Chapter 1360
That means he’s coming. (5)
“East?”
“Yes.”
Baek Cheon glanced briefly at Chung Myung.
“Is there really no other way?”
“Storming through Gangnam to reach Jiujiang would be suicidal. We’d die before even reaching the Yangtze River.”
“Hmm…”
Baek Cheon nodded silently in agreement.
It’s certainly true. Right now, Jiujiang, quite literally, is a lion’s den. It’s the focal point of a standoff between Sapaeryeon’s full force against Cheonumaeng and Gupailbang.
Would it be wise to charge through such a place with just this number of people?
‘It’s better to fall with a sword in hand than to die gracefully.’
Courage and recklessness are not the same. In fact, it borders on arrogance. It was not their place to risk the lives of so many for the sake of arrogance.
“But then there’s the left side, isn’t there? It might not be a bad idea to turn at the right moment and aim towards Yueyang. The left side might be even better since it’s narrower than the main part of the Yangtze River.”
“Oh?”
Chung Myung looked at Baek Cheon with a surprised expression. It was as if he was saying, ‘Dong Ryong has quite a good idea, doesn’t he?’ Baek Cheon’s face contorted in response to that look.
“I am your Sasuk, you bastard!”
“Well, yes. You are impressive, Sasuk.”
Chung Myung chuckled and nodded.
“Your thinking isn’t wrong, but there’s one more thing to consider.”
“What’s that?”
“If we head in that direction, Sapaeryeon will find it easier to track our movements.”
“Is the east different?”
“Yes. With the destruction of the Black Ghost, the information network in the east has been completely destroyed.”
“Ah…”
Baek Cheon seemed to finally understand Chung Myung’s point.
Before Evil Sects unified under the name Sapaeryeon, Gangnam was divided into four major territories: Maninbang in the south, the Black Ghost in the east, Haowon in the west, and Surochae controlling the Yangtze River basin.
So, as Baek Cheon mentioned earlier, the western region of the Yangtze river is firmly controlled by Haomun. For those in a position where they need to conceal their movements, there’s no place more burdensome than there.
“Of course, the Black Ghost isn’t to be underestimated, but still, they’ve had their heads chopped off and their arms and legs broken. They’re finding it difficult to assert their former dominance.”
“Indeed…”
“And that damned Jang Ilso chose to gather all his forces and abandon the east rather than stabilize the situation there. So, the eastern part of Gangnam is a deserted mountain now.”
Yoon Jong, who had been listening intently, finally spoke up.
“Unless we can move only through the mountains, if we have to eventually come down from the mountains, it’s more likely to survive if we head east.”
“That’s right.”
Chung Myung nodded.
“There’s no other way. The only direction we can choose is east. We have to go to Nanjing without being detected as much as possible.”
“Nanjing…”
Baek Cheon, after a moment of thought, asked,
“Sect Leader… No, did you convey this information to the former Sect Leader?”
“It’s written in the letter.”
“Hmm…”
Baek Cheon’s gaze became heavy with concern. If that’s the case, then there really isn’t any other choice. While they might find a way to reach Yangtze somehow, leading Haenam and crossing the river would definitely require the help of Cheonumaeng.
Unless there is a way to deliver another letter with a new meeting point, they must head to Nanjing at all costs.
“Then it’s decided. Let’s finish with supplies and head straight to Nanjing.”
“Yes, Sasuk!”
“Understood!”
With a clear objective in mind, the eyes of Hwasan’s disciples hardened.
Though still grim, compared to facing Sapaeryeon at Jiujiang directly, heading to Nanjing seemed like a much more manageable goal. If fortune favored them, they might reach Nanjing without leaving any traces.
“Then, let’s go first!”
“Hey, your body hasn’t fully recovered yet!”
“I’ll heal faster if I run! Hap!”
As Jo Geol charged ahead, Yoon Jong followed closely, as if he couldn’t be stopped.
Watching that scene, Baek Cheon subtly asked Yu Iseol.
“Samae, are you feeling alright?”
“I’m fine to run now.”
“Still, please be cautious at all times.”
“…Even if I don’t want to…”
Yu Iseol glanced briefly at Tang Soso, who was sticking close to her side. Tang Soso continued to glare fiercely, almost spitting fire. Yu Iseol’s face became unusually pale.
“As you can see…”
“I worried for no reason.”
Baek Cheon nodded.
“Let’s move quickly then.”
He pressed forward, and as Chung Myung followed behind, a voice mixed with laughter suddenly reached his ears.
“It would be nice if things went smoothly like this, wouldn’t it?”
Turning back, Chung Myung saw Im Sobyeong, with half his face covered by a fan, smiling mysteriously. Chung Myung responded bluntly.
“After everyone’s dead, now you think there’s something worth living for?”
“Isn’t victory and defeat just part of the game? If you fall down after getting hit, you’ll just get hit again. You have to get up like a stubborn weed…”
“…You could just stay down and take a nap.”
Chung Myunf chuckled incredulously.
Sapa guys were sometimes shamelessly persistent, and sometimes more tenacious than weeds. It was quite amusing to see Im Sobyeong, who rejected the Sapa way, showing more Sapa-like qualities than anyone else.
At that moment, Im Sobyeong spoke with a somewhat serious tone.
“You know, Dojang.”
“…”
“There’s no way that guy isn’t moving. By now, no matter what Ho Gamyeong said and done, he’s probably figured out the situation down to the last detail.”
Chung Myung silently nodded in agreement.
It wasn’t just anyone – it was Paegun Jang Ilso. With all the chaos happening in Gangnam, if he still didn’t know the situation, he wouldn’t deserve to be called Paegun. Such miracles never happen.
Im Sobyeong’s words were likely true – Jang Ilso probably already had a complete understanding of the situation. And he most likely aimed to manipulate it to his advantage.
‘That means he’s coming.’
The image of Jang Ilso bursting into laughter, came to his mind. It was a striking image that anyone who saw it once would never forget.
“What do you think?”
“Jang Ilso?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you asking me about him?”
Im Sobyeong scratched his head with the tip of his fan.
“To be honest, I can roughly guess what Ho Gamyeong is thinking.”
“Ah, you guessed but got it wrong?”
“That’s why I said roughly! Even if we can’t know for sure, we can still get a sense of the direction, direction!”
Im Sobyeong, looking dejected, spoke in a slightly defeated voice.
“This time, I got the direction right, but I just couldn’t read it to the end…”
“Anyway, so what?”
“But I simply can’t read Jang Ilso, no matter what. Not because he’s exceptionally skilled, but because I can’t even grasp the direction.”
Im Sobyeong, seeming frustrated, glanced at Chung Myung before chuckling.
“But… strangely enough, it seems like Dojang can read his thoughts to some extent. It’s as if they’re in sync…”
“Should we test if your big mouth can keep talking even if it’s smashed?”
“Ha, ha… Just kidding, just kidding.”
When Chung Myung snapped at him, Im Sobyeong hesitated and stepped back. However, he didn’t retreat an inch in his brazen smile.
“Anyway, what does Dojang think?”
“How am I supposed to know that bastard’s thoughts?”
“Yeah, yeah. It’s probably like how I figure out Ho Gamyeong’s intentions. But you can at least guess the direction, right?”
“…”
“It’s crucial. It might be a matter of life and death for everyone here.”
As Chung Myung furrowed his brow, about to speak, Im Sobyeong added one more thing unnecessarily.
“Don’t overthink it. Just tell us how Dojang would move if he were Paegun.”
“…For now, he’d move east.”
“Why is that?”
“So he can draw in Gupailbang.”
“Oh?”
“Anywhere east will do. If I were Jang Ilso, I’d want to avoid a head-on clash with Cheonumaneg the most.”
“…Avoiding a clash with Cheonumaneg?”
“Yeah. Because then Gupailbang’s bastards will just sit across the river and watch the show.”
“But couldn’t that also be interpreted as preparing for individual battles?”
“Preparing for individual battles means dealing with those who can’t move separately, not interfering with those who don’t. When Cheonumaeng and Sapaeryeon clash, that old man will definitely aim for Sapaeryeon. Then the situation will become crystal clear. Gupailbang who have been watching so far will gather under Beop Jong to strike Sapaeryeon in a vulnerable place. For glory and unity.”
Im Sobyeong nodded in understanding.
That’s the nature of Just Sects they were all well acquainted with. They complain and grumble about everything under the sun, but if there’s a clear advantage and gain, they’ll be the first to rush in.
Compared to that, Evil Sects seemed more sincere, not hiding their desires.
“I guess what Jang Ilso wants least is such a situation is that. What he’s aiming for is literal chaos. And to create such chaos, you have to shake up the situation as much as possible. And to do that, you have no choice but to draw in Gupailbang.”
“Are you saying Sapaeryeon should face twice the force?”
“War is not fought with numbers or power alone.”
“…”
“There’s logic to it. He’ll see it that way. If it were me, I’d definitely head east. Then, I’d pour oil on the legs of Gupailbang, who’ve been watching from the back, and set them on fire.”
“What’s next?”
After a moment of silence, Chung Myung nodded.
“Well… I don’t think I’m exactly sane, but I’m not as crazy as he is.”
“…I see. So, Jang Ilso will likely be blocking our path.”
Chung Myung nodded.
“Probably.”
“Well… that simplifies things.”
Im Sobyeong laughed.
“They won’t be able to pinpoint our exact location, and even someone like Jang Ilso will find it difficult to block the entire vast area of the Yangtze river basin. Eventually, it comes down to whether we’re lucky enough to reach the Yangtze river or if we encounter them before that. It’s like gambling with a fifty-fifty chance.”
Chung Myung’s gaze darkened.
Upon seeing that look, Im Sobyeong believed his intuition was not far off.
‘A gamble for our lives.’
At first glance, it sounds terrifying, but upon closer examination, there’s nothing particularly surprising about it. After all, it’s something they’ve been doing countless times. In fact, it’s a slightly easier path than before.
“Understood. I’ll assist with that understanding in mind.”
“Yeah.”
Chung Myung glanced back at the weary disciples of Haenam following behind him. They appeared exhausted, but they were still keeping up well enough.
The situation hadn’t deviated significantly from what he had expected. Not yet, anyway. But…
Chung Myung’s face stiffened as he scanned the area ahead. A subtle expression crossed his face, unseen by the others. Even his gaze seemed to simmer.
‘What’s this ominous feeling?’
He hadn’t missed anything. That much was certain. It had to be that way. Yet, strangely, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was overlooking something crucial. Something that must not be missed…
He quickly suppressed the thought and closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again.
‘Not now.’
Even if he had missed something, there was no turning back now. The focus had to be on forging a path forward, even if by force.
‘We will cross the Yangtze River.’
No one else would be a sacrifice.
Veins bulged on the back of Chung Myung’s hand as he unconsciously grabbed his sword.
Comments