Read Novel Full Chapter 1154: Well, If It’s Absolutely Necessary. (4)
Chapter 1154: Well, If It’s Absolutely Necessary. (4)
“…Ahem.”
Tang Gunak cleared his throat loudly. Just a little thought made it clear what the Heavenly Friends Alliance was probably thinking right now.
“…Then what about Shaolin…?”
“They’ll handle it themselves, I suppose. Do we really need to worry about that?”
Closing his eyes tightly at those words, Tang Gunak asked again subtly.
“But if what you say is true, don’t they have to vacate their seats for us to leave the Yangtze as well?”
“Eh, not necessarily. Actually, we’ve already gotten everything we wanted. We can leave anytime.”
“Huh? Earlier you said they decide it?”
“That’s a different matter. We have to stay here so those bastards can’t get out.”
“…Don’t tell me?”
Chung Myung nodded and chuckled.
“Just by sitting here long enough, those bastards are dying off. Why should I get up first? I’ll hold out until the very end.”
“…”
“Fighting isn’t about winning originally. It’s about making the ones you hate die.”
Looking at Chung Myung, Tang Gunak reconsidered.
‘Good thing he’s not an enemy to me.’
When he first met that man, if by chance they had become enemies, Tang Gunak himself would be suffering what the abbot Shaolin is facing now. It wouldn’t have ended with just a hole in his stomach.
“So let’s not worry about them. Watching intently won’t change anything. The real problem now isn’t the Four Sects Alliance but the Nine Great Sects. For a while, all they can do is point fingers and grumble from afar. The public sentiment is too bad to pick a fight now.”
“Probably so…”
Public sentiment isn’t a tangible power but subtly pushes people forward. Especially when there’s no justification, public sentiment often causes things to go wrong.
Moreover, since the abbot prioritizes face and justification, they won’t be able to move no matter what for a while.
‘But…’
Tang Gunak is a cautious man. He carefully pondered again and spoke.
“It’s not something to be so reassured about.”
“Huh?”
“Saying they can’t move now means they will move eventually. And if it’s the Shaolin’s abbot that I know, when the time comes, something truly massive…”
Tang Gunak stopped speaking and closed his mouth. His face showed clear embarrassment.
Chung Myung, squinting slightly, looked at him and finished the sentence.
“They’ll appear as enemies?”
Tang Gunak couldn’t say yes or no. Whatever he said, the impact of those words spoken here was too great.
‘Enemies?’
So far, Tang Gunak had clashed with Shaolin many times from the Heavenly Friends Alliance’s perspective. Sometimes supporting Mount Hua, sometimes by his own will.
But what he had done was just an extension of conflicts between sects, not truly seeing the Nine Great Sects or the Five Great Families as his enemies. Yet today, the word ‘enemy’ almost slipped naturally from his mouth.
Even against Shaolin.
‘Is this really okay?’
His perception had naturally changed. Perhaps it happened because the Heavenly Friends Alliance hadn’t clearly decided how to deal with the Nine Great Sects.
“…Mount Hua’s Sword Saint.”
“Yes, Family lord.”
“I have something I want to ask…”
At those words, Chung Myung shrugged.
“I know what you want to say, but this isn’t the right place, right?”
Seeing Chung Myung read his mind like a ghost, Tang Gunak gave a bitter smile.
“Hmm, I see.”
“Well, isn’t that up to them, not us? If you’ve watched, I’ve never treated them badly first.”
“…”
“Why do you say that?”
“No, it’s just…”
Tang Gunak, about to say something, just laughed.
“Well, everyone has their own perspective.”
“Glad you understand.”
It’s better not to think about this.
“Then let’s put that aside for now.”
Both those who understood and those who didn’t nodded at that. Chung Myung shifted his gaze.
“So.”
“Huh?”
Baek Cheon, suddenly targeted, blinked in confusion.
“Again.”
“…Why suddenly come at me?”
“It seems like only we’re talking. Don’t you have anything to say in here? Surely you weren’t thinking nothing.”
Unable to say “I wasn’t thinking anything,” Baek Cheon made a vague excuse.
“Even if I don’t say it…”
“Oh, someone else will say it?”
Chung Myung said in a dry tone.
“It’s the same story as always.”
“Huh?”
“When war starts, there’s no time to wait for someone to give orders.”
“…”
“You have to judge and act immediately. Even a moment’s hesitation can cost lives.”
Though said casually, the meaning was significant.
‘So we should naturally think, judge, and voice opinions regularly.’
Thinking even this obvious meeting was preparation for war brought tension and slight frustration.
“Then, since it came up… about the small and medium sects.”
“Why them? What I said earlier was just…”
“No. Not that. Instead of waiting for them to join after war breaks out, wouldn’t it be better to actively incorporate them?”
“Oh?”
Chung Myung looked at Baek Cheon with interest and asked.
“Why?”
“It’s been said. If the Heavenly Friends Alliance isn’t properly organized, they won’t know whom to follow. Conversely, if we don’t know who they are beforehand, it’ll be hard to give proper orders.”
“Oh…”
“Wow…”
At Yoon Jong and Jo Gul’s strong reactions, Baek Cheon narrowed his eyes.
“What? Why?”
“No, sasuk. We are not mocking…”
“It’s been a long time since I heard something like that from sasuk.”
“…”
“Come to think of it, sasuk used to be like this.”
“I even heard he was a talent to lead Mount Hua. Now he’s just a neighborhood bar…”
“…You’d better shut that annoying mouth for your own good.”
“Yes sir!”
Jo Gul immediately shut up. Baek Cheon gritted his teeth. Meanwhile, Yu Yiseol silently nodded in agreement, which irritated him.
“Not a bad idea.”
“Honestly, just waiting was passive from our side.”
Supportive opinions came from various places, especially Tang Gunak and Meng So.
“Precisely identifying those to lead is definitely important.”
“As Mount Hua’s Sword Saint said earlier, most still trust the Nine Great Sects a bit more, so it wouldn’t be bad to act proactively before they naturally accept the Nine Great Sects again as public sentiment dilutes.”
“Hmm. I agree. Baek Cheon gave a good suggestion.”
Baek Cheon felt a surge of confidence after a long time.
He had been treated like a neighborhood bar fool despite his skills. Being recognized by the Heavenly Friends Alliance’s senior members restored his old confidence.
‘Yes, this is it…’
“Ugh. Such a meaningless act.”
A voice suddenly interrupted, dashing his confidence. Baek Cheon turned to see Im So-Byeong still leaning against the wall, smirking.
“Ah, sorry, Taoist Baek Cheon. This junior sometimes gets carried away.”
Seeing Im So-Byeong smack his own mouth annoyingly made Baek Cheon even angrier.
“…Did you say it’s meaningless?”
“Yes. Well, it’s not that Taoist Baek Cheon’s idea is bad, but I keep thinking it’s a task that brings no gain and only headaches. I know that’s typical of the Justice faction… haha.”
“May I ask why you think it’s meaningless? To me, it seems clearly helpful.”
“It’s helpful, sure. What isn’t helpful in this world? Even if you open the door and sweep the yard, it helps living in the place.”
Might as well say it’s not helpful, damn it. Baek Cheon’s stomach ached. Chung Myung alone was hard to handle, and with Im So-Byeong too, his stomach ached from both sides.
“You think that way…”
“You may ask why? Of course. It’s not hard to answer.”
Im So-Byeong got off the wall and sat up straight. His fan naturally opened wide in his hand.
“Because the meeting lost its purpose from the start, these useless opinions come out.”
“…Huh?”
“We solved one thing, so let’s find another task. What’s the grand premise before that?”
“Well… to organize the Heavenly Friends Alliance more efficiently and fight the Evil Sect…”
“That’s the problem!”
Those nodding at Im So-Byeong’s words flinched.
“Talking such vague nonsense, the meeting just goes in circles! A waste of time!”
Those nodding shook their heads as if to say they never did that. The Five Swords, who had been nodding, sided with Im So-Byeong and began giving Baek Cheon reproachful looks.
Baek Cheon’s anger surged.
‘Those unloyal bastards…’
One day, I’ll beat you all before the Four Sects Alliance or anything else. Really…
“It’s not to confront the Four Sects Alliance.”
Smack!
Im So-Byeong struck his own hand with his folded fan.
“It’s to defeat the Four Sects Alliance.”
“…”
“When people do something, they feel relieved. They get comfort that they’re not idle and are trying. But that comfort sometimes ruins people. It wastes time on useless things.”
“Hmm…”
“I ask, so if we create new positions, can we defeat the Four Sects Alliance?”
Namgung Do-Wei flinched at Im So-Byeong’s sharp gaze.
“That is…”
“So? If we incorporate the small and medium sects and organize their structure, can we defeat the Four Sects Alliance?”
“Better than not doing anything…”
Baek Cheon trailed off. He also knew it wouldn’t greatly affect the war situation.
“Tsk tsk tsk tsk.”
Smack!
Im So-Byeong slapped his palm with his fan again and said.
“With people like these leading the Heavenly Friends Alliance is!”
Namgung Do-Wei and Baek Cheon’s faces flushed red. It was true and hard to refute, but the fact that Im So-Byeong said it made them even more embarrassed.
When have they ever been lectured by an Evil Sect bastard in their lives?
“Still, Namgung young lord is a bit better.”
“Huh?”
Namgung Do-Wei looked at Im So-Byeong in surprise. Could it be he was defending him…?
“It’s true that positions are needed. Instead of wasting time gathering these people for meetings, it’s better to create proper military positions and put me there! Then no need to rack bad brains, just roll as I command, ugh!”
Im So-Byeong was hit by a flying wooden pillow, rolled on the floor, and crashed into the wall.
“That Evil Sect bastard always crosses the line at every moment he finds.”
Chung Myung clapped his hands. Those staring blankly flinched as they saw Hyun Jong quietly withdraw his extended hand.
Huh? Come to think of it, that wooden pillow originally belonged to the… alliance leader…
Uh….
“But it’s not an unreasonable story.”
Chung Myung shrugged and looked at the wriggling Im So-Byeong.
“Alright, go ahead and talk. So what must we do to defeat the Four Sects Alliance?”
“While getting beaten like this?”
“Oh, want to get hit more then?”
“Ugh, damn.”
Im So-Byeong wiped the blood dripping from his nose with his sleeve, frowned, and straightened up again.
Everyone looked at his mouth with tense eyes.