20: The Second Test (2)
Mumu was walking down the path while leisurely looking around.
Since both Jin-hyuk and Mo Il-hwa hadn’t passed yet, he didn’t feel the need to rush.
For Mumu, who lived in the mountains until recently, there was a lot to see here.
Everything was fun, from the large artificial lake to the pretty trees planted on either side of it.
Now he understood why his father wanted to be released from exile.
While Mumu was leisurely walking, the strict-looking supervisor, Ka Yu-hang, approached him.
And when she reached him, she said,
“You look laid-back. Do you think that the entrance test is easy to pass?”
“… who are you?”
“The supervisor of the second test.”
“Ah! Greetings!”
Mumu nodded and greeted her.
Ka Yu-hang raised one eyebrow at the informal greeting.
Typically, people would bow and greet her, but this kid just said ‘greetings!’
“Enough, did you pass the first test?”
“Ah… are you talking about that gate?”
“Yes. Did you come through that gate?”
“Yes I did. Mister supervisor told me I passed.”
“Mister?”
“Wasn’t he a mister?”
At the sight of Mumu tilting his head, Ka Yu-hang frowned.
The term ‘Mister’ was incorrect, and considering that he was calling a supervisor Mister, this kid seemed laid back.
“I’ll correct you. Remove the ‘Mister’ before supervisor and say ‘the’ instead.”
“Why?”
“It’s against the code to call supervisors that.”
“Ahh, really? Then I will do that, I apologize.”
His father always told him to act polite even if he was lost or confused.
Mumu, who kept that in mind, apologized and understood quickly.
Seeing that, Ka Yu-hang narrowed her eyes.
‘Such a naïve kid. How did he pass? Is he really the brother of Yu Jin-sung?’
Judging by the time of his arrival, he was the kid who ripped the gates off.
However, it was bothering her.
She tried to feel the kid’s energy, but she couldn't feel anything from him.
Since nothing could be felt, it didn't seem like the kid was restraining his energy. The kid just felt strange.
‘And he doesn’t have an elegant walk.’
A supervisor like her could tell if the kid knew the Light Body Method or not.
Just by looking at the length of his strides and walking posture, she could tell that he didn’t know it.
Mumu took normal steps.
Either the first test was wrong, or this child passed by mistake.
‘No, this can't be him.’
After losing interest, she shook her head and went back to her spot.
And then, a girl with a pencil in her hand came up to Mumu.
She was Tang So-so.
“Hello.”
She said while lightly swiping her hair to the side.
She had been anxious to talk to him.
‘Woah! He’s so handsome.’
He was the best-looking student by far.
She really liked his lips, which looked so lovely and plump like fresh fruits.
As an assistant, she shouldn’t be acting like this, but she wanted to talk and explain the test to him.
“You’re here to take the second test?”
“Yes.”
Mumu responded with a smile since the girl appeared to be his age.
At the charming smile, Tang So-so shook her head.
‘Ahh… he’s lethal!’
She felt blood rush up to her cheeks.
She had a special change in her body because of cultivation, and when she gets excited, blood often moves up to her face and leads to nosebleeds.
While trying to calm down, she said.
“The second test is the Light Body Method examination.”
“Light Body… ahh.”
He heard about that before.
The guard he met while coming out of exile said something about it.
While he was thinking, she pointed to someone at the beginning of the lake and said.
“Starting from there, use the Light Body Method to cross the lake by stepping on the wooden rods. And do you see the supervisor near the incense burner? You need to get there.”
“And I’ll pass if I do that?”
“Yes. Just don’t let your clothes get wet. Just a drop or two will be excused, but it’s better to not get wet at all. Ah! And pay attention to your posture when using the Light Body Method.”
“Why?”
“The supervisor likes elegance.”
“… what does elegance have to do with this?”
“Hmm… I don’t know either, but keep that in mind anyway.”
“Umm. Thanks. You’re kind.”
Mumu said with a bright smile, and the girl covered her nose.
He really made her nosebleed.
‘I hope you pass, boy.’
She thought that the academy would have a brighter future if such kids joined.
However, she felt a little bad.
The kid was not dressed like a warrior.
“Anyways, you need to wait over there and I’ll cheer for you.”
But there was one thing she wanted to ask before he went over there.
“Are you Yu Jin-sung’s…”
“So-so. How long are you planning to talk to him?”
Before she could finish asking, Ka Yu-hang urged her to return.
As a result, Tang So-so had to go back.
In the meantime, she mouthed, ‘Good luck!’ to Mumu.
Seeing that, Mumu waved goodbye.
‘Such a kind boy!’
There seemed to be a lot of good people.
After that exchange, Mumu headed to where the others were waiting.
They all had to take the test, and there were only five of them.
Mumu, who recognized one of them, greeted them.
“Hello!”
At the greeting, Ha-ryun glanced at him.
‘What is he upto?’
They barely knew each other. (1)
So Ha-ryun pretended not to know him.
But Mumu approached him and talked again.
“I was worried about what I'd do if I had to wait too long for the second test, but I'm pleased the line is short.”
“…”
He was pretending to not know him, so why was Mumu still talking?
Ha-ryun didn’t respond again.
And seeing that, Mumu titled his head.
‘He looks so naïve. Just how the hell did he pass!’
He couldn’t understand.
He overheard people chatting.
So he was sure that Mumu didn’t learn martial arts and wondered what happened.
‘Is he hiding something?’
Otherwise, there was no way he could pass.
While he wondered, the others were ready to start the test.
‘Bae Yu-seok.’
Ha-ryun looked at him.
This individual was one of those he was wary about when he first arrived here.
Bae Yu-seok wasn't as strong as the descendants of the four, but he was still powerful and in line to be his clan's next successor. (2)
“Start!”
Supervisor Ka Yu-hang lit the incense and shouted.
And Bae Yu-seok, who was prepared, moved.
‘Neat.’
Ha-ryun formed an opinion.
The first step and the second step, whether the man passed or not, were clean.
And he had more than enough skill to pass this test.
“Do we need to step on the wooden rods or jump over them?”
Mumu mumbled, making Ha-ryun laugh.
‘Crazy bastard. How do you even plan on passing this test? I’m not sure if he’s a simpleton or stupid.’
He shook his head.
Meanwhile, Bae Yu-seok was almost at the end.
As expected, Bae Yu-seok ended up on the other side cleanly and arrived there when the incense stick was only half-burnt.
He took the test with poise.
“When I saw your elegance, I could tell that your future is bright.”
“Thank you.”
Baek Yu-seok bowed and headed to the next test.
Seeing that, the others couldn’t hide their envy.
Ha-ryun, who noticed that, snorted.
It was absurd to be envious of someone passing the test.
‘And this kind of test is like a play to that guy.’
And when the others finished, their turns came.
To make the test run smoothly, they had two individuals come up and go one after the other; as a result, Ha-ryun was with Mumu.
“Best of luck!”
Ha-ryun frowned as Mumu cheered him on.
‘Annoying.’
He intentionally pretended like he didn’t know Mumu.
And he wasn't sure if Mumu didn't understand that or if he was trying to irritate him.
Ha-ryun shook his head and said.
“Is everything a joke to you?”
“Huh?”
“This test is a competition. This isn’t a place where you smile and make friends.”
“…”
“Rather than doing all of this, think about how you can make your movements more efficient. Although, I don’t know if there’s any hope for you.”
Ha-ryun, who was nervous, yelled.
Seeing that, Mumu scratched his head, feeling embarrassed.
‘He must have been very annoyed.’
He thought that the boy didn’t talk much, but now he knew that he was annoyed.
After yelling and turning away from Mumu, Ha-ryun glanced at him.
Mumu was someone he didn't have to worry about, yet he ended up yelling at him after a few words from him.
“Start!”
At that time, the signal fell from supervisor Ka Yu-hang.
And Ha-ryun moved lightly.
It was as if he was running on the ground rather than the lake; this was nothing to him, who had trained in the wetlands with poisonous bugs everywhere.
“Pass!”
The result was a pass.
And only a third of the incense was burnt.
He was confident that he could complete the test in less time, but his teachers in the White Valley told him to use only 30% of his skills.
‘Then let’s go.’
He was about to go to the next test.
But Ha-ryun, who was about to move, stopped.
And turned his head.
‘I wonder how that dumbass is going to pass.’
No matter how much he looked or thought, there was no way Mumu learned martial arts.
However, the guy who should have failed at the first test passed, and he wondered how he would fare in the second test.
“I’m not looking forward to this kid at all.”
The supervisor told Tang So-so.
“Ehh... still, since he passed the first test, he will show something.”
"It's said that a tree's size can be predicted when its seed. I can tell if he has mastered it or not by looking at his walk. And that kid isn't suitable. No, he didn't learn anything about the Light Body Method."
“… hmm”
Tang So-so couldn’t deny it.
As the supervisor said, Mumu looked ordinary.
It made her wonder too, how did he pass?
‘I hope he shows something nice.’
She liked his face too much and would feel bad if he failed.
"I bet he won't be able to take a few steps before falling into the lake."
The supervisor predicted Mumu’s results.
And most of her predictions came true.
“Let's get started!”
Ka Yu-hang shouted so that Mumu could hear it.
Mumu took about 5 steps back, then pulled his pants above his ankles, and fiddled with something.
Right, he was bound to fall.
Ka Yu-hang shook her head and lit the incense.
“I think he’s going to run and run to increase the distance and get a head start, just a basic thing. Does he believe that those foolish tricks will…”
Kwaaah!
Before she could even complete her words.
Mumu kicked his foot, causing the floor to shatter and debris to fly into the air.
And the stone fell into the lake, making the water rise.
‘Ah?’
Then the water in the lake, which was 1-mile long, split in half in an instant.
Both women were too shocked to close their mouths or blink their eyes.
And before they could understand what happened, Mumu was in front of them.
‘!!!’
Tang So-so was shocked.
She doubted her eyes.
What just happened in front of her?
“You… you…”
She could see Mumu’s feet piercing the ground and the giant muscles twitching on his calves.
And he did what?
“…”
After blinking for a while, supervisor Ka Yu-hang turned her head.
The incense was only slightly burnt.
That meant that no time was wasted.
“Haa…”
She was so shocked that she couldn’t say anything.
And Ha-ryun, who stayed and watched Mumu, dug his nails into his palms.
‘This crazy…’
He was told to run over the lake by stepping on the wooden rods, but that moron jumped over the lake in one go.
Editor’s Note -
(1) Notice that barely is emphasized since even that’s an exaggeration.
(2) Four refers to the Four Strongest Warriors; the author wrote four instead of the full title.