Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1372. I have to make it like that (2)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
Inside an extravagantly luxurious carriage.
Jang Ilso, lying back with a languid expression and savoring the swaying motion, turned his head toward the window cut into the wall.
The world seen through a small window that was barely enough to stick a person's head out was so narrow. From such a limited view, it was impossible to tell where they were moving or where they currently were.
But he didn’t feel the slightest bit stifled.
Just imagining the ripples caused by a small stone thrown into a calm lake was enough to bring him joy.
Moreover, he too was curious. About how those ripples would ultimately transform into massive waves.
“Kukukukuk.”
He softly chuckled as if amused.
“Ryeonju-nim.”
Just then, a cautious voice came from outside the carriage. Jang Ilso responded slowly.
“I'm listening.”
“We’ve received a report on the situation in Gangbuk.”
Jang Ilso's long eyelashes fluttered faintly.
"Do continue."
"Though both Ten Great Sects and Heavenly Comrade Alliance seem to have grasped the situation and are moving busily, it appears they haven't yet followed our movement."
“Hmm....”
“At least Heavenly Comrade Alliance appears to be preparing to mobilize, but Ten Great Sects show no significant movement. It seems there’s a possibility they might just stay put…”
Jang Ilso laughed as if he found it absurd.
“It’s in moments like these that Gamyeong’s absence becomes noticeable.”
“…My apologies.”
"They're not sitting still. They're merely slow. Big shots like them are always afraid of making mistakes, so they wait until everything is certain before moving.”
Especially someone like Bop Jeong.
He had already figured out that old man Bop Jeong during Namgung Family incident. He’s the type who wants to ensure his sect doesn’t suffer even the slightest loss. No, to be exact, he’s terrified of the responsibility falling on him.
Such a person wouldn't move rashly in this still ambiguous situation. Even if it means accepting some damage, he'll wait until the situation becomes clearer. That way, even if the losses grew larger, the responsibility he’d have to bear would be reduced.
That way, even if the losses grew larger, the responsibility he’d have to bear would be reduced.
This is the common characteristic of those who hold their heads high and argue about face and justification, and it’s what those who wear the mask of Righteousness have always done.
Rather, it was the Mount Hua and Heavenly Comrade Alliance who had been responding to Jang Ilso's moves like ghosts that should be considered uncharacteristic of Righteous Sects.
“And… Oh, never mind.”
“Hm?”
The trailing off of the voice piqued Jang Ilso’s interest. There shouldn't be any new information worth reporting, should there?
"Do you have more to say?"
“Tha- That’s, it might be too trivial a matter... whether it's worth reporting to you, Ryeonju-nim..."
“Speak freely.”
"Yes! Um... about thirty people have gone missing in the south."
“Thirty?”
“Yes. The missing individuals are only at the level of barely entering the first-rate, so it’s not particularly important news… but, well, it’s hard to determine the cause…”
The corners of Jang Ilso's mouth slightly curled up.
"Location?"
“Near Fuzhou (무주(抚州)). To the south.”
"Fuzhou?"
“Yes! I suspected it might have been the work of Heavenly Comrade Alliance bastards who were advancing northward, but the disappearances happened in a place that isn't exactly desolate, and it’s also a bit far from the direction we expected of them, so there seems no reason they would reveal themselves and engage in battle. There might be another cause."
“Kukukukukuk.”
Jang Ilso, who had been listening quietly, burst into laughter. Not his usual eerie laugh that made people's skin crawl, but rather an uncontrollable laugh of genuine amusement.
"Hahaha! Really now!"
Finally, he laughed heartily and swept his long fingers across his face, as if the frustration he had felt from dealing with Bop Jeong had completely disappeared.
"Really now, what a mischievous child."
“Should we send an investigation team....”
“Leave it be.”
Jang Ilso chuckled softly and muttered as if to himself.
"That's like an invitation sent to me. Not something for you to worry about."
At his cryptic words, only silence came from outside the carriage.
Jang Ilso didn't bother explaining what he had deduced. There was no reason to, and even if he did, they wouldn’t understand anyway—it would just be a waste of breath.
He could hear it in his ears.
'I am here. Don't you want to come kill me?'
That's the voice of the guy who said that.
"Hahah!"
Unable to hold back his laughter, Jang Ilso laughed again.
"I have absolutely no taste for falling for a man's seduction."
In any case, Myriad Man Manor had suffered losses because of Heavenly Comrade Alliance this time. Of course, those losses could be fully compensated by capturing the infiltrators in Gangnam, but…
"That alone wouldn’t balance the scales."
Even if Evil Tyrant Alliance gained from this and Heavenly Comrade Alliance suffered losses, that still wouldn’t be enough to prevent Ten Great Sects from reaping the benefits in the end. From Evil Tyrant Alliance’s perspective, even if they don’t suffer losses, it still leaves a bad taste.
And it would be the same from Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword, or Heavenly Comrade Alliance. So, they would try to somehow drag Ten Great Sects into this. From Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword's perspective, the biggest bait to move Ten Great Sects would be Jang Ilso, and...
“And the biggest bait to lure me would be himself, huh? Tsk, tsk, tsk. You’re too self-aware.”
Jang Ilso chuckled as he gazed out the window.
Moments like these were the most entertaining.
Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword was trying to lure him out to move Ten Great Sects, and he was already moving as Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword wanted. Though they've never once discussed this matter, they're thinking the same thing.
After dealing with fools who can’t even react properly to obvious moves, seeing someone who grabs him by the hair and shakes him around is just too amusing.
"No need to rush... I'm already doing it."
From Jang Ilso's perspective, he had no reason to let Ten Great Sects sit back and watch from a distance. After all, flames burn more brilliantly the more firewood there is.
His long fingers lightly tapped his pale cheek.
“But Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword…”
The blood-red corner of his mouth curved upward.
"You must be careful. Those flames might devour you."
Tilting his head back, he spoke in a languid voice.
"Tell water bandits to move."
“Yes, Ryeonju-nim!”
“If the old men with little time left are dawdling, we’ll have to force them to move.”
Jang Ilso slowly closed his eyes with a triumphant expression.
❀ ❀ ❀
"Report!"
Someone burst through the door, disregarding all decorum, and raised their voice.
"Word has come that Evil Tyrant Alliance's forces, led by Paegun, have reached Huangshan!"
Bop Jeong twitched his eyebrows and asked back.
"Already at Huangshan?"
“Yes! Beggar Union reported it.”
"...I see."
"Yes."
As the opened door closed, a sigh escaped Bop Jeong's lips as if it had been waiting. Jongni Hyeong, Kongtong Sect sect leader who had been sitting with a stiff expression, finally spoke.
"If it's Huangshan, isn't that the position that leads directly to Hefei when heading north?"
“…Yes, that’s correct.”
“H- How could this…”
Jongni Hyeong asked with a puzzled look on his face.
“Then shouldn’t we do something too, Bangjang?”
Bop Jeong closed his eyes in silence.
'How....'
While Jongni Hyeong felt the urgency about the immediate situation before them, something else was making Bop Jeong's insides boil.
‘Who would’ve thought that Namgung joining Heavenly Comrade Alliance would lead to this!’
Originally, this situation would never have occurred. When they crossed the lower reaches of the Yangtze, the land they should have had to cross was Anhui. Originally, Namgung Family would have stood there like a fortress.
If Namgung, who was called the leader of Five Great Family, had preserved their strength, even Evil Tyrant Alliance couldn't have easily invaded Anhui.
No matter how powerful Evil Tyrant Alliance is, if Namgung had just held them back for a while, Wudang and Shaolin could have sent reinforcements in that time.
But that solid fortress has now crumbled. Due to Namgung Family's absence and Wudang's Bongmun.
Wudang was one thing, but Namgung Family joining Heavenly Comrade Alliance was too fatal. If they had just stayed in Anhui and defended it instead of moving to Kugang, this wouldn’t have happened.
‘Namgung Hwang’s reckless move has led to this outcome.’
Bop Jeong let out another deep sigh, unable to shake his growing frustration.
At that moment, Peng Ye, the patriarch of Peng Family, spoke up.
"As Sect Leader Jongni says, we should first respond. If we let them cross the river, the damage will become uncontrollable."
Bop Jeong slowly opened his closed eyes.
'Paegun Jang Ilso.'
Among the countless people in the world, was there anyone else who could toy with others so painfully?
"What of Heavenly Comrade Alliance?"
"It seems they plan to move east following Paegun, but they haven't departed yet."
“…They’re being unusually slow.”
Bop Jeong’s voice carried a hint of displeasure. Jongni Hyeong glanced at him.
“I heard that Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword isn’t with Heavenly Comrade Alliance right now. Could that be why?”
Bop Jeong unconsciously bit his lip.
What a hopeless fool. When he was around, he caused so much trouble just by existing, and now that he’s gone, it’s a headache in its own way.
One could at least predict how Heavenly Comrade Alliance might act when Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword held the reins. But now, with Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword absent, Hyun Jong would be in control, and even the world-renowned Bop Jeong found it difficult to predict their course.
In the end, there was only one thing Bop Jeong could say.
“Let’s wait a little longer.”
"Bangjang! We don't have time. If they truly manage to cross the river..."
“I know.”
The damage to the commoners would be immense, and Anhui would fall into chaos in an instant.
"I do not take this lightly. But… we won’t be too late if we move after Heavenly Comrade Alliance makes their move."
A sigh escaped Jongni Hyeong's mouth.
Bop Jeong may not be wrong. That is, if only the opponent weren’t Jang Ilso.
Why doesn't he understand that by the time Jang Ilso's intentions become clear, irreversible events will have already occurred? Even after experiencing so much!
‘Even caution has its limits.’
Jongni Hyeong bit his lips tightly, chewing words he couldn't speak to Bop Jeong's face.
"Ba- Bangjang!"
Kwang!
Just then, the door burst open and someone rushed in.
"What is it?"
Bop Jeong's eyes widened, sensing something had happened.
“The, the enemies are crossing the river…!”
"What?"
He jumped to his feet.
"Jang Ilso at Huangshan is crossing the river? What do you mean?"
“N- No, it’s the water bandits! The water bandits!”
“What… What did you say?”
The messenger’s face turned completely pale.
"The Eighteen Water Fortress of the Yangtze River's fleet is attacking this place right now!"
Bop Jeong's wrinkled face turned pale in an instant.
|Note
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