Return of the Mount Hua

Should I say it’s nice to see you? (1)

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“Wait!”

Jongli Gok shouted as if he couldn’t readily accept it.

“Nokrim King. I’m not trying to present a different opinion, but isn’t this being too rushed?”

Im Sobyeong silently looked at Jongli Gok.

The pressure in that gaze made Jongli Gok flinch slightly. However, he soon spoke again. With just one order, the outcome of the whole war could change. This was not the time to remain silent under the authority of the military advisor.

“There is no evidence that Jang Ilso is among them. If, as Nokrim King says, it’s certain Jang Ilso is among them, then it might be worth risking everything. But if not, we’ll only end up being toyed with by those people.”

Tang Gunak, who had been listening, grew cautious in his gaze. He thought Jongli Gok’s words had merit. But at that moment, a sharp voice slipped out.

“Evidence?”

It was only one word. Yet Tang Gunak and Jongli Gok both closed their mouths. The weight behind that single word pressed down on them in an instant.

“Right there. Don’t you see it?”

“…Huh?”

Turning their heads in the direction Im Sobyeong was looking, the two of them saw the same scene. Jongli Gok muttered blankly.

“….Poisoned Heart Rakshasa?”

Ho Gamyeong was still standing tall on that battlefield. The chilling coldness he emitted seemed to reach them even from a distance. Tang Gunak asked,

“What about Ho Gamyeong?”

“If Jang Ilso had already escaped, or if he could escape using Sapaeryeon’s movements as a shield, Ho Gamyeong would have withdrawn long ago. There’s no need for him to take such a risk.”

In truth, it was somewhat flimsy logic. Yet it also stuck in their minds more directly than most explanations.

“The fact that he’s still here means Jang Ilso is here as well. It also implies Jang Ilso’s safety hasn’t been secured yet.”

Tang Gunak nodded vigorously. Indeed, without that reason, there was no way Ho Gamyeong would remain in the midst of this chaotic battlefield – a hell where no one’s life could be guaranteed.

‘And if it’s Jang Ilso….’

No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t seem likely that he would secretly slip away, taking advantage of this gap. Jang Ilso always looks for an opportunity to turn the situation around. So logically speaking, there must be some hidden scheme in this move as well.

“But doesn’t that also mean it’s dangerous?”

“So what?”

“Nokrim King.”

Im Sobyeong bit his lip instead of answering the voice that called him.

He also knew it well. This decision wasn’t like his usual self.

From the start, Im Sobyeong never liked taking risks. He believed it was best not to move unless he was certain he could gain a complete advantage.

But not now. Right now, there’s nothing to be gained by merely defending. If they don’t plan to continue the war after settling for a moderate victory, they have to stake everything on this moment.

“I’ll track them down myself. Lord Tang, please watch the rear.”

“I…”

“There’s no guarantee they won’t strike from behind!”

Tang Gunak closed his mouth.

“If we can just keep some variables in check, we can end the war right here.”

Im Sobyeong’s gaze burned. In the end, Tang Gunak couldn’t resist and nodded.

“…..I’ll do that.”

“Yes. Then.”

Im Sobyeong jumped to his feet but suddenly swayed violently. Fortunately, before he completely collapsed, someone caught his arm and supported him.

“Pathetic.”

“…”

It was Jongli Gok. He cast a quick glance at Im Sobyeong, then turned his gaze forward and spoke.

“Don’t misunderstand. I have no intention of helping some Sapa punk. It’s just that right now, we need someone who uses their sharp mind rather than a sharp sword.”

Im Sobyeong let out a small laugh.

“A sharp sword, huh? You seem overly confident. That’s so typical of you, Just Sect’s types.”

“You damned bandit bastard….”

Gritting his teeth, Jongli Gok swiftly hoisted Im Sobyeong up.

“Please watch our backs, Lord Tang.”

At Im Sobyeong’s request, Tang Gunak gave a bitter smile. Right now, that was about all he could manage. In fact, even that might not be so easy.

“Don’t worry.”

But soon, he answered in a resolute voice. Im Sobyeong, who had been looking at Tang Gunak for a long moment, turned around.

“All right then.”

With that, he kicked off the ground and shot forward like an arrow. Jongli Gok followed behind him, as though guarding his back. The two of them quickly faded into the distance.

Tang Gunak watched them with a bitter expression. He could not help but curse the injuries that were eating away at his body.

“Lord Tang.”

At the sound of a voice from behind, Tang Gunak turned around. Zhuge Jain was approaching, his expression stiff.

“…You’re wounded?”

“A little.”

Zhuge Jain nodded awkwardly. Though perhaps not as badly as Tang Gunak, it seemed he was not entirely unscathed either.

“Our task is just as crucial, wouldn’t you agree?”

At Zhuge Jain’s words, Tang Gunak nodded, his face pale. They had to secure the rear so that those who had gone on ahead could fight without worry.

“First, give the orders to everyone.”

“Yes.”

Frankly speaking, it would be difficult to give orders to everyone, but they had to ensure that as many as possible understood how the Alliance intended to move. Of course, that too wouldn’t be easy.

“And let’s gather the injured. Reducing casualties is also the task of those of us in the rear.”

Tang Gunak’s voice carried a bit more strength. Even so, his gaze remained fixed on those who ran forward, staking everything on this.

‘…I’m counting on you.’

Meanwhile, Jongli Gok, who had caught up to Im Sobyeong, spoke in a subdued voice.

“But….”

He was watching more than a dozen of ‘Jang Ilso’. He also saw the Alliance’s warriors spreading out in all directions to chase them.

“We can’t just stay back here giving orders. Which one are you planning to pursue?”

Without even a moment’s hesitation, Im Sobyeong shook his head.

“I haven’t decided.”

“…What?”

Jongli Gok asked back, sounding quite baffled. Im Sobyeong didn’t even look at him, his eyes fixed on the battlefield. They were shining.

“To be precise, there’s no need to decide yet. They haven’t shown us their hand.”

“…This isn’t the time for chasing fantasies.”

“Sometimes a perfectly scripted play collapses miserably. Do you know why?”

“…What are you going on about?”

Though Jongli Gok was inwardly annoyed by Im Sobyeong’s carefree analogy even in this situation, he nevertheless answered rather obediently.

“Isn’t it obvious? Because the performers’ skills are a complete mess.”

Im Sobyeong nodded immediately.

“No matter how perfect the stage is, not everyone here is a seasoned performer [예인(藝人)]. “

“That’s obvious. Of course they aren’t that skill…”

“Especially!”

Ho Gamyeong or Jang Ilso presumably wouldn’t fail to anticipate something like that, thought Jongli Gok, who was about to say as much but then closed his mouth at Im Sobyeong’s shout.

“Among the people here, there is one group that prioritizes a single goal above all else. That goal being Jang Ilso’s safety [안위(安危)].”

In that moment, one name surfaced in Jongli Gok’s mind. A group that, no matter the time or place, blindly carries out Jang Ilso’s orders – and at the same time, is the only group that can ignore those orders when Jang Ilso is in danger.

“Red Dogs!”

At Jongli Gok’s shout, bordering on a scream, Im Sobyeong let out a faint laugh.

“Exactly.”

Im Sobyeong swept his gaze over the battlefield. He wasn’t watching the course of the current battle, but rather the figures clad in red and white scattering in all directions. He was observing the movements of the Red Dogs.

“Humans can pretend, but dogs cannot. And if they sense their master is in danger, they’ll cast everything aside to follow him.”

A crooked smile appeared on Im Sobyeong’s lips.

“That loyalty… the blind devotion Jang Ilso created will open the way for us.”

Jongli Gok could clearly hear the sound of Im Sobyeong grinding his teeth.

“A path that leads to Jang Ilso.”

What the enemy had created would now tighten around the enemy’s own neck.

This was the method Im Sobyeong preferred above all else.

❀ ❀ ❀

Ho Gamyeong’s gaze was extremely chilling and calm.

Even though the murderous aura of this perilous battlefield was closing in by the second, his mind was clearer than ever before.

‘It’s a total mess.’

It was only natural.

Sapaeryeon was formed of grains of sand. Those countless grains of sand had been bound together by Jang Ilso – like water – and stuck with the glue of ‘victory,’ forming something that only seemed solid. Now that the victory was crumbling, and even Jang Ilso was fleeing, it was inevitable that they would scatter back into mere grains of sand they originally were.

Even as he watched the painstakingly built tower collapse in an instant, Ho Gamyeong felt no particular emotion. Because it was none other than he himself who had brought it down.

“Chase them… Aaaaah!”

Even at this moment, the casualties were piling up. Every time those pursuing Jang Ilso swung their swords, countless people died. Perhaps by that single order Ho Gamyeong had given, hundreds might already have perished.

Yet Ho Gamyeong did not falter in the slightest.

‘Im Sobyeong.’

He was watching Im Sobyeong, who had just hurled himself onto the battlefield. Right now, he was one of the most threatening figures.

He had no idea what Im Sobyeong might be plotting – maybe something truly dangerous.

But… at least not yet. The fact that he leaped in here at all was telling. Im Sobyeong hadn’t realized what Ho Gamyeong’s side was aiming to do.

With his eyes on the various ‘Jang Ilso’ retreating, Ho Gamyeong finished calculating in a split second and opened his mouth.

“We’re retreating as well.”

There was nothing more to gain by dragging this out. They’d done all that needed doing, and it was time to move on. For that fleeting moment that could reverse the tide of this war, which was already tipping against them.

“Withdraw immediately. Our destination is the Death Valley [절명곡(绝命谷)].”

And for that, there was something Ho Gamyeong had to do no matter the cost…

Boooooooom!

And at that moment, a huge explosion rang out from the front.

‘What…?’

Around a dozen of Sapaeryeon’s warriors soared through the air like firecrackers. And they weren’t the clumsy ones trying to sneak away, but the elite selected by Ho Gamyeong for his personal guard as the military advisor.

Who could have hurled such fighters away with a single strike…?

“Hey.”

Ho Gamyeong’s eyes quivered slightly.

In the space emptied by those dozen or so men, there stood a figure all too familiar to Ho Gamyeong.

“Should I say it’s nice to see you?”

Facing a starving beast at point-blank range must feel like this. Anyone who senses that their belly could be ripped open by razor-sharp claws and their throat torn apart by vicious fangs would feel exactly this way.

Feeling that dread down to his core, Ho Gamyeong let out a faint groan, finally locking eyes with the foe who now had him in range.

“Maehwa Geomgwi……”

“Ah.”

The corners of Chung Myung’s lips curled up.

“Come to think of it, you’ve owed me quite a bit all this time. Don’t you agree?”

Krrrrk.

The tip of Chung Myung’s sword scraped the ground with a chilling sound, akin to a beast lightly scratching the earth before it pounces.

“I’m not going to tell you to brace yourself. Instead…”

A fierce, chilling killing intent poured from Chung Myung’s eyes.

“You won’t have a peaceful death. I promise.”

Wearing a bright grin, Chung Myung charged at Ho Gamyeong like a bolt of lightning.

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Spectacular. 10/10.

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