Chapter 88: Forming a New Blood Wind Squad (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 88: Forming a New Blood Wind Squad (1)
While I was reveling in my new martial arts, Administrator U suddenly paid me a visit in the morning.
His face looked haggard. I hadn't seen him for a while, so it seemed something was afoot.
Lady Ham hadn't shown her face for two days either, so I could sense that things were moving busily behind the scenes.
"What is it? Can I finally enter the secret chamber for my closed-door training?"
When I asked, Administrator U shook his head with a dark expression.
"That might take a bit more time. But it won't be long—four days at most. The Junior Chamber Leader will have a plan by then. Besides, we don't need you right this second, Young Hero Eo. Ma Ui must first unblock all of the Chamber Leader's acupoints before we can use the poison from the Golden Qi-Poisoning Bracelet for treatment. Ma Ui is still in the middle of the procedure, so we will call for you when you are needed."
I understood what he was saying, but there was no real reason for him to tell me all this.
Since when did they start reporting their business to me? Why was he suddenly spilling every little detail?
As I was wondering about this, Administrator U revealed the real reason for his preliminary explanation.
"Since we cannot afford to sit idle during that time, the Junior Chamber Leader has issued an order."
As I watched him silently, he reached into his robes and pulled something out, offering it to me.
"This is the token for the Acting Squad Leader of the Blood Wind Squad. As long as you hold this, your commands will be absolute within the territory of the Ninth Chamber."
I tilted my head in confusion.
The reason Ham Bi-hye had made me the Acting Squad Leader in the first place was to give me the status and justification needed to enter the secret chamber.
But giving me the actual token now meant she wanted me to do some real work, which gave me an uneasy feeling.
"Since you have the time anyway, the order is for you to reorganize the new Blood Wind Squad."
I shook my head.
"What are you talking about? I understand the words, but that doesn't seem like a job for me."
Are you trying to get me killed? How am I supposed to handle those rough bastards?
Besides, those guys are comrades who have shared meals and battles; they aren't going to listen to an outsider like me who was suddenly appointed over them.
"The current Blood Wind Squad has lost half its members across several battles. We must replenish that half to maintain a combat power equal to other armed groups. The Junior Chamber Leader is requesting that you, Young Hero Eo, take charge of selecting the new warriors for the squad."
Wait a minute. What do these people take me for?
If I listened to this without thinking, it sounded like they were giving me this authority because they held me in high regard. But looking closely, there was only one real reason.
The eyes of the entire Nine Demons Chamber were currently fixed on them. Didn't they issue this order just to divert that attention?
If I went running around trying to form a new Blood Wind Squad, the eyes of the Nine Demons Chamber would naturally gravitate toward me.
That would allow them to focus entirely on Ham Jeok's treatment.
Do they think I'm an idiot? I can see through that much.
Fine, I get it. But who's going to take responsibility for the disasters that might happen because of this?
I refused in a stiff voice.
"I decline. How can you entrust such a momentous task to someone like me?"
"We are staking our lives on this matter. Furthermore, the Junior Chamber Leader has promised that once this is successfully concluded, she will grant any request you might have."
She phrased it indirectly, but it was a clear sign that there would be substantial financial compensation. My resolve softened slightly.
"Since you put it that way, my heart feels heavy indeed. But what about the training for the Blood Wind Squad? Do I have to handle that as well?"
Administrator U looked relieved, sensing that I was wavering.
"No. As the Acting Squad Leader, you only need to check in occasionally to see if the training is proceeding correctly. There is a professional training facility within the main chamber for the new squad. Normally, they would need at least three months of training, but since we have to do this as an intensive course, they will go through a special facility called the Hell Hall."
As I listened in silence, Administrator U continued his explanation.
"The Hell Hall is a special training center where they will complete their basic combat requirements. Their martial arts will be corrected, and they will train through countless real battles and advice from masters. Even a single month there will significantly raise their level. Even though they are new recruits, everyone entering the Blood Wind Squad is already above second-rate, so they have a solid foundation."
I threw out a question.
"From what I saw, the previous Blood Wind Squad was nearly first-rate. Can you really catch up to that level by taking second-rate martial artists and training them for just a month?"
I was indirectly asking if they could actually stand up to other combat groups that way.
"That is why we are opening the Hell Hall this time. Only the warriors who pass through the Hell Hall will be awarded elixirs that can increase their internal energy by half a Jiazi."
Hmm, well, that changes things.
"These are the resumes of the warriors applying for the Blood Wind Squad."
Administrator U placed a thick stack of papers on the table.
"Please look through these and select the people you like. If you finish by tomorrow, we will begin training immediately."
Hearing that, something suddenly occurred to me.
"Can my Demon Subjugation Group participate in this training as well? They will receive the exact same training as the Blood Wind Squad. And if they pass, will you give them the elixirs? Of course, they won't be part of the Blood Wind Squad."
Administrator U seemed to consider it for a moment before nodding.
"That much is well within my authority. However, if they are injured or killed in an accident there, it is not my responsibility."
"Don't worry about that."
The members of the Demon Subjugation Group, who were so desperate to learn martial arts, would undoubtedly want to participate in the Blood Wind Squad's Hell Hall training.
If they passed and gained half a Jiazi of internal energy from the elixirs, they could almost reach the first-rate level. However, internal energy isn't everything in martial arts.
That was why I wanted them to train alongside the Blood Wind Squad.
In that place, they would spend every waking moment in real combat and refining their techniques. Even a month would be enough for them to gain profound insights.
At the very least, their physical strength would improve. Since I wasn't the one doing it, I didn't feel too bad about them suffering.
As long as their skills improved—as long as the Twin Heroes of Guiyang and the Seven Cats became first-rate—I would be satisfied.
"Then, I'll leave it to you until tomorrow."
I caught Administrator U as he was about to leave.
"I'll select them right here. Just wait for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea."
"What? How can you look through all of these and make a selection in such a short time?"
Administrator U asked, looking at me as if I were absurd.
"Because I'm selecting them based on only one characteristic."
There were nearly three hundred resumes, but I could grasp them quickly. I had just decided that I would pick the Blood Wind Squad warriors based on a single criterion.
The resumes contained everything from their age to detailed information about their parents.
They also listed the martial arts they had learned and their strengths and weaknesses, but none of that mattered to me.
I scanned the resumes rapidly, dividing them into two piles.
The left was for those rejected; the right was for those accepted.
"These are the ones who passed."
Since I had split the resumes in the blink of an eye, Administrator U could only blink in confusion, unable to understand what had happened.
After I had finished skimming and selecting from nearly a hundred resumes in an instant, he asked:
"To me, it looks like you're choosing based on gut feeling. Is there a specific criterion?"
"Yes."
When I answered, Administrator U asked curiously.
"And what is it?"
I handed him the pile of resumes I had set to the right.
"Look closely at the internal mental cultivation methods listed there."
Administrator U scanned them and tilted his head. He looked completely baffled.
"They are all practitioners of Orthodox mental cultivation methods."
"Pardon?"
I had decided to exclude any demonic internal energy methods from the selection criteria for the new Blood Wind Squad.
However, Administrator U looked offended by my words.
"Are you looking down on the Demonic Path right now?"
It was a reasonable assumption for him to make. But I had several reasons for specifically composing the group of people who practiced Orthodox methods.
"I realized something while watching the Blood Wind Squad fight the Iron Blood Demon Group. Even though they were similar in skill, the Blood Wind Squad lost their stamina and was eventually pushed back. I noticed the battle pattern was always like that. I don't think it's because the Blood Wind Squad trained less or had inferior internal energy or techniques. After all, as warriors of the Nine Demons Chamber, they would have received the same basic training. So why is that? I saw the reason in their internal energy. Toward the end, I saw the Blood Wind Squad members' internal force deplete rapidly. When a warrior runs out of internal force and their physical strength fails during a fight, only death remains."
Administrator U fell silent, seemingly understanding my point.
Since I was already on the subject, I elaborated further.
"One must practice Orthodox internal energy to gain endurance. Even if they haven't unblocked all of their thousand meridians, practicing an Orthodox method will unblock even one more acupoint than a demonic method. That single acupoint will become the cornerstone that sustains their internal force. If you form the Blood Wind Squad with these people, they will never fall behind any other unit."
Administrator U spoke in an admiring tone.
"To think you looked that far ahead... Even I, who have watched the Blood Wind Squad for a long time, didn't realize that."
Administrator U stood up and gave me a respectful fist-and-palm salute.
"Thank you for enlightening me, Young Hero Eo."
I returned the salute and said:
"Thank you for accepting my foolish opinion."
After that, Administrator U and I focused solely on the internal mental cultivation methods to select the Blood Wind Squad warriors.
It wasn't that difficult to pick out the Orthodox methods. It wasn't that I knew every Orthodox method in the Orthodox Murim, but there was a trick to it.
After looking at the resumes for a while, Administrator U asked me:
"Is this an Orthodox method?"
He showed me a mental cultivation method I had never heard of.
Even though it was my first time seeing the name, I knew it was an Orthodox method.
How does a guy with little education know this, you ask?
Didn't I tell you I've mastered five hundred characters of the Thousand Character Classic?
With that much, I can read most common words.
"If the name of the mental cultivation method doesn't contain the characters for 'Demon' (魔), 'Evil' (邪), or 'Blood' (血), it's likely close to an Orthodox method. Also, exclude anything with negative characters in the name."
"Ah!"
Administrator U slapped his knee in realization.
"You're right. Demonic mental cultivation methods almost always include 'Demon' or 'Evil'."
Is this guy really Ham Jeok's strategist?
Well, I suppose that explains why Ham Jeok is in his current state.
Having finished the selection quickly, I said:
"There look to be about two hundred here. Train them all."
"I will. Thank you for your help."
Once Administrator U left, I called in all the members of the Demon Subjugation Group.
Since the duel incident, they had been training in the garden of our quarters rather than the training grounds.
The entire group gathered at my place.
"What is it? Why did you call us?"
Poison Wolf Ibu asked.
They had been training fervently, perhaps having felt something after their crushing defeat in the duel.
They were so dedicated that their martial robes were currently soaked in sweat.
"They are forming a new Blood Wind Squad, and the selection is already complete. Tomorrow, they will enter a place called the Hell Hall for a month of 'hellish' training. I'm told that not only will masters correct and guide their martial arts, but they will also engage in life-or-death real combat. And if they pass, they'll be given elixirs that can boost their energy by half a Jiazi. I've made a request and received a promise that you all can receive the same training under the same conditions. So, I called you here to ask if you have any intention of training in the Hell Hall."
The room suddenly heated up with excitement.
"Are you giving us a chance?"
So Gu-chi asked with a trembling face. It wasn't just him. The Seven Cats also looked at me with moved expressions.
"It might be a chance, but you could also die. They don't call it the Hell Hall for nothing. They say it's a success if even half of the two hundred people who enter manage to pass."
Even though I tried to scare them, they didn't budge.
"I don't care if I die," Poison Wolf Ibu said in a firm voice.
The Twin Heroes of Guiyang were hesitating. They felt reluctant to leave me and enter the Hell Hall.
So, they were just watching my reaction without saying a word.
"You two can go if you want to. I have Junior Brother Jeok by my side, so don't worry."
"Is that really okay?"
I smiled as I saw Po Zhongyin respond almost before I had finished speaking.
Do they really want to learn martial arts this badly?
I didn't quite understand them. What were they going to do with skills they learned by risking their lives?
Well, if they wanted to learn, I had no intention of stopping them.
It would be good for me if they became stronger.
"Alright. Then all of you will enter the Hell Hall tomorrow."
Not a single person looked afraid. If anything, they looked elated.
I suppose it made sense. Rather than living as a weakling forever, they would gladly take the risk if a path to becoming a master was wide open, even if it meant they might die.
Their philosophy is certainly different from mine.
I chuckled as I watched them leave, talking excitedly.
"Brother, won't you be in danger if you send them all away?"
To think Jeok Yeong would say such a thing.
What help would those weaklings be to me anyway? Unless this was the Haoma Gate, their skills were only good enough to be servants here in the Nine Demons Chamber.
"I feel secure as long as I have you, my brother. Besides, if they miss this opportunity, a chance to become a master will never come again. That's why they're risking their lives. To them, this is a Fortuitous Encounter."
Jeok Yeong nodded at my words.