Chapter 1467
Let’s seize this opportunity to make history. (2)
Sapaeryeon invaded Sichuan.
Qingcheng and Emei were engulfed in flames and annihilated, and even Diancang fell. The Tang clan, the only ones to escape their clutches, abandoned Sichuan and fled.
This unbelievable news spread across the world in an instant.
“S-Sichuan?”
The shock was greater than anyone could have imagined.
People were stunned when Sapaeryeon first took control of Gangnam, but that shock was nothing compared to now. Even though the Gamgnam disaster was horrifying, this region lacked the prominent sects that commanded the world’s attention.
But Sichuan was different.
Qincheng and Emei. The Tang clan and Diancang.
These were not names to be taken lightly. For hundreds of years, they had been renowned as powerful sects in Gangho.
Their downfall at the hands of Sapaeryeon clearly demonstrated that the alliance of the Evil Sects’ strength far exceeded anyone’s imagination.
The subsequent news was enough to turn that shock into terror.
– Sapaeryeon’s army, having trampled over Sichuan, has reached the outskirts of Hubei. No one knows when they might invade Hubei.
A few months ago, hearing the same news might not have caused such a great disturbance.
But with Sichuan now in the hands of Sapaeryeon, the hearts of those who received this news were bound to feel utterly different.
“What on earth are the Just Sects doing?”
“How could they do nothing while Sichuan was trampled by the Evil Sects? Were all their promises to protect us lies?”
“If those Sapa scum invade Hubei, will we end up like Sichuan too?”
Most people living in the world are ordinary commoners who must simply endure the oppression of the powerful. For them, the northward advance of Sapaeryeon was a terror that shook their very existence.
Some sought to find the cause of the situation, while others blamed those who had stood by until it reached this point.
In response, as if on cue, another piece of news swept through the world.
– The reason Sichuan suffered Sapaeryeon’s attack is entirely because of Cheonumaeng. Gupailbang tried to prevent this disaster, but Cheonumaeng betrayed them.
– Gupailbang entrusted Sichuan to Cheonumaeng and held back the main force of Sapaeryeon from advancing north, but Cheonumaeng ignored the besieged Diancang and only rescued the Sichuan Tang Clan affiliated with them. They did so without shedding a single drop of blood, avoiding any confrontation with Sapaeryeon.
– If you wish to survive Sapaeryeon’s clutches, you must gather under Gupailbang. Cheonumaeng will completely neglect and refuse to protect those who do not fall under their banner.
A whirlwind of news came crashing down, giving people no time to collect their thoughts. No one realized that all of this seemed pre-arranged, erupting simultaneously. They were too shocked by the content to notice.
Cheonumaeng. Among those familiar with Gangho, it was seen as a symbol of righteousness and a new hope for the Just Sects. The news that this very alliance had stood by while Diancang was annihilated was enough to shock anyone who heard it.
A tempest swept across the entire Central Plains, a storm beyond the power of man to halt.
In Xiangyang, Hubei Province, a group of beggars appeared on the busy main street.
“What… what’s this?”
In a city this large, the presence of beggars wasn’t unusual. Yet, there was something about these beggars that drew attention. They did not seem like ordinary beggars at all.
“Put it up.”
“Yes.”
Under the gaze of passersby, the beggars unfurled a large piece of paper on the street-side wall, making sure it was visible to all.
“What is that?”
“Who knows? They look like Beggars Sect people.”
As people gathered, one of the beggars raised his voice to address the onlookers.
“This is a message from the Abbot of Shaolin! Everyone, read it carefully!”
With that, the beggar gestured to the others.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes!”
The beggars, having completed their task, walked away without another word. The onlookers who had been glancing curiously at the notice now crowded around it. The crowd gathered so quickly that those arriving late could not read the contents no matter how they craned their necks.
“Hey, you in the front! What’s it say? Tell us!”
“It says those who want to fight Sapaeryeon in Hubei should gather in Wuhan. And civilians don’t need to evacuate – they’re saying they’ll stop Sapaeryeon from entering Hubei.”
“Anyone can talk big!”
One person, having heard the announcement, scoffed loudly.
“When have Gupailbang ever protected us? If they were capable of that, Sichuan wouldn’t be in this mess!”
Angry shouts echoed in agreement, though there was a notable lack of conviction in their voices.
“But… what other choice do we have? Even Cheonumaeng has backed out.”
“Damn it!”
The mention of Cheonumaeng triggered a barrage of curses from all around.
“I thought they were different! But they’re just like any other sword-wielding thugs!”
“Isn’t it too soon to be certain?”
“Certain about what? If what’s written there is false, where are they now? Those Sapa bastards are aiming for Hubei, and we haven’t seen a trace of that so-called Cheonumaeng!”
A heavy silence fell. It was an undeniable truth.
Commoners are not inherently foolish. They know that what meets the eye isn’t always the whole story. However, no matter the motives behind their actions, it remains a fact that Cheonumaeng fled to Shaanxi after rescuing only the Tang clan from Sichuan.
“Now, we have no choice but to rely on Gupailbang. I never liked those Cheonumaeng guys strutting around as if they were better than everyone else.”
“Isn’t that a bit harsh? When you think about it, Gupailbang hasn’t done anything particularly noteworthy either. They’re not that different from Cheonumaeng…”
“The fact that there’s no difference is the problem! That’s exactly the issue.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Why have we supported Cheonumaeng all this time? Because we thought they were different from Gupailbang. But if they turn out to be no different, why should we trust them? We’d be better off relying on the stronger Gupailbang!”
Even those who subtly sided with Cheonumaeng couldn’t argue against that logic.
“Anyway, haven’t Gupailbang always fought and won against Evil Sects in times like these? If we have to put our lives on the line, of course we should side with Gupailbang!”
People began nodding in agreement. Even the voices that had subtly supported Cheonumaeng started to lose conviction.
“That’s true, but…”
“Hmm? Now that I think about it, aren’t you from Bokryongbang?”
“Tsk, tsk. You need to think carefully. You only have one life. In times like these, you have to side with the stronger force to stay alive. Forget about chivalry and all that – even the Just Sects treat you like garbage when things get tough. Do you think they’ll treat you any differently?”
“That’s…”
“Our Wahobang is heading to Wuhan. It’s bound to be safer than any place protected by those Cheonumaeng bastards.”
The gathered crowd murmured among themselves, nodding in agreement. In such a dire situation, they had no choice but to align with the stronger side. Anyone who saw this notice would likely come to the same conclusion.
“Shall we?”
“Tell your Sect Leader the same. The higher-ups may have their own plans, but survival is our priority, isn’t it?”
“…That’s true.”
Just as the discouraged man was about to nod in agreement, someone called out urgently.
“Hey! Hey, everyone!”
A man came running, his voice raised in urgency.
“Have you heard the news? Did everyone hear the latest news?”
Some people frowned in annoyance at his commotion.
“If it’s the message from Shaolin’s Abbot, we’ve all seen it. The notice is right there.”
“Not that, something else!”
“Hmm?”
At that, everyone’s attention shifted to the man who had arrived in such a hurry.
Half out of curiosity and half out of concern, the crowd’s gaze fixed on the man. Catching his breath, he exclaimed,
“S-Sichuan! Cheonumaeng ambushed Chengdu in Sichuan and smashed Sapaeryeon’s forces there!”
“What?”
“What are you talking about?”
The crowd murmured in disbelief, staring at the man. Someone asked.
“Wasn’t Cheonumaeng said to have only rescued the Tang clan and fled Sichuan? How does that make sense?”
“Afterwards! After that! They escorted the Tang clan to safety and then returned to attack Chengdu!”
“…Really?”
People exchanged glances. It was surprising, but hard to believe. It sounded too outrageous.
“Hey, you. Where did you hear that? There are so many rumors floating around.”
“Come on!”
The man slapped his chest in frustration.
“Don’t just stand around here – go ask at the Wind Forest merchant guild [풍림상단(風林賞單)]! The news is spreading like wildfire among the merchants!”
“Huh?”
You can’t always trust what merchants say, as some lie for profit. But news among merchants is generally fast and often accurate.
“So Cheonumaeng really attacked Chengdu?”
“That’s right!”
“But they had already fled. Why would they do that?”
“They did it to rescue Four Seas merchant guild.”
“Four Seas merchant guild?”
“Yes, a merchant guild that handles Cheonumaeng’s business. When they heard the guild was trapped, they went to Chengdu, crawling with Sapaeryeon, to save them.”
“Unbelievable…”
Of course, at that time, most of Sapaeryeon’s elite forces were absent from Chengdu. However, the common people had no way of knowing this. Logically, they would assume that the forces occupying Sichuan would have left many troops in Chengdu. Thus, without knowing the full situation, they believed Cheonumaeng had indeed defeated Sapaeryeon.
“I thought they had just fled?”
“You fool! Cheonumaeng isn’t one to just run away. Of course, they fought! Of course!”
Those who had remained silent due to the prevailing support for Gupailbang finally spoke up boldly.
“Attacking Sapaeryeon is impressive, but what’s more impressive is that they did it just to save some merchants!”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Think about it. If the same situation had happened with Gupailbang, do you think those esteemed leaders would attack Chengdu just to save some merchants?”
“That… probably wouldn’t happen.”
Everyone knew how proud the sects within Gupailbang were. It was unimaginable that they would risk their lives to save mere merchants.
“That’s so like Cheonumaeng. Truly in character.”
Some people chuckled. As the hostility towards Cheonumaeng quickly dissipated, those who had turned red with anger began to speak again.
“So, what happened then? Did they reclaim Chengdu?”
“Hmm? It doesn’t seem so. They fought, rescued the merchants, and then retreated.”
“Then it’s not that impressive, is it? They still ended up fleeing Sichuan.”
“You can’t put it that way. They did defeat Sapaeryeon, didn’t they?”
“If they didn’t reclaim Chengdu, it’s the same as before!”
People started to argue back and forth. Amid the commotion, one man turned to leave. Seeing this, another asked curiously.
“Where are you going?”
“To see the Sect Leader.”
The man, known as the second in command of Bokryongbang, answered nonchalantly.
“Have you decided to go to Gupailbang?”
“No, I’m going to persuade the Sect Leader to side with Cheonumaeng.”
“What? Didn’t you hear everything we just said?”
“I heard it all. Very well, in fact. That’s why we’re going to join Cheonumaeng.”
“…Why?”
The man spoke firmly.
“Because we want to live! You say Gupailbang is stronger? Have those esteemed sects ever defeated Sapaeryeon? Have they ever managed to humble them even once?”
“That’s…”
“The only ones who have fought Sapaeryeon are those from Cheonumaemg. And what happens if small sects like ours join Gupailbang? When we’re in danger, do you think those high and mighty folks will come to save us?”
Everyone fell silent.
“Cheonumaeng is willing to risk their lives to save even merchants. At least if we join them, they won’t completely abandon us in a crisis. So, we will go to Cheonumaeng. Ultimately, it’s the Sect Leader’s decision, but that’s where I stand.”
Having finished his speech, the man turned and left. Those remaining were left with complex expressions, and sighs began to slip out here and there.
“I guess I should go too.”
“I hope our Sect Leader makes the right decision.”
“The warriors have options, but us…”
Various worries and concerns were voiced.
But everyone shared one common realization: the time for being indecisive was over. The world was clearly being divided into three distinct factions.
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