Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1295. It's just the beginning (5)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
“My, my arm here is a little..."
"This much is fine. Just go get it disinfected by this assistant."
"...Soso-ya. I'm still your brother…"
“What?”
"…No."
Tang Soso, accompanied by Tang Pae, quickly began to treat the wounds of Hainan Sect disciples. While Tang Pae were fairly confident in their medical skills, watching Tang Soso treat wounds left them unable to even consider taking the lead.
"When did you learn all this? You're incredibly skilled."
“Hyung-nim, try staying in my damned sect for a year. You can even suture wounds while eating."
"Ah..."
While internal injuries were another matter, there was no denying that Tang Soso was far more proficient when it came to external injuries.
"H- Here, quickly..."
"Stop whining over a scratch and wait. Can’t you see people with worse injuries?"
"S- Sorry."
"Next!"
“Yes, Miss! I…”
As more disciples flocked toward Tang Soso, Geum Yangbaek's expression stiffened.
'...A physician.'
It wasn't as though Hainan Sect, one of Ten Great Sects, didn't have medicine hall. But most of those medicine hall members had left Hainan Sect during this excommunication. Likely because they, not being primary combatants, had no reason to risk their lives fighting.
'Even if they had stayed, would they have been of any use in this situation?'
Probably not.
They had no experience treating people with such severe injuries. At best, they knew how to help someone recover from internal injuries. Even if they were here, it would have been fortunate if they had not been a nuisance.
"...That person is?"
"She's from Tang Family."
Baek Cheon answered Geum Yangbaek's question calmly.
“She is the daughter of gaju of Sichuan Tang Family Tang Gun-ak. Through certain ties, she joined Mount Hua and is now one of the core members of our medicine hall."
“…Medicine hall…”
"Yes."
"Since we tend to have people getting hurt left and right in Mount Hua, she's become incredibly proficient."
“….”
"So you needn't worry about injuries. Of course, we can't handle severe injuries, but for most wounds, we can provide sufficient treatment even here."
A sigh escaped Geum Yangbaek's mouth.
Seeing the disciples lining up to receive treatment made him realize just how vital a physician was on the battlefield. He had always been prepared for the eventuality of war with the Sapaeryeon, yet he had been absurdly negligent about this crucial aspect.
Geum Yangbaek felt suffocated by his own short-sightedness.
"Mount Hua... Since when did you start preparing for something like this?"
"We didn’t really prepare anything. It just naturally turned out this way."
"...You're being overly modest."
Baek Cheon just smiled bitterly at Geum Yangbaek's words.
It might sound like modesty, but Baek Cheon was simply stating the truth. How could Mount Hua have deliberately strengthened their medicine hall in preparation for some distant future war?
Tang Soso had joined them by chance, and through countless battles and treating numerous disciples injured during real combat training, her skills had grown dramatically.
While Soso's abilities were remarkable, as Mount Hua's youngest, it should have been difficult for her to gain such authority.
But if there was one reason Soso was able to grow freely without restriction…
Baek Cheon glanced at Chung Myung.
'Because that rascal yielded to Soso.'
No, thinking back, Chung Myung was the only one who ever raised his voice about the importance of physicians.
If asked whether Mount Hua had prepared, the answer would have to be no, but...
"Still, we don’t have time to stand around like this. Even now, the enemy is closing the distance."
"...Indeed."
Geum Yangbaek nodded heavily.
Still, they were fortunate to have someone who could provide even this much treatment. If they had been forced to march with untreated injuries, their situation would have deteriorated even faster as the pursuit dragged on.
"Don't take his earlier words too much to heart."
“…Acting Sect Leader.”
"He just talks that way, but deep down, he's someone who cares deeply."
Geum Yangbaek shook his head.
"Acting Sect Leader. I too am human, and a martial artist."
“….”
“How could I not know how difficult it is to break through the encirclement at the forefront? That should have been my responsibility. How could I harbor even a speck of resentment toward one who has taken on this responsibility entirely?"
"…Thank you for saying that."
"No, I truly mean it. If only our Hainan…"
Geum Yangbaek stopped mid-sentence. But Baek Cheon could tell what he meant to say.
If only Hainan Sect had someone like Chung Myung, things might not have come to this point. That's probably what he wanted to say.
But such words could never be spoken aloud by the sect leader. If careless, it would be seen as disrespectful to other disciples and even the elders.
Baek Cheon took a deep breath and asked Tang Soso.
"Soso-ya. Are you done yet?"
There was much to say, but now wasn't the situation for leisurely conversation. The enemy closing in was even at this moment.
"All done! Sasuk!"
Tang Soso answered right away and quickly looked around. Her brow furrowed slightly as something caught her eye.
"You there!"
"Yes?"
"You have a wound on your stomach! Get over here now!"
"N- No. This much is fine."
"Who are you to decide that? That's for the physician to judge! Really, these sword warriors all think their bodies are made of iron!"
"...Huh?"
"Are you not coming?"
The scolded man ran towards Tang Soso in a dejected manner. Roughly pulling up his clothes, Tang Soso swiftly examined the wound. Her movements showed no hesitation as she applied ointment and roughly stitched the open wound.
"Ugh..."
"Don’t whine. There are people with much worse pain."
"...Yes."
After finishing with a final wrap of bandages, Tang Soso straightened and addressed the crowd.
"There's a limit to what treatment I can do while we're fleeing. Next time, it’ll only be emergency care.
"Yes!"
"But still, come to me whenever there's a chance. If you delay treatment because of circumstances and let your body deteriorate, you’ll truly become a burden later. You get what I’m saying?"
"Yes! Understood."
"Good."
Tang Soso sprang to her feet and turned to Baek Cheon.
"It’s really all done now, Sasuk."
"Alright."
Baek Cheon nodded with a faint smile.
The situation remained dire, yet seeing Tang Soso remain herself no matter where she was brought an odd sense of amusement to him.
"Everyone, let's depart immediately."
"Yes."
"Remember this well. The enemies we've faced so far weren’t the true force of Evil Tyrant Alliance. Soon, we’ll face their real power."
The faint relaxation in the air vanished in an instant. Everyone's faces hardened as they felt chills run down their spines.
Baek Cheon was bringing out facts that they knew but didn't want to recall and laid it bare for everyone to see.
"But if you follow orders properly, we will undoubtedly lead you to Gangbuk. So please give it your all."
"Understood, Acting Sect Leader."
Geum Yangbaek answered before his disciples. His initiatives was quickly followed by nods and affirmations from the other disciples.
The slightly diminished trust seemed largely restored thanks to Tang Soso.
“Monk Hye Yeon, will you be alright?"
Hye Yeon smiled warmly at Baek Cheon’s question.
"Five won’t be an issue."
“Monk….”
"However... please do not shove Chung Myung Siju to me even if he's injured. I would rather die than have to carry him. If it comes to that, at least gag him first before handing him over."
"What, this punk?"
“…Amitabha.”
Baek Cheon chuckled softly at Hye Yeon’s playful jab.
True strength in people often reveals itself in moments like these. In that sense, both Tang Soso and Hye Yeon were truly strong individuals.
"We're moving. Maintain proper formation."
"Understood!"
Those who had tended to their injuries immediately began sprinting again.
Paaaat!
‘Certainly…’
Gwak Hwanso nodded inwardly with admiration.
The difference between briefly meditating to circulate their internal strength and not doing so was immense. He could feel strength returning to his legs. It allow them to move forward with more confidence and speed.
The problem would be that from now on, they wouldn't even have time for such energy circulation.
At that moment, the voices of Jo-Gol and someone else brushed past his ears.
"Sahyung."
"Hm?"
“Don’t you think the encirclement loosened a bit? I can't feel anything ahead. Maybe it's just that my senses can't reach that far…"
"It's not your imagination."
Yoon Jong answered calmly.
"No matter how large Evil Tyrant Alliance's forces are and no matter how thoroughly they control Gangnam, they can't possibly cover the entirety of Gangnam with armies."
"That’s true."
"In the end, they can only set up several layers of adequate encirclement. Now that we’ve broken through the first layer, we’ll likely encounter an area without enemies for a while."
"Then doesn’t that mean this is more manageable than we thought? If we just break through a few more layers like this......"
Gwak Hwanso was about to agree when Yoon Jong's heavy voice cut through his thoughts.
"It won’t be that simple."
"Why?"
"Evil Tyrant Alliance wouldn’t have expected to stop us with just their first defensive line. The first line's role was merely to delay us even briefly. To buy time for them to prepare a proper trap at the next defensive line."
"...You mean a defensive line where Evil Tyrant Alliance forces are mobilized?"
"Yes."
"Well… Isn't that something we expected anyway? If we keep pushing forward like this, we can break through."
“Yeah, I think so too.”
Yoon Jong gave Jo-Gol a faint smile before glancing backward. His gaze settled on Hye Yeon who was silently carrying Yang Po on his back.
'If we can continue... like we are now.'
The most serious problem wasn’t external.
Just moments ago, Yoon Jong had witnessed the potential for cracks to form within their ranks. This time, they managed to get through it somehow because Tang Soso and Hye Yeon stepped forward.
But what if more people were injured?
What if the wounded increase and they ultimately have no choice but to slow their advance, entering a vicious cycle where more people are caught and injured?
What happens then?
Will they carry the wounded and die together? Or will they abandon their sahyungs, as close as blood siblings, and hurry on their way?
Mount Hua had already found its answer.
After years of hardships, countless battles, debating with each other, and internal struggles, they had learned and accepted the answer. Others might sneer at it as meaningless stubbornness, but they had walked it nonetheless.
But Hainan Sect had not faced such a process.
Now they would have to confront it. What it truly means to observe with one's life at stake those grand good intentions (선의(善意)) and principles they'd only spoken of with their mouths.
Perhaps... what they must face at the end of this seemingly impossible act of crossing Gangnam is a confrontation with their ugly that they have been hiding deep inside their hearts.
'Wonsi Cheonjun.' (Previously Yuanshi Tianjun.)
Yoon Jong closed his eyes tightly.
He could only hope and pray that the hell Mount Hua too must someday face would not become too deep a wound for these people.
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