Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1412. If you really wanted it, you should have gotten it (1)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
“...Sichuan?”
"Yes?"
Ho Gamyeong's face twisted strangely as he looked at the prostrate man.
“You say he headed for Sichuan?”
"Yes! Ryeonju-nim instructed us to report the situation as soon as the troops arrived."
Ho Gamyeong was speechless for a moment. As he raised his head, he could see Evil Tyrant Alliance forces withdrawing their feet from Nanjing.
Amidst the chaos, one figure standing awkwardly in the center of the shattered carriage caught his eye.
Jang Ilso. No, someone with an appearance similar to Jang Ilso.
A man trembling in fear, dressed in the robes and adorned with the ornaments that only Jang Ilso in all the world would wear.
Ho Gamyeong knew exactly who he was. Of course he knew. It had been none other than Hogamyeong himself who had devised the plan to use Jang Ilso's distinctive appearance to ensure his safety.
- Shadow warrior?
- Yes, Lord Ryeonju. It is absolutely necessary.
- Don't we have the Thousand-Face Gentleman?
- He's difficult to use at will. Please allow me.
- Hmm, Gamyeong. You always worry too much and do unnecessary things.
- Lord Ryeonju.
- Haa, do as you please. I likely won’t have much use for it.
“Ha.... Haha....”
A soft laugh escaped Ho Gamyeong's lips. The entire situation unfolded in his mind as clearly as if he were seeing it all at once.
“Hahahahahahahaha!”
That suppressed laughter gradually swelled, transforming into a great burst of mad laughter utterly uncharacteristic of Ho Gamyeong.
How like Jang Ilso. Devastatingly Jang Ilso-like.
He casually twisted the reality that the whole world had trusted beyond doubt, and treated Ho Gamyeong’s earnest preparations as trivial, yet used them without hesitation when needed.
Every bit of it was so Jang Ilso.
He deceives everyone. The world, Evil Tyrant Alliance, Heavenly Comrade Alliance, Ten Great Sects.
Even Ho Gamyeong, who followed him most closely.
“Haha....”
When his laughter subsided, Ho Gamyeong exhaled a long breath.
'Since when?'
Not even Ryeonju could have predicted Heavenly Comrade Alliance scum would show up in Hainan Sect.
Then it means from the moment he learned Heavenly Comrade Alliance bastards had come to Hainan Island and Ho Gamyeong was pursuing them, he had drawn out all of this.
Within that short span of time, Jang Ilso practically toyed with the entire world as though it sat in the palm of his hand.
A shiver ran down Ho Gamyeong’s spine, his skin prickling with goosebumps.
"Did Lord Ryeonju-nim... leave any separate instructions for me?"
Ho Gamyeong, who posed the question, slightly narrowed his eyes. As if he had expected this question, the prostrated man raised his head and looked up at Ho Gamyeong.
“Lord Ryeonju said... there was no need to relay anything as Advisor-nim would already know what he must do."
“....”
"However, the Lord did say that upon your arrival, command over all forces gathered here would be transferred to Advisor-nim."
Ho Gamyeong laughed. Even this response was so Jang Ilso.
Ho Gamyeong shook his head and stared blankly at the forces.
“Who’s in control of them now?”
"For now, the adjutants of the Military Strategy Division are moving according to prearranged orders from Lord Ryeonju-nim."
“Where are they?”
"On the left, at the center of Myriad Man Manor."
Ho Gamyeong's eyes sank coldly.
"I'll go there. I must reclaim control."
If Jang Ilso wished to trample on Sichuan, there was only one thing he must do. To shackle the forces here, ensuring none go to Sichuan.
Afterward, he would naturally go to Sichuan himself.
“Move, now!”
“Yes, Advisor-nim!”
A subtle light flickered in Ho Gamyeong's quickly moving eyes. Even he found it difficult to explain the emotion he was experiencing.
'Lord Ryeonju.'
Ho Gamyeong felt a clear unease about Mount Hua and the Plum Blossom Sword Demon. And he thought that Jang Ilso was extremely generous towards Plum Blossom Sword Demon. He thought that perhaps that generosity and leeway might one day come to strangle Lord Ryeonju.
That was why he was obsessed with them, and wanted to kill them by his own hands by any means necessary.
But even his desperate pursuit, ready to sacrifice his life to chase them, was to Jang Ilso merely a useful piece to be exploited.
Someone's piece. A chess piece that could be used as needed.
So....
‘How could one not be in awe?’
How could anyone not pledge loyalty to one who could turn even himself, Shaolin, and the world-shaking Mount Hua and Heavenly Comrade Alliance into mere chess pieces?
Even if the world held more people than grains of sand, only Jang Ilso could create such a spectacle.
Ho Gamyeong’s gaze shifted abruptly. The leaders of Heavenly Comrade Alliance he had persistently pursued were gathered there.
The distance was too great to discern their expressions, but he didn't need to see with his eyes to know. What expressions they must be wearing now.
'How pitiful.'
Though they had been his bitter enemies, in this moment, Ho Gamyeong felt something almost like pity for them.
If they had committed any mistake, it was only one.
Making an enemy of Jang Ilso.
❀ ❀ ❀
A suffocating silence descended.
All the leaders of Heavenly Comrade Alliance stood speechless. People often speak of being at a loss for words, but never had it felt so painfully apt as now.
“This.... This is....”
Even when they forced their mouths open, no words came. The jumbled words in their heads only scattered chaotically through their minds, utterly failing to form sentences. Only the words ‘bewilderment’ and ‘despair’ remained vivid.
"Wha- What are you saying? Jang Ilso is not here? Then what is that guy over there? He's right there, Jang Ilso!"
Jo-Gol, panicked and flustered, finally shouted as if unable to comprehend. His fingertip pointed to the man in the red robe standing amid the settling cloud of dust.
"...That’s not Jang Ilso."
“W- Who else in this godforsaken world would dress so flamboyantly in this whole world, if not that bastard…!”
Jo-Gol, who was about to refute Baekcheon, suddenly trailed off mid-sentence. He realized as he was speaking.
There was only one person in the world who goes around looking like that—Jang Ilso.
Which was precisely why it had been so easy to impersonate.
If someone were dressed in that red robe and those ornaments, wearing that distinctive makeup, who would ever doubt he was Jang Ilso?
Unless you got close enough to scrutinize him, from any distance where you couldn’t feel his oppressive aura, anyone in the world would’ve sworn it was him.
They need not look far. Hadn't those present here just done the same?
“…Why didn’t we suspect it? Why…”
Baek Cheon bit his lips.
From the moment they saw that massive carriage, everyone just assumed Jang Ilso was inside. How could it be otherwise? This was the moment the fate of the world would be decided. In such a moment, the idea that Jang Ilso would withdraw was something that couldn't exist in common sense. At least in Baek Cheon's common sense.
This wasn't Baek Cheon's fault. No one in the world would have thought of such a thing.
Just then, someone’s voice rang out in near-hysteria.
"Then where is Jang Ilso? Where the hell is that bastard right now!"
An indescribable unease began to creep over them all.
Myriad Man Manor suffered many casualties while chasing Heavenly Comrade Alliance. The problem was that Jang Ilso was absolutely not someone who would accept losses. If he intended to let go those whom he had pursued at such sacrifice, he would naturally demand even greater damage in return.
What on earth could it be?
A prey greater than the opportunity to trample the entire Heavenly Comrade Alliance.
“Thi- This is ridiculous. There’s no place in the current Kangho with greater forces gathered than here!”
Everyone nodded at Namgung Dowi’s outburst.
“Then what in the world....”
Then, a weak voice cut through.
“That’s… that’s not it.”
"Huh?"
All eyes turned to the speaker. It was Im Sobyeong, collapsed with a vacant look on his face.
"Greater... that's not it. From the beginning, this place wasn't an appetizing prey to him."
“What are you talking about, Nokrim King?”
"...If it's Jang Ilso, he would have considered the situation where Bop Jeong would cross the river. Even with the Four Evil Sects' military forces gathered, it would result in a battle with no guaranteed outcome. A battle where winning would gain many things, but losing would end everything. No... even with victory, it should be seen as a battle requiring tremendous casualties."
Hyun Jong nodded.
Certainly, Righteous Sects assembled here were formidable enough for that. With Shaolin, Peng Family, and Kontong joining Heavenly Comrade Alliance, even Heavenly Comrade Alliance couldn’t take them lightly.
“But… that bastard never cared for that kind of fight in the first place.”
“...Yes?”
“Because he’s exactly that kind of bastard! Damn it, because he's been that kind of bastard from the start! He most ridicules taking difficult paths when easy prey is lying in wait. To him, there were always targets he could devour without shedding a drop of blood! Weak points he could crush with overwhelming force!"
Resentment permeated Im Sobyeong's exhausted face.
This was on a completely different level from being outmatched by Ho Gamyeong in reading the situation. Jang Ilso had never even stepped onto the board Im Sobyeong was viewing. No, Im Sobyeong himself had been nothing more than a piece in the game Jang Ilso was playing.
The despair when an absolute casually picking him up and placing him somewhere came over him. A terrible sense of helplessness came over Im Sobyeong.
“Th‑ Then where exactly is he now?”
“...cheng.”
"What?"
“Qingcheng! Sichuan. He's definitely trampling Qingcheng right now, accompanied by his hidden forces and Hao Sect. Unlike here, Qingcheng belongs to one of Ten Great Sects that made no preparations for war.”
Everyone’s face paled. Im Sobyeong continued,
"And of course, he’ll burn Emei right after. Once Qingcheng is shattered in a surprise attack, Emei will stand alone. With the combined strength of Myriad Man Manor and Hao Sect, isolating and crushing Qingcheng and Emei is nothing.”
A silence so deep you could hear a pin drop descended.
“Thoroughly....”
Countless memories flowed through Im Sobyeong's head like pictures.
The grueling journey from Hainan Island to here, the desperate fight where they threw everything away just to survive.
But that was nothing more than a rat hunt for Jang Ilso. While everyone's attention was drawn to that clamorous rat hunt, Jang Ilso had leisurely walked with muddy feet into the inner sanctum of Righteous Sects.
"We were thoroughly toyed with. Thoroughly..."
At that moment, one person who had been listening quietly opened his mouth.
“What's next?”
“...Yes?”
Yoo Iseol locked eyes with Im Sobyeong with an expressionless face.
“Qingcheng, Emei. Where to next?”
“Next....”
Im Sobyeong slowly turned his head. Instantly, everyone’s gaze followed his to one person.
At the end of their stares stood a man whose face had gone deathly pale.
“…Tang Family.”
The patriarch of Sichuan Tang Family, Poison King Tang Gun-ak.
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