C1683: I Don’t Care! (3)
"They will attack us from the flanks! Don’t let your guard down for even a moment!"
Baek Cheon glanced at the left side, engulfed in flames, and then observed the opposite side. Yoon Jong, like him, was leading his group and watching the flanks.
'Now...'
Baek Cheon was about to give another order after quickly surveying the surroundings.
"Why was I put at the rear?"
Jin Geumryong approached and asked the question. Instead of his usual arrogance, there was a look of displeasure on his face.
"Do you understand the situation? We have entered mountainous terrain. Speed inevitably decreases. If we stop at the front, we will be surrounded and isolated by enemies attacking from all sides."
"I know."
"Then, why did you retreat? Do you understand your position? You should have been leading the way at the front."
"...."
"Or perhaps..."
"Stop spouting nonsense, Jin Geumryong."
"...What?"
Baek Cheon’s gaze was fixed ahead. He could see Jo Gul leading the advance with the members of his group.
"I simply assigned the role to the most suitable person. From what I know, there is no one better than Jo Gul to lead the way at the front."
"You..."
Jin Geumryong was about to say something but stopped. Baek Cheon calmly said what Jin Geumryong couldn’t express.
"No. Even if I hadn't lost my strength, it would still be the same. Even if I had doubled my power, the role of a leader is not obtained by strength alone."
"...."
"In time, you’ll understand why I put Jo Gul at the front and why I didn’t assign you that position."
Jin Geumryong frowned as he silently watched ahead. He didn’t see anything particularly notable about Jo Gul, at least not yet.
'That troublemaker?'
However, the reason Jin Geumryong didn’t immediately protest was the silence of Yoo Iseol.
Although he didn’t want to admit it, he knew that the swordswoman, who was probably his equal or even superior, showed no dissatisfaction.
Though she was a difficult person to read, if it had simply been Baek Cheon’s order, she would have at least shown some sign of displeasure. But at that moment, Yoo Iseol remained silent, as if it was completely natural for Jo Gul to lead.
Jin Geumryong let out a sigh.
"....I really don’t understand the Mount Hua Sect people."
He closely watched Jo Gul’s back.
"Let’s see how impressive you are."
"Get out of my way!"
Jo Gul thrust his sword forward like lightning.
Whoosh!
The members of the Evil Tyrant Alliance, unable to react in time, were instantly pierced by his sword and fell like rotten logs.
As they fell, the view of the burning Mount Wudang became clearer.
Charred trees, still fiercely burning with red flames. If there was a gate to hell, it surely looked like this.
Climbing that burning mountain was no easy task. And besides, in the places where the flames had subsided, enemies would be waiting in advantageous positions, awaiting the arrival of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance.
But Jo Gul showed no hesitation.
"Budangju! The flames are too intense here! We must go around them!"
"No!"
"Budangju!"
"Forward!"
Jo Gul ignored the shouts behind him. He continued to advance, swinging his sword horizontally.
Crash!
The burning trees were cut down with a single blow. Astonished exclamations were heard around him.
"Ah...?"
Thud! Thud!
The fallen trees left large open spaces. Although there were still some minor flames, the more intense fire had disappeared.
"Cut the trees!"
Jo Gul shouted for everyone to hear.
"They are already charred! Just cut them and clear a path!"
"Ah..."
The others, who had been staring in shock, soon nodded.
"Yes, of course! What are you doing?! Help the Budangju!"
"Yes!"
Cutting trees while climbing the mountain. Under normal circumstances, it was unthinkable. The pines growing in Wudang were incredibly hard and large. Even for martial artists, quickly cutting them down and clearing a path was difficult.
But not now. The trees were completely charred, only retaining their shape. Cutting them down wouldn’t be difficult, even for normal people.
"Cut more trees!"
"Yes!"
"Let’s go! With all our strength!"
"Yes!"
Jo Gul surged forward again, cutting down more charred trees.
Many eyes fixed on his back.
'How...?'
Clearing a path by cutting charred trees instead of going around the fire. Reducing time by eliminating the flames instead of avoiding them.
It might seem like a simple idea, but realizing it and acting accordingly is not easy. In the midst of fire and smoke, who could stay calm and think clearly? Most would only think of avoiding the flames.
But this young swordsman found a solution no one had thought of.
'I didn’t know he was so resourceful.'
'Are they all like this in the Mount Hua Sect?'
Unaware of the looks he was receiving, Jo Gul kept advancing.
'I feel light!'
He felt unusually light. It wasn’t just the thrill of battle. His body actually felt light. He felt like he could traverse the mountain in one go.
"Damn it!"
Beyond the flames, three red-hot spears were hurled towards him. Before Jo Gul could react, his sword already moved, deflecting all the spears.
Clang!
The three impacts sounded almost as one. His sword, sharp as a snake, launched towards where the spears had come from.
"Argh!"
Jo Gul retrieved his sword and, without hesitation, swung it horizontally, cutting down the tree obstructing his path. A large black pine, still showing the scars of time despite being burnt, fell with a thundering noise.
Kuuuung!
Seeing the scene in front of him, Jo Gul straightened up.
"Hmm..."
Beyond the flames that distorted his vision with their intense heat, he could see over a hundred members of the Evil Tyrant Alliance waiting for him.
Fire and enemies.
With both in his field of vision, Jo Gul spun his sword once, adjusted his grip, and lowered his stance.
"Budangju!"
"We continue forward!"
Without a second thought, Jo Gul lunged forward.
Now that he was at the vanguard, his task was only one: not to stop for a moment until reaching the top of that mountain.
"Try to stop me if you can!"
Jo Gul charged at the enemies like lightning.
-------------------
Silence prolonged.
Chung Myung lifted the glass of liquor in front of him. He looked directly at Jang Ilso and drank it in one gulp.
Tac.
The glass settled on the table. Chung Myung wiped his mouth with his sleeve.
"No, really."
"Hmm?"
"Do you wonder what would have happened if our positions were reversed?"
Chung Myung let out a light laugh. It was as scathing as Jang Ilso’s taunt, perhaps even more so.
"I don’t have time to worry about things that will never happen."
"...."
"I haven’t even thought about it. I could never become a bastard of the Evil Faction like you."
"My, my. What a lack of imagination."
Jang Ilso slightly shook his head.
"Have you really never thought about it?"
"Not even once."
"Really?"
Jang Ilso laughed quietly. Then, he looked at Chung Myung as if trying to grasp his essence with his pale eyes.
"Being part of the Evil Faction isn’t a big deal. Anyone who doesn’t follow the arbitrary norms of the world is called part of the Evil Faction. In that sense..."
He looked at the Mount Hua swordsman in front of him with an indifferent expression.
"Among those supposed righteous ones, the one who most resembles the Evil Faction is you."
"...."
"Have you never thought about slitting the throats of those fools who spout nonsense, about crushing everything they stand for? Or at least..."
As he spoke slowly, Jang Ilso’s gaze intensified.
"Destroying everything they call the laws of the world."
"...."
Chung Myung didn’t respond.
"Have you really never thought about it? Really?"
"Stop talking nonsense. You’re ruining the taste of the liquor."
Coldly, Chung Myung looked at Jang Ilso and spoke.
"I don’t know what answer you expect from me, but I only have one. I will not become someone like you, you damned bastard of the Evil Faction."
Jang Ilso’s eyes narrowed.
"You speak like someone who has never gone through certain experiences."
"No matter what I have experienced, it would still be the same."
"...."
"You think you know me, but you don’t. You will never understand me."
"Why not?"
"Because to you, only you are important."
Jang Ilso’s face showed no expression. He just watched Chung Myung.
"But to me, I am not the important one."
"That’s a disgusting act of hypocrisy."
"Maybe. But I live clinging to that hypocrisy, just as you cling to your repulsive hatred disguised as desire."
"...."
Chung Myung spoke without hesitation.
"And even if our positions were reversed, the result would be the same. At least now."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You are going to lose, Jang Ilso."
"...."
"Even if I were in your place, you would still lose. This war is not decided by you and me. That moment has already passed."
Jang Ilso looked at the burning Mount Wudang and then back at Chung Myung, smiling strangely.
"Again with that blind faith that others will win for you?"
"...."
"Do you expect your fervor to reach the heavens? Huh?"
"There is no heaven. And even if there were, I’m not foolish enough to expect anything from that damn thing."
"Then?"
"You don’t understand. You’re mistaken, you idiot."
Chung Myung’s unexpected response made Jang Ilso tilt his head slightly. Chung Myung showed a toothy smile.
"You think you have caught me here."
"Isn’t that so?"
"I’m not here. Only my shell is."
Chung Myung’s gaze shifted from Jang Ilso to the burning Mount Wudang, to somewhere below it.
"I am already there."
"...."
"I am fighting there. Just me."
"What nonsense are you saying...?"
"You will never understand. That’s why you will lose."
Chung Myung looked back at Jang Ilso. His black, empty eyes pierced through Jang Ilso.
"Your arrogance in thinking you know and understand everything is what will make you lose."
Jang Ilso’s gaze trembled intensely, for the first time since they sat down.