Chapter 154
Chapter 154
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 154
Chapter Title: Episode 50. Eyes Looking Down from the Dark (3)
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“What the hell do you think you're doing? Barging into someone else's dorm!”
The man strode forward. A ferocious aura surged from his small frame.
Their eyes met. Beneath his shaved head, his slit-like eyes burned with bloodlust.
His gaze fixed on Yoo Ji-tae's nose—a telltale sign of someone reflexively avoiding eye contact out of fear.
“I didn't plan on crashing some party in a corner room either.”
“What nonsense...”
“Exactly. You should've picked up the phone.”
Dry voice. Blatant condescension. Every superhuman here, wearing voice translation artifacts, heard it clear as day.
“What the hell makes you think I owe you a damn call? I don't know what your deal is, but you're pissing me off. Get out. Now!”
Lun glared at him like he wanted to devour him whole.
The cadets from Erpan Guild rolled their eyes back and forth between Yoo Ji-tae and Lun.
“Just one question. How'd you do it.”
“What?”
“How'd you snipe her. Were you tailing her? Or did someone tip you off?”
“I have no idea what bullshit you're spouting. So that's why you barged in here? Just to spew that crap?”
Lun pulled out a cigarette and stuck it in his mouth. The ashtray across the floor was piled high with butts, as always.
He exhaled smoke and raised his voice.
“Listen up, Yoo Ji-tae. I know your family's a big deal. How about we take this outside?”
“Nothing to talk about outside. So, your answer?”
“The sniping? I don't know shit about that.”
False.
“Tailing? I've got four kids to watch over. You have three under your wing—you get it. Who has time for that crap?”
True.
“Too bad your kid got her score jacked by ours. But didn't Yoo Yeoreum lay hands on our Zhou Luxin first? You come in here with no apology, turning around and accusing Erpan of sniping? The gall!”
“Not tailing, then. But you did snipe.”
“Beats me. So what if we did? Violate any school rules? Illegal or something?”
Finding his footing in the argument, Lun grinned like a hyena.
Yoo Ji-tae briefly imagined ripping that smug mouth from ear to chin, then let the thought go.
“Fine. Got it.”
He always set one 'principle' per round at the start. It was a framework to keep his actions consistent through the cycle—imperfect, but he followed it mostly.
In the 3rd round: Spend ten months a year in dungeons.
4th round: Physically protect the Gold Dragon's safety intact.
And now.
7th round: Follow daily life without disrupting it.
This principle stood out especially when dealing with people.
Daily life hinged on personal relationships, which extended into society. Society, in turn, imposed rules and norms on individuals to encompass that daily life. To blend in, he had to respect it. Killing an anonymous street thug meant something different from killing those woven into Yeoreum's routine.
Simply put: He wanted to kill, but held back.
Yoo Ji-tae precisely gauged the cadets' faces and the nature of their mana.
To do so, he scanned the room. The dozen or so Erpan Guild cadets held their breath, avoiding his gaze.
Finally, he turned and walked out.
The storm had passed.
“Fuck...”
Lun, puffing furiously on his cigarette, clicked his tongue.
“Pathetic guardian...”
Getting pushed around in front of the cadets stung a soldier's pride. He'd bluffed tough, but somehow, it felt like he'd played right into the guy's hands.
Thinking back, that irked him more.
So Lun raised his voice.
“Who the fuck barges into someone else's dorm without a word? Strutting around 'cause you've got big backers! Should I flip this shit and make it public?”
The cadets startled and grabbed him.
“We'll hold it in, Guardian. Just avoid the filth, right?”
“Y-yeah... No big deal anyway.”
Zhou Luxin and Jang Soo-young held him back. Lun clicked his tongue, forcing down his rage visibly.
It came off as an open-minded guardian respecting the kids' input.
Exhaling smoke, he bellowed.
“Zhou Luxin!”
Startled, Zhou Luxin snapped to attention.
Had she done something wrong?
“You did great.”
Lun barked a laugh. Zhou Luxin caught on late and giggled.
The laughter spread contagiously to the gathered Erpan Guild members and other guardians. Tension eased. Especially Jang Soo-young and Ling Ling, who'd lost to Yeoreum before, cackled with relief.
“See, what I've learned raising kids in this scene for years? Cadets end up like their guardians. Fact.”
“Really?”
“Look at that bald redhead. Who'd he take after?”
“Hahaha!”
“Good job. Damn good. Zhou Luxin, hit 2nd place this time, and HQ will push us hard! Right?”
Thinking rewards, the mood lifted for drinks.
Conclusion: They sniped, but no tailing.
Meaning they had a way to snipe without tailing.
Yoo Ji-tae headed to the 'Colosseo Lair' to find it.
A massive cylindrical building. Eight-sided entrances spun with huge revolving doors.
Cadets in uniforms, guardians, and staff hurried each their way.
Eyes that overlooked the whole place in real-time, sans tailing: CCTV cameras, dozens per floor.
So he went to the 8th floor of Colosseo.
The control room oversaw all sparring rooms. He strode in; suited security rushed to block him.
“H-hey! This is restricted—”
Recognizing Yoo Ji-tae, they faltered.
“Y-Yoo Ji-tae, guardian?”
“That's me.”
“Ah, hello. W-what brings you here...”
“Thinking of taking a peek inside.”
“Pardon? Uh... If you could tell us why...”
“Curious about control room ops.”
“I see... Mind if we get upper approval first?”
No issue. He'd notified Student Affairs ahead. Still, the security guy called for limited clearance.
“Alright, come with us.”
Yoo Ji-tae entered with security. Hundreds of CCTV feeds monitored; a dozen staff bustled.
“Hello. Lian, chief of Integrated Control.”
A middle-aged female staffer approached cautiously.
“What brings you?”
He scanned the room.
If someone relayed CCTV info, sniping worked.
“Who's on monitors?”
“Wang Gyu... Chinese guy.”
Chinese?
“Can I see him?”
A stern-looking man soon arrived. Yoo Ji-tae asked about Erpan ties. He denied vehemently—truth.
Dead end here too.
“Got it.”
For three days after, Yoo Ji-tae prowled the control area and all Colosseo unseen. Watched staff patterns, checked cadet ins/outs.
Yet no human overseeing all sparring rooms. Odd.
An entity that could pinpoint an ant on the other side of Earth with time shouldn't miss one observer in this tiny building.
That oddity pointed to the answer.
“Ah, you're here? Got the call...”
The now-warier chief eyed him nervously.
“What can we help with today...?”
Yoo Ji-tae glanced at the ceiling opposite, dim away from lights, above cabinets.
A CCTV watching the control room screens.
“Check that circuit.”
“Why...”
“Just do it.”
“Uh, yes... Got it.”
Flabbergasted but compliant, she called a tech to inspect.
“Huh? What's this?”
Spot on.
“F-found signs of external shorting. Radio transmitter too. Pretty old...”
Tech said footage likely leaked externally, but destination unknown.
“Oh dear, someone might've seen?”
“Not sure... Possible.”
Chief glanced awkwardly at Yoo Ji-tae amid chatter.
“Who the hell...”
Who else.
Old short? Probably Erpan from years back.
But Yoo Ji-tae didn't escalate publicly.
“Ajusshi...”
Back at 301, Gaeul spoke worriedly.
“Unni's not eating...”
“I know.”
“No, it's been three days already! I hardly ever see her skip meals...”
True. For Yeoreum, eating was growth fuel. She didn't crave, but never starved.
“Will Yeoreum be okay?”
Bom asked anxiously too.
“Yeah. She's fine now.”
Yoo Ji-tae knocked on Yeoreum's door. “Yeah.” Her muffled reply. He entered, sat facing the redhead sulking in bed corner.
“Mood?”
“Meh...”
“Want a fun story?”
First time he'd offered; Yeoreum looked up.
“What.”
He recounted the three days. She pouted irritably at first, then fumed at the control room reveal.
“Crazy bastards? So they've been doing this all along?”
“Seems so. Feel unfair?”
“Duh. Fuck, I was competing fair... Pisses me off.”
Her subdued anger from the funk.
She grumbled.
“Why not go public? Flip 'em over. Fucking assholes.”
“Planned to at first.”
“Then? Why not?”
After days thinking: Better than alerting—a way Yeoreum would enjoy.
“Time for revenge now.”
“You and me?”
“Yeah. Let's fuck 'em over.”
“How? I already tanked the 3rd quarter solo...”
“Doesn't matter. 4th quarter decides final rankings.”
“Well, true but...”
He gave the simple result first. 3rd quarter scores meaningless now anyway.
“Erpan can't see you anymore.”
Plucked their eyes.
“But I can see Erpan.”
Our turn to look down.
Yeoreum's eyes widened, getting it.
“We snipe them?”
“Yep.”
“...How?”
Simple, highly efficient plan.
Briefing time. Her eyes brightened a bit hearing it.
Anger rooted in her rage control failure. Bitterness lingered, but 'revenge' sweetened her mood.
“Like it?”
“Like it?”
Eyes crinkled, then mouth curved up.
She ducked her head, chuckling lightly.
“...Anything to eat outside?”
Day individual sparring ban ended.
Coincidentally, 3rd quarter rankings finalized.
Yong Tae-ha 1st. Zhou Luxin 2nd.
Noblesse's Vera Blueday took 3rd, bumping Yeoreum to 4th.
That day, academy district swarmed reporters interviewing top cadets post-class.
Ranks finally shifted. Reporters mobbed Yong Tae-ha, Zhou Luxin, Vera Blueday for reactions.
But one drew even more.
“Yoo Yeoreum!”
“Any regrets on the ranking? A word!”
Yeoreum scowled irritably. Reporters kept distance—Student Affairs sent backup on Yoo Ji-tae's call, circling her protectively.
“Yoo Yeoreum! KSB here! Tough loss to Yong Tae-ha and Zhou Luxin! Your thoughts?”
Spotting the public broadcaster guy, Yeoreum sidled over slyly.
The one who always hyped her wins as 'Korea's victory.'
With rare stiff expression, she said.
“This isn't Yoo Yeoreum's defeat.”
“Pardon?”
“It's Korea's defeat.”
She smiled at the camera.
The internet exploded.
Petrovich's SNS stayed quiet that day.