Chapter 74: Did you know this bitch Chun-hyang's breasts were so firm, Young Master?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 74: Did you know this bitch Chun-hyang's breasts were so firm, Young Master?
"What are you laughing so hard at?"
"Ah, you're here, 'The Chaos King'?"
"Heh... It is 'The Devil Chaos King' now."
"As expected, your naming sense is excellent, just as I taught you."
"I still have a long way to go to catch up to you."
"Ho-ho, the pupil has truly surpassed the master."
"Muhahahaha!"
Inside a room filled with extravagant decor, a fat man wearing glasses was laughing.
His name was Chubby Ahn.
The way he leaned back comfortably made him look like a slab of organic bacon.
"Ah, right, you asked why I was laughing. Something good happened."
"May I hear it as well?"
"Our long-cherished wish has finally drawn closer... You know what I mean, don't you?"
"Ah, I understand perfectly. Is it about that 'Kim Min-su' again...?"
"Exactly."
Chubby Ahn let out another boisterous laugh, looking genuinely delighted by the news. No matter how much he thought about it, there wasn't a single flaw in his plan.
Of course, Min-su informing Melanie about the Gate's location was an action that was completely, completely outside his calculations.
But how could he blame that pure heart that just wanted to look good for a woman?
"...Hmm... Baek Tae-yang's intervention... well... it's hard to call that a flaw either."
"Of course. No matter how much that guy exerts himself, what can he really do?"
"I think so too. Truly... it's almost frightening how similar our thoughts are."
"Hehe... The title of 'The Devil Chaos King' isn't earned easily, after all."
It was a perfect back-and-forth, a flow of conversation that no one else could join. No one interrupted, and each word followed the next in perfect sequence. It was truly a fantastic display of chemistry.
"Lately... Baek Tae-yang's presence has grown too large... To think he'd even intrude into a Gate..."
"But didn't you account for all of that and create a perfect guide?"
"Hehehehe, that is also true."
Chubby Ahn gave a fishy smile as he looked down at the plan spread out on the table.
At the very top, the words 'Academy Pure Love Diary' were written in bold, crooked handwriting. Below it, various words were scrawled messily like a crude mind map.
"Naturally. Baek Tae-yang won't be able to gain a single thing from the Classic Masterpiece [Chunhyangjeon]."
"I am truly in awe, Master."
"Hehuhahaha! The Devil Chaos King! Go and provoke Noble further, and prepare to open a new era!"
"Understood!"
As soon as he heard the answer, Chubby Ahn sprang up from his seat.
"...Hmm... I should go see Noble."
Playing two roles was a lonely business.
'Min-su should be doing fine on his own by now.'
If he just followed the path I wrote for him, he would grow at an explosive rate. He could already vividly see Kim Min-su clearing the Gate and crushing Baek Tae-yang.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Is the difficulty really supposed to spike this much...?"
Min-su recalled the quest window that had appeared when he was pretending to be unconscious after being beaten by the Pimp. There had been two choices in the quest window, and only now did he understand why there was a recommended option.
=================================
You have acquired the [Protagonist's Cliché] of growing through a miserable defeat!
Congratulations!
The quest proceeds as a catalyst for [Lee Mong-ryong]'s awakening!
Please select one of the two quests!
Would you like to go with Option 1?
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"...I should have picked Option 1 back then..."
At the time, he thought there might be some kind of trap in the 'Easy and Fast Path of a Gentleman.' This was a high-difficulty environment—an S-Class Gate where he had even been beaten by a mere normal monster like the [Pimp].
In such a place, did it make sense for a quest to offer an easy path? He was sure there was a catch.
"It turns out they were actually looking out for me..."
Even when Min-su tried to select Option 1, the quest window had repeatedly asked him to reconsider.
==================================
Are you sure you want to select Option 2?
While the rewards are better than Option 1, there isn't a huge difference, and you will gain nothing if you fail to clear the Gate properly.
Wouldn't Option 1 be better for a quick clear rather than something difficult?
It is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of!
Would you like to select Option 1?
==================================
He should have picked Option 1 then.
But there was only one reason Kim Min-su didn't. It was because of the Pure Love Diary Writer's answer.
"He said he thought it was about time I reached the Truth and Reason of the Universe... and I thought so too..."
He couldn't say exactly what the Truth and Reason of the Universe meant, but if the Pure Love Diary Writer said so, then it was so. How could he not trust someone who had given him the location of an S-Class Gate out of absolute faith?
So, Kim Min-su chose Option 2.
A hero who trusts the Pure Love Diary Writer, ignores the quest's warnings, and overcomes the situation with his own convictions! Surely, that was the image the Pure Love Diary Writer wanted to see.
"They said Hanja wouldn't be part of character education..."
In the modern era, Hanja (Chinese characters) wasn't used that much. To begin with, even during character education, Hanja was considered a very basic level of knowledge. If Hanja proficiency was divided into levels 1 through 9, what they taught in character education was only up to level 4. In other words, it was just enough knowledge for daily life.
However, the Civil Service Examination was a different beast entirely; daily life levels of Hanja were nowhere near enough. Moreover, the characters weren't even written clearly, making them impossible to read properly.
==================================
You have selected Option 2!
The clear conditions for the Arduous March are revealed!
Clear Conditions :: Pass the Civil Service Examination as the top graduate without any assistance (0/1)
Succeed in a passionate love with Chun-hyang! (0/1)
If the clear conditions are not met, the dungeon raid will fail, and you will be expelled immediately.
※ There are no penalties whatsoever for failing the Gate.
==================================
He stared once more at the clear conditions for the Arduous March displayed before him. The only silver lining was that there were no penalties for failing.
'At least there won't be a Gate Wave.'
A Gate Wave was when monsters from inside the Gate poured out into the world upon a failed raid. Since this Gate had appeared in a place no one would know about, a Wave would have been an absolute disaster.
At the very least, Melanie would be waiting for him outside, so even if a Gate Wave did occur, he didn't have to worry.
'Maybe she's waiting alone without any support because she's so sure I'll succeed...'
Was it because their hearts were connected? Min-su felt like he knew everything about Melanie. Why else would she have recommended him as a model for the massive Kaivan Corporation?
There was only one answer.
She had feelings for him. He himself had been looking for a good woman after dumping Yu-min.
'Just wait, Melanie... As soon as I clear this Gate, I'm going to...!'
"Hehehehe." His laughter echoed through the tile-roofed house, which was empty save for his servants.
Just as he was about to return to his Hanja studies after laughing for a good while...
"Young Master, Lady Chun-hyang has come to see you."
"Really? How could such a delicate lady travel through these rough dirt roads? I must go out to greet her at once!"
At the servant's words, Min-su's face brightened even more than before. He concluded that even though his departure for Hanyang was imminent, it wouldn't be a problem.
After all, he was the protagonist and a [Hero]. Once he got to Hanyang, he'd be forced to study anyway! If he was surrounded by people studying, wouldn't he naturally memorize the characters and pass the exam? It was a conclusion drawn from his belief that his 21st-century mind was more open than those of the people of the past.
'First, Chun-hyang!'
Chun-hyang was truly beautiful. There was a reason Lee Mong-ryong wanted her and Magistrate Byun demanded she serve him. For a love story like that to emerge from a tiny village, the only possible justification was her face. And her appearance was enough to make everything make sense.
Elegant, fine features, pale skin, and even firm breasts.
"Is she outside the door?"
"Yes, she is, but..."
"Why are you hesitating? Speak up."
"She came with another man..."
"What?"
He nearly tripped while hurriedly putting on his shoes at the mention of another man. A memory of crying at the Bogeumjari Mall suddenly flashed through his mind.
'...I'm probably just overthinking it.'
She was a gisaeng's daughter, but since she was also the daughter of a nobleman, she might have hired a servant. He probably hired a male servant to act as a sturdy bodyguard. Min-su nodded vigorously, finishing his self-justification.
"O-Open the door."
"Yes, sir."
Despite his efforts, his voice trembled slightly as he failed to control his shaking jaw. Swallowing hard, he prayed that this wouldn't be a repeat of that previous situation.
"Did you know this bitch Chun-hyang's breasts were so firm, Young Master?"
His Chun-hyang.
She was held in the arms of the Pimp who had beaten him to death earlier.
"...Y-Young Master..."
She was calling out to him desperately while her breasts were being toyed with.
"...Ugh!"
A massive headache suddenly surged through him.