Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1415. If you really wanted it, you should have grasped it (4)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
“...No.”
A groan-like voice suddenly escaped.
Everyone's complexion was pale, and Tang Gun-ak was simply frozen like iron armor.
Jang Ilso was heading for Sichuan Tang Family. Was there anyone here who couldn't understand what that meant?
Something terrible is sure to happen.
"Sh- Shouldn't we be doing something?"
A voice tinged with bewilderment leaked from Jo-Gol's mouth. But there was no one who could answer.
“No! We can’t just sit around...!”
"Gol-ah, calm down first."
“Calm down? Are you telling me to calm down right now? Do you not realize what it means that Jang Ilso is going to Tang Family!”
Jo-Gol's eyes were bloodshot.
Even if he had heard that Jang Ilso was heading to Mount Hua, Jo-Gol wouldn't have panicked this much. Of course, it would be painful as if his intestines were being torn out, but that he could endure and withstand.
Yes, the ancestral halls of Mount Hua held history, and their destruction would be unspeakably tragic... but in the end, they were just buildings.
But Tang Family was different.
Tang Family was a homeland where families connected by blood lived together. Besides those present here, hundreds of family members and retainers remained there. Hadn’t they already seen how they lived?
Those who make poisons. Those who craft hidden weapons. And those who will someday proudly stand as martial artists of Tang Family and fight side by side. All of those people remain wholly at the grounds of Sichuan Tang Family where Jang Ilso is heading at this moment.
It was a situation where all of them might lose their lives at once.
“Let’s go!”
Jo-Gol shouted like he was screaming out his soul.
"What is everyone doing? We must go immediately! Let's go to Sichuan. If we hurry, we might be able to stop him!"
“Gol-ah, calm down first!”
"This, damn it! I'm telling you this isn't the time to talk about calming down, Sahyung!"
Jo-Gol, uncharacteristically, glared at Yoon Jong. He even roughly shook off the hand on his shoulder.
Instead of scolding him, Yoon Jong let out a heavy sigh.
“It’s already too late. We....”
"What kind of weak talk is that? So we should just watch, since it's too late?"
When Jo-Gol glared fiercely, Yoon Jong pressed his lips tightly shut.
The truth was, what Jo-Gol’s shouting now was little more than a desperate outburst. But Yoon Jong couldn’t bring himself to criticize him. How could he not understand that feeling?
“That’s Soso’s home too!”
At those words, everyone’s gaze turned to Tang Soso.
Tang Soso's complexion was pale as she bit her lips and remained silent.
That face which had always been bright no matter what happened was now so pitiful it was painful to look at.
Jo-Gol clenched his fist and shouted.
“If no one else is going, I’ll go alone!”
“Hey, you crazy bastard! Now isn’t the time...!”
"I'll go too."
At that moment, someone added strength to Jo-Gol's words.
"We might be able to."
“Baek Cheon Dojang.”
Namgung Dowi looked back at Baek Cheon, who had spoken with a sunken voice. Even looking half-dead, Baek Cheon spoke with resolute certainty.
“It might not be too late. We have to go right now.”
“...That’s nonsense. Do you even know how far it is from here to Sichuan? And if we rush across the river now, we'll be annihilated. The water fortress fleet hasn't fully withdrawn yet."
Im Sobyeong weakly objected, but Baek Cheon's expression didn’t waver in the slightest.
"If we can't cross the river, then we simply won't."
“...Yes?”
Baek Cheon's gaze turned toward the retreating Evil Tyrant Alliance army.
"We can just break through, can't we?"
“....”
"If our goal is to reach Sichuan, we don't need to cross the river. We can follow the riverbank upstream to Sichuan."
“Bas- Baek Cheon-ah.”
Even Hyun Jong’s voice came out in a strained attempt to dissuade him.
Was he really suggesting they fight now, in the midst of all this? After seeing that overwhelming force with their own eyes?
"We have to go."
“First, calm down....”
"Do I look agitated to you?"
At those words, Hyun Jong fell silent.
Baek Cheon wasn’t wrong. There was no sign of agitation in his voice or expression.
“Those in Sichuan are also our comrades. I don’t know how to give up on comrades just because things are difficult.”
Everyone fell silent and stared at Baek Cheon.
It was an impossible task even if reconsidered a hundred times. Even if they departed immediately and moved with all their strength, by the time they reached Sichuan, Tang Family would be left without a single foundation stone.
And even if there was time to spare, if they tried to break through that Evil Tyrant Alliance army to get to Sichuan, they would have to accept enormous casualties.
There was no way Baek Cheon didn’t understand that. And yet he insists on going.
What words could anyone say in the face of that?
Even someone so battered and broken was still willing to fight.
"...We don’t have time to debate. I’ll carve the path forward, so Maengju-nim, please gather everyone's will to support from behind."
“Ba- Baek Cheon, you punk!”
Just as Baek Cheon was gripping his sword as if he had nothing more to say.
"Calm yourself, Acting Sect Leader."
A voice grabbed Baek Cheon by the nape. It was one even Baek Cheon couldn’t ignore.
Because it belonged to Tang Gun-ak.
“Quell your anger. If you fail to see reality clearly, you may make an irreversible mistake.”
The words were brutally calm, but how could one criticize someone who speaks this way about the disaster that has befallen him?
"If the enemy is Paegun, then rushing there now would already be too late."
Tang Gun-ak's face was extremely cold. Baek Cheon shouted urgently.
“But… But we have to at least try something!”
"What if that's exactly what Paegun wants?"
Baek Cheon's hand trembled slightly. Tang Gun-ak admonished him in a composed voice.
“Even if your very anger is part of his scheme, would you still speak as you do now?”
“That’s....”
Baek Cheon couldn’t finish his sentence. He bit down hard on his lip.
It was ridiculous. How could someone manipulate even a person’s emotions to suit their will?
But the problem was that their opponent was Jang Ilso. It seemed impossible, yet with him, it felt like he could hold even human emotions in the palm of his hand.
Tang Gun-ak calmly surveyed the rear area and said.
"Ho Gamyeong isn't coming."
“....”
"Maengju-nim. We should first join with Shaolin and then cross the river. We don't know what might happen here."
“Tang Gaju....”
A pained look flashed across Hyun Jong's face for a moment.
"Maengju-nim."
However, Tang Gun-ak did not even blink an eye. He spoke as if he guessed what Hyun Jong wanted to say.
"Do not underestimate Tang Family."
“....”
“We may not be a sect devoted to martial arts pursuit, but Tang Family is still Tang Family. Tang Family isn't a fearsome place because it's strong; it's strong because fearsome people gather there."
Those who heard these words shuddered slightly.
"Even if they are not martial artists, they are still those who bear the name of Tang. They will know how to protect themselves even if we do not go, so do not worry."
Various emotions flickered across Hyun Jong's face.
He understood what Tang Gun-ak was saying. He knew it was the right call.
But he couldn’t bring himself to nod in agreement.
How could a person do that? How could he agree, knowing that those words weren’t his true feelings?
As Hyun Jong remained silent, lips pressed tight, Tang Gun-ak turned to Maeng So.
“Gungju-nim.”
"Y- Yes. Speak."
“Please lead the alliance. At this moment, you’re the only one here capable of making a sound judgment.”
At that, the Beast Palace gungju clicked his tongue.
“Are you sure about this?”
Tang Gun-ak did not answer and simply stared at Maeng So. Understanding the meaning in his gaze, Maeng So let out a long sigh.
Adding unnecessary words to a martial artist who has already made up his mind would only be an insult.
"It's okay."
And the answer to Maeng So's question came from Tang Soso, not Tang Gun-ak.
“...They’re all exceptional people. They’ll find a way out. I’m sure of it.”
Tang Pae nodded as well.
“Tang Family’s mechanical formations and traps are not so easily breached. They’ll find a way.”
Everyone knew. Even they themselves didn't really believe it.
No matter how skilled the Sichuan Tang Family was with poisons and hidden weapons, without their elite force, it would be difficult to stand against Evil Tyrant Alliance.
But no one could point out this fact.
After a long silence, Maeng So finally spoke.
“First of all....”
He looked down for a moment. The desolate ground that had been occupied by Evil Tyrant Alliance was now being trodden by Ten Great Sects crossing the Yangtze.
“First of all… let’s join them. It would be best to discuss this together. We're not the only ones in crisis, so they must be anxious too."
Some nodded.
The fire under their feet wasn't just burning Heavenly Comrade Alliance. If anything, those who would be more desperate would be Qingcheng and Emei, which was to say, Ten Great Sects who were the first targets of invasion.
“Maengju-nim!”
“...I understand.”
Hyun Jong nodded. He knew there was no other choice.
“Let’s go.”
Hyun Jong took the lead and stepped onto the lands of Nanjing. Toward that desolate ground where Evil Tyrant Alliance had been standing until just moments ago.
The other Heavenly Comrade Alliance members followed suit.
As Jo-Gol gritted his teeth and pushed forward, Yoon Jong’s quiet voice reached his ears.
“Gol-ah, are you okay?”
"...What do you mean?"
"...Isn’t your family near Tang Family?"
Jo-Gol shut his mouth.
Right. It was right in front of Tang Family. The Sahae Merchant Guild where his family was.
“You....”
“That’s not important right now.”
Jo-Gol cut him off flatly, then picked up speed and ran ahead. Yoon Jong bit his lip as he watched his back.
'Jang Ilso!'
Yoon Jong had never imagined he could hate someone this much in his life.
‘How far do you intend to go?’
His gaze shifted to Chung Myung, still unconscious.
'Please....'
He knew.
That hoping for anything more from Chung Myung right now was not just cruel, but outright brutal.
But despite that, Yoon Jong couldn't help but hope.
Because in this situation, the only person who could remain unshaken was Chung Myung.
Even if he couldn’t swing his sword once, just the fact that he was conscious would have been enough to give comfort to so many.
Before Yoon Jong could finish that regretful thought, Hyun Jong came face to face with Bop Jeong who had crossed the river.
“...Bangjang.”
Bop Jeong, completely soaked from the river and confirming Evil Tyrant Alliance’s military force had withdrawn, silently gazed at Hyun Jong. Then he asked.
"What do you think?"
Hyun Jong couldn’t bring himself to speak right away, but forced his mouth open.
“Paegun… Sichuan….”
“I asked what you think.”
Bop Jeong’s gaze was chillingly cold.
“I’m asking how it feels to have offered others as sacrifices to Evil Tyrant Alliance in exchange for your reckless bravado!”
Bop Jeong’s furious shout rang sharply in Hyun Jong's ears.
|Note
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