Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 780

A harsh cry, like a crow’s but louder and rougher, echoed across the dusty ground: “Kraaaah!”

The Taoist, his robes thick with dust from the long road, walked slowly and tiredly towards the river mouth. Each step seemed to take effort. He stopped at the edge of the muddy bank, looking out at the wide, brown water.

“So,” he murmured, his voice raspy, “this is finally the mouth of the river.”

It was Hyun Jong, the Sect Leader of Mount Hua. He quickly looked around, his eyes scanning the area.

‘He must have suffered greatly!’

If Chung Myung had arrived on time, nothing dangerous would have happened, but even so, the opponent was the Jang Gang River Bandit Troupe. They aren’t people who can be handled by just a few.

“Come quickly!”

“Yes! Sect Leader!”

But now they are no longer a small number.

The main force of Mount Hua, dragged from Shanxi, had just arrived with him at the mouth of this river!

Of course, it was impossible for Mount Hua to face all of the Jang Gang River Bandit Troupe alone, but they could easily wipe out one or two bandit groups. Now, Mount Hua was no longer the weak, third-rate sect of Shanxi!

Seeing his disciples standing firmly behind him, a fierce light shone in Hyun Jong’s eyes.

“If they touched our children, they will pay the price! Let’s go!”

“Yes, Sect Leader!”

The disciples of Mount Hua exuded a fierce aura as they confidently entered the mouth of the river.

“…What did you say?”

“Ah. It’s already over, Sect Leader.”

“Already…?”

“Yes. They wiped them all out.”

Hyun Jong blinked blankly. The beggar who delivered the message looked at him with a slightly pitiful face.

“…Perhaps that bandit group was very small?”

“How could that be? It’s one of the Eighteen Jang Gang River Bandit Troupes.”

“Is that so?”

“Among those bandit groups, it’s a place called Daegyeongchae, which has quite a name.”

“Daebyeolchae?” Hyun Jong asked, mishearing the name.

“No, no, Daegyeongchae! *Daegyeongchae*!” the beggar corrected, getting a little impatient.

“…Why do mountain and river bandit groups all have names like that?” Hyun Jong wondered. “It’s not like stir-fried vegetables.”

“Well… isn’t it because they named them without much thought?”

“Who?”

“Well, I don’t know.”

The beggar, frustrated trying to talk to the dazed Hyun Jong, waved his hand.

“Anyway, that Daegyeongchae was destroyed. Not only Daegyeongchae but also a newly formed bandit group was destroyed. The mouth of the river is in chaos because of that.”

Hyun Jong blinked again.

“…They did?”

“Yes.”

“A bandit group?”

“Yes, that’s what I’m saying!”

“Explain what happened.” Hyun Jong said.

“Ah. What happened was…!”

A while later, Hyun Jong, having heard all the details from the beggar of the Beggars’ Sect, opened his mouth wide.

“…He brought mountain bandits?”

“Yes, that’s right, Sect Leader.”

“…Mountain bandits?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Hyun Jong’s gaping jaw nearly fell off.

So… the Taoist brought mountain bandits and beat up river bandits?

‘What on earth is this?’

No, I understand… Considering that it’s Chung Myung, I understand…

He was trying to force himself to understand the incomprehensible when he heard whispering behind him.

“It’s Chung Myung, after all.”

“Actually, doesn’t that side suit him better?”

“A bit? No, it suits him a lot!”

‘Well,’ one disciple whispered, ‘Taoists are supposed to be in the mountains, and bandits are in the mountains… maybe they are not so different after all, in Chung Myung’s case!’

The same? What’s the same, you blighters!

Lost between frustrating absurdity and a strangely rising sense of pride, Hyun Jong remembered the question he should have asked first.

“So, where are the children now?”

“Ah. That is…”

Seeing the beggar’s reluctant expression, a strange unease settled on Hyun Jong’s face.

Hyun Jong stared at the island visible far across the water. His eyes held an unreadable confusion.

“What… what in the world are they doing over there?” Hyun Jong asked with worry and surprise.

“Looks like they’re building something.”

“No, it looks like ships are gathering.”

“Why there of all places?”

“Well… knowing him, he’s probably up to something ridiculous again.”

At times like this, youth is truly enviable.

The disciples of Mount Hua weren’t particularly surprised by the bizarre sight. They knew Chung Myung well enough, and understood him as much as they could.

‘Why can’t I ever get used to it?’

Just then, a ship was seen approaching from the other side.

“…A ship.”

“No, maybe it’s not a ship? Can a normal ship move at that speed?”

Soon, a familiar face was seen at the bow of the ship approaching at a terrifying speed.

“Sect Leaaaader!”

“Ugh… ahem. Yes, Baek Cheon.”

Baek Cheon leaped from the ship and landed right in front of Hyun Jong, bowing deeply with respect. His face was full of joy.

“I greet the Sect Leader.”

“You’ve been through a lot. Are you hurt?”

“Thanks to the Sect Leader’s concern, all the disciples are safe.”

“Good. That’s truly fortunate. Truly… yes, fortunate, but…”

Baek Cheon subtly glanced at Hyun Jong as he trailed off. He and everyone behind him knew what he was going to ask.

Sure enough, Hyun Jong gestured lightly with his chin and asked.

“What… what is that all about?”

Baek Cheon also struggled to find the words and couldn’t bring himself to explain.

“Sect Leader… it’s… well, it’s a bit hard to explain in words. It’s really better if you see it yourself.” Baek Cheon said, hesitatingly.

“…Yes. Let’s do that.”

Hyun Jong didn’t have high expectations. Baek Cheon and Yu Yiseol were the only ones in Mount Hua who could stop Chung Myung, but that was just trying to stop him in name only.

“Do I just get on that ship?”

“Yes, Sect Leader. First, only the people who can fit on the ship should board. Another ship will come.”

Hyun Jong nodded weakly.

As the ship approached, Hyun Jong and several disciples boarded without delay. Then, the ship spun around in place and quickly headed towards the island.

Hyun Jong didn’t have much experience with being on the water, but he could at least tell that the speed at which this ship was moving was extraordinary.

“It doesn’t even feel like the wind is blowing, so how is the speed…?”

“People are rowing below. Since they are all Unpersons, they are moving incredibly fast,” Baek Cheon explained.

Hyun Jong carefully leaned over the railing and looked down. He saw the oars moving very fast. They weren’t made of wood, but iron.

“Are you saying those rowing are all Unpersons?” Hyun Jong asked.

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

Hyun Jong didn’t ask why so many Unpersons were rowing under the ship. He guessed the reason.

He heard groans and cries of pain from below.

“Row! Row faster, you bastards! If you’re late, you’ll really get beaten to death!” someone shouted.

“Where is that ghost! Why isn’t it taking that bastard away!” another yelled.

“I don’t know what the ghost is doing, but it’ll take us if we’re late! Shut up and row faster!”

“Dragon King, help us! Please! Aargh!”

Hyun Jong pulled his head back and closed his eyes.

‘I didn’t hear anything.’ He told himself.

It must have been a hallucination.

Hyun Jong squeezed his eyes shut and opened them. He saw the island in the distance.

He noticed ships lined up in front of the island.

It was a strange sight.

Usually, ships line up around the island when they dock. But these ships were lined up straight towards the river from the island.

The ships were tied together with huge chains. Wooden planks made bridges between the ships.

“What is that?” Hyun Jong wondered.

At the end of the ship-bridge, a group of people clung to the structure like ants, shouting.

“Hey! Hold on tight there!” someone yelled.

“Connect it securely! Chain it up and hammer those wooden pegs in!” another shouted.

“If this shakes, we die!”

The men had taken off their shirts. They gripped tightly, trying to connect the ships. The current was strong, and the ships rocked with every wave.

“Aaaaargh! I’m falling!” someone screamed.

“Aaaaargh!”

The ships drifted apart, and the people fell into the river.

“Aaaaargh! Save meeeeeee!”

“I’m being swept awayyyyy!”

The people in the water screamed as they were swept away. Those on the ships didn’t even look at them. It was common.

“Close it! Close it! Pull the chains!” someone ordered.

“Ah, I told you to hold on tight! The boss said he’d throw us in the water if we fall again!”

“Kraaah! Faster! Pull faster! Before my arms fall off!”

Those gripping the ships screamed. Others moved onto the ships and connected them.

“That is…” Hyun Jong started to say, but stopped.

Something unbelievable was happening.

“Ptooey!”

“Hee hee hee!”

“I, I can’t breathe…”

Another group of people came out of the river, gasping for air.

“I can’t anymore… Glug,” one said.

“Hey, wake up! If you lose consciousness here, you’ll drown!” another replied.

“Please, give us rest! Please. I feel like I’m freezing to death.”

“Mother…”

It was an unbearable sight.

Hyun Jong watched the scene and turned to Baek Cheon.

Baek Cheon was looking far away.

“Baek Cheon-ah,” Hyun Jong said.

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“Who are those people?”

“They are bandits, people with no rights,” Baek Cheon said.

Ah, bandits.

Bandits are drowning.

“What in the world are they doing?” Hyun Jong asked.

“They are doing two things.”

“Two things?”

“Yes. One is to fix the anchors underwater. The current is so strong that ordinary anchors won’t hold the ships in place.”

“So, they are digging into the riverbed to plant special anchors. They connect the anchors with chains to secure the ships.”

“What’s the other thing?”

“They are recovering items from the ships that sank during the naval battle.”

Hyun Jong looked at the bandits.

They looked like drowned ghosts. They probably never imagined they would look like that in the water.

“You’re making the bandits do that?” Hyun Jong asked.

“Yes. They are a valuable source of labor.”

Yes, that could be. Especially with Chung Myung.

But he didn’t understand the shiny things connecting their feet to the island.

“So, Baek Cheon-ah,” Hyun Jong said.

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“Why are those people wearing those things on their legs?”

“Chung Myung said that letting the bandits loose in the water is like encouraging them to run away, so we have to prevent them from escaping.”

“So, you tied those chains to people’s legs?”

“That’s right.”

Hyun Jong looked up at the blue sky.

The sky was clear and blue.

“Heh heh heh. I sent you to save people from becoming slaves, but you’re using bandits as slaves. Heh heh heh.” Hyun Jong laughed.

Hyun Jong looked at Baek Cheon with a brighter face. Baek Cheon was startled. That comfortable face was scary.

“I know what you’re doing,” Hyun Jong said.

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“So, let’s go back to the main question.”

“Yes.”

“Why are you doing this?”

Baek Cheon looked up at the sky.

Tears welled up in his eyes.

Sect Leader.

That’s what I’m most curious about.