Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 949. I need to show you what real despair is (3)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
Ho Gamyeong, standing on the deck, courteously greeted Jang Ilso.
“You’ve worked hard, Ryeonju-nim.”
"Hmm."
Jang Ilso nodded slowly.
However, unlike Ho Gamyeong, King Heukryong's complexion was not so bright.
"Jang Il…. No, Ryeonju-nim."
Black Dragon King asked with a stiff face.
“I really don’t understand what Ryeonju-nim is doing. Was there any need to keep that Namgung alive for five whole days?”
“…….”
“I understand the need to make it crystal clear to them that we’re going to destroy Namgung. But why give them time…?”
Jang Ilso turned slowly to look at him.
“Because it’s necessary.”
“…….”
"It's necessary, Black Dragon King."
Jang Ilso twisted his lips slightly.
“If we now utterly annihilate the Namgung Family, what will Shaolin say to the other Righteous Sects who arrived after us?”
“…Well.”
Black Dragon King closed the mouth he was about to say.
Would Shaolin openly confess that they couldn’t jump into the river because of Jang Ilso's arrival?
'That can't be the case.'
If he were in their shoes, he wouldn’t have said that. He would have said that despite their best efforts, by the time they arrived, Namgung had already met its demise at the hands of the wicked Evil Sects.
Because there is no one in this Yangtze River who can refute Shaolin's words. The only sects that exist are Namgung, Evil Tyrant Alliance, and Shaolin.
Even if commoners snooping around the Yangtze River out of curiosity saw this, who would believe them? The people present here are Shaolin, the Northern Star of Kangho.
"Namgung can be handled at any time. What’s important is to let the world know that Shaolin just stood by and watched Namgung’s demise.”
Jang Ilso smiled coldly.
“Our enemy is not the likes of Namgung, but the Ten Great Sects.”
“…….”
Black Dragon King instantly felt a cold chill run down his spine.
Water fortress also skillfully cooked Namgung Family without rushing. However, he hadn’t thought of using Namgung Family as bait to humiliate Shaolin and twist the Righteous Sects to his advantage.
Who could have thought of such a plan?
Black Dragon King became curious. Let's see how Shaolin will greet those who will arrive later. Probably with a face mixed with guilt and humiliation.
“…But the arrival of reinforcements means that their strength will ultimately increase. What if they really try to cross the river to save Namgung?”
“Them?”
Jang Ilso scoffed.
“If they were such people, the war would have already begun.”
“…….”
“Those who have stopped once cannot take their steps again. If they were pressed for time, they might have tried attacking. But…”
Jang Ilso turned his head to look toward Shaolin. He then asked gently.
"Do you see it?"
“…….”
“What do you think they’re pondering now? Do they seem joyful for having the opportunity to save Namgung?”
Black Dragon King frowned.
"If it were me…."
Jang Ilso's bright red lips parted to reveal a set of pearly white teeth. It looked as if he were looking at a beast with its fangs exposed.
"You'd rather hope that every single one of Namgung Family dies without a trace, to keep their mouths shut?"
Black Dragon King stared at Jang Ilso in a daze.
"Even if they receive support and save Namgung Family, nothing will come back to Shaolin. The credit will go to those who arrive later. Even if Shaolin fights desperately, all they will get is a vengeful Namgung Family returning to Gangbuk."
“…….”
"Let me ask again…"
Cold sweat trickled down Black Dragon King's back.
"Do you really think Shaolin wants to save Namgung? Do you really?"
“…….”
"In my view… not really."
Jang Ilso laughed softly. This situation is so fun that it feels like he’s going crazy.
Black Dragon King felt a chill and chewed the inside of his lip.
‘Madman.’
This guy is insane.
Control?
There's no way to control such a person. He, along with the other leaders of the Evil Tyrant Alliance, had clearly been under some serious misapprehension.
This man will definitely grab the world in his palm and shake it as he pleases.
"Human beings..."
Jang Ilso, who stopped laughing at one point, looked at King Black Dragon. His eyes looked as if he were no different.
"Words and actions often differ."
“…….”
"Words of man are merely fabricated for their benefit. True intentions always lurk in the deepest places. And the interesting thing is..."
Jang Ilso, who had been speaking softly, cast a glance towards Shaolin.
"Unexpectedly, people often don't really understand their true intentions."
“…….”
"Aren't you curious? How the judgment from that Bop Jeong will turn out. And how do those monks who have been taught throughout their lives to keep their Chivalrousness react to Bop Jeong’s orders?”
Jang Ilso slowly stroked his lips with his fingertips.
"One thing is certain, once they see their ugly true nature, they can never go back to how they were before. Whether it's Namgung or Shaolin, killing a few men is not what's important. What's important is to let them know. That they are not as grand as they think."
“…….”
"Hmm."
Jang Ilso's slender eyes narrowed slightly.
"There's no alcohol."
At that, Black Dragon King quickly gestured. Those who had been overwhelmed by Jang Ilso's presence hurriedly ran towards the cabin.
Even though they went to get alcohol, Jang Ilso showed no sign of going in, so the Black Dragon King asked.
"Here?"
"Isn't it nice?"
Jang Ilso chuckled and smiled.
“I think drinking while watching Shaolin, who can’t do this or that, sounds quite splendid."
Black Dragon King nodded heavily.
"I- I'll bring the table…."
The figure who brought the alcohol stammered to the end and said with a white face. Then Jang Ilso slowly reached out his hand.
"Let's have the alcohol first."
"Yes? Ah… Yes!"
The pirate respectfully handed over the bottle of alcohol. Jang Ilso slowly walked to the ship's railing, holding a bottle of liquor, and sat down.
"Good."
The gaze was fixed on Shaolin across the river. It was quite a sight to see them unable to take a single step from there as if they had been turned into a stone statue.
A person with conviction would dive into a pit of fire. However, a person who stops his feet once in front of a fire pit can never jump into it again.
What Jang Ilso wanted was to leave a deep mark on their hearts.
'A single victory doesn't matter.'’
The important thing is to win at the end.
At that moment, Ho Gamyeong cautiously approached him.
"Ryeonju-nim."
"Yes?"
"Of course, they won't dive back into the river. But what about the sects that will arrive later?"
"They're mere pigs. Shaolin won’t step forward, so will they have the courage to fight us alone?”
“…….”
"Namgung, the leader of the Five Great Family, is in that state, and the other pillar, Tang Family, has defected. Shaolin doesn't even know what they're doing, and the alternative, Wudang, has gone to Bongmun."
Jang Ilso, who was slowly recounting the situation, raised the corners of his mouth.
“All that’s left are just idiots with high voices.”
Ho Gamyeong nodded slowly.
"I understand."
Jang Ilso, who thought he had finished speaking, opened his mouth again.
"But…."
"Yes?"
Ho Gamyeong looked at him with a puzzled look on his face, but Jang Ilso did not answer right away and put on a strange smile.
"There are some over there too."
"…What do Ryeonju-nim mean?"
"The unexpected, crazy ones."
“…….”
"Hahaha."
Jang Ilso shook his head happily and started drinking.
'Right?'
With one's eyes fixed to the north.
Namgung Dowi collapsed on the spot as if crumbling.
Everyone heard it. Everyone.
Jang Ilso, infusing his voice with internal strength, spread it across the river. As if to ensure not a single person missed the current state of affairs.
Thanks to this, those in Plum Blossom Island also had to listen to Jang Ilso's conversation with Bop Jeong.
"Haha…."
A hollow laugh escaped from Namgung Dowi’s mouth.
How heartless.
The Kangho full of Chivalrousness and romance that he had dreamed of was nothing more than an illusion. The reality was horribly cruel.
But what made him suffer even more was the reality that he could not even afford to turn his eyes away from that heartlessness.
"Ugh…."
"Cough."
Pain-filled noises emerged here and there. Namgung's swordsmen, bleeding and writhing on the ground. Those who had been able to hold on despite being injured collapsed as if they had lost their strength.
There were even a number of people who were in such critical condition that they would not be able to live beyond today if left as is.
'What did we come here for?'
There was not a moment's hesitation in marching to Plum Blossom Island to protect his pride as a Righteous Sect and Chivalrousness. However, as the situation went this far, he couldn't help but laugh with a hint of self-mocking.
Did it ever exist? The pride of Righteous Sect and Chivalrousness, did it truly exist?
Then why is that Shaolin stopping there and being toyed with by Jang Ilso?
"Ha…haha…"
It felt like everything was being denied. All of his everything...
Tok.
But at that moment, someone laid a hand on Namgung Dowi's shoulder.
“…….”
Turning lifelessly, he saw Namgung Hwang holding his shoulder.
Although he looked pale as if his mental damage had not gone away, his mouth was set more firmly than ever.
"Get up."
"…Father-nim."
"Take care of the injured. It's a battle of endurance now. We must save as many as we can."
“…….”
"In the next five days…"
"What then?"
“…….”
Namgoongdowi, who cut his word and asked with a choked voice, bit his lips to the point of bleeding.
“What happens after those five days? Are we supposed to die contentedly because we endured well?"
"Dowi…"
"Do you really believe they will come to our aid? Really?"
Namgung Hwang closed his eyes.
His son had shown a demeanor befitting of Namgung until the very end, even surprising Namgung Hwang himself.
So the sense of betrayal would be the greatest. More than anyone here.
"They…."
Squeeze.
Just as Namgung Dowi was about to speak again, Namgung Hwang gripped his shoulder once more, firmly.
"If they don't help, do you plan to just abandon those who are dying?"
“…….”
"There is no such thing as meaningless resistance. Sometimes you just have to do what you want to do rather than achieve something.”
Namgung Dowi bit his lip.
His shoulder trembled slightly. Namgung Hwang silently waited for him.
"I'm sorry, I….”
"It's enough."
Namgung Dowi struggled to lift his heavy body.
"We'll take care of the injured and try to hold out as much as we can. But..."
"I know."
It's clear that there's a limit to how long the injured can hold on in this place where not even a grain of rice remains. It's uncertain how many will survive during those five days.
"All you have to do is to make it out alive."
“…….”
"Even if it's just one person."
Namgung Dowi listened to Namgung Hwang's words and slowly closed his eyes. After taking a deep breath and opening them again, a renewed firmness was evident in his gaze.
He immediately turned around and shouted.
"Those who can move, follow me! We'll take care of the injured and treat them!"
"…Yes!"
The answer came back without the slightest hint of liveliness. It clearly reflects the dire situation Namgung was in.
But instead of forcibly rallying them, Namgung Dowi devoted himself solemnly to taking care of the injured. He was well aware that there are situations where no amount of words would make a difference.
Namgung Hwang watched Namgung Dowi and Namgung Myung busily moving around and then slowly shifted his gaze.
The ships surrounding the island.
And Shaolin, rooted beyond the island.
‘It feels lonely.’
It was as if the whole world had turned its back on them.
Patreon for Advance Chapter. Keep in mind that it is recurring subscription billed every first of the month.
|Note
Comments Box