1285 — Who Came To Southern Lands Now? (5)

While Namgung Do-Wei and Tang Pae were tending to Seol So-Baek, Southern Island’s disciples all arrived at the shore.

Though it was barely the beginning, their faces had already gone pale.

“Everyone all right?”

“…Yes. Sect leader.”

There was no strength in the answering voices.

What showed on their faces was nothing but distrust.

‘Why are they like this?’

Even without diving, the shore isn’t empty, is it? The Ten Thousand People Clan who might be watching them should be out in the middle of the sea, not here…

Even if there were reasons, it was questionable whether they had any justification to swim as if their lives depended on it.

Wouldn’t they exhaust themselves before even getting the chance to fight?

“We leave as soon as preparations are complete. Hurry.”

“Yes!”

As Southern Island Sect’s disciples forced down rising complaints and calmed their boiling energy, Lee Ja-Yang, who had a bit more composure, spoke to Gwak Hwan-So.

“They seem to have a lot of complaints.”

“Complaints?”

Gwak Hwan-So frowned slightly.

“What kind of complaints?”

“Complaints about being told to move without any explanation of the reasons, I suppose.”

“If the sect leader commands it, a disciple’s duty is to obey. Isn’t that why you came all the way here?”

“If it’s the sect leader’s order, then yes.”

Gwak Hwan-So frowned slightly.

“But all these orders are coming from the Heavenly Friends Alliance… no, to be precise, aren’t they being issued under Mount Hua’s Acting Sect Leader, Baek Cheon’s authority? The sect leader is merely following that word.”

“…What are you getting at?”

Lee Ja-Yang shrugged his shoulders.

“I’m just saying that’s how it is. No matter how capable someone is, how many here are so soft-hearted that they’d immediately obey instructions from a peer of another sect?”

Gwak Hwan-So turned to look at Lee Ja-Yang. Lee Ja-Yang casually raised both hands and tried to joke.

“I’m not saying it’s my opinion, but that the kids think that way. As for me…”

There was no need for further excuse; Gwak Hwan-So knew Lee Ja-Yang’s temperament well.

He despised authority being given to the unworthy.

In other words, he followed those with ability without complaint.

Having already seen Mount Hua and Baek Cheon’s abilities, Lee Ja-Yang had no real reason to complain.

Seeing Gwak Hwan-So’s expression, Lee Ja-Yang snorted with a small laugh.

“Don’t make that face, sahyung. People are like that by nature, aren’t they? They talk against authority and shout about rejecting it, but when that anti-authority sentiment turns back on them, they complain.”

“…”

“What I don’t understand is why it’s so hard to explain the situation and get them to understand. Those obvious people over there seem to be keeping silent on purpose. They’re not the kind who wouldn’t grasp something like this.”

“There must be a reason.”

“Yes, well. Probably.”

Lee Ja-Yang shrugged and Gwak Hwan-So let out a deep sigh.

And, unsurprisingly, the Heavenly Friends Alliance’s lieutenants were saying much the same.

“…Their looks aren’t pleasant.”

“That figures.”

“Would it be better to give them some explanation? It’s not my place to do, I’ve just been watching.”

“Hmm.”

At Namgung Do-Wei’s words, Tang Pae made a low sound.

It wasn’t a hard task, but it was doubtful whether they should make their own judgment on it.

“Then for now…”

It was then.

“Are you all back?”

Whether fortunate or not, just before they decided anything, Baek Cheon and Chung Myung returned. Baek Cheon approached them and subtly signaled back as he spoke.

“At the spots we checked, there were no signs of the enemy. It seems a full encirclement hasn’t been set up yet.”

“Hm. News must have been delayed… Even if they knew, it would be difficult to form a proper encirclement here. There are gaps in their forces.”

“Yes. We should hear from the others, but if there are no watchers, we won’t need a separate vanguard. Depart as soon as you’re ready.”

“Yes. But, Acting Sect Leader.”

“Yes?”

Namgung Do-Wei glanced toward Southern Island Sect and spoke.

“It seems the explanation was somewhat lacking. If you get a chance, perhaps you could explain things to them in more detail…”

At that, Baek Cheon’s gaze turned to Southern Island Sect and he nodded.

As if from a rough glance he could infer how the situation was unfolding.

Baek Cheon cast a quick look to Chung Myung and quietly asked.

“What do you think?”

“They’re spoiled.”

Chung Myung snorted shortly.

“Leave them be.”

“What?”

When Namgung Do-Wei asked in surprise, Chung Myung answered nonchalantly.

“Are you going to notify and persuade them every time something gets decided from now on?”

“Well…”

Chung Myung’s voice turned slightly cold.

“Complaints are irrelevant. This isn’t a place where the complainers die and those without complaints live.”

“…I understand your point. But I’m worried those complaints might cause problems later…”

“It’s fine.”

The one who took those words was not Chung Myung but Baek Cheon.

“They’ll learn soon enough. This is not a place where such considerations apply.”

“…”

Baek Cheon looked at Southern Island Sect’s disciples with muted eyes.

What hovered in his eyes was neither contempt, nor scorn, nor pity. It was a sense of kinship.

‘I was like that too.’

Baek Cheon had been that way in the past. He had pride in his own excellence.

Even if his immediate skill wasn’t astounding, he believed his talent was second to none.

He believed he would lead Mount Hua and make its reputation resound across the land.

What shattered that pride was Chung Myung and reality.

Had he not met the wall that was Chung Myung, Baek Cheon would never have been able to break himself.

‘And the same goes for them.’

No matter how much they vow and strive, the pride of being Southern Island’s disciples, members of the Nine Great Sects, won’t disappear easily.

Even if they lack skill, they will expect others to treat them properly and persuade them respectfully.

But they will soon learn.

That on a battlefield of mutual slaughter, the fame and status they so cherished are utterly useless.

As Baek Cheon had come to realize.

“Sasuk!”

At that moment, Mount Hua’s disciples who had gone to scout the woods returned.

“There are no signs of the enemy nearby.”

“We’ve secured up to the prearranged point. This area is safe.”

“There’s none. Enemy.”

Baek Cheon nodded.

What he wanted to confirm wasn’t merely whether enemies existed, but how far any encirclement had formed.

From the information now obtained, the enemy might be able to tail them, but clearly lacked the capacity to form even a loose encirclement around this area.

‘But conversely, that means they’ve likely established a more secure encirclement at the rear.’

Baek Cheon shifted his gaze to Im So-Byeong.

“Green Forest King.”

“Yes.”

“Where do you think the enemy will form their encirclement first?”

“Well, there’s no mystery. There are three likely places they might try to block. First is here—the landing point—but that seems to be ruled out.”

“Yes.”

“The second is to encircle broadly, from Nanyang to Gwangju, creating a wide encirclement.”

“Hmm.”

“However!”

Im So-Byeong twisted his face.

“Considering Ho Ga-Myung’s tendencies, it’s different. I think they’ll target Zhanjiang. They’ll try to seal the narrow passages from this basin to the interior without a gap.”

“There’s merit to that, but we could bypass by sea. I don’t think the mind-reader would miss that possibility.”

“Tsk tsk. If we do that, they’ll actually be grateful. What’s blocking us ahead are wolves, but the ones chasing from behind are tigers. If we enter the water and buy time, Ho Ga-Myung will gladly chase us.”

“Indeed.”

Baek Cheon nodded in agreement as if convinced.

“Therefore.”

Im So-Byeong casually turned his body to look at Southern Island Sect’s disciples.

“If they’ve rested enough, we should move. Time has already been wasted sufficiently.”

“Understood. Then let’s move with all our strength toward Zhanjiang for now.”

As Im So-Byeong nodded, Baek Cheon looked to the others.

Seeing no obvious objections, Baek Cheon immediately moved and approached Geum Yang-Baek.

“Sect leader.”

“Yes. Acting Sect Leader.”

Geum Yang-Baek looked at Baek Cheon with a somewhat tense expression. Perhaps because they’d entered Gangnam, his face had noticeably hardened.

“First, we need to move to Zhanjiang with all our strength.”

“Right now?”

“Yes. The enemy is pursuing us, and an encirclement is likely forming ahead, so we cannot stall.”

Geum Yang-Baek nodded gravely.

“Understood. But I have one question: what do you plan to do after we reach Zhanjiang?”

“We’ll decide based on the situation at that time.”

“Based on the situation…”

A flash of discontent briefly crossed Geum Yang-Baek’s eyes.

But perhaps thinking it useless to argue further now, he soon answered in a resolute tone.

“Understood. Do not worry.”

“Yes. Please.”

Baek Cheon nodded lightly and headed back to his place; Geum Yang-Baek stared at his back for a moment, then spoke.

“Tell the disciples to prepare to move.”

“Understood, Sect leader. However…”

One of the elders spoke in a somewhat reluctant tone.

“They do have a plan, right?”

“…”

“I…”

“We never came here to settle down in the first place, did we?”

“…I know. But if that’s the case, wouldn’t it have been better to fight to the death on Southern Island’s shore? I’m just worried we might end up dying a dog’s death.”

“…”

“They’re only about ten. Aren’t we over two hundred? Even considering numbers, if there’s a place to die, shouldn’t we choose it…?”

“Enough.”

Geum Yang-Baek cut off the elder’s words.

“Order them to prepare.”

“…Yes. Sect leader.”

Watching the elders step back, Geum Yang-Baek quietly bit his lip.

He wasn’t angry at their attitude; he was irritated because the same thought had occurred to him.

‘People’s hearts are so fickle.’

How long has it been since he saw their abilities on Southern Island’s shore for distrust to already arise? Even an animal’s offspring knows what gratitude is.

‘No. It’s not fickleness.’

Geum Yang-Baek closed his eyes.

‘They all simply want to live.’

Having once escaped the Ten Thousand People Clan’s grip, an obsession with life that had been given up reemerged. So they keep searching for ways to survive.

Who could blame them for that?

He only hoped these small desires wouldn’t grow large enough to ruin things.

“Move out!”

Geum Yang-Baek raised his voice more strongly, as if to shake off the temptations in his mind.