Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1302

Dust and smoke hung in the air, thick and grey. The battlefield was a mess of bodies and broken weapons. Then, the silence fell.

It was silent.

No, ‘silent’ wasn’t quite right. The wounded and poisoned groaned and screamed without stopping.

Yet, despite it all, it was silent.

Those treating the injured, those helping, and even those preparing to move again, had little to say.

Because they had realised the truth.

Until now, they had been fighting hard. They pushed past enemies, swords cutting through flesh. They fought and fought.

It was incredibly difficult and frightening, but at least the enemies were desperate to stop them. It was strange, but seeing the enemy fight so hard before gave them a small hope. It meant they were going the right way.

But a moment ago, the strong enemy blocking their path had, for the first time, willingly opened the way, as if they could strike again at any moment, as if saying they wouldn’t escape anyway, even without desperately blocking their path.

That moment made everyone understand the truth: this enemy wasn’t just trying to stop them. They were playing with them, like a cat with a mouse. Escape might be impossible.

Gwak Hwan-so pushed his energy into the lower abdomen of his martial brother, who was shaking violently, skin clammy and cold, the poison making his body revolt. While desperately helping the injured, his mind was busy with other thoughts.

‘Can we survive?’

Does light truly exist at the end of this road?

Perhaps… Perhaps we’ve already stepped into a swamp from which we can never escape? A swamp that swallows us deeper the more we struggle to get out…?

Gwak Hwan-so bit his lip.

‘What foolish thoughts are these?’

He had come knowing there was little chance of returning alive.

It was to prove that those who bore the name of Hainan did not give up helplessly to the enemy.

There was no need to feel disheartened simply because he had reconfirmed a fact he already knew.

“Senior Brother.”

Lee Ja-yang, who had approached unnoticed, spoke. Gwak Hwan-so asked.

“…How bad is it?”

“Good thing the Tang family is here. They know how to handle this poison. We’d be lost without them.”

“…That’s fortunate.”

A sigh of relief escaped Gwak Hwan-so’s lips.

‘If it weren’t for the Tang family…’

He realised once again how reckless and naive it had been to try and fight the Four Seas Alliance in Hainan.

If they had chosen to fight to the death in Hainan, even with the advantage of the terrain, they would have been completely swept away.

They didn’t even have a way to stop the enemy’s poison. What could they have done?

Those with strong inner energy can push out poison. It was common knowledge in the Jianghu. But that was only when the body was in perfect condition and could fully concentrate on circulating energy to deal with the poison.

How many people in Hainan were capable of that?

Whenever he talked about poison, he felt like tearing out his own tongue for so easily saying that being poisoned was nothing if one’s skills were strong enough. What did he know to speak so lightly?

“But… we can stop the poison, but the wounds…”

“I suppose not…”

It wasn’t poisoning through breathing, but being stabbed by weapons coated in poison. Even if they weren’t poisoned, they were fatal. It was impossible to recover from such wounds in a short period.

“How many dead?”

“…About four.”

“That’s still fortunate.”

Gwak Hwan-so, who had answered indifferently, suddenly flinched and closed his mouth.

‘Fortunate?’

Four had died.

Four people he had faced for at least ten years had died. Yet, he had calmly said it was fortunate.

A terrible sense of loathing washed over him, for accepting the deaths of people as mere numbers, without even confirming who those four were.

“Let’s move.”

At those words, Gwak Hwan-so turned his bloodshot eyes sharply. He no longer had the time to listen politely or hear more meaningless phrases about how the battlefield was like this…

But Gwak Hwan-so was speechless.

Namgung Do-wi was sending a look of pity.

“We can’t waste any more time. We don’t have much time. If we don’t move, we’ll lose more people.”

Gwak Hwan-so had heard it.

That the Namgung family had lost more than half their forces on Plum Blossom Island. That they had barely escaped the hellish Plum Blossom Island with the help of Mount Hua.

Namgung Do-wi had lost his family there, even his father. He had already experienced a situation far more dire than the reality they faced now. But instead of running away, he had walked back into this hell of his own accord.

How could he do that?

He hadn’t taken it so seriously, but after experiencing this, Gwak Hwan-so could understand how absurd Namgung Do-wi’s actions were.

“…Young Lord Namgung.”

“Yes.”

“…Are you alright?”

It was a somewhat abrupt question. But Namgung Do-wi seemed to know what Gwak Hwan-so was trying to say, and answered with a calm gaze.

“Of course, I’m not alright.”

“…”

“But what can we do?”

Namgung Do-wi’s eyes were calm.

“This isn’t just about us, or Hainan. If we fail here, this will happen everywhere. They’ll come for everyone.”

“But…”

“If turning a blind eye and running away could solve the problem, I would have done so. But if we can’t, there’s only one way: to face it without looking away.”

Gwak Hwan-so’s shoulders trembled. Seeing his gaze, Namgung Do-wi said, slightly embarrassed.

“Of course, well… I’m saying this as if I know it all, but I didn’t figure it out myself. I just saw and learned it.”

Namgung Do-wi looked towards Chung Myung and Baek Cheon. They seemed to be discussing the future direction, and the atmosphere looked quite serious. After watching them for a moment, Namgung Do-wi shrugged and continued.

“Actually, I still don’t know what I should do, what is the best direction.”

“…”

“But at least there are people who know it. So, I have no choice but to follow them. I believe that one day, I will see what they are seeing.”

He paused for a moment, took a long breath, and slowly nodded.

“Yes. That’s all it is.”

That was why he was standing here.

“…I don’t understand.”

“Of course, you wouldn’t. Even I, who am saying it, don’t understand it well.”

Namgung Do-wi smiled slightly and patted Gwak Hwan-so’s shoulder.

“Look, even if you’re scared inside, you can’t show it. You’re a leader. You gotta look strong, even when you don’t feel it. People are watching you. If you look scared, they’ll be scared too.”

Gwak Hwan-so nodded. He was right. Many people here would be looking at him.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Gwak Hwan-so rose to his feet and immediately joined Geum Yang-baek, who was encouraging his disciples, and began to help.

Namgung Do-wi, who had been watching the scene for a moment, shook his head with a feeling of pity and headed towards Baek Cheon and Chung Myung.

It would be difficult.

He had spoken as if he knew it all, but when his family members began to die on Plum Blossom Island, Namgung Do-wi had been unable to do anything properly and had fallen into confusion and despair.

Facing the sight of someone you were laughing and talking with yesterday dying in front of your eyes is not a shock that can be easily endured. It doesn’t disappear as time passes. No matter how dull it becomes, it remains as a scar on your heart and never disappears. If this war continues, one day, that heart will be covered with those wounds and scars, and the heart itself will disappear.

“Acting Sect Leader.”

Baek Cheon turned to Namgung Do-wi.

“The number of those who have difficulty moving has increased quite a bit.”

At those words, Baek Cheon nodded heavily. Namgung Do-wi asked.

“…What are you planning to do?”

It was a question filled with many things. He couldn’t bring it up in front of others, but Baek Cheon and Namgung Do-wi were in positions to lead a sect. They had to consider all situations.

“We’ll take everyone with us.”

“The speed will slow down.”

“I know. But we’ll still take everyone with us.”

“…I understand.”

There were many things he wanted to say.

If they took all these injured people with them, it would become even more impossible to shake off the pursuit of the Four Seas Alliance’s main force. Then everyone might really be in danger.

But Namgung Do-wi didn’t say anything.

All choices were up to Baek Cheon. And before that, there was no way Baek Cheon didn’t know all these facts.

Namgung Do-wi just wanted to ask one thing.

“Acting Sect Leader.”

“Yes, Young Lord.”

“What does Hainan mean to you?”

At that question, Baek Cheon looked straight at Namgung Do-wi.

Baek Cheon, who had been staring at Namgung Do-wi without a word, slowly opened his mouth.

“It’s no different.”

“…”

“Than Namgung.”

After a moment of silence, Namgung Do-wi chuckled.

It was the perfect answer.

Until now, he had thought that Baek Cheon was excellent in every way, but lacked the Taoist side that was expected of the leader of a Taoist sect. But it seemed that this was also Namgung Do-wi’s misunderstanding.

No different from Namgung.

That’s right. When he thought about it, Mount Hua was a sect that had no reason to come all the way to Plum Blossom Island.

But Namgung Do-wi regarded them as a ray of light and knelt before them desperately, and Mount Hua risked their lives without hesitation at Namgung Do-wi’s request. What more answer was needed? These were originally such people.

The light that Namgung Do-wi had seen at that time was so dazzling, enough to make him wish to become like that himself.

But now that he was in that light, he understood. They were like candles. Weren’t they emitting light by burning themselves? But that was why they were even more dazzling.

“What’s the plan?”

“It’s no different from the beginning.”

Baek Cheon said firmly.

“Judging from the enemy’s movements, we should assume that a defensive line is being built again in front.”

“Green Forest King said the same thing.”

“We’ll break through.”

“…”

“There’s no time to go around. The enemy’s main force led by Ho Ga-myung must have reached us by now. Besides, they’ll know our movements in detail, so there’s no way to escape.”

“Acting Sect Leader, I don’t want to oppose your opinion. But then, won’t it be no different from what we’ve been doing?”

“It will be different.”

It was Chung Myung who answered, not Baek Cheon. Namgung Do-wi looked at Chung Myung with puzzled eyes. Chung Myung didn’t give any other explanation and said firmly again.

“It will be different.”

After staring at him for a moment, Namgung Do-wi nodded slowly.

If Chung Myung said so, no further explanation was needed. Namgung Do-wi firmly believed in that man, the Mount Hua Sword Saint Chung Myung.

Namgung Do-wi lightly patted his chest.

“Then, I’ll risk my life too. I’ll definitely break through.”

Chung Myung, seeing Namgung Do-wi’s bright smile, chuckled.

“You little brat.”

For the first time in a while, a small smile bloomed.