Hyunmoo began to talk after Hwang Jiho and the others disappeared over the door.
He asked some things in a friendly voice.
Common questions like if I was eating well, whether I was enjoying school, and the like.
I’m not sure because I’ve never experienced it, but I think it’s the attitude of an adult relative who hasn’t seen a child for quite a long time.
“I see. You’re doing good at school. Knowing Hwangho now, he would want to create a good environment for you. What do you think, Baekho?”
“I agree.”
Hyunmoo led the conversation.
Baekho-gun was still not very talkative, but he answered Hyunmoo’s questions regularly.
“I think you’re breathing well… Have you been sleeping okay?”
It was a question that sounded appropriate for a kindergarten kid, not a high school student.
Children with narrow airways have difficulty breathing or sleeping, and he’s worried that I have the same issue?
Before I could answer that I was resting and sleeping well, Baekho-gun spoke.
“You’re worried a lot.”
“I’m sure not as much as you, Baekho.”
The two seemed really close.
Isn’t it better to solve whatever issue there is with Baekho-gun than to just see him once?
I was grateful for Hyunmoo’s warm words, but I felt sorry that I might be taking away their time.
‘But Hyunmoo said Baekho-gun is very worried…’
Baekho-gun didn’t deny it.
My last playable character is worried and I never noticed.
I better pay more attention to my surroundings.
While I was thinking about this, Hyunmoo spoke softly again.
“I’ve been very talkative. Now let’s talk about what you’re curious about.”
How did he know that I wanted to ask something?
In any case, the opportunity came so I decided to ask right away.
I had two questions.
“I heard that you are the beast of wisdom, Hyunmoo. Do you know a lot about prophecies?”
“I do.”
“The last time we met, you called me the star of dawn.”
Hyunmoo nodded and expressed affirmation.
“There is another child I know who has received a prophecy about the dawn star. Is that prophecy referring to me?”
“Yes, outstanding prophets knew you were coming. Even the descendant of a succubus who observes the stars and the unsung silver hero may have seen you. Though I think the succubus descendant was busy observing dreams rather than stars…”
The succubus descendant is Merlin.
The unsung silver hero is Eunho’s daughter.
“A young and inexperienced prophet who wandered through Mt. Cheonik would’ve seen you if they had been born earlier.”
A prophet wandering Mt. Cheonik must be Woo Kihwan.
He’s at the level of Merlin and the Silver Hero in terms of seeing prophecies?
It was more shocking that Woo Kihwan was a great prophet than the fact that the star of dawn in the prophecies was about me.
‘But Woo Kihwan even recognizes the existence of the transcendent universe.’
Anyway, according to Hyunmoo, the prophecy of the dawn star came down before Woo Kihwan was born.
It was difficult to understand what the passage of time was between this world and the world I was in.
That Gye Bastard cleared PMH later than me but was relocated to this world earlier.
The difference may have occurred because my side took a long time to synchronize and transfer dimensions.
From my perspective, it was difficult to comprehend that the time that felt like only ten seconds actually translated into more than a year.
‘Instead of it being me, does that star of dawn refer to someone that the transcendent universe will choose? If there was another two-dimensional fit who played PMH better than me, that person would’ve become the star of dawn.’
Unfortunately, that damned PMH is a failed game and I guess I was the only one who played it properly.
Eunho and Gye Bastard came to this world and didn’t become the star of dawn because they were only “candidates” not “fits.”
My name contains the character Shin which means dawn, but Eunho’s name in the previous world was similar.
Cheon means Heaven, Sung means Star, and Heon means Present.
His name included characters that are connected to heaven and stars.
‘I can’t tell if the prophecy really points to me or if it just points to someone coming from the world I was in.’
In Jeokho’s replay, there was a story about Ahn Dain hearing a prophecy.
In other words, PMH is a simulation that assumes the situation when there was a prophecy but no one eventually arrived in this world.
Since there’s no hundred percent guarantee that the prophecy will be realized, it’s something that could’ve happened in this world.
I asked a second question.
“A prophet said that he has lost the power of prophecy since last year. Has prophecies disappeared in this world?”
Apis’ incarnation was said to have lost that power.
Woo Kihwan hasn’t been able to see prophecies since the entrance exam two years ago.
In front of me is another prophet, so I thought it was best to check.
“Don’t you already know the answer?”
Hyunmoo spoke in a friendly tone as if we had met for the first time.
“The prophecies that exist in this world have become meaningless since the star of dawn arrived. That’s why the power of prophecy disappeared.”
“Prophecies have become meaningless?”
“Because you will change the future.”
What and how far does Hyunmoo know?
Don’t tell me he knows that I’m a two-dimensional transformed object?
Hyunmoo may have seen more than Woo Kihwan who recognized the existence of the transcendent universe.
“You’ve already changed a lot.”
Hyunmoo didn’t comment further on prophecies as if not intending to reveal everything he knew or perhaps there was nothing specific to say.
I got the answers to the two questions, but I felt like I had more puzzles to solve.
“They’re back,”
Hyunmoo said as he looked at the door.
When I looked closely, I saw that something was approaching from beyond with a faint twinge of energy waves.
‘The flow of time is different.’
As Hyunmoo said, Hwang Jiho and the others have returned.
The tigers looked hardly any different from before they entered, but Li Wei was different.
He was smiling, exhausted but relieved.
His eyes were a little swollen, perhaps from some tears.
Li Wei explained what happened in the Tiger Clan’s abyss.
“My father didn’t tell me what he’d done before he passed away. I didn’t know if he just didn’t want to say, or if it wasn’t worth to be kept in my memory.”
It could be the former, but it seemed to be the latter.
If it would be to make Li Wei, who cannot even lift a finger, suffer, it would be effective to tell what he’s done in detail.
It was unlikely that the center of the group who tried to launch a massacre in Eungwang High would have long in mind to kill a human who defied him.
“So I referred to what my father looked like when he was found. I dealt with him as I guessed.”
Li Wei speaks excellent Korean, but I didn’t understand what he said for a moment.
The additional explanation made sense.
Li Wei tortured him through every method he thinks his father was killed.
There’s a limit to speculation, so he tried everything.
The wounds cannot be distinguished if they were from burning or from being electrocuted, so he’s done both.
“His body was so firm that it was harder to move than I thought. It would’ve taken longer if the torturer had not advised me.”
“I didn’t have much advising to do because he was good at it.”
“No. You have been very helpful.”
Kim Shinrok must’ve helped too.
Li Wei avenged his father now.
‘I guess they didn’t get any new information. I’m glad I didn’t go.’
If I saw the scene in person, I don’t think I would be able to enjoy dinner.
Though I’m sure whatever Hwang Jiho will make will be delicious.
Before we parted ways, Li Wei thanked Hwang Jiho.
“Mr. Tiger Clan’s head, you are wearing Eungwang High’s school uniform. I will say hello next time I see you again.”
Is there a chance we’d see Li Wei again?
Li Wei and Hyunmoo said they were going to return to China after enjoying a short tour in Korea, but considering what he said, it sounded like there was something for them to do in Eungwang High.
After ordering his secretary to see them off to the hotel, we headed to the mansion.
Hwang Jiho spoke in a very pleasant way.
“When he graduates this year, I will recommend him to a job on our side or back him up to any university with the Hwangmyeong Foundation behind him.”
“Li Wei?”
“Yes. No matter how good a measure is, if it can’t move when we need it, it would be useless. I’m thinking of keeping him close.”
I don’t know what Li Wei wants to do with his life, but since the head of the Tiger Clan said so, whatever path he chooses will be solid.
Although the course will be limited to the Korean Peninsula.
***
In the middle of January, Eunryeonggwan.
In a busy time with schedule adjustments and other preparations ahead of the trip to the Dragon Palace, a precious guest visited the Tiger Clan.
Yeom Junyeol.
“Hello, I am Yeom Junyeol. Thank you for inviting me.”
I asked Yeom Junyeol to come, but he appeared with a gift and thanks for the invitation.
It must be known that the head of the Tiger Clan likes rice cakes since Yeom Junyeol gifted a set of moon rabbit rice cakes.
“You must be very busy. I’m sorry for calling you at this time.”
“It’s nothing, I’m glad there’s something I can do. The Dragon Clan and the Tiger Clan are allies, so of course I’d come to help.”
It wouldn’t have been natural from the Dragon Clan’s perspective though.
They wouldn’t have thought it good for the Tiger Clan to request a dragon descendant to come.
If Kim Shinrok had never been to the Dragon Clan’s territory, it might’ve been difficult to call Yeom Junyeol over.
The rice cake set he brought also had dried persimmon sticky rice cakes, perhaps as advised by Yong Jegun.
‘I thought Yong Jegun would come.’
He wasn’t here now.
Instead, a tycoon as big as him followed Yeom Junyeol as a security guard.
It was Cheongryong, the head of the Dragon Clan.
“Did you meet Hyunmoo? Nothing’s changed since then and now.”
After greeting Hwang Jiho, Cheongryong immediately talked to Baekho-gun.
Although his love for his descendant is overwhelmingly great, Cheongryong seems to have quite a heart for his friends too.
While they were talking amicably, there was someone who looked alone.
Kim Shinrok.
‘Is he nervous about training? Or is it because his father is not here? No, he would’ve been more nervous if Jeokho was here.’
Jeokho was out on a mission today.
Hwang Jiho, Baekho-gun, and Kim Shinrok were the only tigers here.
“I was asked to prepare for a match with Professor Kim Shinrok using my light skill. I’m looking forward to it since I rarely compete with other royal lineage descendants.”
“…I will try to meet your expectations.”
“Please talk comfortably. I am a student of Eungwang High before I am a guest of the Tiger Clan.”
Yeom Junyeol spoke friendly, but Kim Shinrok couldn’t relax.
Hwang Jiho and Baekho-gun only watched, not trying to appease Kim Shinrok.
Dealing with light skill is one of the challenges that Kim Shinrok has to overcome, and that’s why those two are limiting their help.
Before the start of the battle, Hwang Jiho said,
“Here we have the head of the Tiger Clan and the head of the Dragon Clan. It would never have happened on unimportant matters. Fight without concession.”
“Of course. Our Junyeol-ie won’t get hurt as long as I am here.”
Hwang Jiho declared toward Yeom Junyeol and Kim Shinrok.
“Begin!”
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