Where is Hwasan? (4)
“Please.”
Normally, kneeling and lowering one’s head is a posture that no warrior should ever take. However, no one here thought of Namgung Dowi as being in any way ignoble. How could anyone think that?
“Young Lord.”
The first to react was Hyun Jong.
“Young Lord, what is… what is this?”
He hesitated for a moment, wanting to ask,
‘What has happened?’
He decided to lower his head and not ask. Did he really not know what had happened?
Was he really asking how Namgung Dowi was suffering in that terrible river? Hyun Jong approached Namgung Dowi and grabbed his shoulder. His trembling hand made Namgung Dowi’s body shudder as well.
“Sect Leader..”
Namgung Dowi slowly raised his head and looked at Hyun Jong. When he saw his crimson eyes, Hyun Jong bit his lip without realizing it.
Namgung Dowi’s voice was trembling.
“In Maehwado…”
“….”
“The remaining Namgung disciples are still trapped.”
“Young Lord….”
“Injured ones are dying every day, and those who survived are just waiting to die… Yes, they are simply waiting.”
Hyun Jong’s shoulders trembled.
“Please… help us, Sect Leader. Please… help them.”
Namgung Dowi attempted to lower his head to the ground again, but Hyun Jong quickly gripped his shoulder firmly.
“Do not do this, Young Lord.”
“Please…”
Meanwhile, Tang Gunak’s gaze, who had been observing the situation, turned towards Jao Gae. Seeing the anger in his eyes, Jao Gae sighed and spoke.
“Shaolin… didn’t help.”
However, he hesitated for a moment and bit his lip.
“Indeed, Shaolin, The Beggar Union and Kongtong, did not help Namgung.”
“Why?”
“Maninbang came for help. In such a situation, we could have fought against Surochae on the river…”
“I’m not asking about that, Elder.”
Tang Gunak’s voice sounded as bitter as a demon crawling up from the underworld. That’s how great his anger was.
“I know the situation. What I’m asking is why you’ve just been watching all this until now.”
“…”
Jao Gae couldn’t answer immediately. There were too many reasons, but among them, there was not a single legitimate one.
“This…”
When Tang Gunak revealed his furious eyes, glaring at him, Jao Gae couldn’t bring himself to meet that gaze and turned his head away.
Why couldn’t he understand how much effort that other Tang Clan had put in to protect those who couldn’t be protected by Gupa? Among the reasons he had, none could truly justify it.
“And… Namgung Hwang?”
“…”
“What happened to Lord Namgung?”
The reason Tang Gunak asked this was simple. The Namgung Hwang he knew wasn’t the person to risk his life for his own son’s escape. No, he wouldn’t be the man to send his own son to death alone.
“Maybe…”
Jao Gae couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence and bowed his head.
Thud.
The sound of Tang Gunak’s footsteps echoed ominously. Under the wide sleeves, the thick veins in Tang Gunak’s fist stood out.
“Please…”
At that moment, Namgung Dowi lifted his head and looked at everyone. Tears streamed down from his eyes, mingling with the dried blood.
“Save them… please, I beg you.”
“…”
“Please…”
Hyun Jong tightened his grip on Namgung Dowi’s shoulders, but he couldn’t bring himself to answer.
If it were only his life at stake, he might have already rushed towards that Maehwa Island. But right now, he wasn’t the only one whose life was on the line.
He couldn’t ask them to risk their lives.
“I’m sorry.”
Hyun Jong’s shoulders trembled.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, Yong Lord. I’m so… sorry.”
This wasn’t an apology to Namgung Dowi. It might have been an apology to himself. For those agonizing days when he had to carry the heavy burden of Maehwa Island and just endure, day after day.
Hadn’t he resented, not a single hand reaching out to help him? Not a single ear listening to his pleas?
Hadn’t he resented and cried out?
Yet, even so, Hyun Jong couldn’t bring himself to hold Namgung Dowi’s hand now. His agony was reaching its limits.
“I…”
Just then, a sound echoed from behind them.
Ssswing.
A sound of a sword being drawn.
Hyun Jong turned around with trembling eyes.
Baek Cheon had slowly drawn his sword, inspected it attentively, and then slid it back into its sheath. He stepped forward and stood in front of Hyun Jong.
Without a word, Baek Cheon’s eyes were filled with determination as he looked at Hyun Jong.
“Baek Cheon…”
Clank!
Yu Iseol drew her sword, and her inspection process was much faster than Baek Cheon’s. She firmly secured her sword to her waist and stood beside him.
And they weren’t alone.
Yoon Jong, with his resolute eyes, approached and supported Baek Cheon from behind. Jo Geol, with an enraged face as if he was ready to dash forward at any moment, guarded behind Yoon Jong. Tang Soso silently stood behind Yu Iseol, and the remaining disciples of Hwasan, one by one, drew and inspected their swords before silently forming a formation.
“…You…”
Hyun Jong fell silent as if his words were cut off.
No one stepped forward or spoke. Their actions spoke for them.
When Hyun Jong’s command was given, they would not hesitate but rush towards that Maehwa Island. Their actions showed that they were ready for that.
Thud. Thud.
Un Geom slowly walked forward, positioning himself behind these young disciples. Even Un Am, who usually stood back, had a determined expression as he stood by their side.
Hyun Jong watched them with his lips tightly pressed together, turmoil raging within his chest.
He wanted to help. He also wanted to rush towards that Maehwa Island right away. But…
‘I am the leader of Hwasan.’
Just as Hyun Jong was about to close his eyes tightly.
Sshing.
Chung Myung, who had been silent all along, partially drew his sword and glanced at it.
“Chung Myung…”
Hyun Jong was surprised and looked at him. However, Chung Myung, instead of returning Hyun Jong’s gaze, looked at Namgung Dowi and slowly spoke.
“Answer me.”
“…”
Namgung Dowi raised his trembling head to look at him.
“Why should we help you?”
“…”
“That place is Maehwa Island. If we help, we’ll have to risk our lives too. But why should we risk our lives?”
“…”
“Answer me.”
Namgung Dowi’s eyes shook greatly.
He had so much he wanted to say. There were endless words he could say. However, none of those words could fully convince them.
“…I…”
In the face of desperation, logic crumbled, and everything he possessed became useless. Now, there was only Namgung Dowi, one human being left in this equation.
“I can’t… bear to see it.”
“…”
Chung Myung’s lips tightened further.
Dowi shuddered, his shoulders trembling as he sobbed.
“I can’t bear to watch… my brothers, my family, my comrades… dying like that.”
Chung Myung’s gaze settled on Namgung Dowi’s hunched back.
“Please… please.”
He could sense the emotions coursing through Namgung Dowi’s shaky back. It wasn’t pain or sorrow that caused this trembling.
Fear.
Namgung Dowi was trembling with fear.
Fear that Chung Myung might reject his request. Fear that he might face the fact that he failed to protect those he should have. Fear of watching everyone die and ending up alone.
In the face of this overwhelming fear, he trembled.
“…”
Chung Myung’s gaze, which had been silently fixed on Namgung Dowi, finally shifted towards Hyun Jong.
“Sect Leader.”
“…”
“How will you proceed?”
His voice seemed devoid of any emotion. There was no urgency, no reluctance, just a simple inquiry. The choice seemed to be entirely Hyun Jong’s responsibility.
Hyun Jong bit his lip until it turned pale. Originally, he had intended to say, “I won’t help.” He could face criticism for not understanding the agreement, endure mockery just like Shaolin, or be ridiculed. However, he couldn’t bring himself to order others to risk their lives for strangers, even if they were fellow disciples of the orthodox faction.
Hyun Jong struggled to say those words aloud, but no matter how hard he tried, they wouldn’t come out. It was as if his throat had constricted, and he could only produce a faint whimper.
Then, Chung Myung, who had been silently watching Hyun Jong, spoke up.
“I once believed that there was one person who was truly great.”
“…”
“He was an excellent Leader. Everyone trusted and followed him, and no one hesitated to lay down their lives for him. He was the most suitable person to lead a martial clan in every sense.”
Hyun Jong closed his eyes tightly. Those words seemed to criticize his own weakness.
“But,” Chung Myung continued, looking straight at Hyun Jong, “In my opinion, Sect Leader is by no means inferior to him.”
“…”
Hyun Jong was taken aback by Chung Myung’s unexpected words.
“Chung Myung…”
“There’s just one thing missing.”
Chung Myung fell silent for a moment, and Hyun Jong, who couldn’t bear the weight of that silence, sighed and asked the next question.
“What is it?”
His voice carried a hint of desperation.
“What is it that I lack?”
Chung Myung responded with unwavering gaze.
“Knowledge.”
There was no trace of hesitation in his words.
“How sharp…”
He paused for a moment, and the corners of his lips twisted, revealing his white teeth.
Swish.
His sword was fully drawn from its sheath.
“…How sharp it is.”
As those words left his mouth, all of the disciples from Hwasan simultaneously drew their swords in the darkest hour of dawn, and the descending swords emitted a faint gleam in the darkness.
Watching in silence, Tang Gunak clenched his fists. This sensation that sent shivers throughout his body, one might describe it as a thrill.
Chung Myung’s calm voice continued.
“I am Sect Leader’s sword.”
Hyun Jong’s body trembled.
“Command me.”
Chung Myung, who had revealed this, spoke firmly in a resolute tone.
“To carry out the will of the sword. If Sect Leader commands, I will fulfill that will. I will, and so will they!”
Hyun Jong’s gaze swept across the rows of Hwasan’s disciples.
Everyone looked at Hyun Jong with unwavering eyes, devoid of any hesitation. In those eyes, there was a profound trust that their leader would never make the wrong choice.
“We will simply make it happen.”
Hyun Jong closed his eyes tightly.
As if he were grappling with inner turmoil, gathering his thoughts, or looking at the path he needed to take once again.
After a long silence, when he opened his eyes again, there was not a trace of hesitation left in his gaze.
“Hwasan’s disciples, listen.”
“Yes, Sect Leader!”
All of Hwasan’s disciples knelt on one knee to show their respect.
“We will go to Maehwado.”
“Understood, Master!”
The eyes of everyone shone brilliantly even in the darkness.
“We will rescue Namgung Clan, who is trapped in Maehwado, and inform the Sapaeryeon of the righteousness still existing on this land!”
“Yes!”
The response resounded as if it had come from a single voice.
Hwasan’s disciples rose as one.
Watching this scene unfold, Namgung Dowi sobbed heavily. His tensed body collapsed. But before his body could touch the ground, someone grabbed him and forced him to stand.
“Get up.”
“D-Dojang.”
Chung Myung, speaking firmly, pulled Namgung Dowi to his feet.
“If there’s something you need to do, do it yourself. We’re not here to do it for you.”
His voice was like that of a furious beast growling.
“We fight together.”
Silence.
“No one will do it for you. You stand at the front. You’re the one who will save Namgung.”
In Namgung Dowi’s trembling eyes, looking at Chung Myung, the quivering gradually ceased. Then, a resolute, blue gleam of determination filled his eyes.
“Yes! I will!”
Chung Myung turned around, and all of Hwasan’s disciples were gazing at him with firm conviction, as if waiting for his words to fall.
With a nod of his head, Chung Myung responded to their determination.
“Let’s go!”
Finally, the eastern sky began to brighten, bathed in a faint red glow. And the two factions, Hwasan and Sichuan Tang, began their march towards Yangtze river under the name of Cheonumaeng.
Return of the Mount Hua 
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