Translator: Nox
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Predators in the Dark
#1
Day one of the simulation.
At dawn, a trumpet sounded across the training grounds.
Each team moved out to their designated zones.
Team 13 reached their base first.
A small plateau surrounded by forest on three sides.
High ground — good for visibility, bad for escape.
Seok-hyeon finished surveying and nodded.
“No traps. Clear perimeter.”
“Let’s set up defenses,” Hyeon-do ordered. “Yi Baek, go with him.”
“Yes, sir!”
The team quickly got to work.
Mo Seo-hwa brewed medicine and prepped antidotes.
Namgung Jin meditated, sharpening his senses.
Hyeon-do stood overlooking the field — thinking.
“Any predictions?” the steward asked.
“Yes. We’ll be attacked tonight.”
“That soon?”
“They’ll underestimate us. Think we’re just filler. So they’ll rush it.”
“And if you’re wrong?”
“Then we get a free night’s rest.”
“Fair.”
#2
That night.
Rustling in the dark forest.
They came from the west slope — not the main path.
Smart.
But not smarter than Hyeon-do.
The moment they stepped into the clearing—
[“NOW!”]
BOOM—!
Hidden traps exploded — smoke bombs and flash powder blinding the attackers.
“PENG SECT! CHARGE!”
Team 13 burst from the shadows.
Yi Baek led the vanguard, knocking two enemies unconscious in seconds.
Seok-hyeon locked down their rear flank.
Mo Seo-hwa darted between allies, tossing needles and neutralizing threats.
Namgung Jin was elegance incarnate.
His blade flashed — blindingly fast — incapacitating attackers without drawing blood.
Hyeon-do?
He was a storm.
[White Tiger Crosses the Stream!]
[Thunderstorm Fang!]
His saber glowed with lightning.
Every strike dropped enemies like rag dolls.
By the time the smoke cleared—
The ambushers were unconscious or fleeing.
Team 13 suffered zero injuries.
#3
“You planned that entire ambush response?” Yeong-yeong asked later.
“Yes.”
“You placed traps without detection?”
“Used natural depressions and disguised the powder with ash.”
She nodded slowly.
“You’re dangerous.”
“So I’ve been told.”
“And your team... they follow orders.”
“I only take people who do.”
She smiled faintly.
“Many eyes are on you now.”
“Good. I like attention.”
“You’ll get plenty.”
Especially from *them*.
She didn’t say who.
But Hyeon-do understood.
Certain factions didn’t like outliers.
And Team 13 had just become very, very visible.
【To be continued in Chapter 15】
