Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1745 – Invisible (5)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
Step.
The masked man's steps left the tent and headed out of the camp.
All martial artists belonging to Evil Tyrant Alliance were forbidden from leaving the areas designated by their superiors. But this didn't particularly apply to the masked man.
As he approached the boundary of the camp, several gazes shot toward him. But only briefly. Once they confirmed his appearance, those gazes dispersed as quickly as they had gathered.
Though he felt every bit of it, the masked man showed not a single reaction. It wasn't that he was ignoring them or that he felt nothing. It simply felt meaningless.
The masked man’s steps crossed the wide plain and headed toward a small rising hill. After entering deep into the mountain for some time, several tents appeared before him.
A place far removed from the camp set up by Evil Tyrant Alliance. Perhaps most of the martial artists of the alliance did not even know that such a campsite existed nearby.
Staring at the tents with dark eyes, the masked man opened the entrance of the foremost tent and stepped inside.
No sooner had he poked his face in than a musty smell assaulted his nose.
The stale stench of human, the smell of dried and rotting blood, and the scent of rust settling on poorly maintained iron mixed together haphazardly, making the air stifling.
Though the sun hadn't yet set, the interior of the tent was gloomy.
The masked man's vision very slowly adjusted to the darkness.
He could see roughly laid straw mats here and there, with bodies lying upon them. They must have sensed his presence, yet not a single one turned their gaze toward him.
Only the low sound of breathing from various corners signaled that they were alive.
Most seeing this scene would think of the barracks of defeated soldiers, or perhaps a prison holding captives. Even the masked man thought so.
Thud.
The masked man stepped forward, feeling the stale air. He opened his mouth toward the figures who wouldn't even look at him.
"A moment."
He meant for them to pay attention for a second, but no one responded to his words.
"...A message has arrived."
However, there was an immediate reaction to his following words. Those who had been as motionless as corpses, indistinguishable from the living or dead, slowly turned their gaze toward the masked man.
They wore dirty martial robes and each had pitch-black masks pulled over their faces, with empty-seeming eyes revealed through holes in the masks.
The masked man threw the message taken from his bosom toward the person closest to him.
"There were no particular issues."
“….”
The one who received the message silently confirmed its contents. Then with indifferent hands, the message was passed to the next person.
It was a slow hand motion.
Neither the one passing the message nor the one receiving it showed any sign of interest. Yet, the process of reading the message and passing it to the next continued without a break.
It took a long time for everyone to check the message. Finally, the last person to read it folded it back up and handed it to the original masked man.
The central masked person, having received back and put away the message, looked around once and turned. He had the duty to show this letter to those in the other tents as well.
It was a small sound from someone that stopped his steps.
"Keuk."
The masked man turned towards the direction where the sound came from and gave a cold look, but the person who was actually smiling was unfazed.
“I don’t know.”
He spoke in a feeble voice. No, perhaps lifeless would be a more accurate description.
“Whether it is fortunate, or…”
The rest of his words didn't escape his mouth. But everyone here knew what would have followed.
“What is it you’re trying to say?”
"No. Just laughter came out. With this, again... we'll have to continue playing those bastards' dogs for a while."
The masked man's eyes were faintly distorted.
“That’s fortunate. Very fortunate, isn’t it?”
“Shut your mouth.”
"Why is that? I said it's fortunate. Or perhaps... You don't think so?"
The corners of the man sitting on the straw mat twisted.
"Surely you're not feeling regret..."
"You bastard!"
Paang!
A sword instantly drawn pierced through the air like lightning toward the neck of the one speaking. The sharp tip of the sword touched the neck revealed beneath the mask, and a single drop of blood trickled down.
Yet, the man with the sword at his throat didn't react at all.
It wasn't because he was brave. It was simply that even if his head were severed right now, he would feel nothing.
Reading the agonizing emptiness steeped in those eyes, the masked man bit his lip and sheathed his sword. He turned away as if he couldn't stand the sight of him, finally spitting out the words he could no longer hold back.
"Spouting such words changes nothing. No one forced this choice on us."
Quiet laughter burst out again. Not mocking laughter, but self-deprecating laughter.
"When is the next battle?"
"...Not yet known."
"I see."
There were no more words.
But the masked man knows. In that question about the next battle was the hidden sentiment that dying in battle would be better than this.
"Would dying end it? If it were such a simple matter, we wouldn't have put on these masks."
Some lowered their heads in silence.
Finally, a self-deprecating laugh escaped the masked man's lips as well.
“There isn't even a hell left for us to fall into. You should know that by now.”
“….”
“Don’t think. If your head is too busy, at least sleep more."
Though he knew sharp gazes and sighs of despair poured at his back, the masked man completely ignored them and exited the tent.
Sunlight suddenly poured onto his face.
Feeling the stinging rays, he adjusted the mask covering his face. He wished the light wouldn't reach him. He wished no one could see his face.
‘There isn’t much left.’
No... Was that really true?
This war would end in some way. But would an 'end' truly exist for them?
He lowered his head. Avoiding the sky looking down on him, he moved toward the next tent.
From far away, dark clouds were approaching very slowly. As if trying to hide him from the sky.
* * *
"He's not here."
“I guess so.”
A hint of irritation appeared on Jaegal Jonghyo's (제갈종효(諸葛從效)) face as he gave an answer that lacked any hint of disappointment.
Just how many more days did they intend to continue this meaningless search? After scouring all of Mount Wudang, orders had now come down to search the surrounding villages.
Did they really plan to find one person in this vast world?
"Seeing he's not here even after searching this much, he must have already gone far."
"But isn't it strange, Hyung-nim? He’s someone who lost his martial arts..."
“Still, he was the acting sect leader of Mount Hua Sect.”
"Without martial arts, isn't it all the same anyway?"
"Watch your words."
"...I apologize."
Though he sharply rebuked, Jaegal Ryang's thoughts weren't much different either.
'Baek Cheon.'
Mount Hua Righteous Swords Baek Cheon. The head of the famously illustrious Five Swords of Mount Hua, the one designated as the next sect leader of Mount Hua. Perhaps the swordsman with the brightest future guaranteed in Kangho.
'It's a pity.'
He could understand why the higher-ups were going to such unreasonable lengths to find Baek Cheon.
However, the fact that it was meaningless nevertheless didn't change.
'This is nothing but a waste.'
No matter how great in the past, now he was merely a common person who had lost his martial arts. What would they even do finding such a person?
No, even if he hadn't lost his martial arts, the conclusion remained the same.
With the great war against Evil Tyrant Alliance looming, mobilizing this many people just to track the movements of one individual was an excessive waste. It wasn't as if one person could change the course of the war.
“Huuu.”
A quiet sigh leaked from Jaegal Jonghyo's mouth. A cautious voice came from beside him.
"Hyung-nim."
"What?"
"Shouldn't we start suggesting we give up soon? We may not have a say, but surely the patriarch understands the situation, doesn't he?"
Jaegal Jonghyo did not answer.
“Even if they don't say it aloud, everyone has plenty of complaints. To go this far….”
“Then just keep your mouth shut.”
"Hyung-nim."
"Stop wasting time with useless talk and search again."
"…Yes."
Jaegal Jonghyo sighed quietly and turned his head away.
'Foolish...'
Such direct advice had already been given many times. The patriarch knew too. That this was a meaningless act.
The reason they couldn't argue strongly against it was simple.
Because the ones most actively supporting this exhausting search were Mount Hua and Southern Edge Sect. Even Tang Family was quietly siding with them.
With the most influential factions in Heavenly Comrade Alliance speaking with one voice, there was no way the voice of Jaegal Family, which had belatedly joined the alliance as remnants of Five Great Family, would be heard.
“Just a little longer.”
“….”
"Endure just one or two more days, and they'll realize this is utterly meaningless too."
"Would people who know that be acting like this?"
"At least we'll have justification to speak strongly."
A sigh leaked from his cousin Jaegal Dong-in's (제갈동인(諸葛同因)) mouth.
"Yes, yes. I get it. You're saying to continue even if it's a meaningless act."
“…”
"Honestly, I don't know how this is different from what Ten Great Sects used to do. I had expectations because Heavenly Comrade Alliance was supposed to be somewhat better."
“…Your mouth will be your undoing.”
“I said I get it.”
Jaegal Jonghyo briefly clicked his tongue.
Of course, his words weren't entirely wrong. Heavenly Comrade Alliance of the past was certainly not like this. Even when together with Ten Great Sects, how much had they inwardly envied Heavenly Comrade Alliance?
But in the current alliance, that old vitality was nowhere to be found.
Does a bloated alliance inevitably end up walking the same path?
'No. There must be another reason.'
When Heavenly Comrade Alliance first began to make its name known in the world, there was definitely... one person's name always echoed alongside it. But recently, that name hasn't been heard much.
Wasn't it from that time? That vitality disappeared from the place called Heavenly Comrade Alliance and those feeling frustrated increased.
'Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword Chung Myung.'
What was he thinking now? He should be the one causing the biggest stir over Baek Cheon's matter, yet he's strangely quiet.
Had he changed after leading a large group? Or perhaps...
After thinking this way and that, Jaegal Jonghyo soon shook his head.
It wasn't a realm he could know through guessing alone. First, he had to properly do the task at hand. He emptied his head and began to silently search the surroundings.
And in places their gazes didn't reach... red eyes were flashing.
The Blood Cult Leader let out a chuckle watching two people walking out of the village. To swagger at the foot of the mountain with just two people.
"Though I didn't expect particularly great vigilance, this feels like being ignored."
Did they think Evil Tyrant Alliance would absolutely not attack? Or was finding that guy Baek Cheon more important than that?
"Cult Leader-nim, your orders."
"Mm."
The Blood Cult Leader's eyes sank coldly.
Logically speaking, there was a high chance this was a trap. There were plenty of clever minds in Heavenly Cormade Alliance.
But…
“It wouldn't hurt either way.”
As the saying goes, beat the grass and snakes come out.
"If we're going to beat it anyway, shouldn't we do it thoroughly?"
The corner of the Blood Cult Leader's mouth curled grimly.
"Kill everyone in sight."
"Understood!"
The followers he had brought shot forward like poison-laden snakes. The Blood Cult Leader's eyes watching glowed red.
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