Meanwhile, back on the training field...
When everyone else dispersed and had gone to their dormitories, Cheon Moo Geum of Buk Ma clan alone was still out on the field. At the unusual sight of the lingering cadet, Im Pyeong, the training instructor for Cheon Moo Geum's group, Group Eight, went up to him to talk to him.
"Cadet Number Three, why are you still here?"
Until a cadet reached the Grand Captain level after qualifying through the fourth round, they were all identified by the number on their badges.
"May I ask you a question training instructor, sir?"
"You are aware that I can't answer any questions that are not related to the training, right?"
"Yes, I know that."
No matter how keen the training instructors were, it was impossible to memorize the faces of all the cadets in their group.
But, it was a different story when it came to the Grand Prince candidates. The instructors knew exactly who was who.
The reason being that one day one of these candidates was to climb up the ladder to become the ultimate authority in the Ma faction.
"Fine. What is your question?"
"It seems like I will soon be selected as the leader of our group."
-Hmm.-
Although the process for selecting the leader of each group was set to be held the following day, Cheon Moo Geom was already aware of how the system worked and that he would become the group leader come tomorrow.
-As expected, they have no regard for the rules and regulations of our institute.-
It wasn't a great surprise that the Grand Prince candidates would end up getting some inside scoop on the academy program from the ambitious wives of the Grand Master, but it was still disappointing to see.
"Cadet Number Seven has been transported to the dispensary."
"So what?"
"I don't want the whole group suffering and even worse being eliminated, because of the absence of one of the group members."
"Ho oh? And?"
"I would like to make a visit to the dispensary to inform Cadet Number Seven of everything that went on and was announced today. This way, we could minimize the damage his ignorance will have on the group and himself."
It was the instructor's understanding that all six Grand Prince candidates regarded Cheon Yeo Woon's as a thorn in their sides and were dying to get rid of him, but unlike the rumors it was refreshing to see Cheon Moo Geum looking out for him because he belonged in the same group.
"That's a good attitude to have. Seems like you have already begun to understand the philosophy behind why you were assigned into groups, so although it's only the first, I commend you. I will personally grant your request by bringing your message to the dispensar where Cadet Number Seven is.
"Excuse me? You, you really don't have to do that for me. I can..."
"None of the cadets are permitted into the academy's main building without a special reason to be there."
Cheon Moo Geum felt a fit of frustration at Im Pyeong's rigid rule.
-Darn it! Why the hell are there so many restrictions here!?-
Cheon Moo Geum's plan was to storm into the dispensary and, regardless of whether he was a patient or not, incapacitate him by breaking all his limbs or something.
However, he had no clue that there would be a restriction on accessing the main building.
He briefly the thought of threatening the instructor with his elite position within the faction, but knowing that such tactics don't really work here in the academy, decided to give up.
"Okay, thank you training instructor, sir. I appreciate your help. Oh! One last thing, can you at least tell me when Cadet Number Seven will be making his way back into training?"
At this point, he had no choice but to target him when he makes his way to dorm.
He hoped that Cheon Yeo Woon would finish his treatment and return as soon as possible.
Cheon Moo Geum was able to comfort himself from the fury he felt after his failed assassination plot with thoughts of inflicting unbearable pain on him.
Group Eight's training instructor, Im Pyeong, made his way to the dispensary as promised.
Cheon Yeo Woon was currently passed out as a result of the auto-recovery and blood restoration mode being run on his body by the nano machine.
Im Pyeong didn't want to wake up Cheon Yeo Woon whom the doctor stated to have incurred grave internal wounds, so unfortunately all he could do was ask the academy's chief physician, Baek Jong Myeong his estimated length of stay in the dispensary.
"Hmm, due to the extent of his injuries, I think it will be at least fourteen days (two weeks) before he could be discharged."
-Fourteen days? Ha... If that's the case, I don't think he will be able to fully participate in the next round. Is there any way we can shorten his treatment time?"-
Im Pyeong certainly didn't want his group to be eliminated as the result of one missing cadet.
For the cadets the academy was about pure survival, but for the training instructors, it was a fierce competition.
"Truth is, if Cadet Number Seven had any inner power it would be a very different story, but as it is, his inability to rehabilitate himself through meditation inevitably delays the healing process."
The only news that Im Pyeong left the dispensary with was that in light of the next test that will be held three weeks from now, Cheon Yeo Woon had to miss out on two full weeks of training.
-I guess after barely passing through the first round, this is where his luck runs out. Tsk tsk.-
Only after two weeks does Im Pyeong realize that his assumption about Cheon Yeo Woon's "last stroke of luck" and his sympathy towards him weren't really necessary.
It was early next morning….
*Bang!*
"Keul keul, disciple. Your teacher is here."
The smell of alcohol from Seop Maeng's ever-imbibing mouth filled the entire room.
Woken up by his abrupt entrance, Cheon Yeo Woon stared at Seop Maeng's hazy figure with a befuddled look on his face.
"Te... teacher?"
"Ahem, I guess I get no morning greeting?"
He was curious why Seop Maeng had shown up so early, even before daybreak.
"Your, your disciple greets my great teacher with a morning salute!"
Although he was still a little disoriented from the sudden wakeup, now that he was Seop Maeng's disciple he knew he had to just go with the flow.
Pleased with his attitude, Seop Maeng then asked him a question.
"Very good. Okay, well did you do the homework I gave you to do yesterday?"
"Excuse me?"
At the word "homework," the half-awake Cheon Yeo Woon's eyes got big.
At first, Cheon Yeo Woon was clueless as to what he was referring to, but later was reminded of something and supposed it's what he might be talking about.
"Are you... talking about the inner power training formula you gave me to read yesterday?"
"Yes, I told you to memorize it until I come back."
Cheon Yeo Woon was a startled by the way Seop Maeng was speaking so matter-of-factly.
Although thanks to the nano machine he was fully recovered now, East Grand Lord Seop Maeng didn't know about that, and in fact, Seop Maeng was in the dispensary with him yesterday and saw that he had just begun to receive treatment for his grave injuries.
-.... He must be a really impatient man.-
As East Grand Lord Seop Maeng's face began to put on a look of uncertainty, Cheon Yeo Woon quietly answered under his breath.
"Of course I.... memorized it."
It wasn't like he memorized it by investing time and energy into it.
The one-sided piece of paper on which the fundamentals of inner power training were sloppily written was instantly scanned and transferred into his brain by Nano.
Oblivious to this fact, East Grand Lord Seop Maeng's eyes lit up with surprise.
-What? He memorized that already? In this state?-
Seop Maeng wasn't oblivious to the fact that his homework was probably a bit too much for Cheon Yeo Woon to hand right now right now.
Seop Maeng's intention was to just nudge him a little so he would be more eager to learn the material faster, but he didn't expect Cheon Yeo Woon to memorize the whole thing already.
"Oh, oh yeah? Well, good job doing the homework your teacher assigned to you."
"..... thank you for the encouragement. But, don't you think it's a little too early in the morning right now?"
The sunrise was nowhere even in sight.
He couldn't figure out what could've gotten into Seop Maeng that occasioned the early visit.
"Why? Are you tired?"
".... no, it's not that."
Even before entering the academy, Cheon Yeo Woon had lived his whole life under the constant threat of being assassinated by his enemies, which naturally made him a light sleeper and an early bird.
So his question really wasn't meant to be snarky, but came more from genuine curiosity.
"If so, then that's good. Well, since this is something you would have to know anyway, I'll just tell you."
After pulling up a chair next to him, Seop Maeng continued.
"I only have thirteen days left to train you."
"What do you mean?"
It is possible for me to come visit you while you're here in this dispensary, but once you make you start staying in the dormitories like everyone else, we will be restricted from any private training."
One of the rules of Ma Fighting Academy was that cadets were limited from training under anyone else besides their designated training instructors.
But, being the recalcitrant man that he was, Seop Maeng was simply disregarding all rules and regulations in order to disciple Cheon Yeo Woon.
"Oh, your disciple couldn't think that far ahead."
"You just entered the academy and you're just learning the ropes, kid. How would you know anything? And even your teacher being here right now, is all being done under wraps."
"Under wraps?"
"If I leave my duties and strolled in here during broad day light to teach you every day, don't you think everyone will start noticing something strange?
Unlike Seop Maeng's absent-minded and imprudent outer appearance, there was more to him than just drunken folly. He was definitely putting a sufficient amount of calculating and planning into his tutelage.
"During the day I need to take care of my duties in the Grand Master's Court, and so early morning is the only time I'll have to come and teach you."
He was originally intending to come even earlier, but he waited until the time when patrolling training instructors and guardsmen were a little more lax to make his move, which usually was the case during early morning.
-Who would've thought Seop Maeng would do all that to teach one dinky disciple like me?-
Fortunately, between the hours of three and five, training instructors are allowed to go to their patrolling stations to take a nap while the guardsmen were typically nodding off on post.
"I am deeply grateful for your consideration, teacher."