It’s nothing short of a dogfight. (4)
“Wh-What…”
“…”
“You said something came?”
The head slowly tilted to the side.
At that sight, Hyun Jong involuntarily squeezed his eyes shut. He knew all too well what thoughts ran through that head whenever it tilted like that.
“Ahem. So…”
“Yes.”
“A message has come from Shaolin.”
“Ah, Shaolin.”
“Yes, that’s right. Shaolin.”
“Is it the Shaolin I’m thinking of? That place on Mount Song where a bunch of shiny bald heads are gathered, living together?”
Hyun Jong’s eyes anxiously scanned the room.
Just in case there might be another one of those shiny bald heads around, but fortunately, everyone here proudly shown full heads of hair… Full… heads…
“Is something the matter?”
Hyun Jong’s gaze had rested on Hyun Yeong for a while, causing him to tilt his head in confusion.
“Well…”
“Yes?”
“Ah, no, it’s nothing.”
Swallowing words he couldn’t bring himself to say, Hyun Jong subtly averted his gaze. His eyes grew moist.
That poor guy, suffering all his life…
“Ahem.”
Hyun Jong cleared his throat loudly and shifted his gaze back to Chung Myung.
“Yes, it’s that Shaolin.”
“What?”
Chung Myung feigned a surprised expression.
“Shaolin sent us a message? Oh my! I thought the only things we’d exchange with them were warm punches and sharp sword strikes, but a message? The attitude of a civilized person trying to resolve matters through dialogue between us and those bast-”
“N-No, Chung Myung. It’s not like we’re so estranged that we can’t even send a single letter…”
“What?”
Chung Myung’s eyes widened in shock as he asked.
“No, Sect Leader! A letter?”
“That letter…”
“A letter is something written with words, isn’t it?”
“Huh? Yes, it is. But why…”
“If they’re sending something written with words, it means they understand speech. But there’s no way those bald-headed Shaolin bastards could understand words, so how could they possibly send a letter?”
“…”
“If they could understand a word of what was said, they wouldn’t have caused all this mess! How could those hairless idiots even know how to read? They’re all immoral bastards anyway!”
Chung Myung spewed out a torrent of curses so fast that if Beop Jong had heard them, he would have foamed at the mouth and collapsed.
Meanwhile, Hyun Jong was extremely relieved that there were no outsiders present to witness the exchange.
“…Yes, surprisingly, they’ve sent a letter. So, I’d like us to discuss its contents.”
“Do we really need to?”
“…Please, just for once.”
At Hyun Jong’s earnest plea, Chung Myung crossed his arms and nodded.
“Well, let’s hear it.”
“Good, good. I’m glad you’re-“
“If we can listen to a dog barking, we might as well listen to a monk barking too, right?”
“…”
Once again, Hyun Jong reminded himself that the best way to talk to Chung Myung was to get straight to the point. Quickly, he spoke.
“The message is from Beop Jong, the Abbot of Shaolin. It’s not addressed to Hwasan but to Cheonumaeng.”
“And the contents?”
“Hmm.”
With a slightly troubled look, Hyun Jong relayed the message.
“It says that the movements of Sapaeryeon in the Gangnam region are suspicious, and they wish to discuss it. They’re requesting the presence of the Alliance Leader of Cheonumaeng. Also… your name is mentioned specifically. They want you to come to Shaolin as well.”
After delivering the message, Hyun Jong quickly glanced at Chung Myung, fully expecting him to throw a tantrum, maybe even foam at the mouth.
Oddly enough, however, Chung Myung showed no strong reaction. He merely kept his arms crossed, nodding leisurely as if contemplating something.
Feeling a bit puzzled, Hyun Jong cautiously asked,
“…Are you alright?”
“Huh? About what?”
“Well, you know…”
Saying it out loud felt a bit… awkward for Hyun Jong.
“I think it’s a great idea.”
“A gr-great idea?”
“Yes. To put it simply, they’re asking both the Sect Leader and me to come to Shaolin, right?”
“Th-That’s right.”
“Then of course it’s a great idea.”
Chung Myung flashed a radiant smile.
Seeing that pure, bright smile, Hyun Jong finally felt relieved enough to nod. It was just at that moment.
“I’m glad to hear you think that-”
“He is asking me to come get his head cracked open, so why wouldn’t I go?! You bald-headed bastard! Alright, here I come!”
“Where do you think you’re going, you brat!”
As Chung Myung prepared to leap, the Five Swords who had been on standby dashed in like lightning, grabbing hold of his limbs and restraining him. Their swift reaction was so flawless that it was hard not to be impressed by their teamwork.
“Let go! Let me go, or else!”
“W-Where do you think you’re going, you idiot!”
“Where do you think? To Shaolin, of course!”
“Why Shaolin?!”
“They called for me, didn’t they? That big bald idiot told me to come! He called, so I’m going! What’s the problem with that?”
Chung Myung rolled his eyes back dramatically.
“These bastards must’ve lost their touch after I stayed quiet for three years! Fine, fine! I’ll show them why I’ve been training for three years! I’ll tattoo the plum blossom on their shiny heads, and they’ll probably achieve enlightenment from that!”
“I-It’s Shaolin we’re talking about!”
“That’s exactly why I’m saying this! Why do you think I’ve been training for three years?”
Uh… wasn’t it because of the Evil Sects?
As Hyun Jong clutched his aching head with a sigh, Hyun Yeong cautiously approached him.
“Sect leader.”
“…What is it?”
“We need to think this through a bit.”
“Think?”
“Yes, Sect Leader. What do you intend to do?”
“Hmm.”
After a moment of deliberation, Hyun Jong spoke.
“No matter how strained our relationship with Shaolin may be, they’ve sent a letter regarding a matter related to Sapaeryeon. It would be proper to at least go and see, wouldn’t it?”
“My thoughts differ slightly.”
At Hyun Yeong’s words, Hyun Jong gave him a curious look, signaling for him to explain.
“As we saw during the recent rise of the Evil Sects, Shaolin does not look upon us favorably.”
“…”
“Yet, despite that, they are inviting us now. Don’t you think they might have some ulterior motive?”
It was now widely understood that Shaolin, the leader of Gupailbang, was distancing itself from Cheonumaeng, though few openly discussed it. Just then, a blunt voice cut through the air, as if thrown down carelessly.
“What ulterior motive? Their backs are just up against the wall.”
“What? Back against the wall?”
Hyun Yeong turned to look at Chung Myung, who was shaking off his fellow disciples clinging to his limbs, his lips twitching in displeasure.
“If the other sects of Gupailbang or the Five Great Families had properly answered the call, do you think Shaolin would have turned to us? They sent us a letter because no one else is listening to them.”
“…”
“They’re probably crying their eyes out holding onto some Buddha statue right now. Hahaha!”
“Chung Myung, rejoicing in others’ misfortune will hinder your spiritual enlightenment…”
“Well, then all those Shaolin bastards are bound for hell! When they get there, Buddha himself will be like, ‘Oh, you guys! I’ve been waiting for you!’ and then smack them with a sutra scroll!”
“…”
There’s no point in arguing.
Hyun Jong was at a loss for words, once again overwhelmed by the sheer audacity of his disciple’s personality. Just then, Baek Cheon tilted his head in thought.
“But Chung Myung.”
“Yeah?”
“If what you’re saying is true, doesn’t this mean things are going exactly the way you wanted?”
“Well, yeah.”
“Then why are you so angry?”
“I’m not!”
Chung Myung, who had briefly calmed down, once again widened his eyes in fury.
“That arrogant monk bastard is ordering our Sect Leader to come and go as he pleases!”
“…”
“Does he still think he’s got any influence on us? Even if he crawled here barefoot and begged, I’d think twice about going, and yet they ‘request’ our attendance? Unbelievable!”
“…”
While Baek Cheon was at a loss for words, someone else in the room was nodding their head vigorously.
‘Samae?’
Wait, why are you agreeing with him…?
Even amidst the chaos, Hyun Jong didn’t forget his role as the Sect Leader and tried to calm the situation down.
“Please, everyone, keep quiet…”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“It’s unfair, Sect Leader. Only one person’s been talking, but why are we all- Ow!”
Jo Geol, who had tried to interject, was immediately struck by Yoon Jong and sent flying into the corner, where he sat like a wet puppy, his eyes full of unspoken grievances. But no one paid him any attention.
“…Since this letter was sent to Cheonumaeng, we’ll have to send a response. What do you all think we should do?”
“Ignore it.”
“Burn it.”
“Oh come on. Let’s decline politely.”
“Can’t we tell them to come here instead?”
In the end, tears of frustration welled up in Hyun Jong’s eyes.
These guys are hopeless now. They’re beyond saving, completely unrecyclable.
“Sect Leader.”
In the midst of this, Baek Cheon spoke up in a serious tone. Hyun Jong, still holding out a thread of hope for Baek Cheon, brightened at his words.
“Yes, Baek Cheon. Go ahead, speak.”
“While it’s true that Shaolin has made this request, there’s no particular reason we have to comply.”
“Is that what you think?”
“Yes, Sect Leader. If we look at it rationally, Shaolin has consistently ignored or imposed conditions on our requests. So why should we be compelled to follow their lead now?”
Hyun Jong nodded, acknowledging that Baek Cheon wasn’t wrong. Still, the worry in his eyes remained, refusing to fade.
“But I am concerned. From the way things are unfolding, it seems like a war could break out any moment…”
“War doesn’t happen that easily.”
The one who chimed in now was Chung Myung.
“No matter how much they snarl and threaten, war isn’t something that just happens. Especially for those who have something to lose. Whether it’s Shaolin or anyone else, they all want to avoid suffering losses.”
“…”
“One reason Gupailbang or the Five Great Families aren’t listening to Shaolin is probably because of that.”
“Are you saying they’re afraid that if they gather, it might actually lead to a war?”
“Yes.”
Jo Geol raised his hand with a puzzled look and asked,
“But just because you hold back doesn’t mean a war won’t break out, right? Jang Ilso won’t just stay satisfied in Gangnam forever.”
“But Jang Ilso hasn’t made a move yet, has he? People, no matter what’s coming, always want to delay it for as long as possible, even if it’s inevitable.”
“Hmm.”
It was certainly a reasonable point. Jo Geol nodded in agreement
“Yeah, I guess I’m the same way. When I steal a drink, I know I’ll get caught eventually, but I still try to hide it for as long as possible… Aagh! Why are you hitting me?”
“You just admitted to stealing liquor!”
“That was before! A long time ago! Not this time! I already got punished for that!”
“Then get punished again!”
While Yoon Jong grabbed Jo Geol by the collar and shook him, Baek Cheon continued, ignoring them.
“So you’re saying that even if we don’t respond to Shaolin’s request, nothing major will happen for a while?”
“Exactly.”
“Still, the Sect Leader’s concern is valid too, Chung Myung. Shaolin is being unusually proactive this time. The atmosphere feels tense.”
“Sasuk.”
“Hmm?”
“If Hwasan were still part of Gupailbang, do you think we’d have followed Shaolin’s orders and gone off to fight?”
“That’s…”
Baek Cheon trailed off, his expression growing slightly complicated.
If it were in the past, Baek Cheon might have answered differently. But now, his response was already clear.
“People are all the same. Shaolin might be the leader of Gupailbang during a crisis, but in normal times, everyone is just scheming to beat them at least once, right?”
“…That’s true.”
“And now, when everyone’s emotions are already tangled up, do you think they’d all suddenly fall in line and follow Shaolin’s orders without question? Hah. Not a chance. That monk Beop Jong probably grew a hundred more buddhist relics* just from the stress.”
Chung Myung finished with a bitter laugh, a memory from the past surfacing in his mind.
‘Those lunatics.’
Even with Demonic Cult at their doorstep, they were busy bickering about who should advance and who should step back. All talk and no action. If only they’d moved in unison, the number of casualties could have been halved.
Chung Myung, who had long since learned how petty people could become when life and profit were at stake, could already foresee what would happen next.
“And what about the Yangtze River?”
“They’ll probably give up a part of it and retreat.”
“…But doing that would utterly destroy the honor of Gupailbang and the Five Great Families.”
“There aren’t as many people willing to risk their lives for honor as you’d think. Honor can be restored, but if you lose your life, it’s over. They’ll justify it by saying that as long as they can defeat Sapaeryeon in the end, they can recover their honor later.”
“Hmm.”
“So that’s why wars can’t be solved through meetings. Usually, it just takes one crazy guy to….”
Chung Myung trailed off, suddenly going quiet. His eyes slowly widened, and his lips parted as if he had just realized something shocking.
“W-What’s wrong?”
Baek Cheon, startled, asked. Chung Myung turned to him with a dazed expression.
“Sasuk.”
“Hm? What is it?”
“…We might be looking at the start of a war.”
“What?”
Chung Myung tilted his head to the side, muttering to himself.
“Wait a minute, if things are like this…”
His face twisted into an odd expression as he remembered something he had forgotten – like a bomb waiting to go off.
“Shaolin could really go up in flames at this rate.”
“What the hell are you talking about?!”
“I-I need to check! Where’s the beggar? Where’s the beggar uncle?!”
Without offering any proper explanation, Chung Myung kicked the door open and dashed out, leaving everyone else behind, staring blankly after him.
“What’s he thinking about now?”
“Like I’d know…”
“I’m hungry.”
A collective sigh escaped from everyone’s lips.
________
*Buddhist relics, as ones that monk receives while attaining spiritual enlightenment. Basically cm is moking bj again.
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Return of the Mount Hua 
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