Unyielding Footwork
BAM!
This time, he couldn't clear the first chair. Both legs snapped simultaneously, one spinning wildly through the air before thudding into the ceiling.
Kim Jun, rubbing his shin tenderly, glanced up at the ceiling.
Laughter burst from him.
Truth be told, this mess was the Dungeon Association's fault. Their failure to manage the supervisor properly had led to all this.
So there was zero reason to feel bad about smashing a few chairs.
"Keep it quiet!"
A shout came from outside.
Kim Jun snorted derisively, swapped in a fresh chair, and resumed his training.
Crash, clatter.
His foot snagged the first chair, sending him crashing down onto the second from above.
Both chairs were wrecked.
His legs throbbed, but Kim Jun felt fantastic. By the end of his session, every piece of furniture in this room would be reduced to splinters. Or at least, that was the plan.
Go Cheolmin finished his explanation. The guildhouse was deathly silent, not even a breath to be heard.
"The truth will come out. So don't worry too much."
Go Cheolmin added.
"Master, let's head to Association HQ right now."
Choi Muhyun huffed indignantly.
"And do what?"
"Protest, at least. We can't just sit here. Gotta yell our heads off outside or they won't listen. If time drags on like this, Kim Jun'll be branded a cheater for good. Hell, the Education Department announced an investigation into last year's college entrance exam—we have to step up."
Choi Muhyun spat the words, flecks of saliva flying.
Go Cheolmin fully understood. When he'd gotten that call from his contact, he'd felt the exact same urge—to charge in without a second thought and tear it all down.
Maybe it was just the tanker way of thinking.
While Choi Muhyun ranted in excitement, Yoo Min-jeong slipped back quietly and scrolled through her contacts. Wondering who to call for a real read on the situation.
She found the one and mashed the call button.
The ring dragged on.
Yoo Min-jeong gnawed her nail.
—Min-jeong, huh. Been a while.
The other side finally picked up.
"Hello, Uncle. Yeah, it's been too long since I called."
She wanted to grill him about Kim Jun right away, but he was her father's acquaintance—politeness first.
—Called about that carrier kid, right?
"...How'd you know?"
—Just got an earful from Min-su too. Guy was laying into me. Anyway, don't sweat it. It'll blow over. Yeon Family's tied up too, looks like. Speaking of—your dad's still holed up at Jirisan?
"Yeah, hasn't come down yet."
Her pounding heart eased.
Choi Min-su—with connections and experience leagues beyond hers—was pulling strings for Kim Jun, not just through Dungeon Association Intelligence Director Choi Ung, but heavy hitters everywhere.
—Hit me up when your old man gets back.
"Thanks, Uncle."
—Thanks, nothing. Later.
No need to call anyone else. With Choi Min-su and even Yeon Un-jae watching out for Kim Jun, the Yeon Family was mobilizing on his behalf.
But sitting idle wasn't an option.
What would Kim Jun do?
The answer hit her instantly.
Yoo Min-jeong smirked. She pictured Kim Jun drilling Mokhonbo with water bottles lined up as obstacles.
"What do you think?"
Go Cheolmin asked her.
"Choi Min-su sir and Elder Yeon Un-jae are already busting their asses for Kim Jun."
"True."
"Then Pink Team doesn't need to jump in. Won't help anyway. I'll stick here at the guildhouse and... train. Kim Jun wouldn't get rattled by a trap like that. It's so airtight, if he can't slip it today, he'll just hunt down whoever set it. I doubt he's wasting time brooding somewhere in Association HQ."
With that, Yoo Min-jeong took off on the track—slow at first, gradually picking up speed.
A faint smile tugged at Go Cheolmin's lips.
"Uh, Master—since it was on broadcast, Kim Jun's mom must be worried sick."
Yeom Sang-taek spoke up.
"I already called and filled her in."
Go Cheolmin appreciated the buffer's consideration.
Yeom Sang-taek nodded eagerly and jogged up beside Yoo Min-jeong.
"Still itching to go scream your lungs out?"
The master eyed the tanker.
"Why couldn't I think like Yoo Min-jeong—instead of just getting all hot-headed and dumb?"
Go Cheolmin burst out laughing at the earnest question.
Just then, Skyla strode into the guildhouse, her face a storm of fury and confusion.
Choi Muhyun bolted toward her like he'd been waiting, spilling Go Cheolmin's explanation and Yoo Min-jeong's decision in exhaustive detail to the puzzled reporter.
Jang Man-ho dunked his face into the sink.
He held it there for nearly a minute before surfacing.
Water streamed from his hair, soaking his jacket and shirt.
Disqualified for cheating!
The verdict was public now. Every channel would be blasting it.
He'd seen the kid himself, evaluated him up close.
No ordinary guy. Judgment like a hawk, even qi-sensing talent.
Less carrier, more raider already.
What the hell did I do? Jang Man-ho shook off the surge of self-disgust. Couldn't throw away this shot over some punk he just met.
One closed eye, and his colleagues got national cemetery plots—their families freed from misery.
My brother Yun-ho too.
His pocket phone buzzed nonstop. He knew who without checking.
Choi Min-su.
Game over—no answer.
Nothing to say anyway. Jang Man-ho roughly toweled his face with a handkerchief and headed to the room.
Thuds echoed from inside.
He stopped before what used to be a panic room.
Bang Su-cheol, glued to a smartphone horse race stream, glanced up at the footsteps. Investigation Bureau vet, here on orders from above.
"What's with the racket?"
"Sounds like the guy's losing it in there. Eh, if he didn't cheat like he claims, I'd be pissed too."
Bang Su-cheol fixed him with a piercing stare.
"Gonna peek in."
"Watch yourself. Oh, right—forgot you're a Dungeon Martial School instructor."
Bang dove back into his screen.
Throwing a wary glance at the odd investigator, Jang Man-ho fought the itch to turn back as he approached the room.
That's Bang Su-cheol. Bureau's top vet—why's he here? Did they catch wind?
No clue he'd pissed off a bureau heavyweight, stuck on grunt work.
Gripped the handle, twisted hard—clunk.
The steel door was hefty.
Built for Puritan terrorists ranting about "purifying" raiders as mutants. Now caging a kid paying dearly for dreaming bigger than carrier.
Cracking the door, Jang Man-ho went speechless.
Kim Jun wove fast yet fluidly between chairs spaced wide in the center.
Footwork!
Instructor's eye caught it instantly.
Circled inner energy to his eyes for the exact art.
Vision blurred.
Soon, his eyes went dead-fish dull.
Mang-an engaged!
Unique skill mimicking ghost sight via inner power—he saw green qi pulsing from Kim Jun's body, legs especially.
That's Mokhonbo!
A carrier, mid-awakening test for raider status, unleashing one of the Five Elements Arts?
No—more insane: training here? Tantrum wouldn't even scratch the rage, per Bang.
Then Kim Jun halted, head snapping toward Jang Man-ho.
Mang-an dropped; Jang couldn't stand idle.
"...The hell you doing?"
Kim Jun gritted through pain, hauled up, chucked the wreckage to a corner, fetched a doomed chair, slotted it in.
"Asked what you're doing."
"We done? Can I go?"
Jang bristled at the brazen stance—no sniveling, utterly unbowed arrogance.
Anger boiled over.
"You punk—can't read the room? Fine, here's the deal: Cheating DQ. It's public."
"Then I'm out."
Kim Jun grinned.
Jang couldn't parse it.
"You really don't wanna be a raider? Excuse me. Leniency's still on table."
"Excuse fix reality?"
Jang tonguetied.
"See? Tell the bosses—let me bounce."
"Probe's ongoing. Stay put. No smashing office gear."
Bell tolled. Second written exam done. Lunch, then practicals.
"Lunch?"
Kim Jun halted the departing Jang.
"Lunch?"
"Food."
"Skip one—won't die."
"I will."
Fierce glare.
Punk's nuts? Lunch over DQ?
Jang glared back; Kim Jun held firm.
Such words now?
"No chow, I'll force my way out. Fair warning."
Dead serious. Jang sighed. Planned to skip anyway—gut churning.
"Fine. Association lunchbox for supervisors—I'll grab one. Happy?"
"Don't forget mine on the desk. Mom-packed. And make it two—spares come standard."
"Request," my ass—pure demand.
Jang shook his head, exited the panic room.
Crash—chair shards. He wheeled, stormed back in.
Kim Jun eyed him.
"Why scramble so hard?"
Jang asked.
"Not scrambling."
Gruff snap.
"Serious question. Answer straight. Why train now?"
"Fun."
"Fun? What kind?"
Jang's gaze flickered.
"Feel myself getting stronger."
"......"
Jang clamped his jaw, strode out.
Roaring exhaust flooded the Uramata Guildhouse lot.
Lamborghini and Ferrari snarled in rivalry, Hummer and Porsche amping the din. lone BMW parked quietly aside.
Shin Jong-su hopped from the Hummer, toothpick chomped.
"Tomorrow—round two. That hanwoo? Mind-blowing. Best beef all year."
"Yeah, sure."
Jang Geon-ho flicked a glance at the guildhouse entrance.
Everyone knew by now. Place might be ghost town—Master and all Pink Team stormed HQ.
Shin belched thunderously, shoved the door, barged in first.
Speechless.
Business as usual.
Track runners. Weight rack grunters.
What the—? Kim Jun DQ for cheating, and they don't know? Nah, training zombies—makes sense. Time this stud announced it loud.
Flipped the toothpick aside, mischief gleaming in Shin's eyes.
"Yo! Catch the news? Kim Jun cheated—flunked awakening test."
Not a head turned. Zero reaction.
All knew already?
Shin Jong-su's cheek twitched.