Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1294

“Yes, Sect Leader,” Baek Cheon said, bowing respectfully. Geum Yang-baek looked at Baek Cheon, his face troubled. He didn’t speak for a moment.

Baek Cheon could guess what he was thinking.

*’About six, maybe?’*

It wasn’t an exact count, but it was close. Six Hainan disciples had died on their journey.

For Baek Cheon, it was a terrible loss. But he knew his pain was nothing compared to the Sect Leader’s despair.

Geum Yang-baek’s eyes were wet, and his lips trembled slightly. Baek Cheon braced himself for harsh words.

Then, Geum Yang-baek put his hands together respectfully again.

“I am sorry you have to see me like this,” he said, his voice low. “So weak.”

Baek Cheon was taken aback.

“As the leader of Hainan, I did not guide my disciples well. I ask for your forgiveness for causing trouble for you, Delegate.”

Baek Cheon stared, surprised. The other Mount Hua disciples were also clearly shocked.

It was true that Geum Yang-baek’s mistakes had caused problems. But it was rare for a sect leader to admit fault so openly.

No wonder everyone was surprised.

“Please, Sect Leader, don’t say that,” Baek Cheon said quickly, shaking his head. “If you hadn’t acted fast, it would have been much worse. Please, don’t blame yourself.”

Geum Yang-baek slowly looked up at the sky.

Baek Cheon didn’t know what else to say. He felt it would be too bold to guess what Geum Yang-baek was thinking.

Suddenly, a loud, angry voice broke the silence.

“Why is the Sect Leader apologizing!”

One of the Hainan elders shouted, his voice shaking with rage. “If we’re going to point fingers, point them at *them*! What were you thinking, causing all this! If we hadn’t rushed into danger so carelessly, no one would have died!”

“Gwak-wol,” Geum Yang-baek said, his voice tired.

“Am I wrong, Sect Leader? This is madness! We should have been sensible from the start!” Gwak-wol continued, ignoring the warning.

“Enough!” Geum Yang-baek’s voice was sharper now.

“We shouldn’t have trusted these young people in the first place, with their talk of a Heavenly Union and all that nonsense…”

“Will you be quiet!” Geum Yang-baek roared, glaring at Gwak-wol.

Gwak-wol bit his lip so hard it bled. Geum Yang-baek, having silenced Gwak-wol, sighed deeply. Then, he put his hands together again towards Baek Cheon.

“…I’m sorry,” Geum Yang-baek said, his voice softer now. “I’ve lost men who were like brothers to me, men I’ve known my whole life. My heart is heavy. Please, be patient with me.”

“It’s alright, Sect Leader,” Baek Cheon reassured him, shaking his head.

“Delegate,” Geum Yang-baek said.

“Yes, Sect Leader?” Baek Cheon replied.

“The deaths are completely our fault. You are not to blame at all.”

Baek Cheon remained silent.

“We didn’t come here to settle down anyway,” Geum Yang-baek continued. “If we had stayed in Hainan, things would have been even worse. So how can I blame you? But…”

Geum Yang-baek looked at the disciples around them, who were trying to recover their strength. They were all clearly worn out. Their faces were streaked with blood and sweat. Geum Yang-baek sighed, and a question came out, full of doubt.

“…Do you really think… we can escape them like this?”

“Sect Leader, about that…” Baek Cheon started to say.

“I know,” Geum Yang-baek interrupted. “I know it was always going to be hard. To do something difficult, we have to push ourselves.”

Baek Cheon watched Geum Yang-baek, saying nothing. Geum Yang-baek wasn’t complaining. He was speaking calmly, stating his thoughts.

“But Delegate,” Geum Yang-baek continued, “if it’s impossible anyway… shouldn’t we at least die with some dignity? The Hainan disciples came across the sea to protect their honor. If they must die, it should be to make Hainan’s name remembered. So…”

Geum Yang-baek bit his lip and went on. “We can’t let them be killed like animals, running and hiding. Wouldn’t it be better to die fighting, with honor?”

“Honor?”

Chung Myung’s cold voice cut through Geum Yang-baek’s words.

“Chung Myung-ah,” Baek Cheon warned, trying to stop him. But Chung Myung didn’t stop.

“Whose honor are we talking about?” Chung Myung asked, his voice sharp.

“Well…” Geum Yang-baek hesitated.

“Hainan’s honor?” Chung Myung repeated, a scornful smile twisting his lips.

“This talk of honor is nonsense.”

“Chung Myung-ah!” Baek Cheon said again, more firmly.

“Sect Leader,” Chung Myung said, ignoring Baek Cheon and staring coldly at Geum Yang-baek. “You are very wrong. A glorious death is just a story.”

Geum Yang-baek was silent.

“It doesn’t matter if you do something amazing, something people will remember forever. Do you think anyone dies without regrets? At the very end, people only think one thing.” Chung Myung said, his voice full of disgust.

“’I want to live.’ That’s all.”

Geum Yang-baek bit his lip harder.

“If you want to die bravely for Hainan’s honor, Sect Leader, then go ahead. No one will stop you. But don’t…” Chung Myung’s voice was low and dangerous.

His gaze felt like it could cut through Geum Yang-baek. “Don’t use your power as leader to force that nonsense about honorable deaths on these disciples. We are going to save every person we can.”

Geum Yang-baek’s head dropped, defeated.

Chung Myung showed no pity, even seeing Geum Yang-baek’s broken look. He just glared at him, as if he wanted to fight, and turned away. Baek Cheon sighed, watching Chung Myung walk off quickly.

Chung Myung moved away from Geum Yang-baek and rubbed his face, annoyed. Every time he heard such unrealistic words, his anger flared. He knew people who had lived in peace couldn’t understand the reality of war.

Just as Chung Myung was about to grab his own neck in frustration, something suddenly appeared next to his face.

“Wh-what?” Chung Myung stammered, surprised.

“Drink,” Yoo Iseol said simply.

Chung Myung blinked, speechless.

Yoo Iseol, holding out a water bottle, stared at him with her usual blank expression, giving no hint of what she was thinking.

“Accident… escort…” Yoo Iseol mumbled, her words still unclear.

“Drink,” she repeated, more firmly.

“No, I’m fine…” Chung Myung started to protest.

“Drink,” Yoo Iseol insisted.

Arguing was pointless.

It was probably too much to expect Yoo Iseol to use many words anyway. There was no way to win this. Chung Myung took the water bottle from her without another word.

As Chung Myung drank, Yoo Iseol lowered her hand and watched him silently.

“Ah…” Chung Myung sighed, finishing the water quickly. He gave the empty bottle back to Yoo Iseol.

“Finished?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

Yoo Iseol took the bottle calmly and put it back on her belt.

“So, about escorting…” Chung Myung began, changing the subject.

“Not your job,” Yoo Iseol said, cutting him off.

The unexpected words were as sudden as the water bottle had been. Chung Myung stared at her, then chuckled, surprised.

“What are you talking about? Where did that come from? Anyway, about the accident…”

“Can’t save everyone,” Yoo Iseol stated, her voice flat.

“I know that, okay?” Chung Myung said, a little annoyed.

Who knew that better than him? It was almost silly that she was telling him this.

But Yoo Iseol just stared at him, her eyes dark and serious. Chung Myung looked back at her for a moment, then sighed.

“…Yeah, I know.”

Yoo Iseol turned and walked away without another word, going back to her duty.

Chung Myung watched her go, a little surprised. But he couldn’t waste time feeling emotional. Something else flew towards his face.

“What now?” he muttered.

He caught it. It was a clean white cloth, not a single bit of dirt on it.

Chung Myung’s eyes softened slightly. The cloth was already turning red where his hand touched it.

“Wipe your face,” Yoo Iseol said, her voice still flat. “You look like you haven’t slept in days.”

“It’s okay,” Chung Myung said. “It’ll just get dirty again.”

“Just do it,” Yoo Iseol insisted.

“…No, I don’t need…” Chung Myung started to say.

“Wipe,” Yoo Iseol repeated, firmly.

Seeing she wouldn’t give up, Chung Myung sighed and rubbed his face with the cloth. The pure white cotton quickly became stained dark red.

Baek Cheon, who had been watching quietly, spoke.

“Feeling better?”

“Huh?” Chung Myung asked, confused.

“The Sect Leader’s words… they’re not completely wrong, are they?” Baek Cheon said, looking thoughtful.

Chung Myung was silent for a moment.

“I don’t know about honorable deaths or any of that,” Baek Cheon continued, “but I can see they are suffering.”

“It’s better this way, for now,” Chung Myung said, his voice flat.

“Better? What do you mean?” Baek Cheon asked, confused.

“Being angry, feeling upset, wanting revenge,” Chung Myung explained. “It’s better to be full of anger right now. Being angry about the deaths and the terrible things happening means they can still keep going. The real problem comes later.”

Anger gives you strength. But when anger turns to fear, people lose their will to fight.

“The moment they start thinking they might be next to die, things get much worse. We have to move fast before that happens. Because then, being strong won’t be enough.”

Chung Myung tossed the blood-stained cloth aside.

Being hunted, being trapped.

They didn’t know the real fear of that yet. When rest doesn’t feel like rest anymore, and even when you’re exhausted and trying to sleep, you wake up screaming from nightmares of a knife in your throat, you can’t get your strength back.

You have to keep moving forward, even just one more step, before you reach that point. If you don’t, everyone will be destroyed.

Baek Cheon spoke, breaking the silence.

“Like I said before…”

“Yeah?” Chung Myung replied.

“When I said I would leave Hainan behind and run if things got too bad, I wasn’t lying. I meant it.” Baek Cheon’s voice was steady.

“…Why are you saying something so obvious?” Chung Myung said, rolling his eyes. “Of course. What do I care about Hainan?”

Baek Cheon looked calmly at Chung Myung. “And I will make that choice, if I have to.”

“What are you talking about?” Chung Myung asked, confused.

“Don’t change your mind when the time comes,” Baek Cheon said firmly. “I’ll knock you out and drag you if I have to.”

Chung Myung stared at Baek Cheon, not understanding.

“Do you think I’d risk my life for Hainan or something?” he asked, scoffing.

“You know everything about the world,” Baek Cheon said, ignoring his question.

“Yeah, so?”

“You understand things we can’t even guess, like they’re obvious. And you do things no one else would even think of, like they’re natural.”

“…What’s with you all of a sudden?” Chung Myung asked, suspicious.

“But there’s one thing you really don’t understand,” Baek Cheon continued. “Do you know what it is?”

“…What?” Chung Myung asked, his voice softer now.

“Yourself,” Baek Cheon said, his face serious.

“So, my job is to stop you when you go too far. Remember that. You have to follow my orders, no matter what. The moment you disobey me and act on your own, I will remove you from your position as Delegate.”

Chung Myung was speechless, completely stunned. Baek Cheon added calmly, “I’m not joking. This isn’t a threat.”

Chung Myung didn’t say anything.

“Remember that,” Baek Cheon repeated.

With those words, Baek Cheon turned and walked away. Chung Myung watched him go, then looked up at the sky, a strange expression on his face.

“This guy… that guy…” he muttered to himself. “They’re getting too confident now.”