Chapter 99 :

Chapter 99. The Third Checkpoint of the Hell Official Exam (2)

“This is truly astonishing.”

Maeng Juwon exclaimed in admiration while reading a report on Jegal Somyeong’s office desk.

Jegal Somyeong was curious.

Most members of the Ten Thousand Information Department were so overwhelmingly busy that they could not spare attention for anything else.

So why did this bastard seem to be doing something unrelated every time Jegal Somyeong saw him?

“Chief Strategist, have you seen this?”

Maeng Juwon held out a document.

It was a report submitted by the branch where the third checkpoint was being held.

Naturally, Jegal Somyeong had not reviewed it yet.

He considered reprimanding Maeng Juwon, but then shook his head.

If that man had enough time to look at unrelated matters, it meant he had already completed more work than he had been assigned.

“What is it?”

“It is a report from the Martial Alliance’s Namak Branch.”

Of course it was.

At some point, Maeng Juwon had become incapable of losing interest in Jin Sowoon.

“Is this another story about Jin Sowoon?”

“No. It is a report concerning the incident on the Fuyang Plains.”

They could not believe everything based solely on a report.

Absurd stories like this were sometimes caused by Dream-Soul Incense or symptoms of hallucination.

“At the end of the report, it says they will send the physical evidence by courier.”

A bizarre corpse with hard, black skin like animal hide and a sword protruding from its palm.

It was difficult to imagine merely from reading the description.

As Jegal Somyeong read the report, he tilted his head.

“They are sending this evidence to the Ten Thousand Information Department?”

If the evidence was genuine and the matter truly that important, the Namak Branch Leader would never simply surrender such an opportunity.

If he delivered evidence he had obtained to the Ten Thousand Information Department through the Righteous Path Association, he could strengthen both his own standing and the association’s influence.

“Huh. Is the sun going to rise in the west?”

Jegal Somyeong nearly suspected that the entire group had taken some strange drug.

At that moment, Maeng Juwon shook his head.

“That is not what happened, Chief Strategist.”

“What?”

“If you look carefully, it says our Sowoon proposed a price of ten gold nyang.”

Jegal Somyeong had also laughed when he read that section.

The Namak Branch Leader had been thoroughly outmaneuvered by Jin Sowoon.

On the other hand, involving money in a matter of great importance to the Martial Alliance did not look particularly admirable.

“Did the Heavenly Eye Pavilion not already report that incident?”

“This concerns what happened behind the scenes. Are you not interested?”

“…Bring it here.”

Jegal Somyeong put down the documents he had been handling and abruptly rose from his seat.

Had the report already arrived this quickly?

The Namak Branch Leader had connections to the Righteous Path Association.

He normally submitted important reports through the association rather than directly to the Ten Thousand Information Department.

Jegal Somyeong had assumed they would only learn the truth of the incident after the Martial Alliance dispatched an investigation team.

Yet the report had already arrived.

“As expected, there really was a culprit.”

“A culprit?”

Jegal Somyeong took the report from Maeng Juwon and quickly read through it.

It included the date and time of the incident, a brief overview, and even a detailed explanation of what had happened at the scene.

It was an unusually thorough report by recent standards.

“I heard a young lady named Namgung Seonhwa prepared the initial draft.”

That made sense if it was Namgung Seonhwa.

The report format used within the Namgung Family was probably similar to that of the Martial Alliance.

“Sorcery using darkness?”

However, the content that followed was difficult to believe.

“Does this not mean our prediction was correct?”

“Hmm…”

“Look carefully. Did he not tell them to spend the ten gold nyang on the dead and wounded from the Fuyang Plains?”

“Yes.”

“Was that not all done for the sake of our Ten Thousand Information Department?”

“…”

Jegal Somyeong looked at Maeng Juwon as though watching a drunkard ramble incoherently.

“The ten gold nyang was not money the Namak Branch Leader could spend privately, was it?”

“No.”

“Then the branch itself had to make the expenditure. And to do that, they had to submit a proper report, did they not?”

“If it were me, I would have done the same thing to prevent the information from leaking midway. Exactly as Sowoon did.”

It sounded plausible, but it also felt as though Maeng Juwon’s interpretation was better than the actual dream.

In any case, now that they would receive the evidence directly, they could accelerate their investigation into the culprit.

There truly was no end to the things that had begun changing because of Jin Sowoon.

“Chief Strategist, I do not think this is the time to remain idle. Why do we not simply bring our Sowoon into the Ten Thousand Information Department?”

Maeng Juwon sounded genuinely anxious.

Jegal Somyeong had never seen him display such urgency while working.

“What if those ignorant bastards at the third checkpoint strike him and injure his head? And what happens after the third checkpoint? Can our Sowoon truly remain unharmed in that living hell?”

“What? …Ah! I already finished all my work. I even handled several matters you never assigned me.”

“…”

Maeng Juwon had anticipated the criticism.

He smiled brightly at Jegal Somyeong.

Jegal Somyeong tilted his head in a threatening manner.

“Your tone is extremely insolent.”

“What?”

“Elder Brother! I knew you would come!”

After entering the Martial Alliance’s Namak Branch, Jin Sowoon’s group encountered a familiar and delighted face.

“Jaehwa?”

“Yes! It is me, Elder Brother!”

Moyong Jaehwa approached excitedly, as though he had found a long-lost brother.

Apparently, he had grown close to the Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers while staying at the Taeul Sect, because he greeted them warmly as well.

“Hey, can you not see us?”

Moyong Jaehwa turned around in alarm at Seong Moran’s rough tone.

“Gasp! Sister Moran? Sister Seonhwa?”

“You have lost all discipline just because we have not seen each other for a while.”

Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran also appeared to know Moyong Jaehwa.

When they began teasing him, he became visibly flustered.

“Um… but…”

Moyong Jaehwa cautiously spoke while watching the expressions of the two young ladies.

“Did the two of you fail to pass the first and second checkpoints?”

“Hmm?”

“What are you talking about?”

Moyong Jaehwa looked even more surprised at their questions.

“Then did you truly come here to take the third checkpoint examination?”

“Of course. Just how weak do you think this sister is?”

“Jaehwa, I am not that weak.”

The two women answered as though it were obvious.

Moyong Jaehwa looked even more dumbfounded.

“Looking like that?”

“…”

The third checkpoint of the Martial Academy entrance examination was decided through duels.

Those who passed the first and second checkpoints gathered together, selected opponents, and fought.

Only the winner received a third-checkpoint plaque.

Those who possessed enough skill to pass the first two checkpoints had to duel as though facing mortal enemies.

Yet Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran looked as though they had come for a pleasant outing.

That was why he had asked.

“Wh-What are you talking about, Jaehwa? This is how I always look.”

“What? What do you mean…?”

“You remember that I looked like this whenever we trained together, do you not?”

Namgung Seonhwa, who rarely smiled openly, had trembling corners of her lips.

She approached Moyong Jaehwa and casually placed a hand on his arm.

Moyong Jaehwa screamed at the sudden pain.

“Aaagh!”

“Oh my. What is wrong? Were you injured during the first or second checkpoint?”

Feeling as though his flesh were being torn away, Moyong Jaehwa looked at Namgung Seonhwa with terrified eyes.

Hey! Do you want to die?

At that moment, a thunderous voice echoed inside Moyong Jaehwa’s mind.

The one sending the voice transmission was none other than Seong Moran.

If you look that shocked, will it not make everything obvious?

Moyong Jaehwa quickly lowered his head.

Say anything unnecessary and this is what will happen.

Standing behind Jin Sowoon, Seong Moran drew her thumb across her throat.

Moyong Jaehwa had no idea why any of this was happening.

However, he decided that changing the subject was his highest priority.

“E-Elder Brother, you came to register, correct?”

“Hmm? Yes. But why are you sweating so much?”

“Ah, haha. I-I suppose it is because I met so many people I was glad to see after such a long time.”

The opponent for the third checkpoint was selected by allowing those who arrived earlier to choose from those who arrived later.

That was why Jin Sowoon’s group had hurried from early morning.

“Even so, a great many people have already arrived.”

“Some have been waiting since yesterday.”

Just as Moyong Jaehwa said, warriors from various sects were gathered throughout the Namak Branch’s grand training ground.

Some groups contained only three or four people.

Others had gathered by the hundreds.

“Shaolin arrived first.”

Nearly twenty people with smooth, shaved heads carefully examined everyone entering the training ground.

They were searching for suitable opponents.

“What about you? Have you chosen someone?”

“I am still waiting because I have not found anyone appropriate.”

Seong Moran lightly struck Moyong Jaehwa on the head.

“Do not overthink it. Just fight anyone. They are all the same.”

“Sister, that is exactly why you always… Ah, never mind. In any case, you know better than anyone that the third checkpoint requires more careful maneuvering than any other.”

“Is that not Wudang over there?”

The martial uniforms of those gathered before the registration desk all bore the white cloud pattern symbolizing Wudang.

“Wudang usually sends most of its people to Shaanxi Province. What are they doing here?”

“Exactly. Competition in Hubei Province is always brutal because of Shaolin, and now Wudang has joined them as well.”

There appeared to be five examinees.

They seemed to be of a different caliber from the other participants.

“Huh? Have they already selected their opponents?”

“That is strange. It is only the first day, and not all the examinees have even arrived yet.”

The Wudang Sect disciples began leaving the grand training ground together.

“Young Master Jin! Young Master Jin!”

Seong Moran urgently called out to Jin Sowoon.

“What is it?”

“Lower your eyes.”

“What?”

“You have a slightly rebellious gaze. You might offend Wudang.”

“The best strategy in the third checkpoint is to fight someone weaker than yourself.”

At that moment, the young man leading the Wudang Sect group abruptly stopped and looked toward Jin Sowoon’s party.

Geumpyo and Moyong Jaehwa, who had been staring blankly at their unexpected behavior, flinched in surprise.

“Wh-What is happening?”

“Are they trying to come back inside?”

“Do they perhaps know Sister Namgung Seonhwa or Sister Seong Moran?”

Geumpyo looked toward the two women, but they merely shook their heads slightly.

The young man approached Jin Sowoon’s group, looked around, and finally fixed his gaze on Jin Sowoon.

“You must be Jin Sowoon.”

“I am Hyeonsu of Wudang.”

Even Jin Sowoon had no idea why Hyeonsu of Wudang had suddenly approached him.

“You are Hyeonjeong’s Senior Brother.”

“That is correct.”

Jin Sowoon answered indifferently, causing Hyeonsu’s eyebrow to twitch.

“Hyeonjeong traveled with Yeon Umun of Mount Hua to capture you.”

The other examinees who appeared to be Hyeonsu’s junior brothers quietly moved to his side.

Every one of them emitted an imposing presence like a dragon.

“Yet my junior brother cannot be contacted, while you arrived here safely.”

“So?”

Hyeonsu’s eyebrow twitched again.

“…I wish to know what happened.”

Jin Sowoon tilted his head and asked,

“Were you never taught to show courtesy when asking something from another person?”

The faces of Hyeonsu and the other Wudang disciples stiffened.

“Did you believe you could speak rudely to someone you had just met and still receive a friendly answer?”

“…Hyeonjeong is a younger brother to me in all but blood.”

“Then you should have asked even more politely. How can you so rudely demand the whereabouts of someone who came to kill me?”

As Jin Sowoon continued speaking, the Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers slowly moved away from him.

Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran also appeared unable to grow accustomed to this side of him and gradually stepped away.

Only Moyong Jaehwa moved closer to fill the empty space.

“There is no reasoning with you.”

At Hyeonsu’s sigh, the other disciples’ eyes flashed dangerously.

However, unlike the people outside the branch, they did not resort to violence.

“In the end, you will have no choice but to speak.”

With those words, Hyeonsu and the other Wudang disciples left the grand training ground.

Seong Moran, who had been tense, released a long sigh.

“Why are you like this? I told you only a moment ago. Are you so desperate to start a fight?”

“No. I would rather avoid one.”

“Then why did you act that way?”

“If I do not respond like this, they will eventually treat my junior brothers and every disciple of the Taeul Sect in the same manner. In that case, it is better for me to fight them instead.”

Seong Moran looked at Jin Sowoon with a strange expression.

“Let us hurry inside and register.”

“Y-Yes.”

The area in front of the registration desk was quiet.

Not many examinees had reached the branch yet.

Some deliberately delayed registration so they could engage in a fierce battle of observation before selecting opponents.

After every member of Jin Sowoon’s group finished registering, Jin Sowoon spoke to the Martial Alliance scholar.

“We will select our opponents after seeing who arrives.”

“Hmm?”

The scholar searched through the documents and shook his head.

“All the Taeul Sect examinees already have opponents.”

“What?”

“Some people registered immediately after you entered the branch.”

“What do you mean…? We only just…”

Eunho could not finish speaking.

“Who are they?”

At Jin Sowoon’s question, the scholar turned the document around and showed it to the group.

“What in the world…”

Everyone stared at the list in astonishment.

Third Checkpoint Duelists

Wudang Sect’s Hyeonsu — Taeul Sect’s Jin Sowoon

Wudang Sect’s Hyeonmyeong — Taeul Sect’s Geumpyo

Wudang Sect’s Hyeonhyang — Taeul Sect’s Eunho

Wudang Sect’s Hyeonjin — Taeul Sect’s Dongryong