Chapter 1720. Betting Your Neck (5)
"Kh..."
The Thousand-Faced Gentleman, Dan Yeohae, clutched his side with a trembling hand. The pain was so intense it felt like his entire body was burning. But what really tormented him was the gaze of Jang Ilso, who looked at him as if he were an insect.
"Grr... Grrr..."
A growl of rage escaped through the Thousand-Faced Gentleman's clenched teeth.
"Jang Ilso..."
"Tsk tsk. That’s not right."
Jang Ilso shook his head exaggeratedly and sighed deeply.
"Do you understand? A person's worth is shown when they are on the ground."
His eyes gleamed maliciously as he watched the Thousand-Faced Gentleman.
"In normal times, you strut around and act important, but when cornered, you behave like a frightened dog..."
"You..."
"It's pathetic."
Dan Yeohae clenched his teeth so hard it seemed they might break. The anger boiled inside him, to the point that his eyes were bloodshot. But despite his fury, he didn't dare charge at Jang Ilso.
"Ryeonju!"
Instead, he cried out in a trembling voice.
"Did you know, Ryeonju? Did you know that Ho Gakmyung, the Poisoned Mind Demon, tried to kill me? Did you know he was sending me to my death?"
The faces of the officers surrounding Ho Gakmyung turned pale.
It was an extremely delicate and dangerous question. Although Jang Ilso led the Evil Tyrant Alliance, the fundamental structure remained a coalition. Asking this question in front of so many ears meant that Dan Yeohae was determined not to back down.
Any response Jang Ilso gave would have to bear the consequences.
"Answer, Ryeonju! Was this your order? Did you order that all the men of the Hao Sect, as well as the members of the Alliance on that cliff, be buried alive under those rubble?"
Dan Yeohae was not responsible; anyone could see that. But if Ho Gakmyung wasn't to blame either, then who was responsible?
The gazes of the Alliance members inevitably turned to Jang Ilso. Not because they expected a specific answer, but because he was the only one who could clarify the situation.
Jang Ilso looked around, showing no signs of feeling pressured. Just as he was about to speak.
"The Ryeonju has no responsibility."
"Co... Commander!"
The officers turned sharply. Ho Gakmyung, who had stood up, stared intently at Dan Yeohae and Jang Ilso with an impassive expression.
"This was..."
He bowed deeply to Jang Ilso with an extremely respectful reverence.
"It was all my fault. I dared to make big promises and did not fulfill them. I failed to achieve the expected results."
"..."
"As Commander, I deserve to be punished. It is right that I take responsibility. Please, Ryeonju, take my life to console the souls of those who died here."
Ho Gakmyung knelt and lowered his head, waiting for the sentence.
Silence reigned. The sound of someone swallowing echoed like thunder. Amid the tension, the officers trembled.
They knew that, regardless of the outcome, many had died on this mission. Even if they had succeeded, the losses would have been criticized. But since they failed, someone had to take all the responsibility.
Dan Yeohae shouted furiously at Jang Ilso.
"Leader! Don't you see that the culprit is asking to be punished?"
Dan Yeohae's voice cut through the silence like a sharp blade. It was cold and hard.
Then, Jang Ilso began to laugh softly.
"Ha ha..."
Dan Yeohae was momentarily stunned.
Jang Ilso, covering his mouth with a white hand, was laughing as if he couldn't contain himself.
"Ha ha... ha. This..."
Jang Ilso slowly lowered his hand, showing a twisted smile.
"What are you talking about?"
Dan Yeohae's pupils visibly trembled.
"Ryeonju?"
"Guilty? Did I hear correctly?"
His white teeth glistened like those of a fierce beast.
"Ho Gakmyung, Ho Gakmyung."
Jang Ilso laughed as he looked at the kneeling Ho Gakmyung.
"You have no talent for acting. Stop this nonsense. It doesn't suit you."
"Ryeonju..."
Even Ho Gakmyung was surprised and looked at Jang Ilso.
"Ryeonju. This was..."
"Yes, I know."
Jang Ilso's gaze shifted to Mount Wudang, now black and burnt. His expression was strangely twisted.
"It was a disgrace. Totally."
"..."
"If we came here just to burn a mountain, it was a complete failure. How can I show my face after this?"
Jang Ilso put a hand to his forehead and shook his head exaggeratedly, like an actor on stage. Everyone was speechless.
But not everyone could remain silent.
"Only that...?"
"Hmm?"
"Is that all you have to say?"
Dan Yeohae's fury finally erupted in a scream. With bloodshot eyes, he glared at Jang Ilso and shouted.
"Do you know how many died because of that man's actions? Thousands of lives were lost senselessly, and all you have to say is that it was a disgrace..."
"..."
"Tearing him apart and chewing his flesh wouldn't be enough to pay for his guilt...!"
"Guilt?"
At that moment, Jang Ilso's serene voice interrupted Dan Yeohae's furious scream.
"For a while now, you've been saying things I don't understand. Can't you comprehend, or is the accumulated blood in your head preventing you from thinking clearly? How can the leader of the Hao Sect be so foolish?"
"Ryeonju!"
"I told you. There are no culprits."
Jang Ilso took a step towards Dan Yeohae.
"Failures are not faults."
"..."
"Making mistakes is not a fault either. Lacking skills, being deceived by the enemy, that is not a fault."
Jang Ilso's eyes gleamed with a disturbing light. Overwhelmed by the intensity of that gaze, Dan Yeohae held his breath.
"To me, guilt is... doing nothing. Those are the ones who don't even deserve the air they breathe. But... do you know what is even more disgusting?"
Jang Ilso slowly leaned towards Dan Yeohae, meeting his gaze at a close distance.
Dan Yeohae involuntarily trembled at the sinister light that seemed to move deep within Jang Ilso's eyes. He asked:
"Do you really care so much about the lives of those who died up there?"
"Ryeonju..."
"Does it really hurt you so much to have lost them?"
Dan Yeohae's face lost all color. He finally understood that what shone deep in Jang Ilso's eyes was a murderous intent.
Several rings that Jang Ilso wore on his fingers floated in the air. It looked like child's play, but anyone who knew the power of the Evil Tyrant Alliance knew this was extremely dangerous.
"Let's be clear. How much more do I have to tolerate your fury disguised as justice?"
"Ryeonju..."
Clang!
The rings floating in the air shot towards Dan Yeohae.
"Aaaaah!"
Dan Yeohae, who didn't understand what had happened, screamed in pain as he clutched his left hand. A ring had pierced his hand and embedded itself in the ground.
"Aaaah!"
A Martial Artist like Dan Yeohae wouldn't scream just because of a hand wound. The real pain came from the dark qi of Jang Ilso that had infiltrated his body through the wound.
It was a piercing cold, as if his flesh were burning from the inside. Dan Yeohae could only crawl on the ground and scream. His already battered body couldn't withstand Jang Ilso's power.
"Understand."
Jang Ilso smiled softly as he watched Dan Yeohae writhing on the ground. Then, in a surprisingly gentle tone, he said:
"Nothing is gained without sacrifice."
"Ugh... Ugh..."
"The fat pigs in Gangnam don't want to lose what they have, so they endlessly argue about the value of things. The value of money, the value of time, and also..."
Crack!
Jang Ilso stepped hard on Dan Yeohae's hand.
"Aaaah!"
"Shh, shh. Quiet. You say your life is valuable, don't you?"
Dan Yeohae's scream was immediately cut off. Though he was overwhelmed by pain, he understood the meaning behind Jang Ilso's words.
"Huff, huff... huff."
Despite his ragged breathing and trembling body, Dan Yeohae bit his lips hard, trying to silence himself. Jang Ilso, seeing this, smiled with satisfaction.
"Good. It seems you understand."
"..."
"What we seek is much more valuable than what we already have. Whether it’s wealth, skills, fame, even our lives."
"..."
"If you weren't willing to sacrifice everything, you should have stayed scratching your belly in the comfort of Gangnam. Coming here and crying for your life is... pathetic."
Jang Ilso gently stroked the back of Dan Yeohae's head, as if caressing a child's head. But Dan Yeohae felt no humiliation. Humiliation can only be felt by someone who is still alive. All he felt now was an overwhelming fear that Jang Ilso might crush his head at any moment.
"Remember this."
Jang Ilso's eyes darkened.
"I am here to acquire things. Not to protect them."
"..."
"Tsk."
Jang Ilso clicked his tongue and lifted his foot off Dan Yeohae's hand. Then, he directed his gaze towards Mount Wudang.
More precisely, towards those still left on the mountain and those who should now be at the top.
"Ho Gakmyung."
"Yes, Ryeonju."
Ho Gakmyung bowed his head deeply.
"Did I lose?"
"..."
"Answer me."
"It was... my incompetence."
"If your incompetence caused this, then I am even more incompetent for giving you the opportunity."
"Ryeonju..."
"It's been a long time."
Ho Gakmyung lifted his head to look at Jang Ilso. Then, he clenched his fists tightly. Jang Ilso's expression was grotesquely twisted.
"This... filthy feeling."
