Read Novel Full Chapter 1199: How On Earth Did You Endure This? (4)
Chapter 1199: How On Earth Did You Endure This? (4)
Only after barely sorting out the whirlwind of chaotic thoughts did Tang Gunak speak again.
“It’s complicated, but to put it simply: send only a small force to Southern Island first and then ascertain their intentions?”
“Yes, family lord.”
“If they say they’ll join the Heavenly Friends Alliance, then the Alliance’s main body will provide support and find a way to extract the Southern Island Sect; if they choose to stay within the Nine Great Sects, we’ll establish a line of communication between the Nine Great Sects and the Southern Island Sect?”
“Yes.”
“If it goes well, all the better; if it doesn’t, we might incidentally screw over Shaolin... no, open a path for Southern Island?”
“Exactly.”
Chung Myung grinned at that.
“In that case, I’d rather Southern Island show some loyalty. Heehee.”
“...Chung Myung. You’re a Taoist.”
“Who says I’m not? Uhi hi hi hit!”
“...”
Tang Gunak, watching Chung Myung with a wry look, rubbed his chin as if to collect his thoughts.
‘Not bad.’
Just the fact that the risk drops considerably is tempting. Honestly, it’s true—any assessment about Southern Island’s stance is nothing more than the Heavenly Friends Alliance’s speculation, right?
If we muster all our strength and march to Southern Island only for the Southern Island’s Sect leader to say, “Why have you come?”, the Heavenly Friends Alliance will be made to look foolish before the world.
‘The more troops we lead, the more likely Four Sects Alliance will take interest; exponentially so.’
So proposing a small force, easy to withdraw in an emergency, to go to Southern Island was certainly a good idea.
Having suddenly become «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» the Acting Sect leader and said radical things in talks with Beop Jeong raised concerns, but Baek Cheon seemed to be maintaining balance better than expected.
“But.”
“Yes.”
“But how exactly do you intend to maintain that line of communication?”
Tang Gunak tilted his head as if he couldn’t grasp it.
“The Nine Great Sects weren’t trying to sever ties with the Southern Island for nothing. They had no choice. From Southern Island to the northern banks stretches at least 300km, doesn’t it?”
“Mm. That’s right.”
“Even the Beggars’ Union’s famed special courier pigeon, the Thousand meters Blue Pigeon, can’t go more than a hundred km at once. They say a thousand meters, but in truth it barely reaches 500 meters. That’s why the Beggars’ Union sets up relay stations everywhere and uses a courier relay system, isn’t it?”
Everyone nodded. This was a method well known throughout the martial world.
“But we can’t establish a branch in the southern lands, so according to your plan we’d have to create a communication line covering the roughly 800km distance without branches, is that it?”
“...”
Tang Gunak narrowed his eyes as Baek Cheon remained silent.
“You’re not seriously suggesting bringing a single letter written by the Southern Island’s Sect leader and trying to sway public opinion with it, are you? That’s not practically feasible.”
“I never said we’d create public opinion, but...”
“Hm? You were definitely going to sway public opinion to... Shaolin...”
“I said I’d merely report the situation. Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself...? Of course, I understand the family lord’s ill will toward Shaolin.”
“...”
For a moment Tang Gunak’s face flushed slightly.
“Ahem. I seem to have misunderstood for a moment.”
“A misunderstanding?”
“Just say it as that.”
“Yep.”
Tang Gunak cleared his throat again and looked at Baek Cheon.
“So? You don’t intend to sway public opinion, meaning such measures aren’t necessary?”
“Well...”
Just as Baek Cheon was about to answer, Chung Myung spoke nonchalantly.
“Why worry about that?”
“Huh?”
As Tang Gunak turned to Chung Myung, Chung Myung whipped his head around.
“Hey! Map!”
“Yes.”
At Chung Myung’s shout, Im So-Byeong immediately responded. People glanced around as if a commotion had come, and Im So-Byeong got up and spread open the map that had been lying nearby.
“Listen up!”
“...Yes.”
Everyone couldn’t bear to look at the sight and turned their heads.
Good heavens... a man who uses the Green Forest King of the realm as a map hanger.
No matter that the Greenwood King is of the Evil Sect, he doesn’t deserve such treatment... what on earth is that fellow doing attached to the Heavenly Friends Alliance?
“Look over there.”
“Hm?”
Those who saw the map automatically frowned. They already knew, but seeing it made the distance from the Southern Island to here hit them anew.
“But Southern Island is really large, isn’t it?”
“It’s about the size of a decent city? Maybe half of Shaanxi.”
“Eh, not that much as half.”
“No, not that!”
“Huh?”
Chung Myung gestured with his chin to point at the Southern Island section on the map.
“Here. Here.”
Gathering everyone’s attention, Chung Myung began to explain.
“The Southern Island does float in the middle of the sea, true, but its distance to the mainland is both far and near. There’s a peninsula just above it.”
“That’s true...”
On the large continent there’s a peninsula jutting out like a tail, and right beneath that lies Southern Island.
“So if you measure the straight-line distance between the closest shores, it’s only about sixty li.”
“Is 20km close? Even by boat it would take several hours.”
“Ah, that’s nothing.”
“...”
They felt awed by the vastness, but that was a secondary issue now.
“But... how does that relate to the communication line? You’re not suggesting sending people to cross that strait; the current problem is that people can’t enter the southern lands, right?”
“So it’s been solved.”
“Huh?”
“There are three problems in maintaining a communication line: only people can reliably travel such a huge roundtrip; people can’t enter the southern lands; and you have to cross the sea.”
“...Right?”
There are minor issues, but that’s the core of it.
Growing needlessly uneasy, Tang Gunak added cautiously.
“The Four Sects Alliance won’t be fools; they’ll be guarding that peninsula like a fortress, won’t they?”
“Yes, yes. I know.”
Chung Myung nodded as if it were obvious.
“Then use a method that solves all three at once: can do the 800km roundtrip, can cross the roughly 20 km sea in an instant, and travel there without being noticed by people!”
“Huh?”
Everyone tilted their heads. Such a person...
“The Ghost Clan?”
“No way. Even a Ghost Clan can’t do that. Express delivery still depends on circumstances.”
“...Then?”
It was at that moment.
Chung Myung suddenly shoved his hand into his front sash and pulled out something white.
“Oh?”
“Wow...”
“Good heavens.”
“Here it is... no, this bastard held on?”
“Kiiiieeeee!”
Baek Ah clung to Chung Myung’s clothes and resisted desperately. Being an animal that understood human speech, she sensed the oddity of the situation.
“Heave-ho!”
But in the end, Baek Ah was hauled out and plopped onto the floor.
Flat on the floor, Baek Ah quickly scanned around and, at the moment she tried to dash off to one side at full speed,
“Try running.”
“...”
Baek Ah’s feet froze in midair.
“Where do you think you’re running to? Right. Winter’s coming, and a scarf would be perfect—now you’ll fatten up nicely and we’ll get a thick scarf out of you.”
“...”
“You human and beast scum! If I fed and raised you, you owe your keep! That bastard from the penniless Tao-repository ate every piece of meat he could find and now tries to back out!”
“Kiiieeee...”
At that moment, people saw.
Tears like chicken droppings began to fall from the white sable’s eyes.
‘How pitiful.’
‘What happened to him to end up like this.’
‘Still, isn’t he better off than the Green Forest King?’
Meng So laughed and said upon seeing that.
“If it’s White Lightning, he could probably come and go to Southern Island without issue.”
“Th-that really works?”
“Why call her ‘White Lightning’, ‘White Lightning’ for nothing? If she sets her mind to it, she could do 350km in a day.”
“Ah, but there’s the sea?”
“Animals generally swim better than humans. That creature could cross sixty li in an instant.”
“Wow...”
“No wonder she’s a spirit beast.”
Meng So smirked upon hearing that.
“As a spirit beast specially handled even by the Beast Palace, her ability is certain. The issue until now wasn’t whether she could do it, but that we had no way to make her work...”
Meng So glanced at Chung Myung.
“...I kind of think I should learn to use him.”
“No, Palace Lord!”
“Don’t learn it!”
“The Beast Palace is supposed to be friends with animals! That’s not a friend—it’s a wicked slave market!”
Tang Gunak nodded as well.
“Indeed... they may be wary of people, but they won’t be wary of a sable. Even if they were, it’s impossible to find this small sable in that vast area.”
“See?”
“It’s rational. Truly, spirit beasts have many uses.”
“Hehehe. I fed and housed him all this time knowing this would come in handy.”
“Excellent.”
“But how about feeding and sleeping? This isn’t a day or two—no matter how fast, a roundtrip would take at least three or four days.”
“What’s there to worry about? It’s an animal. If it’s hungry, it’ll hunt; if sleepy, it’ll dig a den and sleep.”
“...They said spirit beasts are no different from humans?”
“Ah, that’s just words. When needed she’s a spirit beast; when it’s a bother she’s just an animal. Isn’t that how things go?”
“Rational.”
A grim scene unfolded: the powerful figures of the Heavenly Friends Alliance, famed across the murim world as a coalition, smiling in satisfaction as they devised a plan to exploit a tiny animal.
Baek Cheon saw Baek Ah flop on the floor and sigh deeply. It seemed as if he could hear a voice whisper, “Ha... life.”
He felt a strange kinship. Perhaps because they shared the Baek...
“Ahem. Anyway, that solves the communication network part.”
Tang Gunak hurriedly summarized the situation.
“I’ve talked long enough; the important matters are whether this plan is realistic and what the other sects think.”
Tang Gunak raised his head and looked at the other sect leaders.
“What do you think? Do you support this plan?”
No sooner had he finished than Namgung Do-Wei spoke up.
“Taoist Baek Cheon. No, Acting Sect leader.”
“Yes, Young lord.”
He looked straight at Baek Cheon as he spoke.
“Let me confirm one thing. What are the criteria for those who must head to the Southern Island?”
“As I said, those with high martial skill from each sect, especially those quick in footwork methods, would be ideal.”
Namgung Do-Wei shook his head.
“That’s not what I meant. I’m asking why you insist on taking one person from each sect.”
“Ah, that’s simple. It’s to show that all sects affiliated with the Heavenly Friends Alliance are willing to stand up for the Southern Island.”
“Understood. Then the more reputable or famous the person going to the Southern Island, the better.”
“That may be so, but...”
“Then.”
Namgung Do-Wei turned his head to look at Tang Gunak.
“The Namgung Family will send the most suitable person.”
“Huh?”
“Someone from Namgung with the highest martial prowess, great renown, and who can help persuade them...”
“C-Could it be...”
“Yes! I’ll go personally.”
Tang Gunak covered his face with both hands.
Why is it always like this...
Why are they all like this.
You miserable lot...