Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 951

“Mom, my legs hurt.”

“We’re almost there, dear. Just a little further.”

“But my legs hurt…”

The woman patted Sodo’s back to comfort him. She wished she could carry him, but the bundle on her back was already huge and heavy. It looked like it might weigh more than she did.

“Damn it,” the man muttered. He looked back, his face tired and angry. “What is happening to the world?”

They were leaving the Yangtze River area. They had always lived there, farming and fishing. But now, the war was too much. It made everyone scared. They had to leave. They only had one life, after all.

“It will take three days to walk to the nearest village,” the man said, sighing. He watched his wife rub the child’s sore legs. *Even if we get there…* It was hard to leave their home. They had lived there forever. But they couldn’t stay. Even if this war ended, another might start. People who had survived the last war in the Yangtze were now leaving too. This war was too much.

“Let’s find a suitable place to rest.”

“…Alright.”

“Huh?” The man frowned. He saw something in the distance. He stared, then his eyes opened wide. “What is that?”

“What is it?” his wife asked.

“Over there!” He pointed. Something dusty was moving fast towards them.

“Sandstorm?” she asked.

“But there’s no wind…” he said. “Look, it’s getting bigger!”

“You’re right!” The man’s mouth dropped open. The dust cloud was growing bigger and bigger, rushing towards them like a storm.

“Get to the side of the road! Quick!” The man was scared. He grabbed the child. *If it’s bad people from across the river… we’re in danger.*

“Over there!” The family ran to the side of the road, terrified. *Should we run into the trees?* Just then, he saw it clearly. *A cart?* It was huge, much bigger than carts for goods. But it wasn’t the size that shocked him. It was what was pulling it. Not animals. People.

“Oh my goodness…” He was shocked and amazed. *People pulling such a huge cart? And so fast?* “What is going on?” The cart rushed closer and closer. Just as it was about to zoom past them, someone shouted, “Stop! STOOOOOP!”

*Crack! Crack! Crack!* The feet of the people pulling the cart dug into the ground all at once. Dirt flew up in the air.

*Pat pat pat.* The dirt fell back down as the huge cart tilted forward, almost lifting up, then slammed back to the ground with a *thump*.

“…” The man stared, still shocked. *They don’t look like bad people.* They were big and strong, making him a little scared. But they didn’t seem mean, like the bullies in the city. Actually…

“Cough! Cough!”

“I’m dying… I think I’m going to die!”

“Water… Just a little water… Chung Myung, water…”

“Tsk!” Something about them felt… familiar.

Then, a young man sitting on top of the high pile of luggage clicked his tongue. “I told you, water makes you slow!”

“But… I’ll die if I don’t drink!”

“You won’t die! I know! I’ve tried everything!”

“What *haven’t* you tried, you crazy guy…” The young man chuckled and turned to the family. “Hello?”

“Yes? Oh… Yes! Hello!” The man nodded quickly. They seemed friendly, but he still noticed the long swords at their waists. *You have to be careful of people with swords.*

“Where are you going? You have a lot of stuff!”

“W-We’re just traveling,” the man said.

“Yes, but where to?”

“Well…”

“Get in,” the young man said suddenly.

“Sorry?”

“Get in the cart,” he said, grinning. It was a real smile, honest and kind. The man felt himself relax a little. “I don’t know where you’re going,” the young man said, “but we can give you a ride to where we’re going.”

“We’re… going to Sichuan,” the man said.

“This cart is going to Sichuan too. We can take you as far as Wuhan.”

“We’re going to Sichuan too!” the man said, surprised.

“I knew it!” The young man jumped down from the cart and walked towards them. “Your child’s legs hurt, right? Why walk when you can ride? We already carried people this morning!”

“C-Carried people?”

The man looked at the young man’s chest, confused. He saw a plum blossom design. “A-Are you…?”

“Huh?”

“Are you from the Mount Hua Sect?”

“Kroooooh!” The young man clapped his hands, looking very pleased with himself. “See? That’s why you have to be famous! People know us even without asking!”

“…That’s good,” the man said, a little unsure.

“You look happy about it!”

Chung Myung chuckled and came closer, gently patting the child’s head. “Do your legs hurt?”

“…Yes,” Sodo whispered.

“Up you go!” Chung Myung lifted Sodo easily and put him on his shoulders. The other Mount Hua people watched and made comments.

“Wow, he’s not crying!”

“Riding on that guy’s shoulders must be scarier than a tiger!”

“That kid’s brave! Maybe he’ll be a general one day?”

“He must be so tired… poor little thing.”

Chung Myung turned around quickly and shouted, “What are you all saying! Get the luggage loaded!”

“Yes, yes!” they replied. One grumbled, “He’s getting all the praise! *We’re* the ones pulling this cart!”

Right after he spoke, the Mount Hua disciples, with Baek Cheon leading, quickly stepped forward. They took the heavy bags from the couple.

“Oh, you really don’t have to do this…”

Baek Cheon smiled gently at the flustered man.

“It’s quite alright. These bags are very heavy, you see.”

“Yes?”

“It wouldn’t feel much different even if we put two more people on.”

“…”

That was a rather terrifying thing to say.

“Give it here.”

“Are you… are you sure it’s okay? We don’t want to be trouble.”

Normally, the man would have said no to a ride. The world was tough. As a father, he couldn’t risk his family’s safety just to rest for a bit.

But the kind expressions on their faces, and the plum blossom symbol on their chests, made the man feel relieved.

‘Mount Hua…’

To those who lived near the Yangtze River, Mount Hua meant goodness and trust. If these people were really from the Mount Hua Sect, he could relax.

Also…

The man looked at his son, who was happily sitting on the young man’s shoulders. He felt even safer. If his son, who didn’t like strangers, was so comfortable, then these people must be good.

“…Then, thank you for your kindness.”

With the help of the Mount Hua disciples, the couple climbed onto the cart, looking around nervously. It felt strange, maybe because they had never ridden on a cart like this before, especially one loaded so high with bags.

“Oof!”

Chung Myung, the last one on the cart, put the child down in front of him.

“Hold on tight!”

“Yes?”

“Let’s go! Senior brothers!”

“Aargh! Blast it!”

“Just die already! Just die!”

The cart jolted forward, throwing them back against the rough sacks. The wooden wheels screamed on the dusty ground. The couple gasped and grabbed at the lumpy bags beneath them, holding on tight.

The cart was racing now, faster than anything they had ever seen. Trees and fields blurred into streaks of green and brown.

“Oh my!” the wife whispered, her eyes wide.

It was truly frightening. How could men pull a cart this fast? It felt like they were flying!

The man’s knuckles were white as he gripped his wife’s hand. He could feel her trembling beside him. Even he, a grown man, felt a knot of fear in his stomach. He leaned closer to her and spoke, his voice a little shaky.

“Um, excuse me, but…”

“Yes?”

Chung Myung tilted his head slightly to look at them.

“Didn’t you say you were going to Wuhan?”

“That’s right.”

“But, didn’t you say you went there and back this morning?”

“Yes, I did.”

“To Wuhan?! That’s a distance one couldn’t travel to and back in a single day, even on horseback…”

“Eh.”

Chung Myung waved his hand dismissively.

“We are people, not animals! We have to be faster than horses, or what good are we?”

“…”

“Don’t worry. We’ll take you there safely and comfortably. What are you doing! The sun’s going to set, you lot! Run, don’t crawl!”

“Aargh, damn it!”

With someone’s wail, the cart sped even faster towards Wuhan.

They arrived at the gate of the residence. Dust hung in the air, and the smell of cooking fires drifted from inside. They could hear the faint sounds of many voices.

“Arrival!”

Plop. Plop.

The Mount Hua disciples, having finally arrived, released the handles and collapsed onto the ground.

“Senior brother.”

“⋯⋯What?”

“Are you alive?”

“⋯⋯Of course, I’m dead.”

Yoon Jong didn’t even have the strength to turn his head; he just lay face down on the ground, gasping for breath.

‘I really feel like I’m going to die.’

Carrying luggage from near Jiujiang to Wuhan?

Actually, carrying this wasn’t too hard for them. It would be impossible for normal people, but they were from the Mount Hua Sect, famous for fast deliveries all over the land. They could carry this much luggage from the Northern Sea to Yunnan, even.

The problem was that they had to do it at full speed.

– Time is money, time is gold! Why are you running around so leisurely! The last one to arrive will have their head shaved and be sent to Shaolin… No, Hye-yeon, you’re excluded. Ah, don’t cry!

That devil of Mount Hua couldn’t stand to see people resting.

“I’m, I’m going to die. Really… I’m really going to die.”

“Those ghostly bastards are slacking off; why aren’t they taking that bastard away…”

“I feel like I’m going to throw up…”

Chung Myung, having jumped nimbly down from the luggage, clicked his tongue and looked around.

“Seriously, how much did we even run that you’re all panting like this! Back in my day, I could run from Chengdu to Beijing in one go and not even feel tired! These youngsters, tsk!”

“…You’re the youngest, you crazy bastard.”

“Please just die. Please…”

Just then, the main gate of the estate opened, and a familiar face walked out.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Tang Gunak nodded as he looked at the luggage and people being moved by the cart.

“Is this all for today?”

“Yes?”

Chung Myung tilted his head as if to say, what kind of question is that?

“Eh. It’s not even early evening yet. We can go back and forth one more time.”

“…You’re going again?”

“Of course.”

“You, you all look very tired?”

“Haha. You worry too much. We’re going back with an empty cart after unloading the luggage. We can rest then.”

Tang Gunak watched them, his heart heavy. He knew they were exhausted, but so many people needed help.

The Mount Hua disciples, who had been collapsed on the ground, raised their heads sharply and sent desperate glances at Tang Gunak.

Tang Gunak, who had been looking at them with a pitiful expression, hardened his face and opened his mouth.

“…I would be grateful if you did.”

And then he subtly averted his gaze.

“Traitor!”

“Devil!”

“Daddyyyy!”

The last cry pierced his heart sharply, but Tang Gunak turned away with a heart shedding tears of blood.

They needed to move one more person as quickly as possible to prevent casualties.

For the sake of efficiency, once Mount Hua moved the people of the Yangtze River to Wuhan in the first leg, the Dang Clan was moving them to Sichuan.

First and foremost, it was most important to evacuate the civilians from Jiujiang, which was on the verge of becoming a battlefield at any moment.

“Anyway, take a little rest. No matter what, people aren’t made of steel.”

“Eh, you don’t know much.”

“Hmm?”

“Steel breaks and that’s it. But people can heal. We are stronger than steel in some ways, you know?”

This guy is hopeless. He just doesn’t understand.

“Ahem.”

Tang Gunak cleared his throat and changed his expression.

“Hey, Mount Hua Sword Saint.”

“Yes?”

“News from the Yangtze River has arrived. Would you like to hear it?”

The light in Chung Myung’s eyes, which had been full of laughter, dimmed slightly.