Chapter 4: Nothing Much to Know
Hamubaek walked leisurely towards his quarters, ignoring the bewildered stares of the five men behind him.
'I'll sleep well tonight. I went to bed late yesterday, but this kind of life isn't so bad. It's relaxing and quiet.'
Although it was only his second day on duty, Hamubaek was already quite satisfied with the situation. The only annoying thing was being assigned to a place where they used people as meat shields.
He didn't want to contribute to that.
Sooner or later, they would either assign another instructor or remove him.
Hamubaek stretched out and caught up on his lack of sleep in his quarters.
By the time he woke up, it was already noon.
Hamubaek never skipped a meal. So, he headed to the training ground.
He still felt responsible for making sure the recruits ate properly.
Hamubaek walked towards the training ground of the seventh unit.
Self-study, or rather, self-training.
He wondered how they were doing.
When he arrived, it was exactly as he had expected.
Dang Jinsan was lying under the shade of a tree, asleep. Hamubaek felt a twinge of envy. If it weren't for the need to eat, he would have slept a bit longer himself.
Baek Lipeong was practicing the basic sword techniques of the Southern Edge sect with great diligence.
Yeon Hamin was moving his body in a corner. Judging by the faint internal energy visible in his movements, he was probably practicing the basic muscle and bone strengthening methods of the Yeon family.
And then there was Danmok Unroe.
He knew nothing about martial arts.
He was sweating profusely as he practiced horse stance training. Nakwujin was with him.
These guys truly had no intention of going home.
Even after being explicitly told what would happen to them after completing their training in Fierce Dragon Corps, they still chose to stay, destined to die in two years.
"Sigh. Let's go eat."
Hamubaek sighed and shouted loudly, making the four who were training stop, and Dang Jinsan wake up with a groggy expression.
"What are we doing for afternoon training?"
Danmok Unroe asked excitedly, approaching Hamubaek.
"Self-study."
The short answer made his face fall immediately.
"Then why...?"
"I came to make sure you don't skip meals like yesterday. We need to eat to live, after all."
Hamubaek led the way, and the five followed.
The Hidden Dragon Hall had dining halls located in all four directions—east, west, south, and north.
The name of these dining halls was Damryong Pavilion.
All four had the same name, which meant "Pavilion that feeds dragons," a grand name that made Hamubaek briefly wonder if those following him were indeed dragons.
He quickly dismissed the thought.
What did it matter to him? All he cared about was eating well and being full.
"Oh, today's menu looks good. Let's eat."
Hamubaek checked the menu at the entrance of the Damryong Pavilion and happily grabbed a tray, standing in line for food. The five followed suit.
It was then that he felt the glances from people around him.
Hamubaek, of course, noticed but chose to ignore them.
"Um... Instructor."
Perhaps because of those glances, Danmok Unroe cautiously called out to Hamubaek.
"Yes? What is it?"
"We're not supposed to use this place. We should use the southern Damryong Pavilion."
Hamubaek tilted his head in confusion.
There was no such rule in the duty instructions he received when he was assigned to Hidden Dragon Hall.
He was told they could freely use any of the four Damryong Pavilions.
But now, someone was saying Fierce Dragon Corps could only use the southern one.
Hamubaek frowned.
The nearest Damryong Pavilion from the seventh unit's training ground was the eastern one. The southern one was farther away. So why force them to use it?
He didn't like the sound of it.
Although Danmok Unroe spoke quietly, those present had sharp enough ears to hear him, and a few faces showed interest.
"What a load of crap. We can use any of the Damryong Pavilions freely."
Hamubaek said loudly enough for everyone around to hear.
Faces twisted in displeasure immediately. It was clear they were annoyed.
Forcing Fierce Dragon Corps to use the southern pavilion had just been called nonsense.
However, no one openly opposed him. There was even another instructor present, but he showed no reaction.
"Chief Instructor! Are you eating here today as well?"
A loud voice rang out as a burly man ignored the line and walked straight in.
Hamubaek frowned, but the cadets here seemed completely unbothered.
The burly man, identified as the only other instructor present, suddenly stopped upon noticing Hamubaek's group.
"Fierce Dragon Corps?"
He identified them by the markings on their uniforms.
"Yes, that's right."
Hamubaek stepped forward and answered.
"Hah. This is absurd. What are Fierce Dragon Corps scum doing here?"
"Where else would they be? It's just a dining hall."
Hamubaek's response was as casual as the man's was disrespectful.
The man's eyebrow twitched, angered by the defiance.
"I am Sado Gwang, the chief instructor of Hidden Dragon Corp. Who are you?"
"Hamubaek, instructor of the seventh unit of Fierce Dragon Corps."
"Instructor? Hah. No wonder there's no Fierce Dragon Corps mark on you. I thought you were just some nobody. Why are you here? Instructors should be eating at the northern Damryong Pavilion."
There were cadets in Fierce Dragon Corps of all ages, so it was plausible for Hamubaek to be mistaken for one.
"Where I eat is my business."
"How can it be your business? Officially, you can use any Damryong Pavilion, but it's customary for each group to use their designated one."
Sado Gwang blocked Hamubaek's path, glaring fiercely.
"Hidden Dragon Corp uses the east, Waryongdae uses the west, instructors and officials use the north, and laborers and Fierce Dragon Corps use the south."
He emphasized the last part, clearly belittling Fierce Dragon Corps and the laborers.
Hamubaek's eyes scanned Sado Gwang's face.
What made him so arrogant? He didn't seem like anyone significant Hamubaek knew.
As the leader of the Ho-cheon Group, Hamubaek had to be familiar with the key figures in the alliance for security reasons.
Not recognizing Sado Gwang meant he was nobody important.
"So get lost. Don't taint the eastern Damryong Pavilion with your presence. It would be a disaster if the Hidden Dragon Corp cadets caught your pathetic stench."
The five recruits behind Hamubaek flinched at the insulting remark.
Hamubaek, on the other hand, chuckled.
"The only one who seems pathetic here is you."
"What? How dare a mere Fierce Dragon Corps instructor talk to me like that!"
"What's so great about you? Pfft."
Hamubaek's laugh made Sado Gwang's robe flap violently as his clenched fists trembled.
He was drawing up his internal energy, and Hamubaek calmly watched him.
Just as Sado Gwang seemed ready to strike.
"Chief Instructor, please stop."
Another instructor present stepped in.
"Step aside, Instructor Jegal. I'm going to teach this insolent fool a lesson."
"Calling someone a fool when you're the one who picked the fight sounds pretty foolish to me."
Hamubaek's eyes shone sharply.
"Instructor Ha, please, calm down."
Jegal, the other instructor, intervened.
"Jegal Myeong?"
Jegal Myeong looked at Hamubaek, surprised by his recognition.
"You know me?"
"Weren't you part of the Cheonmok House?"
Jegal Myeong's eyes narrowed at Hamubaek's question. Few knew his previous affiliation.
Of course.
Cheonmok House, also known as the Military House, was one of the four sections of the alliance, handling classified matters.
Jegal Myeong's involvement was a third-level secret.
"Who knows?"
Je Galmyeong responded vaguely to the question.
It was Sadogwang who reacted instead.
The tension in his raised fist, which seemed ready to strike at any moment, eased slightly.
It couldn't be helped.
The guy he had thought was a nobody had just mentioned Heavenly Eyes Pavilion, and he seemed to know something about it.
This wasn't just any ordinary person.
Causing a commotion here by brawling with such a person could be troublesome if he had any backing. Sadogwang had risen to the rank of chief instructor purely on his own skills, without any support.
He took great pride in his position as the chief instructor of the Hidden Dragon Corps and looked down on the Fierce Dragon Corps.
It was a twisted sense of pride.
Je Galmyeong didn't miss Sadogwang's subtle change in demeanor.
"Chief Instructor, perhaps you should show some magnanimity here. There are many cadets watching."
"Hmph. If Instructor Je Gal says so, I'll let it slide this time out of respect for you. Oh, come by my office later."
Leaving those words, Sadogwang shot Ha Mubek a glare before hastily exiting the cafeteria.
The tense atmosphere dissipated all too quickly.
"Can you step aside now? I think it's my turn."
Ha Mubek pointed to the line for food. During the commotion, the line in front of him had vanished.
"Oh, my apologies."
Je Galmyeong stepped aside. Ha Mubek proceeded to the food counter and loaded his tray with the food he liked.
Je Galmyeong remained nearby, not leaving his side.
"What is it?"
Ha Mubek glanced at Je Galmyeong.
"You don't seem like an ordinary person. Instead of just taking care of your cadets' meals, how about also training them in martial arts?"
"Martial arts? That worthless stuff? Whether they know it or not, they'll die just the same."
"Not everyone dies, though."
"Hmph. Do you even know what that place is like when you say that?"
Ha Mubek stopped walking and turned with a cold expression.
"I don't consider myself a rookie... but yes, I know what that place is. The cursed land where the headquarters of the Blood Cult used to be. A place where monsters, born from the cult's sorcery and poison, keep emerging. The five-year survival rate of the Fierce Dragon Corps is only five percent."
"You know it well. And you still say that? If that's the case, why not send the cadets you're training instead of those guys? Knowing it from books is different from reality."
Ha Mubek resumed walking. He had already filled his tray with food and was now looking for a place to sit.
From behind, Je Galmyeong spoke again.
"I don't know how well you know about that place, Instructor Ha, but the more you know, the more you shouldn't neglect your duties. You said that they'll die whether they learn martial arts or not, but five percent do survive."
Je Galmyeong spoke in a calm voice, devoid of emotion. Ha Mubek showed no reaction, simply finding a seat and sitting down.
The five cadets following Ha Mubek were visibly anxious. They hovered around him, unsure whether to sit or stand.
All five knew well that Je Galmyeong was an instructor of the Hidden Dragon Corps, and he was also a notable member of the Je Gal family.
They had seen him during the induction ceremony.
Although the Fierce Dragon Corps had been present at the ceremony, they had been like uninvited guests at the edge of the Grand Martial Arts Hall.
The Hidden Dragon Corps, composed of members from the Nine Great Clans and the Five Major Families, and the Crouching Dragon, made up of members from the Eight Emerging Sects.
And then there was the Fierce Dragon Corps, which no one paid attention to.
"As an instructor, you should at least try to ensure that your cadets fall into that five percent. To abandon them because you think they'll die anyway is the act of a truly shameless scoundrel."
The five cadets looked at Ha Mubek with nervous eyes.
First the chief instructor of the Hidden Dragon Corps, now an instructor from the Je Gal family. Could their own instructor, who had left them to self-study all day, really handle this?
Their eyes were filled with doubts and worries.
"To abandon the cadets under your care for such reasons is to admit that you are a loser and a coward. Even if you call me a rookie, at least I won't be such a loser or coward."
With those final words, Je Galmyeong turned and left the cafeteria.
"A loser and a coward..."
Ha Mubek repeated Je Galmyeong's cutting words to himself and smiled slightly.
The five cadets finished their meals, unsure if they were eating food or sand, and returned to the training ground.
Soon after, the lunch break ended, and it was time to resume training.
The five pairs of eyes turned to Ha Mubek.
Ha Mubek glanced at them and spoke.
"Self-study."
With that brief command, he leaned against a nearby tree in the shade.
The five cadets hesitated before resuming their morning training.
Tang Jinsan, who had been lazily resting in the morning, now began to practice his whip techniques more diligently, perhaps out of fear of Ha Mubek's presence.
Ha Mubek watched them quietly.
"To ensure that these five fall into that five percent survival rate? Hmph. Easier said than done. If these five are to be among the survivors, what about the rest?"
Ha Mubek pondered Je Galmyeong's words, his expression hardening. Though he didn't realize it, he was starting to take his role as an instructor more seriously.
In truth, Ha Mubek hadn't thought much about his position as an instructor.
He saw it merely as a temporary assignment, a consequence of being caught in the power struggles within the main faction of the Heavenly Spring Alliance.
He had vaguely heard of the Fierce Dragon Corps but didn't realize it was such a grim meat shield.
"Je Galmyeong, huh..."
He remembered the evaluations given by Heavenly Lake Unit's vice-leader Han Seolbyeong and Dam Muhun.
"Well, they said he was a decent guy. Aside from his excessive pride in the Five Major Families, he was humble, diligent, and had good character."
Suddenly, Ha Mubek called out.
"Tang Jinsan. Are you dancing with that whip?"
Tang Jinsan flinched at the reprimand.
"Damnok Unrae. Straighten your back. Spread your legs more. Your knees are sticking out too much. If you're going to practice Mabo like that, you'd be better off not doing it."
"Yes, sir!"
Despite the scolding, Damnok Unrae's face lit up with energy.
It was no wonder.
For the first time, their instructor was actually teaching them something.
"A five percent survival rate, huh? Alright, maybe I'll play along a little, Je Galmyeong."
Ha Mubek muttered to himself, so softly that no one else could hear.
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