Return of the Mount Hua

How can people be like this? (4)

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“Mom, my leg hurts.”

“Just a little further, honey. Just a little longer.”

“My leg hurts…”

The woman carrying the heavy load on her back tapped her son’s shoulder and urged him to keep going. She wanted nothing more than to carry him immediately, but the burden she carried herself was far from small.

No, it was an unusually large and heavy load for an ordinary woman to carry.

“For heaven’s sake.”

A man who appeared to be the child’s father turned around with a face filled with frustration and resentment.

“Whatever is happening to this world…”

They were on the road leaving the Yangtze River basin.

They had spent their lives working the fields along the river, casting nets to make a living. However, in the face of the tension that had gripped the entire Yangtze region, they could no longer bear it.

Is not life precious to everyone?

“It will take about three days to reach the village…”

The man sighed deeply as he watched her massaging the child’s leg.

“Even if we go…”

For people who had lived in one place all their lives, settling in a new place was not easy. But it was not feasible to simply stay and endure in a place that could become a battleground again at any moment.

There was no guarantee that this war would end without leading to another. As a result, even those who had tenaciously endured the chaos three years ago along the Yanggang River had no choice but to abandon their homes and hit the road as they watched this new war unfold.

“Let’s find a suitable place to settle down and rest.”

“…Okay.”

Just as the man was about to sigh again, it happened.

“Hmm?”

The man noticed something and furrowed his brow. He stared intently in a particular direction, then suddenly widened his eyes.

“W-what is that?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Over there!”

The man raised his hand and pointed to one side. Something hazy and dusty was approaching.

“Is it a sandstorm?”

“There’s no wind, though. How could it be a sandstorm? Wait, it looks like it’s getting bigger?”

“Come to think of it…”

The man’s mouth gradually opened wider.

At the end of the road they had traveled, a hazy dust cloud had risen and was growing rapidly, becoming a massive dust storm approaching them at a speed that made it unmistakably recognizable.

“Get off the road, quickly!”

The man shouted urgently as he swiftly picked up the child. If the ones creating this dust storm were the forces of the enemy, crossing the Yang River, their lives would indeed be in danger.

“That way!”

Terrified, the three of them hastily moved aside.

“What should we do? We need to run…”

Just as they were considering making a run for the forest, something strange caught the man’s eye.

“A cart?”

Approaching them was a cart that looked three times larger than the usual cargo carts. However, what captivated his attention wasn’t the massive cart itself, but the one pulling it.

It wasn’t a horse or an ox; it was a person pulling the cart.

“I can’t believe…”

He was bewildered and amazed at the same time. It was bizarre to see a person pulling such a large cart, and it was astonishing to think that a cart filled with cargo could move at such a speed.

“What in the world…”

While he was trying to make sense of it all, the cart continued to approach without slowing down. Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, just as it was about to pass them:

“Stop!”

CRASH!

Someone’s command echoed through the air. In response, the people pulling the cart, with half-crazed expressions, simultaneously dug their heels into the ground, and the hard soil beneath them was displaced. Then, with a loud thud, the earth that had risen in the air came tumbling down to the ground.

The cart, which had been rising into the air as it tilted forward, came crashing back down to the ground with a hollow sound.

“…”

The man stared in astonishment at the scene before him.

“It doesn’t seem to be the enemy…”

Despite their somewhat imposing, if not excessively imposing, stature, there was no sense of unease from these individuals, unlike the thugs from some back alley.

Instead…

“Cough! Cough!”

“I’m dying… I’m going to die like this.”

“Water… Just a sip… Chung Myung, water…”

“Ugh!”

There was a strangely familiar feeling.

At that moment, a young man who had been sitting atop a pile of luggage taller than a person cleared his throat.

“They say it gets worse if you drink water!”

“…If you don’t drink water, you’ll die!”

“You won’t die, you won’t! I’ve tried everything.”

“What haven’t you tried… You crazy bastard…”

Chuckling, the young man turned his head to look at the man and offered a greeting.

“Hello?”

“Yes? Oh… yes! Yes!”

The man quickly nodded vigorously. While it seemed clear that these people meant no harm, the long sword hanging from their waists caught the man’s eye first, for he viewed anyone carrying a weapon with caution.

One should be careful around someone wielding a sword, no matter who they are.

“Where are you headed? You seem to have a lot of luggage.”

“We’re just travelers on the road.”

“So, where are you going?”

“Well…”

“Get on.”

“What?”

The young man chuckled. It was a clear and genuine laugh, strangely enough.

Oddly, that laughter made the man feel rather good. Without realizing it, he began to ease his guard.

The young man spoke again.

“Even though I don’t know where you’re headed, I can take you as far as Wuhan from here.”

“Well, we…”

“This is luggage headed to Sichuan. At least I can give you a ride to there.”

“Well, we are going to Sichuan, but…”

“I had a feeling.”

The young man leaped off the pile of luggage. He walked over to them with a sprightly step.

“Looks like the kid’s leg is hurting, so there’s no need to walk. I already gave someone a lift earlier this morning.”

“You… carried a person…”

The startled man momentarily looked at the young man’s chest. He noticed the plum blossom emblem engraved on it.

“Are you… from the Hwasan sect?”

“Hahahaha!”

The young man chuckled heartily, clapping his hands.

“This is why it’s important to become famous! People recognize you even without you having to say anything.”

“…Sounds good.”

“You seem to be enjoying it.”

The young man approached, chuckling, and vigorously patted the child’s head.

“Does your leg hurt?”

“…Yes.”

“Uchha!”

Chung Myung lifted the child and placed them on his shoulder. Upon seeing this, Hwasan’s disciples began to comment.

“Wow, that’s not light.”

“It must be scarier to ride on that bastards shoulder than on a tiger’s back.”

“It must be quite expensive also. Does this kid seem like some kind of general?”

“I wonder how tired he must be… Poor bastard.”

Then, Chung Myung turned his head and shouted.

“Why are you muttering? You bunch! Load the baggage!”

“…Yes, yes.”

“You’re being very condescending!”

“We are the ones pulling the cart!”

Despite their complaints, Hwasan’s disciples, led by Baek Cheon, quickly rushed over and took the baggage from the couple.

“You don’t have to do this…”

The man, not knowing what to do, looked at Baek Cheon, who smiled broadly.

“It’s okay. The luggage in there is very heavy.”

“Yes?”

“…Even if two more people get on, I don’t think it’ll make much of a difference.”

“….”

It was a truly terrifying offer.

“Come this way, please.”

“Is it really okay…?”

If someone else had offered to let them ride, the man would have never accepted. How harsh is the world? It’s impossible to embark on an adventure when you have to protect your wife and child. However, the expressions on their faces and the plum blossom pattern engraved on their chests eased the man’s tension.

‘Hwasan…’

At least to those who had been living along the Yangtze river, the name of Hwasan was synonymous with high morale and trust. If they were really people from Hwasan, then they could rest their tired legs.

Moreover…

The man turned his head forward.

Seeing his son sitting quietly around the neck of the young man who had suddenly appeared gave him even more confidence. His son, who was usually so cautious around strangers, seemed comfortably seated there, which meant that this person was probably not a bad one.

“…Well, we won’t refuse your help.”

With the help of the Hwasan disciples, the couple climbed onto the cart and looked around awkwardly. It felt strange to sit on a cart like this, especially on top of such a high load.

“Alright!”

Finally, Chung Myung climbed onto the cart and gently lowered the child who had been riding on his neck down in front of his parents.

“Hold on tight!”

“Yes?”

“Let’s go my Sahyeongs!”

“Damn you!”

“Just die, please!”

The cart started moving again vigorously. The couple who had just boarded the cart were startled and quickly grabbed onto the luggage below.

The cart began to run at an unbelievable speed.

‘Goodness…’

It was a terrifying situation. How could a cart pulled by a person move faster than a horse?

The husband tightly held his wife’s hand. He too was overwhelmed by the scenery flashing by at an incredible speed. Nevertheless, how could he blame this man? He held onto his wife’s hand and carefully spoke up.

“Um, by the way…”

“Yes?”

Chung Myung slightly turned his head to look at them.

“You did say you were going to Wuhan, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“But then you mentioned that you’ve been there this morning…”

“Yes, we did.”

“Wuhan?! Th-That’s a place where, even if you ride a horse, you can’t make a round trip in a day…”

“Oh, come on.”

Chung Myung waved his hand dismissively.

“Still, they’re humans. Can’t they ride slower than a horse?”

“…”

“Don’t worry. We’ll take you safely and comfortably. What are you waiting for? Run, don’t just sit there!”

“Come on, damn it!”

With someone’s furious shout, the cart sped up even faster toward Wuhan.

Near Wuhan, at the temporary residence’s main gate.

“We’ve arrived!”

Thud. Thud.

The exhausted disciples of Hwasan finally let go of the handles and collapsed on the ground.

“Sahyeong..”

“Why?..”

“Are they alive?”

“Of course, they’re dead.”

Yoon Jong couldn’t even turn his head, lying face down on the ground, trying to catch his breath.

“I feel like I’m really going to die.”

Carrying luggage from near the mouth of the valley to Wuhan?

In truth, it’s not a big deal. It might be an impossible task for ordinary people, but aren’t they Central Plains Special Express Delivery? They can fly this kind of luggage from the Northern Sea to the South with ease.

‘The problem is that we have to do it at full speed!’

– Time is money, and time is precious! Why are you running around leisurely? The one who arrives last will have their head shaved and be sent to Shaolin… No, except for you, Hye Yeon. Ah, don’t cry!

The demon of Hwasan never allows people to rest.

“I- I’m-, am really… really going to die.”

“I feel like throwing up…”

Chung Myung, who jumped off the luggage and clicked his tongue, looked around.

“No, how far did we run for you to pant like this! When I was young, I didn’t even know it was hard to run from Seongdo to Beijing in a month! Young people these days, ahh!”

“…You’re the youngest, you crazy bastard.”

“Please just die. Please…”

At that moment, the main gate of the residence opened, and someone with a familiar face walked out.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Tang Gunak nodded as he looked at the luggage and people that had been transferred to the cart.

“Is this everything for today?”

“What?”

Chung Myung tilted his head as if to say, ‘What do you mean by that?’

“Ah. It’s been less than an hour since I’ve started drinking, and I can go back one more time.”

“…Going back again?”

“Yes.”

“But you all look quite exhausted?”

“Ha-ha. You’re worried about nothing. When we unload the goods and return, the carts will be empty, right? They can rest then.”

“….”

Tang Gunak looked silently toward the cart. With his expertise in all kinds of metals, he couldn’t help but estimate the weight of that cart. That solid iron cart must undoubtedly be quite heavy.

‘Lord! ‘

‘Help, please!’

‘Save us! Help!’

Hwasan disciples, who had been lying down, suddenly raised their heads and sent pleading looks to Tang Gunak. He, who had been looking at them with a pitiful expression, finally spoke with determination.

“….Fine, let’s do it. I would be grateful if you could do so.”

Then, he turned his gaze away.

“Traitor!”

“Devil!”

“Dad!”

The last cry pierced his heart sharply, but Tang Gunak turned away with tears in his eyes. Even though he felt the pain, he knew that they needed to move commoners quickly to prevent more sacrifices. To maximize efficiency, while Hwasan moved the people from Jangwon to Wuhan, the Tang Family was in the process of moving them from Wuhan to Sichuan. For now, it was essential to evacuate the civilians from this volatile border area, where a war could break out at any moment.

“Anyway, let’s take a short break. After all, no matter how tough we are, we’re still human beings.”

“Oh, you don’t know, do you?”

“Huh?”

“Steel may break, but broken bones can mend.”

“…”

“They say humans are tougher than iron, right?”

This guy is something else. Communication seems impossible with him for now.

“Ahem.”

Clearing his throat, Tang Gunak adjusted his complexion and continued.

“Listen, Hwasan Geomhyeop*.”

“Yes?”

“…We’ve heard news from Jangwon. Are you interested in hearing it?”

The once-humorous look in Chung Myung’s eyes turned slightly darker.

Next chapter >>>

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*I know some translations exist for Hwasan Geomhyeop, like Mount Hua Righteous Sword or something around this. Personally I find it difficult to express the meaning of it in English (so it doesn’t sound tacky or too long), so let’s leave it as it is. It will be always in the back of the mind anyway, as a ‘mocking’ title from Jang Ilso.