NOVEL NEXT chapter 1027 - Missing (9)
Baekho tried to persuade Jo Ui-shin, but he could not hear anything except the words of Chugaekryeong.
In the end, he had to cross the dream again and return to Baekho's world without any results.
At first, Baekho thought Jo Ui-shin was being sensitive about chess, but after cooling his head, he changed his mind.
'If someone had the courage to say in front of me that swordsmanship and spearmanship are similar, I would not have stayed still. What Jo Ui-shin said is proof that he takes chess seriously.'
There are not many people who are bold enough to say such nonsense in front of Baekho, but if there were, he would have made them feel the difference by hitting them once with a sword and once with a spear, and then told them to get out.
Baekho did not reflect, but decided to understand Jo Ui-shin and studied chess.
Of course, he learned chess on his own without having a teacher.
It was not because Baekho could not find a teacher.
Even though he was a vassal of the new government, Baekho, who could go anywhere, had a wide network of connections and knew several idle people who would fly to Eun Gwang Gu if he sent just one letter.
Since Hwang Ho, who had become lax at the new government, was also there, he could have called him to teach him chess, but Baekho did not do so.
‘If I were to play chess, my first opponent would have to be that arrogant and sensitive Jo Ui Shin. I wonder what kind of face he would make if I won the first game.’
If Baekho won the first game, Jo Ui Shin would not dare to refuse Ga Ho.
With that thought, Baekho devoted himself to studying chess fiercely.
Baekho reduced the time he spent swinging his sword and used that time to read chess books and records of famous chess games.
The first to notice Baekho’s change and show interest was his disciple, Je Ho.
“Baekho, you’re here. I have some snacks, so why don’t you join me?”
Eun Gwang-go’s remote trail.
Jeho, the son of Jeok-ho, looked up at Baek-ho, who had climbed up a tree, from below.
Even if Je-ho was a teacher at Eun Gwang-go, he couldn’t have accidentally come to such a remote place, and it seemed like he had been looking for Baek-ho from the beginning.
I observed that he might have brought dried persimmons, but it was actually a sweet potato with Yulan in it.
Judging from the good quality paper box that the sweet potato was wrapped in, it seemed like someone had given it as a gift.
‘It looks like another graduate gave it as a gift. But don’t the students know Je-ho’s taste? It seems like they’ve never received dried persimmons as a gift.’
When Baek-ho nodded silently and expressed his intention to eat with him, Je-ho happily cleaned up the table.
Currently, Je-ho looks like a teacher in his 40s, so Baek-ho looks like a student.
However, Je-ho’s eyes were filled with respect as he looked at Baek-ho, so if you looked closely, you could clearly tell who was the student and who was the teacher.
Jeho handed Baekho a thermos of tea and started talking about school.
“Next year, a descendant of the Dragon Clan will be entering the school. That damn dragon… … I’ll take care of him, but I’ll also pay a lot of attention to him.”
Baekho didn’t have much interest in the Jin Clan, who didn’t have the level of martial arts he could see, but the Dragon Clan was different.
Baekho had been close enough to be grouped with the Blue Dragon as one of the Four Beasts, and he knew that the Dragon Clan cared greatly for Jeho, his disciple.
‘You mean the daughter born between Chokryong and the Four Sea Dragon Kings? Is she old enough to enter Eungwang High School?’
The Dragon Clan was affectionate, and the number of descendants was not that many.
Jeho and Yongjegeon couldn’t help but be very concerned that such a precious descendant was entering Eungwang High School.
When Yongjegeon’s name came up, Baekho suddenly remembered the ‘Nightmare Dust’ that the dragon of the entertainment world had gifted to Jeho in the past.
‘Yongjegeon must have obtained that Nightmare Dust before the chess match between Nightmare and Jouishin began. Jeho must have researched Nightmare in order to handle the dust, so it would be better to ask him in detail.’
Even so, Baekho would find it strange if he found out that he was overly interested in Nightmare.
Baekho carefully chose his words and asked Jeho.
“Yongjegeon once gave you something dangerous as a gift.”
“What are you talking about? That dragon rarely gave you something good as a gift… ….”
Jeho talked about the dangerous gifts he had received from Yongjegeon one by one.
Jeho grumbled that Yongjegeon was just passing such things on to him for fun and seeing his reaction.
Nightmare Dust was also mixed in, of course.
Baekho asked for information under the pretext of checking Jeho’s safety, and Jeho nodded, embarrassed.
“Baekho, even though the dragon’s gift is dangerous, I will take good care of it. There will be no danger to the Ho clan.”
“I know. But if anything dangerous happens to you, tell me right away.”
“Yes… … !”
Short small talk continued after that.
Baekho listened to Jeho’s story, nodded occasionally, and asked additional questions, continuing the conversation.
Jeho, who had been talking happily for a while, suddenly looked at Baekho with a face that said, “Oh no.”
He seemed to think that he had talked too much about himself, and belatedly changed the topic to something Baekho could talk about.
“Baekho, what you were looking at just now was a chess record, I think… … .”
“That’s right.”
“Baekho used to play Janggi, right? I remember feeling bad because my skills were no match for Baekho.”
“That wasn’t the case.”
It’s true that I stopped playing Janggi because it was boring, but it wasn’t that playing with Jeho became boring.
Baekho did say something like that, but his words were too short and didn’t get through to Jeho.
When Jeho asked if the rules of chess and Janggi were similar, Baekho shook his head and said.
“Jeho, if you say something like that in front of a chess or Janggi player, you’ll be told to get out.”
Baekho, who had actually heard the words “get out” right in front of him, firmly said.
However, Jeho thought it was a simple metaphor or joke and didn’t take it to heart.
Jeho thought that no one would dare tell Baekho to get out, but in reality, there was someone who had said something like that in a place other than this world.
And Baekho went back to his dream to meet Jo Ui-shin.
This time, he had thoroughly learned about chess, and had also done some research on Nightmare.
“Joeui-shin.”
Joeui-shin didn’t react much even when Baekho called his name.
Joeui-shin didn’t like his attitude, but Baekho had always been unresponsive when opponents who didn’t catch his eye called his name.
Such opponents would show off their martial arts skills in front of Baekho or make surprise attacks to get his attention.
Baekho decided to do something similar.
“I’ve researched Nightmare. I can guess why and how you’re dealing with Nightmare.”
Joeui-shin was still replaying the chess game alone, with his back turned to Baekho.
It was clear that Joeui-shin wouldn’t even pay attention unless Baekho showed a plausible hand.
Baekho spoke about what he had found out.
“Nightmare has a greater influence on those who wield the special power of the eccentric faction. Those without such powers are difficult to influence. However, in this world, there are few people who use supernatural powers and they are far from mystery and fiction.”
After Baekho investigated the nightmare in more detail, he had a question.
Why was the nightmare held in the world of the god of the underworld, which was far from supernatural powers?
The answer was contained in the records of the other world that the nightmare had destroyed.
“In order for the nightmare insomnium to consume dreams, a medium is needed. The medium is usually a supernatural power, but in a world where supernatural powers are not active, a different method is used. It is said that the insomnium selects a being who will change reality into a nightmare, a ‘nightmare incarnation.’”
The malice of the nightmare insomnium was something that transcended dreams and reality.
If a world’s existence was far from mystery and fiction and could not consume dreams, the nightmare would turn reality into a nightmare.
When the insomnium targeted a world, it searched for someone with potential and selected the incarnation in exchange for power, wealth, and honor.
The nightmare incarnations lived as dictators, demon kings, tyrants, murderers, and massacres with Insomnium, turning a world into a nightmare.
“The nightmare Insomnium must have asked you to become the nightmare incarnation.”
Jo Eui-shin was the first person that the long-lived Baekho felt he wanted to protect.
So Insomnium must have wanted to make Jo Eui-shin the nightmare incarnation right away.
However, Jo Eui-shin could not have accepted Insomnium’s offer.
It was unlikely that Jo Eui-shin would turn a world into a nightmare out of greed for wealth, fame, and power.
If you are reading this translation anywhere other than .net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.
“But you didn’t stop at just refusing. You must have expected that if you refused, the nightmare would go to someone else and make the same offer. That’s why you were able to capture the nightmare.”
Jo Eui-shin stopped moving the chess pieces and looked at Baek-ho.
The moment he saw that face, Baek-ho unconsciously stopped talking.
Jo Eui-shin was more exhausted than before.
Jo Eui-shin played chess in reality, and he had to face those who praised him as a prodigy and attacked him.
But even so, he had to fight in his dreams, so there was no way that the child’s nerves would remain.
‘But his eyes still didn’t die. He still had the will to fight.’
Baek-ho stared into those eyes like the night sky and made up his mind to grant protection.
However, even if he had asked Jo Eui-shin for protection right now, there was no way he would have accepted it.
He could have gathered information about the nightmare and guessed Jo Eui-shin’s movements, which he might have appreciated, but it wasn’t enough to grant protection.
There was only one way to change Jo Eui-shin’s mind.
“Play chess with me.”
Baekho's tone was still arrogant.
It was not an attitude of asking for teachings from Jo Eui-shin, who was clearly a master.
Even so, Baekho did not change his attitude.
It was because he did not suspect that Jo Eui-shin would change his mind if he played against him once.
Jo Eui-shin looked at Baekho with an expression that made it impossible to tell what he was thinking, and then said.
"Let's play."
At some point, the tired look disappeared from Jo Eui-shin's face.
Although he was still a child, Jo Eui-shin had the face of a chess player about to play against him.
Baekho was struck by the transformation.
He smiled without realizing it.
In an instant, Jo Ui-shin set up a chessboard in front of his eyes.
In front of Jo Ui-shin, there was a black chess piece, and in front of Baekho, there was a white chess piece.
‘I am the first player, Jo Ui-shin is the second.’
Baekho was willing to take black if Jo Ui-shin wanted, but if he was told to take white, he would take it without complaint.
And the result of the first game that unfolded under the star-filled night sky of dreams.
“Check.”
Baekho was defeated.
Considering the number of pieces left, the time left, whether there were any mistakes, etc., it was a complete defeat that was impossible to beat.
Baekho wanted to split the chessboard into pieces halfway through, but he knew that Jo Ui-shin would never receive his protection if he did that, so he held back.
Baekho resisted the urge to break the chess pieces and knocked down the king.
“… … .”
Baekho was prepared to be told to go away.
But Jo Eui-shin did not do that.
He said, putting the chess pieces back in order, as if he was thinking of revising them together.
“If you want to give me protection, play better next time.”
Jo Eui-shin had the face of a tired child, not a chess player.