3. The Exam (2)
Gang Insu looked bewildered by my greeting instead.
But I didn't have the luxury to watch Gang Insu's flustered appearance.
"Sorry, but I have something I need to ask you urgently, so is it okay if I ask right now?"
"Uh, uh, what is it?"
The moment I sat at the desk, I wrote down the problems I had memorized in order.
From number 1 to number 8.
And next to the problems, I wrote down my solutions and answers briefly. I told Gang Insu they were problems from a test bank.
Watching that, Gang Insu spoke in surprise.
"Wow, you're much better than what your mother said. At this level, you'd be in the middle tier in our lab for statics. There doesn't seem to be anything separate for you to learn?"
Even so, he pointed particularly at the last problem.
"These kinds of problems are hard to create, but they're also really hard to solve. Yet your solution process is roughly correct, and it's really excellent? Are you really a first-year?"
"Yes, well. I am a first-year."
That's right. A first-year who took about 100 hours of tutoring from you.
Gang Insu checked the problems I solved one by one.
"Usually, teaching assistants grade the exams. So if you think it's right, it'll probably actually be right."
Gang Insu finished grading.
The score was 92.
The first seven problems were all correct, and the last problem received partial credit.
As I checked the score, Gang Insu added one more thing.
"Problems like the last one actually shouldn't be included. But if they are, I suppose they must be meant to prevent perfect scores."
"Still, just in case, could you teach me the solution and answer in detail?"
"Sure."
Gang Insu readily explained the problem.
As expected of an S University doctoral student!
At first he just looked like a smart bookworm, but after solving some problems, I couldn't help but think the abilities of the ordinary middle-aged man before my eyes were amazing.
If it was at the undergraduate level, no matter how difficult, he solved them smoothly the moment he saw them. How could such ability not be wondrous! To the current me, it was an even more coveted ability.
"This is how you solve it."
Gang Insu kindly explained the solution for about 5 minutes.
Rather than understanding, I memorized the solution and answer by heart.
Gang Insu exchanged a few more words after that and went home, saying there wasn't much to teach.
'What percentage?'
[It is 15.2%.]
What?
'No, why is it only 15.2%? I know the future problems and answers?'
[That is something I cannot tell you. I can only tell you to experience it yourself.]
Hmm, this is worrying, but ah, it'll work out somehow.
Suppressing my anxious heart, sleep rolled in. With the mental tension gone, drowsiness filled its place.
'Let's just sleep for a bit.'
I lay down and slept like the dead.
"Did you study?"
Jo Seonhyo greeted me with the same words as always.
"No, not really."
This time I really hadn't studied much. I'd only slept like a log.
"Well, yeah, I suppose."
Jo Seonhyo accepted it as a matter of course and shared the "test bank" he had.
"At least look at this. It's from three years ago, so the professor has changed, but it'll probably come out similarly."
I'd already seen it, but so what.
As I roughly scanned the problems, I was shocked.
"Uh!?"
"Why? Is there a problem you think will be on it?"
Jo Seonhyo asked as if it was strange.
"No. Nothing."
No, this is strange.
Was my memory wrong?
The problems had been slightly altered.
They were similar but a little different. The 3 had become a 4, and a square had become a triangle.
I swallowed my saliva and checked again.
"This is the test bank from three years ago?"
"Yeah. Is there a problem?"
Jo Seonhyo looked at me with a blank face.
"No."
It's probably nothing.
Though anxious, I suppressed my feelings and waited for the exam.
The professor came in and distributed the exam papers.
I calmly checked each problem, but finally panicked at the last one. Without realizing it, I sprang up from my seat and shouted.
"Shit!"
Murmur murmur.
At my voice, the people around focused on me.
"No, this isn't right."
Still, I couldn't lower my voice.
This doesn't make sense. The problems changed!
[Recycle will begin.]
It went dark, and when light returned, Gang Insu's smiling face was visible.
"Oh, hello. You're Hyomin, right?"
I absolutely couldn't laugh. No, curses burst out.
"Damn it!!"
Gang Insu's expression hardened completely.
Mother heard that sound and ran over, shouting loudly.
"What are you doing!?"
Damn it,
If it's come to this, I have to do it again.
I ran out of the house.
Mother shouted behind me but I ignored her. And I bought three bottles of soju at the nearest convenience store.
According to my experience so far, the easiest way to start Recycle was alcohol.
Since I had studied quite a bit, the probability wouldn't drop below 1% in a normal state. I had to be in a state where I would lose consciousness.
'Ah, damn it.'
I drank all three bottles of soju without stopping.
After one bottle I was dizzy; by the second, I felt like vomiting. Rather than being drunk, it hurt. My throat hurt, my stomach cramped, and cold sweat poured down.
And around halfway through the third bottle, my head swam and strength left my body.
Recycle began.
"Oh, hello. You're Hyomin, right."
Gang Insu was smiling again.
Seeing that, my mind calmed a bit.
Fortunately, there was no drunkenness. Only a slightly awkward sensation remained, as if my head was slightly spinning.
I sighed deeply instead of cursing and simply bowed my head before going to my room.
Shortly after, Gang Insu came in with an awkward expression.
"Is something wrong?"
"No."
I answered with a sullen expression.
Gang Insu seemed embarrassed about lecturing in this situation, so he brought up various miscellaneous topics.
Stories about the lab, or a professor with a nasty personality, or strange seniors and juniors.
Among them, one story struck my heart.
"Our professor is popular, so his students visit often. I say popular, but it's not because he's a good person, it's because he's capable."
"...."
"But among those students, there was a slightly strange one. What was it, he was someone who boasted that his goal in the lectures he was in charge of was to make sure absolutely no one got 100 points. I remembered him because he's teaching statics this time too."
'Ahh, you psycho bastard.'
I felt heartache as if I had become that psycho's victim.
How could my heart not ache?
A person might get 100 points, or make that effort, or wish for it, right? And you'd block that?
"He said he was lecturing at some world university or international university, I think, but Hyomin, have you heard of a Professor Kim Mok at your school?"
Ah...
"Professor Kim Mok?"
"Yeah, Professor Kim Mok."
Why wouldn't I know. That Professor Kim Mok is in charge of statics this time.
I see, no wonder the initial probability was 1.2%. It's absurd that I'd have a 1.2% chance of getting a perfect score on an exam of this difficulty after studying for a few hours.
If the situation is like this, there's something I can try.
"Ah, he's my professor."
Gang Insu's expression hardened completely.
"Oh, really?"
Gang Insu fidgeted restlessly and soon got up from his seat.
"Sorry, I'm close with Professor Kim Mok, so tutoring might be a bit difficult."
Gang Insu hurriedly gathered his things and got up. He explained the situation to my mother and apologized with a very sorry expression.
"I'm sorry. I tried to help a bit but just wasted time."
There's no need to make such a sorry face. I can see the answer now. Besides, soon that mouth of yours will smoothly spill the problems.
"It's okay. It can't be helped. But... do you perhaps know what problems will be on the exam this time?"
Gang Insu looked around anxiously and answered.
"No, it's not that, but I roughly know the types of what will be asked. I'm really sorry about this. I'll help next time."
Gang Insu left the house.
'What percentage?'
[It is 17.2%.]
Hmm. I couldn't tell if this number was the probability of me solving the problem, or the probability of Gang Insu telling me the problem.
'Well, it doesn't matter.'
I told my mother I had something to do for a moment, went out, and stopped by the nearby convenience store to buy soju.
Since I wanted to drink more leisurely this time, I grabbed some snacks as side dishes too. And I returned home and drank soju slowly.
The special feeling of drinking soju while watching variety shows on my phone!
Around the third bottle, my mind went soft and my body melted like water. Soon drowsiness rolled in.
I lay comfortably on the bed and sought sleep.
'Aah, this is living.'
A low-pitched voice was heard in my hazy ear.
[Recycle will begin.]
And a smaller, shorter sigh was faintly heard too.
[Sigh.]
...I must have misheard.
"Hmm, a difficult problem, you say... Those kinds of problems aren't easy to create."
Gang Insu answered with a troubled expression.
I showed Gang Insu the last problem from the first exam and requested a problem of similar difficulty.
Adding a bit of a lie, saying the professor was going to put out a lot of difficult problems this time, and that the professor was old so he didn't know the students well.
Then finally, the gates opened.
Gang Insu opened his firmly closed mouth.
"Well, these are problems made by someone I know, but actually the difficulty is too high. They're problems meant to be gotten wrong on purpose, so they might not be helpful as reference."
Gang Insu explained over ten problems one by one with that. That alone already far exceeded the existing tutoring time.
"Thank you."
"What's this, it's nothing."
"But may I ask the name of the person who made these problems?"
"Why?"
Gang Insu put on a slightly guarded expression.
It's already too late, sir.
"It's nothing else, I'm curious who made such difficult problems. Their skills are really amazing."
"It's a person named Professor Kim Mok."
As expected! Hooray!
Inwardly cheering, I sent Gang Insu off and dragged my slippers toward the convenience store.
What am I doing? Going to drink, obviously.
If things go like this, wouldn't I become someone who figured out and smuggled out the problems in advance, or something like that? If so, I have to Recycle.
I bought soju at the convenience store and came home.
Looking at the glittering green bottle, two thoughts came to mind.
One was that if things flowed similarly from now on, I might become an alcoholic. The other was about the sweetness of drinking without a hangover.
"Let's just drink."
I happily opened and drank five bottles of soju, and started Recycle in a state of near-unconsciousness.
I wonder what number this is now.
I couldn't even remember if it was the 44th or 45th. But what was certain was that I had gotten 100 points on the exam!
[You have fulfilled your wish. Separate from the wish fulfillment, your Soul Rank has risen by 10. Your Soul Rank has reached 110.]
Such a voice was heard in my ear as I turned in the exam paper and left the lecture hall.
Soul Rank?
I asked the watch what it was.
[I cannot tell you yet.]
'Then can I know why the exam problems changed?'
[Calculating Soul Rank — As your Soul Rank has reached 110, you may hear the answer. Simply put, the Recycle I implement is not time regression as you think, Master, but closer to reconstruction of the future. I am not sending you to the past; time flows as it is, but to you and everything in this world, it only looks like the past. Therefore, I merely manipulated a fake past so that you would work hard and achieve your wish according to the wish's rules.]
You call that simple, what are you talking about?
[...To put it more simply, I arbitrarily changed the problems. And please keep in mind that I can always alter any future related to your wishes.]
Hey you, you should have said so in advance! And why did you change them? You're crazy, absolutely crazy.
[...I apologize.]
Well, whatever. I was in an extremely good mood right now. Let's be magnanimous at this point.
As I was wondering if there was anything else worth asking, Jo Seonhyo abruptly asked from behind.
"How'd you do on the exam?"
"Uh... so-so."
I couldn't bring myself to say I got 100, or that except for the last problem it was easy.
'Even I think that'd be a bit obnoxious.'
More than that.
"Hey, just hypothetically. If you got a wish-granting lamp or something, what would you wish for?"
"What?"
Jo Seonhyo asked back with a dumbfounded face.
"Look, if you make a wish, everything comes true. But you have to work for it yourself. To earn money you have to work that much, to get smarter you have to study that much. But the wish you made is guaranteed to come true by a certain time. So what would you wish for?"
I've seen enough to know. That this guy is definitely no more diligent than me.
But he's a bit more sly. So I thought maybe a clever trick or an amazing idea might come out.
Jo Seonhyo looked at me with a dumbfounded expression, but soon became serious and pointed far away.
"That guy, I'd wish to live like that guy."
Where Jo Seonhyo pointed, there was a young man.
Tall, good body, cold but masculine looks. A handsome guy close to the so-called "hunk" style people talk about.
And several men and more women following that handsome guy around.
Though quite far away, I grasped the situation at a glance.
"A handsome guy."
That's a bit difficult. What would happen if I wished for it? Full-body plastic surgery?
While I was thinking this, Jo Seonhyo clicked his tongue briefly and nagged.
"Tsk tsk, you don't even know who he is?"
I don't, is he not a hunk? ...No?
As I blinked my eyes, Jo Seonhyo sighed and continued.
"Sigh, that's our Gukje University's one and only absolute kingka, that Kim Jongjin. Fourth son of Myeonggyeong Group. The bastard who caused a fuss about wanting to be a singer."
Ah, now I remember.
Our university, if nothing else, was in the domestic top two for arts and physical education. So there were many famous people here and there, but the noisiest among them was this bastard.
The rich son aiming to be a singer who'd been tormenting my ears since the beginning of the semester.
Huh... but look at this. This bastard's dream is too high? How did he take the words "you have to do the hard work yourself"?
I briefly recalled the hell I'd gone through to get 100 points in statics, then shook my head.
A rich son, setting aside whether it's possible or not, it gave me goosebumps. Even if I were to make such a wish, I'd want to do it later.
"Ah, that's a bit too much. Something realistically possible."
"What, then it'd be money. Like a billion won? If you wish like this, you'd win the lottery, right? Otherwise there's no way."
Ah, this bastard. A true genius!
I inwardly admired and expressed respect for Jo Seonhyo's slyness.
Then Jo Seonhyo asked.
"Hey, more importantly, what about tomorrow's exam?"
No way, no way. Studying is absolutely impossible for a while.
"Let's just go to the internet cafe."
"Let's. Actually I overdid it a bit yesterday too."
And so we abandoned the exam and headed to the internet cafe.