Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1277

“What did you say?”

Ho Gamyung spoke in a low voice.

Ho Gamyung was not a man who made people feel comfortable. His face, partly hidden by bandages, was hard. His eyes were cold and sharp as he looked down at the reporter. The reporter’s heart beat faster under that stare.

“W-well, the ships are from nearby villages. We couldn’t find ships as big as our own, but we got some that are big enough…”

“Get to the point,” Ho Gamyung said, his voice low.

The reporter swallowed, his throat dry. “The sailors from the mainland… they say these ships are hard to use.”

Ho Gamyung’s eyes narrowed.

“I don’t understand,” he said, his voice getting colder. “Sailors sail ships. Why can’t they sail *these* ships?”

“W-well, they say… the way these Haenam ships are built is different. Not like the ships they know. It’s… difficult for them.”

Ho Gamyung gave a short, cold laugh. *This is like a swordsman saying he can’t use a different sword just because it feels a little different in his hand,* he thought.

“Bring me the *sailor* in charge,” Ho Gamyung ordered.

“Y-yes! This way!” The reporter seemed to expect this order. He quickly turned and called out. A strong-looking man standing nearby hurried over and knelt in front of Ho Gamyung.

“U-umble… greetings, Military Advisor…”

“Enough,” Ho Gamyung said sharply, stopping the sailor’s formal greeting. The sailor’s face, already pale, became even whiter.

“You said you can’t use the ships?”

“…Yes. That’s right.”

“Why?” Ho Gamyung’s eyes were like ice.

“Are you saying you can’t sail a ship just because it’s a little different?”

“N-no, Military Advisor!” The sailor bowed deeply, his forehead almost touching the ground.

“I’m just a simple sailor, but I’ve sailed my whole life! Of course I can sail any ship!”

Ho Gamyung nodded slowly. *What he says makes sense,* Ho Gamyung thought.

“Then what is the problem?”

“W-well, these Haenam ships are new to us. The storm is over, but the sea is still rough, and the wind is against us. So, if we use these ships, we will be slower than normal.”

“Slower?”

“Yes. At least half a day longer to reach the mainland…”

“Half a day…” Ho Gamyung repeated, thinking.

Time was the one thing they didn’t have. Half a day was plenty of time for their targets to escape Guangdong.

“So, you *can* sail them, but it will just be slower?”

“Y-yes, if you order me to, I will sail. But… you need to know it will take longer.”

Ho Gamyung smirked, a cold, thin smile.

“You’re smart,” he said. “That’s why they sent you to speak for them.”

*He’s not really saying he can’t sail them,* Ho Gamyung thought. *He’s making excuses now, so if we’re late, it’s not his fault.* Ho Gamyung usually liked people who were careful and thought ahead. But now, he just felt annoyed.

*This is becoming a problem,* Ho Gamyung thought, annoyed.

He touched the bandage on his cheek. It felt damp and sticky. He looked at his fingers – a little blood.

“Military Advisor! I’ll make them hurry!” the reporter said, eager to please.

“No need,” Ho Gamyung cut him off. He turned back to the sailor. “You said you don’t know these ships well, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Then we’ll get people who *do* know them.” A cruel smile touched Ho Gamyung’s lips.

“I’ve heard everyone on Haenam Island is a sailor. Is that true?”

“Well, not everyone, but… many people know how to sail.”

Ho Gamyung nodded, looking towards the village nearby. It was a large fishing village, right by the sea.

“Bring them all here,” Ho Gamyung ordered, his voice hard. “Every single person.”

“Yes!”

A dangerous light shone in Ho Gamyung’s eyes.

The villagers huddled together, their eyes darting nervously at the armed men around them.

The Myriad Man Clan. Just the name made even brave men tremble. In this part of Jiangnan, people were terrified of the Myriad Man Clan and the Four Seas Union.

“Ch… Chief…” someone whispered, voice shaking.

“Quiet!” the village elder, Jong, hissed. He looked around, his eyes trying to understand what was happening.

*Something is wrong,* he thought, his stomach clenching. The men of the Myriad Man Clan who had gathered them here looked angry and dangerous.

Ho Gamyung scanned the crowd. “Is everyone from the village here?”

“Y-yes,” Elder Jong replied, his voice trembling slightly. “Everyone who is here, is here.”

Ho Gamyung’s cold gaze fixed on Jong. “You are the Village Chief?”

“Yes… I am Jong, the Village Chief.”

Ho Gamyung nodded once, sharply. “I need sailors. To sail those ships to the mainland.” He pointed towards the ships on the coast.

Village Chief Jong glanced nervously at the ships bobbing in the water.

“These are Haenam ships,” Ho Gamyung continued, “so you Haenam people will know how to sail them best.”

A wave of fear went through the villagers. Their faces went pale.

“Y-you mean… *us*?” one villager stammered. “We have to sail them?”

“Exactly.” Ho Gamyung’s voice was sharp.

He added, his voice even harder, “And you need to be fast. We are chasing ships that have already left.”

Some of the villagers understood then.

*Haenam Faction.*

The Haenam Faction had stolen ships from this very coast. Some villagers knew the Haenam Faction was planning something on the mainland.

Sweat trickled down Elder Jong’s face.

“You mean… all the way to the mainland?” he asked, his voice weak.

“Yes.”

“And… after that?”

“That depends.” Ho Gamyung’s answer was cold and dismissive.

Jong’s face fell.

They were just asking them to sail ships, but once they were on board with these dangerous men, anything could happen. They could be stuck on the mainland for months, or worse… they might never come back.

Who would agree to that willingly? And they were being asked to chase the Haenam Faction – known to be ruthless fighters.

“But… heroes… please,” Elder Jong pleaded, desperation in his voice.

“We haven’t been able to fish for days because of the storm! You are taking our ships, and now you want to take our men too? What will happen to our families?”

Ho Gamyung’s eyes narrowed again, showing no sympathy.

“Are you saying everyone will starve if we just take a few people?”

“W-well, you’re taking all the ships that can sail, so we….”

“Enough.”

Hoga-myung stopped the village elder quickly.

“I like arguing, it’s true. But right now, we don’t have time to waste on pointless debate.”

“⋯⋯.”

“The Lianju doesn’t like it when warriors hurt normal villagers. But that doesn’t mean he wants to protect them. The more commoners there are living their lives and doing their work, the more it helps the Lian (because they pay taxes and grow food). However….”

Hoga-myung paused, a cold sneer on his face. His coldness became frighteningly icy.

“If anyone helps Hae Nam and stops the Lian, even now, we don’t need to protect them. It would be better for the Lian to get rid of them first. They are against us.”

When he said this, several Maninbang warriors pulled out their swords.

The villagers’ faces went white with fear.

“So, have you changed your mind?” Hoga-myung smirked, looking down at the old man. Elder Jong looked like he was about to fall to his knees in fear, but then, something changed in his eyes. A spark of anger appeared.

“Kill me, then!” Elder Jong said, his voice shaking at first, but growing stronger.

“…What did you just say?” Hoga-myung was surprised. A flicker of real surprise crossed his cold face.

“I said, kill me if you dare!” Elder Jong shouted, his voice now full of rage.

He stared at the old man, Jong, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The elder, who had been trembling with fear, was now glaring at Hoga-myung with anger in his eyes.

“Has he lost his mind?”

“Lost my mind? Of course, I have!” Elder Jong shouted, his voice full of pain.

“Among the Hae Nam disciples you are chasing is my own child!”

“⋯⋯.”

“No matter how much I love my own life, what crazy parent would help those who want to kill their child! I would rather die! Do what you want, you villains!”

Hoga-myung’s eyes became darker.

If only the old man was the only one causing trouble, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but when the old man shouted, he saw the other villagers’ eyes also become angry.

‘Is it because this is an island?’

Their relationships are very strong. If this was the mainland, they wouldn’t dare to go against our group’s business, for their children or anything else.

Hoga-myung nodded.

“I understand, more or less.”

“Strategist….”

“Chasing those who ran away is important, yes. But… there are things in this world that, no matter how urgent, must be done along the way.”

Hoga-myung spoke calmly, without any emotion in his voice.

“Hae Nam will need an example of what happens to those who go against our group.”

A cruel smile spread across the faces of the Maninbang warriors. They licked their lips, eager to fight.

“Strategist, then….”

“Leave no one alive.”

Hoga-myung looked at the people in front of him and continued.

“Kill them all, leaving not even a rat alive, and then burn the village to the ground.”

“Yes!”

As soon as the order was given, the Maninbang warriors, ready to kill, were about to attack the villagers. The villagers closed their eyes, knowing they were about to die.

Just then.

“Stop!”

A man shouted as he stepped forward.

“Hmm?”

Hoga-myung looked at the man who had stepped forward.

The strong man, looking serious, bit his lip and spoke.

“I can sail the ship. I will find others who can sail too.”

“Hmph.”

Hoga-myung looked at him closely before asking.

“Why should I? I can find other sailors somewhere else.”

“⋯⋯Reaching the mainland won’t be the end of it, right?”

“What do you mean?”

“Weren’t you trying to chase Hae Nam?”

“⋯⋯.”

“I can find the traces they leave behind, and the marks they use.”

Hoga-myung chuckled.

“Are you a disciple of Hae Nam?”

“⋯⋯I am.”

After a moment, Hoga-myung nodded.

“You might be useful as a hunting dog. But one isn’t enough. If you bring a few more, I will spare the villagers.”

“⋯⋯I understand.”

“Yu Gong!”

“Master!”

Yu Gong bit his lip. He had tried to stay out of it, but now he couldn’t. He had left his sect to save these people, and if they died now, everything he had done would be useless.

He had to save them, no matter what.

“⋯⋯I will do whatever you ask. So… so please, spare them.” Yu Gong’s face turned red with shame. He looked down at the ground, unable to meet anyone’s eyes.

“A deal, good. I understand. Finish the preparations quickly. We leave in half an hour. If you’re not ready by then, the deal is off.”

“I understand.”

“You understand?”

Hoga-myung repeated quietly, and Yu Gong bit his lip.

“I… understand.”

Seeing the shame on his face, Hoga-myung nodded without showing any emotion. As he was about to turn away, he stopped.

“Ah, and.”

“Yes?”

In that instant, Hoga-myung’s hand flashed out. A burst of power hit Elder Jong.

Wham!

The energy hit Elder Jong, who was standing in front, hard.

“Village Elder!”

“Ah, Father!”

The old man spat blood and fell backward. He was dead.

“That old man is not part of the deal.”

“⋯⋯.”

“Remember. A deal is a deal. If you don’t do what you promised, the rest of them will die the same way. And they won’t die as peacefully as he did.”

Yu Gong bit his lip until it bled.

“I will remember… I will.”

“Good.”

Hoga-myung finally turned and walked away. The Maninbang warriors also stepped back, looking disappointed.

Only then did Yu Gong turn to look at the villagers. As he expected, the villagers’ eyes were not friendly.

Surrounded by angry and blaming looks, Yu Gong clenched his fist without realizing it.

‘I am not wrong.’

It had to be this way.

No, it had to be.