Chapter 120: Intensive Training Week (5)

Why is she here?

With his eyes, Cho Un-hwi asked Tang Gan, who laughed awkwardly and scratched his head.

“Haha. My sister wanted to visit Sichuan East.”

“Why Sichuan East?”

“I sometimes visit when I miss home, but recently, I haven’t been able to get permission.”

“And why is that?”

“My sister wanted to come, so I sneaked her in. After all, I’m close with you, Instructor.”

Ah, I see.

With a smiling face, Cho Un-hwi flipped Tang Gan upside down and threw him into the swamp.

Save me! A scream was heard, but Cho Un-hwi ignored it and pressed his temples.

‘Oops. I made a mistake.’

Tang Ae-hui, who is deeply loved by the Sichuan Tang Clan, wouldn’t stay quiet after seeing a family member thrown into the swamp.

“Haha. You two get along so well.”

Contrary to his expectations, she responded differently.

She even pretended to scold Tang Gan.

“Gan, I told you we should inform him first.”

“Haha. It’s okay. I would’ve ended up in the swamp anyway.”

Tang Gan laughed cheerfully, squeezing water from his clothes as he jumped out of the swamp. Tang Ae-hui greeted Cho Un-hwi again.

“Apologies for the sudden visit.”

“Oh, no. It’s fine.”

Did she eat something wrong?

Her voice shouldn’t be this gentle.

“Tang Gan spoke a lot about you.”

“Haha. I did boast about the temporary instructor.”

Oh, really? What a useless thing to do.

As he contemplated throwing Tang Gan back into the swamp, Tang Gan cheerfully explained.

“I was so surprised by my good performance in the supplementary exam. Even the family elders praised me.”

This ungrateful guy, bringing the Venom Butterfly of Sichuan here.

As he cracked his knuckles and prepared to grab Tang Gan’s neck again, Tang Gan approached, holding a small wooden box.

“What’s this?”

“I couldn’t come empty-handed. I thought of you, Instructor, and brought this.”

Opening the box, he found several shiny silver fishing hooks.

“Oh.”

“You like fishing, Instructor. These were made by a craftsman from my family. I hope you like them.”

“This is nice.”

“Haha. I’ve gotten better at reading people, right?”

“You’ve grown from a clueless scholar who couldn’t count coins.”

Maybe the problem wasn’t the worms but the fishing hooks.

He felt a bit better.

Tang Gan kept talking non-stop.

He said this swamp was famous in Sichuan, known for its deadly creatures and the many people who had died here.

He even shared ghost stories about the swamp.

He didn’t want to hear any of it.

Especially the stories about the many people who had drowned here.

‘I hope the Murim Alliance isn’t crazy enough to recreate that.’

He prayed it wasn’t true.

People should live sensibly.

He wanted to punch Tang Gan in the mouth but couldn’t.

“Thank you for your kindness, Temporary Instructor.”

“I was worried about Tang Gan. He’s so immature.”

“Thank you for letting us use the training ground.”

Tang Ae-hui’s gentle demeanor, which he had never seen before, felt out of place and awkward.

“You’re going to Myojinmun?”

Her girlish reaction to the mention of Myojinmun was bewildering.

While he hesitated, Tang Gan kept talking and seemed relieved.

“I’ll visit often.”

Leaving ominous words.

“See you again.”

As Tang Ae-hui said goodbye, Cho Un-hwi shouted inwardly.

‘No! Don’t come!’

But his heartfelt plea didn’t reach them.

***

Time flowed like water.

Unlike the peaceful swamp, other instructors were stuck in continuous overtime as the Murim Excursion approached.

Temporary instructors had it especially tough.

Balancing teaching students at Dongcheon Hall and Euncheon Hall was already challenging, and now they had to prepare for their first Murim Excursion.

“If we got overtime pay, our monthly salary would be three times higher.”

Instructor Jo Hyeon said tearfully.

Even Yang Dae-cheol, who rarely showed emotion, looked exhausted.

“I’m really dying. It’s a relief that the regulations changed recently.”

“Right. If Dokgo Yul hadn’t reduced the paperwork, we’d be dead from overwork.”

“No kidding. Combining classes by gender helps too.”

Unbeknownst to the loyal assistant, the instructors’ trust was being stolen.

If this continued for a few more years, conquering Shinmu Academy might be possible.

“Haha. It’s been a while since we sat together like this.”

“Well, Euncheon Hall strictly separates male and female instructors.”

“You rarely even show up.”

“I have nothing to say.”

Yeo Mae-hong was right.

Sitting side by side was possible because they were in the Dongcheon Hall instructors’ room.

“How’s the preparation for the Murim Excursion going? I heard specialist instructors have more to prepare.”

“Well, it seems to be going well.”

“As expected of Instructor Cho. You seem relaxed but thorough. I heard there’s a lot to do, like negotiating with the client sect, building relationships, identifying risks, and securing emergency contacts.”

Oh. First I’ve heard of it.

Today was the first time he heard about these tasks.

Yeo Mae-hong continued listing terrifying tasks that made him feel dizzy just hearing them.

As he felt his mind spinning, the door to the instructors’ room opened, and Dongcheon Hall Head Chung-hyeon appeared.

“Everyone’s here.”

With a more balding head, Chung-hyeon spoke wearily.

“First, I want to commend your hard work. Thanks to you, we received a lot of praise from Euncheon Hall.”

As he began, an overworked instructor raised a hand.

“Hall Head, the workload keeps increasing. We’re dying here.”

Another instructor raised a hand.

“What about the additional staff you mentioned?”

“We’re at our limit. At least during the Murim Excursion, we need more staff.”

Chung-hyeon cleared his throat and shouted.

“So, I’ve arranged something for you who have been working hard.”

“The additional staff…”

“I’d love to buy expensive meals from Hongcheon Pavilion for you.”

“Hall Head! The additional staff!”

“You all look tired, so let’s have a meal at the nearby canteen.”

“No! Hall Head!”

“But I bought the drinks with my own money, so bear with it. That’s all!”

*Thud. Thud. Thud.*

Stamping the approval for the Murim Excursion with lightning speed, Chung-hyeon disappeared in a flash.

Dongcheon Hall hadn’t changed at all.

***

This was the most depressing gathering ever.

“Ugh. I’m so worried I can’t even drink.”

“Hang in there. We have no choice.”

“Thinking about the work piling up when we return makes my stomach hurt.”

“Same here.”

Exhausted from overwork, even the usually boisterous drinking instructors looked like they had lost their country, mechanically raising their wrists.

*Thud.*

Soon, their pupils dilated, and their heads hit the table.

The result of pouring cheap baijiu into empty stomachs already worn out from overwork.

Though casualties occurred, the instructors weren’t surprised.

“Damn it. Let’s eat and die quickly.”

“Clear the snacks. I need to get drunk today.”

“Chung-hyeon, you…”

Completely ignoring the suffering instructors, Chung-hyeon quietly ate snacks and sipped his drink, saying,

“Tsk tsk. Martial artists who can’t even take care of their own bodies.”

In my day…

Even preaching, the instructors’ faces turned red with anger.

“What? Got a problem?”

They couldn’t hit their superior.

Watching the grumbling instructors, Chung-hyeon snickered and sat next to Cho Un-hwi.

“What’s the matter?”

“I have a favor to ask.”

“A favor?”

“Can’t you be more respectful and listen to Senior Instructor Jang Cheol-sim? I’m in a tough spot.”

Chung-hyeon banged the table and said.

“I recommended you. Do you know how much trouble that caused me?”

He rambled on, but the gist was to behave and pass on the message.

“I’m buying you drinks. I’m saying this for your own good.”

“Stop giving me a headache.”

“Just hearing about you makes my heart sink.”

Looking at Chung-hyeon’s thinning hair, Cho Un-hwi replied.

“Tsk tsk. A Hall Head who can’t even take care of his hair.”

He thought it was a good comeback, but it was too harsh, and he made Chung-hyeon cry.

“That was too much.”

“Yeah. You were wrong.”

Even his fellow instructors scolded him.

It was a thoroughly depressing gathering.

***

Back in the old attic of Dongcheon Hall.

“It really brings back memories.”

Memories of coming here half a year ago resurfaced.

*Ssssss.*

Taking a deep breath of the dusty room’s smell.

*Thud. Thud.*

The wall vibrated.

‘The wall is still thin.’

Even if no one was using it, he didn’t expect it to still be unrepaired.

‘They spend money on strange things like the mock training ground.’

He couldn’t understand the financial sense of the righteous faction.

As he grumbled and leaned against the wall, Yeo Mae-hong’s hand came through the hole.

“Ta-da.”

“What’s this?”

“Haha. I secretly stole a bottle.”

“Wow.”

“Why not? The gathering was a total flop.”

“You’re the best. Amazing.”

Passing a bottle back and forth through the wall, Cho Un-hwi leaned against it.

Feeling a faint warmth, he realized Yeo Mae-hong was leaning against the wall too.

As they sipped their drinks, Yeo Mae-hong’s voice came through.

“There have been so many ups and downs.”

“Yeah, there have.”

“When I first became an instructor, I was so worried if I could do well.”

Yeo Mae-hong’s heartfelt confessions were unlike her usual passionate self.

‘I thought she handled everything smoothly with her determined personality.’

Listening, he realized she had deep worries in her gentle heart.

Starting something new is daunting for everyone.

Yeo Mae-hong continued.

“I think I’m getting used to it now. Even though I’m a temporary instructor, I didn’t expect to be assigned to Euncheon Hall so quickly.”

“Really?”

*Trickle.*

Pouring another drink, she sighed softly and continued.

“Now I have different worries.”

“Even when things are going well?”

“I’m afraid of losing my initial resolve. I worry I’ll become like those I despised.”

Why is she so obsessive? The reason quickly came out.

“My dream is to be like my mentor.”

“What was their name…”

“Instructor Eun Hae-wol.”

Right. That was the name.

“I want to be a fair, kind instructor who stands against injustice, like them.”

It seemed fitting for Yeo Mae-hong.

“But lately, I’ve been feeling down.”

*Sip. Sip.*

The sound of her drinking intensified.

“At first, I took care of each student, but lately, I’ve been using busyness as an excuse to overlook things.”

Listening, he realized she used to write praise letters to each student.

‘She’s a real passionate instructor.’

But now, she didn’t have time to talk to them directly.

“Even recently, if I had paid more attention, I would’ve noticed the bullied students.”

She was such a good person.

Seeing her like a scared rabbit stepping out of its burrow for the first time, Cho Un-hwi muttered.

“Just don’t lose your initial resolve.”

“But how? When you’re busy, you forget the old days.”

I’m not sure how I’ll change over time.

Her voice added, and Cho Un-hwi stood up.

“In times like that.”

He clenched his fist and banged on the wall.

*Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.*

The sudden noise startled her.

“Instructor Cho?”

Her wide eyes peeked through the hole.

Cho Un-hwi scratched the back of his head, pretending to be surprised.

“Oh, sorry. I broke the wall.”

“What?”

Her eyes blinked in confusion as Cho Un-hwi rubbed his hands together.

“Oh. Good morning?”

Her clear eyes brightened.

“Ah! Who are you?”

“The weather’s nice.”

“How did you break the wall?”

“This is awkward. The wall is weak. Shoddy construction?”

“Sorry. I’ll help pay for repairs.”

Bowing through the hole, Yeo Mae-hong chuckled and shrugged.

“Hahaha!”

“Snicker.”

After laughing for a while, Yeo Mae-hong wiped away a tear with her finger.

“I won’t forget this memory, no matter how busy I get.”

“Remembering the kindness shown to a country bumpkin instructor who caused trouble will keep you from losing your resolve.”

You’re a strange person, Instructor Cho. She whispered, but Cho Un-hwi pretended not to hear.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

The humble but enjoyable gathering continued late into the night.

When he heard her soft breathing from the other side of the wall, Cho Un-hwi got up and sat by the window.

“Back to the Jianghu?”

It’s tiring.

But there was also anticipation.

“The Jianghu is different now.”

Back then, it was a brutal Jianghu filled with blood and corpses.

Now, it was a Jianghu still clear and green before the calamity began.

In the vast plains and valleys, among the countless living people, what connections would form?

“Even after a hundred years, I can’t help but look forward to it.”

(TLN: wait wait wait was he a hundred years old when he died ?????)

Cho Un-hwi murmured with an aged voice.

On the eve of the Murim Excursion, the humble and old dormitory of Dongcheon Hall was coming to an end.