If I Must Die, I’ll Be the First to Go (1)
Mount Hua.
The people gathered in the room began reporting to Sect Leader Hyun Jong one after another.
"Sect Leader. We received a message from Xi'an. Hwayeong Gate says it’s now settled in completely and has grown so crowded they can’t take in any more disciples."
"Oh? When was that message sent?"
"It should have been about two days ago."
"Hahaha. I see. I see."
A satisfied smile spread across Hyun Jong’s face.
So it wasn’t an easy task after all.
Well, come to think of it, had anything those children done ever been easy? Hadn’t they always been the sort to solve things no one else would even dare to attempt?
"They say expenses have been high since the move to Xi'an, so they can’t yet send the full amount they were assigned, but starting next month, they should be able to send at least part of it again."
"Money is hardly the important thing. The fact that Hwayeong Gate has taken root in Xi'an is what matters."
"Indeed."
Hyun Jong quietly turned his head toward the direction of Xi'an. Of course, he was indoors, with the walls blocking any view, but still.
You’ve worked hard.
Hyun Young, the disciples, and Hwayeong Gate itself must all have suffered greatly.
That Chung Myung brat… no, no.
Chung Myung must have suffered too. Definitely… definitely he had to have suffered…
Did he really suffer, though?
Now that was a problem…
"Sect Leader?"
"Ahem."
Hyun Jong cleared his throat a couple of times and glanced at Hyun Sang.
"Yes. Anything else?"
"As I mentioned before, about the clash with Maninbang."
The moment Maninbang was mentioned, Hyun Jong’s gentle expression stiffened slightly.
"Has some trouble arisen?"
"We told them to contact us separately if they sensed anything suspicious after that incident, just in case. But there doesn’t seem to be any sign of that yet."
"Hmm."
Hyun Jong let out a relieved sigh.
"Maninbang. Maninbang, huh… It’s still far too early to be dealing with a place like that."
"But it couldn’t be helped, could it?"
"I’m not blaming the disciples. I’m simply worried. Those bastards aren’t likely to be so easy to handle."
"The ones who beat those bastards are our children. We shouldn’t let our guard down, but there’s no need to be overly wary either."
Hyun Jong nodded slowly.
That’s how it should be.
His gaze settled on Un Geom.
"Un Geom."
"Yes, Sect Leader."
"What do you think of sending a few more children to Xi'an? If Maninbang targets those children again…"
"I’m against it."
But Un Geom shook his head firmly.
"Objectively speaking, the children who remained at Mount Hua are a little behind the ones who went to Xi'an."
"That’s true."
"Which means the ones who stayed must give their all every single day to train and catch up. If the difference between the martial siblings grows too wide, factions will eventually form, and their confidence may begin to waver."
"…Factions? In Mount Hua? Isn’t everyone equal before Chung Myung?"
"…That is true, but."
Un Geom closed his mouth.
Wasn’t it cheating to drag Chung Myung into a perfectly reasonable argument?
"In any case, it’s hard to devote oneself fully to training in Xi'an. I’d like to use this opportunity to help the remaining children grow even more."
Hyun Jong nodded firmly.
What a kind soul he is.
Normally, a teacher would naturally pay more attention to those with greater talent. But Un Geom, on the contrary, devoted more care to those who couldn’t match others through effort alone.
Whether that was because he was simply born with too much compassion, or because he had grown attached to each and every child…
Hyun Jong thought it was truly fortunate that someone like Un Geom was teaching the disciples.
He instructed them without complaint, even though he had taken the role on his shoulders, and never neglected his own growth either.
That was not something an ordinary person could do.
"The children in Xi'an are not the sort to be cast aside anywhere. And Maninbang suffered a heavy blow as well, so isn’t it only natural that they would be cautious?"
"Mm. That’s true."
"Still, just in case, I’ll tell them to strengthen their vigilance and be more careful."
When Un Geom finished speaking, Unam, who had quietly been observing the situation, added a word.
"This incident happened because no one expected them to invade Xi'an. I will ask the Beggars’ Sect to keep watch on Maninbang’s movements. Would that not be enough?"
"Oh. That’s a very good idea."
Hyun Jong smiled warmly.
So much has changed.
The meetings held at Mount Hua in the past had been nothing but suffocating.
They had often sat there agonizing over impossible answers, people who could not take even one step forward from where they stood.
But Mount Hua was not like that anymore. Now everyone thought together, searching for better directions and better choices, actively offering their opinions.
All of this would lead Mount Hua to a higher place.
"Listen carefully."
"Yes, Sect Leader."
"If Hwayeong Gate successfully establishes itself in Xi'an, then Mount Hua’s foundation is essentially complete. That is something to celebrate, but also something to guard against."
"Yes."
"In order to build a Mount Hua that truly feels like Mount Hua, we will still need all of your help. So please, all of you, help me."
"Of course, Sect Leader!"
"We will certainly do so."
Hyun Jong nodded with a pleased expression.
This is joy. This is happiness.
Of course, there were still things to worry about.
The world is not such an easy place.
Where there is a path, there is also hardship.
Someday, Mount Hua would surely face a calamity equal to the fortune it had gained now.
But Hyun Jong hoped that time would come just a little later.
"Amitabha."
So that everyone might feel a little more happiness.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Is everyone here?"
A cold, low voice drifted through the room.
It was blunt, but no one paid it much mind.
"Why are you summoning busy people around like this?"
"You’re speaking in front of the military strategist. Watch your mouth. Unless you want the one decent side of your face split open too."
At those words, the man with a long scar across one side of his mouth slowly turned his head.
"Oh? It seems Poison Blood Hand is having some trouble digesting his food. Watching you squirm like you want a hole punched through your stomach is really something."
"I said, shut your mouth."
"Hoh?"
As the man known as Poison Blood Hand snapped coldly, the scarred man slowly rose to his feet.
Tense silence filled the space.
Then, at that moment—
"Go on. Keep talking."
Maninbang’s military strategist, Ho Gamyeong, spoke in a flat, even tone.
"If I have to report that you idiots started fighting among yourselves before even carrying out the Hegemon’s orders, that’ll be the end of it."
"Ahem."
"Hm."
At the mention of the Hegemon, the men who had been radiating killing intent all clamped their mouths shut and coughed awkwardly.
Ho Gamyeong said,
"Son Wol."
"Yes?"
Son Wol, the Life-Snatching Short Spear, answered with a lick of his lips.
"This is a place where you are receiving the Hegemon’s orders. Do not act rashly."
"Understood."
Son Wol raised a hand and lightly touched the scar near his mouth. Everyone present knew it was a habit he had when his murderous intent rose too high. But no one pointed it out.
"And Poison Blood Hand."
"Yes."
"You’ll be carrying out this mission together. Don’t provoke each other for no reason."
"Understood."
After watching the two settle down, Ho Gamyeong asked,
"Where is Yado?"
"He’s a little late."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than another man strode into the hall. He wore fitted black martial robes with a beast’s pelt thrown over them, and a large saber hung from his waist without even a scabbard.
Ho Gamyeong looked at the three men with cold eyes.
"You’ve heard the report, I assume."
"What report? The one about that Red Snake Blade bastard getting his limbs cut off by the Mount Hua dogs and becoming a real cripple?"
Son Wol, the Life-Snatching Short Spear, grinned viciously.
Even though they were talking about a comrade who had suffered severe injuries, none of the men here showed the slightest hint of pity.
"Red Snake Blade or whatever he called himself—once he started parading around with some fake reputation and running wild, I figured he’d end up like that someday."
Even Poison Blood Hand, who had always clashed with him, chimed in.
"There’s no decent human who talks about a comrade like that. But I agree with the content."
Yado tilted his head.
"Wait. Are you talking about Mount Hua Sect—the same Mount Hua Sect that used to be one of the Nine Great Sects?"
"Yes."
"And there was someone in that Mount Hua who could deal with Red Snake Blade?"
To his question, Ho Gamyeong replied in a flat voice.
"He was defeated by a Mount Hua second-generation disciple called the Righteous Sword of Mount Hua."
"…That is truly astonishing news. In many ways."
The three men frowned at once.
Red Snake Blade Yeop Pyeong was certainly not someone one could call stronger than they were. There was often a gap between a reputation in the jianghu and actual skill, and Red Snake Blade Yeop Pyeong was a textbook example of that.
But that did not mean Yeop Pyeong was someone to dismiss lightly.
At the very least, he was not someone who should have lost to some green youngster.
"He was careless."
"Then he deserved to die."
Yado gave a low laugh.
"That’s the problem with dealing with young pups. You know full well you shouldn’t let your guard down, and yet you still do."
Ho Gamyeong snapped coldly,
"Careless if you want, but if you do, then make sure you die. If you return alive, you’ll have to bear the Hegemon’s wrath in full."
"…We’ll remember that."
At the mention of the Hegemon, the three men all shrank back as if by reflex.
Paegun Jang Ilso.
For Maninbang—no, for the entire evil faction, and indeed for everyone in the world of the jianghu—Paegun’s name was little different from an emblem of terror and fear.
Even those who had endured under him for decades could only feel small before the name of Paegun.
"Tsk, tsk. Still, it looks like the Hegemon is really angry. Calling all of us here in a situation like this."
"If we’d had a little more time, we could’ve brought back at least one of those branch leaders’ heads."
"Yours would’ve been the one flying off."
As the signs of another fight began to surface again, Ho Gamyeong frowned.
"Save the bickering for later. You’ll be seeing enough of each other on the road to Shaanxi anyway. You have one order. Lead your units and go to Mount Hua. Leave not a single ant alive there. Kill them all and burn their halls to the ground. We will erase the name Mount Hua from the jianghu completely."
"…To that extent?"
Son Wol, who had seemed the most relaxed until now, was the first to react.
"Mount Hua may have been expelled from the Nine Sects, but it’s still an orthodox sect, isn’t it? If we erase a place like that, can we really handle the aftermath?"
"It doesn’t matter."
Ho Gamyeong’s lips twisted.
"The Nine Great Sects don’t exactly like Mount Hua anyway. They may make a bit of a show of it, but there’s no place that will seriously fight us to avenge Mount Hua."
"Still, the way the world works…"
"Even if it does, it doesn’t matter."
He spoke in the same cold voice as before.
"If there are those who want to fight, so much the better. It’s about time we changed the rigid balance of power."
Son Wol no longer pressed the matter and simply nodded.
"That’s the Hegemon’s order, isn’t it?"
"It is."
"Then we obey."
Everyone here knew it. That Paegun was not the kind of man who acted on impulse. There would certainly be some deep intention behind this that they could not even begin to fathom.
"Only one thing, though."
Then Poison Blood Hand, who had remained silent until now, spoke up.
"You’re saying we need three units just to deal with Mount Hua? Even if the Red Snake Unit took a beating…"
"It’s not just three units. The Black Claw Unit will join this operation as well."
"…Are you out of your mind?"
"Of course not."
Along with those words, a man wrapped from head to toe in black bandages shuffled up behind them.
"…Heoksi."
The three men all frowned and looked back at the one called Heoksi.
They didn’t seem particularly intimidated by Ho Gamyeong, Maninbang’s military strategist, but in the eyes they turned on Heoksi were a faint fear and an ugly discomfort.
"Isn’t that a bit excessive? Even the Black Claw Unit…"
"It is the Hegemon’s will."
Ho Gamyeong cut off the objection with icy finality.
"So not the slightest mistake will be tolerated. Do not leave behind even a single ant still alive in Mount Hua."
"Understood."
The moment the order was given, Heoksi was the first to turn and leave the hall.
The remaining three lowered their heads slightly and stepped out after him.
"Looks like the Hegemon is in a really bad mood."
As they walked, Yado casually spoke up, and Son Wol nodded heavily.
"If we don’t handle this properly, our heads will roll. I really don’t want to face the Hegemon when he’s angry."
Son Wol scratched at his neck as though it itched.
"No mistakes."
Poison Blood Hand said through gritted teeth.
"We wipe Mount Hua out without a trace of carelessness. Nothing else matters."
"Heh. Looks like I’ll get to taste some blood after a while."
"It’ll take at most four days to reach Mount Hua. Don’t be late."
"Why? Are you scared without me?"
"If you won’t spend the whole time whining about having no one left to kill, then you can be late for all I care."
"That won’t do."
The three men exchanged glances and began heading off in different directions. Now each of them would lead their own unit and make for Shaanxi.
The Mount Hua of Shaanxi.
Toward those steep peaks.