Chapter 1677
Just believe. (1)
Yoon Jong realized. When swept up in overwhelming confusion, not only words but even thoughts can be lost.
‘Why?’
His mind seemed completely blank.
Why is Jang Ilso here? Why?
Nothing else came to mind except for that question. The man in the red robe before him seemed to consume his entire world.
“Uh…”
And it seemed Yoon Jong was not the only one in such a state.
Jo Geol, Hye Yeon, Namgung Dowi, and even Baek Cheon were at a loss for words, staring blankly at Jang Ilso. It was as if the time had stopped.
The presence of Jang Ilso, sitting there as if living in another world, froze all these people in place.
In that desolate world, only one person was moving.
Step.
The sound of Chung Myung’s footsteps echoed like thunder in everyone’s ears. It was a sound that awakened their frozen minds.
Chung Myung’s voice struck Yoon Jong’s mind like a deluge of icy water.
“Good liquor… You seem quite at ease.”
Only then did Yoon Jong notice it belatedly. Chung Myung’s back was now facing them, confronting Jang Ilso ahead of them.
Snap.
Unknowingly, Yoon Jong’s muscles, which had tensed up from anxiety, suddenly relaxed. His stalled mind began to turn again.
‘Was he waiting to confront us?’
No. That wasn’t it.
There aren’t enough people led by Jang Ilso to justify that. No matter how powerful Jang Ilso is, trying to stop Cheonumaeng with that number is not just reckless – it’s suicidal.
But then, why is he sitting there so calmly? What could he be thinking?
At that moment, as if reading Yoon Jong’s thoughts, Jang Ilso lightly touched the brim of his filled glass with his fingertip and spoke.
“Despite appearances, I’m a person who knows etiquette.”
Tap.
As he gently pushed the glass, it slid smoothly across the table and stopped on the opposite side, as if prepared for someone to sit there.
“When entertaining the illustrious Hwasan Geomhyeop, I should at least prepare a fine drink, don’t you think?”
Jang Ilso, with a bright smile, looked at Chung Myung. Chung Myung met his gaze with a crooked grin.
“You don’t know how to entertain at all. Do you think you can host me with just a drink?”
“Hmm, you’re still a greedy child. But don’t worry. I have a gift prepared just for you.”
“A gift?”
“Bring it.”
Suspicion and caution flashed in Chung Myung’s eyes. The members of Sapaeryeon stepped aside in unison. Through the gap, a person dragged something forward.
‘A person?’
It was a person in a wretched state, half-conscious.
“What’s that…?”
“Huh?”
At that moment, someone from Cheonumaeng shouted in shock.
“Heo… Do?”
“W-What?”
Everyone, wide-eyed with surprise, carefully examined the person being dragged out. An old man with daggers embedded in his limbs as if his muscles had been severed.
It was indeed Heo Do Jinin.
“This, this is insane!”
Although his appearance was confusing with his hair now completely white and his face drenched in blood, there was no doubt. The man being dragged out by a Red Dog was the former Sect Leader of Wudang, Heo Do Jinin.
Crash!
Red Dog threw Heo Do Jinin to the ground like a worthless rag.
“That damn bastard!”
As Jo Geol, filled with rage, tried to rush forward, Yoon Jong gritted his teeth and tightly gripped his shoulder.
“Don’t act recklessly!”
“But, Sahyeong!”
“Calm down!”
“I…”
Jo Geol trembled with anger.
Although he didn’t think highly of Heo Do Jinin, he was still the former Sect Leader of Wudang. He was not someone who deserved such humiliation from mere members of the Evil Sects.
Jang Ilso chuckled as he watched Jo Geol.
“Oh dear, oh dear… I don’t understand why you’re getting angry. Isn’t this a nice gift? I thought you’d be touched.”
“Shut your mouth, you bastard!”
“There’s no need to be so angry. It’s just an appropriate example.”
Jang Ilso glanced at Heo Do Jinin. His gaze was indifferent, devoid of emotion.
“Those who don’t know their place always believe that everything can be achieved with mere desperation. But that’s not true. The way to achieve what you want is not by wishing for it, but by seizing it.”
Jang Ilso’s gaze shifted from the near-dead Heo Do Jinin to fix on Chung Myung.
“You seem to understand that well, don’t you?”
No one could say anything. They silently looked at the barely breathing Heo Do Jinin and Jang Ilso, who was idly touching his glass. A deathly silence settled between them.
The one who broke that silence was none other than Jo Geol, with a voice filled with murderous intent.
“Let’s attack.”
“…What?”
“I don’t know what that bastard is thinking, showing his face here, but a chance like this won’t come again! Now is the time to take his head!”
“…”
“We just need to kill him! If we kill that bastard, it all ends, doesn’t it?”
Yoon Jong’s eyes wavered.
He’s right.
Jang Ilso stood with a small number of troops. Although they included Red Dogs of Maninbang and his specially trained elites, on this side were almost all the forces of Cheonumaeng.
“Before we miss this opportunity, right now…”
“What about Wudang?”
“…What?”
At the unexpected voice, Jo Geol turned sharply. Namgung Dowi asked again.
“If we stall for time here, what happens to Wudang?”
“R-right now, Wudang…”
Jo Geol flinched before he could finish speaking.
What about Wudang? How could that matter now? This was something he absolutely should not say out loud. No, he shouldn’t even think it. Human lives cannot be treated in such a way.
Jo Geol clenched his fists tightly.
“But if we let Jang Ilso go, even more people will die.”
“Wudang is waiting for us right now…”
“Enough.”
Before the argument could really begin, Baek Cheon cut them off with his brief voice. Then, with a cold expression, he spat out his words while staring at Jang Ilso.
“That’s not it.”
“What?”
“…It’s not that simple.”
Under everyone’s gaze, he bit his lip.
‘Jang Ilso.’
Can they catch him? If Jang Ilso were to fight them head-on, they could surely kill him. But what if Jang Ilso is trying his hardest to escape?
‘…It’s not easy.’
Even with numerical superiority, capturing a smaller group with higher skills is difficult. Hwasan has proven this time and again. Now, the situation is reversed.
They could try. If they succeed, it would truly be an unparalleled achievement.
But what if they fail?
Then they lose everything. Cheonumaeng misses the opportunity to save Wudang, Wudang will be annihilated, and Jang Ilso would escape.
Such a mistake would be incomparable to any defeat Cheonumaeng has experienced so far.
The alliance is ultimately made up of people. Could the alliance members trust the leadership after such an event? Would their already tenuous cohesion hold after that?
The more painful truth is that the alliance reorganized only a few days ago. Is it really possible to chase Jang Ilso with this ragtag group barely cobbled together?
Baek Cheon’s fingertips trembled as he quickly calculated in his mind.
‘Damn it!’
Now even he could see it. How much was embedded in this seemingly absurd strategy. How viciously this bewildering move concealed its fangs.
Baek Cheon’s gaze turned to Jang Ilso, who leisurely filled his glass. Yes, above all, that man is the problem.
‘He’s insane.’
No matter how perfectly calculated a move is, how can he be so composed, using himself as bait in front of so many enemies? How can he threaten his own life with such unwavering composure, unnerving his opponents instead?
‘…Have we been fighting someone like him all this time?’
He felt the blood in his entire body turning cold. The redness seemed to grow larger, threatening to engulf his entire vision.
And then.
“There are sayings that, though common, carry truths.”
Chung Myung’s calm and composed voice brought Baek Cheon back to his senses.
“Like how a person who loves gambling is destined to ruin.”
“Haha. Indeed. That’s true!”
Jang Ilso burst into a hearty laugh and looked at Chung Myung with a gentle smile.
“However… it’s a bit ridiculous for you to say that, isn’t it?”
Chung Myung smirked. That comment certainly hit home. Without turning his head, he spoke to the person behind him.
“Sasuk.”
“…Yes.”
“You understand, right?”
Though much was left unsaid, Baek Cheon nodded silently. He could roughly understand the situation they were in.
“Go.”
“What?”
But this part was not something he understood immediately.
“We can’t waste time being held up. That would be playing right into his hands.”
“But Jang Ilso…”
“I’m the one he wants.”
“…”
“Then it’s enough to give him what he wants.”
Without any further discussion, Chung Myung nonchalantly walked towards Jang Ilso.
“Chung Myung!”
Baek Cheon, who was about to grab Chung Myung in surprise, withdrew his hand and gritted his teeth.
‘A person who loves gambling is destined to ruin.’
Now Baek Cheon understood. That remark was not aimed at Jang Ilso but was meant for him.
Pouring everything into capturing Jang Ilso now would be nothing more than a gamble with uncertain outcomes. The alliance’s fate should not be entrusted to such a gamble.
The best choice now is to completely ignore the bait in front of them, no matter how tempting it is.
But they can’t simply leave Jang Ilso and his group unchecked. If they did, they would follow Cheonumaeng and attack from behind.
So, what is the best move Cheonumaeng can make now?
Just as he has used himself as bait, the alliance must throw a bait that Jang Ilso’s group cannot ignore.
That bait is Hwasan Geomhyeop Chung Myung.
It was a conclusion he reached through countless conflicts. A conclusion that some have not yet reached, and most have not even considered, was already reached by both Chung Myung and Baek Cheon before they even made eye contact.
“…Yoon Jong!”
“No.”
Baek Cheon was about to command Yoon Jong to stay with his group, but Chung Myung interrupted him.
“I can handle it alone.”
“You bastard! Does that even make sense?”
Baek Cheon exclaimed angrily, but Chung Myung offered no further explanation. He simply spoke briefly and continued forward.
“Go.”
In the past, Chung Myung would have tried to explain the situation to Baek Cheon and make him understand. But now, Chung Myung just uttered a few words.
Yes. Now it was as if he trusted Baek Cheon to understand without needing an explanation.
Crunch.
Baek Cheon clenched his fists so tightly that they bled.
Meanwhile, Chung Myung calmly approached Jang Ilso. His steps were as leisurely as could be.
‘Really…’
But Baek Cheon could see it. The way Red Dogs, standing behind Jang Ilso, flinched and revealed his murderous intent with each of Chung Myung’s composed steps.
Just as Cheonumaeng felt pressure and fear from Jang Ilso, those men felt the same from Chung Myung.
Chung Myung passed by the fallen Heo Do Jinin and stood across from Jang Ilso. Then he plopped down in the chair prepared for him.
The sight of Chung Myung and Jang Ilso sitting across from each other with a small table in between was unprecedented and would likely never happen again.
Chung Myung grabbed the cup on the table. There was no hesitation in his movement as he drank the liquor.
Thud.
He placed the empty cup on the table and briefly shared his thoughts.
“It’s good liquor. Too good for someone like you.”
“I’m glad you like it. I’ve prepared plenty, so drink as much as you want.”
Just and Evil.
Gangbuk and Gangnam.
No, perhaps rivals who transcended such boundaries.
The two of them casually shared drinks. It was such an unreal scene that not only Cheonumaeng but even Sapaeryeon were half-dazed.
Only Baek Cheon, who was intently watching the scene, spoke up.
“Let’s go.”
“Sasuk?”
“Vice Sect Leader! What do you mean?”
“Don’t forget what we have to do.”
Baek Cheon’s gaze had already left the strange scene and turned towards the burning Mount Wudang. His fingernails dug into his palm.
“We’re going to save Wudang. That’s what we must do.”
Next chapter>>>
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