Chapter 1660 - I Like Foolish People (5)
The man, standing like a statue, silently contemplated the mountain before him.
Junyan, Hubei Province. Originally, it was a small town on the way to Wuhan, with nothing particularly famous about it. The reason everyone in Kangho knew its name was undoubtedly the imposing mountain behind it.
Mount Wudang.
With its numerous peaks and valleys layered like a curtain, this famous mountain had deep valleys that had been home to countless eccentric masters under the name of Wudang long ago.
Those who wanted to avoid the eyes of the world, those who sought their own way of life unbound by human affairs, those who tried to carve another path through unseen hardships in the world...
The intertwined lives and paths of these people created the name of Wudang, and the world referred to Mount Wudang as the sacred land of Taoism, calling it Hyeonak.
Mount Wudang now appeared before the man as if within his grasp.
A feeling difficult to describe coursed through Ho Gakmyung's eyes.
He had always wanted to bring this world under the feet of the Ryeonju. The plan had been carried out without any problems so far. No, it had been more than successful.
The momentum of the Evil Tyrant Alliance now covered the entire world, and the feats they had achieved were significant enough to rewrite history.
However, even the one who had coldly carried out these feats, Ho Gakmyung, had difficulty explaining his emotions, apart from saying that the vision before him evoked a different feeling.
Had he really imagined it? Had he really dreamed it?
The day when this sword would point directly at Junyan, Mount Wudang, and the Wudang Sect itself.
He had trampled countless sects to get here. He had made countless people bow. Among them was even Shaolin, which rivaled Wudang—no, it had boasted an even greater reputation than Wudang.
But the situation is a bit different now.
Facing the invading Shaolin and crushing them was one thing, but directly invading the base of Wudang and pointing swords at them was another.
While the former could happen whenever Shaolin's fists pointed at the Evil Tyrant Alliance, the latter was something one couldn't even imagine.
When he met Jang Ilso in the dirty alleys of Guizhou, when he decided to bet his future on a fantasy that was difficult even to call a dream...
No, not even when they created Myriad Man Manor and formed the Evil Tyrant Alliance, did he ever believe that this day would come?
Ho Gakmyung let out a heavy sigh.
No matter how many times he blinked, the vision of that mountain remained vivid.
They had finally come this far.
Not only were they fighting against the Ten Great Sects that had ruled the world for centuries, but their blue sword had also reached the hearts of those sects.
Finally...
"Hmm. Wudang, huh..."
At that moment, a slight hum brought Ho Gakmyung back to reality, lost in his thoughts. Reflexively, he directed his gaze towards Jang Ilso. Was Jang Ilso thinking the same as him? Or...
"It took a long time."
Though he said nothing, the tips of Ho Gakmyung's fingers trembled slightly.
Jang Ilso's tone was casual, as if it were nothing new.
It wasn't arrogance or swagger. Even Jang Ilso's languid voice, the sinister light in his eyes, and the subtly confident smile were all as usual.
"Gakmyung."
"...."
"Gakmyung."
"Yes, Ryeonju-nim."
Ho Gakmyung made a deep bow. He suddenly remembered that his feelings weren't important at this moment.
"What do you plan to do?"
At Jang Ilso's question, Ho Gakmyung slowly raised his head. Jang Ilso looked at him with a familiar expression of curiosity and amusement.
Before a fight, especially with an important opponent, Jang Ilso often asked Ho Gakmyung how he planned to face them. It was as if he were curious about Ho Gakmyung's approach or wanted to see if his thoughts aligned with his own.
"Hmm? What do you think we should do?"
Jang Ilso remained Jang Ilso. Curiously, at that moment, Ho Gakmyung was sure that wouldn't change.
Ho Gakmyung cleared his throat.
"The opponent is..."
He lowered his voice, infusing it with maximum respect.
"The opponent is Wudang. And this is their base. If we attack hastily, even if we win, we will have to endure significant losses."
Jang Ilso watched Ho Gakmyung with an entertained smile, showing no greater reaction.
"The usual thing would be to attack slowly and steadily."
Ho Gakmyung's gaze drifted toward Wudang's terrain.
The fact that numerous eccentric masters had specifically chosen that mountain meant there were many deep valleys and hidden places all over the mountain.
From the attackers' perspective, it was a nightmare terrain.
Moreover, the opponent had made this Wudang mountain their home. It was clear that they would attack in a way difficult to predict for Ho Gakmyung, using the terrain to their advantage.
Therefore, we must proceed with the utmost caution, approaching like a stone bridge. But...
"What if we can't?"
This question was expected. From the beginning, Jang Ilso's gaze didn't seem to expect such a simple answer.
Ho Gakmyung responded calmly.
"In that case, there is another method."
"What is it?"
"Detour."
"Detour?"
"Yes."
Ho Gakmyung nodded firmly.
"If the enemies are waiting for us with prepared traps, there's no reason for us to step into them. We can leave them and move on."
Jang Ilso's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Leave them behind?"
"Yes."
"Hmm... Leave Wudang behind. Do you really think that's a good idea?"
As Jang Ilso asked with a look suggesting he found the idea absurd, Ho Gakmyung elaborated in a firm voice.
"They probably already know we're coming. However, they're still there, guarding the place. That means they have a reason to fight us, whether it's for honor or revenge. The important thing is they won't let us go easily."
"..."
"If we detour, they will have no choice but to follow us. They can't just sit on their mountain and watch."
His voice, cold and rational, carried conviction.
"So our task is simple. We won't head towards where they've entrenched themselves. Instead, we'll lure them to a place of our choosing and..."
Ho Gakmyung's icy gaze turned towards Mount Wudang.
"Crush them."
"Ha... Hahaha!"
Jang Ilso burst into laughter, as if he found the plan intriguing. The ornaments adorning his body jingled cheerfully in response.
"Indeed, it's a good plan."
Ho Gakmyung slightly inclined his head at the compliment.
Suggesting plans was his role. But the final decision always rested with Jang Ilso. This was an immutable rule between them.
Jang Ilso's crimson lips parted.
"But it's a bit lacking."
Ho Gakmyung's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"Is there something I overlooked?"
"No, it's not that."
Jang Ilso turned his gaze to Wudang. The subtle smile on his face, present when he looked at Ho Gakmyung, gradually took on a sinister aspect, and his lips stretched to both sides.
"It will indeed happen, as you say. If we leave them behind, they will follow. There's no flaw in your logic."
"Then..."
"But that alone isn't enough. There are two types of battles. One is to kill the enemy, and the other is to eliminate the enemy. This is not the time to just kill; it's the time to eliminate."
Jang Ilso's gaze was fixed on the peak of Mount Wudang. Despite the distance, he could see it clearly. The image of an old, majestic building stood beyond the thick pines.
"Understood? Simply crushing and killing those who follow us won't erase Wudang. It would only cause them minor damage. That's not enough. Now, we must show them. What happens to those who stand in our way?"
"...."
"Only then will those who stand before me fill their heads with fear instead of their own benefit. Do you understand, Gakmyung?"
Ho Gakmyung nodded.
"Then, Ryeonju-nim wishes to trample that mountain."
"That's right. So, what should we do?"
Ho Gakmyung averted his gaze from Jang Ilso and stared at Wudang for a while. The mountain, covered in green pines, seemed dressed in green robes.
At that moment, as if reading his thoughts, a dry, cold wind passed by like a blade.
"In that case, there is only one path."
"What is it?"
Ho Gakmyung's lips twisted slightly.
"Make their traps ineffective."
Understanding what he meant, Jang Ilso's eyes curved gently like a crescent moon.
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Mu Kyung discreetly tugged at his sleeve to hide the trembling tips of his fingers.
Damn it.
The trembling hadn't stopped for a while.
He hadn't known fear when he was with his brothers. The heat and anger had swallowed his fear.
But now, seeing the enemy approach with his own eyes, the forgotten fear began to spread slowly, eventually engulfing him.
'We can win. I am a disciple of Wudang.'
He repeated it several times. He then briefly recited a passage from the Tao Te Ching. For a swordsman, nothing is more important than an unwavering heart. Especially in a situation like this, where they had ambushed the enemy.
"S-Sasuk...."
At that moment, his fellow disciple, Jin Hae, who was also ambushed with him, called him with a trembling voice.
"Do you think everything will be fine?"
Mu Kyung turned to look at his fellow disciple, trying to appear as calm as possible.
"There's nothing to worry about."
"B-But...."
"If it were anywhere else, maybe, but here on Mount Wudang, no one in the world can challenge us. Not the Evil Tyrant Alliance, not even all Ten Great Sects combined."
They weren't just words to console him.
The dense forest, the deep canyon that seemed as if a giant had scratched it, the naturally formed caves, and even the artificial hideouts created by the Taoists who had gathered in Wudang for hundreds of years to train.
All of this combined made Mount Wudang a natural fortress. And the disciples of Wudang knew Mount Wudang as well as their own backyard.
'Yes. We can fight anyone. We are the swordsmen of Wudang.'
There was definitely this calculation in Elder Heo Gong's decision to fight.
If they did well, they wouldn't only hold out until reinforcements arrived, but they could also inflict significant damage on the enemy.
No, they had to. There was no better place to restore the honor they had lost at the Yangtze River.
"Sasuk."
"There's nothing to worry about. We can do it."
"But...."
"In this terrain, numbers don't matter. What matters is a firm resolution and the will to risk your life."
Said Mu Kyung, as if to reassure himself. But Jin Hae's voice grew even more anxious.
"That's not it, Sasuk."
"Eh?"
"Don't you smell something strange?"
"Smell? What smell...."
Suddenly, Mu Kyung's face changed.
He smelled it too. The strange and penetrating smell. A smell he had never encountered in his entire life wandering around Mount Wudang.
"This is!"
A strange but familiar smell. The moment he recognized what it was, Mu Kyung forgot he was ambushed and jumped to his feet.
"No! T-This is oil."
Whoosh!
As if in response to his words, the scene below the mountain turned red like a lie.
The green pines that never changed color, the trees that had grown and thickened for hundreds of years, were enveloped in a color they had never seen.
"F-Fire...."
Mu Kyung, momentarily lost in his thoughts, screamed until his throat hurt without realizing it.
"Fire! It's a fire attack! They're using fire!"
The voice that screamed with all his might, along with the acrid smoke, shot out like an arrow, announcing the start of the war.
