Chapter 109
Chapter 109
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 109
Chapter Title: The Forgotten Fact
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Up until now, he'd barely scraped by, so no one had noticed his tricks.
Kwak Wonhoe was approaching Han Ibi.
"Hey, Jong Ri-mae. Not bad at all. Making it this far."
Han Ibi replied,
"Yeah, tell me about it. I got lucky, that's all."
"Hahaha. Don't sell yourself short like that. Luck is part of skill, after all."
This marked the first time he'd spoken with Nangong Woohee.
She was as quiet as So Eunri, but her build was as large and sturdy as any man's.
A true embodiment of a heroic woman.
To break the awkward silence, Han Ibi asked,
"How did you come to master hidden weapons, Lady Nangong?"
Nangong Woohee replied,
"It's just the Nangong clan's traditional secret arts. I figured that to fight on equal terms with men as a woman, I needed a technique all my own."
Han Ibi nodded as if he understood.
Since they'd formed a team, it was good to exchange at least this much.
Still...
'Why do I keep ending up teamed with women...? It's uncomfortable because I'm not used to it. Statistically, there aren't that many, so is this some kind of system meddling?!'
Indeed.
The final exam was team-based competition.
A ranged battle fought while wearing special protective gear.
It was a curriculum that blurred the line between murim training and military drills.
They'd formed teams of three to face off against each other.
The rules resembled dodgeball on a vast field.
Freely use your own ranged weapons to hit opponents, and anyone struck was out.
Special armor and helmets made of layered, thin yet tough silken fabric were provided, but exposed areas like the face required extra caution.
Han Ibi's team was composed as follows.
- Qingcheng Sect's Jong Ri-mae
- Qingcheng Sect's So Eunri
- Nangong Clan's Nangong Woohee
And the opposing team was:
- Sichuan Tang Clan's Tang Baekmun
- Yellow Dragon Hall's Kwak Wonhoe
- Kunlun Sect's Ban Banggeun
Deep in thought, Han Ibi mused,
'On second thought, this team setup feels less like system interference and more like the organizers' scheme. They lumped all the high scorers from the first and second rounds over there. Could it be...'
Han Ibi glanced at Tang Hyobi.
'...her doing? Well, if I call her out, she'll just deny it and dodge. Whatever. It's not like this is the first time life's screwed me over...'
Just then, Yellow Dragon Hall's Nam Cheongbong stepped forward.
"Now, the trainees in question, please step outside. As I always tell the Yellow Dragon Hall soldiers, training must be approached as if it were real combat. That's the only way to perform in actual battle. The more sweat you shed today, the less blood tomorrow."
'Huh, that sounds familiar...'
"I ask that you trainees treat this as a real fight against demonic cult masters."
A subtle tension began to show on both teams' faces.
"Melee combat is important too. But to measure training outcomes, close-quarters fighting is forbidden this time. You must subdue opponents using only ranged weapons. Of course, you may carry as many of your weapons as you like."
Ban Banggeun asked,
"Then we don't carry melee weapons?"
Nam Cheongbong shook his head.
"You do carry them. But melee weapons can only be used for defense against ranged attacks."
As the explanation continued, Han Ibi discreetly eyed the opposing team and his own teammates.
Both sides had a balanced mix of hidden weapons, darts, and bows as primary attack tools.
This balance seemed intentional in team composition.
Voices from the spectating trainees drifted over.
"Why set up teams like this? Isn't it obvious the Sichuan Tang Clan and soldier team will win easily...?"
"Nah, it's rigged. Look at the instructors' affiliations. They always favor their own."
"Ah... yeah."
They whispered thinking no one heard, but inner power sharpened hearing abounded here.
Tang Hyobi was one such expert.
Overhearing the murmurs soured his mood; he scowled and turned to Heo Sondam.
"Hearing the trainees whisper like that doesn't sit well."
Heo Sondam replied calmly,
"Why mind the chatter of children?"
"It's just that it looks so suspicious, I'm saying."
Heo Sondam grinned.
"Then I apologize for stubbornly setting teams my way. But there was something I wanted to test."
"Test?"
Heo Sondam's gaze fixed on Han Ibi.
"There's this very intriguing kid."
Tang Hyobi turned curiously in that direction as well.
Meanwhile, Nam Cheongbong's briefing continued.
"Both teams, spread out and begin training. Decide starting positions by discussion, but keep at least thirty zhang between teams. Personally... just pick convenient bases."
"We'll start here."
Ban Banggeun answered quickly.
He'd judged first pick advantageous.
His choice was a spot with large rocks—ideal for cover.
Naturally, Han Ibi's team took the massive tree trunk opposite.
Nam Cheongbong continued,
"Combat begins after half an incense stick burns. Once more: treat it like real battle."
"Yes!"
Han Ibi's group answered and moved to the tree.
As they arrived, he felt a twinge of regret.
'The rocks might've been easier to maneuver in... Should've picked faster.'
But regrets wouldn't help now.
Han Ibi, So Eunri, and Nangong Woohee hid behind the tree.
Nam Cheongbong's voice rang out.
"Ready? Training starts now!"
'Here we go.'
Han Ibi's team held position briefly.
Lacking experience, they weren't sure what to do.
Curious about the situation, Han Ibi peeked out.
Thwack!
"Eek!"
An arrow slammed into the tree by his ear.
Kwak Wonhoe smirked, bow in hand.
Han Ibi fumed.
'This Kwak guy calls me brother then shoots like that? Too much!'
Back in cover, he exchanged glances with So Eunri and the others.
Time passed.
But they couldn't stay forever.
Sudden whooshing sounds from ahead.
Peeking tensely, Han Ibi saw Kunlun Sect's Ban Banggeun charging recklessly toward them.
Han Ibi urgently told So Eunri,
"So, Lady So! Shoot your bow!"
So Eunri nocked an arrow just as—
Thwack thwack.
Kwak Wonhoe's arrows pinned her down.
She ducked back into cover.
Then it hit Han Ibi: a simple but crucial truth.
The archer with longest range must provide suppression and coordinate attacks.
Soldier Kwak Wonhoe knew this perfectly.
Ban Banggeun leaped with lightness skill, soaring nearly a zhang, short swords drawn to hurl down.
From above, he was fully exposed—prime for the throw.
Then Nangong Woohee rolled across the ground with masterful tumbling.
Her massive frame belied lightning speed.
At the perfect upside-down moment, she unleashed a barrage of hidden weapons.
Ban Banggeun twisted midair in alarm.
His throw lost accuracy.
Han Ibi seized the gap, raising darts—
Thwack thwack thwack!
Arrows peppered the tree again.
Kwak Wonhoe fired with blinding speed.
Failed first raid; Ban Banggeun retreated hastily.
Nangong Woohee pursued, flinging more projectiles.
Panicked, he drew his sword to deflect.
So Eunri's arrow loosed—
Aimed true at his solar plexus.
Han Ibi cheered,
"Got him!"
Thud!
A loud impact.
But...
It was Kwak Wonhoe's arrow striking and deflecting So Eunri's mid-flight.
Witnessing this, Han Ibi thought,
'What, is he Robin Hood now? How the...'
Then—
Shweee!
Something sliced the air in the unexpected lull.
Tang Baekmun's hidden weapons, slipping in close while attention scattered.
So Eunri pivoted, firing at him.
Tang Baekmun twisted midair to dodge.
This close, her bow hindered more than helped.
At least Nangong Woohee had returned, hurling at Tang Baekmun.
But he assumed a bizarre stance.
Flared sleeves wide, he spun rapidly.
Her projectiles sucked toward him.
Han Ibi felt cold sweat down his spine, a bad premonition.
Tang Baekmun spun two more turns, then unleashed his own plus recovered weapons in a salvo.
The pinnacle of Sichuan Tang Clan hidden arts.
A storm of darts lunged like starving beasts.
They desperately defended, but...
Frontline Nangong Woohee took multiple hits to the abdomen.
Instinctively, Han Ibi drew his Single Strike Sword.
He shielded the exposed So Eunri.
The speed-attuned blade whirled in a frenzy.
'Who knew pen-spinning from school would save me like this!'
Forming a defensive veil, he occasionally flung darts at Tang Baekmun.
He started to tell So Eunri to fall back and shoot, but realized leaving cover invited Kwak Wonhoe's barrage.
Stuck either way.
Worse, Tang Baekmun's assault sharpened.
Ban Banggeun charged again from afar.
'We were outmatched after all...'
As Han Ibi despaired—
Thwack!
An unexpected sound.
Incredibly, an arrow pierced Tang Baekmun's side.
Even he muttered in shock,
"Huh. How...?"
The truth: Hindered by short range, So Eunri had gripped and hurled her arrow by hand.
Like a dart or sleeve arrow.
Han Ibi thought,
'As expected. Only someone as straightforward as So Eunri could think of that...'
Silence fell briefly...
Who could've foreseen the training unfolding this way?
Even the Tang Clan prodigy at hidden weapons' peak, eliminated so anticlimactically...
Tang Hyobi, usually even-tempered, grimaced deeply.
Nam Cheongbong announced,
"Nangong Clan's Nangong Woohee, Sichuan Tang Clan's Tang Baekmun—eliminated!"
Then—
Shweee!
The wind-cutting whistle.
In that instant, Han Ibi realized.
He'd completely forgotten the swiftly approaching Ban Banggeun.
(To be continued)