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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Literary Inquisition (1)
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"Ah."
The opening was so glaringly obvious,
that I instinctively drove a Rising Fist (↓↘→RP) into his solar plexus.
Fortunately, I retracted my *qi* just before impact, so it didn't result in a severe internal injury, merely a physical technique used for suppression.
Anyway,
I subtly glanced at the instructor's expression.
He looked surprised, but thankfully, there was no sign of him shouting lines like, "How dare you use a killing blow in a sacred duel! Hmph!"
"...The duel between Murong Weitian and Geum Sihyeon is a victory for Geum Sihyeon! However, you'll have to pay the price for an attack that wasn't strictly necessary!"
Gah.
"Take Murong Weitian to the infirmary yourself!"
"Y-yes, sir."
With a sheepish expression, I quickly assessed Murong Weitian's condition.
Fortunately, he was breathing fine, his ankle wasn't twisted, his bones seemed intact, and his *qi* and blood flow appeared healthy, with no blockages.
To borrow the expression of my medical master, the Life-and-Death Divine Doctor, he was 'lively as ever.'
Only then,
"Hoo..."
I exhaled, barely suppressing the surge of exhilaration bubbling up from deep within my chest.
Normally, in situations like this, the JRPG-style reaction would be a flood of applause, like 'Whoa! A super-nova has descended! Oh-oh, I knew you'd cause trouble!'
...But I suppose I played too dirty to expect that.
I slung Murong Weitian over my shoulder and slowly left the training grounds, observing the people around me.
Murong Weitian's original clique, who were giving me slightly hostile looks, yet with subtle emotions entwined within.
Murong Taek, frantically tapping away on his smartphone with a bizarre expression.
Un Hak, giving me a thumbs-up.
Even Ruri, staring at me with those crimson eyes, without a change in expression.
Well, it seems like the reactions aren't too bad.
At least I probably won't be called 'money grubber' anymore.
* * *
As a result of consistent training,
dragging a single unconscious adult male with one arm was easily manageable.
As I left the training grounds, practically dragging Murong Weitian along, I instinctively opened the gallery app.
"Pfft."
I couldn't help but chuckle at the post that caught my eye.
[Baekhwa Academy Gallery]
[Author: Anonymous (Gambler_Taek)]
[Title: BREAKING) Murong Weitian got owned in the Advanced Class Duel lololol]
[(Photo of a man in Murong family crest robes being helped away by another man, seen from behind)]
[Just...that ^country bumpkin from the Murong family, the greatest clan in Liaoning, officially recognized by the state as barbarian repellents, a heaven-sent genius unmatched through the ages, and the 'You're not on my level,' 'You must respect me,' 'Lineage doesn't lie' quote-machine, and the one who supposedly consumed every spiritual medicine available and learned all family secrets, claiming to possess 3rd-year level power despite being a 1st-year^]
Taek, you...
That's pathetic...
But it turned out Taek wasn't the only pathetic one.
- Isn't that the guy who always talks trash about 'low-borns' during clan meetings? He got a good lesson lol
- Who did he mess with?
- ^(Author) The Myriad Gold Bank
- ^^For real? lolololol
- Never disrespect the God-tier Regular Admission again hahahaha
- Unpopular opinion) Honestly, it felt good...,., gave it a thumbs up,,.,
Judging by the comments, this Murong Weitian guy must have lived like a real jerk.
He seemed like exactly the type of arrogant young master who believes he's the only one under heaven, living solely for his own ego.
At this point, getting roasted like this is just his karma.
I felt a slight, fleeting pang of guilt, wondering if the solar plexus punch had been a bit much, but then I comfortably abandoned Murong Weitian at the infirmary.
Still, this incident should bring me a bit more attention...
"Hmm...?"
[Anonymous / BREAKING) Instructor Hwang one-shot by the Heaven-Shaking Demonic Punch lololol (7)]
[Anonymous / Wow, the Heaven Demon Divine Art is insane, holy crap... Is that martial arts? (3)]
[Anonymous / Wait, is that Little Cult Master really first-rate?;;; I think she's stronger than my dad? (3)]
[Anonymous / As expected of our Supreme Being! Long live the Demonic Cult! (8)]
...Looks like I won't be getting much attention after all.
It seems Cheon Ruri's 'Soft Debut Show' was a more sensational topic than Murong Weitian's online cancellation, as the gallery quickly transformed into a Demonic Cult gallery.
Should I be happy about this, or sad?
Suddenly feeling a presence, I looked up from my smartphone.
Ruri, who had achieved the 'knocked out an instructor in first year' feat,
was toddling towards me, having people in obviously Demonic Cult robes carry the instructor.
She herself was just fiddling with her smartphone as she walked, giving off the vibe of, well, a child from a distinguished family.
It felt a bit awkward not to greet her, so I gave a light nod.
But Cheon Ruri's face remained utterly still.
What was that?
Did she ignore me?
Had she glimpsed the abyss of the gallery in the meantime and started harboring a grudge against me? Just like someone from the countryside?
Just as my mind became slightly confused and she passed by,
"Hello."
A low, inorganic voice brushed past my ear.
I forgave Ruri.
* * *
Although there was the unfortunate incident of having to leave midway,
the results were exactly as I had predicted.
Perhaps because a bunch of supposedly talented friends gathered, a total of thirty-two students remained in the advanced class, including Murong Weitian, who was knocked out cold in three seconds.
Naturally, Murong Taek and Un Hak also survived.
Only a few idiots who relied solely on their family's prestige and swaggered around tasted bitter defeat due to the strict evaluation.
And if you listened to the seniors in the gallery,
they said everyone might have passed if Instructor Hwang had continued.
However,
due to an unfortunate incident (feat. Ruri), Murong Seol was urgently brought in as an instructor, and the timeline got a little twisted.
When I saw her, she was clearly a meddlesome, immature scatterbrain who couldn't act her age.
"—Are you defying this instructor's words right now?"
She showed overwhelming authority, completely crushing a student who protested her strict disqualification ruling.
Is it just my prejudice?
She looked a bit fierce.
Anyway.
In this world, some things can simply be brushed off, while others should ideally be resolved through communication.
Of course, people generally don't like to expose their flaws.
However, there's a specially developed method for such people.
Water knows the answer.
...Just kidding.
Despite various side effects, alcohol significantly helps bridge the gap between people.
The interior of Baekhwa Academy, to exaggerate slightly, is akin to a small city.
If you walk a bit from the dormitory area, commonly known as the Northern Living Quarters, you'll find Baekhwa Market in the northwest, where various convenience facilities and shops are gathered.
In games, if you start as a 'dirt spoon,' you'd often come here to do part-time jobs, squeezing them into your class schedule because of insufficient funds.
"Gah...!"
"Not bad."
Today, I had no other plans for the entire afternoon.
After all, isn't it a freshman's duty to embrace drinking and merrymaking, the true essence of college life?
The Tangchori-jeok was quite evenly cooked.
The broth of the Nohwajung-tang had a clean taste, reminiscent of Kkokkomyeon.
And the spicy tang of the Hoegwa-yuk enveloped my tongue, bringing back memories of the *Xin* from my hometown.
This, too, must be the grace of the Myriad Gold Bank.
I worship you, Father.
"Hehe, Third Young Master. Is the food to your liking?"
"Oh, Chef Ryu. So you're here. No wonder it tasted so good; I feel like shedding tears of emotion again today..."
"Gah... There's truly no one like the Third Young Master! Well then, this humble one shall return to the kitchen."
While it might be a bit ambiguous across all of China, at least in the vicinity of Shaanxi, the Myriad Gold Bank could be considered a national power.
In other words, most of the businesses established in Baekhwa Market were heavily influenced by our family.
This is what it means to be born with a golden spoon.
The life of a second-generation rich kid.
"See? I'm paying today. Order whatever you want."
"Oh, Un Mo... I'm touched by Brother Geum's generosity!"
As expected of someone from the prestigious Beggar Sect, his tongue is truly well-oiled.
Anyway, curfew was around Hai Shi (9-11 PM).
There was still plenty of time until 10 PM.
Drink up, drink down.
A few cups turned into a few bottles.
That Murong bastard, who'd been so tightly shut up like a petty man, finally started to open his mouth.
To summarize:
A victim of an loveless arranged marriage.
Due to a severe drought that even forced polar bears from their habitats, the North Sea Ice Palace sought refuge with the Murong family, the hegemon of Liaoning province, which was the closest to the northern barbarians' lands.
And the result of that was Murong Taek and—
"Yeah, that crazy bitch..."
"Isn't that a bit too harsh?"
"What 'Ice Flower'? More like 'Ice Idiot.' My sister's temper is no joke. She's a mad dog, I tell you."
I let Taek's words go in one ear and out the other.
Siblings are inherently born with a programmed hatred for each other.
...Of course, there are exceptions sometimes, but I don't know about such depths.
Anyway, even though he's a bit... no, quite pathetic in the gallery, if that's his situation, then he must be relieving stress that way.
Psychologically speaking, it could be seen as similar to yearning for unreceived affection.
"Hmm... Is that so...?"
"Ugh."
I gave a wry smile, watching Murong Taek angrily chug the contents of his glass.
Even though it's only been two years since I've had a family, despite his words, she's probably a reliable presence for him.
Or not.
One *shichen*, no, two hours later.
Leaving behind a pile of bottles so numerous it made me wonder if the alcohol had been watered down, we got up to leave.
To be precise, only I was standing on two feet.
The other two idiots were on the verge of crawling on all fours, so I reluctantly called for a rickshaw.
I was a little unsure if a ride would be available within the academy grounds,
but as soon as I called, a man carrying a palanquin came rushing over, using *qinggong*.
"Oh, usually the escort agency work is good, but during admission season like this, the academy is the best. The distances are short, but the demand is high. Haha."
I was curious why they didn't just run around with *qinggong*, so I asked a few more questions.
He said it was mostly used by young masters or ladies obsessed with showing off and flexing, or by latecomers.
As I watched the two dimwits, nearly unconscious, sleeping peacefully with their arms around each other's shoulders,
Perhaps it was the alcohol's influence,
I decided to do the homework I had put off.
[Me: (Thousand-Handed Ghost Heart Art.pdf)]
[Me: 😊]
Quest complete.
Imagining Squirrel Girl happily bouncing around and dancing, I also closed my eyes for a short nap, just like the idiots.
It had been a tiring day.
* * *
[Squirrel Girl: ?????]
[Squirrel Girl: Whoa, amazing]
[Squirrel Girl: You didn't actually choose the Thousand-Handed Ghost Heart Art, did you?????😍😍]
...
...
[Squirrel Girl: Young Master😯]
[Squirrel Girl: The characters are weird.....😥]
[Squirrel Girl: (Screenshot of '兽')]
[Squirrel Girl: (Screenshot of '汉')]
[Squirrel Girl: (Screenshot of '体')]
[Squirrel Girl: What kind of characters are these❓😅]