Chapter 37: The Beginning of Change (1)

The memorial service was held.

“Let us mourn our departed colleagues.”

Seon In-hyeok, the White Robe Judge and Chief Administrator of the Shinmu Academy, made a rare appearance to deliver the eulogy.

“I, Seon In-hyeok, pay my respects to those who lived and died righteously. Instructor Eun Hae-wol of Geumcheon Hall, who fought bravely against evil…”

He called out the names of the deceased instructors one by one.

“We will now honor the instructors who made the ultimate sacrifice. First…”

Seven instructors had perished.

The instructors from Geumcheon Hall and Euncheon Hall solemnly mourned their colleagues’ deaths.

Some vowed revenge.

But the overall mood was subdued.

The Murim Alliance had remained silent about the incident, despite the fact that it had occurred near Muhan City, which was practically their backyard.

There were even rumors that they were trying to cover it up.

The instructors were outraged.

“This is outrageous.”

“Are they dismissing this incident because it only involved ordinary instructors, not famous figures?”

“Why isn’t the Murim Alliance taking any action?!”

Their anger was understandable.

The Murim Alliance should have been the first to respond to the deaths of instructors from the Shinmu Academy, which was under their jurisdiction.

But despite the growing discontent, the Murim Alliance remained silent.

It was as if they were refusing to even acknowledge the need for revenge.

“This is so unfair. They’re treating the instructors who dedicated their lives to the Alliance like they’re expendable.”

“I agree. I never thought the Alliance would be so irresponsible.”

Cho Un-hwi listened to Yeo Mae-hong and Mo Yong-Seon-ya’s conversation and realized that his suspicions were correct.

‘There’s a double agent.’

It wasn’t that they didn’t want to reveal the identity of the culprit.

‘It’s that they can’t.’

It was possible that one of the deceased instructors was the culprit, the one who had betrayed their colleagues.

They couldn’t reveal that.

If it came out that one of their own had colluded with the enemy, it would sow seeds of distrust and discord, potentially leading to a major rift in the organization.

‘They must be having a hard time.’

Well, it wasn’t his problem.

The memorial service was coming to an end.

“…Rest in peace, noble souls who perished in the pursuit of justice.”

Seon In-hyeok’s final words were followed by soft sobs.

The memorial service concluded in a somber and subdued atmosphere.

***

A few days later.

Life at the academy gradually returned to normal.

Classes resumed, and the training grounds were once again filled with the sounds of students practicing their martial arts.

One day, at the morning meeting, Yeo Mae-hong whispered to Cho Un-hwi, “Instructor Cho, have you heard?”

“Heard what?”

“It seems there’s going to be a major restructuring of the Shinmu Academy.”

A major restructuring?

That didn’t sound good.

“Look over there.”

She pointed to a group of instructors who looked like they were about to cry.

“They’ve been like that ever since they heard about the restructuring. They’re changing the performance evaluation system, which is bad news for those who have been coasting along.”

“This is terrible.”

Cho Un-hwi trudged over to the group of instructors, his face ashen.

“Wait, that’s not where you’re supposed to go.”

“My peaceful life is over…”

“Oh, come on.”

Yeo Mae-hong grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

“Don’t worry, this could be an opportunity for you!”

“But they’re saying we can’t slack off anymore.”

“That’s true, but…”

She dragged him away from the despondent instructors.

“They’re switching to a merit-based system, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”

“A merit-based system?”

“They’re going to start recruiting instructors who can train students for real-world combat.”

You’ve done a great job with the Dongcheon Hall troublemakers. I’m sure you’ll do well.

“Why the sudden focus on real-world combat?”

“The instructors were the ones who suffered the most casualties in the recent incident, because they were protecting the students. They realized that they need to train students who can handle themselves in emergencies.”

He understood.

Even the Geumcheon Hall students had frozen in fear during the attack, unable to even draw their swords.

The instructors had paid the price for their students’ inexperience.

‘Well, that’s what happens when you raise flowers in a greenhouse.’

In the future, or perhaps the past, the Murim Alliance had suffered heavy losses due to the inexperience of their younger generation.

But despite his understanding, he was still uneasy.

He remembered what Yul had told him recently.

“My lord.”

Sima Yul, the One-Eyed Sword God, the righteous hero of the Murim.

In reality, he was Sima Yul, one of the leaders of the Dark Soul Black Wind Guard, an organization that even the demonic practitioners feared.

“I’m going to bring change to the Shinmu Academy.”

“Change? Why?”

Sima Yul grinned wickedly.

“The stronger the righteous faction becomes, the more useful they’ll be to us.”

This was bad.

The righteous faction was doomed.

“It’s not necessarily a bad thing for the righteous faction,” Sima Yul added. “Their current training methods are too weak. Even the most talented students are limited in their growth.”

“That’s true.”

“We should create a living hell for them, just like we did for our replacements. We’ll push them to their limits, and…”

Cho Un-hwi glared at him, and Sima Yul quickly changed his tune.

“It’s too risky to abandon them completely. We need to take a different approach. We need to change their training methods. And we need to change the righteous faction’s obsession with lineage and status.”

Cho Un-hwi agreed.

‘In the real war, a lot of those arrogant young masters died because they were too inexperienced.’

It wasn’t just a lack of combat experience.

They had been more concerned with political maneuvering than with protecting the front lines.

“It’s a good idea.”

The stronger the righteous faction became, the more difficult it would be for the Heavenly Destruction Society.

“But there’s a downside.”

“A downside? What is it?”

“It’ll be harder to kill the Murim Alliance Leader.”

You’re still obsessed with that?

Fortunately, Sima Yul seemed to have found a new goal.

“But conquering the righteous faction is nothing compared to finding your Principal Spouse. I’ll have to make this sacrifice.”

“You don’t have to be so dramatic about it.”

He was relieved that his subordinate had finally seen the light.

“So please find your Principal Spouse as soon as possible and give us thirty little masters.”

“Hey, am I a breeding stallion?”

Sima Yul continued, “I’ve already persuaded Seon In-hyeok, the Chief Administrator. And I have Ma Gil-sang’s support.”

“Ma Gil-sang, huh?”

Cho Un-hwi nodded, picturing the red-haired swordsman with his red sword and red robes.

“They’re the most influential figures in the Shinmu Academy. But this is going to be a pain.”

“It’s not a bad thing for you, my lord. Your time in Dongcheon Hall is almost over, isn’t it?”

“That’s true.”

He still had to confirm it during the midterm exams, but he had a pretty good idea of what was going on.

He hadn’t found any trace of ‘her’ yet, which meant he might have to visit Euncheon Hall soon.

“Well, with your skills, you’ll be promoted in no time…”

Sima Yul’s face paled as he looked through the Dongcheon Hall duty logs.

“This is bad. We’re doomed.”

“…Hey.”

Cheer up.

“This is hopeless. You’re doomed.”

That’s not what I meant.

Sima Yul’s eyes darted back and forth.

“We’re going to fail at this rate. We need to focus on earning extra credit.”

“Is there a way?”

“There’s always a way. How about we assign you some special missions that will earn you extra points?”

“Special missions?”

“Right now, each hall operates independently, right?”

That was true.

Unless there was a major incident, the students and instructors of each hall rarely interacted with those from other halls.

It was a cumbersome system, but it had been in place for a long time, and it had its advantages.

“I heard there’s a lot of bullying between students from different halls. Will they really agree to this?”

That was the problem.

The Shinmu Academy was a meritocracy.

The strong preyed on the weak, and students from prestigious clans looked down on those from lesser clans.

Even Namgung Yun-ho, who was from the Namgung Clan, the most prestigious of the Five Great Clans, had been ostracized when he was in Dongcheon Hall.

But Sima Yul was confident.

“We can always come up with a justification. Leave it to me.”

The righteous hero smiled sinisterly.

“I’ll train these righteous dogs to be useful to us. All you have to do is reap the rewards.”

Two birds with one stone.

Sima Yul’s smile widened.

***

“You’re right. Our training methods have been too lenient. It would be beneficial for the students to gain some real-world experience, regardless of their skill level.”

Sima Yul, the righteous hero and secret demonic mastermind, was incredibly competent.

He was so diligent, passionate, and righteous that even Yeo Mae-hong, who was a stickler for the rules, admired him.

“As expected of Master Dokgo. You’re already bringing about great change to the righteous Murim. I’m impressed.”

“Don’t you agree, Instructor Yeo? Master Dokgo is not only handsome, but he’s also incredibly capable…”

“Change… it’s exciting.”

Jo Hyeon and Instructor Yang were also enthusiastic, showering Dokgo Yul with praise.

Cho Un-hwi, who knew the truth behind the changes, responded with a deadpan expression.

“Yes, it’s very exciting.”

He couldn’t bring himself to share their enthusiasm.

***

‘He’s a monster.’

Yul was flawless in his portrayal of a righteous hero.

He preached his message of change in the instructors’ office, on the training grounds, and even in the hallways.

“The path to peace is paved with painful change!”

“Comfort and complacency are our greatest enemies!”

“Remember the heroes of our youth! Follow in their footsteps!”

He captivated the instructors with his passionate speeches.

“I will lead the way!”

“I will shoulder the responsibility and the burden!”

“I will share the rewards and the power!”

Let us bring change to this academy!

Within a few days, all the instructors were on board.

They welcomed the change.

“Yay! Master Dokgo is the best!”

“We’ve been waiting for someone like you to lead us.”

“You’re right. Our lives have been too dull.”

Even the instructors who had been content with their routine were now eager for change.

“Change? It might be a good thing.”

“I used to dream of being a hero when I was younger.”

“Maybe it’s time to rekindle that passion.”

They all believed that the future of the Murim was bright, and they all sang Dokgo Yul’s praises.

“The future of the Murim is bleak.”

Cho Un-hwi clicked his tongue.