The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 219

Swoooosh- shashasha-!

They say existence follows the name, and even amidst the fierce wind shaking the bamboo forest, Janggun remained steadfast in his spot. It was truly a display of the spirit only a general could show. Look at him now, even as his whiskers are folded back by the wind pressure and his snout flaps, he’s struggling to keep his eyes open.

Kkiiiiing-.

He must be thinking, ‘What kind of dog suffering is this after following along during my nap?’ but Janggun firmly planted his front paws on the ground and endured the strong wind. Perhaps it’s because Jinhyuk is struggling so hard that he’s also exerting himself to protect him. He’s still only focused on Jinhyuk, isn’t he?

Swaaaaaaa-!

Even a typhoon wouldn’t have winds this fierce.

Fortunately, no bamboo trees were broken and fallen, but it was hard to find any standing straight.

‘It’s too strong?’

It was unintentional and unexpected.

He had found the bamboo forest because it was a good place to hide and do strange things.

But now, it was as if he had brought a storm out of nowhere.

He had only tried to slowly exhale and release his power, but once the energy started to flow out, it surged violently like groundwater meeting a pump. Like a dam with a hole collapsing all at once, the power released from the seven orifices, including the eyes, beyond the five orifices, seeped out through his pores and began to permeate his skin.

It was an energy wave that was invisible but clearly felt by each and every cell.

At first, he was afraid.

It was natural that the power he had taken lightly because it didn’t interfere with his daily life would explode as if it had been waiting for this moment. However, he felt relieved when he saw Janggun’s tense posture relax. It meant it was safe.

It was thanks to his success in controlling his power.

Anyway, he couldn’t let it become a ruin, if only for the sake of Cheon Gilyong, who had asked him to check on it from time to time.

‘It seems like I can control it as intended now.’

The storm that he felt through his skin gradually subsided, and even a breeze didn’t blow around Jinhyuk. However, a counter-clockwise typhoon continued to rage within arm’s reach. It was like being in the eye of the storm.

Now, the point of contact between the typhoon and Jinhyuk was not his mouth but the top of his head.

It was a moment of new realization. The upper dantian [an energy center in traditional Chinese medicine], which had vibrated in response to the moonlight on the day he stole watermelons from Hongsujeong, could be a channel for power.

“Janggun, come here.”

If he left him like that, it seemed like the poor guy’s whiskers wouldn’t survive.

Kkyaewhaewhaewhaewhael-!

Just then, Janggun floated up into the air.

“I said come here, you mutt.”

He reached out and snatched Janggun, placing him on his lap.

It was a relief that he could speak and move freely.

But he was going to get dog fleas again after a long time.

*

Swaaa- sararak-.

As the wind stopped, the bamboo leaves that had been circling the forest like daggers fluttered down.

No particular abnormalities were found in his body.

He didn’t feel particularly tired, and there was no decrease in his eyesight or physical strength.

And the bamboo forest was still intact.

Well, the surrounding bamboo trees were tilted as if they had been caught in a whirlwind, but he figured they would understand.

Even if they saw it, would anyone know who did it?

“Hmm. It seems like I’ve got the power control down pretty well.”

A satisfied smile naturally appeared.

It was partly because he had suppressed his heart as if scolding it to protect the bamboo forest, but he thought he had changed a lot just by worrying that the forest might be destroyed and that Cheon Gilyong might be surprised.

“Let’s go, Janggun.”

Heheheck-.

As if he had been waiting for those words, Janggun took the lead and started walking down the slope.

Busesususu-.

Though there wasn’t a single breeze, the bamboo forest stirred as if stretching after Jinhyuk left.

“Huh?”

It was a strange thing.

The eerie commotion subsided when Jinhyuk looked back.

It was funny to say that, considering he was the one who caused the strange thing, but it was still puzzling that the bamboo forest was making a fuss in a place where there was no wind.

“It’s a mysterious forest. There must be something here.”

Is that why he asked me to check on it from time to time?

He went down the hill and looked at the forest again, but it was still and quiet.

But then.

“Aigoo-. The bamboo field is twisted like a pretzel.”

From the inside, it seemed like only a part of it was like that, but from the outside, the whole thing was twisted.

Seeing that, something came to mind.

“I want to eat a pretzel.”

Mom’s pretzels, fried in a cauldron and covered in sugar, are the best. I should ask Mom to make some. Jinhyuk started running lightly, unconcerned about the heat.

As the troublemaker disappeared, a desolate wind began to blow again in the bamboo forest.

It was as if a molting serpent was shuddering.

***

Since they had already met and had some back-and-forth, Yuseira and Hong Gijun didn’t feel uncomfortable with Cheon Gilyong. Rather, they treated him as a welcome guest. After all, Yoo Myungseon had asked for their understanding in advance, and since Yoo Myungseon was attending to him almost like a bodyguard, there was nothing else to take care of.

Cheon Gilyong was such a free spirit that he disliked interference.

“Elder, what are you doing?”

“No, I was just wondering if there were any popsicles.”

Even though he was a free spirit, Cheon Gilyong couldn’t even rummage through the refrigerator comfortably because the cook was interfering.

There were more than ten people working, so it would be difficult to neglect the guests.

The staff taking care of the household were rather welcoming to Cheon Gilyong.

As soon as Cheon Gilyong arrived, he checked the pulses and gave acupuncture to everyone from the cook to the bodyguards, and they all had amazing experiences.

Some people’s faces improved noticeably after sweating out the cold, some people’s dark circles disappeared and their complexions brightened, and some people’s aching wrists got better.

“How long will the Elder be staying?”

“I heard he’ll be staying for about four days. Shouldn’t you be wondering how long Chairman Yoo will be staying?”

The topic of the workers’ whispers was also Cheon Gilyong.

Cheon Gilyong’s eyes widened when he saw Hong Sujeong, who had returned from a trip with her friends.

It was natural since she had matured a lot more than when he had seen her last year.

“Hoo-, the princess has become even more of a princess.”

Hong Sujeong simply bowed her head lightly and went up to her room.

Her expression wasn’t particularly displeased, but it couldn’t be said to be bright either.

“Hey, that girl is being rude-.”

“Hehe, just leave her be. It seems like she’s at that age.”

“Still, he’s your grandfather’s guest, she should at least hold his hand… I’m sorry, Elder. She must be tired from going to the amusement park for two nights and three days.”

“No, no. I don’t need to check her pulse. She looks healthier than her father in this house.”

“R-really?”

Yuseira, who had been caught off guard, stammered.

“Can’t you see that she’s overflowing with energy? Youth is the best elixir.”

“She’s only twelve years old, so it’s hard to say she’s young. Hoho.”

“Hehehe, that’s true.”

Cheon Gilyong stepped back, seeing Yuseira’s mischievous eyes.

The expression ‘young’ might not be inappropriate, but he had long known that it was used differently in today’s world. It was a word that meant the prime of life when one’s vitality was at its peak, but since words change their meaning depending on the person, the old man had no choice but to yield.

*

Three days had passed since Cheon Gilyong had stayed in Seoul.

“It seems like Chairman Hong will be late again today?”

“Yes. He’s working so hard that I’m worried he’ll collapse.”

“He’s someone with a long natural lifespan and prime, so don’t worry about him.”

“Just hearing your words makes me feel much better.”

Yuseira went up to Hong Sujeong’s room, and Cheon Gilyong looked out at the garden alone.

He was pondering the conversations he had overheard between Yoo Myungseon and Hong Gijun while staying there.

‘The world is becoming chaotic…’

Even if you know the principles of how the world works, you can’t know everything. Especially if it’s specialized content. Cheon Gilyong could only sense the atmosphere.

There were countless bones and blades hidden in the quiet conversations they had without paying attention to Cheon Gilyong. He could only tell that they weren’t directed at each other.

It was ambiguous whether the world was becoming chaotic or whether Chairman Hong was going to make the world chaotic. Looking at his unusually sparkling eyes, he was repeatedly assured that he was someone who wouldn’t be swayed by the world’s troubles.

‘By the way, will President Son’s business be safe?’

Even though he was a hermit, Cheon Gilyong was also a resident of the village.

Blood is thicker than water, so he was worried that his neighbor, Son Gwangyeon’s business, might be affected.

‘They say that when you leave home, you’re caught up in all sorts of worries. I’m exactly like that.’

It was the first time he had left his place since settling down, so he was also worried about the bamboo forest.

The other day, his temples had throbbed, and he couldn’t sleep peacefully because he was worried that those troublemaking goblins might have caused some trouble. It was a relief that there was no news now.

‘Aigoo-. Worry about yourself first. I need to use the restroom…’

He had been filling himself up with the lavish meals he had been receiving during his stay, so his stomach was too heavy.

***

How important is the act of emptying?

Whether it’s the body or the mind.

Jinhyuk realized the meaning of the saying that you fill by emptying.

Even if it was a saying that came from somewhere else.

Hook-whoop-.

Under the watchful eyes of Yujin and Jeongwon, he ran around the gym.

It had been several days of repeated training, and he never knew that going beyond the dead point could be so enjoyable.

“Kkeueuheueheup-.”

Could it be described as excruciating pain?

This agony, as if a dull knife was cutting through his heart.

He was breathing, but it was by no means breathing. If it weren’t for his lungs and heart working mechanically for survival, he would have collapsed from lack of oxygen long ago. Jinhyuk, who had returned to a normal human body after releasing the unknown power, had experienced that process several times. His brain, deprived of oxygen, even gave him the fear of death.

The lesson Jinhyuk learned at the threshold of death while experiencing the first dead point was the brain.

Hueueup-hueueup-.

‘Inhale strongly and deeply through your nose.’

Quickly supplying oxygen to the brain was the method Jinhyuk had found.

When he inhaled strongly through his nose, cold air filled his hot and stuffy head, like ink spreading in clear water. Then, the brain would give orders on its own. The lungs would filter oxygen more cleanly, and the heart would expand more greatly.

Even while running with a face about to burst, Jinhyuk tried to guess the reason why it was called the threshold of death. Perhaps it didn’t really mean the threshold of death, but rather that this moment was a turning point for change and growth.

A turning point set by the human brain, which is comparable to the universe. It meant that if you were afraid, you shouldn’t dare to cross it. Hey, if you want to grow more, give it your all!

When he passed the dead point, he felt a sense of relief that he had overcome the crisis, though not as much as Kim Yohan had told him. It was probably because the intensity of his exercise was different from Kim Yohan’s.

Yujin put her hands to her mouth like a trumpet and called out to her brother, who was far away.

“Oppa-! Can Jeongwon go swimming?”

Jinhyuk, who was running on the track far away, made a circle with his thumb and other fingers.

She said she was going to watch her brother exercise, but she had already changed into her swimsuit.

Baby Jeongwon, like a baby, was jumping around next to his sister in his natural state, and he seemed eager to get into the water.

‘Should I stop exercising for today?’

Exercise was good, but taking care of his younger siblings safely came first.

There were quite a few villagers enjoying their leisure time at the gym, and SSS agents were stationed as safety personnel, but he felt uneasy if he didn’t do it himself. It seemed that family matters, as usual, had to be done by his own hands to feel at ease.

Wiping the sweat with a towel, he went to Min Yongrak first.

Min Yongrak was alternating between looking at the measuring equipment and the analysis monitor with his eyes slightly open.

“How is it?”

“I’m looking at the results of the last kilometer run. The top speed is 37 kilometers per hour, and the average speed is 29 kilometers per hour. Hmm, do you see this?”

Min Yongrak pointed at the screen with his finger.

It was the point where an irregularly curved line and an upward-sloping straight line met.

“35 kilometers per hour. There will be some error. It’s not a bicycle, so it won’t be easy to keep running at that speed. This is probably the 200-meter section, and you need to maintain this level. According to the data, you need to be able to run 300 meters steadily at this speed to be able to go all-in on your energy within ten seconds. Can you do it?”

“Yes. I think I just need to get a feel for it.”

Jinhyuk was already excited about the new challenge.

The thrill of running with the power of his own body and finally achieving his target record. It was a joy that couldn’t be compared to the joy of having all the questions you knew on a test.

‘I’ll just keep doing it until I can.’

After showering, he called Yujin with a gesture.

Yujin was covering the baby’s body with a towel to protect Jeongwon’s privacy. But why did she put it on her shoulders like a gown? His little pecker is all visible.

“I’ll go shower and come back, so wait for me.”

“Yes-. Ehehe.”

There was another reason why he wanted to spend more time with his younger siblings.

Tomorrow, he had to go to school for supplementary classes.

Although the supplementary classes would end in the early afternoon, it was still more disappointing than staying home all day.

After a quick shower and changing into his swimsuit, he jumped into the pool first.

Splash-!

He swam underwater to the center of the pool and then returned to where his younger siblings were.

“Come to hyung, my baby-.”

“Ungaa-! Dive-!”

Jeongwon wasn’t afraid.

He shouted ‘diving’ and jumped into the water without fear in his natural body.

That must mean he trusts his hyung that much.