Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1285. Who came to Gangnam (5)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
While Namgung Dowi and Tang Pae were taking care of Seol So-baek, Hainan Sect disciples arrived at the shore safely.
Though this was merely the beginning, their faces were already drained white.
"Is everyone alright?"
"...Yes, Sect Leader."
The response lacked any vigor.
What lingered on their faces was none other than doubt.
'Why must we do this?'
Was it truly necessary to dive underwater and swim to shore? The people who was after them were probably still in middle of the sea....
Even if there were reasons for this, they questioned whether there was any justification for swimming so desperately hard.
Wouldn’t this simply leave them drained before they even had a chance to fight?
"We depart as soon as everyone's ready. Hurry."
"Understood!"
As Hainan Sect disciples suppressed their rising complaints and began calming their surging energy, Lee Jayang, who had found some composure, spoke to Gwak Hwanso.
“They seem to have a lot of complaints.”
"Complaints?"
Gwak Hwanso frowned slightly.
"What complaints?"
“Probably that they’re being told to move without explanation and simply follow orders.”
“It is the disciple’s duty to follow Sect Leader orders. Isn't that why we came this far?"
"If it were Sect Leader's commands, yes."
Gwak Hwanso frowns slightly.
“But aren’t all these orders coming from Heavenly Comrade Alliance … No, more precisely, from Mount Hua Acting Sect Leader Baek Cheon Dojang? Our Sect Leader is merely following his lead.”
“...What do you want to say?”
Lee Jayang shrugged.
"Just saying that's how it is. No matter how capable they might be, how many here would gladly obey commands from a peer of the same generation from another sect without question?”
Gwak Hwanso turned his head and looked at Lee Jayang. Then Lee Jayang slowly raised both hands and spoke lightheartedly.
"I'm not saying these are my opinions, just that this is how the kids are thinking. As for me, well..."
There was no need to make excuses. Gwak Hwanso knew Lee Jayang’s personality well.
He despised seeing authority handed to those who lacked competence.
Put another way, he had no qualms about following the orders of someone capable.
Since she has already seen the abilities of Mount Hua Sect and Baek Cheon, Lee Jayang had no reason for complaint.
Lee Jayang chuckled lightly at Gwak Hwanso’s expression.
“Don’t make that face, Sahyung. Isn’t that just how people are? They claim to hate authority and call for the dismantling of hierarchy, yet when that dismantling turns against them, they are the first to complain.”
“....”
“What I can’t quite understand is that it shouldn’t be that hard to explain the situation and make us understand, but those people are keeping their mouths shut. They don't seem like the type who overlook this."
“There must be a reason.”
"Yes, well. I suppose so."
As Lee Jayang shrugged his shoulders, Gwak Hwanso heaved a deep sigh.
And as expected, Heavenly Comrade Alliance group were talking about the same thing.
"...Their gazes aren't friendly."
“Of course not.”
"Should we offer some explanation at least? It’s not really my place, so I’ve just been watching.”
"Hmm."
At Namgung Dowi’s suggestion, Tang Pae hummed in thought.
It wasn’t difficult, but the question was whether they had the authority to make such a judgment independently.
“Then for now....”
Just then.
"Has everyone arrived?"
For better or worse, Baek Cheon and Chung Myung returned just before they could make any decision. Baek Cheon approached them and nodded to the back.
“There were no signs of enemies in the areas we scouted. It seems they haven't spread their encirclement yet."
“Hmm. The messages might be delayed… Even if they knew, properly establishing an encirclement here would be difficult. There's a gap in their forces."
“Yes. We’ll hear back from the others, but if there are no scouts watching, we may not need a separate reconnaissance unit. We should set out as soon as everyone is ready.”
“Understood. But Acting Sect Leader.”
"Tes?"
Namgung Dowi spoke while glancing toward Hainan Sect.
“It seems there’s been a bit of a lack of explanation. When there's a chance, perhaps giving them a more detailed explanation..."
At those words, Baek Cheon's gaze turned toward Hainan Secr and he soon nodded.
He nodded as if he could already grasp the situation with just a glance.
Baek Cheon glances away and asks Chung Myung.
“What do you think?”
"I'm fed up."
Chung Myung snorted briefly.
“Leave them alone.”
"Yes?"
When Namgung Dowi asked in surprise, Chung Myung replied in a bored tone.
“What, are we going to explain and persuade them every time we make a decision?”
"That's..."
Chung Myung's voice grew slightly cold.
“It doesn’t matter if they have complaints. This isn't a place where people die because they have complaints and live because they don't."
“...I understand what you’re saying. But I’m concerned that their dissatisfaction might cause problems later....”
"It's okay."
It was not Chung Myung but Baek Cheon who responded.
“They’ll soon realize. This isn’t a place where one can afford to think about such things."
“....”
Baek Cheon gazed at Hainan Sect disciples with sunken eyes.
What lingered in his eyes wasn't contempt, dismissal, or even sympathy. Rather, it was a sense of kinship.
'I was the same.'
Baek Cheon of the past was like that. He had pride in his own excellence.
Even if his skills weren’t yet exceptional, he believed that his talent was second to none.
He believed he would lead Mount Hua and spread its name throughout the world.
What shattered that pride was Chung Myung and reality.
If not for encountering the wall that was Chung Myung, Baek Cheon would never have been able to break through his own illusions.
'And so are they.'
No matter how much they resolve themselves or strive, the pride of being disciples of Hainan Sect, a sect of Ten Great Sects, won't disappear so easily.
Even if their skills are lacking, they still believe others should treat them with proper persuasion and respect.
But they too would soon realize.
In a battlefield where killing and being killed is the norm, things like reputation or status they hold so dear were utterly useless.
Just as Baek Cheon had realized.
“Sasuk!”
At that moment, Mount Hua disciples who had gone scouting in the forest returned.
"There seem to be no enemy traces around us."
"We've secured up to the pre-arranged point. This area is safe."
“None. Enemy.”
Baek Cheon nods.
What he wanted to confirm wasn’t just whether there were enemies present but how far the encirclement had been established.
Based on the information they had gathered, it was clear the enemy might have enough forces to maintain pursuit but not enough to loosely encircle this area.
‘But that only means they’re focusing on creating a more solid encirclement further back.’
Baek Cheon shifted his gaze to Im Sobyeong.
“Nokrim King.”
"Ei."
“Where do you think the enemy will form their encirclement?”
"Well, that's not even worth thinking. Right now, there are three possible points they’ll want to block. The first is here, where we’ve landed, but it seems that’s not the case.”
"Yes."
“The second is to create a broad encirclement by sealing off a wide area from Nanning to Guangzhou."
"Hmm."
"However!"
Im Sobyeong twisted his face.
“Considering the personality of that Ho Gamyeong, it’s likely different. I believe it’ll be Zhanjiang. They’ll aim to completely seal off the narrow pathway connecting this basin to the inland.”
"That's plausible, but we could bypass through the sea. I don’t think Malice Rakshasa doesn’t seem like someone who wouldn’t consider that possibility.” (H: Malice Rakshasa. Previously Venomous Heart Rakshasa (독심나찰(毒心羅刹)))
“Tsk, tsk. He would be grateful if we did that. What’s blocking our path ahead might be wolves, but the ones chasing us from behind are tigers. If we enter the water and waste time, Ho Gamyeong would rather be pleased to pursue."
"Indeed."
Baek Cheon expressed agreement as if convinced.
"Therefore."
Im Sobyeong subtly turned his gaze toward Hainan Sect disciples.
“If they’ve rested enough, it’s time to get moving. We’ve wasted more than enough time already.”
"Understood. Then let's move to Zhanjiang with all our might first."
As Im Sobyeong nodded, Baek Cheon looked at the others.
Seeing no particular dissent, Baek Cheon immediately moved to approach Geum Yangbaek.
“Sect Leader.”
“Yes, Acting Sect Leader.”
Geum Yangbaek looks at Baek Cheon with a somewhat tense expression. Perhaps due to the tension of entering Gangnam, his face was noticeably stiff.
“We need to move with all our strength toward Zhanjiang for now.”
“Right now?”
“Yes. The enemies are pursuing us, and it’s clear they’re forming an encirclement ahead. We can't afford to waste time."
Geum Tangbaek nodded heavily.
“I understand. However, there's one thing I'd like to ask: what do you plan to do after reaching Zhanjiang?"
"We'll determine that depending on the situation."
“Depend on the situation…”
A fleeting look of dissatisfaction crossed Geum Yangbaek’s face.
But, realizing that discussing anything further in the current circumstances was pointless, he answered in a resolute voice.
“I understand, don’t worry.”
“Yes. I leave it to you.”
As Baek Cheon gave a light bow and turned toward his position, Geum Yangbaek stared at his back intently before giving an order.
"Tell the disciples to prepare to move."
“Understood, Sect Leader. However....”
One of the elders hesitated slightly before speaking in a reluctant tone.
"Surely there must be some plan?"
“....”
“I....”
“We didn’t come here expecting to survive, did we?”
“...I’m well aware. But if that’s the case, wouldn’t it have been better to fight to the death at the shore of Hainan Island? I'm just concerned we might die meaningless deaths like this."
“....”
"They number merely ten. Aren’t there more than two hundred of us? Even considering the numbers, shouldn’t we at least have the right to choose where to make our last stand....”
"Enough."
Geum Yangbaek cut off the elder's words.
“Just make the preparations.”
“...Yes. Sect Leader.”
Geum Yangbaek quietly bit his lips as he watched the elders withdraw.
He wasn't angry at their attitude. Rather, he was annoyed because the same thoughts had crossed his own mind.
‘How fickle the human heart is.’
How long had it been since they witnessed their abilities on Hainan Island's shores, yet distrust was already forming? Even beasts understand what gratitude is.
‘No. It’s not fickleness.’
Geum Yangbaek closed his eyes.
'They simply want to live.'
Having escaped from Myriad Man Manor's grasp once, attachment to the life they had given up was emerging. That’s why they kept seeking ways to survive.
Who could blame them?
He could only hope that these small desires wouldn’t grow into something that jeopardized everything.
"We depart!"
Raising his voice with even more vigor, Geum Yangbaek sought to dispel the doubts swirling within his heart.
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