The One Who Broke Mount Hua Was Me? (5)
"Time? Just how much longer are you planning to drag this out?"
"There’s a limit to how shameless a person can be!"
"We’ve already been more than patient with you!"
Hyun Jong’s face was heavy with grief.
"I know that, but..."
Then the man who had been standing at the very back of the group stepped quietly forward. As soon as he moved, the others all fell silent and stepped aside to either side.
Is he the leader?
Chung Myung’s eyes gleamed as he looked at the man who had come forward.
He had the unmistakable look of a merchant. A slightly plump face, clothes made of expensive silk.
He looks rich.
The man spoke. Chung Myung listened in silence.
"Sect Leader. Have you been well all this time?"
"I had not expected Master Gong to come in person."
The man called Master Gong smiled gently.
"I’m not pleased to see the Sect Leader again over such a matter. I, too, had no wish to climb Mount Hua again if I could help it, but there were simply too many people pressing me. I hope you will understand that I had no choice."
"I can only apologize."
Hyun Jong bowed his head slightly.
Then Master Gong spoke, his voice carrying a faint edge that had not been there before.
"However, Sect Leader, you must also understand the feelings of the others. The agreed date passed long ago."
"Mm."
Master Gong leaned back his shoulders a little. In Chung Myung’s eyes, the gesture could not have looked more arrogant.
"We have already extended Mount Hua’s grace many times. If you continue breaking your promises like this, it becomes difficult for us to keep indulging you."
Hyun Jong had no answer.
His face looked calm on the surface, but Chung Myung could see a faint twitch in it.
Of course it would.
No previous Sect Leader of Mount Hua had ever experienced being hounded by creditors in front of their disciples while wearing the name of sect leader.
"If we followed the contract, we would be within our rights to collect the price for breaking it right this instant."
Master Gong shook his head with a smile still on his face.
"But we are also people who have lived by Mount Hua’s grace. I don’t want to be so heartless."
"Master Gong!"
"We’ve already given them so much..."
"Ahem."
The other merchants around him tried to object, but the moment Master Gong made a sound, they all shut their mouths as if they had rehearsed it. Then they stole quick glances at his face, reading his mood.
"Those who don’t know gratitude are no different from beasts. Don’t think only of the favors you’ve done. Anyone living in Hwaum County has grown up under Mount Hua’s grace, have they not? Do not forget the kindness of our predecessors."
"Mm."
"That’s right."
Apparently satisfied that everyone understood, Master Gong beamed and continued.
"So I’ll show a little more consideration. We will give you seven days from now. If you fail to repay the borrowed money within those seven days, we will collect the price according to the original contract."
"M-Master Gong. Please wait a moment..."
"Sect Leader."
Master Gong slowly shook his head.
"No more. I am a man who moves money; this alone is already the utmost accommodation I can make. If the payment is not prepared when I return after seven days, we will confiscate every single building of Mount Hua, as agreed."
"Hic!"
At the sudden sound, Master Gong turned his head. In his line of sight was Chung Myung, covering his mouth with his hand.
"How shameful, to show the child such an ugly sight."
Master Gong extended a hand and gave a polite salute.
"That is all for today, Sect Leader. I hope that when we meet again, we can do so with smiles on our faces. Then."
He turned away, and the merchants who had come with him turned with him. Even as they did, they didn’t forget to glance back and shoot Hyun Jong hard looks.
Watching them stride out through the mountain gate with such imposing airs, Hyun Jong lifted his head and let out a quiet breath.
"...Haa."
It sounded hollow, and a little drained, and that only made the sigh feel heavier.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"So."
Chung Myung sat with his legs crossed, his chin resting on his hand.
"You’re saying they’re merchants from Hwaum County?"
"That’s what I’m telling you."
"Grrr."
Chung Myung’s head jerked back and forth. Watching that, Do In-myeong quietly edged backward.
I have no idea what he’s going to do next. Better stay out of the way.
The reason he was explaining this in front of Chung Myung was simple.
The one who had returned to Baekmae Hall with terrifying momentum had called over every disciple from the merchant families, then selected those who knew what was going on with Mount Hua. And the one who had passed his criteria in the end was Do In-myeong.
Thanks to that, Do In-myeong was now squeezing out everything he knew—and everything he didn’t—to explain Mount Hua’s situation to Chung Myung.
"Hwaum County is the town at the base of Mount Hua, right?" Jo Gul asked, having been listening as well.
"That’s right, Sahyung. I remember seeing it when I used to travel with my father on the merchant roads."
"Then Mount Hua borrowed money from the merchants in Hwaum County?"
"I’m not sure about that part..."
Do In-myeong scratched his head.
This concerned Mount Hua, yes, but there was no way the third-generation disciples could know every last detail of it. At best, they could only infer from the circumstances.
"That Master Gong is the owner of Taehwa Pavilion in Hwaum County. I’ve heard it’s the largest tavern in Hwaum, and that he uses it as a base for all sorts of business ventures. He’s the top merchant in Hwaum County."
"Mm."
"So if Mount Hua borrowed money, it was probably from him..."
Thunk.
"Hm?"
Jo Gul turned his head. Then his face drained of color.
Chung Myung’s neck was jerking like a wooden doll with its strings cut.
"S-Saje! Snap out of it! Saje!"
"Ta, Taehwa Pavilion..."
"What’s wrong with you?"
Jo Gul was startled stiff by the sight of Chung Myung looking utterly shell-shocked.
Of course, there was no way they could understand why Chung Myung was reacting like this.
Bang.
As if suddenly brought back to life, Chung Myung sprang to his feet and fixed Do In-myeong with a terrifying glare.
"H-Huh?"
Then, with lightning speed, he lunged at Do In-myeong and grabbed him by the collar.
"You’re telling me that bastard is really the owner of Taehwa Pavilion?"
"I-I said so already."
"The owner of Taehwa Pavilion lent money to Mount Hua and is now trying to confiscate Mount Hua’s buildings?"
"C-Calm down, Saje!"
"Calm down? You want me to calm down right now?"
Hey, you idiots! Do I look like I can calm down?
Chung Myung let go of Do In-myeong’s collar, then scratched at his own hair and began to tear at it in frustration.
"Why are you doing that, Saje?"
Even at Yoon Jong’s question, Chung Myung could not answer at all. The reason was simple.
He couldn’t explain it.
Because...
Taehwa Pavilion belongs to Mount Hua, you insane bastards!
Being a Daoist did not mean living on grass alone. A small or medium-sized sect might survive on the donations it received from pilgrims and visitors, but for a great sect like Mount Hua, that alone could never sustain it.
After all, swordsmen and martial artists were the sort who only cared about becoming strong by themselves, and not one copper coin’s worth about the sect’s finances.
Feeding a whole flock of leeches like that required a tremendous amount of money. That was why Mount Hua had operated numerous businesses in Hwaum County. One of those businesses was Taehwa Pavilion.
And now the owner of Taehwa Pavilion was the one lending money to Mount Hua and threatening to seize Mount Hua’s buildings because of that debt?
That made no sense.
No, wait. If it made no sense, then that meant something had gone wrong somewhere.
"...Jo Gul Sahyung."
"Hm?"
Without saying another word, Chung Myung gestured. Jo Gul, puzzled, walked over. Chung Myung whispered something so quietly that only Jo Gul could hear it, and Jo Gul’s eyes widened as he stared at him.
"That?"
"Can you get it?"
Jo Gul stammered a little.
"I-I can get it, but..."
"Then hurry up and bring it."
"...Seriously?"
"Do I look like I’m joking, Sahyung?"
"I-I’ll get it."
With a slightly tense expression, Jo Gul left the room.
What is he planning?
Yoon Jong watched him go, head tilted. Jo Gul’s reaction was far too unusual.
But there was no need to think about it for long. In less than half a moment, Jo Gul returned carrying something in his hands.
He held it out to Chung Myung with a strange expression.
Cloth?
No, was it clothing? But why would he bring something like that at a time like this?
Taking the garment Jo Gul handed him, Chung Myung immediately yanked off the outer robe he was wearing without the slightest hesitation.
"Ah?"
Then he quickly started pulling on the clothes Jo Gul had brought.
Tight black clothing that clung to the body...
"Wh-What are you planning to do?"
"I’m going to ask him."
"Hm?"
Chung Myung answered with complete calm.
"If I ask the uncles, they won’t give me a proper answer anyway, and no matter what, they’ll just tell me to stay out of it."
Of course they would, you bastard! Because that was the correct answer!
"So I’m going to ask him directly!"
"W-Wait a second!"
Cold sweat broke out on Yoon Jong’s forehead.
Everything Chung Myung had done so far had happened within Mount Hua. Because of that, even though there were plenty of problems, they could somehow be cleaned up afterward. But what he was about to do now was no longer just Mount Hua’s internal matter.
I have to stop him.
If he was lucky, maybe it would end with him extracting a bit of information and nothing more...
As if that would happen!
Chung Myung was, in other words, a man with no reverse gear. Everything Yoon Jong had seen so far was proof enough. This bastard would absolutely cause trouble. He’d bet his neck on it.
And if this bastard went down the mountain and caused trouble, the fallout would be impossible to control.
If Yoon Jong failed to stop him here, that would be his responsibility too. If the sect elders learned the whole story of the trouble this bastard caused, even Yoon Jong, as the senior disciple, would not escape unscathed.
But how was he supposed to stop him?
If a few words could do it, he would have already said them.
Yoon Jong wiped the sweat from his brow and spoke with great difficulty.
"W-What are you planning to do?"
"I said I’m going to ask him directly."
"And if he doesn’t answer?"
"Doesn’t answer?"
Chung Myung tilted his head.
"That doesn’t usually happen. Most people tell me to stop and promise they’ll answer."
Stop what, you crazy bastard!
Yoon Jong racked his brain at full speed.
"Y-You’re a Daoist, aren’t you?"
"Hm?"
"Right, you’re a Daoist. You’re a disciple of Mount Hua!"
For reasons he couldn’t understand, Chung Myung seemed to have a certain pride in being a seeker of the Dao, and in being a disciple of Mount Hua. So if he struck that nerve properly...
"A Daoist shouldn’t do something like that! If you do, you’re no different from those black-path bastards!"
Chung Myung nodded deeply.
"That’s true enough. A Daoist shouldn’t do something like that."
It seemed this move had worked. Yoon Jong’s face brightened with a streak of hope.
"R-Right!"
"But Sahyung! Listen carefully!"
"Huh?"
"There’s a saying in Buddhism! Salbulsaljo! If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha; if you meet the patriarch, kill the patriarch!"
"..."
"So! In order to attain the true Dao!"
Chung Myung pulled the black mask he had been holding in his hand over his face. Then he shouted with utterly shameless confidence,
"Sometimes, you have to know how to break the rules of the Dao!"
What the hell is he even saying? This insane bastard.
"I’m going! To search for the true Dao!"
"..."
Yoon Jong came to the deeply depressing realization that stopping Chung Myung was impossible from the start.