Chapter 43 : Yes, Captain!
Following the odd-even game, this time it was a treasure hunt.
The examinees' reactions were not much different from when the first exam was announced.
"If it's a treasure hunt, does it mean that treasure hunt?"
"I... guess so?"
Most of the examinees had heard of a treasure hunt at least once.
A game where papers with prizes written on them are hidden in various places, and if you find them, you can receive the prize written on the paper.
The existing treasure hunt that the examinees knew was like that.
"Yes, it's the treasure hunt you all know."
"..."
"However, what you have to find from now on is this."
Cha Yul-ryeong said and showed the examinees what he was holding in his hand.
A bead with a blue light.
Showing the examinees the Qi Storage Jade that had been used in the first exam before, Cha Yul-ryeong continued to speak.
"You just have to find three of these beads."
"..."
"The prize is passing. I don't think there's a better prize for you all."
As the passing condition was announced, a sense of tension appeared on the examinees' faces again.
It seemed similar to the odd-even game at a glance, but it was a clearly different feeling.
Everyone knew that this time, it was an exam where skill was more important than the element of luck.
"Now, please take a look at the back."
When Cha Yul-ryeong said that, the examinees' gazes all turned to the back.
A rugged mountain range that was spread out quite vast.
The examinees had already known about the existence of that mountain since they had lunch.
"That place is called Gyeryongsan. It's all owned by the Flying Dragon Academy."
Hearing that, the examinees couldn't help but be surprised.
To think that that vast mountain range was all owned by the Flying Dragon Academy.
Once again, the examinees were admiring the wealth of the Flying Dragon Academy.
"I have hidden these beads all over the mountain range you see there."
"...Don't tell me."
"Yes, you just have to find them and come here."
Cha Yul-ryeong said with a smile.
In contrast, the examinees' faces were filled with astonishment.
To be told to find that small bead in a place that looked so vast... this felt even more difficult than finding a needle in a haystack.
"Th-that's ridiculous!"
"..."
"How are we supposed to find that bead in that vast place? And not just one, but three..."
"Can't you find it?"
Cha Yul-ryeong asked the man who had just spoken.
And so, the man desperately nodded his head, and Cha Yul-ryeong still said with a smile on his lips.
"Then you're eliminated."
"...Pardon?"
"If you can't meet the condition, you're eliminated. Did you perhaps not know that obvious fact?"
Of course, the man also knew that.
But what the man had questioned was not that, but this absurd exam itself.
"No... who on earth can pass this ridiculous exam?"
"Why do you think so?"
"Isn't it obvious? How can you find that small bead in that vast forest..."
"Then you don't even have the qualification to be here."
"...?"
"It seems you passed the first exam purely by luck."
The man could not understand Cha Yul-ryeong's words.
Weren't all the people here also people who had passed by luck, just like him?
Just then, Cha Yul-ryeong's gaze changed to a slightly colder one, and he said to the man.
"The students currently enrolled in our academy wouldn't take even half an hour to find three beads in that place."
"...Don't tell me."
"So we don't need a student who whines that he can't even do this. Even if he gets in by luck, he'll eventually not be able to endure and will be kicked out."
"..."
"It is my role to filter out people like you. No matter how lucky you are, so that you can be surely eliminated, perhaps most of you will be eliminated here."
When Cha Yul-ryeong shot at him like that, the man could no longer say anything, frozen.
The same went for the people who had the same thoughts as the man.
Since they had passed the first exam by luck, they had expected that they might be able to survive until the end, but after hearing those words, that expectation turned into despair in an instant.
"Did you all understand?"
"..."
"It seems you understood well."
Cha Yul-ryeong was now smiling again.
"Then I will explain the details a little and start the exam right away."
"..."
"The total number of beads hidden there is three thousand. So the maximum number of people who can pass this exam is a thousand at most."
Just a thousand... that number was far from half of the currently remaining number.
Moreover, the number of a thousand was, after all, the maximum number.
That meant that the number of passers could fall well below that.
Inevitably, this exam was structured to be that way.
"Also, there will be supervisors wandering around in that forest. So if by any chance a violent act between examinees is detected, they will be eliminated on the spot."
"..."
"The exam time is three hours. It will end when the sun sets.
"..."
"That's all. Is there anyone who has a question?"
Although Cha Yul-ryeong asked, only silence returned.
Seeing that, the corners of his mouth lifted meaningfully.
"Then we will start the exam in a quarter of an hour."
Cha Yul-ryeong said and turned back.
"Y-Young Hero Namgung Il! What do we do now?"
As soon as all the explanations were over, Jong Seo-eon said to Namgung Il.
The same went for the other examinees.
Since the exam would start in a little while, most of them were already racking their brains and planning their strategies.
"What do you mean, what do we do? We have to find the beads."
"That's true, but... will it be okay?"
"..."
"There are eight thousand people, but only a thousand can pass..."
Jong Seo-eon sighed, as if he were worried just thinking about it.
Seeing such a Jong Seo-eon, Namgung Il asked, as if he couldn't understand.
"What are you so worried about?"
"...Pardon?"
"If you passed the first exam with skill, not luck, you will be able to pass the second exam as well."
As soon as he heard the content of the second exam, Namgung Il could tell that this exam was an extension of the first exam.
The key to the second exam was to find the Qi Storage Jade using one's sense of qi.
Since Cha Yul-ryeong had also openly said that the second exam was a treasure hunt, the strategy was the same.
"Have confidence. There are far fewer people who passed the first exam purely with skill than you think."
"...Really?"
"Yes."
When Namgung Il answered, Jong Seo-eon's expression finally looked much more at ease.
'To be so worried... he seems to have the skill, but his personality is timid, so he's the type who can't properly display his true skills.'
Namgung Il was now almost able to grasp the character of Jong Seo-eon.
Since he was at a level to become a Hougai of the Beggars' Sect, his skills would be sufficient, but with so many worries, it seemed difficult for him to properly reveal even more than half of his skills.
Namgung Il looked at Jong Seo-eon for a moment and then, as if he had decided something, opened his mouth.
"Young Hero Jong Seo-eon."
"Yes?"
"How about we join hands for this exam?"
"R-really?"
When Namgung Il said that, Jong Seo-eon was so happy that he couldn't hide his expression.
For that Namgung Il to be his comrade.
Since he had passed the first exam thanks to Namgung Il's advice, it seemed there would be nothing more reassuring than having Namgung Il as a comrade.
"Ah... but will it be okay? I'm worried that I might cause trouble for you, Young Hero Namgung Il..."
"I'm proposing it because I think it will be beneficial for me too."
"Pardon?"
"Look around you."
Look around?
Only after hearing Namgung Il's words did Jong Seo-eon look around.
"...?"
He didn't know if it was his imagination, but it felt like there were more people gathered in groups than before.
A sight as if they had formed an alliance, just like him and Namgung Il.
At first, he had thought it was his imagination, but after looking around a little more, Jong Seo-eon could tell that it was not his imagination.
"Perhaps most of them will act in groups in this exam."
"Uh... then wouldn't it be more disadvantageous since they have to find more beads?"
"It could be seen that way, but everyone thinks it's better to secure a minimum level of safety by forming a group rather than having it taken away by someone else after finding it."
As soon as he heard those words, Jong Seo-eon couldn't help but have a question.
"Taken away? Didn't you say earlier that violent acts are prohibited?"
"To be precise, he said that if detected, you would be eliminated, not that it was prohibited."
"...Ah!"
Jong Seo-eon now looked as if he had realized something.
Seeing that, Namgung Il let out a sigh inwardly.
If he hadn't said anything, Jong Seo-eon probably would not have known this fact until the end.
"In other words, it means that it's okay to take the beads by force as long as you're not detected."
"..."
"Perhaps most of the people are thinking that way now."
"R-really? Still, wouldn't there be more people who think of finding the beads in the proper way?"
Aigoo, you foolishly good-natured brat.
Looking at his grand-disciple who had not yet lived enough in the world, Namgung Il was so frustrated that he felt like he was about to explode.
"It is human nature to be able to do somewhat bold things for the sake of profit."
"..."
"I don't know about the beginning, but as time goes on, a pattern of taking each other's beads will emerge. Perhaps the organizers also prepared this exam with that in mind."
"Th-the organizers, don't tell me..."
Although Jong Seo-eon had a face of disbelief, Namgung Il was almost certain of it.
'Cha Yul-ryeong, from what I've seen, he's that kind of person.'
He could be sure of that after talking with Cha Yul-ryeong a little in the tent.
Perhaps because of the academy's position, he couldn't openly tell them to fight each other.
Of course, he wouldn't want a situation where they would even kill each other to take the beads, but still, Cha Yul-ryeong would be hoping that all the passers who survived this exam would be sufficiently skilled.
'He's a brat who did that from the registration. It's entirely possible.'
Perhaps the statement that supervisors were wandering around in the forest was also a lie... no, that might be a bit of a leap.
"Ahem, so that's how it was. I thought something smelled suspicious."
"...No, Young Hero Gwangcheon! When did you come?"
Jong Seo-eon was startled to see Gwangcheon, who had suddenly and slyly joined in and was saying that.
"Buddha guided me here."
"...Pardon?"
"Buddha said that there is a reason for every meeting. So isn't it also fate that we have gathered like this?"
Seeing Gwangcheon slyly putting himself on the same side, Jong Seo-eon couldn't say anything.
He didn't particularly mind if Gwangcheon was on his side, but what about Namgung Il?
Since the initiative of this alliance was, after all, with Namgung Il, Jong Seo-eon silently waited for Namgung Il's answer.
"I was about to propose it anyway."
"Oh, as expected!"
"Let's do it together."
Namgung Il had been planning to include Gwangcheon in the alliance from the beginning.
Since he was a disciple of the Shaolin Temple, he was more trustworthy than the other brats, and hadn't he also confirmed Gwangcheon's skills to some extent?
Gwangcheon was a sufficiently helpful asset.
"We will gather the beads as quickly as possible before a pattern of taking from each other emerges and return here. That is our goal."
"..."
"Everyone, are you ready?"
"...Yes!"
"Ready, Captain!"
...Captain?
Namgung Il looked at Gwangcheon, who had just called him that, with a rather dumbfounded face.
"Uh... why are you calling me captain?"
"Although we gathered in a hurry, the person leading us now is Young Hero Namgung Il."
"..."
"So we should call you by a suitable title. Isn't that right?"
When Gwangcheon asked, Jong Seo-eon also chimed in from the side.
Namgung Il, who was staring blankly at the two, did not say anything.
A moment later, a small laugh escaped Namgung Il's lips.
'Captain...'
Although it might sound childish because it felt a bit like a neighborhood gang leader... he didn't feel too bad.
Because in that title, he could feel the trust of the two towards him now.
Namgung Il's expression became quite serious, and he said to the two.
"Alright."
"...!"
"As long as you call me captain, I will make sure that we can pass this exam without a single straggler."
When Namgung Il said that, the faces of the two brightened.
Soon, a loud voice echoed around.
"Yes, Captain!"
Namgung Il, Jong Seo-eon, Gwangcheon.
It was their first sortie.
(End of Chapter)