Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Chapter 14 Midterm Exam (4)
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"Instructor! I won with all my love!"
"You probably struck with killing intent."
"Sob sob. It was so hard. Poor little Seol is already exhausted."
"Think you can keep bouncing around nonstop for the next ten days and nights?"
"Hmm. Poor little Seol doesn't know anything about that."
Baek Ri-seol twisted her body playfully, while Moyong So-hye stood rigidly beside her, the life drained from her eyes.
"Hiccup. Hiccup."
"Good job. You made your friend covered in blood beautifully."
"Waaah!"
I ignored Moyong So-hye's outburst of tears and asked Jegal Tan.
"Afternoon is the Four Directions Sword Formation match, right?"
"Yes, that's correct. Four Directions Sword Formation match and the written exam."
"Pretty grueling schedule."
Usually, sparring matches weren't crammed like this. They normally allowed plenty of time for stamina and internal energy recovery.
'Well, for Bronze Hall students' level, it's not really necessary.'
Their internal energy was negligible, and their techniques nothing special. It wasn't called a passing-through academy for nothing.
Personally, I preferred the exams wrapping up quickly anyway.
"I'm sure you'll handle it well."
"But Instructor, aren't you going to observe?"
"Yeah. Not doing it."
Baek Ri-seol let out a shriek at that.
"Why! I want to always stay under your gaze, Instructor!"
"Yeah, no."
I have something to do.
Nangong Yun-ho looked startled at my added remark.
"You... have something to do?"
"Of course. I'm an instructor, after all. Gotta do something. Usually judge or help clean up equipment."
There was no response to my perfectly reasonable statement.
I turned to see all three staring at me like I'd grown a second head.
"What? Why!"
"No... nothing."
"I never thought Instructor would say something so... instructor-like."
"Right. Instructors are always busy. It's the midterm exam. The big test that only happens twice a year."
Moyong So-hye still looked like she couldn't believe it right up to the end.
"Is it really work? Or are you just collecting scarecrows?"
This was unbelievable.
Teacher authority had hit rock bottom.
I never imagined an instructor's word would carry so little trust.
Like a retiring old scholar on a remote island witnessing the collapse of academia, Chu Un-hwi sighed deeply.
"It's real work. I've started proctoring the written exam."
Unbelief spread across the four faces.
Come to think of it, it was exactly like the expressions the other instructors had when I volunteered for proctor duty.
'What did I do.'
It stung a little.
Not that I had zero ulterior motives, though.
The students stood neatly in formation.
Chu Un-hwi appeared before them in uniform and raised his voice.
"Written exam proctor, Instructor Chu Un-hwi."
Gulp.
Tension rippled across the students' faces at the arrival of the notoriously ill-tempered instructor.
Normally, he'd say something like handle it yourselves, but not today. He couldn't slack off.
"I know how hard you've all worked up to now. Trust yourselves and give it your all. I hope your efforts yield good results."
Surprisingly delivering a mature pep talk, a few students whispered.
'Is that really the crazy instructor?'
'He seems totally normal.'
'Who's the one who said he'd fall asleep once the exam starts? He's wide awake.'
'Ah. I didn't study.'
Depressing.
I had no idea what nonsense rumors were circulating.
"You did great."
Jo Hyun gave a thumbs-up as if it were novel, then distributed the exam papers.
"Now. Begin."
Flip. Flip.
The sound of papers rustling filled the air as the students focused intently.
One peculiar thing about everyone in the exam hall: they were all total shut-ins.
Surveying them contentedly, Chu Un-hwi recalled his conversation with Sima Yul.
"You haven't checked every student, then?"
"Yeah. I checked most, but only the ones wandering around outside. No way to check the ones who never show up at the mess hall or training grounds."
"So, the shut-in students are the issue."
Hmm.
Sima Yul pondered briefly, then his eyes lit up.
"I have a plan, sir."
"A way to draw out the shut-ins?"
"If they won't come out, make it so they can't stay hidden, right?"
Was that possible?
Amused by my surprise, Sima Yul smirked confidently.
"Leave it to me."
...And this was the result.
- Weak martial arts is unavoidable.
- But regardless of martial prowess, we must teach survival in dangerous situations.
- Some vessels complete late in the furnace. There may be late bloomers who shine even brighter.
- This small decision might save a future star!
Moved by the impassioned, righteous speech from Kangho Divine Sage Duggo Yul—who doubled as assassin squad leader—White-Clothed Judge Seon In-hyeok approved introducing [Kangho Survival Basics] to Bronze Hall.
'To think it resolved so easily. Why did past me suffer so much?'
Gathering all the shut-in students he'd failed to find despite six months of searching filled him with emotion.
One of them might be his 'lover.' The thought straightened his shoulders and strengthened his voice.
Time to show off his flawless 'older brother' charm and hope for an unexpected encounter.
Chu Un-hwi prowled the rows with a stern gaze.
"You there. Row five, seat fifteen. Put down the note hidden in your sleeve."
"Row four, seat thirty-two. Yeah, you. What're you mumbling? Think I won't notice if you pop it in your mouth?"
"Hey! Back row! No swapping papers!"
He caught cheaters without missing a beat, earning applause from Jo Hyun.
"Whoa. Amazing."
She couldn't stop gawking at how he nabbed them without even turning around.
Under ironclad surveillance, his eyes frantically scanned for familiar faces from memory.
'Not her.'
'Not this one.'
'Hmm. No match.'
His gaze swept the rest swiftly.
"Row one, seat seventeen. No peeking at your neighbor's paper!"
"Yes, sir!"
The hall fell silent under his fierce aura.
"Wow. You were incredible. The best."
Chu Un-hwi smiled wearily at Jo Hyun's thumbs-up praise.
"Ha. Ha. Glad it went well."
"You okay? You look exhausted."
"Just a bit tired."
"Poor thing. I'll handle cleanup, so go rest. Thanks to you, today was easy on me. Least I can do."
"Sure."
Handing off to Jo Hyun, Chu Un-hwi trudged out of the exam hall.
He walked to an empty spot, leaned against the wall, and squatted down.
"Haaaaah—."
A sigh heavy with disappointment escaped him endlessly.
"Gone. Not a single one."
He'd checked even the last unconfirmed shut-ins.
Yet no sign of his 'lover.'
"None. There's no one in Bronze Hall."
Thud thud.
Banging his head against the wall, Chu Un-hwi muttered.
"I half-expected it... but confirming it still bums me out."
When the Kangho turned into mountains of corpses and rivers of blood, she was the woman who stayed till the end, guarding his back.
A powerhouse who'd stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him, hailed as the 'Star of Salvation' in the righteous Kangho. With her talent, she'd never have entered Bronze Hall as a student to begin with.
"She said she wasn't standout before meeting her master, so I hoped... but nope."
Did her world-shining talent shine through regardless?
'What was the point of six months' suffering?'
Thinking of all the running around to check students left him hollow.
But slapping his cheeks, Chu Un-hwi steeled himself.
"It's fine. Learning she's not in Bronze Hall is progress."
Plenty of time left.
'Her master, Demon-Subduing Nun, still has time before she arrives.'
Ami Sect, carrying the Buddhist martial legacy alongside Shaolin.
The previous head who entered ten years of secluded meditation: Demon-Subduing Nun. She was 'her' master.
Confirmed: just over six years into meditation.
Plus, her chance encounter at Divine Martial Academy with 'her' meant apprenticing post-seclusion might be even later.
"At least three years. No problem. I'll find her."
He'd set out into vast Kangho with no real clues anyway.
This was nothing.
"I crossed death itself. Can't get discouraged by this."
[If our time together had any value at all.]
Her voice revived in memory.
[Even from the end of nightmares, find me again.]
"Yeah, I will."
Definitely.
Light returned to Chu Un-hwi's eyes.
Returning to the observation seats, Yeo Mae-hong waved.
Flanking her, Instructor Yeo and Instructor Yang greeted him with big rice balls in hand. Instructor Jo Hyun had just returned too, chattering away.
"Good work."
"Seriously impressive? Nabbing them without looking back..."
Jo Hyun's fussing drew awed exclamations from Instructor Yeo and Instructor Yang.
"Whoa. Unexpected."
"Some people just deliver."
Dragged along by the wrist, Yeo Mae-hong poured him tea eagerly.
"Drink some tea first. We were just about to start."
In the lively atmosphere, Murim Alliance and Divine Martial Academy flags rose on the arena, drums booming.
Dong dong dong dong.
With the ritual drums, two figures appeared on the training ground.
"Oh? Isn't that Instructor Yang's student?"
"Ugh. Tough matchup? That's a notable one from Silver Hall."
"Ah! It's starting!"
The match ended anticlimactically.
The Bronze Hall student floundered against Silver Hall and lost after twenty-some exchanges.
Instructor Yang clicked his tongue.
"Tch. Why freeze up like that? If he'd fought at full ability, he wouldn't have looked so pathetic even in defeat..."
"Bad draw. That An Ho from Geomjin Sword Sect is pretty skilled."
"Of all people..."
Most ended in Silver Hall victories. Expected.
Divine Martial Academy's tiers started at Silver Hall; the gap was vast.
A fledgling Bronze Hall kid with minimal training couldn't overcome seasoned Silver Hall students.
Exceptions occurred, of course.
Dong dong dong dong.
"Oh. Nangong student's turn."
"Hmm. Wonder how this goes..."
"Pretty close fight... Huh?"
Clang! Clang clang!
Before five exchanges, Nangong Yun-ho knocked away his opponent's sword and leveled his blade at the throat.
Yeo Mae-hong shrieked in delight.
"He won! He won!"
She cheered like she'd won herself, while Instructor Yang roared.
"Whoa! That clean a finish?"
"Instructor Chu, jackpot! Total jackpot! Right?"
Half-embraced by Yeo Mae-hong, Chu Un-hwi flashed a thumbs-up.
"Indeed."
"Ah... Jealous in a whole other way."
The bandages were an annoying obstacle, but the feel was satisfying enough.
Jegal Tan followed, then Baek Ri-seol and even Moyong So-hye racked up wins, drawing gasps and groans everywhere.
"Woooah! Another win!"
"That was close..."
A few Bronze Hall kids beat Silver Hall occasionally.
But rarely.
In the end, feeling the overwhelming gap, they all descended the arena dejectedly.
Instructors clapped and encouraged the defeated students.
"Good job! You did plenty well."
"You can do even better next time. Chin up."
"Hold your head high!"
Amid cheers and mixed emotions in the hubbub, the midterm exam drew to a close.