Chapter 42 : Crossing of Joy and Sorrow
All the examinees had finished voting.
"Then, from now on, I will announce the results."
Cha Yul-ryeong said, looking down at the examinees from the stage.
Soon, the wooden box was opened amidst the gazes of numerous people.
Cha Yul-ryeong immediately put his hand inside.
Gulp—
The sound of swallowing dry saliva was heard from here and there.
In that tension, Cha Yul-ryeong took out the hand he had put inside the wooden box.
"Odd."
Cha Yul-ryeong said as he took out the bead.
At that moment, cheers poured out from here and there.
Those who had chosen odd were all clenching their two fists in joy, and those who had chosen even were just standing there blankly with a devastated face.
"Quiet!!"
Cha Yul-ryeong shouted at the examinees with a voice filled with internal energy.
And so, the hall became quiet again as if it were a lie.
Cha Yul-ryeong put his hand back into the wooden box and said to the quieted examinees.
"I haven't announced the results yet."
"...?"
"What I took out is just one of the beads in the wooden box."
When Cha Yul-ryeong said that, the joy and sorrow of the examinees were crossed.
The people who had let out a cheer let out a vain sigh, and the people who had been devastated had a light of hope on their faces.
"I am taking them out one by one for an accurate confirmation."
"..."
"All examinees, please be quiet and watch until the end."
Soon, the hand that had stopped for a moment began to move again.
"Even."
"..."
"Odd."
Taking out the beads one by one, Cha Yul-ryeong said odd and even alternately.
'Is that brat enjoying this?'
Unlike the other examinees, Namgung Il was looking at Cha Yul-ryeong with an indifferent expression.
Although he had said it was for an accurate confirmation, in Namgung Il's eyes, it seemed that Cha Yul-ryeong was just enjoying the sight of the examinees' joy and sorrow being crossed.
"Y-Young Hero Namgung Il..."
"...?"
"I-I can't breathe properly..."
Just then, Jong Seo-eon said, clutching his chest with one hand.
How nervous was he that he couldn't breathe properly?
Since it would be a big problem if his grand-disciple were to pass out from something like this, Namgung Il lightly patted Jong Seo-eon's back and asked.
"Where did you vote?"
"Pardon? Ah... I voted for odd."
"Congratulations."
"...?"
Jong Seo-eon could not immediately understand Namgung Il's words.
And just then.
Soon, the voice announcing the correct answer was heard from the front.
"Odd."
"..."
"It's over. The number of beads in the wooden box was five. Therefore, the examinees who voted for odd are the passers of the first exam."
At that moment, just like before, the hall was filled with the cheers of the people.
Joy and sorrow that had been crossed several times.
The final winners were those who had chosen odd.
"Y-Young Hero Namgung Il! Odd! Odd is the correct answer!"
"What did I say?"
"Thank you! Without your advice, Young Hero, I would never have passed!"
Seeing Jong Seo-eon smiling as if he were really happy, Namgung Il just smiled lightly.
Although he had given his advice, wasn't the decisive reason why he was able to pass because Jong Seo-eon himself had that much ability?
As a grand-master, Namgung Il also felt a sense of pride.
"Then, the failures who chose even, please leave quickly."
"..."
"It's unfortunate, but let's see you next year."
Cha Yul-ryeong said to the examinees.
And so, some people began to take heavy steps.
Since there were so many people, it was taking a considerable amount of time just to leave the Great Training Ground.
'As expected, there are a lot of failures.'
Namgung Il had expected that about half would fail this exam.
No matter how much the key to the exam was to feel the energy contained in the Qi Storage Jade, he had thought that there would be few who could accurately grasp the number like him.
So it would be a natural flow for only about half to remain.
"Uh... seeing that makes me feel a little bitter."
Jong Seo-eon said, looking at the departing failures.
Although he had been happy about his own pass earlier and hadn't thought about it, didn't the fact that there were passers also mean that there were failures?
Of course, most people didn't care about the failures, but Jong Seo-eon, perhaps because he was good-natured, couldn't do that.
"You will see many such failures in the future."
"..."
"If your heart weakens every time, you will never be able to remain until the end."
Namgung Il said in a firm voice from the side.
Being good is not a bad thing.
But the world is not always kind to good people, is it?
Namgung Il had already fully realized that fact.
"Worrying about others is something you do only after taking care of yourself first."
"...You are strong, Young Hero."
"...?"
"To the point where I sometimes forget that we are the same age."
Pang of guilt—
Did he speak too seriously because he was a grand-disciple?
Namgung Il just laughed awkwardly.
"You two! You're alive!"
Just then, from far away, Gwangcheon waved his hand and approached this way.
Seeing that, it seemed that Gwangcheon had also passed.
Jong Seo-eon also looked at Gwangcheon with a pleased expression and said.
"Does that mean you also passed, Young Hero Gwangcheon?"
"Of course."
Swoosh—
"Since Buddha told me the correct answer, I firmly believed that I would definitely pass."
"...?"
"Thank you, Buddha. Please tell me the correct answer next time as well for this pitiful being."
Gwangcheon said and began to strike the wooden fish again.
Jong Seo-eon, who was looking at him with a troubled expression.
Thump— Thump— Thump— Thump—.
The clear sound of the wooden fish seemed to be congratulating the three on their pass.
* * *
Whoosh—
A cool wind blew.
The passers, including Namgung Il, had left the Great Training Ground and were having a simple lunch at another place.
"What, is it just rice balls?"
"How are we supposed to endure with this... Well, I don't have an appetite anyway, so should I just not eat?"
"Hmph— I'm not eating."
Such complaints were pouring out from here and there.
For them, who had passed the first exam, to be given just one rice ball.
Just then, someone approached the man who had thrown the rice ball on the floor.
"Are you perhaps not going to eat that?"
"...?"
"If you're not going to eat it, can I take it?"
The man looked at Namgung Il, who was asking him, with a puzzled expression.
"No... this just fell on the ground."
"It's fine if you pick it up right away."
Namgung Il said and picked up the rice ball that had fallen on the floor.
And Namgung Il, who brushed off the dirt on the rice ball with his hand as if it were no big deal.
Since Namgung Il, who had a handsome appearance and a somewhat noble air, was doing such an act, the man couldn't help but feel that it was strange.
"Can I take it?"
"Uh... sure."
"Thank you."
When the man said that, Namgung Il took the rice ball and moved to the side.
This time, the place Namgung Il was heading to was where a woman was sitting.
The woman was resting and was about to drink water.
"Hello."
"...?"
"Are you perhaps going to eat that rice ball?"
"Why are you asking..."
As soon as the woman saw Namgung Il's face, she was at a loss for words for a moment.
No, why was such a handsome young master talking to her...?
Although her inside was that, since her appearance was quite handsome, when Namgung Il approached and spoke to her, the woman's heart couldn't help but pound.
"Wh-what is it, Young Master?"
"I was wondering if I could take it if you're not going to eat it."
"Ah! Take it! Do you need water too?"
"No, that's fine."
Namgung Il said and smiled slightly.
At that moment, the woman's face turned red as if it were about to explode.
Namgung Il left such a woman behind and just took the rice ball, leisurely moving to another place.
Thud—
A moment later, a pile of rice balls was in front of Namgung Il.
"...Young Hero Namgung Il, where did you get all of that?"
Seeing that, Jong Seo-eon asked, as if he were somewhat dumbfounded.
One, two, three... how many were there in total?
It definitely looked like more than ten.
"I got them from people."
"...All of them?"
"Yes, they all gave them to me when I asked."
Especially the women.
Namgung Il did not say that far and put the rice ball in front of him into his mouth.
"...Would you like mine too?"
"Oh, is that okay?"
"Yes, I don't have an appetite because I'm nervous."
Jong Seo-eon said and held out his rice ball to Namgung Il.
And so, Namgung Il readily accepted the rice ball as if he were excited.
Seeing that, Jong Seo-eon thought that Namgung Il was really amazing.
'Is Young Hero Namgung Il not nervous at all?'
Most of the people here did not have an appetite because they were worried about the next exam, just like him.
The number of failures in the first exam was about twelve thousand.
Since so many people had failed in just one exam, he was very worried that a considerable number of people would also fail in the second exam.
"..."
In contrast, Namgung Il seemed to have no worries at all.
The only person around here who was eating a rice ball so deliciously was Namgung Il.
Most of them were leaving it or forcing the rice ball into their mouths.
"Young Hero Namgung Il."
"...?"
"I wonder what the second exam will be."
Just then, Jong Seo-eon cautiously asked Namgung Il.
"Since the place has also been moved to a place with a mountain like this... it doesn't seem like it will end with just voting like the first exam."
"Well, I agree with that."
"...Pardon?"
"Perhaps the exam will get a little more violent from now on."
When Namgung Il said that, Jong Seo-eon's body trembled slightly.
"Violent... what on earth does that..."
It was then.
A familiar voice was heard from somewhere.
When Cha Yul-ryeong spoke with internal energy, the examinees' attention was instantly focused on him.
"Did you enjoy your lunch?"
"..."
"Now that you've had enough rest, let's start the second exam."
The second exam.
A sense of tension appeared in the examinees' eyes as before.
"Now, then, I will announce it."
"..."
"The second exam that you must take from now on is... a treasure hunt."
(End of Chapter)