Chapter 797: If you say one more word.

“What in the world are you doing!”

Twin Crescent Swords’s shout reverberated all around.

Tteojeok-!

The table he slammed down split in half and collapsed. Those nearby stared at him in surprise.

I was no different.

‘Why the hell is he acting out like this?’

His face was beet red, and anyone could see he was furious.

I looked at him with curiosity and asked.

‘Senior, what is the matter?’

“Why the hell is he acting out?”

Oops.

I covered my mouth, eyes wide after blurting that out. What I thought and what I meant to say had gotten mixed up.

As a result, Twin Crescent Swords’s expression crumpled even further.

“Star King, what did you just say.”

“Hahaha…. My apologies. I seem to have misspoke.”

It was a mistake of epic proportions. So, wearing an awkward expression, I added.

“So. Why the hell are you acting out?”

“…”

‘Since it’s come to this, I might as well just push forward.’ That was the intention.

Hearing this, a fierce fighting spirit began to ripple from Twin Crescent Swords’s shoulders.

“…Are you asking because you don’t know?”

“Yes. I’m asking because I don’t know. If I knew, why would I be asking you?”

Kkiiik.

I rose from the chair I was sitting on. Standing up, I saw Twin Crescent Swords was a bit taller, but it wasn’t difficult to meet his gaze.

“I clearly told you. If you didn’t like it, you could leave. So why the hell are you acting out now?”

Ppudeudeudeuk- Hearing my words, a harsh sound came from Twin Crescent Swords’s clenched fist.

“…Star King.”

“Yes, Daeju.”

“Do you think this whole situation is just a joke?”

His voice was laden with burning emotion.

“A joke?”

“Because the world showers you with praise and hails you as a hero, does this entire situation seem like a joke to you?”

“Hmm.”

Hearing him, I nodded. It was as if I was demonstrating my lack of understanding.

“I think I need a more detailed explanation.”

“Explanation or whatever. If this isn’t fooling around, then what is it?”

“Why? I’m working hard here.”

“Ha, how laughable. Is this what you call working hard?”

Twin Crescent Swords pointed somewhere with his hand. The location was where the applicants had gathered. More specifically, in the direction where those I had eliminated were clustered.

“This isn’t just any test; it’s an exam to select the Alliance’s Sword Cadre members.”

“That’s correct.”

“And you, knowing that, are selecting members in such a ridiculous manner?”

At Twin Crescent Swords’s words, the eliminated applicants seemed to agree, nodding their heads.

“The fact that so many participants signed up based on the notice posted just the day before shows how significant this exam is. No matter how highly the Alliance thinks of you, Star King, you are undeniably touching upon the pride of these individuals and the Martial Alliance.”

As he continued speaking, the murmuring intensified. Those who harbored dissatisfaction with my examination methods. Specifically, the eliminated applicants. It was certainly understandable. They must have had preparations in place. Suddenly eliminating them upon first sight would naturally breed dissatisfaction from their perspective.

However.

‘What am I supposed to do if it’s so obvious?’ What could I do when it was so glaringly apparent? Why did I even set Yeoltujeongeom as the standard in the first place? It wasn’t mere wordplay; that person was genuinely the standard for me.

‘The standard for passing.’

The threshold of perfected peak stage. Yeoltujeongeom’s level was precisely that, and it served as my minimum requirement. Truthfully, the benchmark is indeed quite high. Once one reaches the peak stage, they are already considered a master in the Central Plains. Furthermore, the majority of the Alliance’s elite warriors are at the peak stage, and reaching the perfected peak stage equates to the rank of a unit commander. If one were to ask why Yeoltujeongeom is the standard under these circumstances.

‘It’s my preference, what else?’ To put it bluntly, it was simply my preference. I eliminated them because they didn’t suit my taste, and that’s the whole story. It would be unreasonable to search for deeper meanings here.

“So. Do you intend to tell them to quit if they don’t like this either?”

A sneer formed on Twin Crescent Swords’s face.

“If you wish, I shall. As you said, Star King, this is your domain. However.”

Pausing mid-sentence, Twin Crescent Swords cast his gaze towards the eliminated applicants and added.

“If this is how you operate from the very beginning, I question whether you can gain support as a Daeju, let alone as a warrior.”

“Hmm.”

Hearing him, I too glanced at the applicants. Their reactions seemed to show agreement.

‘I see.’ Only then, seeing this, could I understand why Twin Crescent Swords was throwing such a fit.

‘It’s political maneuvering from the start.’ It’s an approach that utilizes the applicants and the situation. It seemed intended to criticize my actions, sow doubt about my qualifications, and sway public opinion to generate a reaction. I admit it’s not a bad method. My actions were indeed easy to seize upon and criticize. I had acted excessively and somewhat recklessly, so it was a reasonable choice for Twin Crescent Swords, who held a negative view of me, to step forward as if enraged.

However.

“Ah. So, Senior, what you’re saying is, in the end…” If there’s a problem here.

“You planted informants with great effort, only for them all to be eliminated, and now you’re pissed off. Is that what you’re saying?”

“…What…?”

The smirk vanished from Twin Crescent Swords’s face, which had been wearing one just moments ago. All that remained was bewilderment. It vanished quickly, but I didn’t miss it.

“What nonsense are you spouting now? Informants!”

What ridiculous nonsense was this? Twin Crescent Swords, looking aggrieved, tried to flare up again, but…

“The third, fourth, and ninth.”

“…!”

Twin Crescent Swords’s expression crumbled at the numbers spat out without pause.

“Right?”

The numbers I’d uttered were none other than the spies Twin Crescent Swords had planted.

“Besides them… let’s see….”

Just as I was about to quickly scan the remaining applicants.

“What kind of bullshit are you spouting!”

Kwahng- Twin Crescent Swords cut me off and flipped the table in front of me.

“Not content with tampering with the examination, are you now trying to frame me!?”

“Frame you?”

“Yes. With baseless words, you’re trying to…!”

“Why do you think there’s no evidence?”

“…!”

Twin Crescent Swords’s pupils trembled visibly. Honestly, I didn’t have any evidence to present, but that reaction confirmed it for me.

“Seeing your eyes twitch like that, it seems you were involved.”

“Nonsense…!”

Twin Crescent Swords belatedly realized his mistake, but it was already too late.

‘In truth, whether it was late or not, I was already certain.’ The reason I was certain they were spies upon observing them. It was none other than…

‘Several of them have similar energy signatures.’ The energy emanating from their bodies. My heightened spiritual sense and inner eye detected it. Specifically, that they were practicing similar martial arts. Of course, that alone wasn’t sufficient to conclude they were spies. They might have come from the same sect or family. Moreover, their cultivation levels weren’t poor, so I could have selected them if I chose to, but… The fact that the energy signatures I mentioned were similar. It wasn’t just those three, but also…

‘Twin Crescent Swords’s is similar too.’ It bore a resemblance to the energy of the Golden Dragon Daeju. This implied that they were likely individuals from Twin Crescent Swords’s martial clan. Why would individuals possessing such cultivation levels apply to the Azure Dragon Dae instead of the Golden Dragon Dae? This was an occurrence inexplicable unless they were spies. Since I had removed such spies, Twin Crescent Swords appeared to be furious.

“In that case, who exactly was tampering with the examination?”

From my perspective, it was utterly absurd.

“From where I’m standing, it doesn’t seem to be me.”

As I continued speaking with a slight smile, Twin Crescent Swords’s expression gradually contorted.

“Don’t you dare spout such ridiculous nonsense…! I stated that Star King is disrespecting this exam and the Martial Alliance. Stop changing the subject!”

Twin Crescent Swords desperately tried to divert the topic. Just as I was about to address that point too.

“That’s right, Star King.”

Another voice interjected. It was Eunranggeom, who had been listening quietly beside me.

“I believe the Golden Dragon Daeju is correct in saying this examination is flawed.”

‘Who is this guy now?’ Eunranggeom suddenly chimed in just as Twin Crescent Swords seemed to be faltering.

‘He jumps in after staying quiet?’ It seemed this fellow was also involved. He looked quite respectable, though.

“Do you, the Iron Dragon Daeju, share similar thoughts?”

“…As this examination is solely under Star King’s jurisdiction, I cannot intervene in that aspect. However, I do believe the potential bias is certainly problematic.”

“Bi-ahs?”

I frowned, wondering what they meant. What was this now?

“What kind of bias are you referring to?”

“Upon checking, I understand there are several applicants among the participants who are acquainted with you.”

Continuing his explanation, Eunranggeom glanced towards the martial arts stage.

“Not only Yeoltujeongeom, who is standing there now… but also the woman beside you…”

He paused briefly, looking at Namgung Bi-ah’s face.

“…As far as I know, she is the one betrothed to you, Star King.”

“Huh?”

“What is that-!”

At Eunranggeom’s words, everyone who had been looking at Namgung Bi-ah turned to look at me. Those gazes, absurdly, held hostility.

‘These bastards?’ Who were they to express hostility like that? It was baffling.

“Star King’s fiancée…?”

“Is that woman truly Star King’s woman?”

“…C-come to think of it, I have heard something. That Star King’s fiancée is the Namgung family’s Sword Dancer.”

“What? If it’s Sword Dancer… you don’t mean the Number One Beauty of Anhui?”

“I’d only heard rumors… I never imagined she’d be this stunning.”

Seeing the shift in their reactions, Eunranggeom immediately added.

“Besides that….”

Sarak.

His gaze scanned documents here and there.

“It seems the majority of the warriors who participated in the previous battle against the White-Ranked demonic beasts have applied.”

“…”

I nodded at Eunranggeom’s words. It was true. The warriors who had participated in the previous battle had, for some reason, applied in large numbers for this recruitment.

“So, in your view, Iron Dragon Daeju, am I conducting biased assessments for the sake of my connections?”

“It’s difficult to definitively say no. Aren’t the circumstances suggestive of it?”

“Ah…”

‘So that’s how you’re going to play it?’ Haha. I let out a wry chuckle and said to him.

“So, that’s how it appears to you.”

“If that weren’t the case, I wouldn’t be able to understand the reason for eliminating capable individuals without even assessing them.”

“Hmm.”

What the Iron Dragon Daeju was implying was that I eliminated people without even looking, in order to bring in my connections. Honestly, hearing this didn’t bother me much. In fact, one of the conditions I had set for Mukyeon.

‘The five people I want, I will bring into my elite unit no matter what.’ I had set such a condition. So, thinking of the people I intend to bring in later, such words don’t really matter, but…

‘But it’s irritating that he keeps provoking me now.’

Suppressing a sigh, I said to Eunranggeom.

“I apologize, but the reason for elimination was simply that they didn’t meet my standards. It has nothing to do with connections. And, incidentally, even though that woman is my fiancée, she was on the borderline, and I was about to eliminate her.”

“Because they were weak…? What did you see to make such a judgment? Furthermore.”

Eunranggeom’s eyes turned towards Namgung Bi-ah.

“It’s also incomprehensible that Miss Namgung meets the passing standard compared to the other eliminated applicants. It sounds like nothing more than a hastily concocted excuse.”

“…What?”

“Isn’t that right?”

Wow. This is serious trouble.

‘…This is really getting on my nerves.’ I had tried to let it slide, but he managed to push my buttons. I didn’t care about the other points, but seeing Namgung Bi-ah dismissed like that genuinely angered me.

‘What should I do?’ Should I just flip everything over and take someone down so hard they can never get back up? Such thoughts flashed through my mind.

‘…’ Suddenly, an idea struck me, and I looked towards Namgung Bi-ah.

-Hey. I immediately sent a mental message. Namgung Bi-ah, receiving the mental message, tilted her head quizzically.

-How’s your body?

-…What… about it…?

-How is it?

-…I’m fine.

-Tell me honestly.

-…

The mental communication fell silent for a moment. She seemed to be contemplating something. After a few seconds passed.

-How… okay do I need to be…?

Namgung Bi-ah’s answer came. Hearing this, I looked at Eunranggeom beside me and asked.

-This guy next to us. Can you defeat him?

-….

Hearing my words, Namgung Bi-ah assessed Eunranggeom, and shortly after, her answer came. Hearing the answer, I immediately addressed Eunranggeom.

“Iron Dragon Daeju.”

“Yes. Is there something more you wish to say…?”

“How about a bet between us?”

“…Yes?”

Eunranggeom’s eyebrow twitched at the sudden mention of a bet. It was an incredibly out-of-the-blue topic. However.

“Why are you suddenly bringing up such a strange topic…”

“If I lose the bet, I will give you my Azure Dragon Dae. If you wish, I’ll even kneel and lick your feet.”

“…”

“What do you say?”

To my question, Eunranggeom asked with a peculiar expression.

“…What kind of bet are you proposing?”

He took the bait.