Chapter 1634
Before everything disappears. (4)
“Oh?”
“Sasuk?”
As Baek Cheon trudged back to his quarters, he encountered Jo Geol and Yoon Jong. With murky eyes, he looked at the two of them.
“Wow.”
“…He looks really out of it.”
“Are you okay, Sasuk?”
“…I’m… okay…”
Baek Cheon nodded weakly, and Jo Geol whispered to Yoon Jong.
“He seems to be in worse shape than we thought.”
“But isn’t he still his father? It’s normal for a runaway son to feel like this after meeting his father. Usually, they end up with a broken leg or two.”
“So should we say he’s lucky to have returned in one piece?”
“No, we should say he’s ‘still’ in one piece. Those legs might break any moment.”
“Ah.”
Jo Geol glanced at Baek Cheon’s legs. He remembered how he himself had been severely beaten nearly to the point of breaking something when he was caught after running away for just a week before coming to Hwasan.
Baek Cheon, on the other hand, had been gone for what must be more than ten years now. At this point, it was more of an independent life than running away, but Jin Chobaek’s perspective was likely different.
Yoon Jong, observing Baek Cheon’s pale face, smirked.
“I also think that blood ties are hard to sever. Take this opportunity to mend your relationship, Sasuk.”
“Yoon Jong.”
“Yes?”
“…Do you know what kind of person my father is?”
“Um…”
Yoon Jong narrowed his eyes slightly. Although he had seen him a few times from afar, he didn’t really know what kind of person he was. He only knew that he resembled Baek Cheon.
“Not really…”
“Just think about one thing.”
“What do you mean?”
“Jin Geumryong came from under him.”
“…”
Yoon Jong’s face turned pale at those words.
“That…is true. He is Sasuk’s father.”
Jo Geol and Yoon Jong exchanged glances and whispered to each other.
“Indeed. Now that I think about it, he’s the father of both Sasuk and Jin Geumryong. He can’t be an ordinary person.”
“Right. He’s Sasuk’s father.”
These punks.
Veins bulged on Baek Cheon’s forehead. But he couldn’t refute it since it was true.
“But he must be better than Jin Geumryong, right?”
“In my opinion… Brother… No, Jin Geumryong and I share one thing in common, even though I don’t want to admit it.”
“It seems like it’s more than one thing…”
“Do you really want to die?”
“…What is it? That common thing?”
Baek Cheon murmured weakly.
“We’ve both been beaten to a pulp. By someone.”
“Ah, so you’ve had your head smashed in.”
“That certainly is a common point. But what does that have to do with this?”
“So…”
Baek Cheon let out a deep sigh.
“It’s a bit awkward to say this myself, but my father… is someone like Jin Geumryong who has never been beaten to a pulp.”
“Heeeek!”
“Uuuh…”
Yoon Jong and Jo Geol shuddered.
Images of the repulsive Jin Geumryong and Baek Cheon just before being beaten by Chung Myung flashed through their minds. What kind of people would they have become if they had aged just as they were?
“…That must be tough.”
“Well… thinking about it, just because it’s a blood tie doesn’t mean it has to continue. After all, we did leave to become Taoist monks.”
Baek Cheon rubbed his face and answered weakly.
“Easier said than done…”
“True.”
“That’s right.”
A sigh naturally escaped.
Of course, Jin Chobaek had aged, and much time had passed, so he would have definitely become more mellow than before. However, that didn’t alleviate the burden of having to move with a father with whom he had a bad relationship.
Moreover…
At that moment, Yoon Jong flinched and looked at Baek Cheon with a serious expression.
“Sasuk. There’s something I’d like to ask.”
“What.”
“Well… Jin Geumryong would then be an ordinary division member, right?”
“Yes.”
“Which division is he in?”
“…”
“No way…”
Baek Cheon turned his head to gaze at the distant sky. Yoon Jong and Jo Geol saw something glisten at the corner of his eye and exchanged glances once more.
“Who organized the list?”
“Why ask the obvious? Chung Myung did it.”
“Could it be a coincidence?”
“Oh come on, Sahyeong. Say something that makes sense. There’s no such thing as coincidence in what that bastard does. This is definitely intentional.”
That meant Chung Myung knowingly placed Baek Cheon as the vice-leader of the division where Jin Chobaek and Jin Geumeyong were members.
“…Is he really human?”
“Such a wicked bastard…”
The two, trembling with anger, approached Baek Cheon from either side and placed their arms around his shoulders.
“Stay strong, Sasuk. What can you do? Now that it’s come to this, you might as well take it easy.”
“That’s right, Sasuk. After all, they’re still family.”
“It’s because they’re family… because they’re family.”
“Ah…”
That was true.
Seeing that they couldn’t find any more words to console him, Baek Cheon, trying to be the adult, spoke first.
“What about you two? You must have met your leaders separately. How are they?”
“Lord of the Beast Palace is always great. Although, talking to him up close can be a bit tiring for the ears…”
“I see.”
Baek Cheon nodded weakly.
While anyone else would be overwhelmed by the spirit beasts lurking around Maeng So, Jo Geol wouldn’t be bothered by it. He was more akin to them than to humans, after all.
“Lord Moyong was more reasonable than I expected.”
“…Really?”
Baek Cheon looked at Yoon Jong, a bit surprised.
“He understands his role well and said he wouldn’t stubbornly interfere with things unnecessarily. He seemed different from how he was before.”
“He is the head of his family. Naturally, he would have a broad perspective.”
“Yes. Come to think of it, wasn’t he the one who always tried to mediate and calm down Lord Zhuge?”
“That’s right.”
“He seems quite amiable if you consider him an ally. As long as I do my part well, there shouldn’t be any major issues.”
Baek Cheon nodded.
Tang Gunak and Hye Yeon would naturally have no issues, and the combination of Pung Yeong Shin Gae and Namgung Dowi was unlikely to cause problems either. Though Namgung Dowi was full of youthful vigor, Pung Yeong Shin Gae had been leading the Beggars Sect from the shadows all this time. They would surely be able to balance each other.
Then…
“Why is it only me…”
“Don’t cry, Sasuk.”
“An adult acting so shamefully!”
Baek Cheon wiped his face with his sleeve and let out a deep sigh.
“Anyway, let’s do our best. Now, really… Yeah, there’s really nothing else left to do.”
“Yes, Sasuk.”
“Yes.”
Yoon Jong and Jo Geol nodded. Even though he seemed so miserable now, once on the battlefield, Baek Cheon would undoubtedly fulfill his role better than anyone.
However, Yoon Jong’s eyes were not as comfortable as Jo Geol’s as he looked at Baek Cheon. Neither Jo Geol nor Baek Cheon noticed this.
“More importantly, what exactly are we supposed to do now? No one has told us what our tasks are.”
Jo Geol scratched his head, and Baek Cheon nodded.
“Now, you are no longer in a position to receive orders but to give them.”
“Yes.”
“So, instead of waiting for someone else to tell you what to do, you need to think for yourself and take action.”
“Well, I’m not good at that…”
When Jo Geol looked troubled, Baek Cheon chuckled.
“If I were you, I’d start by meeting the members of my party first. No matter how much we are connected by orders, it becomes easier if we get to know each other better.”
“Ah, that makes sense.”
Jo Geol nodded vigorously.
Normally, he would have come up with such an idea easily, but suddenly being placed in a heavy position like vice-leader made his mind feel sluggish.
“Then what after that?”
“After that…”
Baek Cheon turned his head to one side.
“Wait.”
“…”
“For the orders they will give.”
❀ ❀ ❀
Chung Myung. Im Sobyeong. And Zhuge Jain.
The strategist representing the Just Sects, the strategist representing the Evil Sects, and the unrivaled General of Cheonumaeng who had proven himself unparalleled in recent years.
The three were sitting around a small tea table in the center.
“The organization is complete. It will take some time, but soon they will move as one.”
At Zhuge Jain’s words, Chung Myung nodded.
This was the part he had put the most effort into while planning this organization. They shouldn’t be too close, but they shouldn’t be too distant either.
Ideally, it would be best for those who were awkward and had bad relationships to fight together and narrow their psychological distances, but Chung Myung wasn’t foolish enough to ignore the immediate reality and only shout ideals.
What mattered was minimizing sacrifices and defeating Sapaeryeon. Everything had to be prepared with that single goal in mind.
And after that…
As Chung Myung’s thoughts began to deepen, Im Sobyeong spoke up.
“The important thing is that bit of time.”
“Hmm.”
“And… how Sapaeryeon will move now.”
Zhuge Jain nodded.
“Is there still no movement from Sapaeryeon?”
“The Beggars Sect has been keeping a close watch, but there’s no movement yet.”
“Why on earth…”
Zhuge Jain looked puzzled, unable to comprehend.
Indeed, something was strange. They had the perfect opportunity to seize victory. If they had pressed on, even Cheonumaeng would have struggled to respond. But instead, they settled in Hubei, a place of little significance, and stalled time, allowing their enemies to prepare.
“Couldn’t they be plotting some scheme?”
“Logically, that would make sense…”
Im Sobyeong couldn’t easily nod in agreement. Every move by Jang Ilso had a meaning. But this time, even Im Sobyeong couldn’t decipher the intent behind their actions.
So for now, the only thing to rely on was…
“What does the General think?”
Chung Myung’s gaze, upon receiving Im Sobyeong’s question, fixed on the map spread out on the tea table. His eyes sank deeper and deeper into thought.
“A scheme…”
Chung Myung shook his head.
“There is no plan to simply sit idle.”
“But he has done it before…”
“That wasn’t sitting idle, it was pointing a blade at our throats. This is different. No matter how you think about it, it’s meaningless.”
“Hmm. Then what?”
Just as Im Sobyeong’s mind began to feel muddled…
Thud!
“Aaah!”
Im Sobyeong grabbed his head and fell backward.
“Why! Why did you hit me!”
“Tsk!”
Chung Myung’s face contorted as he looked at Im Sobyeong.
“You’re a strategist of Cheonumaeng, and at the very least, the so-called Nokrim King, yet you’re all scared stiff!”
“…What?”
“That guy is human too. He can’t plan everything and control every single thing.”
“…”
Chung Myung squinted his eyes.
Every war has variables. Sometimes big, sometimes small, and sometimes trivial but fatal variables.
Sometimes, those small variables can absurdly change the entire course of the battlefield.
“The current situation is clear. He has undoubtedly encountered an unforeseen variable.”
“…”
“So, there’s only one thing we need to do.”
Chung Myung’s eyes glinted coldly.
“Make sure that guy who’s sitting down can never get back up.”
Im Sobyeong momentarily held his breath.
And at that moment, Chung Myung’s words pierced his ears.
“We’ve defended as much as we could. To the point of it being tedious and horrifying.”
Thud!
Chung Myung’s hand struck the map with his five fingers. Then those fingers crumpled the map as they clenched together.
“Now it’s our turn.”
“G-General…”
“We attack.”
Killing intent emanated from Chung Myung’s eyes.
“Until I completely cut off his breath.”
His voice was chilling and eerie.
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