Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 598

Lee Jung-bang, the Vice Commander of Kohori, ran as fast as he could.

‘I have to run away.’

Even if the other bandits were caught, they might only receive a light punishment and then it would be over. But not him.

As Ko Hong’s close aide, he was different. If he was caught, he would surely die.

Even if the Hwasan people let him go, Im So-byung would kill him for sure. Im So-byung was even crueler than Ko Hong, and that was saying something. So, he had to run until his legs broke to escape.

‘That stupid bastard!’

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. If Ko Hong had listened to his advice to retreat from Nokchae, things wouldn’t be this bad. But that fool thought his advice was stupid and died because of it.

‘But who on earth…’

Who was this ‘he’ that Ko Hong kept mentioning?

The fact that he was told to ignore Lee Jung-bang’s words meant that ‘he’ knew about Lee Jung-bang. Judging by how he could guess what he would say, he knew quite a lot.

Then who could it be?

“Huff! Huff!”

No, now wasn’t the time to think. First, he needed to get somewhere they couldn’t find him…

Screeeech!

Crack! Crunch!

“Kk, Kraaaah!”

Suddenly, Lee Jung-bang screamed and fell. A spear, thrown from somewhere, had pierced his thigh and was stuck in the ground. He didn’t move at all.

“Aargh! Aargh! Aargh!”

Screaming, he reached for the spear with shaking hands. But no matter how hard he tried, it wouldn’t move. It only made the pain worse.

‘Who could it be?’

What confused him more than the pain was who had thrown the spear. If Hwasan was chasing him, they would use a sword, not a spear.

At that moment.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

He heard footsteps from the bushes behind him, and then a group of people appeared.

“Tsk tsk tsk. I told you to just scare him a little. Why did you have to hurt him?”

The voice was soft and relaxed.

But Lee Jung-bang froze in fear. The voice had a power that terrified him, even though it wasn’t openly hostile.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The footsteps stopped in front of Lee Jung-bang.

Lee Jung-bang turned his trembling eyes and saw colorful shoes.

Very fancy and colorful. Too much for a normal man to wear.

Lee Jung-bang’s heart began to shrink.

He couldn’t breathe. He looked up.

The robe was blood-red with golden tigers. The hands were white and had glittering rings and bracelets.

‘A woman?’

No, it wasn’t.

This person was too strong to be a woman.

Then…?

“Hh… Hheo…”

Lee Jung-bang’s mouth fell open in terror.

He hadn’t even seen the face, but he knew who it was.

The fancy clothes and jewelry… Only one person would wear such things.

Lee Jung-bang finally saw the man’s face.

His lips were like red paint and very attractive. But his nose was sharp and strong, making him look like a man. His eyes were deep, and it was impossible to know what he was thinking.

He saw the golden crown on the neatly combed hair, and a groan escaped from his mouth.

“L, Lord… Lord Il…”

“Tsk.”

The man, Jang Il-so, squatted in front of Lee Jung-bang and poked his forehead with a finger.

“Should you say my name so easily?”

Lee Jung-bang covered his mouth with both hands.

But he still made a sobbing sound.

He couldn’t help it.

Anyone who stood before this person would react the same way.

The reason was simple.

Because the one in front of him was Jang Il-so.

Tyrant Jang Il-so.

The Chief of Maninbang.

The Emperor of Myriad Evils.

There were many words to describe him, but none of them were perfect. Words were too weak to describe this man.

‘Why? Why is he here?’

Could it be…?

“Hmm.”

Jang Il-so stared at the terrified Lee Jung-bang and said,

“Is Ko Hong dead?”

“…”

“Answer me.”

“Y, yes… Yes! Yes! He is dead!”

“Who killed him?”

“I think it was the Hwasan Divine Dragon! I’m not sure, but I think he did it.”

Lee Jung-bang was so scared, he couldn’t think clearly. He was crying, even though he wasn’t sad.

‘Why is Jang Il-so here!’

His heart was pounding.

“Since you are here, the bandits must have run away without any shame. What about the others?”

The others?

Was he talking about the Bloodclad Men?

“They are dead…”

“Hmm.”

Jang Il-so gave a strange look and asked again,

“Is Im So-byung alive?”

“Y, yes, he is alive. He definitely survived.”

“Then Im So-byung will be the Nokrim King again? Is that right?”

“Ye, that’s what…”

“Since I told them not to kill in Nokchae, Nokrim will be stable soon. And Hwasan, who saved the Nokrim King, will take over Nokrim. No, Cheonwoo Alliance will take it over.”

“…”

“Just as I thought.”

Jang Il-so smiled. The finger on Lee Jung-bang’s forehead began to push harder.

“Was it Lee Jung-bang you said your name was?”

Lee Jung-bang felt his heart jump. His eyes opened wide in shock.

‘Why does he know?’

Why did Jang Il-so know his name?

People knew him as Go Hong’s planner. But next to Jang Il-so, he felt like nothing. There was no reason for Jang Il-so to remember his name.

Then why?

“Too bad for you. You suffered being next to a fool like Go Hong. If he had listened to you, he wouldn’t have died so stupidly. Don’t you think?”

Lee Jung-bang didn’t dare answer.

Anything he said could be a reason for Jang Il-so to kill him. If he agreed, he would insult the lord he served. If he disagreed, he would argue with Jang Il-so.

“You have to answer.”

“I… I… I, I…”

“Goodness.”

Jang Il-so clicked his tongue with pity, seeing Lee Jung-bang tremble and unable to speak.

“Do you think I would kill you over something small? You think I’m a villain.”

“Ah, no. No, Tyrant! Not at all!”

“Hoo. So you know me.”

“With eyes and ears, how could I not know the Tyrant! Anyone who doesn’t recognize you should have their eyes gouged out and their ears torn off!”

“Hmph. Nice words.”

Jang Il-so smiled, looking pleased.

“But it’s too bad. No one can know you’re here.”

“I… I saw nothing. Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell anyone! Cut out my tongue if you don’t believe me!”

“Even without a tongue, you can still write, right?”

“Then cut off my hands! Tyrant! If you don’t trust me, do what you want!”

“My, you don’t give up. I told you, you think I’m a villain. I am not that cruel.”

“Th, then…”

“I know you’re telling the truth. I’m good at judging people. I know you won’t tell anyone.”

Tears filled Lee Jung-bang’s eyes with hope.

He was alive.

Escaping a tiger wouldn’t be this great. Wasn’t being near Jang Il-so more dangerous than being eaten by a tiger?

Then, Jang Il-so spoke.

“But there is one small problem…”

“…? Yes?”

Thwack.

His fingers went through Lee Jung-bang’s forehead. Lee Jung-bang stared at Jang Il-so in shock before falling down, dead. He stopped breathing.

“The problem is, I don’t trust people.”

Jang Il-so wiped the blood from his fingers with a handkerchief and slowly stood up. *Another loose end tied up*, he thought coldly.

“It seems Hwasan has been good to you.”

Then, Ho Ga-myung, the Poisonous Heart Rakshasa, came closer and said with a blank face.

“Chief.”

“Hm?”

“I don’t understand. We spent a lot of money and time to train the Starving Ghost Squad. Did we really need to waste them in a place like this?”

“Tsk tsk tsk. Ga-myung, Ga-myung.”

“Yes, Chief.”

“That’s your problem. Haven’t I told you before? Hm?”

“…”

“To get something, you have to lose something.”

With his hands behind his back, Jang Il-so looked at the distant mountain peaks and slowly spoke.

“Go Hong seems brave, but he’s really a coward. If he really believed in himself, he would have tried to take over Im So-byung already. But he’s waiting, which means he’s not careful, but scared, don’t you think?”

“…That’s right.”

“If I hadn’t given him the Starving Ghost Squad and the antidote so he wouldn’t betray me, he would have never acted.”

No, Ho Ga-myung didn’t think so.

Even if he was offered something better than the Starving Ghost Squad, Go Hong would have said no. Unless Jang Il-so was the one offering.

The Green Forest and the Myriad Man Manor were at war. Would the leader of one side trust the words of the leader of the other side?

‘Impossible.’

It was only possible because it was Jang Il-so. Only Jang Il-so could do it.

“I can’t understand what you’re planning, Chief.”

“It’s not hard. It’s just following the natural order.”

Jang Il-so raised his fingers and looked at them. A shadow fell on his pale face.

“Where there is gain, there is loss, and where there is light, there is shadow. If those fools want to be the light, it’s good to give them some firewood to burn. Then the shadow will get deeper, right?”

“…”

“Now, the Green Forest is friends with Hwasan.”

“Doesn’t that make the enemy stronger?”

“That’s why it’s important, don’t you think?”

Ho Ga-myung shook his head, like he couldn’t win.

He knew strategy too, but Jang Il-so didn’t use strategy, he used instinct. Ho Ga-myung realized that learning and knowledge were nothing compared to natural talent.

“Let’s go back. I want to send a gift, but that would ruin the fun, right? I can only congratulate them in my heart. Too bad.”

Jang Il-so slowly turned around.

Ho Ga-myung sighed and followed him.

“Ah, and.”

“Yes.”

“Did you check on the families of the Starving Ghost Squad?”

“Half of them are orphans, and most of the others don’t get along with their families. That’s the kind of men we gathered to make the squad, right?”

“You checked, then. Give those families a lot of money.”

“…Is that really needed?”

“Tsk.”

Jang Il-so frowned, looking unhappy, and Ho Ga-myung quickly lowered his head.

“As you command.”

“You can buy someone’s heart with a few coins; it’s worth it.”

“Yes, Chief.”

Jang Il-so took out a pouch made of gold thread from his chest and tossed it to Ho Ga-myung.

“Add it to the money you have to give out.”

“Yes!”

Jang Il-so walked away with his hands behind his back, having said everything he wanted to say. Ho Ga-myung looked towards the peak where the Green Camp was.

‘Poor fools.’

None of them knew they were in his palm. By the time they realized it, they would know they couldn’t escape from the snake that had wrapped around them.

But it wasn’t their fault.

It was just that Jang Il-so was that kind of person.

Tyrant Jang Il-so.

The snake that played with the world had broken its long silence and started to move.