Wudang Sacred Scriptures

Kwak Yeon couldn't say that he'd heard it from Jang Noya—it was related to Mae Jang-so, after all.

"I read it in a medical book."

At Kwak Yeon's reply, spoken with his eyes tightly shut, So Jin-sam nodded and said:

"So, you're asking me to get it to treat a fellow trainee? Well, there's no reason I can't."

"Thank you so much. And this is to cover the cost."

"I can handle that much."

"No, it's not just my fellow trainee who's suffering from stomachaches, is it?"

"...?"

Kwak Yeon placed five silver nyang on the table—a considerable sum, more than twice a drill instructor's monthly salary. It was enough to buy at least five or six sacks of castor powder.

"There are many other children in the Byeong-rank dormitory with even worse symptoms."

"Still, this is too much."

"I want a fundamental solution. Simply clearing out their insides is just a temporary fix, isn't it?"

"A fundamental solution?"

So Jin-sam's eyes widened.

"What exactly do you mean?"

"After eating castor powder, they'll all suffer from diarrhea for about two days, but it needs to yield some results."

"You... don't mean...?"

Seeing the determination in Kwak Yeon's eyes and the hefty sum of five silver nyang, So Jin-sam began to grasp the reason behind his request.

Kwak Yeon, young and straightforward by nature, spoke with complete candor:

"If all the trainees endure one or two days of discomfort together, won't the main sect hear about the current state of affairs here? I don't know the inner workings of the main sect, but I'm sure they'll investigate the cause."

Kwak Yeon's intention was to expose the atrocities of the Kitchen Hall Head. Perhaps it might even uncover Hyun Gong, the Division Leader's, involvement.

"So, you're asking me, a drill instructor, to secretly mix castor powder into the trainees' food?"

"Yes, that's correct."

Kwak Yeon was prepared to face punishment or even scorn from So Jin-sam if his request was denied. He had no other choice—So Jin-sam was the only person in the dormitory he could trust.

He relied on the instructor's deferential attitude toward Jang Noya and his genuine care for the trainees.

A heavy silence fell between them.

Finally, So Jin-sam, glaring at Kwak Yeon, spoke.

"Kwak Yeon!"

"...?"

"You must become a disciple of the main sect."

Tears welled up in Kwak Yeon's eyes at those words.

"I'll make sure I do."

"Not just 'make sure'—you must become one. If, after putting me through all this, you crawl back here as an Outer Sect disciple under my wing, I'll chew you out thoroughly."

"I'm really sorry for burdening you with such a difficult task..."

"Enough!"

So Jin-sam cut him off.

"This is something that the instructors and drill masters should have handled in the first place. You've given me a solution, so I'm grateful."

He handed back the silver coins and continued.

"You were never here. We never spoke."

"...!"

"From now on, don't let yourself get distracted. Focus solely on your training. The greater the vessel, the more it's meant to hold. I hope you'll see the larger, more fundamental issues and solve them. When you do, the problems here will naturally resolve themselves."

So Jin-sam glared at him.

"So, you must become a disciple of the main sect."

Though Kwak Yeon was still young and unfamiliar with the intricacies of the world, he understood the meaning behind So Jin-sam's words.

He had realized that while mourning Jang Noya's death was necessary, he shouldn't let it destroy him.

The greater the person, the greater the deeds they can accomplish.

Even if one feels anger and sorrow over immediate events, there are times when patience and perseverance are required.

"I will become a disciple of the main sect."

Hearing Kwak Yeon's response, So Jin-sam smiled faintly.

"I was really sorry back then."

Kwak Yeon smiled back.

*****

"What on earth is going on?"

The furious voice of Division Leader Hyun Gong from the Shinmu Squad echoed through the room as Kitchen Hall Head Go Chil-seong bowed so low that his forehead nearly touched the floor.

"Well... it seems that the powder purchased from Hong Ga Sangbang this time might have been a bit old."

Bang!

"Does it make sense for expired seasoning to cause everyone to get sick at once?"

Hyun Gong grew even angrier at the mention of Hong Ga Sangbang, his family's business, feeling as though the blame was being shifted onto him.

"My apologies. We haven't found another cause. In the past, a few weaker children occasionally had stomachaches, but we've never had such widespread diarrhea before..."

"The problem lies with the ingredients you purchased."

"...Yes, that's correct."

"You should've been more careful!"

Internally, Go Chil-seong cursed.

'Damn it. That bastard demanded so much bribe money that it caused this mess.'

"Regardless, the damage is done. The entire dormitory has stopped training. If the main sect learns of this, it'll be a major issue."

"That's true."

"Although I've restricted access to the dormitory, it's not a long-term solution."

"..."

"For now, replace all the ingredients in the Kitchen Hall. If someone from the main sect comes to investigate, the first thing they'll look at will be the food supplies."

Go Chil-seong flinched.

"Replacing everything will cost a lot. Discarding all the ingredients and buying fresh ones—"

"Does money matter right now? If an investigation reveals the frequent illnesses here, the problem will escalate."

'He's just worried about being exposed for embezzling all this time.'

"But the money..."

"You've saved up quite a bit, haven't you?"

'Filthy bastard.'

"Use that. Once this is resolved, you can recover gradually."

Go Chil-seong didn't believe a word.

Once the issue was quieted down, he was sure they'd find a reason to dismiss him.

But there was no other choice.

"I understand."

"Get to it immediately."

"Yes, sir."

"And make sure everything is discarded."

Go Chil-seong flinched again.

"Of course."

Hyun Gong stared at his retreating figure with disdain.

'Greedy fool.'

This mess wasn't entirely Go Chil-seong's fault. Though access to the dormitory was restricted for now, it couldn't stay that way indefinitely.

Stopping the dormitory's training was unprecedented—a colossal failure.

It was only a matter of time before word leaked out through the workers or drill instructors.

The evidence had to be destroyed before that happened.

Afterward, they could claim the well at the Kitchen Hall had been contaminated. That would compel a master from the main sect to step in, and the issue could be swept under the rug.

But first, time needed to be bought.

The immediate concern was Hyun Ik Dojang, the physician at the dispensary.

He was currently inspecting the trainees' conditions. Preventing him from reporting to the main sect was crucial.

Smack!

Hyun Gong Dojang's eyes turned toward the safe in the office of the Division Leader.

Though reluctant, he knew what had to be done.

As Go Chil-seong made his way toward the Kitchen Hall, his mind was racing.

How could he minimize the damage?

"First, we'll discard the moldy seasonings and bury the maggot-infested meat. As for the wilted vegetables, I’ll claim improper storage. But the infested rice—that's a problem."

Buying in bulk to save money had been a mistake. He’d known the sacks of rice were water-damaged but had taken them anyway.

"That was the issue."

He had thought the moldy rice could still be salvaged by washing and boiling it.

"Isn’t there some way to salvage even half of it?"

The thought of spending actual money enraged him.

Seething, Go Chil-seong flung open the doors of the Kitchen Hall.

Bang!

"Where is everyone? Gather here immediately!"

He spotted the Kitchen Hall workers huddled in a corner.

"What the hell are you all doing, lazing around? Get over here, now!"

The workers didn't budge, further stoking his fury.

These were the same people who would have pretended to die at the mere word of the former Kitchen Hall Head, Jang Noya.

"Are you defying the orders of the Kitchen Hall Head? Do you all want to die today?"

Just as Go Chil-seong grabbed a wooden spatula, someone emerged from his quarters.

"You dare enter my quarters without permission? Do you have a death wi—huh?"

Standing there was a Daoist in a black robe tied with a white belt.

The Judicial Hall.

"H-Hyunam Dojang!"

"At least you recognize me."

Who wouldn’t? He was a lion of the Judicial Hall.

On Wudang Mountain, everyone knew of him—even if they didn’t know the palace lords.

Go Chil-seong panicked.

"How did the Judicial Hall arrive so quickly? Didn't the Division Leader lock down the dormitory?"

But that wasn’t the issue now.

Hyunam Dojang was holding a ledger.

"I hid that so well."

"It’s quite fascinating."

Go Chil-seong dropped to his knees without hesitation.

"Please spare me!"

"Hah. Wudang may be strict, but we're not the Demonic Cult. Begging for your life is a bit much."

"That’s not what I meant…"

"You’ve managed to acquire some truly wretched goods."

The door to the storage room was wide open.

"Everything in there would make even pigs sick, yet you fed it to children as young as your own offspring."

"I was blinded by greed."

"You didn’t do this alone. If you want me to consider your circumstances, you’ll need to show sincerity. Isn’t that right?"

Go Chil-seong clenched his fists tightly.

"I... I only did what Division Leader Hyun Gong ordered. Honestly, what power do I have?"

"Division Leader Hyun Gong is my senior, though we serve different halls. You’ll need solid proof of your claim, won’t you?"

Go Chil-seong suddenly understood why the Judicial Hall Daoists had come quietly to the Kitchen Hall.

He retrieved a second ledger he had hidden in a rice jar—a backup prepared for just such a situation.

Meanwhile, Hyun Gong Dojang was meeting with Hyun Ik Dojang in the dispensary.

"Division Leader, what is the meaning of this?"

"You know perfectly well what I mean."

Hyun Ik Dojang pushed a bundle of silver toward him.

"I can’t avoid reporting this to the main sect. Stopping the trainees' practice is a grave issue."

"I'm asking you to delay the report, just for now."

"..."

"Let’s first investigate the exact circumstances."

"What’s there to investigate? The trainees got sick from eating bad food."

"I’ve already summoned the Kitchen Hall Head and interrogated him thoroughly. It seems spoiled ingredients were mixed in. While the initial responsibility lies with the Kitchen Hall Head, I also bear some blame for inadequate oversight. I plan to rectify this and then file a report."

"Unfortunately, you’re too late."

"What do you mean?"

"Chief Instructor Kang has already sent a report."

"Chief Instructor Kang? Without consulting me?"

"Isn’t the Chief Instructor responsible for training? You may oversee the dormitory’s management, but this falls under his purview."

"Ugh!"

Hyun Gong grimaced, realizing his oversight. He had taken Chief Instructor Kang’s previous compliance for granted.

"But how could he act so quickly?"

"Since he works closely with the trainees, he would’ve been the first to notice the issue."

"Where is Chief Instructor Kang now?"

At that moment, Kang Ik-yu's voice came from outside.

"Division Leader, I am here."

"...!"

"And so is Hyunam Dojang of the Judicial Hall."

Hyun Gong rushed to the door and froze at the sight of Hyunam Dojang standing behind a bound and gagged Go Chil-seong.@@novelbin@@

Hyunam Dojang spoke calmly.

"Senior Hyun Gong, the Judicial Hall requests your presence."

"You’re summoning me?"

"If you have anything to say, you can speak directly to the Head of the Judicial Hall."

Hyun Gong’s face twisted in fury.