Chapter 35
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Comparing Answers After the Exam is Standard Practice
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“Uh…… I think number 2 is right……”
“I went with 2 too, same as So-mi.”
Just to avoid any weird misunderstandings.
I'd appreciate it if you read '2번' as 'choice 2' (like number 2), not 'two times.'
“Huh, really? Number 2?”
“Whoa, I skipped studying and played games all yesterday, but even I got this one right.”
Without me even needing to point it out, Han So-mi and the other girls were already highlighting her friend's dumb mistake.
Anyway, you got number 1 wrong?
Wasn't that problem just 'expand (a+b)^2'?
If you've forgotten it as an adult, fine, but you're a first-year middle schooler who just learned it?
Are you even human?
“Hey, Han Kyung-jun, what's with that look?!”
“Nothing. Just cute.”
I wanted to tell her she must've been a monkey in her past life.
But I held my tongue.
“That's gotta be an insult~! Usually!”
I'm not suddenly trying to go sweet route just because I regressed.
I went through all that crap in my past life and got divorced—think I'd want that again?
Just.
Achievement Unlocked!
Achievement: 『Compared Answers with Middle School Girls After the Exam』
Reward: Acquired 1 Life Point.
Hanging out with them nets me Life Points like this.
Made a sweet comment to a middle school girl.
Inssa Force (Popularity) +1.
Chatting enjoyably about the exam with classmates.
Assa Force (Loserdom) -3.
And it boosts my Inssa Force while dropping Assa Force—total win.
Assa Force dropped by 3, but it's still at 55.
I've been chatting with Han So-mi's group during breaks, walking home with Lee A-ram, and acting super popular—someone might even call me out for faking it.
Tip✍ Ordinary middle schoolers don't pull all-nighters reviewing 'linear algebra' or 'quantum mechanics' during midterms.
But the status window says math and physics are for losers or whatever.
No, why is studying math loser behavior?
7th-grade math workbook or linear algebra—it's all math.
Even quantum mechanics, which is physics, is just math in the end.
Tip✍ Popular middle schoolers don't like math.
What? Popular kids can like math too.
Wanna bet?
If even one of these four likes it, I'll give up 1 Life Point.
Ding!
Sudden quest activated per user's suggestion.
Reward: +1 Life Point
“Hey, do you like math?”
I immediately asked Yu Eun-ha.
She made a weird face and answered right away.
“What~? Who likes this crap? What good is it? Does it put food on the table?”
“……”
No?
It's super useful?
Engineering majors need it, you use it for DPS calculations in games, even humanities use it in stats?
“……Yeah, sure.”
Saying that would make me sound like a total loser, so I swallowed my words again.
I wasn't expecting much from Yu Eun-ha anyway.
She wants to be an 'idol,' so her brain's probably full of rocks—I saw that coming.
Next.
I just glanced at Han So-mi, asking 'you like it?' with my eyes alone.
“Um, not really……”
The shy girl shook her head with an awkward smile.
“I freaking hate math. But science is kinda cool. Stuff like EMP and Science Storm in StarCraft—isn't that all science?”
I skipped Hong Ja-hee, who finds science in games.
Finally, my last hope: Lee A-ram from the science club like me.
“……Not really? I just do it.”
See?
Liking math makes you a loser.
Quest failed. No Life Points acquired.
As you just saw.
To chase my dreams, I'm forced to become popular.
Game rules: hit 100 Assa Force and you die.
Honestly, it's a pain.
“Hey, Yu Eun-ha, you airhead. Is it raining on your math paper? Worse than Ja-hee's.”
“Wh-who're you calling airhead~!”
“Fuck, why am I getting hit just standing here?”
“And I can still be an idol without knowing this crap? I'm pretty smart~”
“Where?”
“Just wait and see, punk~ I studied society a bit~?”
Still, not a bad feeling.
If there weren't mechanics like the status window says.
In this second life, I'd probably just study alone, grind physics, meet no one.
I even said I wouldn't force myself to be popular this time.
But humans are social animals—I know that well.
Even in research.
Better ideas come from chatting with other experts than solo book-grinding.
Yeah.
My true mentor, Professor Furusa.
Without him, I'd never have made KAIST professor.
I was reminiscing about researching photonic quantum computers with him when.
“Eww.”
Yu Eun-ha, checking my social studies paper, stuck out her tongue.
“Han Kyung-jun, you bombed social studies?”
I didn't roast Yu Eun-ha much this time.
Probably true—I tanked it.
“Yeah. Didn't study.”
I didn't study at all.
Didn't open the book, didn't listen in class.
“I only do math and science.”
“Whoa……”
Like Yu Eun-ha saying math/science useless for idols.
I'm the same.
If quantum computers need Mesopotamian civ, I'll admit it.
Honestly, for history/social studies, Enha Wiki now or Namu Wiki/YouTube later beats studying.
“Han So-mi aced social studies.”
I shifted the noisy stares to Han So-mi.
“Really?”
“Yeah. I always copy her notes—nearly died last time. Skip class, just read So-mi's notes.”
“Sweet~ Let's match with So-mi's for social studies~”
“Uh, um…… I'm not confident……”
Successfully redirected, I face-planted again.
No plans to study anything but math/science going forward.
I ditched blind grinding for good grades/good schools.
Only for my dream.
Only dream-related stuff.
Conversely, any subject tied to quantum computers—I'll study it.
Me with these noble thoughts, meanwhile.
“Hey, exams done today—karaoke after?”
“Sudden? I was gonna hit PC bang.”
“Not sudden~ We talked about it before~”
Girls ditched answer-checking for fun plans.
“But exams tomorrow…… okay?”
Han So-mi hesitated.
Unlike elementary where it's one day.
Middle school: multiple days, 2-3 subjects/day standard.
“Exams end at lunch anyway—what's the issue? Party hard, study at home~”
“I'll ask Mom……”
“What? Why tell Mom? I just go to PC bang openly.”
“Might go to academy after lunch.”
Chaotic chatter continues.
Yawn~
Unlike lively middle school girls.
My mind racing toward 40, I was tired as usual.
Staying up late nightly to grind perseverance stat.
Like this.
Force eyes open through sleep/fatigue, all-nighter study.
Worked—perseverance +1 after a week yesterday.
'Next period 3 is morals, right? Can sleep now till 5 mins before.'
Morals exam.
Perfect score won't make you moral.
Sleep, wake last 5 mins, bubble in randomly.
“Zzz……”
In familiar middle school girl chatter.
Using it as lullaby to sleep when.
“Han Kyung-jun, karaoke today, right~?”
Ding!
Achievement Unlocked!
……Looks like no sleep.
Achievement: 『A Girl Invited Me to Karaoke—Am I Actually Popular?!』
Reward: Acquired 1 Life Point.
Oh, sweet.
Max out intelligence sub-stats without points first.
Then dump today's Life Points.
Max efficiency, no downside.
“Ah, stop pretending to sleep~!”
Yu Eun-ha wouldn't leave me be.
“Han So-mi's friend. What.”
I mumbled face-down, like I'd forgotten everything.
Karaoke? What's that?
“Not Han So-mi's friend! Yu Eun-ha~!”
“Whoa, Eun-ha says she's not So-mi's friend.”
“Damn, that's cold. So-mi, isn't she trash?”
“Haha……”
Her friends surprisingly useful.
I tried sleeping again but.
“If you need an audience, other boys are there.”
Better politely decline.
Going karaoke with girls for points, pre-lowering Assa Force—not bad.
“Yawn~”
But too sleepy from all-nighters.
“They're too childish~ Doesn't match my level~”
“I'm a guy too.”
“You're kinda…… mature. Don't run around noisy during breaks~”
“Just say old soul.”
“Yeah, different from other boys……”
Hm, mature.
Not sure.
Business/work? Maybe.
But people/relationships? Haven't grown since middle school, self-admitted.
Only changes: better face, baseless confidence.
“Hold on. Thinking.”
Check Assa Force.
55 is safe, right?
Daily break chats will maintain it.
Lowering early not bad, was gonna, but.
“Too tired. Gonna sleep.”
Karaoke's an exception.
No way.
I'm tone-deaf.
Badly.
Resolved to live shamelessly this life.
But singing…… PTSD trigger.
Don't ask why so much PTSD.
Try living as a total nerd once.
This happens.
“What? You love karaoke~ If you love it, go even tired~”
“I like it, but solo singing alone.”
“What~? Who goes karaoke alone?”
“Never heard of coin karaoke?”
“What? Coin kara? How's that karaoke? Let's go~”
Anyway, PTSD aside, karaoke with girls?
Am I crazy?
Separate coin booths, one per person solo—maybe.
But crammed five in a dark club-like room? Hard pass on that sleazy setup.
“……You're thinking something weird again?”
Ignoring Lee A-ram's pinpoint callout.
“Anyway. Sleeping. Don't wake me.”
Face-planted, signaling disinterest.
Area quieted, darkness fell.
Thought peace returned when.
Same-class opposite-sex friend invited you out first.
Inssa Force (Popularity) +1.
Status popped in closed eyes.
Usually means important moment.
Doesn't interrupt sleep lightly.
It's supporting my life, after all.
Probably why.
Inssa Force (Popularity) reached 10.
Can now take the 『1st National Inssa Mock Exam』.
Inssa Force's main use: every 10 points, take Inssa exam.
Clear well for unique items beyond sub-quests.
Zzz…….
Still didn't get up, kept eyes shut.
Tip✍ Hanging out with classmates after exams is a key popular kid metric.
I know.
Midterm day: skip straight home, detour to karaoke/PC bang—standard.
But status window.
At this point, stop hinting—label it properly as 『Reward』?
You know what I've been asking forever.
[…….]
Status window showed '…….' like calculating then.
Ding!
New window popped.
I smirked, then.
Screech!
Shot up like waiting.
“Eek……!”
“S-scared me~!”
Han So-mi crew startled, stares on me.
Stride!
Straight to Yu Eun-ha who sang karaoke invites.
“Let's go.”
Gave her what she wanted.
Grab!
Yanked her wrist, dragged.
Her “Hyak?!” yelp ignored.
“Going now. Do whatever, but sing super intensely.”
“I-intensely? What sudden……”
Ignored Yu Eun-ha, pulled her arm out classroom.
“H-hey! W-wait……! Exams not done! Morals left!”
“Shut it!”
Snapped urgently.
“That matter now?! Reward's important!”
“R-reward……?”
“Yeah! Sing so fun the whole world hears!”
“Wh-what nonsense?! Ah, ow! H-help! Wrist like Lee Ho-kwon's…… S-save me~!”
Chaotic uproar, bonus.
Had to.
『1st National Inssa Mock Exam』
Current Completion: 0%
📍 Content: Go to karaoke with middle school girls!
⏰ Details:
①…….
②…….
③…….
🎁 Rewards:
(F): Quest fail—no reward
(D): …….
(C): …….
(B): …….
(A): Skill 『1st Life Cloud Access』
This karaoke ride-or-die for my future.
My second life's first skill ever.