IRLPLBIO Chapter 36 Part 2

He thought he was the cause of this incident. An ordinary person, who hadn’t even adapted to school yet, stepped forward with a typical sense of justice that worked in a normal school, and was about to get seriously beaten for it.

Jae-gu gently patted Choi Eun-ho’s shoulder, who was on the verge of tears.

“It’s not because of you.”

“…What?”

“I didn’t like them from the start.”

“…What, what?”

“If they pick a fight with someone, they should be prepared to get hit themselves.”

“No… but this isn’t a problem that can be solved with a fight…”

“Oh, about that ‘problem’ you mentioned. This solves everything.”

Jae-gu raised his tightly clenched fist. He could see thick calluses embedded in his knuckles. It wasn’t a hand used for studying, but one accustomed to hitting people.

Unlike Choi Eun-ho, whose eyes widened in surprise, some kids who didn’t fully understand the situation yet mumbled, “Hasn’t he shed his ‘normal school ways’ yet?”

Jae-gu couldn’t string together logical words convincing enough to persuade others. However, as someone with more life experience than the kids around him, there was one thing he knew for sure.

Most things in the world are solved by force.

Of course, wealth and power were important, but for young high school students, there was no more effective means than primitive and instinctive violence.

The class president, who had been quietly thinking, seemed to have reached a similar conclusion to Jae-gu’s in the meantime. “My goodness,” the class president mumbled, a strange light in his eyes. His expression completely changed, like someone who had gained a profound realization, the class president abruptly lifted his head towards Jae-gu.

“That’s right, I see!”

“Huh? What is?”

“You’re right. Strength, strength is important.”

It was true, but the class president’s eyes looked strangely shifty, making Jae-gu momentarily unable to answer. Regardless, the class president sublimated his realization.

“Why do they say the fist is closer than the law? Yes, it’s just about finding a faster way among harsh measures to suppress actions, so it’s no different…”

The class president quickly expanded violence into a general form of power, and then into a broader social power, adding his interpretation. He simultaneously defended himself and the entire F class, who had been suppressed by the authority of Class A, while also hinting at his willingness to follow if a new power emerged.

Jae-gu couldn’t quite follow the class president’s rapidly shifting thoughts. But he realized that the class president had interpreted his words very nicely and attached plausible meanings to them.

Whether they were inspired by the incomprehensible conversation, or just agreeing without understanding, the other students chimed in from all over, saying, “So that’s what it meant!” and adding their own plausible remarks. Jae-gu also nodded along.

“Uh… yeah, I guess so…?”

He even eagerly accepted the class president’s splendid interpretation. The class president’s eyes grew misty, a sign of whatever thoughts were running through his mind.

“You were thinking such profound thoughts. I failed to recognize it… I just thought you were a new transfer student who didn’t know anything and was just running wild, but that wasn’t it.”

Jae-gu, who wasn’t completely ignorant but certainly had been running wild, felt stung and let out an awkward laugh.

“Jae-gu, I’ll support you!”

That was all the class president said aloud, but his gleaming eyes conveyed the message: ‘Show them there’s a force capable of overwhelming Class A’s power!’

‘He’s really cheering me on, right?’

Jae-gu looked at Choi Eun-ho as if to confirm. The class president’s eyes were shining too intensely to think he was being indirectly sarcastic.

If Jae-gu won, he would side with Jae-gu, but the class president’s rhetoric was so dazzling that he even created an escape route in case Jae-gu lost. He only understood his intentions a moment later, but he couldn’t help but go along with it.

Are all smart guys like that?

Jae-gu smacked his lips. Choi Eun-ho, who had been watching the class president’s show of delusion, gaping like a broken toy, felt a sense of solidarity with Jae-gu and unconsciously nodded his head.