“That....”
Up till everyone decided on the Bongmun with one mind, it was all good.
Of course, seeing Chung Myung grinding his teeth was somewhat unsettling, but everyone was prepared to that extent.
But the last thing Mount Hua’s disciples expected after the decision was... that they had to explain the decision to this person before them.
“This is...”
Baek Cheon scratched the back of his head with an uncharacteristically awkward expression on his face.
“So that’s what happened, Monk.”
It was still vivid in his eyes and ears.
How Hye Yeon declared to Bop Kye that he would not return to Shaolin.
“...Bongmun, you say?”
“....”
“Bongmun?”
“....”
Tears quickly welled up in Hye Yeon’s big, deer-like eyes.
“Then... what about me?”
“Uhm...”
Baek Cheon answered awkwardly.
“Well..... What to do with this.”
“....”
“Ha... Hahaha.......”
Hye Yeon smiled awkwardly as cold sweat started to trickle down his back.
‘Try saying something!’
‘He’s crying, you know!’
‘No, what do you want me to do?’
Who would have thought about Hye Yeon’s situation in that atmosphere?
Then Hye Yeon opened his mouth.
“That.... I’m asking, just in case.”
“.....Yes.”
“When you enter Bongmun... what about outsiders?”
“Well......”
Baek Cheon smiled and answered kindly.
“Outsiders can’t come in if we enter Bongmun. Isn’t that the whole point of Bongmun? You’re asking something quite obvious. I’m sure you already knew.”
“Hey, you!”
“No, how can you answer like that?”
When there were objections from behind, Baek Cheon opened his eyes wide as if questioning why.
“I can’t lie when that’s the truth.”
“Whoa....”
“Did you, by any chance, leave your humanity on the other side of the Yangtze River?”
Hye Yeon closed his eyes and turned his head away. Clear tears trickled down from both eyes.
‘Inhumane Mount Hua bastards.’
I’d rather have Evil Sect. Evil Sect is better.
No, it’s not their fault in the first place, it’s Hye Yeon’s fault.
He has known for a long time that Mount Hua guys are like this, but what the hell did he expect when he declared he would stay in Mount Hua?
Jo-Gol, who had been cautiously watching Hye Yeon’s expression, let out an awkward and forced cheerful laugh.
“Hahahahah! M- Monk! It’s not necessarily something to be so down about.”
“...Yes?”
“Rather than being like this, let’s just take this opportunity to enter Mount Hua. I don’t know if it’s anyone else, but if the monk says he’s going to enter, Sect Leader will welcome you with open arms.”
“....”
“Think about it. Rather than living bald for the rest of your life, it’s better to just join Mount Hua. You could grow your hair, and also eat mea-...”
Yoon Jong grabbed Jo-Gol by the hair and pulled it back while smacking his mouth.
“This snout! This freaking snout!”
“Aaargh! Argh! Eup! Why! Why are you hitting me! Why! Aargh!”
Baek Cheon shook his head as he saw Yoon Jong swiftly subduing Jo-Gol.
“...I will discuss it well with Sect Leader. Don’t worry too much, monk.”
“....”
When Hye Yeon didn’t answer, Baek Cheon chuckled awkwardly.
“Haha. As the Buddhist scriptures say, isn’t life always like that?”
Hye Yeon smiled faintly when he heard that.
“...-ie, Siju.”
“Yes? What did you say?”
“...-go.”
“...Yes?”
“Please go and die, Siju.”
“....”
* * *
“Did you just say Bongmun?”
Im Sobyong’s eyes grew so big that his eyeballs seemed to pop out.
“Bongmun?”
“Yes.”
“So, you’re saying Bongmun?”
“I told you so.”
“You said Bongmun, right?”
“That’s a given.”
The gaze of the two tightened in the empty air.
“Hnng.”
But Im Sobyong let out a sigh as he shrugged off his momentum.
“I thought I’d benefit from this, but it turns out I’ll have to run until I sweat at the soles of my feet. Aigoo, my fate.”
Muttering to himself, Im Sobyong took another look at Chung Myung.
“It’s worth investing time in, right?”
“You’re stating the obvious.”
“Hngg, long-term investment isn’t my cup of tea. Life is a short one, after all.”
Im Sobyong, who was rolling the abacus in his head, nodded soon.
“Well, no matter what I say, you’re not the type to change a decision once it’s made.”
“You know me well.”
“Neither would you impulsively decide something without calculating properly.”
In the end, the conclusion is already decided.
Im Sobyong sighed and then spoke.
“The Yangtze and the commercial right, I’ll do what I can to take care of it. The Tang Family will take care of protecting the common people.”
“No.”
“...Yes?”
“You have to handle that as well. As much as possible, the handling of the Evil Sect and protecting the commoners will be done by Nokrim.”
“....”
Im Sobyong, staring at Chung Myung, scratched his head.
“You really are asking for the impossible. Are you saying that we should protect our commercial district and also get rid of the perception that we are an Evil Sect?”
“It’s a great opportunity.”
“Hnggggg.”
Anyway, this person is always harsh. There’s no way he doesn’t know how hard this task is.
“...Fine. I’ll do my best. But!”
Im Sobyong stared at Chung Myung with resolute eyes.
“Be aware of the influence that you and Mount Hua possess.”
“....”
“Heavenly Comrade Alliance wouldn’t be able to last three years without Mount Hua. You should realize how unnatural it is for the Tang Family of Righteous Faction and the former Evil Faction, Nokrim, to work together. Something that is insignificant in a place with Mount Hua becomes a reason for a stabbing in a place without Mount Hua’s presence.”
Tang Gun-ak slowly nodded his head as if to agree. Im Sobyong continued.
“There is a limit to what I and Tang Gaju can do. If the return of Dojang is delayed too much, there is a risk that Tang Gaju and I will lose power before the unity of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance.”
“If you can’t even manage those bastards...”
“Who’s fault is that!”
“You dare shout!? I’ll beat you!”
As Chung Myung glared, Im Sobyong flinched and shrunk his neck.
“Anyway...”
Tang Gun-ak helped Im Sobyong.
“I agree with Nokrim King. The Tang Family and Noklim aside, without you, the communication with the North Sea Ice Clan will be completely cut off. Their hostility to Jungwon is beyond imagination.”
“Umm.”
“Even if we try to seek cooperation, it’s highly likely that they won’t lend a hand to Jungwon while Mount Hua is absent. They’re not helping Heavenly Comrade Alliance; they’re helping Mount Hua.”
Tang Gun-ak speaks in a slightly subdued tone.
“And that will likely be the same for Beast Clan. They might lend a hand right away, but it will be the same over a longer period of time.”
“What? Aren’t the two of you close?”
“The friendship is maintained because you are there. And Yasugungju liking me and liking the Tang are two separate issues.”
“....”
“There’s only one reason I’m saying this. The Heavenly Comrade Alliance was possible only because Mount Hua was there. Without Mount Hua, the existence of Heavenly Comrade Alliance is impossible. So...”
Tang Gun-ak, who briefly paused his words, looked at Chung Myung with determined eyes.
“Come back as soon as possible.”
“....”
“Of course, come back after achieving the best possible results.”
Chung Myung shook his head.
“You’re really asking for the impossible.”
“....”
“But....”
The corners of Chung Myung’s mouth curled up.
“You can look forward to it.”
His eyes sparkled and shone.
“I’ll show you a result that will surprise you.”
“Huhu. As expected of Mount Hua Divine Dragon. No... Is it Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword now? It’s not getting to me yet.”
“Ugh, that rotten nickname.”
Tang Gun-ak smiled brightly.
He knows. There’s a valid reason for everything Chung Myung does. Therefore, all he needs to do is support Chung Myung and Mount Hua as much as possible.
“Leave the rest to me.”
“Hmph. I will lend a hand.”
Chung Myung grinned.
It would have been hard to imagine if it was in the past. But now there are people he can entrust his back to.
If there’s one thing that makes the present Mount Hua better than the past, it’s the existence of these people.
Chung Myung reached out his hand. Then the hand of Im Sobyong and Tang Gun-ak met.
Their entwined hands transmitted a warm body temperature.
“Please take care of it.”
Chung Myung’s brief words were met with a soft smile from Tang Gun-ak and a grimacing face from Im Sobyong.