Chapter 168
Chapter 168
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 168
Chapter Title: Glorious Return
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The day after the appointment ceremony, the new magistrates were summoned back to the Black Ebony Palace.
It was about their work assignments.
Normally, they would have to complete training at the academy first, but in this case, there was no helping it.
An HR staff member handed out sheets of paper one by one and said.
“Please write the district you’d like to be assigned to on the paper I just gave you. The top one is your first choice, and the other is your second choice. You can pick a specific district or a broader administrative region.”
One magistrate raised a hand and asked.
“What happens if too many people choose the same specific district? Do you draw lots?”
The HR staff member replied.
“In that case, we’ll have no choice but to cut it off by exam scores.”
“You mean the final hiring exam scores, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Several other magistrates followed up with questions.
What if you fail both first and second choices?
What’s the quota per administrative region?
Where’s the water cooler?
Finally, the time for choices had arrived.
The new magistrates exchanged glances with each other.
But true to form for those who had devoted long years solely to exam studies, they were all hopeless at improvisation.
It was less the brain battle of the realm’s top talents and more the floundering of a lost crowd.
In the end, the impatient HR staff member spoke up.
“What you’re deciding now is just a temporary posting. After the 10-year probation period ends, you’ll get to change your assignment again, so no need to agonize too much.”
Most of the magistrates filled out the forms in relief.
But not the high scorers.
As frontrunners with visions of central districts dancing in their heads, a fiercer game of chicken began.
Who got what score, what rank.
They knew each other’s standings all too well.
Thanks to the Immortal White Faction Black Vanguard General publicly posting the passers’ scores and ranks on the Taoyuan Fragrance website, as always.
What concerned the high scorers most was, of course, the top placer, Ryu Seoran.
There were quite a few districts with only one opening.
Picking one of those and overlapping with Ryu Seoran would mean your first choice vanishing into thin air.
Yet Ryu Seoran showed no sign of filling out her form.
She almost seemed to be waiting for something.
In fact, she was.
Damcheong, back after gulping down water, said.
“Seoran, I’m here.”
“Why did it take you so long just to drink water?”
“The water cooler was tucked away in a corner.”
Ryu Seoran and Damcheong filled out their forms without hesitation.
First choice: Im-6 District. Second choice: Imgye District.
One of the places with zero risk of overlap with others.
The HR staff member collected the forms and said.
“You’ll get notification of your assignments today. Report to your assigned workplace by the date and time stated in the notice. Obvious as it is, no unauthorized tardiness or absences. Even a minor slip during probation can get your appointment revoked.”
One magistrate shot up a hand and asked.
“When do we start the substitute video lectures for the academy?”
“Whenever you feel like it. Just finish them all within 10 years.”
“How much probation leave do we get for taking those substitute courses?”
The HR staff member answered.
“None.”
“None?”
“Yes. Lectures are lectures, work is work.”
They were to juggle the substitute courses alongside their duties.
As expected from the Supreme Court, infamous for its heavy workload.
The fledgling magistrates couldn’t help but marvel at the Immortal White Faction Black Vanguard General’s merciless employment tactics.
The HR staff member counted the forms and said.
“The aides assigned to assist you will meet you at your workplace on your first day. The team consists of three Dharma protectors and three adjutants. Try to get along with them if possible. You can’t just swap them out on a whim.”
After that, the HR staff member gathered the stack of forms and left.
A waiting guide spoke up from the side.
“You can head out now. Oh, don’t forget to return your temporary passes on the way out.”
The assembled magistrates dispersed one by one.
Ryu Seoran and Damcheong did the same.
After turning in their temporary passes and exiting the Black Ebony Palace, the noon sun was beating down.
Suddenly feeling hungry, Damcheong said.
“Seoran, what shall we do for lunch?”
“Since we’re already out, let’s eat somewhere nice before heading back.”
“Good idea. But I’m torn on what to eat.”
Ryu Seoran glanced around briefly and said.
“Let’s follow those people.”
“The Black Ebony Palace officials?”
“Yes. Officials always know the best spots near government offices.”
Ryu Seoran and Damcheong trailed after the officials.
The bustling streets near the Black Ebony Palace were packed with officials out for lunch.
Soon, they reached the destination.
Ryu Seoran and Damcheong took seats and waited.
The Black Ebony Palace officials soon ordered.
They all got galbitang.
Ryu Seoran naturally raised a hand and ordered.
“Two galbitang here, please.”
“We’ll do payment first.”
“Okay.”
Ryu Seoran picked up the terminal and headed to the counter.
Left alone, Damcheong scanned the restaurant interior.
Even the few empty seats filled up in a flash.
Then, he heard voices.
Two women were talking.
Both voices sounded familiar.
Damcheong’s gaze turned toward the entrance.
“No empty seats anywhere... What do we do?”
“Try somewhere else?”
“Too bad. This place is really famous...”
Damcheong’s brain whirred into action.
Starved for food, its performance was sharply down, but he barely managed to recall the women’s identities.
They were Crybaby 1 and Crybaby 2 from outside the interview room.
Ryu Seoran returned just then and asked.
“Lord Damcheong, what’s wrong?”
“Seoran, would it be alright to seat two more?”
“I don’t mind.”
Damcheong sprang up from his seat.
*****
Crybaby 1 (for now) said.
“Thanks so much for letting us join you.”
Crybaby 2 (same) added.
“Yeah, I really wanted to try the galbitang here.”
Ryu Seoran replied with a host’s smile.
“Oh, come on. We’re all magistrates.”
Damcheong asked point-blank.
“Why were you crying outside the interview room?”
Ryu Seoran’s elbow jabbed Damcheong’s side.
Switching to polite mode, Damcheong asked again.
“What reason did you have for shedding tears outside the interview room?”
Crybaby 1 and Crybaby 2 exchanged looks.
Awkward expressions.
Fortunately, more embarrassed than annoyed.
Crybaby 1 answered on behalf of them.
“Well... I thought I’d completely bombed the interview. As I stepped out the door, it hit me that I was doomed to another century of studying. That thought just made tears well up uncontrollably.”
Damcheong nodded and said.
“A century more of exam prep—truly horrifying. I can commiserate most deeply. Indeed.”
A brief silence.
Just then, their ordered galbitang arrived.
Steam rising, it looked utterly delicious.
Crybaby 2 wanted to make a fuss and change the subject.
But Damcheong’s next question came much faster.
“And what made the one beside you cry?”
Crybaby 2 stammered.
“Oh, well... similar reason for me...”
“I see.”
“Uh, yes...”
Another awkward silence.
With his curiosity sated, Damcheong savored his galbitang.
Ryu Seoran tried to shift the mood.
“B-but in the end, you both passed!”
Crybaby 1 and Crybaby 2 chimed in.
“Y-yeah! In hindsight, it’s all just memories!”
“And hey, we even made friends out of it!”
Ryu Seoran deftly kept the conversation ball in play.
“You two weren’t friends before?”
Crybaby 1 replied.
“No, first time meeting at the interview room. We comforted each other while crying and hit it off. Similar ages, good conversation too.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, both around 3,000 years old.”
Seoran closely observed Crybaby 1 and Crybaby 2.
But no particular insights.
Just as dragons couldn’t distinguish half-human half-dragon ages, half-dragons couldn’t distinguish dragon ages.
Seoran decided to just eat her galbitang.
*****
The satisfying meal ended.
It lived up to its reputation as a famous spot.
The Ryu Seoran-Damcheong duo parted ways with the Crybaby 1-Crybaby 2 duo, who decided to stroll the nearby park to aid digestion.
Crybaby 1 said.
“Those two earlier were total babies.”
“1,100 and 680 years old—babies, yeah.”
“What was I doing at that age?”
Crybaby 2 said.
“What else? Hugging your dragon pearl and cultivating.”
“Now that you mention it, yeah. But kids these days are fast.”
“Right? And they’re both from the lower realms too.”
Crybaby 1 nodded emphatically.
“They said they were from the same sect, right? What was it, Golden Bamboo Sect?”
“Oh, yeah, that name. Anyway, a cultivation sect that lucky is rare even across the Three Thousand Worlds.”
“True.”
The two crybabies kept nodding.
And circled the park diligently.
One lap, two, three...
Around the twelfth lap, Crybaby 2 said.
“But I’m kinda worried.”
“About what?”
“The Golden Bamboo Sect. Feels like it’s gonna collapse soon.”
Crybaby 1 asked.
“Collapse? Why suddenly?”
“Newly ascended cultivation sects have no choice but to rely on their ascenders.”
“Yeah, they would’ve from their lower realm days.”
Crybaby 1 said in a serious tone.
“Won’t the Golden Bamboo Sect fall apart the moment those two leave?”
“But those two should be fine, right? Both magistrates now. What mad cultivator would harm a magistrate?”
“Who said anything about killing?”
Crybaby 2 finally got it.
“Oh, no way?”
Meanwhile, Ryu Seoran and Damcheong’s terminals were flooding with transfer proposals like a tidal wave.