Chapter 266 – The Fourth Office (2)
Thousand-n Commander Ma Ra-hyeon frowned and slightly turned his head.
That was because Mok Gyeong-un, although he said Trainee Bae Ji-seok had fainted, was peeling off the living face skin of the alive Bae Ji-seok.
Seeing soone peel off an intact face skin, even if one had a strong stomach, it was naturally difficult to watch.
-Scrape scrape!
As Mok Gyeong-un was carving out the facial skin, he nonchalantly said to him:
“It seems difficult to watch.”
“…What’s there to be pleasant about?”
“I guess your stomach is weaker than I thought.”
“…”
It’s not just about having a strong stomach, but it’s unsettling to peel it off like that when the person is alive and well, not already dead.
Of course, Mok Gyeong-un had explained the reason.
[The skin quickly necrotizes upon death. It’s much better to do it while it’s still elastic and fresh.]
It was a rather valid reason, but it was still burdenso.
Ma Ra-hyeon clicked his tongue inwardly and eventually left the interrogation room to avoid the scene.
Once outside, he let out a long sigh.
“Sigh.”
Normally, it would be sothing he could never accept, but he couldn’t refuse what Mok Gyeong-un wanted.
Even when he was doing such a horrific act.
He did say that he had selected soone who wouldn’t cause problems if touched, but this was truly a cruel act.
[Trainee Bae Ji-seok?]
[Yes.]
[Is this person soone who won’t cause any issues?]
[He’s an orphan, and before entering as an Imperial Guard trainee, he was a street thug who threatened and extorted elderly rchants in the marketplace and bullied the weak. He was taken in by a faction of the Grand Preceptor Hang Yoon, one of the four powers, under the pretense of finding talented individuals, and if it weren’t for their recomndation, he would have been weeded out beforehand.]
[So he’s not of particularly good character?]
[…Among them, yes.]
[Good. Then let’s go with this person.]
In any case, he wasn’t soone the Hang Yoon was actively promoting, so there wouldn’t be any problems, and in the first place, he wasn’t qualified to join the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
However, it was a bit pitiful.
Of all people, he had to be caught by such a demon-like guy and et a miserable end.
***
Early the next morning.
After the period of basic training in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the trainees moved to their respective departnts under the guidance of the Thousand-n Commanders they were assigned to for their apprenticeship.
Among them, the number of team mbers assigned to the Fourth Office was a total of 11.
The one who received the highest score among them was Trainee Joo Woonhyang, who had placed second in the first test.
Soone was closely observing this Joo Woonhyang from behind.
It was none other than Trainee Bae Ji-seok, or rather, Mok Gyeong-un wearing his face skin.
A glimr of surprise appeared in Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes.
‘His energy has grown quite a bit.’
Joo Woonhyang’s innate true energy had increased compared to before.
Either he had worked tirelessly after competing with him, or perhaps he had a small opportunity.
However, Mok Gyeong-un’s demonic energy had advanced to a level incomparable to when he had fought Joo Woonhyang or Thousand-n Commander So Yerin a few nights ago.
Because of that, Joo Woonhyang’s current level of energy didn’t bother him much.
Mok Gyeong-un slightly licked his lips.
‘I thought he might notice a little.’
Like the other trainees, Joo Woonhyang also failed to notice his presence.
Of course, it could be because the gap in their skills had widened even further, but it was sowhat disappointing compared to his expectations.
Eventually, they arrived at the main hall of the Fourth Office in the Six Offices Building.
The Fourth Office was the departnt that managed all the prisons within the Imperial Palace.
Thousand-n Commander Mak Myeong-bo, who was walking ahead, pointed to a building and said:
“Here. This is where you will stay for the next five days.”
It was sowhat smaller and shabbier than the dormitory of the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s main building, the Six Offices Building, where they had been temporarily assigned.
They had to stay in such a place for five days?
Most of the trainees seed to have similar thoughts, as their expressions were not very pleased.
At that mont, soone walked out of the main building of the Fourth Office with their hands behind their back.
The mont they saw the red ceremonial robes, everyone clasped their hands together, lowered their heads, and paid their respects.
-Tap!
The person who ca out of the main building of the Fourth Office was none other than Im Gyu-wol, the head of the Fourth Office and the Thousand-n Commander in charge.
He was a man with torn eyes and a pale face.
The overall impression was as if looking at a white snake.
At that mont, Im Gyu-wol abruptly spoke.
“Who here is the one nad Joo Woonhyang?”
“That would be .”
Joo Woonhyang politely replied with his head lowered.
Then, Im Gyu-wol smiled and approached Joo Woonhyang, saying:
“I heard you placed second in the internal energy asurent during the selection process. You can be considered an excellent talent.”
At his praise, Trainee Yeom Gyeong, a disciple of the Huashan Sect, bit his lip.
He was jealous of Joo Woonhyang receiving attention from the start of the apprenticeship.
However, unlike his jealousy, these words did not co from good intentions.
-Shwip!
Im Gyu-wol, who had approached right in front of her, placed his hand on Joo Woonhyang’s shoulder.
At that mont, Joo Woonhyang, who had his head lowered, flinched.
Mok Gyeong-un, who was watching this from right behind, narrowed his eyes.
‘Hmm.’
It seed that Thousand-n Commander Im Gyu-wol wasn’t simply grabbing his shoulder but applying pressure with his internal energy.
That guess was accurate.
The internal energy flowing from Im Gyu-wol’s hand was entering through Joo Woonhyang’s shoulder and inflicting pain.
-Squeeze!
As he sent his internal energy, Im Gyu-wol smiled nonchalantly and said:
“I have great expectations for you.”
At this, Joo Woonhyang was inwardly flabbergasted.
He was an absurd person.
Saying he had great expectations while trying to suppress him with true energy.
He didn’t know the reason, but unless he looked down on him, there was no way he would press down on him with such vast internal energy.
So he slightly raised his head to glance at his face, and contrary to his smiling face, he was looking at him with a condescending gaze.
‘Why is he doing this?’
Joo Woonhyang didn’t hide his puzzlent.
For so unknown reason, Thousand-n Commander Im Gyu-wol was clearly acting emotionally towards him.
His guess was correct.
‘I heard you’re receiving attention from So Yerin?’
Thousand-n Commander Im Gyu-wol had fallen for So Yerin’s beautiful appearance the mont he first saw her, another Thousand-n Commander, and had been yearning for her for a long ti.
However, she, known as the Ice Flower of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, had always been cold towards him.
Whenever he showed interest, she always rejected him bluntly.
‘But why is she, of all people, showing interest in a re trainee like you?’
It was sothing he absolutely could not tolerate.
‘I don’t know how great of a talent you are, but I’ll make you regret being assigned to .’
He couldn’t let anyone who received even the slightest attention from her go unscathed.
He would make them realize their place.
He was going to start by suppressing him with true energy to inflict internal injuries and show him hell during the five days he would be here in the Fourth Office.
‘I’ll directly eliminate you within my jurisdiction.’
In any case, this was his domain.
Even if he tornted him and made him drop out, there was no one who would bla or criticize him.
Thousand-n Commander Im Gyu-wol raised his internal energy even more.
Even if he had placed second in the internal energy asurent, this guy was just a trainee.
‘You’ll feel your insides being shaken.’
But sothing was strange.
By now, Joo Woonhyang should have collapsed or at least scread, unable to endure the true energy pressing on his insides.
However, there was no reaction at all.
-Crack!
At that mont, cracks appeared on the floor where Joo Woonhyang was standing.
Seeing this, one of Thousand-n Commander Im Gyu-wol’s eyebrows raised.
This was a phenonon that was only possible if he sent the true energy he had injected through his Yongcheon acupoint.
‘Look at this guy?’
He was a young man who hadn’t even reached adulthood yet.
Such a guy had deflected his energy?
Yes. That’s right.
-Woooosh!
At that mont, Im Gyu-wol’s cultivation level rose.
-Flinch!
“Thousand-n Commander!”
Thousand-n Commander Mak Myeong-bo, who noticed this, called out to Thousand-n Commander Im Gyu-wol.
He had been quietly observing what he was doing while continuously holding Joo Woonhyang’s shoulder, but he didn’t expect him to be applying such internal energy pressure on a trainee.
However, Im Gyu-wol had no intention of ending it here.
‘Try enduring this too.’
Im Gyu-wol raised his cultivation level even more.
Then, Joo Woonhyang’s body gradually began to tremble as well.
‘Tsk.’
He tried to protect his shoulder with his own innate true energy and deflect the incoming internal energy, but as the cultivation level increased further, it beca increasingly difficult.
-Crack crack!
The cracks on the floor had sohow spread to the other trainees nearby.
Startled, they stepped back.
Before they knew it, everyone’s attention was focused on them.
‘What the hell is he doing?’
‘Why is the Thousand-n Commander doing this?’
Anyone could see that Thousand-n Commander Im Gyu-wol was pressuring Joo Woonhyang with his internal energy.
Seeing Joo Woonhyang’s complexion gradually worsening, it might turn into a problem.
At that mont, Thousand-n Commander Mak Myeong-ho approached to dissuade him.
“Thousand-n Commander. That’s enough…”
“Don’t interfere.”
Thousand-n Commander Im Gyu-wol rebuked him in a low voice and waved his hand.
It ant not to intervene.
At this, Thousand-n Commander Mak Myeong-ho couldn’t hide his difficulty.
Having served Im Gyu-wol for a long ti, he knew his personality better than anyone else.
If he tried to stop him here, his anger might turn towards him.
-Crack crack!
“Ugh.”
For the first ti, a small groan escaped from Joo Woonhyang’s mouth.
It seed he had finally reached his limit due to Im Gyu-wol’s continuous internal energy pressure.
As an apprentice going through the Embroidered Uniform Guard selection process, he couldn’t rebel against the examiner, so he had no choice but to endure it one-sidedly.
‘Hehehe. You’ve reached your limit now.’
The corners of Im Gyu-wol’s mouth curled up eerily.
Although it was admirable that the brat had endured his internal energy despiteh his young age, it was now over.
Im Gyu-wol tried to raise his cultivation level to finish it off decisively.
-Crack crack!
As he raised his cultivation level further, the cracks on the floor spread even farther.
Joo Woonhyang’s complexion worsened, indicating he had reached his limit.
It was at that very mont.
-Grab!
Soone grabbed his right wrist.
‘Huh?’
Im Gyu-wol, who had raised his cultivation level to nearly the 7th stage, frowned fiercely.
Among the trainees, there was no one at a level capable of stopping him.
Naturally, he thought it was Thousand-n Commander Mak Myeong-ho who had intervened.
So…
“I told you not to interfere… You?”
It was none other than Trainee Bae Ji-seok, or rather, Mok Gyeong-un wearing his face skin as a human skin mask.
Seeing this, one of Im Gyu-wol’s eyebrows raised.
Not even Thousand-n Commander Mak Myeong-ho, but an apprentice trainee who hadn’t even ranked in the top positions in the first test was now grabbing his wrist?
At this, Im Gyu-wol was flabbergasted and tried to shake him off.
However…
-Grip!
‘What?’
Im Gyu-wol’s eyes trembled.
That was because he couldn’t shake off the guy’s hand.
He had even raised his cultivation level to the 8th stage, yet it remained immovable.
To the perplexed Im Gyu-wol, Mok Gyeong-un smiled and said in a polite voice:
“Thousand-n Commander. It seems you have sufficiently tested the trainee, so how about stopping here?”
“You…”
Who the hell was this guy?
His cultivation level was much stronger than Joo Woonhyang, who had placed second in the internal energy test.
Thousand-n Commander Im Gyu-wol’s eyes quickly scanned the surroundings.
All the apprentice trainees were looking at him, and he thought that if he continued this power struggle here, he might end up embarrassing himself.
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