That’s why the world is interesting. (1)
Eyes filled with mockery, as if they were speaking. What they seemed to be saying is, did you really anticipate this situation when you strutted around thinking the world was under your feet?
Tck!
Unconsciously, Jang Ilso raised his hand to cover his own face. He instinctively felt that he shouldn’t show the expression he was making to others. He was the leader of Maninbang and the commander of Sapaeryeon. Just because he was a mere Hwasan’s Sect Leader, he couldn’t distort his face like this.
Then, Chung Myung spoke up.
“Since Sect Leader has ordered it, the Black Dragon King will be released as you wish. However…”
With determination, Chung Myung applied more pressure with his foot on the Black Dragon King’s head. A groan, as if the Black Dragon King’s voice would break, escaped his lips. Chung Myung looked at Jang Ilso with his emotionless face.
“I don’t trust you.”
“……”
“The Black Dragon King will be released after we arrive to the northern bank.”
Jang Ilso stared at the clear sky without saying a word. A blue vigor danced in his eyes.
“So, now leave. Even my patience has its limits.”
Jang Ilso chuckled softly.
His shoulders, which had been trembling faintly, began to shake vigorously. Strangely, however, no laughter could be heard.
A soundless scene.
Those who watched this clenched their fists in an eerie silence.
Jang Ilso, who had been laughing silently for a while, slowly removed his hand from his face. His face had returned to its usual calm expression.
“Hmm.”
Jang Ilso slowly turned his head to look at Hyun Jong again.
“Sect Leader.”
“Please speak, Ryeonju.”
“I believe that you will definitely keep your word, Sect Leader.”
Hyeon Jong nodded silently.
“I will.”
Jang Ilso nodded in satisfaction.
“You mentioned that Sect Leader won’t negotiate with the evil factions, but that’s Sect Leader’s standpoint. I also have my pride, and I can’t just follow Sect Leader’s words. So, I’ll keep my word in my own way.”
Jang Ilso raised his hand slightly. At that moment, two ships from the convoy behind began to approach Maehwado.
Seeing this, the swordsmen of Hwasan tightened their expressions, and Jang Ilso pursed his lips.
“They are empty ships.”
“……”
“People who have achieved great deeds are returning with empty hands. It’s not proper to demand taxes from them. Please consider it as my favor.”
The disciples of Hwasan looked at Jang Ilso with suspicion in their eyes.
In their minds, the name Jang Ilso and the word “favor” simply didn’t fit together.
However, Hyun Jong simply nodded deeply, expressing his gratitude.
“Thank you.”
“……”
Jang Ilso silently gazed at Hyeon Jong, who had bowed his head toward him.
After a somewhat awkward silence, Jang Ilso slowly spoke.
“The Sect Leader of Hwasan. The Leader of Cheonumaeng.”
His voice was composed but carried a strange resonance as it spread out.
“…… Hyun Jong.”
Jang Ilso’s head nodded ever so slightly. It wasn’t the exaggerated demeanor he always displayed.
“I will remember that name properly.”
“…It’s not such a remarkable name that Lord Paegun would remember.”
“Heh heh.”
Jang Ilso chuckled softly and turned away without hesitation. He slowly walked towards his own boat.
Inevitably, he approached Chung Myung. Their eyes met in the air.
“…This time.”
Jang Ilso opened his mouth with a sly smile.
“You got the upper hand. Hwasan Geomhyeop.”
Chung Myung’s lips twisted.
“This time?”
With a smile strangely similar to Jang Ilso’s yet clearly different, he spoke again.
“It seems you’re quite talkative for someone barely escaping with their life.”
“……”
“Get lost.”
Jang Ilso shook his head lightly as if he couldn’t help it and passed by Chung Myung.
As he passed by Chung Myung, and there was no one left to see his face..
Kkara-lalalalak!
The rings on his fingers, which had been wedged together, made a tight sound as they separated, scattering like the cries of tortured spirits.
As if the vengeful spirits were screaming in agony.
Thump. Thump.
He walked resolutely towards his boat, and the boat moved on its own towards the river.
“Hwasan and… Hyun Jong.”
A blue aura filled Jang Ilso’s face.
Outwardly, it seemed like a favorable outcome for him. After all, he had prevented the death of the Black Dragon King who now owed him a great debt.
Even if the crisis itself had been created by Jang Ilso and Maninbang’s indifference, the fact that he had saved the Black Dragon King’s life remained unchanged.
To those who didn’t understand this conversation, it would seem that Jang Ilso had bravely entered Maehwado alone without shedding a drop of blood and had rescued the Black Dragon King with his three-inch tongue.
Jang Ilso’s reputation was bound to rise even higher.
Well, outwardly. Outwardly, at least.
But deep inside, Jang Ilso was filled with an insurmountable sense of shame.
“I…”.
Jang Ilso’s face contorted like a demons.
‘Is this what I’ve come to? Begging for my life through the mercy of someone whose name I couldn’t even remember? Is this Jang Ilso?’
Hyun Jong was an unpredictable variable in his calculations.
Hwasan and Tangga had entered Maehwado, and the Black Dragon King was indeed in dire situation, just as he had calculated.
But what followed was entirely different from what he had envisioned.
If it was Hwasan Geomhyeop, a man who valued the lives of his comrades above all else and would never let go of any advantage, Jang Ilso believed he would never give up on the mediation proposal he offered.
After all, it was not a bad proposal for Hwasan Geomhyeop.
He could save all of the disciples from Hwasan and return alive, gaining fame for rescuing Namgung at Maehwado.
With just this achievement, Cheonumaeng and Hwasan could gain a legitimate advantage over Shaolin and Gupailbang.
It was an offer that no one with a brain could afford to miss.
Especially someone as clever as Hwasan Geomhyeop would inevitably have to shake hands with Jang Ilso, regardless of their personal feelings. It was a must!
That’s why Jang Ilso could head to Maehwado alone, without a single escort.
He believed that the Hwasan Geomhyeop would never be able to refuse this proposal.
But…
“Hyun Jong.”
Hyun Jong had rejected his mediation proposal.
Hyun Jong had casually rejected an offer that anyone with even a slight understanding of self-interest would never refuse. From Jang Ilso’s perspective, it was something he couldn’t comprehend no matter how hard he tried.
In a cold, rational view, at that moment, Jang Ilso had essentially died. He had missed the variable that was Hyun Jong, and the moment his proposal was rejected, he had arrogantly pushed his own head into the mouth of the tiger like a fool.
Surviving was nothing but sheer luck. Jang Ilso, who had controlled everything in his hands up to this point and had shaken it as he pleased, now found himself alive for reasons even he couldn’t understand.
“Hehehehe.”
A blue vigor returned to Jang Ilso’s eyes.
‘…Hyun Jong.’
Madmen are called madmen because they do things that defy common sense. In that sense, to the onlookers, Jang Ilso might seem like a madman. But in Jang Ilso’s eyes, Hyun Jong was the madman.
An individual who couldn’t be comprehended or calculated with any logic — a crazy human being. Yet, this person held the position of the Sect Leader of Hwasan and was the Alliance Leader of Cheonumaeng, all while receiving unwavering support from Hwasan Geomhyeop.
Jang Ilso licked his lips. They, as red as blood, took on an even more sinister hue.
‘That’s why… the world is interesting.’
Jang Ilso forced a smile, trying to suppress the burning sensation in his chest as if he had swallowed charcoal. But his pupils sank into an even gloomier depth.
“Whoooo.”
“Ah…”
As Jang Ilso left Maehwado, a collective sigh escaped from the Hwasan disciples’ mouths. Some wiped the sweat from their foreheads, while others vigorously shook their heads. That’s how immense the pressure exerted by Jang Ilso was.
Merely facing him felt suffocating, as if their skin was being sliced by razor-sharp blades. They couldn’t help but feel this every time they confronted him.
But that’s why…
‘Sect Leader.’
It was only natural that the deep trust reflected in their eyes as they looked at Hyun Jong. Facing Jang Ilso, the ruler of Gangnam and the leader of Sapaeryeon, Hyun Jong did not back down even an inch. No, it was more than just not backing down.
Hyun Jong didn’t bother to exert force or push Jang Ilso away. He simply faced Jang Ilso calmly, just as he always did. Who else could do that?
It made them realize once again how remarkable their Sect Leader was.
“Thank you for your efforts, Alliance Leader.”
These words came from the mouth of Tang Gunak. In other words, it implied that he shared the same sentiment.
“No, Lord.”
Hyun Jong shook his head gently.
“I’ve sweated trying to calm down my restless legs. Paegun is Paegun. How could a person…”
Tang Gunak smiled faintly.
‘He’s truly remarkable.’
Anyone who saw Jang Ilso’s departing figure would feel the same as Tang Gunak. Who in the world could just send Jang Ilso away like that?
“This is truly…”
“Sorry, but we should discuss this later, Lord.”
At that moment, Hyun Jong’s gaze turned to Namgung survivors.
“As long as Paegun has promised, there won’t be any further attacks. First, we need to quickly move Namgung’s wounded to a safe place for treatment.”
“Yes, Alliance Leader.”
Tang Gunak, who rarely experienced interruptions in his speech, didn’t show a hint of displeasure now. Not a trace of discomfort could be found on Tang Gunak’s face. It was because Hyun Jong’s concern about the injured Namgung disciples possibly succumbing to their injuries came across clearly.
“Move the wounded to the boat! We will return to the northern bank of the river.”
“Yes!”
The disciples of Hwasan answered with renewed determination. What was interesting was that even the members of Sichuan Tang were responding to these orders with enthusiasm.
Tang Gunak chuckled as he observed this.
It seemed that even his subordinates had solidified their recognition of Hyun Jong as their leader at this moment.
‘You’ve gained a lot.’
It had started impulsively, but indeed, they had gained a lot – reputation, legitimacy, and accomplishments.
Yes, they had gained so much.
At that moment, Hyun Jong rushed toward the injured Namgung disciples to support them. Tang Gunak nodded as he watched his actions.
‘But perhaps, the most significant thing we’ve gained here is him.’
As he thought this, Tang Gunak turned his head slowly. His eyes locked on Chung Myung’s back, with one foot on the unconscious Black Dragon King and gazing across the river towards Maninbang.
‘Did you see this far and than headed here?’
Of course, Chung Myung wouldn’t answer.
________
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Return of the Mount Hua 
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