The Hwangmyeong Arena was packed with spectators.

In the center of the arena was a 360-degree open circular stage, and a chess court was set up on the stage.

A large hologram installed at the top of the stage was testing transmission by filming the court from various angles, so that no matter where you sat, you could see the players from any angle you wanted.

Guseulbi and Onggildong were excitedly chatting while watching the stage being rehearsed, with gobo lights projecting each school’s logo, as well as fancy laser lights and even dry ice effects.

“This is a stage where our partner can compete. It’s our turn next, right?”

“Of course! If our true identity and power are revealed, it’s not a big deal to be invited to a stage like this and mobilize the audience!”

“No matter how much I think about it, Dokgo So-jeo’s performance seems faster than yours. And next is In So-jeo’s match.”

Jinjeongmuk only recited the facts, but he received the glares of the spectators.

During the rehearsal, there was also a test to catch the audience, and since there were two contestants including the candidate, and many famous people, Class 0, Grade 2, was caught on camera several times.

The camera caught Jin Jeong-muk, who was dressed in plain black, more often than the fancy-dressed officials, which made the officials jealous and envious.

On the other hand, there were more children who didn't care much about things like cameras.

At Hwang Ji-ho's recommendation, Sa-wol Se-eum wore a hat with a logo to support Jo Ui-shin and several star-shaped badges, and Min-geun and Song Dae-seok wore the same hat.

In Min-geun's case, he had almost overcome his social phobia and social anxiety, so he wore the hat not to avoid eye contact, but because he wanted to wear it together.

"Han-iya, should I buy another shake? I heard the one with cheesecake cubes and brownie pieces is delicious."

“Huh? Oh, it’s okay. And if you go, you’ll get caught by the fans. If you want more, ask someone else.”

Dokgo Mi-ro recommended something sweet to appease Cheong-ho, who seemed a bit depressed, but he hadn’t even finished half of the caramel crunch shake he was drinking.

Dokgo Mi-ro was worried that Cheong-ho would refuse something sweet.

Of course, it was also because Cheong-ho had chosen the largest size, so there was still a lot left.

Even Maeng Hyo-don, who was a big eater, was surprised to see the cup so big that it covered more than half of Cheong-ho’s face.

“If my friend wants more, I’ll go and get it myself. Originally, I was planning to have Baek-ho, who had more energy left, do the errands, but that’s too bad.”

When Baek-ho’s name was mentioned, Hwang-ho and Cheong-ho’s expressions instantly turned grim.

Dokgo Mi-ro quickly concluded that the mythical tycoon must have been nagging his friends.

Most of the other kids had similar perceptions and accepted it.

Kim Yuri, who had guessed the inside story to some extent, asked.

“Ahaha, I thought Baekho would at least come to cheer today, but he didn’t come? I even prepared a seat for him.”

Baekho was a representative chess player, but since he never played as a candidate, he was hardly treated as a player.

But this time, since it was inside the Eun-gwang-gu, the students of Class 0 prepared seats for him, even though it was annoying, so they thought he would come to watch the game, but it seems he didn’t plan on cheering him on.

Some students, especially Guseulbi and Onggildong, who were resentful of Baekho, glared.

Hwang Jiho then continued to complain.

“There’s no cheering. This time, he’s going to play as a player.”

“Baekho is finally coming! I thought he forgot how to play chess because he never came.”

“That’s right. I wish he’d just quickly forget and give up being a candidate.”

Although Sa-wol-se-eum had no ill intentions, Hwang-ho looked up at the stage, happily beating his drum as he made sarcastic remarks toward his close friend.

The players were lining up at that moment.

The first to appear and catch the eye was the tall Baek-ho.

“That kid is really coming out this time.”

“I’ll see how well he does!”

“I’ll see too! Hmm, who’s missing this time?”

“I don’t see the vice-chairman? When will he come out?”

While the class was making a fuss, Kwon-rena °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° kept looking at her device.

She wanted to quickly share with Lee Yeo-reum what she had learned between yesterday and today and how she felt, but she couldn’t contact him.

Lee Yeo-reum couldn’t openly exchange personal messages during work hours, but she would reply briefly when she was moving around.

However, Lee Yeo-reum didn’t respond at all.

She even said she would contact him as soon as possible before she went to work in the morning, but she hadn’t even sent him a simple device message.

‘Sister Summer, are you busy with work...? ... There must be something wrong, right?’

My heart was not at ease when I thought about the precarious situation of Lee Yeoreum, who was even being wiretapped.

Now Lee Yeoreum has a reliable relative, Jared Lee, but don’t you know that she is in a situation where she can’t even contact Kwon Rena?

After becoming a player, I learned that big events can happen suddenly without any warning.

As my anxiety grew, I couldn’t see the stage situation clearly.

Even though the audience suddenly cheered loudly and waved their cheering sticks violently, Kwon Rena didn’t react.

Mok Woo Ram watched Kwon Rena’s condition with his eyes tightly shut.

* * *

In front of the Ministry of National Defense Research Institute inside the Player Military Academy.

Some of the matches today will be held at the Hwangmyeong Arena outside the academy, but most of the matches will be held on campus.

So, the teachers and students of Eun Gwang-go still visited the military academy, and Im Yeon-hwa and Jegal Jae-geol were also granted entry without a hitch.

In fact, it was harder to shake off the pursuit of Class 0, Grade 3, who were after Jegal Jae-geol than to enter the academy.

‘If Teacher Im Yeon-hwa hadn’t supported me, it would have taken more time. The kids have grown up.’

During her time as a strong cadet, Im Yeon-hwa thought she was just playing with her peers at school, but she was often challenged by many people, so she was very accustomed to this type of pursuit.

She knew the geography of the school well, had a lot of experience, and even without that, she cooperated with the strong Im Yeon-hwa, so the students of Class 0, Grade 3, couldn’t do anything and lost Jegal Jae-geol.

They didn’t even know why they lost Jegal Jae-geol and just thought that there was an incredible talent hidden inside the academy.

―Hey, if we don’t destroy this, we won’t be able to play with Teacher Jegal, right?

―Didn’t Geumchan say he knows someone at the military academy?

―Oh, there is. I’ll contact him right away. If I can’t get through, I’ll find him and check.

The excited Geumchansol and Wangchansol gang retreated for the time being.

Of course, there was no such supernatural power in the military academy, it was just a strong teacher who intervened and they were defeated.

Im Yeonhwa watched the kids happily while completely hiding.

‘This year’s 3rd grade class 0 kids are as weak as our cute students, but they have guts. If I have a chance like this, I should play with them often.’

Im Yeonhwa waited, thinking that if Geumchanwangchan gang heard that, they would foam at the mouth and fiercely resist, saying, ‘No! Strong teachers are like the primitive people who graduated!’

While waiting, something strange happened.

They were guarding the passageway where the box truck they had seen last time had entered and exited, and Im Yeonhwa’s keen senses noticed a subtle change in the air.

Jegal Jaegyeol was the same.

“It seems like someone came through a different entrance.”

“Yes, that seems to be the case. It’s not a place used by outsiders.”

“Let’s check.”

The two flew away as if they had promised.

The lab was by no means small, and there were countless recording devices and sensors installed around it, but it was impossible to catch the two teachers moving around in hiding.

Even if their disciples, who were decent players, came, it wouldn’t be easy to find them now.

They succeeded in capturing the vehicle before the military vehicle completely disappeared into the lab.

The vehicle was tinted so darkly that it was difficult to see inside with the naked eye, and there were countermeasures for the supernatural powers, but the two teachers were quick to respond.

Pot!

Jegal Jaegyeol wrote in the air to create a barrier to hide the supernatural powers, and Im Yeonhwa greatly increased the output of her Insight skill to see through the inside of the vehicle.

Even though they hadn’t even matched up in advance, the two teachers’ breathing was in perfect sync.

“There’s a seed of Lee Yeoreum inside. Let’s go.”

“Didn’t you say that support is coming from the Hojok? Let’s wait a little.”

“If the support is from there, won’t they follow along?”

Im Yeon-hwa was planning to just leave since it wouldn’t be of much use if they didn’t follow the two.

Jegal Jae-geol half agreed with Im Yeon-hwa’s words, but eventually decided to wait.

Even if they were a few minutes late, they were confident that they would be able to accurately determine Lee Yeoreum’s location.

“Is the collaborator a Hojok?”

“I don’t think so. Yi-shin seemed reluctant to let the Hojok move directly.”

“Is he wary of items with a legend of fighting tigers? The old dynasty had to fight the Hojok, so they had a lot of Hojo weapons.”

Just as Im Yeon-hwa thought, Jo Eui-shin was wary of the legend of fighting tigers.

In the incident involving the oaths of the last three articles, the rose farm almost became the graveyard of the noble clan.

In addition, the other side knows that the noble clan is likely to come and go to the military academy due to the current exchange war.

Jo Eui-shin had no intention of sending a noble clan here.

“Then, the Jin clan, the descendants, or the humans who are cooperating with the noble clan will come.”

Soon, the collaborator that the noble clan had sent appeared.

The collaborator was someone that the two teachers knew well.

He had no shortcomings in skills or character, and he was certainly in a position where the noble clan could join as a collaborator.

The collaborator, who was walking slowly as if taking a walk, waited for the two teachers who were hiding to notice him and approach him.

The two approached him without hesitation and spoke to him.

“Hello, did you come after hearing the chairman’s words?”

Im Yeon-hwa asked a question as if she was a little curious, and she answered in a kind voice.

“Yes, it’s a sudden meeting, but please take good care of me.”

The collaborator sent by the noble family was Gong Cheong-hwan.

* * *

When I entered the stadium, the Hwangmyeong Arena roared with cheers.

Unlike stadiums that can be opened and closed, Hwangmyeong Arena was a completely sealed space, so the sound seemed to be louder.

I saw some spectators holding star-shaped cheering sticks, and when they saw me, they all turned them on and waved them vigorously, so I couldn’t help but say hello.

While I was saying hello, I heard Cheon Dong-ha and Eun-ho talking next to me.

“Eun-ha, are you okay? I can give in.”

“No, it’s okay. I’m a freshman, so I’ll have more chances. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have any regrets, but I also want to watch my older brothers play.”

I didn’t accept the tiger’s offer to play instead.

However, that white tiger openly said that he wanted to play chess today, and Eun-ho, the kind and wise younger brother, gave in.

I thought I should pay more attention to Eun-ho, who would suffer in many ways because of his immature older brother.

The white tiger seemed to be in a good mood the whole time, wondering what was so enjoyable about taking his younger brother’s place.

The white tiger told me why he was in a good mood without me asking.

“If this had happened last year, you would have given up the game right away and headed to the lab instead.”

That might have been the case.

No, it seemed like it would have been the case, but since the white tiger was reading my mind, I didn’t want to just agree.

The white tiger continued to talk.

“Now you realize that you don’t have to make all the moves yourself, and you know that there are those who are waiting for your game.”

I tried not to think about useless thoughts about the white tiger’s words.

Instead, I raised my hand again to greet those who were cheering me on.

The chess pieces that had left my hands would be moving in the lab by now.