I Have Too Many Money-Making Talents - Chapter 129

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Too Much Talent to Make Money — Chapter 129
‘Oh, this is all because of me…….’
Lee Gyeong-woo shifted nervously behind the Archery Range Platform, his feet shuffling against the ground.
His heart hammered in his chest, and a peculiar heat spread through his limbs.
If he’d just grabbed his Arm Guard and slipped out quietly, this would’ve been over.
If he’d ignored it when Moon Hee-sung started trouble in the first place, none of this would matter.
Even if he’d simply kept his mouth shut when the training results were posted.
But now it was too late.
The moment had become irreversible.
On the Archery Range Platform.
Kim In-ha and Moon Hee-sung were already standing side by side.
Kim In-ha held Moon Hee-sung’s backup bow and checked each piece of equipment methodically.
Beside him, Moon Hee-sung stood with his arms crossed, glaring at Kim In-ha with undisguised intensity.
Im Sang-wan, standing at a distance, couldn’t hide his troubled expression as he simply observed the situation unfolding.
“I can’t believe this is actually happening…….”
Im Sang-wan muttered softly, and Lee Gyeong-woo nodded without realizing it.
Practice matches happened often enough, but a Compound Archery national representative facing off against a Recurve Archery national representative in Recurve had no precedent.
He was even worried they might face Disciplinary Action for violating Athletes’ Village rules.
“I’m telling you again — if I win, I’ll have to apologize formally. To my team, and to you.”
The corner of Moon Hee-sung’s mouth twitched slightly.
He raised his head and looked directly at Kim In-ha, speaking with restrained anger.
“……If I win, then we forget that you ever said any of that.”
Kim In-ha nodded.
That was all that mattered.
If word got back to the higher-ups and he faced Disciplinary Action or censure, it could hurt his chances in future national team selection or deployment.
‘Because of you…….’
His gaze drifted involuntarily toward Lee Gyeong-woo.
A look mixed with resentment and displeasure.
And Lee Gyeong-woo turned away, as if fleeing.
It was the same in high school.
He’d ruined the team’s relay performance with conflict, then slipped away to a different university as if escaping.
And then came word.
That he’d quit Recurve Archery.
If he was going to do that, then why had he pressed Lee Gyeong-woo to go all the way together?
And now, years later, that same person had reappeared.
This time wearing the title of ‘Compound Archery national representative,’ with a smile on his face.
It grated on him.
He couldn’t bear it.
His head understood it was all in the past, that they were walking different paths now.
Yet whenever their eyes met, his chest burned hot.
“The setup is pretty refined.”
As Kim In-ha checked the equipment, he drew the Bowstring repeatedly, then released it.
There was nothing more unpleasant than someone else touching his own bow — a bow as precious as a child — but he bore it silently.
Kim In-ha nocked an Arrow on the Bowstring for Aiming Adjustment.
The first shot: the Bowstring released with a soft ‘Twang.’
‘What?’
Moon Hee-sung was startled.
Unexpectedly, Kim In-ha’s form was remarkably stable.
Smooth, with no tremor whatsoever.
Lee Gyeong-woo and Im Sang-wan were equally taken aback.
Thwack!
Moon Hee-sung’s eyebrows rose slightly as he confirmed the Target through his Scope.
“……Seven points?”
His surprise at the Arrow hitting the Target on the first shot, with a borrowed bow, in winter wind, was brief.
Second shot.
Thwack!
Eight points.
Third shot.
Kim In-ha steadied his breathing, organizing the flow of power from his toes up through his shoulders.
The Bowstring released smoothly, and the Arrow flew.
Thunk.
Nine points.
“Zero’s setting in nicely.”
Moon Hee-sung’s eyes trembled at the flat murmur.
Lee Gyeong-woo and Im Sang-wan, watching from a distance, couldn’t hide their shock.
“Wait—In-ha, did you shoot Recurve before?”
“How many times?”
In that moment, everyone present doubted their ears.
How many times?
Was he really asking them to believe that?
“Three Ends, nine arrows. If it’s a tie, I win—right?”
Moon Hee-sung nodded without a word.
By the terms alone, it was a match tilted against Kim In-ha.
Moon Hee-sung had the advantage in every detail—bow, arrows, discipline.
Yet Kim In-ha accepted anyway.
“You first.”
He’d even ceded the opening shot.
Confidence or arrogance—he couldn’t say—but there was no reason to refuse.
Moon Hee-sung read the wind, timed his Release to match it.
Ping!
The arrow flew clean and buried itself in the nine.
After a deep breath, he loosed two more in quick succession.
Nine points.
Nine points.
His face as he lowered the bow was dissatisfied.
A score muddied by wind and his own mind.
Smooth.
Kim In-ha raised his bow quietly.
His elbow drew a smooth arc as he drew the bowstring.
His shoulders held firm; his Anchor Point locked steady beneath his chin.
Ping!
First arrow—eight points.
Second arrow: he read the wind, fine-tuning his aim downward by a fraction.
Ping!
Nine points.
‘This can’t be real.’
He couldn’t believe it, even watching it happen.
Recurve distance, twenty meters farther; borrowed bow and arrows—yet the adaptation speed was impossible.
The third shot followed.
The bowstring released clean, the arrow boring straight into the center.
Thunk.
Moon Hee-sung’s brow furrowed.
‘Ten points?’
Into the second End they went, deadlocked.
Moon Hee-sung drew his bow.
He locked the wind’s timing first, then “pulled” his Release timing to match it.
First arrow—ten points.
Second arrow—same tempo, ten points.
Third arrow—as the flag wavered, his Release trembled just slightly. Nine points, so close.
Kim In-ha drew his bow again.
Not tension in his fingertips, but balance across his entire frame holding him steady.
First arrow—ten points.
Second arrow—same breath, ten points.
Third arrow—the wind shifted; he moved his Aiming Adjustment to the upper right and delayed his Release by half a beat.
Thunk.
Nine points.
The second End: tied.
Moon Hee-sung was astounded.
‘What kind of person is this……’
Different event from Compound, different distance, not even his own equipment—and he matches the scores perfectly.
And against a current Recurve Archery national representative, no less.
Moon Hee-sung wasn’t the only one shocked.
Lee Gyeong-woo swallowed hard, his eyes darting between the target and the tips of Kim In-ha’s fingers,
while Im Sang-wan lowered the binoculars from his eyes without a word and let out a low whistle.
‘This isn’t the skill of someone who’s shot Recurve Archery once or twice.’
Im Sang-wan—Asian Games and World Championships medalist.
Had he not been a Compound Archery national representative, he would have naturally assumed this was a Recurve archer.
One skilled enough to have faced him in at least the third round of the national selection tournament.
3 Ends.
Moon Hee-sung’s breathing grew heavy.
Despite the winter cold, his palms were slick with sweat.
‘I have to shoot perfectly. A tie means I lose.’
His vision narrowed steadily.
With nothing but the target in his sight, he channeled all his focus into the moment of release.
10 Points.
10 Points.
10 Points.
Three tens in a row.
He exhaled softly and gave a slight nod.
‘Good. That’s it.’
But the joy was fleeting, replaced by a creeping shame at how rapidly his heart was beating.
The fact that he was nervous against someone for whom Recurve wasn’t even their main discipline.
And even now, in this moment of relief at gaining the advantage.
Then Kim In-ha raised his bow.
An unwavering, immovable stance.
Snap!
10 Points.
And then, another 10 Points.
“…!”
Not just Moon Hee-sung, but everyone’s gaze widened in shock.
And Kim In-ha’s final bowstring was drawn back slowly yet firmly.
The aiming point on the target wavered faintly in the breeze.
Gulp.
Someone’s swallow sounded distinctly through the silence.
And just before the release—
“That’s enough!”
“Stop!”
A thick, commanding voice echoed across the entire Archery Range.
Twang.
Startled, the arrow slipped free and flew away.
But everyone’s eyes turned not to the target, but uniformly toward the back.
“You, you’re—?”
“It’s, it’s Kim Byung-soo.”
Kang Jae-young, the eldest of the Compound archers.
And Kim Byung-soo, the de facto senior of the Recurve team.
The captains of each discipline stood together behind the Archery Range Platform.

* * *
‘A shame.’
I could have seen how it ended.
Of all times, why did someone have to interfere.
‘A shame, but…’
Still, I thought this was enough.
A Compound archer, using a borrowed bow and arrows no less, standing against a Recurve national representative and showing this much.
There would be no more reckless disrespect for our discipline.
We’d already proven through skill that Compound Archery wasn’t just ‘equipment advantage.’
“In-ha, hand back that bow.”
“Yes, sir.”
I complied, passing over the bow and arrow.
In that moment, Kim Byung-soo’s gaze fixed sharply on Im Sang-wan, who stood at the side of the platform.
“Sang-wan, you were right there. Why didn’t you stop him?”
“Well, I… that is…”
Before he could finish, both older brothers turned their gaze on the two youngest members.
“Lee Gyeong-woo.”
“Moon Hee-sung.”
The two of them stepped forward, heads bowed like criminals.
“During your stay at the Athletes’ Village, don’t speak to each other again.”
“If I see anything like this one more time, I’m going straight to the coach.”
The warning was clipped, sharp.
Both their shoulders flinched.
What followed was an obligatory apology between them.
“I’m… I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too.”
Then, finally, both older brothers’ eyes turned toward me.
I managed an awkward smile.
They didn’t say anything in particular.
Only an expression flickered across their faces: ‘Didn’t expect you to step in like that.’
“……Let’s go.”
Kang Jae-young spoke tersely, and I climbed down from the Archery Range Platform and followed him.
As I walked, I glanced back over my shoulder.
My eyes met Moon Hee-sung’s.
I gave him a small smile.
Win or lose, I’d already shown enough today.
At least he wouldn’t be looking down on Compound Archery in front of me anymore.
I turned away without hesitation.
The cold winter wind brushed against my face.

* * *
“Moon Hee-sung, I told you to watch your mouth. This is grounds for disciplinary action. You want to give up your spot on the national team?”
“…I apologize.”
At Kim Byung-soo’s rebuke, Moon Hee-sung bowed his head deeply.
Even with ten mouths, he’d have nothing to say.
He’d failed to control his emotions and caused this mess.
Kim Byung-soo watched the deflated Moon Hee-sung for a long moment, then let out a long breath.
“Pack up your equipment and go retrieve the arrows.”
“Yes.”
Moon Hee-sung walked listlessly toward the target area.
Kim Byung-soo watched his retreating figure for a moment, then turned to Im Sang-wan beside him.
“What was the point difference?”
“Sir?”
“If they’d fought with Recurve, he would’ve obviously won, right?”
“That’s… it was a 3 Ends match, and Kim In-ha was down by 10 Points with his last arrow still to shoot.”
“What?”
Kim Byung-soo’s eyes widened.
“Even using Recurve… he couldn’t make up the points?”
“No.”
His expression gradually hardened.
“Check it. The last shot.”
“Sir? Yes!”
Im Sang-wan quickly grabbed the scope and examined the target.
Then he froze.
“How many points?”
“That’s… 10 Points.”
“What? Then it’s a Tie?”
Kim Byung-soo, stunned, had no words.
Against a national-team Recurve archer, under the harsh conditions of winter, with someone else’s bow and arrows.
A 3 Ends Tie with Moon Hee-sung, whose future on the national team was so promising.
And the final arrow was definitely…
‘…shot while being disrupted.’
He’d clearly seen Kim In-ha hesitate subtly just before releasing the bowstring.
Yet the arrow remained embedded in the X-Ring at the dead center of the target.
He found himself tracking Kim In-ha’s retreating figure with his eyes, drawn there without thought.
‘Terrifying talent.’
Not a single athlete wearing the Taegeuk Mark lacked ability.
But Kim In-ha was the first to demonstrate such overwhelming skill simultaneously across both Recurve and Compound Archery.
Beyond admiration—it was the kind of talent that inspired something closer to dread.
“······Perhaps it was fortunate he chose Compound.”
Recurve archery in Korea stood at the world’s highest level.
If he had taken up Recurve instead, someone on the national team roster at the Athletes’ Village would surely have had to surrender their place.

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