Chapter 43
Chapter 43
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Never Get Stuck in Hell Group!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Should we all get together and watch the group draw live?"
"Yeah, wouldn't that be more lively and fun?"
>
During break time, Ryu Ji tossed the idea to Seong-muk.
>
Thinking it was a pretty good plan, Seong-muk nodded and asked,
>
"Is your place big?"
"Nah, it's small. Imagine ten rowdy guys crammed into that tiny living room—Noah would freak out."
"Oof, sounds awful."
>
Ryu Ji had apparently started living with his little sister Noah.
His place didn't seem feasible.
>
"Seok Un-gang, Hassan, Ji Su-yong, Ri Dong-hyeok—they're all out too..."
>
The external recruits lived in the dorms, so veto.
Next, Seong-muk thought of Do Do-jin.
>
'This guy's place was pretty far out, right?'
>
Seong-muk remembered Do-jin's house being quite a distance away. Even if it was far, borrowing it seemed better than nothing, so he went over to ask—but got an unexpected reply.
>
"Hyung, I don't live far anymore. We moved near the school."
"Oh, really...?"
"We could probably watch at my place if you ask. I'll check with Noona."
>
He called Do-yeon to get permission, and she readily agreed. And so, it was decided they'd watch the group draw broadcast together at Do-jin's house.
>
The starting lineup members piled out, following Do-jin. But soon enough, the scenery started getting fancier.
>
"Isn't this the rich folks' neighborhood?"
"Nah, we're probably just passing through."
>
This area was famous for having a ton of wealthy residents. So everyone figured his place wouldn't be that big.
>
"Here we are. Come on in."
"!!"
"What the...?"
>
Do-jin stopped in front of a two-story house that had to be at least 50-60 pyeong. Everyone who followed him inside was too busy gawking at the luxurious interior to think straight. Seong-muk, who hadn't imagined Do-jin moving somewhere like this, asked in shock,
>
"What? You moved into a place like this?"
"I thought about telling you, Hyung, but you've been so busy lately, I missed the timing."
"Ahem..."
>
Seong-muk had been skipping team practices to scout Ryu Ji lately.
Do-jin was still a student and couldn't have earned that kind of money himself—it had to be Do-yeon's. He was dying to know where it came from.
But he couldn't exactly ask anyone.
>
'Do-yeon-ssi, you into sports betting or something?'
>
He couldn't just blurt that out.
Seong-muk decided to let it slide—must be some good fortune or whatever.
>
"This way, everyone."
>
Do-jin led them further inside.
Along the way, Ji Su-yong spotted a framed photo on the wall and let out a genuine gasp of admiration.
>
"Whoa, Do-jin! Your sister's seriously gorgeous...!"
>
Do-jin usually wouldn't love hearing his sister praised like that, but knowing Su-yong's good character, he smirked and replied,
>
"Yeah, she is."
"Bet she's got a boyfriend, right?"
"Probably not..."
>
Do-jin glanced at Seong-muk's back ahead of them.
He turned back to Su-yong.
>
"...Not sure."
"Haha, even family can't know everything about private lives!"
>
They joined the other seniors in the living room.
The baseball team sat around in front of a massive TV that was nearly 100 inches. Someone threw out an idea.
>
"Should we grab some snacks to munch on during the broadcast? We're at someone else's house—least we can do is bring something."
"Agreed. Rock-paper-scissors, loser goes..."
>
"No, it's fine."
"...?"
>
Do-jin was turning down their snack run.
Of course, there was a reason.
>
"I grabbed a card just in case. Order whatever you want with this."
"........!!"
>
Everyone's eyes went wide. Convenience store chips? Forgotten in an instant.
>
"...God Do-jin, we worship you."
"I've wanted to call you Big Bro all along."
>
A dozen hungry athletic guys gathered together— the one footing the bill for food right now was basically big bro supreme.
The team was seriously moved watching Do-jin casually swipe his card for ten different kinds of delivery food that arrived just before the draw.
>
"Whoaaa, smells insane...!!"
"Thanks for the grub!!"
>
The team efficiently unpacked the food.
Meanwhile, Choi Adam grinned as he opened the pizza—then his face froze solid.
>
"Son of a bitch, who ordered Hawaiian pizza?"
>
Adam immediately kicked off a witch hunt, ranting that pineapple on pizza was crossing the line. But the culprit was someone untouchable in this room.
>
"...Ah, sorry, Sunbae. That was me."
>
Do Do-jin quietly raised a hand in apology.
He looked sheepish for ordering such a divisive menu item.
>
"Uh..."
>
Choi Adam was speechless.
Normally he'd fire off a couple more jabs, but not this time.
>
Seong-muk, munching chicken, quietly told the team,
>
"Guys, stomp him."
>
Whoosh!
>
The team charged at Choi Adam like arrows.
>
Thud thud thud—!
They mercilessly stomped the heretic who dared insult their god-like benefactor.
>
"Eat what we're given, punk!!"
"You taste-blind idiot, you even know what pineapple tastes like?"
"Gahhh! Sorry, I'm sorry...!!"
>
Choi Adam, who never backed down even to Ryu Ji, ended up sprawled pathetically on the floor. With the counter-revolutionary dealt with, the feast resumed. Among the always-ravenous team, Ri Dong-hyeok stood out the most.
>
"Hey hey, Dong-hyeok. No one's stealing your food..."
>
Ri Dong-hyeok was inhaling every delivery dish like he was possessed.
He hadn't exactly starved in North Korea as part of the elite family, but the variety of Korean delivery food had unleashed his appetite. Then, it seemed he choked.
>
"Cough, cough!!"
"Whoa, you're gonna choke. Give him a drink."
"There's ice cream too—take a break and have some."
>
Ri Dong-hyeok chugged a drink, then scooped a bite of ice cream to freshen up. His face, which had devoured everything like a bottomless pit until now, suddenly stiffened.
>
"Urk...!!"
"What's wrong?!"
>
"Th-this...!!"
"...?"
>
"Putting toothpaste in ice cream! Who would defile sacred food like this...!"
>
Ri Dong-hyeok was horrified by his first taste of mint choco.
Once again, the culprit wasn't far.
>
"...Dong-hyeok Shi-ju, that was me. Sorry."
"Ah..."
>
Seok Un-gang, the closet mint choco fan, bowed in apology.
The mood sobered up fast.
>
Fortunately, the group draw live started right away.
>
⚙ LIVE BROADCAST ⚙ Alright, time for the Seoul district spring tournament group draw! Here are the Seoul high schools lined up by last year's results! Swish!
>
The Seoul district high schools started unfolding one by one.
But none of the names were ordinary.
>
"Whoa, how many prestige schools are there...?"
"Seoul seeds live up to the hype—insane."
>
'Maybe that's why the Chairman clenched his teeth and refused to start a baseball team...'
>
To advance to nationals and do well, Munhyeok High had to break through the Seoul seeds due to its location—a much tougher challenge than regional districts. Other areas had leveled up too, but Seoul was on another level.
>
"Whew, Seoul seeds look brutally tough."
>
I'd chalked it up to Seoul being the capital with more elite schools and better infrastructure, but there was something crucial I shouldn't forget. This was a world obsessed with baseball.
>
"Ultimately, it boils down to King Sejong."
"Not Sejong again...!?"
>
King Sejong burst back in with an "It's me, bro!" vibe.
In this baseball fanatic world, blame Sejong for weird settings, and you're usually right. Do-jin started sharing backstory you couldn't hear in the game.
>
"It's in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, according to records..."
>
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The year was Sejong 24, 1442.
>
At a royal council, King Sejong proposed something to his ministers.
>
"Traveling far to watch baseball is a massive waste of administrative resources. I want to watch without leaving the palace far— what do you think of building a baseball field and training hall at Sungkyunkwan?" "……………!!"
>
The ministers' eyes bulged.
They slammed their heads to the floor.
>
"...Your Majesty, please reconsider!!"
"Why oppose this?"
>
"Sungkyunkwan is the foundation of Confucian learning. How can we profane that sacred space for mere personal enjoyment like watching baseball...!"
"Please do not forget the noble intent of Grand King Taejo who founded it...!"
>
Led by Hwang Hui, the high officials desperately opposed.
But their real reasons were worlds apart from what they said.
>
'Baseball fields are so noisy—if this passes, my wife and daughter will kill me!'
'Ugh, my grandson needs top marks this time...!'
>
Classic parent mindset: give my kid the best study environment!
Sejong seemed to back off cleanly.
>
"Fine, if that's your will, I'll drop it."
"Your benevolence overwhelms us!"
"We are in awe of Your Majesty's wise decision!"
>
Normally, it'd end in this polite WWE standoff, but Sejong's mission was spreading baseball in his reign. No backing down. He brought an offer they couldn't refuse.
>
"Instead, we'll seriously review Prime Minister Hwang Hui and your resignation petitions again..."
"Physical fitness is national power!! We approve the baseball field construction immediately!!"
>
Held hostage by their retirements, the old ministers tearfully agreed to the plan.
>
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "...That's the story."
"Oh ho, I see."
>
After that, a baseball training hall was built at Sungkyunkwan, and players trained there played tons of games at the National Sungkyunkwan Baseball Field, producing top talent.
>
Skirt-wearing parents pushing kid education? Joseon back then too. Tons flocked to Hanyang to get kids into Sungkyunkwan's baseball department; rejects went to nearby halls, boosting Hanyang's baseball power naturally.
Traditions don't die easy—that's why Seoul's still packed with baseball powerhouses.
>
⚙ LIVE BROADCAST ⚙ Quick spring tournament group rules! 1. Seoul district has 4 seeds.
2. 256 Seoul high schools divided into 4 groups.
3. 2 teams reaching finals from each seed qualify for summer tournament and Sejong Cup Championship.
>
After the subtitle rundown, cameras panned to each school's manager. Near the end, Manager Myeong Sin-u appeared.
>
"Oh, Manager Myeong."
"Suit fits him nice."
>
Managers stepped up one by one to draw. As time passed, joy and despair split sharply.
>
A Group - Hellfire
B Group - Average
C Group - Easy
D Group - Super Easy
>
A Group became the ultimate Seoul seed death group.
Last year's Sejong Cup schools—supposed to spread out—four crammed into one. Out of 6 must-win games, 4 against monsters.
>
"Whoa, draw that and you face Geumgang High in round 2."
"That Geumgang High from last year's Sejong Cup...!?"
>
Sejong Cup teams were nationally elite. Even if Geumgang fell in round 1, they wrecked spring regionals for nationals.
>
"Next is even worse? Kirin High and Daegwallyeong High too."
>
Kirin made Sejong 32, Daegwallyeong 16. Topping this dragon of teams...
>
"Insane, Hancheong High too. Historic hell group."
>
Seoul's absolute powerhouse Hancheong High.
Their 4th place last Sejong Cup was just a slip—superteam firepower.
>
"Schools drawing that are so screwed."
"Dodge it, and it's a honey pot though?"
>
Munhyeok High's turn was next.
Everyone stared at the TV like "No way!"
>
⚙ LIVE BROADCAST ⚙ Munhyeok High's Manager Myeong Sin-u, please come forward! Manager Myeong strode to the podium.
He dipped his hand into the basket.
>
"Manager, we believe...!!"
"Let's go...!!!"
>
He swapped balls a few times, then drew one.
The camera showed the ball.
>
💥 A GROUP 💥 "……………."
>
The team's brains froze for a moment.
After about 10 seconds of blank stares, they screamed in unison.
>
"Gaaaaah...!!"
"...This is insane!!"
>
And just like that, Munhyeok High joined the fiery blue flames of A Group. Straight into the blazing inferno.