Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1394. You're making fun of people (4)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
It was dark and damp. A dried-up stench pierced his nose. But even that foul odor now felt dull.
It was all too familiar for Chung Myung.
The smell of death. That smell filled the surroundings as if he already had one foot set between life and death.
It wasn’t anything new. Since some time, this smell has never left his vicinity. Like the scent of blood that wouldn't disappear no matter how much he washed.
"Still alive?"
Chung Myung turned his head slightly at the question. Seeing who had entered the cave, he slowly nodded.
"Damn, human life is surprisingly tenacious.”
Hearing those words, Chung Myung leaned his head against the cave wall with an indifferent expression and asked.
"What about those bastards?"
“They still don’t seem to know where we are… But they’re probably setting up a perimeter. It’s not like this is our first time, right?”
“I guess so.”
Tang Bo clicked his tongue and frowned after examining Chung Myung's condition.
“Let me see. Looks like it's festering."
"Leave it. I won’t die."
“The ones who die always say that. Move your arm.”
Chung Myung frowned slightly, but Tang Bo paid no attention and roughly pushed his arm aside. A soft groan escaped from Chung Myung's mouth.
"Ugh, damn..."
“Well, looks like it hurts.”
Tang Bo rolled up Chung Myung's sleeves and immediately grimaced. A long cut from the armpit to the lower abdomen. It was a wound that had already been treated once, but it had festered, and rotten blood and pus were oozing out.
"Does Hyung-nim’s mouth perhaps not know how to utter the word 'treatment'? Or is your brain so clean that the concept doesn’t even exist? Did you even finish the Thousand Character Classic?”
"Shut your mouth. You’re annoying."
"Crazy bastard."
Tang Bo grumbled as he skillfully cut away the threads stitching Chung Myung's wounds. Even as Tang Bo sliced into the infected flesh, Chung Myung simply endured in silence.
After a brief pause, Chung Myung asked,
"Any liquor left?"
"Not even enough for disinfection."
“Gimme.”
"No, you madman. How many times do I have to tell you? There's not enough for disinfection."
"I heard you. Gimme."
"Hah..."
Tang Bo looked at Chung Myung as if dumbfounded, then shook his head. He then untied the liquor attached to his waist and threw it toward Chung Myung's face.
“Drink it and drop dead.”
Tak.
Chung Myung caught the bottle in front of his face and skillfully opened the lid with one hand. He poured the liquor into his mouth in one go, then closed his eyes and leaned his head against the cave wall. Tang Bo muttered, almost sighing,
“Are you possessed by a ghost that died from not drinking enough?”
"Opposite. I'm drinking before turning into one. Can’t drink when I'm dead."
"Hah..."
Tang Bo shook his head as if he didn’t even want to argue and went back to examining Chung Myung's wound. He squeezed out the pus and cut away the dead flesh. It would be enough to make an ordinary person faint, but a martial artist like Chung Myung could endure it.
"We don't even have clean cloth, damn it! I need to disinfect with alcohol."
But Chung Myung pretended not to hear and continued to gulp down the liquor. Tang Bo glared and swallowed his curses. It was his mistake to try to talk to this man.
Tang Bo, who had applied the last remaining golden ointment to Chung Myung's wounds, slumped down next to Chung Myung.
“Just give it to me.”
“There’s nothing left to…”
“I’m drinking too, so hand it over!”
Chung Myung chuckled and finally handed the liquor bottle to Tang Bo. Tang Bo snatched it irritably and gulped it down.
“Save some.”
“Better I drink it than waste it on a dying patient.”
Chung Myung chuckled. That wasn't entirely wrong.
Putting down the bottle, Tang Bo's gaze turned toward the cave entrance. Right now, the demonic cultists were swarming outside like ants. It wouldn’t be long before their hiding place was discovered.
"Look here, Taoist Hyung-nim."
“What?”
“You think we can make it back alive?”
"Who knows?"
An indifferent answer came back. Tang Bo sighed.
"That's why I said we should've just let that damned bishop bastard go. Does it make sense to come this far just to take his head? If we die here, that’s practically dying of natural causes! Natural causes!”
"But we killed the one who needed killing, didn't we?”
"I'm saying we're about to die, though?"
“Nothing we can do about it.”
Tang Bo silently tugged at his hair and muttered something unintelligible. Anyone could guess, without needing translation, that it was unspeakable profanity directed at Chung Myung.
'About to die, huh...'
A strange smile formed at the corners of Chung Myung's lips.
So what of it?
It’s not like one or two people have died and collapsed on this godforsaken land. They’ve all turned into rotting corpses, swarming with flies. What difference does it make if Chung Myung’s corpse is added to the pile?
While alive, one simply does what needs to be done. He couldn’t abandon what needed to be done just because death might be the price.
"Sometimes when I look at you, Taoist Hyung-nim."
"...Hm?"
“You seem like someone whose head is somehow broken."
“....”
“No, well. I mean, how many of those so-called ‘absolute masters’ are actually sane?”
“That goes for you too.”
Tang Bo momentarily lost his words, then burst out laughing.
“That’s true. If I were in my right mind, I wouldn't be sticking around someone like you."
“At least you know.”
Chung Myung snatched the liquor bottle from Tang Bo’s hand and took a swig. Then he firmly pressed the cork back into place.
Slowly getting to his feet, he clenched and unclenched his fist lightly before nodding and handing the bottle back to Tang Bo.
“Tie it well so it won’t break.”
"Yes?"
“We’ll need to finish it when we get back.”
“…You’re going out now?”
"The encirclement will be harder to breach if it becomes tighter. Let's move."
Tang Bo looked at Chung Myung with a dumbfounded expression.
Of course, Chung Myung's words weren’t wrong. The longer they delayed, the thicker the enemy’s encirclement would become, making escape more difficult and dangerous. Their odds of survival would only drop further.
But shouldn't such things be said after considering a person's condition? In Chung Myung's current state, could they really break through that encirclement?
Tang Bo bit down hard on the inside of his cheek and spoke.
“No, Hyung-nim… If we wait a little longer, reinforcements might come. Taoist Cheong Mun Jin…”
But there was no response. Tang Bo also let out a deep sigh.
In truth, he also knows. That the main force is not in a position to support two people right now. Wasn't it originally Chung Myung who recklessly aimed for the bishop's neck to save the main force that had been ambushed?
In a situation where just managing the aftermath was overwhelming, sending reinforcements would be impossible.
“If you're done whining, get up.”
“Who’s whining…?”
Tang Bo eventually grumbled but rose to his feet. His eyes quickly scanned Chung Myung’s body again.
“Can you fight?”
“I’m probably stronger than you.”
“…I swear, Taoist Hyung-nim, you’re definitely going to hell.”
“How original.”
Chung Myung stepped out of the cave without hesitation.
The sword in his hand felt heavy. His body, staggering with every step, had long since escaped his control.
The stench of death stung his nose, thicker than ever. Somewhere on the mountain spread before him now might become his humble grave. He said quietly.
“Don’t fall behind.”
"Who are you saying that to?"
Chung Myung chuckled. That’s more like it.
Kwang!
As he kicked off the ground and charged into the forest, his eyes caught sight of demonic cultists clad in black robes. They immediately rushed at him with blood-red eyes.
Chung Myung’s sword swung indifferently, slicing through the necks of the cultists in one swift motion.
Hot blood splashed onto his face. The warmth of what had been alive and breathing just moments ago would soon scatter and grow cold. Like this blood, which was rapidly losing its warmth even now.
“More coming!”
Tang Bo’s thrown dagger flashed through the air like lightning. Chung Myung's eyes twitched slightly as he spat out the blood pooled in his mouth.
‘Maybe I should’ve taken one more sip?’
The thick smell of blood completely overwhelmed the lingering taste of liquor in his mouth.
‘I’ll drink until I pass out once we get back.’
What if he couldn’t return?
Well, he’d probably regret not finishing that drink. That's all.
Paaaat!
He deflects the sword rushing toward him. But perhaps due to his injuries, his reaction was slightly delayed, and he couldn't prevent the sword from grazing his side.
Pushing the now-nauseating pain out of his consciousness, Chung Myung swung his sword. Another life was mercilessly cut short.
‘No one wants to die.’
But some people weren't particularly desperate to live either. For example, those who were sick of just living and breathing.
“Tang Bo.”
“You’re talking in a situation like this?”
Tang Bo asked incredulously while moving busily. Chung Myung pierced a cultist's heart with the tip of his sword and spoke calmly.
“Will you return to Tang Family when the war ends?”
“What, should I head to Mount Hua instead? Where else would I go?”
Chung Myung chuckled. Now that he thought about it, it was a stupid question.
Paaaat!
Tang Bo spoke as he threw the retrieved dagger again.
“Want to wander around with me or something?”
“Wandering, huh....”
“If there’s nothing else to do, we might as well do something like that.”
“...Not bad.”
Chung Myung muttered, ruminating on Tang Bo's words that rang in his ears.
Better than returning to an empty Mount Hua. Better than watching Cheong Mun rot away in self-blame for having survived.
“Then quit rambling and grip your sword properly. You must survive first before do wandering or whatever!”
“Right. Let’s have a drink first when we get back.”
“I got it already, just look straight ahead!”
Chung Myung laughed.
Wandering didn’t sound bad. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to follow that guy to Tang Family and spend his days as a guest. Perhaps returning to Mount Hua might not be as terrible as he thought either.
Even if it meant living as a hollow shell, it would still be better than rotting away completely.
Chung Myung adjusted his grip.
But even amid all this, the thought that he could have had one more sip didn't disappear.
The cultists were surging forward like a dark mass. The corners of Chung Myung's mouth twisted with killing intent.
“No matter how many of you come…”
Chung Myung bared his teeth, radiating a ferocious killing intent.
“I won’t die until I cut off that Heavenly Demon bastard’s head.”
Chung Myung, the Sword Sovereign, propelled himself forward with all his remaining strength.
❀ ❀ ❀
His fingers wouldn’t grip properly.
His head, propped against a tree trunk, kept sliding sideways. It felt like his consciousness would slip away if he let his guard down for even a moment. The two eyes briefly visible through hair soaked in blood looked precarious, as if their light would extinguish at any moment.
Where was this place again?
A burning thirst overtook him. It was unbearable. Amid the overwhelming lethargy that enveloped his entire body, only the thirst remained vivid.
Jjojok.
No sooner had his lips parted slightly than his parched lips cracked and blood seeped out.
“Liquor…”
His head tilted back.
He gazed at the distant dawn breaking across the sky. Though it was just a glimpse through the dense trees, it was intensely beautiful.
"...Should have brought some with me."
A faint laugh, as if it would break at any moment, escaped through his cracked lips.
"Over here!"
The brief peace was shattered as the surroundings instantly grew chaotic.
Udeuk.
Chung Myung reflexively gripped his Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword.
"Not even... a moment's rest. Damn bastards."
Snickering, Chung Myung turned his head to glare at those rushing toward him.
‘How did I make it back alive then?’
He couldn’t remember well.
Perhaps it was because he’d been through too many such situations.
Perhaps because it was too distant a memory.
And perhaps...
Kwang.
Chung Myung threw himself forward with all the strength he could muster. Behind him, Myriad Man Manor martial artists followed closely, their eyes flashing with malice.
|Note
Thank you so much for the chapter