I wish you could have seen it. (3)
Paeng Jaho’s whole body involuntarily shrank back.
‘Maehwa… Geomjon……’
Hwasan’s Sword Demon. The man who had sent not one but several Bishops of the Demonic Cult, beings little different from devils, to their graves. No one else in the Central Plains had ever slain a Bishop single-handedly. That fact alone was more than enough to prove the extent of his prowess.
The greatest swordsman under heaven. No, beyond that, the greatest martial artist under heaven.
But it was not merely the fact that this man’s martial prowess had reached a level he could never hope to contend with that filled Paeng Jaho with terror.
In all honesty, there were surely many people in the world stronger than Paeng Jaho. There was no need to count every last one of them, but even a rough count would surely yield well over twenty.
But did Paeng Jaho fear such people?
Not a chance. He did not fear them. Because no matter how strong they were, none would dare openly display hostility towards him, the head of the Paeng Family.
Gangho was a place where the strength of a group took precedence over that of an individual. No matter how powerful someone might be, it was only natural that they would not dare entertain the thought of harming him with the Hebei Paeng Family at his back.
Yet such common sense did not apply to the man standing before him now.
Maehwa Geomjon. The greatest swordsman under heaven, who had suddenly emerged from Hwasan, a sect that had never particularly distinguished itself even among the sects of Gupailbang.
Rather than illustrious renown, what this man had was a reputation bordering on infamy. How many people had suffered disastrous consequences after getting on his bad side? Among them were even several figures of such illustrious standing that someone like Paeng Jaho could not dare compare himself to them.
Which meant that Maehwa Geomjon would not care in the slightest about someone like Paeng Jaho, his standing or his background.
And now that very Maehwa Geomjon was approaching him, openly radiating killing intent. It was impossible not to understand what that meant. If Paeng Jaho had been so lacking that he couldn’t grasp even that much, how could he possibly have managed to keep his head attached to his shoulders all this time in this treacherous Gangho?
Paeng Jaho spoke in a voice that sounded almost like a groan.
“G-Geomjon…”
“Shut your stinking trap.”
Of course, he was cut off before he could say anything more.
Had Maehwa Geomjon simply flown into a rage and unleashed a torrent of grievances, it would not have felt nearly so wretched. But all the man showed him was icy contempt, nothing more and nothing less.
“Answer only what I ask you. Start spouting anything unnecessary, and I’ll rip your mouth open on the spot.”
It was far too vulgar and brutal a threat to direct at the head of a clan, especially one of the Five Great Families. Yet Paeng Jaho could not voice even the slightest objection.
He had already heard of someone who had ignored the warning and defied Geomjon, only to actually have his mouth torn open.
Arrogant and insolent. Utterly contemptuous of everyone around him.
It would hardly be an exaggeration to say that this man alone accounted for roughly half the resentment Gupailbang and the Five Great Families, the powers that currently ruled Gangho, harbored towards Hwasan.
“Spit it out. Why were you late?”
“On… on our way here, we encountered the remnants of Demonic Cult…”
Thud!
Geomjon seized Paeng Jaho by the collar. Then he stared straight into his eyes. It was the kind of terror one might feel with a starving wolf right before their face. Paeng Jaho trembled faintly.
“I told you to talk. Not to bark.”
“…”
“Try again, and give me a proper answer. Why were you late? And is this pitiful force all you brought to fight those Demonic Cult bastards?”
“G-Geomjon. I…”
“Didn’t I tell you not to bark?”
Geomjon twisted his grip on Paeng Jaho’s collar and pulled him close.
“Answer me. You son of a bitch.”
“…”
“Why? Did those high-and-mighty idiots from Gupailbang send you to check whether we’d truly kicked the bucket? Or did they tell you to finish off any survivors?”
“Th-That..! That is not true.”
Paeng Jaho’s pupils trembled violently. A whirlwind of questions surged through his mind.
‘What in the world is going on here?’
How had Hwasan broken through the Demonic Cult’s encirclement so unscathed? Given the number of cultists gathered here, at least half of them should have been dead.
And above all… how was this man still alive?
With a temperament like that of a mad dog – always charging into the vanguard without a second thought – this bastard should have been the first to lose his head.
Just what on earth had happened here for this man to not only be alive and breathing, but to be standing before him, gripping him by the collar?
But Paeng Jaho was given no time to dwell on his questions. A single wrong answer, and a sword would be plunged straight into his throat. This man was truly capable of doing just that.
All traces of his earlier bravado gone, Paeng Jaho spoke as politely and respectfully as he possibly could.
“G-Geomjon. You misunderstood… W-We truly did everything we could… Yes. We truly did everything we could to come to Hwasan’s aid. We were merely delayed by a clash with the Demonic Cult on our way here.”
Geomjon, who had been listening silently, flashed a cold smile.
“Is that so?”
“Yes, most certainly……”
“Right. So, after fighting those Demonic Cult bastards in a fierce battle and coming all this way, you lot haven’t got a single drop of blood on you. Is that it?”
Paeng Jaho’s eyes flew wide in alarm.
“Th-That…..”
“Impressive. If I’d known the Paeng Family was that strong, I’d have put you at the vanguard long ago. If I’d done that, even that mighty Heavenly Demon would’ve had his head chopped off by now. Don’t you think?”
Paeng Jaho could say nothing.
It had been a flimsy excuse to begin with. He had never thought he could fool Maehwa Geomjon with such words. Yet he had persisted with his pathetic excuses because he had judged that, however far this man might go, he would stop short of crossing the final line.
“G-Geomjon. Wait! Please, calm yourself. This… this will do Hwasan no good!”
Even if Geomjon uncovered the truth, what would change?
Would the leaders of Gupailbang and the Five Great Families, who shaped the order of the Central Plains, bow their heads and apologize? Of course not. The moment he delved into this matter, nothing but ruin would await him.
Unless Hwasan intended to make an enemy of even the Central Plains, its only choice was to let this pass in silence, however fiercely its anger burned.
So he had assumed this man would naturally choose that path as well. No one would wish to bring ruin upon themselves.
Unfortunately, however, the mad dog of Hwasan standing before him seemed to have no regard whatsoever for such calculations.
“Still barking, even after I told you to stop.”
As Geomjon viciously bared his teeth, a white line appeared across his red, blood-drenched face. Then, with a chilling metallic rasp, his sword slowly slid from its sheath.
“Fine. Let’s find out. Whether you really are that strong. Just how strong you must be to have crushed those Demonic Cult bastards without a single drop of blood splattering on you.”
“G-Geomjon!”
“Oh, and one more thing. I wonder what kind of faces those sons of bitches will make when I toss your head at their feet?”
“N-No!”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Geomjon’s blade shot towards Paeng Jaho’s neck.
Neither the retainers of the Paeng Family – who had been watching the unfolding scene with bated breath – nor the disciples of Hwasan – who had been struggling to suppress their own fury – could react to the sudden, lightning-fast strike.
Not a single one of them had imagined that Chung Myung would actually strike.
But there was one person who had already anticipated what Chung Myung would do.
“Stop!”
Slice.
Paeng Jaho’s face was drenched in cold sweat. The blade against his neck bit shallowly into his skin, causing a sharp sting.
He knew instinctively.
This had been no mere threat. Had that voice not intervened, this man would truly have sent his head flying. Having been on the receiving end of the attack, Paeng Jaho could be certain of it.
His mind gone completely blank, Paeng Jaho trembled so violently that he seemed on the verge of collapsing at any moment. But Geomjon’s fierce gaze would not grant him even the freedom to sink to his knees.
Just then, a voice rang out once more, urging him to stop.
“Enough, Chung Myung-ah.”
“…”
Geomjon, who had been glaring silently at Paeng Jaho, slowly turned his gaze. His sword remained pressed against Paeng Jaho’s neck.
“What do you mean, ‘enough’?”
“Just stop.”
Chung Mun, who had approached Chung Myung from behind, shook his head.
“Lower your sword.”
“…”
“Now.”
Chung Myung bit his lip in displeasure.
But in the end, seemingly unable to defy Chung Mun’s words, he irritably withdrew his sword and shoved it back into its sheath.
Clack!
The instant the sound of the sword striking its sheath rang out, Paeng Jaho slumped to the ground.
“…”
He was by no means someone who could be looked down upon in Gangho. But how many people in the entire Gangho could withstand Geomjon’s killing intent head-on, when he had just fought his way out through a sea of blood.
After glaring at the slumped Paeng Jaho as though he were some kind of insect, Chung Myung turned away and faced Chung Mun instead. The disgust had clearly vanished from his eyes, but the coldness in them had only deepened.
Even under that gaze, Chung Mun simply spoke with composure.
“Let Lord Paeng leave.”
“Sahyeong.”
“Don’t make this any more difficult…”
“Sect Leader Sahyeong!”
At last, a furious roar burst from Chung Myung’s lips, but Chung Mun did not so much as blink. Instead, he brushed past Chung Myung as though ignoring him, then reached down and helped Paeng Jaho to his feet. He then offered a respectful bow.
“We have treated you with discourtesy, Lord Paeng…”
“S-Sect Leader…”
“The fault is mine for failing to teach him properly. Please direct the blame upon me…”
Chung Mun paused for a moment.
It was a strange silence. It did not last long, but the pressure that pause placed on Paeng Jaho was almost beyond description.
“I… I merely ask that you find it in your heart to overlook the folly of my unworthy Saje who lost his reason in the face of his fellow disciples’ deaths.”
Paeng Jaho nodded frantically.
“O-Of course, Sect Leader. I can only offer my apologies, as our failure to arrive in time seems to have placed Hwasan in grave danger.”
“Think nothing of it.”
As Chung Mun raised his head, a faint smile touched his lips. It was unmistakably a smile, yet to Paeng Jaho, it seemed colder than anything in the world.
“Surely this is simply part of learning to trust one another. I am merely grateful.”
“…”
Paeng Jaho’s face twitched faintly. Just what was he supposed to say in response? Although his own intentions had played some part in this affair, he was still a man with a conscience, after all.
At that moment, Chung Mun extended him a helping hand.
“Lord Paeng.”
“Yes? Ah… yes! Sect Leader.”
“Given the circumstances, I imagine you must feel uncomfortable remaining here, so please do not take this as an attempt to drive you away…”
“Y-Yes, we shall take our leave, Sect Leader! Later… Yes, we shall meet again later.”
As though afraid Chung Mun might change his mind, Paeng Jaho hastily turned and shouted.
“We’re heading back!”
The members of the Paeng Family and the disciples of Kongtong, sensing the tense atmosphere, silently nodded in response. Paeng Jaho hastily offered Chung Mun a fist-and-palm salute.
“Then.”
“Safe travels.”
With that, he darted off without even looking back.
Ma Seung-gyeong, the elder of Kongtong who had been left behind, stared at Chung Mun with a hollow expression before cupping his fist in the most respectful salute he could muster and turning away.
They seemed in greater haste to leave than they had been to arrive, making a mockery of their claim to have come as reinforcements. Surely Chung Mun was not alone in that impression.
Chung Mun closed his eyes, overcome by a wave of exhaustion. Then, a strained, suppressed voice reached his ears.
“What are you doing…?”
“…”
Chung Mun slowly turned around. Chung Myung stood before him, his teeth clenched.
His Saje, his entire body drenched in blood. What Chung Mun felt at the sight was not the terror Paeng Jaho had felt. It was something difficult to put into words…. a profound, aching sorrow.
“I asked you what the hell you think you’re doing?!”
“…”
“Sect Leader Sahyeong!”
Watching Chung Myung – who looked as though he might lunge at him at any moment, consumed by his rage – Chung Mun let out a heavy, weary sigh.
________
I think this chapter made me feel all of Chung Mun’s pain and it’s truly so gut wrenching.
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