Chapter 136
Translator: penny
Chapter: 136
Chapter Title: Assignment to the First Platoon
"Damn, I got charmed and smacked that forehead without thinking. Should've toyed with him a bit longer."
That Wangjeom bastard's big dot on his forehead was practically cheating.
Forcing a martial arts path like that.
'What a terrifying ability.'
I shuddered slightly as I looked at the guy who'd passed out and collapsed.
Cheers erupted from all directions.
"Ooh! Rookie, not bad at all?!"
"Turns out he's not just a pretty face?!"
The hostility from earlier was nowhere to be seen, even if you searched with a magnifying glass.
And that was despite me taking down one of their own comrades.
'Tough crowd.'
They were awfully belligerent types.
Of course, now that I was officially part of the White Tiger Unit, that played a role too...
'But even hot-blooded guys like these wouldn't cheer for an enemy like that.'
Still, managing to boost my favorability just by proving my martial prowess wasn't half bad.
Better to be liked than hated, even for me.
'Especially since Red Peak is in the White Tiger Unit.'
I turned my head to spot Baek Ilryeong.
She'd been watching me, the winner of the spar, so our eyes met perfectly.
A fleeting moment of eye contact.
I flashed her a wide smile, not missing the chance.
But Baek Ilryeong just frowned and turned away.
'Tch, so prickly.'
If she'd blushed and averted her eyes, it would've been easy to melt her defenses, but her rejection was intense.
Come to think of it, even back when she came to me during my Lecherous Demon days, she never went through with the marriage.
'Meaning Baek Ilryeong would stay a spinster her whole life unless it was with me.'
No helping it then.
I'd have to show her what a real man was like.
A beauty like that living in lonely solitude forever would be a tragedy of epic proportions.
As I licked my lips watching Baek Ilryeong who'd turned away, the White Tiger Unit's captain approached.
"Impressive. You're no ordinary rookie."
He eyed me up and down like I was some curiosity.
Then he clapped a hand on my shoulder.
I wondered what he was about to say, but instead, he bellowed at the spectating members.
"What do you think? See his skills clearly?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Yessir~!"
The captain nodded approvingly at the White Tiger Unit's response.
For the record, his hand was still on my shoulder the whole time.
'Why the hell is he putting his hand on my shoulder? Annoying.'
I wouldn't mind if it was a beauty, but a grubby guy's hand on me? Not pleasant.
Still, this was no time to worry about reputation.
If I came off as arrogant despite my skills, or rude even to the captain, it could hurt my romantic endeavors.
"For those curious about more details, we'll check later. First, let's assign this rookie's platoon..."
From the intel I'd gotten from the Shadow Gate Sect, the White Tiger Unit consisted of three main platoons.
Nothing fancy—just First Platoon, Second Platoon, and Third Platoon.
The one I wanted was Third Platoon.
'Same as Red Peak!'
But as someone who was supposed to know nothing, asking for Third Platoon out of the blue would be weird.
In the end, I could only pray inwardly.
But...
"Hmm, rookie. You're in First Platoon."
'Damn it.'
The captain ignored my desperate wish and slotted me into First Platoon.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a crowd surged toward us.
"Welcome to First Platoon!"
"Let's do our best!"
The folks I figured were First Platoon.
One familiar face among them.
'Baek family's guy is in First Platoon too?'
He grinned, clearly pleased I'd joined his platoon.
But he was soon obscured by the others.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Yang Dogun, platoon leader of First Platoon."
Late thirties in appearance.
Realm-wise, probably at the peak of Pinnacle stage.
'This guy's my direct superior?'
I wasn't hoping for Flower Realm or anything, but Pinnacle—not even Transcendent...
It felt oddly underwhelming that my direct boss was only on par with Cheon Woojin.
In the end, I nodded awkwardly.
"Ah, yes."
Platoon leader Yang Dogun ignored my reaction and pressed on.
"Not what he seems. Taking down Three-Eyed Blade that easily."
'Three-Eyed Blade?'
The nickname for Wangjeom, the guy I'd just fought—it fit so perfectly I nearly burst out laughing.
Three-Eyed Blade—what did that mean?
The "blade" part just marked him as a bladesman, and "three-eyed" meant three eyes.
I'd thought the forehead dot looked like an eye, but his actual nickname matched?
I glanced absently toward the sparring area.
There was Wangjeom, just coming to, being supported by comrades in the distance.
He happened to look my way.
Our eyes met, and he flinched before bowing his head deeply.
'Three-Eyed suits you, but you're still just Forehead Dot to me.'
The ring to that felt much better.
"So, what martial arts do you practice? Your fist techniques looked solid... Sword your main?"
With no answer from me, the platoon leader tossed another question.
Seemed pretty interested in me.
'Well, he's my boss now, so makes sense.'
I decided to play along, tedious as it was.
"Learned family arts and a few I stumbled upon by chance. Sword's my primary, yes."
"Hmm, interesting arts. Can't sense any internal energy even this close."
The lack of detectable energy was purely from Marrow Cleansing Shedding, but he didn't seem to suspect that.
I had no intention of revealing my realm right away either.
'That'd just bring trouble.'
I'd show it if needed, but bragging about realm offered no benefits.
Baek Ilryeong wasn't the type to fall for raw power anyway.
So I brushed it off vaguely.
"Got lucky with some fateful encounter."
Blissful Creation Art or the regression opportunity—both were fateful encounters, sure.
But no sooner had I spoken than the onlookers bombarded me with questions.
"Fateful encounter? What kind?"
"Where'd you get it?"
Ugh, hate this, hate it.
If it were pretty ladies fawning over me, fine—but surrounded by burly men? Infuriating.
'No women in First Platoon?'
A quick scan showed a few.
Just ugly ones that didn't stir me at all.
"Quiet down, all! Bonding with the newbie later. First, relay what the captain said. Gather round."
At platoon leader Yang Dogun's command, the others pouted and grumbled.
"He asked first..."
"Tch, thinks he's all that 'cause he's platoon leader."
But they followed behind him without direct defiance.
I trailed along too, glancing around at the other groups.
'Baek Ilryeong's over there, so that's Third Platoon. Then those around Wangjeom must be Second Platoon?'
As I walked, eyeing the others, something felt off.
'Huh? Why are they all clustered in Third Platoon...?'
I turned to check our First Platoon and Wangjeom's Second again.
My suspicions solidified.
'Why are all the guys I met in my past life lumped into Third Platoon?'
It bugged me.
I could brush it off as just Third Platoon chasing me as the Lecherous Demon, but...
'No way. No reason for this lineup to hold thirty years later.'
The Murim Alliance forces hunting me back then were nearly at full strength.
So why were First and Second Platoon full of total strangers?
I tapped my index finger, racking my brain, but nothing to knock against while walking.
Settled for tapping my thigh, deep in thought.
'Could be I just don't remember them...'
I never remembered anyone but beauties anyway.
Forgetting ugly women or drab men wasn't odd.
But still, all the familiar faces in just Third Platoon? Hard to ignore.
One conclusion hit me after pondering.
'Ah! The Great Orthodox-Demonic War!!'
The Great Orthodox-Demonic War, with countless casualties.
Survivors were hailed heroes, but they were just lotuses blooming from blood pools.
'Died in droves.'
So who died then?
Weak clans or sects?
Those with poor martial arts?
'Nah. The ones who fought hard die first.'
The White Tiger Unit was the Murim Alliance's frontline assault squad.
Every last member dying in the war wouldn't be strange.
'Even this Baek Rihyeon died then.'
This guy walking beside me oblivious? Never heard of him in my past life.
Neither was my new boss, Yang Dogun.
So why the familiar faces only in Third Platoon?
Simple to guess.
'Everyone but Third Platoon gets wiped out.'
Bad orders, overwhelming foe on the battlefield—whatever the cause.
First and Second Platoons of the White Tiger Unit would be annihilated in the Great Orthodox-Demonic War.
And into that doomed First Platoon...
Stepped Mok Jimyeong.