Nano Machine Chapter 20: This Guy, He Fooled Us All! (B)

It was a cruel way to break someone. Sticking needles into the fingertips was a common torture method used by the authorities when interrogating a co-conspirator.

At the shooting pain that dreadfully radiated throughout his hand, Cadet Number Twenty-Three, being unable to speak because of the mouth gag, squirmed violently as tears rolled down his face. The pain was so excruciating his veins bulged out of his neck and his now irregular breathing quickened.

Looking apathetic towards his captive's misery, Cheon Yeo Woon then inserted another needle into his middle finger with a blank gaze.

"MMMMmmmmmmm!!"

Although he only inserted two needles so far, there was no way the young Cadet Number Twenty-Three could hold up for too long. Cheon Yeo Woon gave one last statement to his captive who at this point had tears streaming down his cheeks as he shook in pain.

"Since, as you said, you will clam up even if I torture you, think of this as my revenge."

At Cheon Yeo Woon's frightful words, the tearful cadet became wide-eyed and the flailing of his body grew stronger. It seemed he was trying to say something, but it was too late — the real torture was about to begin.

After some time had passed…

Cadet Number Twenty-Three was lying half-conscious on the bed with all five of his fingers on his left hand thrust through with needles. He fainted and woken only to faint once again from the pain the torture caused.

*Ggee-eeeeeeek*

Cheon Yeo Woon picked up the chair he was sitting on and dragged it beside the bed. Knowing exactly what that meant, Cadet Number Twenty-Three sobbed as fear struck his heart. After adjusting his body on the chair, Cheon Yeo Woon grabbed his helpless victim's left hand as he spat out the gag from his mouth to say something.

"MMMmmmm, mmmmm, mmmm!!"

Seeing his captive capitulate, Cheon Yeo Woon's face took on a big grin as he pulled the gag down from his captive's mouth. The cloth gag once white now stained dark from Cadet Number Twenty-Three's blood after his violent straining and teeth-gnashing. As soon as the gag came off him, he gave out a desperate gasp for air, and with the dogged resolve to tell it all, he cleared his throat.

But, as he opened his mouth to spill the beans, Cheon Yeo Woon interjected.

"It's Cheon Moo Geum, isn't it?"

"What? How, how did you…?"

Cheon Yeo Woon knew exactly who the culprit was. He didn't know who the mastermind behind the plan itself was, but the fact he knew who the ultimate shot caller was astonished Cadet Number Twenty-Three.

"If you're Cadet Number Twenty-Three, that means you're in Group Eight — same group as me."

"…. that, that is correct."

The torture mortified him. He was now as yielding as a young child before his father. He couldn't help wondering how Cheon Yeo Woon, who remained in the dispensary this whole time knew about the group assignments and which group he belonged to.

"Your number badge is right here."

As though Cheon Yeo Woon knew what he was thinking of, he grabbed the badge lying on the end table next to the bed and picked it up.

"So, you knew from my badge what group everyone was…"

"Oh, oh… Well in terms of groups, thanks to our Group leader's kind consideration, the training instructor visited the dispensary every morning to give me private lessons"

This was information that Cheon Moo Geum of Buk Ma clan did not know of.

Every morning when the cadets were in the auditorium learning about theories of fighting techniques and battle tactics, the training instructors usually just sat in the lecture with them. However, during that time, Im Pyeong, who was the training instructor responsible for Group Eight visited the main building dispensary to at least give Cheon Yeo Woon the basic lowdown of the day's lecture.

Thanks to Im Pyeong's effort to leave no one behind in his group so he could avoid having to write a letter of explanation to his superiors, Cheon Yeo Woon could find what group they assigned him to, who was in the group, and a lot more.

"I had a good inkling, but I wanted to confirm. That's all."

Although Cheon Yeo Woon seemed light-hearted about the whole situation, Cadet Number Twenty-Three was shaking in his boots. He couldn't believe the man standing in front of him was the worthless piece of crap Cheon Moo Geum and Ja Hyeon made him out to be.

-Who the hell said that? This guy is not who everyone is claiming him to be.-

He was a monster feigning weakness waiting for the right opportunity. The only thing holding him back now was his lack of power. He couldn't imagine how much devastation he would have the potential to unleash once that power ended up on his lap.

"Well, thanks for all the information. We probably should get some sleep, so let's end it here for today."

"Rea, really?"

The once terrified look on Cadet Number Twenty-Three's face showed signs of relief.

"Yes, really. Oh! About everything that happened today…"

"I, I won't tell anybody. I promise! Please have mercy!"

If possible, he would have even dropped on his knees with his face prostrate on the ground to plead with his captor, but that would be impossible while he's bound by the rope.

After putting a satisfied grin over his captive's abrupt change in attitude, Cheon Yeo Woon reached for the carotid artery on Cadet Number Twenty-Three's neck (the pressure point that could knock out a person).

Ta-tak!will

"Huh?"

Cadet Number Twenty-Three's eyes flashed out a look of surprise. In order for someone to knock out their opponent though the pressure point, a small pre-requisite was inner power. However, it was in his understanding that Cheon Yeo Woon had none.

About two hours had passed in the dispensary since the crazy incident…

As always about three hours before sunrise, East Grand Lord Seop Maeng made his way over to the dispensary in the guise of darkness. Seop Maeng's face looked full of hope and anticipation for Cheon Yeo Woon had succeeded in self-generating his inner power the morning before.

-This kid is the real deal.-

Seop Maeng could not hold back his amazement.

The one-week goal they set was a stretch but to reach it in a lesser period was unprecedented. The method created by his master required a trainee about fourteen to twenty-one days, two to three weeks and if zealous, up to a month to ascertain. However, Cheon Yeo Woon realized that goal on the fifth morning since beginning his training

Seop Maeng's original plan was to get that done in two weeks, then teach him at least the basic stances and floor patterns of his own fighting form, Jeopmoo Dobeop.

"Hehehe, at this rate we will reach a lot farther ahead in the game than I expected."

He understood why many of his close acquaintances suggested he bring up a disciple. The greater the potential and progress of the disciple, the greater the joy.

"Disciple Cheon Yeo Woon gives morning greeting to my teacher."

"Good morning, disciple."

It didn't hurt him to have good manners as well.

Save the first day when Seop Maeng stormed into the dispensary, every morning Cheon Yeo Woon would wake up early and be on his feet, waiting for his teacher to arrive. With a proud fatherly look on his face, Seop Maeng asked Cheon Yeo Woon a clandestine question.

"Where is the stuff?"

"I kept it under the bed."

With that short exchange, Cheon Yeo Woon went over to the bed near the dispensary window and pulled out a small wooden chest from underneath it.

As soon as he opened the lid of the wooden chest, a strong herbal smell emanated from it.

The brown-colored medicinal pellet made from sulfur inside was none other than the manna orb promised to those who qualified through the first round. As announced, all four hundred fifteen cadets remaining in the competition received one manna orb as a reward for qualifying through the first stage of the competition.

Due to the long process it takes to refine them, manna orbs were in a short supply, and as a result, it has an exclusive distribution for training elite fighters in Ma Fighting Academy. When and if one consumed the manna orb till the body absorbed its full properties, it had the potential to yield twenty-years' training worth of inner power to the individual.

*Bul-kuk, bul-kuk!*

Seop Maeng gulped down the contents in his gourd bottle as he looked at the manna orb with a look of satisfaction. If Cheon Yeon Woon were to consume the manna orb today and Seop Maeng was right next to him to help supplement the absorption process, Cheon Yeo Woon could minimize the manna orb's loss of potency which occured on consumption.

-After that, I'm sure he'll at least be strong enough to fend for himself out there.-

For a crash training course, the results of their efforts were quite smashing. Such excellent results were only possible when an elite, powerhouse teacher paired with an equally gifted disciple executed this unconventional training regimen.

"Keul keul, hey disciple. I forgot to ask, but who's that guy over there?"

"Oh, him!"