A Deliberate Thwarting

Mok Simwol didn't even pretend to listen as she spoke up. "Paying the gold isn't the problem! The issue is that it’s a fifty-six ri journey from here to the base. What if we buy a badge and then someone steals it from us on the way back? Wouldn't it be a disaster to pay all that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠money and end up with nothing? That’s what I’m worried about!"

Mok Simwol intentionally raised her voice, and her words began to sow seeds of doubt in the hearts of the other students. She was right. They might have the money to buy a badge, but did they have the strength to keep it? It was a fatal flaw in the plan. If this wasn't resolved, the entire auction was pointless.

In fact, this very concern was why some of the elite students were participating aggressively while others watched from the sidelines with anxious expressions. Even if they secured a badge, they wouldn't earn any points unless they safely returned to the base and delivered it into the hands of Yeo Nak-yeon, the official in charge of the selection trial. As long as the risk of being robbed on the road existed, the students couldn't help but feel uneasy.

By pinpointing this exact issue, Mok Simwol had amplified the students' hesitation. Her goal was to throw cold water on Bukjin's scheme. However, Bukjin simply smirked.

"Logically speaking," Bukjin began, "an auction is a transaction between a willing seller and a willing buyer. Once the money and the goods have been exchanged, protecting that item is the buyer's responsibility. It has nothing to do with me. However..."

Bukjin paused to clear his throat, adopting an expression of profound sincerity. "But who am I? I am Im Bukjin, a man who has shed his petty, despicable past to stand before you with a heart of truth! I am a man who has decided to set aside his own interests to treat you all with pure goodwill! This is the spirit of mutual prosperity! I could talk all day, but words are cheap. Suffice it to say, I am a good person, and I intend to see this through to a proper conclusion. So, let's do this. I'll make you a promise right now! Hahaha! Now, who is this standing beside me?"

Bukjin gestured toward Im Jin as if he were presenting a premium product. "The greatest genius of Unmong City! The strongest contender in the second-year selection trials! With a goddess-like master like Im Jin accompanying us, who would dare act out of turn? All you have to do is secure your badge and wait here. Once the auction is over, I will escort you all back to the base. If anyone tries to steal a badge on the way... Lady Im Jin here will give them such a thrashing that even their own parents won't recognize them!"

The students' hearts wavered. Bukjin's plan was actually quite solid. If a freakish genius like Im Jin guaranteed their protection, they didn't have to worry about the badges. All they had to do was buy them. Countless eyes turned toward Im Jin. She remained silent, offering only a quiet, stoic nod.

Smiling, Bukjin held up the third badge. It glittered brilliantly in his hand. "One more thing! Some of you might not have brought much gold with you when you left for the trial. To ensure everyone has a fair chance, I will offer a loan to those currently short on funds! As long as you sign an IOU, I will lend you the gold from my own pocket so you can bid on a badge!"

"What?!"

The students erupted in excitement. If they could buy a badge by signing a debt contract, then the opportunity was open to everyone. In reality, few people carried dozens or hundreds of gold taels on their person during a trial. A cash-only system was inefficient. But if they could buy on credit? The game changed completely.

Mok Simwol was internally panicked. She had spoken up to ruin Bukjin's plan, but she had inadvertently helped him perfect it. The fervor of the auction reached a fever pitch. Realizing she had made things worse, she tried to apologize to Yi Do, but Bukjin looked at her with a beaming, appreciative smile.

"Haha! Thank you, Mok Simwol! Thanks to you, I was able to refine the auction process and provide better information to all the students! You really are my ex-girlfriend! We're so in sync, we don't even need words!"

"???"

Mok Simwol felt the sting of his words. He was deliberately making her eat her words. She wanted to snap back, but Bukjin's voice boomed over her.

"Everyone! The bidding for the third badge begins now!"

The students' enthusiasm was overwhelming.

The bids kept climbing, drowning out Mok Simwol's voice entirely. With their concerns addressed, the students participated aggressively. Even those already ranked high in the overall standings began to call out prices. This was the first time in history that a student had the chance to secure a badge through personal wealth during a selection trial. It was likely the first and last time.

Today was the final day of the trials. For many, whether they could advance to the main rounds of the Academic & Martial Arts Competition depended entirely on this moment. Finally, the third badge was sold for 30 gold to a student ranked 78th overall.

"Hahaha! Thank you!"

The student's name was Wei Sunghung, from the 4th Academy. He was the son of a prominent merchant family in Unmong City. He signed an IOU for 30 gold and took possession of the third badge, a grin splitting his face. His martial skills weren't exceptional; under normal circumstances, obtaining a badge would have been nothing more than a pipe dream. But thanks to Bukjin, his dream had become a reality.

"Thank you so much!" Wei Sunghung ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shouted his gratitude repeatedly as he clutched the badge. Seeing his success only spurred the other students on. The subsequent auctions grew increasingly heated. Each new badge set a new record ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠price. By the time the ninth badge was sold, the price had soared to nearly 50 gold.

"Congratulations! I am delighted to sell this badge to someone of such bold and courageous character!" Bukjin said with a wide grin.

In the blink of an eye, Bukjin had earned 310 gold. It was an incredibly lucrative haul. Even though seventy percent of the transactions were done via IOUs, Bukjin wasn't worried in the slightest. The contracts were being executed in the name of the Sword Lord, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠giving them not only legal weight but a divine, sacred quality. No matter how high one's status in Unmong City, no one would dare break a contract made in the name of the Sword Lord.

"Now, for the final badge," Bukjin announced, holding up the last remaining item. "Students who need a badge, prepare yourselves! This is the end! If you miss this chance, there are no more! This single badge is your ticket to the main competition! With this, you will see sights you have never imagined!"

Countless pairs of shimmering eyes focused on the badge in Bukjin's hand. They were filled with raw longing. Every student was gritting their teeth.

'This is the last chance!'

'I'll get that badge no matter what the cost!'

The moment Bukjin signaled the start, the students went wild.

"20 gold!"

"25 gold!"

"30 gold!"

"60 gold!"

Beneath Bukjin's bright smile, a glint of cunning flashed. 'Jackpot! I didn't expect this kind of reaction!' even he was internally shocked. He hadn't anticipated the bidding would become this fierce. Ultimately, the badge was sold only after the price hit a staggering 70 gold.

The winner was a girl named Chocho from the National Imperial Junior Academy. Having paid 70 gold for the final Star Badge, Chocho signed the IOU with a flushed face. It was hard to tell if she was excited about the badge or terrified by the massive debt she had just incurred.

And so, all ten badges Bukjin had put up for auction were sold. He had earned a total of 380 gold. Even considering the high cost of living in Unmong City, it was a fortune.

"Is it really over?"

"No! I didn't get one!"

"That was my golden ticket to the main rounds... Is it really gone?"

"Dammit! Why didn't I bid higher just now!"

The students who failed to secure a badge fell into a pit of regret. The competition for the final badge had been that intense. Many students had shouted until their throats were hoarse, like gamblers betting their last hope on a single roll of the dice. But in the end, there was only one opportunity left, and someone else had snatched it away.

Ak Hong-hyang stood quietly behind Bukjin. Her expression, however, was complicated. As she watched the students fight like madmen over the badges, she couldn't deny that she, too, felt a deep yearning. A single small badge could change a person's destiny.

For someone from a poor background like Ak Hong-hyang, the meaning of that badge was even greater. If she could just make it to the main rounds of the competition, her entire life might change. Having "Main Round Finalist" on her record would open countless doors after graduation, whether she chose to continue her studies at a high-level academy or enter the workforce. Furthermore, advancing to the main rounds was considered a supreme honor for any youth in the North Sea Empire.

But Ak Hong-hyang had no money. Far from participating in an auction, she couldn't even afford 10 gold. She was so poor that she hadn't even been able to buy White Jade Bone-Setting Ointment to treat her injuries, entering the selection trial while still carrying her wounds. Because of her injuries, she hadn't been able to find a group to join, forced to grit her teeth and endure the trial alone.

Despite her desperate situation, Ak Hong-hyang couldn't bring herself to ask Bukjin for a badge, even though they had shared a tent for the past ten days. She had watched every night as Bukjin returned, looking exhausted and worn out from his "search" for the badges. She couldn't bear to ask for the fruits of such hard labor for free.