Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1364. As expected, you have a big heart (4)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
Baek Cheon's gaze turned to the distance. The villagers had already disappeared behind the house, out of sight.
It wasn't that he had expected repayment.
Did they ask for the grain for free?
They just wanted a chance to buy grain, even if it meant paying a fair price... No, even more.
Was that truly too much to ask?
Baek Cheon looked at Yoon Jong without realizing it. Yoon Jong was the person who had always been his standard whenever he lost his way as a Taoist. But even Yoon Jong’s expression was more rigid than usual.
Then perhaps this sense of betrayal and anger Baek Cheon felt wasn't simply due to his own narrow-mindedness.
"I'm so sorry..."
Hyeong Wook hung his head low, as if unable to face them. His face had gone so red with embarrassment and guilt that it seemed it might burst at any moment.
Even though he knew that blaming this person was meaningless, Baek Cheon still let out one comment.
“I never realized it was such a difficult request.”
“...Hero-nim.”
Hyeong Wook squeezed his eyes shut.
It shouldn't have been a difficult request. At least not to him.
Granted, as Elder Hyeong said, a crisis might arise if they helped them. But hadn't these heroes helped the villagers without a moment's hesitation even when facing potential danger?
It is not natural to help someone because they are strong, and it is not natural to ignore someone because they are weak.
Being strong doesn't make helping natural, nor does being weak make turning away natural.
The danger ahead, as Elder Hyeong had mentioned, was far more troubling than the grace they received.
"I… I don’t know what to say…"
As Hyeong Wook mumbled, struggling to find what to say, the old village chief cautiously stepped back outside. He studied Baek Cheon’s expression and bowed his head. There was no sense of triumph or smugness. His expression merely begged that Baek Cheon's mind not be twisted by this.
“Hero-nim....”
The old man’s voice trembled. Understanding the meaning of that tremor, Baek Cheon let out a hollow laugh.
"There's no need to worry."
Though he couldn’t quite hide the coldness in his voice, Baek Cheon made an effort to remain courteous.
"We are not the likes of Evil Tyrant Alliance, who slaughter at a whim when things don’t go our way. You need not worry about us turning hostile."
“Thank you. Thank you, Hero-nim!"
The old village chief hastily expressed his gratitude before hesitating, once again stealing a glance at Baek Cheon.
"Please... don't think too badly of us."
"...What do you mean?"
"We know this must seem unbelievable from your perspective, Hero-nim. But we have no choice but to be this way."
Baek Cheon silently gazed at Elder Hyeong. A deep weariness and sorrow were etched into the lines of his aged face.
"This Chivalrousness you speak of is something only those with power can bestow. How can those who struggle just to survive spare thought for others' circumstances and open paths for others' survival? We’re even capable of opening our own survival path."
Baek Cheon's eyebrows twitched slightly. Of all the things he could endure, those words were the hardest to swallow.
It wasn’t as though the people of Heavenly Comrade Alliance had so much to spare to help these villagers. Chivalrousness was...
“We ignorant people can only go on living by pretending to die when told to. That's what we've seen, that's the world we've lived in."
Just as Baek Cheon could no longer contain himself and was about to speak.
“Let’s go.”
A short voice rang out. He looked back and saw Chung Myung scratching the back of his head.
"I must’ve been in a rush. Didn’t think things through. Should’ve considered that things aren’t great here either. Tsk. I’m losing my touch. Guess it’s time for me to die of old age.”
“Chung Myung-ah....”
“Let’s go. They want us to leave without causing a scene, so we should get going. That way, everyone can rest easy.”
Baek Cheon felt strangely deflated.
Normally, Chung Myung would be the one making the biggest scene at times like this, but now that he had said this, Baek Cheon found himself without a retort.
“Looks like everyone’s about done eating....”
Chung Myung cast a quick glance over Hainan Sect disciples.
“We should leave after filling our stomachs. We don’t really have much time.”
"...Right."
“Hurry and tell everyone to get ready. These people will have much to do after we leave."
Baek Cheon still had a lot to say, but in the end, he could only let out a deep sigh and nod.
"Yes... Let's do that."
His stomach churned. Beyond what words could express.
“We don’t really need you to pay for the grain you’ve eaten....”
"No."
Baek Cheon looked at Elder Hyeong with firm eyes.
“We will pay precisely what it’s worth. As we must."
That emotionless voice somehow carried a hint of sorrow.
Baek Cheon led them as they left the village.
The atmosphere was completely different from the last time they had departed this place. No one spoke up carelessly.
Even Hainan Sect disciples who didn't fully understand the situation couldn't miss this atmosphere and hesitated to speak.
"Are we really just leaving like this?"
But amid the silence, someone had the audacity to speak, and it was Im Sobyeong.
"What else?"
“If the result is all that matters, then isn’t there a simpler way? Since they have more than enough food, couldn’t we just take some and throw money at them? Then it’s no different from having made a proper deal, yes?”
“....”
"And then, even if something happens, they could claim they were simply robbed of grain by us to avoid blame. Anyone can see that's more rational, so let's go back even now!"
Baek Cheon let out a dry chuckle. That was certainly a practical solution. No one would suffer from it.
But they couldn't choose that path. Saying that the end result justifies all would be akin to admitting they were no different from Evil Tyrant Alliance they were fighting.
“Oh!”
Just then, Jo-Gol let out a furious shout.
He too knew they couldn’t follow Im Sobyeong’s suggestion, but he couldn’t contain his anger.
"A person should at least have some conscience!"
“....”
“Did we help because we had strength to spare? Even if they don’t repay us, can’t they at least acknowledge our circumstances?”
"Enough."
“They used to have innocent eyes with tears welling up! Now they don’t even show their faces as we leave! If those yangban became martial artists, Evil Sects will....”
"I said enough."
Baek Cheon’s weak yet firm rebuke silenced Jo-Gol.
“...I just feel wronged, wronged.”
“....”
“We never expected anything in return, but still... But still, there’s at least a certain something, you know? Still....”
Baek Cheon was about to say something but shook his head.
In fact, his feelings weren't much different from Jo-Gol's. Saying too much in this state would only lay bare his feelings.
Since Baek Cheon couldn’t answer properly, Jo-Gol's gaze turned to Yoon Jong.
“Isn’t that right? Sahyung!”
At those words, Baek Cheon also looked at Yoon Jong.
Maybe Yoon Jong would say something different.
“Doesn’t that make you angry, Sahyung?”
"Angry..."
Yoon Jong shook his head calmly in response to Jo-Gol's question.
“I’m not.”
"...What, are you some living Buddha?"
"It's not anger, I'm simply confused."
"What?"
When Jo-Gol gave him a puzzled look, Yoon Jong looked up at the sky before continuing.
“As a Taoist, and as a person of Righteous Sects, I believed we should help and protect commoners because they possess an inherent goodness. I thought we should lend what little strength we have to protect these innocent people who live under the oppression of the powerful."
“....”
“But today is the first time I’ve had this thought. Not just about the people of that village, but in all cases.”
"Yeah."
"If those we try to protect are not good... why should we strive to protect them even at the risk of our lives? Simply because we are stronger?"
“....”
“That saying about never expecting a reward for righteous deeds—maybe it’s because there really is no reward to be received.... Yes, that’s what I’m starting to think.”
His voice was calm, but the weight of his words was immense. Even more so because they came from Yoon Jong. As everyone was lost in their own thoughts.
"I've heard something like this before."
All eyes turned to Chung Myung. To the man walking in front of them as if he had no regrets at all.
“Commoners are neither as virtuous as we think nor as great as we imagine. Their strength is more feeble than imagined, and the principles they speak of are mostly worthless."
"...Isn't that basically an insult?"
“But that is precisely why they must be protected.”
The disciples of Mount Hua furrowed their brows at his words. They couldn't understand at all. If they were truly so worthless, why protect them?
"Because they too could have become virtuous."
“....”
“The old man wasn’t wrong. Most people don’t even have the luxury to uphold their own virtues. And that happens because those with strength fail to protect them.”
Yoon Jong gazed silently at Chung Myung’s back as he walked along, wearing a solemn expression.
“Those who are genuinely virtuous remain virtuous even without help. But small acts of kindness shown to those who aren't good might perhaps lead them toward goodness. A Taoist is one who doesn't let go of that small possibility, and chivalrous deeds are attempts to change the world by giving of what one has."
Chung Myung's murmuring gaze drifted toward the sky as if chasing something far beyond reach.
“To be honest, I still don’t fully understand those words yet. I just know one thing. Our predecessors didn't give while unaware of it; they chose to protect despite knowing."
That was the end of Chung Myung's words. He added nothing more.
He did not say that they must do the same, nor that it was the right path. He merely conveyed the words he had heard.
Yet everyone who heard them sank into thought, contemplating what it was they truly trying to do.
That was when.
“Wa- Wait! Hero-nim!”
A loud voice rang from behind them.
Hyeong Wook was running towards them with something slung over his shoulder.
“Heuk! Heuk! Heuk!”
Having sprinted with all his might, Hyeong Wook came to a halt before them and panted heavily. Baek Cheon blinked in confusion.
“No, why...?”
"Th- This!"
Hyeong Wook dropped the large sack from his shoulder. It landed with a heavy thud.
"It's grain. Please take it."
"What?"
Hyeong Wook's face was still filled with guilt.
"Though the villagers decided not to, this is my share. What can anyone say if I give my own share?"
“N- No....”
Baek Cheon, taken aback, looked back and forth between the sack of grain and Hyeong Wook.
"We can't accept this..."
“Please accept it!”
Hyeong Wook bowed his head deeply without the rest. His posture resembled that of his father, yet the feeling behind it was entirely different.
“I am powerless and can only do this much. Please allow me to do at least this.”
“....”
"The villagers aren't evil. Everyone is just... just too afraid. Please don’t think too poorly of them.”
“Hyeong....” (Brother)
“It’s not much, but please take this. I’m really… really sorry.”
Baek Cheon stared down at the grain sack with complex emotions. It was cheap grain, and probably only enough for a handful for each of them.
But... the heart contained within it was far from trivial.
Baek Cheon, who had been silently looking at the sack of grain, quickly brought his hands together in a formal salute. Then he bowed his head deeply with utmost courtesy.
"...We will accept with gratitude."
His hands trembled faintly as he held the salute.
The road ahead was long, and time was pressing.
But everyone there silently watched the sack placed between Baek Cheon and Hyeong Wook for a while.
That old and tattered sack, filled with nothing more than a few meager grains—yet the most precious offering of all.
|Note
Consider supporting me by subscribing on Patreon for 5$. The Patreon membership for Mount Hua and Infinite Mage is the same. The benefit:
Advance chapters of Mount Hua : 76
Advance chapters of Magic Realm Convenience Store Worker : 144 Chapters
I love that dude lol