As the interview progressed, the atmosphere in the interview room grew increasingly heated.
I asked,
“So, let me summarize this. Applicant Jangchang, are you claiming that you are Mr. Zhang’s legendary weapon, the Zhangba Snake Spear?”
I fixed a sharp gaze on Jangchang. He deflected my stare with calculated indifference and responded,
[That’s right! I am none other than the legendary Zhangba Snake Spear! The weapon of Zhang Fei Yide, the hero among heroes! I am the real thing!]
“A real thing, huh… Even though I didn’t ask. Impressive. In that case, Applicant Zhangba Snake Spear, can you share one story about yourself?”
[I, the Zhangba Snake Spear, am a living testament to the chaotic era of warlords! That’s easy. Listen well. It’s the story of Peach Trio when they were still soft, like ripened peaches.]
Quite the talker. I stayed silent and listened.
[I witnessed the first meeting of the Peach Trio from the beginning. The elf with big ears! The dwarf with a long beard! And my master, Zhang Fei Yide! Ruffians recognized each other instantly. The moment the ‘Peach Trio of Jingzhou’ showed up, even the Yellow Turbans fled barefoot…]
A smooth storyteller. I crossed my arms.
[I even witnessed the legendary Oath of the Peach Garden! It was the foundation of a revolutionary, albeit illegal, organization!]
Hmm.
The Oath of the Peach Garden and the mention of the ‘Peach Trio of Jingzhou’—those would indeed be them.
But something doesn’t add up. The Zhangba Snake Spear wasn’t forged until after the Peach Garden Oath.
Incorrect sequence! Historical inaccuracy!
I appreciated the applicant’s enthusiasm, but it was a deduction-worthy error.
Scratch. I marked a 10-point deduction.
The Zhangba Snake Spear noticed my pen movement and hastily added,
[Let me tell you another story! This one will surely prove that I’m genuine!]
“Oh? Another one? I’m curious.”
[It’s the unparalleled achievement of Zhang Fei Yide and me. It was during the era when the Han dynasty was crumbling! A coalition was formed to take down Dong Zhuo, the Big Boss….]
Dong Zhuo, the Big Boss?
Was the Three Kingdoms period a Hong Kong noir film?
Anyway, I could guess what story was coming next. If Dong Zhuo appears, so does that guy.
[The battleground was Dong Zhuo’s territory, Hulao Pass! Standing guard was the formidable foe of Hulao Pass, the asymmetric force that Dong Zhuo commanded!]
Ah, of course. That battle.
[Zhang Fei Yide and I faced that guy, the ultimate weapon, and won a one-on-one duel! Now you must see I’m the real deal!]
Scratch. I marked a 500-point deduction.
This, too, was historically inaccurate.
The “ultimate foe of Hulao Pass” would be him.
The one who always maxes out at 100 in military stats in any Three Kingdoms game.
Having dabbled in streaming Three Kingdoms games myself, I know this much:
In reality, Zhang Fei never faced Lü Bu alone.
At Hulao Pass, it wasn’t an honorable duel but a disgraceful skirmish that broke all historical precedent.
It was that guy versus the Peach Trio in a 3-on-1 duel.
Classic mobster tactics. No mercy, no honor. Strength in numbers to take him down.
“That’s not a duel if it’s 3-on-1.”
More like a trio-duel.
Something about the Zhangba Snake Spear’s testimony felt off. The constant insistence of being genuine was particularly telling.
As the saying goes, “A thief always feels guilty.” This place wasn’t a treasure vault; it was darker and more dangerous.
The more the Zhangba Snake Spear prattled on, the more a murky aura began to emanate from its body.
[You’ve seen through the intentions of the Zhangba Snake Spear.]
[The object’s spiritual rank is exceptionally high.]
[You’ve gained bonus experience points.]
As the chatter continued, messages kept flooding in.
[You’ve identified the true nature of the Zhangba Snake Spear.]
[The object’s spiritual rank is exceptionally high.]
[You’ve gained bonus experience points.]
It wasn’t just the Zhangba Snake Spear. Every artifact in the room was the same.
That sword? The cursed Gram.
That bow? The Failnaught.
That shield?
I didn’t bother remembering.
[You’ve identified the true nature of the Gram.]
[You’ve identified the true nature of the Aegis Shield.]
The true identities of legendary artifacts were unveiling themselves to me. They all claimed to be legendary treasures and partners of heroes.
I wasn’t even trying to identify them; it just happened.
[Your spiritual energy stirs.]
[Your spiritual energy awakens.]
[Your spiritual energy grows.]
[Your spiritual energy ascends.]
A realization dawned upon me.
“Even self-proclaimed legends have their worth.”
Apparently, even fake legends, heroes, and legacies carried an impressive presence.
These flashy artifacts exuded a murky aura.
That was their essence.
Whatever my ability was, it was awakening.
I needed to keep a straight face. I pretended to listen intently.
[At last, a true hero has chosen me! I, the unfailing Failnaught, shall serve you!]
[You’ve identified the true nature of the Failnaught.]
[The object’s spiritual rank is exceptionally high.]
[Your spiritual energy overflows.]
Convenient, isn’t it?
I tried to check my status window.
[Your status window is locked.]
Of course. There’s still a long way to go.
[Your spiritual energy overflows.]
[Unlock progress: 80% to new abilities.]
If I unlocked this trait, maybe my status window would open.
[Lu~~~]
[Lu!!!!]
A hanging revolver let out a loud cry. It was the only artifact in the vault without a murky aura.
[Lu~!!!]
Its voice was louder than the others.
I couldn’t see through it. No falsehoods, no lies.
That revolver was the sole genuine weapon among these fakes.
I didn’t know its true identity, but it stood out.
Beep-beep.
An alarm I had set went off.
“Is it already this late? That’s it for today’s interviews.”
Time to leave.
The weather was great, the breeze refreshing. On a day like this, Han Taepyeong would find himself in trouble, encountering thugs as part of the tutorial.
But this Han Taepyeong wasn’t a newbie player. He had clawed his way here on his own.
Tutorials were just a nuisance to him now.
“Cutting it close, huh?”
As I exited the corridor, a sorrowful sound trailed behind me.
Lu~…
I practically sprinted.
My destination was the northern lawn.
“Huff, huff! I forgot how much bigger this place is than your average college campus!”
It was 3:00 PM—the start of the tutorial.
Two minutes left.
Stopping by the store had made me late.
“Should’ve left ten minutes earlier!”
I kept regretting it—like always.
Huff, huff.
As I sprinted across the lawn, gray smoke wafted up in the distance.
Already at it, huh? Someone’s lit up already.
No time to waste. Gotta hurry.
It had to be done before 3 p.m. At 3 p.m., Han Taepyung would arrive here.
Before that happens!
I approached without much of a plan and called out.
“Hey~ student~ Smoking’s not allowed here, you know~”
I’m 28 years old.
Did that sound too much like my actual age?
Probably.
The cadet smoking a cigarette turned to look at me in response to my comment.
Not even a flinch.
“What do you want?”
After confirming my identity, the person grimaced in annoyance.
Blue hair like the sky. Ruby-red eyes.
This flamboyant delinquent slowly opened her mouth.
“Hah… You startled me. Are you crazy?”
What a lie…
Nobody who’s startled says that. Tick-tock. Time keeps moving.
How much time do I have until 3 p.m.?
I rambled on to keep the conversation going.
“Well, well! Look who it is! The infamous differentiated-entry student, Marie Caulfield!”
“You ***ing piece of trash. So what?”
What?! Did she just…?!
I was shocked.
From those pretty lips came a string of words that could make a demon cry.
Could there even be a female protagonist this foul-mouthed?
Nope. Impossible.
So yeah, she’s not a protagonist. She’s just a rotten thug.
Caulfield.
Marie… Caulfield.
The one who skipped orientation—the only differentiated-entry student to do so.
If Shin Ohyul is the +12-strong Malfoy of this place, then Marie Caulfield is…
I don’t know… I racked my brain but couldn’t think of a fitting character to compare her to.
Ssssss.
Marie Caulfield snuffed out her cigarette. Now it really felt like I was in Superhuman Chronicles.
True to the source material.
Marie Caulfield’s trashy personality hadn’t changed one bit. According to the original story, the next thing she’d do is…
“Hey, dumbass. Let’s have a chat. Come here.”
Of course.
I took a step back.
This psycho is the type who lets her fists do the talking. She’s probably already decided to beat me up.
“Caulfield, no need for that. Let’s just talk, okay? I’m Kim Seungtae, your classmate…”
“Hah. Just come here already.”
Sigh.
If words won’t work, then I’ve got no choice. I threw the item I’d bought from the school store.
Smack!
Marie Caulfield swiftly caught it, her eyebrows rising.
“This is…?”
“It’s a silver lozenge. The strongest-smelling one. Do you think you can hide the cigarette smell from the instructor? Maybe with other instructors, but ours doesn’t let any misconduct slide.”
“Class assignments don’t come out until tomorrow, so how do you know who our instructor is…?”
“Never mind that. If you keep smoking out here, busybodies like me will keep showing up. Why not head deeper into the park and smoke in peace?”
An adult recommending a better place for a teenager to smoke.
What kind of trash does that…?
“Me, apparently.”
Still, priorities come first.
I had less than 10 seconds until 3 p.m.
“Let’s go, okay?”
Marie Caulfield hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
Receiving the lozenge seemed to soften her attitude. Plus, she’s the type to find everything bothersome.
As soon as we moved, the alarm sounded.
Beep, beep.
The 3 p.m. alarm echoed through the air. I discreetly glanced back.
Taepyeong~
Han Taepyeong strolled past the park with his usual laid-back expression, unaware of the smoker he narrowly missed encountering.
He just passed by.
In a secluded corner of the park.
Marie Caulfield and I smoked quietly. She exhaled smoke with practiced ease, but I struggled.
Cough, cough!
Marie Caulfield looked at me with disdain.
“Dumbass. First time smoking?”
“Cough No.”
“Yeah, right.”
“I quit and just started again, that’s all. Cough, cough.”
“How old are you that you’ve already quit smoking once?”
Hmm.
I quit when I started streaming, so…
“Six years ago, cough.”
“Hah. Gross. What kind of pretentious nonsense is that?”
“Ah.”
Oh, right—I’m 17 now. I quit at 22, which means… I’ll quit in five years.
Shake, shake. Marie Caulfield rattled the lozenge tin, the sound surprisingly cheerful.
Looks like she likes it.
You villain.
This wasn’t for you.
It was for Han Taepyeong.
3 p.m. sharp.
Under the warm sunlight.
Han Taepyeong would’ve run into Marie Caulfield with a cigarette in her mouth.
Of course, being the quintessential protagonist, Han Taepyeong would’ve scolded her.
Reason 1: It’s bad for your health!
Reason 2: We’re minors!
Impatient Marie Caulfield would’ve gotten into a fight with him, leading to Superhuman Chronicles’ combat tutorial.
But not today.
I don’t need that kind of unfriendly tutorial.
It doesn’t even give experience points, and I’d just end up on bad terms with Marie Caulfield.
I looked at her.
Faded blue hair and crimson eyes.
I’d removed a stone blocking Han Taepyeong’s path. Altered the course of events. Changed destiny.
“Wait a minute.”
Caught up in the moment, I counted the cigarettes I’d received.
Three.
The cigarettes I got in exchange for the lozenge seemed… wrong.
“Hm. Caulfield, don’t you think there’s been a mistake?”
“What.”
“That lozenge was expensive, you know.”
“Good for you.”
“Caulfield, you lack social skills. That was a subtle way of saying you should’ve given me at least five more.”
Suddenly, I felt like I was in a game.
Not a cheerful family game, but one where the world was doomed.
Honestly, I was pretty nervous.
To ease my tension, I even wanted to rely on cigarettes I’d quit.
Hah. Though she scoffed, Marie Caulfield handed over another cigarette.
Maybe it’s some twisted sense of camaraderie among delinquent smokers.
“There. Happy now? Shut up and take it.”
“…? Why do you only give me two? Can’t you count?”
“Don’t want it? Fine.”
“Caulfield, I’ve been having a rough time lately. Feels like the world’s turned upside down. Even a few extra cigarettes would help.”
No response.
Her expression said, What do you want from me?
I took a step forward.
“Ah! Forget it! Keep your smokes. I’m leaving, Caulfield. And for the record, smoking causes cancer, so you should—”
“Hey, dumbass.”
“Oh! So you’ll give me more?”
“No. Why are you at the Superhuman Academy?”
“…”
I froze mid-sentence.
It’s not like I desperately needed more cigarettes, but this kid had a knack for getting under my skin.
“I’m asking. Why’d you come to the Academy?”
“Why?”
Why did I come to the Superhuman Academy?
I wonder, too. I’d like to shout that question at the sky myself.
The only answer I could muster was:
“Caulfield, I’m here to… live well and prosper.”
Right.
What else could it be?
I’ll leave the painful, grueling episodes to Han Taepyeong.
I’ll just clear away obstacles (like this one in front of me) and tag along.
“Hah.”
Marie Caulfield raised an eyebrow. She must’ve been thinking something trivial again.
Tomorrow is finally the first day of classes.
The real training curriculum of the Superhuman Academy begins then.
I started walking. No goodbyes.
Marie Caulfield didn’t bother either.
(To be continued.)
