Chapter 128: The Military Examination (1)
For the first time in a long while, the palace of Chang’an Fortress was bustling with activity. It was the day of the military examination.
Hearing the rumors, a massive crowd had gathered from all over. Street vendors lined the paths, and tourists wandered the grounds, filling the area with vibrant energy.
The most crowded place was the military examination grounds. Registration was taking place at the entrance of Suzaku Boulevard.
The administrators sitting at the tables were overwhelmed, their brushes flying.
“Next applicant, step forward!”
An old man with white hair and deep wrinkles stepped up to the table. Seeing his advanced age, the administrator asked with concern, “Will you be alright? Some of the physical tests are quite grueling.”
“I may look old, but I am still an active hunter. In my youth, I even caught a tiger. It has been my lifelong dream to become a military officer. How could I miss this opportunity?”
The administrator observed the old man and nodded reluctantly.
“The General ordered that anyone who wishes to participate must be given a chance. I will register you. But if it becomes too difficult, you may withdraw at any time.”
“Haha! Thank you. If I had to name the happiest day of my life, it would be today.”
The old man answered the registration questions and entered the testing grounds, a look of pure joy on his face.
The administrator called out mechanically once more, “Next applicant, step forward!”
However, no one stepped forward. Instead, a small head peeked over the edge of the table. It was a child dressed in a bright yellow hanbok.
“Hello, mister!”
The administrator flinched, stammering, “S-So-so? What are you doing here?”
“I came to play. What do I get if I pass the exam?”
So-so was not one to miss out on such an exciting event.
“If you do well on the exam, you will receive a military post. And a regular salary.”
At the word “salary,” So-so’s eyes went wide.
“A salary? Does that mean I will get pocket money too?”
The administrator looked bewildered.
“Surely… you aren’t planning to take the exam too?”
“Why not? I want to take it.”
It was absurd.
A child who looked to be barely seven years old was applying for the military examination. Such a case was unprecedented in history. Moreover, she was the daughter of Captain So-mu. Registering her without his permission felt incredibly burdensome.
“To be an officer, you must dedicate yourself to the nation. It is hard work. Why do you want to put yourself through such trouble?”
So-so smiled and shrugged.
“I am a hard worker! Hehe.”
She showed no intention of backing down. Still, the administrator couldn’t yield easily.
“So-so, you are too young. Go and get your father’s permission first.”
But his words went in one ear and out the other. So-so was already daydreaming about her pocket money, her spirits soaring.
She pointed her finger at the public notice posted on the pillar and read a sentence aloud, “There is no age limit for participants!”
The administrator’s face fell. He hadn’t expected her to be able to read.
“Is that true…?”
“Yes! I can read now!”
Since she had been studying at Snow Flower Academy, reading simple sentences was no trouble at all.
The administrator sighed and looked at his colleague.
“Hey, what should we do about this?”
“Haha, we have no choice. The General explicitly ordered that there should be no age limit.”
“Sigh… I doubt he expected So-so to apply.”
They couldn’t violate the rules. Patting So-so’s head, the administrator reluctantly completed her registration.
“Take this slip and head inside.”
Receiving the paper, So-so bowed politely with her hands together.
“Thank you!”
As she skipped away, the administrator called out to her.
“Hey, little warrior!”
“Yes, mister?”
“Good luck! Don’t get hurt!”
So-so smiled brightly and waved.
“Hehe! I won’t. Good luck to you too, mister!”
Her first stop was the archery range.
The proctor stationed there stared blankly as he received the child’s registration slip.
“Surely… you aren’t taking the exam too, are you?”
“Yes! How do I do this?”
The proctor was speechless for a moment before recovering and handing her a bow and three arrows.
“If you hit the target at least once, you pass. If you hit it all three times, you will receive bonus points.”
So-so confidently took the bow and took her stance.
Having grown up in the military camp, mimicking the archers was easy enough. However, there was a practical problem.
“Ugh…”
So-so whimpered, trying to pull the string.
The proctor couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.
“Pfft!”
Her arms were simply too short to draw the bow. Her physical limitations made the task impossible.
So-so wiped away a tear with her sleeve, looking miserable.
“Mister… what do I do?”
“There is nothing to be done. If you cannot shoot an arrow, how can you defeat the enemy?”
“Then can I just throw it?”
The proctor laughed heartily.
“Hahaha! If you can manage it, go ahead. An archer’s duty is to shoot arrows and fell the enemy. If throwing them by hand is more effective, why would we need bows?”
The tearful child suddenly beamed with a bright smile.
“Hehe! Thank you!”
Clutching an arrow in her right hand, So-so extended her left arm to measure the angle. The sight of it was so amusing that the proctor clutched his belly.
However, he had no idea. So-so’s current stance was the preparatory form of the Demon Flower Secret Art, the ultimate projectile technique of the Demonic Cult that she had learned from Yeon Seo-hwa.
With her massive internal energy exceeding two cycles, the wooden shaft of the arrow became as rigid as steel, transforming into a lethal projectile.
“Hah!”
With a sharp shout, the arrow flew from So-so’s hand.
Whoosh!
The sharp, piercing sound of tearing wind reached the proctor’s face.
Before he could even open his mouth, the arrow struck the target.
Boom!
With a thunderous crash, a clean hole was blown through the very center of the target.
In the next instant, the remaining two arrows flew in rapid succession, passing through the exact same hole.
Crash!
Seeing the result, So-so clapped her hands and hopped with joy.
“Hehe! Look! I passed, right?”
The proctor stared, unable to close his mouth. After blinking like a goldfish, he hastily scribbled on her slip.
“A-Amazing… Take this and go to the swordsmanship range.”
The swordsmanship range was packed with people. It consisted of group spars and was one of the most grueling parts of the exam.
Most of the failures occurred here, as the opponents were the members of the Wolf Fang Squad.
Ten squad members stood holding wooden swords, surrounded by hundreds of applicants.
“This looks fun!”
Sparring with her uncles was So-so’s favorite game. Since they hadn’t played with her recently, she was itching for a fight. Excited, she ran to the registration desk.
She was handed a blunt wooden sword and a set of training armor.
The administrator patted her head and said, “Be careful not to get hurt. I’m cheering for you.”
“Yes, mister!”
Even the smallest set of armor draped down to her knees. It was loose and awkward, but she could still move.
“If you deflect even a single attack, you pass. If you get hit three times, you fail.”
“What if I hit them?”
“Haha. If you land a blow, you get bonus points. Though no one has managed to do so yet.”
Taking her slip, So-so joined the crowd of applicants.
Despite the massive number of applicants surrounding them, the Wolf Fang Squad members were completely unbothered.
Their swords moved as if they had lives of their own. Deflecting even a single blow was an immense challenge. Nine out of ten applicants were failing, and the empty spots were quickly filled by new contenders.
Seeing So-so, several applicants tried to shield her.
“Why is a child here? Hide behind me!”
“Be careful, child!”
“Thank you!”
Using her small stature, So-so slipped behind the applicants. Sneaking around like a cat hunting prey, she soon spotted her target.
“Yah!”
With a sharp shout, So-so lunged forward like a bolt of lightning. Her target was the back of a Wolf Fang Squad member named Song-hwa, who was distracted by other opponents.
Her wooden sword swept in a crescent arc, aiming for his legs.
Startled by the sudden ambush, Song-hwa spun around.
Clang!
Though he managed to block it, the sheer force of the blow shook his stance, causing him to stumble.
“Sorry, Uncle Song-hwa!”
With a brief apology, So-so unleashed a relentless barrage.
It was the Hundred and Eight Wild Wind Rapid Sword.
She had initiated her most powerful technique from the start, knowing she wouldn’t stand a chance if the other uncles joined in.
As her sword grew faster and faster, Song-hwa was driven into a corner.
Clash! Boom!
Seeing him struggle, the surrounding applicants found their courage. Dozens of them rushed Song-hwa from all sides.
The other squad members tried to assist him, but they were held back by the crowd.
Eventually, Song-hwa could no longer hold his ground and took a direct hit from So-so.
Thwack!
Since she hadn’t channeled her internal energy, he was unhurt.
“Ugh!”
The Hundred and Eight Wild Wind Rapid Sword was a technique that was difficult to stop once set in motion. Song-hwa took a dozen more blows before he could finally catch his breath.
Just then.
“You mischievous little girl!”
Two figures appeared on So-so’s flanks. It was Hyeon-jeong, a former Mount Hua disciple, and Cheong-hae, an outer disciple of Wudang.
She was no match for the two of them together. Besides, she had already achieved her goal.
“I surrender!”
Raising her hands, So-so hopped out of the ring. The squad members could only sigh in frustration.
Thanks to So-so’s distraction, several other applicants passed the test and cheered.
“Good job, child!”
“Amazing!”
“Hehe! Where is the next test?”
The examinations were taking place all over the camp.
She completed horse riding, spear combat, physical fitness, and tactical evaluations.
Having successfully finished the first day, So-so returned to the barracks with a proud smile on her face.
***
At the military examination headquarters.
So-mu, the chief judge, sat at the head of the table.
A massive stack of papers lay before him. Each sheet was filled with handwriting of varying styles. These were the tactical exam papers.
“How are the results?”
“No one has submitted a perfect answer yet. However, several applicants proposed close tactical solutions and were passed.”
“Reacting to an ambush is a vital skill for a commander. Utilizing whatever resources are available is key to survival. I hope to see some creative solutions that go beyond the standard answers.”
“With so many applicants, I am sure we will find some.”
Just then, one of the officials burst into hearty laughter.
“Hahaha!”
So-mu turned to look at him with a neutral expression.
The atmosphere in the room froze instantly.
Realizing his mistake, the official quickly bowed and apologized, “M-My apologies, sir. There was an incredibly amusing answer.”
Intrigued, So-mu held out his hand.
“Let me see it.”
Unlike the other papers filled with dense text, this sheet contained only a single sentence.
Written in a shaky, unrefined script that suggested the author had only recently learned to write, the answer made even So-mu burst into laughter.
“Haha! Who on earth wrote this?”
“It is applicant number 1327.”
They did not know the author’s identity. To ensure fairness, names were replaced by applicant numbers.
Curious, another official asked, “What is it, sir?”
Without a word, So-mu handed over the paper. Written on it was a single sentence:
Unleash a Lion’s Roar.
“Pfft!”