Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Chapter 2: Find the Students (1)
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I've gotten pretty close with Instructor Yeo Mae-hong.
The day I smashed through the wall became the turning point, and we've been meeting up often to spend time together.
The more I got to know her, the more solid and reliable she seemed.
She knew a ton of things and had a sharp, no-nonsense personality. Above all, to Chu Un-hwi, who knew next to nothing about the Divine Martial Academy, she was a true lifesaver.
"Bronze Hall has a total of twelve main buildings and thirty rooms."
"The area behind Bronze Hall is the instructors' exclusive training ground."
"Group training happens twice a week for one hour each time in the central grand training hall."
After trudging around for half a day without a break, Chu Un-hwi was utterly exhausted by the time they finished touring Bronze Hall.
"Didn't you say Bronze Hall was on the smaller side?"
"That's right. It's the smallest."
"This is small?"
Along the way, there were five towering pavilions that made his eyes bulge, not to mention the painting studio for studying art, several teahouses for killing time over tea, and so many training grounds of various sizes that he'd lost count at three.
Instructor Yeo Mae-hong replied.
"Silver Hall is twice the size of Bronze Hall. Gold Hall is more than three times. And Divine Hall... well, it's not even comparable."
"Why the hell did they build it all so massive?"
"Most people come here to learn martial arts, but not everyone grows up to be a full-fledged warrior. There are places to study arts like poetry, calligraphy, and painting, and academies for military strategy. That's why it's called the cradle of righteous martial artists."
"They should just raise my monthly salary instead!"
He could make several times more just by ripping off a few of those tiled roofs and selling them!
As he clutched his chest in anguish, Instructor Yeo Mae-hong asked.
"You won't get lost anymore, right? Oh, have you gotten acquainted with your students yet?"
"Students?"
"I mean, have you introduced yourself to the students assigned to you?"
Assigned? Students? Introduce?
Tilting his head in confusion, Chu Un-hwi watched her face pale.
"No way... You haven't been assigned any students yet?"
"Forget students—I’ve just been running errands for the ugly instructors."
Especially that Yeom Gwang guy. Yeom Gwang. Yeah, him.
Instructor Yeo Mae-hong looked genuinely shocked.
"It's been ten days since you started, and you haven't met your assigned students?"
"Nope."
No matter how he thought about it, nothing came to mind.
The extent of it was strutting into Bronze Hall and getting hit with petty chores from a scowling Yeom Gwang.
Listening to his story, Instructor Yeo Mae-hong asked back.
"What kind of tasks have they been giving you all this time?"
"Cleaning the training grounds, watering the orchids in the back garden. Occasionally fixing broken wooden dummies."
"Ugh! That's not instructor work—that's for the facilities maintenance crew!"
"What's the difference?"
"Huge difference! We're instructors! Instructors who teach students!"
She yelled, then covered her mouth with her hand and apologized.
"Sorry. I wasn't trying to snap at you, Instructor Chu."
"It's fine. I get it."
Thanks to her, he realized something was off.
Yeom Gwang must be up to something.
He knew Yeom Gwang didn't like him.
Whenever the man looked at him, it was like schemes were practically visible in his eyes.
But why go out of his way not to assign me students?
The mystery was soon solved.
"What? You make the students spar against each other every month?"
"Yes. An instructor's ability is measured by how well they teach martial arts. Having the students compete periodically is the best way to verify progress."
He had to admit it was an efficient method.
Comparing monthly achievements would keep both instructors and students diligent in teaching and learning.
The problem was...
"And it affects performance reviews!"
No results meant getting kicked out.
No students to even teach with!
His vision went dark.
Bam bam bam bam.
Chung-hyun made a sour face as Chu Un-hwi stormed in stomping his feet.
"What now?"
"Hall Master. What's going on here?"
"Going on with what?"
"Why haven't I been assigned any students?"
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
Chung-hyun tilted his head and turned to Yeom Gwang.
"Squad Leader Yeom. What's the deal? Didn't you hand over his assignments?"
Yeom Gwang clicked his tongue inwardly.
Tch. How'd he figure it out?
The plan was simple.
Assigning students was the squad leader's job—his job.
He'd drag things out with excuses and miscellaneous tasks, then boot him out for poor performance.
Yeo Mae-hong. That woman's the problem.
She'd been hanging around that pest lately, and now this mess.
Whatever. There's always a way.
Yeom Gwang feigned ignorance and replied.
"I was actually planning to assign students. The issue is, the students don't seem too fond of Instructor Chu."
"How could they judge me when they've never even met me?"
That loose-lipped bastard.
Yeom Gwang quickly added.
"I picked some decent talents out of consideration for Instructor Chu, but they said learning from some no-name hurts their pride."
"Is that so?"
It happened sometimes.
Instructors in crap-tier—no, Bronze Hall—were infamous for having the weakest skills.
Sure enough, students often found the instructors lacking and preferred hiring outside experts or training solo over regular lessons.
"Even so, shouldn't we give Instructor Chu a chance to work at least?"
"I overlooked it. I'll handle it right away."
"Listen, Squad Leader Yeom. My head's pounding from all the daily incidents. You know what my dream is, right?"
"To escape this storm called Bronze Hall and retire comfortably in Silver Hall."
"You get it. Since coming to Bronze Hall, I've lost half my hair. Don't torment my follicles any more."
Yeom Gwang bowed his head to the nearly teary man.
"Instructor Chu, follow me."
Yeom Gwang, who had called him to the back garden, spat on the ground while crossing his legs in that signature pose.
"Couldn't hold your tongue, huh?"
What the hell was he supposed to do now?
Should I just deck him?
One sure strike was always a great conversation starter.
As his darker impulses began to creep out, Yeom Gwang suddenly tossed something at him.
"These are the students you'll handle."
"All of them?"
The roster listed about twenty names. Not a small number.
"Normally, you'd be in charge of all students. After all, the Divine Martial Academy, cradle of the righteous factions, values fair procedures."
He emphasized "fair procedures" deliberately.
"If you can manage it, that is."
With the roster in hand, Chu Un-hwi went looking for his students.
Ten days had already passed.
About twenty days until the sparring matches.
But with so many—not just one or two—he needed to check their skills and plan instruction as soon as possible.
The trouble started right away.
"Goo So-hyeop? He hasn't come in."
"He hasn't?"
"Something came up, so he stepped out."
What the hell?
But Chu Un-hwi steadied himself.
Right. Bronze Hall has lots of free time, so this happens.
But that was just the beginning.
"Ah, no thanks. I'm not interested. I plan to learn from Instructor Yang of the Iron Fist School."
"I'm practicing on my own. Group training that's not even family arts? Not interested."
"My sect elder is teaching me personally. You better than my master's master's master?"
One excuse after another, rejections piled up. He roamed all day without meeting a single student.
It wasn't just lack of motivation.
Most looked at him like he was something filthy.
What did I do!
As he scratched at the ground in frustration, Instructor Yeo Mae-hong approached.
"Any luck recruiting students?"
"Well..."
After hearing his story, she sighed deeply.
"Looks like the rumors were true."
"Rumors? What rumors?"
"Squad Leader Yeom's been inciting students to badmouth Instructor Chu."
According to her, Yeom Gwang got his close students to spread nasty rumors.
No talent.
Demands bribes, so watch out.
Likes hookers, so stay away.
Stuff like that.
"Hookers! Who's trying to block my path to marriage!"
"You're mad about the wrong part!"
Wrong? It was crucial.
He'd joined the Divine Martial Academy to find his old flame in the first place.
Can't let this bullshit spread.
He didn't want to get booted before tracking down his hidden love.
"Why's he doing this to me?"
"Squad Leader Yeom has a habit of driving out anyone too talented or who rubs him the wrong way."
"The latter, fine. But the former?"
"Means he doesn't want rivals."
"Why don't I sit well with him?"
"He generally hates younger instructors. Especially opinionated ones."
"The ways of the jianghu have hit rock bottom."
Chu Un-hwi, whose opinions had sprouted arms and legs, sighed.
"You okay?"
"It's come to this. Should I fight dirty too?"
"Don't. Fights between instructors lead to summary execution."
"Sneaking up and giving him a few whacks seems fine..."
Instructor Yeo Mae-hong burst out laughing at his words.
"Give it up. His personality's twisted, but his skills are the real deal. Peak realm master."
"Peak or not, anyone I dislike gets the boot."
"Heard he has tons of connections in the Murim Alliance. Clash with him, and it won't end well."
Instructor Yeo Mae-hong said.
"First things first: recruit some students."
"With Squad Leader Yeom sabotaging? Possible?"
"That's why I found someone to help."
Someone to help?
She smiled brightly, her face beaming unusually vividly.
Surprisingly, the person Instructor Yeo Mae-hong brought was an instructor from Silver Hall.
The woman in glossy silk uniform had striking black-and-white eyes sparkling brightly.
She spoke right away.
"This the guy?"
"Yes, sister."
"Way different from what I heard. Personality aside, looks-wise... meh."
"Sister!"
Blushing furiously, Instructor Yeo Mae-hong jabbed her side with an elbow, making the woman laugh merrily.
"Hohoho. Never thought I'd get a chance to tease stiff ol' Mae-hong. Thanks for the opportunity, young hero."
She seemed quite close with Instructor Yeo Mae-hong.
It looked like more than a year or two of acquaintance, piquing his curiosity about their relationship.
"Do you two know each other?"
"Yeah, Instructor Moyong Seon-ya and I are from the same class at the Divine Martial Academy."
"I figured she'd quit this boring academy ages ago, not become an instructor."
Both were Divine Martial Academy alumni.
That explained Instructor Yeo Mae-hong's encyclopedic knowledge of the place.
"Was Squad Leader Yeom always like this?"
"Yep. Even when we were students, he was infamous. Everyone knows about his bad rep."
"How's he kept his squad leader position?"
"He's good at playing politics. Regular tributes to superiors mean they won't boot him unless he crosses the line."
Classic bully: weak to the strong, strong to the weak.
"Anyway, thanks to him, I'm about to get kicked out penniless. Any ideas?"
"Not easy. Best is somehow winning over students, but..."
With Yeom Gwang's meddling, the hardest route.
"Most realistic is flashy results. Young hero Chu, wanna make history?"
"History?"
"Something no one's succeeded at yet. Nail it, and you'll make a huge impression."
"Sister, no way."
"Not 'no way'—yes way. Dramatic, but effective, right?"
"If it works, sure. But that person... er, guy..."
Who the hell was it?
Under curious stares, Instructor Moyong Seon-ya raised a finger.
"Nangong Yun-ho."
A Nangong? That meant heir to the world's top clan, right?
The Nangong Family's successor in Bronze Hall?
"Little Sword Dragon Nangong Yong-ho's brother."
And the family head's eldest son, no less.
She added.
"The Nangong Family's disgrace. Bronze Hall's ghost. Even Squad Leader Yeom can't touch him."