Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 946

Everyone knew it was a trick. Jang Il-so’s words were just meant to hurt them, to push them down, and to laugh at their pain.

But did anyone truly ignore it?

When Jang Il-so spoke the word ‘life,’ didn’t everyone feel a tiny bit of hope, a little desperation?

Namgung Dowi squeezed his eyes shut.

‘I….’

Even Namgung Dowi, who thought he was ready to die, suddenly felt a strong urge. The urge to live. The fear of dying.

If no one was watching, he might have knelt before Jang Il-so, grabbed his legs, and begged to be saved. Not to die. Not yet… Not yet to die.

Who could blame him?

No matter how noble you try to be, everyone wants to live, right? Jang Il-so’s words had easily pulled out that hidden desire from the deepest part of them.

“Th-This….”

Namgung Hwang gritted his teeth, unable to speak. He was probably feeling the same way as Namgung Dowi. The trembling in his hands wasn’t anger at Jang Il-so, but anger at himself for not being stronger in that moment.

Finally, Namgung Hwang shouted, his voice filled with rage.

“You… you devil!”

Jang Il-so looked at him with strange eyes.

“Devil? Is that what I am now?”

“……”

“Hmm. ‘Devil’… I like that. Wicked, despicable, cowardly… anything is fine. Good. But….”

Jang Il-so slowly shook his head.

“Not now, Namgung Hwang. This isn’t the time to curse me.”

Namgung Hwang closed his mouth, trying to understand Jang Il-so’s plan, but it was beyond him. He couldn’t possibly understand that monster.

“Don’t think of it so negatively.”

Jang Il-so gently turned and slowly walked towards Namgung Hwang. Namgung Hwang’s sword remained raised, but Jang Il-so was calm and relaxed as always.

Jang Il-so whispered softly in Namgung Hwang’s ear.

“Think about it, Namgung Hwang. Really think. Being abandoned isn’t always bad, you know? You become free. Don’t you think?”

“……”

Namgung Hwang bit his lip and glared at Jang Il-so. His face was bloody, his hair a mess, and his eyes bloodshot, making him look completely defeated.

But did Namgung Hwang realize that a swordsman should always keep their distance? By giving up that distance, he showed that he was wavering.

“To become your….”

He spat out the words.

“To become your slaves? Do you think the Namgung Clan will become dogs for your Demonic Sect?”

He shouted so that everyone who was tempted by the devil’s words could hear him clearly.

“We would rather die than become your dogs! Don’t be ridiculous, Jang Il-so!”

Everyone agreed. Surviving is important, but some values are worth more than survival.

The Changcheon Namgung Clan would rather die than become Jang Il-so’s puppets. If they were willing to be puppets, they wouldn’t have risked everything to come to Plum Blossom Island in the first place.

Just as a strong feeling of resistance was spreading through everyone, Jang Il-so tilted his head slightly, calmly but with a hint of doubt, drawing everyone’s attention again.

“…Dogs?”

“You’re saying strange things again. I don’t understand.”

Jang Il-so raised his eyebrows and mocked Namgung Hwang.

“Ga-myeong.”

“Yes, Lord Leader.”

“Did I say any of that to them?”

“Absolutely not.”

Ho Ga-myeong answered immediately, without hesitation. His face was so expressionless that it was impossible to know what he was thinking.

“Then why are they saying such things?”

“Because everyone has their limits. It’s natural that they can’t understand your great thoughts, Lord Leader. It’s not their fault.”

“Hmm, I see. You have a point.”

Jang Il-so nodded slowly and looked at Namgung Hwang with a bright smile.

Namgung Hwang could only watch the conversation, feeling like they were puppets, and Jang Il-so was pulling all the strings.

From the moment Jang Il-so arrived, everyone seemed to be acting out a play that he had written. Every breath, every angry word, every resentful look.

“No. That’s not it, Namgung Hwang. And….”

Jang Il-so looked from Namgung Hwang to the swordsmen of the Namgung Clan.

“Namgung Clan.”

He seemed to be saying that the decision wasn’t just up to Namgung Hwang, but up to all of them.

“Why do you think I’m tricking you?”

“……”

“Because I’m from the Demonic Sect?”

“……”

“I’m just telling you the truth.”

His voice, his tone, his every move was drawing them in.

“I’ll say it again. That’s not what I want. You don’t need to become dogs, and you don’t need to join the Demonic Sect. I only want one thing.”

The corners of his mouth twisted.

“I just need you to say ‘save me.’ Yes. That’s all.”

Everyone stared at him, confused.

Not just the Namgung Clan, but also the pirates of the Suro Clan. They all looked at him with the same bewildered expression.

It was amazing that so many people on this island could have the same look on their faces.

Was he crazy? Was he really saying those words? Why? Why on earth? Why?

Jang Il-so stood in the middle of all those disbelieving and astonished faces, chuckling.

“It’s not that hard, is it? Right?”

“……”

“That’s all you have to do. If you do that, I’ll let you live. The moment you say those words, I’ll send you away. Right back to Gangbuk, where you want to go so badly. Back to your comfortable and peaceful homes.”

The devil’s words must be filled with a deadly poison.

But even knowing that, it didn’t matter.

How could they ignore such tempting words?

“I’ll even let you take the bodies with you. They deserve to be buried in their hometown, even though they died here. Right? They fought harder than anyone else.”

The swordsmen of the Namgung Clan couldn’t help but turn their heads. The sight of their dead family members and friends, their eyes still open, burned into their minds.

“It’s not difficult.”

Jang Il-so spoke gently, as if he were comforting a child.

Just one word is enough. With just one word, all of this will be achieved. In the name of Jang Il-so, the Overlord…

Then, he paused for a moment.

Everyone waited for his next words, their hearts pounding, wanting to hear what he would say.

…I promise.

When he finished speaking these sweet but deadly words, silence filled the air.

Soon, someone opened their mouth, as if controlled by something else.

Save me…

No!

Namgung Dowi, who was beside him, quickly covered the man’s mouth. With an angry face, he shouted,

Jang Il-so!

Jang Il-so’s eyebrows lowered slightly, making his eyes look colder.

Oh, dear, oh, dear. Such a grand elder, blocking the mouth of someone who wants to live and driving him to death. How awful. Even the most evil groups wouldn’t do that.

Shut your filthy mouth, you dog! What trick are you playing now? We won’t be fooled!

Hmm?

Don’t underestimate Namgung! We won’t fall for your tricks…

Jang Il-so’s light eyes, which usually looked kind, suddenly became sharp and dangerous. It was like a gentle cat turning into a tiger.

In his light eyes, a strong, burning feeling filled them, like a fire had just started.

Underestimate you, you say?

Jang Il-so gritted his teeth.

Let me tell you, young master. It’s not me who underestimates you, but you who underestimate yourselves.

…

The Shaolin abandoned you. No, the traditional groups abandoned you. Let me ask you this. Among the groups that follow behind Shaolin and arrive across that river, do you think there will be any who will willingly die for you?

No one could answer that question easily.

Of course, they wanted to shout that it wasn’t true. They wanted to scream and yell, telling him not to underestimate the unity of the traditional groups.

But hadn’t they already seen it? How Shaolin, the group that was supposed to protect what was right, had abandoned them.

To them, your lives are worth so little. But… no, it’s not just them. You are the ones who value your lives even less.

…

Life isn’t like that.

Creak.

Jang Il-so’s rings rubbed together, making a strange, scratching sound that made everyone shiver.

I survived by doing anything. I ate garbage. I even had to bite rocks with my teeth when I was hurt!

…

Surviving is something like that.

Everyone knew that these words were not a threat or an attempt to persuade them. These were Jang Il-so’s true feelings.

And yet… you tell me not to underestimate you?

Jang Il-so showed his teeth.

If I can’t underestimate those who choose death because they can’t even say a single word to be saved, then who in the world can I underestimate? Why should I respect those who value their own lives less than insects? Answer me, you little brat! What right do you have to decide the death of the one whose mouth you’ve covered!

Namgung Dowi’s hand trembled.

If Jang Il-so had said one more word, Namgung Dowi might have fallen to the ground.

But then, Jang Il-so relaxed, letting his shoulders drop as if he were tired.

It’s not difficult.

…

No one will remember your deaths. The honor you get from dying is like small pieces of bread thrown to dead people by those still alive. It’s just useless leftovers from a big feast.

Someone swallowed hard, and someone else clenched their fist tightly.

Clutching those tiny pieces of bread and dying… isn’t that too sad? Don’t you think?

He almost nodded.

To those words that were like a whisper.

So… tell me.

The fierce energy disappeared, and a bright smile that seemed friendly, but felt like a trick, returned to Jang Il-so’s face. It was like a beautiful flower that hides poison.

Beg me to save you. That’s all it takes. With that, you can live.

Step. Step. Step.

Jang Il-so walked towards the Azure Sky Sword Unit. Then, he whispered into the ear of an Azure Sky member who couldn’t even think of holding a sword anymore.

Softly, but clearly and slowly enough for everyone to hear.

Don’t you want to live?

The one who heard that voice froze like a stone statue.

You must want to live. Everyone wants to live. But people who tell you what to do say you should give up your lives easily. They say you should throw away your life easily for what is right.

His eyes trembled. Jang Il-so asked the question that was in the heart of the swordsman whose mind was breaking.

For what?

…

No, no. You’ll know if you live. Honor isn’t as great as you think. It’s like a passing night if you close your eyes for a moment. So… tell me. Tell me that you want to live.

I, I…

In the end, tears flowed from the eyes of the Azure Sky member.

A swordsman who had trained for years. A Namgung swordsman who wasn’t afraid of death and was ready to protect the name of Azure Sky with his life… was now crying like a child.

An unbearable pressure.

The hope that was given like a thin thread, followed by a huge despair.

Before the one who grabbed and twisted his very soul at the end of that wave, will and righteousness were helpless.

Easy now. There, there.

He couldn’t resist the words pouring out from those red lips.

Now speak, with that mouth.

The Azure Sky member’s eyes didn’t know where to look. He sobbed with a terribly hoarse voice.

His hands, which trembled, finally grabbed Jang Il-so’s sleeve.

Save me…

Stop it, Overlord.

At that moment, Namgung Hwang intervened.

It was a weak voice, as if it wasn’t his at all.

…Isn’t that enough for you?

It was as if his soul had left him, and it was as if he had aged years in that moment.

Namgung Hwang’s head slowly fell downward.

We…

He spoke in a voice that had no energy left.

We… have lost.

It was the moment when everything of Namgung Hwang collapsed.