Chapter 272

Chapter 272
## Chapter 272. Someone’s Malice (3)

—

The tactical arrangement was reorganized by Eun-ho-Lee. Positioned at the vanguard of the wedge-like assault group were Nam Hwa-seong and Geum-pyo-Lee. Tucking in right behind them to offer support while the leading duo focused on shielding were Dong-ryong-Lee and Sa-ryeon-Hong. The rest of the integrated forces brought up the rear, organizing themselves around our core unit members.

“Move out!”
Following Nam Hwa-seong’s roaring command, Geum-pyo-Lee charged alongside him. Resembling a heavy siege weapon shattering a fortress entrance, they breached the enemy defensive line instantly and penetrated deep into their ranks, while Dong-ryong-Lee, Sa-ryeon-Hong, and I kept the adversaries pinned down.
*Clang, clang, clang, clang!*
*Thump, thump, thump, thump!*

Despite belonging to the identical Red Army faction, their motivation for obstructing our advance wasn’t driven by a desire for better marks. They were fueled by pure indignation that we, individuals they considered beneath them, persistently climbed higher. It stemmed from a deep-seated jealousy, a bitter frustration redirected outward because of their own failures to live up to potential. Moreover, it was sheer ignorance that prevented them from perceiving how Cheol Sun-jik’s venomous intentions had manipulated their fragile psyches. These factors converged, blinding them with an incredibly narrow perspective.

“H-hold the line!”
“Locate their flag-bearer! Where is the flag-bearer?”
“Reinforcements from the White Army are on the way!”
They had transformed into mere marionettes, moving at the whim of a hidden master. They were nothing more than lifeless tokens on a game board. Did their desperation to see us defeated run so deep that they willingly chose this humiliation? Had any of them spent even a single moment considering the sheer blood and sweat we had poured in, or the unyielding determination we had forged?

“Aaagh!”
“You brainless fools!”
“Do you think you’re better than everyone else?!”
Unfortunately for them, I refused to act as a prop in their malicious farce. I refused to let our sacrifices be undone by their petty envy. Because of that, our steps never faltered. We pressed onward, advancing relentlessly.

“Advance!”
Wielding the Black Dragon Sword, I struck down two Academy pupils until they lost consciousness, then immediately channeled the Flowing Cloud Divine Art (Yu-un-sin-gong) to wrench and fracture the joint of a third challenger.
“Gahhh!”
“Curse it!”
I showed absolutely no leniency to the fallen. The penalty for harboring toxic jealousy is fundamentally meant to be an agonizing lesson that cuts to the core. I was simply delivering the exact retribution demanded by the hostility they chose to project.

“Leader!”
Jang U-jae called out frantically as a horde of hostile Academy peers closed in around him.
“We are going to be completely encircled if we press on this way.”
“It makes no difference! We force our way straight through!”
True conviction does not exist within petty resentment. Those who merely desire to see their rivals stumble while remaining safely ensconced in comfort will recoil in panic at the slightest scratch. This moment proved no different. Their gazes burned with murderous intent, yet not a single one possessed the courage to make a real move. They did nothing but shout empty threats.

“Stop them! Stop them! Pull those bastards down!”
“Hey! Hold your ground, don’t back away!”
“You’re the one backing away, you idiot!”
If seeing our downfall is your greatest desire, then by all means, attempt to drag us down. Bear witness to our advance even as your limbs are shattered and your bodies are bloodied.

“C-crap, this is going way too far!”
“This is supposed to be a simple test!”
Such were the pathetic complaints of pampered shelter-raised youths who had never considered the consequences of their spite—or rather, who occupied a privileged reality where such consequences never existed. Conversely, the warriors of our unit, having endured endless torrents of harsh hostility and survived like resilient wild grass, shattered a few jaws to silence their infantile whining.

“Then clear out of the way, you cowards!”
“How can you even claim to be a martial artist while spouting such garbage!”
Spurring our troops forward, I marched onward. With every single stride, I kept driving through and trampling anyone who dared stand in our way.

“The White Army is ahead!”
Emerging from the ruined remnants of the Red Army blockades, our actual opposition finally materialized.
“Attack!”
Nam Hwa-seong and Geum-pyo-Lee pressed ahead relentlessly, utterly ignoring the injuries racking their frames. Our objective remained unaltered: capturing Cheol Sun-jik atop Baek-san. Anyone standing between us and that target was merely an impediment to be removed.

*Thump! Thump! Thump!*
Individuals unaccustomed to battling deprived of their internal energy had foolishly depleted their energy reserves during the opening skirmishes, leaving them to execute sluggish, clumsy techniques against us. A brawl involving elites stripped of raw power looks no different from children playing make-believe in an alleyway. Fists flailed awkwardly, and strikes lacked any real force. Though they attempted to persevere through sheer stubbornness, their physical capacities were thoroughly exhausted. Driven solely by spite, lacking true discipline or spiritual weight, they couldn’t possibly bridge the gap between their rage and their actual capabilities.

“Agh!”
“Ugh!”
“Kuah!”
They collapsed one after another, faces bloodied and senses fading. Stepping over their prone forms, we marched deeper and deeper.

“Senior brother! Our trailing contingent has been severed from us!”
We weren’t without our vulnerabilities. Fractured pacing within the ranks meant losing touch with the rearguard. Yet, it was irrelevant.
“Do not halt!”
“Are you certain this is fine?”
I directed my query to Eun-ho-Lee.
“What is the exact count of our unit members who earned a failing ‘Mu’ grade on the academic test?”
“Exactly two.”
“In that case, our sole priority is ensuring those two make it through!”
“…I comprehend.”

Reassured by my response, Eun-ho-Lee fell silent and tightened our tactical formation into an even narrower blade. Our unit pierced the enemy defense like a razor-sharp lance. The opposition had failed to realize two crucial facts.
Primarily, the solitary members of our group genuinely vulnerable to disqualification were Mo-ran-Seong and Geum-pyo-Lee. In short, provided those two cleared the trial, the remaining fighters were entirely secure. Furthermore, I was deeply weary of this particular brand of warfare. The So-jeong-dae had never operated under the assumption that every single soldier would make it back unharmed; their doctrine was to sacrifice everything to preserve the specific comrades selected by fate at dawn.

“Commander! The unit’s energy reserves are completely depleted!”
We had barely managed to traverse halfway up the slopes of Baek-san, yet exhaustion was already claiming several of our fighters. I barked an order back to the struggling line.
“Stop holding back! Strike to break them!”
“What?”
Jang U-jae turned back toward me, his expression wide with shock.
“The moment you feel your body giving out, forget about surviving the trial! Drag an enemy down with you into disqualification!”

Following a brief pause, Jang U-jae set his jaw firmly and gave a resolute nod.
“…Understood!”
Having deciphered the hidden logic in my approach, Jang U-jae offered no further pushback. He possessed a sharp mind, or perhaps his own indignation regarding the blatant unfairness of this exam had reached its boiling point.

*Shuaaaa!*
“Aaaargh!”
“T-that’s against the rules! Disqualification!”
“Go Myeong-jin! Out of the evaluation!”
Our fading soldiers began intentionally incurring penalties, but only after completely crippling an adversary before exiting. As brutal, rule-breaking force manifested across the front, the enemy ranks degenerated into chaos. Had they possessed true conviction, they would have adapted when their initial trap collapsed, but they panicked entirely because they never anticipated such an unhinged counter-strategy.

“Crush them!”
“Break them!”
“Destroy them!”
Pure fury rose to challenge their petty spite. The physical agony racking every limb transformed into volatile fuel, detonating into a state bordering on absolute frenzy. Dread began creeping over the countenances of the surrounding adversaries. Seeing their fear only stoked the flames of our comrades’ righteous rage.
*Is this all you have? Did you dare challenge us with such pathetic resolve?*

“Ha…!”
To think they harbored such venomous envy, only to fall to pieces the moment things turned ugly. Mirroring the collective wrath of the unit, I roared at the absolute limit of my voice.
“Wipe them out!!!”
In perfect unison, the entire unit echoed the battle cry back to me.
“””Wipe them out!”””

Defiant, venomous bellows reverberated across the cliffs of Baek-san. The remaining Red Army loyalists pushed forward blindly until their legs physically gave out. I lashed out with blade and strike continuously, gripped by a frantic intensity that mirrored the bloody battlegrounds of the Great War between the Orthodox and Demonic Factions from my previous existence.

At the crest of Baek-san, inside the primary encampment of the White Army.
“Ugh…”
Cheol Hyeon-jik, the firstborn heir of the Juk-hyeon-bang, uttered a heavy sigh.
“Shouldn’t standard military doctrine dictate gathering resources and bolstering numbers to establish a proper defensive perimeter?”
Cheol Hyeon-jik murmured his observation half to himself and half to Cheol Sun-jik, who stood silently right beside him.

“…”
Yet, Cheol Sun-jik merely monitored the unfolding chaos below with a stony expression, keeping his thoughts entirely hidden. After an extended pause, Cheol Sun-jik inquired quietly.
“If you found yourself in his position, Hyung-nim… what path would you choose?”
Cheol Hyeon-jik blinked, seeking clarification.
“If I were So-un-Jin?”
“Precisely. If your supposed comrades actively betrayed you while the entire opposition focused exclusively on your destruction.”

“Well…”
Mulling it over briefly, Cheol Hyeon-jik delivered a standard textbook response.
“I suspect I would have stuck to conventional tactics. Gathering whatever splintered groups remained to reinforce my position and prepare for a siege.”
Hearing this, Cheol Sun-jik dismissively shook his head.
“Had he opted for such conventionality, his defeat would have been sealed instantly.”
“Oh? Is that how it would play out?”
Studying Cheol Sun-jik’s profile for a beat, Cheol Hyeon-jik’s face broke into a smirk.
“Regardless, with your brilliant mind at my disposal, I never have to worry about such predicaments, correct?”

“…”
Cheol Sun-jik kept his lips pressed thin, ignoring the praise as his attention returned to the valley below. Noticing the chilly reaction, Cheol Hyeon-jik cocked his head.
“What is it? Did my assessment miss the mark?”
“…Not at all. It represents the standard line of thought.”
Cheol Sun-jik’s tone was completely devoid of warmth. His focus remained locked onto the advance of So-un-Jin’s forces. The combatants who had descended from Hong-san had successfully breached the boundary of Baek-san. Though their accumulated manpower had been decimated by half, they continued their relentless ascent up the slopes of Baek-san. Observing this tenacity, Cheol Hyeon-jik frowned in confusion.

“Even if they manage to reach us, their final score will be abysmal.”
In response, Cheol Sun-jik’s hand tightened into a tight fist.
“…Securing high marks was never his intention.”
“What?”
He continued, his expression growing increasingly grim.
“Because So-un-Jin’s sole objective is to drag me down. That is why he forces his way up Baek-san despite the reckless cost.”

Cheol Hyeon-jik’s gaze widened in utter astonishment.
“That’s impossible… Are you implying he deduced that you were the architect of this trap?”
“…”
“But you never exposed yourself directly…”
Cheol Sun-jik reflected on the bizarre, unpredictable feats So-un-Jin had casually executed up to this point.
“He defies normal logic.”
“I see…”

Turning around, he locked eyes with Cheol Hyeon-jik.
“Hyung-nim.”
“Yes?”
“Would you be capable of executing what So-un-Jin is doing?”
Cheol Hyeon-jik’s forehead puckered instantly, clearly taken aback by the absurdity of the query.
“What exactly are you implying?”
So-un-Jin had consistently shattered conventional predictions, forging entirely unique trajectories out of thin air.
“I am asking if you possess the sheer audacity to throw yourself headlong toward a target with such ferocity.”
An intensity so absolute that ordinary martial artists wouldn’t even comprehend how to replicate it.

“Haha! You are speaking nonsense. Have you forgotten your own philosophy? You always claimed that only the ill-prepared boast about pushing themselves to the limit, while the truly masterful wield their blades with absolute composure.”
“…You are correct.”
A strained, self-deprecating smile touched Cheol Sun-jik’s lips. No matter how much he attempted to dismiss it, the brilliant brilliance surrounding So-un-Jin only grew more undeniable.

“In any case, it is quite a spectacle.”
Completely oblivious to his brother’s internal turmoil, Cheol Hyeon-jik continued to scrutinize So-un-Jin.
“To display such absolute mastery in close-quarters brawling without spiritual reinforcement… a casual observer would assume he was bred among the northern legions.”

The assessment was accurate; So-un-Jin’s physical flow didn’t resemble a traditional practitioner suffering from sealed internal energy. His style mirrored that of a seasoned veteran who had never relied on spiritual power to begin with. Rather, it carried the raw, gritty edge of a desperate street brawler hardened by back-alley struggles. Every strike was viciously practical, unerringly locating the vulnerabilities in the opposition. Conversely, the Academy scholars—entirely coddled by their reliance on constant internal energy—couldn’t manage a fraction of their standard proficiency and were swiftly overwhelmed.

*How are you managing this, So-un-Jin…*
Paradoxically, So-un-Jin’s current physical movements seemed smoother and more lethal than his standard form. It created an illusion that he alone retained his full mystical reserves. The vast disparity in their fundamental foundations was blindingly obvious. Nor was it restricted to So-un-Jin alone. While they couldn’t match his singular brilliance, his subordinates demonstrated remarkable aptitude in unenhanced melee. Their performance formed a stark, undeniable juxtaposition against the pampered prodigies of the Righteous Faction and the Orthodox Faction, who were crumbling everywhere.

“Nevertheless, lacking internal reserves inevitably brings a hard physical ceiling. He appears oblivious to that reality.”
Confident that So-un-Jin would inevitably falter, Cheol Hyeon-jik clicked his tongue condescendingly. His critique wasn’t entirely baseless. The momentum of So-un-Jin’s frontline, though devastating, was visibly beginning to flag under the weight of numbers. Stripped of inner force, a single master could not magically bypass numerical disadvantages. This simulation specifically suppressed mystical energies to isolate and evaluate raw strategic intellect and physical prowess. It was designed to prevent any single warrior from orchestrating a miraculous, unrealistic victory reminiscent of fictional epics.

Right at that moment.
“Wait, what?”
Cheol Hyeon-jik, whose gaze had been casually drifting over the valley, suddenly scowled.
“What in the world is happening down there…”
Even the observing proctors stationed along the perimeter of the testing area manifested visible shock. The previously fearless White Army combatants ground to a sudden, tentative halt. Several fighters even spun around, fleeing the engagement entirely. Cheol Hyeon-jik let out a stunned, screeching expletive.
“T-this is pure insanity!”

He stood paralyzed by the grotesque spectacle. A grim element previously absent from the regulated simulation suddenly flooded the field: an abundance of crimson blood. Disregarding the explicit warning that causing critical harm would trigger immediate expulsion from the trial, the Red Army maniacs were deliberately carving deep, bloody gashes into their foes without a second thought.

“Aaargh!”
The White Army lines fractured into pure panic when confronted by this terrifying, unregulated savagery. His voice cracking, Cheol Hyeon-jik spun toward Cheol Sun-jik.
“Unless they have collectively resolved to throw away their scores…”
An expression of profound shock finally manifested on Cheol Sun-jik’s features as well. A sudden, vicious shift in doctrine. What could they possibly be trying to achieve—
“…”
Staring down intently at the carnage, the truth finally dawned on Cheol Sun-jik. They hadn’t merely reconciled themselves to being eliminated. Knowing their physical endurance was failing and disqualification was inevitable, they had purposefully turned their weapons around, using the lethal edges rather than the blunted sides to mutilate their targets, ensuring that their exits would cripple the opposition’s fighting strength.

“Lunatics…”
If a combatant was destined for expulsion due to physical collapse regardless, the penalty for inflicting critical harm ceased to be a deterrent. They had weaponized the safety parameters of the exam against their enemies. For the defending forces, it meant enduring devastating, permanent harm in a mere mock battle. Faced with a Red Army faction that had completely abandoned their sanity, the White Army units began falling back in terror.

“W-what are you fools waiting for? Intercept them right now!”
Cheol Hyeon-jik bellowed down the mountain, but none of his subordinates possessed the nerve to throw themselves in front of the blood-drenched berserkers. Crucially, So-un-Jin’s assault column was carving a direct path straight toward the main command tent harboring Cheol Sun-jik. Recognizing that they weren’t the personal targets of this wrath, the surrounding White Army defenders happily melted away to save themselves, mirroring the exact betrayal the Red Army had executed moments before.

“S-Sun-jik, how do we handle this…”
“Are you completely incapable of thought without my guidance?”
“How can you say that…”
Cheol Sun-jik fixed his sibling with a look of pure disdain. Cheol Hyeon-jik shrank back, his confusion turning to defensive anger.
“Y-you explicitly promised that this strategy would guarantee our victory!”
Refusing to dignify the complaint with a response, Cheol Sun-jik simply ground his molars together.
*Grind.*

*Time and again… you pivot toward a path no sane person would choose.*
It was becoming an infuriating pattern. On multiple occasions, So-un-Jin had thoroughly derailed their grand designs. He had repeatedly shattered perfect opportunities to revolutionize the Jianghu, a realm that had remained frozen for centuries. Nevertheless, there was no room left for retreat. Spurred by pure malice, Cheol Sun-jik barked a final directive.
“All remaining White Army forces, engage the enemy!”

The elite guard under Cheol Sun-jik’s immediate command, arrayed tightly about the perimeter, snapped into a defensive line instantly. High ground inherently favored the defenders. Diverging from the panicked rabble, Cheol Sun-jik’s disciplined unit stood firm against So-un-Jin’s charging wedge. Cheol Sun-jik squeezed his hands into tight, white-knuckled fists.
“I will not permit you to dictate the terms this time.”
His ambitions were too vast to be derailed here. He refused to let his grand destiny be shattered by So-un-Jin, whom he viewed as nothing more than an annoying hurdle. Moments later, the two opposing forces collided with immense violence. Cheol Sun-jik’s focus narrowed instantly onto the vanguard of the approaching formation—the exact warrior who rightfully belonged at the front of his own personal guard.

“Nam Hwa-seong…”
Now, he was forced to target that familiar throat as a mortal adversary.
“Aaaargh!”
Relying solely on his immense, unenhanced physical power, the giant flattened opponents as he advanced. He paid no heed to the blades scoring his flesh, never breaking his stride. Nam Hwa-seong fought like a man possessed, burning through his physical vitality as though this singular mock battle demanded his actual demise.

*Why in the world would you go this far…!*
Had he retained his position within the 12 Peaks, would he ever have displayed such feral desperation? The sudden realization left him feeling slightly disoriented. The truth of the matter was glaringly obvious without requiring deep reflection, which was precisely why he fought to banish the thought from his mind. Validating that conclusion would only make Nam Hwa-seong’s current loyalty to a rival even more incomprehensible to him.

*Grit.*
Redirecting his boiling indignation away from the proxy, he focused entirely on the true instigator—the mastermind orchestrating the advance while utilizing Nam Hwa-seong and Geum-pyo-Lee as living bulwarks.
“Sun-jik, fall back! Your place is at the command post!”
The panicked warnings of Cheol Hyeon-jik drifted past his ears, completely ignored. At this point, the world had narrowed down to a single entity in Cheol Sun-jik’s perception.

“So-un-Jin…”
As if catching the quiet snarl from across the fray, So-un-Jin raised his eyes through his tangled hair, locking onto him.
“Cheol Sun-jik!!!”
Hearing his name bellowed across the battlefield caused a chill to run straight down Cheol Sun-jik’s spine. Yet, paradoxically, a wave of profound vindication washed over him.

*Good.*
It meant his opponent was gripped by the exact same fury. The hatred was entirely mutual. Yet, regardless of the depth of the other man’s wrath, it couldn’t possibly match the sheer magnitude of his own. His desire to tear So-un-Jin apart right then and there consumed him entirely. That was the absolute reality of his malice.
“So-un-Jin!!!!”
Abandoning his lifelong habit of cold calculation, Cheol Sun-jik committed an act completely alien to his nature: he surrendered entirely to raw impulse.
“Aaaargh!!!!”
Sprinting with unbridled fury, he charged directly into the fray toward So-un-Jin.