Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1595. Even Buddha has abandoned you (5)
Editor: Hoamz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
Jeok Ho felt the blood throughout his body turn ice-cold.
Even though it was his first time seeing the man who had appeared before him, he could recognize his identity at once.
It can't be helped.
There may be countless people in the world, but there couldn't be many who could paralyze him with a single word.
And seeing the black martial uniform and the sword at his waist made it unnecessary to think further.
“Mount Hua... Chivalrous Sword.”
A groan-like voice escaped through his parted lips.
Jeok Ho gritted his teeth and clenched the hand holding his blade.
Could he do it? There was only one opponent. Taking him down might be difficult, but perhaps attempting to sever Bop Jeong's head with one strike was still possible.
If he staked his life...
Squeeze.
But Jeok Ho ultimately could not swing his blade.
The moment he met the eyes gazing at him, he instinctively knew. If he swung this blade, he would die. Without even reaching Bop Jeong's neck.
'This is Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword.... No, Plum Blossom Sword Demon.'
It was on a completely different level from what he had simply heard about.
Even staking his life, he wouldn't reach him. He would simply die a dog's death.
Udeudeuk.
At the humiliation that momentarily surged over him, he couldn't help but gnash his teeth roughly.
Then, there were presences of people quickly approaching from behind Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword. They must be his group.
If he hesitated any longer here, even escaping alive would become impossible for Jeok Ho.
He couldn't tell if this was mercy or if Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword considered swinging his sword at him a waste of time. Regardless, he had to leave now while Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword wasn't drawing his weapon.
Jeok Ho silently stepped back.
"...We'll meet again."
With that short final remark to preserve his meaningless pride, Jeok Ho glared briefly at op Jeong and disappeared.
Chung Myung glared at the retreating Jeok Ho with cold eyes.
And shortly after, Hye Yeon belatedly caught up to Chung Myung and fixed his gaze upon Bop Jeong.
“Ba...!”
Hye Yeon, who had been staring blankly at Bop Jeong with wide eyes, suddenly looked around. Then he let out a scream.
“E- Elder-nim!”
He flew like the wind toward Bop Kye, who looked gravely wounded at a glance. As he embraced the wound-covered Bop Kye, the body that had lost all its strength was pulled up limply.
"Elder-nim! Elder-nim, pull yourself together! Elder-nim!"
Too much blood was flowing from the deep wounds carved into his neck and chest. Just seeing this was enough to intuit Bop Kye's fate.
Hye Yeon screamed.
“Elder-nim!”
Shedding endless tears from his large eyes, he belatedly channeled energy into Bop Kye's Dantian.
Did it have an effect?
After a moment, Bop Kye who had shown no movement at all, fluttered his eyelashes faintly. His eyes slowly opened. His unfocused pupils stared blankly at the empty air for a moment, and then barely saw the one who was holding him.
“Hye... Yeon...?”
"E- Elder-nim! It's me! It's Hye Yeon!"
Hye Yeon grasped Bop Kye's limp hand. Bop Kye, staring blankly at the tear-soaked face, opened his mouth with a voice that seemed ready to be extinguished at any moment.
“Bangjang...?”
“...He’s alive, Elder-nim. Bangjang is....”
Hye Yeon couldn't continue his words as if his throat were being squeezed.
A small smile appeared at the corners of Bop Kye's mouth. To Hye Yeon's eyes, that smile looked all too peaceful.
“Thank goodness....”
Bop Kye’s body drooped slowly.
Hye Yeon hugged his limp body. His shoulders were trembling endlessly.
Chung Myung, who had been watching in silence, looked down quietly.
Whether he had lost consciousness or simply could not bear to look ahead was unknown, but Bop Jeong remained motionless with his face buried in the ground.
Chung Myung took a step forward, leaving such Bop Jeong behind.
Of course, his anger rose and resentment boiled inside him, but now was not the time to let it out.
He had to see with his own eyes. What had happened here. What the world would have to bear from now on.
Step.
Chung Myung walked. Past the collapsed Bop Jeong, the wailing Hye Yeon, and Bop Kye who would remain silent forever.
His steps grew faster and faster, and soon accelerated like the wind. The intimidating tall trees swayed and rustled.
Taat!
Though the distance wasn't that far, it felt eternally distant. Perhaps it was a distortion created by his heart that did not want to see with his own eyes the spectacle that would soon unfold.
But the escape was brief, and after passing the intimidatingly large trees, a vast wilderness spread before Chung Myung's eyes.
“....”
Chung Myung's teeth dug into his lips.
The ground was soaked with blood and death strewn about.
Though the land was so vast that this might be just a small part, when he enhanced his vision, he saw the 'carnage' densely spread even to the far distance.
Chung Myung captured all of it in his eyes, not leaving out a single thing.
Corpses too numerous to count, broken weapons, the indescribable stench of blood carried even to this distant place.
And above these corpses, which had already died and lost their value, those craving more slaughter wandered like crows.
Chung Myung felt a sudden sense of nausea. Perhaps it was despair.
The horrific scene before him forcibly dredged up a certain moment from his memory that would never fade.
Udeudeuk.
A twisting sound leaked from his tightly clenched fist.
A moment later, his gaze turned toward the center of this battlefield. Sure enough, the one at the center was also staring at Chung Myung.
Though they were separated by a distance where normally they should not be able to discover each other, the two captured each other in their eyes as if on cue. As if by fate.
Though separated by such a great distance, he could hear it.
The shape of those red lips moving created a gentle voice mixed with laughter in Chung Myung’s mind.
"My, my... An honored guest has arrived."
As if truly welcoming a delightful guest, his eyes curved gently into crescents. It even looked gentle at a glance, but now there was no one in this world who would accept that smile at face value.
He looked genuinely pleased.
“But… shouldn’t you have hurried a bit more? Hm?”
“....”
“Hahahahat! Hahahahahahahahahat!”
The resounding laughter struck Chung Myung.
Chung Myung's fist trembled. Resentment piled up but had nowhere to go; rage seethed but couldn't be vented.
Jang Ilso's laughter continued to echo in his ears.
But unlike Jang Ilso, who had abandoned himself to amusement, Ho Gamyeong stared with utmost seriousness at Chung Myung, who had finally revealed himself.
To his eyes, even distinguishing his appearance was difficult.
But the vicious killing intent that man was emitting crossed this great distance and seemed to push Ho Gamyeong’s entire body into a bone-chilling ice cave.
His back grew damp with cold sweat.
He had thought that one could never come. How carefully had he and Jang Ilso dug a trap to remove that unpredictable monster from this battlefield? They had even unhesitatingly offered up Black Dragon King's life to lure Plum Blossom Sword Demon.
Yet despite all that, that monster-like bastard had reached this place before the blood flowing on this battlefield had even cooled.
If Plum Blossom Sword Demon had moved a little faster, if their trap had been a little less elaborate, the outcome might have reversed.
But in any case, it was certainly Evil Tyrant Alliance and Paegun who now grasped victory.
Jang Ilso opened his mouth again.
“So... I told you.”
His voice was so faint it seemed impossible it could be heard so far away, but even if it could not be heard, the meaning Jang Ilso intended to convey would surely reach him clearly..
“A choice.”
Jang Ilso's eyes, which had retained traces of laughter, suddenly gleamed with wicked radiance.
And he began to approach Chung Myung step by step, like a predator slowly intimidating its prey.
“…is not something to be made carelessly.”
Then.
Chung Myung, who had been glaring at them from afar, also took a step. A peculiar gleam instanly lit up in Ho Gamyeong's eyes.
'Don't tell me...'
Step.
Chung Myung took another step toward them. Ho Gamyeong's eyes grew even larger and larger.
'He's charging in now?'
Here?
Ho Gamyeong clenched his fists without realizing it.
Impossible. No matter how stupid a bastard might be, he wouldn't do such a thing. And this was Chung Myung. Even if blinded by rage, could he make such a foolish and dull-witted choice?
Surely he wouldn't... but strangely, a corner of his heart was stirred.
If Plum Blossom Sword Demon truly had no intention of stopping those steps?
Ho Gamyeong clenched his fist tightly.
‘Here… I can cut that bastard’s breath.’
A terrible thirst washed over him. It felt as if it would burn his entire body. The bastard didn't even need to charge. If the distance just closed a little more here...
'Just a little more....'
Perhaps Jang Ilso did not want that.
But this was something that must be done. Now that Ten Great Sects were completely shattered, if they could capture even that Plum Blossom Sword Demon, there would be no one left in this world to stop Evil Tyrant Alliance.
The world seemed within grasp.
'Just a little bit....'
It was the very moment when Ho Gamyeong's fingertips twitched on their own.
"Hmm."
Jang Ilso let out a leisurely hum. Then he slowly raised his hand.
Everyone, having even forgotten to breathe, stared as if mesmerized by that fingertip.
Just moments ago, they had all been fighting against Ten Great Sects, even achieving an overwhelming victory. With just a single gesture, he focused the attention of those intoxicated by that euphoria.
To that degree, the presence Jang Ilso possessed now was immense. At least for this moment, no one in the world dared to compare themselves to him.
And the loyalty of Evil Tyrant Alliance to Jang Ilso was at its peak.
The moment that hand was brought down, everyone here would charge forth regardless of their origins or sects.
To tear apart and punish that insolent one who dared bare his fangs at their alliance leader who had achieved such great deeds.
At the very moment when everyone held their breath and tensed their muscles taut.
"Well, then..."
Snap.
Instead of bringing his hand down, Jang Ilso lightly flicked his fingers.
It was a command whose intent was not immediately clear. Seeing their baffled looks, Jang Ilso smiled and said,
"Let's run. In a manner befitting Evil Sects we are."
In an instant, everyone’s face went blank. Even Ho Gamyeong gaped at the unexpected command.
But Jang Ilso turned around without hesitation as if that choice was the most natural thing.
“Rye- Ryeonju-nim!”
As Ho Gamyeong hurriedly followed behind and called out, Jang Ilso looked back with eyes that had at some point become calm.
“What is it?”
At the utterly composed question, Ho Gamyeong felt sudden dizziness.
Everyone still couldn't believe Jang Ilso's command and was still hesitating. Jang Ilso swept his gaze around such people and said.
“What are you all doing?”
A perfectly clear smile spread across his face. At the somewhat eerie smile, those who met his gaze unconsciously lowered their eyes immediately.
"It's a retreat. Move."
"Yes!"
Evil Tyrant Alliance began to move busily.
With that final command, Jang Ilso shifted his gaze. He could see Chung Myung still walking toward them.
Jang Ilso mouthed the words clearly.
"Nothing is more unsightly than an actor who insists on climbing onto a stage that has ended. There is no place for you to step forward here.”
That sneer was painfully lodged in Chung Myung’s two eyes.
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