“Ha! I passed! I really passed!”

“Are you kidding me? How is that possible?!”

“…I failed? Me?”

“Hahaha! I actually made it!”

A few days later, when the results of the Luoyang Jin Family’s first test were posted at the gate, the reactions were mixed. Some people cheered, others got angry.

What really caused a stir were the results that didn’t seem fair at all.

For the guard positions, it made some sense. It’s hard to judge who’s stronger just by looking, so disagreements were expected.

But the issue was with the general labor jobs. Many of those who passed were from the lower class or backstreets, while educated scholars were rejected. That caused a lot of outrage.

“Are you saying I’m less qualified than those guys?”

“Exactly! I know those guys—they’re street thugs! How did they pass?”

Because of this, the person who posted the results and the gatekeepers were having a hard time. Crowds gathered and complained loudly, some even tried to grab them by the collar. It almost got violent.

But the Jin Family had an answer.

“Listen up! These results were all decided by the Young Master. He personally chose the ones who seemed right for the job. It’s not just about who’s more educated or stronger.”

“But still—!”

“If you have any complaints, bring them directly to the Young Master.”

Even though the gatekeepers were “just guards”, they were strong and trained. When one of them showed a threatening aura, the crowd immediately quieted down.

“Those who passed, go inside. Rest and eat lunch. There will be another test soon. Only those who pass that can become full members of the Jin Family.”

People whose names were on the list hurried inside. Others grumbled and cursed under their breath, but didn’t dare make a scene again. The gatekeeper’s warning had worked.

In the end, 52 people passed the first test.

There would be two more rounds. Only those who survive all three would officially join the Jin Family.

“Guards, follow me. General laborers, follow that person.”

At that moment, the group split in two—those aiming to be guards went left, and the rest went right.

As Goo Yang-cheol walked with the group, he kept glancing around, memorizing everything about the Jin Family estate.

He noted the layout: where walls were, where buildings stood, where there were more or fewer people. He was calculating the best paths to avoid attention—or which spots would make someone stand out too much.

Then, he stopped in front of a large building.

“The maids here will show you to your rooms. Rest, eat lunch, and prepare for the next test.”

As the man turned away, everyone started following the maids inside.

Even in this tense situation, Goo Yang-cheol kept scanning his surroundings.

Suddenly, a voice echoed in his head—telepathic communication.

“All our people are inside.”

“Good… but I don’t see Hong Guhyeon.”

Hong was supposed to be the one guiding them. But someone else was doing the job, which made Goo suspicious.

“I looked into it. Apparently, Hong Guhyeon left to find a doctor because the Young Master’s condition got worse. The Chief ordered him to go.”

“Really?”

“Yes, others are saying the same.”

Goo Yang-cheol nodded.

If the Young Master’s condition was serious, it made sense to send someone trustworthy. A servant wouldn’t be enough—Hong had strong influence in the Jin Family and was reliable.

Still, Goo quietly laughed.

No matter how skilled the doctor was, the poison in the Young Master was not easily cured. It was specially made. You’d need extremely strong internal power to even try to drive it out, and even then, the survival rate was only 50%.

Even if he survived, he’d likely be left crippled.

“So yeah… it’s probably pointless.”

He shook off his thoughts.

Not everything goes smoothly. Hong’s absence was a serious blow.

“Some of our members might not make it in.”

If everyone had made it inside, their plan would be perfect. But without Hong’s help, it might be impossible. The Chief would decide who got in now.

He clicked his tongue in frustration and looked out the window with sharp eyes, missing nothing.

Noon arrived, and the next test began.

It wasn’t anything complicated.

Guard applicants sparred lightly with each other to test their skills. Labor applicants were asked to lift heavy loads or show what tasks they were good at.

Servants were sometimes reassigned to other jobs, depending on needs. So checking each person’s ability made sense.

I didn’t focus on the labor tests. My attention was on Goo Yang-cheol.

From his position, he couldn’t see me.

He stepped onto the sparring stage, gripping a wooden sword. His opponent was just a low-level thug, so Goo didn’t even need to try hard.

“Yaaah!”

The thug yelled and swung wildly. Of course, he missed.

If someone like that hit Goo, it would be a disgrace to the elite squad he led.

Without dodging, Goo calmly swung his own sword.

Smack!

“Ugh!”

The thug got hit in the stomach and fell over, throwing up.

Expected.

As Goo turned and left the stage, some men watched him with sharp eyes—some were his subordinates, others were rivals.

I chuckled quietly.

Another challenger stepped up, and the sparring continued.

But no one could beat Goo Yang-cheol. Some matches ended in one move, others lasted up to twenty.

He became squad leader at a young age for a reason.

“If we recruit him, he’d be a strong asset.”

“Definitely.”

Yoo Hyeon, watching beside me, looked impressed. The Jin Family already had strong warriors like Yang Ja-chun and Baek Ja-hyeon, but even they might see Goo as a future leader.

I smiled faintly.

“Go and eliminate the ones I told you about.”

“Haha, understood.”

Yoo Hyeon didn’t ask why. Maybe out of loyalty, or maybe he trusted me fully. Either way, he bowed and left.

Soon, the second test ended. Again, cheers and disappointment followed.

“I passed! I actually passed!”

“Brother! We passed too!”

“Yes!!”

Thugs from the back alleys were shouting with joy. Others stared in disbelief, but couldn’t complain—those who failed were even worse than them.

Still, it annoyed people. Thugs were now their equals.

As expected, when Goo and his men glared at them, the loud thugs quickly shut up and backed away.

Only about 30 people remained after this test.

Everything would be decided in the final round.

Everyone looked at the man overseeing the test, waiting for him to speak.

He smiled and said,

“Now for the final test. It will be held tomorrow morning. Let me explain.”

“Jin Family guards don’t just protect the family. They’re sent on missions, escorting trade goods or protecting inns and military operations.”

This is why the Jin Family recruits more guards than other clans—they have more responsibilities.

So, experience and quick thinking are crucial.

“Tomorrow, you’ll take on an escort mission. Some officials will go with you, but you’ll be in charge. We want to see how you handle problems and make decisions.”

“What?! That’s ridiculous…”

People murmured in disbelief, but the overseer didn’t care. These reactions happened every time.

Goo and the squad members didn’t react at all—they already knew.

“Pick a team leader and vice leader among yourselves. We’ll meet again at sunrise tomorrow.”

Then he left.

There were 15 guard candidates left—4 thugs, 7 regular applicants, and a few skilled wanderers.

They all looked at each other, unsure who should lead.

But the earlier tests had already decided that.

No one had defeated Goo Yang-cheol, and his fellow squad members would support him.

7 of them passed as guards, 8 more as laborers. With Hong Guhyeon gone, that made all 16 squad members now inside the Jin Family.

They all smiled, not realizing they had already been exposed.

I had spread the right rumors and hidden the truth well.

People who had seen Hong’s body were already silenced. Others only heard that he disappeared and assumed he was involved in something else.

If the enemy came, they’d look for Hong first. I had prepared for that.

And it worked perfectly.

No one suspected anything.

I quietly closed the window and left.

There was nothing more to watch.

At my quarters, I looked at the sword hanging on the wall.

It was dark-colored with a golden dragon engraved on its sheath. My grandfather gave it to me when I was young. Even when my family fell and I nearly died, I kept this sword with me.

I pulled it out halfway.

Shing—!

The sharp sound rang in my ears.

Its deadly aura seemed stronger than ever—like it was celebrating my return.

I smiled and put it away.

“Be my strength once again.”

Wooooong—

The sword rang in response, as if it understood.