Chapter 27
Warm afternoon sunlight flowed down the cliff walls.
Dense greenery covered the basin.
Birds flew overhead.
Their calls filled the air.
Anyone who had never lived here...
Would've struggled to believe this peaceful place sat at the center of the terrifying Dark Demon Well.
The Dark Demon Well was built inside a massive hollow mountain.
Its center opened like a volcanic crater.
Among the many peaks of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains...
This one was enormous.
The surrounding cliffs contained countless internal facilities.
And inside the basin...
A forest had grown.
The area was large enough to hold a small city.
Beyond the forest...
A lake stretched like a broad river.
There were darker jungle-like sections where sunlight barely reached.
The very terrain explained the name.
Dark Demon Well.
The cliffs completely separated the inside from the outside.
Like an impossibly deep well.
From beyond the mountain...
No one could know what existed here.
Fortunately...
The place I had emerged into was only the outer edge of that central basin.
The bottomless-looking lake and dark jungle were still far away.
Around me...
Only cliff walls.
Several doors built into those cliffs.
Trees.
Vegetation.
And comfortable shade.
Enough to make a person sleepy.
Two Dark Demon Corps warriors stood beneath that shade.
Black cloaks.
Cold appearances.
Their eyes nearly hidden.
Even they looked like they were struggling against boredom.
"This duty is terrible."
"Always is."
"Waiting is the worst part."
"How many came out?"
"Six so far."
"All early numbers."
"Still, this year they added more entrances up to the Third Gate."
"It should finish faster."
"Hmm."
"I heard about that."
"Work of that eccentric elder from Moon Flower Hall, wasn't it?"
"They increased the number of rooms from 144 to 216."
"Yes."
"The ritualists handled the formations."
"Moon Flower Hall expanded the mechanisms."
"Two hundred sixteen gates changing according to the formation patterns."
"Hahaha."
"Different from when we went through."
"Those days were better."
"What did you get?"
"Me?"
"Nothing special."
"I passed normally."
"No."
"I mean what kind of gates?"
As always...
Meaningless conversation was excellent for keeping sleep away.
The two instructors continued talking beneath the shade.
Their words revealed that they too had once gone through the Dark Moon Demon Gate.
"Mine was ordinary."
"First, a corridor full of traps."
"Then a room with a huge rolling stone."
"Last..."
"A fire chamber."
"You got lucky."
"You must've finished quickly."
"I was fortunate."
"About six hours."
"Six hours."
"Not bad."
"What about you, Senior?"
"Me?"
The older man smiled.
"Hahaha."
"It's embarrassing to say it myself..."
"But mine wasn't easy."
"What did you encounter?"
"First two gates were fine."
"The last nearly eliminated me."
"Wait."
"Was it what I'm thinking?"
"And what would that be?"
"Terracotta warriors...?"
The senior smiled.
Then raised three fingers.
"Three."
"Th-three of them?"
The junior's eyes widened.
"I've heard rumors."
"The Dark Moon Demon Gate only allows the terracotta warrior chamber for people it recognizes as strong."
"Three..."
"I've never heard of someone getting three."
"None of today's graduates fought terracotta warriors either."
"Hahaha."
"You're exaggerating."
"It wasn't that special."
"How can you say that?"
"That's probably why you're a squad leader now!"
"Amazing!"
"I respect you!"
"Respect?"
"Hahaha."
"Stop making my face shine so much."
"Senior, I only trust and follow you."
"You know that, right?"
"Hm."
"Well..."
"I know you're one of mine."
"So don't worry."
"Yes, sir!"
They kept talking as though this were the most important story in the world.
Right as the conversation ended...
Another trainee emerged.
They recognized him.
Third Young Master Cheon Sowol.
He looked clean.
Almost relaxed.
"Number and name."
"Trainee 137."
"Cheon Sowol."
"I report completion of the Dark Moon Demon Gate."
"Good work."
"Other finishers are behind the large tree."
"Wait there."
"Yes, sir."
The moment a trainee appeared...
Both instructors instantly abandoned their casual expressions.
Instructors were like that.
Human behind trainees' backs.
Stone in front of them.
"Trainee 137."
"Trainee 137, Cheon. So. Wol."
"How was the Dark Moon Demon Gate?"
Asking finishers about what they encountered was part of the instructors' job.
It helped estimate their level.
Cheon Sowol shrugged.
"It wasn't too difficult."
Seeing his clean appearance and relaxed face...
The two instructors became certain.
He must have received an easy route.
Then...
"Really?"
"Then you must've gotten simple gates."
"The last one was a little difficult."
Cheon Sowol answered.
"The moving terracotta warriors were well made."
"...Terracotta warriors?"
"Yes."
"Six of them made things rather annoying."
"The Dark Demon Well is truly vicious."
"..."
"..."
Both instructors froze.
The answer was completely different from what they'd expected.
"Uh..."
"Can I go now?"
"Y-yes."
"Go."
"Right."
"Rest."
"Yes, sir."
Cheon Sowol walked away...
Having no idea why they looked like that.
Even after he disappeared...
The two instructors couldn't speak properly.
Only awkward eye contact remained.
"W-well..."
"You were much younger when you fought them, Senior..."
"These days six would probably be nothing..."
"...Stop."
"Yes."
Fortunately...
The next finisher appeared.
Strangely enough...
Another son of the Cult Leader.
Cheon Gangwol.
His uniform had dust and blood on it.
His breathing looked slightly heavy.
"Trainee 95, Cheon Gangwol."
"I report completion of the Dark Moon Demon Gate."
"Good work."
"Go behind the large tree."
"How was the gate?"
"Nothing special besides the terracotta warriors."
Cheon Gangwol frowned.
"Five was a little excessive."
