Morning light spread over Black Iron Training Yard, the largest yard inside the Zhen family grounds. Stone floors were cold. Weapon racks stood in straight lines. Nothing was out of place.
Zhen Yu Woon stood with the others.
There were twelve youths in the yard. All of them wore the same dark training clothes, and all of them moved the same way. Punch. Step. Turn. Strike. They had practised this form thousands of times.
A warden watched them.
His name was Warden Kyeon. His armour was black and plain. His face showed no feeling. He stood near the edge of the yard with his hands behind his back.
Yu Woon felt sweat run down his neck, but he did not stop. He did not slow down. Training only ended when given an order to stop.
"Again," Warden Kyeon said.
They repeated the form.
When training finished, the youths stood in a line. They were tired and breathing heavily, but their backs were straight.
Warden Kyeon raised his hand. Another man stepped forward.
This man wore Zhen family colours. His name was Zhen Maek Jin, a training officer.
"Zhen Yu Woon," Maek Jin said.
Yu Woon stepped forward at once. "Yes."
"Follow me."
He didn't give him a reason as to why he should follow him, but Yu Woon did not care, as he did not ask.
They walked through stone halls and iron doors. Guards bowed as they passed. The deeper they went, the quieter it became.
They stopped inside the Judgement Hall.
The room was wide and empty. Symbols of the Zhen family were carved into the walls. At the centre stood a single table.
Behind it sat Zhen Hwa Ryun, an elder of the family.
Yu Woon knelt.
"Stand," Zhen Hwa Ryun said.
Yu Woon stood.
"You have completed basic training," the elder said. "Your records are stable."
Yu Woon listened carefully.
"There is an outpost on the southern border," the elder continued. "It is called Red Hollow Outpost."
Yu Woon had heard the name before. It was far and a very dangerous place which a few people didn't talk about or had no information about.
"You will be sent there," Zhen Hwa Ryun said.
Yu Woon did not react.
"This is your assignment," the elder said. "You will serve under Warden Seo Garan. You will follow his orders, and make sure you survive if you can."
Yu Woon bowed. "Yes."
That was all.
There was no explanation of what he should expect or anything about his assignment.
When Yu Woon left the hall, Warden Kyeon was waiting.
"Prepare yourself," the Warden said. "You leave at dawn."
As Yu Woon walked back to his quarters, his thoughts were clear.
Now he has a goal, which is to survive whatever he is going to find at the Red Hollow Outpost. And he knows that going to the outpost meant he was no longer protected by the inner grounds.
He knows that this is not a reward for completing basic training but a test.
And if he failed, the Zhen family would not call him back.