Chapter 87: Observation Class (4)

*Rumble…*

People poured out into the empty mock training ground, quickly moving to their designated positions.

They began to act out their assigned roles.

“We have high-quality fabrics!”

“Come one, come all! This is a rare opportunity!”

“Welcome back, sir.”

The meticulously crafted street was now bustling with people.

And it wasn’t just the actors.

“The first group is in position. Send in the next group.”

*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Another group of people emerged from a side alley as the drums pounded.

“Oh dear, it’s time to go home.”

“Where is that man? He’s still not back?”

“Excuse me, coming through.”

If the first group was made up of people with specific tasks, this group seemed to be the crowd.

The crowd, dressed as ordinary citizens, moved through the streets, exchanging realistic dialogue with the actors.

‘Do they really have to go this far?’

How dedicated were they to this training?

Unlike him, the Murim Alliance elders, who were observing the demonstration, were impressed.

“As expected of the Kaifeng Prefecture training ground. It’s very realistic.”

“The acting is much better than last time. Master Sagong must have worked hard.”

“Haha, let’s see how our precious disciples perform.”

Sagong, pleased with their reaction, leaped onto the street with a graceful movement technique.

*Clap! Clap!*

He clapped his hands, and…

*Silence.*

The bustling street fell silent.

The middle-aged woman (played by an instructor) froze, holding a basket of vegetables. The blacksmith’s apprentice froze, his hammer raised in midair.

The pedestrians froze, mid-step or mid-sentence.

—.

Sagong bowed and said, “The surprise lesson will begin in an hour.”

“Until then, please enjoy your time in Kaifeng Prefecture.”

“Now, let’s resume.”

*Clap! Clap!*

He clapped again.

*Murmur… murmur…*

The street came back to life.

The observers said,

“Shall we explore a bit before the demonstration begins?”

“Haha, I miss the Yifeng noodles from Kaifeng Prefecture.”

“Really? I prefer the beef soup. It tastes just like the one from my hometown.”

“Where should we go?”

Sagong offered them a small wooden box.

“Please write down any unnatural or unsatisfactory elements you encounter and drop them in this box.”

It seemed that this wasn’t just a picnic, but also an opportunity to improve the mock training ground.

The observers, who had been excited like children with new toys, relaxed as they were given an “official reason” to explore.

“That’s right, this is all part of our duties.”

“Come on, let’s take a look around and see if there’s anything that needs improvement.”

They entered the street with renewed enthusiasm, buying food and sightseeing.

Cho Un-hwi thought, ‘Unnatural elements?’

Didn’t they think it was unnatural to build a mock training ground of this scale in the first place?

“…I don’t even know where to begin.”

The students, on the other hand, were excited.

“Oh, they’re selling Henan Province’s special spices over there.”

“Yun-ho, that shop’s not bad, but there’s a cheaper and better one over there.”

“I want to observe the Chengdu mock training next time. I heard the Sichuan spices are unique.”

And…

“Wow, Instructor, is today’s lesson theme ‘A Day Out for an Instructor and a Student Who Eloped Last Night’?”

“Sister, I know you’re excited, but please be careful with your word choice. People are staring at us.”

He felt a wave of despair as he realized that he was the only sane person here.

“Sigh, my life…”

He looked up at the sky, trying to hold back his tears.

Gwak Jong-geun, who had been fawning over the observers, returned.

“Ah, I forgot to tell you something.”

“What is it?”

“I forgot to explain the surprise lesson.”

“What’s the surprise lesson?”

“Hehe, it’ll be fun. A bell will ring after a while. Come find me when you hear it.”

He rushed off again, following the observers, before Cho Un-hwi could ask any more questions.

***

“Tsk, why should I…”

Cho Un-hwi looked at Eon Ho-seung, who was grumbling incessantly.

He had messy hair tied back carelessly and a loose uniform.

His face, which seemed to be permanently set in a scowl, combined with his dark complexion, gave him a mischievous air.

“Hey, kid.”

“What, kid? Why are you calling me a kid?”

Eon Ho-seung approached him aggressively, towering over him.

“We’re not that far apart in height.”

“I’m still taller.”

“It’s not that big of a difference.”

“And I’m still growing.”

“What? You’re an instructor. You’re older than me. How are you still growing?”

“It happens.”

“If you’re still growing, then I’m still growing too. I’m only nineteen.”

Baek Ri-seol interjected, “The instructor is still growing! You’re just a dwarf!”

“What’s with her?”

Mo Yong So-hye stepped in as Eon Ho-seung’s expression darkened.

“A-a-a-ah, don’t fight!”

“Eon Ho-seung, stop it.”

Im So-jeong pulled Eon Ho-seung back.

She already had a headache from the tense atmosphere.

“Anyway, Jegal…”

“Yes, Instructor.”

“What the hell is this place?”

“Explain.”

Jegal Tan, as if he had been waiting for this question, said, “As you can see, this is a mock training ground designed to prepare students for real-life situations. They’ve recreated a virtual Murim.”

“And who are those people?”

“They’re hired by Shinmu Academy. The ones with specific tasks are mostly instructors. I heard some of them volunteered for this to boost their performance evaluations.”

“That sounds tempting.”

He wanted to play the role of a Demonic Cult Leader and destroy everything.

“Do you know anything about the surprise lesson?”

“The surprise lesson is a mock training that recreates a specific person or event.”

For example…

Jegal Tan cleared his throat and continued, “When I was here, the surprise lesson was ‘Discovering a Hidden Demonic Practitioner.’”

“It was a recreation of the battle between the students and the Yangtze River Sword Saint, who was hiding in an inn after escaping from the Wudang Sect three years ago.”

“The objective was to find the Yangtze River Sword Saint, who was disguised as an ordinary citizen, and defeat him with the help of your classmates.”

Those idiots were ridiculously organized.

“But if the Wudang Sect was chasing him, the Yangtze River Sword Saint must have been a formidable opponent. Can rookies even handle him?”

“It’s just a lesson. The instructors usually lower their martial arts skills to an appropriate level. And there are scenarios where a wandering hero arrives to help if you survive for a certain amount of time or meet certain conditions.”

Cho Un-hwi was certain of one thing.

‘The person who created this mock training ground is insane.’

No one else would have thought of recreating real-life streets, people, and situations in such detail.

“Ugh, this is complicated.”

But there was nothing he could do.

His priority was to find clues about the supplementary exam during this observation class.

“So we can explore this place for an hour, right?”

“Yes, usually…”

“We’ll find out when we get there. Hey, kid.”

Eon Ho-seung frowned.

“Don’t look so glum. I’m not happy about this either.”

“What do you want to say?”

What do I want to say?

“Well, let’s go inside, grab a bite to eat, and introduce ourselves.”

He was hungry. He hadn’t eaten anything since morning because of this observation class.

***

Cho Un-hwi looked at his students.

‘I need to figure out why they’re failing.’

He casually asked, “Has anyone been to Kaifeng Prefecture?”

“…”

No one answered.

‘Kaifeng Prefecture is pretty far.’

He tried an easier question.

“Has anyone traveled to another province?”

“It’s fine if you just know how to find a good inn. Or a good restaurant.”

“What? No one?”

Was that even possible?

‘Are they all shut-ins?’

Rich shut-ins… how pathetic.

Eon Ho-seung grumbled, his voice laced with a strange sense of defeat, “My guards usually take care of these things…”

Ah, there it was. The classic rich kid excuse.

“…”

The only girl in the group chose to remain silent.

“It’s not like I haven’t traveled before.”

“Traveling is just sitting in a carriage.”

“You wake up in an inn, and then you arrive at your destination after eating.”

That was a new one.

It seemed that they had never even traveled on their own.

Baek Ri-seol, surprisingly, was the same.

“Oh my, so that’s what a useless shut-in is like.”

She giggled, covering her mouth with her sleeve, and Eon Ho-seung retorted, “You’re just a kid! You don’t know anything either!”

“Oh my, the little boy has no taste. He doesn’t even recognize a skilled assistant.”

Baek Ri-seol’s insult was followed by a barrage of insults from the other students.

“How pathetic, getting so competitive with a child like me. Well, I guess it’s understandable, considering you’re just an ignorant little boy who’s never even been caught in a sudden downpour on the plains.”

“…You’re all so pathetic.”

Eon Ho-seung glared at the easiest target.

“What about you, tall guy?”

“Oh my, he doesn’t even recognize a true expert. That guy is a real tribal chief, the king of survival.”

“This is ridiculous.”

Eon Ho-seung grumbled, his anger subsiding. Cho Un-hwi, on the other hand, was dying inside.

“How… how did you even survive?”

“W-what?!”

“You’re almost adults, and you don’t even know how to count money? Are you kidding me?”

“W-well, we usually just pick out what we want, and our servants pay for it.”

“That’s an impressive excuse.”

Eon Ho-seung, embarrassed, said, “I-I was just focusing on my martial arts training. A true expert knows what to prioritize.”

“You’re saying that because you’re a lucky bastard who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Your priorities are based on your good fortune.”

“You little shit.”

“Your best choices are all based on luck.”

Eon Ho-seung’s eyes were bloodshot.

“Y-you…”

He wanted to retort, but he couldn’t find the words.

“Sigh, this is why sheltered kids are so…”

He was already getting a headache. He didn’t even know where to begin teaching them.

They were embarrassed, but…

“Hmph! It’s not that hard.”

Tang Gan, who had been humiliated by Namgung Yun-ho earlier, stepped forward confidently.

He narrowed his eyes and raised his chin arrogantly.

“We can do anything our servants can do. Find an inn? Leave it to me.”

“I’ve been to the Tang Clan’s headquarters with my elders!”

He swaggered towards the crowd.