The Military Department
The military department of the Murim Alliance buzzed with excitement after a long time.
Deputy Strategist Tae Jeong-heon and Deputy Strategist Park Gyeong-sa were deep in conversation.
“The total strategist’s array research assistant? And he even promised to teach us the formations from the Jegal family?”
Simple formations available on the market were nothing special.
Like the Three Treasures Inspection Method, they could be used passably if you knew how, but they were still like children compared to truly mysterious ones.
The truly powerful formations were all held by the array families themselves, just like secret martial manuals, and outsiders never got to see them.
Especially since it was one slice of the Jegal family’s formation that called itself the number one under heaven, the thought of learning it sent a thrill through anyone.
“Yeah, Deputy Chief asked me to draw up the room, and if I get chosen as the assistant, he said he’d teach us. I would’ve tried for it too if I’d just learned formations…”
“It feels like this position is made for me.”
Park Gyeong-sa, who had some grasp of formations, showed clear confidence.
“Only five people have said anything like that in the entire military department already. And Deputy Chief Ugiwan is showing interest…”
Ugiwan had been third in the military department ranking after the former Deputy Chief.
Now, with Tae Jeong-heon earning merit and stepping into the Deputy Chief role, he still held third place.
His own family was also an array family, though not on the level of the Jegal family, and he was recognized for having considerable formation skill.
“No way, even Ugiwan is stepping up… Could I actually beat him?”
“Still, he said the test would only use basic formations.”
“…”
“That’s right?”
Park Gyeong-sa’s eyes lit up with fresh hope.
If the test was limited to basic formations, he had a real chance. The criteria would be how accurately and quickly he could deploy them.
Even if he faced someone from a family that had studied formations across generations, he still had a shot.
“Good. I’d better challenge it then.”
***
Ugiwan rose from his desk, clutching a neatly organized stack of reports.
His protruding belly brushed the narrow surface.
He made his way toward the wider desk of the Deputy Chief, who had a larger belly than he did.
“Deputy Chief, I’ve handled everything you requested.”
“Ah, thank you, Deputy Chief Ugiwan. If I need anything else, I’ll let you know.”
Deputy Chief Ugiwan was how Park Gyeong-sa was referred to.
Ugiwan extended the reports with both hands, and Tae Jeong-heon naturally accepted them with one.
And he immediately dove back into his duties.
“Hmph…”
A few months ago, this scene would have been the exact opposite.
Tae Jeong-heon had ranked lower than Ugiwan and been younger.
The reversed order, though unspoken, still felt awkward.
“Taking down the spy was a huge achievement, but he actually gave him the Deputy Chief position?”
He had always assumed his own time in that role would come someday.
He had believed he would perform best in it, yet a junior had claimed it first.
The day Tae Jeong-heon was named Deputy Chief, he had thrown a banquet for the military department, but Ugiwan had made an excuse and stayed home.
Instead, he had sat alone, nursing his resentment.
When his wife asked what was wrong, he had exploded in anger.
He had been waiting for the man now holding the Deputy Chief position to collapse.
In this world, if you held a high post without ability, you were naturally weeded out.
Since the total strategist valued ability, he would surely dismiss the man.
“But it turns out Tae Jeong-heon has been handling the Deputy Chief duties well too. I knew he was smart, but I didn’t realize he was that capable…”
Only later had he learned how capable the man truly was.
He realized the total strategist had not appointed Tae Jeong-heon as Deputy Chief solely for capturing the spy.
But.
A rival’s superior skill was bad news for anyone chasing the same spot.
As he worried the reversed ranking might lock in forever, one piece of news arrived.
The total strategist was recruiting an array research assistant!
Jegal Yeong-yeong was the total strategist of the Murim Alliance. Her growth would help the Alliance. She held the authority to choose the assistant.
But.
Even when she was free, she had never studied formations, yet now, in this busy time, she was publicly choosing a person?
“No matter how I look at it, the timing feels too perfect.”
Ugiwan guessed at Jegal Yeong-yeong’s true intention.
Of course, he had no reason to suspect she had no real need to study the Cheonmun Jinbeop Chonghae at home, so his guess was simply off the mark.
Either way, the answer he offered was this:
“Tae Jeong-heon is outside the total strategist’s favor. She wants to quietly find a replacement.”
Among the people in the military department, choosing this assistant spot to find someone better than Tae Jeong-heon was only logical.
No one knew what had happened between them, but Jegal Yeong-yeong’s usual kindness toward Tae Jeong-heon had changed.
She had slowly taught him his duties, then suddenly dumped too much on him all at once, and her attitude toward him had cooled completely.
He didn’t know the inner reasons, but the important thing was the current situation.
“If I become the total strategist’s assistant and earn her trust, it means I have a good chance of pushing Tae Jeong-heon out and claiming the Deputy Chief position.”
He would gain the total strategist’s favor and also learn the Jegal family’s formations.
Win-win.
Double win.
A satisfied smile curved his lips as he returned to his duties.
Clunk.
His belly still brushed the desk.
“This narrow seat won’t last long.”
***
At the building next to the military department, a clerk was accepting applications.
Ugiwan watched calmly until the last moment, then stood and headed toward the clerk to submit his application.
“Ten or more people applied just for the military department spot.”
They weren’t all aiming for the Deputy Chief position. Only those high in the ranking would dare.
The other Deputy Chiefs were apparently drawn to the sheer attraction of Jegal family formations.
But.
“After all, you applied too, Tae Jeong-heon… You’re working hard to regain trust.”
He couldn’t measure his own formation skill exactly, but he felt certain he would have the edge.
The test scope had already been revealed.
It was somewhat disappointing for someone from a famous array family to compete only with basic formations and not use advanced ones.
On the other hand.
Using natural materials instead of artificial objects that could use internal energy was a huge advantage for him.
“Unlike Tae Jeong-heon, who could use artificial items because he had no talent for martial arts, I used natural materials and finally got results today.”
Confident in his victory, he headed toward the next building.
But right then, someone walked out from inside and greeted him as an acquaintance.
“Are you Deputy Chief Ugiwan?”
Uiseong, whom he had visited several times for headache treatment.
“Hmm? What brings the Healer-nim here…”
Ugiwan tilted his head. This place had only one possible purpose.
“Application for the total strategist’s array research assistant position!”
But seeing Uiseong walk out changed things.
His heart dropped.
“Is someone inside in pain?”
The possibility that someone had collapsed and someone had rushed to bring the Healer.
He had worried that casually walking over might cause trouble, but the answer that came out of Uiseong’s mouth was different.
“No. I just stopped by to apply too.”
Ugiwan blinked several times, stunned.
“…”
“What are you applying for?”
“The array research assistant position.”
“…”
“The Healer-nim’s?”
“Yes, me.”
Ugiwan stared hard at Uiseong, then suddenly burst into laughter.
“Hahaha, I didn’t know the Healer-nim joked so well.”
Though the smile on his face was absent, he had naturally assumed it was a joke. Why would Uiseong apply for the array research assistant position?
He was already a master of medicine.
A sly thought crossed his mind.
“Could the clinic become mine too if I become Deputy Chief?”
People who didn’t know said the clinic’s manager, Tae Jeong-heon, suffered because he ran it himself, but Ugiwan saw a huge benefit in building a private friendship with Uiseong.
Not just hearing his occasional joke anymore, but daily banter.
If they grew closer privately, he could freely ask for treatment when his elderly parents fell ill.
“I once heard he makes house calls to the clinic staff’s families…”
But.
“It’s true…”
Uiseong’s serious expression made it impossible to treat the words as a joke.
“Ah!”
One fact suddenly clicked, and Ugiwan realized Uiseong’s words were not a lie.
“When the Healer-nim was a doctor at the Nakyang Bang, I heard he had already deployed formations!”
He had read the report where he had captured a water spirit with a basic formation.
Capturing a water spirit with formations was a remarkable achievement for an ordinary person.
But that was just how formations worked.
If you didn’t know them, you had no choice but to suffer helplessly.
How had he suddenly puffed up his shoulders after learning one basic formation?
A hollow laugh escaped him.
“So he applied because he thought he was strong back then…”
More than ten people from the military department had applied.
Naturally, the winner would be chosen from the military department, and he had no doubt it would be him.
It was impossible for the clinic’s manager to be just a contestant after learning only a few basic formations.
“Well, let’s have a good match. I’ll be going.”
“Yes, Healer-nim. Good luck.”
As Uiseong disappeared, Ugiwan entered the building and quietly asked the clerk while submitting his application.
“Any applicants outside the military department?”
“No one else except the Healer-nim who just left. Everyone is from the military department.”
So that was how it was.
There were surely more people in the Murim Alliance who had studied formations, like the Qingyun Elder from the Guryun Sect.
He was skilled at catching strays, after all.
But they would never apply. Even if Jegal family formations were tempting bait, they wouldn’t take it.
They already knew the winner would be chosen from the military department.
But…
“Even the Healer-nim everyone calls a god wouldn’t be interested in formations. Tsk.”
Ugiwan had a reason he was certain the winner would be him.
“The knowledge the total strategist has taught only the military department people is very helpful in real life, but studying formations is essential. I believe I’ve mastered it better than anyone in the department.”