Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Shame, Braggart, Thief, and Scoundrel (3)
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It's taken as common sense that the rooster crows when dawn breaks. But that's not the truth.
Those bastards don't have clocks in their bodies; they're just sensitive creatures reacting to the faint light leaking as the sun rises.
Cock-a-dooo!!!
And that's why there are guys like that one, crowing before dawn has even broken.
"What the hell are the head chef and stewards doing here?! Don't they know the common sense that a rooster crowing before sunrise is a jinx? There are already three chicken side dishes on the menu! We should wring that one's neck first!! It's been screeching like this for three or four days!"
Well, anyway, that one's way off the mark.
Besides, with so many examinees tossing and turning all night over worries about the trials, it was understandable why it was drawing that kind of hate.
But for me, waking up when it crowed, jogging a lap around the dorms, circulating my qi, and eating meant the timing was perfect—it was a helpful little guy that precisely signaled my morning training time.
"If I may say something presumptuous... With three chicken side dishes on the menu and it still alive, doesn't that make it lucky rather than a jinx?"
"...?"
"We've only got one trial left anyway. Let's keep our hearts and words pure."
In return, I defended the nameless rooster.
Then I folded my bedding and headed out for my usual morning stretches.
"Eon hyung!"
"Young hero! You're out?!"
"You're a bit late today, hyung? You're ranked 4th, you know?"
The guys—who'd dwindled from four to three overnight—greeted me. One seemed to drop off each day.
"Ah, I had to speak up for the rooster's feelings a bit."
"...Pardon?"
"...? Jeong-hyeon Dojang, did you understand what Eon Yong-un hyung just said?"
"...Hm. Since roosters herald the morning, it's like our group's current situation—dark as the lingering night... But ahead lies the rising sun's brightness. Something like that, right?"
"Nah. Some guy was freaking out because the rooster crowed early on the last day and couldn't sleep, so I just kindly scolded him."
"...Cough. Looks like even Jeong-hyeon Dojang doesn't know everything."
"... "
"...But Eon hyung. If you 'kindly scolded' him... was it like yesterday?"
But what does Woo So-reung think I am?
Come to think of it, even on the day we first met, he flinched and stuttered.
- Maybe he's the one who sees your true nature most accurately.
'...?'
- ?
Well, anyway.
We started our warm-ups.
We ran laps around the dorms and grounds to work up a sweat.
We each honed our martial arts in our own ways.
By the time we finished circulating our qi...
Cock-a-dooo!!!
The roosters crowed right on cue as dawn broke.
"Let's go eat breakfast."
"Sounds good."
"Yes!"
"Yes! Hyung!"
So we headed to the academy dining hall for breakfast.
But on the final day, with no lines expected, who was that guy loitering in front?
"...Hyung."
The guy spotted me and spoke up. Ha-seong tilted his head and replied.
"Hyung. This guy's calling you 'hyung.' Hey, buddy! Our hyung isn't someone just anyone can call 'hyung'!"
"Ha-seong."
"Yes?"
"The moment you're calling me hyung, he's already right. And yeah, he's my little brother. Blood brother."
At my words, Eun Ha-seong glanced around and nodded vigorously.
"Now that you mention it, you do look alike. That guy's face is a bit rounder—seems like a much nicer personality... Uh. Shutting up now."
"Good. While you're at it, go inside and eat first with the others. I need to catch up with my brother after so long."
I sent the fiery bunch into the dining hall first and took a moment to gather my thoughts.
Then Master voiced his impression of meeting Eon Yong-myeong.
- Ho. Your blood brother? Looks like he inherited the divine skeleton like you. Sturdy frame, even breathing—he's diligently practiced the orthodox heart method and Eon Family Fist. The calluses on his knuckles show he's steadily built his external arts too. Unlike someone, his face looks kind—definitely the Eon Family vibe I remember.
'That oddly sounds like you're saying my face looks bad, Master. Am I imagining it?'
- You're not.
'...?'
- ?
Well, anyway.
With the surroundings cleared, I turned to Yong-myeong, whom I hadn't seen in ages, to say something.
"Hm."
But nothing came to mind.
'...First time having family feels kinda awkward.'
Beyond that, the situation was too messy.
'I thought we'd run into each other sooner.'
The Righteous Martial Academy is vast, but examinees' paths are limited, so I figured we'd cross paths. Then I'd stick Yong-myeong to Jeong-hyeon like in the original.
But after locking eyes in front of the dining hall on day one, Yong-myeong oddly avoided me the whole time.
'...Looking back, he was deliberately dodging me?'
Why?
I had no idea, but because of that, starting with Jeong-hyeon, then Woo So-reung, and last night with Hwang Bo-jun and the kids, things piled up. Now I had no clue how to handle Yong-myeong.
'I stole Jeong-hyeon's original friend spot from Yong-myeong.'
As I pondered these butterfly effects...
Eon Yong-myeong spoke first.
"...It's. Been a while, hyung."
"Yeah."
"Have you been well?"
"As you can see, doing great. But your face looks sunken? You didn't on day one."
"Ah, probably from a few sleepless nights lately. I heard rumors about you floating around from Pearl."
"About me?"
"Yes. But rumors are rumors, so I worried... Seeing you now, you look good all around. Relieved."
Master snorted in disbelief at our brotherly exchange.
- Worried about you? How worry-free must he be.
I half-agreed, but hey, 'Fist of Affection' Eon Yong-myeong and all.
"No need to worry about me. Ah, well, I guess you did. You're the sentimental type. Anyway, no more from now on."
If you have eyes, you'd see the rankings on the blackboards everywhere.
That was the vibe I went for.
But did it touch some psychological reverse scale Yong-myeong had for me?
"Hyung. Please don't draw the line like that."
"...When did I draw a line?"
His already sunken eyes darkened further with a sigh, and he spoke again.
"Then tell me. Why you're here, what the recorded rankings are, why you branded yourself a scoundrel in Pearl."
...Uh.
That's tough.
The problem was too hard.
He seemed to have some misunderstanding, but I didn't even know what it was.
Above all, I couldn't explain without revealing I was a possessor who'd read the original.
So. I decided to just gloss over it vaguely.
"That's tough."
"...See? Then just one thing. Any plans to return to the family?"
"We'll see."
"'We'll see' means it's not completely off the table?! Father's coming to the freshman entrance ceremony. If you're thinking about it, I can arrange a spot!"
"My 'we'll see' means not right now, Yong-myeong. Some uncertain future."
"...I-is that so?"
"Yeah."
"I see. Got it. You're grouping with those guys from earlier?"
"Yeah. Others call 'em scoundrel, shame, braggart, thief, whatever. But they're good guys deep down."
"...Those fools spouting nonsense without knowing the circumstances!"
I don't know the full circumstances either...
Anyway, that made me curious about Yong-myeong's group.
"Guys like you wouldn't be left alone by other group leaders. How'd your group end up?"
"I got close to a Beggar Clan disciple, Cheon Jang-ho, sharing dorms. Planned to grab two more, but Zhuge Seol-ji offered. Joined her, and there was Dang Ok-gi from the Sichuan Tang too."
Little Martial Marquis Zhuge Seol-ji.
Fist of Affection Eon Yong-myeong.
Slow Donkey Beggar Cheon Jang-ho.
Poison Hand Bodhisattva Dang Ok-gi.
I couldn't help but be shocked at the names from Yong-myeong's mouth.
'...What. All the top monsters from the story gathered there.'
In the original, the protagonist generation included same-year students, seniors, exchange students—wide range.
But limiting to entrance exam peers: exactly nine.
'Jeong-hyeon's with me.'
Yin Xia Lian took the literary track.
Of the remaining six—excluding Nangong's Flying Dragon Sword and Hebei Peng twins—the four were Yong-myeong and the three he named.
'All four crammed into one group.'
Perfectly balanced too.
Zhuge Seol-ji, already dubbed Little Martial Marquis, was smart in strategy and tactics, skilled in lightness arts, and one of the rare Zhuge with martial talent—hailed as great master material since childhood.
Later Poison Hand Bodhisattva Dang Ok-gi excelled in hidden weapons, poison, medicine, herbology, and fist arts—no one in Sichuan her brothers' equal except them, a prodigy.
Cheon Jang-ho, openly favored by the Beggar Clan Leader, mastered sixteen of the Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms at a young age—the clan's symbol.
'Wait. With Pearl Eon Family's future heir Yong-myeong added...?'
Are they aiming for five points?
In the original, Zhuge Seol-ji aimed for four in the final trial, ending with nineteen total.
But with that lineup, wouldn't five-point task seem doable?
I furrowed my brow unconsciously.
'Not public to examinees yet, but I know the final trial from the original.'
Assuming it follows the original, if Yong-myeong's group goes for five points, big problem.
Because.
The original entrance exam's final trial: secure orbs from Wudang Mountain spots, simultaneous unlike priors. Crucially, only one five-point orb.
If my group and Yong-myeong's compete for that single orb?
'One side fails to get it, scores too low, gets eliminated.'
Jeong-hyeon, me, Zhuge Seol-ji, Yong-myeong, Dang Ok-gi, Cheon Jang-ho.
Anyone dropping out is disaster.
Not about win/lose—story derails completely, world ends basically.
'...Gotta save it.'
But doable.
Task not announced yet, and I met Yong-myeong now.
If group leader yells 'Do it!' now, only my group says 'Yes!' unquestioningly.
'Even heaven's Zhuge Seol-ji can't centralize that strong against three proud prestigious heirs in three days.'
She'd have to poll members.
'So if she suggests five points, Yong-myeong rejects.'
Beggar Clan Cheon Jang-ho, future Slow Donkey Beggar—lazy by nature, bonds better with Yong-myeong than Zhuge, backs him.
Two of four against? Even Zhuge can't force it.
Plan set, I suppressed a grin and spoke to Yong-myeong.
"Uh, let's do our best. This fool hyung's aiming for the five-point trial. One member's at six total—tight."
"...Wow. Then hyung clears everything at five points. Mom and Dad will freak."
"...Really?"
"Absolutely! Mom for sure, and Dad... he doesn't say, but deep down..."
First, plant firmly in sentimental Yong-myeong's mind: Woo So-reung's plight, aiming five points.
"Anyway. Hope to see you at the academy. Everyone work hard, pass together."
Wedge driven, just in case.
Easy, right?