Chapter 258
Chapter 258
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Returning to the Divine Martial Academy (2)
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After a storm had passed, Jang Cheol-sim announced the end of the promotion exam at the resumed instructors' meeting.
"Everyone, you've worked hard."
Unlike their worries, it seemed no major incidents had occurred during the promotion exam.
"The sponsoring sects have sent their belated thanks. It's all thanks to your efforts."
He said he would grant bonus points and performance evaluations to those who had returned safely, then continued.
"With this, our regular duties for the year are nearly over. But don't get too carried away. You're aware of the recent news from the martial world, right?"
At those words, a young instructor raised his hand.
"I heard there was a massive incident at Lake Dongjeong. Is it true?"
He could feel the expressions of Neung Pung-un and Geum Jeong nearby waver.
No one else seemed to notice.
"It's about time we discuss it."
Jang Cheol-sim, who had broached the topic, nodded affirmatively.
"If it's about the Iron Chain Union's elite experts clashing with the Lake Mouth Stronghold of the Yangtze River Waterway Gang, then yes, it's true."
"Gasp! So it's true that the Lake Mouth Stronghold won?"
"It is."
Gasps like 'Heok!' and 'No way!' rose from among the instructors.
'It's certainly shocking.'
The Iron Chain Union, which divided the martial world alongside the Murim Alliance, had been defeated by a single stronghold of some minor waterway gang.
It seemed many couldn't believe the news because of that very point.
"How on earth could a mere single stronghold defeat the Iron Chain Union's all-out assault?"
"The Apostles of the Heavenly Destruction Society have reappeared!"
If the previous reaction had been noisy shock, this one erupted in near-silent astonishment.
"I-I heard even the Four Demonic Horses were killed."
"Is it true that the Iron Blood Beast Corps, led by those two Four Demonic Horses, was completely annihilated?"
"Rumor has it they performed the miracle of making water flow backwards."
Amid the barrage of questions from all directions, Jang Cheol-sim nodded steadily.
"All of it is true."
"What we've confirmed is the annihilation of the Cruel Death Troops and the Hundred Iron Blood Beasts. And thousands of casualties."
Looking around the silent hall, he continued.
"The Hidden Assassin's Sword is confirmed intact. Does that answer your questions?"
"...So the rumors are true."
"It would have been dire if the Flame Light Blade Demon and the Poison-Eyed Divine Sword hadn't come."
"Were the Apostles really that powerful?"
By now, quite a bit was known about the Heavenly Destruction Society and its Apostles.
After the emergence of the Eight Thousand Apostles, they had challenged the entire righteous and evil martial world, so they couldn't remain unknown.
However, there were still those who downplayed the danger.
Many hadn't felt the terror of enemies who freely wielded alien true energies firsthand.
But after the great incident at Lake Dongjeong, people across the martial world began perceiving the Heavenly Destruction Society as a threat.
'It's definitely different from my previous life.'
There was no more Murim Alliance that stubbornly held onto pride until they were picked off one by one.
"Due to this incident, the Alliance plans to raise the threat level of the Heavenly Destruction Society and its Apostles several notches. You grasp the severity of the situation now, right?"
"For the time being, it's best not to get entangled with the Apostles. In this tense atmosphere, even a small quarrel can escalate into a major battle."
"Understood!"
The instructors shouted in unison.
"And one more thing."
Jang Cheol-sim continued.
"It seems a hero who slew that monstrous Apostle has appeared from the evil faction."
Hiccup.
Chu Un-hwi, who had been listening absentmindedly, let out a hiccup.
"Something called the Dark Sovereign?"
Hiccup. Hiccup.
"A new master who appeared like a comet in the Iron Chain Union. Surprisingly, word is they've reached the pinnacle of enlightenment."
Hiccup. Hiccup. Hiccup.
"Rumor has it they're a ruthless killer who severs over a hundred heads with a single sword stroke without flinching."
Hiccup. Hiccup. Hiccup. Hiccup.
"Incredibly cruel and merciless, they're said to be creating a new trend in the current Iron Chain Union..."
Hiccup. Hiccup.
As the hiccups persisted, irritation flickered in Jang Cheol-sim's eyes.
"Temporary Instructor Chu Un-hwi. Am I not speaking important words?"
"Are you alright?"
"You okay?"
"Here, have some water."
Yeo Mae-hong, Neung Pung-un, and Geum Jeong approached to pat his back, but the hiccups showed no sign of stopping.
Under Jang Cheol-sim's increasingly cold gaze, Chu Un-hwi quickly made an excuse.
"I ate pork soup too hastily this morning."
"Tch. Meals should be savored slowly. Shoving it down like a pig will cause problems."
'Fortunately, it worked.'
Jang Cheol-sim, having lost interest, resumed speaking.
"With this mysterious master appearing in the evil faction, they're greatly encouraged. Be careful not to provoke them needlessly."
"Yes, sir!"
As Jang Cheol-sim, who had added a nagging reminder to the instructors' unified response, seemed about to end the meeting.
"Um, Senior Instructor."
A night instructor from the Jongnam Sect, sitting in a corner, cautiously raised his hand.
"What about this year's Year-End Festival?"
"Tch. The Year-End Festival?"
As everyone held their breath watching Jang Cheol-sim's mouth, he answered.
"Though the martial world's atmosphere is poor, we can't ignore the academy's long-standing tradition."
"Woo-hoo! Thank you!"
Jang Cheol-sim turned away, eyeing the excited instructors unpleasantly.
"Then, work hard until the end."
Chu Un-hwi tilted his head watching Jang Cheol-sim's rigid departing figure.
'Year-End Festival?'
What was that?
That evening.
A small gathering was held at the Eight-Taste Pavilion for the first time in a while. The attendees were the usual: Moyong Seon-ya, Yeo Mae-hong, the two squad leaders Yang Dae-cheol, and Neung Pung-un.
'Why is this person here?'
There was someone like that, but Geum Jeong was glaring primly at the grilled intestines from one side.
Seeing her hesitantly holding her chopsticks, he casually held up a skewer.
"Ah, you eat it with your hands."
She replied like a refined young lady from a yangban household.
'At least she didn't cry about not eating meat like Shaolin monks.'
Well, she was quite worldly experienced.
[Thank you, savage old man.]
"Cough."
Who knew she had a playful side.
Anyway, at the long-overdue small drinking party, he learned the true nature of the Year-End Festival.
"The Year-End Festival? It's like a year-end wrap-up event. On the last day of regular classes, everyone celebrates their hard work with a small festival."
"A festival?"
"Instructors and students gather, set up street stalls, and have fun."
According to Yeo Mae-hong, it was an event where instructors and academy students gathered to enjoy the end of the year and build camaraderie.
"Year-End Festival..."
"Does Instructor Neung know about the Year-End Festival?"
Geum Jeong asked, and Neung Pung-un replied.
"Of course. It was long ago, but after entering Divine Hall, I envied the fireworks bursting beyond the walls."
"Envied it?"
At the incomprehensible answer, Moyong Seon-ya, who had been listening, chuckled.
"It must have been a dream for those confined in Divine Hall."
"Ah, that's what you meant?"
Yang Dae-cheol, the Bronze Hall squad leader whose face had improved after reconciling with Instructor Jo Hyeon, chimed in.
"The highlight of the Year-End Festival is the fireworks show."
"Fireworks... show?"
"They set off fireworks to drive away the year's misfortunes and play. Haha, even Divine Hall could see the fireworks? For those who can't go out, it must have been pure torture."
"Exactly."
The conversation continued for a while on how beautiful the fireworks exploding in the sky were and whose were the coolest.
But what caught Chu Un-hwi's ear was something else.
"It's a festival where male and female students enjoy together without distinction?"
"Yes. Since regular duties are over."
"I see."
A knowing smile formed.
"So, anyone can participate and enjoy the festival?"
"Not quite. Except for the instructors who set up small stalls or games with the students."
"What? Everyone else is having fun while they work?"
"Because it's the last event of the year, the atmosphere loosens up a bit. Patrolling and maintaining order is the instructors' job."
Patrol and order maintenance.
At that phrase, fantasies flashed through his mind.
- Hehe. Shall we let loose today?
- Jump into my arms, my little deer.
The fiery love between instructor and student.
Yeo Mae-hong fanned the flames of his fantasy.
"Because of the superstition that spending the Year-End Festival together leads to marriage, some students occasionally cross the line."
'This is it.'
A chance to make record-worthy progress in relationships before the year ended.
"Wonderful. Year-End Festival. Splendid. Year-End Festival."
"Friend, seeing you drool creepily like that, aren't you imagining something you shouldn't?"
As if.
Don't slander the dream of pure love with dirty words.
He wanted to protest, but warnings flew from all sides.
"Instructor Chu. I don't know what you're thinking, but don't."
"I don't know what it is, but at least humanely and morally, it seems wrong. Just stay put."
"Right. You could end up like a moth to a flame?"
As the slander continued, Chu Un-hwi insisted while devouring the entrails.
"So, how exactly do you participate in the festival?"
To Chu Un-hwi's persistent claims, Moyong Seon-ya finally relented as if unable to stop him.
"By opening a stall that's unexpected, cool, and impressive that no one thinks of."
'I see.'
His next task was set.
"The Year-End Festival?"
Dugogo Yul, whom he met after a while, explained what he knew while envying the Fujian matters.
"It's not easy. Compared to the many who want to participate, approvals are rare."
"If I stay like this and get unlucky, I'll be working overtime instead of enjoying the festival. Isn't there a way?"
"Basically, the condition is providing 'an ingenious and exciting game no one expects.'"
"Ingenious and exciting game..."
He recalled fun games he had seen wandering the world.
"Martial tournament."
"Martial tournament?"
"They fight until one survives. The winner gets freed from slavery."
"...Procuring slaves would be difficult first off."
"How about cricket fights? Put fierce crickets in a box and have them battle."
"...I've heard cricket fights are enjoyed by palace scholars."
"You can bet money on the winner."
"Gambling would get rejected immediately. Not ingenious either."
He proposed several times, but Dugogo Yul's expression didn't improve.
"Know yourself and your enemy, and you'll win every battle. If I scout others first, maybe an idea will come. What about other places?"
"For time-honored games, there's water strider pulling."
"Water strider pulling?"
"Put water striders in water, and win prizes written where they swim to."
"What? No intensity, no cruelty?"
"Things that are intense and cruel generally aren't called games."
Dugogo Yul then described popular simple games like dagger throwing or whack-a-mole.
"Lacks that ingenious flair."
But nothing appealed, so it wasn't much help.
Finally, Dugogo Yul offered a compromise.
"Let's think about the stall slowly. How about asking your principal wife her thoughts first?"
"Huh? Ask Hyang?"
"Isn't the goal to lure your principal wife with a fun game and spend enjoyable time? Her opinion matters most, right?"
He hadn't considered that.
'Above all, the bride's will comes first.'
Chu Un-hwi looked at Dugogo Yul with newfound respect.
"Not bad."
"Lately, I've been reading a book called '108 Arts to Capture a Woman's Heart.'"
"Oh."
"For some reason, while reading it, more women throw flirtatious glances, but if it helps my lord, it's rewarding."
He could list a few reasons why women might glance, but now wasn't the time.
"Can you track my bride's movements?"
"I've been tracking your principal wife's movements daily."
Time to meet his bride.