Chapter 1172: A Man Who Can't Even Answer (Part 2)

Along the riverside not far from the manor, familiar faces gathered. The Five Swords, including Baek Cheon and Hye Yeon. Perhaps they were the ones closest to the current Chung Myung.

They sat a little apart, silently watching the flowing river with vacant expressions.

It was quiet.

The chirping of cicadas and the ripples of the Yangtze River were the only sounds quietly spreading along the riverside.

Places where they gathered would always be bustling with noise. So, the current silence felt all the more unfamiliar and awkward.

Yoon Jong, who was staring blankly at the flowing waves, turned his head to observe the expressions of the others.

'Heavy.'

No, to be precise, rather than stiff, they all seemed a bit dazed.

"Sahyung."

"...Hm?"

As if sensing his gaze, Jo Gol glanced at Yoon Jong and spoke.

"What does Sahyung think?"

"...Are you talking about Bangjang's words?"

"Yes."

A low sigh escaped from Yoon Jong's lips.

What do you think? Usually, it would be an easy question, but at this moment, it felt extremely difficult to answer. Yet, it wasn't a question to be brushed off and buried.

"Well, I don't know."

Yoon Jong, who spoke softly almost like a sigh, raised his head.

"In fact, there was nothing wrong with his logic, right?"

"No, why are you saying that?"

In response to Yoon Jong's words, Jo Gol suddenly raised his voice.

"No... Why bother asking me if you're going to think whatever you want. Think as you please."

"Why are you saying things that don't make sense! There was nothing wrong!"

"...Then, do you think Bangjang was wrong?"

"Sahyung isn't getting the point!"

Jo Gol spoke, clicking his tongue.

"If you're going to judge by whether there is logic in the words or not, then how can the Confucian scholars working in the government ever say anything wrong? They're nobles who learned and passed exams to get there. They all speak logically!"

"...What does that have to do with this?"

"However, they still argue among themselves, saying that their words are right. Isn't it fighting for what is right? Just because something is logical doesn't mean it's right. What matters is something else can be more right. Besides, what difference does it make if the words come from someone who can't be trusted in the first place, whether it's right or wrong?"

"...."

"More important than the logic of words is trust and credibility in people. At least, that's what I've learned. Can Bangjang be trusted?"

Yoon Jong looked at Jo Gol with a troubled expression. Yoon Jong, who rarely lost in a logical argument against Jo Gol, had nothing to refute in this statement. It was the same for him; he couldn't trust Beopjeong. However...

"Gol-ah, your words aren't wrong, but... it doesn't mean everything is resolved."

"What's the problem, then?"

"I guess the problem is that I was thinking the same thing."

Jo Gol fell speechless for a moment and then bit his lips.

"Aren't you thinking the same?"

"I... I..."

He seemed to be about to say something but lowered his head without speaking.

Baek Cheon, who had been silently watching the two people, gave Hye Yeon a glance.

"Monk."

"...Please speak, Baek Cheon Siju."

"I have one question. I just want to confirm something, so please don't misunderstand."

Hye Yeon nodded as if he already knew what Baek Cheon would ask.

"A person's heart cannot be fully understood just by observing from the outside. However, at based on my feelings, what Bangjang said seemed sincere."

"...I see."

Baek Cheon nodded with a bitter expression. In fact, there was no need to confirm this.

Bangjang had no reason to lie. If it turns out that what he said after annexing the Heavenly Comrade Alliance was a lie, he would have to endure an incomparable backlash. He would lose everything, including legitimacy, justification, and perhaps even the leadership of the Ten Great Sects. Was there any reason for someone like the leader of Shaolin to engage in actions that would wound his own flesh?"

 "Um, Sasuk."

"...Yes."

Tang Soso glanced at Baek Cheon. Baek Cheon's stomach twisted when he saw that expression. It was rare and unfamiliar for Tang Soso to make such a face.

"I don't know what Sasuk thinks, but... I don't see the proposal Bangjang made as that bad."

"Soso!"

Jo Gol raised his voice, and Yoon Jong sternly restrained him with a sharp gaze.

"Well..."

Jo Gol bit his lips as if momentarily at a loss for words. Tang Soso, who watched his reaction and Yoon Jong's expression, sighed and spoke.

"Actually... I understand Jo Gol Sahyung's words that we can't trust the leader and Ten Great Sects, and I also understand that it's difficult for others to let go of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance that has been led so far. But..."

"No need to worry about appearances. Speak freely."

"...Yes, Sasuk."

Tang Soso nodded and opened her mouth again.

"Even so, it's true that it would be helpful to fight with Ten Great Sects."

"That's nonsense!"

Jo Gol got worked up again.

"What the hell are you thinking, trusting them and handing over command! Is there a guarantee that that damn Beopjeong won't push us into the most dangerous place? He's the kind of guy who would do that!"

"Gol-ah!"

Baek Cheon scolded him sternly.

"Be careful what you say."

"...Sorry."

Jo Gol seeing Hye Yeon's face with his eyes downcast, realized his mistake and apologized with a slightly sheepish expression. Even if he were to say the same thing, he should have considered Hye Yeon's feelings a bit more.

"I made a slight mistake in my words, but anyway, honestly, I think it could be more dangerous to fight alongside those bastards."

"More dangerous?"

Tang Soso stared at Jo Gol.

"Tell me, Sahyung, can it be more dangerous than our current situation? How can it be more dangerous than ten people entering Gangnam to fight against the Demonic Sect?

"...Huh?"

"I've been saying this for a long time. He'll end up dying like that. Chung Myung Sahyung will really die like that. He thinks his body is like a rag doll. No matter how injured he is, he sleeps and gets better. But the human body isn't like that!"

Other Five Swords couldn't bring themselves to face Tang Soso.

"This time... Yes, this time the battle ended in one go. But, you know, war isn't originally like that. Then Sahyung will overwork his body to the brink of death without being able to properly rest or heal. But..."

Tang Soso looked at the others.

"Who can stop that? No one, right?"

"..."

"No one, right? None of us did it this time either. I couldn't stop him. No, I didn't stop him. I even fanned the flames, saying I'd go with him."

"Soso..."

"In hindsight, I wonder if I was in my right mind. If someone died, I would have regretted it for the rest of my life, so where did I get that audacity from?"

Baek Cheon loooked. Tang Soso's fingertips, struggling to maintain composure, were trembling slightly.

"That's right."

Tang Soso was a member of the Tang Family, and she would feel a greater responsibility than others if someone died. Even though no one has ever asked Tang Soso for such a thing.

"If we fight with Ten Great Sects, what changes?"

"As a leader, at least Bangjang won't send Sahyung to a place to die. Because Sahyung has to stay alive until the end of the war. And he can stop Sahyung from trying to go back to the battlefield as a rag."

"Why should Bangjang do that?"

"Because it's advantageous!"

Tang Soso glared at Jo Gol with angry eyes. Jo Gol bit his lips tightly.

"No one's looking for favors here. If you're not a fool, you know. Doing whatever it takes to keep Sahyung alive until the end is an advantage."

"Then if we..."

"Can you stop him? Do you really think that way, Sahyung? That we can stop Chung Myung Sahyung?"

"..."

"You'll be lucky if the blood rushes to your head and you don't run away first."

Tang Soso trembled and said

"I'm scared, Sahyung. If we keep going like this, I r eallymight see him die..."

Just as Jo Gol, who had been biting his lips, was about to say something, Yoo Iseol, who had been silent all along, spoke up.

"It's not a story that applies only to Chung Myung."

"...Yes?"

"We're in danger too."

The indifferent gaze of Yoo Iseol swept through everyone present there.

"It is unnatural that no one has died until now."

"That is..."

Baek Cheon closed his half-open mouth again. Because everyone already knew the answer.

"Yes, Sahyung. Because of Chung Myung."

"...Yeah. Because even while that bastard was fighting, he was trying to keep us alive."

"To the extent that he himself was in more danger."

"Yeah, that's right."

Baek Cheon sighed briefly as if lamenting.

It was a fact that everyone knew. But they hadn't felt it so palpably until now.

Bangjang's words had dragged out a reality that they had been ignoring.

"Then wouldn't it be okay to stop him by at least punching him from now on?"

Jo Gol remained firm as if he still couldn't accept it.

"Please spare me from weak words. Who helped us get this far with Mount Hua? But now we're going to rely on others? If they really wanted to help, they would have done it not now, but a long time ago!"

"Gol-ah."

"No, Sasuk! I may be a ignorant guy, but I'm not a fool. What I want to say is..."

"As Samae says, the issue isn't just Chung Myung."

"...Yes?"

Baek Cheon looked at everyone and spoke.

"Are you really okay with dying?"

"What a trivial thing to say!"

"Think and answer."

"..."

The weight in Baek Cheon's voice momentarily silenced Jo Gol.

Baek Cheon, who looked at Jo Gol, who was biting his lips with a somewhat pitiful gaze, spoke again.

"We have always put our lives on the line. We've said that we're not afraid of dying for the sake of the greater good."

"...Yes."

Yoon Jong nodded in agreement.

"But... Honestly, I have doubts too. Was that really our determination to put our lives on the line for righteousness, or was it just bravado we spat out in the complacency that we probably wouldn't die?"

"Sasuk!"

"It's not about you guys."

"..."

"I mean, it's about me. I..."

Baek Cheon closed his eyes for a moment, as if trying to organize the tumultuous thoughts swirling inside.

"What about the Heavenly Comrade Alliance? How should we deal with Chung Myung?"

He slowly opened his eyes and lowered his head.

"These should be for later. If we ourselves are not clear about what we want to do, do we have the qualification to discuss other matters?"

Everyone looked at Baek Cheon as if being drawn into his words.

"Before discussing Bangjang's words and the future of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, let's ask ourselves."

Baek Cheon's words were solemn but firm, weighty yet piercing.

"Can we really fulfill everything we've been saying so far with our lives? And..."

His gaze swept sharply over everyone.

"Can we be prepared to drive those standing next to us to their deaths for the righteousness we want to protect?"

At that statement, everyone's faces turned pale.

Baek Cheon pressed on without giving them a chance to catch their breath.

"Someday, when a sword is thrust into my chest on that battlefield, as my body turns cold and lifeless..."

"..."

"Ask yourself if you can truly have no regrets, even while looking at your Sahyungs lying miserably dead by your side."

His words, sharp as a blade, pierced through their chests and left a chilling sensation as if water had poured over them.