Chapter 1363
As expected, you have a big heart. (3)
When conducting a righteous deed, one should not expect repayment. This is the principle of righteousness.
The moment one expects repayment, it ceases to be a righteous deed and becomes a transaction. Therefore, Baek Cheon also did not expect repayment for his previous actions.
Even if it meant facing numerous risks and losing much in the process. However…
Baek Cheon slowly nodded and spoke.
“I understand the situation.”
He managed to suppress a sigh that threatened to escape involuntarily.
“But, Village Chief. Our situation is not so favorable either. So, could you please help us just this once? If we have to sever ties completely, including the grain, it will be difficult to guarantee our lives while being pursued by Sapaeryeon.”
If it had been the usual Baek Cheon, he wouldn’t have extended such a lengthy explanation.
His reason for laying out these words wasn’t to garner sympathy by revealing hardship. He simply wanted to know.
How does pure kindness, given without expecting anything in return, come back? And whether their own justice was truly making the world a better place.
“Esteemed warrior…”
But it seemed that such sentiments from Baek Cheon did not reach the elder.
“How could insignificant beings like us discuss the circumstances of righteous masters?”
“… “
“We know nothing. We only hope to scrape by each day somehow. Please, have pity on us.”
Elder Hyeong lowered his head again. Seeing this, Baek Cheon let out a bitter laugh.
What could he do?
If the strong exert their power to oppress, resistance will be attempted. But what words could be spoken in the face of someone weak, seeking understanding through their circumstances?
“No!”
Beside him, Jo Geol, who had been holding his breath, flushed with anger and raised his voice.
“We’re not talking about robbery or taking it by force! We’re willing to pay for it! And we’ll pay several times over! You just need to go down to a reasonably sized town with that money and buy more grain!”
“Geol-ah.”
“Sasuk, isn’t this a bit too much? It’s not even such a terribly risky endeavor!”
“Stop it!”
Baek Cheon firmly reprimanded Jo Geol. Though Jo Geol closed his mouth, his displeasure remained evident on his face.
“Please, righteous masters.”
Elder Hyeong, bowing his head, spoke again with a trembling voice.
“To you martial masters, it may seem like a trivial matter, but for insignificant beings like us, each of these matters means staking our lives. Just as sleeping in broad daylight might be inconsequential to a tiger living in the mountains, for a rabbit, it means risking its life.”
Jo Geol was about to retort again when someone’s hand was quietly placed in front of his face. Reflexively about to swat it away, Jo Geol paused. It was none other than Yoon Jong.
Yoon Jong looked silently at the elder before speaking.
“Village Chief, I understand your words. However, when we also helped the people of this village, we risked our lives.”
At those words, the elder remained silent, unable to respond.
“To venture into Gangnam and confront Sapaeryeon is neither a simple matter nor an easy decision to make. But no one here opposed it.”
“Sir…”
Yoon Jong looked at the elder with a slightly different gaze than usual.
“That’s why we’re pleading for something as small as it can be compared to what we’ve given. Is it really impossible?”
“Father!”
When Hyeong Wook couldn’t bear it any longer and shouted, Hyeong Gachon turned to him with a stern look.
Sending a chilling glare towards Hyeong Wook, the elder then turned his gaze back to Baek Cheon and his companions. The intensity of the gaze that had been directed at Hyeong Wook seemed to dissipate, replaced by awkwardness and embarrassment, as if the stern look had been a facade.
“How could we not understand that? But, esteemed warriors… If we help you and happen to face retaliation, wouldn’t it all be meaningless?”
Yoon Jong momentarily looked blankly at the elder, caught off guard even though he had always stood on the side of the common people. Elder Hyeong drove the point home.
“Please understand our position. While the kindness we’ve received is appreciated, we’re nothing but foolish commoners who lack the ability to repay it. We barely make a living by tilling the land, surviving on the grain provided by evil Sapaeryeon. What more can we do?”
“…”
“I implore you in this way. Please, just heed these words.”
The elder’s humble demeanor made those seated before him uncomfortable. It felt as if they were somehow persecuting the powerless.
Baek Cheon, who had been silently observing the situation, finally spoke up.
“In the end, you’re advising us to leave this place as soon as possible, without expecting any grain.”
“That’s…”
Elder Hyeong’s voice trailed off. He didn’t offer any denial. Baek Cheon didn’t feel the need to press further. With their positions so firmly entrenched, persuasion seemed futile.
And in truth, it was impossible to persuade them.
If those with drawn swords tried to sweet-talk, would it really sound like sweet words? Once the initial proposal was rejected, Cheonumaeng and Haenam were no longer given a choice. If they were confident in walking the path of righteousness, they had no other option.
The elder still appeared remorseful, while Hyeong Wook beside him clenched his lips.
Observing them quietly, Baek Cheon turned to those seated behind him.
Most couldn’t hide their dismay and fury. Especially Tang Pae, Namgung Dowi and Seol Sobaek seemed particularly unable to accept the situation.
On the other hand, there were two showing completely different reaction.
Im Sobyeong seemed to sneer as if saying, ‘I knew this would happen,’ while Chung Myung maintained a blank expression, leaving his thoughts unknown.
A sigh escaped Baek Cheon’s lips.
“Well then…”
“Just a moment!”
At that moment, Hyeong Wook urgently spoke up. Despite his father’s attempts to dissuade and pressure him with his death glare, this time Hyeong Wook didn’t yield easily.
“This is unacceptable.”
“What do you mean…”
“The ones who received kindness from these people are none other than the people of our village. Father, weren’t you unconscious at the time? You didn’t even see how much effort they put into protecting the village.”
The elder raised his eyebrows.
“What are you trying to say?”
“This is not something for us to decide alone. We should ask the villagers too! We need to present the situation as it is and leave the decision to them. Even if you’re the village chief, you can’t make every decision on your own, can you?”
The elder sighed.
“Is that so, then?”
“Yes! I will go!”
Hyeong Wook nodded quickly and turned to Baek Cheon and his companions.
“Warriors! I will gather the villagers to ask for their opinions. It may be inconvenient, but could you please wait until then?”
Baek Cheon turned to those behind him. They all looked at him blankly, seemingly without objection.
“Then, please proceed.”
After all, this was the only remaining option. There seemed to be no other choice.
“Yes! Just a moment…!”
Hyeong Wook dashed out of the room in a hurry. As Baek Cheon looked at the wide-open door, he heard a faint cough behind him.
“Um… righteous masters.”
“Yes?”
“Before that… there’s one thing…”
It was the elder. His face displayed a deeply remorseful expression once again.
“Let me reiterate once more…”
Baek Cheon spoke, looking around at the villagers gathered before him. He felt it might be unnecessary to go to such lengths, but the elder’s insistence on fairness was not entirely wrong.
“Regardless of whatever choice you make… we will not bring any harm to you. That applies to both me, Vice Sect Leader of Hwasan, and…”
As Baek Cheon turned his head, Geum Yangbaek nodded with a somber expression. He couldn’t feel good about making such a bizarre declaration in front of everyone without even knowing the script.
“I, Geum Yangbaek, representing Haenam as the Sect Leader, guarantee it.”
After Geum Yangbaek solemnly declared this, the villagers waved their hands vigorously.
“Oh my! What are you saying!”
“Yes, yes! Isn’t it because of you all that we survived? How could we entertain such foolish thoughts towards those who saved our lives?”
“Yes, yes! That’s right. It’s a thing only an ungrateful beast could do!”
However, the villagers who had witnessed the fight against Sapaeryeon were definitely more favorable compared to the village chief.
“Is it over now?”
Hyeong Wook glanced at the elder, who nodded slightly.
“Let’s discuss this over there.”
“Yes. This way, please.”
Hyeong Wook led the villagers towards the back of the house. They moved farther than expected, perhaps worried about being overheard.
Once even the elder turned and entered the house, Jo Geol, who had been observing the situation, spoke up.
“Still, the villagers’ opinions might be different, right?”
“Perhaps.”
“Yes, indeed. When we saved those people, the Village Chief was unconscious. Naturally, their perspective might be different.”
Baek Cheon simply nodded.
“I also think so.”
It was not a confident answer but more of a pure hope, Baek Cheon’s last expectation from them.
But then, a mocking voice chimed in.
“It seems our Taoist monks have stayed in the mountains for too long.”
It was Im Sobyeong. He looked at Baek Cheon with a faint smirk.
“When you put your trust in people, all that remains in the end is disappointment.”
“I understand what you’re saying, but…”
“No. You Taoists don’t understand.”
“Um… Yes?”
Im Sobyeong chuckled and continued.
“Why has Hwasan become the talk of the town among so many people? And why did it attract the attention of so many sects even though Hwasan’s power is still incomparable to that of Gupailbang?”
“Well, um…”
“You’ll probably find out soon.”
Just as if to elaborate on Im Sobyeong’s words, Hyeong Wook returned faster than expected.
The fact that the discussion didn’t drag on and Hyeong Wook returned so quickly meant that most of the villagers shared the same opinion.
‘And?’
In that moment of hopeful anticipation, Baek Cheon looked and saw the slight embarrassment in Hyeong Wook’s expression. And the slight heaviness in his footsteps.
Baek Cheon’s and Hyeong Wook’s eyes met, and Hyeong Wook silently bowed his head deeply. It seemed like they both knew the outcome without needing to hear it.
Im Sobyeong’s laughter-filled voice echoed.
“To those in distress, kindness is extended. When you receive grace, you repay it.”
“…”
“With no one to uphold those natural principles, the name ‘Hwasan’ became special.”
Before Baek Cheon could respond to that, Hyeong Wook approached and stood in front of him. Then, with a long sigh, he spoke.
“…I apologize, righteous masters.”
Baek Cheon’s shoulders slumped involuntarily.
“The villagers… they wish for you to leave the grain and depart… Yes, that’s what they desire…”
“…”
Baek Cheon clenched his fist tightly, the sound of bones creaking resonating heavily.
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