Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1652. It's a Good Day (2)
Editor: Hoamz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
"Al- Already?"
“Evil Tyrant Alliance?”
"Where to!"
"Did Jang Ilso move directly?"
Voices burst out nearly at once from every direction. The atmosphere in the meeting room, which had seemed slightly restless, transformed in an instant.
Under the pouring gaze, Im Sobyeong nodded heavily.
“Yes. He moved personally.”
Several people swallowed dryly. Yoon Jong also unconsciously clutched his chest.
An indescribable sense of pressure washed over him.
Jang Ilso is moving personally. Was there anyone here who didn't know the meaning of those words?
"Where did he head?"
"The destination isn't certain yet. However, judging by the northward direction..."
Im Sobyeong's face hardened slightly.
"The target appears to be Henan."
“Henan? Why?”
Tang Gun-ak cried out in a surprised voice.
"He clearly knows we are here, yet he's starting with Henan, which is practically an unoccupied territory?"
"It's not unoccupied."
"Hm?"
Im Sobyeong shook his head neatly.
"Have you forgotten? They already targeted Mount Song once before. They only withdrew after realizing they were at a disadvantage. Which means they have a clear intent to wipe out the remnants of Shaolin.”
Those who had applied to Shaolin nodded heavily.
'Blood Cult...' (H: Prev. Blood Palace)
Baek Cheon's face hardened as he recalled that time.
If he hadn’t arrived in time back then, Shaolin might have ceased to exist. Although they luckily blocked one wave of attacks, there was no way Evil Tyrant Alliance would easily give up on prey they had missed once.
"Then are their targets Shaolin?"
"Considering Jang Ilso's tenacity, the first place they would target is naturally there."
"...Hmm. I thought they would target this place."
As Hyun Jong muttered, Im Sobyeong shook his head.
"Jang Ilso isn't someone who targets the enemy's strong points. He's the type to tenaciously dig into wounded spots. There's no way he'd attack places that have already finished preparations."
Several people nodded. Based on everything Jang Ilso had shown, it made perfect sense.
Wasn't the place that has currently suffered the most extreme wounds undoubtedly Shaolin? Of course, there were places that were almost annihilated, but they were no longer considered part of their forces.
The place Jang Ilso would most salivate over was naturally Shaolin.
"Then what should we do?"
"What obvious question are you asking? We must naturally support Shaolin. Are you just going to watch Evil Tyrant Alliance bastards swallow Shaolin whole?”
“But... Shaolin....”
Jaegal Zian, who had been silent until then, opened his mouth.
“I know that everyone here has negative feelings toward Shaolin.”
Those who were murmuring fell silent.
"I too... cannot say my feelings towards them are particularly good right now."
Jaegal Zian slowly made eye contact with several people.
"But we cannot allow Shaolin to be annihilated like this. This isn't simply about symbolic meaning. The Shaolin martial monks who are silent now are also excellent forces of Righteous Sects. Losing such people would be too great a loss."
“....”
“If Heavenly Comrade Alliance is truly not a place where a few sects gather in small groups to show off their own power, but a place for the sake of the world and Kangho, then we must put aside past grievances and support Shaolin.”
When Jaegal Zian, who had paused briefly, was about to continue speaking, Hyun Jong lightly raised his hand to stop him. Then slowly shook his head.
“No need to say more.”
"Maengju-nim, but..."
"I have never once thought we could abandon Shaolin. Aren't they also part of Kangho who must fight together with us?"
It was an unexpected remark. Jaegal Zian, who had been trying to persuade Hyun Jong, opened his mouth slightly.
If one were to pick the person here with the strongest resentment toward Shaolin, Jaegal Zian would name Hyun Jong and Chung Myung without hesitation.
If discussing the intensity of emotion, Chung Myung might be higher, but if discussing deep-seated resentment toward Shaolin, was there anyone who could compare to Hyun Jong?
However, Hyun Jong had declared without a shred of hesitation that he would save Shaolin..
Even Baek Cheon added his strength to Hyun Jong's words.
"Maengju-nim's words are correct. We've already helped Shaolin once. But there's no reason we can't do it twice, is there?"
“Kkeugh… Sasuk. Now that Bop Jeong… No, Bangjang will be there too, do we really have to…”
"This isn't the time to weigh such conditions. We're here to fight Evil Tyrant Alliance, not to divide Heavenly Comrade Alliance and those who aren't."
“...That’s true.”
Jo-Gol, who had brought up the subject for no reason and gained nothing but a scolding, became sullen and bowed his head.
But then.
“Wa- Wait. Are you saying we’re going to help Shaolin now?”
Im Sobyeong asked Baek Cheon as if he had heard something unbelievable.
Baek Cheon tilted his head with a puzzled expression.
“Isn’t that a given?”
“A given? Did you just say it was a given?”
"Well... isn't Shaolin in danger?"
Baek Cheon looked around as if asking what he had thought wrong. No one particularly gave him a hint or answered.
"No, Acting Sect Leader!"
Im Sobyeong's voice rose as if frustrated.
"If we go to help Shaolin now, the ones in danger won't be Shaolin but us, us!"
"...No. What do you mean?"
"Have you already forgotten how that Jang Ilso bastard trampled Peng Family and Kongtong?"
Baek Cheon's mouth closed instantly at those words.
“What that bastard targeted was an unstable chain of command. In other words, that bastard is skilled at dealing with forces that aren't properly organized. So what are we like right now?"
"Well..."
Unlike before, Baek Cheon's voice lost its momentum and subsided.
"We just threw people who rebelled against the vice hall leaders into the thunder prison today. Even Peng Family or Kongtong, whom Jang Ilso toyed with like children, weren't as chaotic as us."
Each and every word was correct. Baek Cheon's shoulders hunched a little more.
“If we go to fight the bastard Jang Ilso while the vice hall leaders can’t even properly control a single hall member, the result is obvious even without looking.”
"Jang Ilso doesn't know our entire situation, does he?"
It was Jo-Gol who helped Baek Cheon protest. Im Sobyeong's gaze pierced toward him.
"Why do you think he wouldn't know?"
"...What?"
“Do you really think he wouldn't know? We can see clearly how they move, so do you think they can't see us?”
“Tha- That’s....”
“It’s entirely possible that Jang Ilso’s sudden movement is a conclusion he reached after watching our situation. If we recklessly rush to Henan now, it's like sticking our heads into a tiger's mouth."
"Mmm."
Tang Gun-ak, lost in thought, let out a groaning sound.
"Though it's unpleasant to admit... Nokrim King's words certainly have merit."
“He’s an expert at dealing with ragtag groups, so I trust his judgment.”
At Maeng So's words, Tang Gun-ak smiled bitterly. Then he asked Im Sobyeong.
"Then what do you think we should do?"
“We must buy time. At least a few days. Enough for today’s decisions to spread to the alliance forces and for them to develop a genuine sense of urgency."
"A few days..."
“We must hold out for at least three more days. That is the minimum.”
"Three days is enough time for that Evil Tyrant Alliance to trample Shaolin and more."
Im Sobyeong snorted.
“Why is that?”
"Hm? What do you mean by that?"
“They just have to not get trampled. Send an urgent message telling Shaolin to abandon Mount Song immediately.”
Tang Gun-ak's mouth parted slightly.
“Tha- That’s....”
"When the enemy comes, the fool is the one who just waits there. If the aim is obvious, can't they just avoid it?"
“Would Shaolin do that?”
"If they don't, it's their own fault. We bear no responsibility."
Tang Gun-ak was left speechless and stared blankly at Im Sobyeong. How should he put it? At times like this, he definitely felt it. That their way of thinking was different.
The free-spirited thinking characteristic of Evil Sects was difficult for Tang Gun-ak to follow.
Im Sobyeong was much more stubborn than usual.
"In any case, it absolutely won't do. That damned Jang Ilso bastard has already destroyed Shaolin, Kongtong, and even Peng Family by exploiting the chaos in the command structure. Repeating the same mistake after seeing that is something only the biggest fool in the world would do."
“....”
"Shaolin has already tasted bitterness once, so this time they will obediently retreat. Isn't that right?"
Im Sobyeong glared at Hye Yeon and Baek Cheon with eyes that seemed to force agreement.
Baek Cheon unconsciously ended up nodding.
"But...."
If it were that rigid Bop Jeong, maybe not, but Hye Bang was someone who would find a way to avoid the enemy.
"What are you doing! Send the message quickly! Now that it's come to this, we must make the most of the few days Evil Tyrant Alliance bastards waste going to Henan! The vice-chairmen and party leaders, please gather the party members immediately and thoroughly manage them."
Just as everyone was nodding their heads as if entranced, one person who had been silent until now opened his mouth.
“I don’t quite understand.”
"Hm?"
It was Chung Myung.
"What exactly are we talking about right now?"
Those present looked at each other, unable to readily understand what Chung Myung had said. In the end, Hyun Jong, as their representative, had no choice but to ask.
“...What are you talking about, Chung Myung?”
"The conclusion is that since they'll target Shaolin, we should tell Shaolin to run away, right?"
"That’s right?"
"What if they don't run away?"
Hyun Jong stared at Chung Myung with a puzzled look. Why was he repeating what had already been said?
But Chung Myung raised another question.
“Why does everyone assume it’s Shaolin?”
“Haven’t we already discussed that?”
"That's exactly it. Why does the conclusion become 'Evil Tyrant Alliance is targeting Shaolin'?"
"Well, it is said they're going to Henan, and in Henan..."
At that moment, Hyun Jong couldn't finish his words at the thought that flashed through his mind. Others hardened their faces as if feeling the same.
The sect representing Henan is naturally Shaolin. But those involved in Kangho, no... even those who don't know much about Kangho, know one fact.
The sect in Henan wasn't just Shaolin.
There is another sect there, just as renowned and as strong.
“No way…”
"Right."
Chung Myung looked at Hyun Jong with dark eyes.
"From their position, to go to Shaolin they would have to pass through Wuhan. There's no way those bastards would leave Wuhan intact and go."
"W- Wait. That place is currently in seclusion..."
"You don't actually think they would leave a sect alone just because it's seclusion, do you?"
Chung Myung said in a chilling voice.
“No, before that. Even if Evil Tyrant Alliance bastards intended to do so, would that person... try to let them pass?"
At those words, everyone wore an expression of sudden realization.
Of course, there were more than a few sects that harbor resentment toward Evil Tyrant Alliance. However, if they were to name the person who holds the deepest resentment toward not just Evil Tyrant Alliance but even Jang Ilso himself, there's someone who absolutely cannot be left out.
He was currently in Wuhan.
"Shaolin might run away. But 'they' won't run away. Even if it was possible once, it absolutely can't happen twice."
The person who lost all reputation due to Evil Tyrant Alliance's rampage.
A man who had endured up to this moment while grinding his bones with rage.
* * *
“Sect... Leader.”
Someone dressed neatly in martial robes carefully called out to the one seated in meditation.
But the Taoist, whose beard flowed long like Guan Yu’s, did not move a muscle at the voice calling him.
After hesitating briefly, the person assumed the Taoist was listening and conveyed the news.
“Evil Tyrant Alliance … they say Paegun is marching to Henan.”
At that moment, the Taoist's closed eyes slowly opened.
A bone-chilling northern wind and snow began to rush into the Taoist's eyes that had felt colorlessly transparent and empty.
“Paegun?”
"Yes."
The Taoist nodded so slowly that others would have difficulty noticing.
"Then, it is time to reclaim what was lost."
The Taoist muttered softly and rose to his feet.
This Taoist emanating an aura as chilling as a blade, the world called him Wudang's Heo Do Jin-in.
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