episode_0004

Four days passed quickly.

During this time, Bang So-woon caused a commotion by claiming to be reading a book late, and also busily roamed around near the Golden Dragon Battlefield, hoping to somehow find out something about Hwang Bo-seol’s three questions.

But the conclusion was that nothing could be known.

The candidates who took the exam did not reveal anything about the questions posed by Hwang Bo-seol.

Hwang Bo-seol’s three questions were different for each individual.

So, there was no way to know what question would be asked to oneself.

***

Thump.

Right now, Bang So-woon and Jang-il were standing in front of the grand gate of the Golden Dragon Battlefield.

Contrary to their thoughts, they were both very nervous.

Thoughts and reality are always different.

“Please show your issued ticket.”

One of the guards guarding the gate approached with a stern expression and said.

The ticket issued by the Golden Dragon Battlefield had a sophisticated stamp symbolizing the Golden Dragon Battlefield at the end to prevent forgery.

Jang-il, who was in front, straightened his shoulders and presented his ticket.

“Everything seems to be in order. Jang-il Gong from Hanam Sangguhyeon.”

“G-Gong… Ah, yes, I am Jang-il.”

Please don’t make me nervous just by looking at you.

Bang So-woon muttered as if praying.

I trust you, Jang-il.

***

Phew…

After finishing the interview with the 393rd candidate, Hwang Bo-seol let out a small sigh.

A corner of her heart felt empty.

Everyone had impeccable attire, half-and-half faces, and came from good families.

That’s all.

Not a single person so far had captured her heart.

As much as she wanted to cancel everything and pretend it never happened according to her personality, she knew she couldn’t.

Father.

He had wanted to see his daughter’s marriage ceremony so badly.

She couldn’t disappoint him in this situation.

Absolutely not.

“Bring in the next candidate.”

She said to the attendant outside the door.

Soon, a man in a worn-out martial arts attire entered with uncertain steps.

He looked like a rookie who had just arrived from the countryside to the big city.

Unlike the previous men who wore clean clothes that were hard to find a speck of dust on, this man was wearing an old martial arts attire.

His face was closer to the lower class than the upper class.

Something was different about him.

Hwang Bo-seol adjusted her posture with a smile and gestured for the attendant to bring in the tea set.

The answer had to be given before the tea cooled down.

Even if the answer wasn’t completed before the tea cooled, there was no extension of time.

“The 394th candidate… Jang Gong from Hanam. Nice to meet you, I am Hwang Bo-seol.”

“Ah… Yes.”

Jang-il scratched his head.

Deep down, he was curious about what Gangnam’s number one beauty looked like.

But Hwang Bo-seol’s face was hidden behind a black veil, making it impossible to see her properly.

Maybe it was for the best.

At least he wouldn’t lose focus on his work due to her beauty.

Besides…

If everything ended successfully, he would be able to see every hidden corner of her.

After organizing his thoughts, Jang-il got into action.

“You wear a veil.”

“Well, I understand that it’s not proper etiquette, but I’ve been using it since I was young to avoid troublesome situations, and it has become a habit. I apologize.”

“No, it’s just…”

Jang-il smiled at Hwang Bo-seol and continued speaking.

“I said that out of concern that you might not see my face properly, out of courtesy.”

“Do not worry about that. Even with a mask on, I can see Confucius’s image clearly from this side.”

“Oh, is that so? Can you see me clearly too?”

“······.”

Hwang Bo-seol couldn’t understand what this man was trying to say.

But the moment Jang-il mentioned her eyes, her gaze reflexively turned towards Jang-il’s eyes in the mask.

And.

“Ah······.”

It was a sinister gaze with a mysterious atmosphere.

Black waves swirled from side to side in the eyes.

It was like ripples caused by a small boat passing by, vibrating the surface of the water.

Constantly··· endlessly··· quietly··· slowly···….

The black waves swirled.

And before she knew it, Hwang Bo-seol’s eyes were following the movement of those waves.

Left··· right··· left··· right··· continuously···….

A corner of her mind warned her not to do this, but she couldn’t stop.

Jang-il spoke in a quiet whisper.

“Chase it. Chase what you see. Don’t even blink. Just focus on that.”

What in the world is this······.

Despite trying to resist with all her might against the ominous thoughts, her arms and legs felt weak.

It was as if the nerves controlling her body had been cut off.

Even in that moment, her eyes were constantly following the movement of the waves.

“The more you chase it··· the more you follow it··· the more tired you become. Your whole body will feel heavy. Sleep will pour out. You’ll be overwhelmed by sleep. Just keep following it, that······.”

“Uh······.”

Her eyelids felt heavy.

As heavy as if an iron pillar was pressing down on them.

As all the strength drained from her body, fatigue rushed in like a storm.

Sleep poured out.

This urge for sleep was unlike anything she had ever experienced in her life.

It was an overwhelming sense of exhaustion that she couldn’t resist.

She wanted to close her eyes.

She wanted to rest.

No··· don’t···….

Her eyes half-closed.

It was a struggle to resist the drowsiness.

“If it’s too hard, just close your eyes. Closing your eyes will make you feel very relaxed. You have to close your eyes··· close them······. Think of a pleasant sleep. You need sleep. Right now······.”

Her eyelids, which she was forcing to stay open, trembled.

Now, even thinking about something seemed bothersome.

Her thoughts couldn’t continue.

Everything felt tedious.

Her consciousness became hazy.

She just wanted to follow that sweet voice, close her eyes, and fall into a deep sleep.

Then everything would be better.

Yes··· better··· for me··· right now··· what······.

“That’s it. Slowly like that······. Just a little more closing your eyes will do. Just a little more, a little more. Close your eyes and fall asleep, you’ll be truly happy. You’ll feel good.”

···Feel··· good······.

That was Hwang Bo-seol’s final thought.

***

Her eyelids completely covered her eyes.

Sitting in the same position, she succumbed to an irresistible sleep.

For a moment, silence filled the room.

Jang-il’s whole body was covered in sweat.

His ability consumed a tremendous amount of mental energy.

But right now, there was no room to catch his breath.

The tea had already cooled halfway.

Hwang Bo-seol was in a shallow hypnotic state.

Her consciousness was not completely asleep, and the protective barrier around her consciousness was very slightly weakened.

If a dangerous suggestion was given to someone in this state, an immediate defensive reaction would occur.

Just a little.

Just enough to prevent resistance.

“Can you hear my voice?”

“···Yes···.”

Hwang Bo-seol replied in a dazed voice.

“Is it difficult to think?”

“Yes… It’s… hard to think right now…”

“It must be very difficult.”

“Yes… a lot…”

“Then how about doing this? You just follow my voice without thinking about anything. That way, it will be easier and more comfortable for you.”

“But… that’s…”

“You are going through a lot right now. You need to relax.”

“Will it be relaxing?”

“Well… try raising both arms in front of you. You will soon realize that what I’m saying is true. You will feel a lot of comfort.”

“…”

Slowly, Hwang Boseol raised her two arms in front of her.

And as her arms, which were going up, stopped in mid-air as if held by someone’s strength, her complexion turned pale and relaxed loosely.

In that brief moment, a tremendous sense of comfort seemed to rush in.

“Is what I’m saying true? If you want to continue feeling this way, you must only follow my voice.”

“I will follow…”

In the end, the words Jang Il had been wanting to hear flowed out from her.

“Good, very good. Then…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Jang Il, who had been pondering for a very short moment, looked at her face and immediately made a certain expression.

His words continued.

“When you see the next applicant, you must remove the face mask.”

“Remove the mask?”

“I told you that thinking is painful.”

“It’s painful…”

Hwang Boseol’s complexion turned blue and cold sweat formed on her forehead.

As if enduring pain, Ami’s face was twisted.

“I clearly said that when you see the next applicant, you must remove the face mask. In front of the 395th applicant, Bang Soo-woon.”

“I will remove it…”

“Do you know why you have to remove the mask?”

“I don’t know… please teach me…”

“You have been wearing the mask because you were worried that something bad might happen due to your appearance.”

“Yes… that’s right…”

“You don’t need to worry about that with the next applicant. You are smart enough to see it at a glance. So, remove the mask. When you first see someone you can feel comfortable with, someone you like, you will realize it. You are a wise woman who can discern that. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes… I understand… I am wise… I can see it at a glance…”

The tension in the room completely dissipated.

He was able to meet the deadline just in time.

Is this enough?

Now, she would meet Bang Soo-woon in a state of mind that was somehow comfortable and favorable without even realizing it.

The rest was not his job.

“Alright, from now on, you will count from one to ten. When you reach ten, you will wake up from this sleep. But you will not remember everything that happened while you were asleep. All you will remember is that I gave you a very unsatisfactory answer to your question. And I left because the tea had cooled down.”

“One… two… three…”

Watching Hwang Boseol count with her eyes closed, Jang Il turned around and quietly left the room.