Chapter 1660
And I like those kinds of idiots. (5)
A man standing like a statue silently gazed at the mountain before him.
Danjiangkou, Hubei Province.
Originally, it was a small village on the way to Wuhan, not known to the world. However, the reason everyone in Gangho became familiar with its name was, without a doubt, because of the mountain that soared high behind it.
Mount Wudang.
A famous mountain with countless peaks and valleys layered like a curtain, its elaborate terrain had been home to numerous eccentric geniuses under the name of Wudang for a very long time.
Those who wished to escape the world’s gaze, those who sought a life of their own unhindered by human affairs, those who aimed to open a new path through unprecedented asceticism…
The lives and paths of such people intertwined to form the name Wudang, and the world referred to Mount Wudang as the sacred ground of Taoism, calling it a mysterious peak [현악(玄嶽)].
That Mount Wudang now appeared as if it could be grasped within the hands of the man.
A feeling beyond words flashed in Ho Gamyeong’s eyes.
He had always desired to place this world under Ryeonju’s feet. That plan had proceeded without a hitch… no, it had been executed more successfully than ever.
The momentum of Sapaeryeon now was grand enough to overshadow the world, and its achievements were remarkable enough to rewrite history.
Yet, even Ho Gamyeong, who had accomplished this with cold precision, found it difficult to explain his feelings in any way other than saying they were extraordinary as he stood before the current scene.
Did he really imagine it? Did he truly dream of it?
The day would come when this blade would be pointed directly at not just anywhere but at Mount Wudang… at Wudang Sect itself.
On the way here, numerous sects were trampled upon. Countless people were made to kneel. Among them was Shaolin, which rivaled Wudang – or rather, boasted a reputation even greater than Wudang.
But now the situation is slightly different.
Facing and crushing the advancing Shaolin cannot be compared to directly invading Wudang’s headquarters and aiming a blade at them.
The former was always a possibility if Shaolin’s fists targeted Sapaeryeon, but the latter was something unimaginable.
When he first met Jang Ilso in the dirty back alleys of Guizhou, when he decided to bet on the future, on a dream too far-fetched to be called a dream…
No, even when Maninbang was created and eventually Sapaeryeon was formed, did he ever truly believe that this day would come?
Ho Gamyeong let out a heavy breath.
No matter how many times he closed and opened his eyes, the image of that mountain remained vivid.
He had finally come this far.
Beyond merely fighting Gupailbang that had ruled the world for centuries, the sharp murderous blade of Sapaeryeon had reached their hearts.
At last…
“Hmm. Wudang…”
At that moment, a light nasal sound brought Ho Gamyeong, who was immersed in emotion, back to reality. He reflexively turned his gaze toward Jang Ilso. Was Jang Ilso thinking the same thing as he was? Or…
“It took a long time.”
Though he said nothing, Ho Gamyeong’s fingertips trembled slightly.
Jang Ilso’s tone was calm, as if there was nothing particularly new.
This wasn’t bravado, nor was it reckless courage. Jang Ilso’s voice, which seemed languid, his eyes shining wickedly, and even the subtle confidence etched on his lips, were no different from usual.
“Gamyeong-ah.”
“…”
“Gamyeong-ah.”
“Yes, Ryeonju.”
Ho Gamyeong bowed deeply. He was reminded that his personal feelings were not important at this moment.
“What do you plan to do?”
In response to Jang Ilso’s question, Ho Gamyeong slowly raised his head. Jang Ilso was looking at him with a familiar expression, one that was a mix of mischief and curiosity.
Before a battle, especially against a significant enemy, Jang Ilso often asked him such questions, as if curious about how Ho Gamyeong would deal with them, or perhaps to confirm if Ho Gamyeong’s thoughts aligned with his own.
“Hmm? What do you think we should do?”
Jang Ilso was just as he always was. Although it was sudden, Ho Gamyeong felt reassured that this fact hadn’t changed.
Ho Gamyeong cleared his throat.
“The opponent is…”
He lowered his voice and answered with the utmost respect he could muster.
“The opponent is Wudang. And this is their stronghold. If we attack hastily, even if we win, we will have to endure significant losses.”
Jang Ilso watched Ho Gamyeong without any significant reaction, maintaining a smile that seemed to suggest he was still amused.
“If we follow the standard approach, it’s best to proceed as leisurely as possible.”
Ho Gamyeong’s gaze turned to the topography of Wudang.
The fact that countless eccentric geniuses sought out this mountain means that it is filled with deep valleys and hidden spaces not easily seen by the eye.
From the attacker’s perspective, there is no terrain more dreadful than that.
Moreover, the opponents have lived on Mount Wudang as their home. They will surely attack using the terrain in ways that Ho Gamyeong cannot predict.
Therefore, they must proceed as leisurely as possible, with the mindset of thoroughly testing even a stone bridge before crossing it. But…
“What if that’s not possible?”
He had anticipated this question. From the beginning, Jang Ilso’s eyes suggested he wasn’t expecting such an obvious answer.
Ho Gamyeong calmly responded.
“If that’s the case, there is one more option.”
“What is it?”
“A detour.”
“A detour?”
“Yes.”
Ho Gamyeong nodded firmly.
“If the enemy is waiting with traps set, there is no reason to jump into them. We can simply leave them and move on.”
Jang Ilso’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Leave them behind?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm… Leave Wudang behind? Do you really think that’s a good strategy?”
When Jang Ilso asked with a look that seemed to question what he meant, Ho Gamyeong elaborated in a steady voice.
“They must have already heard that we are coming. Even so, they remain there, defending the place, knowing full well that it’s difficult to handle us on their own.”
“…So?”
“That means they have a reason to fight us. Whether it’s for honor or revenge, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that they will never let us go easily.”
“…”
“If we bypass them as planned, they will have no choice but to chase after us. They wouldn’t want to be seen as simply sitting in their mountain, watching.”
His voice was as calm and composed as it was persuasive.
“So what we need to do is simple. We shouldn’t head to where they’ve set up defenses. Instead, we should lure them to a place of our choosing…”
Ho Gamyeong’s cold gaze turned toward Mount Wudang.
“And crush them.”
“Ha… Hahaha!”
Jang Ilso burst into laughter, clearly intrigued. The ornaments adorning his body jingled cheerfully in response.
“Indeed… that is a good strategy.”
Ho Gamyeong slightly bowed his head at Jang Ilso’s praise.
It was Ho Gamyeong’s role to offer opinions, but the final decision rested with Jang Ilso. This was an unchanging rule between them.
Jang Ilso’s red lips parted.
“But it’s a little lacking.”
Ho Gamyeong’s brow furrowed slightly.
“…Is there something I missed?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Jang Ilso turned his gaze toward Wudang. His face, which had a subtle smile when looking at Ho Gamyeong, gradually took on a more sinister look as the corners of his mouth spread wide.
“You are certainly right. If we leave them behind, it will happen as you said. There is not a single flaw in your words.”
“Then…”
“But that alone is not enough. There are two types of battles: killing the enemy and eliminating the enemy. Now is the time for an elimination battle, not just killing.”
Jang Ilso’s gaze moved toward the peak of Mount Wudang. Even from a considerable distance, it was visible – the silhouette of an ancient pavilion beyond the dense pines.
“Do you understand? Simply crushing and killing those who follow us will not make Wudang disappear. They will only suffer minor damage. But that’s not enough. We need to show them now what happens to those who stand in our way.”
“…”
“That’s how those who stand before me will fill their heads with fear instead of their own interests. Do you understand what I mean, Gamyeong?”
Ho Gamyeong nodded.
“Then, Ryeonju, you wish to trample that mountain.”
“That’s right. So, what should we do?”
Ho Gamyeong looked away from Jang Ilso and gazed at Wudang for a while. The mountain, covered in lush pine trees, looked as if it were wearing a green robe.
At that moment, as if reading his mind, the dry air sliced through Ho Gamyeong like a blade.
“In that case, there is only one option left.”
“What is it?”
The corners of Ho Gamyeong’s lips twisted slightly.
“To render the trap no longer a trap.”
Understanding his meaning, Jang Ilso’s eyes curved softly, like a crescent moon.
❀ ❀ ❀
Mu Gyeong subtly tugged on his sleeve to hide his trembling fingertips.
‘Damn it.’
The trembling hadn’t stopped for a while now.
When he was with his Sahyeongs, he didn’t feel fear. The heat and anger consumed his fear. But now, seeing the enemy approaching with his own eyes, the fear he had forgotten began to spread and finally engulfed him.
‘I can win. I am a disciple of Wudang.’
He repeated this to himself over and over again and recited a short passage from the Taoist scriptures. For a swordsman, nothing is more important than an unwavering heart, especially in a situation like this, where he is tasked with ambushing the enemy and holding them at bay.
“Sasuk…”
At that moment his Saje, Jin Hae, who was in ambush with him, called out in a trembling voice.
“Do you think we’ll be okay?”
Mu Gyeong glanced at Jin Hae and tried to appear as calm as possible.
“Don’t worry.”
“But…”
“Anywhere else might be different, but here on Mount Wudang, no one in the world can challenge Wudang. Even if the entire Gangho came, we could fight them off.”
This wasn’t just something he said to reassure them.
The dense forest, the deeply gouged valleys as if giants had clawed them, dozens of naturally formed caves, and even the artificial hideouts created over centuries by the Taoists who gathered in Wudang for training.
All these features combined make Mount Wudang nothing short of a natural fortress. The disciples of Wudang know Mount Wudang as well as their own front yard.
‘Yes. We can fight anyone. We are the swordsmen of Wudang.’
There was certainly a calculation behind elder Heo Gong’s call to resist. If things went well, they might not only hold out until reinforcements arrive but could also inflict significant damage on the enemy.
No, they had to do so. There was no more suitable place to regain the honor lost at the Yangtze River.
“Sasuk.”
“Don’t worry. We can do it.”
“But…”
“In this terrain, numbers don’t matter. What matters is firm resolve and the will to stake your life.”
Mu Gyeong spoke as if trying to reassure himself. However, Jin Hae’s voice grew even more uneasy.
“That’s not it, Sasuk…”
“Hmm?”
“Don’t you notice a strange smell since a while ago?”
“Smell? What smell…?”
Mu Gyeong’s expression suddenly changed.
He smelled it too – a pungent, foreign odor. It was a smell he had never encountered on Mount Wudang, which he had traversed his entire life.
‘This, this is…!’
An unfamiliar yet recognizable smell. The moment Mu Gyeong realized what it was, he sprang to his feet, forgetting that he was supposed to be in hiding.
“No, no! This is oil…”
Whoosh!
As if responding to his words, the base of the mountain before him was suddenly engulfed in a red blaze.
The evergreen pines that never changed color were now wrapped in a color they had never worn in the hundreds of years they had grown dense and twisted.
“Fire… Fire…”
Stunned for a moment, Mu Gyeong screamed at the top of his lungs without realizing it.
“Fire! It’s a fire! They’ve set fire!”
His voice, booming with all his might, soared through the thickening smoke, announcing the start of the battle like an arrowhead at the dawn of war.
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