Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 964

Many huge ships turned at the same time. This made very big waves that shook the calm Yangtze River.

The small boat creaked and groaned as waves crashed against it. Jang Il-so stood on the boat, as calm as if he were on flat ground. A cold wind whipped his hair across his face, but he didn’t even blink.

He glanced at Shaolin and the Mount Hua Sect, who did not know what to do. They were stuck in a difficult situation.

“Pathetic…”

Undisguised contempt appeared on his face.

Ho Gamyung quietly watched him.

Ho Gamyung thought, ‘If the leaders of the Nine Sects are this weak, Jang Il-so will succeed faster.’ People call them the ‘guiding stars of Jianghu,’ but they are disappointing.

However, Jang Il-so seemed more annoyed than happy.

“You don’t seem to be in a good mood.”

“How could I be…”

Jang Il-so replied without energy.

“When I was floundering in despair, where no hope could be seen, what sustained me was…”

A scary look flashed across his face.

“The vow that one day I would take everything they had and make it my own.”

“…”

“But…”

Jang Il-so paused and glared at Shaolin with contempt.

“To think that the reality of those who control the Jianghu is just this.”

He laughed at himself.

“People use reasons to hide what they really want. They are probably making up many reasons not to help. These reasons will sound like they make sense and are hard to argue against.”

Jang Il-so’s sneer got worse.

“But you know what it really is? Fear. They’re afraid to lose what they have. People who haven’t fought for anything only care about keeping what’s theirs.”

If anyone else had said this, Ho Gamyung would have thought it was arrogant. Shaolin might not rule the whole world, but they are the strongest in Jianghu. Saying they are just afraid is too simple.

But Jang Il-so had the right to say these words. Ho Gamyung knew how hard Jang Il-so had worked to get here.

“They will eventually find out,” Jang Il-so said quietly.

“Those who fear losing something small will eventually lose everything. Because I will make it so.”

Ho Gamyung slowly shook his head.

“By the time they realize that, they will have already lost everything.”

Hearing those words, Jang Il-so chuckled.

“Yes, perhaps that’s right.”

Then, he tilted the bottle in his hand, took a drink, and poured the rest of the liquor into the Yangtze River as if he didn’t care anymore.

“Well, fine. I’ve gotten everything I wanted anyway.”

The Nine Sects were still glaring at him as if they wanted to tear him apart. Jang Il-so just found them funny.

Right now, they were probably very angry at the Unorthodox Alliance and Jang Il-so. But once that anger went away, they would soon realize what they had done.

What do people do when they feel guilty?

Repent? Apologize?

‘Nonsense!’

Very few people can do that. Isn’t it normal for people to make excuses, even when it’s clearly their fault? They like to find small mistakes in others and blame them.

Jang Il-so created the crack.

But they would make that crack bigger themselves.

Now, all he had to do was wait. Until the crack he made gets worse and worse, like a bad wound that makes everything around it decay.

He had already done everything he had planned to do here. All that was left was…

“Entertainment.”

Jang Il-so’s gaze turned towards Plum Blossom Island.

“Now then…”

He lightly tilted his head, and the ornaments all over his body jingled. It almost sounded like cheering.

“Now it’s time to decorate the end of this show with the blood of the pitiful Namgung.”

“I will escort you.”

Ho Gamyung was about to steer the boat towards the Black Dragon Ship.

“No. That’s enough of that place.”

Jang Il-so raised a hand to stop him. Ho Gamyung turned back, looking doubtful. Jang Il-so smiled slightly.

“I’m tired of seeing too much of the Black Dragon King, so let’s go back to our ship.”

“…Yes, Alliance Leader.”

Ho Gamyung had some doubts, but he didn’t ask why. There was always a reason behind everything Jang Il-so did. This time, too, there would be a reason he couldn’t guess.

On the small boat that cut through the rough waters, Jang Il-so looked back again, looking bored. He looked past the Nine Sects on the riverbank, further into the distance.

“Isn’t that right?”

His question didn’t make sense and was lost in the air.

“Hee hee.”

Meanwhile, on Plum Blossom Island…

Deep regret filled Namgung Myung’s eyes as he let out a soft laugh.

“In the end…”

The final sun was rising. The final sun cast long, blood-red shadows across the island.

He had given up on any hope a long time ago. If the Nine Sects, including Shaolin, had wanted to save them, they wouldn’t have watched as things got this bad.

Yes. He didn’t even expect it, or so he thought.

But as this moment got closer, Namgung Myung had to admit that he still had some hope.

No, maybe it wasn’t faith in them.

He had believed in being honorable and doing what is right. He felt foolish for still hoping that these beliefs were not completely wrong.

But now, his life and everything else were being taken away.

‘What are we standing here for?’

What angered Namgung Myung even more was how pathetic they looked.

If they weren’t going to help, if they were just going to watch, they should at least turn away!

What were they standing there for? Were they going to watch them die to feel better about themselves?

“…Lord.”

Namgung Myung was overwhelmed by his emotions and squeezed his eyes shut at the call. He couldn’t turn around.

What should he say? He had told them to hold on until the end, but was this all he could give them as their final moment?

To be ignored by those he thought were his friends, and to be played with by the Unorthodox Alliance?

Just as Namgung Myung was about to lower his head, he heard unexpected words.

“You must form ranks, Lord.”

He clenched his trembling jaw and turned around. His hands were trembling, and his shoulders were slumped.

Everyone was standing up. Their faces were grim and pale in the fading light, but their eyes held a burning resolve.

Those who had been helping the wounded, those who had been trying to rest, and even the wounded who were close to death.

Everyone was standing up and forming ranks.

Holding onto their shaking legs, somehow staying awake.

“…Isn’t this the end anyway?”

“…”

Namgung Pyung looked at him and grinned.

“I don’t want to lie down and wait for the enemy’s sword. I’d rather die fighting.”

“Pyung-ah…”

“That’s right.”

Someone chuckled from behind.

“Since there are people watching… we have to show how the Namgung Family’s swordsmen die.”

“To those cowardly bastards, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Namgung Myung squeezed his eyes shut.

All of this was caused by the mistakes of the Namgung Family’s leaders, including Namgung Hwang. They were about to lose their lives because of that mistake, but none of them complained.

If he were in their place, could he have been so calm?

Namgung Myung didn’t think so. That’s why he felt even more sorry and grateful.

“Still, it’s a relief.”

Someone laughed.

“At least the Young Lord isn’t here.”

“That’s right.”

“If even the Young Lord was here, we would have really been doomed.”

Namgung Myung was surprised and said quickly.

“That’s not it. The Young Lord…”

“We know, Lord.”

The Namgung Family’s swordsmen laughed as they looked at Namgung Myung’s embarrassed face.

“Everyone knows that the Young Lord didn’t leave us to save himself, but that he risked his own life to save us.”

“So isn’t it a relief?”

“At least the family line will continue.”

The Namgung swordsmen’s eyes filled with determination and anger.

“I don’t even expect revenge. But the Young Lord will at least take care of our memorial rites, right?”

“Yes, yes. That’s enough.”

Namgung Myung lowered his head.

Who wouldn’t want to live? Who wouldn’t want to beg to be spared?

But he couldn’t.

When he thought about Namgung Dowi, who risked his life to save them, Namgung Hwang, who was lost in the cold Yangtze River, and the elders who died without even screaming, he couldn’t bow his head to them, even if he had to die.

Because he was the head of the family?

No. Because they were comrades who fought together.

Because he didn’t want to be ashamed of those who died for those who remained here.

“You fools.”

Namgung Myung quickly turned his body because he felt like he would cry if he kept looking at them. As they said, this was the end. So he shouldn’t show them an ugly sight.

“It will take time.”

“…”

“It may take a hundred years, or even more. No matter how many children are left in the family, that much will be needed to regain the prestige of the name Namgung.”

Everyone stared at Namgung Myung’s back as he gripped his sword tightly.

“So let’s become a light. For our families… for our honor… for Namgung Dowi.”

Namgung Myung slowly drew his sword.

“The time ahead for those left in the family will be like wandering through a terrible darkness. They will have to endure that time to see the sun rising again. So, let’s die in a way that our descendants can be proud of! Let’s show that the Namgung swordsmen are never cowardly!”

Everyone gripped their swords. The clatter of swords and low murmurs filled the air as the Namgung family prepared.

Warriors prove themselves with their deaths.

Only when they came to the very end did everyone truly understand what those words meant. They glared at the pirates jumping off the ship and coming towards the island with eyes that had no fear.

“Form ranks!”

“Aye!”

The survivors of the Azure Sky Sword Squad, standing at the front, shouted loudly.

Azure Sky Namgung Family.

People die, but their family name will be remembered.

If they can show their strong will by how they die, their deaths will have meaning.

“In the name of Azure Sky and Namgung!”

Namgung Myung shouted as if spitting out blood.

“Exterminate the villains!”

Then, with a thunderous roar, the Namgung Family’s swordsmen charged towards the landing pirates.

There was no point in just defending. They had to show their will, not their ability to endure!

‘Young Lord!’

Namgung Myung, gripping his sword, also charged like a ray of light.

‘You must survive! You must!’

May our will be passed on to Namgung Dowi.

And may it reach the children of Namgung who will grow up for a long time.

Red blood spurted out.

The blood from the bodies of the Namgung swordsmen at the front, and the blood from the pirates’ necks, dyed Namgung Myung’s vision red.

But there were no screams. No one from the Namgung Family screamed.

Even when their chest was cut and their arm was severed, they just gritted their teeth and swung their swords one more time.

Death. And another life.

In these countless deaths, Namgung Myung’s life would also end!

“Namgung Myung of the Namgung Family is here! You sons of bitches!”

Namgung Myung had already jumped over the heads of the Azure Sky Sword Squad and landed among the pirates. The sword he held shone brightly in the sunlight.