Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1543. Isn't that good enough? (3)
Editor: Hoamz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
The Yangtze River.
“Elder-nim!”
"This, this is..."
Ciwu Beggar Neung Sam's eyes trembled as he stood on the riverbank.
He could see dozens of ships floating on the Yangtze River. One might say it was nothing great, as there were only a few dozen. They were a motley assortment of small skiffs, fishing boats, and other makeshift vessels.
Yet, Neng Sam's panic was simple: the ‘dozens’ he saw were only what was visible to his eyes.
The Yangtze River is wide. It divides Jungwon in half.
If this were happening across the entire region of the Yangtze, how many ships were truly floating on it right now?
Hundreds? Or thousands? Or perhaps...?
Ciwu Beggar's back became damp with cold sweat.
"Have you reported to headquarters?"
"We reported immediately with the fastest means."
Neung Sam bit his lip hard.
What difference would reporting make?
There was no way to respond. How could they stop those who had crossed the river from spreading throughout the entire Central Plains in groups of four or five? It wasn't as if they could guard the entirety of the long Yangtze River.
“What on earth are they thinking?”
No matter how much he thought, he couldn't understand.
Military forces only had meaning when gathered together. Shaolin was undoubtedly a great sect, but if they were scattered one by one throughout the entire Jungwon, they wouldn't be able to exert even one-tenth of their true power.
Evil Tyrant Alliance, who should know that full well, was now dispersing their entire fighting strength and pushing them into Gangbuk. Why?
“Elder-nim!”
Neung Sam bit his lip again at the urgent voice from behind.
“Request aid from Ten Great Sects first. We attack as soon as those bastards touch land."
"However..."
"I know!"
Dealing with what they see now won't change the situation.
But...
"We can’t just stand by and do nothing, can we! We have to do something! Hurry and go!”
“Yes, Elder-nim! Understood.”
Neung Sam clenched his fists tightly.
'To think we would be this powerless...'
Watching the ships swarm in so densely they seemed to stretch to the horizon, he had an intuition.
From here on, nothing that would happen could be judged by the common sense of war he had known until now.
* * *
Clink. Clink.
The sound of a spoon moving could be heard. Ho Gamyeong was silently watching Jang Ilso leisurely eating his gruel.
‘Of all things…’
In that bowl was yellow millet porridge.
True, this wasn’t the main base, but supplies weren’t that scarce, yet for the ryeonju of Evil Tyrant Alliance to have millet porridge.
“...Is it edible?”
“Hmm.”
Jang Ilso set down his spoon with a satisfied expression and smiled brightly. A sincere sentiment flowed from his lips, which held a bright smile.
“It tastes awful.”
“Then why…?”
Jang Ilso tilted a wine bottle and slowly poured into his cup. He poured the liquor neatly into his mouth, as if to cleanse his palate with its aroma, and spoke.
"Who knows? Sometimes, a man just wants to indulge a whim."
Chuckling softly, he gazed for a moment at the gruel bowl placed before him before gently pushing it away. His eyes flickered for a moment, but he quickly lost interest in the empty bowl and turned his gaze back to Ho Gamyeong.
"How did it go?"
“We carried it out as you instructed.”
“Well done.”
The response was completely indifferent as if it were nothing of note. Ho Gamyeong shook his head.
Gangbuk must be in uproar by now. Whether it was Ten Great Sects, Heavenly Comrade Alliance, or the Imperial Palace, it wouldn’t matter. And yet, the very person who caused that uproar was showing neither particular pleasure nor excitement.
Could they even imagine? That the one they would grind their teeth just thinking about was now leisurely eating gruel inside a tent?
“No particular response has been seen. It is still early, but…”
There was a certain confidence in Ho Gamyeong's calm voice.
“Even if you give them more time, they will not be able to respond easily.”
Jang Ilso chuckled softly.
But Ho Gamyeong's thoughts remained unshaken. Because even if Ho Gamyeong were in their shoes, he would not have been able to move rashly.
The best option would be to likewise disperse their forces and spread them across the entire Gangbuk, but the threat of the blade at their throats, Evil Tyrant Alliance forces stationed here, would weigh heavily on their minds.
“That’s how people are.”
“...”
"They have compassion and want to help others."
Ho Gamyeong gave a strange smile at Jang Ilso's words.
“Why do you smile like that?”
"Well."
Jang Ilso frowned at the vague smile.
“My, oh my. It seems there's a deep misunderstanding. I am, in fact, a very warm-hearted person.”
Jang Ilso, as if amused by his own words, cackled and then spoke.
"That's right. Setting myself aside, people generally want to help others. But there's one condition to that. Do you know what that condition is?"
Ho Gamyeong answered with a blank face.
"When it doesn’t harm them?”
"Yes."
Jang Ilso’s smile deepened with satisfaction.
"Even someone who could risk their life for others wouldn't abandon their own burning house to go help someone else."
“Indeed.”
“They would be scared. That while they are away… we might burn that house down. Not just their house, everything could be reduced to ashes. And they’ve already seen with their own eyes that it can happen.”
Ho Gamyeong nodded.
Emei, Jeomchang, and Tang Family.
Seizing Sichuan was certainly an achievement of great significance. But the meaning of that would differ depending on the person.
An ordinary person would rejoice at what could be gained from the land of Sichuan, while a wise person would be pleased that controlling Sichuan allowed them to hold a dagger to their enemies' throats.
But Jang Ilso’s intent was neither.
The greatest thing he gained from acquiring Sichuan was the fear his opponents would feel.
The moment the seemingly unshakeable fortress of Ten Great Sects’s dominance crumbled, not only Ten Great Sects but also Ten Great Sects finds out.
That they too could suffer the same fate with a single mistake.
In the end, the foundation of every move Jang Ilso had made up to this point was the fear his opponents unknowingly carried in their hearts.
“Their hearts must be seething. Their chests must aches. But they will face conflict and doubt as to whether it is truly something that must be done, even to the point of burning their own houses.”
"But it won't last forever. I’m not sure about Ten Great Sect, but Heavenly Comrade Alliance will definitely..."
"Right. In fact, if you think about it a little, fires from neighboring houses will spread to our own if left alone. But... isn't that enough?"
He was right.
That was enough. That brief moment of time for the forces he had sent to spread throughout the entire Gangbuk. They just needed to hesitate for that long.
That had been Evil Tyrant Alliance’s aim from the start.
“I almost feel like thanking them.”
Jang Ilso smiled warmly and poured liquor into his cup again.
“How hard everyone is working. It’s true we’ve become quite close, but there was no need to help to this extent. The people of Righteous Sects are certainly kind.”
How would the leaders of Ten Great Sects or the core members of Ten Great Sects have reacted if they heard this? It was unknown, but they would probably have tried to tear Jang Ilso into a thousand, ten thousand pieces.
Yet strictly speaking, he wasn’t wrong. If they hadn't moved in the first place, even Evil Tyrant Alliance wouldn't have been able to attempt this.
If Heavenly Comrade Alliance and Ten Great Sects hadn't competitively gathered power and brought together all the small and medium-sized sects.
If only Beggar Union had not called back all the elders scattered throughout the world.
“But there is a slight contradiction.”
"Hm?"
“Was it not you, Ryeonju-nim, who made them do so? There is no hunter who expresses gratitude to a beast that has walked into his trap.”
"Tsk, tsk. You wicked fellow. Being so heartless like this. And there's a misunderstanding."
"What kind..."
“What happened in Beggar Union was truly outside my expectations. To think they would move so conveniently.”
Jang Ilso laughed brightly, as if the thought still delighted him.
Even if Beggar Union hadn’t acted as it did, this plan would have proceeded with some degree of sacrifice.
But thanks to Beggar Union coincidentally showing unexpected movement, the damage was reduced by nearly half... no, more than that. The full strength needed to burn an entire city to the ground had been preserved intact.
“Now all we have to do is wait.”
"Indeed."
Jang Ilso leaned his body against the golden pillow with a languid expression.
It was merely a theatrical gesture. Ho Gamyeong caught it. A fleeting flash of a starving beast flashed across his languid eyes.
"The choice is theirs. Will they split their strength and bare their white throats? Or will they curl up like turtles in place and watch the whole world burn?”
“...”
"Don't those so-called Righteous Sects always want two things. One is victory. The other is dignity. But when that victory and dignity devour each other, what choice will those bastards make..."
Jang Ilso’s eyes shimmered wickedly.
“Aren’t you curious too?”
“...”
"Hahahahaha! How amusing. Truly amusing!"
Watching Jang Ilso laugh while even slapping his chair, Ho Gamyeong consciously suppressed his own boiling heart.
He mustn't get excited over just this. This was merely the beginning.
"I wonder if I may dare to speak this."
“Tsk, tsk. I've told you to drop the useless formalities, yet you never really listen."
Jang Ilso looked at him with warm eyes. Ho Gamyeong, on the contrary, steeled his heart once more at that gaze. The day he grew complacent under those eyes and stopped guarding and doubting himself would be the day his usefulness ended.
“They are still strong.”
“I know.”
Jang Ilso shrugged with languid eyes.
“You’re saying we shouldn’t get carried away and get beaten, right?”
“My apologies, but, yes. That is correct.”
“Tsk, tsk. If it’s something to apologize for, you just shouldn’t say it.”
Jang Ilso clicked his tongue as if his mood had been spoiled.
“Gamyeong, Gamyeong.”
“Yes, Ryeonju-nim.”
“You’re right. But there are different kinds of strength, aren’t there?”
Jang Ilso's gaze turned north. In his eyes, the land was bathed in a deepening red.
"That isn't called being strong. It's called being bloated."
"Bloated, you say..."
“They have to protect everything. Large sects, small sects, even fools who can't even swing a sword. Ah, who knows? The savages of the Beast Palace and the warm-hearted Mount Hua Sect might even go a step further and protect the neighborhood mutts."
“...”
“To them, everything in sight is something they must protect. And to us…”
Jang Ilso's thin lips curved into a curve, revealing his white teeth.
"It's all places we can trample and tear apart."
Ho Gamyeong nodded slowly. From the beginning, Evil Tyrant Alliance... no, Myriad Man Manor had nothing to protect.
The dregs of Evil Sects that were pushed into Gangbuk would all die. They were never much to begin with, and splitting them up into small groups meant that every time they met the enemy, they would be slaughtered.
But what does it matter?
Their only use was to wreak havoc across Gangbuk until they died. That and nothing more. Since he had promised to acknowledge ownership of whatever wealth they grasped and brought back, they would rampage even more like starving wolf packs.
That alone would turn Gangbuk into ruins. If they hesitated and were slow to respond, those small sparks would become vicious flames that would burn all of Gangbuk.
“Hmm. We must be certain about the preparations we’ve made instead. Have you received the message?”
“Yes. A report has come that they are standing by, ready to move at any time.”
“Tsk, tsk. That black-hearted bastard sure talks well."
Jang Ilso smirked in amusement.
"But I like such bastards. They're easy to understand."
Jang Ilso leisurely rose from his seat.
As he stepped outside the tent, his subordinates froze in tense apprehension. Jang Ilso glanced inadvertently toward Gangbuk and smiled.
"I'm curious. What move that bastard will make."
Seeing that slightly eerie smile, Ho Gamyeong spoke in a voice mixed with a sigh.
“Honestly, I don’t know. Even if I try to put myself in their shoes.”
“Is that so? I think I do.”
"...Yes?"
"No. No, that's not right. It's meaningless. If you know the method but can't implement it, it's the same as having no method at all."
Jang Ilso's lips were an unusually blood-like red today. A very small whisper leaked out, a volume that even Ho Gamyeong had difficulty hearing clearly.
“If he could break the chains hanging all over his body, he might be able to cut my throat. But…”
Would you still be you after breaking those chains?
"That would be interesting too. Yes, it would be very amusing."
A rough heat shimmered in his pale eye. A heat hotter and more vicious than the flames that had begun to engulf Gangbuk, a heat that seemed it could burn Jang Ilso himself down to nothing.
|Note
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