Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1625. With Our Blood and Lives! (5)
Editor: Hoamz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
“Is it okay to end it like this?”
"End what?"
“Southern Edge Sect, Southern Edge Sect!”
Jo-Gol exclaimed as if dumbfounded. Baek Cheon simply shrugged.
“Grand Sect Leader decided not to make an issue of it, didn't he?”
"Even so, we're the ones who were wronged!"
Jo-Gol seemed unable to let go of his anger the more he thought about it. Baek Cheon glanced at such him and said.
"But it's a bit odd to be surprised now."
"Huh?"
Baek Cheon's expression was somewhat blank.
“You didn’t know? Not at all?”
“....”
"Even though we learned the Plum Blossom Sword Technique, and saw with our own eyes their 'Snow Flower Whatsoever' sword technique?"
“I, I don't really remember... Wasn't the order the other way around? Or not? No, that was already years ago…”
“....”
"Ah, don't look at me like that! Why should I have every last move of those damned Southern Edge Sect bastards memorized?”
When Baek Cheon's gaze didn’t soften despite his fervent protest, Jo-Gol turned to Yoon Jong.
“Say something, Sahyung. Does Sahyung know?”
“I had my suspicions.”
“See! He had suspicions... Huh? You had?”
“...Anyone who isn't an idiot would have.”
Jo-Gol leaned his head against the wall with a dejected expression. He began muttering blankly, 'Right... I'm the only idiot again, only me.'
Yoon Jong didn't even glance at him. Baek Cheon asked.
“You had your suspicions?”
"After learning the Plum Blossom Sword Technique, their swordsmanship occasionally came to mind. No matter how I looked at it, they were just too similar. I thought they must have the same foundation in some way. But I never imagined they had taken its essence in such a manner. I thought, at most, they had taken in those who left Mount Hua and restored a lost sword technique."
"Right...."
Baek Cheon nodded heavily. He couldn't have imagined Southern Edge Sect would steal Mount Hua's sword technique in such manner. How could such a proud and lofty sect covet Mount Hua's martial arts?
"...If Soso finds out, she'll make a fuss about poisoning every stream on Southern Edge Sect Mountain."
"Why does she keep saying that when she's not even from Tang Family anymore?"
"Because she's not Tang Family, she does it. And to be accurate, even Tang Family doesn't do that. Soso is just extreme."
“...That’s true.”
Baek Cheon's head was already starting to hurt, just imagining Tang Soso foaming at the mouth with needles between her fingers.
At that moment, Jo-Gol’s head shot up.
"Wait, then does that mean Chung Myung already knew all this?"
"Must be. From the look of things, Chung Myung and Sect Leader Jongni had a private talk last night. Perhaps this story came up then?"
"Good heavens... Knowing Mount Hua's martial arts were stolen, Chung Myung let those Southern Edge Sect bastards live?"
“...I can hardly believe it myself.”
The Chung Myung they knew would have run straight to Southern Edge Sect in one breath without stopping for a breath and set fire to the ancestral hall and some more. No, if it ended with just that, they would have wept and said, “At last Chung Myung has attained Tao.”
Yet he held back all this time knowing this fact? What in the world made that little bastard restrain himself?
"...You see all kinds of things in life."
“Tell me about it.”
“Maybe there's some misunderstanding?”
"Seeing as he didn't swing his sword on the spot, it doesn't seem to be a misunderstanding?"
"Right? Ugh....”
Both Jo-Gol and Baek Cheon sighed with faces showing they didn't understand. Only Yoon Jong was lost in deep thought with a complicated expression.
“So are you really going to let it go like this?”
“Hmm.”
Baek Cheon let out a small groan before speaking.
"Honestly, I'm seething with anger... but since we have important matters ahead, we should bury it for now. Even if we discuss it again later."
"Burying it away isn't something we can just say we want to, is it? If those bastards let their mouths slip even once, it will literally lead to a breakdown."
“We will have to make sure that does not happen. For now, pass the word to the sajes and keep things tight. Don’t let trouble start over nothing.”
Jo-Gol nodded reluctantly and said.
"Well, the sajes will follow if we say Sasuk decided it that way. At least outwardly. But behind our backs, people will say the only reason we let it slide is because Sasuk is from Southern Edge Sect and brothers with Jin Geumryong, and…”
“That snout!”
“N- No! I'm not saying I'm doing that! Why do you always accuse me whenever I say something?"
"Be quiet!"
Jo-Gol's mouth twitched at Yoon Jong's reprimand. Still, he was scared enough to close his mouth. On the other hand, Baek Cheon the actual subject was calm.
“...I'll have to endure it. As long as I am upright, that's all that matters. And... no matter how much I'm burning inside, could I be worse than Chung Myung, who's known this alone all this time and suffered with it inside?"
"Mm."
Yoon Jong nodded slowly. Baek Cheon spoke firmly to the two.
“For now, keep the sajes in line so nothing flares up. I’ll make sure to drill it into Baek Sang and the Baek generation.”
“Yes, Sasuk.”
Unlike Yoon Jong who responded indifferently, Jo-Gol still seemed dissatisfied. Baek Cheon, reading his inner thoughts from his expression, sighed.
“The reason Chung Myung handled things this way is probably because the work we have to do in the future will not be easy.”
“...Right.”
"That foul-tempered bastard set aside his nature to save even one more life. Let's not hinder him, even if we can't help."
“Ugh.”
Jo-Gol groaned faintly as if suppressing his frustration.
“Well… even if my guts boil, his will be boiling more than mine.”
"...Right, Gol-ah."
“Understood. Even those who cannot sympathize with Sasuk’s position will accept it if they hear Chung Myung chose this. Everyone knows he's the person most frustrated at not being able to grind up Southern Edge Sect, so who would speak up about a choice made by him?"
“Good. Explain it well. I'm probably..."
"Yes. Given your position, it would be a bit awkward to step forward completely. I understand."
The disciples of Mount Hua don't really care, but Baek Cheon himself feels somewhat uneasy about actively getting involved in matters related to Southern Edge Sect.
Baek Cheon sighed.
"Anyway, in many ways, the one with the biggest headache right now must be that rascal Chung Myung."
Both nodded at those words. Of course. For them, it was just about emotions, but Chung Myung now had to give concrete form to the whole thing he had started.
“Will it work out?”
“Who knows.”
Everyone knew. Although the situation had been dramatically resolved, the path Chung Myung was trying to take was by no means an easy one.
“We can only hope this wasn’t something that was done without any plan.”
“...What if he did do it with no plan?”
“Well, then…”
Baek Cheon smiled refreshingly.
"What else but ruin?"
An ominous silence flowed. An inexplicable unease passed between Yoon Jong and Jo-Gol.
* * *
Jaegal Zian had to struggle immensely to understand this situation.
'Why... am I here?'
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't understand.
The face of the one called Nokrim King, Heavenly Comrade Alliance's strategist and countless other epithets, was grotesquely contorting even at this moment.
"You haven't thought of anything?"
"Yep."
“You're saying you have absolutely no plan set up in advance?”
"Yep."
"Yet you just shouted that it had to be this way without any plan?"
"That's right."
Im Sobyeong smiled brightly.
"Does that make sense, you crazy bastard!"
“Why are you yelling, you Evil Sects bastard!”
"Is this a matter of distinguishing between Evil Sects and whatnot? Then what on earth were you thinking when you committed this mess?"
“It’ll work out somehow, right?”
"Aaaaaaaah!"
Im Sobyeong let out a bloodcurdling scream as if he was about to vomit out his stomach. It was a scene where you couldn't find any trace of dignity even if you searched with wide-open eyes, but just now even Jaegal Zian fully understood the heart of an Evil Sects person.
"Why are you making such a fuss? Just roughly divide them by the number of people, that's all."
At Chung Myung's words, Im Sobyeong scratched his head so vigorously it seemed blood would spurt from his scalp. His hat tilted and his hair became disheveled like a ghost's.
"I must be crazy... I should have just kept being a bandit."
"Then you'd be dead."
"...Dying would be better."
“Really? I can help you with that now.”
“...Let me think about it.”
He had not expected a thorough plan, but he had at least thought there would be some framework. Who could have imagined there would be this little preparation?
“Hnggg. There are so many things to consider…”
“No, I told you to just divide them up roughly!”
"There's no 'roughly' in an alliance! There can be 'seemingly rough,' but not actually rough!"
“...Anyone hearing you would think you made this alliance. Since when did you feel such a strong sense of belonging?"
"Whose fault is all this!"
Jaegal Zian, who had been watching the bandits and the pig-headed bickering fiercely, couldn't bear it anymore and cautiously opened his mouth with an awkward expression. If this continued, he wouldn't be able to say a word even if day broke.
"Um, excuse me..."
"Yes."
“Why am I here?”
"Ah."
Chung Myung smiled brightly as he watched Jaegal Zian finally bring up the question he had been holding.
"After talking a bit, it seemed like you're good at using your head.”
"What nonsense is that to the patriarch of the renowned Jaegal Family! You ignorant fool who hasn't even finished the Thousand Character Classic!"
"Who said that? Which bastard said that?"
"Last time I saw you write, all your strokes were wrong!"
"Got evidence? Huh? Do you have evidence!"
Another fight broke out. Jaegal Zian looked up at the ceiling in silence.
It would have been better to just listen to Murong Wigyeong who was still busy fuming. After waiting like that for quite a while longer, Chung Myung got to the main point.
“Oh well, it’s nothing special.”
"Yes."
“I need to reorganize the formations, and I thought Gaju-nim would organize it well."
“....”
“Right?”
Jaegal Zian didn't even think to manage his expression. With a dazed look, he asked incredulously.
“Are you asking me to participate in reorganizing the alliance's formations?”
“No.”
A look of relief appeared on Jaegal Zian's face, saying 'I thought so.' It certainly didn't make sense.
"Not participate, but to take the lead. Take the lead."
"...Yes?"
"No matter how badly you mess it up, it'll be better than what some bandit bastard puts together. You're an educated person, after all."
Im Sobyeong flared up.
"What kind of nonsense is that! I'm also an educated person. I'll have you know I'm a juren (擧人: provincial examination passer)..."
"Ah, you're so noisy!"
The shoe Chung Myung threw struck Im Sobyeong in the face. After cursing at Im Sobyeong who had fallen backward with a thud, Chung Myung smiled brightly at Jaegal Zian as if nothing had happened.
“You can do it, right?”
Jaegal Zian's eyes twitched.
"Do- Dojang. I'm... the patriarch of Jaegal Family who just joined the alliance. N- No, I've already relinquished the authority of the patriarch position, so I'm merely a new alliance member who just joined."
"Yes, well, that's right?"
"Yet you're entrusting me such a momentous task? I've even been at odds with Heavenly Comrade Alliance until recently. No, just until yesterday..."
Had we not been grabbing each other by the hair and trading curses? He couldn’t bring himself to say that part aloud.
But Chung Myung shrugged his shoulders as if it were no big deal.
“Does that matter?”
"...Huh?"
"Rather, it's good. People originally can't see everything objectively from the inside."
"That’s...."
"You can do it, right?"
Jaegal Zian remained silent when the question came again. The words were, ‘You can do it?’, but the look and the pressure said something else.
'You must do it even if it kills you.'
Jaegal Zian couldn't overcome his bewilderment and let out a hollow laugh..
“Are you saying I’m the right fit?”
"Yeah."
"If I'm the right person, then my origins, background, and even what our relationship was don't matter?"
“Isn't that obvious? It's not like we gathered to play house.”
Right, it was obvious. But Jaegal Zian knew well that countless forces and lords had collapsed because they failed to do that obvious thing.
“...I understand what you mean.”
Unlike before, he straightened his posture.
"I don't know if I'm the right person, but I understand it's a task I must do. This Zhuge will do his utmost to carry out the General's orders."
Seeing his distinctly changed gaze, Chung Myung flinched slightly.
"No. Haha, there's no need to be so serious....”
"First, we need the personnel records of all sects affiliated with the Cheonwoo League, the roster of small and medium sects that have moved to Shanxi, and documents detailing the resources and military supplies held by Heavenly Comrades Alliance. Ah, please assign one person each well-versed in each sect. They must grasp information about the martial arts levels of those belonging to the sects, and additionally convey approximate information about sects that haven't yet joined in Shaanxi. It would be better to go through Beggar Union, and in fact we should ask them to dispatch operations staff. This is what needs to be urgently prepared first, and next..."
Chung Myung's mouth slowly fell open.
Words he couldn't understand began to burst out like a flood and didn’t for even a moment. Chung Myung's eyes began to roll back and forth.
“General? Are you listening?”
“Y- Yeah.”
"You must hurry. Is this not a matter where every second counts? Ah, and the very first thing you must do is..."
Chung Myung smiled brightly.
'I think I picked the wrong person?'
He had tried to make the work a bit easier, but instead, the work seemed to have doubled... No, increased tenfold. Damn it...
Thus, with Jaegal Zian joining, the reorganization of Heavenly Comrade Alliance began to gain momentum—quite literally. Though in a direction slightly different from what the one who brought him in had intended.
Consider supporting me by subscribing on Patreon for 5$. The Patreon membership for Mount Hua and Infinite Mage is the same. The benefit:
Advance chapters of Mount Hua : 76
Advance chapters of Magic Realm Convenience Store Worker : 144 Chapters
Advance chapters of Got a Gallery in the Wild : 10
Comments Box