Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1758. Because I made it that way (3)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
“Begone.”
"Understood."
At Cheonsal's command, the Blood Cult Leader bowed his head to the ground and crawled backward away.
A fleeting look of disgust crossed Cheonsal's eyes at the sight.
‘Pathetic.’
However, his current situation of having to employ even such a person as a limb might be what was truly lowly. Bound by the chains of the cult's doctrines, even possessing the power to shake the world, he could only sit back and talk from a distance.
The cultists cannot interfere with Jungwon.
Thus, what Cheonsal thought of was simple.
If he couldn't interfere directly, he would do so indirectly. If someone other than him caused chaos in Jungwon, that wasn't violating the doctrine.
He knew it was nothing more than shallow wordplay. If the doctrine were strictly applied, Cheonsal could not escape the judgment of ‘Infidelity,’ the greatest sin of the Cult.
Though the cultists might think otherwise, the archbishop alone wouldn't tolerate his actions. Perhaps the person sent by the archbishop to judge him was already within striking distance.
But Cheonsal did not care.
He had proven his steadfast faith by personally slaughtering the young bishop who had defied the doctrine, yet that incident had left a distinct scar on Cheonsal’s heart.
- Until when...
Because Cheonsal couldn't answer those words.
‘O Heavenly Demon.’
He believed. The Demon (마(魔) would return. He would lead everyone once again. This faith with nowhere to go would surely be rewarded.
However, there was one thing he couldn't be certain of.
Would that advent be accomplished before the lives of those who survived came to an end?
Cheonsal's eyes darkened.
The cult was forgetting the past. Those who did not see the greatness with their own eyes and only heard of it through stories were already harboring doubts.
As the situation stood, if the advent only occurred after the lives of the survivors had ended, the cult would never be the same as it once was.
He had to devise a method.
'The Demon descended to earth shall dye all things in the world with blood.'
A prophecy passed down for ages, an absolute truth he had never even doubted. One day, while pondering this, a thought occurred to Cheonsal.
The Demon dyes the world in blood... then conversely, when the world was dyed in blood, must the Demon not be present?
It might be sophistry. However, Cheonsal believed it was worth attempting. No, in fact, it was fine even if useless. Better than remaining trapped in eternal waiting doing nothing.
So he would dye that land before him red, using every means at his disposal.
It could be said to be an offering prepared for the Demon's descent. He would offer even his devotion and life to that. To prepare a world for the Demon to descend upon.
Cheonsal bit his lip and stared at the vast earth.
‘O Heavenly Demon. Do you hear me?’
Do you not hear the desperate voice of this pitiful one… who longs for you so fervently that he even threatens such insignificant beings?
After staring at the land of Jungwon with burning eyes, Cheonsal turned his body.
'For now...'
And just as he was about to step away and distance himself from this place.
"Cough!"
Cheonsal suddenly hunched over as if struck by a fatal blow. It was as if a giant hand had forcibly crumpled him.
His bent back heaved violently.
“Ug- Blaaaargh!”
Soon, a basin’s worth of pitch-black blood poured from his mouth.
'What……?'
Cheonsal's two eyes were filled with shock.
'What is this?'
Corruption of the Demon(마(魔))?
That can't be.
It was an undeniable fact that demonic arts harm those who practice them. Just as one cannot deny that a sword can injure its wielder regardless of how it was used.
But Cheonsal had long since surpassed that realm. He had reached the Ultimate Demon. It wasn't the Demon dominating him, but he who could dominate the Demon.
For such a person to suffer from the side effects of demonic arts was as absurd as a tiger dying from ant bites.
But if so... What was this?
“Ugh!”
Cheonsal coughed up blood once again.
It was as if his body was betraying him and lashing out.
'Heart Demon?' (심마(心魔))
Another possibility flashed through his mind, but he quickly shook his head.
It is different from the Heart Demon. It was different from an Inner Demon. Even the ‘Gates of the Demon’, which one must endure several times more vicariously and violently than those who practice Righteous arts before reaching the Ultimate Demon, had never shaken his body like this without a single warning sign.
Then what was this because of?
Cheonsal slowly turned around. His hand with nowhere to go trembled helplessly in the air.
'…No way?'
His eyes shook as if an earthquake had occurred.
'Am I now?'
Was this emotion digging into his chest what he thought it was? Was he truly reviving a sensation he had forgotten decades ago, he who had come to feel everything in this world as meaningless?
Then….
‘I must confirm it. Right now.’
Cheonsal kicked off the ground in an instant. His body shot forth like a black meteor.
Northward, toward the desolate land he had left behind.
* * *
"Mm."
Deep worry filled Hwang Jongwi's face. Or perhaps it was the fatigue that had accumulated over time.
'This isn't easy.'
Huayin had grown incomparably larger than before. With the influx of numerous refugees, the number of people calling Huayin home had increased beyond his ability to even estimate.
Ensuring that they could settle and live properly in Huayin wasn’t as simple as it sounded.. Even with the alliance’s support, it was beyond what Hwang Jongwi and the Eunha Merchant Guild could handle.
"How much longer can we hold out, Guild Leader? We're too short-handed. At this rate, everyone..."
“…I’m aware.”
A sigh leaked from Hwang Jongwi's mouth.
"However, we can't request personnel reinforcement now, can we?"
"That's true, but..."
The guild members bowed their heads. Hwang Jongwi spoke.
“The alliance members who went to Wudang are literally fighting with their lives on the line. How can we afford to make complaining noises?”
"You're right. But..."
"I know. Still, let’s put in a little more effort. The war won’t be long.”
“…Yes.”
The man who had spoken smacked his lips bitterly and began to rattle his abacus again. It wasn’t that he fully agreed with Hwang Jongwi’s words. Rather, he knew that Hwang Jongwi's responsibilities were far greater, making it inappropriate for him to voice complaints.
Right now, managing Huayin alone was overwhelming, yet he also had to support the alliance that had gone to Wudang and distribute the supplies they would consume. Even if he had a hundred bodies instead of ten, it wouldn't be enough.
‘If the war just ends in victory, it might receive that much higher praise, but…’
Remaining as a founding contributor to Heavenly Comrade Alliance as it seized control of Jungwon was a massive opportunity, one that made the heart swell just by imagining it. Perhaps they might even achieve the dream of unifying the entire merchant world under one roof.
Because the side that won at the end of the war was always the merchants.
'However, that, too, is only after people survive.'
What would be the point of gaining honor if people didn't survive? At this rate, Hwang Jongwi would meet an untimely end before the war even ended.
“…Are you certain the war won't be drag on?”
“It won't be.”
No, to be precise, the war couldn't last long.
The easiest way to grasp the war situation was to track the flow of funds and supplies. Neither Heavenly Comrade Alliance nor Evil Tyrant Alliance has the capacity to sustain this standoff.
Since both sides were squeezing to the limit to continue the confrontation, if one side showed its bottom, they would have no choice but to enter all-out war with no turning back. For two forces already fighting away from their home bases, retreating back to their headquarters wasn’t an option.
“Then…”
The man, who was about to ask something else, forced himself to swallow the question. Hwang Jongwi knew what the question was without hearing it.
Could they win?
Hwang Jongwi felt a small sense of gratitude toward the person who held back from asking questions. In the past, he would have answered without hesitation that they could. But now, even Hwang Jongwi himself harbored doubts about Heavenly Comrade Alliance.
Why was it so sluggish and suffocating? The alliance he knew had much lighter steps.
Unable to do anything about his frustrated heart, Hwang Jongwi let out another deep sigh. He could guess the reasons to some extent, but there was nothing he could do about it here in Huayin.
"We have no choice but to trust them and wait."
"…Yes."
Hwang Jongwi fixed his gaze on the documents piled before him again.
It was difficult, but he had to concentrate. He didn't want to pass even a tiny bit of the burden to those who had to fight with the fate of Jungwon on the line. He couldn't allow that.
“Guild Leader.”
"What is it?"
“…A guest has arrived.”
Hwang Jongwi frowned at the unexpected news.
“Guest? Now isn't the situation to receive guests, so tell them to return."
"That, it’s difficult. To be exact, they're not Guild Leader's guest but the alliance's guest..."
A guest of the alliance?
Doubt flickered in Hwang Jongwi's eyes. Because those words themselves felt absurd.
First of all, there was currently no one in Jungwon who could be called a 'guest' of Heavenly Comrade Alliance. Even if they existed, if they had accessed even minimum information about how Central Plains was turning, they would have headed to Gyunhyeon, not Huayin.
In other words, someone influential enough to be called a guest of the alliance, yet ignorant of the current situation in Jungwon had arrived in Hua-eum. It was absurd.
"Who did they say they were?"
"Well..."
Hwang Jongwi stood up from his seat before a reply could come back.
It was because the man reporting kept glancing behind him. It was clear the ‘guests’ had already arrived at the door.
"First, bring them in."
“P- Please come in.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than two people walked in.
One was ordinary in appearance, while the other was rather small in stature.
'A boy? Or a woman?'
They were completely covered by a large wind cloak, making it hard to discern. Originally, one who didn't reveal their face shouldn't have been allowed to reach before Hwang Jongwi. This was the fault of those guarding outside, and Hwang Jongwi inwardly resolved to sternly reprimand them later.
Regardless, he maintained his guard and asked calmly.
“Would it be discourteous of me to ask the reason for your visit?”
The person of ordinary build seemed to notice Hwang Jongwi’s displeasure and hurriedly answered.
“We have committed discourtesy.”
Hwang Jongwi flinched momentarily. The pronunciation was awkward. They weren’t accustomed to the language of Junwon.
At that moment, the man who had answered lightly lifted his cloak.
“Uh... Huh?”
Hwang Jong-w couldn't hide his bewilderment and widened his eyes greatly.
Red kasaya and a cleanly shaven head. Fluent yet strangely awkward pronunciation. Combining all these clues, it wasn't difficult to guess the identity of these two.
“I am a monk of the Potala Palace. In the palace, they call me Banseon Lama.”
“B- Banseon…!”
Hwang Jongwi’s eyes grew even wider.
Soon his gaze left Banseon Lama, the second-in-command of Potala Palace and an undisputed giant of Tibet, and reached the other person.
Hwang Jongwi had clearly seen it. As they entered through the door, Banseon Rama had treated the smaller person with deference.
Who else in the world would the second-in-command of the Potala Palace defer to?
“The- Then, this person is…”
The one with small stature slowly removed the wind cloak covering their face.
What was revealed was a still youthful face, yet it held an untouchable sanctity.
Hwang Jongwi instinctively shrank back. Somehow, it felt utterly fitting.
'That... person is...'
Then, the youth's mouth opened. A heavy voice unsuited to the face flowed out composedly.
"Where is Chung Myung Dojang?"
An enormous presence beyond measure descended. Hwang Jongwi’s consciousness felt as though it were fading away.
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