Chapter 30: On the Brink of a New Era [Updated]
Pind_Ala
Getting sticky.
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The New Year's Eve feast had finally reached its natural conclusion. One by one, the satiated disciples began to take their leave. Stepping out into the biting winter chill, they respectfully bowed to Zani before disappearing into the snowy night.
Some of the youths resided right here in Big Wheat Village, while others faced much longer journeys, traversing the snow-covered roads back to their respective settlements or the bustling Grains City.
Many parents and relatives had already been waiting out in the cold. As Zani personally escorted his students to the gates, the crowd gradually dispersed until the grounds were completely empty.
Due to the profound importance of the New Year festival, the Iron Core Gym would remain closed for five full days.
In the end, as the courtyard fell quiet and the festive noise faded into the howling of the winter wind, Leo was the last person remaining. Standing near the iron gates, she adjusted her thick winter cloak, her veiled face obscuring her expression.
"Will you be alright traveling alone in this weather?" Zani asked, his tone carrying the genuine concern of a master. "The roads are already freezing over. Should I escort you?"
"There is no need, Master Zani," Leo replied. Her voice retained its usual aristocratic composure, though it sounded slightly warmer after the feast they had shared. "My mother will be picking me up from just outside the village. She is already waiting."
Zani nodded slowly, understanding flashing in his eyes. He still knew very little about Leo's mysterious Immortal background, so he could only accept her words. "Very well. Have a safe journey, and take care of yourself."
As Leo respectfully bid her farewell and vanished into the swirling white mist, Zani let out a long, foggy breath. Then, firmly grabbing the heavy iron handles, he pulled the gates shut. THUD! The massive wooden locking bar slid into place.
Silence settled over the Iron Core.
In the past, the nighttime silence of the courtyard was always broken by the heavy grunting and shuffling of the Mud Boars. However, currently, only Zani and his head chef were left in the entire compound. The massive Mud Boar pen had been relocated to another recently purchased plot of land due to the extensive construction of the outer walls. The hired caretakers had naturally moved along with the beasts to look after them.
Turning away from the freezing gates, Zani walked across the snow-dusted yard and headed back inside, toward the warm glow spilling from the main hall.
Inside the kitchen, the lingering aroma of spices and roasted meat still hung in the air. There, sitting hunched over a small, circular wooden table in the corner, was Julian.
The head chef was currently drinking, entirely alone.
"It is only the two of us now, Julian," Zani said softly, his footsteps echoing lightly on the stone floor as he moved toward the table.
"Yes, Master," Julian replied, his voice uncharacteristically hollow. He didn't look up, choosing instead to quietly take a long, agonizing sip from a large clay jug of cheap, fiery wine.
Zani studied his head chef for a moment. "Are you certain you have nowhere else to be? No family to return to for the New Year? The gym is closed for five days; you are entirely free to leave."
Julian paused. His calloused fingers tightened around the neck of the clay jug until his knuckles turned white. "I am certain."
The brief answer, coupled with the sadness in his bloodshot eyes, told Zani that something was wrong. Without pressing him further, Zani pulled out a chair and sat beside him. "Pour me a cup as well."
Startled out of his depression, Julian hurriedly set his jug down. "Of course."
He scrambled to find a clean ceramic cup, his hands trembling slightly as he respectfully served his Master.
Although Julian was twenty-five, making him older than Zani, age meant little in the martial world. Zani was his employer, the man who had rescued him from the streets, and a martial expert. The difference in their positions was enough to make their master-servant relationship unquestionable.
The cheap wine burned as it went down, and Zani's thoughts drifted to the now-empty dining hall.
His gaze wandered over the chairs where his disciples had sat only moments ago. How many had officially graduated from the Gym by now?
He had long since lost count. After holding his first official graduation ceremony months ago, he had quickly realized that organizing such elaborate celebrations for every batch simply wasn't worth the effort.
Graduating from the Gym required little more than lifting 150 kilograms, a feat most disciples could achieve after two or three months of training with pure iron equipment. As a result, quite a few youths had already graduated.
Some joined local dojos or the Mayor's Manor, while others quit because they could no longer afford the expenses. The more ambitious ones left for other cities, hoping to find better opportunities.
"I wonder if any of them will ever return to visit?" Zani mused silently, staring into the amber liquid in his cup. He swirled the wine gently. Well, who cares? As long as they don't cause trouble or tarnish the Gym's name, they can do whatever they want.
"Who will come back...?"
Julian's slurred, heartbreakingly fragile voice suddenly interrupted Zani's internal monologue.
Turning to look at his chef, Zani was taken aback. Julian's face was flushed, and tears streamed down his cheeks. He stared blankly into his empty cup, his voice trembling as though he had asked the question without expecting an answer.
SNIFF... SNIFF...
"Julian, what happened?" Zani asked, genuine concern creeping into his voice.
"Nothing... it's nothing, Master..." Julian choked out, shaking his head in denial, though the tears only fell faster.
Then, with trembling hands, he poured himself another cup, spilling some wine over the rim with his hands, and gulped it down in one go.
WAAAAAHHH!
That cup shattered the last of his restraint. The twenty-five-year-old man collapsed heavily across the wooden table, burying his face in his arms as he wept out loud with the raw agony of a lost child who had just watched his entire world crumble to ash.
"Hey, hey. Easy now," Zani sighed softly, gently but firmly patting the crying man's shaking shoulder.
And so, Zani spent the remainder of his New Year's Eve playing the unexpected role of a consoling therapist. Through bouts of sobbing, hiccups, and slurred words, Julian finally revealed the painful story of his past.
He had not always been a beggar on the streets of Grains City. Julian had once been the Young Master of a wealthy, prominent clan in a distant, prosperous city.
In his vibrant youth, he had been the pride of his family, destined for greatness. But fate is a cruel mistress. He had fallen madly, hopelessly in love with a breathtakingly beautiful girl, a true jade beauty of the city who was tragically suffering from a mysterious, terminal illness.
Desperate to save her, Julian secretly embezzled a large portion of his clan's wealth. He spent it hiring renowned physicians and alchemists, consulting traveling doctors, and purchasing expensive spirit herbs, hoping that one of them would find a cure.
But none of them could save her.
When the elders of his clan inevitably discovered what he had done, their punishment was swift. Julian was stripped of his status, beaten, and cast out into the streets. To his family, he was nothing more than an unfilial fool who had squandered their wealth for a woman they believed was already beyond saving.
Tragically, the woman for whom Julian had sacrificed everything: his wealth, status, martial future, and family, remained by his side in the slums for only a few months.
Then, one cold morning, he awoke in their dilapidated shack to find her gone. All she had left behind was a hastily written note:
"I have no choice but to leave. Please, wait for me. I will come back."
And so, the foolish, broken boy had waited.
For five long years, he remained near that shack, living as a beggar in the gutters and enduring hunger, winter's biting cold, and beatings from local thugs. No matter how miserable his life became, he refused to leave. What if she returned looking for him?
Finally, a year ago, the undeniable weight of reality forced him to move. He had been drifting aimlessly from one city to another ever since, wandering the world, desperately trying to see if he could find a trace of her. But it was all to no avail.
Eventually, entirely broken in both body and spirit, the tides of fate washed him up in Grains City, right to the doorstep of the Iron Core Gym.
Amidst wet tears and heavy snorts, the sheer emotional exhaustion and the cheap alcohol. Sleep finally claimed him, and Julian collapsed right there on the table, his breathing becoming steady.
Thankfully he did not vomit, Zani thought pragmatically, eyeing the pristine floor of his new dining hall. But this story... huh. Wait a minute. If he was a pampered Young Master who immediately transitioned into a starving street beggar... then where in the hell had he learned to cook like a master chef?!
Zani could only shake his head in sheer wonder at the bizarre plot hole, as he hoisted the sleeping man over his shoulder.
Carrying his head chef, Zani left the kitchen and headed toward the newly constructed living quarters to put him to bed.
As he walked through the snow, Zani's eyes naturally evaluated the sprawling architecture of his developing establishment.
Originally, the System had only required a total of twelve accommodations to facilitate the Level 2 upgrade: two rooms for Core Disciples, and ten rooms for Inner Disciples.
Unfortunately, Zani's original plans had run into trouble. About two months into construction, the Mud Boars became violently agitated as the foundations of the outer walls approached their pens.
The disruption brought construction to a halt and forced Zani to spend a considerable sum on an adjacent plot of land where he could relocate the beasts.
Still, the setback had an unexpected benefit. With the Mud Boars relocated, Zani suddenly had far more usable space within the original compound.
Rather than sticking to the bare minimum, he expanded the accommodations, making the rooms larger and more comfortable. He also increased the number of dormitories from ten to twenty, setting aside two private rooms for his chefs, Julian and Lady Tassy.
These twenty rooms did not include the three larger rooms built in the right wing of the main hall. Zani had reserved those for himself and his future instructors, though his Core Disciples currently occupied them.
Laying Julian down on the bed in his designated quarters, Zani pulled a thick blanket over the sleeping man.
Back in the freezing courtyard, Zani looked toward the unfinished perimeter wall. It was the final requirement standing between the Iron Core Gym and its Level 2 upgrade, and the heavy winter snow had slowed the workers considerably.
Only another week of work remained, he thought, crossing his arms.
The Gym would remain closed for five days. Once the holiday ended, the workers could resume construction and lay the final stones.
Then the Iron Core Gym will finally enter a new era.
_________________________________
Fact: Zani never drank alcohol in the presence of his disciples
Some of the youths resided right here in Big Wheat Village, while others faced much longer journeys, traversing the snow-covered roads back to their respective settlements or the bustling Grains City.
Many parents and relatives had already been waiting out in the cold. As Zani personally escorted his students to the gates, the crowd gradually dispersed until the grounds were completely empty.
Due to the profound importance of the New Year festival, the Iron Core Gym would remain closed for five full days.
In the end, as the courtyard fell quiet and the festive noise faded into the howling of the winter wind, Leo was the last person remaining. Standing near the iron gates, she adjusted her thick winter cloak, her veiled face obscuring her expression.
"Will you be alright traveling alone in this weather?" Zani asked, his tone carrying the genuine concern of a master. "The roads are already freezing over. Should I escort you?"
"There is no need, Master Zani," Leo replied. Her voice retained its usual aristocratic composure, though it sounded slightly warmer after the feast they had shared. "My mother will be picking me up from just outside the village. She is already waiting."
Zani nodded slowly, understanding flashing in his eyes. He still knew very little about Leo's mysterious Immortal background, so he could only accept her words. "Very well. Have a safe journey, and take care of yourself."
As Leo respectfully bid her farewell and vanished into the swirling white mist, Zani let out a long, foggy breath. Then, firmly grabbing the heavy iron handles, he pulled the gates shut. THUD! The massive wooden locking bar slid into place.
Silence settled over the Iron Core.
In the past, the nighttime silence of the courtyard was always broken by the heavy grunting and shuffling of the Mud Boars. However, currently, only Zani and his head chef were left in the entire compound. The massive Mud Boar pen had been relocated to another recently purchased plot of land due to the extensive construction of the outer walls. The hired caretakers had naturally moved along with the beasts to look after them.
Turning away from the freezing gates, Zani walked across the snow-dusted yard and headed back inside, toward the warm glow spilling from the main hall.
Inside the kitchen, the lingering aroma of spices and roasted meat still hung in the air. There, sitting hunched over a small, circular wooden table in the corner, was Julian.
The head chef was currently drinking, entirely alone.
"It is only the two of us now, Julian," Zani said softly, his footsteps echoing lightly on the stone floor as he moved toward the table.
"Yes, Master," Julian replied, his voice uncharacteristically hollow. He didn't look up, choosing instead to quietly take a long, agonizing sip from a large clay jug of cheap, fiery wine.
Zani studied his head chef for a moment. "Are you certain you have nowhere else to be? No family to return to for the New Year? The gym is closed for five days; you are entirely free to leave."
Julian paused. His calloused fingers tightened around the neck of the clay jug until his knuckles turned white. "I am certain."
The brief answer, coupled with the sadness in his bloodshot eyes, told Zani that something was wrong. Without pressing him further, Zani pulled out a chair and sat beside him. "Pour me a cup as well."
Startled out of his depression, Julian hurriedly set his jug down. "Of course."
He scrambled to find a clean ceramic cup, his hands trembling slightly as he respectfully served his Master.
Although Julian was twenty-five, making him older than Zani, age meant little in the martial world. Zani was his employer, the man who had rescued him from the streets, and a martial expert. The difference in their positions was enough to make their master-servant relationship unquestionable.
The cheap wine burned as it went down, and Zani's thoughts drifted to the now-empty dining hall.
His gaze wandered over the chairs where his disciples had sat only moments ago. How many had officially graduated from the Gym by now?
He had long since lost count. After holding his first official graduation ceremony months ago, he had quickly realized that organizing such elaborate celebrations for every batch simply wasn't worth the effort.
Graduating from the Gym required little more than lifting 150 kilograms, a feat most disciples could achieve after two or three months of training with pure iron equipment. As a result, quite a few youths had already graduated.
Some joined local dojos or the Mayor's Manor, while others quit because they could no longer afford the expenses. The more ambitious ones left for other cities, hoping to find better opportunities.
"I wonder if any of them will ever return to visit?" Zani mused silently, staring into the amber liquid in his cup. He swirled the wine gently. Well, who cares? As long as they don't cause trouble or tarnish the Gym's name, they can do whatever they want.
"Who will come back...?"
Julian's slurred, heartbreakingly fragile voice suddenly interrupted Zani's internal monologue.
Turning to look at his chef, Zani was taken aback. Julian's face was flushed, and tears streamed down his cheeks. He stared blankly into his empty cup, his voice trembling as though he had asked the question without expecting an answer.
SNIFF... SNIFF...
"Julian, what happened?" Zani asked, genuine concern creeping into his voice.
"Nothing... it's nothing, Master..." Julian choked out, shaking his head in denial, though the tears only fell faster.
Then, with trembling hands, he poured himself another cup, spilling some wine over the rim with his hands, and gulped it down in one go.
WAAAAAHHH!
That cup shattered the last of his restraint. The twenty-five-year-old man collapsed heavily across the wooden table, burying his face in his arms as he wept out loud with the raw agony of a lost child who had just watched his entire world crumble to ash.
"Hey, hey. Easy now," Zani sighed softly, gently but firmly patting the crying man's shaking shoulder.
And so, Zani spent the remainder of his New Year's Eve playing the unexpected role of a consoling therapist. Through bouts of sobbing, hiccups, and slurred words, Julian finally revealed the painful story of his past.
He had not always been a beggar on the streets of Grains City. Julian had once been the Young Master of a wealthy, prominent clan in a distant, prosperous city.
In his vibrant youth, he had been the pride of his family, destined for greatness. But fate is a cruel mistress. He had fallen madly, hopelessly in love with a breathtakingly beautiful girl, a true jade beauty of the city who was tragically suffering from a mysterious, terminal illness.
Desperate to save her, Julian secretly embezzled a large portion of his clan's wealth. He spent it hiring renowned physicians and alchemists, consulting traveling doctors, and purchasing expensive spirit herbs, hoping that one of them would find a cure.
But none of them could save her.
When the elders of his clan inevitably discovered what he had done, their punishment was swift. Julian was stripped of his status, beaten, and cast out into the streets. To his family, he was nothing more than an unfilial fool who had squandered their wealth for a woman they believed was already beyond saving.
Tragically, the woman for whom Julian had sacrificed everything: his wealth, status, martial future, and family, remained by his side in the slums for only a few months.
Then, one cold morning, he awoke in their dilapidated shack to find her gone. All she had left behind was a hastily written note:
"I have no choice but to leave. Please, wait for me. I will come back."
And so, the foolish, broken boy had waited.
For five long years, he remained near that shack, living as a beggar in the gutters and enduring hunger, winter's biting cold, and beatings from local thugs. No matter how miserable his life became, he refused to leave. What if she returned looking for him?
Finally, a year ago, the undeniable weight of reality forced him to move. He had been drifting aimlessly from one city to another ever since, wandering the world, desperately trying to see if he could find a trace of her. But it was all to no avail.
Eventually, entirely broken in both body and spirit, the tides of fate washed him up in Grains City, right to the doorstep of the Iron Core Gym.
Amidst wet tears and heavy snorts, the sheer emotional exhaustion and the cheap alcohol. Sleep finally claimed him, and Julian collapsed right there on the table, his breathing becoming steady.
Thankfully he did not vomit, Zani thought pragmatically, eyeing the pristine floor of his new dining hall. But this story... huh. Wait a minute. If he was a pampered Young Master who immediately transitioned into a starving street beggar... then where in the hell had he learned to cook like a master chef?!
Zani could only shake his head in sheer wonder at the bizarre plot hole, as he hoisted the sleeping man over his shoulder.
Carrying his head chef, Zani left the kitchen and headed toward the newly constructed living quarters to put him to bed.
As he walked through the snow, Zani's eyes naturally evaluated the sprawling architecture of his developing establishment.
Originally, the System had only required a total of twelve accommodations to facilitate the Level 2 upgrade: two rooms for Core Disciples, and ten rooms for Inner Disciples.
Unfortunately, Zani's original plans had run into trouble. About two months into construction, the Mud Boars became violently agitated as the foundations of the outer walls approached their pens.
The disruption brought construction to a halt and forced Zani to spend a considerable sum on an adjacent plot of land where he could relocate the beasts.
Still, the setback had an unexpected benefit. With the Mud Boars relocated, Zani suddenly had far more usable space within the original compound.
Rather than sticking to the bare minimum, he expanded the accommodations, making the rooms larger and more comfortable. He also increased the number of dormitories from ten to twenty, setting aside two private rooms for his chefs, Julian and Lady Tassy.
These twenty rooms did not include the three larger rooms built in the right wing of the main hall. Zani had reserved those for himself and his future instructors, though his Core Disciples currently occupied them.
Laying Julian down on the bed in his designated quarters, Zani pulled a thick blanket over the sleeping man.
Back in the freezing courtyard, Zani looked toward the unfinished perimeter wall. It was the final requirement standing between the Iron Core Gym and its Level 2 upgrade, and the heavy winter snow had slowed the workers considerably.
Only another week of work remained, he thought, crossing his arms.
The Gym would remain closed for five days. Once the holiday ended, the workers could resume construction and lay the final stones.
Then the Iron Core Gym will finally enter a new era.
_________________________________
Fact: Zani never drank alcohol in the presence of his disciples
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