Myst, Might, Mayhem (Novel) - Chapter 235 - Imperial Guard Bureau Martial Examination (3)

Chapter 235 – Imperial Guard Bureau Martial Examination (3)

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Wi Bu-cheong was the name of the sharp-eyed, hook-nosed young man.

He belonged to the faction of Prince Gyeong, the emperor’s younger brother, and was already slated to be selected into the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

He was the son of the Left Assistant Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, a senior third-rank official, and had personally received martial instruction from Gwi Sa-man, the Evil Silence Sword, one of the Nine Alliance Leaders of the Fourfold Alliance, one of the martial world’s third-generation powers.

Since he was the only one among the trainees who had learned martial arts from the Fourfold Alliance, which belonged to the evil path rather than the righteous martial world, he stood apart from the others.

Of course, he did not care about that either.

He would rise to greater heights anyway, while all of them would become failures left behind by life.

Even so, there were people who caught Wi Bu-cheong’s interest for the first time.

They were none other than the younger generation of the Heaven and Earth Society.

‘Those are the Heaven and Earth Society?’

The Heaven and Earth Society was one of the martial world’s three great third-generation powers, a group that professed neutrality rather than righteousness or evil and pursued a martial way governed by the law of the strong devouring the weak.

In practice, however, they were treated as belonging to the evil factions.

Perhaps because of that, Wi Bu-cheong, who had been influenced by the Fourfold Alliance, found them rather familiar.

They were better than the hypocrites who prattled on about justice and other such nonsense.

With a snort, Wi Bu-cheong said to Mok Gyeong-un,

“Ha! Famous? Sure. A guy who couldn’t even properly learn internal power suddenly jumped from the lower class to the upper class in only five days.”

“Couldn’t properly learn internal power?”

“That bastard was said to be constitutionally unable to cultivate internal power. He was no different from trash. But then that kind of fellow suddenly advanced right before the selection for the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Hearing that, doesn’t it ring any bells?”

“You mean it reeks of something rotten?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Wi Bu-cheong grinned.

“As expected of someone from the great Heaven and Earth Society, we understand each other. I’m Wi Bu-cheong.”

Wi Bu-cheong held out his hand to Mok Gyeong-un.

A strange gleam flashed in Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes.

‘Ah. They did say this one also belongs to Prince Gyeong’s faction.’

Going by the information he had been given, that should be the case.

Either Geum Jong-hyeon of the Zhongnan Sect or Wi Bu-cheong was one of the people whose selection into the Embroidered Uniform Guard had already been decided.

Of course, he was not particularly curious which of them it was.

And he had no interest in Wi Bu-cheong himself either.

Still, there was no need to make things awkward here, so Mok Gyeong-un took his hand and answered with a smile.

“I’m Mok Gyeong-un.”

“Mok Gyeong-un? Mok is an uncommon surname.”

“That is what people say.”

‘He says that like it is somebody else’s business.’

Wi Bu-cheong found it odd, but not enough to show it.

More than that, he wanted to use this chance to build ties with the younger members of the Heaven and Earth Society, whom he regarded as a kindred evil faction despite being from a different camp.

Unlike him, however, Mok Gyeong-un’s attention was already directed toward the person Wi Bu-cheong found irritating.

“Do you happen to know that person’s name?”

At that, Wi Bu-cheong raised one eyebrow and said,

“What would you want with the name of vermin like that?”

He could not understand it.

Prince Gyeong himself, the man leading their faction, had already been paying that fellow a great deal of attention.

That alone had made him irritated enough, so why was it that everyone he wanted at his side kept taking an interest not in him, but in that bastard?

“So you don’t know?”

“Of course I know. I just don’t see why there’s any need to learn about vermin like that…”

“I thought you were a courteous man, but it seems you’re quite jealous.”

“What?”

At that, Wi Bu-cheong furrowed his brow.

Then, clearly displeased, he said to Mok Gyeong-un,

“What nonsense are you spouting? Why would I be jealous of trash like that? There is simply no benefit in bothering with the likes of him…”

“I advanced today too.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Wi Bu-cheong answered in bewilderment,

“You are different from that guy. You come from the Heaven and Earth Society, one of the martial world’s three great third-generation powers, while that fellow is…”

“Why does that matter? I moved up in a single day too. In that case, I don’t seem all that different from him.”

“No, what in the world…”

“Doesn’t the same foul stench of vermin rise from me too?”

“…”

Wi Bu-cheong shut his mouth.

He had wanted to build a relationship with him because he came from the Heaven and Earth Society, but now his feelings had completely changed.

This fellow did not suit him at all.

All of a sudden, he understood why the Fourfold Alliance, despite being practically the same kind of evil faction, had never once formed an alliance with the Heaven and Earth Society.

‘Damn it.’

Wi Bu-cheong glared at Mok Gyeong-un in annoyance, then turned and left.

What a petty bastard.

Cheong-ryeong said that with a scoff.

At that, Mok Gyeong-un shrugged.

Maybe.

It did not seem to be a matter of personality alone.

Considering how far Wi Bu-cheong had gone in showing hostility over nothing more than being asked for the man’s name, it did not seem to be mere dislike over a class promotion.

‘What could it be?’

Surely not for a reason similar to his own.

Mok Gyeong-un stared at the man, who was still engrossed in his handstand push-ups, then opened the demonic power of the Third Eye in his right eye.

He wanted to find out what it was about that fellow that felt subtly irritating.

But then,

‘!?’

Mok Gyeong-un tilted his head.

Because there truly was no internal power in him at all.

He was not concealing it with some special method or suppressing it with a prohibition.

That result was genuinely unexpected.

Why are you acting like that, sentient one?

He really doesn’t seem to have cultivated internal power.

Internal power, you say? Then are you saying he trained only external arts?

…At least, that is how it looks. But then I cannot understand how he is in the upper class.

Only first-rate experts or above should be in the upper class.

Yet it was almost impossible to face a first-rate expert relying only on external arts.

At that, Cheong-ryeong said indifferently,

Just as that sentient one said earlier, if someone behind him used their influence, I suppose it could happen. The imperial palace is politics above all else.

Hmm.

If there is nothing more to it, then forget about him. Your purpose is not to get entangled in their factional struggle, is it?

That is true.

Mok Gyeong-un promptly dispelled the demonic power of the Third Eye.

If the man truly had not learned internal power, then, just as Cheong-ryeong said, there was no need to pay him further attention.

Still, he did not understand why something about him felt so unpleasant.

His source qi, the vital essence that could be called the root of life, seemed a little stronger than that of ordinary people, but that was all.

* * *

The next day, the day of the Imperial Guard Bureau martial examination, arrived.

The trainees of the upper class stood waiting in the training ground with tense expressions.

At that moment, a group of people approached the platform in the training ground.

Everyone’s gaze turned forward.

Those men and women, wearing red and blue flying-fish robes with golden belts, were the Embroidered Uniform Guards serving as supervisors for this Imperial Guard Bureau martial examination.

“Waaah.”

Some of the trainees looking ahead let out exclamations.

That was because the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the red flying-fish robe at the front was an astonishing beauty.

Unlike those trainees, however, Mok Gyeong-un was wearing a puzzled expression.

‘Hmm.’

He had heard what position was signified by the gold belt over a red flying-fish robe.

It was that of a Yukcheonho, the head of one of the six practical departments within the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

It was said that, excluding only the Southern Jinmu Officer and the Northern Jinmu Officer, who stood at the top of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the six Yukcheonho were the most formidable practical fighters within it.

Two of those Yukcheonho were standing on the platform.

The male Yukcheonho had clearly reached the level of a seasoned peak master, exactly the level he had expected. But the aura he felt from that beautiful female Yukcheonho was no more than the level of absolute mastery.

He wondered if she was hiding her qi, but that did not seem to be the case either.

‘What is this?’

Mok Gyeong-un stared at her, then shifted his gaze back toward that fellow from yesterday who had been training with handstand push-ups.

Why are you acting like that?

…It may simply be my mistake.

Mok Gyeong-un shrugged.

Just then, the male Yukcheonho on the platform stepped forward and opened his mouth.

“All trainee cadets, be silent.”

At that booming voice infused with internal power, the training ground fell silent in an instant.

A startled look spread everywhere.

Everyone knew the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s Yukcheonho had reached the realm of peak mastery, but experiencing such internal power directly like this was clearly astonishing.

“Amazing.”

“So this is a Yukcheonho.”

To those aiming for the Embroidered Uniform Guard, they were objects of admiration.

Perhaps sensing their gaze, the male Yukcheonho proudly shrugged his shoulders with a satisfied expression before speaking again.

“I am Chae Ho-seong, the Yukcheonho serving as chief supervisor of this Embroidered Uniform Guard selection process…”

“I am Yukcheonho So Ye-rin.”

At the female Yukcheonho’s introduction that followed, the trainees broke into cheers.

At that sight, Chae Ho-seong shook his head.

As expected, there was no overcoming the popularity of this beautiful lone woman among them.

“Silence!”

At Chae Ho-seong’s bark, the training ground quieted again.

Then he continued,

“As the director of the Imperial Guard Bureau training hall has already told you, this Imperial Guard Bureau martial examination will be used to select the secondary candidates for recruitment into the Embroidered Uniform Guard.”

Up to that point, everyone naturally already knew.

The real point came after that.

“Then from this moment, we will conduct the first stage of selection, a test measuring internal power. Anyone who has not reached the minimum requirement of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the level of first-rate internal power, will all be eliminated.”

‘An internal power test?’

At the announcement that the selection process would begin immediately, the entire training ground grew noisy at once.

* * *

The Imperial Guard Bureau guards hurried about making preparations for the internal power measurement.

In the meantime, Yukcheonho Chae Ho-seong stepped down from the platform and looked toward the six people in blue flying-fish robes.

These were the assistant supervisors drawn from the Six Line Offices, the collective name for the six departments of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

A blue flying-fish robe signified the rank of Cheonho.

And the number embroidered in silver on their right sleeves showed which department each belonged to.

The practical ranking structure within the Embroidered Uniform Guard was as follows.

Seventh-rank Chief Banner Officer, sixth-rank Assistant Hundred-Household Officer, sixth-rank Hundred-Household Officer, fifth-rank Assistant Thousand-Household Officer, fifth-rank Thousand-Household Officer, fourth-rank Yukcheonho, and fourth-rank Jinmu Officer.

Above them were the Commander, Assistant Commander, and Commissioner, who controlled the entire Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The command line in practice mainly conveyed orders, so real authority lay with the Jinmu Officers. That was why the peak of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was said to be the Jinmu Officers.

These Cheonho were assigned to the six departments of the Six Line Offices in numbers ranging from a minimum of two to a maximum of four.

That meant the men standing here could each be considered the second most important person in their department.

Since this examination would also be used to assess aptitudes by department and assign personnel accordingly, the Cheonho had to observe the trainees carefully.

“Well? Are there any trainees that catch your eye for your respective departments?”

The Cheonho of each department had already gathered the personal information of the upper-class trainees beforehand.

At Yukcheonho Chae Ho-seong’s question, Hwa Yeong-in, the Cheonho of the First Line Department responsible for the safety of the imperial family and inner court, let out a faint sigh and said,

“Since the First Line Department never really has any choice in the Embroidered Uniform Guard examination anyway, I did not examine them in detail.”

“We can discuss that later.”

Yukcheonho Chae Ho-seong cut him off at an appropriate point.

There were too many eyes and ears around.

Just as Hwa Yeong-in had said, the First Line Department was filled through prior appointments during the Embroidered Uniform Guard examination, making it difficult to bring in those who were genuinely useful.

But speaking of that too openly would inevitably reach the ears of those appointed candidates.

“What about the Second Line Department?”

“Judging from the roster, Geum Jong-hyeon seems the most interesting.”

“Oh? Geum Jong-hyeon.”

The other Cheonho also showed interest at the words of Si U-ryang, the Cheonho of the Second Line Department.

They too had been intrigued by his unusual background.

Setting aside those who had already been chosen in advance, the son of a fifth-rank Reader-in-Waiting of the Hanlin Academy, a literary household, had not only become a disciple of the Zhongnan Sect, but had also ranked among the top five trainees academically.

“He fits us as well, does he not, Cheonho O?”

“He does indeed, Yukcheonho.”

O Mu-gi, the Cheonho of the Third Line Department, agreed with Chae Ho-seong.

They too had been watching Geum Jong-hyeon closely.

He possessed excellent martial skill, strong grades, and the sharpness expected of a literary family. He was exactly the sort of talent the information-oriented Third Line Department would covet.

“The Third Line Department already got the top-ranked trainee last time, so perhaps you could yield a little this time.”

“Hahahahahaha!”

At those words from Si U-ryang, Chae Ho-seong laughed heartily.

Then he refused firmly.

“No.”

“That is harsh.”

“Then hurry and earn a promotion.”

“Ahem.”

In any case, those who ultimately passed the Embroidered Uniform Guard examination would be assigned only after the heads of all six departments gathered and made a decision.

That was why arguing here like this had little real meaning.

Enjoying the chance to tease Cheonho Si U-ryang, Yukcheonho Chae Ho-seong next asked Mak Myeong-bo, the Cheonho of the Fourth Line Department,

“And what of the Fourth Line Department?”

“For us, Namgung Cheong-hyeon of the Namgung Clan stands out. Given the nature of the Fourth Line Department, which handles the forbidden prison, it is best if the strongest martial artist comes in.”

“Indeed. That makes sense.”

Everyone had expected Namgung Cheong-hyeon’s name to come up at least once.

He was the grandson of Namgung Jin, the Azure Heaven Martial Sword, and a member of one of the Seven Great Clans, that famous martial family of the martial world.

He had already reached the threshold of peak mastery when he entered, and in terms of swordsmanship alone he was a prodigy capable of overwhelming all the trainees.

So all the Cheonho of the Six Line Offices acknowledged his ability.

“I don’t know about that.”

At that moment, someone spoke.

Everyone’s gaze turned toward him.

He was the man with the darkest expression among the six Cheonho.

This Embroidered Uniform Guard officer, whose face was marked with numerous scars, was Maek Ha-gyun, the Cheonho of the Fifth Line Department, the unit said to carry out the most secretive assignments.

“What do you mean by that?”

“The most outstanding trainees of this class may well be the younger members of the Heaven and Earth Society. In particular, it was difficult even to estimate the martial prowess of the trainees named Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak.”

“…Ah!”

At that, Mak Myeong-bo, the Cheonho of the Fourth Line Department, did not deny it.

He too had only belatedly been informed that the younger generation of the Heaven and Earth Society had joined the examination, so from the moment he entered the training ground he had observed them closely.

And the result had fully lived up to their reputation.

Just as Maek Ha-gyun of the Fifth Line Department had said, the martial prowess of Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak in particular had been difficult even for him, an Embroidered Uniform Guard Cheonho, to estimate.

That was not the level of ability one could merely call promising juniors.

“It seems they sent them with real determination.”

As expected of the Heaven and Earth Society, the power among the martial world’s three great third-generation forces that pursued the essence of martial arts most fundamentally.

This examination might produce a result no one had predicted.

“In my view, a fellow named Yeom Gyeong doesn’t look ordinary either.”

At that moment, Tae Ho-in, the Cheonho of the Sixth Line Department, cut in.

At his words, the others chuckled.

He was praising Yeom Gyeong, an official disciple of Mount Hua, because he himself had once been a lay disciple of the Mount Hua Sect.

Of course, there was some favoritism in that, but trainee Yeom Gyeong was also among the top five academically.

While preparations for the internal power test continued, Yukcheonho Chae Ho-seong, having heard the views of the Cheonho from every department of the Six Line Offices, was about to bring the discussion to a close.

“All right, all right. I have heard the opinions of each Cheonho. Once we test their internal power, we will find out which of them truly stands out.”

“If that is the case, Yukcheonho, how about we make a wager?”

“A wager?”

“A dinner wager. What do you think?”

The proposal from Si U-ryang, the Cheonho of the Second Line Department, interested Chae Ho-seong.

They had already been planning to gather for a light dinner among the supervisors once today’s duties were over.

Chae Ho-seong looked around at the other Cheonho.

“I agree.”

“As do I.”

“Let us do that.”

Since the mood was one of unanimous agreement, Chae Ho-seong grinned and said,

“If everyone piles onto one person, then it won’t count as a wager and there will be no fun in it. If two or more of you choose the same trainee, then one of you should pick someone else.”

“Understood.”

Thus a wager was made over the trainees’ internal power measurements.

Each of them placed their choice on the trainees they had found interesting from the start.

The only one who voiced no opinion was Yukcheonho So Ye-rin, who seemed uninterested in the wager itself.

She was so expressionless that it was difficult to tell what she was thinking.

At that, Chae Ho-seong, the other Yukcheonho, said,

“Yukcheonho So, why don’t you choose someone as well? We are all dining together anyway.”

After silently looking over Chae Ho-seong and the Cheonho, she carefully parted her cherry-like lips.

“Hasn’t our department’s Cheonho, Tae Ho-in, already chosen Yeom Gyeong?”

“Hm? Then does that mean you have someone else in mind, Yukcheonho So?”

“…”

Her silence was close to an affirmation.

Everyone grew curious.

“Who is it?”

“Surely one of the Heaven and Earth Society’s Seop Chun or Mong Mu-yak?”

“Or Namgung Cheong-hyeon?”

Perhaps finding the barrage of questions burdensome, Yukcheonho So Ye-rin quietly took a step back.

At that, Chae Ho-seong said in exasperation,

“Since this isn’t a wager by department but by individual, just say it.”

Only then did she quietly open her lips.

“…I choose Ju Un-hyang.”

‘!?’

At her words, everyone stared blankly.

She had named a trainee no one had expected.

The choice was so absurd that even Hwa Yeong-in of the First Line Department, who until then had shown no particular interest in the wager, asked in puzzlement,

“Yukcheonho So, perhaps you have mistaken him for Ju Sang-jae, the second son of the Victor Guard Officer?”

“Ah, perhaps that is it. That trainee also has high marks.”

“Then are you betting on Ju Sang-jae?”

At their words, So Ye-rin shook her head and said,

“No. I mean Ju Un-hyang, the third child of the Victor Guard Officer.”

“Ha… Good grief.”

“Surely you are not picking him merely for amusement?”

“That fellow, Yukcheonho So Ye-rin, only recently became an official disciple of the Kongtong Sect, and until now he had a constitution that prevented him from cultivating internal power.”

“It seems she wants to buy dinner for everyone on purpose.”

No one could accept her opinion.

Even so, she stubbornly insisted on trainee Ju Un-hyang.

She had her own reason for choosing him.

Still, despite that choice, there was one other person who strangely kept catching at her mind.

She turned her head slightly and looked toward the exceptionally handsome trainee who was staring directly at her from among the lines of cadets.

‘Mok Gyeong-un, was it?’

Although he had come from the Heaven and Earth Society, he was the only one receiving no attention.

The reason was simple.

Compared to the other two, his martial prowess seemed distinctly inferior.

Yet in her eyes, that felt strangely out of place.

‘…Something is wrong.’

Why was it that beneath that smiling face she felt such a vicious, oppressive pressure?