WeTried Translations

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Editor: Abstract

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 30: Dormitory Assignment (1)

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Dormitory Assignment (1)

Hae Ryang, having won Mo Il-hwa's favor, grinned and pointed toward a group setting up camp beside the statues honoring the Four Immortal Masters.

"Looks like it's about to start."

Mo Il-hwa asked, puzzled.

"About to start what? Who are they?" "You could think of them as the representatives of each dormitory." "Dormitory representatives?" "From what I understand, each dormitory has an assigned dorm parent who oversees the rules, but the actual day-to-day running is handled by cadets themselves, elected as representatives through something called the Student Autonomy Council." "That's a lot of people for representatives."

The number of people setting up camp beside each of the four statues came to at least eight or ten per dormitory. It seemed strange that all of them would be representatives. Hae Ryang explained.

"Those would be the floor leaders in charge of each floor, and the head of the dormitory who oversees all of them." "Oh yeah? The floor leaders and the dorm head, are they seniors from last year or the year before?" "Sharp as ever, my lady. That's likely it. From what I hear, they're chosen as the most outstanding from each floor."

True to the Hao clan's reputation, Hae Ryang's information network was impressive. Taking this in, Mo Il-hwa nodded as though it made sense.

"So they're basically the real power in each dormitory." "Correct." "Then if I talk to them, I can get into that dormitory?" "I'd imagine so."

Even with all the Hao clan's connections, Hae Ryang couldn't know every detail of the process. He only had a rough grasp of things, pieced together from what information he'd gathered. While the two of them talked, Jin-hyeok was staring off somewhere. His eyes were fixed on the area near the statue of Western Wind Lone Angel.

'Is that her?'

Just like the other dormitories, people sat waiting inside a pitched camp. Most of them stood, but one figure sat with her legs crossed, wearing a daringly short skirt that showed off nearly her entire thigh. A cold beauty with indigo-tinted hair and a rather arrogant expression on her face. Even Jin-hyeok recognized her at a glance.

'Gu Yang Seo-rin.'

Western Wind Lone Angel had twin grandchildren, a grandson and a granddaughter. Gu Yang Seo-rin was one of them, renowned throughout the current martial world as the finest rising talent in movement skill and leg techniques. Mak Il-woong, the eldest of the Kangxi Three Heroes, was himself a master of leg techniques. Ordinarily a man without much ambition, he had harbored one particular wish.

[I met Western Wind Lone Angel exactly once, a long time ago. Fired up by my own pride, I challenged him to a sparring match.]

The clash between his first master and one of the Four Immortal Masters. He had listened with his heart pounding in anticipation, but of course the result had been defeat. He hadn't even managed to properly counter a single technique, or so it was said. He hadn't hoped to be an equal, only to be recognized as a fellow master of leg techniques, but the crushing defeat had left Mak Il-woong wallowing in self-doubt over his own art for some time afterward.

[But that was before I completed the Eight-Form Leg Technique. Now the gap between us in martial cultivation has grown too wide for there to be any chance. But you're different, Jin-hyeok.]

As fate would have it, by the time Jin-hyeok entered the academy, Western Wind Lone Angel's successor had already enrolled a year earlier and settled in at Changcheon Martial Academy. Mak Il-woong wanted Jin-hyeok to earn recognition in leg technique from that successor. Proof that his own path hadn't been wrong.

'I won't stop at earning recognition. Master.'

Jin-hyeok's goal reached further than that. Just like his older brother, he meant to graduate from Changcheon Martial Academy within the top three. To manage that, he would need to defeat Western Wind Lone Angel's successor as well.

'Where's Gu Yang Seo-han, though?'

He'd heard they were twins, but the brother was nowhere in sight. Not that it mattered. He was far more focused on her, the master of leg techniques, than on Gu Yang Seo-han, known as the Poison Form. While he steeled his fighting spirit toward her, Mumu was staring with great interest at someone off to the north.

"What are you even looking at so... oh...."

Curious what had caught Mumu's eye, Mo Il-hwa turned to look toward the camp near the statue of Northern Heaven Fist Hero, and her eyes went wide, her face flushing red. There, shirtless and showing off muscles carved like sculpture, a hulking boy sat sprawled in a chair. Clearly proud of his own body, he kept flexing his chest muscles over and over.

"Well would you look at that, oh my, does that guy have no shame at all. Oh my goodness. It's so hot in here."

She fanned herself, face flushed. Then her brow furrowed as she glanced at Mumu. No matter how she looked at it, his eyes were locked on that muscular boy, gleaming, unable to look away.

'!?'

Wondering if it was what she thought, she spoke up carefully.

"Mumu. Don't tell me you're..." "He's got decent muscle definition, but it's a shame. Way too focused on the upper body. His lower body is way too underdeveloped compared to the top." "......"

The flush drained from her face, and Mo Il-hwa's eyes went half-lidded. It wasn't what she'd expected, which was a relief, but somehow it left her feeling even more deflated.

'Is his head just packed full of muscle?'

Sometimes it was almost exasperating how obsessed Mumu was with muscle training. Watching him, Mo Il-hwa found herself wondering if even his brain was made of muscle. As she shook her head, Hae Ryang spoke up.

"My lady. Which dormitory will you be choosing?"

At the question, Mo Il-hwa's gaze swept east, west, north, south, and she fell into thought. Sure, Mumu and Jin-hyeok would follow wherever she went, but this was a place she'd be living in for two, maybe three years, so she needed a dormitory that suited her temperament, which meant she couldn't choose carelessly. But at some point the cadets had started, almost competitively, lining up in front of each dormitory's camp.

"What? Why's everyone doing that?" "Ah. We're already too late." "Huh?" "My mistake. I should have mentioned earlier that each dormitory has a cap on how many they'll take, so if there's one you want, it's best to decide quickly." "...You could've said that sooner."

Mo Il-hwa clicked her tongue. Most of the cadets had already lined up in front of the camps. At this rate, they might end up stuck in a dormitory that didn't suit them at all. While she fretted over it, her eyes landed on a handful of other cadets who, like them, hadn't joined any line. One of them was Hong Hye-ryeong, daughter of Southern Blade Imperial Uncle. Arms crossed, she looked utterly, endlessly at ease. Mo Il-hwa said, clearly displeased.

"Why isn't she lining up? Just standing there like someone's going to come fetch her..."

Just then, four cadets approached Hong Hye-ryeong. They dropped to one knee, faces filled with something like reverence, and one of them spoke on behalf of the rest.

"Oh, we've been waiting. The true mistress of the Southern Blade Residence has arrived at last. How could we not be moved?" "Please, take that seat." "It's been prepared just for you, Lady Hong Hye-ryeong."

Where they pointed, right in the center of the southern camp, sat an ornate chair, arranged like a throne. No one had noticed when they'd set it up. Hong Hye-ryeong looked pleased at such lavish treatment, her smile blooming, but then she caught herself, covered her mouth with one hand, and murmured, "Well, I suppose there's no helping it," putting on a show of reluctance.

"......Ha."

Mo Il-hwa was floored by the scene. So that was why she hadn't bothered lining up, she'd known all along they'd come fetch her themselves. Watching this, Hae Ryang nodded as though it all made sense and said,

"I see." "What do you see." "I thought something like this might happen." "Something like what?" "It's an inter-residence competition, so of course the new cadets want to land in a favorable dormitory, but the senior cadets feel the same way, wanting the strongest new blood." "The same way? Ah......"

Mo Il-hwa caught his meaning quickly enough. Sure enough, the senior cadets Hae Ryang had called "floor leaders" were roaming around, either joining lines or trying to approach cadets who hadn't lined up at all.

"So the talented ones just get scouted, huh."

Exactly as she'd said. Official dormitory assignment. On the surface, it looked like a simple process where new cadets picked whichever dormitory they wanted. But underneath, it was really another kind of war. Each dormitory had a martial arts master who doubled as its dorm parent, and beneath that master stood a dorm head running the dormitory, and beneath the dorm head, floor leaders overseeing each floor. These floor leader positions went to the most outstanding cadets from each class year, and whenever a graduating class left, the vacancies opened up. Which meant they were always on the hunt for new talent to fill those empty seats.

Over at the Western Wind Residence camp, Gu Yang Seo-rin sat with her legs crossed in that provocative way, and the male cadets crowding in to apply couldn't stop stealing glances at her while pretending not to. Watching them, she scoffed. Men truly never could keep their heads straight in front of a pair of smooth legs and a well-timed gesture.

"Of course our line's the longest. All thanks to yours truly. Am I wrong?"

At her haughty, superior tone, the floor leaders beside her chimed in unanimously in agreement. They were devoted followers of hers. And she treated them, every one, like personal servants.

'......So annoying.'

Beside her, Tang So-so openly scoffed and clicked her tongue. Ever since a senior from two classes prior had graduated and left her the dorm head position, Gu Yang Seo-rin had been acting like she owned the place. It was genuinely hard to watch. If she'd had no skill to back it up, there'd be plenty to say, but she ranked among the top five in her class year, which made it hard to complain out loud. Just then, a floor leader who'd gone out to recruit came back and reported to Gu Yang Seo-rin.

"Dorm Head. As expected, Eastern River Sword Sage's disciple turned us down." "Ah. What a shame." "It is. To turn down an offer from you so flatly. Truly a foolish choice on their part."

Watching the floor leader defend her, Tang So-so grumbled internally.

'What's there to be a shame about? Everyone knew that disciple would end up in the Eastern River Residence anyway.'

Why would Eastern River Sword Sage's disciple ever come to the Western Wind Residence? Of course the disciple would go to the Eastern River Residence, built to honor their own master. Honestly, that girl had way too high an opinion of herself. Gu Yang Seo-rin waved the floor leader off, telling him to keep working, and said,

"Fine. Just make sure you land at least four of the remaining eleven." "Yes! Understood!"

The eleven she meant were the rest of the top scorers from the entrance examination. That included people like Mo Yong-wol of the MoYong Noble Clan and Bae Ui-seok of Baeyang Estate. As the floor leader dashed off, energized by her order, Tang So-so scanned the surroundings, looking for someone.

'He should be among them, right?'

She was certain that particular kid had made it into the top twelve. Having assisted with the entrance examination, she'd been hoping, practically praying, that the boy she'd seen there would end up choosing the Western Wind Residence.

Meanwhile, at the Northern Heaven Residence camp, not a single floor leader inside carried any kind of weapon. That was because they all favored bare-handed combat exclusively. The cadets of the Northern Heaven Residence were, for the most part, devoted admirers of Northern Heaven Fist Hero, who had climbed to the ranks of the Four Immortal Masters using nothing but his two fists. Naturally, the floor leaders felt the same way, and the dorm head, Do Yang-woon, even more so. After all, he was Northern Heaven Fist Hero's own grandson.

"What? You use a sword? Then you're rejected."

Any cadet who requested entry while relying on a weapon got turned away without exception.

"Wait, rejected over something like that?"

And there was always at least one who took issue with it. Every time, Do Yang-woon stepped in personally.

"What, got a problem?"

A single ripple of his chest muscles was usually enough to drain the color from their faces and send them off. Probably intimidated by his sheer presence.

'As long as I'm dorm head of the Northern Heaven Residence, so long as we're not desperate to fill a spot, I have absolutely no intention of taking in anyone who prances around waving a weapon like some girl.'

This year's class hadn't turned up anyone particularly to his liking. Everyone leaned on weapons. Still, there was one who'd caught his interest.

[Apparently one of the top twelve this year is Yeo Jin-sung's younger brother, and word from this year's cadets is that the enrollment ceremony got delayed because of him.]

He'd heard the kid was strong enough to tear the very gate used for that assessment clean off its hinges. Which meant his external energy training was nothing to scoff at either.

"Is that Yeo Jin-hyeok still not here?" "Third-floor leader Go Du-ho went to get him, he'll bring him back soon." "Can't wait to see him."

He was the one cadet Do Yang-woon actually had his hopes up for.

* * *

Go Du-ho, floor leader of the Northern Heaven Residence, spoke with an apologetic look.

"That's going to be a problem, junior." "It can't be done?" "Our Northern Heaven Residence doesn't take in cadets who rely on weapons. This one here, was it Mumu? He might still get a shot at an interview, but the rest, I'm afraid, is a no."

At his words, Jin-hyeok couldn't hide his awkwardness. Since the Northern Heaven Residence had come to recruit him personally, Mo Il-hwa had told him to ask whether all four of them could come along, so he had. And the answer had been an immediate no. Only he and Mumu could get in, apparently. And even for Mumu, they'd decide after an interview, same as any of the other cadets waiting in line. Jin-hyeok glanced sideways to gauge Mo Il-hwa's reaction.

"Ah. I see."

Sure enough, Mo Il-hwa's voice had gone flat. Even before this, floor leaders from two other dormitories had already come to recruit Jin-hyeok. The Southern Blade Residence and the Eastern River Residence. For the Southern Blade Residence, Mo Il-hwa had flatly refused, saying she wouldn't join the same dormitory as Hong Hye-ryeong, so that one was out regardless. And the Eastern River Residence, as it turned out, had its own restrictions, much like the Southern Blade Residence, refusing anyone with former ties to the force of evil, people like those from the Hao clan, so that fell through too.

"Ah, so it's basically down to whoever fits the seniors' preferences, or should I say standards."

Mo Il-hwa's mood had taken a serious hit as a result. She'd wanted them all to end up in the same dormitory together, but between one thing and another, that was looking harder and harder. If the last remaining option, the Western Wind Residence, turned out to have its own special conditions too, she might as well give up on getting into the same dormitory as everyone else. Go Du-ho, floor leader of the Northern Heaven Residence, looked at Mo Il-hwa apologetically.

"It's a rule the dorm head set, there's nothing I can do about it, junior. But honestly, each of the Four Immortal Residences looks for a different kind of cadet, so getting all four of your friends into one dormitory together was never really realistic to begin with. So I'm sorry, but..." "If the dorm head changed the rule, could we get in?"

Mumu, who had been quietly watching the whole exchange, spoke up. At the question, Go Du-ho let out a short laugh and said,

"Well, sure, technically, but our dorm head's stubborn as a rock, so that's not happening. Might be easier to just hope for a new dorm head."

Go Du-ho suddenly remembered something the dorm head, Do Yang-woon, had said once.

[Anyone who can beat me by force, whenever they like, gets to be dorm head. Feel free to challenge me any time.]

That was what he'd told the floor leaders. It wasn't just bravado. He'd earned the right to say it. Whatever anyone else thought, he stood at the very top of the Northern Heaven Residence. Mumu asked him,

"How do you go about changing the dorm head?" "Not sure how other dormitories do it, but here at Northern Heaven, you beat the dorm head by force, that's it. But don't get any ideas. You lot just enrolled, you're way out of your depth."

He figured it was flat impossible unless someone was a successor of one of the Four Immortal Masters themselves. And even setting the dorm head aside, he figured he could personally handle any of these cadets himself. He was in his second year at the academy. Having completed the full first-year curriculum, his experience and raw skill were on a whole different level. Go Du-ho let a bit of his ki show, almost carelessly, and nodded toward Jin-hyeok as he spoke.

"You get what I'm saying, don't you? Even if you placed in the top twelve of the entrance exam, unless you're some exceptional monster on the level of the Four Immortal Masters' successors, even our floor leaders would be tough to beat. Clear enough?" "......."

At Go Du-ho's words, Jin-hyeok swallowed hard.

'Strong.'

He was openly letting his ki show, and it really was strong. No wonder people said only the most outstanding cadets from the second and third years could become floor leaders.

"Looks like you understand well enough. So..." "To fight the dorm head senior, do I have to get in that line over there?" "......."

At Mumu's words, Go Du-ho was floored. He had no idea what this kid had taken away from everything he'd just said. Even Jin-hyeok, the strongest one in this group, had gone quiet, cowed by his display of power and clearly grasping the reality of the situation, so what on earth gave this one the nerve?

"Hoo."

Go Du-ho sighed and set both hands on Mumu's shoulders. Might as well let the kid find out the hard way whether this was gold or garbage. Go Du-ho gathered life energy into both hands and said,

"Mumu, was it? Seems like you don't know your place, but no matter how hard you struggle, even I can't possibly..."

Go Du-ho's expression suddenly went rigid. He was pressing down on the boy's shoulders with a five-star Force of ki, and instead of showing any pain, the kid just tilted his head, puzzled.

'What?'

Could this kid's ki reserves be greater than he'd guessed? Stung by pride, Go Du-ho pushed his Force of ki up another notch. He shot straight past six-star, all the way to seven-star.

Kwaaak!

He meant to crush the boy's shoulders down until he dropped to his knees. But then,

"What are you doing?"

'!?'

Mumu looked completely unfazed.

'What is this kid?'

Normally, when someone pressed down on your shoulders with internal energy, you'd raise your own internal energy to resist it. Which would trigger a Reflective Force. But there was nothing like that here at all. And yet somehow, the boy wasn't budging an inch.

Murmur, murmur.

By then, a crowd had gathered nearby, cadets and floor leaders from every dormitory drawn in to watch.

'Damn it.'

Realizing he might end up humiliated in front of everyone, Go Du-ho decided he couldn't hold back any longer. There might be some injury involved, but he made up his mind to go all out.

"N... not bad. But careful now. I won't be holding back anymore."

Go Du-ho pushed his Force of ki straight to ten-star. For the first time, Mumu's face creased slightly.

'There. Feels it now, doesn't he? Just drop to your knees already...'

Then Mumu spoke.

"Are you doing this on purpose?" "You? D-don't tell me you're still fine even..." "You really are doing it on purpose, huh. Sheesh."

Tak!

Mumu let out a sigh, then placed both his hands on Go Du-ho's shoulders in turn. And just as Go Du-ho had done to him, he pressed down. The instant he did,

"Guhk!"

Kwadeudeudeuk!

The stone floor of the plaza shattered, and Go Du-ho's legs sank straight into the ground. They kept sinking, without stopping, until his entire lower body was buried in the earth.

'!!!!!'

Every eye watching went wide at the sight.

Footnotes:

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