Read Novel Full Chapter 1220: Who Will Help? (5)
Chapter 1220: Who Will Help? (5)
Those watching the cart moving precariously along the narrow path whispered as quietly as they could.
“...... I think there’s something loaded on that cart?”
“Looks like grain.”
“Why would Four Sects Alliance be hauling grain?”
“Maybe they requisitioned it?”
“If it was requisitioned, they’d be heading the other way.”
“...... I suppose so?”
Questions filled everyone’s eyes. But that puzzlement did not last long, the conversation of those pulling the cart drifted over to them.
“You damn bastards!”
The man with a fierce look riding at the front of the cart growled in a voice thick with irritation.
“Why the hell do we have to do this kind of work!”
A scholarly-looking man following behind snorted and replied.
“If we’re told to do it, we do it. What choice do we have?”
“They should give us tasks that make sense! In all my life I never expected we’d be robbing those idiots, and now we’re supposed to be handing out grain. I’m baffled.”
At that moment members of the Heavenly Friends Alliance exchanged baffled glances.
‘Handing out grain?’
‘The Four Sects Alliance?’
Their heads swam briefly, but before they could sort their thoughts the conversation continued.
“What on earth is Jang Ilso thinking......”
“Shh!”
The fierce man got excited and crossed a line, so the man beside him, suddenly pale, looked around nervously.
Startled by reflex, the Heavenly Friends Alliance members ducked lower and hid their presence even more thoroughly.
“Is he mad! What kind of trouble’s he asking for saying things like that!”
“What trouble are you talking about, who’s here besides us!”
“Night words are heard by rats, daytime words by birds! Keep jabbering like that and your head’ll be on a stake before a month passes! Do you know what kind of world this is now?”
“...... Damn it.”
The fierce-looking man ground his teeth.
“We’re barely scraping by, and yet we’re supposed to pour this precious grain out to those idiots! What are they thinking!”
“The people above must have their reasons.”
“Reasons? So does that mean Desolate Gold Elder had no thoughts?”
“Uh-oh! Why bring up that name!”
At the mention of Desolate Gold Elder the man’s face went pale. He looked around anxiously as if afraid someone might have heard.
But the fierce-faced man, instead, raised his voice.
“Why? Can’t we say that name either?”
“No...... “
“To be honest, when the Desolate Gold Elder was alive did we ever have to scrounge for drinking money? Back then there was nothing to fear in the world! Ever since those damned Ten Thousand People Clan took over the Four Sects Alliance...... “
“You, shut your damn mouth! What the hell are you trying to get us into!”
“I’m barely getting enough to eat, and giving this to useless people makes my blood boil! It drives me insane!”
The disciples of Mount Hua listening intently to the two men’s conversation looked at one another.
“Looks like they’re from Black Ghost Fort?”
“...... Seems so.”
“Looks like Jang Ilso is really cracking down......”
Im So-Byeong’s gaze deepened with gravity.
It might have sounded like ordinary grumbling, but the information in that conversation was larger and more important than it seemed.
First, the grain on that cart was being distributed to the commoners on Jang Ilso’s orders. And even if it was his command, the reaction within their ranks to that order was not favorable.
‘Sounds about right......’
Jang Ilso was probably stockpiling vast supplies in preparation for war with the north.
Even though the Four Sects Alliance swallowed Black Ghost Fort whole and gained huge funds, it would have been difficult to both prepare for war and pay subordinates satisfactory stipends.
In that situation, giving away acquired supplies to commoners would naturally be unpopular.
“Frankly, what good has the Four Sects Alliance done for us? We were dragged from comfortable homes to stand guard on that damned Yangtze river, barely freed and now we’re pulling carts!”
“Well...... “
“That northern conquest can go freeze to death. What good does it do me? It’s the bosses who benefit. Me, I just want to make some money and drink my fill tonight! Isn’t that right?”
The fierce man looked back at those following, seeking their agreement.
None of the men, lower in rank than the two leaders, spoke up rashly, but their eyes clearly agreed with the fierce man.
“Cut it out. Who’s ignorant enough not to keep their mouth shut? Keep saying that and you’ll be skinned alive. They call themselves the Evil Sect like Shenzhou Five Clans, but... those Ten Thousand People Clan bastards aren’t human at all.”
“...... “
“Have you forgotten what happened to the guy who badmouthed the Alliance lord when Ten Thousand People Clan caught him? My goodness... I’ve been called part of the Evil Sect for nearly twenty years and I never imagined people could be killed so cruelly.”
The fierce-faced man snorted in agreement without further comment.
“The Demonic Cult are cruel, but they would blanch at the Ten Thousand People Clan. We don’t even need to reach the Alliance Lord, if those bastards hear of it, they won’t let us die peacefully!”
“Bah, damn it!”
The fierce-faced man ground his teeth.
“How did the world come to this......”
“Tsk tsk. Blaming it won’t help. Still, our situation is better, better than those conscripted on the Yangtze river or those taken in Southern Island. We don’t have to watch our backs so much.”
“That’s true. Is this work appropriate for men who carry swords?”
“Come on, calm down a bit.”
“I’d rather be done with it, a ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) clean slash and dead. All we do is......”
The man paused with a strange expression, then asked.
“...... How far to the village we’re heading?”
“We’re almost there.”
“Is this the last stop?”
“We just stop here, then head to Hengyang.”
“Hengyang...... “
The grim fellow grinned and nodded.
“It’s a village deep in the mountains. Then we should hurry.”
“...... “
“Hurry up. We must arrive before sunset!”
“Yes!”
The cart heaved again and began moving forward.
Only after the group had almost disappeared from sight did the Heavenly Friends Alliance members stand up from their hiding.
They silently stared toward where the cart had gone with complicated, strange looks, then turned to exchange glances.
“Well...... nothing significant will happen, right?”
“They say Jang Ilso ordered the grain distributed, but even if they’re Evil Sect bastards, do you really think they’ll do anything?”
“Right. They must be afraid of Jang Ilso.”
“We’re pressed for time anyway, they’ll just waste our time.”
“All true. So......”
They exchanged obvious remarks and all nodded in unison.
“Let’s go see.”
“Let’s just follow.”
“We’ll just watch a bit. If nothing happens, we can go on our way.”
“But this could delay us...... “
“Then don’t sleep!”
Im So-Byeong covered his face in wretched despair.
‘I avoided this by sticking to mountain paths.’
They’re not afraid of being seen by people. People being seen by them is what’s frightening!
“Um... this is probably unnecessary, but I’m warning you just in case...... “
“Yes?”
“...... We’re right in the middle of the southern rivers region.”
Im So-Byeong pleaded as if begging.
“I know you won’t listen if I tell you to leave, so I won’t stop you that far... but no matter what happens, don’t intervene. If things escalate, irreversible disasters could occur. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Ah, of course.”
“We wouldn’t be that thoughtless.”
“We need to confirm what the Four Sects Alliance is up to. This could be important information, you know?”
Turn off that look of surprise... someone might think a tiger pack jumped out of the bushes. Why are you staring so hard......
Baek Cheon glanced at everyone and spoke.
“No one moves without my permission.”
“Yes, Acting Sect leader.”
“Good.”
Baek Cheon’s gaze sharpened.
“Let’s just confirm what’s going on.”
The Heavenly Friends Alliance group, moving quickly along the narrow path, soon found a small hamlet.
Judging by its small size, it seemed a village surviving by hunting or slash-and-burn farming.
“I think it’s here?”
“Shh.”
They lowered their voices and climbed to a hillside from which they could clearly see the activity in the village.
The grain cart they had seen earlier was stopped in the village clearing, and about thirty villagers stood awkwardly ahead of it with frightened faces.
“...... Is this everyone?”
At that the elder standing in front trembled and answered.
“Yes, yes! Th-this is everyone who lives in our village.”
The grim man frowned.
“This is an action carried out by the Four Sects Alliance. You know what happens if you lie about your numbers, right?”
“Oh my lord... what courage would we have to deceive you? These are all the people in our village. Not one child is missing; we gathered exactly as you ordered.”
“Hmm. Is that so?”
The man nodded and counted the people standing before him.
“Thirty-two... for a village deep in the mountains, that’s a fair number.”
He nodded, slapped the grain sacks on the cart, and shouted loudly.
“Listen up! The Alliance Lord took pity on you and sent grain. All of this is the Alliance Lord’s benevolence, so accept it with gratitude.”
“Is that... really true?”
“Would I gather you all here to joke?”
“N-no, of course not. We’re just so grateful...... “
The village elder stared in disbelief at the grain on the cart.
They had trembled at the thought of sword-bearing Evil Sect men raiding their village, fearing what abuse they’d suffer, so being told grain would be shared was shocking.
“Show your gratitude to the Alliance Lord. Remember the name of Four Sects Alliance’s Alliance Lord, Hegemony Lord Jang Ilso.”
“T-then, then. How could we be ungrateful? We’ll never forget this kindness our whole lives!”
Tears blurred the elder’s eyes.
It had been a severe drought this year and they were barely surviving. If this continued, some might starve soon, they had not slept from worry; who would have thought the famed leader of the Evil Sect would actually distribute grain?
It is human nature to be more grateful to the villain handing you food at your feet than to a distant teacher who speaks lofty words.
The grim man chuckled and said.
“Is that so? Grateful, are you?”
“Yes! Yes! My lord. Truly... thank you. The Alliance Lord’s grace is as vast as the sea.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“And on behalf of the village, we thank the heroes who brought this grain here.”
“Ha ha. No need to thank me.”
“No, we could never...”
“You don’t understand a word I say.”
“...... Yes?”
At that moment the man drew his sword from his waist like a lightning strike and slashed the elder’s chest in one blow.
Ssshk.
“W-what are you doing!”
It happened before the man beside him could even move.
The elder stared wide-eyed at his gaping chest and then slumped to the ground.
Screams of tearing rose up all around.
“I told you. There’s nothing to be grateful for.”
The grim man, his face spattered with blood, smirked.