Chapter 1406
It’s time to wake up from this dream. (1)
“…What did you just say?”
Beop Gye swallowed dryly, unsure how to handle Beop Jong’s penetrating gaze. His desolate expression seemed to eloquently convey his sentiment.
“It was reported that Cheonumaeng crossed the Yangtze River and stepped onto the land of Gangnam.”
Beop Jong was eerily silent. Beop Gye, unable to bear this weight, mentioned what Beop Jong did not necessarily ask.
“According to reports from the Beggars Sect, Cheonumaeng, after meeting Haenam, joined forces and is now heading south.”
“They met Haenam?”
“…Yes.”
“But heading south, what nonsense is that? Didn’t they go to Gangnam to save Haenam? Yet after meeting Haenam, instead of returning, they head south? Is this report accurate?”
“Um, based on the circumstances…”
Beop Gye painstakingly licked his parched lips.
“It seems that only a few, including Hwasan Geomhyeop, remained behind. It appears Cheonumaeng intends to lead their main force to rescue them…”
Beop Jong’s eyes trembled. His look towards the riverbank turned blank.
Surochae’s fleet swiftly sliced through the waters of the Yangtze. Beop Jong opened his mouth in bewilderment.
“So, just to rescue a few disciples, Cheonumaeng led the entire force into Gangnam, where Sapaeryeon is gathering?”
“…Yes. It seems so…”
A hollow laughter finally escaped Beop Jong’s lips.
“Hyun Jong… This crazy bastard…!”
If others were to hear it, it would cause a great uproar. No matter how he was the Abbot of Shaolin and the leader of Gupailbang, it was unthinkable to refer to Hyun Jong, the Alliance Leader of Cheonumaneg and the retired Sect Leader of Hwasan, as a ‘crazy bastard.’
However, Beop Jong had no room to maintain such basic courtesy now. He was furious with Hyun Jong.
“What in the world! What in the world were you thinking! What in the world!”
At Beop Jong’s furious outburst, the disciples of Shaolin looked startled and glanced timidly at him. After Beop Gye bit his lip and sent them a glance from the corner of his eye, the nervous disciples of Shaolin slowly distanced themselves from where Beop Jong was.
“No matter how important a few disciples may be, how can you risk the fate of the entire Cheonumaneg over just a few lives! How can such a wretched fool sit in the position of the leader!”
There was not a single thing that made sense.
Of course, Hyun Jong’s actions were understandably incomprehensible. But what truly drove Beop Jong insane was the fact that other sects of Cheonumaneg accepted his madness.
What kind of place is Gangnam?
It is the land where the ferocious blades of Sapaeryeon are honed. Moreover, isn’t it the situation now that Jang Ilso is gathering all their forces at the Yangtze River? Even a three-year-old child would know what would happen when they cross the river.
Yet, is it believable that the esteemed leaders of those distinguished sects accepted such absurd behavior? Why?
“…Have they all lost their minds?”
Beop Jong continued to ponder. Was there a chance he had missed something? Was there a certain way to enter Gangnam and return safely?
However, no matter how much he thought, there seemed to be nothing overlooked.
It was too straightforward a situation to consider and contemplate further. No matter how much he racked his brain, the fact remained unchanged: Sapaeryeon was gathering there, and there was no one across the river to assist Cheonumaneg.
Crossing the river might be possible for Hwasan. Hwasan was always capable of more than one could imagine.
But for Cheonumaneg as a whole to cross the river was beyond imagination.
“Abbot.”
Watching Beop Jong, who seemed unable to recover from the shock, Jongli Hyeong, the Sect Leader of Kongtong, asked with a puzzled expression.
“Why are you so angry?”
“…”
“Of course, what Cheonumaneg did was incredibly foolish. But if we look at the situation alone, it’s not entirely bad, is it?”
“Not entirely bad?”
“Yes, Abbot.”
Jongli Hyeong nodded and continued.
“Of course, we may have to endure unexpected losses, but those losses will be suffered solely by Cheonumaneg. Jang Ilso can’t advance southward into Gangbuk while he has Cheonumaneg in his grasp. Won’t they be fighting on our behalf?”
In that moment, Beop Jong glared at Jongli Hyeong. Under that chilling gaze, Jongli Hyeong involuntarily flinched.
Beop Jong said.
“Please continue speaking. Why did you stop?”
“Yes?”
“Even if Cheonumaneg were to be completely wiped out, they would still cause harm to Sapaeryeon, so it wouldn’t be bad for us, is that what you’re saying?”
“Oh, no, that’s not exactly what I meant…”
Jongli Hyeong awkwardly averted his gaze from Beop Jong’s piercing stare.
Though he harbored such thoughts deep down, he felt embarrassed to discuss the uncertainties of benefiting from the deaths of those belonging to the same Just Sects, especially as a leader of a Sect that values righteousness.
As Beop Jong continued to glare at Jongli Hyeong, he spoke again.
“Sect Leader, what do you believe would be the outcome of Sapaeryeon and Cheonumaneg colliding head-on?”
“Well, um…”
Jongli Hyeong paused for a moment, then replied.
“Of course, it’s true that Cheonumaneg has become incredibly powerful, but… it would still be difficult for them to face Sapaeryeon, wouldn’t it? Ultimately, Jang Ilso would emerge victorious. Of course, they would also suffer significant losses…”
“Losses?”
Beop Jong interjected with a chilly tone.
“Did I, did I say something wrong?”
“What exactly are you seeing?”
“Pardon?”
“What does Cheonumaneg have? Even if we call it the Tang clan, its numbers are only half compared to any Great Sect, and Namgung clan has lost the majority of its power.”
“…”
“Even if the Beast Palace came to support, they can’t match the might of the Central Plains’ major sects to begin with, and the Ice Palace only came with a small number of troops. Nokrim? Can those even be of any help in this situation?”
“Well, um…”
“Just an inflated name! Right now, Cheonumaneg can only muster half of its famed strength. Do you understand what it means for them to plunge into battle against Paegun and his army in such circumstances?”
A flush of anger rose in Beop Jong’s eyes.
“Hwasan? What exactly can those few accomplish! The larger the scale of the war, the more insignificant they become!”
Jongli Hyeong lowered his head with a troubled expression.
‘No, this is…’
Of course, Beop Jong was right. It was a point he hadn’t considered. While the sect within Cheonumaneg were all formidable in their own right, only three – Hwasan, Tangga, and the Beast Palace – currently had the strength to make a significant impact.
Though they couldn’t be considered weak sects, could they truly bear the brunt of the formidable alliance of Sapaeryeon lead by Paegun himself? It was nearly impossible.
With the weakness of their forces, the enemy’s strength, and the overwhelming numbers all combined, the outcome was all but determined.
But did that give Beop Jong reason to be that angry?
Was it really such a surprising thing for Cheonumang to be defeated by Sapaeryeon?
Jongli Hyeong glanced at Beop Jong and then spoke up.
“I… I didn’t realize you held them in such high regard, Leader.”
A sigh escaped Beop Jong’s lips at his words. This frustrating people still didn’t grasp the situation.
“Do you truly not understand?”
“Yes?”
“What if Jang Ilso orchestrated all of this? Where do you think they’ll turn their spear after swallowing Cheonumaneg?”
Jongli Hyeong’s eyes widened.
“T-That’s…”
“Just because they suffered losses in toppling Cheonumaneg, do you think they’ll patiently wait for us to seek assistance and prepare to face Sapaeryeon?”
That’s impossible. Especially not for Jang Ilso.
He would undoubtedly not care about Sapaeryeon’s current state, and attack Gupailbang that hasn’t yet gathered without a second thought.
“…Henan.”
“Do you understand?”
Beop Jong shouted out in frustration.
“The messages we sent received no response! There is no reinforcements coming our way! That means if they manage to topple Cheonumaneg this quickly, it’s up to us to stop them from crossing the river, us!”
Jongli Hyeong felt chill running down his spine. His gaze turned to the Yangtze River.
Who would Surochae sailing on the river bring? Naturally, it would be the forces of Sapaeryeon, whose morale would be soaring after the destruction of Cheonumaneg.
With just their current numbers, can they really stop the overwhelming force that will swarm like ants coming down the river following those ships?
‘It can’t be stopped…’
Of course, if Sapaeryeon, exhausted most of their strength battling Cheonumaneg, they might somehow manage to block them. But then, Shaolin and Kongtong would find it nearly impossible to continue carrying on their names.
Then, the sects that didn’t come here would just become mere spectators, occupying the Central Plains that had turned into a barren wasteland, all for the price of standing by without offering any help.
“T-That’s…”
Jongli Hyeong’s face finally turned pale. Beop Jong shouted in a frenzied voice.
“The only way to defeat a stronger force is to divide and conquer! And conveniently, the Just Sects are divided into three: Cheonumaneg, us, and those bystanders!”
“…”
“But that damn Cheonumaneg has given Jang Ilso the opportunity to divide and trample on us! No, they’ve gone a step further and pushed us aside as well! Don’t you see!”
Jongli Hyeong’s mouth fell open without him realizing it. Now he understood just how close to the edge he was standing.
“That’s why… That’s why it was said that having multiple leaders is unacceptable. That’s why it was said that Hwasan should not be the one leading…”
Beop Jong’s voice trembled.
If only they and Cheonumaneg could have held the riverbank like a fortress, Sapaeryeon wouldn’t have dared to cross the river. Then, it would have been a matter of simply following along the river without being late.
But Cheonumang’s reckless behavior has distorted and crumbled this entire situation.
“Abbot, what should we do then?”
Jongli Hyeong asked, while Beop Jong bit his lip. As his anger and frustration gradually subsided, an eerily cold rationality returned.
Now, there was only one factor that would decide the situation.
‘Which side?’
How would Jang Ilso react to Cheonumang’s absurd actions?
Was their behavior unexpected and unsettling even for Jang Ilso?
Or perhaps he anticipated this situation as well?
If it’s the former, there’s hope. Cheonumang’s strength is not something Jang Ilso can easily ignore.
But if it’s the latter? If Jang Ilso predicted their actions? No, if all these movements were part of his plan to create this situation?
‘It’s all over.’
In that case, Jang Ilso must have prepared another move. A perfect move that could bring down Cheonumaneg without any casualties.
The scene of the blazing Yangtze River appeared before Beop Jong’s eyes. The fierce flames spread to Gangbuk across the river, engulfing the world in red.
“Send scouts from the Beggars Sect to ascertain their positions! We need to know what they’re up to!”
“It’s, it’s difficult! They’re also…”
“Do you not understand that this is a situation where lives are at stake?”
In the end, Beop Jong’s teeth sank into his lips, drawing blood.
‘We must stop it. Whatever it takes.’
His burning gaze turned toward the other side of the river. The battleground where the fate of the Central Plains would be decided.
Comments