Ex Rank Supporting Role's Replay in a Prestigious School

“It was a means, not an end, to bring a superior being into this world.”

From Hwang Jiho’s interrogation of Jogangryeob, there’s more than one superior being they tried to pull.

Jogangryeob tried to travel again with Tripitaka, Sha Wujing, and Bai Longma.

Jogangryeob’s goal was to make these superior beings descend, but the Black Screen has a different intention.

‘There’s a limit to interactions with superior beings since they’re not in this world. They wanted to rob the superior beings of their power.’

I understood the Black Screen’s intent, but that didn’t seem to be all.

Power itself can be a means, but it’s difficult to be an end.

What are they going to do with the power of a superior being?

While lost in thought, Hyunmoo broke the silence.

“You must be well aware of how far a superior being is, but everyone is quick to understand.”

Because of the events that we’ve been experiencing and the information we had, the tigers quickly understood the situation.

It must be surprising from the perspective of an outsider.

Of course, the tigers didn’t say anything about why.

Hyunmoo looked at me and spoke fondly instead of digging into it.

“You worked hard.”

Hyunmoo gave a knowing smile.

Did he notice that I was involved in the cases?

Hyunmoo is a being of wisdom and foreknowledge, so he may have sensed something.

“I don’t know if everything in this diary is true, but I have a guess. However, there is something I don’t understand.”

Hwang Jiho took his eyes off the diary and asked Li Wei.

Receiving Hwang Jiho’s gaze, Li Wei trembled.

Hwang Jiho wasn’t hostile, but he must’ve been surprised at the sudden attention.

Or perhaps someone who’s not used to it would feel a lot of pressure from a tiger’s eyes.

“You asked this body to arrange a meeting even though you knew that the head of the Cow Clan was making such a scheme. What were you going to do with him?”

When asked, Li Wei bit his lips tightly.

Other emotions seemed to dominate his head rather than the fear he felt for Hwang Jiho.

“I was going to avenge my father.”

An indelible anger and lament.

Li Wei was of an adult build but still a child with a young face.

I couldn’t think of anything to say because a child of the same age as Yeom Junyeol was talking with such a face.

“I know that even if I win, I will die. So I tried to infiltrate the Cow Clan using my light skill as bait.”

Hwang Jiho and I had the same question.

“If you were going to do that, you didn’t have to meet Uma through me, did you? If they knew that you had inherited the light skill connected to Yeomje, they would’ve approached you first.”

“That’s…”

Li Wei hesitated.

He’s already revealed the secrets of his father and his plan of revenge, is there anything more that’s difficult to say?

Hwang Jiho waited for a long time for an answer, but Li Wei couldn’t speak.

Li Wei’s activities, the conversation we just had, something that he couldn’t say easily to the tigers.

Combining those clues, I could guess Li Wei’s intentions.

“You have something to say. Go ahead.”

Hwang Jiho spoke to me when I came up with a presumptive answer.

He must’ve been looking at me while talking to Li Wei.

“I think he tried to use the Tiger Clan as a shield.”

“What?”

“…!”

Li Wei looked at me in amazement and I knew that I got it right.

Even if things went as Li Wei thought, he would’ve been caught by the Cow Clan quickly.

“The Tiger Clan offered Li Wei a deal. If the deal was made, the Tiger Clan would’ve tried to protect Li Wei.”

Li Wei’s light skill is valuable since he can heal Jeokho.

Hwang Jiho will protect Li Wei for Jeokho’s sake if the latter has accepted the deal.

“If the head of the Tiger Clan introduces him to the head of the Cow Clan, Uma would notice it. That Li Wei is under the Tiger Clan’s protection.”

Hyunmoo is currently protecting Li Wei, but he doesn’t seem to be actively helping with his plan of revenge.

Hyunmoo’s power is unknown, but if he had the will, Li Wei wouldn’t have bothered to make a deal with the Tiger Clan.

‘If Li Wei didn’t have a shield, he would be in the same situation as Yoo Sanghee.’

He will be held hostage and threatened, or crushed by force and subjected to an experiment that the Cow Clan wants him to.

Revenge would be impossible.

However, if the deal is made and the two met under Hwang Jiho’s arrangement, the story will be different.

If the Cow Clan is aware that Li Wei is backed by the Tiger Clan, they can’t treat him recklessly.

In that case, a tug-of-war over revenge may be possible because it’s disadvantageous for the Cow Clan to openly harm Li Wei while trying to take Yeomji’s power.

“…That’s right. I thought that if a deal had been made and I met him in a position arranged by the head of the Tiger Clan, the Cow Clan would not be reckless with me.”

“I see. So did you hesitate to make a deal at that time? Or is it because you don’t trust the Tiger Clan completely? Who’s to say we’re not on the same team as the Cow Clan?”

“T-that’s not it. Hyunmoo-nim said I can trust the Tiger Clan. It was just a matter of my heart.”

Li Wei hurriedly denied Hwang Jiho’s cynical questions.

Hyunmoo was mentioned, but he just smiled and watched without intervening.

‘So did they come here after he heard all of that?’

Li Wei didn’t appear directly in PMH, but I could imagine what he had gone through.

Like in this world, if Hwang Jiho had offered him a deal, he wouldn’t have stopped hesitating until the year ended, and a deal would not happen in the end.

Hwang Jiho’s reason for doing business with Li Wei would disappear because Jeokho died that Christmas.

‘In the end, he wouldn’t get his revenge.’

After the First Christmas scenario, the momentum of the successful Cow Clan would’ve been greater, and Li Wei’s attempt to get revenge on his own would have been lost.

He wouldn’t have given it up, but his life would be harder.

“I know well that you have done something dangerous for revenge. Did Yeomje Shinnong offer to lend you strength?”

“I don’t know. He didn’t solicit revenge nor stop me.”

Did he just throw his strength to humans?

It seems difficult to grasp the intentions of superior beings, even if it has led to orders and light skills.

As if he heard everything he wanted to hear, Hwang Jiho once again suggested a deal.

“It’s hard to kill, but I can help you relieve your anger. That is, if you accept this body’s deal.”ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ɴovelFɪre.net

Li Wei didn’t hesitate this time.

“I will accept.”

“Good.”

“Thank you. Can I see him now?”

“A one-on-one meeting is a no. No matter how much precaution we take, you must be accompanied by more than one person, including the Tiger Clan’s torturer.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Li Wei was rather pleased when he was told that he should be accompanied by more than one tiger, including Kim Shinrok.

He was smiling, and not a hint of worry was in his face.

“It would be more humiliating if he were hurt by a human in a place where a lot of people are watching.”

Hwang Jiho nodded with a satisfied smile at Li Wei’s answer.

While Hwang Jiho lifted the boundary and opened the door, Hyunmoo talked to me.

“You want to talk while we wait?”

Is he saying we should stay outside?

I don’t think there would be any information I could get even if I saw Li Wei taking his revenge anyway.

Uma didn’t easily open his mouth against Kim Shinrok, so he’s not likely to speak with Li Wei either.

‘I wanted to ask Hyuunmoo something too. Should I stay and talk to him? I guess the tigers will tell me if they get any information.’

Following Hyunmoo, Baekho-gun also spoke.

He seems to have a lot to say to a friend he hasn’t seen in a long time.

Should I move out of the way?

However, Baekho-gun and Hyunmoo naturally stood between me and the door.

“I have no problem with Baekho staying. Wait here then.”

Hwang Jiho said as if I were going to run away if I wasn’t supervised.

***

Those who turn the Tiger Clan into their enemy cannot escape death.

The Tiger Clan drags captured enemies into a place called the “abyss” and prevents them from dying or living without seeing the light.

The entrance to the abyss exists in the basement of Eungwang High’s Light Skill Research Hall 4 and Eunyeonggwan.

But today, they especially opened one more entrance for guests.

Hwangho and Jukho built a temporary entrance to the abyss in Hwangmyeong Tower’s underground.

Opening the door, Hwangho warned.

“If you fall more than three steps from this body, I cannot guarantee your life. Follow me well.”

“I understand.”

Li Wei followed Hwangho in nervousness.

Currently, Hwangho Li Wei, Jeokho, and Kim Shinrok are on the way.

Jeokho, who was quiet during the conversation outside the door, asked.

“Hwangho, I want to ask you something.”

“Go ahead.”

“What deal did you enter into with him?”

Li Wei thought the conversation was surprising, but he kept silent.

He judged that the transaction details couldn’t be disclosed in defiance of Hwangho’s intention.

‘Didn’t the head of the Tiger Clan reveal the details of the deal to the other tigers? Did I make a deal with the head and not the whole clan?’

It was strange that the trustworthy head of the Tiger Clan wouldn’t disclose it.

The deal is simple enough; to use a healing light skill and not speak of it.

It was questionable if it was something to hide from his closest aides.

Instead of answering, Hwangho teased Jeokho.

Li Wei’s questions deepened as the two tigers seemed very close.

“Are you curious about the deal I made, Jeokho?”

“I asked because I was curious, but I don’t want to hear the answer now.”

“Then I won’t tell you.”

Hwangho only kept laughing and never answered Jeokho’s questions.

Jeokho closed his mouth as if he was tired of Hwangho’s attitude.

‘He has an appearance close to my age, but he’s kept the dignity of a clan head throughout the conversation about the deal. But now that he’s talking to Jeokho, he seems just like a normal person.’

If Li Wei weren’t there, Hwangho would’ve laughed and made fun of Jeokho.

Hwangho somewhat restrained himself, but the sight was surprising to Li Wei.

“Walk carefully, son. The road is rough.”

“…Thank you.”

Jeokho soon switched his attention and took care of Kim Shinrok.

Kim Shinrok is used to this place because he goes in and out several times, but Jeokho doesn’t seem to like his young son being in such a rough place.

“I hope the day will not come when we will use the terms of this deal.”

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