Chapter 154
Chapter 154
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 154
Chapter Title: The Price of Failure and the Cost of Business
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The rebellion of the rejected applicants that day was suppressed in less than four hours.
They couldn't overcome the wall that was PT exercise number eight.
Of course, some still protested.
“Who in their right mind could endure this kind of training?!”
“The successful candidates will do the exact same thing. If you don’t believe me, come back tomorrow and see for yourselves.”
But in the end, it was nothing more than the outcry of losers.
Naturally, I made the successful candidates perform the same PT exercises, with the same number of repetitions.
“Prepare for exercise number eleven!”
“Sir!”
“We will perform three thousand repetitions. How many?!”
“Three thousand!”
“We will omit the final shout. Begin!”
“Sir!”
*Beep-beep-beep!*
One thousand seventy-seven!
*Beep-beep beep-beep-beep!*
One thousand seventy-eight!
Despite it all, not a single one from the group of accepted candidates gave up, and the rejected ones silently turned and left.
It was only natural.
After all, I had specifically chosen only those with the necessary stamina, strength, and internal energy.
That was precisely why I had gone so far as to offer Bukgung Baek the Red Blossom Wine to have him serve as an examiner.
Ah, I’d like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Jeok Hwa-ran for sponsoring the Red Blossom Wine.
However, on the third day after the rejected applicants had left, something completely unexpected happened.
About twenty people came asking for a refund, saying they wanted to quit the training.
You ask why, when I’d handpicked them?
Why else?
‘Damn those Republic of Korea Army bastards…’
It must mean that PT exercises are vicious enough to make even the warriors of the martial world submit.
That was when Yu So-pyeong, who was in charge of the Jinmu Martial Hall’s administrative affairs, stepped in.
“You wish to quit?”
“…Yes.”
“If you quit now, we cannot refund the two-nyang registration fee. Is that acceptable?”
“If you could just return even one nyang…”
“Was this not a matter that was clearly stated when you signed the contract?”
“Still, it’s only been a day. Isn’t this too harsh?”
“If you really wish to dispute this, please take it up with the Hall Master. Though I’m not sure if someone who quits training has the courage to challenge the Combat King.”
He would either shove the contract in their faces, informing them that their prepaid tuition was non-refundable, or…
“You can work off the two-nyang fee by doing chores. It’s one nyang a month, so you’ll have to work for a total of two months.”
“Hmph, it’s only been one day. What’s this about chores?!”
“Oh? Are you saying you will not fulfill the contract?”
“What if I am?”
“Then there’s no other choice. We’ll have to send you to prison. A fraud charge should only get you about a year, so it shouldn’t be too much of a burden.”
For those who had signed a contract to pay later because they had no money, he instructed them to work off their debt with chores.
After this series of events, the number of mid-term dropouts disappeared.
And the mornings at the Jinmu Martial Hall began to bustle with energy.
“We will now begin the martial chant during our run. The chant is ‘The Awesome Jinmu Martial Hall’!”
Awesome—!
“Awesome!”
Jinmu Martial Hall—! There are many—! But I am the one—!
Under Dang Jin-hyeong’s lead, the seven hundred-some trainees ran to the peak of Yongma Mountain every morning.
*Crash!*
“Ugh!”
“Your hands are slowing down! Are you already losing strength?”
“N-No, sir!”
They climbed cliffs under the watchful eye of Dang Yang-gang and his iron club.
“This instructor is not a bad person. Depending on your actions, I can be as benevolent as a Shaolin monk or as vicious as the fiends of the Ten Demon Alliance. Do you understand?!”
“Sir—!”
“In that spirit, prepare for exercise number eight! We will perform two thousand repetitions. Understand?”
“Sir—!”
“We will omit the final shout. Beeegin!”
And they performed PT exercises under my command.
Of course, Dang Pal also helped with the trainees’ training.
“Two… thousand…”
By shouting the final count from somewhere out of sight.
“Who is it?! I’ll kill you if I catch you!” and other such curses poured out, but what could be done?
This was the true charm of PT exercises.
‘This is fun!’
In any case, as they built up their lacking strength and stamina, I could feel a gradual change in the trainees’ demeanor.
That was right.
A tree needs strong roots to send strength to its branches.
Through the foundational training so far, the trainees, who had been mere baby sharks, began to evolve into shark-mons.
It was all too natural and something I had fully expected.
That’s because the Jinmu Martial Hall’s curriculum was copied from that of the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion, the best educational institution in the Nine Dragons Fortress.
I just compressed a nine-year course into six months.
To that end, I had cut out the time dedicated to martial arts, internal energy, and group education.
After all, they wouldn’t be able to master any of it in just six months.
So what remained was stamina, strength, and…
“Seven… hundred…”
“Which bastard was that—!”
“Aargh—!”
Combat forms that were just like real battle.
‘It’s about time to move on to the next stage.’
Just as I was thinking of teaching the Black Martial Spear, the next step in the curriculum…
“Squad Leader.”
A man named U Je-jun came to see me.
“You must be busy. What brings you all the way out here? Did you come because you missed me? Puhaha.”
“…I came because you haven’t been showing up for work.”
“Ah.”
Right.
My suspension was over.
***
I hurriedly entrusted the training to the Three Freaks of the Dang Family and followed U Je-jun to the Outer Hall headquarters, where Vice Hall Master Ga Rip greeted me with a demonic expression.
“Jiiiin Muuu-jeoooon!”
As expected, a storm of nagging poured out.
It went on for quite some time.
What excuse could a sinner who had been absent without leave for three days possibly have?
‘Focus, focus.’
I just hung my head and fixed my gaze on my big toe.
I tried to look as pitiful as possible.
After about an hour of nagging, Ga Rip gasped for breath.
I snuck a glance at him; he seemed to have calmed down somewhat.
I didn’t miss the opening and executed a full-body prostration with all my might.
“Ugh… My internal injuries…!”
“Cut the crap.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You.”
“First Squad Leader! Jin! Mu! Jeon!”
“Do you not want to work?”
“That is not the case, sir!”
“Then?”
“Well… I forgot. Hahaha.”
“Stop laughing.”
“Yes, sir.”
“So, you’ve opened a martial hall? A very large one at that?”
“This subordinate was fortunate…”
“I can’t even begin to imagine how much you’ve skimmed off the top.”
“That’s not…”
He’s probably taken even more than I have.
“And.”
Ga Rip asked, his expression still showing his displeasure.
“Why wasn’t I invited to the opening ceremony?”
“Ah…”
So that’s why he was angry.
“Ah. Ha. Ha. Well, you see…”
“Then again, I suppose a rising master who has reached the state of supreme expert wouldn’t bother with an old man like me.”
“No, what are you saying! You know how much I’ve always respected you, Vice Hall Master!”
“I don’t know about respect, but I do know you treat me like some old man in the back room.”
“Not at all. I was planning to throw a feast for everyone in the Outer Hall soon.”
“…Really?”
“Of course! Have you ever seen me make an empty promise?”
“It’s harder to find an instance where you haven’t…”
“Hey! I am the Fighting Dragon. The Fighting Dragon.”
“Well, I’ll take your word for it then.”
“I’ll treat everyone to a big feast soon.”
After I threw out an empty promise on the level of ‘let’s grab a bite sometime,’ Ga Rip finally nodded in satisfaction.
“I’ll look forward to it. By the way.”
“Yes, sir. Please give your orders.”
“It seems the Hwangju Merchant Guild is playing games with the prices of our supplies.”
“The Hwangju Merchant Guild…”
“It’s the one you’re thinking of.”
The Hwangju Merchant Guild was one of the three largest merchant guilds in the Nine Dragons Fortress, responsible for supplying goods used within the fortress.
“And?”
“What do you mean, ‘and’? I’m telling you they’re messing with the supply prices.”
“I mean, what does that have to do with me?”
“I need you to resolve this.”
“At my level?”
“Should I transfer you to the Black Tiger Corps?”
That can’t happen.
“Come on, it’s not like merchants have only started doing this yesterday. And frankly, if they don’t make a profit somehow, how are they supposed to make a living?”
In truth, manipulating supply prices was an old, tired trick.
Eradicating military supply corruption, which persists even in the modern world, was a hopeless task in a martial world similar to medieval China.
However.
“Do you know how much the batons we use in the Outer Hall cost?”
“At most, they’re probably supplying one-mun items for two mun. That much is just…”
“A bundle of ten costs one silver nyang.”
The problem was far more serious than I had thought.
To the point where a mere wooden baton with an ATK of +1 was worth a hundred thousand won in modern currency.
‘What kind of monster slaps on a 1000% margin?’
If the price of batons was like that, the rest was obvious.
They were marking everything up by at least ten times.
“…And you just stood by and watched?”
“What else was I supposed to do?”
“You could find another merchant guild. The Hwangju Merchant Guild isn’t the only one in the Nine Dragons Fortress, is it?”
Ga Rip quietly shook his head.
“It was no use.”
“What? Why?”
“The Department of Military Affairs won’t approve any requests to trade with other guilds.”
The Outer Hall operates on a budget provided by the fortress. Naturally, the right to decide on the supply guild lies with the Department of Military Affairs.
Which means there’s a dark connection within.
“…They must have connections in the Department of Military Affairs.”
“That is my conclusion.”
“They must have balls of steel…”
In an era where accounting ledgers were handwritten without any computer systems, there were many opportunities for fraud, but actual occurrences were surprisingly rare.
Because people were conscientious? Because the world was filled with Confucian values?
No.
“Right, if they get caught, it won’t just end with death.”
It was because the law was strict.
“That’s why I called for you. You’re the only one who can deal with the Department of Military Affairs.”
“Excuse me? Me, deal with the Department of Military Affairs?”
“You can have a private audience with the Grand Chancellor, can’t you? You even invited him to your recent opening ceremony. Most importantly, you have his son, Young Master Yu… as your subordinate.”
Ga Rip chose his words carefully, as Yu So-pyeong was no longer my subordinate.
“…Can’t we just shake down the Hwangju Merchant Guild? With the Hall Master here, it shouldn’t be impossible.”
“And what do you think the Department of Military Affairs would do then?”
“The Hall Master would take care of it, wouldn’t he?”
“The world doesn’t work that simply. If we get on the Department of Military Affairs’ bad side, we won’t get any supplies, let alone the warriors’ monthly wages.”
“So, you think it’s easy to go to the Grand Chancellor and tell him the Department of Military Affairs and the Hwangju Merchant Guild are colluding to embezzle the fortress’s budget? Besides, I need some kind of proof to say anything. How can I go to him with nothing?”
“Why would there be no proof? We have the ledgers.”
“You think people capable of pulling this off wouldn’t have thought of that? They’ve probably forged the ledgers.”
“But we have our own ledgers, don’t we?”
“You know how scholars talk, don’t you? What if they insist we embezzled the money and are trying to frame the innocent Hwangju Merchant Guild?”
“It’s a lie, so there won’t be any problem.”
“Why wouldn’t there be a problem? To determine if the ledgers are true or false, they’ll have to conduct an audit.”
“Gasp!”
Ga Rip let out a gasp as if he were about to collapse.
It was only natural. It wasn’t obvious, but this man had skimmed quite a bit himself.
Moreover, if a massive audit were to take place, a significant number of the Outer Hall’s squad leaders would end up in shackles and on their way to prison. Myself included, of course.
In other words.
‘Someone who knows the Outer Hall well is behind this.’
It meant we couldn’t do anything until we found perfect evidence.
“…So we’re just supposed to let this be?”
“Not a chance. If we do, the Outer Hall will be ruined.”
“Then?”
I looked toward the Red Dragon Hall and spoke.
“First, I need to figure out what’s going on. Before that, there’s one thing I need your help with.”
“If it means solving this problem, what wouldn’t I do for you? Name it.”
“Please give me some time off.”
I’m busy, you know. I just opened a new business.