Chapter 1757 – Return of The Mount Hua Sect
“Hmm.”
A
low hum resonated, causing Ho Gamyeong to shiver faintly, despite the small
sound not conveying any particular discomfort.
‘Damn
bastards.’
Even
after reconsidering, not immediately informing Jang Ilso about the defection of
the Blood Palace was not a wrong decision. If it could be handled at his level,
resolving the issue with as little commotion as possible was his duty as a
military officer.
At
least, until those crazy Blood Palace people did something absurd, like
directly attacking Mount Wudang, which could only be seen as an all-out war.
No
matter how much Ho Gamyeong oversaw all the information within the Evil Tyrant Alliance, it was impossible
to keep such a significant event as a battle with Heavenly Comrade Alliance from reaching Jang Ilso’s ears. Even if
it were possible, it shouldn’t be done, as it would undermine Jang Ilso’s
authority.
“Gamyeong-ah.”
“Yes,
Ryeonju-nim.”
“Did
you know?”
“....
I knew about the defection. But I never imagined they would head there....”
“You
knew....”
Jang
Ilso softly repeated, narrowing his eyes.
“And
yet.... it seems you didn’t feel the need to inform me.”
“......”
“Hmm?”
A
bead of sweat rolled down Ho Gamyeong’s temple.
His
decision was not wrong. But the basis of his judgment was the current situation
where Jang Ilso’s control wasn’t as strong as it used to be. How would Jang
Ilso take this? Even Ho Gamyeong couldn’t guess.
“Ryeonju-nim, that was….”
“Well
done.”
Startled,
Ho Gamyeong quickly looked up. Jang Ilso shrugged his shoulders as if it was no
big deal.
“There’s
no need for me to be aware of every little thing. Handle it on your own.”
Ho
Gamyeong stared at Jang Ilso blankly, his face full of confusion.
What
had he been doubting and hesitating about? All he needed to do was trust that Jang
Ilso was still Jang Ilso.
“....
Understood, Ryeonju-nim.”
“Where
is the Blood Palace Lord now?”
“The
palace has returned, but he is still....”
“Really?”
A
meaningful smile appeared on Jang Ilso’s lips.
“There
was no need to confirm it in such a way. It’s a bit sooner than I expected.”
“What
do you mean by that, if I may ask?”
“Ah,
I’ve started talking nonsense again, haven’t I? It’s fine. You don’t need to
know just yet. It’s not certain anyway.”
Listening
to his calm and gentle voice made everything seem like just another ordinary
day.
But
Ho Gamyeong bit his inner cheek. He couldn’t just let this go.
“Ryeonju-nim, then what about punishment
for them...?”
“Hmm?”
Jang
Ilso lazily glanced at Ho Gamyeong.
“They
disobeyed Ryeonju-nim orders, left
the camp without permission, and engaged in battle with the enemy. If we don’t
punish them, we won’t be able to maintain discipline.”
If
they had merely defected without attacking Mount Wudang, he might have glossed
over it.
Though
Ho Gamyeong believed in strict discipline, he wasn’t someone who insisted it
had to be immediate.
Depending
on the situation, letting it slide could benefit the whole. But this matter couldn’t
be so easily overlooked.
The
fact that the Blood Palace attacked Heavenly
Comrade Alliance was already widely known within the Evil Tyrant Alliance. If punishment was delayed, it might provide a
cause for those already harboring discontent.
“Punishment,
you say...”
After
a brief silence, Jang Ilso smirked.
“Well,
just leave them alone. There’s no need for that.”
“Rye-
Ryeonju-nim....”
Ho
Gamyeong looked at Jang Ilso with an expression of utter confusion. Jang Ilso
sighed lightly.
“Why?
Does it seem like I’m reluctant to touch them?”
“How
could I dare think that?”
“Right,
of course not.”
Jang
Ilso smiled faintly.
“Then
leave them alone. It’s not something I need to do.”
“......”
“It’s
not difficult to give a little nudge with my toe to push those who are
scrambling to survive off the edge.... but it’s not particularly enjoyable
either.”
Ho
Gamyeong furrowed his brow slightly, finding it hard to grasp his meaning.
‘Was
it something they had to do? Or did they have no choice but to do so to
survive?’
The
former could be understood if it was considered part of their principles. But
the latter seemed impossible. Who in the world could push the Blood Palace to
the brink?
Moreover,
the Blood Palace was currently allied with the Evil Tyrant Alliance.
Unless
Jang Ilso personally intervened...
“Gamyeong-ah.”
“....
My apologies.”
Lost
in thought, Ho Gamyeong snapped back to reality and bowed his head. The reason
didn’t matter right now.
“Ryeonju-nim, even if they had a reason
for going to there, those watching will not easily let this matter go.”
“Hmm.
Those watching, you say....”
Jang
Ilso chuckled mischievously.
“Who
are you referring to?”
“That
is....”
“What
do you think? Do you have any complaints?”
Ho
Gamyeong stopped mid-sentence and abruptly closed his mouth. He realized that Jang
Ilso’s question wasn’t directed at him.
Quickly
turning around, he saw that the Hao Sect Lord, Thousand Faced Manipulator, was standing behind him, unnoticed.
Ho
Gamyeong’s expression hardened.
‘Why
is the Hao Sect Lord here?’
If
he had to pick the person he least wanted to deal with right now, it would be Thousand Faced Manipulator. If possible,
he would prefer not to face him, at least not now.
However,
Thousand Faced Manipulator didn’t
even glance at Ho Gamyeong. His gaze was fixed solely on Jang Ilso. Thousand Faced Manipulator slowly began
to speak.
“If
Ryeonju has decided, then all that’s
left is to follow. If you try to resolve every little complaint, you’ll never
get anything done.”
Jang
Ilso gave a small nod and looked down at Ho Gamyeong.
“So,
that’s it.”
“.....”
“How
about it? Are you reassured now?”
Ho
Gamyeong bit his lip.
Considering
that the Lord of the Hao Sect, who harbored the most discontent and represented
the largest faction within the Evil
Tyrant Alliance, had spoken those words, Ho Gamyeong found it difficult to bring
up the issue any further.
No,
on second thought, it should be a relief.
Thousand Faced Manipulator’s statement proved that
he had completely submitted to Jang Ilso. As long as he didn’t bring up any
grievances from the past, many issues could be resolved, making the recent
Blood Palace incident seem trivial by comparison.
“Gamyeong-ah.”
Jang
Ilso lightly urged a response. Ho Gamyeong sighed and replied.
“If
the Hao Sect Lord says so, I believe it’s right for me not to mention this
matter any further.”
As
he spoke, Ho Gamyeong openly glanced at Thousand
Faced Manipulator, as if trying to gauge his reaction.
However,
Thousand Faced Manipulator didn’t
react at all. It was as if he intended to bury all past grievances. Although
there would never be any talk of a reconciliation, the term “truce” might be
appropriate.
“Then
it’s settled. Now then....”
“However,
there is one thing I would like to ask.”
Thousand Faced Manipulator suddenly interrupted,
cutting off Jang Ilso’s words. His gaze seemed almost probing, as if he were
searching for something.
Jang
Ilso asked calmly, “What are you curious about?”
“A
moment ago, you said there was no need for you to punish them. May I ask what
you meant by that?”
Jang
Ilso’s lips curled into a low, soft laugh.
“I
meant it literally.”
“....
Pardon?”
“I
don’t need to punish him. There’s someone else who will.”
The
expression on Thousand Faced Manipulator’s
face stiffened slightly.
There
was something he didn’t know. Something that even the Hao Sect’s information
network hadn’t uncovered. But he couldn’t probe any further.
Jang
Ilso smiled at him.
“More
importantly, you know why I called you, right?”
“....
Yes.”
“Start
preparing. The punishment isn’t my concern, but it wouldn’t be fun to let the
opportunity I’ve created go to waste.”
“I
will follow your orders.”
Thousand Faced Manipulator bowed respectfully. He
appeared to have no doubts or reservations. However, his mind was a whirlwind
of thoughts.
‘What
is it?’
What
was he missing? Something that Jang Ilso knew but he didn’t.
Thousand Faced Manipulator’s gaze remained fixed on Jang
Ilso, who was smiling faintly. Once again, he had no idea what the man was
thinking.
Meanwhile,
the calm and languid look in Jang Ilso’s eyes began to heat up again. His
emotions were boiling over.
He
could sense it. The poison that had sustained the world was collapsing.
The
world everyone feared would soon arrive. A hell where even someone like Jang
Ilso could only struggle.
But.
‘Just
because something is destined to be lost…. doesn’t mean I shouldn’t take it.’
He
would take it all. Even if it was nothing more than an empty shell. Even if it
meant sacrificing everything. That was how Jang Ilso lived as Jang Ilso.
“The
time has come to struggle.”
With
a sneer and a hint of madness, his gaze turned northward.
“Everyone,
in their own way.”
❀ ❀ ❀
His
head was pressed low against the ground. No, even that phrase failed to fully
describe his current state.
His
head was so deeply buried in the ground that it seemed as if he was trying to
dig into it.
Trembling
in fear, shivering in anxiety, groaning in despair.
If
someone saw this scene, they would find it truly bizarre. The one bowing as if
begging for forgiveness for a grave sin faced nothing in front of them.
The
person’s face was wrapped in bandages, which were starting to soak with
moisture around the eyes.
“I
tried my best to carry out the order.... but my abilities were so inadequate
that I couldn’t fulfill it. Please understand the shortcomings of this pitiful
one and forgive my failings.... I beg you....”
His
body was trembling uncontrollably.
He
was someone who was not permitted to experience fear in front of others. As
someone who led a cult, he was supposed to be a resolute person, bearing
numerous burdens.
But
now, he appeared no more than a pitiful weakling. A being who seemed unable to
survive without groveling, who could not be forgiven without bowing his head.
The
Blood Cult Lord felt no sense of humiliation in this situation.
“If
you forgive this one’s sin and grant me another chance, I will carry out your
will with all my heart. Please....”
He
slammed his forehead against the ground again, producing a dull thud.
Then
he fell silent. While it’s true that groveling is a weapon of the weak,
overusing it can lead to worse consequences. He knew this well.
Time
passed.
To
others, it might have seemed like a short time, but to the Blood Cult Lord, it
felt like an eternity as he faithfully carried out this insane act.
Finally,
a voice broke the silence.
“I
thought you at least had the wit of a rat.”
The
Blood Cult Lord trembled as if in shock.
He
still couldn’t sense anything with his energy detection. But there was no doubt
that it was right here, directly in front of his bowed head.
The
Blood Cult Lord’s entire body was consumed by fear. What did it mean to be
unable to sense the presence of someone standing just a step away?
“You
seem to be nothing more than an insect.”
The
Blood Cult Lord’s breath quickened. The voice continued.
“Still,
if that’s the case, the responsibility lies with me as well. It’s my mistake
for giving a difficult task to a worthless insect.”
“I
was only trying to—”
Crack!
In
that instant, one of the Blood Cult Lord’s arms twisted.
Crack, crack.
With
a horrific sound, his arm twisted and contorted wildly, though no one had
touched it. Then it was torn apart, shredding itself from his body.
“Ugh....
ugh....”
The
groan was faint. It wasn’t because the pain was bearable. In fact, the pain was
so excruciating that he felt like he might faint at any moment, but he wasn’t
even granted the freedom to scream loudly.
“But
even an insect might listen if beaten. What do you think?”
“I...
I will definitely... take the opportunity....”
“I’ll
give you one.”
“.....”
“But
remember this, one who has strayed from the path: you have no need for any
thoughts other than mine. If you disappoint me again, not only you but all your
followers will come to long for death.”
“I...
I will....”
“Don’t
forget. You are free from my restrictions. Nothing you possess holds even the
slightest value.”
The
Blood Cult Lord hastily, fervently, nodded his head.
“I
will obey!”
“Then
go and carry out your task.”
“With
all my devotion.”
The
eyes of the one looking down at the Blood Cult Lord were chillingly cold. Those
emotionless eyes soon filled with a deep, dark aura.
Madness
swirled within, as if it might erupt at any moment.
Barely
restraining it, he turned his gaze to the south.
“….
Central Plains, is it?”
A
boundless yearning and rage flickered simultaneously in his eyes. The eyes that
stared at the land he had once walked were filled with nothing but malice.
“I
will find out. Whether this long wait has truly been worth it.”
A
solitary figure standing proud and alone.
In
the past, the world called him the Heavenly
Executioner.
❀ ❀ ❀
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