1138 — Still, What Can We Do? (3)

Everyone gathered around Im So-Byeong.

Seeing this, Im So-Byeong smiled with utmost satisfaction. Baek Cheon also smiled contentedly. This scene was proof that the Heavenly Friends Alliance, which had been on a path of conflict and division, was truly beginning to unite as one…

“Why is everyone here? It’s so distracting.”

“…What?”

“The small fry, get lost! Only the representatives gather! Only the representatives!”

Baek Cheon flinched unconsciously and looked around. Even though he knew Im So-Byeong had spoken, he felt a strange déjà vu as if Chung Myung had said it.

“First, the two young lords.”

“Yes.”

“Hmm.”

“Send one representative each from Ice Palace and Beast Palace forward. As for Mount Hua… hmm, just have all five come.”

At that moment, Dang Pae raised his hand.

“What is it?”

“Why five for Mount Hua?”

Im So-Byeong’s eyes twitched at those words.

“I didn’t want to say because there are kids around, but does the young lord of the Sichuan Tang have the confidence to fight those five one-on-one and win?”

Tang Pae quietly closed his mouth.

“Shouldn’t the maximum force be treated differently? Do I even have to explain this?”

“Sorry.”

“Tsk.”

Im So-Byeong fanned his face with his fan as if frustrated.

“And also…”

“Yes?”

“Will the Shaolin representative come too?”

Hae Yeon’s face flushed bright red.

“Um… I think the Green Forest King, the donor, has a bit of a misunderstanding, but I am not the Shaolin representative.”

“Then join as the sixth member of Mount Hua.”

At those words, deep anguish appeared on Hae Yeon’s face.

Being the Shaolin representative doesn’t make sense, but joining as the sixth member of Mount Hua is also very, very strange. After all, isn’t he a monk?

Controlling all the doubts and distractions in his mind, Hae Yeon opened his mouth firmly.

“Donor!”

“Yes?”

“…At least say I am the fifth.”

“…”

“Still, being behind that guy is a bit…”

“Wow… Monk. Why are you doing this to me?”

Jo Gul flared up at Hae Yeon’s blatant gaze, wearing a very wronged expression. But everyone else nodded as if they fully understood Hae Yeon’s feelings.

“Then fifth.”

“No, are we just deciding like this? What about my opinion?”

“Shut up. So noisy.”

“…Such a harsh world.”

Anyway, everyone gathered around Im So-Byeong. After all, he was the only one here with the status to represent a sect. And Im So-Byeong was unofficially recognized as a military strategist of the Heavenly Friends Alliance. Naturally, everyone had to listen to him.

But the first words Im So-Byeong said after gathering everyone stunned those who expected a strategy.

“What will you do?”

“…”

“…”

Those gathered looked at Im So-Byeong with various emotions. He fanned himself lightly with a face that seemed to say, ‘So what?’

“Um… Green Forest King.”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t you have a plan…?”

“A plan?”

Im So-Byeong scoffed.

“We’ve just been beaten to death, so where would I have a plan? If I had one, I would’ve used it earlier. Do you think I like getting hit so much that I endured it?”

“…That’s true though…”

When everyone was being polite, the one needed was still Jo Gul.

“No, you’re smart! You must have had some idea, right?”

“Ah, smart?”

“Yes, smart!”

Im So-Byeong scoffed and looked at Jo Gul.

“So you guys have just been getting beaten up, and now you don’t want to get hit more, and you’re too lazy to think, so you want the Evil Sect bastard here to come up with a brilliant plan so you won’t get hit anymore?”

“Th-that’s a bit too much…”

“Because of people like you, strategists die!”

As Im So-Byeong flared up and tried to rush forward, Yu Yiseol and Yoon Jong naturally held him down from both sides. Even though it was the first time, it was surprisingly smooth.

“Strategy? Do these guys think strategy is something you just whip up on the spot? Am I someone who carries a strategy pouch and pulls out plans whenever someone needs it? Hey, you guys! If strategy was that easy, people would treat strategists better! Usually, they ignore us because we can’t use swords and just think with our heads, but when it comes to this, what? If I can’t pull out a strategy in time, I’m useless?”

“Ah, no one said that…”

“These guys think strategists are some kind of immortals! So did Zhuge Liang succeed in the Northern Expedition? Even he couldn’t do it, so why are you making a fuss at me!”

“No one is making a fuss…”

“Damn sword-wielders!”

Those who looked at Im So-Byeong with empty eyes unconsciously turned their heads toward the Green Forest. Unlike the speechless group, the Green Forest members of Green Forest yawned as if used to this situation, thinking ‘That guy’s acting up again.’

“Well… he does that sometimes, so don’t mind him.”

“…”

Everyone suddenly wondered what kind of lives those people had lived.

“Ahem.”

Baek Cheon cleared his throat to lighten the mood.

“So the conclusion is… you don’t really have a plan right now?”

“What if I had a plan?”

“Yes?”

Im So-Byeong said with a nonchalant face.

“If I had a plan, would you follow my orders?”

“Of course…”

Im So-Byeong turned his head and looked at the Beast Palace members.

“You guys are sturdy, so roughly take the hits and grab onto the limbs of Mount Hua’s Sword Saint. Of course, your heads might get cracked and limbs broken in the process, but we’ll win.”

Before he finished, the Beast Palace members shouted angrily.

“Why do we have to do that!”

Then Im So-Byeong turned to Baek Cheon with a sullen face.

“Did you hear that?”

Baek Cheon bowed his head in despair.

Thinking about it, except for Mount Hua, other sects had no reason to fully trust Im So-Byeong. Even if they did, they had no reason to bear greater losses to achieve the goal.

‘This is really difficult.’

Baek Cheon realized it anew.

How hard it was to balance the interests and justifications of each sect and unite them. The more he experienced, the more he doubted if it was really possible.

People don’t sacrifice themselves just because of grand causes or walking the right path. If that were possible in reality, why would the world be full of conflicts?

“Tsk tsk.”

Im So-Byeong glanced at Baek Cheon and clicked his tongue. Baek Cheon was about to tilt his head in confusion when Im So-Byeong suddenly spoke.

“Isn’t the answer already out there?”

“Yes?”

“What has the Taoist been doing until now?”

“What have I been doing? Well…”

Hitting, kicking, tearing apart…

“…I’ve only been fighting.”

Suddenly, a wave of guilt surged up.

“Sigh… Why does the Taoist always go only halfway?”

“Yes?”

“Did the Taoist do that because he wanted to? Who is the demon behind all these schemes?”

“Well…”

It’s Chung Myung.

Without even adding ‘behind all these schemes,’ the only one called a demon within the Heavenly Friends Alliance is Chung Myung.

“Then why do you think he provoked this situation?”

The answer came immediately, not from Baek Cheon but from the Five Swords gathered nearby.

“Because he has a nasty personality.”

“To watch us get beaten.”

“To torment us.”

“Because that’s just how he is.”

As Im So-Byeong flinched and tried to say something, Tang Pae and Namgung Do-Wei quietly added their words.

“Sounds about right.”

“Honestly, he doesn’t really need a reason.”

Im So-Byeong fell silent as if at a loss for words. He needed to overturn this with logic and rhetoric but couldn’t think of any.

“That’s… true, but… well… it could be… no, it’s natural. That’s just how he is.”

He had suffered too much to say otherwise. Too much.

“Anyway, that can’t be the whole reason, right?”

“If we force ourselves to think positively, maybe.”

“Then why did that demon… no, Taoist Chung Myung cause all this? Think! Think!”

“Well…”

Baek Cheon frowned slightly.

The reason they were made to fight each other? Honestly, he didn’t know. Was it to see how much resentment had built up?

“Then, on the contrary.”

“Yes?”

“What did you learn from all that fighting?”

While Baek Cheon was silent, searching for an answer, Jo Gul nearby spoke indifferently.

“What would I know? All I learned is how nasty those guys’ tempers are and how to deal with them better.”

“That’s it.”

“Yes?”

Expecting another scolding, Jo Gul was surprised to see Im So-Byeong nodding as if pleased with the answer.

“Exactly that!”

“…What?”

“How to better deal with each other?”

“…”

“That means, conversely, understanding the weaknesses of other sects and your own strengths. Using your strengths to strike the enemy’s weaknesses is the most basic principle of military strategy.”

Those who thought it was true nodded.

“What? Did I do well just now?”

Jo Gul’s desperate shout was completely ignored.

“And that means I also know what I can do. You’ve felt it while getting hit and hitting, haven’t you?”

“…”

“When someone like Mount Hua’s Sword Saint charges, what can you do? What will you do?”

Their expressions grew serious upon hearing that.

“Well…”

Seeing them troubled, Im So-Byeong smiled slightly behind his fan.

‘Think about it.’

You can’t just follow someone’s orders.

On the battlefield ahead, no one can give immediate orders. To survive, you must perfectly understand the abilities of those around you and quickly decide what you must do.

Not following orders, but thinking and acting on your own.

Before knowing the enemy, you must first know yourself, your sect, and the abilities and traits of those fighting alongside you.

“The Tang family…”

Before Tang Pae could speak, a Beast Palace member blurted out.

“We can’t confidently rush in and grab legs, but stalling time is what Beast Palace does best.”

“Oh?”

Im So-Byeong’s fan shook pleasantly.

Feeling all eyes on him, the Beast Palace member scratched his head awkwardly.

“We look rough and tough, so people often misunderstand, but our martial arts, mimicking animal movements, are efficient at dodging attacks. That’s how nature is.”

“Come to think of it…”

Ice Palace, who had faced Beast Palace the most, nodded in agreement.

“Good!”

Im So-Byeong snapped his fan shut.

It was good that someone spoke first, but it was also meaningful that Beast Palace, who usually kept a step back with an attitude of ‘let’s see how much you acknowledge us,’ spoke up first.

This meant they understood what he said.

“The Tang family can help too. Stopping those who charge in is what we do best. Beast Palace’s rampage makes attacking harder, but since we’ve interacted with them a few times, it shouldn’t be hard to understand.”

“But the Tang Family becomes vulnerable if approached too closely… going too close is…”

“That’s where us Ice Palace steps in. We’re confident in our defense!”

“No, using Ice Palace for defense is a waste. Ice Palace’s sword is better suited for offense. It’d be better if our Namgung blocks…”

“Mount Hua should attack rather than the Ice Palace…”

Once started, numerous opinions poured out from all directions. Not only those gathered in the center but also those standing behind began adding their words.

Amid the flood of words, sometimes fierce, sometimes gentle, Im So-Byeong lightly covered his mouth with his fan.

“It’s become simple.”

Isn’t it natural for people to become like this once a single goal is set?

Smiling slightly, Im So-Byeong folded his fan and spoke.

“If it comes to this, no matter who they are…”

“Then let’s use the Green Forest as a shield!”

“Honestly, they’re useless! A meat shield is perfect!”

“Yeah! Isn’t Green Forest tougher than Beast Palace? Just push them in first!”

Hearing that, Im So-Byeong, as if speechless, flared his eyes with anger.

“What? You want Evil Sect bastards to be meat shields? You filthy Justice faction bastards!”

Thus, the Heavenly Friends Alliance members argued, fought, and shouted through the night until dawn.