Read Novel Full Chapter 1215: It Can’t Get Worse Than This. (5)
Chapter 1215: It Can’t Get Worse Than This. (5)
Everyone looked at Im So-Byeong with renewed eyes.
Because of the way he usually behaved, they often forgot, but this man was one of the Shenzhou Five Clans and the Green Forest King said to control all the mountains of the Central Plains.
How could a mountain path personally guided by such a man be dangerous?
“But didn’t Green Forest already withdraw from Southern Lands?”
At the question from the leader, Im So-Byeong smiled leisurely and flicked his fan.
“Is that a problem?”
“Huh?”
“People may have withdrawn, but the mountains haven’t vanished. And no one in the world knows the mountains as well as Green Forest does.”
Im So-Byeong clenched the hand he had spread open.
“There is no one who knows the mountains in Southern Lands as intimately as I do. No matter how skilled the Four Sects Alliance is, in the mountains they are no match for me, that’s what I’m saying.”
“...... Indeed.”
If Im So-Byeong’s tactics and the Green Forest King’s knowledge were combined, nothing would be impossible. Just as everyone was about to marvel, a bored voice came from a corner.
“So then...... “
It was Chung Myung. His expression asked, as if saying, ‘Why are you bragging about that?’
“You use grand words, but ultimately you’re bandits, when the authorities show up they run away and hide like their tails are on fire. So they know how to sneak off without being seen like rats, that’s what you’re saying.”
“T-the terrain of the mountains and the secret paths in full view....... “
“Exactly, that’s what he means.”
“Green Forest that controls all the mountains of the Central Plains...... “
“Control my corpse.”
Chung Myung snorted as if incredulous.
“It’s not that they control all the mountains of the Central Plains; they poke around in mountains others don’t use. If they really controlled all the Central Plains’ mountains, why wouldn’t they even have a bandit lair in Mount Song? How thrilled would those Shaolin monks be to finally have neighbors while they were so lonely?”
“...... “
Soon those who had been about to praise began whispering to one another.
“Now that I think about it, it’s a bit exaggerated.”
“It doesn’t seem so? There are no bandit lairs on Wudang Mountain or Mount Hua either. Not on Southern Edge Mountain either...... .”
“Now that you mention it, well-known mountains don’t have bandit lairs.”
“Famous mountains all have thriving sects settled there, how could bandits get in?”
“So it’s kind of funny. They can’t even set foot on famed peaks like the Five Great Mountains, yet they only set up lairs in mountains no one else goes to and claim to control all the Central Plains’ mountains...... “
Namgung Do-Wei gave a strange smile when his eyes met Im So-Byeong’s. Im So-Byeong’s hand trembled.
“Ahem! W-well, not every mountain, of course, but at least I have a firm grip on the mountains in Southern Lands.”
“A firm grip?”
Chung Myung snorted with a laugh.
“The one who hid behind others for fear of being exposed talks big. Have you actually gone yourself?”
“...... “
“I don’t know why those Evil Sect bastards can’t help but brag every time they open their mouths. If they’d cut that damned bravado down a bit, the Evil Sect’s average lifespan would’ve been ten years longer. Tsk tsk tsk.”
Baek Cheon tilted his head slightly and asked.
“Isn’t that a good thing then?”
“Huh?”
“Because the Evil Sect dies quickly.”
“Uh...... ?”
Hearing that, Chung Myung looked at Im So-Byeong as if there was truth to it. Im So-Byeong’s face twisted angrily.
“And you call yourselves the Justice faction! You’d be useless even to the Evil Sect, you vicious lot!”
“What’s he saying.”
Chung Myung, who had cleanly ignored him, watched the map Im So-Byeong had spread out.
“Anyway, so to conclude.”
“...... Yes.”
“Crossing Southern Lands is much more dangerous than other routes, but you can arrive tremendously faster, right?”
“...... That’s right.”
“A dangerous and fast route?”
“...... “
“Yes, yes. Dangerous and fast, that’s it.”
Chung Myung muttered to himself and began to grin. At the same time a heavy unease settled on everyone’s faces. Ultimately, the one they desperately sought was Baek Cheon, the Acting Sect leader of Mount Hua.
‘Do something about it.’
‘He’s one of your own!’
‘If he’s become acting Sect leader he has to do something!’
Unable to resist that silent pressure, Baek Cheon forced an awkward smile and spoke to Chung Myung.
“Chung Myung, um... I can roughly guess what you’re thinking... but... isn’t it unnecessary to choose the dangerous route? Right?”
“Ah, sasuk. I’m not an idiot.”
“Huh?”
“Do we really need to go that far?”
“Y-yeah?”
Color returned to Baek Cheon’s face. A sigh of relief escaped, maybe this fellow had grown up a bit.
But at that moment he saw Chung Myung’s grinning face. It was unnaturally bright in a foreboding way.
“Right. It’s better to take the long way around.”
“...... Right? That’s what I was thinking too...... “
“I don’t care. Who would complain about going safely? Even if we had to take the long coastal route or circle by land and suffer plenty only to arrive in Southern Island, we might arrive to find Southern Island Sect stripped to the beams, but what’s that as a big problem in that?”
“...... “
“We can go slowly then. Judging by Jang Ilso’s temperament, once things stabilize he’ll strip Southern Island clean first, and if they hear we’ve split from Shaolin they’ll happily burn everything down, won’t they? But that’s not our concern, right? Sects are meant to be defended by their own hands.”
Cold sweat ran down Baek Cheon’s spine.
“It’s fine, it’s fine. A sect can survive. Mount Hua burned bright once and revived, why can’t Southern Island do the same? Don’t worry, don’t worry. Southern Island is by the sea, so its halls won’t be bone-dry like Mount Hua’s, some pillars will remain.”
Now cold sweat began to bead on others’ brows as well.
“It’s nothing. Let it be a third-rate sect for a hundred years and rebuild. If ten disciples remain the atmosphere will be homely and how nice would that be.”
“...... “
“Ah, of course half the blame will be pointed at the sasuk who became Acting Sect leader by blackmailing the Sect leader, and the former Sect leader who stepped down claiming ‘consultation’ and ‘future’ will be labeled the most pathetic beings in the world. And in the meantime the Heavenly Friends Alliance will be called a bunch of weak fools, but we don’t need to risk our necks just because we don’t want that insult, right?”
“S-stop...... “
“Come on. It’s fine, sasuk. It’s not that big a deal. Huh? Righteousness? Ha, that’s just something you say in front of others! That’s the way of the world. Right? In front of others we boast we would risk our lives for righteousness. Who keeps those promises when no one is watching? A little pretense is enough for people to say, ‘At least they tried to do something!’ Right......”
“Let’s go by land!”
“Cross the Yangtze river, damn it!”
“Head straight to Southern Island! Straight line!”
“Everyone shut up! Just take the fastest route!”
Terrified, they began to press Baek Cheon.
“Acting Sect leader! Let’s take the mountain path!”
“I—Young Lord of Namgung. Please calm down a moment...... “
“Do you think this is the time to calm down? If we fail to save Southern Island in time Namgung’s honor will be utterly ruined. Who will shoulder that? Who? The Acting Sect leader?”
“...... “
“No, think about it, wasn’t the point to select someone strong in martial skill? If someone dies to Four Sects Alliance on the way to Southern Lands, it’s not the Acting Sect leader’s fault; it’s the fault of the person who volunteered for this and couldn’t even run. So let’s just go!”
“No...... when did you get so extreme......”
“It’s not extreme, it’s rational!”
Since when? Since when on earth did that decision become rational?
“Hmm. The words are rough, but it’s not entirely wrong.”
Im So-Byeong subtly urged Baek Cheon.
“Logically taking the safe route is best, but even by that logic, heading to Southern Island in the first place isn’t very sensible.”
“That’s true.”
“It’s a crazy thing to do.”
“But it was the Acting Sect leader who suggested doing it, right?”
All eyes turned to Baek Cheon at once. Slightly flustered, he flinched and took a step back.
“And now you’re nitpicking about this and that.”
“You know those kinds of people, grand plans, but when it’s time to act they slowly back out.”
Baek Cheon’s clenched fist trembled.
Of course the reason he was angry wasn’t the sect leaders who were subtly provoking him. It was Chung Myung and Jo Gul, hiding behind them with half their faces shown, chattering, ‘The sasuk chickened out.’
“Sasuk.”
At that moment, Yoon Jong, who had been silently lost in thought, spoke.
“I understand hesitation. But think about it, this isn’t something to agonize over. No matter how good our decision, if things are already over when we reach Southern Island, wouldn’t everything be for naught?”
“...... That’s true.”
“We chose to go to Southern Island not because of the Heavenly Friends Alliance’s influence or each sect’s stance. Wasn’t it because of the agreement, we couldn’t abandon Southern Island, isolated and waiting to fall?”
At those words Baek Cheon nodded.
“I think the sasuk has already made a decision. But I understand why you’re still hesitating to the end. So as a disciple I will speak.”
“...... “
“Remember what the sasuk said. A feeling of righteousness that doesn’t ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) risk anything for its own fulfillment isn’t righteousness. Conversely, one who seeks to carry out righteousness and harmony must accept risk as natural.”
“Amitabha.”
Hae Yeon nodded and chimed in.
“Yoon Jong’s words are correct, Acting Sect leader.”
“...... “
“Make a decision.”
Everyone stared only at Baek Cheon.
In truth Baek Cheon wasn’t the highest-ranking person here. Even though he was Mount Hua’s Acting Sect leader, the leaders of Green Forest and the Namgung Family were present, as was the Lord of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
By rank, Baek Cheon was inevitably outranked by them.
But the looks directed at Baek Cheon held no hesitation. They tacitly acknowledged him as the decision-maker of this group.
And Baek Cheon, who accepted that responsibility without hesitation, nodded.
“Let’s go to Southern Island Sect.”
“...... “
“By the fastest route.”
Those words brought grim smiles to everyone’s lips. Just as Baek Cheon prepared to smile back at them.
“He’s really accepting that?”
“He must be out of his mind.”
“That kind of fellow will be Mount Hua’s Sect leader? The future of Mount Hua is clear then.”
Wait, you bastards? You’re the ones who wanted to take that route?
“Well...... there’s no choice. If ordered, we must go.”
“If even one person dies, it’s all the sasuk’s responsibility.”
“Ah. What’s the hardship in here? We met a sasuk by bad luck.”
The Five Swords clicked their tongues and turned away. Baek Cheon stood dumbfounded with his mouth opening and closing. Before he could find words, Chung Myung spoke to settle the matter.
“Anyway, it’s decided then. Green Forest King.”
“Yes.”
“Guide the route precisely.”
Chung Myung cast a cold, piercing gaze for a moment. Im So-Byeong wiped his smile away and nodded resolutely.
“I will do my best.”
“Good. Then let’s go.”
Everyone’s gaze shifted to the vast Yangtze river and the land beyond. From now on they would head there.
“Then where do we arrange boats?”
“Boat? What boat?”
“...... You need boats to cross the Yangtze river, right?”
“What nonsense are you spouting? Why? Do you want to go announcing that we’re taking boats to the Southern Lands right now?”
“...... Then?”
Chung Myung carelessly gestured toward the river with his chin.
“Dive under.”
“...... “
“As quietly as possible. Softly. So no one sees.”
“...... “
“Depart.”
The shoulders of the party staring at the yellow Yangtze river sagged in unison.
The path of a joint expedition is, by nature, long and perilous.