Return of the Mount Hua

I didn’t see anything. (2)

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Although they had moved away from the riverside quite fast, in reality, Hwasan and Tangga hadn’t traveled far. They needed to establish a nearby lodging for taking care of the severely injured Namgung clan’s members and the village they built here near Maehwado was ideal for accommodating all of them.

“But isn’t it still too close to Gupailbang? Won’t that be uncomfortable?”

“If it’s uncomfortable, those bastards standing over there, like their legs are broken, should be uncomfortable. Why should we be uncomfortable?”

“That makes sense.”

And so, Hwasan settled in the manor that had been previously used by Nokrim [Green Forest – bandits, lead by Im Sobyeong]. Without even having time to unpack their belongings, by the time the sun was setting, they had achieved some level of stability in tending to the injured — not Hwasan, of course.

“The more I think about it, the angrier I get at that crazy octopus head!”

Chung Myung’s eyes sparkled with anger.

“What? An alliance? A paaaact? That crazy bald bastard really blabbers anything with his big mouth! I’ll put a wooden stick in his yap! Is HE mocking us?!”

“Ahem, Chung Myung.”

“What?”

Baek Cheon cleared his throat quietly. He understood the anger, but he didn’t like the idea of speaking so harshly about the leader of Shaolin.

“You’re talking way too much about a senior of the Gangho.”

“Has Sasuk gone senile?”

“It’s not that… It could be an illness, like dementia.”

“…”

Jo Geol, looking puzzled, turned to Yoon Jong beside him.

“Dementia. Can someone on a deserted island get dementia?”

“I didn’t think so.”

“Really?”

“After today’s events, I thought it might be possible.”

“Ah…”

If this conversation was under normal circumstances, it would have been an ordinary one that anyone would find familiar. However, there was one minor issue: there was a bald man swaggering in front of them.

Hye Yeon, unable to interfere in the conversation, was breaking into a cold sweat. Just as he was closing his eyes in anxiety, a spark flew.

“Hey, what do you think, fake monk?”

“Ah, Amitabha… W-What are you talking about?”

“It seems like the Abbot has completely lost it. What do you think?”

Hye Yeon tightly closed his eyes.

As someone with eyes, Hye Yeon had witnessed everything that had happened between Hwasan and Shaolin. When Beop Jong had pushed them into being labeled as a faction allied with Sapaeryeon, wasn’t there a moment when he nearly cursed in front of the Abbot? If that had actually happened, it would have become a legendary moment in Shaolin’s history.

“Ah, what do you think?”

Hye Yeon felt tormented. Even though he could no longer consider himself part of Shaolin, Beop Jong had been like a parent to him. Could he really openly gossip about him in front of others?

Of course, Chung Myung didn’t give a second thought to Hye Yeon’s dilemma. Instead, he thrust his face towards Hye Yeon, tilting his head at an odd angle.

“Did you lose your hearing? Your head is so smooth and shiny, did you loose your hearing cause your eardrums are smooth too?!”

Jo Geol whispered to Yoon Jong again.

“Sahyeong, if his eardrums are smooth, wouldn’t he hear better?”

“…I’m not an audiologist, but… yeah.”

Hye Yeon glanced at the two of them, biting his lips.

Those brats are even more infuriating, those bastards.

“Why can’t you answer?”

At that moment, Baek Cheon, who had been quietly listening with his eyes closed, opened his eyes narrowly.

“Chung Myung.”

“Ah, what now?”

“Hye Yeon seem to have difficulty answering. Stop pestering him.”

Chung Myung furrowed his brow deeply, but before he could start swearing, Baek Cheon spoke calmly.

“Human nature is like that. His body may be with Hwasan, but if his heart might still be with Shaolin, how can we stop that? We should try to understand someone to be a true friend.”

“Oh, is that so? Are you still fonder of Shaolin?”

Hye Yeon adjusted his attitude.

That Baek Cheon, that guy..

“Hiya. I’ve been raising a tiger’s cub. lDon’t you know he might be a spy for Beop Jong who infiltrated Hwasan?”

“Hmm?”

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

All eyes of the Five Swords turned to one place. Hye Yeon, who had been blinking, jumped.

“H-.. ..how could you say such a thing?”

“Why not, this guy! Just by looking at your sect leader, you can tell he’d sell even his soul! After witnessing that, how can you let those words escape from your mouth? Shaolin monks, is having a conscience something they’re born with?”

“W-Well…”

Cold sweat trickled down Hye Yeon’s forehead.

“So, did you see your Abbot’s performance earlier? Or didn’t you?”

“I-I…”

“Yes, you didn’t see anything.”

In that moment, everyone stared blankly at Hye Yeon. He tightly closed his eyes again.

“Is that so? You didn’t see it?”

Chung Myung, who had risen from his seat with a satisfied expression, promptly smacked Hye Yeon on the head.

“Yow!!”

“Get him!”

“I knew it would come to this!”

Panic-stricken Ogeom grabbed Chung Myung, who was rushing towards Hye Yeon.

“Let go! Won’t let go? You punks! That’s why they say you shouldn’t pick up stray animals! What? You didn’t see it? You useless guy! Since those eyes seem to have no purpose, should I pluck them out today?”

“Chung Myung! Calm down!”

“Hey you, don’t beat people!”

“Right, Chung Myung! I don’t know about other things, but monk Hye Yeon isn’t a stray animal! He doesn’t even have fur!”

“…”

“…”

A moment of silence followed. Both Chung Myung, who had charged, and Ogeom, who had restrained him, stared blankly at Jo Geol.

“Why?”

“He’s insane.”

“Impressive.”

“Jo Geol, that’s a bit…”

“You shut up, you bastard!”

Chung Myung once again rolled his eyes and lunged at Hye Yeon. Such incidents were a daily occurrences in Hwasan by now, so nobody paid much to them, except for one person.

“…”

Namgung Dowi watched Chung Myung chewing on Hye Yeon’s bald head in a daze.

‘What’s going on?’

Is that the same person he remembers?

He kept looking at them intently, then happened to grab a passing Tang clans young lord.

“Um, excuse me, young lord.”

“Yes?”

“…Is it always like this here?”

Tang Pae lifted his head to glance at Chung Myung and Ogeom and then answered with a disconcerted expression.

“Well… You’ll get used to it soon.”

Then, as if feeling embarrassed, he patted Namgung Dowi’s shoulder a couple of times and walked away without a word.

Now, Chung Myung was completely pounding on Hye Yeon. Witnessing this unbelievable scene, Namgung Dowi’s eyes quivered.

‘Come to think of it…’

It did seem like he might have been that kind of person from the start. Yes, the martial arts competition. The martial arts competition… yeah.

‘But no matter how you look at it!’

Just yesterday, wasn’t he the one who defeated the Black Dragon King, showing heroic prowess at Maehwado? The image of him from that moment still sent shivers down Nam Gung Dohwi’s spine.

But that person…

“Die, die, you bat-looking freak!”

“I-I’m not a bat!”

“You’re not a bat? Where’s the bald guy in black robes then? Grow your hair out or take off your clothes! You should do one of those!”

“W-Well…”

He’s saying that.

Oh, he’s saying that.

Though he knew in his mind that it was the same person, his heart couldn’t quite accept it.

“Oh, calm down! Why are you taking your anger out on a monk because of Shaolin… huh?”

At that moment, Yoon Jong noticed the Namgung Dowi blankly starting at them.

“Oh, hello?”

“Yes. Hello…young lord.”

Yoon Jong greeted him politely, but Namgung Dowi’s expression was still quite shook.

“What’s that? Isn’t that person injured? Why are they crawling out again?”

As Chung Myung’s attention turned to him, Namgung Dowi quickly cleared his throat. When humans behave strangely, it’s best to carry on with business as usual.

“Dojang, I’ve come to express my gratitude formally.”

Namgung Dowi bowed deeply.

Observing this, Chung Myung turned to Baek Cheon and asked,

“Sasuk.”

“Hmm?”

“Do noble-born kids normally express their gratitudes so many times?”

“Why are you asking me that?”

“Well, Sasuk, you’re from a deeply rooted aristocratic Southern Edge background.”

“No, you bastard! I’m a true-blooded Hwasan disciple from head to toe!”

“Heh, you really sound like a spoiled brat. Tsk tsk. Betraying the good name ‘Dong Ryong’ given to you by your parents.”

“I don’t want to hear those words from you!”

Oh, right.

Come to think of it, that person was the second class disciple who cleared the way against the enemy troops at Yangtze.

Back then, he was… quite impressive and very reassuring.

‘But wait, is his name really Dong Ryong?’

While a person’s name doesn’t necessarily have to match their appearance, this seemed to be a situation where both the face and the name clashed, to the point where they were figuratively fighting each other.

“Yeah, well. It’s not necessarily a bad thing to be well-mannered.”

Chung Myung replied nonchalantly, though there was a distinct glint in his eyes that said,

‘Where can I use this kid who’s doing unnecessary things?’

This was evident enough to be seen by Namgung Dowi as well.

“So, is the matter settled?”

“Oh, no.”

Namgung Dowi kept wiping away the sweat that kept popping up.

“I’ve come to express my thanks and ask for your guidance, now that I’ve become a member of Cheonumaeng.”

Namgung Dowi bowed deeply again.

“Please take good care of me and provide me with much guidance.”

He was deeply convinced.

‘Hwasan has become stronger.’

He knew very well what their original level was. Just a few years ago, this faction had no name in the martial world, and it was none other than Hwasan that had become a force to be reckoned with.

‘And during the martial arts competition, they were just seen as a faction with a good reputation.’

But this time, their performance at Maehwado had completely shattered Namgung Dowi’s previous thoughts. In just a few years, they had become a faction with power that could rival Namgung clan, or perhaps even surpass it.

Logically, it didn’t make sense, but there was no reason to deny what he had seen with his own eyes.

‘In other words, it means that Hwasan is the one who knows the best how to rebuild a martial sect in the world today.’

So no matter what happens, they must stick closely to them. Even if it means learning from Hwasan and Hwasan Geomhyeop to rebuild Namgung Clan, which was partly in ruins.

‘Chung Myung will definitely help. Definitely.’

Chung Myung had fought with all his might to save these people without any personal gain. Considering his deep sense of camaraderie, he would never turn his back on Namgung clan.

Namgung Dohwi thought as much.

The problem was…

“Sasuk.”

“Yeah?”

“What is he saying?”

“Now that he’s joined the Cheonumaeng, he’s asking for your guidance.”

“So, what’s that supposed to mean?”

“He said that in front of the Abbot of Shaolin, he ditches the Five Great Families and joins the Cheonumaeng. Weren’t you listening?”

“Oh, that?”

Chung Myung nodded as if he had finally understood.

“Yes, exactly.”

Namgung Dowi stared at Chung Myung with a brightened face.

“So, in the future…”

“Yeah.”

“…Yes?”

Namgung Dowi was about to bow his head again when he suddenly stopped, tilting his head slightly. He then saw it – Chung Myung, with his head tilted to the side and a face that seemed to express all the confusion in the world.

“Joining?”

“…Yes, joining…”

“Who accepted you?”

“Yes?”

Chung Myung picked his ear and flicked his finger,

“No one accepted you”

“Yes?”

“I said, no one accepted you”

“…”

Well, the problem was… Chung Myung turned out to be a much stranger individual than Namgung Dowi had anticipated.

It was rather unfortunate.

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