Chapter 1544: Isn't That Enough? (Part 4)

"Burn it!"

"Kill them all without mercy!"

Near the Yangtze River, flames erupted in a village. Startled villagers, shocked by the sudden attack, screamed and fled, but those who invaded the village pursued relentlessly, stabbing knives into their backs.

From all directions, cries, pleas, and the sounds of children crying could be heard.

"Ah-ah-ah!"

"Wife!"

A man screamed in sorrow and anger as he saw a knife protruding from his wife's chest. Despite rushing towards the evildoers with rage, they were formidable opponents that could not be overcome by anger alone.

Squelch!

The man's throat was slashed in an instant, and the lifeless body of the husband collapsed weakly.

"Do the northerners have no fear?"

The man who had slashed the throat, Igon (李堒), wiped the blood off the knife with a smirk.

Around him, scenes not short of a spectacle from hell unfolded. Burning houses, blood scattered everywhere, and people running in all directions, screaming.

Igon licked his lips slowly.

'It's been a while.'

His heart pounded, and his eyes gleamed with excitement.

While people said such incidents were common in the Gangnam regions dominated by the Evil Sect, the reality was different.

Jang Ilso strictly prohibited the evildoers from harming commoners.

Of course, It was not out of generosity; each commoner was someone who could fuel the power of the Evil Tyrant Alliance.

Therefore, the discontent of the lower-class followers of the Evil Sect, who could not share in that price, inevitably surged.

However, here in the north, it was different.

With no surveillance from the Evil Tyrant Alliance overseeing day and night and no brutal Myriad Man Manor members burning wrists and thrusting burning iron pokers for violating orders, it meant one could roam freely without any need for restraint.

"Tch! Not even beggars, and there's not a single grain sack in the house."

Some of his subordinates, who were forming groups, were searching for valuables. However, Igon had no interest in such possessions. Logically, what wealth could there be in the hands of peasants plowing the land in such rural areas?

"If we go further up, those bastards with money will come out."

"Hehe. What we take in Gangbuk is ours, right?"

His subordinates completely trusted the words of their superiors. After all, they had made a promise in Paegun's name, so doubting it would be strange.

Anyway, Igon didn't care about such promises or wealth. Even if everything was a lie, it was much better than protecting the suffocating Gangnam.

"If you've killed enough, let's move on."

"Good."

Those who set the village on fire began to march northward.

Igon wiped the blood splattered on his face roughly with his sleeve. Indeed, the scent of blood was something he hadn't experienced in a long time.

His eyes were gradually filled with a deeper madness.

* * *

"Bangjang!"

The entrance to the Beopjeong's room burst open in haste.

"Um, there are reports that the Evil Tyrant Alliance is landing in various places along the Yangtze River!"

The eyes of Beopjeong, who had been tightly closed, opened slowly.

"We are requesting support as much as possible, but it is impossible to completely block the Yangtze River since most of the small sects have gathered in Hubei and Shaanxi."

No, maybe even if they hadn't vacated their positions, it might have been impossible to block the vast Yangtze River with human power in the first place.

"This is not the time for this. Uh, we must somehow gather forces!"

"Hmm."

But as urgent as Beopgye's cry was, the expression on Beopjeong's face was calm enough to be doubtful.

"Have you checked?"

"Yes?"

"I told you to check."

After swallowing dry saliva for a moment, Beopgye spoke.

"Well… It's not exactly confirmed, but the strength of those attempting to land now doesn't seem very high."

Beopjeong nodded slowly.

"...Dead stones."

"Bangjang! Of course, they may be nothing more than pests to us, but they are not so for the commoners. Several villages have already burned. If left unchecked, the damage will grow uncontrollably. We need a plan!"

In his desperate plea, Beopgye raised his voice. But Beopjeong just nodded slowly without changing his calm demeanor.

"It's an unavoidable situation."

"Yes? What...?"

"The Myriad Man Manor hasn't moved from Zhang Jia Jie. Do you not know what that means?"

For a moment, Beopgye closed his mouth. The Evil Sects causing havoc on the Yangtze River right now were at best just mobs. No, calling them gangsters (黑道), rather than the Evil Sect, would be more fitting.

Although they were jumping around like fish in the water at the vacated Yangtze River, in a proper confrontation, they would be nothing more than a force to fill the ranks, lacking any real power.

Then, where lay the true strength of the Evil Tyrant Alliance?

"The moment we decide to confront them, the Evil Tyrant Alliance will advance north. Isn't it obvious? We must not act recklessly."

"But, Bangjang, if we do that..."

"Indeed. The damage will be substantial. Many will lose their lives."

Beopgye nodded vigorously, hoping for a different, wiser judgment from Beopjeong even now.

"Unfortunately, it cannot be helped."

"..."

"The innocent will suffer, and it pains my heart, but if we are defeated by the Evil Sect, the entire Gangbuk will turn into hell, just like Gangnam."

"Bangjang..."

"We must endure."

Before Beopgye could speak, Beopjeong's voice cut through decisively.

"What they aim for is our instability. We must not move according to the enemy's intentions under any circumstances."

"H-How can you be so sure?"

Beopgye objected, biting his lip.

"Their intention might be to bind us and devastate the north. Bangjang, what if you are wrong..."

"Beopgye!"

In an instant, Beopjeong raised his voice, glaring at Beopgye with cold eyes.

"The Buddha overcame all the temptations of various delusions to attain enlightenment. Do not waver."

"..."

Beopgye bit his lip tightly, knowing that it was not a false statement. It would be foolish to confront those who were not even worth being called minions.

But... if that was the case, what was the reason they had mastered martial arts?

The situation was different from when he gritted his teeth and watched the chaos beyond the Yangtze River. Even now, in this situation, they could help the commoners without exerting much force. They could save lives.

However, should they turn a blind eye to all that suffering?

"Bangjang, then perhaps..."

"No, that cannot be."

But before Beopgye could finish his sentence, Beopjeong lowered his head. He already knew what Beopgye wanted to say.

"Paegeun would not have thought of such a thing. The moment we go to confront them, there will undoubtedly be traps he set waiting for us."

"Then what should we do..."

"Amitabhul."

Beopjeong chanted softly.

"We don't have to wait indefinitely. If the Myriad Man Manor does not move as well, they too will have wasted their forces poured into Gangbuk. Will they move only when Jang Ilso is in dire straits?"

"..."

"They must move. They must. This is a battle of endurance. If they move, we can surely crush the enemy in disgust."

"Bangjang..."

"Remove the delusions from your heart. Do not be toyed with by the schemes of those who wish for us to falter. And pass on instructions to others not to move, maintaining their positions."

"..."

"Go."

"Yes, Bangjang."

Reluctantly, Beopgye nodded. Unlike usual, his movements were sluggish and slow. Watching him leave with his head bowed, Beopjeong added.

"Beopgye."

"Yes, Bangjang."

"It's a test of patience."

At that, Beopgye looked back at Beopjeong with a questioning gaze.

"I permit going only as far as the distance where it is possible to return within one shichen [two hours]. If the Evil Sect gathered there meets the conditions, you may move and annihilate them. Tell them that."

"Ba-Bangjang!"

"But more than one shichen is not allowed. It must be observed at all costs."

Beopgye hurriedly nodded.

"I will definitely convey that."

"Go."

"Yes!"

With a face markedly different from a moment ago, Beopgye left. Beopjeong's eyes soon became heavy.

'Being pleased with something that won't change anything at all.'

Even if he reached the peak of martial arts, how far could he go within just one shichen? Ultimately, he would not pass beyond the edge of Hubei.

Destroying the Evil Sect within wouldn't contribute even a speck of help to the direction of this war.

Knowing this, Beopjeong still granted what Beopgye wanted. In the past, he would never have allowed it, but now Beopjeong understood. The human heart was not as rational as he thought.

Merely exterminating the Evil Sect in front of them would somewhat alleviate their pent-up dissatisfaction. Wouldn't that be good enough?

Beopjeong nodded with a slightly bitter expression. This was something he had learned from the Heavenly Comrade Alliance. People find satisfaction not in doing the right thing but in doing what they want to do. [damn that's some deep bs]

"Sigh..."

Letting out a deep sigh, he became lost in thought.

'Paegun...'

Certainly, Paegun was someone capable of unimaginable feats.

But the shock was not the same as before. Unlike in the past, Beopjeong now knew that Jang Ilso always surpassed expectations.

Now, he was simply curious.

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

This must be what they call an external pressure.

"Didn't I say it before? Someday, your words and actions will lead to your own downfall."

A quiet prayer spread heavily.

"Amitabul."

* * *

"They are committing mass murder."

In the meeting room of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, everyone's faces were as stiff as they could be.

"Reports say that there is a sudden uprising in Huaining and Jizhou."

"...Anhui."

Someone muttered, and Namgung Dowi bit his lips until blood came out.

The chaos was unfolding across the entire Yangtze, and the most concentrated area was none other than Anhui.

'We...'

With the Namgung Family absent, and Namgung Dowi actively bringing the small sects of Anhui to Shaanxi, Anhui had become completely empty.

As if the Evil Tyrant Alliance had anticipated Namgung Dowi's movements, without any opposition, they were now landing in the deserted Anhui.

"What do we do, Nokrim King!"

Namgung Dowi, in desperation, raised his voice towards Im Sobyeong.

If things continued like this, Anhui would literally turn into hell.

No, not just Anhui. If they continued to watch, soon the whole world would be ablaze. The situation now was incomparable to a few issues that had arisen in some locations a while ago.

"We should do something!"

Listening to Namgung Dowi's desperate voice, Im Sobyeong fell into deep thought with a stern face.

After a while, when Im Sobyeong's gaze turned to someone, everyone's attention shifted in that direction.

It was Chung Myung.

Sitting like a statue, clenching his fists, Chung Myung, with forcibly opened lips, spoke.

"Firstly..."

Chung Myung's hand, hidden behind his elbow, clenched so tightly that blood wouldn't flow.

"Until Jang Ilso moves..."

"..."

"Just a little more..."

At that moment.

Scrape.

With a grinding sound, someone stood up from their chair.

It was Yoon Jong.

He looked at Chung Myung with an indifferent face and calmly said,

"I'm going to Anhui."

"Yoon Jong!"

Reacting to those words was not Chung Myung but another member of the Five Swords.

"S-Sahyung! Why suddenly like this?"

"Why?"

Yoon Jong, with an uninterested face, asked Jo Gol as if the reaction was strange.

"Does one need a reason to go and save people?"

His calm voice, stating the obvious, penetrated everyone's minds like a sharp dagger.