Chapter 1842 – Return of The Mount Hua Sect
“Sahyung!”
At the
familiar voice calling out, Yoon Jong turned around.
“Geol-ah!”
Jo Geol, who
had headed toward Wudang, was now rushing back with the disciples in tow. As
soon as he reached Yoon Jong, he shouted urgently.
“The Blood
Palace? What happened to them?”
Yoon Jong’s
face paled. Jo Geol, oblivious to the situation, bombarded him with questions.
“They went after
our rear. Surely no one was caught off guard, right, Sahyung? Say something!”
It seemed Jo
Geol had not yet witnessed the carnage behind them. Yoon Jong hesitated. Where
should he even begin? No—how could he possibly explain it?
Jo Geol,
finally getting a good look at Yoon Jong’s face, stiffened.
“Sahyung?
Don’t tell me....”
“The Tang
Family Lord has fallen.”
But it was
not Yoon Jong who answered. Jo Geol snapped his head toward the voice.
“What are
you saying?”
No further
response came. All he could see was Cheong Myeong’s retreating back as he ran
forward without a word. Jo Geol glared at his back as if demanding an
explanation, but Cheong Myeong never once looked back.
“What kind
of bullshit is this?! I’m asking you!”
“Geol-ah.”
“Bullshit!”
Yoon Jong
tried to calm him, but it was useless. Jo Geol’s voice was laced with venom.
“The Tang
Family Lord? Do you even hear yourself?! He’s not someone who would fall to
those Blood Palace bastards! Sahyung!”
He desperately
sought confirmation, but Yoon Jong had no words to offer. Jo Geol’s expression
grew darker.
“Don’t joke
about things like this. There are things you can joke about and things you can’t....
Sahyung? ....Right?”
His voice
wavered. He had seen Yoon Jong’s devastated face.
Yoon Jong
could no longer ignore Jo Geol’s trembling, tear-filled eyes. With great
difficulty, he finally spoke.
“....Jang
Ilso was there.”
At that
single name, Jo Geol fell silent. Those three syllables alone carried enough weight
to explain everything.
“No.... No
way. That bastard.... why....”
“....”
“....Damn it
all!”
Jo Geol
cursed, lowering his head. Then, as if struck by a sudden realization, he
snapped his head up again. His eyes flickered with fear.
“Sahyung....
What about Soso?”
“Not yet.”
Jo Geol bit
his lip without another word. His hands clenched and unclenched as if he couldn’t
contain his unease. No one could bring themselves to comfort him.
Then, a
cold, emotionless voice spoke again.
“Sahyung. If
it’s not vengeance you seek, but the peace of the fallen.... then you
know what must be done.”
[tl note: requiem/ritual
for the pacification of the souls of the dead, 진혼(鎭魂)].
It was Cheong
Myeong.
Jo Geol
glared at Cheong Myeong with eyes burning with fury. Yet, all he could see was
his back.
Finally, Jo
Geol nodded and stepped forward. Yoon Jong, taken aback, called out.
“Geol-ah?”
“I’ll take
the lead. I’m going to drive a blade through that bastard’s throat.”
Murderous
intent radiated from Jo Geol’s cold blue eyes.
“We need to
hurry.”
“....Yeah.”
Perhaps
spurred on by Jo Geol’s fury, the Mount Hua disciples pushed forward with
renewed urgency.
But deep
down, they all knew the truth—no matter how desperate they were, their bodies
could not keep up.
‘This isn’t
good. Everyone is exhausted.’
Im Sobyeong,
watching from the rear, hardened his expression.
It wasn’t
even a matter of thinking about it—it was obvious. Mount Hua had fought at the
most dangerous frontlines the entire time. Even after securing an advantage,
they had thrown themselves into battle again and again.
Not only was
their internal energy drained, but their very spirits were worn thin.
Only their
duty, the obligation left behind by Tang Gunak’s death, kept them moving. But
both their bodies and minds had long since reached their limits.
And the
problem was—this was all the manpower Im Sobyeong had.
With just
these warriors, he had to traverse an increasingly chaotic battlefield.
On the other
hand, what about Jang Ilso?
The forces
under his command were from the Blood Palace. They had not participated in the
war raging across this plain. Jang Ilso himself had done nothing but sit back
and watch from the beginning.
Catching up
to him was already a struggle, and now they had to fight him at near-full
strength.
The thought
alone was dizzying.
“Nokrim King.”
Lost in
thought, Im Sobyeong turned to see Jongli Gok approaching him. He must have
been thinking the same thing.
“Be honest.
What’s our situation?”
Jongli Gok
already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it from Im Sobyeong himself.
Im Sobyeong
could only say one thing.
“....It’s
terrible.”
Jongli Gok
sighed, as if he had expected it, but the weight of reality still hit hard.
Even knowing
the truth didn’t make it any easier to accept.
“If they’re
moving to attack from behind, I understand that our options are limited. But
isn’t it just as difficult for them? If they want to bring down the Alliance,
they’ll have to fight consecutive battles [연전(連戰)]. With each battle, their
commanders will also deplete their strength.”
“Normally,
yes.”
Jongli Gok’s
words weren’t wrong.
But... could
they really count on the enemy exhausting themselves?
The Heavenly
Comrade Alliance had already fought a war and had drained their energy trying
to capture the fake Jang Ilso. On top of that, they had now scattered into
dozens of fragmented groups, completely cut off from each other.
How would
Jang Ilso perceive this situation?
“But it was
Jang Ilso who set up the fake in the first place.”
“That’s
true, but....”
Jongli Gok’s
gaze seemed to ask: ‘Isn’t that obvious?’
Im Sobyeong
shook his head slightly.
“You don’t
understand. The one who decided how many pieces the Alliance would be split
into... was Jang Ilso himself.”
Jongli Gok
flinched. That was when he finally understood.
“Are you
saying the Alliance is now divided into the perfect bite-sized pieces for him
to consume? Just as he intended?”
“Most
likely.”
“Then....
are you suggesting that he foresaw all of this from the very beginning and
orchestrated everything?”
“Probably.”
Jongli Gok
looked completely dazed.
He had
witnessed firsthand how the war had unfolded on this battlefield. But was Jang
Ilso truly capable of predicting everything before the war even started?
‘Could any
human being really do such a thing?’
It was hard
to believe. But at the same time, there was no other choice but to believe it.
After all, things had unfolded exactly as Jang Ilso had planned.
To think
that all of this was just a series of coincidences would be even more absurd.
That meant
they had to acknowledge the terrifying reality—Jang Ilso had been toying with
the entire Heavenly Comrade Alliance from the very beginning.
‘How do you
even fight against someone like that?’
For the
first time, Jongli Gok felt true despair.
“When....
when did he become ‘this’ formidable?”
“From the
very beginning.”
“But....”
Jongli Gok
started to argue but trailed off. He was utterly confused.
Everyone had
known Jang Ilso was a dangerous figure. But wasn’t this ‘too’ much? Hadn’t the Ten
Great Sects fought him on even terms until now? And the Heavenly Comrade
Alliance, even more so.
Im Sobyeong
could read his thoughts and spoke with an icy expression.
“Don’t
delude yourself.”
“....What?”
“There’s
nothing to add or subtract. If you had fought him with only your own strength,
the Evil Tyrant Alliance would have ruled the world within a few years. Jang
Ilso would have toyed with and crushed you all, taking the world for himself.”
“......”
“You
underestimated him for two reasons. Either you belittled what he was doing, or
the people fighting against him ‘seemed’ capable enough that you thought, ‘If
they can do it, so can we. So it’s nothing special.’ That kind of idiotic
reasoning.”
Jongli Gok
shut his mouth. He had been hit right where it hurt.
“But....”
From his
perspective, there ‘was’ an excuse.
How could
anyone have properly evaluated the abilities of a young taoist who wasn’t even
thirty yet?
Sure,
looking back, he felt like a fool. But at the time, wasn’t his assessment
completely reasonable? And hadn’t the other leaders of the Ten Great Sects
thought the same way?
Im Sobyeong’s
gaze shifted to one person—Cheong Myeong, running at the front of the group.
‘Idiotic
bastards.’
Im Sobyeong
cursed them internally.
This was why
he blamed Beop Jeong for everything.
The Ten
Great Sects had wasted their strength for nothing. If Cheong Myeong had been in
charge from the beginning, the Evil Tyrant Alliance would have been driven into
a corner, barely able to breathe.
But instead,
they chose their ‘own’ path, foolishly clinging to their pride. And because of
that arrogant decision, the entire world was now on the brink of destruction.
Im Sobyeong
also admitted something else—he, too, was far from enough.
The only
person who could sit across the board from Jang Ilso as an equal was Cheong
Myeong.
‘But no
matter how skilled he is....’
Im Sobyeong
clenched his teeth.
There was
only one reason why the evenly matched game suddenly became unbalanced: Jang Ilso
suddenly got rid of the rules.
Cheong
Myeong had refused to sacrifice his people. Jang Ilso had not lost Myriad Man
House. This unspoken agreement had been upheld so well that it could be
considered a minimum rule. The two had made their moves while staying within
this boundary.
But now,
Jang Ilso had shattered it.
Even the Myriad
Man House and Ho Gamyeong had become mere pieces on his board. By sacrificing
them without hesitation, he secured an absolute advantage.
Could they
overturn this?
No, even
before that—could Cheong Myeong counter a move that involved sacrificing not
only his comrades but even himself? While desperately trying to protect Mount
Hua and Heavenly Comrade Alliance, all of it?
The answer
was painfully clear.
‘No. It’s
impossible.’
But at the
same time, Im Sobyeong couldn’t let go of hope completely.
There was
still something inside him—a faint expectation that refused to disappear.
Because the
one standing at the front was ‘Cheong Myeong.’
‘And that
man.... has always done the impossible.’
So, there
was no choice but to believe.
That this
time, too, a miracle would surely happen.
❀ ❀ ❀
“Damn it!”
Moyong
Wigyeong spat out a harsh curse.
Jang Ilso,
who was clutched in his grasp, was dying, coughing up blood. The explosion he
had triggered in his act of self-destruction had left him completely charred.
And due to
the aftermath of that explosion, Moyong Wigyeong himself was covered in soot.
“This fake
bastard....”
Moyong
Wigyeong threw the fake Jang Ilso to the ground.
If this had
been the real Jang Ilso, he would have gone down in history as the hero who
saved the world. But the gamble had failed, and now all he could do was wait to
hear that someone else had taken down Jang Ilso.
‘No....
Rather, even now....’
Moyong
Wigyeong quickly looked around. If those who had followed him still had some
strength left, they could take another shot at a different Jang Ilso.
“Tsk.”
But he soon shook
his head in disappointment.
They were
all completely exhausted. They had used up every last ounce of their strength
chasing down a fleeing target with life-or-death desperation. There was no
other way. It was impossible to continue fighting, and even moving would be
difficult.
After all,
even warriors were still human. Being stronger and able to endure longer didn’t
mean they never got tired. Once they reached their limit, they had to recover
their strength and regroup.
“Lord, what
should we do....”
“Hoo.”
Instead of
answering, Moyong Wigyeong let out a deep sigh.
With that,
he let go of the last bit of lingering regret.
“We can’t
afford to cultivate our energy right now, so we’ll rest for a while before
moving again.”
“Yes.”
Moyong
Wigyeong looked around as he clicked his tongue.
‘We’ve ended
up quite far away.’
At this
rate, even if they set out to find the others, there was no guarantee they’d be
able to regroup easily.
With
irritation flashing in his eyes, Moyong Wigyeong cast a glance at the blackened
corpse.
“Damn
bastard. Why is he running away so desperately when he's just a fake anyway?”
Everything
about this situation annoyed him. He was about to turn away in frustration
when—
“Hm?”
Something
moving caught his eye. He narrowed his gaze, looking further ahead.
Something
was approaching from the distance.
‘Is it the
Alliance?’
Perhaps it
was another group of the Alliance warriors who still had some strength left,
chasing after another fake Jang Ilso. If so, he could at least mock them for
wasting their efforts just like he had.
Frankly, he
hadn’t even considered any other possibilities.
After all,
he had personally witnessed the Evil Tyrant Alliance being scattered and
fleeing in all directions.
“Who’s
leading them....?”
Moyong
Wigyeong was about to crack a joke but abruptly fell silent.
The
approaching group was clearly divided: black-clad warriors on one side and
red-clad warriors on the other, centered around a single figure.
Moyong
Wigyeong searched his memory. Were there any such groups within the Heavenly
Comrade Alliance?
No.
Absolutely not.
Even though
the sects were forced to disband, when the battle began, they instinctively
grouped with their own sects out of habit, but there is no other group so
distinctly gathered wearing the same attire.
And above
all—
“Red....
clothes?”
There were
no warriors in the Heavenly Comrade Alliance who wore red.
Moyong
Wigyeong’s face grew increasingly pale.
“That’s....”
The figures
became clearer as they drew nearer.
At the very
front of the approaching force, though the iconic crimson robe was absent, Moyong
Wigyeong was certain.
“That, that’s....
Jang.... Jang Ilso! Jang Ilso!”
“Huh?”
“Lord, what
are you saying....?”
“Jang Ilso! That
bastard! He’s coming for us!”
Moyong
Wigyeong screamed like a madman. Those who had just begun to rest panicked,
scrambling in fear.
“Wha....”
“The, the
real Jang Ilso!”
“Ahhh! Jang
Ilso is coming! That bastard! He’s coming after us!”
Jang Ilso
clicked his tongue as he watched them.
“Tsk, tsk....
How utterly disgraceful.”
Then, with a
smirk, he gave the order.
“The
beginning must be clean for it to be satisfying. Kill them all. As quickly as
possible.”
“Yes!”
Jang Ilso’s
fangs sank mercilessly into the weary Heavenly Comrade Alliance.
❀ ❀ ❀
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It seems getting killed by Jang Ilso is enrichment for the Alliance, huh?
ReplyDeleteAlso what's with this guy, he runs after fake Ilso, is surprised fake is a fake and then when he sees bunch of people approaching he thinks about mocking them instead of thinking how he got played
“When.... when did he become ‘this’ formidable?”
ReplyDeleteExactly my thoughts. This author just made Jang Ilso so powerful. I wouldnt be surprised if he beats the Heavenly Executioner soon hahaha stupid author