Chapter 1341
I am going to save them. (1)
It was a night of deep darkness. The faint moonlight settled by the window of the still illuminated room.
Scratch, scratch.
The sound of a brush dipped in ink moving across the paper seeped through the window crack. The sound of the brush had been going on for a while until it was interrupted by a voice from outside the door.
“My Lord.”
“Come in.”
Tang Gunak, with a brush in hand, lowered it and looked up. Soon, the door opened, and the chief guard of the Tang clan, Tang Ik [당익(當霬)], cautiously entered.
“Have you not retired to bed yet?”
“It’s still early.”
Tang Gunak chuckled softly at Tang Ik’s words. In the past, he wouldn’t have shown such amusement in a situation like this, but the current Tang Gunak had become much softer compared to before. However, Tang Ik didn’t miss the subtle bitterness behind that smile.
“Is there still no news from those headed to Hainan?”
“It’s not easy to deliver news quickly. Especially in the current situation.”
“That’s true, but…”
Tang Ik trailed off, his voice clouded with uncertainty. He sighed heavily. Along with others, the Young Lord of the Tang clan also accompanied the expedition to Hainan.
As the member of the clan, he had agreed with the decision of sending Tang Pae to Hainan island. After all, it was a mission where prominent figures from various sects of Cheonumaeng, were all participating. It was unthinkable for the Tang clan to be absent from such a significant endeavor.
“Don’t worry too much, Lord. Young Lord will surely handle things well.”
“I am worried…”
“Yes?”
Tang Gunak chuckled.
“Your words seem too generous for me at the moment.”
Leaving behind those cryptic words, he rose from his seat.
“Lord?”
“It’s time for you to rest as well. We’ll resume training from tomorrow morning.”
With that, he exited the room. Tang Ik sighed heavily as he watched him leave.
The sounds of cicadas filled the air.
As always, Tang Gunak felt a strange sensation lingering within him.
Originally, grass bugs are wary of humans. When someone is nearby, they usually hold their breath and stop chirping.
But in the presence of that person, they don’t stop chirping. It’s not like that person is hiding their presence at all.
It’s something that cannot be explained by the level of martial arts, and perhaps something that Tang Gunak will not understand in his lifetime.
Hyun Jong.
He stood by the riverbank, gazing into the distant Gangnam.
Tang Gunak, silently observing his back, soon shook his head.
He sent his son and daughter to the enemies. But even his worries and concerns pale in comparison to that person.
That person has sent everything he had to the enemy.
“Hmm?”
Hyun Jong turned his head as he noticed the bugs’ chirping had stopped. When their eyes met, Tang Gunak nodded slightly, and Hyun Jong reciprocated with a light bow.
“It’s late at night, Alliance Leader.”
Hyun Jong smiled.
“Since sleep won’t come easily, there’s no help for it, Lord.”
Tang Gunak let out a quiet sigh. He couldn’t quite figure out what to say in response.
The two stood side by side, gazing across the river. The river, which they could easily cross if they wished, now seemed endless and vast.
Only the faint chirping of bugs and the sound of waves crushing against the riverbank continued to fill the air.
When Tang Gunak was about to speak, Hyun Jong spoke first.
“Have you ever regretted taking the position of the family head?”
Tang Gunak’s expression stiffened slightly. It was a sensitive question that could be quite impertinent depending on how one thought about it. However, coming from Hyun Jong, the question was acceptable. It wasn’t because Hyun Jong held a position where he could afford to be disrespectful to Tang Gunak. It was because there was no malice in his words.
“Regret…”
Contemplating what to answer to that question, Tang Gunak quietly looked at Hyun Jong. In truth, there was no meaning in him responding to this question. It wasn’t a question to begin with. So, instead, he asked.
“Do you regret becoming Hwasan’s Sect Leader?”
Hyun Jong smiled warmly.
“I used to feel that way sometimes in the past.”
“…”
“But not anymore. I may be inadequate, but I believe becoming the Sect Leader of Hwasan has been the most rewarding aspect of my life.”
“Then…”
Hyun Jong’s gaze turned towards the river embracing the moon.
“However, occasionally, such thoughts do cross my mind. Who was I?”
Tang Gunak furrowed his brow slightly.
“What do you mean…”
“Don’t you feel the same, Lord? Of course, it happens to everyone as they live their lives, but especially for a leader, there are often many moments where you have to hide your true feelings.”
Tang Gunaek nodded in sympathy.
“It’s a position of great responsibility.”
He had experienced the same. Before encountering Chung Myung, Tang Gunak, under excessive constraints at the Council of Elders, had no choice but to become a person more stern than his true nature dictated. He couldn’t afford to show any vulnerability to them.
Though he had regained some sense of composure now, back then, nothing had been easy.
“At first, I simply thought I would do my best with my abilities.”
His voice was steady. But the reason it didn’t sound merely calm was because of the deep, dark gaze of Hyun Jong.
“But it didn’t turn out that way. I am not someone significant, yet people kept wanting me to be. If you’re the Sect Leader of Hwasan, that’s how it should be.”
Tang Gunak slowly nodded. Anyone who had climbed into a position of responsibility would understand this.
“So, I just pretended. Acting bold when I wasn’t, compassionate when I wasn’t, pretending to know something even when I didn’t know what Tao is…”
“…”
“That’s how I’ve lived for decades, playing the role of an ideal Sect Leader as I envisioned. It was difficult at first, but at some point, it became bearable. Then, gradually, it became second nature.”
Tang Gunak closed his eyes.
It seemed he knew. Thoughts govern actions. But sometimes, actions also govern thoughts. Just as changing one’s actions can change one’s thoughts, changing one’s thoughts can also change one’s actions.
“Now, all of that has become natural. Thinking like the Sect Leader I wanted to be, acting accordingly, feeling somewhat closer to being the kind of person worthy of the title of Hwasan’s Sect Leader.”
Hyun Jong smiled warmly. Then, he turned to Tang Gunak with a gentle gaze.
“But at some point, I started to wonder. Who was I originally? Now, I’m not so sure.”
“Alliance Leader…”
“I believe I’ve become a better person. I’m slightly less ashamed of the name Hwasan’s Sect Leader. But… I do wonder. Was it truly a good thing?”
There was an indescribable emotion in Hyun Jong’s voice.
“Was it truly a good thing…”
Tang Gunak remained silent.
Even without saying a word, he could deeply understand. He could empathize. That’s why his silence felt so heavy.
After a brief silence, Hyun Jong spoke again.
“The children have grown remarkably. They’ve become people I can’t even dare to compare myself with.”
“They still have a long way to go. How could those kids ever be compared to you, Alliance Leader?”
Hyun Jong swallowed hard at Tang Gunak’s words.
“But I also have such thoughts. Did their growth truly make them happy?”
“…”
“As they take on more responsibilities, are they not also losing more? Just like I used to, are they not desperately trying to suppress themselves and strive to become the person others expect them to be?”
A small sigh escaped Tang Gunak’s lips.
“Isn’t that how everyone lives, as human beings?”
“Yes, that’s true… it must be…”
Despite knowing this fact, the feeling of regret didn’t dissipate. Perhaps it was because, without realizing it, he might have been imposing his own life on those children as well. Hyun Jong spoke up.
“I think I know one thing.”
“…What do you mean?”
“What I should have done.”
Tang Gunak looked at Hyun Jong with questioning eyes. But it wasn’t easy to discern the depths of Hyun Jong’s calm expression.
At that moment, just as Tang Gunak was about to say something, he suddenly turned his gaze.
‘Something…’
Something was approaching rapidly from the river. Squinting and looking closely for a moment, Tang Gunak could see the object coming closer through the water, becoming clearer. What was it…?
“A weasel?”
Tang Gunak’s eyes widened.
It was undoubtedly the weasel that accompanied Chung Myung often. Of course, how could one distinguish a weasel’s appearance perfectly in the darkness of night? But logically, would there be another white weasel swinging across the Yangtze River at this late hour?
Kiiiiiiii!
Baek Ah, spotting Tang Gunak and Hyun Jong, emitted a sharp cry and accelerated, swimming as if flying through the water.
Splash!
Arriving on the shore, Baek Ah swiftly stamped the ground with his short legs. Without bothering to shake off the water, he quickly jumped onto Hyun Jong and reached out to untie the bundle around his neck.
Kik! Kick!
Rough breathing and coughing followed in succession. Just by seeing the small body trembling, one could clearly sense how urgently he had rushed here.
But Baek Ah seemed unconcerned about such matters as he once again extended the bundle. His demeanor indicated the urgency of the situation.
Hyun Jong took the bundle offered by Baek Ah and took out the letter contained within it. While the edges were slightly damp, it didn’t hinder the reading of its contents.
Reading the letter with an unchanged expression, Hyun Jong calmly handed it to Tang Gunak.
“Is this the letter sent by Hwasan Geomhyeop?”
Without waiting for a response, Tang Gunak also seized the report and began to read. However, unlike Hyun Jong, his eyes trembled greatly throughout the reading.
The contents of the letter were not just absurd but also chilling. It briefly outlined their intent to penetrate Gangnam along with Haenam.
Gangnam, the headquarters of Sapaeryeon.
“What… what are they planning…”
Tang Gunak glanced at Hyun Jong in a moment of confusion. But Hyun Jong’s expression remained unchanged. He simply continued to gaze across the river, just as he had moments before.
‘Shouldn’t we take some action?’
Regardless of whether it was Gangnam or not, they couldn’t just sit back and watch. If they continued to do so, and if everyone ended up dead…
Tang Gunak bit his lip.
But… they couldn’t.
Invading Gangnam implies starting a war. No matter how important they might be, they couldn’t push the entire Cheonumaeng into the flames of war for the sake of their few, precious lives…
“Lord Tang.”
“…Yes?”
Hyun Jong asked with an expressionless face.
“Aren’t you curious about what I should have done?”
Tang Gunak furrowed his brow at the sudden and irrelevant question. Hyun Jong sent a calm gaze to Tang Gunak and said.
“It’s an order as the Alliance Leader. Please summon all the leaders of the sect affiliated with Cheonumaeng to the main hall immediately.”
Tang Gunak’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“W-what are you planning to do…”
Hyun Jong’s gaze across the river was now infinitely colder than before.
A steady voice echoed out.
“I am going to save them.”
In that moment, Tang Gunak realized. The sound of cicadas had ceased long ago.
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