The Red Army... No, all of the academy students could not come to their senses in the current situation.

A single battle cannot greatly influence the grand strategy.

This was the established theory they had learned at the academy.

No, they had learned military strategy in the same way not just at the academy, but also at their sects and families.

A grand strategy moves the entire board.

Therefore, those who would rise to be commanders or to the highest positions in the future had always been taught to look at the big picture rather than the small details.

To bring about the benefits of a large strategy rather than dwelling on the victory or defeat of a small battle.

That was what they had learned and what they had to consider moving forward.

Looking at it from that perspective.

It was certain that the Red Army was bound to lose.

All of the academy students had their internal energy completely restricted, and they fought by grouping into small and medium-sized units.

Even though it was an evaluation of strategy and tactics, if it were considered a small war where the Three Armies were wary of and fighting each other, it was a foregone conclusion that the Blue Army would win while the White Army and Red Army destroyed each other in a mutually assured destruction, exactly according to the grand strategy Cheol Sunjik had devised to defeat Jin Sowoon.

But looking at this mess right now.

"Oh man, my whole body is aching."

... Wouldn't even Sun Tzu, who wrote the Art of War, spring up from his grave and say, 'Stop your bullshit'?

The Red Army, which had sacrificed everything to defeat the White Army.

And even the Red Army's surprise attack group, which struck the back of the Blue Army that had moved to catch the Red Army.

A process where not even a single step ahead could be predicted ultimately brought about an unexpected result.

'What kind of exam is taken like this?'

'Who fights like this?'

'Anyway, those uneducated bastards...'

The words 'What a fucked-up way to take an exam.' surged up to their throats, but there was no one who could easily say it.

"What are you looking at, you punks? Lower your eyes."

Of course, the biggest reason was the instinctive warning not to provoke that crazy... no, the academy representative who had made all of this possible.

"..."

Because the White Army had been crushed by the disadvantaged Red Army, and inside the Red Army, there was a slew of people who had betrayed them and now only had retaliation waiting for them.

At least the Blue Army was given the right to say, 'What a fucked-up way to take an exam,' but since the Blue Army was mostly composed of personnel from the Nine Sects and One Gang, they were feeling immense shame over the fact that they had ultimately lost to the Red Army.

"What the hell were you doing!"

"Are you saying you couldn't stop those ten people and ended up losing?"

"What the hell were you doing instead of guarding the base!"

The personnel who had climbed Mount Baek poured out immense criticism, but those who had been near the base weren't without things to say, either.

"Don't you know that bastard Yayul Geuk? If you get caught by that vicious freak even once, your bones will be broken!"

"Is Lee Eunho any different? He's the one who serves as the brains among the Iron Wall Three Dragons!"

"If you were so confident, you guys should have just defeated the White Army or the Red Army earlier!"

While criticisms went back and forth between them.

It wasn't just the academy students who were noisy.

Countless words were also exchanged among the instructors and drill instructors who had to conclude the practical exam and give their evaluations.

"I cannot acknowledge this. The exam was never meant to be taken in this way in the first place, was it?"

"What are you saying? Either way, didn't the Red Army win?"

"This is strategy and tactics. It's not an ignorant brawl."

"Do you not know that the success or failure of a grand strategy ultimately relies on the accumulation of victories in small battles?"

Amidst the stark division of opinions between those who said the Red Army's final victory must be acknowledged and those who said an exam taken in such a nonsensical manner should not be recognized.

"Everyone, stop."

Buk Wonpyeong eventually stepped forward and settled the matter.

"Knowing the opponent's weakness and exploiting it is also incredibly important in a real war. Since we did not set a condition that they must only fight using standard tactics in the first place, and we allowed the alliance between the White Army and the Blue Army, we cannot consider there to be any issue with the Red Army's victory."

At Buk Wonpyeong's words, the instructors all shut their mouths in unison.

Because making the biased judgment of allowing an early alliance in the first place was currently holding them back.

"The end-of-term strategy and tactics evaluation is... undoubtedly the Red Army's victory."

With Buk Wonpyeong's words, the instructors and drill instructors completed their evaluation sheets all at once.

Buk Wonpyeong, who had been watching the scene, turned his gaze toward Mount Baek.

Over there.

"Ahem..."

... He could see Jin Sowoon teasing Ilgak, who had his head deeply bowed with teeth marks on his scalp.

'He truly is... an unpredictable guy.'

Buk Wonpyeong chuckled while looking at his unimaginably sacrilegious senior brother.

* * *

The end-of-term evaluations were all over.

By the time the Gunja Powder they ingested during the final practical was completely digested and the academy students began to readapt to their bodies.

The list of failed personnel was announced.

"Ugh..."

"This is ridiculous!"

"Please! Please!"

The academy students who confirmed their names fell into frustration and despair, as if the sky had fallen.

It was a small number of fewer than ten people, but considering the sects associated with each and every one of them, their failure did not carry a light weight.

The comrades of the failed personnel cried alongside them in heartbreaking agony and pain, but that did not mean the results would be reversed.

"This makes no sense! T-This is a lie!!!"

Among them, the failed person who caused the biggest ripple was none other than Ak Jupyeong.

Ak Jupyeong was a descendant of the Shandong Ak Clan, which belonged to the Five Great Noble Clans, and was highly regarded as a prodigy even within the Ak Clan, so his failure was something the other academy students hadn't anticipated either, making the shock even greater.

Of course, the one who received the biggest shock was Ak Jupyeong himself.

"Right! T-This is a conspiracy! A conspiracy! Do you know who I am? Huh?! I am Ak Jupyeong of the Shandong Ak Clan! I'll tell my uncle in the Inspection Pavilion to investigate this ridiculous incident and uncover the truth!"

Having lost his reason, Ak Jupyeong caused a massive scene, smashing the furniture in the instructors' office.

He raised his voice in anger, certain there was a conspiracy, but since the Education Pavilion was an affiliated organization directly under the Mantong Bureau, there was absolutely no way there could be any corruption in the evaluation.

Ak Jupyeong's behavior ultimately forced the Disciplinary Pavilion to step in.

"Uncle...! Call my uncle! My uncle is the Third Hall Leader!"

He shouted desperately as he was dragged away to the Disciplinary Pavilion, but in the end, no one from the Inspection Pavilion came forward.

After the investigation into Ak Jupyeong began in the Disciplinary Pavilion.

Ak Jupyeong, realizing he could not receive Ak Byeongbi's help, ended up grabbing onto the Disciplinary Pavilion personnel and vehemently complaining about his unfair treatment.

"There is definitely a conspiracy! There is no way I, a descendant of the Shandong Ak Clan, would fail!"

The Disciplinary Pavilion investigator, who had been reading the investigation documents, furrowed his brow.

"Five Mu evaluations? Is this what you received as your grades?"

"... T-That's purely because of the harassment from that guy named Yayul Geuk..."

"Come to think of it, there is also a record that you created a delinquent organization within the academy and meticulously harassed a fellow academy student."

Ak Jupyeong's face turned pale.

"T-That can't be! I, I!"

The investigator slammed his desk with a THUD and yelled out.

"This is an investigation report written by your uncle, the Third Hall Leader of the Inspection Pavilion. Are you still going to say this is a lie?"

"What?!!!"

"Ak Byeongbi... He truly is an outstanding figure. To ruthlessly cut off someone from his own family like this. Should I say it is truly fitting of the Third Hall Leader's reputation?"

"W-What does that..."

The corners of the investigator's mouth curled up.

"You can look forward to it. With the Inspection Pavilion coming out this cooperatively, our Disciplinary Pavilion also feels motivated to work."

Ak Jupyeong felt like he had been dropped into hell.

* * *

After the failed personnel packed up their belongings and left the academy first.

Vitality began to return to the slightly subdued academy.

The winter break provided a duration twice as long as the summer break.

The academy students who hadn't been able to return during the summer break due to the long distance also returned to their sects or hometowns with the academy's support.

"I'm so looking forward to it."

Eun Seollan said in an excited voice.

Since she was able to return to her hometown, which she hadn't been able to visit during the past summer break, it was perhaps a natural reaction.

"I heard the North Sea is cold. It's cold here too, but isn't it much worse there?"

As Seong Moran tilted her head, Eun Seollan replied with a smile.

"It's not that cold! You have no idea how pretty the scenery is in the winter. Everything everywhere is white, and the horizon stretches endlessly. Ah! How about coming along with me this break? The people in our palace would love it too."

Eun Seollan said that, but Seong Moran shivered violently.

"I'm not planning to return to my hometown this time either. I'm just going to train hard in the quiet academy."

"Why are you looking at me while saying that?"

Seong Moran glared at Jin Sowoon as if feeling resentful.

"Just what the hell did Young Master Jin eat to be so strong?"

"Hah, my word! What do you mean 'eat'? I have merely built up my strength day by day through repeated daily training."

"If only you were bad at talking!"

At Jin Sowoon bringing his hands together as if Ilgak had possessed him, Seong Moran snorted.

"Hmph, but from what I heard, aside from what I gave you, you've been going around picking up and eating a lot of things from here and there, haven't you?"

"Ahem. I do not know what you are talking about."

Eventually, Eun Seollan stepped in to mediate.

"Oh dear...! Please stop fighting. How about the rest of you? Would you like to go to the Ice Palace with me this time...!"

"I think we will all have to go to our sect together this time."

Jin Sowoon and the rest of the Taiyi Sect people also declined Eun Seollan's offer.

However, Moyong Jaehwa pondered for a long time before letting out a sigh.

"I'm sorry. Lady Eun, my grandfather told me I absolutely must return this time, so..."

Even though Eun Seollan, the one who actually made the offer, was completely fine, Moyong Jaehwa looked at her with eyes dripping with lingering regret.

"The thug's... I mean, my grandfather's words, so..."

As expected, a person moves according to the words of the one who beats their entire body rather than the one who beats their heart.

While most of the personnel were making plans to either return to their hometowns during the break or stay behind and train like Seong Moran.

"Sunjik, are you not planning to go back to the sect?"

Cheol Sunjik continued to swing his newly bought sword.

It was a cold weather where thick white puffs of steam came out every time he breathed, but Cheol Sunjik's entire body was drenched in sweat as if he had been struck by rain.

Cheol Hyeonjik, who was looking at him with pity, heavily parted his lips.

"Everyone is waiting for you."

"... I am still lacking."

He didn't speak at length, but his older brother Cheol Hyeonjik knew best what Cheol Sunjik was aiming for.

He took a step back and comforted his younger brother.

"Right. I know. But won't it take a long time? Let's take it slowly and show our faces to our parents first."

"I do not wish to do that."

"We have already waited three hundred years. Even if it gets delayed further, would it be any different?"

A moment of silence.

Cheol Sunjik, who was only staring at the tip of his sword, let out a hot breath.

"... I am too ashamed to show them my current state. Brother."

"Our parents will be happy just to see your face."

"..."

Silence once again descended upon the training ground.

Whether they stayed at the academy or returned, the academy students each came to bear a heavy burden.

This break was an important period that would decide whether they turned that burden into their strength or into shackles.

Nevertheless, the break also brought about a different kind of excitement.

Especially for the disciples of the Taiyi Sect.

Having skipped the summer break—a time when they could have returned home in glory and been pampered and adored with cries of 'my wonderful child!'—the disciples of the Taiyi Sect had waited for this winter break longer and more desperately than anyone else.

Moreover, it had been a year of running non-stop without a single rest since the standard exam.

Wasn't this the first time they could take a proper rest?

While Jin Sowoon was busily racking his brain over how to spend his long-awaited break.

"Eldest Senior Brother, this is the itinerary to go to Hefei."

"Huh?"

Jin Sowoon took the itinerary that Eunho held out.

"The itinerary is to take a carriage from the Yuhan Escort Agency heading to Zhejiang, and then transfer to the Seonghyeon Escort Agency in Anhui. They said the escort agencies will provide all room and board throughout the journey."

It was a commonly used group travel package.

It was also a method frequently used by the academy students returning to their hometowns.

Above all, it was a highly popular package because there was no need to change horses and sleep outdoors every time.

Even though it was hard to make a reservation due to consecutive sold-out days as the academy break approached, Eunho had finished preparing in advance.

Jin Sowoon drooped his eyebrows and patted Eunho's shoulder.

"What do I do, I feel sorry. It must have been hard to book this."

At his Eldest Senior Brother's acknowledgment, Eunho brushed his philtrum with his finger.

"Hey, don't mention it. As your junior disciple, I should at least prepare this much..."

"Huh? No, me feeling sorry meant something else."

"Pardon?"

RIIIIP.

The disciples of the Taiyi Sect could not hide their shock at their Eldest Senior Brother's behavior of tearing up the ticket along with the itinerary.

"W-What!"

Jin Sowoon nonchalantly dangled the torn ticket and grinned.

"I'm sorry, but we have work to do, so we can't use this."

"..."

At their Eldest Senior Brother's wicked, King Yama-like smile, the junior disciples couldn't say anything and only opened and closed their mouths like carp.