Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1221. Is This Okay? (1)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
Jo-Gol turned his head sideways with bloodshot eyes.
Yoon Jong's hand was pressing firmly on his shoulder. Normally, Jo-Gol would have immediately shouted something in protest, but this time, he remained silent.
Was it because he knew not to escalate the situation?
No, that wasn't it. It was because Yoon Jong's eyes, staring straight ahead without even giving him a glance, were terrifyingly fearsome.
Udeudeuk.
The faint sound of Yoon Jong grinding his teeth escaped. He spoke through clenched teeth.
"...Wait."
"...."
Jo-Gol bit his lip tightly and turned his eyes back to the village.
"F- Father! Father!"
A villager standing behind the village elder frantically grabbed the elder's chest, face drained of color. Blood was pouring out from the gaping wound.
"Fatheeeeer!"
Though all the villagers' faces turned deathly pale, none of them dared voice any protest or curse. The sword in the man’s hand was far too intimidating for anyone to challenge him.
"...Are you insane?"
The one who protested on behalf of the villagers was the man's fellow companion who had come here together.
The fierce-looking man wiped the blood splattered on his face with his sleeve and let out a chuckle.
"Do I look insane?"
"...What are you thinking?"
"What am I thinking? The orders we received were to distribute grain and properly inform the people of the grace of Ryeonju-nim.”
"....."
"And there weren’t any instructions about what to do after that, right? So I haven't disobeyed orders."
"You crazy bastard... You call that an excuse?"
The scholar-looking man's face turned pale.
Do you realize what you've done, Ak Bung? If the higher-ups find out about this, do you think you’ll get away with it?"
"How would they find out?"
"...What?"
"I'm asking how they would find out."
The one called Ak Bung smirked.
"Whether a village in this remote mountain disappears or not, how would our oh-so-important higher-ups ever hear about it?"
"...."
"We accomplished our mission. Whatever happens afterward isn’t our fault, is it?"
The scholar-looking man's eyes narrowed. He understood what this man was saying now.
"There's no need to...."
"No, think about it. They sent small fry like us to handle this because this is just a tiny, remote village."
The term 'small fry' wasn’t pleasant to hear, but it wasn’t exactly wrong either.
"If we just return empty-handed, how would the higher-ups know whether we properly distributed the grain or not?"
"Dammit, there’s no place to even sell the grain!"
"If we really want to sell it, there's always somewhere. But we don’t even need to sell it. Isn't rice more precious than money in Gangnam land right now? The ones in the wrong are those bastards who work us to the bone without even paying us properly."
"...."
"And what’s wrong with us wetting our throats a little? What's wrong is those who exploit people without paying them a proper salary."
The scholar-looking man smacked his lips. His face has softened considerably.
"Can we handle the aftermath...."
"Don't say such frustrating words. If anyone were left to tell the tale, the higher-ups might find out. But... couldn’t something unfortunate happen to this village after we leave? Like remnants of the Green Forest bandits attacking, or a wild tiger running amok. Don’t you think so, guys?"
At those words, the eyes of the men guarding the cart grew cold.
"The next place we're going is Hyeongyang, right?"
"So what?"
"Since Hyeongyang is a fairly large city, there should be places to have fun. Take care of things properly, gather some grain, and let's visit some pleasure houses too! Let's wet our throats after a while, our throats!"
That comment seemed to be the decisive blow. A strange heat began flowing from those following behind.
The scholar-looking man clicked his tongue with a sour expression.
"Ha... I’ve got a bad feeling about this..."
"Bad feeling, my ass. When did you turn into such a coward? You hear the name Myriad Man Manor and you piss your pants?"
"You done talking?"
"What the hell is Myriad Man Manor anyway? We're Black Ghost Fortress! If it weren’t for those Magyo bastards, do you think Great Master would’ve fallen so easily?"
"......"
"It's already gut-wrenching just watching those Evil Tyrant Alliance bastards strut around like they own the place, and now you want us to become obedient dogs too?"
"Tsk."
When the man's face twisted like someone who had swallowed bitter water, Ak Bung subtly changed his tone.
"It's not that big a deal anyway. We just need to not get caught, right? As long we don’t."
"...Just make sure to clean up thoroughly."
"Keke. That's my specialty."
Thinking the decision had been made, Ak Bung raised his voice.
"Guys! Since it's come to this, we need to hurry a bit! That way, you'll all have time to enjoy yourselves too!"
No answer was needed.
As if that statement alone told them what they needed to do, those behind the cart rushed forward all at once and surrounded the villagers in a circle, as if they would not let a single person escape.
The scholar-looking man let out a chuckle.
"I was wondering why you were counting people so meticulously, unlike your usual self."
"Hehe. It's better to be certain. To be certain."
Jo-Gol, who had watched the entire situation without missing anything, growled through gritted teeth.
"...Sahyung."
"Wait."
"Sahyung."
"I said wait."
Yoon Jong bit his lip hard. He bit so hard that his lips not only turned white but began showing blood.
In his heart, he wanted to rush in and smash those men to pieces right now. But this was Gangnam, not anywhere else.
They couldn't know how many lives might hang on one thoughtless action of theirs.
"Don't... step forward."
"Sahyung!"
Jo-Gol looked at Yoon Jong with desperate eyes. However, again, Yoon Jong’s eyes didn't turn toward Jo-Gol.
His gaze was fixed on Baek Cheon's back in front of him.
'Sasuk.'
The one to make the judgment wasn't Yoon Jong but Baek Cheon.
Even while holding their breaths, the sounds of grinding teeth and hands nervously gripping their swords filled Yoon Jong’s ears.
And then, below, Ak Bung began to make his move.
"Really, they should've given us suitable work. If you would just ordered us to raid some commoners, take a little here and there, and bring back whatever’s left, I would’ve gladly done it better than anyone else. But asking a dog to graze on grass? What’s the point in that?”
Even the scholar-looking man couldn't argue with those words.
If they had been content with earning a modest wage, practicing martial arts, and standing guard, they wouldn’t have become Evil Sects in the first place.
They became Evil Sects because the ordinary way of living wasn’t enough for them. And now, telling them to live like Righteous Sects? It was laughable.
'This really is the higher-ups' fault.'
Having rationalized internally, the man spoke as if spitting out words.
“Just in case, don’t use your swords.”
"Huh?"
"Too few corpses would be suspicious too. Tear them with your hands. Make it look like wild beasts attacked."
"Keke. Always the clever one."
Hearing this, Ak Bung giggled while pushing his blade back into its scabbard. It was a bit bothersome, but for defenseless villagers like these, he could kill them barehanded just as easily.
"N- Noble sir. Why are you doing this......"
The villagers, too terrified to even think about running, stood frozen, faces pale and trembling as they watched the situation unfold.
And among them, those with some wit quickly realized what action they should take.
"P- Please spare us!"
He threw himself to the ground, groveling in desperation.
"We received it! W- We’ve taken the grain you gave us!"
"Hm?"
"Noble sir gave us grain and left, but we were foolish and lost it while trying to hide it!"
"Hooh?"
The scholar-looking man, Seop Pyeong, stared intently at the middle-aged man who was prostrating, his eyes gleaming.
"That's what we'll say! Even if a blade comes to our necks when asked, that's what we'll say! T- Then wouldn't my lords also be more justified?" ("그리 말하겠습니다! 누가 물어보면 목에 칼이 들어와도 그렇게 말을 하겠습니다! 그, 그럼 나으리들께서도 더 떳떳하실 수 있잖습니까?")
“What an amusing fellow.”
Seop Pyeong chuckled.
“But what should we do about this? We've already cut that old man with our blade?"
"What does it matter if one old man who didn't have long to live anyway dies? If we bury him properly, no one will know how he died!"
"Well, well..."
Seop Pyeong looked at the man, seemingly impressed.
“I- If not, we can toss him off a cliff! Then no one will know he died from a sword wound!”
Seop Pyeong looked at the man with an impressed face. If things go as the man says, it could really make things convenient for them.
"Can you do that?"
"O- Of course, Noble sir! How could we dare speak falsehood? People like us, ignorant and uneducated, know better than anyone how to survive in this world!"
"You don't want revenge?"
"Wh- What’s the point of talking about revenge over an old man's life like his?"
"....If you open your mouths, it could become troublesome for us."
"No- Noble sir. Though we are uneducated lowly ones, we're not ignorant of how the world works. If we speak carelessly and offend Noble sir, how could we hope to keep our lives?"
"You're too clever to be wasting away in mountain villages like this."
Seop Pyeong clicked his tongue.
Even if this matter was discovered, not everyone who came here would die. No matter how cruel Myriad Man Manor is, Evil Tyrant Alliance is short on people now.
And if even one of them survives, this village will surely face their retaliation. So they're saying they would rather keep their mouths shut.
"Indeed... if you really do as you say, that would make things easier for us."
"T- Then...."
"But you know."
Seop Pyeong grinned.
"You’re a little too smart for your own good."
"No- Noble sir?"
Seop Pyeong’s eyes grew cold.
"I'm the kind of person who would rather endure a little than regret leave a clever one like you alive. Killing all of you would be just a minor inconvenience to me."
"You... You fucking dog-like bastards...!"
The middle-aged man’s eyes flared with hatred.
"I’ll curse you even from the depths of hell, you scum worse than beast!"
"Yeah!"
Seop Pyeong's eyes blazing with killing intent, he kicked off the ground and flew toward the middle-aged man in one breath. A bright crimson murderous intent rose from his two hands.
"N- No..."
In the end, Yoon Jong, Jo-Gol, and Namgung Dowi could no longer hold back and kicked off the ground.
But at that moment, what they saw was Baek Cheon rushing straight toward Seop Pyeong faster than them.
'Sa- Sasuk!!'
Meanwhile, Baek Cheon, who had rushed forward, had his eyes swaying regretfully.
'N- No!'
Because he hesitated until the very last moment, he was half a step ate. At this rate, he wouldn’t be able to stop the middle-aged man from being killed.
'Damn it!'
He should have either held back or acted decisively, but after hesitating, he was about to lose both. Just as Baek Cheon was about to let out a roar unable to contain his surging frustration!
"This damn Evil Sects!"
Kwaaaaang!
Seop Pyeong, who had been charging at the middle-aged man, was sent flying backward even faster than his rushing speed.
Seop Pyeong, who fell back spewing blood, crashed into the ground and convulsed violently.
Baek Cheon stood still, staring in disbelief at the sight. In the rising dust cloud, Chung Myung, with a face looking more Evil Sects-like than Evil Sects person, was grinding his teeth.
"I kept watching but this bastard really wants to die."
...Ah, right.... Come to think of it, if I couldn't hold back, there's no way he could.
Haha....
Hahaha....
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|Note
Thank you for the Chapter"""
Thanks To the translator for the chapters!