Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1195. Why does it turn out that way? (5)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
"First of all…"
Baek Cheon, who had been catching his breath, spoke firmly.
"While it’s true that I’ve taken on the position of Acting Sect Leader, the fact that I’m still your Sasuk and Sahyung hasn’t changed one bit! Not one bit! So treat me the same way as before! Understood?"
"I understand. But…"
"But what now?"
"In the process of making us understand… did you really have to turn him into such a bloody pulp?"
Everyone's gaze shifted to Jo-Gol, who was lying battered and bruised on the ground.
"…He should’ve known when to stop."
“That’s true.”
"Honestly, he did overdo it."
"Yeah, he had it coming."
Of course, everyone here had acted the same way, but by now, their memories of their own past behavior had conveniently vanished.
It must be unfair from Jo-Gol's perspective, but what could he do? His mouth was already too swollen to complain.
"Anyway…"
Sensing that if he lost momentum now, he’d be teased for the rest of his life, Baek Cheon steeled himself, giving them a stern look.
"I haven’t officially taken the position of sect leader yet, and my status as a second-class disciple hasn’t changed either. So, make sure to treat me just like you always have! Do you understand?"
“Yes, Acting Sect Leader.”
"…I said just call me Sasuk."
"Ei. How could we do that? There are rules within the sect, you know."
"If you don't want to be smacked by the 'rules' of this sect, call me Sasuk."
"Whoaa, such a power trip."
"Aigoo, using your authority to press us into submission. I have no choice but to obey."
“Understood, Acting Sect Leader.”
Baek Cheon's head dropped down. Looking at his dejected shoulders, Yoon Jong gently placed a hand on him.
“Sasuk.”
“....What?”
"You said you'd bear the responsibility. You have to endure."
"…This isn't the kind of responsibility I meant."
"Isn't that just life?"
Yoon Jong quietly comforted Baek Cheon, but that didn't mean the situation improved. Once these jackals were done gnawing at him, the even fiercer pack of stray dogs would be next in line to tear into him.
"This sect is doomed."
How did this Taoist temple, which was supposed to be pure, end up being swarmed with only jackals and wild dogs? If the ancestors of the volcano saw this, they would be so heartbroken that they would shed a river of tears.
The real problem was that Baek Cheon himself was the leader of this pack of jackals. Baek Cheon, who realized once again what he’d gotten himself into, wiped away the tears that had gathered in his eyes.
“Eugh...ugh…… Act- Acting Sect....”
See that? Look at that.
Even with his face swollen black and blue, Jo-Gol was raising his head and still trying to say something just to rattle him one last time!
Baek Cheon sighed, then casually extended his foot to press down on Jo-Gol’s head. Clearing his throat, he tried to change the mood.
"Keuhum. Guys."
"Did you hear that? He called us 'guys!'" ( 얘들아/It’s a way to address people who are younger, less experienced, or of lower status.)
"Wow! Since he became Acting Sect Leader, even his way of speaking has changed! Is this the taste of power?"
“....Soso, please.”
“Yes, yes, Acting Sect Leader! Please grace us with your words... No, I mean, give your orders!”
Tang Soso smiled brightly and listened to Baek Cheon's words. It was quite a feat to turn people's hearts inside out while smiling brightly like that.
“Let's get back to the matter at hand.”
Baek Cheon cleared his throat briefly and spoke in an infinitely serious tone.
"As you all know, I am far from perfect."
The Five Swords, who were ready to pounce on any word he might say, slowly closed their mouths at the words.
“I did ask Sect Leader for the position of acting sect leader, but it wasn’t because I was confident that I could lead Mount Hua as well as he did. I did it simply because it was something that needed to be done."
A few of them nodded in agreement.
"And I think the same goes for all of you. I understand that you’re not entirely confident yet. However… now that things have turned out this way, it’s hard to remain as we were before."
“Yes, Sasuk.”
"We understand what you mean."
This was a generational shift.
On the surface, nothing had changed. Hyun Jong is still the sect leader of Mount Hua, and they remain the second and third-class disciples.
However, since Baek Cheon has ascended to the position of acting sect leader, they must one day become elders and first-class disciples. That moment has come much sooner than any of them had anticipated.
"I’m sorry for suddenly passing this responsibility onto you as well."
“No, Sasuk.”
Yoon Jong shook his head.
“I’ve heard enough to understand why you made that decision. And we don’t think it was the wrong choice. If you’ve resolved to bear such a burden, then it’s only natural that we should shoulder our share of it as well."
"Right."
A soft smile appeared on Baek Cheon's lips. It was clear that, in times like these, Yoon Jong was the one who understood his feelings best.
“For Mount Hua to truly remain as Mount Hua, a decision had to be made. But I’m still lacking, still not enough to lead Mount Hua on my own. Therefore…”
Baek Cheon bowed his head toward Five Swords.
"I’ll be counting on all of you to help me. Please."
The Five Swords nodded in unison in response to his request.
“Yes, Sasuk.”
"We will."
“Don’t worry, Sasuk! We’ll do our best!”
Though they had teased him playfully, and perhaps hadn’t had their fill yet, everyone present understood why Baek Cheon had made this decision.
And they also knew very well that thanks to Baek Cheon's intervention, they were able to avoid being forcibly dragged into an unwanted situation. So, there was no way they wouldn’t feel gratitude toward him.
Baek Cheon bit his lips slightly at the reaction.
He had been worried that this sudden change might cause some resistance. But his Samae and Sahyung were clearly showing that they understood the intentions behind his decision to take on the role of acting sect leader.
"I- I’ll help… too, Sasuk…"
Even Jo-Gol, who was still lying on the ground, mustered his strength to speak.
Feeling a warm lump form in his chest, Baek Cheon subtly pressed a hand to the corner of his eye. Then, trying to steady his voice, he spoke.
“Alright, then. I’ll be counting on all your guidance and support going forw—”
“Do as you like.”
Baek Cheon's head turned to the side at the sudden, odd voice.
Leaning against the wall with a look that seemed to say, ‘Oh, you’re so high and mighty now, aren’t you?’ Chung Myung sat there, slumped down.
"Looking great."
"Seeing the soon-to-be sect leader and the next sect leader praising each other, saying, 'Oh, being sect leader is such a tough job! You’re working so hard!' It’s just wonderful for us folks who will never in our lives become sect leader, isn’t it?"
Baek Cheon glanced at the others, as if pleading for them to step in and calm him down. However, even the Five Swords, who just moments ago seemed eager to do anything for Baek Cheon, quietly averted their gaze at this moment.
‘You don’t fight against a storm; you take cover.’
'If we touch that in the wrong side now, we're in for a real mess.’
Even a dog that hangs around a Confucian school for three years will start reciting proverbs, and there was no way they hadn’t learned to read the room after spending years around Chung Myung.
Right now, he was like a barrel of oil on fire. No one wants to go near an oil drum that will explode if touched.
But that was just their point of view; Baek Cheon's situation was completely different.
'...These sons of a dog.'
Just a moment ago, they had all promised to support him wholeheartedly.
Those are the ones who would run away without looking back if Magyo bastards appeared in front of them. No, rather, they are the ones who would kick Baek Cheon and throw him as bait.
Baek Cheon, realizing once again that there was no one to trust in this world, glanced at Chung Myung's expression and cautiously opened his mouth.
“Ahem. Um… Chung Myung…”
"Hah?"
Chung Myung's face lit up with a bright smile.
"Aigoo, for Acting Sect Leader of Mount Hua to personally speak to this lowly third-class disciple…"
"......"
“I’m so embarrassed, I don’t know what to do with myself.”
Baek Cheon's face gradually turned pale.
‘I knew this would happen.’
When he resolved to take on the role of acting sect leader, the biggest concern wasn’t the weight of the responsibility he’d have to bear, but this damn punk’s reaction.
Just look at that! Look at how his eyes have flipped!
“Even if the sect turned upside down, there’s a limit. But for a brat to skip all the ranks and generations and just take the sect leader’s position!
“Huh? Aren’t there supposed to be rules in the sect! Huh? The laws! Huh?”
“Chung Myung-ah.”
"If you keep ignoring the principles and saying things like, 'Just this once,' or 'It’s an exception,' then even a successful sect will turn into a third-rate sect in no time! How dare such a thing happen in the historical and traditional Mount Hua…!"
“Chung Myung-ah.”
"Not until dirt fills my eyes…!"
“Chung Myung-ah!”
"Huh?"
Chung Myung, who had been chattering absentmindedly, raised his head. Then Baek Cheon raised his chin. Baek Cheon tilted his chin upward, displaying his sharp jawline, and spoke in the most obnoxious tone imaginable.
“If you’re that upset, why don’t you become the sect leader yourself?”
At that moment, Chung Myung's jaw dropped.
“Huh....? Huuuh....?”
“Or go complain to Sect Leader himself.”
"......"
"You can’t, can you? You’re not going to do anything, right?"
"......"
"Then shh. Keep your mouth shut, third-class disciple."
The moment Baek Cheon smiled faintly, Chung Myung's body tilted to the side.
Thud.
His eyes lost all light, resembling a dead fish, and even the last remnants of his soul seemed to escape through his half-open mouth.
“Why… why me…”
Ohgeom, who saw Chung Myung being destroyed in a single blow, looked back at Baek Cheon with genuine admiration.
"Unbelievable… He actually shut Chung Myung up with just a few words…"
“Is this the power of authority?”
“That guy’s surprisingly weak against authority, huh?”
"It’s not ‘strangely’—he’s blatantly weak against it."
Yoon Jong whispered to Baek Cheon.
“Wasn’t that a bit harsh?”
“…That guy needs at least that much. Otherwise, he’d keep acting like this for another year.”
"But...."
Yoon Jong nodded in understanding.
Baek Cheon waved his hand dismissively and spoke up.
"Anyway, there’s a lot to discuss, but let’s start with what needs to be done first."
"Huh? What do you mean, 'what needs to be done'? Is there something urgent right now?"
“Yoon Jong, Jo-Gol.”
“Yes, Sasuk!”
"Go and convey my words to the leaders of each sect."
A meaningful smile appeared on Baek Cheon's lips.
"If a man speaks, he ought to follow through. We’re going to rescue Hainan."
"Ah!"
Only then did Jo-Gol recall that issue, letting out a gasp as if he had completely forgotten. It was understandable, given all the shocking events that had been happening back to back.
"We don’t have the luxury of finishing all our business here first. Go inform them quickly so we can discuss the situation."
"Understood…"
“What? Hainan?”
At that moment, Chung Myung, who had been lying half-dead, shot up, eyes wide open.
"Hey, you crazy bastard! Just what are you planning to do with Mount Hua?!"
"Well, you should’ve joined earlier and become part of the Baek generation if you’re so upset. Aigo, what should I do? Even if I wanted to give you the sect leader position, I can’t hand it over to a Chung generation disciple, can I? I believe someone said there are rules and laws within the sect that must be followed."
"Y- You…! You…! Ugh!"
As Chung Myung grabbed the back of his neck and collapsed backward, the Five Swords exchanged knowing glances with one another, their expressions slightly amused.
‘This isn’t so bad, actually.’
‘This is kind of nice, isn’t it?’
They were already beginning to appreciate the advantages of having a new sect leader.
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Thank you for the Chapter"""