Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1281. Who came to Gangnam (1)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
Chwaaaak!
The ship cleaved through the rough waters, pressing forward and forward again.
Whenever the ship crested the waves like this, Yoo Gong would usually feel a strange thrill. It must have been because the blood of Hainan Island, the blood of the sea, flowed through his veins.
But now Yoo Gong felt no joy even as he steered the ship through the waves. No, he rather felt nothing but despair. After all, the ones aboard his boat were the vicious evildoers of Myriad Man Manor who had so ruthlessly tormented Hainan Island until now.
"You’re steering straight, right?"
Those with swords at their waists kept asking while giving him cold glares. Yoo Gong bit down on the inside of his cheek and nodded.
“Of course.”
“You best not try any funny business.”
“…I’m not that stupid.”
“Sure looks like you are?”
The Maninbang rogues snickered and mocked among themselves.
But Yoo Gong couldn't even talk back despite the blatant mockery. From the moment he boarded this ship, his life was practically in their hands. No, perhaps even before boarding.
“Remember this. Wiping out a village is nothing to us. If you pull any tricks, your villagers will die the most agonizing deaths imaginable. No, they’ll wish they just die.”
“...I said I know."
“Kuk, kuk, kuk.”
Yoo Gong knew.
They weren’t threatening him because they were truly worried he would do something. They were just playing with Yoo Gong as suitable entertainment to relieve their boredom during the journey.
Because they know he can't put up any resistance.
"Living brings unexpected luxuries. Never thought I would find myself on a ship steered by a Hainan Sect disciple."
"Since he was expelled, he's not Hainan Sect anymore, is he?"
“Well, that’s its own rare experience. An excommunicated Hainan Sect disciple is even harder to come by than a proper one.”
“That’s true.”
The man who had called it ‘rare’ openly sneered as he scrutinized Yoo Gong.
“These Righteous Sects sure is merciful. It’s amazing that an excommunicated disciple can walk around like this. If it were our Manor, we would see their necks off slowly with a dull blade."
"As if anyone dare think of such a thing."
"Exactly. But to think they would let him off without a scratch. The sect leader of Hainan Sect must be an idiot."
"Right. In the end, the one they expelled is now biting at their heels. If I were the sect leader of Hainan Sect, I would have pulled out my hair.”
“Hahahaha. Exactly.”
Yoo Gong's tightly bitten lips turned white. Every careless word they threw out without a second thought stabbed at him.
What made it even more painful was that he couldn’t refute anything they said. Because right now, he had become a hunting dog pursuing the sect that had shown him mercy.
And he was pursuing them more thoroughly than anyone else...
Yoo Gong's gaze drifted backward. He saw Ho Gamyeong sending off a red falcon on the deck. Yoo Gong's face hardened involuntarily.
'Fuck.'
Those hawks had hunted down all the messenger pigeons Hainan Sect sent to the mainland. And now they would be conveying the fact that Hainan Sect was heading to Gangnam to Evil Tyrant Alliance bastards there.
If not for those falcons…
Puuk!
At that moment, Yoo Gong's face turned to the side and blood appeared on his lips.
“You dare show murderous intent toward Advisor!”
“Stop it. Advisor told us not to touch him!”
“Tsk.”
One of Myriad Man Manor martial artists glared at Yoo Gong as if displeased. Yoo Gong wiped the blood on his lips with his sleeve.
'Fuck.'
He hung his head low. A heavy and indescribable darkness settled deep in his chest.
Padeudeudeuk.
The falcon released from Ho Gamyeong’s fingertips shot straight into the sky. Then it immediately turned and flew toward the mainland.
Watching this scene quietly, Go Yang opened his mouth.
"Where are you sending them? I thought you had already delivered to the places that needed notification?"
“Hao Sect.”
“Hao Sect?”
Go Yang asked with a puzzled look on his face. Ho Gamyeong nodded slowly.
"Perfect encirclement requires many watching eyes. It's dangerous without Hao Sect's cooperation."
"Hmm."
Go Yang stared at Ho Gamyeong with interest.
From what he knew, Ho Gamyeong wasn’t particularly fond of Hao Sect. But now he ask for Hao Sect's cooperation in his own name. This was tantamount to proving how much Ho Gamyeong valued this matter.
"What about headquarters?"
Ho Gamyeong remained silent. The corners of Go Yang's mouth twisted.
"Don’t tell me you plan to keep this from Ryeonju?"
“....”
“This could be considered treason. You do know that, Advisor?”
“Of course.”
Ho Gamyeong answered this without hesitation and then added.
"Of course, if Ryeonju learns of this news and makes his move, taking those bastards' lives would be nothing special."
"But?"
“...But Ryeonju has a bad habit. Instead of gaining the straightforward benefit from an easy task, he twists the situation to extract an even greater advantage."
“....”
"However, small benefits might slip away in that process. I want to prevent that."
“Hoo. A mere advisor dares to evaluate Evil Tyrant Alliance Ryeonju?"
“Ha.”
Ho Gamyeong let out a short scoff and stared at Go Yang. Then Go Yang smiled meaningfully.
"It would be arrogant to assume Ryeonju’s favor will always shield you."
"I’ve never assumed as much. I’m merely proving my worth."
“Well, no matter how much you prove your worth, do you think Ryeonju will tolerate a pawn acting independently?"
This time, Ho Gamyeong could offer no rebuttal.
Ho Gamyeong knew too. Deliberately deceiving or excluding Jang Ilso. This was something Jang Ilso hated most. If someone other than Ho Gamyeong committed such an act, they would die torn limb from limb, and even Ho Gamyeong wouldn’t escape punishment.
Moreover, Jang Ilso had once warned Ho Gamyeong about this matter. Ignoring that warning would carry severe consequences.
Nevertheless, Ho Gamyeong pushed ahead with the task without hesitation. Even now, that resolve showed no wavering.
“Sometimes, there are things you just have to do.”
“Hm?”
"…That man is dangerous."
"You mean Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword?"
Ho Gamyeong nodded quietly. Go Yang frowned.
“I don’t understand.”
“....”
“Of course, that guy is a monster. By the standards of ordinary people like us, he’s a walking disaster.”
Go Yang readily compared himself to an ordinary person.
He was a daeju of Myriad Man Manor. He couldn't help but have immense pride. However, he did not feel even the slightest hesitation in calling himself ordinary. If the opponent was Heavenly Comrade Alliance, there was no room for hesitation.
“But that’s by our standards.”
“....”
“To Bangju....”
“Ryeonju.”
“...Right, to Ryeonju. From his perspective, it’s a different story. No matter how much that guy soars and crawls, he's just a toy on his palm from the Ryeonju's perspective. Compared to Ryeonju, that guy is just an ordinary man. You know that, don’t you?"
“....”
"So I don't understand why you're making such a fuss. Do you actually think that his fangs can reach even Ryeonju? Paegun himself?”
Ho Gamyeong chose silence. Go Yang’s eyes briefly flickered with rare surprise.
“...You’re serious.”
“....”
“Why?”
Ho Gamyeong's face hardened. That was understandable because he had not been able to find the answer to this question himsel, which was why he failed to convince Jang Ilso.
So once again, he had no choice but to answer in this manner.
“It’s just a hunch.”
“...A hunch?”
"Yes. Or perhaps it should be called anxiety."
Go Yang looked at Ho Gamyeong with a blank expression.
“Am I hearing things?”
“....”
"Anxiety? From the mouth of Ho Gamyeong, the world-renowned Venomous Heart Rakshasa (독심나찰(毒心羅刹))? My ears seem to be working fine though?"
"Mock if you will."
“I’m not laughing at you. I just don’t get it. The advisor I know is the person furthest from such things.”
Instead of an answer, a sigh came out of Ho Gamyeong's mouth.
Go Yang’s words weren’t wrong. Ho Gamyeong had always despised arguments without solid reasoning. Yet here he was, perhaps making one of the most important decisions of his life based solely on a hunch.
It was difficult even for him to understand.
“It’s difficult to explain.”
“....”
“But the reason is simple. Whatever the nature of this anxiety, anything that could bring even the slightest harm to Ryeonju must be eliminated early."
Ho Gamyeong said it as if spitting it out.
“Even if I end up disobeying his orders in the process.”
“....”
"Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword must be killed. Preferably before Ryeonju hears of him, and certainly before they reach the Yangtze River."
Go Yang shook his head with a somewhat exasperated expression.
It was his first time seeing Ho Gamyeong express so much emotion. Seeing him now, no one would think this person was Ho Gamyeong, the cold-blooded Venomous Heart Rakshasa most feared within Myriad Man Manor.
“So it all comes down to loyalty to Ryeonju.”
"Will you stop me?"
"Me?"
Go Yang let out a low laugh as if finding it absurd.
“If what you say is true, then as soon as Ryeonju learns of that man’s presence, he’ll likely let him go free.”
“...Perhaps.”
"Then I’ll act as though I know nothing."
When Ho Gamyeong glanced at him, Go Yang twisted the corners of his mouth and bared his teeth.
"I don’t have the guts blatantly to oppose Ryeonju, but it hurts my pride to let prey I've marked escape my territory. And I’m curious. What expression will he make when he dies?"
Licking his lips with a gleam in his eyes, Go Yang gave off a palpable bloodthirst. Ho Gamyeong’s face creased slightly.
There were none among Evil Sects who were reluctant to kill, but among them, Go Yang was exceptionally extreme. He enjoys killing itself more than the benefits that can be gained from killing.
More precisely, he was addicted to the tension of hunting strong opponents and the ecstasy of finally bringing them down.
But right now, Ho Gamyeong needed Go Yang the most. He couldn’t deny that fact.
Go Yang asked.
"What about the encirclement?"
“It’s already mostly in place. It’ll be complete within a few days. So make sure to kill him. Put everything you have into it if you must."
"You don’t need to worry about that. This is my specialty."
Ho Gamyeong snorted softly as he looked at Go Yang’s eyes gleaming with murderous intent. Soon, his gaze shifted to the land of Gangnam. The very land that would become a death trap for Chung Myung.
'You won't understand even if I explain.'
What could he say?
Even though he was Venomous Heart Rakshasa Ho Gamyeong, the advisor of Evil Tyrant Alliance and Jang Ilso's right hand, thoughts he dared not voice kept circling in his mind.
'He carries the same scent as Ryeonju.'
Perhaps no one else in the world would see it that way, but having served close to Jang Ilso for so long, Ho Gamyeong could tell. Those two were alike.
Extremely different, yet extremely similar. Therefore...
‘If, by some one-in-a-thousand or one-in-ten-thousand chance, a day ever comes when Paegun falls at someone’s hands… that would be…’
Ho Gamyeong, momentarily lost in thought, shook his head quickly.
'No. That could never happen.'
It was nonsensical.
But a strategist’s duty was to prepare even for the one-in-a-million chance. Even if it was based on nothing more than a baseless feeling, Ho Gamyeong would do everything he could.
'Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword Chung Myung.'
Ho Gamyeong's eyes sank darkly.
'If you were truly the same kind as Ryeonju, I wouldn't be able to catch you. But you are not Ryeonju.’
That difference would strangle Chung Myung's neck.
'But I too am curious.'
What kind of expression will Jang Ilso make when he hears that Chung Myung died at Ho Gamyeong’s hands?
Would he be angry? Or would he shrug it off as inevitable? What kind of existence was Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword to him?
'What presumptuous questions.'
Ho Gamyeong cleared his mind of such thoughts.
He could defy orders was one thing, but he must not dare to measure Ryeonju. If he fails to keep that line, he will no longer be Ho Gamyeong.
'Everything is for Ryeonju alone.'
Ho Gamyeong's gaze sank endlessly deep.
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