Return of the Mount Hua

But please understand (1)

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Baek Cheon bit his lip.

‘How should I handle this?’

Everyone has their sensitive areas, places that should never be touched. When you touch them, you reveal a side of yourself that you can’t control.

For Chung Myung, that sensitive area was undoubtedly the Demonic Cult.

The problem was the intensity of Chung Myung’s reaction when that sensitive topic was triggered. When he heard the name Magyo, he became a different person, unlike his usual self.

Baek Cheon didn’t understand why Chung Myung reacted so intensely to the mere mention of Magyo. But what mattered now was not understanding but how to respond.

“Chung Myung … This is…”

Baek Cheon attempted to initiate a conversation, but Chung Myung’s cold voice cut him off.

“Answer, Sasuk.”

His gaze was sharp.

“What has appeared?”

The aura emanating from Chung Myung was freezing. Even Baek Cheon, who knew that it wasn’t directed at him, shivered.

“Chung Myung, first… calm down.”

“Answer me first.”

“Chung Myung…”

His face distorted with anger for a moment, and he was on the verge of exploding.

At that moment, someone gently tugged on Chung Myung’s arm.

He turned his gaze to the person who held his arm. It was Yu Iseol, looking at him with her usual expressionless face.

“Calm down.”

“…”

“Calm down.”

With her calm and unwavering voice, Chung Myung finally let out a long breath. The tension in his lips gradually eased.

“All right. I’ve calmed down, so go ahead and tell me.”

“…”

“Sasuk.”

Baek Cheon let out a heavy sigh. Keeping things hidden wouldn’t be a solution. Eventually, Chung Myung would find out.

Baek Cheon turned to Jo Geol, as if urging him to explain. Jo Geol glanced between Baek Cheon and Chung Myung. He scratched the back of his head before speaking.

“Yeah… That’s… I don’t have all the details yet, but it seems like an envoy from Sapaeryeon has arrived.”

“Sapaeryeon?”

“That’s what I heard.”

Chung Myung’s gaze darkened a bit.

“Go on.”

“The… The envoy said he wants to meet with Sect Leader and that Magyo has appeared in Gangnam.”

As Jo Geol spoke, he kept an eye on Chung Myung’s reaction. However, it was difficult to read emotions from his expressionless face.

“Then?”

Jo Geol lowered his head.

“That’s all I heard. Un Am Sasukjo [사숙조(師叔祖) – senior Un disciples to third generation disciples] went to Sect Leader with the envoy. Since they mentioned Tangga, the Patriarch is probably there too.”

He looked at Chung Myung’s reaction one more time and spoke with an uncertain tone.

“So, don’t you think they should tell us what’s going on?”

Chung Myung remained silent for a while, then turned and began walking.

Baek Cheon stared at him, then called out with desperation.

“Hey! Where are you going?”

Chung Myung didn’t turn and spoke as he walked away.

“We need to check it out…”

Thankfully or unfortunately, he didn’t say he was going to run to Gangnam immediately. However, the following words left Baek Cheon panicked, and he rushed toward Chung Myung.

“…With the Sapaeryeon bastards.”

“Hey, you madman!”

Baek Cheon forcefully grabbed Chung Myung’s arm.

“Why are you going to check with the Sapaeryeon, you idiot!”

“…”

“First, calm down! This is not something we should rush into!”

“Rush?”

Chung Myung looked at Baek Cheon. When their eyes met, Baek Cheon nearly released Chung Myung’s arm. I n that brief moment his eyes felt strangely unfamiliar. They were indeed Chung Myung’s eyes, but they seemed different from what he knew. His eyes appeared to hold something he didn’t understand.

“Sasuk.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know what Magyo is?”

Baek Cheon stayed silent.

Of course, he knew. He had already experienced Magyo.

However, he couldn’t answer that question. Knowing a bit more about Magyo than others didn’t necessarily mean he understood the essence of the Demonic Cult. He couldn’t provide an answer to the question of whether he truly comprehended what Magyo was about.

“Let go.”

“No.”

Baek Cheon bit his lip, shaking his head.

“No, it’s not happening. You’ve lost your mind right now.”

“Let go.”

“Darn it! Why can’t you just…!”

Baek Cheon grapped Chung Myung’s collar. Just as he was about to shout in anger…

“What are you doing?!”

A loud roar pierced his ears. Baek Cheon flinched and looked behind, releasing his grip on Chung Myung’s collar.

Hyun Young glared at them with an angry expression.

“Good job, you guys.”

“Elder, this is…”

Baek Cheon had no words left and mumbled at the end of his sentence. Hyun Young, who had been silently watching them with a stern expression, spoke coldly.

“Follow me.”

When the two men didn’t move immediately, Hyun Young clicked her tongue.

“The Sect Leader summons you.”

Baek Cheon gave Chung Myung a quick look. Chung Myung stayed silent and started walking towards Hyun Young. Baek Cheon let out a relieved sigh and followed him.

The tense Ogeom members also released their held breaths. They wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads and exchanged worried glances.

Nervously, Jo Geol turned to Yoon Jong.

“What happens now, Sahyeong?”

“Um… I’m not sure.”

Yoon Jong’s gaze, which was focused on Chung Myung’s back, seemed even more serious than usual.

“First, we need to meet Sect Leader and find out what’s going on. We have to confirm how the situation is developing.”

“Okay, Sahyeong.”

Yoon Jong let out a short sigh as he heard Jo Geol’s answer.

A heavy silence filled the room.

Tang Gunak was seated beside Hyun Jong, whose face was unusually dark, the leading figures of Hwasan and Tangga had also gathered to their left and right.

It wasn’t Hyun Jong or Tang Gunak who made the atmosphere in this room so grim. It was Chung Myung, who was seated across from them. He kept his face rigid, and no one dared to speak first.

It was a scene that clearly demonstrated how much influence Chung Myung had in Cheonumaeng.

Tang Gunak cleared his throat slightly, as if thinking the silence had gone on for too long.

“Alliance Leader.”

“…… Yes.”

Hyun Jong spoke in a solemn tone.

“From Sapaeryeon….”

Even after speaking, he paused for a moment, closed his eyes tightly, and continued only after everyone had taken a deep breath.

“We’ve received a report from Saparyeon. It seems that those suspected of being related to the Demonic Cult have appeared in Hangzhou.”

“…Magyo.”

Someone whispered the word as if it was a moan.

The feelings of those in silence, those unable to do anything but sigh, were probably not much different from one another. The weight of the two words, “Demonic Cult” was heavy on everyone.

Especially…

“Magyo….”

The reaction from the disciples of Hwasan was far more intense compared to Tangga. It was only natural. Hwasan’s emotions towards Magyo were truly complex and dark.

“Was there no other information?”

Hyun Sang asked, and Hyun Jong shook his head.

“He said this is all for now. He mentioned that additional information would be provided separately.”

Hyun Sang nodded with a worried expression. This time, Hyun Young spoke up.

“If it’s a message relayed from Sapaeryeon, it’s most likely a command from Jang Ilso. Can we trust every word he says? It could be one of his tricks.”

Tang Gunak shook his head.

“The probability of that is not very high, Elder.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because the area he mentioned to have suffered is Hangzhou.”

Tang Gunak spoke as if forcing the words past his lips that wouldn’t let go.

“The disciples of Hwasan, especially, should know it well. That Magyo doesn’t discriminate between Gangho and Yangmin [양민 – common people’s world]. So, doesn’t it make sense that they’ve come out publicly like that?”

Hyun Young nodded silently.

However, to be honest, he didn’t know that fact very well. The fall of Hwasan had not only erased its history but also left very little information about Magyo.

“It’s Hangzhou. A place where many people reside. Especially it’s place where people flock from all over the world. If what Sapaeryeon said is true, it wouldn’t take more than a few days for that truth to spread.”

“Hmm. Indeed…”

“Jang Ilso wouldn’t make such an obvious blunder intentionally.”

Hyun Young nodded, thinking that what Tang Gunak said made sense.

Furthermore, as Hyun Jong mentioned, Sapaeryeon didn’t really demand anything specific. They just relayed the situation, didn’t they? Even if they were wary of Jang Ilso’s tricks, it was premature to already suspect him.

“What if…”

At that moment, Tang Pae spoke with a troubled expression.

“Doesn’t the fact that they’ve conveyed the information mean there’s a high likelihood it’s true?”

“…”

No one responded to his question.

“Ahem.”

Hyun Jong cleared his throat loudly, breaking the tension in the room.

“In any case, the situation we’ve received is like that. Therefore… I plan to inquire at the Beggars Sect first to find out what’s happening in Gangnam before deciding on our course of action.”

Everyone nodded. In this situation, that was certainly the right direction to follow.

But the one who spoke, Hyun Jong, still had a troubled expression. His gaze was fixed on someone across the room.

“Chung Myung-a.”

At that gentle voice, Chung Myung opened his eyes and stared at Hyun Jong. His gaze was so intense it was painful.

Hyun Jong cleared his throat and asked,

“Do you have something else to say?”

Chung Myung continued to stay silent, his gaze still unsettling.

“Chung Myung?”

“I don’t know if saying something will make a difference, but…”

After being called once more, he finally spoke. His voice was sharper than usual.

“If you understood the significance of Magyo’s appearance, you probably wouldn’t to say we would wait here calmly for information.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Cheonma doesn’t discriminate between Gangho and Yangmin. You clearly said that.”

This time, Chung Myung’s gaze turned towards Tang Gunak. It was clear that he had made that statement.

Tang Gunak nodded slowly.

“…I did.”

“Do you understand what it means?”

Just as Tang Gunak was about to ask again, Chung Myung spoke first.

“Today it’s Hangzhou.”

“…”

“Tomorrow it’ll be Suzhou.”

Tang Gunak couldn’t bring himself to say anything.

“Next will be Wenzhou, and after that, it will be Fuzhou.”

It was a voice void of any warmth, but what was even colder was the meaning behind those words.

“The village will be erased.”

Someone swallowed hard.

“The city will be erased.”

“…”

“Everything that’s alive will be erased.”

Hyun Jong’s fingertips trembled involuntarily.

“During that one day that Sect Leader asked us to wait for.”

Chung Myung’s eyes pierced through Hyun Jong.

“Not hundreds, but thousands of lives will disappear.”

“…”

“So!”

Chung Myung raised his voice for the first time.

“…There were those who fought with their lives on the line, even though they knew that those who withdrew crawled under their skin and protected their own interests.”

Thud.

Chung Myung’s echoing voice reverberated through the still room.

“Chung Myung…”

“It’s not about blame. But please understand, Sect Leader.”

“…”

“It’s about what the price of waiting for a day is.”

Hyun Jong closed his eyes, feeling a moment of unease.

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