Myst, Might, Mayhem (Novel) - Chapter 238 - Imperial Guard Bureau Martial Examination (6)

Chapter 238 – Imperial Guard Bureau Martial Examination (6)

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Not long after that, the internal energy measurement of all the cadets ended.

“Hm.”

Looking over the numbers of those who passed

and those who failed, Deputy

Thousand-Household Commander Chae Ho-seong raised an eyebrow

and let out a low sound.

Out of a total of one hundred

and three people, the number of failures was

thirty-seven. The number who passed was sixty-six.

Far more people passed the internal energy

measurement than in the previous year’s selection process.

‘Unexpected.’

At that time, Chae Ho-seong had participated as an assistant supervisor.

Then, there had been forty-eight who passed,

but this time the number was much higher. It meant

that this batch had relatively higher skill.

“Interesting.

Would you not agree?”

At those words, the six Thousand-Household Commanders of the

Six Service Offices below the platform also nodded in agreement.

Outstanding cadets had appeared occasionally from

the beginning. But this batch was especially different.

There had appeared no fewer than two cadets with martial ability at the level

of a Thousand-Household Commander or higher in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

‘Mok Gyeong-un.

Ju Un-hyang.’ The feeling they gave off was entirely different.

Neither had drawn any expectation at all, yet

both had hidden astonishing martial strength.

Moreover, neither was a predetermined candidate,

so in practical terms they were the strongest candidates for first

and second place in the Imperial Guard Bureau martial examination.

While Chae Ho-seong

and the Thousand-Household Commanders

alike were making similar assessments, only

Deputy Thousand-Household Commander So

Ye-rin was watching one particular person.

That person was Mok Gyeong-un.

‘…He gives off a dangerous feeling.’

If she had been the sole chief supervisor in charge, she felt she

would not have allowed such a person to pass for whatever reason.

But she soon suppressed

that thought.

After all, she had not entered the

Embroidered Uniform Guard either in pursuit of wealth

and glory or out of loyalty to the nation.

Then unless he directly caused

something, there was no reason to concern herself.

Deputy Thousand-Household Commander Chae Ho-seong looked at

the successful candidates from the internal energy test and said,

“I offer my congratulations to the cadets who

passed the first stage of the selection process.”

“Waaaaa!”

At his congratulations, the cadets who had passed burst into cheers.

To become an Embroidered Uniform Guard, a special guard force

directly under the Emperor, was to them a great glory and honor.

To those cheering, Deputy Thousand-Household Commander Chae

Ho-seong gestured for silence. When the grounds quieted again, he spoke.

“However, this is where it begins.

From now on, over the course of a month, the Embroidered

Uniform Guard selection process will proceed in earnest.”

At those words, the successful candidates focused. It was

because he was explaining how things would proceed.

“Before the second selection process, for five days you will

be taught the grappling techniques related to capture arts,

which can be called the basics of the Embroidered Uniform

Guard, as well as basic Embroidered Uniform Guard formation methods.

Here there will be no eliminations in the selection process.” At

those words, the successful candidates let out sighs of relief.

It meant that at least for five days they would be able to breathe.

At their reaction, Deputy

Thousand-Household Commander Chae Ho-seong gave a faint laugh

and continued.

“Do not rejoice too soon.

And during the remaining month,

while undergoing your Embroidered Uniform Guard

apprenticeship period, scores will be assigned constantly

and eliminations will be selected.”

“What?”

“Constant elimination?”

At those words, the cadets’ expressions darkened in various ways.

It meant that apart from those five days,

they would have to remain tense at all times.

At this point, one of the cadets who had been

listening quietly raised his hand and asked,

“You said there will be an Embroidered Uniform Guard apprenticeship period.

Then how exactly will it proceed?” At

that question everyone stirred. They too were hearing about an apprenticeship period for the first time.

At this Deputy Thousand-Household Commander Chae Ho-seong said,

“This batch can be said to be fortunate.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Because before being eliminated, at least you have been given a chance to go around the inside of the imperial palace and experience beforehand what kind of work the Embroidered Uniform Guard does.”

At those words the cadets stirred. They had not known that the apprenticeship really meant a chance to experience the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Perhaps because of that, some cadets could not hide their excitement.

‘That would be natural.

Such a chance is rare.’ This matter of the Embroidered Uniform Guard apprenticeship had been included entirely at the suggestion of the Commander.

It had been passed with the agreement of the Southern Commandant and the Northern Commandant.

Testing the cadets’ practical work ability through an apprenticeship was not a bad thing.

Unlike the cadets, who were full of anticipation for practical work, a different sort of light appeared in Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes.

‘Just as Mara Hyeon said.’

It was just as Mara Hyeon, the masked Thousand-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, had mentioned.

That meant the chance to go to the Underground Forbidden Prison as he had promised might come quickly. This was the proper opportunity.

In any case, because the explanation had not yet ended, Deputy Thousand-Household Commander Chae Ho-seong continued speaking.

“Do you understand now why a Thousand-Household Commander from each of the Six Service Offices came here as a deputy supervisor?

It is to give you a chance to experience each department in turn, five days at a time over the course of the month.”

“Ohhh!”

At those words, cheers spilled from the cadets.

It meant they were being given the chance to experience every department, not just one specific department.

The department everyone most preferred was naturally the Office of Inner Palace Affairs, which handled the imperial family and the women of the inner palace, followed by the Office of Intelligence, another central department of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and then the Sixth Office, where the peerless beauty Deputy Thousand-Household Commander So Ye-rin was.

‘Since they will all rotate through the departments anyway according to a set order, so that in one way or another they experience them all, it is just morning three and evening four.’

Hearing the cadets’ wishes, Mok Gyeong-un thought inwardly.

There was no real reason to be especially pleased or displeased over where they were placed first.

In one way or another, they would all have to apprentice in every department.

In the end, the second test was meant to judge, regardless of what department one was assigned to, how well one adapted and how exceptional one’s work ability as a future Embroidered Uniform Guard would be.

‘It was the Office of Penal Service that handled the prisons, was it not.’

Of course, he did hope that he would be assigned to the Office of Penal Service first. Then he would be able to shorten the time a little more.

And,

‘It would be best if the groups were split.’

The people he wanted separated were Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak.

Though they had sworn loyalty to him, they were strictly still members of the Heaven and Earth Society.

He still doubted whether they would readily follow his command even in matters that conflicted with the Heaven and Earth Society.

At that moment chief supervisor Deputy Thousand-Household Commander Chae Ho-seong continued.

“The groups were assigned based on the results of the internal energy measurement, and the departments were assigned arbitrarily by the Thousand-Household Commanders here, so objections will not be tolerated.

Understood?”

“Yes!”

Thus the calling of group assignments began.

Hwa Yeong-in, the Thousand-Household Commander of the Office of Inner Palace Affairs, came out first and called the members of Group One.

“Cadet Namgung Cheong-hyeon.”

At the very first name, the corner of Namgung Cheong-hyeon’s mouth twitched, though he had remained calm until now.

It seemed he too preferred the Office of Inner Palace Affairs. Mong Mu-yak, who had already come over beside him like Seop Chun, whispered,

“It may be because Namgung Hye, the elder sister of Namgung Cheong-hyeon of the Namgung Clan, is one of the Emperor’s consorts.”

“A consort?”

“Yes.

It seems the Namgung Clan too had long maintained ties with high-ranking officials, and through that they sent the clan head’s eldest daughter into the palace early.”

“I see.”

Hearing that, Mok Gyeong-un could guess why Namgung Cheong-hyeon reacted that way.

It seemed he was probably pleased that the chance to meet his elder sister had come sooner.

Beginning with Namgung Cheong-hyeon, the members of Group One were called one after another.

“Kyaah!”

“To start right away with the Office of Inner Palace Affairs.”

“That is lucky.”

Naturally, the cadets who began in the Office of Inner Palace Affairs shouted and could not hide their joy.

That inner palace office, where the Emperor and the imperial family were, truly seemed to be the department every person who wished to become an Embroidered Uniform Guard wanted to be assigned to.

‘Fortunately, I am avoiding the Office of Inner Palace Affairs.’

Unlike those cadets, Mok Gyeong-un had no interest in the Office of Inner Palace Affairs at all.

What he wanted was only the Office of Penal Service, where the Underground Forbidden Prison was.

‘Since they said it is based on ranking, and Namgung Cheong-hyeon, who is third, was assigned to the Office of Inner Palace Affairs, there is no way I would be assigned there.’

That left only the remaining five departments, giving him a two in ten chance. Yet then an unexpected call came.

“Cadet Mok Gyeong-un.”

‘Hm?’

Immediately after that his own name was called. At this Mok Gyeong-un quietly raised his hand.

“With this, the group composition of Group One for the Office of Inner Palace Affairs is complete.”

‘!?’

Mok Gyeong-un frowned. If ranking had really been considered, then at the very least the top six could never have overlapped.

Yet the fact that Namgung Cheong-hyeon, who was third, and he himself, who was first, had been placed in one group meant something did not make sense.

That would only make sense if he had somehow been seventh. At that, Mok Gyeong-un stroked his chin.

‘…It does not seem like this just happened naturally.’

Even if he objected here, the department would not change, so although suspicious, Mok Gyeong-un simply kept his mouth shut.

Thus the calling of Group One ended. Because there were sixty-six in total, exactly eleven had been called.

“Next I will call Group Two.”

Shi U-ryang of the Office of Inner Palace Affairs came out and began calling names.

The Office of Inner Palace Affairs was responsible for inspection and security throughout the inner and outer palace.

It could be said that it gave one a chance to come into contact with many officials of the palace.

“Cadet Seop Chun.”

The first name called was Seop Chun. When the groups were split, Seop Chun said to Mok Gyeong-un with obvious regret,

“That is unfortunate.

If we had been in the same group, we might have had a chance to reach that place more quickly.”

At those words, Mok Gyeong-un only smiled silently.

It seemed Seop Chun too, upon hearing that there would be an Embroidered Uniform Guard apprenticeship, had realized that the chance to get into the Underground Forbidden Prison might come more quickly.

However, if they entered together, it would become impossible to carry out the Dark Sect Master’s secret order.

In that respect, this arrangement was better.

“Cadet Geum Jong-hyeon.”

The next name called was Geum Jong-hyeon, whose internal energy test result had placed him fourth.

At his name being called he looked far from pleased.

Namgung Cheong-hyeon too had frowned when his name was called, and it seemed that just like him, Geum Jong-hyeon disliked being grouped with Seop Chun, a junior fighter of the Heaven and Earth Society.

“Tch.

As if I like it either.”

Because the disciple of the Zhongnan Sect belonged to the Alliance of Justice, Seop Chun was not especially pleased either.

Meanwhile the remaining cadets of Group Two were called.

Unlike the first group of the Office of Inner Palace Affairs, during the calling of this group the cadets did not show much excitement or joy.

“Next I will call Group Three.”

O Mu-gi of the Office of Intelligence came forward and began the calling.

Since there were many cadets who preferred the information department, there were quite a few pleased reactions here.

In Group Three, ten cadets were called, including Mong Mu-yak.

“Next I will call Group Four.”

Mak Myeong-bo of the Office of Penal Service walked to the front. The moment the cadets saw him, they flinched.

Among the six departments of the Six Service Offices, at least five departments had some people who preferred them to some degree.

But not the Office of Penal Service.

‘The prison office.’

The Office of Penal Service managed all the imperial palace’s prison compounds and prisoners.

Especially one place was notorious, and that place was the Underground Forbidden Prison beneath the imperial palace.

There, everyone from those guilty of high treason to all sorts of vicious criminals from the Central Plains was imprisoned, and because the Office of Penal Service was responsible for managing that place, everyone disliked it.

‘Please do not let it be me.’

‘Starting off in the prison office is too much.’

Everyone prayed that they would not be assigned to the Office of Penal Service.

At that moment Mak Myeong-bo of the Office of Penal Service opened his mouth.

“Cadet Ju Un-hyang.”

‘Yes.’

‘Good!’

The moment his name was called, a few people rejoiced. Yeom Gyeong of the Mount Hua Sect and Wi Bu-cheong were among them.

It seemed Ju Un-hyang had more enemies around him than his appearance suggested.

‘What a pity.’

Mok Gyeong-un smacked his lips. He had wanted to go to the Office of Penal Service first, yet Ju Un-hyang had gotten it.

‘It cannot be helped.’

At this point he could only hope that his next placement would be the Office of Penal Service.

“Hmph.”

Yeom Gyeong of the Mount Hua Sect openly sneered at Ju Un-hyang.

The others did not know, but there was a reason Yeom Gyeong hated Ju Un-hyang so much.

That was because, in front of the True Men of the Mount Hua, Gongdong, and Zhongnan sects at a Taoist gathering, he had been humiliated because of Ju Un-hyang.

‘That damned wager.’

Thanks to that wager, Ju Un-hyang had his martial talent recognized, while he himself was treated like a mediocre talent.

Because of that, Yeom Gyeong hated him intensely.

He had only wanted Ju Un-hyang to do poorly, so when Ju Un-hyang was assigned to the Office of Penal Service, which everyone disliked, he had nearly shouted in joy.

‘They say even Embroidered Uniform Guards all hate the prisons because they are so difficult, yet your luck is bad from the beginning, Ju Un-hyang.’

Yeom Gyeong openly sneered toward Ju Un-hyang.

At that moment Thousand-Household Commander Mak Myeong-bo called the next cadet for the Office of Penal Service.

“Cadet Yeom Gyeong.”

‘!?’

The moment those words fell, Yeom Gyeong’s face twisted.

‘Damn it!’

He had been sneering at the fellow just moments ago, and now what kind of bolt from the blue was this?

“W, why?”

Unable to accept it, Yeom Gyeong finally raised his hand and spoke. Then Thousand-Household Commander Mak Myeong-bo frowned and raised his voice.

“I said objections to the group assignment would not be tolerated.”

“But…”

“Cadet Yeom Gyeong.

That is one demerit from the start.”

“What?”

“It would be best to say this in advance.

During the apprenticeship period, if you receive three demerits from us deputy supervisors, then on the spot you will be eliminated and demoted back to Imperial Guard Bureau trainee status.

Understood?” At those words, Yeom Gyeong’s insides boiled. Who could have imagined that objecting would earn him a demerit immediately?

“Do you have a complaint?”

“N, no.”

If he argued further here, the one who would lose out was himself.

Receiving a demerit and the worst possible group placement right from the beginning, Yeom Gyeong ground his teeth and inwardly cursed Thousand-Household Commander Mak Myeong-bo.

After the calling of Group Four ended, there was one person who felt disappointed.

It was Wi Bu-cheong, disciple of Gwi Sa-man, the Evil Silence Sword and sixth alliance leader of the Evil Alliance.

‘Tch.’

He had inwardly hoped to be in the same group as Ju Un-hyang.

That way, he would have had a chance to interfere somehow and make sure Ju Un-hyang would not become an Embroidered Uniform Guard, or otherwise do something to him.

Then Wi Bu-cheong shook his head.

‘No, it does not matter.’

There was no need for them to be in the same group. As he looked at Ju Un-hyang, a faint murderous intent flickered briefly in his eyes.

* * *

That day, after the group assignments were completed, basic Embroidered Uniform Guard training began that very afternoon.

The basic training was moved from the Imperial Guard Bureau training hall to the Embroidered Uniform Guard training hall, and the sixty-six who had passed this stage of the selection process were assigned arbitrarily to the lodging there.

Late in the evening after training ended, the cadets scattered throughout the Embroidered Uniform Guard training hall.

After finishing supper, the time afterward was free.

They could go rest in their rooms, and it did not matter if they used the individual practice rooms in the Embroidered Uniform Guard training hall.

However, most cadets chose training in the practice rooms rather than rest, for the sake of the examinations ahead. One empty room.

The door of the dark room, where even the lamp was out, slowly opened. Someone quietly entered through the crack with almost no sound.

The face reflected in the faint moonlight from the window.

It was none other than Wi Bu-cheong, disciple of Gwi Sa-man, the Evil Silence Sword and sixth alliance leader of the Evil Alliance.

‘As expected, no one is here.’

Wi Bu-cheong lifted the corners of his mouth.

He had guessed that the one he sought, and all the others as well, would be in the personal practice rooms, and that guess had been correct.

After entering, Wi Bu-cheong looked around the four-man room.

Then he checked the belongings placed on a table beside one of the beds, and his lips twisted into a vicious smile.

‘Found it.’

Having found the place of the person he wanted, Wi Bu-cheong took something out of his robe. It was a very small and sharp needle.

Taking out several tiny needles that would not be easily noticed, Wi Bu-cheong walked over to the wooden pillow on the bed beside the table and began sticking them into it.

‘Heh heh heh.’

Covering his mouth, Wi Bu-cheong delighted in this.

Just imagining the owner of that place returning and lying down to sleep on the bed made him unable to suppress his excitement.

If those needles went into the back of his neck or head, everything would go perfectly.

As he enjoyed that thought, Wi Bu-cheong turned to leave and started to move. Then,

“The one I was waiting for does not come, and instead a rat shows up.”

Wi Bu-cheong flinched. Before he knew it, someone was leaning against the door. Staring hard at him, Wi Bu-cheong spoke in a shocked voice.

“You… could it be Mok Gyeong-un?”

The one at the door was none other than Mok Gyeong-un. Seeing him, Wi Bu-cheong could not hide his inner bewilderment.

That was because he had confirmed that no one was in the room before entering, and all while he was planting the needles in the pillow he had not sensed even the slightest presence.

Then how was this fellow in the room?

At that moment Mok Gyeong-un sniffed lightly, then spoke.

“Wild chogeun, three-hundred herb, gobihap root, centipede venom, and dried poppy…

You prepared something interesting.”

‘!?’

Wi Bu-cheong’s eyes widened. He did not know exactly what poisonous ingredients were in the needles. What he knew was only this:

[Since it contains poisons that slowly seep into the body as well as poppy that causes hallucinations, it will affect the brain and little by little drive him mad.]

That was all. Yet he had never expected the word poppy to come from that fellow’s mouth.

But the real issue was not that he had guessed one ingredient.

‘How?’

How could he distinguish the smell smeared on such tiny needles from this distance?

It should have been impossible unless one put one’s nose right up to them. However, that was not what mattered now.

What mattered was that someone had caught him in the act. At that, Wi Bu-cheong tried to deal with the situation calmly.

“Hey.

Calm down.”

“What exactly do you mean by calm down?”

“This is not a bad thing for you either.

Even if everyone is in a competitive relationship, the most troublesome existence for you should be Ju Un-hyang.”

The owner of that bed was none other than Ju Un-hyang. Wi Bu-cheong thought Mok Gyeong-un too would find that tempting.

“If this fellow alone is dealt with, there will be no one left in the Imperial Guard Bureau martial examination who can rival you.”

“Ho.”

The fellow reacted. As expected, no idiot would fail to see how advantageous this was. It seemed it might pass quietly after all.

“I have laid out the board, so forget everything else and simply close your eyes to it.”

“You mean you want me to pretend I never saw it.

That, right?” At those words Wi Bu-cheong grinned and said,

“That is right.

I knew there was something between you and me after all. In any case, if I stay here longer it will be troublesome, so let us go out and…”

At that moment Mok Gyeong-un’s figure vanished from the doorway.

Wi Bu-cheong looked around in alarm, but before he knew it Mok Gyeong-un was standing beside the bed assigned to Ju Un-hyang.

‘When?’

Though he saw it with his own eyes, he had not seen him move.

While he stood there bewildered, Mok Gyeong-un stretched out his palm toward the wooden pillow on the bed.

Then the needles stuck in the wooden pillow pulled free and floated up in the air.

‘Grasping objects through the void?’

He had known from the first test that the fellow’s internal energy was no ordinary thing, but he had never expected it to be deep enough for grasping objects through the void.

At this, realizing something had gone wrong, Wi Bu-cheong tried to launch himself toward the door. But before he could,

Mok Gyeong-un was already grabbing him by the hair and yanking him backward.

“Huk!”

The pain made a cry almost burst out,

“Shh.

You should keep quiet.” Mok Gyeong-un warned him. At this the startled Wi Bu-cheong hurriedly said to Mok Gyeong-un,

“W, what in the world are you doing?”

“Who knows.”

“What do you mean, who knows?

This is not bad for you either. You only had to close your eyes to it, so why…”

Mok Gyeong-un tightened his grip on Wi Bu-cheong’s hair even more and pulled him closer, then said with a smile,

“To be honest, whether you do this sort of thing or not, I do not really care.”

“I, if you do not care, then why?”

“The problem, I suppose, is that a person who gets away with something once does not stop after doing it only one time.”

“No.

That is…”

“There is no need to bother making excuses.

I am the same way.”

“The same?

What do you mean by that?”

“Once I tasted blood, I found I could no longer control myself.”

‘!?’

At those words, along with the corners of Mok Gyeong-un’s mouth stretching nearly to his ears,

Wi Bu-cheong’s pupils shook wildly as he looked at the face filled with nothing but malice.