Chapter 1398
To where you should be. (3)
With Chung Myung’s consciousness slipping away, Baek Cheon gripped his shoulder tightly, his hand trembling slightly.
Is he still alive? Is he still breathing?
Even the act of confirming it was daunting. The faint warmth that passed through his fingertips seemed like it could dissipate at any moment.
‘Chung Myung…’
To him, Chung Myung was like Mount Tai.
Never wavering, never showing weakness in any situation, it was a mountain that people couldn’t understand, or even try to understand.
But now, this monstrous figure lay unconscious, with injuries that wouldn’t seem out of place if his breath ceased at any moment.
Why do they forget?
He, too, is human. Just like them, he’s nothing more than a person who experiences pain and suffering, who agonizes and worries just like them.
Baek Cheon brought his hand to Chung Myung’s abdomen and started channeling his inner strength.
“Just hold on a little longer. I’ll take you to safety soon. Just until then… just hold on.”
Whispering to the already unconscious Chung Myung, Baek Cheon pulled him close.
Baek Cheon’s gaze, as if pressing his growing anger, shifted away from Chung Myung to somewhere else. There, there was Ho Gamyeong, staring at this place with an expression as if his cold mask had been broken.
Confusion clearly crossed Ho Gamyeong’s face.
‘How…’
Clearly, just moments ago, he hadn’t registered in his senses. Yet, like he had suddenly appeared in the space, he was there in an instant. And that too…
Ho Gamyeong’s gaze shifted slightly downwards.
There, Shipbi’s lifeless body lay sprawled, his head severed. Despite being skilled in both defense and assassination, Shipbi was a formidable martial artist with enough prowess to rival anyone in Gangho.
And yet, he was dispatched with a single stroke of a sword.
Of course, Ho Gamyeong wasn’t such a remarkable martial artist that deceiving his attention would be difficult. Perhaps it wasn’t so puzzling to swiftly strike down Shipbi, whose attention was elsewhere.
However, the problem lay in the fact that it was impossible for Ho Gamyeong to grasp Baek Cheon’s sudden surge in skill.
Could it be that in that brief moment, his skill had dramatically improved?
Meeting Baek Cheon’s intense gaze, Ho Gamyeong muttered.
“Those Hwasan’s bastards… each one of them has a knack for surprising people.”
Whether his words contained admiration or mockery, even Ho Gamyeong couldn’t clearly discern his own intention.
‘But that won’t change anything.’
Ho Gamyeong looked at Baek Cheon coldly.
His body was covered in wounds, blood staining his clothes and dripping steadily. While Chung Myung’s injuries were severe, Baek Cheon’s seemed just as grievous.
He must have rushed here without taking care of himself.
Thanks to him, Chung Myung’s neck was spared from the falling sword, but with his own strength, rescuing the unconscious Maehwa Geomgwi and escaping from here would be impossible.
“Are you willing to die with him?”
“…”
“To call it loyalty is reckless, and to call it righteousness is foolish.”
It was a provocation aimed at Baek Cheon, who had confirmed Chung Myung’s condition and should have lost his composure.
However, surprisingly, Baek Cheon showed no reaction whatsoever. He simply stared at Ho Gamyeong with motionless eyes. An emotionless gaze that even lacked a hint of anything. In front of that gaze, Ho Gamyeong felt a faint chill.
Feeling his gut twist, as soon as Ho Gamyeong parted his lips, Baek Cheon spoke first.
“…Die?”
“…”
“Who?”
His voice lacked emotion. However, beneath that pretense of calmness, a profound anger slowly revealed itself.
“Do you dare to kill someone like us?”
Upon hearing that voice, Ho Gamyeong’s lips curved into a smile, almost as if confirming Baek Cheon’s anger was rather fortunate.
“Do you think you can return alive?”
“…It would be difficult for me.”
“I know…”
“But.”
Baek Cheon interjected, as if chewing on his words.
“It’s different for us.”
In that moment, something flew over their heads. As Ho Gamyeong hastily raised his head, the surrounding members of Maninbang quickly encircled him to protect.
Shooosh!
With the sound as if silk was being split by a sharp sword, the heads of Maninbang’s members beside Baek Cheon and Ho Gamyeong floated into the air.
Thunk.
The one who effortlessly turned them into ghosts with a single sword then glanced at Chung Myung.
For a moment, there was a crack in the indifference that always enveloped her face. With a twisted expression, Yu Iseol briefly looked at Chung Myung before shifting her gaze to Baek Cheon.
Before any questions arose, Baek Cheon spoke briefly.
“…He’s alive.”
That must have been the question. In response to Baek Cheon’s answer, which hinted at her thoughts, Yu Iseol nodded faintly. Then, slowly turning her body, she looked at Maninbang surrounding them.
One after another, another person fell from above.
Thunk!
The strong impact sent dirt flying in all directions. As the dust settled, those present saw the back of a person, their red monk’s robe fluttering.
Silence enveloped the surroundings.
The descended monk stared at Chung Myung without a single movement, as if he were a stone statue. After a long while of rigidly looking at Chung Myung, he slowly turned his head, causing everyone to hold their breath.
A shiver ran through them.
The onlookers involuntarily stepped back, feeling the intensity of his gaze.
There was no way to think of him as a monk wearing the robes. His eyes were filled with burning hatred, crushing everyone under its weight.
Sssssk.
Hye Yeon bit his lower lip sharply.
Anger surged through him, manifesting itself fully. Veins bulged on Hye Yeon’s fist, forgetting even the fact that he was a Buddhist monk.
But before his rage could fully erupt, several shadows flew in succession.
“Chung Myung-aaaaah!”
Jo Geol, with all his might, rushed towards Chung Myung. His outstretched hand stopped right in front of Chung Myung.
He couldn’t bring herself to touch him. There was no spot without wounds, no matter how hard he looked.
“Uh…”
Jo Geol’s hand trembled involuntarily. It wasn’t because of anger. It was the fear of losing something irreplaceable.
“S… Sahyeong. Sahyeong… Is Chung Myung…”
Without a word, Yoon Jong silently stared at Chung Myung, as if he wanted to engrave every single wound on his body into his memory.
“Step aside!”
Pushing them aside, Tang Soso rushed to Chung Myung. With lightning speed, she inserted several needles into him, then reached back and shouted.
“Yosangdan, quickly!”
“Here!”
Taking the vail handed to her by Tang Pae, Tang Soso forcefully opened Chung Myung’s mouth and poured the contents inside. Then, with trembling hands, she quickly touched a few acupuncture points and pushed the medicine down Chung Myung’s throat.
“Here, and here…”
She was confused about where to start.
There wasn’t a single insignificant wound, nor a place that wasn’t seriously injured. It was a miracle that he was alive with such injuries. Moreover, his condition was worse with his old wounds reopening on top of the new ones.
Chung Myung had survived numerous injuries in the past, but this time, there was no room for such optimism.
“Please, Sahyeong… Please!”
Tears streamed relentlessly from Tang Soso’s eyes. She had thought he would be at the crossroads of life and death, but she never imagined it would be to this extent. Just by looking at the wounds layered upon his body, she could vividly feel how much pain Chung Myung had endured.
“Oh…”
Seol Sobaek’s face was almost devoid of life. Shock, sadness, fear, and anger seemed to overwhelm him all at once. His whole body trembled like a leaf in the wind.
But no one here tried to comfort or reassure Seol Sobaek.
Everyone’s attention was focused on Chung Myung. There was not a single person with the capacity to spare attention for Seol Sobaek at this moment.
“…Dojang.”
Namgung Dowi’s eyes radiated murderous aura. Even Im Sobyeong’s face contorted as he saw it.
Inevitable wrath. Hatred so intense it felt like it could consume the body.
If they had arrived just a little later, Chung Myung wouldn’t have been of this world. No, perhaps he wouldn’t even be considered among the living.
That’s why there’s nothing but anger. Nothing but hatred.
The path of life they had walked, the path that had been relatively smooth, was sustained by Chung Myung’s blood and pain.
“Sahyeong… Sahyeong, please…”
Tang Soso worked frantically to mend Chung Myung’s wounds and apply medicine. She doubted whether she could properly treat him with her trembling hands in such a hurried manner. But Tang Soso’s hands never stopped for a moment.
Then, at that moment, a chilling voice from Baek Cheon reached Tang Soso’s ears.
“…Can he survive?”
Tang Soso’s body visibly jolted. She couldn’t bring herself to give a confident answer and simply focused on tending to Chung Myung’s wounds.
“Soso.”
“…”
“Soso!”
Finally, Tang Soso glared at Baek Cheon with eyes full of anger. There was venom in her gaze.
But Baek Cheon didn’t even flinch and pressed her again.
“Answer me.”
“…”
“Quickly.”
Tang Soso bit her lip until it bled.
“At… this rate…”
At her words, Baek Cheon’s eyes involuntarily closed.
A hellish silence descended. At the end of that silence, where no one could speak, Baek Cheon’s eyes opened again.
“At this rate, he’ll die…”
“…”
“That means he can survive if it’s not like this. What’s the solution?”
Tang Soso’s pupils shook intensely for a moment, as if Baek Cheon had pointed out something she hadn’t even considered.
“Father.”
“Father?”
“Father! We need to go to Lord Tang! Lord Tang will…”
“Understood.”
Baek Cheon nodded decisively without hesitation.
It would undoubtedly be difficult to break through to Lord Tang. But compared to watching Chung Myung die, it was a hundred times easier.
The thoughts of others seemed to align with this sentiment. The mention of Lord Tang made everyone prepared to act.
From the tip of Yu Iseol’s sword, a crimson aura flowed. It contained more anger than any words or expressions could convey.
A dense murderous aura emanated from everyone’s bodies. Their resolute determination stood firmly in their eyes without any hint of wavering.
Baek Cheon tightened his grip on Chung Myung’s shoulders a bit more.
‘You might be angry.’
It might seem foolish, undoubtedly. But the thoughts of everyone present here were similar.
Even if everyone else were to perish, they would surely save Chung Myung.
‘I will accept any anger you pour onto me. So… so never… never!’
Baek Cheon stood up with Chung Myung in his hands and spoke softly. Even at this moment, he continued to channel his inner strength into Chung Myung.
“You know what needs to be done, right?”
There was no response. There didn’t need to be one in the first place. What was needed now wasn’t meaningless words but action.
At this moment, Baek Cheon had only one thing to say.
“Let’s go.”
Different martial arts sects, different backgrounds, different positions.
All of these boundaries were shattered now for one common purpose. With a unified determination, they shot off towards the path they had to take.
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