Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1361. As expected, you have a big heart (1)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
“This way.”
Yoo Gong spoke in a slightly hoarse voice as he glanced back. Then unconsciously bit his lip tightly.
He had merely said 'this way' without even gesturing in the direction. Yet Ho Gamyeong was naturally turning in the correct direction.
As if he had already perfectly deciphered the markings before Yoo Gong even spoke.
Yoo Gong found this situation deeply unsettling.
It wasn’t the fact that Ho Gamyeong understood markings that only Hainan Sect should know.
Even if it was Hainan Sect swordsmanship as a medium, it was merely a matter of interpretation. Anyone who observed the patterns long enough could grasp the meaning behind the sword marks and the directions they indicated.
What unsettled Yoo Gong was that his own value was diminishing. If Ho Gamyeong completely deciphered Hainan Sect’s markings, then Yoo Gong would no longer be of any use.
Then how would Ho Gamyeong treat him?
“You seem to have a lot on your mind.”
Yoo Gong flinched and turned back at Ho Gamyeong’s words. The man’s expression remained blank, making it impossible to discern what he was thinking.
“Worried you might be disposed of?”
Ho Gamyeong's remark struck Yoo Gong right in the gut.
“You needn’t think that way. Treating people like worn-out shoes to be discarded when they're no longer useful is more Righteous Sects' way than Evil Sects'."
Yoo Gong flinched again and carefully studied Ho Gamyeong’s face. Though he had never spoken it aloud, Ho Gamyeong was perfectly reading his thoughts.
“Evil Sects doesn’t discard people.”
"...You people?”
“It’s a given. You Righteous Sects might distinguish between ‘useful people’ and ‘useless people.’, but there is no such distinction in Evil Sects. More than half are trash anyway."
Yoo Gong fell silent. He didn't know how to react.
“And even trash has no reason to be thrown away, so long as it shows some sort of effort. Even if they happen to be traitors to Righteous Sects."
“...Should I be thanking you for that?”
When Yoo Gong asked, a strange smile crossed Ho Gamyeong's lips.
“How odd.”
“....”
“It was you who chose betrayal. No one forced you.”
Yoo Gong clenched his lips tightly.
"If you want something, then just focus on how to get it. If you worry too much about all the other pesky details, you’ll end up losing everything.”
Ho Gamyeong gestured ahead with his chin.
“So stop thinking about useless things and focus on your role. It’s not up to you to decide whether you’re useful; it’s up to me.”
"...Understood."
Just as Yoo Gong was about to let out a sigh and pick up his pace.
"And."
“...Yes?”
Paaaat!
The palm force Ho Gamyeong released grazed Yoo Gong's cheek. The blade-like force left a long gash on his cheek.
Hududuk.
Bright red blood trickled down his cheek and dripped from his chin.
"If you're going to do it, do it properly. If there’s anything you’ve found out, report it without hiding. For instance, how their direction seems subtly twisted, suggesting they've set a new destination. Or that the intervals between their markings are closer than before, implying their speed has slowed a bit.”
“....”
"Your job is simply to report what you observe. The interpretation is my role."
Yoo Gong squeezed his eyes shut.
"...Understood."
“Increase the pace.”
Yoo Gong gritted his teeth and pushed forward. Seeing this, a subtle look of contempt and ridicule crossed Ho Gamyeong’s face.
‘How laughable.’
Yoo Gong is a traitor with no room for excuse.
Perhaps at first he set out to do this to save others, but now he was diligently selling his comrades out just to ensure his own survival. And yet he acts as if he has at least some conscience left.
Even though discussing the existence of conscience became meaningless the moment he betrayed his sect and sold out his comrades.
Ho Gamyeong watched Yoo Gong’s back for a moment, then erased his interest in him. After all, he was just a hunting dog. There was no need to understand his psychology, was there?
‘What matters are the prey.’
The enemy’s movements had shifted slightly, but it was still within expectations. That meant they had yet to realize that their pursuers were tracking them through Hainan Sect markings.
'No, it doesn't matter even if they know.'
Now that Jang Ilso had begun to move, their fate was already sealed. Ho Gamyeong's task was merely to buy a little more time for Jang Ilso.
After issuing orders to the group to increase their speed, Ho Gamyeong kicked off the ground and surged ahead.
❀ ❀ ❀
Elder Hyeong, the chief of Hyeongga Village, gazed at the setting sun. Beside him, watching the same scene, Ho Gamyeong carefully opened his mouth.
“It seems today won’t be the day.”
The word caused the old man to turn his gaze toward Hyeong Wook. Understanding the meaning of that gaze, Hyeong Wook lowered his head deeply.
“We should start unpacking again.”
“Father. Still..."
“Are you really holding on to hope?”
Hyeong Wook bowed his head even lower. Unlike his gesture suggesting compliance, his continuing voice still carried lingering attachment.
“It’s only been a few days. You know that traveling from Gangnuk to here could take not ten days but even a whole month, right?”
"That may be true for common people like us. How could it take more than ten days for people of Kangho who can cross rivers in a single breath and leap over mountains at will to reach here?"
"…I heard that the river is controlled by Evil Tyrant Alliance. So crossing that river would also..."
“Tsk, tsk.”
Elder Hyeong clicked his tongue before his son could even finish speaking. Hearing this, a deep sigh escaped Hyeong Wook's mouth.
“Why are you being so stubborn?”
“....”
“Of course, I am grateful. not for them, I wouldn’t be standing here alive, and this village would have suffered terrible misfortune. How could mere words express my gratitude?"
Hyeong Wook nodded at these words. How could one ever repay the debt of saving a life?
“But, Son. We mustn’t expect anything more than that.”
“....”
"It’s not because they are bad people. They are truly the best of folks. But this is simply how people are.”
“They were different.”
The elder shook his head again at Hyeong Wook's words.
"Even ordinary people would first help if they saw a rabbit fallen into a snake pit."
“....”
“But they wouldn’t go chasing after that rabbit afterward, checking if it got hurt or making sure it had a way to survive. That much is only natural, isn’t it?"
"But still…"
"To such people, people like us are just like that rabbit. They might show kindness and help when we're before their eyes, but we're just commoners not worth spending time protecting or helping."
“Father, they....”
“Why can’t you understand? I’m not saying they’re bad. It’s just the way the world works.”
“....”
“So let’s put an end to this. The villagers are also not doing their tasks properly because of unnecessary expectations. It's not easy living while growing attached to a place you might soon leave. Your expectations could become poison to the village."
Hyeong Wook gazed at his father with feelings too complex to express.
His father has been the village chief for decades. Long before he was born, before he even understood the ways of the world, and even now.
Thus, his eye for viewing the world must be incomparably deeper than his own.
Yet while Hyeong Wook would normally bow his head and comply, this time he couldn’t surrender this so easily.
“I understand what you are saying, Father. And I know it makes sense.”
“....”
"But... Father. They were truly somehow different. I..."
A heavy sigh escaped Hyeong Wook's lips. He still wanted to believe in their promise to help the villagers relocate to Gangbuk.
“Let’s just wait a little longer. I know something must happen.”
"Hmm."
The old man cast a pitying glance at his son.
Everyone has a time when they hold onto such hopes. Times when they harbor admiration while hearing stories of heroes who save those in need.
He himself had once told young Hyeong Wook tales of legendary warriors, urging him to grow up to be just as great.
But wasn't disappointment proportional to expectation?
'In the end, it's a poison....'
Stories were just stories. If such people were truly common... No, if there were even just a few, how could the world be this harsh?
But Elder Hyeong couldn't speak further.
If they abandon hope, the villagers have no choice but to quietly live out their days under the grim rule of Evil Tyrant Alliance.
How could it be easy to tell people chasing dreams to escape the harsh reality that those dreams are worthless?
So all he could do was wait for the villagers to resign themselves and accept the truth.
The elder spoke with a voice mixed with sighs.
"Yes. Let's do that. But… we can’t just sit around with our hands tied forever, so let’s start….”
Just then.
“Vi- Village Chief-nim! Hye- Hyeong Wook!”
Suddenly the house door burst open as a young man rushed in urgently.
“Wh-What is it?”
“Has something happened?”
“They, they’re here! They!”
"They who?"
“No, that’s....”
The man who had come inside seemed too startled to speak properly, stuttering, then pounded his chest in frustration.
"Ah, you know! The ones you were waiting for!"
"Waiting for? The ones coming from the north…?"
"Yes! The ones who called those people!"
Though his words came out in a twisted manner, Hyeong Wook immediately understood the meaning.
"Are you saying those heroes who visited before have come again?"
"Yes! Yes!"
"But why?"
“They’re out in front right now!”
"Huh?"
As Hyeong Wook blinked in confusion, the man grew even more exasperated and raised his voice.
“They’re back, I tell you! They’re out front asking for you! What are you standing around for? Go meet them!”
Unable to contain his impatience, the man grabbed Hyeong Wook's arm.
“Th- They really came?”
"That's what I'm saying!"
"Move aside!"
Snapping out of his daze, Hyeong Wook shoved the man aside and sprinted outside. He could see several people at the village entrance.
“Ah....”
He almost didn’t recognize them at first. Their appearance had changed so drastically from when he first met them.
When first seen, they had a neat appearance befitting heroic spirits, but now they looked utterly haggard. They looked like been through unimaginable hardships.
But their eyes alone remained unchanged from when he first saw them.
“Yoo.”
The slightly smaller man standing beside a tall man grinned and waved.
"Uncle, have you been well?"
"H- Heroes-nim!"
Color returned to Hyeong Wook's face.
His father was wrong. They had not forgotten the village. Wasn't that why they had returned like this?
"Sorry, but could we get something to eat?"
Hyeong Wook nodded absentmindedly at the unexpected remark.
“Of course! Of course, I will! Please come inside. I’ll have everything prepared right away!”
“Really?”
“Of course. Would we spare grain for our benefactor?”
"Well... there are quite a lot of mouths. Still okay?"
“Of course!”
"Really quite a lot."
"However many is fine!"
When Hyeong Wook answered again, the slightly smaller man, Chung Myung, turned around and called out.
“They said it’s fine! Everyone, come on out.”
The moment his words left his mouth, a large group of martial artists began emerging from the forest behind them.
Even roughly counting just those visible among the men approaching hesitantly, there seemed to be over a hundred. Hyeong Wook’s jaw dropped open without him realizing.
“...That’s still all right?”
“....”
“Kuh. As expected, you have a big heart. We'll eat well."
Hyeong Wook couldn't speak for a while. Chung Myung's face felt so... dirty and irritating.
|Note
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