Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Observation Class (3)
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"Now that I look at it... the first class is..."
The day he finally received his first mission and escaped from the corner of the training ground.
Chu Un-hwi was overwhelmed by the countless halls beyond the training ground, his eyes spinning like crazy.
"Damn it. Why the hell is this place so ridiculously huge?"
He had stepped out confidently amid the cheers of his Bronze Hall comrades.
But not even fifteen minutes after leaving the training ground, he was already lost.
"Let's see. The map..."
He looked at the map they'd handed him with instructions to come find them, but just reading the densely packed terrain markings and hall names made him tired.
"Instructor! Instructor! That's the training ground we came from."
"Huh? We didn't make it back home. We're lost."
"Instructor, didn't you say a warrior's farewell should be brief? Now we're gonna have to say goodbye twice."
As they returned to the entrance of the training ground where they'd departed so boldly, the Bronze Hall instructors who had waved enthusiastically now asked awkwardly, "You're back already?"
"Argh, what a pain."
Damn this Divine Martial Academy.
It's ridiculously huge and ridiculously complicated too.
Even escaping the small training ground is no easy feat.
As he grumbled, Jegal Tan stepped forward.
"I know the way."
"Hey, Jegal."
"Yes?"
"Why didn't you say so earlier?"
"...You told me not to act like I knew and to stay out of it."
"Yeah, exactly. Why didn't you speak up sooner and save me the embarrassment?"
"...I'm sorry."
Watching Jegal Tan bow apologetically, Moyong So-hye whispered to Baek Ri-seol.
"Wow. Worst case. Didn't he just say, 'Don't act like you know, just step aside'?"
"He said so reliably, 'Just follow me.'"
No helping it.
He'd wanted to show the image of a dependable instructor.
Besides, he hadn't expected the map to be this crudely made.
'What kind of map is this?'
Most of it was blacked out for secrecy, making it impossible to figure out.
"Yeah, this won't do. Trying to be proactive was the mistake."
"Instructor, that sounds like a total failure of an educator's mindset."
Moyong So-hye's rebuttal fell on deaf ears.
Chu Un-hwi glared at her.
"Our destination is the mock training ground."
"There are many mock training grounds. Do you know exactly which one?"
"Well. It just says 'ultra-advanced mock training'?"
Jegal Tan sighed deeply at the half-hearted answer.
"...I have a rough idea of the place."
"Lead the way. I'm already exhausted."
It took a full four hours following Jegal Tan.
They had to pass through five checkpoints, and the number of halls they passed was at least a hundred.
'These crazy bastards.'
What were they thinking building the academy this enormous?
The overwhelming scale was shocking enough, but the extravagance was another issue.
Halls with glittering golden tiles.
Ornate waterside pavilions by ponds.
Flower boats passing between them.
'Good lord. They've built a whole other world here.'
But the astonishment was only just beginning.
What happens when you face awe that transcends human comprehension?
"Whoa... It's amazing."
The first reaction is to exclaim in admiration.
"This is quite the spectacle."
Your mouth falls open, eyes wide.
"I get why Bronze Hall gets teased now."
Finally, overwhelmed by awe, you reflect on your own smallness.
For some, it might inspire dominance through awe, but Chu Un-hwi's simple verdict upon facing this heavenly awe was...
"Hiiiik-."
He'd prided himself on being unshakable by anything in the world.
But the sight before him was more than enough to shatter that pride.
"What the hell! What's all this?!"
Why is there a whole street inside the academy!
And the buildings even showed signs of use. They were clearly real structures.
Just moments ago, they'd been in a sandy courtyard, and now a small city lay beyond the wall.
Lifting his head, he saw a signboard high up.
- Kaifeng Division.
Below it in small letters: 'Mock Training Ground'.
'This is a real city.'
As his mouth hung open at the training ground far beyond expectations, Jegal Tan's voice came.
"Hm. This is a training ground modeled after the Kaifeng Division."
"Kaifeng Division? That one in Henan Province?"
Baek Ri-seol gave a casual "Impressive," but Moyong So-hye joined in the shock.
"Henan Province is a full month's ride away!"
"That's why they recreated it as a mock training ground."
"I didn't know they could replicate a street this meticulously."
"Silver Hall's craftsmen are skilled. There are quite a few interesting ones."
At the ongoing explanations, Chu Un-hwi's lips trembled.
"Jegal."
"Yes, Instructor."
"Don't tell me there are only a couple of these?"
"I know of five. Recreations of the streets of Beijing, Sichuan, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Hebei Province."
Jegal Tan rattled off what he knew.
"Aren't those key Murim Alliance locations?"
"Real incidents happen there often, so training can be realistic."
"The subtle differences in scenery from east, west, north, and south are worth seeing."
"Good samples for observing different regional flavors."
Logical nonsense filled the air.
At that point, Chu Un-hwi suddenly recalled his conversation with Duggo Yul.
"Jegal. Surely there are training grounds recreating rivers and forests too?"
"Ah, you've heard. Marshes and grasslands. Riverbanks, coniferous forests, jungles—each with different landscapes..."
"Why do they even exist?!"
No wonder the extraordinary Duggo Yul had complained.
He'd been puzzled by the whining about searching the academy, but now it made sense.
It was because of this insane scale that shattered common sense.
'They expect us to find the bride here?'
Bronze Hall had barely searched in half a year; touring all of Silver Hall would take who knows how long.
In his gloom, Jegal Tan explained 'Why mock training grounds exist'.
To summarize:
First, Silver Hall students are precious children or disciples of great sects.
Second, coming from such fine families, they often lack common sense.
Especially those from places like the Nine Great Sects who've trained only in martial arts in the mountains for ten to thirty years.
Third, once they venture into the jianghu, they often fall for traps or simple tricks, suffering fatal losses.
The Divine Martial Academy's founding Hall Master's decision?
- Just build a real village and train the precious talents there.
'You idiot!'
He got the intent, but the method was wrong.
'If they don't know the world, send them to the village nearby!'
'Don't just teach martial arts—walk them like dogs!'
'Don't build this pervert crap!'
It was wrong. A total failure.
Now he somewhat understood why the Murim Alliance fell.
Splurging on such absurdities, no wonder it collapsed.
'If you've got extra money, raise our salaries!'
His stomach churned.
Because of the Murim Alliance's obsessive madness in weird corners, finding the bride seemed impossibly distant.
'Blow up, Murim Alliance.'
He didn't care anymore.
Whether Heavenly Destruction Society or whatever, he hoped they'd smash this insane organization, damn it.
As he lamented inwardly...
"Have we arrived?"
A slick voice rang out.
Turning gloomily, there stood Kwak Jong-geun in his stiffly starched uniform.
"Heh. Faster than I thought. I figured you'd wander for ages."
"......"
"Now you look like you've grasped Silver Hall's greatness."
"...Yes."
"Come inside. Today's class has some very special students attending. Top students, too. There's an observer. You'll feel the gap again."
Kwak Jong-geun shrugged one shoulder and walked inward.
Chu Un-hwi, already deflated from the start, followed slowly.
Inside, a group of students was already lined up neatly in rows.
All looking like model students. But among them, some who didn't fit in stuck out.
"You lot, over here."
Eon Ho-seung, Im So-jeong, Jeok So-il and Jeok So-i brothers, and Dang Gan approached one by one.
Kwak Jong-geun spoke as if bestowing a favor.
"You've always failed mock training. Watch the excellent students' demonstration today and reflect on your shortcomings."
With that, he added one line.
"Do well. Temporary Instructor."
Then he briskly headed to the veteran experts on the side, pursued by a group's gazes.
Left alone, the group stared awkwardly at each other.
"......"
"......"
"......"
An uncomfortable silence.
Fortunately, it didn't last long. Beyond the lined-up students, a small platform appeared, and an elderly man with white hair walked out.
"Alright, alright. Time to start the mock training."
Dung dung dung dung.
Rough drumbeats echoed through the hall as the show truly began.
The old man who stepped out climbed the platform and chuckled.
"Some of you know this old man, but for those seeing me first, allow me to introduce myself."
Ahem. Clearing his throat, the elder infused his voice with internal energy, projecting it outward.
"This old man is Sagong, in charge of the Kaifeng Division mock training ground."
The self-proclaimed Sagong paced the platform casually as he continued.
"I have great expectations for the jianghu talents who will lead the righteous faction in the future."
"But the jianghu is rife with schemes and plots."
"It's not something you can easily navigate with martial arts alone."
It wasn't wrong.
But that didn't justify building this insane training ground.
"Especially you all gathered here today, disciples of the world's top prestigious sects."
"You may be confident in fair fights, but know that the world is vast and cowards abound."
"I hope you learn something from today's lesson."
Raising his hand to point at the mock training ground, Sagong pulled out a bell and shook it.
Ding-a-ling. Ding-a-ling.
Infused with energy, the palm-sized bell's sound resonated through the platform.
Dung dung dung dung.
A massive bass drum matched it, stirring excitement.
Quite the production.
'What the hell are they planning?'
Now even guessing was impossible.
"Begin!"
At Sagong's shout, a group of people poured into the mock training ground.
They quickly took positions and started chattering freely.
Watching this, Chu Un-hwi was horrified.
'These pervert bastards.'
How far do they go with the replication?
Chu Un-hwi's lips trembled as he watched.