If there is something to be gained, then there is always something to be lost. (4)
Baek Cheon’s expression hardened coldly.
“Did you say he was injured?”
“……That’s right.”
Facing Pung Yeong Shin Gae with only Im Sobyeong accompanying him, Baek Cheon drew a short breath. Then he asked calmly.
“What is his condition?”
“…It is not a situation one can speak lightly about.”
“Shin Gae.”
Baek Cheon asked again in a subdued voice.
“Tell me clearly. What is his condition?”
To be honest, this was somewhat disconcerting.
From age and experience to status, there was not a single respect in which Baek Cheon of Hwasan could compare with Pung Yeong Shin Gae. At least, that was what Pung Yeong Shin Gae had thought until now.
But at this moment, Pung Yeong Shin Gae could not deny that he was being overwhelmed by the look in Baek Cheon’s eyes.
‘When did he become like this…..’
Until before the last war, he had never been a man of this caliber.
And he was not speaking merely of martial prowess.
Someone who had lived as long as Pung Yeong Shin Gae could tell the difference between the pressure exerted by martial strength and the sheer weight of a person’s presence. This was unmistakably the latter.
“To be frank, I cannot guarantee whether he will live or die.”
That was why Pung Yeong Shin Gae answered honestly, telling him what he knew.
Baek Cheon slowly closed and opened his eyes, then asked again in a clear voice.
“Then what happened to Heavenly Executioner?”
Pung Yeong Shin Gae narrowed his eyes and asked in return.
“….Did I mention that Hwasan Geomhyeop had faced Heavenly Executioner?”
“There was no need for you to. There cannot be many people in this world capable of leaving Chung Myung in such a state.”
Pung Yeong Shin Gae nodded in understanding.
“Yes. He sustained injuries in the process. Near-fatal wounds.”
“…”
“Not only did Hwasan Geomhyeop survive facing him, he even inflicted a fatal wound, which shows just how formidable Hwasan Geomhyeop is…”
“Wouldn’t it be the other way around?”
Pung Yeong Shin Gae cast a questioning look at Baek Cheon, who had suddenly interrupted him mid-sentence.
“What do you mean?”
“The fact that Heavenly Executioner is still alive after facing Chung Myung demonstrates just how formidable he is.”
It was an entirely different interpretation of the very same result.
From Baek Cheon’s words, Pung Yeong Shin Gae could realize just how much he trusted Chung Myung.
“Hwasan Geomhyeop entrusted command to you until he awakens.”
Baek Cheon bit down hard on his lip.
Chung Myung had probably known that Heavenly Executioner was there. That was why he had gone ahead, leaving everyone else behind. To keep the others from being caught up in the fight.
Just thinking about it made his stomach twist. Once again, Baek Cheon had been of no help. But… now was not the time to surrender himself to this anger.
“I have one question, Shin Gae.”
“Ask whatever you wish.”
“I heard that you are one of the people who knows the past war with the Demonic Cult best. Then allow me to ask you this: how do you think they will act without the command of a Bishop?”
“How do I think they will act?”
“Do you think they will wait until the Bishop’s injuries have healed? Or will they continue their advance without paying any heed? If the Bishop is their head, then wouldn’t it be impossible for the body to move without its head?”
Pung Yeong Shin Gae pondered for a moment, then shook his head.
“They will not do that. Of course, the Bishops do command the cultists. But their authority cannot be called absolute. The cultists merely carry out the Heavenly Demon’s orders. As long as that is the Heavenly Demon’s will, they will not stop their advance whether the Bishop is injured or dead.”
Baek Cheon let out a faint sigh.
It was not an unexpected answer, but it was still the worst possible one. In other words, they had to stop the Demonic Cult’s advance right here at Shijiazhuang.
‘And without Chung Myung, no less.’
The Demonic Cult had lost Heavenly Executioner, while the Central Plains had lost Chung Myung. Which of the two had suffered the more painful loss?
“This is troublesome.”
Perhaps because he had been thinking the same thing, Im Sobyeong, who had been silently listening to their conversation, spoke up.
“The reason we were able to establish a defensive line at Shijiazhuang in the first place was because we assumed that additional reinforcements would arrive here in the future. And the one thing that made those reinforcements possible was, without a doubt, the existence of Chung Myung Donjang.”
Im Sobyeong tapped his cheek repeatedly with the tip of his folded fan.
“But if Chung Myung Dojang is unable to take the front line? The support may be cut off, and even those who came to Shijiazhuang may instead be at risk of becoming isolated.”
“Have they not already given their word, Nokrim King?”
“Their word… Is there anything more meaningless in this world?”
Baek Cheon could not refute him.
‘Keeping one’s word’ was so highly valued precisely because there were not many people in the world who considered it important and upheld it.
“It is truly remarkable that Chung Myung Dojang survived after facing Heavenly Executioner, a Bishop of the Demonic Cult. But that only means something to those who know what kind of man Heavenly Executioner is, does it not? What do you think those who do not know him will think?”
“…Are you saying they will think that a man spoken of as the greatest under heaven was defeated because he could not handle even a single Bishop of the Demonic Cult?”
Im Sobyeong shrugged. There was no need for him to answer. The gesture itself was an affirmation. Baek Cheon gritted his teeth for a moment, then asked again.
“What should we do?”
Under Baek Cheon’s direct gaze, Im Sobyeong opened his fan and slightly covered his chin as he spoke.
“To be honest, I believe it would be best to abandon Shijiazhuang and withdraw. Holding this place under the current circumstances would mean accepting far too great a loss.”
“…Have you forgotten what our original plan was, Nokrim King?”
“I have not forgotten. We came here to crush the Demonic Cult’s vanguard. But is that possible without Chung Myung Dojang? Especially when we do not know when Heavenly Executioner may return to the front lines?”
“…”
“To repeat myself, I believe withdrawing is the right choice.”
Baek Cheon’s gaze grew slightly colder as he looked at Im Sobyeong.
“And if we withdraw? What will happen to the commoners who barely managed to flee this far?”
“They will die. Every last one of them.”
As he gave his answer without a moment’s hesitation, Im Sobyeong’s fan swayed idly in the air.
“But that is still better than everyone dying.”
“How can you say that so easily…”
Im Sobyeong spoke without avoiding Baek Cheon’s gaze.
“It is impossible to save everyone, Dojang. Misguided compassion… no, arrogance masquerading as compassion could bring about the destruction of the Central Plains.”
“How would withdrawing make any difference?”
“At the very least, we would gain the opportunity to fight when we have determined that we can win.”
Im Sobyeong’s voice was cold and dispassionate. To Baek Cheon, shaken by Chung Myung’s absence and the urgency of the situation, that coldness felt almost cruel.
“So make your decision, Dojang.”
“Did you say… decision?”
Baek Cheon let out a hollow laugh.
“You’ve said everything you had to say, and now I’m the one who has to make the decision? If you know so much, why don’t you make it, Nokrim King?”
“I cannot do that.”
“Why? Because it wasn’t that damned bastard’s order?”
Im Sobyeong chuckled.
“Dojang.”
“…I’m listening.”
“In every age and every era, those called strategists have been the most accomplished in both the art of war and command. But do you know why those strategists have always left the final decision to someone else?”
Baek Cheon did not answer. Im Sobyeong shrugged.
“Because being right in theory does not guarantee the right outcome.”
Even at this, Baek Cheon said nothing, merely clenching his fist.
“Therefore, this can be nothing more than advice. You must make the decision, Dojang.”
Baek Cheon glared silently at Im Sobyeong, then turned away. Im Sobyeong did not bother to stop him.
❀ ❀ ❀
“…It’s been a while.”
“Though it had to be under circumstances like these.”
Jwa Gohak wore a bitter smile as he looked at Baek Cheon.
Things had not been particularly good when they parted either, but now was practically the worst it could be.
When Baek Cheon merely stared at Jwa Gohak without saying anything, Jwa Gohak let out a quiet sigh.
“Two days. We need at least two days.”
“How did you know what I was going to say?”
“It’s obvious. You want to tell me that we can’t hold off the Demonic Cult at Shijiazhuang. And that’s why you came to hear about the situation from me, the one who knows the people’s circumstances best, isn’t it?”
Baek Cheon shook his head with a somewhat exasperated expression.
“This is why dealing with clever bastards is so tiring.”
“No need to complain. I’m sure those who have to deal with you feel the same way.”
Jwa Gohak roughly rubbed his face, which plainly showed his exhaustion.
“And… you don’t need to make that face. You are not the ones who should feel guilty. I am. If that damned Emperor bastard had not dragged the entire Imperial Army away with him, things would never have come to this.”
“Isn’t that a bit harsh for a Confucian scholar?”
“I only stop at language this mild because I am a Confucian scholar [유자(儒者)]. If I had my way, I would spend three days and three nights writing poems cursing that son of a bitch.”
“…That would be quite a masterpiece.”
Baek Cheon smiled bitterly.
“You did boast that you would change those things.”
“If it were as easy as saying it, we would not be suffering this much.”
Jwa Gohak spoke as though mocking himself. But Baek Cheon did not want to blame him. No, if anything, he deserved praise. Had it not been for him, incomparably more commoners would have died than had already.
“Did you say two days?”
“…To be honest, even three days wouldn’t be enough. We’re making as much use as we can of the Beggars Sect and everyone willing to cooperate with us, but even so, evacuating this many people is no easy task.”
“Of course.”
Baek Cheon closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again. He soon turned and walked away, leaving Jwa Gohak behind.
Jwa Gohak’s voice came from behind him.
“Hey, you Taoist bastard.”
“…”
“You said you wanted to know the situation, so I simply told you the truth. But don’t concern yourself with any of that.”
Baek Cheon turned around. Jwa Gohak spoke with a resolute expression.
“Your job is to fight those bastards, and mine is to save the people. All we need to do is give our best at what each of us can do. Right now, even resentment and blame are luxuries we can’t afford.”
“…”
“So don’t fill your head with pointless thoughts.”
Baek Cheon stared at Jwa Gohak, then twisted up the corners of his mouth.
“Who do you think you are, you presumptuous ink-stained bastard, to try and lecture me?”
“…You’re still as obnoxious as ever.”
Baek Cheon was about to turn away again when…
“What about him?”
“…”
“What happened to him?”
“They say they cannot guarantee whether he will live or die.”
Overcome by a sudden sense of despair, Jwa Gohak could not bring himself to look Baek Cheon in the face and closed his eyes.
“…I’m sorry.”
“What are you talking about?”
But when he opened his eyes again, Baek Cheon was smiling calmly.
“If he were the type who could die from something like this, he would have died long ago.”
“…”
“Even Yan Wang* is so sick of him that he refuses to take him in. There’s no way he’ll die from something like this. He’ll probably wake up soon and start nagging us again. Just like he always has.”
Jwa Gohak stared blankly at Baek Cheon, then let out a quiet chuckle.
“Those hopeless Taoist bastards. This is why I can’t stand you.”
“The feeling is mutual.”
Baek Cheon left Jwa Gohak behind without hesitation and headed outside. Watching his retreating back, Jwa Gohak let out a bitter smile.
‘He has changed so much that comparing him to what he was in the past is meaningless.’
He did not know what Baek Cheon had been through during that time, but the immature Taoist he had once known was gone.
“….……Damn those Hwasan bastards.”
Jwa Gohak pulled himself together before he could sink into self-pity, bit down on his lip, and clenched his fists tightly.
He had to hurry.
If only to avoid placing an even greater burden on them, now was the time for him to do what he could.
Special Spinoff Chapter 63 >>>
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*염왕 here or the full name Yanluo Wang 염라대왕(閻羅大王) – the god of death, ruler of hell and an overseer of the ten kings of hell.
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