Chapter 1284
Who came to Gangnam? (4)
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Gwak Hwanso fiercely thrashed his arms.
‘Faster!’
Gritting his teeth, he strained his muscles, bloodshot eyes fixed ahead. He wasn’t entirely sure of the situation, but he knew one thing: he had to reach the coast at maximum speed.
With a roar, the currents propelled him forward, the underwater landscape blurring past him at breakneck speed.
It was an incredible pace, the fastest he had ever swum in his life. Surprisingly, he found himself marveling at his own speed underwater.
But no matter how fast he swam, the gap between him and those ahead only widened.
‘Damn it.’
Gritting his teeth, he bit down hard on his lips, his eyes fixated on the almost invisible figures of Cheonumaeng’s members ahead.
Naturally, they would outmatch him. They weren’t just disciples of prestigious sects: they were the core figures leading their respective martial arts schools. It would be disrespectful to directly compare the prowess of Gwak Hwanso and those renowned figures.
But…
‘Should I be trailing behind in water?’
Gwak Hwanso couldn’t wrap his head around this part.
He was from Haenam. He swam before he could walk and grew up treating water as his playground. How was it possible for someone like him to lag behind others in swimming speed?
Aquatic combat wasn’t simply about superiority in martial arts. Just like how someone skilled in running might not excel in swimming, those unfamiliar with water should struggle to swim proficiently. Especially in deep waters, wouldn’t that be even more evident?
Yet, one by one, the disciples of Hwasan were drifting farther away from his sight.
‘Damn!’
Had it not been for the elders and Sect Leader forging a path ahead of Gwak Hwanso, he might have lost track of them in the turbulent waters.
As he reached out with his arm, striving to push himself forward with every ounce of strength he had left, a sudden jolt interrupted him.
Thunk!
Someone had grabbed his leg.
Startled, Gwak Hwanso turned to see Lee Jayang, his face contorted as if ready to explode, vigorously shaking his head. With a gesture, Lee Jayang indicated behind them.
In no time, there was a considerable distance between the disciples of Haenam and Gwak Hwanso. Just as he couldn’t catch up with the disciples of Hwasan despite his desperate efforts, the disciples of Haenam trailing him seemed unable to keep the pace.
Gwak Hwanso clenched his lips.
Abandoning any lingering reluctance, he briefly glanced ahead, reaffirmed his role, and then relaxed the tension in his limbs that he had exerted with all his might.
‘Damn…
Sending a signal to Lee Jayang to move forward, Gwak Hwanso thrust himself backward. He shifted to the rear of the group, gently nudging the disciples lagging behind to propel them forward.
Exhausted, the disciples looked at Gwak Hwanso. He simply nodded silently, prompting them to muster their strength and resume swimming forward.
With clenched fists, Gaak Hwanso trailed behind the advancing disciples.
Splash!
The disciples of Hwasan, almost reaching the coast, surged forward, leaping out of the water.
Chung Myung, irritated, flung Seol Sobaek off his shoulder.
“Ah! You pice of luggage!”
“Chung Myung!”
“Hey, you crazy bastard! He is a Palace Lord!”
“Lord? Who is the Lord anyway? What’s this bastard doing here when he can’t even swim?”
“But… he’s crucial for persuading Haenam.”
“Crucial my foot!”
“Gurgle… Doja…”
“Ugh!”
Chung Myung pressed his foot firmly against Seol Sobaek’s abdomen, causing water to spray from his mouth.
“…You really can’t swim at all.”
“What swimming could he have done in the Northern Sea? Even Chung Myung nearly froze to death when he fell into the water there.”
“But come to think of it, didn’t Chung Myung tie a rope to Baek Ah when fishing back then?”
As they exchanged glances, they suddenly cast a fleeting gaze towards the distant north, as if remembering some promise.
“I wonder if he’s doing well.”
“…We owe him an apology.”
“Who would have thought we’d feel guilty towards an animal?”
The disciples of Hwasan held a brief moment of silence, thinking of Baek Ah, who was desperately moving his short legs across Gangnam. Both humans and animals must have conscience.
“We don’t have time for this. Move.”
“Yes!”
Like arrows shot from a bow, Jo Geol, Yoon Jong, Yu Iseol, Tang Soso, and Hye Yeon surged forward, frighteningly swift. Namgung Dowi glanced back at Baek Cheon with a slightly perplexed expression.
“What are you going for now?”
“I’m going to check if there are any enemies nearby. We need to assess the situation to determine our next move.”
“I, I also…?”
“No.”
Baek Cheon shook his head firmly.
“If someone who isn’t synchronized moves, it could cause problems. Young Lord, please observe the situation here, and control the disciples of Haenam who arrive afterwards.”
“…Understood.”
“When everyone comes ashore, give them a short rest, then we need to erase all traces left on the coast. Eventually, we’ll be exposed, but even delaying that time by a bit will be a big help.”
“We’ll keep that in mind.”
“Then…”
Baek Cheon’s expression, which had been firm and clear as he issued instructions, changed in an instant. He turned his head weakly. It was because he saw Chung Myung shaking Seol Sobaek vigorously.
“Why aren’t you getting up? Huh? You’re the Lord? You drank a little salt water, and your eyes are rolling!”
“I can’t… breathe… D-dojang.”
“Can’t breathe? Can’t breathe, you bastard? You’re pretending to be weak! Not getting up? Hey, you… Ow! My, my ear! No, my ear! Why someone’s precious ears… Ow!”
“Come on.”
“Ow! Dong Ryong-ah, my ear! Let go of my ear! Hey, you…”
Without even pretending to hear him, Baek Cheon firmly held Chung Myung’s ear and dragged him away into the woods. Namgung Dowi, who had been staring blankly at the scene, let out a deep sigh.
“Why?”
When Tang Pae asked the reason for the sigh, Namgung Dowi only responded with a silent and melancholic expression.
“…Is it because the gap between us and them doesn’t seem to narrow?”
“No, it’s not that.”
Namgung Dowi shook his head.
“I know I’m still lacking. Especially in the martial arts of Namgung clan, I understand it’s not the kind that can be improved by rushing. If I continue to persevere steadily, someday I might be able to compete with others. Even if it’s not Hwasan Geomhyeop.”
“But why?”
“…Isn’t it strange?”
“Huh?”
Namgung Dowi cast a peculiar glance towards the forest where the disciples of Hwasan had disappeared, then said.
“They are too proficient in everything.”
Tang Pae nodded slightly, his demeanor tinged with a hint of unease. Namgung Dowi silently looked at his own hand. The faint imprint from Baek Cheon’s grip, still visible on his wrist, seemed to speak volumes about the distance between Baek Cheon and Namgung Dowi.
“They’re even skilled in swimming, of all things.”
“It’s not just about swimming…”
Namgung Dowi added with a hardened expression,
“While I was solely focused on reaching our destination quickly, they already consider the next move as a matter of course. Sometimes, I can’t help but wonder if there’s anything they can’t do. It feels like they could excel at anything we ask them to do, doesn’t it?”
Tang Pae also nodded in agreement. Indeed, the disciples of Hwasan possessed such qualities. They seemed to excel at anything they set their minds to, surpassing others in proficiency and skill.
“It’s true that in martial arts it might be possible to keep up if you put your mind to it, but whether I can match them in that regard…”
“You’re worrying about trivial matters again.”
An irritated voice interjected abruptly. Namgung Dowi turned to see Im Sobyeong, soaked from head to toe, wringing out his clothes as he approached. His face bore the irritation of the world.
“Do you think those who grew up in the warmth and comfort of Namgung’s estate, surrounded by only the best, are the same as those who grew up experiencing all sorts of hardships?”
Namgung Dowi grumbled in response.
“The difference between someone like me, nurtured like a flower in a greenhouse, and those who have grown amidst all kinds of hardship like weeds?”
“Ah, it seems you understand that much at least. Well, it seems people can indeed grow wiser over time.”
Despite the blatant sarcasm, Namgung Dowi didn’t get angry, but instead he laughed.
“I understand what you’re saying, but then why is Nokrim King like that?”
“Uh… what?”
“It seems like Nokrim King must have grown up rolling around in the weeds outside, yet when it comes down to it, he doesn’t seem to excel at anything other than using his head.”
“Well… um… that’s…”
“It seems even weeds have their own kinds. Seeing weeds that are of no use makes one wonder.”
“Uh…”
Watching their conversation, Tang Pae was thoroughly fascinated. It was the first time he had seen Namgung Dowi giving Im Sobyeong such a significant blow.
‘You’ve grown, Dowi!’
Tang Pae couldn’t help but feel deeply moved.
Im Sobyeong protested belatedly, but Namgung Dowi paid no attention, lost in thought.
‘These people from Hwasan are clearly different.’
Is it because they’ve experienced various things that they excel in everything? That statement isn’t entirely wrong, but it misses the point. What’s truly important is that within those “various experiences,” there are things that others would never experience in their lifetime.
Do those who have grown up roughly really come to know how to handle everything?
‘That can’t be true.’
It’s unlikely. Even the disciples from Haenam, who surely had their share of rough living for a Just Sect, have been simply keeping up since the situation arose.
But the disciples from Hwasan move as if they already knew about all of this. It’s as if they had been thinking and preparing for such a situation long before it happened.
Is this really possible? Contemplating this, Namgung Dowi shook his head.
Preparing for war isn’t all that difficult. You raise your military prowess, stockpile resources, and secure influence. However, anticipating what will happen during that war and cultivating the appropriate abilities beforehand is realistically impossible.
‘I don’t understand.’
Namgung Dowi became curious once again. What does Hwasan Geomhyeop Chung Myung see when he looks at the world? Whether he truly sees the same world as others is questionable.
At that moment, disciples of Haenam began arriving on the coast one by one. Leading the group, Geum Yangbaek and the elders rushed out. Namgung Dowi found himself absentmindedly chewing on his lips.
‘The great martial artists of Gupailbang and Odaesega [five great families].’
A laugh escaped his lips.
‘If there’s anything wrong, it must have been the world I was seeing. I was just a fool living in that dream.’
Reality is always cruel. But now, Namgung Dowi wouldn’t turn away from the impending reality. If that’s the real world, he’ll face it head-on…
“Dowi, stop standing there and come press on Lord Seol’s stomach. The water isn’t coming out properly.”
“…Yes.”
But it seemed a bit too early for Seol Sobaek to handle it.
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