C1682. That's None of My Business! (2)
"Devotion, you say…"
Jang Ilso played with the liquor cup between his fingers.
A slow and deliberate movement. Although it was a simple and ordinary action, it was hard to take your eyes off the tips of his fingers.
"It's an interesting word."
Jang Ilso leaned slightly back, as if he were resting on the back of a chair, though the chair had no back.
"It's strange, isn't it?"
"…What is?"
"Devotion… Maybe, as you say, devotion is another name for faith. But if you see it that way, devotion could also be another name for something else."
Jang Ilso smiled disdainfully.
"For desire."
"…"
Jang Ilso's eyes pierced Chung Myung.
"Desiring something with such devotion, desiring it intensely. The world calls it desire."
"So what?"
"Then it’s strange, isn’t it?"
Jang Ilso chuckled.
"A despicable member of the Evil Faction talks about responsibility and duty, while a noble warrior of the Righteous Faction talks about devotion, which is just another name for desire."
"…"
"Doesn't it seem like something is out of place?"
Chung Myung's eyes sank heavily.
"What are you trying to say?"
"Ha! Don’t make that scary face. I’m just saying it’s interesting."
Jang Ilso's eyes shone with malice.
Those eyes mocked everything. Wudang defending the mountain, the Evil Tyrant Alliance attacking them.
The Heavenly Comrade Alliance fighting with all their might to save them, Chung Myung trying to stop Jang Ilso here… and perhaps even himself, laughing while speaking.
"I just thought of something."
"What did you think of?"
"If you were in my place now, what would you say?"
"…"
"And if I were in your place, what would I be saying? Would I also be talking about that ridiculous nobility?"
Jang Ilso's mockery resonated in Chung Myung's ears.
"What do you think?"
"…"
"Isn't it interesting?"
That laughter engraved itself in Chung Myung's eyes.
-----------------
We’ve Broken the Line!
Jo Gul withdrew his sword and thrust it forward again. He could see Baek Cheon and the others advancing at the front.
“Move aside!”
Whoosh!
The members of the Evil Tyrant Alliance, frightened by his energy, scattered to the sides, clearing a path in front of Jo Gul.
“Alright, everyone, follow…”
Just as Jo Gul was about to advance as usual, he abruptly stopped and looked back. The members of the Evil Tyrant Alliance who had been pushed to the sides were starting to close the gap again.
“Keep moving! Keep going!”
Jo Gul shouted as he stopped and turned.
Before, he would have been the first to advance when the path cleared. But now, Jo Gul was different.
“Back off, damn it!”
Whoosh!
This time, his sword moved differently. Instead of piercing precisely, he held it upside down and swung it horizontally, creating space. Although it felt strange, like wearing clothes that didn’t fit, the technique was as effective as his specialty of piercing.
‘Think more!’
Before, he simply advanced and let his Sahyungs handle everything. But here, there were no Sahyungs who understood his intentions and adapted. Jo Gul had to assume their roles too.
However...
“Where are we going, Budangju?”
“Are we following the Deputy Sect Leader of the Mount Hua Sect?”
“Who are we following?”
“What?”
Jo Gul quickly turned his head.
Those who had taken the lead in his place were splitting. Some were following Baek Cheon, while others were running straight to the top of the mountain.
Those following them were also beginning to get confused and stop.
“No! Follow Baek Cheon! The Deputy Sect Leader of the Mount Hua Sect!”
“You have to say it!”
“Huh?”
Jo Gul’s eyes trembled. Hadn’t he said it?
No, even if he hadn’t said it, this was something too obvious, wasn’t it?
“Follow the Deputy Sect Leader of the Mount Hua Sect! Quickly!”
Jo Gul shouted with all his might, but his voice was lost in the screams of the battlefield.
Jo Gul’s face showed a flash of doubt.
‘Should I go back to the front? But, what about the rear?’
When they broke through the enemy, they would surely be chased from behind. He couldn’t just leave the rear unprotected.
‘What should I do…?’
At the moment Jo Gul’s sword wavered, the members of the Evil Tyrant Alliance, realizing it, rushed at him.
“Wait!”
Jo Gul was about to swing his sword when someone stepped forward and struck.
Surprised, Jo Gul almost attacked, but stopped when he saw a golden flash.
Whoosh!
A powerful golden energy swept the members of the Evil Tyrant Alliance, throwing them back. A technique of overwhelming power that always left one in awe.
“Amitabha. Jo Gul, were you scared…?”
“Hey! You can’t just appear suddenly like that! If I hadn’t seen that bald head, I might have stabbed you in the back!”
“…”
Hye Yeon looked at Jo Gul with a twisted face.
“I’ll handle things here. Go ahead.”
“What?”
At that moment, another roar filled Jo Gul’s ears.
Boom!
A huge energy from a sword from behind weakened the enemies preparing to pursue.
“Never thought Jo Gul would cover the rear. Seems even those who seem hopeless can grow, as my father used to say.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Go ahead, Jo Gul! You’ve got things to do!”
“Ah, right!”
Jo Gul turned and quickly advanced.
“Then I trust the rear to you guys.”
“Yes!”
Watching Jo Gul increase his speed toward the front, Namgung Dowi smiled.
"Siju."
"Yes, Monk?"
"Did your late father really say that?"
Namgung Dowi smiled broadly.
"No. I just said it."
"…"
"Is there a problem?"
"Amitabha... No, nothing."
Hye Yeon smiled. With Jo Gul, well... he deserved it.
"It wasn't a malicious comment. I’m really surprised."
"I agree."
Seems the saying "the position makes the person" isn't entirely false. That Jo Gul would think of the rear... But still, that’s not his specialty.
"Then, shall we stop them?"
"Yes."
Hye Yeon and Namgung Dowi gathered their energy. Their goal was to break the will of the pursuers. That was the task they had to fulfill by leading their respective groups.
And it was something they were experts at.
"Sasuk! Sahyung!"
"You're late, idiot!"
"Why did you take so long? Can’t you do the basics anymore?"
Jo Gul, with a desperate expression, pounded his chest. Though he thought of his strategy, these guys didn’t understand.
"Forward!"
"What?"
"Break the front line!"
"What?"
"What else? Idiot!"
Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong pointed simultaneously to the top of the mountain. More specifically, the White Cliff.
"Over there!"
"Right there!"
"…"
"We're going to break through and go up at once. There’s no time to waste."
"Destroy everything in the way."
"Me? While those guys are already advancing?"
Jo Gul saw Yoo Iseol and Jin Geumryong tearing through the enemies at the front. Jin Geumryong was understandable, but Yoo Iseol was clearly a superior master to him.
"Don’t hesitate!"
Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong grabbed Jo Gul's shoulders and pushed him to the front. Baek Cheon, with an extremely serious tone, said:
"Breaking the front line is your task. No one can do it better than you."
"…"
"If we delay, Wudang will be in danger. Can you do it?"
Jo Gul’s expression changed.
"Can I do it?"
"Yes!"
"How can you doubt it?"
Jo Gul grabbed his Plum Blossom Sword and smiled.
"Don’t fall behind, old men!"
Boom!
Jo Gul launched forward with such force that the ground seemed to crack.
"Get out of my way! You’re too slow!"
Jo Gul's sword shone with a red glow, reflecting the burning flames of his confidence.
"They’ve broken through!"
"They're entering the mountain! Commander!"
The faces of the subordinates turned pale.
The enemy had broken the defense line. That could be managed, but the problem was that the forces of the Evil Tyrant Alliance were scattered across the mountain.
Reorganize the formation?
Impossible. How to give orders to those scattered on a burning mountain?
Move with a single goal: annihilate Wudang in the shortest time possible. Being attacked from the rear was an indescribable nightmare.
"We must do something!"
"The target is Wudang! We must finish them off before they arrive!"
"But that will result in great losses! What will we do after?"
"If we lose the target, they’ll be lost! We must break their morale now!"
"Even if they enter the mountain, they can’t move like on flat ground! In fact, entering the mountain…!"
"Silence."
"…"
A single word from Ho Gakmyung silenced the subordinates.
Unlike the excited subordinates, Ho Gakmyung showed no emotion.
Ho Gakmyung observed the enemy’s movements and nodded.
"It’s typical of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance."
"What?"
"Give the order to everyone who can. Block their route of advance."
"Route of advance? How do we know it?"
"Don’t complicate it."
Ho Gakmyung pointed to the Heavenly Comrade Alliance and then moved his hand to point right below them.
"A straight line to here."
"…"
"They are the Heavenly Comrade Alliance. They won’t look back in a situation like this. They’ll come straight."
"That’s reckless."
It might be impossible for most, but not for martial artists. Especially for the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, who would always choose the shortest path.
"But, Commander, even if we give the order, they can’t stop them in time. They’ll just follow them."
"It doesn’t matter."
"What?"
Ho Gakmyung looked at the subordinate who questioned him and glared at him.
The subordinate, understanding his mistake, quickly bowed.
"I will fulfill the order."
"Quickly. Immediately."
"Yes!"
The subordinate hurriedly ran off, and Ho Gakmyung briefly observed before turning.
"They have momentum."
It was obvious. He could feel how excited and confident they were.
And they deserved it. Ho Gakmyung also felt a twinge in his fingers, not from bad memories of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, but from the very strength they possessed.
"That’s fine for now. But... soon they’ll find out."
Ho Gakmyung's eyes turned cold.
A fox that confuses the strength of a tiger with its own will only die as a miserable clown.
Just like the Heavenly Comrade Alliance now.