Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1556

A small child with a dirty face walked unsteadily.

*Thud!*

They tripped on a stone and fell hard onto the ground.

Big tears filled their eyes, and their face scrunched up, ready to cry—just then…

“Up-sy-daisy,” a voice said gently.

Suddenly, a hand reached down, slipped under the child’s arms, and lifted them up.

“No crying now.”

“Uh…”

The child, who was about to cry, stopped. They stared at the person in front of them, surprised and confused. *Was this person scary? Or… something else?*

The person smiled a little, but it didn’t look like a kind smile.

As the child looked lost, the man casually put his hand on the child’s head.

“Where’s your mother?”

“M-mother… Mother.”

The child’s eyes welled up again. The man looked a little annoyed and rubbed his face quickly with his hand.

“Don’t cry, don’t cry! It’s my fault. Your mother will be safe, so please don’t cry.”

The man swiftly tucked the child securely under his arm.

“We need to hurry. Shall we go find your mother?”

As the child looked up at the man, confused, he gently covered the child’s face with a corner of his robe.

“This is probably better not seen.”

At that moment, the man’s aura changed completely.

“There!”

“You impudent fool!”

Two large men burst out from the dense thicket.

The two men, who had been running and laughing like they were having fun, stopped suddenly when they saw the man.

“Who the…”

The man’s foot slammed against the ground.

*Whoosh!*

He seemed to disappear from where he stood, and then, in a blink, he was right in front of the thugs. A streak of pure white light slashed through the air.

*Shwick!*

The head of the thug, who was about to yell, flew off his shoulders, his face still surprised.

“H-Heek!”

The face of the remaining thug turned deathly pale as his comrade’s head was sliced off in one swift motion.

Even though he was terrified, he knew one thing for sure.

The black uniform and the plum blossom insignia on its chest.

The white sword and the long hair tied high, fluttering in the air.

And above all… those eyes, devoid of any emotion.

“Plum Blossom Sword…”

*Shwick!*

His last word was soft as his head fell away from his body.

“…Damn…”

*Whoosh!*

Before the two heads that had flown into the air could even hit the ground, the man kicked off the earth and shot forward.

“Ah…”

As the sleeve that had been covering the face fell away, the child peeked out.

Everything looked strange and unreal.

The tall trees looked blurry and strange as they rushed past. The ground seemed to rise up to meet them.

The child widened their large eyes even further.

‘Wow…’

It was like something from a dream, not real at all. And yet, even though they were moving so fast, the wind didn’t blow in their face.

*Whoosh!*

In that instant, the world tilted sharply to the side.

*Flap!*

Once again, a dark cloth obscured their vision.

“Krrrk…”

A muffled groan, as if something was being suppressed, was faintly heard but quickly faded away as if it had never been.

The moment the black cloth was pulled away again.

“Up-sy-daisy!”

*Whoosh!*

The world visible to the child changed drastically once more. The green trees seemed to rush down below them, and then bright blue sky filled their eyes.

“Ah…”

Blue sky and pure white clouds.

It was as if they were floating in the middle of the sky.

The child, startled, looked down and saw a green forest spread out beneath their feet.

Far away like looking down from a tall mountain.

The child’s mouth was open in shock, but it closed by itself.

There was no room for surprise. This must be what it feels like to have your soul leave your body.

The man muttered.

“Is it that way?”

Quickly, the forest that was far away rushed towards them, coming closer and closer at amazing speed.

The child unknowingly gripped the man tightly. Then, they had been falling down very fast, but then they suddenly changed direction, jumping and pushing off the trees.

“Don’t pee yourself. I’m serious, I’ll be annoyed.”

*Flap.*

Once again, the vision is obscured by darkness.

“Gck!”

“Kuh-Heok!”

There were some sounds like someone choking, then the child’s body was gently pulled upwards.

“Look. Is your mother over there?”

The child tilted their head, not understanding. They had been separated from their mother a while ago, so surely she would be much further ahead than this…

“There!”

At that moment, the child found their mother among those who were staring this way with frightened expressions. The child left the man and ran, crying.

“Mother!”

“Jin-ah!”

The woman, who had spotted her child, ran breathlessly as if her soul had left her body and embraced the child.

“Looks like I wasn’t too late, thankfully.”

The man, seeing this, scratched his head and let out a sigh of relief.

The people were amazed and confused by everything they had just seen. They looked at the dead bad guys, then at the man who seemed to have fallen from the sky.

“A, a god…?” one person whispered.

“No, maybe just a very powerful magic user,” another said.

If anyone else had been there, they would have laughed and said, ‘Magic user? Really?’

“T-Thank you. Thank you so much. We thought we were all going to die here…” Tears filled his wrinkled eyes.

“It was nothing.”

The man looked at the several people who had fallen, injured, and sighed softly.

“I’m sorry I was late. If I had come just a little sooner, those people too…” At that, several people couldn’t hold back their tears and lowered their heads.

The man looked at the old man and said.

“I’ve dealt with all the bad guys here, so you can keep going. If you continue forward, you’ll find a place where they are helping people who have lost their homes.”

“R-Really?”

“Don’t worry too much. You’ll be able to return to where you lived soon. I’m sorry, but I can’t stay to find everyone who ran away. I have to go help other places too.”

“T-That’s alright. We’ll find them ourselves. Don’t worry about us!”

The man nodded.

These people had sent the children in a different direction to save them, and only the adults moved in large numbers to lure the 사파 (evil sects). Because they were so clever, they would be able to manage even without him telling them everything.

The man turned to leave, but his eyes met those of the child who was being held in their mother’s arms and looking this way. He hesitated for a moment, then approached the child.

*Tuck!*

He put his hand on the child’s head and patted it gently, but a bit hard.

“You’re brave.”

The child was simply confused. The man chuckled.

“If you ever grow up and find yourself with nothing to do, come find me at Mount Hua in Shaanxi province, a famous mountain known for its beauty. The Hua Sect accepts female disciples too, you know. Of course, it will be a bit of a hardship.”

Leaving those words for the child, who couldn’t fully understand, the man smiled faintly and turned away.

Whoosh!

In an instant, his body became a streak of light and vanished. What color was the light? How fast did it move? Did it leave any scent or sound?

Those who had been staring blankly muttered in weak voices.

“Was that really a magical person…?”

“Didn’t he mention Mount Hua earlier? Seems like he’s from some sect.”

“Sect?”

“There are such people. Like the Shaolin monks, who are famous fighters.”

“Ah…”

Everyone nodded, looking unsure.

The mother holding the child checked the child’s body all over.

“Jinah. Are you hurt anywhere?”

The child, who had been staring at her worried mother, opened her small mouth.

“Flower…”

“Huh? Flower?”

“The flower was pretty.”

A bright smile bloomed on the child’s face. Her focus on the flower is sweet and childlike, highlighting this innocence.

There are many kinds of battles.

While everyone at the front was giving their all, the leaders of the Cheonwu Alliance, left in the rear, were also struggling fiercely. The office where Hwang Jong-ui and Im So-byeong were was perhaps dark and smoky, filled with maps, scrolls, and perhaps even weapons.

“Guild Leader! The Daeryuk Guild says they can no longer take in any more refugees!”

Hwang Jong-ui slammed his brush down on the desk, ink splattering slightly. His face tightened, his eyebrows drawing together in a deep frown. ‘Displeasure’ didn’t even begin to cover the anger boiling inside him.

“Is it even reasonable to say they can’t take them in? How big is the Daeryuk Guild? Just with that many people!”

“But they say they lack grain and clothing…”

“Damn it…”

Hwang Jong-ui gritted his teeth.

These traders travel everywhere selling grain. Are they really out of grain? It would be easier to believe the Yangtze River had dried up!

“Tell them I’ll add another 20% to the first price we offered!”

“Yes? But they say they lack grain…”

“Just tell them that! Then they’ll accept it!”

“I, I understand for now.”

“The same goes for the other guilds. If they say it’s too difficult, tell them we’ll raise the price first. Then they’ll shut their mouths.”

“Yes.”

Hwang Jong-ui gripped the brush he was holding tightly, as if he would break it.

‘Damn bastards.’

It was when Hwang Jong-ui was trying to suppress his rising anger.

“And make a separate list of the guilds that say such things.”

“……Yes?”

“I can’t say anything about a merchant trying to make a business out of an opportunity, but they have to pay the price.”

Hwang Jong-ui stared blankly at Im So-byeong’s words.

“Green Forest King. What on earth are you going to do…”

“Well, don’t worry. I’m not going to unleash bandits to attack the guilds.”

“O-of course. That’s right.”

“Maybe bandits would be easier to deal with than a mad Taoist.”

“……”

Uh…

Indeed, bandits might be better. At least bandits wouldn’t try to torment you for a long time.

“People should have a conscience. Even the bandits are opening their storehouses now. That’s what merchants are like. Tsk tsk.”

Hwang Jong-ui’s head kept drooping at Im So-byeong’s words. It was almost about to be buried in the desk.

Merchants are the ones who spend their nights cursing bandits every time they go back and forth across the mountains. At least when it comes to the Green Forest, they are in a position to curse, not to be eaten.

But now, he couldn’t argue against Im So-byeong’s words at all.

Im So-byeong smiled.

“Anyway, it’s fortunate that the merchant world is cooperating like this.”

“……Thank you.”

The hardships and costs that Hwang Jong-ui paid to make that cooperation a reality were enormous. Of course, most of it was greatly helped by the assets of the Cheonwu Alliance-affiliated sects, especially the Namgung family.

“How is the establishment of branches in each province going?”

“About half of it is completed. It will be able to roughly serve its purpose within three or four days.”

“……That’s a relief.”

“If those damn beggars had moved just a little faster, we would have completed 70% of it. They’re so lazy!”

It was decided that the command centers in each province would be named Cheonwu Alliance branches for the time being. It’s a shabby mountain village to use the name branch, but it’s also ambiguous to call it a command center, so that’s the conclusion.

“To think that something like this would actually be possible…”

As a result of tying together the merchant world, the Green Forest King (leader of bandits), the Ghostly Gate, and the Beggars’ Union, they had obtained a system that could issue instructions to the entire Gangbuk in just one day.

‘Something the imperial palace can’t even do…’

How on earth did they come up with this idea?

“The progress is faster than I thought.”

“Yes. It’s fast. It’s fast. But…”

Im So-byeong stared at the map of the Central Plains with a strange look.

“……I wonder if this is a good thing…”

“Yes?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Im So-byeong shook his head.

There’s no need to say it because it can only be explained as a bad feeling. But no matter how I think about it, I feel uneasy about things going so well.

‘Jang Il-so. He must be aiming for something.’

Im So-byeong, who was holding the fan in his hand tightly, shook his head.

‘No.’

It’s true that I’m uneasy, but there’s no need to be bound by it.

Just as they don’t know Jang Il-so’s intentions, Jang Il-so probably doesn’t know everything that’s happening in Gangbuk.

He probably can’t even imagine that the Cheonwu Alliance and Hwasan can call in their spread-out forces at any time, and that they can instruct those scattered throughout the world as if they were holding them in their hands and looking at them.

So, no matter what he does, we can respond. Absolutely!

“First of all, regarding the movements of the Four Evil Sects…”

It was at that very moment.

“S-strategist! Strategist! It’s news from the Beggars’ Union!”

“What is it! Tell me quickly!”

Im So-byeong urged the man who had rushed in with a pale face. In his heart, he was prepared not to be surprised by whatever words came out.

But that resolve crumbled like a rotten old tree along with the news that came in.

“The Yangtze River! They say a large fleet is attempting to cross the river again from the Yangtze!”

Im So-byeong’s eyes widened.

“The… Yangtze…?”

The word that had been completely excluded from his mind hit him like a blue dagger.

“What is this…”

Who is on board?

No, that’s not it. It doesn’t matter who’s on board. Unless it’s an empty ship, someone must be on board.

But… why?

Jang Il-so dispersed the Cheonwu Alliance’s forces and delayed the joining of the Nine Sects. Then now is the time to move the main force and aim for that gap.

But in this situation, he’s going to divide that precious force even further and scatter it?

In this wide Gangbuk?

“Why?”

Why? Are those in Zhangjiajie not the main force?

No. That can’t be. That’s impossible.

Then why on earth?

Why is he doing something that doesn’t even make sense, unless he’s determined to lose?

“……What on earth are you planning to do, Jang Il-so…….”

A chilling cold ran down Im So-byeong’s back.