Chapter 180
Chapter 180
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 180
Chapter Title: Demonic Arts Defense Studies Research Group (1)
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I followed Assistant Professor Sunbae to a small conference room in the main building.
The room held Chancellor Kyung Hye at the head, flanked by the Administrative Director, the Security Chief, and the dormitory supervisors from the four major halls.
'They're the Operating Committee members.'
Along with them was Professor Younghwan of Mount Mosan Sect, who taught Corpse Studies.
Professor Jeong Geuk-kyung of Haenam Sect, in charge of the Guide to Jianghu Life course.
And Professor Han Young of Kunlun Sect, who had been inviting me to his lab for ages.
Everyone was smiling warmly—except Professor Chang Ryang of Fragrant Orchid Hall.
'...Chilling.'
For some reason today, the smiles on the other professors struck me as more dangerous than Professor Chang Ryang's sour expression.
'Their gentle smiles pierce my heart like daggers.'
Anyway.
I offered a formal fist salute to the assembled professors.
"Cadet Eon Yong-un, reporting as summoned by the Operating Committee."
The assistant professor gave me a pitying look, poured me some tea, and left the room.
Chancellor Kyung Hye gestured for me to sit and spoke.
"Come in."
But the steaming teacup felt like an offer that said, 'Drink this, and you're working for us.' So I didn't touch it.
"I was training at the drill grounds on my way here, so I'll drink the tea after my body cools down a bit."
"I see. Well then, let's get straight to the point. Did the assistant professor tell you why we called you, Cadet Eon Yong-un?"
"Yes. You want to establish a course on Demonic Arts Defense Studies and have designated me as a special research student."
"...What do you think? Interested?"
At Chancellor Kyung Hye's question, a message came from my master at my waist.
- Idiot! Don't get involved out of interest! That guy who poured the tea and left? At night, you won't be able to tell him apart from a bloodless reinforced corpse.
'You're right. Absolutely.'
I fully agreed with my master's words.
Still, I wanted to refuse outright.
But Chancellor Kyung Hye always treated me with respect despite the huge rank gap, and the other professors were there too, so I picked a suitable excuse.
"I'm interested, but I'm just a first-year who held the New-Old Student Ceremony yesterday..."
Before I could finish, Professor Younghwan spoke up.
"A first-year who subdued the Seven Upper Pure Sword Guards."
Then Professor Je Gal-min and Professor Paeng Jae-hyeok chimed in one after another.
"A first-year who earned a 'Dragon' title before the semester was even halfway done."
"The only first-year who's faced a Demon Head with a lordly title."
Professor Han Young added,
"Not just the only first-year—the only junior martial artist, period. Kunlun disciples at the forefront of the Demon Subjugation Frontline occasionally clash with Demonic Cultists, but no one's ever encountered a Demon Head with a lordly title or the moniker 'Elder Kyung'."
Ah.
This felt like stepping into quicksand.
'Should I have refused outright after all?'
Too late now.
I calmly continued.
"...To make it an official course, wouldn't we need to investigate and compile incidents involving the Demonic Cult from murim history, draw up short-term and long-term plans, conduct research, and create textbooks based on that?"
Chancellor Kyung Hye nodded approvingly.
"No lab experience, yet you nailed it on the first try. How are you so sharp?"
"Really? But I'm pretty busy. If I join a lab, as a first-year I'd be stuck with basic document review, right?"
"Go on."
"As you know, I'm the Student Autonomy Department Vice President, so I have to manage Azure Bamboo Hall cadets, and the dorm's projects are just starting to take off, so handling those and my own studies is already..."
Suddenly, she smiled warmly and finished for me.
"You're busy, aren't you?"
"...Uh? Yes."
"So, we discussed it with the professors here and those whose classes you've enrolled in."
"Discussed what?"
"Any non-mandatory assignments will be waived while you're in the lab."
"......"
"And we have no intention of assigning you basic document review. As the professors said, you're the only one with real experience against true fiends, and as you mentioned, we can't burden a busy person with first-year scholar duties. We want you as lab director."
With that opener, Chancellor Kyung Hye outlined the lab's overall structure.
"We shared the academy's intentions with prestigious attendees of the New-Old Ceremony and invited applications for research students. We sent letters to sects that didn't attend and posted notices around campus."
"So you're saying I should lead the recruits?"
"Yes. There'll be a lead professor, but the director's role is crucial. We've watched you and know you don't bend to authority, but we worried you'd hesitate to command senior graduates from various sects. Turns out you're already stacking your lab with them under Professor Nosam?"
"......"
"So, if you're interested, we'll make you director and give you selection rights."
At that point, Professor Nosam sent a transmission.
[Why so lukewarm? Unusual for you. Wasn't hunting the Demonic Cult what you've been doing? What you wanted to keep doing?]
[I'm a bit torn?]
[Why? They offered selection rights and a big budget?]
[Still just director. And too many cooks spoil the broth—imagine with that many lead professors?]
[Such worries. Younghwan and I have your back, and the Chancellor's on board. Anyway, this is her using all her authority within the rules to boost you and Azure Bamboo Hall. And...]
[And?]
[You've been treating my lab like the academy cafeteria slop bin lately...]
[Slop bin?]
[Exactly. Anyway! Can't keep that up. Once you open a lab, you need results.]
Hearing it out, Professor Nosam was right.
Just then, another reason to take it flashed in my mind.
I nodded firmly.
"I'll do it."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ At the same time.
A notice signed by the Righteous Martial Academy Chancellor was posted on the cadet square bulletin board.
Dang Ok-gi, among the so-called Eon dongsaengs, spotted it and spoke up.
"The Demonic Arts Defense Studies Lab is recruiting research students. We hope many passionate cadets apply? What is this? Ha-yeon, heard anything?"
"No? It wasn't there earlier."
"Ah, this must be it, noonas? During our remedial training, an assistant professor came from the main building and took Yong-un hyungnim away, so we ended early, right?"
"And?"
"The assistant professor mentioned Yong-un hyungnim was picked as a special research student for Demonic Arts Defense Studies. Right, So-rung dongsaeng?"
"Yes! Exactly! That's why Eun hyung said it was a disaster."
"...You said that to Young Master Eon?"
"I was doing squat jumps and it slipped out."
"You always court disaster, Ha-seong."
A few exchanges later, the talk veered off, but Dang Ok-gi steered it back.
"...So. Everyone applying?"
At Dang Ok-gi's question, the Eon dongsaengs gulped dryly.
They had no choice.
Lately, Dang Ok-gi and the Eon dongsaengs had been handling the workload Eon Yong-un brought back from Shaanxi.
"Looks like grad school level. Even for Young Master Eon, can he handle grad school? He's already sleeping less than two shichen on average?"
And they'd endured hellish training for the past ten days.
That time reminded everyone—those who went to Shaanxi and those who didn't—just how relentless Eon Yong-un was.
"He got called to the main building, so he'll probably come back as director or something. A lab with Yong-un hyungnim? Just another name for hell. You all saw those two Mount Mosan Sect disciples just now."
"Hell might be a bit much, but 'grad school' and 'Young Master Eon' together? Terrifying."
As the so-called Eon dongsaengs shuddered,
Je Gal-seolji emerged from Yun Guk-gwan Pavilion, squeezed through them.
"Hey Ok-gi, greetings Lady Ha-yeon? Mind if I pass?"
She grabbed an application form from the notice and left.
The Eon dongsaengs gulped again.
Then Namgung Yun stepped out from Fragrant Orchid Hall, glanced at the notice and the group.
"......"
She snatched an application, glanced at them again, and vanished.
Her first look seemed like scanning for someone, but the second was different.
Yin Xia Lian spoke up.
"What was that? Ha-seong, you stuck with Namgung Yun a while back. What was that second look?"
"Hard to say. Might be a mistranslation, but I got that look sparring her once. We talked too, so channeling that vibe into a direct translation..."
"And?"
"Is that all you've got?"
"......"
At that, Yin Xia Lian and Jeong Hyun's hands shot to the forms.
The remaining three followed suit.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Demonic Arts Defense Studies Research Group.
Or Ma Bang Yeon for short.
A few days after I agreed to be director.
Applications from the academy and sects piled up in Professor Nosam's research building.
But they weren't reaching me.
'My desk is empty. In Azure Bamboo Hall's autonomy office, this only happens on days I clear the backlog.'
The two Mount Mosan Sect disciples and the Solgeo Beggar Trio were helping.
But aside from Bok Cheol, with his experience in Beggars' Sect mid-ranks, none matched Yin Xia Lian's speed.
'Not even tough tasks.'
I was doing the selection anyway.
Their job was just marking in red those with experience fighting unorthodox demons or whose graduation theses were on the Great War Against the Righteous.
Yet bottlenecks everywhere.
"Beggars. Ca-Can't you hurry up?"
"Hurry and mess up, and it's remedial training—er, beatings, right? We're being thorough."
"Thorough and fast. Obviously."
Is that hard?
'...Gotta pass Eun Sojeo first.'
Anyway.
As I thought that,
"...This guy's applying?"
"Kunlun must be on alert too? He's useless for that, so they sent him here?"
I overheard the Mount Mosan Taoists murmuring.
I approached quietly and spoke low.
"Slower than the beggars at reviewing, yet gossiping away."
They both gasped.
"Heup!"
"Whoa! Primordial Heavenly Lord!"
One cleared his throat.
"Ahem. Not gossip. We know this applicant from Kunlun, Sim Ryul, so we chatted briefly."
"How do you know him, and what about?"
"Kunlun's at the Demon Subjugation Frontline vanguard, so we exchange info with Mosan. Sim Ryul's got a reclusive streak now. Wasn't always like that."
"Go on."
"Kunlun's location means frequent skirmishes with Demonic Cultists. Poor Sim Ryul lost his senior brother's tendons in one. Turned gloomy after. Weird he'd apply now. Finally venturing out?"
- Hmm. Doesn't sit right.
'Me too. But that's why I took director—figuring types like this might apply.'
- Not for the funding?
Reasons for taking Ma Bang Yeon directorship were many.
Funding was one, but...
The clincher: If I were the Demonic Cult's strategic brain, I'd plant spies now.
'Sim Ryul.'
Trojan horse whiff from that alias.