Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1293. It's a sight you’ll sick of seeing (3)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
Baek Cheon immediately made a ceremonial fist-palm salute to receive Geum Yangbaek. But Geum Yangbaek didn't speak right away, instead staring at Baek Cheon with a complicated expression.
From that gaze, Baek Cheon could roughly guess what Geum Yangbaek wanted to say.
'Was it six?'
He wasn’t entirely sure, but it was around that number. The number of Hainan Sect disciples who had been sacrificed on the way here.
It was an unbearably painful number for Baek Cheon as well. But no matter how deeply Baek Cheon empathized with that pain, it could never compare to the despair Geum Yangbaek must be feeling.
The slight trembling at the corner of Geum Yangbaek’s eyes spoke volumes. Baek Cheon steeled himself, prepared to endure any bitter words that might come his way.
Just then, Geum Yangbaek extended both hands forward and made a respectful fist-palm salute.
"I apologize... for showing such an unseemly display."
A flicker of bewilderment crossed Baek Cheon’s face.
"As Hainan Sect Sect Leader, I failed to properly lead my disciples. Please forgive me for burdening Acting Sect Leader."
Baek Cheon stared blankly at Geum Yangbaek. Not only him but also the other disciples of Mount Hua couldn’t hide their astonishment.
Of course, it was undeniable that Geum Yangbaek’s mistakes had placed additional burdens on others. But for a sect leader to so candidly admit their mistake was no easy feat.
It was only natural that they were surprised.
“You don’t need to say such things, Sect Leader.”
Baek Cheon quickly shook his head and said.
“If Sect Leader hadn’t swiftly taken control of the situation, the damage would have been far worse. Please, do not blame yourself.”
At those words, Geum Yangbaek slowly lifted his head to look up at the sky.
Baek Cheon couldn't bring himself to offer more consolation. Even trying to guess what Geum Yangbaek was thinking felt presumptuous.
But then, a furious voice cut through the air.
“Why are you apologizing, Sect Leader!”
One of Hainan Sect's elders had burst out in an agitated voice.
“If blame is to be placed, it should fall on them! What were they thinking, dragging us into something like this! If they hadn’t recklessly pushed forward into enemy lines, these sacrifices wouldn’t have happened in the first place!"
"Gwak Wol."
“Am I wrong, Sect Leader? What kind of insanity is this! We should have done something reasonable in the first place!”
“Enough.”
"We shouldn't have trusted such young brats in the first place. Heavenly Comrade Alliance, or Mo..."
"Will you not shut that mouth!"
Geum Yangbaek glared at Gwak Wol with furious eyes. Gwak Wol bit his lip until it bled. Geum Yangbaek, who suppressed Gwak Wol down, heaved a deep sigh. Then he made another fist-palm salute toward Baek Cheon.
"...I apologize. Having lost Sahyung who shared a lifetime with us... emotions are running high. Please understand with a generous heart."
“It’s fine, Sect Leader.”
Baek Cheon shook his head.
“Acting Sect Leader.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
"The casualties are entirely our fault. Acting Sect Leader bears no responsibility."
“….”
"This wasn't land we came to seeking life. Had we remained in Hainan Sect, we would have faced an even worse fate. How could I place blame on Acting Sect Leader? However…"
Geum Yangbaek glanced at his disciples meditating. Despite meditating, they all looked utterly exhausted. Seeing their miserable faces soaked in blood and sweat, Geum Yangbaek couldn't help but ask.
A question came out with a sigh.
"…Can we truly… break through their encirclement this way?"
"Sect Leader, that’s…"
“I know. I understand well enough that this was a difficult task from the beginning. Of course, achieving something this challenging requires pushing ourselves to the brink."
Baek Cheon stared at Geum Yangbaek without saying a word. Geum Yangbaek wasn't throwing a tantrum now. Rather, he was expressing his opinion more calmly than anyone.
“But, Acting Sect Leader. If it's impossible anyway... shouldn't we at least avoid dying like this? The disciples of Hainan Sect crossed the sea to protect their honor. Even if they were to die, it was to ensure that the name of Hainan Sect would endure. So…"
Geum Yangbaek bit his lip hard and continued speaking.
“Isn’t it wrong to let someone die like this, being hunted like a rabbit? It should at least be honorable….”
"Honor?"
Chung Myung's cold voice cut Geum Yangbaek off mid-sentence instantly.
“Chung Myung-ah.”
Baek Cheon tried to dissuade him, but Chung Myung didn’t stop.
“Whose honor?”
"Well..."
“Hainan Sect’s honor?”
A sharp sneer tugged at the corner of Chung Myung's lips.
“Honor, my foot.”
“Chung Myung-ah!”
“Sect Leader.”
Chung Myung glared coldly at Geum Yangbaek and spoke.
“You seem to be gravely mistaken… but glorious death only exists in stories."
“….”
"It's the same even if you do something grand enough to be remembered through ages. Do you think there’s anyone who dies without a shred of regret in their final moments? Those who die have only one thought in their final moment."
Chung Myung spat the words out.
“‘I want to live.’”
Geum Yangbaek bit his lip hard.
"If you want to die proudly protecting Hainan Sect's honor, then you do that, Sect Leader. If that’s your wish, who could stop you? But.”
Chung Myung's killing intent filled eyes pierced through Geum Yangbaek.
"Don't force that dog-like talk of honorable death on your disciples with your petty authority. We're going to save even one more person."
Geum Yangbaek drooped his head.
Chung Myung showed no sympathy for his defeated posture. He just shot one murderous glare before turning away. Baek Cheon let out a short sigh as he watched Chung Myung walk away.
Chung Myung, who had distanced himself from Geum Yangbaek, irritably rubbed his face. His blood boiled every time he heard such words from those who couldn't grasp reality. Even though he knew those who had lived in peaceful times couldn't properly understand the essence of war.
Just as he was about to grab at his neck in frustration, something was suddenly shoved in front of his face.
“W- What…?”
“Drink.”
Chung Myung was speechless for a moment and blinked.
Yoo Iseol, who had thrust out the water jugs, was staring blankly at Chung Myung with her usual expressionless face that made her thoughts unreadable.
“Sago, guarding duty..."
“Drink.”
“No, I’m fine….”
“Drink.”
There was no reasoning with her.
No, expecting a reasonable conversation with Yoo Iseol in the first place was a mistake. There was no way to win in this standoff. Chung Myung silently took the jug from her outstretched hand.
Only when Chung Myung began to drink did Yoo Iseol retract her hand and quietly observe him.
"Huu."
Chung Myung, who had emptied the water in one gulp, handed the water jug back to Yui Seol.
"Satisfied?"
"Un."
Yoo Iseol took the jug with her usual calm demeanor and hooked it back onto her waist.
"So now, for guard duty..."
“It’s not your responsibility.”
The unexpected words came out as suddenly as the water jug. Chung Myung stared silently at Yoo Iseol before breaking into a faint chuckle.
"What are you saying? So suddenly out of nowhere. Anyway, Sago’s….”
“You can’t save everyone.”
“I know that, okay?”
Who knew that better than Chung Myung? It was almost absurd for someone to tell him something so painfully obvious.
But Yoo Iseol just stared at him silently with darkly sunken eyes. Chung Myung watched at her for a moment before sighing faintly.
“…I really do know.”
Without replying, Yoo Iseol turned around sharply. She was returning to where she needed to be.
Chung Myung watched her go with a slightly dazed look. But there was no time to dwell in sentiment. Something flew toward his face again.
"What now, again."
Catching the flying thing, he found it was a spotlessly white cotton cloth.
Chung Myung's eyes darkened slightly. The cloth turned red where his fingers touched it.
“Wipe your face. You don’t look human.”
"Forget it. It’ll just get dirty again anyway.”
"Just do what you're told.”
"...No, I don't need..."
“Wipe.”
Seeing no sign of him backing down, Chung Myung grumbled as he roughly wiped his face with the cloth. The spotless white cloth quickly turned dark red.
Baek Cheon, watching silently, spoke up.
“How is it?”
"What?"
“What Sect Leader said isn’t necessarily wrong.”
“….”
"I don’t know much about so-called honorable deaths or whatever, but… I can see how much they’re struggling.”
"That's actually better for now."
“…What do you mean?”
"Being angry, when you’re furious, wanting to kill everyone."
Chung Myung spoke in a flat, emotionless voice.
"It's better when they're filled with rage. The fact that they can still get angry at the horrors and deaths happening around them means they can still endure. The real problem comes after.”
Rage becomes driving force. But when that anger transforms into fear, people lose the will to resist.
"The moment they start thinking 'I might be the next to die,' things get more troublesome. We need to keep moving before that happens. At that point, stamina won’t matter a thing anymore."
Chung Myung carelessly tossed aside the blood-stained cloth.
Being pursued, being surrounded.
They don't yet know the true terror that comes from that. When resting ceases to be restful, when collapsing from exhaustion only leads to waking up in nightmarish screams as a blade descends on your throat, there’s no way to recover your strength anymore.
Before reaching that point, they must advance even one more step forward somehow. If not, everyone will be slaughtered.
Baek Cheon said.
"As I said before..."
"Hm?"
"If the situation worsens, I won’t hesitate to abandon Hainan Sect and retreat. I wasn’t lying about that."
"...Why state the obvious? Of course, you would. What's Haenam anyway?"
Baek Cheon looked at Chung Myung calmly before speaking.
“And I’ll be the one to make that decision.”
“What are you talking about….”
"When that time comes, don’t argue. I’ll drag you away even if I have to knock you unconscious."
Chung Myung looked at Baek Cheon as if he couldn’t make sense of his words.
"Do you really think I will throw my life for Haenam, Sasuk?"
"You know everything about the world."
"Hm?"
"You know of things we could never even sense, and accomplish things no one could even imagine to do as if it’s the most normal thing."
"...What's this all of a sudde-..."
"But there's one thing you know absolutely nothing about. Do you know what that is?"
“…What?”
“Yourself.”
Baek Cheon said with a stern face.
"That’s why it’s the role of someone who knows you well to stop you. Remember. No matter what happens, you must follow my orders. The moment you disobey and act on your own, I will, in my capacity as Acting Sect Leader, excommunicate you."
Chung Myung was so dumbfounded that he was speechless. Baek Cheon added calmly.
"This isn’t a joke. And not a threat."
“….”
“Remember this.”
With those words, Baek Cheon turned and walked away. Chung Myung stared at his retreating figure before looking up at the distant sky.
"This one, that one..."
They had all grown far too stubborn now.
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