Those Who Break the Walls (2)
Hong Army... no, all the academy students were utterly dumbfounded by the current situation.
A single battle wouldn't significantly impact the grand strategy. That was the established doctrine taught at the academy. Not just there, but in their sects and families, they had all learned military tactics the same way.
Grand strategy shifted the overall balance of power. Thus, those destined to become commanders or hold the highest positions had always been trained to prioritize the big picture over the small. Rather than obsessing over victories or defeats in minor skirmishes, they focused on securing gains in the overarching strategy. That was what they had learned—and what they would continue to consider.
From that perspective, Hong Army's defeat had been inevitable.
All the academy students had their internal energy completely sealed, forcing them to fight in small and medium-sized units. Even if it was framed as a strategy and tactics evaluation, treating it as a minor war where the three armies eyed each other warily, Cheol Sunjik's grand strategy to defeat Jin Sowoon—having White Army and Hong Army clash to mutual destruction, allowing Blue Army to claim victory—had seemed a foregone conclusion.
But looking at this mess now...
"Aigoo, my whole body aches like hell."
...even Sun Tzu, author of The Art of War, might've jumped out of his grave yelling, "What the fuck?"
Hong Army had sacrificed everything to rout White Army. Then, Hong Army's ambush squad struck the Blue Army from behind as they moved to capture the battered Hong forces. The utterly unpredictable chain of events had led to an outcome no one could have foreseen.
What kind of exam is this shit?
Who fights like this?
Fucking uneducated bastards...
This exam is bullshit.
Those words bubbled up to the throats of many, but few could voice them aloud.
"What're you staring at, you punks? Eyes down!"
Of course, the instinctive warning not to provoke the madman—no, the academy representative—who had made all this possible weighed heaviest.
"......"
White Army had been crushed by the outnumbered Hong Army, and within Hong Army itself, those who had betrayed their own now faced nothing but retaliation. At least Blue Army had some grounds to complain about the "bullshit exam," but most of its members—composed of the Nine Great Clans' disciples—felt immense shame at having ultimately abandoned Hong Army to them.
"What the hell were you doing?!"
"You couldn't stop those ten and ended up screwing us over?"
"What were you doing instead of holding the camp?!"
Those who had climbed Baek Mountain unleashed a torrent of blame, but those near the camp had their own defenses.
"You know that Yaryul Geuk punk? Once that freak gets hold of you, your bones snap!"
"What about Eunho? He's the brains of the Iron Wall Three Dragons!"
"If you were so confident, you should've taken out White or Hong Army yourselves ages ago!"
As mutual accusations flew, the commotion wasn't limited to the students.
Among the instructors and masters tasked with ending the practical exam and issuing evaluations, a flurry of arguments erupted.
"We can't accept this. This isn't how the exam is supposed to be run."
"What are you talking about? Hong Army won, didn't they?"
"This is about strategy and tactics. Not some brute-force brawl."
"Don't you know the success of grand strategy ultimately comes from accumulating small victories?"
Opinions sharply divided: Hong Army's final victory must be acknowledged versus rejecting this absurd excuse for an exam.
"Enough, all of you."
In the end, Buk Wonpyeong stepped in to settle it.
"Exploiting the enemy's weaknesses is crucial in real warfare. We never stipulated fighting by the book alone, and since we permitted the White-Blue alliance, there's no issue with Hong Army's win."
The instructors fell silent at Buk Wonpyeong's words. Their own biased early decision to allow the alliance had come back to bite them.
"The semester-end strategy and tactics evaluation... is unequivocally a victory for Hong Army."
With that declaration, the instructors and masters hurriedly finalized their evaluation sheets.
Buk Wonpyeong turned his gaze to Baek Mountain, where...
"Ahem..."
...Jin Sowoon was teasing Ilgak, who hung his head with teeth marks still visible on his scalp.
What a truly... unpredictable guy.
Buk Wonpyeong chuckled wryly at his irreverent senior brother.
The semester-end evaluations had all concluded.
Once the lingering fatigue from the final practical—those Military Assistance Pills—had fully dissipated and the students began readjusting to their bodies, the list of dropouts was announced.
"Huk..."
"No way!"
"Please! No!"
Those who saw their names plunged into despair as if the sky had fallen. Though fewer than ten in number, each carried the weight of their associated sects and families.
Their comrades wept alongside them in heart-wrenching agony, but the results stood firm.
"No way! This... this is a lie!!!"
Among them, the one causing the biggest uproar was none other than Ak Jupyeong.
As a scion of the Sandong Ak Family—one of the Five Great Families—and a prodigy within his clan, his dropout was an unforeseen shock even to the other students.
Of course, the greatest blow fell on Ak Jupyeong himself.
"That's right! Th-this is a conspiracy! A conspiracy! Do you know who I am? Huh?! I'm Ak Jupyeong of the Sandong Ak Family! I'll tell my uncle in the Inspection Hall to investigate this outrageous incident and uncover the truth!"
Ak Jupyeong lost all reason, smashing furniture in the instructors' office. He insisted it was a conspiracy, but as a direct subordinate of the Myriad Communications Division, the academy's evaluations were above reproach.
His outburst inevitably drew the Execution Hall's intervention.
"Uncle...! Call my uncle! My uncle is the Third Division Lord of the Inspection Hall!"
He wailed desperately as they dragged him away, but no one from the Inspection Hall stepped forward.
Once the Execution Hall investigation began and Ak Jupyeong realized Ak Byeongbi's aid wouldn't come, he clung to the investigators, venting his grievances.
"It's definitely a conspiracy! How could I, a scion of the Sandong Ak Family, be dropped?!"
The investigator frowned at the documents.
"Five Wu evaluations? And you call this your score?"
"...Th-that was all because of that Yaryul Geuk bullying me..."
"Speaking of which, there's a record of you forming a delinquent group in the academy and systematically harassing another student."
Ak Jupyeong's face drained of color.
"N-no way! I-I didn't!"
The investigator slammed the desk and bellowed.
"This is the investigation report from your uncle, the Third Division Lord of the Inspection Hall. Still calling it a lie?"
"What?!!!"
"Ak Byeongbi... what a man. To cut off his own clan's member so coldly. Truly befitting the Third Lord's reputation."
"Wh-what do you..."
The investigator's lips curled into a smirk.
"You can look forward to it. With this level of cooperation from the Inspection Hall, the Execution Hall's got real motivation now."
Ak Jupyeong felt like he'd plummeted into hell.
After the dropouts packed their things and left the academy first, the subdued atmosphere began to liven up again.
The winter break was twice as long as the summer one, allowing even those too far to return home last summer to head back to their sects or hometowns with academy support.
"I'm so excited."
Eunseollan said in a thrilled voice. It was only natural, having missed her hometown last summer.
"Isn't the North Sea cold? It's already chilly here—must be worse there, right?"
Seong Moran tilted her head, and Eunseollan laughed in response.
"Not that bad! The winter scenery is gorgeous. Everything's blanketed in white, and the horizon stretches forever. Ah! Why don't you all come with me this break? Our palace folks would love it."
Despite Eunseollan's invitation, Seong Moran shuddered.
"I'm not even going home this time. Gonna train hard in the quiet academy."
"Why tell me that?"
Seong Moran glared at Jin Sowoon indignantly.
"Just what did you eat to get so strong, Young Master Jin?"
"Hah, come on! 'Eat'? It's just daily relentless training, stacking one day on the next."
"Can't even talk straight!"
Jin Sowoon clasped his hands like Ilgak possessed him, earning a snort from Seong Moran.
"Hmph. I heard you've been scavenging gifts everywhere besides what I gave you?"
"Ahem. No idea what you're talking about."
Eunseollan finally intervened.
"Ayu...! Stop fighting, everyone. What about the rest of you? Coming to the Ice Palace with me...!"
"This time, we should all head to the sect together."
Jin Sowoon and the Tae-eul Gate disciples turned down the offer. Moyong Jaehwa pondered long before sighing.
"Sorry, Lady Eun. Grandfather insists I come home this time..."
Eunseollan took it in stride, but Moyong Jaehwa gazed at her with lingering reluctance.
"Mobster... no, Grandfather's orders..."
People moved for those who beat the whole body over mere chest-thumping.
As most planned to return home or, like Seong Moran, stay and train...
"Sunjik, aren't you going back to the sect?"
Cheol Sunjik kept swinging his new sword. Despite the freezing weather where white breath puffed out with every exhale, he was drenched in sweat like after a downpour.
Cheol Hyeonjik looked at his brother pityingly and spoke heavily.
"They're all waiting for you."
"...I'm still not ready."
Though brief, Cheol Hyeonjik, as his brother, knew exactly what Cheol Sunjik aimed for.
He stepped back to console him.
"I know. But won't it take long? Show your face to Mother and Father slowly."
"I don't want to."
"We've already waited three hundred years. What's a little more delay?"
A moment of silence.
Cheol Sunjik, staring at his sword tip, exhaled hot breath.
"...Showing myself like this is too embarrassing, brother."
"Mother and Father will be happy just seeing your face."
"......"
Silence settled over the training ground again.
Whether staying or leaving, each student bore a heavy burden. This break would decide if it became a stepping stone or shackles through their own efforts.
Yet it also brought excitement—especially for Tae-eul Gate disciples.
Having skipped the summer chance for a triumphant return and lavish praise, they had waited longer and more eagerly for this winter break than anyone.
Moreover, after a year of nonstop sprinting from day one, this was their first real rest.
As Jin Sowoon racked his brain on filling the break...
"Senior Brother, here's the schedule to Hebi."
"Hm?"
Jin Sowoon took the itinerary from Eunho.
"Take an escort agency's carriage from here to Zhejiang, transfer to Seonghyeon Escort Agency in Anhui. They cover all lodging and meals en route."
A popular group travel package, favored by students heading home. No need to switch horses or camp—hence its appeal. Despite constant sellouts as breaks neared, Eunho had prepared in advance.
Jin Sowoon drooped his brows and patted Eunho's shoulder.
"This is too much—must've been hard to book."
At his senior brother's praise, Eunho rubbed under his nose.
"Aw, come on. As your junior brother, this is the least I could..."
"Huh? Nah, I meant sorry in a different way."
"Pardon?"
Riiip.
The Tae-eul Gate disciples gaped in shock as their senior brother tore up the itinerary and tickets.
"Wh-what!"
Jin Sowoon dangled the shreds with a grin.
"Sorry, but we've got stuff to do—we can't use these."
"......"
Under their senior brother's Yama-like ferocious smile, the juniors flapped their mouths silently like carp.