Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1264. I won't let you go alive (4)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
The sudden silence that descended upon the chaotic battlefield was nothing short of bizarre.
This is a situation where people who were biting each other and swinging their swords stop because of the presence of one person and a single word.
'Is that even allowed?'
And Gwak Hwanso felt a great shock and discomfort not only from this situation but also from Chung Myung's words.
Who was Ho Gamyeong? He was Myriad Man Manor's strategic advisor and their undisputed second-in-command.
No, at this point, it wouldn’t even be much of an exaggeration to call him the second-in-command of Evil Tyrant Alliance ruling Gangnam.
Even in a world brimming with renowned figures, Ho Gamyeong might not make the top ten if ranked by importance, but he would certainly fit within the top twenty.
But what? Who?
'Is this guy really in his right mind?'
Even with all the eccentric people in the world, watching them long enough usually leads to some level of understanding, but this one became more incomprehensible the more he watched.
"...You do look familiar though."
Now, he was constantly tilting his head while looking at Ho Gamyeong. Looking at such Chung Myung, Gwak Hwsanso could start questioning the fundamental meaning of 'understanding' itself.
"Um... Chung Myung-ah."
In the chilly atmosphere, Yoon Jong approached slowly and whispered to Chung Myung.
"It's Ho Gamyeong, Ho Gamyeong."
"....Huh, who?"
"Ho Gamyeong!"
"Who's that?"
Yoon Jong's face twisted into something indescribable.
"Ho Gamyeong! You little rascal! Ho Gamyeong! The name that came up at every one of our meetings! Myriad Man Manor's strategic advisor Ho Gamyeong!"
"Ah!"
Chung Myung clapped his hands with shining eyes.
"I know who he is!"
"Finally remember?"
"The bastard who follows Jang Ilso around doing his errands!"
"...."
Yoon Jong instantly covered his eyes with one hand.
'Right. It's fortunate he knows even that much.'
Barely. But it was better than nothing.
That's something, at least...
"Ah, sorry."
Chung Myung smiled and teased Ho Gamyeong.
“I’m usually pretty good with faces, but…”
“You’re not good with faces.”
"You're so bad at it, Chung Myung-ah.”
"No, no. This bastard remembers human faces just fine. He just doesn't consider such people as human."
“….That makes sense.”
Regardless of what others were saying beside him, Chung Myung continued with a smirk.
“I mean, every time I saw him, there was this one guy always standing out. Sorry about that.”
"......"
"Honestly, it's just the truth. When a guy with makeup is prancing around in front of me, you think I would notice that guy? That’s not on me.”
Another odd silence descended.
It felt like a terribly wrong thing to say, and yet...
'Makes sense.'
'Honestly, it's Jang Ilso's fault.'
'Being plain shouldn't be a crime though...'
Chung Myung looked at Ho Gamyeong with a smirk.
“So you do go around without Jang Ilso sometimes. You think you’ll manage? On your own?”
Everyone's eyes were focused on Ho Gamyeong.
It was, without a doubt, an incredibly humiliating remark. No matter what anyone says, Ho Gamyeong was the undisputed second-in-command of Myriad Man Manor. To someone like him, those words could not help but be humiliating. It was nothing short of a direct insult to his face.
Especially… In the world of Evil Sects, where martial arts was more important than anything else. It was true that Ho Gamyeong, whose martial arts weren't particularly outstanding, had reached his current position only through Jang Ilso's absolute protection.
Though only a few, Chung Myung's words contained contempt, saying, ‘You are nothing more than a fox borrowing a tiger’s might named Jang Ilso.’
And the fact that it wasn’t entirely wrong only made the insult sting that much more.
Everyone watched for Ho Gamyeong's reaction. They were curious how he would express his anger.
But even under the piercing gaze, Ho Gamyeong remained expressionless. His face was as cold as ever as he continued to assess the battlefield. Finally, his lips parted.
"Extremely discourteous words... but when the speaker is Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword, discourtesy cannot be discourtesy."
His voice was calm and quiet, yet it resonated more because of that. Chung Myung's eyes narrowed slightly.
Ho Gamyeong spoke with a calm face, nodding slightly.
"Rather, it's an honor that the world-renowned Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword would remember my face."
There wasn’t a hint of sarcasm or mockery in his voice. He simply accepted Chung Myung's provocation with composure.
And those words made everyone present look anew at the one called Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword.
This was Ho Gamyeong, strategic advisor of Myriad Man Manor—No, strategic advisor of Evil Tyrant Alliance. And he was saying it was an honor for Chung Myung to recognize him. It made them acutely realize just how extraordinary the person standing with them was.
"However... I am somewhat surprised."
Ho Gamyeong's gaze left Chung Myung and landed on the other members of Heavenly Comrade Alliance one by one. It was as if the gaze was piercing them.
“What brings you all the way out to the distant southern seas?”
The air grew icy in an instant. Chung Myung clicked his tongue.
"Boring bastard."
He tried to shake him a bit, but he didn't waver at all.
Chung Myung knew from experience that this kind of opponent was the most troublesome to deal with.
“Not even a little bit startled, huh?”
"No."
Surprisingly, Ho Gamyeong shook his head.
"I am extremely surprised. I couldn't have imagined meeting you all here."
"......"
"Ryeonju-nim’s words were correct. He said the truly frightening ones aren't the powerful, but the madmen..."
He couldn’t wrap his head around it. Neither the situation nor Heavenly Comrade Alliance’s intentions.
No. Saying he couldn't understand their intentions wasn't quite right.
He understands their intentions. Perhaps they wanted to save Hainan. Whether for Chivalry, or to secure even a bit more fighting power against Evil Tyrant Alliance later.
That's not the part that Ho Gamyeong couldn’t understand.
“May I ask you something?”
"As much as you want."
"Hainan Sect, one of Ten Great Sects, is certainly an important sect. But... do you truly consider it more valuable than your lives here?"
At those words, the expressions of a few individuals changed.
It was a question asked so plainly and so calmly that it struck all the deeper.
"Saying one must not make mistakes is, to put it bluntly, wrong. Because humans, whoever they may be, cannot help but make mistakes. What's important isn't avoiding mistakes entirely, but rather avoiding fatal mistakes."
"......"
“And in my opinion, what you’ve done here seems to fall under the category of a critical mistake. What do you think?”
Not surprised?
There was no lie in Ho Gamyeong's words. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been this flustered.
Even when the signal flared from behind, he dismissed it as some petty trick by Hainan Sect disciples, but he never thought he would see those Heavenly Comrade Alliance guys and Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword here.
But a moment's surprise was enough.
“I don’t particularly like saying things like this…”
For the first time, a faint smile appeared on Ho Gamyeong’s lips.
"This must be what they mean by unexpected gains. Who could have predicted that I would run into you while handling a small fry like Hainan Sect?"
Baek Cheon's face hardened.
'Ho Gamyeong… Jang Ilso's strategic advisor.'
He had expected Ho Gamyeong to be shocked.
He expected him to panic and launch an attack the moment he saw the state of the battlefield.
But instead, Hp Gamyeong had slowly brought the battlefield to a halt and was observing them. That, in itself, applied a pressure unlike anything Baek Cheon had faced before.
Jang Ilso was an unpredictable beast.
And Magyo was a beast steeped in madness.
That was how it usually was. Those they would face until now were frightening because one couldn't predict what they might do—people who couldn't be measured by ordinary common sense.
But Ho Gamyeong was different.
In his cold, composed eyes, there wasn’t a hint of madness like that seen in Jang Ilso or the Magyo’s bishop.
All he showed was cold intellect and spine-chilling composure.
'...A hunter, is he?'
Being chased by a ravenous beast was undoubtedly terrifying.
But what about having a hunter pursuing you from behind?
Can that really be said to be better than being chased by a starving beast?
It was when Baek Cheon thought that perhaps the fact that the person who came here was Ho Gamyeong might be the greatest misfortune.
"Mistake?"
Chung Myung’s crooked voice rang out.
"Well, could be."
He stepped forward with a smirk.
“But there’s something you seem to be missing.”
"About mistakes, you see."
“That's what mistakes are about."
Chung Myung's lips curled slightly, revealing his stark white teeth in a sharp grin.
"It only has meaning for those with the skill to see and exploit it!"
Paaaaaat!
In that instant, Chung Myung's Dark Fragrant Plum Blossm Sword flashed like lightning. Sword energy red as fresh blood bloomed in the air.
Swaeaeaeaeaek!
The sword energy surged forward in a straight line at an incredible speed, aiming directly for Ho Gamyeong’s throat. However, Ho Gamyeong stood still, making no move to evade the incoming attack. His cold gaze remained fixed on the approaching sword energy.
"Ha!"
At that moment, one of the people standing near Ho Gamyeong jumped up at a terrifying speed with an excited voice.
The instant they intercepted the strike.
Kwaaaaang!
The collision between the blade and the sword energy sent a shower of crimson sparks scattering in every direction like fireworks.
"Run!"
"Understood!"
Baek Cheon snapped back to his senses and grabbed one of the still-stunned Hainan Secr disciples by the collar, shoving them toward the rear.
“Get on the ship! Now!”
"H- Huh? Ah... yes!"
Finally shaken from their daze, Hainan Sect disciples rushed with all their strength toward the ship. The disciples of Mount Hua, however, had already leaped over or struck down the enemies in their path, racing toward the ship from the moment Chung Myung had launched his sword energy.
"Don't let them escape!"
"Yes!"
At the bellowing orders, the forces of Myriad Man Manor also charged forward with all their might.
The once quiet battlefield instantly boiled over again.
Blood Sword Platoon Daeju, Go Yang, quietly watched Chung Myung's back while he shook his wrist.
"....Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword."
As he muttered quietly, a cold voice reached his ear.
"He's not someone you can handle."
"Kuk, kuk, kuk."
Go Yang chuckled lowly.
He was daeju of Myriad Man Manor. If not Jang Ilso, there was no one under heaven who had reason to speak to him this way. But instead of being offended, he laughed as though amused.
“Perhaps you’re right. He’s a monster.”
The dull ache in his wrist was proof enough of that fact.
When his full-strength sword collided with that casually unleashed sword energy, he was the one who came out worse. Of course, it wasn’t enough to definitively determine martial art prowess, it was more than enough to recognize Chung Myung’s strength.
“But… there’s no need to bother.”
Go Yang grinned, baring his teeth.
"Even tigers can be torn apart by a pack of wolves. What we're doing isn't a duel—it's a hunt."
At those words, Ho Gamyeong nodded slowly.
"Correct."
No matter the method, it didn’t matter.
This was Hainan Island, the southernmost edge of Jungwon. Whether tiger or dragon... no, even something surpassing dragons, there was only one fate awaiting anyone who set foot here.
"Kill them without fail."
"Won't you report to Ryeonju-nim?"
"....It's not too late to report after killing them."
At those words, the Blood Sword Platoon daeju showed a strange smile.
“As long as you’re taking responsibility, I’m all for it.”
Turning his gaze toward Chung Myung, his eyes blazed with a fierce killing intent.
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