IBM 15

Chapter 15

Academy Entrance Exam (3)

“Hey, get in!”

Mumu and Yu Jin-hyeok, swept up by the atmosphere, ended up getting into the carriage.

At first, Jin-hyeok was puzzled because he didn’t know who Mo Il-hwa was, but after hearing her identity from Mumu, he couldn’t help but feel inwardly surprised.

It was because she was the daughter that Minister of Punishments Mo Yun had mentioned.

Jin-hyeok, who had thought she would be a troublesome burden, found it unexpected.

‘She has properly learned martial arts.’

Jin-hyeok’s Ki Sense had become much sharper after receiving the elixir and undergoing the Forcing Ki Through Acupoints treatment.

Because of that, he could tell she hadn’t merely learned martial arts on a superficial level.

“Wow. Is this a carriage? It’s my first time riding one.”

Mumu looked around the rattling interior of the carriage with sparkling eyes.

At Mumu’s way of speaking, Jin-hyeok frowned and quickly gathered his hands politely.

“My apologies, Miss Mo. This fellow has only lived in the mountains, so he may have acted rudely.”

“It’s fine. Why be so formal when we’re around the same age anyway?”

“Pardon?”

“Don’t feel awkward just because you’re doing my father a favor. Let’s just be friends.”

At her rather easygoing attitude, Jin-hyeok felt doubtful.

He wondered if she was trying to lower his guard before turning on him later if he became careless.

Unlike him, Mumu spoke as if he found something interesting.

“You’re very different from how you looked before. Back then, you seemed so proper…”

“Oh my. That was all an act. You understand now, right? This is the real me.”

“…….Yeah, I guess so.”

Seeing Mumu speak so casually, a flustered Jin-hyeok scolded him.

“What kind of attitude is that toward the daughter of the Minister of Punishments?”

“Why? She said to be casual.”

Mumu tilted his head as if he truly didn’t understand the problem.

Jin-hyeok looked frustrated.

“Do you even understand what ‘daughter of the Minister of Punishments’ means? Even if she said to relax…”

“Hey. I told you it’s okay to be casual.”

“Pardon? But, Miss…”

“You can speak formally to me later when I become your sister-in-law. Kyaa, what do I do? I actually said it out loud.”

Mo Il-hwa made a fuss while touching her flushed cheeks.

At that sight, Jin-hyeok was dumbfounded.

Speak formally when she becomes my sister-in-law?

What in the world does that mean?

“Miss, I truly do not understand what you’re saying.”

“Stop pretending you don’t know. I’m definitely going to marry Master Yu Jin-seong. So let’s get along from now on.”

“……With my brother?”

“Yep. I’m so jealous of you. What’s it like living with a brother like him? My own orabeoni is so dumb he’s basically a half-wit younger brother.”

She was unbelievably talkative.

Jin-hyeok was bewildered, but he understood one thing clearly.

She was one of the many women who occasionally visited his house.

After graduating from the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy as the Second Scorer and clearing his father’s name as a Censor Inspector, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say Yu Jin-seong’s popularity in Kaifeng ranked among the top three.

“Ah… I see.”

Jin-hyeok’s voice sank.

The moment he realized she was another woman chasing after his brother, all his enthusiasm disappeared.

Truthfully, Jin-hyeok never liked women like this.

He sincerely wished that the brother he respected and admired so much would marry a proper and dignified young lady worthy of him.

Seeing Jin-hyeok’s reaction, Mo Il-hwa raised an eyebrow.

“What’s with that reaction? You’re kind of annoying, you know?”

She was quick-witted.

To her words, Jin-hyeok politely clasped his hands.

“I do not know much regarding my Hyungnim, so if you are interested, it would be best to arrange a separate meeting with him.”

His tone had become noticeably colder.

He had already dealt with many women who tried acting friendly toward him because of his brother, so he was drawing the line early.

At his attitude, Mo Il-hwa pouted.

‘He’s more difficult than I expected.’

She had thought arranging this meeting would make things easy, but now she realized he might actually be a fortress harder to conquer than expected.

Though slightly sulky, she calmed herself by thinking about Yu Jin-seong.

In any case, they were bound to spend the next two or three years together.

There would be plenty of chances later.

“Well, we’ll deal with that slowly. And you! My father may have told you to watch over me or protect me, but just ignore that.”

She clearly disliked people interfering in her affairs.

At Mo Il-hwa’s words, Jin-hyeok shook his head.

“That would be difficult. His Excellency, the Minister of Punishments, personally requested it from our father.”

Although he hadn’t completely accepted it yet, Jin-hyeok had no desire to trouble Yu Yeop-gyeong.

Mo Il-hwa snorted.

“I’m not that delicate or weak.”

“It is the Minister of Punishments’ request, so it cannot be helped.”

“That’s why I, the daughter of the Minister of Punishments, am telling you it’s fine. If you’re not even going to act friendly, then stop following me around and annoying me.”

The stubborn Jin-hyeok replied curtly.

“Once I make a promise, I keep it. It is my duty to watch over you and ensure nothing happens to you, Miss.”

“Do I look weak to you?”

“I never said such a thing.”

Clang!

At that moment, Mo Il-hwa drew something from her waist.

Jin-hyeok was startled, thinking she was undoing her belt, but what she pulled out was actually a Soft Sword.

A Soft Sword was much thinner and more flexible than a normal sword.

Whoosh!

Her Soft Sword instantly sliced through the air.

Jin-hyeok inwardly admired the trajectory filled with countless unpredictable changes caused by the trembling blade.

‘Even at this distance, I couldn’t properly grasp two or three of her movements.’

He had already guessed she practiced martial arts, but her level was surprisingly high.

At the very least, she wasn’t much inferior to him.

Mo Il-hwa smiled proudly.

“How’s that?”

“…….You are skilled.”

“Right? My master is the Red Flying Soft Sword Heroine.”

‘Red Flying Soft Sword?’

Jin-hyeok was shocked once again.

The Red Flying Soft Sword, Mae Cho-hyeon.

Like the Three Heroes of Jiangxi, she was a famous heroine from the same generation.

Her martial prowess was at the level of a true master, not inferior even compared to Jin-hyeok’s own masters.

He had heard she wandered the Murim alone without disciples or family even after turning forty, yet who would have imagined she secretly taught the Minister’s daughter?

‘If she’s the disciple of the Red Flying Soft Sword Heroine, then there’s no need to worry.’

Jin-hyeok readily admitted it.

She definitely wasn’t a burden.

At that moment, Mumu muttered while staring at the fluttering sword.

“It’s really strange. The way it flutters.”

“It’s like a butterfly, right? My master named it Butterfly Sword. Isn’t it pretty?”

Butterfly Sword.

A fitting name.

Mumu laughed.

“When you say Butterfly Sword, it sounds like Crappy Sword, so it’s really funny.”

At those words, Jin-hyeok, who had finally relaxed, nearly lost his mind in shock.

She’s proudly showing off her technique, so why would he say something like that?!

“Are you insane?”

Jin-hyeok jabbed Mumu with his elbow.

But it was already too late.

Mo Il-hwa’s lips twitched in annoyance.

“What? Crappy?……..Do you want to die?”

“Ah… I’m really sorry.”

Mumu immediately lowered his head and apologized.

He apologized so quickly that it became awkward to continue scolding him.

After talking with him for a while, she realized Mumu genuinely had no bad intentions behind anything he said.

Mo Il-hwa huffed.

“If you weren’t so handsome, this noona would’ve stabbed that cheek already. Watch your mouth. Got it? Hmph!”

“Okay. I understand.”

Still seemingly upset, Mo Il-hwa crossed her arms and turned away.

Once the chattiest person became silent, the inside of the carriage remained completely quiet until they arrived at the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy.

Jin-hyeok didn’t particularly feel like speaking to Mumu either.

—

Around the Hour of the Snake, the carriage carrying the three of them finally arrived near the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy.

Thanks to riding in the carriage, Mumu had gotten a good night’s sleep and arrived in a cheerful mood.

Meanwhile, Jin-hyeok had spent the entire trip tense over the Academy Entrance Exam, leaving his stomach heavy with anxiety.

At that moment, the coachman knocked on the carriage and spoke.

“Miss, there are too many people ahead, so it seems you’ll have to walk from here.”

Just as he said, the main gate of the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy was overflowing with people.

After stepping out of the carriage, the three of them gasped in admiration at both the massive crowd and the grand appearance of the academy, which resembled a fortress.

It truly suited its reputation.

Perhaps because the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle, a member of the Imperial Family, had co-founded it, the scale was extraordinary.

“There are so many people.”

There were simply too many.

Saying there were tens of thousands wouldn’t even be an exaggeration.

Since the academy accepted anyone talented regardless of social status, people had gathered from all over the Central Plains.

Mo Il-hwa clicked her tongue.

“Hey. The exam alone is probably going to take several days.”

“I see.”

“If I had known, I would’ve brought a lunch box.”

Mumu didn’t know how the exam worked, but it certainly didn’t seem like something that could finish in a single day.

Jin-hyeok looked around, and the fighting spirit he had suppressed for the past few days reignited.

Several famous martial families were visible.

‘The Murong Clan, Hwangbo Clan, Nurturing Mountain Villa, Twin Sword Gate… I can even see people from the Nine Great Sects.’

Even among ordinary participants, they stood out clearly.

Apart from the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy, these groups were already famous through the martial arts of their own clans and sects.

When his brother enrolled, he must have competed among people like them.

‘And even among all of them, my brother graduated as the Second Scorer.’

He sincerely admired him.

The desire not to tarnish his brother’s reputation caused his fighting spirit to burn fiercely.

He wanted results at least worthy of comparison.

“Tch. But why isn’t the line moving at all?”

Mo Il-hwa grumbled in confusion.

It was understandable since the number of people near the gate showed no signs of decreasing.

Although a few members of famous clans and sects at the front had already disappeared, tens of thousands still remained.

“Are they not letting people in?”

Just as they wondered—

Someone suddenly approached and spoke beside them.

“It seems you came here without knowing anything about the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy’s entrance exam.”

“Huh?”

Turning toward the voice, they saw a slit-eyed boy in a dark blue martial arts uniform standing nearby.

He looked around seventeen or eighteen, likely another examinee.

Because the stranger suddenly approached and started speaking, Jin-hyeok became wary.

“Who are you?”

The slit-eyed boy cupped his fist respectfully.

“Ah, forgive me for suddenly intruding. My name is Haeryang from the Haomun Information Sect.”

“Haomun Information Sect?”

A strange light flashed in Jin-hyeok’s eyes.

The Haomun Information Sect was originally an Unorthodox faction sect located in Guangdong Province.

That made sense, considering it was formed from thieves, pickpockets, scammers, waiters, and courtesans who traded information.

However, that was long ago.

Now, after generations of tradition, it was recognized as one of the Two Great Information Sects alongside the Beggars’ Sect.

‘The Haomun Information Sect isn’t something to underestimate.’

As Jin-hyeok was about to return the greeting—

“I already know. The beautiful young lady here is Miss Mo Il-hwa, daughter of the Minister of Punishments, and you are Sir Yu Jin-hyeok, younger brother of Censor Inspector Yu Jin-seong and head disciple of the Three Heroes of Jiangxi, correct? It’s an honor to meet you both.”

The two were surprised.

As expected of someone from an information sect.

“Wow. How did you recognize us just by our faces?”

At Mo Il-hwa’s question, Haeryang replied proudly.

“As someone from an information sect, it would be stranger not to recognize the daughter of the Minister of Punishments and the younger brother of the famous Yu Jin-seong.”

“That’s amazing.”

Even Jin-hyeok sounded impressed.

Mumu interrupted their conversation.

“Then do you know me too?”

At that question, Haeryang frowned slightly.

He had carefully memorized information about Mo Il-hwa and Yu Jin-hyeok.

One was the daughter of a high-ranking official and disciple of the Red Flying Soft Sword Heroine.

The other was not only the younger brother of the famous Yu Jin-seong but also the head disciple of the Three Heroes of Jiangxi and one of the notable participants in this exam.

But this guy?

With a face that handsome, he should’ve been famous.

Yet Haeryang had never heard of him.

“Ahem… forgive this humble one, but my knowledge is lacking. I do not recognize you, Young Master. May I ask your esteemed name?”

“I’m Mumu.”

“Pardon?”

Haeryang looked puzzled by the unusual name.

Then Yu Jin-hyeok stepped forward.

“My apologies. Mumu is the adopted son of our family.”

“Adopted son?”

He had never heard such a thing before.

If it was Yu Jin-hyeok’s family, then it was the household of Scholar Official Yu Yeop-gyeong, who had recently returned from exile.

This was the first time Haeryang had heard of an adopted son, making it difficult to understand.

Not wanting to discuss Mumu further, Jin-hyeok quickly changed the subject.

“But what did you mean by ‘not knowing about the entrance exam’?”

Come to think of it, even his brother had never explained the details.

He had only said it was better to experience it personally.

At that, Haeryang pointed toward the massive gate of the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy.

“Do you see that gate over there?”

There was no way they could miss it.

The gate was nearly as tall as the surrounding walls.

But now that he looked closely, its structure was rather strange.

It looked as if more than a dozen smaller gates were layered beneath one massive main gate.

Pointing toward it, Haeryang smiled gently.

“Opening that gate and entering is the First Trial of the entrance exam.”