We Didn’t See Anything. (5)
"Huff!"
Nam Ja-myeong drew in a rough breath.
His pride had already been driven into the dirt. But even so—no, because of that all the more—he couldn’t back down. If he retreated now, he would gain nothing but a bruised ego and an even uglier humiliation.
He took a deep breath and forced himself to speak again as calmly as he could.
"Young Daoist."
"Yes?"
Chung Myung tilted his head with a bright, innocent look.
Just looking at that spotless, radiant smile made Nam Ja-myeong’s insides twist so violently that he wanted to yank out his sword and start swinging right then and there.
Still, he exercised the utmost patience and restrained himself.
No, it’s not him.
After all, how many years had Nam Ja-myeong spent as the leader of Seowol Gate? He knew exactly who the real person he needed to negotiate with was.
His gaze shifted away from Chung Myung and settled on Hyun Young, who stood beside him.
"Elder!"
His voice trembled with pleading desperation.
"Please help us! If Mount Hua doesn’t lend us its aid, all the branch families of Zhongnan will be destroyed by those despicable demonic sect bastards!"
He did his utmost to make his eyes seem as straight and earnest as possible as he looked to the elder.
"Of course, I understand that what we’ve done won’t be easy for Mount Hua to forgive! But when outside enemies invade, even factions in the middle of political strife join forces first, don’t they?"
"Hmm."
Hyun Young nodded lightly. Nam Ja-myeong did make a fair point.
"If you help us just this once, I swear that kindness will never be forgotten!"
"Mm. I see."
"Yes!"
Hope bloomed in Nam Ja-myeong’s eyes.
Unlike that Mount Hua Divine Dragon—or was he a earthworm?—this elder was someone who made sense. As expected of an elder of a major sect. He should have been speaking to someone who knew what mattered from the very beginning.
But his expectations were crushed to dust when Hyun Young smiled fondly and turned to Chung Myung.
"Chung Myung."
"Yes!"
"What is that gentleman saying?"
"Ah, that?"
Chung Myung shrugged and answered.
"He’s saying that, either way, you guys are a bunch of suckers, so instead of making a fuss, you should get your asses over here and act as arrow fodder."
"……."
"……."
The corner of Nam Ja-myeong’s eye twitched.
Uh…
Well, yes, if one thought about it, the meaning was not entirely off. Still, did people normally say that to someone standing right in front of them? And a Daoist, no less?
No, wait!
This was no time to be thinking like that!
"Th-that is not what I meant!"
Nam Ja-myeong blurted out in alarm.
"If you help us this time, we will never forget your kindness. It won’t just be words—we’ll repay Mount Hua properly, to your complete satisfaction! So please, Elder, I beg you…!"
Hyun Young once again turned toward Chung Myung.
And then, without even being asked, Chung Myung helpfully translated.
"He’s saying that, sure, all their property and everything will probably get wiped out anyway, but if we stop that, they’ll peel off a tiny bit as payment and act real grateful about it."
"……."
Hyun Young’s smile grew even warmer.
"I see."
Nam Ja-myeong stared at the two of them, speechless.
What the hell is this…?
Chung Myung was one thing—a brat so young and yet so crooked in the way he twisted people’s words—but what was with that elder, who blindly believed him without a shred of caution?
It seemed impossible to persuade them with words alone.
"Ahem."
Just then, Dan Byeonglip, who had been holding his tongue until now, stepped forward with a cough.
"Elder, I am Dan Byeonglip, the leader of Taepyeong Gate."
"Ah, yes, of course."
Hyun Young nodded with the same good-natured smile.
"Elder. Of course, I know full well that the people of Mount Hua won’t be feeling kindly toward us. Until just a short while ago, we were shouting at you to leave Xi'an, and now we’re suddenly here begging for help. It’s only natural that you’d find us detestable."
"Well, you’re aware of it."
"……."
Dan Byeonglip stared blankly at Chung Myung, who had cut in.
"Why?"
"Ah, n-no, it’s nothing."
He cleared his throat repeatedly to shake off the awkwardness, then forcibly composed his expression and went on.
"But Elder, please don’t cling to private grievances. Think of the larger picture. They are Maninbang, one of the Five Hegemons of the Jianghu. If word spreads that Xi'an has fallen into the hands of the Five Hegemons, what will the world say?"
Chung Myung then tilted his head and said, "Zhongnan’s fucked?"
"……."
A bright smile followed.
"Is that right?"
"W-well… yes, I mean, that could be—"
"Gate Master Dan!"
"Khahhheem!"
At Nam Ja-myeong’s bark, Dan Byeonglip quickly seized his escaping composure and held on for dear life.
Damn it, he keeps derailing me.
That brat kept butting in with such a sunny face that it was impossible to just ignore him.
Nam Ja-myeong took over where Dan Byeonglip had left off.
"Th-that’s right, Zhongnan will be criticized as well. But if Mount Hua is already in Xi'an, then Mount Hua won’t be able to escape that arrow either! Will you be able to stand it if the entire world condemns Mount Hua for its lack of righteousness?"
The final words rang out like a bell, loud and forceful.
And they did seem to have some effect, for the disciples of Mount Hua exchanged silent glances with one another.
"Well…"
That seemed to prove it; Baek Cheon, who had been quiet until now, tilted his head with a somewhat reluctant expression. At that, Nam Ja-myeong’s face lit up.
But then Baek Cheon looked at Yoon Jong and said, "Isn’t that not really our problem?"
At once, the surrounding disciples nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, I mean, criticism is just criticism. Up until not long ago, nobody even paid attention to us."
"……Would people really care that much about Mount Hua? I know we’ve become famous, but I still don’t feel it all that much."
"……."
Dan Byeonglip lost all words and stared at the disciples of Mount Hua in utter bewilderment.
"Th-the world will condemn you!"
"If they’re condemning us, that’s just them cursing us."
"What’s so special about getting cursed at?"
"We’re already getting cursed at every day. By that damn bastard."
"Exactly."
Dan Byeonglip and Nam Ja-myeong both clamped their mouths shut.
No. What the hell is wrong with these people’s way of thinking?
Mount Hua was a great and prestigious sect, wasn’t it?
Of course, not everyone who claimed to be righteous was obsessed with justice. Only starry-eyed children thought that way. The world was always harsher than people expected.
But even if they set goodness aside, surely there’s such a thing as face, isn’t there?
If demonic sect forces invaded and Mount Hua refused to step in despite the Zhongnan branch families pleading on bended knee, there would surely be blowback.
"Are you really saying Mount Hua’s reputation can just be thrown to the ground like this?"
Chung Myung gave a snort at that.
"You seem to have misunderstood something. This isn’t about losing face. It’s about preserving it."
"……What?"
"No matter how much this is Mount Hua, we can’t ignore how much influence Zhongnan has in Xi'an. I mean, it’d be a little embarrassing to interfere in trouble that’s happening on someone else’s turf, wouldn’t it?"
"……."
Someone else’s turf.
Dan Byeonglip’s body shuddered slightly.
Those words—someone else’s turf—were the very same words Nam Ja-myeong himself had used here before. Hadn’t he clearly declared that Xi'an belonged to Zhongnan and that he wouldn’t give Mount Hua even a single patch of land?
That damn Daoist brat was pettishly remembering those words and tossing them right back now.
"Th-that’s…"
"Hey, don’t worry."
Before Dan Byeonglip could say anything else, Chung Myung grinned sunnily again.
"What kind of sect is Zhongnan? Manin… that thing, Man… what was that name again?"
"Maninbang! Maninbang!"
"Ah, right. What could some little thing like Maninbang possibly do to Zhongnan? Don’t worry so much. Everything’ll be fine."
"……."
Why the hell are you the one saying that?
And why are you even in a position to say that?
Dan Byeonglip, having finally realized there was no way to talk sense into them, looked at Nam Ja-myeong with a resentful stare.
Then why the hell did you go and run your mouth so carelessly!
Feeling the force of that blame in his eyes, Nam Ja-myeong averted his gaze with an awkward expression.
In truth, this was unfair to him as well.
…How was I supposed to know it would turn out like this?
Just yesterday, when he had been pressuring Mount Hua here, the same brat had laughed and laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world. Yet now that the situation had changed a bit, he was tossing the blame back as if nothing were wrong.
However harsh the world was, could it really be this bad?
"Th-that…"
He started to object, but then shut his eyes tightly instead.
There was no time to be quibbling over this now. If they failed to win Mount Hua’s help, the Zhongnan branch families were truly finished.
"Elder! Please, don’t do this. Just help us this once. Don’t you pity the common people of Xi'an?"
Hyun Young smiled warmly and said, "That, you need not worry about. From today onward, we also intend to step in directly and protect the people of Xi'an. The common folk must not suffer because of the affairs of the martial world, don’t you agree?"
"Th-then…?"
"We will see to the people’s safety. So please, Gate Master, do not worry and instead take care of your own sect."
"E-Elder!"
Hyun Young smiled at Nam Ja-myeong, who looked as if the sky were collapsing, then subtly gestured toward the Mount Hua disciples.
"Escort the guests out."
"Yes!"
Baek Cheon and the other disciples of Mount Hua surged forward and surrounded Nam Ja-myeong and Dan Byeonglip. Then they began pushing them toward the main gate.
"Now, Elder! You can’t do this! Elder!"
"Mount Hua! Please think of Mount Hua’s reputation—Elder!"
Hyun Young picked at his ear with a disinterested look.
"Aaaagh! You damned bastards!"
"You’re no different from demonic sect scum!"
In the end, curses poured out, but Hyun Young merely shrugged as if a dog were barking somewhere nearby.
Before long, Nam Ja-myeong and Dan Byeonglip were shoved beyond the gate, and the gate of Hwayeong Gate slammed shut with finality.
"Tch."
Hyun Young clicked his tongue and frowned.
"People may have no choice but to change sides depending on the situation, but they’re truly shameless creatures. To come here and ask for help."
Then he glanced sideways at Chung Myung.
"We did drive them off as you said, but what do you intend to do now? This isn’t something to drag out for long."
"Because of face?"
"No. If Sect Leader hears about this, he’ll probably run all the way to Xi'an barefoot."
"……."
Ah. Right.
He hadn’t thought of that.
"It’s a huge relief that Sect Leader isn’t in Xi'an."
"I agree."
If Hyun Jong had been here, things would not have gone so smoothly. The moment he heard the words common people, half of his eyes would have gone out of focus.
"Don’t worry. It won’t take that long."
"And there is some truth in what they said. I am worried that the people of Xi'an may be harmed."
"True."
"If word gets out that the common folk were hurt, Sect Leader might lock me in a room and make me read the Dao De Jing for three days and nights straight."
"……Honestly, getting hit would be better."
"I know, right!"
Seeing Hyun Young’s face flush in an instant, it seemed he had experienced something very similar before.
After grumbling for a while, Hyun Young looked at Chung Myung. Unease had begun to seep into his expression.
"Though I agreed to do as you said, honestly, I don’t think joining hands with the Zhongnan branch families is such a bad idea. Maninbang is one of the strongest sects among the demonic factions. Even one of their core units could wipe out most small and mid-sized sects in a single day."
"That’s certainly how it looked."
"But are you really sure? If we don’t join forces with them, we may have to face that Red Snake Unit with only us and Hwayeong Gate."
"Hmm."
Chung Myung glanced back over his shoulder and said, "The kids need to grow by fighting."
"Huh?"
His crooked smile remained utterly unruffled.
"I was thinking it’s about time they got some proper real-world experience. There’s a limit to what you can learn from sparring or mock battles."
Hyun Young let out a baffled laugh.
Does he not know how strong Maninbang is?
No, that couldn’t be it.
People often misunderstood Chung Myung because of his bizarre behavior, but he was absolutely not dull. If anything, he was so absurdly sharp that he seemed unlike everyone else.
There was no way he didn’t understand what it meant to stand against Maninbang.
"Are you sure? It could be dangerous."
At that, Chung Myung turned to Baek Cheon and the other disciples with a sulky expression.
"What, you think they’re just gonna die?"
"……."
"……."
At those words, the faces of the Mount Hua disciples went dark as pitch.
Ignoring them, Chung Myung muttered to himself in thought.
"Hmm. Zhongnan aside…"
Come to think of it, the very idea of those Maninbang bastards pushing into Xi'an was infuriating enough on its own.
Five Hegemons of the Jianghu, my ass.
Back when he had been active as the Plum Blossom Sword Saint, scum like the demonic sect had been all but wiped from the world.
And now, in barely a hundred years, they had grown strong enough to deserve a title like that?
"Guess I’ll just deal with both at once. Those filthy demonic sect bastards think they can come and spit on someone else’s territory all high and mighty?"
"You just said it was Zhongnan’s territory."
"Ah. Did I?"
My memory’s a little fuzzy.