Even if I Make It Roughly, Ex-rank Items Continue to Accumulate - Chapter 56

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Even Hastily Made Ones Keep Stacking Up as EX-Rank (56)

Get Out

[Session 1: Mimicry]

[1. Each country will randomly select 4-5 participants to form teams.]

[2. The formed teams will pair with another country’s team and share their prepared projects with each other.]

[3. Afterwards, they will study the shared project from the opposing team for three days and mimic it exactly.]

Soon the screen switched to display the procedure.

After confirming the outline, Lee Si-hyeok swallowed hard.

‘So to summarize, it’s a national competition… is that it?’

It was an incredibly radical approach.

According to what he’d heard from Professor Hong Yong-jin, who had experience participating in seminars, originally they didn’t assign specific tasks like this.

Was it just the first session? No, the second and third too.

The existing format was free exchange throughout the entire seminar without any set framework.

Since most participants were global figures to begin with, it was difficult to force activities on them. So originally the seminar served as a ‘venue’ to connect these people.

“Ha, the Association has drawn their sword.”

Professor Hong Yong-jin chuckled as if he’d been caught off guard.

“I expected something would change from their earlier words, but I didn’t think they’d overhaul it this drastically.”

“…”

“Everyone must be thoroughly annoyed. Most of them came here thinking of the seminar from four years ago.”

As the professor said, the grand auditorium was chaos itself. Their dissatisfaction had reached its peak, to the point where it felt like intense displeasure beyond mere discomfort.

‘No. But even so, is this really something to get this angry about?’

It wasn’t just simple irritation. They were shouting, protesting harshly. There were even profanities heard from various places.

Initially only a few acted this way, but gradually it began to stir and spread throughout the entire audience.

The only exceptions were Lee Si-hyeok, Hong Yong-jin, and a few other people.

It was when Lee Si-hyeok, frowning, continued observing.

“Why mimicry of all things? There were many other approaches available.”

A heavy voice flowed from the seats on the opposite side.

The suddenly quieted audience’s gaze turned toward that direction all at once.

“What idiot decided on these rules?”

It was Ray Wen, an engineer from China.

The host cautiously asked back.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Do you even know how much the people gathered here are worth? You’ve assembled the busiest people in the world in one place, so why are you making them do such disgusting nonsense?”

Disgusting nonsense. It was quite an extreme expression, but the auditorium began buzzing again. Most agreed with Ray Wen’s words.

‘Ah.’

And Lee Si-hyeok also realized at that moment.

The reason people were rebelling to this extent.

‘…They despise the act of mimicry itself.’

As Ray Wen said.

Those gathered in this grand auditorium were all tremendous figures without exception.

Just looking at Ray Wen’s case alone made it clear. He owned the world’s largest magical industrial complex and was the CEO and engineer in charge of overseeing all those areas.

What about Professor Hong Yong-jin beside him? Yoon Seo-jin? Pyo Jae-hwan? Though somewhat dulled now, it was undeniable that they too had built incredible reputations.

However, the Korea Awakener Association had thrown the task of ‘mimicry’ at such participants.

“Damn it. You want us to copy other people’s work?”

“If it’s going to be like this, just proceed with the original format!”

Of course, the act of mimicry itself isn’t necessarily bad. Until reaching a certain level, there’s no method as effective and efficient as creating artifacts by observing others.

However, these people had already far surpassed that certain level.

For the task given to such individuals to be merely copying others’ work – they felt tremendous insult from that.

“Is this pathetic result what this country prepared for years?”

—Crack. Lee Si-hyeok’s molars ground together as he listened to Ray Wen’s mockery.

He felt disgusted.

Mimicry. Was that really such a shameful thing?

At first he tried to understand. Human thoughts are inevitably diverse. Moreover, hadn’t people gathered from all over the world? He thought it was unavoidable.

Yes, given your positions.

People of your caliber might think that way.

That was all. His thoughts couldn’t progress further. Understanding didn’t lead to acceptance, and emotion preceded thought.

Mimicry was one of the main components constituting Lee Si-hyeok’s life.

It was his only joy during his non-awakened days, and those times making fake artifacts with crude materials were his only happiness. Without that process, the current Lee Si-hyeok wouldn’t exist.

The life he’d lived and the path he’d walked. They had insulted that. Not just stopping at dislike, they were even mocking it. It probably wasn’t meant for him to hear. Just because they didn’t like the situation. Just because it was different from their expectations. Just, just, just.

Screw it all.

He felt disgusted. That was everything.

———Beeeeeeeep!

Noise suddenly began blaring from the speakers.

As the ear-splitting high tone covered the auditorium, people looked around in confusion. The words they’d been pouring toward the flustered host stopped instantly.

——Beeeeeeeep!

Just as everyone was immersed in confusion, click. Lee Si-hyeok pressed the remote control once more. It was a magical device hacking artifact he carried for emergencies.

—Beeeeee…

The noise gradually subsided.

In the momentary quiet that arrived, Lee Si-hyeok opened his mouth.

“Ray Wen.”

Everyone’s attention focused. Lee Si-hyeok paid no mind and glared at Ray Wen who was looking back at him.

“Don’t you like the session?”

“What?”

“I asked if you don’t like it. That’s what I asked.”

“What are you even… Ha! Isn’t that obvious? I don’t understand why I should have to do something like this.”

“Then.”

Lee Si-hyeok raised his finger and pointed toward the entrance.

“You can just leave.”

His voice turned cold.

“If you don’t want to do it, just leave.”

“…What bullshit are you spouting all of a sudden?”

“This seminar was prepared by the Korea Awakener Association. You’re just an invited participant. But if you don’t like the event the Association prepared.”

Lee Si-hyeok gestured toward the door once more with his chin.

“You can just leave. Isn’t that right?”

“Ha, listen to this guy. What gives you the right to tell me to leave or stay? What the hell are you anyway?!”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he twisted up the corner of his mouth.

“Even when I tell you the method, you can’t do it. I guess you don’t want to leave like this either?”

“What ridiculous nonsense…”

“Then could it be that you’re afraid?”

“…What did you say?”

“Why, that’s right. If you hate the temple, the monk should leave, but you hate the temple yet try to stick around till the end. So naturally I can only speculate this way.”

The surroundings that had quieted began getting noisy again. Lee Si-hyeok felt the countless gazes fixed on him.

“You’re afraid of this session. Is it that scary? You came all the way to Korea representing your country, but you don’t have confidence to handle even the first stage?”

“…This is absurd. Do you think I’d be afraid of something like that? I’m just acting this way because you threw such a worthless task at us.”

Lee Si-hyeok asked back with a tone of incomprehension.

“A worthless task. I’m curious why you think that way.”

“Why I think that way…”

“Why?”

“…Um, uh. That’s obviously because… uh…”

Suddenly, Ray Wen looked completely speechless. He rolled his eyes and opened and closed his mouth.

Well, there was probably an answer lingering on his tongue.

Something like how would someone of his caliber need to copy someone else’s project.

But if he said that, it would be no different from disrespecting all the other participants here. It would only mean that others were inferior compared to his level.

That’s why he couldn’t speak carelessly. No matter how great Ray Wen was, there were others here who were even greater than him.

“…What’s wrong, why can’t you speak all of a sudden?”

“Why is he acting like that?”

People murmured as they watched Ray Wen, who had become like a mute who ate honey.

At that sight, Lee Si-hyeok couldn’t help but let out a snicker.

‘Because of that petty pride.’

During this, he suddenly felt Professor Hong Yong-jin staring at him intently.

Since he was right next to him, he probably noticed that the beeping sound from earlier came from him. However, he just stared quietly without saying anything.

Ray Wen looked like he was suppressing his anger.

With his bear-like body, clenching his fists and breathing heavily, he looked quite threatening, but it wasn’t particularly scary. Isaac was somewhere here after all.

After a while, in the quiet atmosphere, only reactions like ‘Who is he? Who is that?’ regarding Lee Si-hyeok could be heard for quite some time.

“There was… a small incident.”

The host, who had been observing the situation, picked up the microphone.

“I think we’ve given you all the explanation about the first session. Shall we move on to the team member lottery? Are there any questions?”

The host added a comment.

“Oh, and is there anyone who wants to leave? If you don’t like the way things are being conducted, you can go back before we start.”

No one raised their hand.

“…It seems there’s no one. Let’s proceed.”

* * *

Lee Si-hyeok, who had been washing his face in the restroom, raised his head.

Looking at his reflection in the mirror, he couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

‘…Was that too much?’

Thinking about it, he seemed to have acted too suddenly.

If there was such a thing as sudden acceleration, this was it.

Even if he was going to get angry, he should have called him aside separately and had it out, but he got swept up in his emotions without realizing it.

“Sigh.”

But he didn’t regret it.

Even though it wasn’t criticism and mockery directed at him, he couldn’t help but get angry listening to such words right in front of him.

‘Still, it must have seemed out of nowhere to others.’

Only he himself knew the path Lee Si-hyeok had walked. Moreover, he was currently in the state of being ‘Choi Hyeok’. His face felt hot for no reason.

Slap slap! He hit his wet face a couple of times, and the heat subsided somewhat.

Lee Si-hyeok, having regained his refreshed feeling, thought as he left the restroom.

‘What should I say to Team Leader Kim Seung-hyeon?’

There was one problem with his sudden acceleration – he had told Ray Wen to just go back if he didn’t like it.

For the Association, this was a seminar they had been preparing for four whole years. But Lee Si-hyeok had said ‘You get out!’ to that…

“Ah, seriously.”

There was nothing he could do about it. He’d have to treat him to a delicious meal later. Though it didn’t seem like the Association would particularly say anything about it.

Lee Si-hyeok crossed the corridor and opened the door to the research lab.

Inside, three people were waiting.

They were the team members selected through the lottery after the commotion earlier.

“Hello!”

Ryu Se-eun, a member of Ether Society and student of Eterion, whom he had met once before.

“…”

Park Sang-min from Chronos Industry, who had been sitting next to Pyo Jae-hwan in the grand auditorium.

And…

“Please take care of me, hyung!”

…Song Hyeon-gyu, Song Chae-ah’s younger brother whom he had met at the expo.

They were his team members.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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