Chapter 39
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: What on Earth is Wrong with Today's Luck...
The morning air was refreshing.
"Hm. So this is the place? Dragon Training Pavilion."
A woman whose voice was even more invigorating than the crisp air stood at the Dragon Training Pavilion's main gate, gazing up at the plaque.
Her expression carried a profound meaning.
"No wonder... They suddenly gave me a long vacation, and in the meantime, you ran off here? Heh. As if I'd let you slip away that easily..."
The woman placed a hand briefly over her chest. Tucked inside her robes was her transfer order.
An order assigning her to work at the Dragon Training Pavilion from now on.
The new corps leader openly despised her. He'd been over the moon when she requested the transfer to the Dragon Training Pavilion. It had annoyed her so much she'd considered staying with the Hocheon Corps after all, but that wasn't an option.
Others had put the brakes on it, though.
Right after the corps leader changed, she'd returned from a month-long vacation, and if the vice corps leader switched out too, the handover of duties wouldn't go smoothly. Even though there was another vice corps leader, they'd clung to her.
No, that other vice corps leader had been the stickiest of all, refusing to let her go. What a truly loathsome colleague.
"That took forever. Really."
Finishing her brief recollection, the woman murmured with a peculiar expression.
She'd rushed the handover as fast as possible, but the damn previous corps leader had dumped everything and left without doing a thing.
And the new corps leader? From her perspective, he was just a power-hungry hack who rode connections despite lacking the talent.
In the end, all the hard work had fallen on her.
There was another vice corps leader, but to her, he was just as useless—more focused on side matters than corps business.
After enduring that grueling ordeal, she'd finally arrived at the Dragon Training Pavilion with her transfer order in hand.
"I'll show them exactly what happens when a woman in her prime holds a grudge."
A woman in her prime... at thirty?
With an age that hardly matched "prime," she strode confidently through the Dragon Training Pavilion's main gate.
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul gazed at the woman seated across from him with a troubled expression.
'Big shots keep showing up... This is getting awkward.'
Though this woman before him was much younger, her abilities were anything but.
For a woman to hold one of the two vice corps leader positions in the Hocheon Corps—guarding the alliance leader himself—at just thirty spoke volumes of her skill.
And her background was no joke either.
She hailed from the Ice Heaven Palace, one of the New Eight Sects that had risen as a major force after the last two wars.
'The real monster is that guy who became corps leader without any backing.'
Taking a sip of tea, Pang Do-yul thought of the culprit behind this mess, who wasn't present.
"Pavilion Lord?"
The woman called out to the silent Pang Do-yul.
"Ah, welcoming a heavyweight like a vice corps leader has me lost in thought—my apologies. Do forgive me."
"Oh? You've already met the former corps leader, and you're calling someone like me a heavyweight? Besides, I'm no vice corps leader anymore—just an instructor under your command now."
Han Seol-bing, once called Vice Corps Leader Han, smiled brightly as she spoke.
She was clearly smiling cheerfully, so why did Pang Do-yul feel a chill?
"Very well. Then I'll address you as Instructor Han. Naturally, you're hoping for the Fierce Dragon Corps?"
"Thank you."
She immediately offered her thanks with a smile at his question.
Thankfully, this smile carried no hint of chill.
Pang Do-yul looked at his nephew, who sat with unabashed confidence, wearing a troubled expression once more.
He'd just finished lunch and was about to soothe his drowsy body with a pleasant nap.
Then his nephew burst in with letters from his father and elder brother.
Pang Gun-ho, the family eldest son and a walking headache.
That was why his brother had kept the boy close instead of sending him out, yet here he was at the Dragon Training Pavilion.
His head already throbbed.
Having dealt with a major figure since dawn, he was mentally exhausted, and now a bomb had rolled in.
"Ugh. So you want to join the Dragon Training Pavilion? The Fierce Dragon Corps, even?"
"Yes. Uncle."
Pang Do-yul grimaced at Pang Gun-ho's reply.
"Pavilion Lord."
"Yes? Come on, Uncle. No need for such stiff titles between us..."
"If you hate the idea of joining the Dragon Training Pavilion, fine. I'm your uncle back in the Pang family, but this is the Dragon Training Pavilion."
"Please read Grandfather's letter first. Second Uncle."
Pang Do-yul scowled again. He knew it well, but the kid was consistently rude.
'All because of Father...'
He recalled his own father, who always shielded Pang Gun-ho as the family heir. Even his elder brother, the father in question, couldn't handle the boy.
The nephew lounged back in his chair, gazing leisurely at him.
With the family head's absolute protection, that's how he'd turned out.
Pang Do-yul ignored it and opened his father's letter.
Then his elder brother's, as acting heir.
'Hmm.'
Pang Do-yul pondered briefly.
To sum it up:
The boy, who lacked judgment and harbored a rivalry with Namgung Ji-hu, took an interest in the Fierce Dragon Corps after hearing he'd lost at the Summer Combat Festival.
So, they asked him to ensure the kid didn't provoke "that one" in the corps and suffer the consequences.
'Brother's no different from Father in the end.'
Both letters said much the same.
The difference? Father's was half "support whatever he wants," while Brother's was purely "keep him from getting wrecked by 'that one.'"
Pang Do-yul frowned.
Did they think he could handle "that one"? Sure, things were quiet now, but if "that one" got truly angry...
He didn't even want to imagine it.
And this punk in front of him might just provoke that exact fury.
'Terrifying to even think about... Or maybe getting a wake-up call like that would be for the best?'
Pang Do-yul eyed Pang Gun-ho with conflicted eyes.
"Why the long face, Uncle?"
The "uncle" title popped out again. What a stubborn, insolent brat.
"The second semester schedule hasn't been set yet. Wait in the dorms. I'll send word once it's decided."
A cold voice escaped Pang Do-yul's lips.
"Ah, sure. Whatever."
Pang Gun-ho rose, gave a perfunctory nod, and left the pavilion lord's office. Utterly ill-mannered.
"Hoo."
Pang Do-yul exhaled deeply to suppress his rising anger.
The sun was setting.
Feeling bone-deep fatigue at the thought of this tumultuous day finally ending, he heard a knock at the office door.
"What is it?"
"Pavilion Lord, someone here to see you."
A subordinate respectfully handed over a letter of recommendation.
The recommender's name on the envelope was no small fry. It made him frown instantly.
"Wudang Sect Leader..."
He swallowed a sigh, mindful of the subordinate.
Sighing at the Wudang leader's name would only stir rumors later.
'What the hell is wrong with today's luck...'
He tamped down his surging irritation.
"Who brought this?"
"Waiting outside."
"Got it."
Pang Do-yul rose from the comfortable lounge chair and sat at his desk, unfolding the recommendation.
His eyes scanned the text swiftly.
'Gah... What the hell is this!!!'
Another heavyweight had come to the Dragon Training Pavilion.
What kind of day was this...
"Bring the visitor in."
At Pang Do-yul's order, the subordinate tilted his head slightly and left.
He'd called the bringer "this one" earlier, now "the visitor."
With fragrant tea prepared, Pang Do-yul faced Joo Woo-myeong across the table.
"Forgive my rudeness in visiting so late."
Joo Woo-myeong bowed deeply.
"No need. Young Master Joo. With the sect leader's recommendation, it's only right for the pavilion lord to welcome you."
Pang Do-yul spoke words utterly at odds with his inner thoughts.
He had no choice.
This fresh-faced young man was the personal disciple of the current Wudang Sect Leader.
In terms of seniority, even from another sect, he matched Pang Do-yul's father, the family head.
One generation above Pang Do-yul himself.
"Your excessive courtesy embarrasses me. Please treat me casually."
"How could I? There's the code of the jianghu, and you're the disciple of Immortal Mu Yeon."
"Such heavy words. I merely wish to become a student of the Dragon Training Pavilion, and you're its pavilion lord, Hero Pang. Treat me like any other student."
"We can do that once you become one."
Joo Woo-myeong flinched at Pang Do-yul's reply. It sounded like approval wasn't guaranteed.
"What do you mean by..."
"Heavens, how could I refuse Wudang's Young Master Joo? It's just that you want the Fierce Dragon Corps, so some arrangements are needed."
Only then did Joo Woo-myeong relax.
"But fulfilling your exact request may prove difficult."
"Don't worry about that. I hoped for it if possible, but I won't ignore pavilion rules to force it."
Pang Do-yul couldn't help but admire him inwardly.
His posture, etiquette, and grasp of propriety—all befitting one trained by a famed master.
'Worlds apart from that damnable punk.'
Comparing him to the nephew from earlier was inevitable.
"Glad to hear it. After the first semester ended, a spot opened in the Fierce Dragon Corps. Once we sort that and recruit more, I'll send word as soon as procedures wrap up."
"Truly grateful. When is the entrance exam?"
For a moment, Pang Do-yul stared at Joo Woo-myeong like he was some exotic creature.
Entrance exam?
With the Wudang leader's recommendation, granted a private audience with the pavilion lord, aiming not for Wa Dragon or Hidden Dragon Corps but the Fierce Dragon Corps—and asking about an exam?
It went beyond proper etiquette into pure innocence.
"The Fierce Dragon Corps has no separate exam due to its nature. We struggle to fill spots yearly, so we accept nearly all applicants. If oversubscribed, we'd check physical conditions, but you'd pass easily, Young Master Joo."
"Ah..."
"It's a place where even those without any martial arts training get in."
Joo Woo-myeong's face darkened at the added explanation.
"I heard it's for highly dangerous missions... To think the situation's so dire they accept even such people..."
His eyes even reddened.
"Heh..."
Pang Do-yul felt mixed emotions at the sight.
Admiration for the upright disciple of a righteous sect, and shame as the pavilion lord sending such folk to their deaths.
"I'll await your notice then. Sorry for the bother today. Thank you for the warm welcome despite that."
His emotions settled, Joo Woo-myeong bowed deeply and departed.
Pang Do-yul sank deeply into the now-empty office chair.
The sunset sky had darkened completely.
"What a dizzying, exhausting day..."
He murmured softly in a drained voice.
But he didn't know yet.
The real storm hadn't arrived.
At that moment, Ha Mu-baek's group was entering Wuchang.
"Wow, Brother! This is Wuchang, where the Dragon Training Pavilion is, right?"
Ha Seol-ran asked with an excited face as they entered the darkened Wuchang.