Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Vacation Trip (1)
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“A jianghu trip, you say?”
Nangong Yun-ho, who had been pondering deeply, nodded.
“I’ve heard about it. Once you’ve earned some recognition in Silver Hall, you go out on a jianghu trip under the protection of an escort instructor to gain experience, right?”
“It’s not like they’ll just let you wander around and tough it out on your own.”
“I heard you receive a mission before heading out. Depending on your skill level, it could be anything from a simple errand like delivering a letter to an outside sect, to tracking down a wanted criminal.”
“Pretty serious stuff.”
He’d thought they were up to something extreme since they’d even built a mock training ground for practice, but it seemed like surprisingly normal education after all.
Having an experienced expert guide and protect rookies on their first venture into the jianghu was common enough.
He asked a few more questions, but Nangong Yun-ho didn’t know much.
“Not much to it.”
“It’s just what I’ve picked up from tavern talk. If you want the details, why not ask Jegal Tan?”
“Right. That guy might be a failure, but he did drink Silver Hall’s water, didn’t he?”
“...He’d cry if he heard that.”
Whether a grown man cried or not wasn’t his concern.
“I’m heading to the Jegal family.”
Jegal Tan, who had been leisurely passing the time, was startled by the sudden visit.
“A jianghu trip, you say?”
“Yeah.”
At the instructor’s unusually serious tone, Jegal Tan explained what he knew.
“So, what now?”
Judging by the curt reply, he wasn’t satisfied.
In the end, Jegal Tan began explaining in simpler terms.
“Do you remember the written exam in Bronze Hall?”
“Uh... The one where you camp alone and cut the throat of anyone who approaches?”
“‘While camping alone, if a stranger approaches, allow them to join but keep your weapon close.’”
“Same difference.”
It’s completely different!
Muttering his objection under his breath, Jegal Tan continued.
“A jianghu trip is important for completing missions, but it’s also about applying the knowledge from the written exams. The escort instructor is your protector, but also a harsh evaluator.”
“Sounds like a total pain.”
Laziness clung to the corner of his mouth beneath his unkempt hair.
“And you have to memorize useless jianghu trivia too?”
“They have to evaluate you somehow. It’s basic knowledge that Silver Hall instructors must master first.”
“I don’t need trivia. I’m sneaking in the back way.”
“Hm.”
What was he supposed to say to that?
Even Jegal Tan, who prided himself on quick thinking, was at a loss for words.
Still, he could guess what this astonishingly capable yet outrageously lazy instructor wanted.
“If you want to avoid the hassle, there’s an exception. Appoint assistants.”
“Assistants?”
“Some instructors appoint experienced students as assistants to help with education. They handle simple paperwork or grading.”
“I seeee.”
His mouth twitched—he was hooked.
Straightforward reaction.
The tailored answer had worked perfectly.
“I’ve heard the rumors. Are you planning to apply as a temporary Silver Hall instructor?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
This was a bit unexpected.
“I thought you hated hassle. Is there another reason?”
“Why? Got a problem with it?”
The straightforward reply left Jegal Tan a little miffed.
“We were wondering what we’d do if you transferred over.”
He was their supervising instructor, after all.
Becoming a temporary Silver Hall instructor would mean less time at Bronze Hall.
He hadn’t expected it to last forever, but honestly, he wanted to spend more time with this unusual instructor.
Yun-ho’s the real problem here.
He looked deflated, like a duckling staring at its mother who’d declared she was leaving home.
“What’s the problem? You guys can just come along.”
“Then we absolutely have to get promoted this year.”
“Promotions are at year-end.”
Why wait that long?
The instructor added brightly, pointlessly cheerful.
“Right? Jegal Assistant?”
“Waaah, Instructor!”
Unlike Baek Ri-seol, who expressed her joy with her whole body, Moyong So-hye couldn’t hide her bewilderment.
“Uh... Assistants?”
“Yeah.”
“All of us?”
“Yep.”
The matter-of-fact reply caused a brief cognitive dissonance.
“Jegal oppa. Is this even possible?”
“In theory.”
“Only in theory! No one appoints every single student under them as assistants.”
“...No precedent, true.”
Four students under his supervision, all assistants.
Turning every trainee into an errand boy.
It showed zero enthusiasm for actual teaching.
“I know it’s ridiculous.”
Jegal Tan, who never tolerated even a single stray hair, tore at his own.
“The problem is the instructor won’t listen. Might as well teach the Thousand Character Classic to a bull.”
“I get the picture.”
Moyong So-hye grasped the situation immediately.
An instructor who only heard what he wanted and forgot the rest instantly.
“This is worrying. Silver Hall folks have huge egos. They won’t sit still if we show up as assistants.”
“Ninety percent chance.”
He was a famous “instructor hunter,” so he’d be fine.
The other three were different.
“Bullying as a baseline, intense scrutiny on top.”
Baek Ri-seol, ever optimistic, chimed in.
“If they get in the way, just show them our skills.”
Her eyes gleamed dangerously.
“Anyone who interrupts my time with the instructor gets a broken limb.”
Baek Ri-seol was strong.
She’d crushed a Silver Hall student in the midterm with overwhelming power, so it wouldn’t be hard.
Still, Moyong So-hye remained pessimistic.
“Sigh. Unnie, martial arts isn’t everything. It’ll backfire here.”
“Really?”
“Why are you surprised, Instructor?!”
He really has no clue.
Sighing, Moyong So-hye explained.
“What do you think people will say if the assistant picked to aid education beats up students?”
“Hm. Probably ‘that kid can throw a punch!’ and admire it.”
“No way!”
Moyong So-hye practically spat fire.
“Assistants aid education! Starting with knocking them down defeats the purpose!”
“Maybe after a beating, they’ll think, ‘Oh, I’ll die like this,’ and learn something?”
Jegal Tan had a point.
Persuading the instructor would take longer than a bull passing the imperial exams.
At least a bull doesn’t piss people off!
Rubbing her temples, Moyong So-hye got backup from Jegal Tan.
“Qualifications are an issue too. Assistants are usually experienced veterans.”
Assisting trainee education with overwhelming experience.
That was the role.
“But what about us?”
Jegal Tan added cynically.
“Bronze Hall rookies who never even officially entered Silver Hall. Newbies assisting seniors? Unheard of.”
Silver Hall taught more than just martial arts.
Jianghu knowledge, etiquette, strategies, and tactics for active duty.
That’s why they threw you into real combat.
Even with skill, Silver Hall nitpicked to demean you. Would they let newbie assistants slide?
No chance.
But the instructor acted like it was fine.
“So, bottom line: lack of experience is the issue?”
The instructor thumped his chest.
“Don’t worry. That won’t be a problem.”
What gave him such confidence?
Jegal Tan felt uneasy.
See you at the north gate tomorrow.
At the instructor’s summons, Jegal Tan spent a sleepless night.
What’s his game?
As dawn broke, he hurried to the north gate—and someone was already there.
Baek Ri-seol, killing time by kicking pebbles.
Their eyes met.
“Hmph!”
“Tch!”
They turned away sharply.
I don’t want to be around this woman even for a second...
It irked him.
When the instructor wasn’t around, she looked down on everyone and treated approaches like the plague. He had zero desire to stick close.
What annoys me most is her skill.
Recalling the gaze that crushed him with overwhelming superiority, his jaw clenched.
But not anymore.
With the instructor’s help, he’d perfected the Phantom Sword combining formations and swordsmanship. The gap was gone.
Still, the bitterness of humiliating defeat didn’t fade easily.
“......”
“......”
They killed time staring different directions briefly.
Fortunately, Moyong So-hye and Nangong Yun-ho arrived.
Seeing his friend walk like a stiff log, Jegal Tan smiled.
“Yun-ho.”
“Tan. Already here?”
“Just got here.”
Actually, quite a while ago.
A boring, uncomfortable wait.
“Where’s the instructor?”
“Who knows. It’s about time, so he’ll show up fashionably late.”
As expected.
Well past the agreed time, the instructor sauntered up.
“Something came up on the way from over there.”
Sure it did.
With sleep still crusted in his eyes, the instructor said,
“Everyone’s here. Shall we get going?”
“Instructor! Instructor!”
Baek Ri-seol bounced excitedly, waving as the instructor ambled along.
“Are we going outside the city?”
“Yeah.”
“Woo! Nighttime elopement is great, but daytime love flight sounds fun too.”
Baek Ri-seol melted like a cat that ate catnip.
Jegal Tan felt a sour pang, and Moyong So-hye apparently too.
“We’re really going outside the city?”
“Yeah. Nice weather.”
“It is clear today.”
Jegal Tan looked up at the sky and nodded.
Blue heavens, brilliant sunlight.
Great day, really.
Perfect for a picnic. His knotted worries loosened.
Was I overthinking?
He snickered.
A deflating sound escaped, and Nangong Yun-ho beside him asked,
“Why the laugh?”
“Nothing. Just thought a relaxing picnic now and then sounds nice.”
“Haha. It’s been a turbulent year. Feels like ages since a break.”
“Let’s go. Seems like the instructor knows a good spot.”
At that moment, Jegal Tan didn’t know.
You should never let your guard down around the instructor.
That evening.
As the instructor kept going without stopping, Moyong So-hye tilted her head.
“Instructor. Aren’t we going too far?”
She glanced back at the distant Infinite City.
“It’s a picnic. Of course.”
“We’ve walked two hours straight. To make it back before the gates close, we should turn around.”
But the instructor countered as if she’d said something absurd.
“Turn around where?”
“Pardon?”
“We’ve still got a long way to Sword Spirit Mountain.”
Sword Spirit Mountain.
Jegal Tan’s face hardened instantly at the casual mention.
“Tan. You know it?”
“The Sword Spirit Mountain I know is over five hundred ri away...”
Five hundred ri (200km).
Not a picnic—a national trek.
Everyone paled.
No way.
But the instructor shattered hopes.
“Yeah, that’s it.”
“That’s days away even on horseback, and you’re saying now?”
“No horses. We’ll hike the mountains instead.”
Gape.
He’s serious.
Moyong So-hye looked like a fish out of water.
Even unflappable Baek Ri-seol was stunned.
“Instructor! At least let us prepare! We came empty-handed!”
“In the jianghu, anything can happen anytime. Today’s lesson: ‘A true jianghu man is always prepared.’”
Prepared how?!
Moyong So-hye wanted to howl.
Yet the instructor just said his piece.
“Jegal Tan said it, right?”
You bastard, what did you spew?
Under two murderous glares, Jegal Tan backpedaled.
“That the inexperienced can’t be proper assistants?”
He had said that.
A perfectly rational, logical point.
No way.
As his eyes wavered, the instructor’s mouth split into a grin.
“Experience? Just hammer it into your heads quick.”