Chapter 1354: It's Just The Way Things Turned Out (Part 4)

As Jo Gol blinked, Baek Cheon, Im Sobyeong, and Yoon Jong subtly avoided eye contact and lowered their heads.

"Are there people with thoughts, or are there those without? Huh!"

"Well..."

"Um..."

"No matter how busy you are, you have to take care of what you need! Does it make sense to leave him behind without even providing a way for him to join us? Huh?"

Of course, there was no room for excuses in this matter. Even those listening to the scolding were questioning why they had committed such foolish acts.

However...

"This is why I can't lose consciousness! How can I take it easy when accidents happen if I look away for a moment? How can I!"

The fact that the one pointing this out was none other than Jo Gol himself pricked their stomachs. It was a day they never thought would come, receiving scolding from Jo Gol.

"Even though I believed in Sasuk, sigh... You have to believe in trustworthy people."

Baek Cheon's head drooped weakly.

But instead of comforting, Jo Gol, seeing his slumped shoulders, became even more severe.

"Just lowering your head now, is that going to solve anything? We need to come up with a plan, a plan!"

That statement was true.

In the end, Baek Cheon silently glanced at Im Sobyeong beside him. Unfortunately, Im Sobyeong was of no help at all.

"I... I missed such a basic thing... I'm on the same level as Baek Cheon Dojang..."

This guy?

Baek Cheon blinked, but Im Sobyeong seemed completely indifferent, not feeling anything at all. It felt like his soul had completely drained out. Baek Cheon couldn't urge him to come up with a plan while looking at that despairing face.

Baek Cheon looked at Jo Gol with a helpless expression.

"Uhm, should we discuss things here for a moment?"

"...Sasuk."

"Huh?"

"Now for the first time, I understand why Chung Myung flips his eyes and curses whenever he sees Sasuk."

...Even if you don't understand that, it's fine.

"What the hell... Argh!"

Just as Jo Gol was about to shout out, the sheath of a sword suddenly flew from the side and hit him in the mouth.

"...Noisy. My head's ringing."

Yoo Iseol, who had been holding the sword, lowered it weakly and leaned her forehead against Tang Soso's shoulder.

"Oh, no, Sago! Right now, the important thing is the ringing in your head..."

"Noisy."

"..."

Although Jo Gol wanted to scold Baek Cheon, he couldn't bring himself to do so when he saw Yoo Iseol. Instead, Jo Gol stopped his outburst and pursed his lips.

"Namgung Sogaju!"

At that moment, Namgung Dowi and his group joined them. The faces of the disciples from the Southern Island who saw them lit up. They were worried that they might have lost their way, but fortunately, they had found their way here properly.

On the other hand, the faces of the Mount Hua disciples became even paler.

"Sasuk."

"Sahyung."

"Dong Ryong."

"Which bastard was that just now?"

Baek Cheon narrowed his eyes. However, after meeting everyone's sharp gazes, he quickly avoided eye contact.

Namgung Dowi, who had joined them from the front, immediately asked.

"Has Chung Myung Dojang not joined yet?"

"..."

At that moment, Baek Cheon understood. Why Chung Myung sometimes looked at himself as if he wanted to burst and die... People must say such things when someone is oblivious.

"He hasn't joined? Naturally, there must be a plan, right?"

"..."

"There isn't?"

"..."

"None?"

"Well, um..."

Just as Baek Cheon was about to say something, someone interjected.

"Don't worry. He'll come on his own."

"Yes?"

Everyone turned their gaze in one direction. Within everyone's gaze, Tang Pae smirked.

"Is there a solution?"

"It's difficult to express in words, but probably."

"...Difficult to express?"

Tang Pae scratched his nose nonchalantly. He felt it distinctly—the vast influence of the Tang Family's incense from Baek Cheon.

Tang Soso couldn't use the incense of the Tang Family since she was no longer a Tang Family member, and Tang Pae had never used it.

So, who had submerged Baek Cheon in this incense? It was clear without having to investigate.

The only reason he couldn't definitively explain the situation to them was that he couldn't understand how Chung Myung could've received the Tang Family's incense.

If Chung Myung received the Tang Family's teachings to take on this incense, it meant that someone from the Tang Family passed on the forbidden martial arts to an outsider.

'Father wouldn't do such a thing...'

Tang Pae furrowed his brows slightly in thought.

Non-disclosure (非人不傳) was an absolute rule of the Tang Family that not even the head could escape. If the head of the Tang Family passed on the martial arts to Chung Myung, there would be nothing to say even if he were immediately pulled down from his position.

It might be something they could manage within the family if it was the head, but what if someone other than the head did such a thing?

'Even if their martial arts were abolished all their tendons were cut, there would be no room for excuses...'

But who would dare to do such a crazy thing?

It had to be someone out of their mind or an absolute expert beyond the Tang Family's control. However, currently, there was no such madman or expert in the Tang Family.

'I can't figure it out.'

Whatever he said now could become a problem later. A thoughtless word of his could leave a fatal flaw in the authority of the head of the Tang Family.

So, he could only mumble and smile awkwardly.

"Uh, Sogaju..."

"Hey, hyung-nim! Please answer without laughing like a local idiot!"

Those who noticed a subtle change in Tang Pae's laughter and were cautiously glancing around suddenly widened their eyes and turned to look at Namgung Dowi as he continued, as if a bomb had exploded.

Namgung Dowi added, as if his insides were bursting.

"Are you mute?"

"..."

Dowi. Your temper has become quite bad... If the late former head of the family in the sky saw this, he might be sad... No, if it were that gentleman, he might have liked it...

Since there was no response coming back, a rare madness began to flicker in Namgung Dowi's eyes.

"No...!"

But then.

"Why is the atmosphere so tense?"

"Omg!"

"Chung Myung!"

Before anyone realized it, Chung Myung appeared like a ghost and everyone was startled to see him. He smirked as he received everyone's astonished gazes.

"What's up? As if you've seen someone you shouldn't have."

The faces of the Mount Hua disciples turned sour.

"...He's alive."

"He didn't die."

"Oh, too bad."

"Late."

Jo Gol furrowed his brow and asked.

"How did you find your way here? Do you even know how to recognize the mark of the Southern Island?"

"Tsk tsk. Anyway, you guys are babies. This old man has all sorts of ways. It's called the experience of age."

"You're the youngest, you crazy bastard!"

The leaders at the front began to grumble as if saying, "When were things serious?" The atmosphere quickly became lively. Guo Hansuo, who was running behind them, opened his eyes slightly.

'A colleague...'

He could understand. Even while exchanging harsh words, everyone was still examining the body of Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword. While he was fighting alone at the back, they were thoroughly checking whether his body had suffered more damage.

Moreover, as soon as Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword appeared, the vitality returned instantly. Even though he hadn't done anything particularly remarkable, just his presence seemed to give strength to the martial brothers.

'Is that what they call camaraderie?'

He didn't want to admit it, but there was no such camaraderie in the Southern Island. The relationships between those who had lived together for decades were worse than those who had been together for only a few years now.

Guo Hansuo finally seemed to understand why Chung Myung didn't recognize the Southern Island as a proper force but only considered it a target to be protected.

"What about the Sect Leader?"

In response to Chung Myung's question, Baek Cheon shook his head.

"He hasn't joined yet."

"Why? There doesn't seem to be any problem?"

When it came to checking the mark of the sect and following them from behind, the most skilled person should be Kim Yang Baek. It was definitely strange that he was the last to join.

"That's right."

"Hmm?"

"As he's the best at recognizing the mark, he said he would take care of the rear."

"Huh?"

Chung Myung turned to look behind. A subtle smile appeared on his lips as he briefly looked into the distance.

"Did you tell him to?"

"Could I ask the Sect Leader to do such a thing? He said he would do it himself. Even if there's a problem, he can join right away."

Chung Myung nodded.

So far, the Southern Island had just waited for Baek Cheon's orders or rebelled against those orders. But this time, they had judged for themselves what needed to be done.

It seemed that they were mainly reserving the rear for the remaining elders and sending the younger ones forward.

Those who had been acting as if they were burdens were now beginning to walk into the fight, risking their lives. They were willing to risk everything to protect what needed to be protected.

From Southern Island to the canyon and then to the Myriad Man Manor, the fierce battles that followed had turned them from elders into swordsmen.

'Now they seem useful.'

Even with just this, they had reached the minimum standard Chung Myung had considered. 

"Communication method?"

"For now, there isn't one."

After all, they would handle the communication from that side, so there shouldn't be any problems. Chung Myung nonchalantly nodded his head and looked around. Checking the state of those running behind, Chung Myung smirked.

"They look like shit."

"...Honestly, that's true."

The situation was not yet considered favorable. Many of the disciples from Southern Island were injured, making movement difficult. Even considering the trailing personnel, their numbers had significantly decreased.

They couldn't afford to increase the speed while carrying those who had lost consciousness. Overall, they were nothing more or less than remnants of the army who suffered a crushing defeat and were running away to find a way to survive.

However, neither Chung Myung nor Baek Cheon were disappointed in the least.

In any case, they had successfully joined, and as a result, they were racing through Gangnam, having perfectly penetrated the siege of the Evil Tyrant Alliance. Despite substantial casualties, whoever said anything, the winners of the fierce battle in Guangdong were the Heavenly Comrade Alliance and Southern Island.

Chung Myung's gaze sank somewhat seriously.

'Just until the Yangtze River...'

From what they could see now, there wouldn't be any significant problems until then. Yeah, as long as there were no variables. Chung Myung's gaze turned backward. A peculiar light glimmered in his eyes as he looked at the jagged mountain ranges rising silently.

❀ ❀ ❀

Thunk.

The red hawk, perched on Ho Gakmyung's wrist, suddenly soared. In an instant, it shot up into the distant northern sky.

Ho Gakmyung slowly lowered his gaze and looked at the person running in front of him.

"Hoo hoo! Hoo hoo! Hoo hoo!"

Rough breaths escaped from Yugong mouth. From the moment he first discovered the mark until now, he had been running without stopping. Others just needed to keep running, but he had to find the mark of the faction in addition to running.

Naturally, his stamina had to be significantly depleted.

"Damn it..."

With his complicated emotions and his mind in a turmoil, everything felt like tormenting him from within and without.

That's when a voice reached him.

"Hey, here's your mark."

Startled by the voice, Yugong looked up. Sure enough, the mark of Southern Island was carved on a large tree standing in front of him.

Just as he quickly interpreted the mark and was about to speak, the voice continued.

"North..."

"It's the same as a while ago. Northeast. Keep going."

For a moment, Yugong stared blankly at Ho Gakmyung. Without changing his expression, Ho Gakmyung stared back at Yugong.

"Is there a problem?"

"N-no, nothing."

Yugong quickly averted his gaze. Ho Gakmyung's cold voice echoed in his ears.

"It's better not to play tricks. If you don't want to see your family, who you left behind, torn to pieces, I suggest you refrain from mischief."

Yugong bit his lip until it bled. A huge fear began to well up in his eyes.

He was in the palm of Ho Gakmyung's hand. On a giant palm where he could never escape.