Better to Just Give Up...
"Candidate Number 1, Dongbang Jeon! Enter the arena and begin your examination!" the proctor bellowed.
Dongbang Jeon walked slowly into the testing area where the massive iron cauldrons were arranged. Although he had performed poorly on the first day's written exam, he was brimming with confidence regarding his martial prowess.
"Today is the day! I will prove to everyone that a high score on the written exam means nothing! You'd better not get cocky just because you set some record in the classroom. The real nightmare starts now!" Dongbang Jeon shouted at the top of his lungs as he entered the testing zone.
He shot a glare back at Bukjin, who was standing in line as Candidate Number 28. Curling his lip into a sneer, he made a provocative beckoning gesture with his hand.
The eyes of the massive crowd turned toward Bukjin. At that moment, however, Bukjin was deep in thought, calculating exactly how to combine the herbs Wang Chung had ground into powder to create a potent poison. He didn't feel safe relying solely on Agwang's "fecal landmines"; he intended to manufacture his own toxins to fortify the defenses of the Bamboo Garden.
Sensing the sudden weight of everyone's gaze, Bukjin finally looked up with a dazed expression. To any observer, it was clear he hadn't heard a single word of Dongbang Jeon's provocation.
Dongbang Jeon's face darkened with fury.
"Im Bukjin, watch closely."
After calling out Bukjin's name directly, Dongbang Jeon let out a thunderous shout and marched toward the cauldron engraved with the number '2'. It was a vessel weighing exactly 1,000 geun.
Standing before Cauldron Number 2, Dongbang Jeon loosened his muscles before channeling his internal blood energy to its peak. He gripped the handles firmly with both hands, focusing his strength through his waist, back, arms, and finally his hands.
He began to lift. Slowly, the massive iron vessel rose until it was held high above his head. Dongbang Jeon maintained the posture, enduring the weight for the duration of five breaths.
"Whoa..."
"1,000 geun! That's Two-Tripod Strength!"
"As expected of Dongbang Jeon! He lifted that 1,000-geun cauldron like it was nothing!"
"He held it for five breaths. He passed!"
Exclamations of surprise erupted from the surroundings. Normally, it wouldn't be difficult for an expert in the Master Realm to exert 1,000 geun of force by utilizing Mystic Energy. However, doing so with one's Mystic Energy sealed—relying purely on physical strength—required a perfect harmony of training habits and the passive nourishment the body received from circulating energy. Even for a Master, lifting 1,000 geun with raw muscle alone was no simple feat.
Dongbang Jeon made it look easy, but in reality, it was a grueling challenge.
Thud!
Dongbang Jeon slammed Cauldron Number 2 back onto the ground.
"Haha! Far too easy!" he laughed boisterously. Without a moment's pause, he headed straight for Cauldron Number 3.
"What? He's going to keep going?"
"Why didn't he just start with Number 3?"
"Isn't it foolish to challenge Number 3 after already exhausting himself on Number 2?"
The students watching the trial began to buzz with excitement and doubt. It was a move that required an extraordinary amount of confidence.
"Im Bukjin, keep your eyes peeled."
Standing before the third cauldron, Dongbang Jeon rotated his arms and loosened his waist and legs. He began to regulate his internal blood energy. The turbulence caused by lifting the previous cauldron settled into a calm, steady flow. Crouching low, he gripped the handles of the third cauldron and pressed his shoulders against the cold iron.
"Hah!"
With a guttural roar, Dongbang Jeon slowly hoisted Cauldron Number 3 up to the level of his face.
"My god..."
"He actually lifted it!"
"Heh, interesting."
Among the geniuses in line, some gasped in admiration while others merely watched with faint, composed smiles. Meanwhile, Bukjin was still mentally preoccupied with his poison research. He was currently debating whether to use the Dragon Blood Parasite Agent or opt for a different toxic compound.
A moment later, Dongbang Jeon finally managed to lock his arms, fully extending the third cauldron above his head. He steadied his breathing, maintaining the immense tension in his muscles. The cauldron, weighing a staggering 1,500 geun, remained aloft for five full breaths.
Sweat poured off Dongbang Jeon's body like rain. Finally, his face flushed a deep crimson, he let out a massive exhale and set the cauldron aside.
BOOM—!
The impact of the heavy iron hitting the floor sent a massive tremor echoing through the hall.
Lee Cheong-hyeon announced the result. Three-Tripod Strength, Grade A. He had secured the highest grade because he had successfully lifted Cauldron Number 2 before tackling Number 3. Dongbang Jeon had intentionally taken the extra step specifically to bolster his evaluation.
Three-Tripod Strength. 1,500 geun. Grade A. It was an exceptionally outstanding result. Looking back at the history of the competition, this was a performance that would easily rank among the top three ever recorded.
Dongbang Jeon was immensely satisfied with himself. He turned to Bukjin and sneered.
"Im Bukjin, I look forward to your 'performance'."
Bukjin was still agonizing over the secret formula for his poison.
"Heh, it's too late to be intimidated now." Dongbang Jeon chuckled, assuming Bukjin's silence was a sign that he was paralyzed with fear.
The other students watching the two also found the situation strange. This was a far cry from the arrogant, overconfident Bukjin they were used to. His silence led many to suspect that he had indeed been cowed by Dongbang Jeon's display of might.
Baek Geum-un, who was standing at position 48, felt her ears turn red with secondhand embarrassment. She considered snapping back at Dongbang Jeon on Bukjin's behalf but decided against it.
A cold smile played across Jo Pacheon's lips.
"Brother, that man is provoking you. Why aren't you hitting back?" Im Yeok, who happened to be standing right in front of Bukjin, spoke up as if to wake him.
Bukjin glanced at Im Yeok briefly but didn't bother to reply. He was currently running the Detailed Explanation of Ten Thousand Poisons app on his smartphone, deeply researching the poison systems contained within. He had absolutely no room in his mind to care about what was happening around him.
Seeing Bukjin's reaction, Im Yeok turned away with a mocking smirk.
The second student to take the test after Dongbang Jeon was a boy named Oh Gi from the 4th Academy. His result was a standard One-Tripod Strength. He attempted the 1,000-geun cauldron, but his strength failed him halfway through the lift.
The "Iron-Faced Poison Tongue" Lee Cheong-hyeon announced the final result. The examination continued in this fashion.
The test proceeded steadily, with every moment being broadcast live across the city.
"Haha! Did you see that? My daughter Gong Mong's skill! Hahaha...!"
Inside the main hall of Unmong City's largest official gambling den, a balding middle-aged man erupted in excited laughter. From his perspective, Gong Mong had the best score so far, second only to Dongbang Jeon. Those around him cast envious glances in his direction.
This was the nature of the Academic & Martial Arts Competition. A student who achieved such high marks in a tournament of this caliber wouldn't have to worry about their career after graduation. Securing a government post would be a simple matter. It was a moment of great honor for the Gong family.
Among the crowd in the gambling den was Wang Chung. The few gold coins he had initially placed on the table to test his luck were already gone. Wang Chung felt as if he were coughing up blood.
'It seems my gambling luck is non-existent today. I'll have to bet on the Young Master after all.'
Having made his decision, Wang Chung pulled out all 100 gold liang he had left and stuffed them into the box labeled with Bukjin's name. Then, he shouted at the top of his lungs:
"I'm betting everything I have that Im Bukjin takes first place in this exam!"
The room fell into an instantaneous, stunned silence. The balding middle-aged man looked Wang Chung up and down before speaking.
"Hey, friend. That's a dangerous choice. According to the information I've gathered, there's no way Im Bukjin can take first. Betting your entire fortune on such a low probability is a recipe for disaster."
Hearing this, Wang Chung merely twisted his lips into a smirk.
"Hmm... and what exactly is this 'information' you've gathered?"
The bald man replied, "First of all, there's the Curse of the Written Exam. Historically, students who achieve record-breaking scores on the written portion of the competition never perform well in the martial trials."
Wang Chung chuckled. "I'm well aware of that. The logic behind it is quite simple, really. Students who lack confidence in their martial skills tend to pour all their time and energy into the written exam. That's why they get high scores there but fail to stand out in the physical tests."
"So you do know something," the bald man said. "Friend, if you understand that, why on earth would you bet your entire fortune on Im Bukjin? What are you going to do now...?"
Suddenly, a look of sheer panic washed over Wang Chung's face.
"Dammit...! I lost money earlier and got desperate, so I just...!" Wang Chung turned to a beautiful female employee wearing a red vest. "About that money I just bet..."
Before he could finish, the employee cut him off sharply.
"Once a bet is placed, it cannot be retracted."
She looked at him with an expression that said she had seen countless fools make the same mistake in the heat of the moment. If people could take back their bets whenever they felt regret, the rules of the gambling den would be meaningless. Once the money was down, the responsibility was yours. That was the fundamental rule of the house.
Upon hearing her words, Wang Chung's spirit seemed to deflate instantly. Other gamblers who had been considering betting on Bukjin saw Wang Chung's pathetic display and immediately changed their minds.
The bald man approached Wang Chung and patted him on the shoulder.
"Friend, just think of it as a mistake made due to a lack of information. I feel bad for you, so I'll tell you: for this exam, you should have bet on Jo Pacheon, the exchange student from the 6th Academy. I hear he's not only a disciple of White Cloud City but also passed the supplementary exam to enter this competition. His skill is said to be so great that he overwhelms all other students. Besides him, there are geniuses like Im Jin, Im Yeok, and Neung Hyeon. Im Bukjin is just a profligate brat who brought ruin to his family; he can't even compare to the others. You should probably just give up on that 100 liang..."
As soon as he finished speaking, the gambling den updated the board, drastically lowering the odds for Bukjin. It seemed no one in the room held any expectations for him.
"Haha! I'm betting on Jo Pacheon!"
"Me too!"
"Here's five gold liang I swiped from my wife! All on Jo Pacheon...!"
One after another, the crowd began to pour their money onto Jo Pacheon's name.