How Is the World Supposed to Go On? (1)
“So, then…”
A faint flicker of suspicion began to bloom in Hyun Jong’s dazed eyes. He sat quietly, looking at the man before him.
“Of the Green Forest…?”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
The seated man bowed to Hyun Jong with impeccable courtesy.
“I am Im So-byeong, and though I am lacking in many respects, I currently serve as the Green Forest’s deputy commander.”
“The Green Forest…”
Hyun Jong’s gaze drifted to one side. Baek Cheon, who happened to meet his eyes, quickly looked away.
If one were to trace the cause of all this, then the one who ought to be dragged out and interrogated was, naturally, Chung Myung. But Hyun Jong had no intention of questioning him, and Baek Cheon didn’t think it would do any good either.
“So then… the Green Forest King….”
“Yes. That is correct, Sect Leader.”
Once again receiving a confirming answer, Hyun Jong looked up at the ceiling and let out a laugh.
I’ve lived long enough to see…
He had seen all sorts of things. Yes, all sorts of things indeed.
But no matter how much Mount Hua had declined, he never imagined he would live to see the day when the Green Forest King himself came walking into Mount Hua.
Faced with an emotion he could not even begin to describe, Hyun Jong could only laugh.
What shocked him even more, though, was the Green Forest King’s appearance.
He looks like a scholar, no matter how you look at him.
It wasn’t just his clothes. Every movement, every word, was full of courtesy and refinement. As Mount Hua’s sect leader, Hyun Jong wasn’t sure whether he should even be thinking such a thing, but no matter how he looked at it, the Mount Hua disciples sitting behind the man looked more like bandits.
“It is truly an honor that such an esteemed guest would visit Mount Hua…”
What should have followed was something suitably flattering—something like, “It is an unmatched honor,” or, “This is a glory beyond three lifetimes.” But Hyun Jong couldn’t bring himself to actually say it.
What sect leader in Mount Hua would possibly welcome the Green Forest King?
One careless word here, and the former sect leaders who had ascended to the heavens might all appear in his dreams tonight just to beat him senseless.
Fortunately, Im So-byeong was the type to read a room very quickly. Before Hyun Jong’s hesitation could drag on any longer, he stepped in first.
“Given my status, I worried quite a bit on the way here. But to be received so warmly… I am deeply moved by the Sect Leader’s benevolence.”
“Hoho. How could I not? The whole world is a single road after all.”
Hyun Jong gave a low cough, then offered Im So-byeong a teacup.
“It is not an especially precious tea, but it is made from Mount Hua’s plum blossoms. Please, have a taste.”
“Thank you.”
Im So-byeong lifted the cup and took a sip with perfect composure. Watching his movements—so precise they did not violate a single rule of tea ceremony—Hyun Jong felt absurdly as though he might cry.
Who exactly is the bandit, and who is the Taoist?
Was the problem that this bandit lord didn’t look like a bandit?
Or was it that the Taoists looked like bandits?
“The aroma is splendid. It feels as though this one cup contains the whole essence of Mount Hua.”
“……Thank you kindly.”
“Hahaha. I had been suffering because there was no one around who understood tea ceremony, so meeting someone so well-versed brings me boundless joy. If I may be so bold, could I ask for another cup?”
“What do you mean, bold? Of course I should serve you more. Hahahaha!”
Watching Hyun Jong brighten with delight, Jo Gul leaned over and whispered to Yoon Jong.
“Senior brother.”
“Yes?”
“Even so, he’s the leader of bandits. Is it really okay for the Sect Leader to act like that?”
“……How could that be the Sect Leader’s fault? It’s our ignorance.”
“B-but still, that’s…”
“Be quiet.”
Jo Gul, who had been about to say more, eventually shook his head in reluctant surrender.
“Fine.”
After pouring another cup of tea, Hyun Jong asked Im So-byeong, “The Green Forest is said to have made an enemy of the whole world, yet it cannot have been easy to travel all the way here to distant Mount Hua. What brings you here?”
“Ah, well… cough! Cough! Kuheh-heh-heh-kugh! Cough!”
Startled by the sight of Im So-byeong suddenly hunching over and coughing as if he were about to spit out his lungs, Hyun Jong jumped in alarm.
“Are you all right?”
“F-fine… cough! Cough! Ah, this coughing… cough! I-I’m sorry. My body isn’t in very good shape…”
Hyun Jong was genuinely flustered by the unexpected revelation.
The Green Forest King had a weak body?
Wasn’t that like saying the Wudang Sect Leader didn’t know how to use a sword, or the Shaolin Sect Leader didn’t know the Buddhist scriptures?
Come to think of it, the man really did look pale, and his body was terribly thin.
“I’ve had a congenital illness since birth…”
“Ah…”
“It’s all right. I am perfectly… kuhweh-hehehek!”
Im So-byeong skillfully pulled a handkerchief out with a lightning-fast motion and covered his mouth.
“Hah?”
Hyun Jong’s eyes went wide when he saw the cloth over Im So-byeong’s mouth turn red in an instant. Im So-byeong casually wiped the corner of his lips and said,
“It’s, cough, it’s all right. This happens often… cough.”
Seeing this, pity filled Hyun Jong’s eyes.
“You must have suffered greatly, becoming the Green Forest King despite such a frail body.”
“One cannot help what one is born with. One can only strive and persevere.”
“Oh…”
Hyun Jong’s expression changed into one of admiration.
Having spoken with him, he was truly a gentleman.
He couldn’t understand how such a man had ended up staying in such a rough place as the Green Forest.
After coughing a few more times and steadying himself, Im So-byeong let out a deep breath and spoke again.
“So, the reason I came here is…”
Then he glanced at Chung Myung once before beginning his explanation.
“So…”
A little while later, veins had begun standing out on Hyun Jong’s forehead.
“S-so… you’re saying that because your body is weak and needs treatment… that the treatment was…”
“Yes.”
“You took the money…”
“It came to over ten thousand nyang. Cough!”
“A-and you didn’t give him the goods…”
At that, Hyun Jong began to cough hard, almost tipping backward.
“Sect Leader!”
“Please calm down, Sect Leader!”
Hyun Sang and Hyun Young, who stood on either side of him, caught him before he fell and began furiously massaging the back of his neck.
“Ughhh…”
Hyun Jong, who had been choking for breath, suddenly burst to his feet, his eyes blazing with an icy blue light. The one he glared at, of course, was Chung Myung.
“……Is that true?”
“Hehe.”
Chung Myung scratched the back of his head with an awkward grin.
“There seems to be a bit of a misunderstanding.”
“……Is it true or not?”
“Well, from the outside it looks that way, but there’s actually a pretty deep reason behind it…”
“You little rotten brat!”
Hyun Jong grabbed the wooden pillow beside him and hurled it straight at Chung Myung. Chung Myung flattened himself to the floor and dodged it with blinding speed.
Hyun Jong clenched his trembling fist so tightly it shook.
“You’re a disciple of Mount Hua, and instead of doing something useful you’ve been running around scamming people? And not just anyone—bandits! B-bandits! A disciple of the Dao cheating people! Cheating bandits!”
“It’s not like I was trying to scam him. When I got to Mount Hua, there wasn’t any stock left, so…”
“You… you bastard, even if you fell into water your tongue would still float!”
Hyun Jong rolled his eyes and tried to lunge at Chung Myung, but Hyun Sang and Hyun Young were holding him too tightly, and his bare white-socked feet only kicked pitifully at the air.
“You cheated a sick man by saying you’d heal him! What kind of Daoist, no, what kind of person does that!”
“Hehe. But if you think about it, it’s actually a long-standing tradition among Daoists. I’m sure our ancestors did it plenty of times too.”
“Ughhh…”
“Sect Leadeeer!”
“Bring me So-so! Bring So-so here right now!”
It took quite a while before the commotion finally began to settle.
“……Sit properly.”
“My arm hurts, though…”
“Sit properly before I break your arm-stick.”
“Grrrgh.”
In a corner of the room, Chung Myung knelt with both arms raised high, groaning miserably. Even then, he kept pouting and grumbling under his breath.
“Sect Leader, I’m a man with a certain amount of social dignity too. If you punish me in front of these fresh-faced kids like this…”
“Would you prefer getting hit in front of fresh-faced kids instead?”
“I’m saying this seems like quite appropriate corporal punishment.”
“Grrrgh.”
Hyun Jong exhaled heavily several times, then turned those blade-sharp eyes on the other disciples. Baek Cheon and the others all lowered their heads at once, avoiding his gaze.
“I’m not… saying I wanted you to stop him!” Hyun Jong growled. “That brat isn’t the kind you can stop just by telling him to stop! I know full well that none of you can do a thing about him!”
“……”
“But if he’d caused trouble, you should at least have reported it! Why were all of you clinging to that Chung Myung brat and keeping your mouths shut? Is that how I taught you to behave?”
“We’re sorry.”
“We were wrong.”
Only yesterday, he had praised them joyfully, saying how pleased he was that they had all grown so much in the North Sea.
Growth, my ass.
At this point, Hyun Jong was starting to fear what sort of disaster they had brought back from the North Sea. If they didn’t speak, how was he supposed to know?
At least before, whenever Chung Myung caused trouble, they’d come running to tattle on him…
Ugh. Better to die than endure this.
With a deep sigh, Hyun Jong turned to Im So-byeong and said in a voice full of apology, “In any case, I am truly sorry. We took him in as a disciple, yet we have not properly raised him…”
“Not at all, Sect Leader.”
Meanwhile, Im So-byeong was sweating coldly for his own reasons.
There had been no other choice, so he had come here to complain, but who could have imagined that the monstrous brat would actually be punished so openly, like a child being scolded in a village schoolroom?
His martial ability did not seem terribly high, but the fact that Hyun Jong could punish and control the Mount Hua Divine Dragon like this alone meant he deserved to be held in high regard.
“I had intended to wait as long as I could, but… the illness had worsened far too much, and no matter how I thought about it, the Mount Hua Divine Dragon did not seem like the kind of person who would listen to a mere reminder.”
“That’s true.”
“He wouldn’t have listened even if he had heard it.”
“He’d probably finish whatever he had to do, and if he got bored enough, just toss together something halfway decent and give it to you.”
As whispers spread here and there, Hyun Jong’s face flushed hot.
When that brat handled things properly and brought results, there was no one in the world more reliable. But when he went and caused trouble, Hyun Jong wanted to drag him up to Nagan Peak and throw him off it.
Not that it would kill him.
“In any case… I am truly sorry. I will pressure that brat and make sure you receive the elixir as quickly as possible.”
“It’s such a pain…”
“Shut. Your. Mouth!”
Chung Myung puffed out his cheeks and glared at Im So-byeong.
“Come see me separately later. I’ve got something to say to you.”
“How dare you try to threaten someone, you little punk!”
At Hyun Jong’s bark, Chung Myung deflated and pouted again. Watching that, Hyun Jong’s insides were burning black.
Then, Im So-byeong—who had been smiling awkwardly the whole time—finally spoke.
“And…”
His expression had turned quite serious.
“The reason I visited Mount Hua was not only for that matter.”
“Hmm?”
“I think I need to speak about something a little more serious.”
Looking at him, Hyun Jong slowly nodded.
“Please, go on.”
Im So-byeong glanced around the room. With a gesture that suggested there were too many ears nearby, Hyun Jong said in a solemn tone, “There are no secrets in Mount Hua. If it is something you cannot say to them, then perhaps even a monk should not hear it.”
“……No. It isn’t such a major secret. I’ll just say it.”
Taking a slightly deeper breath, Im So-byeong began.
“It seems the movements of Maninbang are anything but normal.”
“……”
At that moment, the eyes of everyone in the room turned cold.