Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1236

The weather in Haenam changes quickly. Hot sun can turn into strong storms and typhoons. People in Haenam are used to typhoons.

But Geum Yang-baek, the leader of Haenam, looked worried as he watched the typhoon through the main hall window.

‘This storm is wild,’ he thought.

His mind felt as chaotic as the storm outside. He was the leader of the Haenam group. He should be strong for everyone. But the problems felt too big for him.

‘I wish…’

He watched the trees shaking and laughed sadly. A leader should not wish that the typhoon would wash everything away.

‘I’ve become weak.’

Maybe he wasn’t weak. Maybe his enemies were just too strong. Groups like the Four Evil Alliances, and the dangerous world outside, called Jianghu, were very powerful.

Knock, knock. A knock came through the wind.

“Lord, it is Im Gyeom.”

“Enter.”

The door opened a little, and wind rushed in. A scroll on the wall flew up and fell to the floor.

Geum Yang-baek looked at the scroll, at the words written on it.

“Ý chí như hải, hiệp nghĩa như lãng” (意氣如海 俠義如浪). Spirit like the sea, chivalry like the waves. These words were very important to Haenam, showing their values of strong spirit and honorable actions.

Geum Yang-baek squeezed his eyes shut.

“The wind is strong, Lord,” Im Gyeom said, looking at the open window. Geum Yang-baek slowly shook his head.

“It’s okay. The wind is not as wild as my feelings inside.”

“…”

“What news do you have?”

“First of all…”

Im Gyeom took a breath and said,

“As you ordered, I was going to send the young students to the Saga, but…”

“Hmm.”

“I was going to do it, but then the typhoon came. So, I waited until the storm gets weaker.”

“I see.”

Geum Yang-baek nodded slowly.

It was okay for grown men to do it. But he couldn’t send children out into this storm. Since the enemy could not attack during the typhoon, it was a good choice.

“Did the children listen?”

“Some children didn’t want to go. But we had to make them go, even if we had to speak to them strongly.”

“…Well done.”

“And…”

Im Gyeom looked at Geum Yang-baek before speaking.

“The leaving you talked about…”

Seeing Im Gyeom’s face, Geum Yang-baek sighed and said.

“Don’t wait. Tell me now.”

“…Yes. From all the Jinsan students, about seventy-eight people, including some older members, asked to leave.”

Geum Yang-baek closed his eyes again. His face looked even paler, maybe from the cold wind.

“…Less than I thought.”

“…”

“Do the children care more for the group than I thought?”

“That’s…”

Im Gyeom didn’t want to answer. But when Geum Yang-baek looked at him, he sighed.

“What you said is true, but the students think that even if they leave, the Four Evil Alliances will not trust them.”

“…”

“So, they will be killed one by one. They would rather fight here…”

Geum Yang-baek laughed.

“Yes. I guess so.”

“Even the students who want to leave want to pick the side that has a little bit of hope.”

The two men didn’t talk about the loyalty of those who wanted to leave. It didn’t matter now.

If the students didn’t care about Haenam, it was the fault of the leaders who had not led well. If they didn’t work together, it was the fault of the leaders who had not shown them how to be honorable.

If people blamed them, it would be like blaming themselves. So, they couldn’t say anything.

“The leaving event… Yes, it will happen as soon as the typhoon stops.”

“Leaving event?”

Geum Yang-baek laughed. What was the point now?

“Forget it. Just let them go. Why is it important to just remove a name from the list?”

“…Lord, that’s not it…”

“Hmm?”

Geum Yang-baek looked confused. Im Gyeom answered sadly,

“I didn’t tell them about the event, but the students want it.”

“…What did you say?”

“They think the ceremony will protect them when the Four Evil Alliances ask questions.”

Geum Yang-baek felt empty.

“Haha… Ha…”

When the sun is right above, there are no shadows. It was like that for Haenam. When they were strong, everything seemed fine, no problems were visible.

But now, Geum Yang-baek knew.

‘What have I been doing?’

He thought he had done his best to continue the sect his leaders before him had created. But now he knew that what he had believed was just a dream.

“…Then we’ll have to do it.”

“Lord…”

“They are asking for one last thing before leaving. I have to give it to them.”

Im Gyeom bit his lip, watching Geum Yang-baek.

“…It’s too much to ask.”

“Maybe. But what can we do? We taught them to be this way.”

“But…”

“Let’s stop.”

Geum Yang-baek sighed.

“Elder Im.”

“Yes, Lord.”

“Have you heard from anyone outside?”

“…Maybe because of the typhoon… not yet…”

Geum Yang-baek laughed again.

How many hours had the typhoon been here? Could the typhoon really stop the message? It meant the message was never coming.

He looked back at the window. The dark clouds showed the situation Haenam was in.

‘The typhoon will stop, and the sun will rise again. But…’

Will the sun ever rise again in Haenam?

“Lord…”

Im Gyeom spoke carefully.

“I think we need to decide.”

“…Decide?”

“What Ja-yang said is true. Just waiting won’t help. We need to…”

“So, you’re saying we should leave Haenam with the students?”

Geum Yang-baek sighed.

“Yes, Lord. The Four Evil Alliances don’t seem to care about the people… I don’t think anything will happen to them. So…”

“Do you think I haven’t thought about that?”

“…”

“Didn’t I tell you? The Four Evil Alliances want us to leave this island. If we leave, we can only go to Gangnam and Imeup. Does anyone there like us?”

“That’s…”

Geum Yang-baek shook his head.

“It’s not about choosing to live or die. It’s about choosing where to die. We shouldn’t leave our home just to live a little longer somewhere else.”

“Lord…”

Geum Yang-baek looked at Im Gyeom.

“Elder Im.”

“Yes, Lord.”

“Do you really want to find a way?”

Im Gyeom looked unsure. Geum Yang-baek’s voice made him nervous.

“…Are you saying there’s a way?”

“A way… Yes, there is a way.”

“What way is it?”

“We want Haenam to continue and the students to live, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then we have to be ready to be embarrassed, right?”

Im Gyeom’s face changed.

“Su, surely…”

“There is a way. A way to keep Haenam alive and make it famous.”

Geum Yang-baek laughed at himself.

“If we give up to the Four Evil Alliances and bow to Jang Il-so, the students will live.”

“Lord!”

Im Gyeom shouted louder than the thunder.

“How can you say that?”

“The losers will accept it. He will lead the evil group and control the Nine Great Sects. They will respect us.”

“Stop it!”

Im Gyeom glared at Geum Yang-baek.

“Don’t joke about that! How can you say such rebellious things?”

“Rebellious?”

Geum Yang-baek laughed.

“Why is it rebellious? They take what others worked hard for and steal from those who helped them. They are not good people. Why do they call us ‘rebellious’?”

“Lord!”

“Maybe we were always like the evil groups. We just acted like we weren’t.”

Geum Yang-baek fell back in his chair. He knew it was crazy. He just wanted to say it.

“So… if not, then just accept it.”

“…”

“If no one helps us, we can’t do anything. We are against Jang Il-so, the Four Evil Alliances, and Doksim Narachal Ho Ga-myeong. They have even tricked Shaolin and Habuk. They probably know what we will do and have a trap ready.”

Im Gyeom looked down. He couldn’t say anything.

“What should we do…”

Rumble!

Thunder and lightning crashed.

“I believed it.”

“…”

“I thought that being famous and praised meant I was doing the right thing. But that’s not important. What’s the use of getting praise if our group is empty and weak inside?”

“…”

“I should have done my job. I should not have forgotten why Haenam is Haenam. We are suffering now because we made wrong choices before. I’m sorry to the students who will suffer with me for the wrong choices of the leaders before me.”

“Lord…”

Geum Yang-baek looked far away.

Across the sea, somewhere in that land, they would be there.

‘I should have met them and said sorry.’

Now he couldn’t, and it hurt. He hoped they would know how he felt…

Kwaaaang!

The door burst open.

“Looooord!”

Elder Ja-yang ran in, soaking wet and looking scared.

“What’s going on!”

“The Four Evil Alliances? Are they here?”

The two men jumped up, pale.

“N, n-not that…!”

“…Then?”

Ja-yang shouted,

“You have to see! A guest! A guest is here!”

“A guest?”

Geum Yang-baek started to ask, but Ja-yang shouted again.

“H, H, Hwasan!”

“…Huh?”

A scream echoed.

“Hwasan has arrived!”