What Are You Barking At, You Dimwit?
"What are you barking at, you dimwit?" Bukjin said, wearing an expression of utter disdain. "Do I really need to cheat to solve problems this easy?"
"You devious bastard! A piece of trash like you getting a hundred points?" Oh Sobang’s voice was cold with fury. "Im Bukjin, you definitely cheated. Come on, spit it out. What kind of trick did you use? You’d better confess your wrongdoing honestly before the teachers."
"He’s right! That scoundrel definitely used a trick!"
"There’s no way a moron like you could get a perfect score!"
"Let’s report Im Bukjin!"
"Yeah! We should all report his cheating together!"
A crowd of students began to hurl accusations at Bukjin, their voices rising in a heated frenzy. It was at that moment a voice cut through the noise.
"He did not cheat."
It was Cho Heun, the Grade Dean. Before anyone had noticed, he had stepped forward to stand in front of the stone pillar. After casting a complicated look at Bukjin, Cho Heun addressed the students.
"What is all this commotion! The exams for the Annual Competition are conducted with the utmost gravity! Every test is monitored by a Mystic Gate Formation, making it absolutely impossible to cheat. Furthermore, the proctors and I have already inspected all the formations and confirmed that there wasn't even the slightest possibility of foul play! Im Bukjin’s score in Imperial Modern History is exactly as it appears!"
"What?"
"...It really wasn't cheating?"
"That scoundrel...? H-how did he do it?"
Not cheating? How on earth could a scoundrel like Im Bukjin get a perfect score? How could he possibly be ranked higher than me!
Gritting his teeth, Oh Sobang still looked like he couldn't accept the reality of the situation. Watching him, Cho Heun felt a wave of disappointment. He had held high expectations for the 'genius' Oh Sobang, yet the boy’s composure had crumbled so easily. Moreover, he didn't like that Oh Sobang would suspect someone of cheating during the prestigious Annual Competition. To doubt the examination process was equivalent to doubting Cho Heun himself.
Furthermore, remembering how Oh Sobang had confidently declared he would get at least a ninety-five—or even a perfect score with luck—when he submitted his paper earlier only added to the Dean's disappointment. At the time, he had thought Oh Sobang was being humble. Now, he only saw arrogance and overconfidence. The more he looked at the boy, the less he liked what he saw.
"Reflect on yourself and repent," Cho Heun said to Oh Sobang.
"Pardon? Dean Cho, I..."
Oh Sobang was deeply bewildered. Dean Cho Heun didn't bother with him any further and turned his gaze toward Bukjin.
"Bukjin, follow me for a moment."
Bukjin let out a loud laugh and called out to Oh Sobang. "You heard him, right? Make sure you reflect well! Hahaha!"
Oh Sobang’s face darkened even further. He never imagined that Cho Heun, who had always doted on him, would scold him because of Bukjin. The situation was going south fast. Just then...
"Look at that! The last person's results are out!" a student shouted, pointing at the stone pillar.
Now that all the students had finished checking their scores, the rankings appeared on the pillar in descending order, displaying everyone’s names and points. Bukjin’s name sat at the very top. But what shocked the students even more was that Oh Sobang, despite his impressive ninety-two points, wasn't in second place. Mok Simwol had taken that spot with ninety-three points. Oh Sobang, Sa Sinlim, and Mu Sae were all tied for third with ninety-two points.
"The competition this year is incredibly fierce!"
"I can't believe the geniuses representing our grade were all pushed aside by that scoundrel Im Bukjin!" one student said, unable to believe his eyes.
Staring at the rankings on the stone pillar, Oh Sobang looked utterly miserable, as if he might burst into tears at any moment. Losing to Bukjin was one thing, but being lower than Mok Simwol and tied for third with two others was even more devastating. He wasn't standing out at all.
Hmph! It’s just the written exam. Besides, this was only the first subject! Oh Sobang’s eyes flickered with a mix of rage and humiliation.
Inside the faculty office.
"Im Bukjin, how on earth did you do it?" Cho Heun asked.
The other teachers in the office were also staring at Bukjin with sharp, piercing eyes. They had already reviewed all the questions for this exam. The test was riddled with trap questions that were nearly impossible to spot. The difficulty was such that even a teacher specializing in history might make a mistake if they weren't careful. For an average student to get a perfect score was practically impossible.
And yet, Bukjin—the notorious delinquent known throughout the academy—had answered every single question correctly. It was a situation that defied common sense. Because of this, the teachers had checked Bukjin’s exam paper dozens of times. Ultimately, they had no choice but to admit that his answers were perfectly aligned with the standard answer key.
"I studied hard," Bukjin replied.
He didn't have a shred of hesitation. While other students stored information in their brains, Bukjin simply stored it in his smartphone. The smartphone and Bukjin were one and the same. Since he could take it out and use it whenever he wanted, it was as good as being stored in his own head.
Cho Heun and the other teachers were speechless. There were over a thousand students in each grade, and Bukjin was the one student furthest removed from the word 'hard-working.' It made no sense. However, since there was no evidence of cheating, there was nothing Cho Heun could say in his capacity as Grade Dean.
"The next exam is Herbalism. Do your best. And do not, under any circumstances, become arrogant. Do you understand?" Cho Heun said.
"Yes," Bukjin answered succinctly.
"Good. The next exam will begin shortly, so return to the testing hall," another teacher added.
With that, Bukjin turned and left the room.
"What do you all think?" Cho Heun asked.
The teachers shook their heads, looking stumped. "There’s no evidence of cheating whatsoever. At the very least, it doesn't seem like he used any conventional tricks."
"Could it be that his previous grades were all an act?"
"But why would he put on such an act?"
"Who knows? But we still have the Herbalism and Mystic Gate Theory exams left. Let’s keep an eye on that scoundrel and see how he behaves."
"Agreed," the teachers concurred.
Many eyes would be fixed on Bukjin during the next exam.
Back at the testing hall.
Bukjin went to his seat, number 109, and sat down. Other students began to filter in and take their places. Oh Sobang sat down next to him at seat 110.
"You vermin. Don't get too excited just because you got lucky once. The competition is only just beginning." Oh Sobang glared at Bukjin with narrowed eyes, his voice thick with anger.
Bukjin simply raised his middle finger at Oh Sobang and said, "What are you barking at, you dimwit?"
Oh Sobang’s blood boiled. Gritting his teeth, he spoke in a chilling tone. "That perfect score of yours is meaningless. It’s absolutely impossible for a guy like you to take first place in this competition. And don't forget our contract, hehe. When the time comes, you’ll be my slave, and I’ll make sure you learn the price of making me angry."
"Is that so?" Bukjin sneered. "Like you said, the competition has only just begun. No need to rush. I’ll be showing you something even more incredible soon, so look forward to it."
Mok Simwol was sitting nearby. The area around her felt like a beautiful landscape painting. She sat with perfect posture and a serene expression, looking as if she were completely indifferent to her surroundings. However, a massive storm was brewing in her heart.
Im Bukjin got a hundred points? No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't understand it. She couldn't accept it. Fortunately, everything was still under her control. She didn't believe for a second that Bukjin could actually take first place in the Annual Competition. Therefore, she judged that his perfect score on the previous test didn't hold much significance.
A moment later, the bell rang to signal the start of the exam. Bukjin injected Hyeongi into his desk to activate the formation. A barrier expanded, enveloping him. Just like before, ripples of light appeared on the desk, and the Herbalism exam paper materialized.
The Herbalism exam, like the history test, focused on theoretical knowledge. The junior academy’s curriculum covered a broad range of topics, including medicinal herbs and their effects, conflicting properties of different plants, and basic knowledge of cultivation. Advanced theories like medicine manufacturing or pill refining weren't included.
Bukjin immediately pulled out his smartphone and launched an app.
App Activated: [2nd Year Herbalism Course]
Scanning exam paper... Analysis complete. Generating perfect answers.
Using the app to scan the paper, the perfect answers appeared in less than a minute. Bukjin spent ten minutes writing everything down and then immediately submitted his paper.
Beep-beep! The notification for the submission echoed through the hall. The Mystic Gate Formation surrounding Bukjin dispersed and vanished.
"Y-you finished that quickly?" Cho Heun, the Grade Dean, was already waiting outside the barrier.
Bukjin replied politely, "Yes."
"...How was the exam?" Cho Heun asked.
"It was worth taking."
"I-I see. You may leave." Cho Heun waved his hand, seeing Bukjin off. There was no point in asking anything else. He would know the results once the grading was finished.
A short while later, Oh Sobang submitted his paper and turned his head toward seat 109. Seeing the empty chair, a cold smile played on his lips.
Im Bukjin, there’s no way you’ll get a high score on this one.
The Herbalism exam was far more difficult than the history test. While history relied mostly on memorization, Herbalism did not. It required not only a good memory but also understanding, judgment, and reasoning. There were even questions that could only be answered if one had hands-on experience with experiments. It wasn't a subject where one could get good results just by cramming at the last minute.
I’ll teach that scoundrel a lesson. Oh Sobang left the testing hall with full confidence.
Another hour passed, and students began to submit their papers one by one. Time flew, and the exam finally came to an end. Groans of frustration erupted from all corners of the hall.
"Ah! I didn't finish..."
"That was way harder than the history test!"
"I thought my head was going to explode."
The teachers urged the students to leave, announcing that the test was over. The students filed out of the testing hall, their faces weary.