Do you know what shame is? (1)
The first words that came from those who faced each other again after Cheonumaeng and Haenam departed were excuses.
“…It’s only right to help.”
“Who doesn’t know that? Of course, it’s only right. We’re not beasts, if we’ve received kindness, we should repay it.”
“True. That’s right… But, even if that’s true, is it an easy thing to do? If those from Sapaeryeon find out, what will happen? Not even a single ant in this village will survive.”
“That’s exactly it. They don’t know what kind of people Sapaeryeon are. Aren’t they the kind who might fight if they feel wronged? How can they understand the feelings of people like us who have to beg for mercy?”
“Still… They must have felt disappointed.”
“Well, of course. Even I would have felt quite disappointed. They were people who helped us with goodwill.”
“Enough with that. What’s the point of talking? Not having power is a sin, and working in the dirt here is a sin. If it weren’t for those Sapa scoundrels, who would have cared about some grain?”
However, as if that wasn’t enough to soothe their discomfort, as time passed, words of criticism began to emerge.
“Frankly, wouldn’t all this have been avoided if those Just Sects hadn’t been beaten by the Evil Sects in the first place?”
“Oh, why are you saying such things?”
“Was I wrong? When they boasted confidently about dealing with Sapaeryeon, didn’t they end up being driven out of Gangnam by this very Sapaeryeon?”
“Well, still, it’s not something to say lightly.”
“If those Just Sects, or whatever they call themselves, hadn’t just been fooling around, we wouldn’t have had to suffer like this. When you think about it, it’s all because of them, so why should we feel guilty? If anyone should feel guilty, it’s them!”
“Well, that’s not entirely wrong… Anyway, they were people who helped us with goodwill, weren’t they?”
“Even the idea of helping is distorted! Aren’t they supposed to be righteous masters who clearly understand our situation? Are they people who wouldn’t anticipate the consequences of helping us recklessly? What good are these people who have learned and know so much?”
“…”
“And their so-called help is just words. They said they would sent us to Gangbuk, saying this and that, but who ended up coming? Didn’t they just abandon us again this time?”
At those words, the faces of the villagers stiffened oddly.
“From the beginning, those Just Sects didn’t care whether ignorant people like us lived or died. When times were good, they left us some grain as if they were giving alms, but when things got a little worse, did they even bother to offer that?”
“They said they were buying it! They said…”
“Did we even receive any money? How do we know if they really gave or not! And even if we did receive money, can we use it properly? In this world, grain that can be eaten right away is much more valuable than those pieces of metal!”
In truth, it’s a bit different. It’s not entirely wrong to say that grain is more important than money in times of chaos, but it’s not as if money is completely useless in the current Gangnam. Just leaving the village and going to a big city, one can still buy grain as long as they have money.
Most of the people here were aware of this fact, but they didn’t bother to point it out. Speaking out wouldn’t change anything anyway.
“What would we have done without the Village Chief? If it weren’t for him, the grain here would have been snatched away without a second thought.”
“That’s a bit exaggerated.”
“What do we know? When someone who’s lived a bit longer and is more thoughtful says such things, we can only follow along.”
“That’s true.”
It was their own choice. The old man simply conveyed what he thought.
But turning a blind eye was easier than facing the consequences directly. Even if it might bring greater trouble in the future, for now, it would bring comfort.
So, it’s best to just think that they followed the old man’s decision. After all, the village chief was the head of the village for as long as they could remember.
“That’s enough now. Didn’t we at least provide them with a decent meal? We’ve repaid the favor as much as we can.”
“…Enough.”
“It’s not wrong to say, is it? That meal might mean nothing to those people, but because of that grain, we might have to starve for over two weeks. If we’ve done enough, then showing some gratitude should be enough…”
“I said that’s enough.”
A man grabbed the shoulder of the one who was venting, but the latter shrugged off the hand and erupted in frustration.
“Why? Can’t I even speak my mind?”
“It’s not that! Behind you, huh? Behind!”
“Huh?”
The man turned around.
Hyeong Wook stood there, looking at him with disdain. Momentarily flustered, the man awkwardly cleared his throat.
“Uh, um. Are you here?”
“You said everything’s settled, didn’t you?”
“Well, I mean…”
“There was something you told me before, wasn’t there?”
“Huh?”
Hyung Wook spat out his words like a curse.
“Being poor and unable to learn doesn’t mean you have no shame. Shame isn’t something you learn, it’s something one just knows as a human.”
The man closed his mouth like a clam.
“Then what do you call someone who doesn’t know shame?”
There was no immediate response. Hyeong Wook didn’t bother waiting and left the place.
As they watched his rough footsteps, everyone sighed deeply. With the atmosphere becoming so tense, people quickly began to scatter, avoiding each other’s gaze.
The village soon fell into a deep silence.
Even those who felt deep guilt in their hearts, those who considered the demands of Hwasan excessive, and even those who believed that choices were already made in their hearts found themselves unable to speak up.
As the sun set and night fell, and after an unusually quiet night, dawn broke over the mountains.
“Tsk.”
Elder Hyeong clicked his tongue as he opened the door and stepped outside. Hyeong Wook hadn’t returned home the last nihht. There was no way the man, who had lived in the mountains his whole life, suddenly suffered an accident. He must have just wanted to avoid facing his father and spent the night outside.
‘For a man not so young anymore, he’s quite full of fire.’
The world wasn’t such an easy place. It was about time he realized that…
The old man sighed and raised his head, feeling frustrated.
‘It’ll probably be fine after a few days.’
He knows. Even the wounds that feel like they’ll never heal are covered with time and fade away. Through repeated experiences, even similar wounds become less painful.
The human heart is no different. Despite the agony and pain, after experiencing the same thing several times, it becomes numb. Would it be any different with guilt?
The elder simply hoped that through this ordeal, his son would face reality a little more squarely.
Step.
At that moment, the sound of footsteps reached the elder’s ears. Turning his gaze towards the entrance to the village, he suddenly became alert.
“Ah….”
A group whose viciousness could be felt just by looking at their eyes was rushing into the village. A chill ran down his spine.
Thunk.
At the head of the group, stood a figure, distinct from the rough-looking individuals behind. He pointed his finger and spoke.
“Bring them all.”
“Yes!”
The elder’s face was covered in a veil of deep despair.
“P-please spare us!”
“I-I haven’t done anything wrong, sir!”
The villagers, dragged along, were made to kneel in the center of the village. Elder Hyeong, with legs so thin they seemed ready to snap at any moment, was no exception.
Dragged out unexpectedly from their homes early in the morning, none of them dared to protest or question why they were being brought out.
It was only natural. To ordinary villagers, martial artists were like grim reapers themselves.
With just one appearing, the entire village would be turned upside down, so what could they possibly say when surrounded by hundreds of them?
Beyond fear, it felt like their minds could snap at any moment.
“Ah!”
“H-Hyeong Wook!”
Startled by the voice coming from beside him, elder Hyeong, who had been bowing his head, jerked up and turned his gaze.
His son, who hadn’t returned home overnight, was being dragged by the hair. Despite hoping he had stayed far away and miraculously survived, it seemed the weak-hearted fool had been wandering around the outskirts of the village even in the midst of anger.
‘Oh, no.’
The old man tightly clenched his bony fist, eyes wide open as he regained his composure. If circumstances allowed him to move without being noticed, he might have slapped himself hard to snap out of it.
‘They say even if bitten by a tiger, you can survive if you keep your wits about you.’
Had he been avoiding helping them in anticipation of such a situation? The villagers had done nothing wrong. So…
“They are all here!”
Someone’s shout caught the attention of the stern-faced leader at the front, who nodded in acknowledgment.
“As long as you answer honestly, there should be no harm.”
His straightforward words made everyone swallow hard. Then came the question.
“Have any members of the Just Sects been in this village?”
The villagers momentarily exchanged glances, not out of guilt but out of concern that admitting the presence of the Just Sects might bring trouble upon them.
However, Ho Gamyeong, was not one to sympathize with such circumstances.
“It seems they don’t understand. Use a couple of them as examples to make a point.”
“Y-Yes! We heard! We heard, sir!”
At that moment, elder Hyeong shouted at the top of his lungs.
Thud! Thud!
And he collapsed to the ground, banging his head.
“They definitely came!”
“Is that so?”
“Yes! Th-they said they needed grain. They would pay for it, so they demanded grain…”
“Grain?”
“Yes, that’s right!”
Understanding, Ho Gamyeong nodded.
“And then? Did you give it to them?”
“T-There’s no way! Though we may be ignorant, we’re not foolish enough not to know who’s looking out for us! We firmly refused!”
Elder Hyeong prepared himself to respond to whatever might come next, whether it be reprimands or praise. But what followed was far beyond his expectations.
After all, Ho Gamyeong had no interest whatsoever in whether they had given away any grain.
“I see. Good. Then where did they go?”
“Um…?”
The villagers exchanged puzzled glances with each other.
Where did they go? How on earth could the villagers possibly know?
“Don’t you know?”
“W-Well, about that…”
Elder Hyeong reflexively glanced around, trying to gauge the situation. He caught sight of Ho Gamyeong’s face, or more precisely, his eyes.
The gaze in those eyes was composed yet eerie. It was as if he was looking at stones or trees, not people. Just by seeing this, elder could discern what Ho Gamyeong thought of the villagers.
“How can we trust those words?”
“…What?”
“I don’t trust people. The only thing I believe in is the simple truth that survival is more important than conscience.”
When Ho Gamyeong pointed at the villagers with his chin, the people on either side approached the villagers.
“Let the one who speaks live. Kill the rest.”
“Yes!”
Elder’s face turned pale.
It was at that moment.
“H-He is the one!”
Someone among the villagers desperately shouted.
“He followed them last! I know!”
“Sogil! What are you saying right now!”
Elder Hyeong shouted, his eyes bulging as if having a seizure. It was because the man he was pointing at was none other than Hyeong Wook.
“W-Why! Isn’t it the truth?”
“What’s going on among villagers!”
“Whether it’s conscience or nonsense, didn’t the person who said we should just live by was you! You said yesterday that people like us have to live just another day, no matter what we do!”
Elder’s eyes trembled.
It wasn’t meant in that way. Just to get rid of those Just Sects…
“He is the one! It’s Hyeong Wook!”
“He followed them!”
“We don’t know anything! He knows!”
The villagers, realizing what was at stake, shouted vehemently.
“Enough.”
At Ho Gamyeong’s command, the menacing figures stepping forward retreated.
Ho Gamyeong briefly glanced at Hyeong Wook, whom everyone in the village was looking at desperately. Hyeong Wook, despite his pale complexion, surprisingly had a composed expression.
“Do you know?”
“…Yes.”
Hyeong Wook obediently acknowledged the fact.
“It’s pointless to pressure these folks. It’s just me.”
“Then answer. Where did they go?”
“Before that, I have one question. Are you a high-ranking member of Sapaeryeon?”
Ho Gamyeong furrowed his brow slightly.
“Let’s leave it at that.”
“If you’re someone who’s learned a lot, may I ask one thing? If I may.”
Hyeong Wook paused for a moment, then chuckled softly.
“Do you know what shame is?”
Instantly, everyone’s eyes trembled. The villagers, as well as Maninbang behind Ho Gamyeong, couldn’t help but shake at the absurdity of the question.
However, Ho Gamyeong and Hyeong Wook, the ones who exchanged those bewildering words, faced each other without the slightest hint of agitation.
Ho Gamyeong spoke up.
“Baek Bi [백비(白匕)].”
“Yes, commander.”
“Find out.”
“Yes!”
Approaching Hyeong Wook, the one called Baek Bi retrieved something from within his sleeve – a finely sharpened dagger with a black edge.
Hyeong Wook chuckled as he looked at the dagger, then muttered.
“Now I’ll find out too. Am I a shameless person?”
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath.
________
Nooooooo….. and there we have Yu Gong who sold them out.
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Return of the Mount Hua 
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