Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1453. I look forward to your kind cooperation (3)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
“Let’s see… The assets in the warehouse right now….”
"General Chief! How many sacks of rice do we have right now?"
"I- I don't carry the ledgers around..."
"Wouldn’t it be better to just send someone to Bukhae to retrieve the ledgers instead?"
“That is absolutely not possible!”
"Huh? Why?"
"Then those people will point fingers at us, saying the General Chief can't even grasp how much property his sect has? I can’t stand seeing that even if I were to die! I’d rather bite my tongue and die!”
“....”
"Hmm. Let's see, so the Night Luminous Pearl..."
Han Yi-myung started tugging at his hair again. Seol So-baek shook his head repeatedly. Though he felt quite sorry for him...
'Still, compared to that, it's a blessing in disguise.'
The real battlefield was elsewhere.
"Weren’t there thirty-seven strongholds?"
"Shouldn’t it be thirty-eight?"
"Didn't one close down last month?"
“We opened two more this month.”
"...This is driving me crazy."
Namgung Dowi muttered like a man freshly threshed. His sunken eyes hinted at the extreme hardship he was currently experiencing.
He was the sogaju of Namgung Family, and had lived solely for martial arts with little concern for finances. Being suddenly thrust into the role of acting patriarch while trying to reorganize Namgung Family was already overwhelming. There was no way he could keep track of every detail of the family’s wealth.
"Um... I'll try to handle this somehow, Sogaju, you should..."
"No, Uncle. This too is the Sogaju's duty. I cannot shirk it."
"Then at least try to be helpful."
"What?"
“N- No. It’s nothing.”
Namgung Dowi was blankly looking at Namgung Myung when suddenly a mocking voice rang in his ear.
"Hahaha. It seems the noble Namgung Family can't even grasp how much wealth they have."
Namgung Dowi gritted his teeth and snapped his head to the side. Im Sobyeong was fluttering his fan annoyingly with a smirk in his eyes.
“Tsk, tsk. How can a yangban called the patriarch be so incompetent? No, is that why you’re just a sogaju? Haha, I guess you’ll be a sogaju for the rest of your life.”
“You....”
Flames flickered in Namgung Dowi’s eyes.
"Ah, I see Nokrim has already finished their assessment, befitting a sect that lives by robbery? That’s why you’ve got time to poke your nose into other sects’ business?"
"Hoho. What do you take me for? I'm aware of every single grain of millet in Nokrim's assets! I've already completed the ledger."
"...Impressive."
Though he was filled with the desire to mock, he had to close his mouth in the face of the claim that everything was already done.
Nokrim has grain coming in even at this moment from seventy-two branches spread across the world. Keeping track of all that in real time was no small feat.
"...Are you sure you’re not bluffing?"
“Hahaha. Typical of a fool. When you can’t comprehend another’s brilliance, you resort to mockery. With such a lack of trust."
"Ugh..."
"From what I can see, Sogaju, you need to put in more effort. Tsk, tsk."
Just as Namgung Dowi was gritting his teeth and about to lose his temper, Tang Gun-ak happened to pass by and threw out a line.
“Nokrim can’t help it. The people guarding Nokrim are all bandits and robbers, so if they don’t keep track, not a single grain of rice will be left.”
Im Sobyeong kept his mouth shut. Like a mute who had eaten honey. Namgung Dowi nodded his head sharply without missing the opportunity.
"Ah, of course. Now I understand. You must have quite a struggle."
As Namgung Dowi snickered, Im Sobyeong's face distorted. And now the arrow turned to Tang Family.
“Oh, really? Then Tang Family, who trust each other so firmly, must have naturally finished their ledger already?"
“That’s right.”
“Huh? Already?”
Tang Gun-ak smiled faintly.
“Weren’t all the wealth in Sichuan burned or plundered? There's not much to record."
“...I’m sorry.”
"...Stay strong."
Im Sobyeong and Namgung Dowi both bowed their heads with solemn expressions. Tang Gun-ak just shook his head.
'Still, this is fortunate.'
Chung Myung gave the order as if it were nothing, but in fact, it was a more sensitive issue than one might think. Revealing a sect’s entire financial records was no small thing.
That’s why, even though this was Heavenly Comrade Alliance and everyone professed strong mutual trust, he assumed they would all try to hide a bit here and there, watching each other closely. But surprisingly, everyone was actively revealing the sect's assets.
The reason was probably trust...
"Hahah? Is that all, Namgung Family? Less impressive than the rumors!"
“This is only one-third of our wealth!”
"We haven't even recorded the assets of our mountain stronghold excluding Nokchae yet!"
“Ha! Even so, it’s just a den of bandits. What’s a bunch of bandit strongholds gonna amount to?"
“This guy is ignoring bandits now? You think you have that much money? I wasn't going to reveal this, but we have a business establishment in Anhui too! The most popular gambling house in Anhui is ours!”
“What? That gambling house was yours? I thought that was Wudang’s! You insane Evil Sects bastards opened a gambling den in the middle of Anhui? You got a death wish?”
Uh....
...Anyway, honesty is what matters.
Meanwhile, Hyun Young was also scolding Baek Sang for the ledger writing. Watching the scene, Chung Myung let out a quiet chuckle.
Mount Hua could just pull out its ledger once they reached Huayin, but Elder Hyun Young was also very thorough in this regard. Well, that's also why Chung Myung could pull off something like this.
“But you look pretty relaxed?”
“Me? As you know, the Beast Palace doesn’t have much in the way of assets.”
“Still, you guys made some money with the tea trade, didn’t you?”
"Do you think I would manage that?"
Maeng So's muscles rippled. It was a bizarre yet marvelous sight no matter when you saw it. Chung Myung smiled awkwardly.
“Probably not.”
“Right. The guys below handle that. And... hmm, I’m not sure. Even if I do have wealth, I wonder if I could even bring them all the way out here.”
“Ugh.”
Chung Myung let out a groan. Then he glanced at Maeng So’s face and spoke in an unusually cautious voice.
"Are you alright?"
"What do you mean?"
“Beast Palace. The enemy headed to Jeomchang.”
It was only natural for Chung Myung to be cautious. The southern edge of Yunnan, where Evil Tyrant Alliance had gathered, was also home to the Beast Palace. The situation was such that no one avoided mentioning it, but there was no guarantee that those bastards would not attack the Beast Palace as well.
"You worry needlessly. Haven't you all seen it?"
“That’s true, but....”
However, there was only one reason why Chung Myung did not take active action to help the Southern Beast Palace.
“Behind Beast Palace is an expansive jungle. No matter how impressive those bastards are, tracking people inside that jungle is difficult. If they make up their minds to flee, they can escape easily enough."
Chung Myung nodded slowly.
“But if it were that easy, no one would have worried when Magyo bastards invaded.”
“The situation is different.”
Maeng So shook his head.
"Magyo was determined to kill us all. But Evil Tyrant Alliance bastards are different, aren't they? They have no reason to break through that treacherous jungle just to kill off those who aren't even a threat. They're not as headstrong as you."
"...Are you insulting me right now?"
“Did it sound that way to you? Haha.”
Maeng So laughed with a booming voice and then slapped Chung Myung's back with a thud.
"Aaack!"
"Huh?"
Maeng So clicked his tongue as he looked at the toppled Chung Myung.
“Tsk, tsk. Your body must’ve gotten quite weak. You stumble from just that?”
“...Can you please consider your own strength?”
“I did hit lightly.”
“...If you hit hard, I would have met King Yama?”
Chung Myung grumbled as he got up. Maeng So smiled brightly.
"Anyway, you needn't worry. Our palace disciples aren’t that foolish. If they just sat there after seeing Jeomchang burn, they would have no excuse even in death.”
“You’re cold.”
“That’s only natural. You’re just worrying too much.”
Chung Myung let out a deep sigh.
"Thanks for at least saying that."
"I'm not saying this to put your mind at ease. From what I’ve seen firsthand, Paegun is no ordinary man.”
“....”
“If we don’t stop him now, Beast Palace will be trampled eventually. We can’t invite a bigger crisis just to avoid the immediate crisis.”
Chung Myung nodded. Maeng So was a man of deep thought. If he said this much, it was safe to assume the Beast Palace wouldn’t suffer major losses.
"Anyway, it's rather embarrassing with the situation as it is. It seems only we and Hainan Sect can't help with money..."
“Huh? Hainan Sect?”
“Hmm? Ahhh… come to think of it, I didn’t get to explain properly.”
“Makes sense. Tang Gaju started this affair right after we joined up. Is Hainan Sect coming here?"
“That’s right.”
"Then why didn't they come right away?"
At those words, Maeng So smiled bitterly.
"They said they would come after holding the sect leader’s funeral."
“Ah....”
Chung Myung's expression darkened instantly. So it had come to that after all.
"When did he pass away?"
“He was an incredible man. He persevered until they crossed the Yangtze River.”
Chung Myung nodded silently. It seemed the thread he had been barely holding onto had finally snapped the moment his disciples' safety was secured.
“I see.”
Chung Myung looked toward the western sky. He didn’t have any deep connection with the man, but the figure he had shown during their escape from Gangnam had been nothing short of admirable.
"Since the destination was unclear, they said they would build a temporary shrine near the Yangtze and hold a three-day funeral."
“Is it a cat temple?”
“It must be a promise to return to Hainan Island someday.”
The promise to return. Chung Myung silently repeated those words in his heart and gently closed his eyes. That must be it. Just as they had done.
Maeng So glanced down at Chung Myung and asked.
“Do you feel burdened?”
"It would be a lie to say no, but..."
Chung Myung opened his eyes and gave a faint smile.
"Hard to say. I don’t know. I still think listening to others comes first. I’m not as great as everyone seems to believe."
Maeng So stared at Chung Myung quietly. As if waiting for his next words.
“But now that it’s come to this, I wonder if somewhere in my heart I’ve always wished for this to happen.”
"You must have felt frustrated."
“No, that’s not it.”
"Hmm?"
"I have to repay them."
Maeng So’s mouth snapped shut. A chilling gleam shimmered in Chung Myung’s eyes. That cold light was fixed in the direction of the south.
Sichuan. Where Paegun Jang Ilso would be.
“I’ve had many moments where I thought someone needed to be brought down.”
“Hmm.”
"But this is only the second time I've felt that I absolutely, without fail, must kill and eradicate someone."
"...What happened to the first?"
“He died. No, I had killed him.”
Maeng So frowned. It was a statement not immediately comprehensible. 'Had killed him.' But he decided not to probe further. The cold emanating from Chung Myung made him hesitant to ask more.
A man’s face flashed before Chung Myung's eyes. The curled red lips in a mocking sneer. Just picturing them made Chung Myung's lips twist upward in kind.
"So I must make him understand. What he has done."
From Chung Myung's waist, the Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword let out a long sword cry.
|Note
Chung Myung phrase of “I had killed him” suggest an action that was completed in the past but has some disconnection or change in status since then. My grammar suck
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