Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 905

Many people gathered at the Mount Hua Sect Leader’s residence. Besides the Mount Hua disciples, Tang Gun-ak and Im So-byeong, who had arrived the day before, were also present, sitting across from Hyun Jong.

Hyun Jong cleared his throat. “First of all, I deeply apologize for the extra work you both had while Mount Hua was away. As the leader of the Heavenly Union, I also apologize for not fulfilling my duties.”

Tang Gun-ak shook his head. “You don’t need to say that, Union Leader. We weren’t exactly living in comfort while Mount Hua was gone, but we had our own tasks to handle.”

While everyone was exchanging polite and friendly words, Im So-byeong spoke in a strange voice. His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Well, it was a bit tough, of course.”

Im So-byeong smiled brightly at Hyun Jong. “We were scared of the Four Evil Sects across the river. We kept watch on those from the Nine Sects who came to the Yangtze River for no reason. We dealt with merchants complaining about the expensive tolls. We even gave the money we worked hard to collect to the common people…”

“Of course, Mount Hua, who only trained in the mountains, must have had a hard time too! What’s the point of comparing who had it harder? Haha!”

Chung Myung glared and tried to jump up, but Baek Cheon held him down. “Hold on, Chung Myung. This is just the beginning. If you act like that now, we won’t get anything done today.”

Chung Myung groaned and turned to Hyun Young. “Are the ledgers okay? No missing funds? No embezzlement? There must be some, right?” He seemed unsure if embezzlement was a good or bad thing.

Unfortunately, Hyun Young’s answer wasn’t what Chung Myung wanted. “It was clean.”

“Clean?” Chung Myung asked.

“Yes, clean,” Hyun Young confirmed. “Not a single copper coin was missing.”

Hyun Young looked back, admiringly. Im So-byeong spread out his fan and smiled triumphantly. “Haha. I’m glad I could satisfy the Elder.”

But then, Chung Myung suddenly rushed at Im So-byeong and grabbed him by the collar. “I knew it! You bandit bastard!”

Im So-byeong’s eyes widened as if struck by lightning. “Hey, hey! Are you deaf? I said it’s clean and perfect! Don’t you know what ‘perfect’ means?”

“Yeah, I know ‘perfect’! That’s why I’m doing this!”

“Yes?” Im So-byeong looked puzzled.

Chung Myung shouted, enraged, “A bandit bastard wrote the ledger, and it’s flawless? Who are you trying to fool?”

Im So-byeong’s mouth dropped open.

“Spit it out, you bastard! How much did you embezzle? You must have scraped it all together and stashed it away neatly! Are you going to confess now?” Chung Myung shook Im So-byeong’s head violently, messing up his neatly combed hair.

“Ch-Chung Myung. That person is…”

“I know! He’s a thief! Don’t worry, Sect Leader! I’ll shake every last copper coin out of this bastard’s hidden pockets and recover it all!”

“N-No, the Green Forest King…”

“You bastard, you still won’t confess? You wanna die? Huh?” Tears welled up in Im So-byeong’s eyes.

So many people had spent countless nights ensuring that there were no mistakes, even by accident, because they knew they would be suspected of being thieves trying to do business. But what was the point of all that effort?

“Seize him!” Hyun Jong commanded.

“Yes!” The Five Swords, who had been waiting, rushed in and pulled Chung Myung away from Im So-byeong. Chung Myung kicked wildly as he was dragged away.

“No! Let me go! You’re all being fooled!”

“The ledger is accurate!”

“This thieving bastard dares to…!”

Ah, now I understand why Chung Myung is acting like this. He thinks a perfect ledger from a bandit is suspicious. You should have said so clearly!

Baek Cheon, who had almost let go of Chung Myung’s hand, flinched at the last moment and regained his senses. He grabbed Chung Myung tightly again and dragged him away.

“…I’m sorry, Green Forest King.”

“…Are you alright?”

“…I’m alright.”

His eyes seemed moist, but Hyun Jong and Tang Gun-ak didn’t point it out and moved on.

“Anyway…” Im So-byeong spread out his fan. It was a pity that the fan, usually a symbol of confidence, was now being used to cover his face.

“As you can see from the ledger, Plum Blossom Island is making a huge amount of money. Merchants who have confirmed that Plum Blossom Island guarantees safety are all trying to cross the Yangtze River through Plum Blossom Island, to the point where there are not enough ships.”

“Aha! These bastards are embezzling money to buy ships…! Ugh! Ugh!”

Im So-byeong looked back at Chung Myung with utter despair. Then Hyun Jong said, “Green Forest King.”

“Yes, Sect Leader…”

“Let’s just ignore him.”

Im So-byeong cleared his throat and continued. “As the Mount Hua Sword Saint said, the problem could be solved by increasing the number of ships. But it’s ultimately a profit gained from the blockade of the Yangtze River, so the situation on Plum Blossom Island can change rapidly depending on the situation on the Yangtze River.”

“Hmm. That’s right. I didn’t think the Waterway Bandit would still be blockading the Yangtze River.”

“Yes, Sect Leader. Therefore, we may suffer losses if we increase the number of ships without thinking. It seems better to maintain the current state for now.”

“You’ve really worked hard.”

“It’s nothing,” Im So-byeong smiled. “Shouldn’t we, the Green Forest, play our part as a proud member of the Heavenly Union? Haha!”

“But if that evil sect bastard sticks his spoon in again! I’d rather have dirt in my eyes than see that…! Ugh! Ugh!”

This time, even Tang Gun-ak stepped in to shut Chung Myung’s mouth. “Be quiet, just be quiet!”

“Shut your mouth,” another said.

“If you open your mouth one more time, I’ll stick a strong needle in your forehead, Senior Brother!”

Hyun Jong covered his face and apologized to Im So-byeong once again. “…I’m sorry.”

“A dog is better than a bandit.”

“Aren’t they slaves?”

“…Slaves or bandits… It’s complicated. People see them differently.”

Hyun Jong comforted Im So-byeong, who was groaning under the weight of his status. If the Green Forest had really been honest for the past three years, as Im So-byeong claimed, the world’s view of them would have changed. Even if that gaze hadn’t changed much, they would agree that Mount Hua could restrain the Green Forest.

So, as Im So-byeong said, it might be necessary to solidify the position of the Green Forest, which was unofficially allied with the Heavenly Union. ‘Before a real problem arises with the Four Evil Sects.’

Hyun Jong nodded silently, his gaze now turned to Tang Gun-ak. “Clan Leader, you’ve also worked hard.”

Tang Gun-ak shook his head. “It’s nothing to call hard work. There are no really big problems among the disturbances occurring in the Yangtze River. If there was a problem, it would be that the Tang Clan, with its small number of people, has to coordinate too large an area.”

Chung Myung, who had pulled Baek Cheon’s hand off his mouth, grumbled. “Then you should have used those lazy bandit bastards?”

“…It wasn’t realistically easy. Who would welcome bandits coming down to catch evil sect bastards?”

“Anyway, those bandit bastards are no help.” As Im So-byeong wondered why he had come so far from the Yangtze River, Tang Gun-ak continued.

“But thanks to that, the public sentiment in the Yangtze River region has clearly turned towards the Heavenly Union.”

Hyun Jong nodded greatly. He also knew how scary public sentiment was. Wasn’t it because there were at least a few people who were willing to cherish Mount Hua that Mount Hua was able to endure until the end in that difficult situation before Chung Myung appeared?

“However, we have now reached our limit, Union Leader.”

“Hmm.”

“We can somehow manage now that the Four Evil Sects are dormant, but if the rise of the Four Evil Sects is near, the problem will definitely grow. Support from the Heavenly Union is needed.”

Although it is called the Heavenly Union, the Heavenly Union in the Central Plains is only Mount Hua and the Tang Clan. This was no different from Tang Gun-ak officially requesting support from Mount Hua.

“Certainly… If you’ve been in the Yangtze River for the past three years, your main family in Sichuan must be a mess.”

“It’s embarrassing, but that’s the case.”

“I understand, Clan Leader. Our Mount Hua will as soon as possible…”

“Why bother,” Chung Myung interrupted.

“Huh?” Everyone’s eyes turned to Chung Myung.

Baek Cheon quietly let go of Chung Myung. He could now distinguish to some extent in advance when this guy was talking nonsense and when he was saying something sensible.

“Let’s just leave it alone and pull out?”

Baek Cheon’s hand quietly grabbed Chung Myung’s shoulder again. Should I restrain him?

“…You said pull out?” Tang Gun-ak asked.

“Yes,” Chung Myung replied.

“From the Yangtze River?”

“Yes.”

Tang Gun-ak frowned as he looked at Chung Myung, who was speaking so casually. “I know you’re not one to speak without thinking, but I don’t understand what you’re saying at all.”

Baek Cheon’s eyes widened in shock. Hey, Clan Leader…? You seem to be misunderstanding something, but there’s no one in the entire Central Plains who speaks more without thinking than this bastard.

“The Tang Clan has been protecting the common people for the past time, of course, because it was our duty, but also to create favorable public opinion for the Heavenly Union. But if we pull out from here, wouldn’t it all be in vain?”

“No, if they’ve been helped so far, and they curse us for resting a bit now, are they even human? They’re beasts!”

“People should know how to be grateful when they’re helped! It’s not like saving someone who’s drowning and then being asked to hand over your bundle!”

“That… what you say isn’t wrong, but the world doesn’t work that way in principle, does it?”

“What you say is right, but why are we protecting that place? Originally, it’s a place that the Wudang bastards and the Namgung bastards should be protecting.”

“Didn’t they close their doors…?”

“What, is closing your doors a badge of honor? If you close your doors, you don’t have to do anything?”

“…Mount Hua shouldn’t be saying that.”

Baek Cheon quickly nodded his head. Yeah. That’s not something we should be saying, right? Huh?

But Chung Myung snorted sarcastically. “Then keep doing it.”

“Huh?” Tang Gun-ak asked.

“You’re asking Mount Hua to support you now, right?”

“That’s… right?” Anxiety flickered across Tang Gun-ak’s face.

And indeed… Chung Myung was Chung Myung.

“Even if a knife is held to my throat, I will never go to the Yangtze River to fight in place of the Wudang bastards, so either the Tang Clan pulls out, or you can keep doing that there!”

“Why are we doing what those rotten Nine Sects bastards should be doing in the first place!”

“Even if the Nine Sects and the Heavenly Union aren’t official, they’re kind of like allies…”

“Alllllies?” Chung Myung finally rolled his eyes back.

Tang Gun-ak instinctively closed his eyes at the sight of those wild eyes.

“I’d rather stick with the evil sects than form an alliance with the Nine Sects bastards! Tell the Shaolin and Wudang to go eat dirt!”

“Haha. Then, while we’re on the subject, with the Green Forest…”

“You spit out the money you ate!”

“No! I didn’t eat it!”

Chung Myung ranted, Im So-byeong protested, and Tang Gun-ak agonized. In the face of the chaos that was raging like hell, Hyun Jong smiled contentedly.

‘Yeah, this is the feeling.’ Hyun Jong sighed, knowing this meeting would be long and difficult.