Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1577. Take it somewhere. (2)
Editor: Hoamz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
“Hurry!”
Bop Jeong shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Faster! Even faster! We cannot delay for a single moment!"
Bop Kye's face was grave as he watched Bop Jeong's back.
And rightfully so. Bop Kye had served him as sahyung and bangjang for a long time. Yet this was the first time he had seen Bop Jeong appear so urgent.
"Bangjang! The pace is too fast! At this rate, our side will be exhausted before we even reach the enemy!"
“Don’t speak such complacent words, Bop Kye!”
Bop Jeong's furious roar erupted in response to Bop Kye's concerns.
"Exhausted? What does that matter now! This is war from the start! Do you not know that facing the enemy in a perfect state is something that only happens in military texts!”
“B- But…”
"More important than being fully prepared is not missing the opportunity! If we let that bastard slip away now, who knows how many more sacrifices we will have to make! Now is not the time to think about what comes after!"
Bop Kye bit his lips. Peng Ye’s voice rose in agreement.
“Great Master. I too believe Bangjang is right.”
“...Gaju-nim.”
Peng Ye stamped the ground fiercely as he spoke.
"Right now, the most important thing is to track down Paegun's whereabouts. If we miss this opportunity and he escapes back to Gangnam again, we'll have to repeat this drawn-out standoff once more."
Bop Kye's face darkened.
How could he not know that those words were not wrong?
They had left Mount Song so long ago he could no longer even remember when. He had reached a point where he could no longer distinguish whether he was a monk or a general.
There was no way he didn't miss the days when he was engrossed in Zen meditation on Mount Song.
He was truly sick of it all. This war, and Paegun too.
If he could just end everything with this one battle and return to Mount Song, Bop Kye was confident he would be the first to step forward and fight like a demon.
“But this is too radical. This is not the way of Ten Great Sects, is it? Let's be a bit calmer..."
“Then isn’t that all the more reason we must do it!”
“...Sect Leader?”
Jongni Hyeong glanced at Bop Kye with a frustrated expression.
"As Great Master said, this isn't the method we've taken until now. So they too won't expect us to move like this."
"That’s...."
Now that he heard it, there was a point. Even Bop Kye, who had long been by his side, had never imagined Bop Jeong would choose such a sudden and extreme method.
No matter how Paegun seemed to play with the world, wouldn't it be difficult for him to predict such a movement from Ten Great Sects?
"The opportunity has finally come. The opportunity to cut that Paegun’s head!”
Jongni Hyeong's eyes shone coldly. It was completely different from the image Bop Kye had seen of him until now.
Unfamiliar, but perhaps this was Jongni Hyeong's true face. One couldn't attain the position of sect leader of a massive sect large enough to belong to Ten Great Sects merely by being good-natured.
Bop Jeong and Peng Ye also silently looked at Bop Kye, as if agreeing with Jongni Hyeong's words. He could feel the unspoken pressure. Bop Kye could only bow his head.
“…I understand.”
Doubts still lingered in his chest.
Even if all those words were correct, wasn't there any need to be this urgent? Evil Tyrant Alliance, already advanced deep into Gangbuk, wouldn't be able to withdraw easily, so wouldn't it be enough to press them bit by bit?
But he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.
Because Bop Kye also knew the true reason they were in such a hurry.
“Where is he now?”
“Yes? Ah… If it’s Paegun, right now….”
"No."
Bop Jeong cut off Bop Kye's words.
“I mean ‘him’.”
Bop Kye belatedly realized who Bop Jeong was asking about.
Someone who had no reason to be mentioned here and now.
“...If it’s Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword, he has been confirmed to currently be in Anhui."
"Are you certain?"
"Yes, Bangjang. The information matches between what we received from Beggar Union, from the smaller sects, and from our own intelligence.”
Bop Jeong nodded heavily. His eyes were cold.
Chung Myung was not here now. He might hear the news in Anhui, but no matter how quickly he judges and gives precise commands, he could not possibly respond faster than Ten Great Sects already in motion.
Which meant that the opportunity to end this war had fallen completely into the hands of Ten Great Sects, or to be precise, into Bop Jeong’s hands.
Letting go of such a golden chance was out of the question.
'You too must know that the one who wins at the end is the true victor.'
The opportunity was finally within reach. Clenching his fist tightly as if never to let it slip away, Bop Jeong shouted.
“Rally the disciples! We proceed without slowing our pace!"
“Yes, Bangjang.”
Bop Jeong, looking back at the disciples following him, once again stared firmly ahead
What he was aiming for was Jang Ilso’s head.
And toward it he advanced, into the radiant land where the next hundred years of glory would be won.
* * *
“According to the report, those who went to the Yangtze River have cut off Black Dragon King’s head!”
Hyun Jong shot to his feet. As soon as he heard it, one person's face flashed in his mind.
"Chu- Chung Myung! Was this Chung Myung’s doing?"
“No! It is said General did not participate in this battle. It was accomplished entirely by Five Swords, Namgung Sogaju, and the promising disciples of Southern Edge Sect.”
"Good heavens..."
For a moment, Hyun Jong’s mind went blank as if dazed.
Only after a short while did he snap back to his senses and ask the question he should have been asking right then.
"The children! How are the children?"
"There were injuries, but thankfully, it is said there were no fatalities. Namgung Sogaju suffered critical injuries, but is expected to recover with recuperation."
“Ah.”
Hyun Jong let out a soft sigh and slumped back down into his seat.
His insides had been tied up in knots with worry, but the moment he heard the children were safe, the tension drained out of him all at once.
“Black Dragon King… those children….”
He had imagined it. His disciples cut down a demon who threw the world into chaos and was praised by all under heaven.
No, in truth, he had imagined it countless times.
How delightful and joyful would it be? How proud would he feel?
But now that he was actually experiencing what he had only imagined, there was no room for feelings like pride. Only relief upon relief that the children were safe. A crushing weariness pressed down on his body.
In contrast, Tang Gun-ak still maintained his tension.
“Has there been any reply to the message we sent?”
“Not yet.”
"...Not yet?"
"It seems the report sent after finishing off Black Dragon King arrived at our side first."
The tips of Tang Gun-ak's fingers tremble slightly.
“Ten Great Sects…?”
“They are advancing toward Evil Tyrant Alliance. At this pace, they’ll clash before the day is out.”
“As soon as today…”
Tang Gun-ak tapped his fingertips on the desk. The movement reeked of impatience.
“They still have not sought cooperation with us?”
“Far from cooperation, they are completely ignoring even the messages sent from our side. Even dispatches through Beggar Union aren't getting through.”
“That bastard Bop Jeong....”
Tang Gun-ak bit his lips tightly.
He, who had never lost the minimum of respect and had always referred to Bop Jeong as ‘Bangjang’ no matter what happened, was now so angered that he was referring to him by his dharma name directly.
"What on earth is he thinking right now...!"
The opponents were Evil Tyrant Alliance and even Jang Ilso himself. He should clearly know they weren't an easy opponent to contend with out of greed for merit, so why was he making such a reckless move at this point?
Was Bop Jeong always this thoughtless?
The answer to Tang Gun-ak's concerns came not from Bop Jeong, who was a thousand li away, but from Im Sobyeong's mouth.
“Complete exclusion.”
Tang Gun-ak's gaze turned to Im Sobyeong.
"There's no room for doubt. What they want is total exclusion. They don’t intend to leave even the chance for Heavenly Comrade Alliance to step in.”
“In a situation like this?”
“All the more so because it’s a situation like this. Isn’t that so very like the so-called Righteous Sects?”
A cold sneer tugged at Im Sobyeong's lips.
That coldness made Tang Gun-ak feel as if his heart was being stabbed.
If Evil Sects die because of their own desires, then Righteous Sects die because of their obsession with honor and position.
Im Sobyeong's smile spoke to Tang Gun-ak. Though the direction differed, in the end they were just as base.
“Nokrim King, no… Strategist.”
"Yes."
Im Sobyeong looked at Tang Gun-ak with serious eyes. Tang Gun-ak asked.
"The war situation... no, the odds? If Evil Tyrant Alliance and Ten Great Sects clash like this, what do you think the result will be?"
Im Sobyeong closed his eyes for a moment as if in deep thought. When he opened them again, he answered firmly, as if there was no more need for thought.
“It will be an overwhelming victory for Ten Great Sects.”
“…An overwhelming victory? To that extent?”
“I’ve turned it over in my mind countless times, but the result never changes. At this rate, Evil Tyrant Alliance will suffer a catastrophic defeat.”
Tang Gun-ak fell silent.
But Im Sobyeong continued his opinion without waiting for a response.
“They call it Evil Tyrant Alliance, but the forces advancing north now are only Myriad Man Manor under Jang Ilso, and much much-weakened Black Ghost Fortress. Hao Sect has yet to return.”
"...Right."
“Even with all three together, it would not be easy to withstand the united forces of Shaolin, Kongtong, and Peng Family. Even if Shaolin's strength isn't intact. But with only two forces..."
It was a very logical and natural assessment.
If Myriad Man Manor and Black Ghost Fortress had the capability to sweep the world alone, the peace of Kangho couldn't have been maintained for so long.
Much of Evil Tyrant Alliance's notoriety stems from the outrageous actions Jang Ilso has committed over the past few years.
But fame was just fame.
Unless there's a way to create new forces to compensate for the lack of strength, Evil Tyrant Alliance's weakness will be hard to overcome.
"But Paegun must also know that fact, right?"
"...Correct."
"Whether he called Hao Sect back sooner, dug traps, or had some scheme prepared, he must have had reasons to choose moving north."
“Of course. And Bop Jeong must know that too.”
“He knows there may be a trap? And yet he still goes?”
"Yes."
“Why?”
"Because only by jumping into that trap can he take Jang Ilso's head."
“....”
"And traps don't always work. A trap set to catch wolves cannot catch tigers, and a trap for tigers cannot catch dragons either. Thinking that knowing and preparing can block everything is nothing but the arrogance of those who discuss military strategy with a three-inch tongue."
It was a cold and dispassionate assessment.
"The reason amazing victories by those inferior in strength continue to be talked about is because it's obvious and natural for those superior in strength to win. So what would Ten Great Sects have to hesitate about?"
Tang Gun-ak nodded heavily. Every single word was without fault.
If they were to clash head-on, Ten Great Sects’ side was stronger. This was close to common sense.
Therefore, Bop Jeong couldn't afford to miss this opportunity. If he hesitated again this time and handed the chance over to Heavenly Comrade Alliance or Evil Tyrant Alliance, he would be recorded in martial world history as the greatest of all fools.
However....
'Then why do I feel so uneasy?'
The image of Jang Ilso would not disappear from his mind.
Could it really be that Jang Ilso was ignorant of all this? Was he truly a man so overconfident in his own schemes that he would throw himself into certain death?
If so, how should Heavenly Comrade Alliance move now?
It was then.
"Reporting!"
The door burst open as someone rushed in urgently.
“They say Ten Great Sects are advancing faster than expected! At this pace, by now! By now they must have already clashed with Evil Tyrant Alliance…!”
Tang Gun-ak shot to his feet.
"Now?"
Due to a moment's hesitation, or perhaps a brief wait, Heavenly Comrade Alliance had been 'excluded.'
* * *
“Hmm.”
Jang Ilso narrowed his already slender eyes further.
A group advancing from the distant plains came into his sight.
“Enemy!”
“The enemy is coming!”
Those around him also spotted that group and began raising their voices while taking defensive positions.
"The enemy is..."
The uniforms of those at the front caught his eye. Yellow-earth colored kasaya robes.
They were charging forward fiercely like asuras.
“Shaolin!”
“It’s Shaolin! Ten Great Sects bastards are coming!"
In an instant, a tense atmosphere descended. Except for one person.
"My, my..."
Jang Ilso shook his head dismissively.
“To arrive so soon, it seems you are quite heated up. Those heavy-bottomed monks must have worked up quite a sweat on their soles. Isn't that right, Gamyeong-ah?"
“...Ryeonju-nim.”
“What they want is probably…”
White, smooth fingers slowly traced his own throat.
“…is this neck, isn’t it?”
The red corners of his mouth rose eerily. Light flashed in his eyes curved with laughter.
"Come and try to take it. Not that it’ll be so easy.”
Soon his long-grown fingernails slowly drew across his straight neck horizontally.
Following that gesture, a trickle of blood flowed from the red line that appeared. As if foreshadowing the immense blood that would be spilled on this land from now on.
|Note
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