Nevertheless. (2)
When people are taken aback, they often exhibit a range of reactions. However, when the surprise is overwhelming, they can become utterly speechless, frozen in place. This was precisely the situation inside the meeting room.
‘What the hell?’
‘Why is he here?’
‘Jongnam?’
Soft groans and murmurs of confusion could be heard from various corners of the room. Fortunately, most were too busy staring at Jin Geumryong to notice Hyun Jong standing there with his mouth agape, losing his composure.
“Th…”
At that moment, someone appeared to break the unbearably awkward tension.
Step. Step.
A man emerged from behind Jin Geumryong. Unlike the cold and frosty Jin Geumryong, this man had a gentle demeanor. He smiled warmly at the people from Hwasan before bowing to Hyun Jong.
“Lee Songbaek of Jongnam greets the Alliance Leader.”
“Huh.”
“Lee Sohyeop?”
“Nice to see you, people of Hwasan.”
Lee Songbaek smiled awkwardly.
“I didn’t expect to see you all again so soon.”
Jin Geumryong frowned slightly at this. Noticing this, Lee Songbaek cleared his throat and took a small step back.
“This doesn’t seem to be the place for personal conversations.”
“Hmm.”
Jin Geumryong barely had time to look up when Baek Cheon snapped at him.
“Do you have any idea where you are, sticking your face in here?”
“Our Saje fought alongside you, so why can’t I come?”
“Lee Sohyeop-… Lee Sohyeop is different from you! You are…!”
“You?”
Jin Geumryong glared at Baek Cheon with a smile that was arrogant, cold, and utterly obnoxious.
“Is it part of Hwasan Sect’s teachings to lack manners? Calling your older brother ‘you.’”
“Who said you were my brother? I’ve never had a brother like you!”
Baek Cheon looked as if he might fall over backwards at any moment. Yoon Jong covered his face with both hands.
He was ashamed that he had even momentarily felt respect for that man. How could someone of that age and status bicker with his older brother like a ten-year-old child?
“Why are you here?”
“Do you really think I came to Hwaeum of my own accord? You are still as stupid as ever.”
“Who here would call for you? What kind of lunatic would summon Jongnam to Hwaeum?”
“I did.”
“…”
“I called for them.”
“Oh.”
Baek Cheon quickly nodded in understanding.
Yes, he’s a lunatic. And not just any lunatic, but an extraordinary one.
At this, Jin Geumryong shook his head in disbelief.
“When will you ever learn some dignity?”
Chung Myung interjected suddenly.
“Enough. Just turn that obnoxious face around and sit somewhere.”
Jin Geumryong’s lips twisted in displeasure.
“An obnoxious face? I don’t look much different from your Sasuk.”
“That’s exactly why I said it.”
“…Ah.”
Jin Geumryong sat down with a face that seemed to accept the remark. Despair was written on everyone’s faces. Why was he convinced by that statement?
Hyun Jong and Tang Gunak were at a loss, unable to grasp the absurdity of the situation.
“I apologize if we offended you,”
Lee Songbaek offered a polite bow cautiously.
Hyun Jong waved his hand vigorously.
“No, no. How could I be offended? Just a bit taken aback, that’s all.”
“We’re also embarrassed to say much. We simply received a message urgently requesting someone responsible to be sent to Hwaeum immediately, so we came right away.”
“A message…?”
Chung Myung shrugged.
“Yes, I’ve mentioned it several times. I sent it.”
“…Why?”
“Why do you ask?”
Chung Myung pointed his chin towards Jin Geumryong.
“You said you lacked strength, right? Is there any place better than Jongnam among the available forces?”
…No, absolutely not.
Even without adding the phrase “currently available,” you can count on one hand the forces better than Jongnam in the entire world.
“That’s true, but…”
Hyun Jong’s words trailed off as he blinked.
He didn’t even want to bring up why Jongnam had been called without permission. It wasn’t the first time that damned brat had acted without approval.
The issue was that it wasn’t just any sect but Jongnam.
Jongnam is proudly part of Gupailbang. In fact, to call it merely a part of Gupailbang would be an understatement. It is considered one of the pillars.
But doesn’t it seem strange that these people would come running to Hwaeum, the headquarters of Cheonumaeng, just because they received a message from Chung Myung?
“You came quicker than I thought.”
At Chung Myung’s words, Jin Geumryong gritted his teeth.
“…I don’t care about causing trouble, but if you wanted to play with fire in your own house, you should have been careful not to let the sparks fly next door. Isn’t that basic?”
“What are you talking about? You’re talking about basic decency when you came to someone else’s house to play with fire and even took their treasures?”
“That’s in the past.”
“You bastard, do you want to die today for good?”
As Chung Myung angrily tried to stand up, Jo Geol and Tang Soso hurriedly grabbed him. Even Yoon Jong, who had been keeping his distance, quickly held onto Chung Myung, surprised by the situation.
“Huff! Pheew! Thinking about it makes me mad all over again.”
Seriously… if it was going to make you this angry, why did you call them?
At that moment, Im Sobyeong, who had been silently watching the situation, let out a dry laugh. Everyone’s eyes turned toward him.
“Nokrim King?”
“Yes, now that you mention it… The situation is like this: we tried to establish our stronghold and ended up setting the neighboring mountain on fire too.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“We established the headquarters of Cheonumaeng in Hwaeum, didn’t we?”
“That’s right.”
Although it is called headquarters, it’s closer to the form of a village or rather a city, but still, headquarters is headquarters.
“And that headquarters has become the primary target of Sapaeryeon.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“So, do you think Sapaeryeon will attack Hwaeum and just leave Xian, where Jongnam is, untouched?”
“…Oh.”
“Right?”
“These are the same people who, when they attacked Sichuan, trampled every Great Sect they saw. If they’re targeting Hwaeum, naturally, the next target will be Xian.”
“Oh…”
For a brief moment, everyone felt a twinge of sympathy for Jongnam.
“Serves them right.”
“…”
“…”
“Geol-ah.”
“…Yes, Sahyeong.”
“Wouldn’t it be better if I just became the Sect Leader?”
“I’m seriously considering it too.”
Watching Baek Cheon throw a fist at Jin Geumryong, the disciples of Hwasan held their heads in their hands. While he might be a talent to make Hwasan prosper, the moment that man becomes Sect Leader of Hwasan, the relationship with Jongnam will be utterly doomed.
Im Sobyeong sighed and spoke.
“Depending on the direction of their advance, Xian might be targeted even before Hwaeum.”
A vein bulged on Jin Geumryong’s forehead. He glared fiercely at Chung Myung and Baek Cheon and spoke through clenched teeth.
“You should be bowing your heads in apology and rushing to Jongnam Mountain, and instead, you throw a mere letter and make us come all the way here?”
“So what?”
“Then leave. We won’t stop you.”
Chung Myung and Baek Cheon looked at each other and burst into laughter.
The other leaders of Cheonumaeng quietly looked up at the ceiling. They were embarrassed.
“This…”
“Hahaha! Calm down, Sahyeong!”
As Jin Geumryong’s face turned red, about to explode, Lee Songbaek quickly intervened. He made Jin Geumryong take deep breaths and then hastily joined the conversation.
“Anyway, we are well aware of the situation, and our Sect Leader’s concerns are very significant.”
“Mm.”
“If the concern is so great, he should have come himself. Sending the kids – does that mean it’s not urgent yet?”
There stood a little brat who criticized them for sending kids to an important meeting. Lee Songbaek’s eyes looked hollow.
“That’s not something you should be saying.”
“…Of all sects, Hwasan should not be saying that.”
“Have some conscience.”
Fortunately, Five Swords spoke up in his stead.
“It’s not that Sect Leader didn’t want to come in person. But, as you know, Jongnam is…”
“One of Gupailbang’s sects. It still is, certainly.”
“It’s not just still. It will continue to be.”
Jin Geumryong drew a cold line.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Im Sobyeong took a step back at Jin Geumryong’s menacing reaction.
Lee Songbaek struggled to smooth things over despite his lack of eloquence.
“Um, Sahyeong’s usual manner of speaking is quite rough… No, no, I mean, please don’t misunderstand. It’s not that we dislike Cheonumaeng. It’s just… it’s inevitable.”
Five Swords felt a strange sadness.
‘This seems familiar.’
‘Life is the same everywhere.’
‘They have their struggles too.’
Wiping the cold sweat off his forehead, Lee Songbaek continued.
“In any case, Jongnam’s position is…”
“Cut to the chase.”
“Yes.”
At Chung Myung’s words, Lee Songbaek nodded heavily and got to the point.
“While we cannot fully join Cheonumaeng, we are willing to form a joint front against those who will invade Shaanxi.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
Chung Myung smirked.
“Negotiations should be between equals. Do you know how many sects are gathered here? And someone like you and Jongnam wants to negotiate as an equal?”
“Someone like me and Jongnam?”
Jin Geumryong’s eyes blazed with anger. Baek Cheon quickly stepped in to scold Chung Myung.
“Chung Myung! Watch your words. It’s not just someone from Jongnam, it’s more appropriate to say ‘a second generation disciple of Jongnam’.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Chung Myung scratched his head and then nodded.
A vein bulged on Jin Geumryong’s forehead.
What on earth did these guys eat to grow up so utterly fearless?
And why did everyone here, even those who were intimidating to Jin Geumryong, let these reckless brats run wild?
“A joint front, huh…”
Tang Gunak stroked his chin thoughtfully before speaking.
“Does that mean that Jongnam will lend its strength if Sapaeryeon attacks Hwaeum?”
“Yes. And the same applies in reverse.”
There’s no need to consider the opposite situation.
No matter how much they disliked Jongnam, they couldn’t just stand by and watch them be attacked by the forces of Sapaeryeon.
Hyun Jong and Tang Gunak exchanged glances. This was…
“We…”
“Stop spouting nonsense.”
At that moment, Chung Myung quickly cut them off. He still had more demands to make.
“If that’s the case, then at least half of Jongnam’s forces need to be here in Hwaeum.”
“…What kind of nonsense is that? Why should we do that?”
“How can we be sure that when Sapaeryeon attacks Hwaeum, you won’t just sit back and watch?”
“Does Jongnam seem like a sect that would do that?”
“No. You guys didn’t just sit back and watch – you came along, set fires, and stole. Shameless bastards. Thinking about it makes me mad again, you jerks!”
“Calm down already!”
“Then why did you call us in the first place?”
“Hands off your sword! I said, hands off the sword!”
While Chung Myung was causing a ruckus and others were trying to restrain him, Jin Geumryong looked silently out the window. He neither confirmed nor denied, simply choosing to ignore the situation.
It was a shameless and ridiculous stance, but compared to the past when they would outright deny everything, it was a significant improvement.
With an embarrassed expression, Lee Songbaek spoke up.
“I understand what you’re saying. However, we came in a hurry, and we don’t have the authority to make such a decision…”
“Then we will make it happen.”
However, Jin Geumryong cut off Lee Songbaek abruptly.
“I don’t want to waste any more time talking, so we’ll agree to the proposal.”
“Sahyeong, that’s…”
“I have the authority to make that decision. Though it’s annoying to have to face these unpleasant Hwasan bastards, we’ll tolerate it.”
“He’s got a big mouth,”
Baek Cheon snapped. Chung Myung grinned at Hyun Jong and Tang Gunak.
“So, does that more or less improve the situation?”
Hyun Jong and Tang Gunak’s expressions became complex momentarily. They hadn’t called for this situation to end up like this. What was he thinking, trying to ally with Jongnam? Was bringing Jongnam into Hwaeum really the right choice?
Despite the tangled web of thoughts in their minds, there was only one answer to give at this moment.
“Fine!”
“Granted!”
An impromptu temporary alliance between Hwasan and Jongnam was formed.
An event that seemed impossible had just happened.
________
Five Swords: ranting, rambling, rebelling, continuously undermining Chung Myung’s authority and ability. Chung Myung: just doing things that can be done, even if it’s Jongnam.
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Return of the Mount Hua 
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