Chapter 1397
To where you should be. (2)
Crack!
Chung Myung threw out a sword strike. It was a sword infused with all his strength.
Clang!
But the sword that failed to pierce through and bounced off enemy’s blade.
“Aaaaaah!”
Grasping the rebounded sword with both hands, Chung Myung screamed and struck down at the enemy, again and again.
“This, this lunatic!”
Witnessing Chung Myung continuously striking the chest of an already fallen foe, Maninbang’s warriors on the battlefield were horrified.
“Die!”
One of them swung his blade towards Chung Myung’s back.
Thunk!
The flying sword energy grazed Chung Myung’s back, causing thick blood to splatter.
Chung Myung thought.
Was there even a place for him?
“Argh!”
Surrounding enemies leaped from all directions, swinging their swords at Chung Myung. Without hesitation, he rolled on the ground to dodge the flying blades.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The blades grazed his body, leaving shallow wounds all over. Grasping the earth, Chung Myung rose abruptly and swung his sword like in a seizure. Screams erupted from all around.
“Ah!”
“My, my leg!”
“Kueeeh!”
Trembling, Chung Myung’s continued to cough up blood as he struggled to rise.
Was it there?
⁃ Who dares to sneak into someone else’s room? Are you a thief?
Chung Myung always thought otherwise. This wasn’t where he should be. He had already lost where he should have been.
He knew. The end he would face someday.
From the beginning… from the beginning, he knew.
He was a ghost who should have been left behind. The fate of one who shouldn’t exist was already determined.
So, he deemed it sufficient to do what he hadn’t finished before his final moment arrived. But…
⁃ What’s your name?
⁃ Yoon Jong!
He had to confess, at times even Chung Myung himself forgot that fact.
Thwack!
As Chung Myung tried to rise, his legs momentarily lost strength. Losing balance, he stumbled forward.
“This is our chance!”
Hungry wolves wouldn’t let a wounded beast go unattended. Those who noted Chung Myung’s weakness rushed in aggressively.
Clang!
Grasping the ground with one hand, Chung Myung swung his sword with difficulty, striking out with both spear and blade one after another.
Thunk! Thunk!
However, he couldn’t defend against the spear flying from behind, which mercilessly plunged into his back. The impact overwhelmed Chung Myung, causing him to stagger forward and collapse.
‘An opportunity!’
Slashing his throat! That was an undeniable triumph no one could refute. As the giant fell, his assailant, consumed by desire, lunged at Chung Myung’s exposed front. But before swinging his sword, Chung Myung’s hand unexpectedly grabbed his throat.
“Cough!”
Falling together, Chung Myung and his foe became entangled, toppling forward.
“G-gulp… let go…”
Gritting his teeth, even as he fell, Chung Myung twisted his body somehow. The one whose throat he held was forcibly turned towards Chung Myung’s upper side. Gradually, what came into the enemy’s view were the countless sword energies raining down aimed at Chung Myung.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
His eyes wide open, his body mercilessly cut by the flying blades.
“G-gulp…”
As the light dimmed in his eyes, something flying through the darkened sky became visible.
Thunk! Thunk!
Like rain pouring down, the countless spearheads pierced through the lifeless body.
“Gulp!”
Even though his internal strength was not completely drained, the relentless spears pierced Chung Myung’s body beneath.
“Ugh…”
Chung Myung swung his sword like lightning, cutting through the spear embedded in his body. Then, without a moment’s hesitation, he forcefully rolled on the ground.
Boom!
A powerful explosion erupted, the energy poured onto where he had been just moments ago.
Unable to withstand the aftermath, Chung Myung’s body was thrown out weakly like a leaf in a typhoon.
⁃ Who are you?
But now… yes, now he seemed to know.
There was never a place where he should have been.
Just… a place where he wanted to be.
But he realized it a bit too late.
Whoosh!
Chung Myung’s body convulsed. A massive shock hit him, almost knocking him unconscious for a moment. But somehow, he managed to cling to his consciousness. For once he let go of his consciousness, everything would be over.
Crack!
Chung Myung kicked the ground again, rolling his body.
Thunk! Thunk!
Successive strikes pierced the ground deeply, like sinking into mud. Amidst it, a blade that he couldn’t avoid grazed Chung Myung’s neck without mercy.
Blood gushed from the deep cut. Yet, without time to feel the pain, he aimed at the approaching enemy with his sword raised.
The sound of his heartbeat and ragged breathing echoed in his ears.
‘Plum Blossoms..’
Countless times, he made the plum blossoms bloom. But his sword’s tip could no longer produce the plum blossoms. Half-drawn, it collapsed and crumbled.
‘Live…’
Like plum blossoms withering in winter, his sword also withered away.
“Aaaaah!”
Without missing the opportunity, the enemies leaped over Chung Myung and struck down their swords.
Dodging their swords was purely instinct, nothing more or less. He rolled on the ground, narrowly avoiding the swords. Without a moment to catch his breath, a barrage of spearheads poured towards him.
Swish! Swish!
Desperately rolling and dodging, he evaded the enemy’s attacks. But now, his body bore clear and vivid cuts, gradually adding to his wounds.
“P-please, just die…!”
Swish!
With earnest determination, Chung Myung’s sword pierced through the chest of the oncoming member of Maninbang.
Crash!
However, the sword, not accurately piercing the enemy’s heart, left room for retaliation.
Before the one pierced through the chest fell, a flying fist struck Chung Myung’s chest fiercely.
Spurting blood from his mouth, Chung Myung staggered backwards.
Thud! Thud!
Bouncing off the ground, Chung Myung lurched forward again, only to collapse once more. Groaning deeply, he attempted to rise to his feet.
Thunk!
A steel spear flying through the air pierced through Chung Myung’s knee and embedded into the ground. His body, attempting to rise and surge forward, slumped.
His face planted into the dirt, into a place already soaked with someone else’s blood.
Only faint groans, on the verge of breaking off at any moment, barely escaped.
‘I…’
Isn’t it enough now?
Isn’t it time to let go?
How much more suffering must he endure? How much longer must he endure this hell?
He can let go now. He could find comfort if he let go. Hasn’t he done enough?
‘To Hwasan…’
Chung Myung barely lifted his head. Thick blood streamed down his face to the ground below.
His weak neck, seemingly about to snap at any moment, slowly turned back. Trembling, he reached out with trembling hands and grasped the spear lodged in his knee.
“Ugh…”
But no matter how hard he tried, the spear wouldn’t budge. His blood-soaked hands kept slipping, refusing to obey his will.
Finally, Chung Myung exerted all his strength to pull the spear towards himself. It dug into his flesh, tore it apart, but he grabbed the twisted spear stick, and bit it with his teeth.
Without strength in his hands, he was forcing it out even if it meant biting it down.
Squelch. Crunch. Crunch.
The spear, stained crimson with blood flowing from his mouth, was slowly pulled out from his knee. Even the oncoming warrior of Maninbang halted his steps at the sight.
It was agonizing. They were enemies, yet they couldn’t bear to witness it.
Thunk.
The spear, reluctantly pulled out, fell to the ground. Chung Myung, unable to close his gaping mouth, slowly lowered his head.
⁃ Who are you, little brother? Have never seen your face is Hwaeum.
His fingertips tingled. Should he feel relieved that he still retained enough sensation to feel the cold?
He wanted to find comfort. He wanted to let go.
But just as much… he wanted to live.
⁃ Chung Myung Sohyeob! Stand there!
What significance did he hold?
Have they seen the light in him that he so desperately wanted to emulate?
Chung Myung’s hand, which had remained motionless for a moment, twitched slightly.
Everyone held their breath as they watched that weakly moving hand. Slowly, as if suffocating, the hand clasped the ground before finally grasping the sword.
A sigh of agony escaped someone’s lips.
Half-closed eyes. A body in utter disarray, devoid of any sound parts. Even in a situation where one would have died several times over, that man still clung to the desire to fight.
Complex emotions flickered across the faces of Maninbang.
Fear? No, not quite. What is there to fear about someone in such a state?
Yet, their feet didn’t move easily.
Ultimately, they too were human. Despite being criticized for being evil to their core, they were the ones constantly risking their lives in Gangho.
As someone who had lived as martial artists, there was no way they wouldn’t feel awe at this sight.
If they could, they wanted to turn away from this. They would rather leave this place altogether.
After all, the figure before them had killed their comrades countless times, knowing full well that he was an enemy who must be killed.
A suffocating silence spread.
Amidst the silence, only Chung Myung’s faint breaths seemed to echo quietly.
“What are you doing?”
At that moment, breaking the dry stillness, a chilling voice rang out.
Everyone jumped in surprise and turned to see Ho Gamyeong standing in the rear with an expressionless face. He had suddenly appeared here.
“C-Commander!”
“What are you doing?”
The members of Maninbang couldn’t bring themselves to answer, avoiding Ho Gamyeong’s gaze. After scanning them briefly, Ho Gamyeong turned his icy gaze towards Chung Myung.
Maninbang’s warriors stepped back hesitantly to clear a path between him and Chung Myung. However, Ho Gamyeong didn’t make any effort to walk that path. He simply gazed silently at Chung Myung.
It was a profoundly pitiful sight. It was difficult to believe that this was the same Sword Demon who had relentlessly tormented him and Maninbang.
But Ho Gamyeong didn’t let down his guard, not even for a moment.
“…Kill him.”
The commanding voice resonated heavily.
Despite the weighty command, the members of Maninbang couldn’t move easily.
Ho Gamyeong narrowed his eyes slightly and silently clicked his tongue.
Why don’t they understand?
Hesitation would only prolong his suffering.
The best reverence they could offer him now was to swiftly end his pain.
Even if their relationship was fraught with nothing but animosity, no one would want to witness someone as formidable as Chung Myung suffering and dying in such a miserable state.
Even Ho Gamyeong, who harbored the utmost hatred towards Chung Myung, felt the same.
“Shipbi.”
“Yes, commander.”
“Bring Geomgwi’s head.”
“Understood!”
The figure standing behind Ho Gamyeong walked ruthlessly towards Chung Myung. The dagger revealed from his sleeve gleamed with a sinister light.
A chilling presence approached.
Death was drawing closer to Chung Myung, taking on a clearer form. It radiated a pale, icy light.
Yet, even as he felt the impending doom, Chung Myung couldn’t resist.
No matter how hard he tried, his body refused to move any longer. It seemed as if every last piece of his soul had turned to ashes.
‘I…’
He wanted to live. He wanted to step into Hwasan once more.
Amidst the scent of plum blossoms filling Hwasan, he wanted to laugh and shout with his comrades in their drunken voices.
That’s all he wished for, as always.
‘Chung Jin-ah…’
He thought he knew. What thoughts might have crossed Chung Jin’s mind as he died alone.
‘You must have felt the same way.’
Now, he could understand. What remained for Chung Myung wasn’t resentment, regret, or worry. He simply wanted, just once, to see those foolish guys again.
With a roar, a fierce energy shot towards Chung Myung. A massive shock enveloped his entire body, making him feel as heavy as soaked cotton.
The consciousness he held onto slowly drifted away.
It was a sensation he had felt before. Surrendering himself to it, Chung Myung descended into an endlessly cold abyss.
Amidst the endless floating and chilling cold.
⁃ You’re a little late.
Within that, something warm wrapped around Chung Myung’s shoulders.
The awkward warmth compelled his eyes to open, which had felt firmly shut.
In the hazy world, something began to take shape. Eventually, he was met with the face he had longed for so much.
‘Sa… hyeong?’
Chung Mun. He looked at Chung Myung with a gentle smile.
Unfathomable emotions surged within him.
‘Sahyeonng, I…’
Perhaps there were too many things he wanted to say. He tried to speak, but there were no words to articulate his thoughts.
Chung Mun simply waited for Chung Myung with a warm smile.
Words of resentment, words of longing, things that couldn’t be conveyed in words…
Chung Mun’s face blurred once again as Chung Myung attempted to bring out anything.
From a familiar face to a stranger’s, yet strangely… familiar.
‘Sahyeong?…’
At first, he didn’t recognize him.
The bloodied face was somewhat unfamiliar. But when the face fully took shape, a word slipped out of Chung Myung’s cracked lips involuntarily.
“Sa… suk?”
It was a face so scarred that one couldn’t bear to look at it. Yet, the watery, blood-stained eyes were undoubtedly those of someone Chung Myung had seen countless times.
Was this really a vision before death?
Even if it were, this… this is too cruel.
At that moment, a familiar voice flowed into his ears.
“…Have you been waiting?”
The blood that flowed down Baek Cheon’s hand conveyed its warmth to Chung Myung’s shoulder.
“Sorry for being late.”
The trembling in the shoulders told him, it wasn’t a hallucination.
Speechless, Chung Myung looked blankly at Baek Cheon.
But after a moment, Chung Myung’s body, which had exhausted all its strength, slowly collapsed forward.
Baek Cheon carefully supported Chung Myung.
“Let’s go back, Chung Myung. To where you… where you should be.”
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