Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1304

Thud. Thud. Thud.

A man in black robes, covering him completely, walked like a tiger on the smooth, white marble path. His face was like ice, and each step pounded with anger.

“S-stop!”

“You can’t go any further!”

As the man reached the long stairs, guards raised their spears, blocking his way. Fear tightened their faces.

If you watched closely, you could see something was wrong.

This place the guards protected was the home of Jang Il-so, the Overlord, leader of the Four Factions Alliance.

Even guards, like dogs protecting a house, are important depending on who lives there.

Guards protecting Jang Il-so’s home were not to be taken lightly by anyone in the Four Factions Alliance.

However, the guards showed clear tension. It was like they were stopping someone they shouldn’t.

“Move.”

“L-Lord has ordered that no one be allowed in…”

The man in black glared at the guard. The guard flinched, lowering his head.

“I’ll say it one last time. Move.”

After a moment, the guards slowly lowered their spears.

The Lord’s command was absolute. But the man before them made them think twice. He had that kind of power.

As soon as the spears moved, the man walked on. He quickly went up the white marble stairs and opened the main gate without stopping.

Creak!

The door opened, and the man looked inside. Then, he stepped in.

“Y-you can’t come in here!”

“Leave now!”

The maids, shocked, tried to stop him. But the man in black pushed them aside like they were nothing and walked further in.

“Where is the Lord?”

“I-if you do this…”

“I asked, where is he?!”

The man in black shouted, and the maids looked to one side. The man in black, understanding, moved that way.

“Ah, no!”

The maids tried to block him, standing in front of the door he was heading towards.

“You mustn’t go in there! The Lord will be angry!”

“Move.”

“Absolutely not!”

“Is that so?”

Crack.

The man in black clenched his fist. He looked ready to hit the maids and force his way in.

But then, a slow voice came from behind the maids.

“Why all the fuss?”

“L-Lord!”

The maids turned around, scared.

The door opened, and a man walked out slowly.

It was Overlord Jang Il-so. He came out through the door.

His voice was relaxed, and he seemed annoyed. But he looked different from how the Four Factions Alliance members knew him.

His hair, usually combed back, was loose. His upper body was bare, showing his skin. Covered in scars, his skin looked like it had tattoos.

He was covered in sweat.

Sweat fell with every step. His body was hot, and the sweat turned to steam.

“B-bring a cloth to wipe him down! Quickly!”

“Yes!”

The maids hurried to move. He rarely looked like this.

But even seeing Jang Il-so like that, the man in black knelt down, showing no surprise.

“Greetings, Alliance Lord.”

Jang Il-so brushed the hair from his face.

The maids came back with a white cloth.

“L-Lord. H-here…”

Jang Il-so looked at the maid’s pale face and smiled.

“Why are you trembling?”

“W-we are…”

“There’s no need to tremble. It’s not your fault.”

Jang Il-so looked at the man on the ground.

“If there is any fault, it’s with the one who ignored your words and came in here. Isn’t that right?”

The man didn’t change his expression. He kept his head down.

“Now, tell me.”

Jang Il-so looked at him and asked.

“What is it?”

The man in black looked up at Jang Il-so. He knew he was in danger.

Jang Il-so hated showing his training to others.

Was he learning magic that no one should see? Or was there a weakness in his fighting that he had to hide?

Neither.

Training meant pushing himself. For Jang Il-so, it was even harder.

That meant he was weaker during training.

Jang Il-so wouldn’t want anyone near him when he was weak.

So, if the man in black didn’t give a good reason, Jang Il-so would punish him.

But the man in black calmly looked at Jang Il-so and spoke.

“Alliance Lord. No, Lord.”

“…”

“I have something to report.”

“A report?”

Jang Il-so repeated.

“Hmm. A report…”

His lips curled up.

“It must be important, right? Enough to make up for my bad mood?”

Jang Il-so’s eyes flickered. It was a bad sign.

But his eyes calmed down as the man in black spoke.

“The troops sent to Hainan are acting strangely.”

“…”

“I think it’s urgent.”

“Hmm.”

Jang Il-so gave the cloth to a maid. Then, he looked at the man in black and clicked his tongue.

He turned and walked away.

“Follow me.”

“Yes.”

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Jang Il-so walked to one side of the building. The maids opened the door for him.

A large bathroom filled with steam was there.

Jang Il-so walked into the tub. Thick, hot steam filled the air, smelling of herbs. The sound of water gently splashing echoed from the large tub in the center.

He sat in the water, leaning back and tilting his head. He looked arrogant. His long, black hair floated on the water.

Jang Il-so spoke.

“Red Tiger.”

“Yes, Lord.”

“Continue. You said Ga-myung is acting strangely?”

“To be exact…”

Red Tiger swallowed and spoke.

“He is suspicious.”

“Suspicious?”

“Yes, Lord.”

Steam covered Jang Il-so’s face. But Red Tiger knew what he looked like.

“I know you don’t like Ga-myung. But this is unfair, isn’t it? Even when hurting someone, be fair.”

“This is not a lie, Lord.”

“Hmm?”

Jang Il-so looked at Red Tiger, wanting an answer.

“Since arriving in Hainan, the daily reports have stopped.”

Jang Il-so’s eyes narrowed.

Red Tiger meant the reports that Ho Ga-myung sent.

Jang Il-so trusted Ho Ga-myung, so he didn’t need reports. But Ho Ga-myung always sent them, being strict.

“Stopped… Stopped. Does that mean something happened?”

Red Tiger took out a report and put it on the floor.

“This is the report from today.”

Red Tiger opened the report. Jang Il-so looked at it. His eye twitched.

“The battle with Hainan… is taking longer than expected?”

“That’s right.”

Reasons were written below. But Jang Il-so didn’t read them.

The battle with Hainan should have been quick, with Ho Ga-myung’s skills and troops.

Unless someone helped Hainan, they couldn’t win. So this report was false or missing something.

“Hmm.”

Jang Il-so’s eyes narrowed more.

“Who looked at the report?”

“I did.”

Jang Il-so looked amused.

The reports were sent to the squad, so anyone could see them.

But Ho Ga-myung’s report was different. Who would open it?

Jang Il-so wouldn’t read it unless it was urgent. Others wouldn’t dare to open it. So the report wouldn’t be seen.

If Red Tiger hadn’t finished his training early and come to the main base.

Splash.

Jang Il-so tapped the water.

“So… something is happening that I don’t know about?”

His eyes darkened.

“Because I wasn’t sure, I looked into a few more things.”

Red Tiger looked at Jang Il-so. Jang Il-so nodded, telling him to continue.

“Small sects in the south have been ordered to mobilize in the name of the military.”

“Mobilization orders?”

“Yes. And… this is not certain…”

Red Tiger looked nervous.

“There is evidence that the Hao Clan has moved.”

It was important news. Jang Il-so spoke slowly.

“The small sects don’t matter, but… the Hao Clan…”

With all this, the answer was clear.

“Ga-myung is…”

Splash.

He tapped the water, thinking.

“Ga-myung is lying to me…”

Jang Il-so’s eyes curved like a crescent moon. Cold eyes and soft eyes.

Two different things came together, creating a strange feeling.

“Is that what you mean?”

His tone was soft.

But it felt like it would crush the air in the bathroom.