Mission: Awakening Seat
“Make your choice.”
Skyla glanced at the PD while feeling the warmth of the instant coffee in her paper cup.
The main producer of Queen & King slowly crossed his arms.
“What if I refuse?”
“Then I'll do what I can. I'll write up everything that happened here, including this conversation with you right now. I'm certain it'll get way more views than my last raid series post. What do you think, PD?”
“……”
The PD looked like he'd just been slapped across the cheek.
He was already tearing his hair out trying to clean up the mess, and if Skyla's article went public, Queen & King might get canceled outright.
“It's a simple choice. Protect the show? Or ruin your career as a PD for the Association and Do Hak-seong?”
When she spat out Do Hak-seong's name, Skyla's face twisted in fury.
The PD made his decision.
“Let's start in five minutes.”
“Wise choice.”
Skyla flashed a sly smile.
The broadcast began.
“We have breaking news!”
Cha Young-woo shouted.
The PD standing beside the camera slowly twirled his finger. Take it step by step, it meant.
“The practical awakening test has just wrapped up. For our viewers, the Queen & King team worked hard to secure the list of passers as quickly as possible, and we've finally succeeded. While we confirm more details on what went down during the practical exam, let's chat with our panelists here.”
The seasoned Cha Young-woo turned his head, and the camera light on Skyla's angle turned red.
“You left without a word earlier, which threw us off.”
“My apologies. Even though it turned out to be a mistake, the news of disqualification due to cheating left me no time to think. I offer my apologies again to the viewers.”
Skyla remained composed. She reminded herself why she'd returned to the studio.
“The Association—specifically, the Exam Management Committee overseeing the awakening test—made a colossal blunder. As Kim Jun's colleague, how do you see this?”
“The Exam Management Committee announced unverified claims to the press first and foremost. They need to take full responsibility.”
“What kind of responsibility, exactly?”
“They should all resign, of course.”
“Resign?”
Even the experienced Cha Young-woo faltered at the bombshell word “resign” and glanced at the PD.
The PD sighed, bit his lip, and nodded. Keep going.
“From what I've learned, the Education Ministry's announcement about investigating suspicions over Kim Jun's college entrance exam was tied to Exam Management Committee member Shim Sun-hee. They escalated things on mere suspicion without forensic handwriting analysis results. Because of that, Kim Jun's hard-earned perfect score came under doubt. The chair and all committee members should resign and face investigation.”
“…Investigation too?”
Cha Young-woo sneaked another peek at the PD.
“There might be forces behind the smears against Kim Jun. Uramata Guild has no intention of letting this slide. We'll pursue legal action if necessary.”
Skyla emphasized each word deliberately.
In truth, she had no plans to waste time on lawsuits.
She just figured issuing a strong warning on air like this would deter future headaches.
Skyla slowly turned to face critic Do Hak-seong.
“Mr. Do Hak-seong.”
Do Hak-seong, who had pushed his reading glasses up his nose bridge, lifted his head with a furrowed brow. His eyes narrowed to slits under the studio lights—too bright, perhaps.
“While I was away, you aired a tipster's claim on broadcast that they witnessed Kim Jun cheating on his college entrance exam. You didn't hold back on the insults either, calling him rude. You even said a perfect score without cheating was impossible and that he'd be wandering back alleys like a thug otherwise.”
“Th-that was……”
He hadn't been able to hold back his impulses at the time, but it had been the Association's error creating that situation.
Flustered, Do Hak-seong looked to the PD. You're airing this too?
The PD ignored him. He had to save himself first.
“Reveal who the tipster was.”
Skyla pressed.
Do Hak-seong glanced at Cha Young-woo, but his plea for help was coldly rebuffed.
“If it's too hard to say here, you can do it in court.”
Skyla landed the finishing blow.
Do Hak-seong realized the truth.
The PD and Cha Young-woo knew the broadcast's direction. To save Queen & King, they'd agreed to sacrifice one panelist—this cunning ex-journalist Raider.
Storming off in rage would make him a national pariah, a “bastard” everyone recognized. His face burned, betrayal choking him, but he had to bend here.
Only then would he have a shot at survival.
“…In the heat of the moment… I said things that didn't match my intent…”
“So you lied.”
“N-not a lie, exactly… more like, uh, a bit of exaggeration slipped in.”
“Ugh, exaggerate twice more and you'd be committing murder.”
Skyla sealed off his escape.
As the close-up zoomed on Do Hak-seong's flushed face, the PD raised his hand.
Cha Young-woo cut in.
“The practical passers list is coming up soon. We'll be right back after this commercial break.”
Choi Min-su's eyes narrowed as he stared at the monitor.
That technique was the seventh form of the Cheonroe Palm Technique: Po-noe Strike. He'd seen Yeon Chung-jae perform it as a child. The sight of glowing butterflies bursting from the palm… it was strikingly similar to Kim Jun's.
That Po-noe Strike was utterly unique.
Different from anyone else's. That's why it earned the nickname Po-noe Jip.
A skill only Yeon Chung-jae could perform: Po-noe Jip.
“Senior.”
It was Go Cheolmin.
Choi Min-su had informed Uramata Guild's master of the facts. Go Cheolmin's jaw dropped as he rewatched the practical footage sent by Cheonchal Pavilion Leader Yeon Myeong-deok.
“You said Kim Jun has Yeon Chung-jae's memories?”
“…Yes.”
“He learned Po-noe Strike from those memories and used it in the practical match. They said he shines in desperate situations. Yeon Ga-ju's insight is remarkable. Though I didn't expect things to unfold like this.”
“It'll be okay, right?”
“It has to be. I've got something to handle, so I'm heading out. No need to worry about Kim Jun. He's passed the practical—what could go wrong in the Awakening Seat test?”
Choi Min-su brushed past the Pink Team Raiders' greetings on his way down from the master room to the parking lot.
How did Yeon Chung-jae infuse his internal energy and memories into the Cheonroegeom? Whatever it was, it's likely forbidden magic. That could be extremely dangerous. I planned to investigate slowly with the re-appointment issues, but the kid's already flung open the door to those memories. Guess I need to hurry.
The Hummer roared out of the parking lot.
Kim Jun's stomach growled.
He sat up and scanned his surroundings. The air reeked of medicine. Parting the thin curtain around his bed revealed another one nearby.
The clock on the stark white wall read 5:25.
The match…? Oh! A draw? No, if Sa Yeonggyo hadn't stopped, I'd have lost.
His memories returned. Exhausted, he'd ended up in the infirmary.
No excuses. Sa Yeonggyo had fought two matches too. He'd lost fair and square.
Kim Jun closed his eyes.
Sa Yeonggyo's ghostly movements flashed vividly. Could he break Phantom Walk next time? Could Mokhonbo match its speed and direction?
Impossible, he concluded.
But his heart disagreed. It burned hotter instead.
He needed more training time. Higher efficiency too. Only then could he close the gap with Sa Yeonggyo.
The moment he resolved to start cultivating right away, his stomach growled again.
Damn, I'm starving…
Searching for food, Kim Jun spotted his phone on the desk.
The one he'd surrendered before the written exam—and hadn't picked up due to the practical starting right away—lay by the bed. He held the power button, but the flood of message alerts was so relentless he shut it off again.
A desk sat by the window with a landline phone on it.
Kim Jun got out of bed.
His limbs throbbed. His bandaged hands were stiff, making it hard to grip the receiver. His fingertips ached as he punched in the number.
The ringtone dragged on.
—Hello?
“Mom.”
—Jun?
“Phone's off. Too many texts.”
—You okay?
Worry laced her voice.
“Better than ever. Mom, I passed the practical too.”
—Congratulations, son.
She knew from the broadcast about the cheating scandal and his injured hands but didn't let on.
“Just the final Awakening Seat test left. I'll head home right after.”
After hanging up, Kim Jun stood still for a moment.
Emotion welled up.
When he'd vowed to find his missing father, balanced studies and training to become a carrier, prepared fiercely for the awakening test—he'd always suppressed any real hope that his Raider dream would come true.
Now it was within reach.
Pass the Awakening Seat test, and he'd be a Raider! Just like Dad!
Perched on the bed, Kim Jun smiled faintly. The reward for his hardships was sweet.
It's not over yet. A few fail the Awakening Seat too.
Footsteps approached.
Supervisor Jang Man-ho entered the infirmary with a shopping bag.