Chapter 1203: How Is This Different (Part 3)

The beggar sprinted recklessly, scattering the shreds of his meal, and barged into a dilapidated shack, kicking the door as he entered.

"Buntaju!"

Hong Daekwang, who had been half-lying in a corner of the hut, quickly got up and asked.

"How was it?"

"How else? It's chaotic."

"Huh?"

"They're fighting like crazy, divided into two halves. I looked around a few places, and everyone's more or less the same."

A groan escaped from Hong Daekwang's mouth.

"Ugh, these people are really too much. How much has the Heavenly Comrade Alliance done for them?"

"Who remembers that? It's all about what they're going to give next. How can a man who's been a beggar all his life be unaware of the world's harshness?"

"Do you think I'm like this because I don't know? I'm just frustrated!"

Irritation flashed across Hong Daekwang's face.

The split public opinion didn't seem too bad, judging by what he had heard. Anyway, it means that half of the people understood the Heavenly Comrade Alliance's position.

However, that was a story without consideration for context. Until this incident, the commoners had overwhelmingly supported the Heavenly Comrade Alliance rather than the Ten Great Sects.

For the past few years, the Ten Great Sects had done nothing for the commoners, while the Heavenly Comrade Alliance not only supported the commoners in the Yangtze River area but also rushed to the front lines of Hangzhou, risking their lives to drive out the Demonic Cult.

Anyone with ears and a brain couldn't help but support the Heavenly Comrade Alliance in such a situation.

Public opinion split in this situation meant that the justification presented by the Ten Great Sects was effective. The Ten Great Sects, which had been losing momentum, finally landed a solid blow on the Heavenly Comrade Alliance this time.

'That rotten bastard... '

Hong Daekwang muttered as he ground his teeth.

The crafty Beopjeong did not convey the truth as it was. While pretending to convey the truth as it was, he had subtly inserted an interpretation that the Heavenly Comrade Alliance rejected even the concessions of the Ten Great Sects for their own benefit.

It was a bit awkward if were to be pointed out directly, so it was done in a way that wasn't excessive.

"He didn't win the position of Shaolin leader through martial arts, so this is only natural, but..."

Nevertheless, the reason Hong Daekwang was cursing Beopjeong was that the position of the Shaolin Sect Leader was originally a position that should represent virtue rather than cunning politics.

"Has the Heavenly Comrade Alliance said anything?"

"What can they say? It's not like he lied."

Strictly speaking, it was a fact that the Heavenly Comrade Alliance rejected the Ten Great Sects' proposal to unite forces. Of course, there may have been differences in the details, but people usually didn't pay much attention to other people's circumstances.

"Do they have anything to say? In truth, what's the issue with the Heavenly Comrade Alliance bowing its head and entering the Ten Great Sects?" [idk]

"Well, when we look at it, that might be the case. However, in the eyes of ordinary folks, the Ten Great Sects are still much larger and have a deeper history."

"Hmm... that's true."

"So, if the two join forces, naturally, the Heavenly Comrade Alliance will disappear, and the Ten Great Sects will prevail."

"That feels a bit odd."

Dong Gak scratched his head awkwardly.

Anyway, being part of the Beggars Union, it should have been a good thing that the common folks showed a bit more favor towards the Ten Great Sects. However, as a member of the Huayin Branch who lived in harmony with Mount Hua, it was not something to be pleased about. So it felt strange.

"So what? Did you just listen and stay silent?"

"... What was I supposed to do?"

"Hey, you bastard! Are you saying you just listened to people talking nonsense without saying anything? You should have pointed it out! It's not like that!"

"Oh, come on, Buntaju. Get a grip!"

Dong Gak dismissed Hong Daekwang as if it was ridiculous.

"Even if we're close to Mount Hua, how can we refuse an order from above? What we need to do now is not defend the Heavenly Comrade Alliance but to convey Bangjang's position to the world, isn't it?"

"So? Should we spread words that defame the Mount Hua fellows?"

"Who said anything about doing that? Even if you don't want to follow the orders, you can't go against them completely. If we get marked by the higher-ups, even Buntaju will lose his balls. Don't you understand that?"

"Ah, fuck."

In the end, Hong Daekwang cursed and snorted.

"The guys who call beggars dirty are the funniest. There are a lot of really dirty guys out there. I'm shaking with disgust! Those rotten!"

"Be careful with your words. If you keep this up, you really might get kicked."

"If I get kicked out, where can I go? Maybe I'll just have to join Mount Hua!"

"...They won't accept you?"

"What? The Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword is my friend, you punk!"

"Isn't it more important whether Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword thinks the same way?"

"But this bastard has been..."

As Hong Daekwang reached for the stick lying beside him, Dong Gak flinched and quickly shrunk his neck.

"Hey, bastard!"

Another curse escaped from Hong Dae Kwang's mouth as he forcefully blew out air.

They were currently in the Yangtze River Basin. Along with Shaanxi and Sichuan, it was one of the three places in the world where the Heavenly Comrade Alliance was most popular. If public opinion was divided even here, how would it be in other places?

"Even if people's hearts are like reeds and public opinion changes when they sleep and wake up... People can be so cruel. How...?"

"That's not because they dislike Heavenly Comrade Alliance, is it? It's because they're anxious. Because of the anxiety."

"What's there to be anxious about? What?"

"Well... It's true that Heavenly Comrade Alliance was the only one to respond and rush to the defense during the massacre at Hangzhou... But, in fact, they didn't save the people of Hangzhou, did they?"

Hong Daekwang's face stiffened at those words.

"So what? What's wrong with that?"

"It's not that it's wrong... It's just that... People who witnessed that incident, what do you think they thought? They must have thought that if the Demonic Cult intentionally attacked, they would end up in the same situation as the people of Hangzhou, don't you think?"

Upon hearing this, Hong Daekwang had no words to refute. He swallowed his words.

Although everyone made a fuss about it, the disaster in Hangzhou had a huge impact on the world. It was shocking enough to learn that the Demonic Cult, thought to have been wiped out, was still alive and well, but what was even more shocking was their brutal cruelty.

If the Demonic Cult couldn't be stopped, everyone knew what kind of state the world would end up in.

"Because they're anxious and scared, don't they want the righteous factions to become stronger? So that they can block even the Evil Tyrant Alliance or Demonic Cult if they come rushing in."

"So those bastards don't think we can defeat them if we're split in two!"

"Oh, Buntaju, why can't you pull yourself together when it comes to stories related to Mount Hua? You're usually not like this. It's not about defeating, you know? What's the point of defeating the Demonic Sect if you're gone?"

"..."

"Thanks to the Evil Tyrant Alliance and the catastrophe in Hangzhou, people have also figured it out. If the righteous factions are weak, they might be sacrificed. No, to be precise, they're just facing it properly it now."

Having heard this, Hong Daekwang openly expressed his anger.

"Hey, you! Then you should support Heavenly Comrade Alliance even more! When have those bastards from the Ten Great Sects risked their lives to help the common people? They just watched from behind! Who caused the situation where the people of Gangnam are suffering because of those Evil Sect bastards!"

"Well, that's a valid point, but..."

Dong Gwak said, feeling a bit helpless.

"In reality, well... the legitimacy is on their side, isn't it? It's better to reconcile than to confront each other. It's seen as the moral action even from the public's perspective."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Fire shot from Hong Daekwang's eyes.

"This bastard! That's all just manipulating things. The moral action! Look at the bigger picture! They're just spouting nonsense and doing nothing! If you look at it morally, since everyone dies anyway, why force down uncooked rice?"

"..."

"Look at the bigger picture. Does everything get resolved by just looking at it broadly? Those pretentious people end up ruining everything!"

"...Why are you venting your anger at me? Go talk to the people. Why are you doing this to me?"

"Ah, fuck."

Hong Daekwang, again swearing loudly, sprawled backward. His face turned reddish-purple with uncontainable anger.

"Even the chief has grown too old. Are we in a situation where even the Beggar's Union is listening to Shaolin and spreading rumors? We should have left the Ten Great Sects and joined the Heavenly Comrade Alliance."

"Is it easy to do that? Although the Tang Family and Namgung Family left the Five Great Families, no one has ever broken away from the Ten Great Sects."

"..."

"If a sect first tries to leave the Ten Great Sects and joins the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, Shaolin will do whatever it takes to suppress it. How do you think we can handle that? Especially, our Beggar's Union can't afford that. Other sects have their territories defined, but our beggars are scattered all over the country, begging for a living. If we were kicked out from Henan right now, thousands of us would starve to death right away."

"Who doesn't know that!"

Hong Daekwang shouted angrily.

"Hey, you bastard. Does the Beggar's Union really live with their mouth shut because they're afraid of starving? Is that what beggars do? Are they really beggars? "How is that any different from the logic of the Evil Sect bastards who prey on the innocent to make a living!"

"No..."

"Some people rush to Gangnam full of Evil Sect bastards to save the common people without money or fame to gain. Others, fearing starvation of begging for food, become old raccoon dogs spreading false rumors."

Hong Daekwang's voice gradually diminished.

"I didn't join the Beggar's Sect for this..."

"It's not like you joined with some grand purpose. You just joined because you were a beggar."

"Come on!"

Hong Daekwang abruptly grabbed the stick he had and threw it recklessly.

"Ah!"

Dong Gwak, hit on the head by the club, rolled backward, screaming.

"This guy keeps talking nonsense, as if he's itching for a beating! Do you really want to die today?"

"Ouch!"

Dong Gwak quickly withdrew towards the entrance and shouted.

"Anyway, don't do unnecessary things. The atmosphere is already tense since the elder was expelled not long ago. If you act foolishly here, you'll become a real example! If you don't like the current state, endure like a leech and become the chief to change it. It's as simple as that!"

"Not leaving?"

"Absolutely not! Absolutely don't do it! I insist!"

With these words, Dong Gwak rushed out as if escaping. Hong Daekwang, who had been glaring at the exit he left through, sighed and sat down on the spot.

"...Becoming the chief to change things and enduring to become the chief are two different things."

If there was an intention to change, it would have already happened.

Looking at Mount Hua, he realized that waiting for someone else to change things was futile. If he continued to wait patiently with the mindset of 'someday,' he would eventually become someone who conformed to the rules of the past.

"What would you do, Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword?"

Chung Myung's face came to mind again. When everyone said he was reckless and stupid, he ultimately proved them wrong.

"It feels disgusting."

Hong Daekwang opened a drawer stained with fingerprints and took out a cheap liquor bottle. It seemed that he would need to drink today until he fell asleep.