The ground can be analyzed with a mountain, located in all-side feng-shui or in other words, four directions feng-shui, in the center.
Such mountain was called Sands of Four Divine[2], alluding to the East Blue Dragon, West White Tiger, South Vermilion Bird, North Black Turtle.
When looking at the Bugak Mountain as the central mountain, the one corresponding to the West White Tiger was the Inwang Mountain.
This rocky mountain, which at one time was used by Baek-ho as his training ground, was currently under the management of Hwang-ho.
"Hwangho-nim, for how long do we have to be here?!"
"That so-called Superpower Wave Link, can it really be done?"
"I want to go home…"
"I want to hear Kwon Jane-yang's new song which came out…."
Inside that Inwang Mountain's barrier.
Training room, which was made from stone so white it hurt the eyes.
After Hwang-ho, using the appearance in his 30s, appeared, Cheong-ho's four disciples made crying sounds.
Recently, Hwang-ho threw the unheard and unseen conundrum of the so-called 'Superpower Wave Link' at them and locked them up in this training room.
"Trying to forcibly entwine the superpower waves together almost causes the terrific superpower wave backflow phenomena!"
"Even though our superpower waves are very similar, if we make even a little mistake when controlling them, you could cause great damage to yourself!"
"Ask for a break!"
"Kwon Jane-yang… Is she not going to do another concert?…"
Was that what the mentality of the mythological category Ho tribe members, Cheong-ho's four disciples looked like?
Hwang-ho, who looked to be in his 30s, stared at them quietly and then took out something from a paper bag.
Hwang-ho prepared a bait that matched their mental level.
"I'll give it to you if you succeed."
Thanks to Ho tribe members' special sight, they saw what Hwang-ho was holding in his hand.
They, who were kneeling on the floor, abruptly stood up, almost jumping 2 meters.
"Kw–Kwon Jane-yang's new song CD!"
"It's the single which didn't come out yet besides the digital version, how?! Wait, there is a signature!"
"… That's a limited edition Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum's concert blu-ray, you know!"
"Aaaaaah! There's a signature on that too! It's not printed, it was done with real hand!"
The day Hwang-ho visited the Eternal Lake team's building.
Before the 1st year class 0's children, Kwon Jane was anxious to give them all a gift.
In the middle of all the other children who refused, Hwang-ho asked for a CD and blu-ray with Kwon Jane's handwritten autograph without hesitation.
But thanks to that, the class children looked at Hwang Jiho with tired faces.
Anyhow, he obtained Kwon Jane's merchandise as spoils of war.
The effect was wonderful.
"The power, the power is soaring! Kwon Jane-yang! Tonight I have to go home to listen to music…"
"You, twins, you do the link first! It will be a pass even if it's only you two! Firstborn, you become the center, so the secondborn's superpower wave…"
"I can't concentrate. Try to shut up!"
From among Cheong-ho's disciples, twin Ho tribe members emitted a similar amount of superpower wave at the same time.
Inside the room, a blue superpower wave flowed like water.
Worthy of twins, the character of the two's superpower waves was extremely similar.
But…
Paajjik….
The two's superpower waves started to emit small sparks.
It was a sign of superpower wave backflow.
"Keuuk…"
"On-Only a bit more…!"
Blinded by the merchandise, the twins tried a forced attempt.
Soon, the sparks gradually grew bigger and then, when the two's minds were about to be hit because of the superpower wave flowing backwards…
Paat!
"Stop!"
Hwang-ho jumped into the blue sparks.
In the instant, Hwang-ho's eyes and hair changed in the golden light.
Before the backflowing superpower waves reached the two Ho tribe members, they were tied by golden-light mana and then scattered.
Thud.
The firstborn among the twins, who played the role of a center in the superpower link, collapsed on the floor of the training room.
"Hey, are you okay?!"
"… If I die, please bury me together with my BD collection. And every time Kwon Jane-yang and mister Grieg's[3] new album comes out, bury me with them anew."
"That bastard is fine."
"… I was worried they were injured."
Hwang-ho, who checked if they're intact, threw them a bag full of bread he bought at MITRON.
If they got absorbed into something, they forgot about meals, exactly like their master Cheong-ho.
'… It's probably comfortable because they will eat anything as they don't mind the taste.'
They saw the bag of bread and grabbed it, so they had to be starving, right? They roughly thanked Hwang-ho and started to devour the bread.
'But what is the problem?'
2nd year class 0's students' Otherworld Domination incident.
They succeeded in the Superpower Wave Link with Geun Chansol in the center.
With the materials and testimonies they offered as a foundation, Hwang-ho started to research Superpower Wave Link personally.
'Conditions were met perfectly. Rather, it's a much better environment than when Geun Chansol and Wang Chansol succeeded in the first Superpower Wave Link.'
Hwang-ho's contemplation continued.
'Those four, who among the Ho tribe members have the most similar quality of superpower wave and similar nature, and in addition, they spent thousands of years together, can't do it?'
On the other hand, twenty freaking people succeeded in the Superpower Wave Link at the same time.
Their superpower waves were diverse.
Geun Chansol and Wang Chansol's superpower waves' character was similar, but other guys' weren't similar at all.
'They said that the thing that united them as one was their respect towards Jegal Jaegeol. And those four Cheong-ho's disciples are Kwon Jane's loyal fans and have a powerful fan spirit, right? In addition, a moment ago I threw them a bait to give them motivation, but even so, the Link failed. Why is that?'
2nd year class 0's students.
Cheong-ho's four disciples.
Hwang-ho compared them in his head.
He realized the biggest and the most fundamental difference between them.
'No way, is Superpower Wave Link impossible if you aren't a human…!?'
When Hwang-ho's thoughts got to this point.
Ding.
A message arrived on his device.
Looking at the color of the notification which opened on the hologram, it was a call on the device exclusive for the 12 Zodiacs.
[Damn Moon Rabbit] My contract ban on entering Eungwang District is going to end soon, you know, right? You do know that, right? It's not that you forgot, right?
[Damn Moon Rabbit] There is still some time remaining, but can't you shorten it? I'll give you rice cakes… No, I hate giving anything to you, I'll give rice cakes to Eun-ho's descendants, so can't you release me a bit earlier? Okay?
[Damn Moon Rabbit] Why message unread? __ __
[Damn Moon Rabbit] Heyheyheyhey
…
…
…
The messages which poured after that had zero meaning.
Hwang-ho read them and cast a ghost treatment.
'… On top of that, my head hurts because the technique of the Moon Palace partnership isn't going as smoothly as I expected. Can't this damn Moon Rabbit read the mood?'
Currently, the work to apply the Moon Palace's technique to the Player Satellite was going through rough times.
Ding.
At that time, one more message arrived.
[Annoying Rat] Hwang-ho, are you busy, sir?
Cunning, who suddenly greeted him with a polite tone.
Hwang-ho's face crumpled as discomfort rose in him without reason.
***
After classes.
Road towards the Newspaper Club's room.
Hwang Jiho, who was currently in one of the Ho tribe's strongholds, summarized the information related to the progressing Superpower Wave Link's tests and his own thoughts.
'You say that Superpower Link may be only possible for humans…'
Perhaps, couldn't the Superpower Link become a weapon only for humans?
As I listened to Hwang Jiho's explanation, while considering how to use the freshly obtained clues.
Suddenly, he stopped talking and made an uncomfortable expression.
"Cunning punk secretly contacted me. It seems he sensed that I visited the Eternal Lake's building, eh?"
Looking at his appearance when explaining, I came to a guess, but it seemed that Hwang Jiho was currently using an alter-ego and broadcasting live.
"Should I get in touch with that Cunning punk?… I'll have to ignore the Damn Moon Rabbit's message, eh?"
This was a guy, who came to find me in person to annoy me, when I ghosted his messages.
After we entered the Newspaper Club room exclusively used by freshmen, while I was roughly pretending to listen to what Hwang Jiho was saying.
"Yap, suspicious vice president Jo-ssi! I was waiting!"
Mun Saeron was waiting.
Did me and Hwang Jiho arrive a bit early at just the right moment? There were only three of us in the 1st years clubroom.
"It's also related to Hwang-ssi, so can I speak? You both are 1st year class 0, you know."
Mun Saeron winked.
It seemed that she was probably about to talk about something related to the content of her investigation about the sole disciple of a supernatural violin artisan, Mok Uram, which I requested from her beforehand.
"It's fine. Please speak."
"In fact, what I figured out is nothing in particular. I have a few pieces of information which look like the witness accounts of the wandering soul, Mok Uram-ssi."
After I nodded my head, informing that's okay, Mun Saeron opened a few holograms.
"It was during Eungwang School's entrance exam, after the interviews were published on the entrance exam site."
[Sharing the story of a strong class 0 candidate at the Eungwang School interview.txt]
It was a title worthy of the real eyewitness account of the class 0's person.
On the side, Hwang Jiho's eyes sparkled.
If that guy put his mind to it, he could know the entire interview content, but it seemed he didn't try to check that far yet.
"Until half way through, it's just an ordinary interview review! Makes you wonder why this guy is called a 'strong class 0 candidate'."
Interviews are conducted with two people in 1 group.
When the author answered all the questions, it was the class 0's candidate turn.
As if the grades of the class 0's candidate were very good, the question was very simple and easy.
[What is that you want to do the most and first after being admitted to Eungwang School?]
To interpret that question, it was 'Your grades are very good, sir[4], so there is not a part that is worth failing you even during the interview. No, I don't want to fail you! Just roughly reveal your aspirations and wait for the admission announcement.'
When the author, who had to discuss the paper released by Namkung Superpower Research Institute a few months ago about 'The awareness of social boundaries and ethics among Players and to-be-Players' for ten minutes, felt jealousy and bitterness.
The class 0's candidate replied like this with truly polite and sincere manner:
[I'm going to travel to find my only muse. I plan to take exams, but I cannot attend the school until I find the Person who inspires me. The musical instrument that contains the skills and soul my master-nim left behind, the Person who can play it hasn't appeared yet.]
And that was what the author intuited:
'That guy is going to be class 0.'
"The post used pseudonyms. However, besides that, when combining circumstances like the personal details, interview group's placement situation, etc, I think this kid is your class' Mok Uram-ssi! Hahaha! How about it, it's like class 0, right?"
If the PMH's best informant said that, it was confirmed.
It seemed that Mok Uram was wandering right now to look for his muse.
But he passed even after saying something like that?…
He was sent to class 0, but I guess his grades were really good.
"Besides that, it seems there is almost no information I can check inside of school. He truly didn't seem to attend the school even once, you know? And he passed GED in middle school, so I don't think there are kids who came from the same school as him."
Mun Saeron finished her explanation like this.
Even though it was nothing but roughly determining what kind of person Mok Uram is and why he didn't appear in the game, it was a great profit.
"Thanks. I don't know if that counts as a reward, but I'll give you this."
I handed her organized materials about the information I obtained through the Heavenly Wings Mountain ghost story tour by the 3rd year class 0's most wretched beggar and class president, Woo Gihwon.
Mun Saeron, who thought about the subject matter, read it in delight and then in fear.
"Uh? Scary, those are ghost stories, you know!… Heuk, is that Heavenly Wings Mountain map? It's perfectly organized! Investigation… I'm extremely grateful! Let's exchange information often in the future!"
Mun Saeron wanted to immediately go to the Heavenly Wings Mountain to personally check the information I sent.
Now, in addition to rampant ghost stories, the Heavenly Wings Mountain was chaos of chaos with 3rd year class 0 camping out to 'fight the Energy of Universe' and Ho tribe members investigating.
The best informant Mun Saeron was added to that.
***
After club activities, which ended with Mun Saeron missing, thanks to her running off to the Heavenly Wings Mountain.
Ding.
It was from Kim Yuri who acted as a 1st year class 0 study group leader starting from today.
[Kim Yuri] Then Uisin can't come today, huh…
[Kim Yuri] Come to eat evening snacks even if it's late! Others said they'll wait! ⟩▽⟨
Our class president and my Playable Character called, so I have to go, right?
I replied that I'll certainly come even if it's late and headed to the promised location.
Promised location, the off-limit zone, old school.
Yeom Junyeol, who I called with the message scorched with Hongryong, and who faced me as promised.
"Master-nim, I have a request."
Yeom Junyeol had an expression hardened in firm resolve.
It was like he was thinking of requesting something important.
I had no idea what it was, but it seemed that I also had to be resolute.
"Speak."
Yeom Junyeol hesitated for a few seconds, unlike himself, and then asked.
"I want to have a method to contact master-nim… Can't I?"
You can't, but it was difficult to say that you can't.
*~*~*
[1] No title – 'Ghost stories, paintings and clues (3)' =-=
[2] Sands of Four Divine – or Four Gods Temple. It's a type of feng-shui where the shrine is surrounded by four mountains (I'm simplifying a lot, please don't kill me). Sand in the name apparently comes from the practice of drawing on sand, when Taoists taught geography. Also sand stands for the same symbol as temple in Korean.
[3] mister Grieg – frankly speaking, I have a very vague memory of who it was, and I'm not sure of this sir's nationality. Usage of mister makes me believe he is from a foreign country, probably from Europe or US, but I can't be certain. So this romanization is uncertain. His name in Korean is '그리그 (Geu Rigeu)' … Edit: Or not. After thinking about it, I think I mistaken a person and they refer to Edvard Grieg, the composer of 'Peer Gynt Suite', who is indeed a great musician but sadly dead and can't give us any more music.
[4] sir – 'you-nim' is used. It's not exactly the polite 'You' as the casual form of 'you' is used, but 'nim' makes it feel a bit more polite and puts some distance between you and the listener, so it doesn't appear too friendly. It's more of an internet slang than an actual word in Korean.
.
Translator's note: I don't want to read about feng-shui ever again.