door opened.
And the two who appeared were…
“…”
Grrrrr.!
The two who came from the elevator weren’t Yellow Tiger and Jo Euishin, but White Tiger and Shinsoo.
In an instant, both of them noticed the presence and stared straight at the pillar where the person was hiding.
“Mountain spirit, how did you come here?”
White Tiger said so and released the thing on Shinsoo’s neck as if preparing for a battle.
Mountain spirit shuddered and walked toward White Tiger.
Mountain spirit is well aware of how thoroughly White Tiger trains Shinsoo.
As a result, mountain spirit took form again and substantialized.
He wore the same hanbok from Chuseok.
Mountain spirit gestured desperately to make excuses.
With that, White Tiger’s eyes turned colder when he gave the excuse that he saw a gap in the boundary and came here to play.
“There are no gaps in the boundary that Yellow Tiger put up in the place where my dongsaeng is asleep.”
Fwaaa…!
The White Fang materialized on White Tiger’s hand.
Mountain spirit saw the weapon, the one that White Tiger’s brother gave to him, and felt chills.
He’s been praying forever to see the majestic White Fang every time White Tiger trains.
“I told you not to bother Jo Euishin, so now you came here to disturb my brother?”
Mountain spirit shook his head to say no.
As if his answer was not trusted, Shinsoo yelled and cried, making the sound that only dangerous beasts could make.
Grrrrr! Rawr!
Mountain spirit covered his ears and bowed his head.
White Tiger asked as he wielded the White Fang.
“Tell me why you’re here.”
Mountain spirit saw White Tiger even though his head was lowered, but his hands and feet didn’t budge.
When he showed no signs of answering, White Tiger pointed to Shinsoo.
“If you don’t answer, your opponent next training won’t be me, but Shinsoo.”
Mountain Spirit’s hand flinched in surprise.
White Tiger still lets him off and goes easy on him if he begs enough, but Shinsoo is different.
Shinsoo has strong likes and dislikes due to his picky nature, and it seems like mountain spirit was one of the things that Shinsoo strongly dislikes because of his recent actions.
Mountain spirit began to answer the question, thinking that he’d rather train with White Tiger than that Shinsoo.
Mountain spirit pointed upward.
He stirred his hands in the air and repeatedly pointed to his ears.
“…Did ‘it’ tell you to wait here?”
When mountain spirit nodded desperately, White Tiger made the White Fang disappear.
Keeeung?
Shinsoo, who thought that mountain spirit would finally be hit, gently moved his tail and looked at White Tiger confused.
White Tiger took out the collar again and put it on Shinso’s neck.
It seems like White Tiger decided to go back to the mansion.
“I’ll tell Yellow Tiger later that you were hiding here. And…”
Mountain spirit felt relieved for a moment, but he was struck by another thunderbolt.
“My brother’s descendants want you to try their cooking. Let’s go back now.”
* * *
Hwangmyeong Mansion.
I failed to persuade Hwang Jiho at Cheonik mountain.
Hwang Jiho practically dragged me back to the mansion.
“Hmm, I think you should take a rest after you get your energy wave under control.”
Hwang Jiho said so with a satisfied face.
I was dissatisfied, but I tried to suppress it since I would get a clue on how to heal Sungheon by listening to what he had to say about Silver Tiger.
‘It wouldn’t be a bad idea to be in a good condition too, in case something happens.’
I decided to put up with it for now because rushing further could hurt my body already.
We passed the research institute and the Silver Hall on the way, but I couldn’t do anything but to look back at them several times.
“Welcome back. Looks like Jo Euishin’s tour to the institute is over …But why does it smell like blood?”
“I think it’s coming from Jo Euishin.”
As soon as we entered the front door, Red Tiger and his son looked at me and said so.
Is the tigers’ sense of smell this sharp?
Even in the past, Hwang Jiho noticed right away that my hand was almost cut off.
The senses of the Tiger Clan seemed to be a lot superior to humans.
“Wash up and change. The smell of blood from your breath has subsided, but it seems to be slightly ingrained in your clothes.”
I decided to comply.
The descendants cooking in the kitchen or Olmu might get worried if they see me like this.
I borrowed some clothes from the closet after taking a shower in the usual guest room I use.
I saw some plain clothes aside from the extra school uniforms.
‘There’s a uniform for every season and some coats. There are plain clothes too.’
Did he prepare this because I’ve smelled like blood a few times already?
It’s a bit too much, but I decided to accept the favor for the sake of Olmu and the descendants.
When I came back to the living room, I saw White Tiger and Olmu who looked like they came back from a walk, and the mountain spirit who looked like he was scolded for his mischief.
Woof woof!
I opened my arms to welcome Olmu who was running toward me, but this old man’s words cut off his excitement.
“Hmm, the smell of blood is gone.”
Woof…?
The word “blood” was understood by the smart Olmu and he looked at me anxiously.
I showered so that White Tiger, Olmu, and mountain spirit wouldn’t be worried, but it seems to be for naught now.
As I soothed Olmu and assured him that I was fine, Hwang Jiho handed me some tea.
“I’ll tell you about Silver Tiger as promised. I think Kim Shinrok and the descendants should listen too. Oh, before that, there’s something I want to know.”
Hwang Jiho put down the teacup.
“I want to know how ‘Sungheon’ is related to Cheon Dongha’s brother.”
“…Did you say ‘Sungheon’?”
Red Tiger reacted to the word ‘Sungheon’.
Come to think of it, the old man asked me about Sungheon before.
“Isn’t the name of Cheon Dongha sunbaenim’s brother ‘Sungheon’?”
“If it was, then Red Tiger wouldn’t have had trouble investigating who Sungheon is, since Cheon Dongha’s brother is in our research institute.”
So Cheon Sungheon’s name is different here.
‘Is there a reason why different things happened to me and Sungheon?’
The biggest difference between Cheon Sungheon and me should be the time of clearing the PMH game, assuming that’s how he got to this world.
I am confident that I’m the first user who cleared the final chapter of PMH.
‘I’m sure I was the first one to clear the final chapter. The level of difficulty of the chapter was quite high, that’s why. Maybe the difference between the times that users cleared the chapter is the main difference.’
There’s only one “nameless supporting role”, the fourth test-taker who appears in the tutorial and is manipulated by the user.
Maybe others who came to this world receive a different role.
Perhaps that’s why the name in the previous world isn’t retained.
I had several hypotheses, but I decided to postpone contemplating them for later.
Instead, I asked the obvious question.
“What’s the name of Cheon Dongha sunbaenim’s brother?”
Hwang Jiho made a subtle face.
What name could it be?
“It is said that Cheon Dongha’s family puts a lot of importance on value. That’s why they gave their children high-class names. However, Cheon Dongha’s younger brother is an illegitimate child and was left in the hospital due to his illness.”
What does that mean?
It seems like Cheon Dongha’s family situation is more complicated than I thought.
“Don’t humans use bronze, silver, and gold as ranks? So Cheon Dongha’s younger brother’s name is…”
Hwang Jiho blurted out the words.
“…Cheon Eunha.”
