Chapter 75
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Not This Side, That Side.
While the cadets descended using the ladder Ha Mu-baek had set up,
Ha Mu-baek pulled a rope from his travel pack.
He securely tied ropes to various spots along the wall.
Only after preparing enough ropes for every cadet to grab one and climb the wall did he descend to the base.
Han Seol-bing had already come down first.
The area was a flat clearing devoid of even a single tree within about three zhang, making the name "Demonic Forest" feel out of place. It seemed this spot alone had a different terrain from the surroundings.
"What's with those ropes?"
Dang Jin-san asked.
"A ladder like this, even a jiangshi could climb up."
With that, Ha Mu-baek smashed the ladder to pieces.
"But not ropes."
Ha Mu-baek said, tugging firmly on the ropes.
"Of course, a jiangshi can leap about one zhang—roughly three meters—in a single bound. So you all need to jump at least that high and grab the rope to scramble up the wall as fast as possible."
The cadets exchanged glances at Ha Mu-baek's explanation. Among them, no one could leap a full zhang in one jump...
The wall stood four zhang tall.
That was why the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest was encircled by the great wall.
Jiangshi couldn't scale the wall.
"I have a question."
Dang Jin-san raised his hand.
"What is it?"
"If the wall keeps jiangshi from climbing over... then why does the Demon-Sealing Corps guard this place at all? Why deploy the Fierce Dragon Corps?"
It was a valid question.
They had walled in creatures that couldn't climb walls.
"A single jiangshi maxes out at one zhang, so it can't get over. But when they gather in groups, things change."
"Pardon?"
"They cooperate. They stack on each other to climb the wall. Of course, only when there's a massive horde."
Han Seol-bing provided the rest of the explanation.
"That's why we manage them to prevent their numbers from swelling. The Demon-Sealing Corps handles that duty, and the Fierce Dragon Corps assists them."
Everyone nodded in understanding at Han Seol-bing's words.
"So your first task here is to practice leaping at least one zhang in a single bound, grabbing the rope, and climbing up as quickly as possible. Master that before facing jiangshi."
Ha Mu-baek said with a serious expression.
"Learning to run away first?"
Dan Mok Un-roe's question.
"Naturally. Securing your safety is priority one. You're here for training, after all. Let's begin."
Ha Mu-baek drew a line on the ground some distance from the wall.
"Sprint from here and leap at the wall. Aim for the first knot."
Looking closely, the ropes had knots tied at intervals.
It seemed he'd deliberately chosen this terrain.
Places where trees crowded right up to the wall made sprinting impossible.
The instructor appeared thoroughly familiar with the area.
At Ha Mu-baek's command, the seven cadets charged full speed, kicked off the ground, and leaped.
But none came close.
"Channel your internal energy to the max. The moment you push off, infuse your whole body's muscles and explode it from your Yongcheon acupoint. That's the basics of lightness skill."
Ha Mu-baek shouted, watching their movements.
Ju Woo-myeong showed the best results, followed by Baek Ri-pyeong.
They didn't quite reach one zhang but managed about seven chi—roughly two meters.
Meanwhile, Han Seol-bing circled the perimeter to scout. Though it was the outermost edge, they were inside the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest now. Jiangshi could appear anywhere, anytime.
And since it had been a while, their distribution might have shifted.
About an hour passed.
All seven cadets were drenched in sweat.
They had no internal energy left to expend.
At Ha Mu-baek's call for a break, they collapsed, gasping for breath.
That was when Han Seol-bing returned.
"How was it?"
"Nothing around. Still, I took precautions just in case."
"Good work."
Han Seol-bing glanced at the exhausted cadets.
"But are you really going to keep teaching them like this?"
She asked Ha Mu-baek with a look that said she couldn't believe it.
"They need to walk the hard path first. Spoil them with easy answers, and they'll get bad habits."
Ha Mu-baek replied matter-of-factly.
Dang Jin-san's ears perked up. He'd overheard the conversation.
Sure enough, that damn instructor's working us half to death on purpose.
Ha Mu-baek's eyes met Dang Jin-san's.
Dang Jin-san quickly looked away.
"Got a problem?"
Ha Mu-baek asked, eyeing him.
"No, sir. I'm sure you have your reasons, Instructor."
His tone was curt.
Ha Mu-baek chuckled.
"No lightness skills from Wudang that use the Eagle Soar principles?"
Ha Mu-baek directed the question at Ju Woo-myeong.
The Eagle Soar was a lightness skill that propelled one high into the air in a single push from the ground.
"Yes, sir. Wudang has such techniques, but I haven't learned them."
"What about you?"
The question went to Baek Ri-pyeong.
"Same, sir."
Ha Mu-baek addressed the group.
"You've sweated through your soles for an hour, so you know. With your current lightness skills and level, you'd never reach that knot, dead or alive."
Blunt words.
But they all accepted it. This wasn't the first time.
Instructor must have a plan. That was the mood.
Except for Dang Jin-san, who still looked dissatisfied.
"Still, that hour of toil was to etch the process into your bodies. Once you've been through it, learning a new lightness skill gets easier."
Dan Mok Un-roe and Yeon Ha-min's eyes lit up.
Excitement at learning a new technique.
"You've all worked hard today. Rest up. Tomorrow, we learn the new lightness skill. Sleep on top of the wall. Climb the ropes."
Ha Mu-baek said with a grin.
Dang Jin-san eyed the instructor's friendly smile suspiciously.
Then.
"Before that. Seol-bing and Ha-min, come with me."
Han Seol-bing took the two into the woods.
"H-Hey. Isn't that dangerous?"
"Han Instructor's with them. It's fine."
Ha Mu-baek answered Dang Jin-san's concern nonchalantly.
Soon, the three returned.
"Where'd you go?"
Dang Jin-san asked Yeon Ha-min curiously.
"None of your business."
Yeon Ha-min snapped, turning away sharply.
Caught off guard by her unexpected reaction, Dang Jin-san hesitated.
Was my question really worth that?
"Alright, let's head up."
At Ha Mu-baek's word, each grabbed a rope and climbed.
They'd rested briefly, but the leap training had drained their stamina and internal energy.
Climbing was no easy feat. Arms and legs trembled.
Still, they reached the top in about fifteen minutes.
They settled for simple dried meat and rations, pitched tents, laid out blankets, and made beds.
By then, darkness was creeping from the eastern sky.
"Um..."
Nak Woo-jin cautiously spoke up, looking at Ha Mu-baek.
"What?"
"How do we... handle necessities?"
Ha Mu-baek grinned.
"You weren't planning to do it here, were you?"
Nak Woo-jin nodded.
"Then you go down, obviously."
"Down there?"
His face paled as he asked. Hadn't they said it was cursed land teeming with jiangshi?
And now it was getting dark.
For just relieving himself?
Nak Woo-jin agonized.
"Not this side. That side."
Ha Mu-baek pointed to the opposite direction.
"Ah."
Only then did Nak Woo-jin remember the other side wasn't the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
Ha Mu-baek pulled a rope from his pack and tied it for him.
"Go on."
"Yes, sir."
Nak Woo-jin hurriedly gripped the rope.
It had gotten quite urgent by now.
'Th-That...'
Dang Jin-san finally realized why the instructor's smile had seemed ominous.
"You could've told us before climbing up."
Dang Jin-san grumbled, looking wronged.
For something as trivial as this, having to climb down?
"Down there? Tell you before climbing? You think you could handle it alone?"
"Well, with you there, Instructor..."
Dang Jin-san trailed off as realization dawned. He glanced at Yeon Ha-min and Han Seol-bing.
He seemed to make brief eye contact with Yeon Ha-min.
Her flushed face glared fiercely.
Dang Jin-san whipped his head away.
'That's where they went.'
Now he understood her sharp reaction.
It was plenty understandable.
"I'm not that nice."
Ha Mu-baek's reply crumpled Dang Jin-san's face.
"Handle it yourselves. Don't wake up at night and get disoriented. I recommend going now."
The male cadets began rising stealthily.
The warning about nighttime confusion sealed it.
Just imagining it sent chills down their spines.
Better to go sooner.
Preparations were made in a flash.
The Yeon Clan's armed forces numbered around a thousand.
Yeon Baek-ryang mobilized every one he could: four hundred strong.
When they'd clashed with that guy from the Pang Clan and been thoroughly routed, it had been three hundred.
This was a hundred more.
And the Yeon warriors prided themselves on outclassing the Pang Clan by a cut—or several.
They'd assembled in just two days.
All mounted.
Four hundred serviceable warhorses was a heavy burden even for the Yeon Clan.
Even mustering every horse in the clan fell short.
Dong Ju-san had procured that many in two days flat.
"Well done."
Yeon Baek-ryang said, visibly pleased.
He approved of Dong Ju-san's handling in this urgent hour.
"We'll take the shortest land route at full speed. Move out!"
At Yeon Baek-ryang's shout, four hundred horses kicked up dust and thunder across the earth.
Yeon Gong-hu rode beside him at his order.
Their first destination: Wuchang, home of the Dragon Training Pavilion.
No plans to stop there. No time.
One reason to head that way.
Ha Mu-baek had set out from there. Traces would remain.
Visual tracks might be long gone, but those involved would point the way.
The Hao Clan network ensured it.
The day after Dong Ju-san arrived at the Yeon Clan, the two men he'd met at the inn showed up.
Since Dong Ju-san had placed the commission, he met them personally and learned of Yeon Ha-min's whereabouts.
Sure enough, heading to the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
They'd report her exact position once confirmed, even before arrival.
By the time they reached Wuchang, the route would be clear.
Forced march from the start.
They pushed at a pace that wouldn't exhaust the horses completely, galloping endlessly.
Upon arriving in Wuchang, a Hao Clan contact appeared.
He rode ahead as guide.
Every moment counted.
They had to wrest Yeon Ha-min from that bastard Ha Mu-baek.
"Wash your neck and wait, Ha Mu-baek."
Yeon Baek-ryang muttered, caked in dust as he rode.
Unconcerned with whether he had the chops for it, he surrendered to rage.