Chapter 331: Chapter 1219: Who Will Help? (Part 4)
Crackle! Crackle!
A wild boar, placed whole on a roaring bonfire, spun around merrily.
Tang Pae, watching this scene blankly, couldn't help but have a thought that was both natural and utterly useless.
'Is this really okay?'
They were supposed to avoid people's eyes... well, of course, it didn't matter since no one would come to the middle of a sheer cliff just because they saw some light. Still...
"Sigh. If I knew it would be like this, I would have brought some liquor."
"Did this guy die in his past life because he couldn't drink? This is Gangnam, you know!"
"People can't even see their noses here, what's the point?" [?]
"...That's a valid point."
Chung Myung mumbled, "If I had known I would be wandering around cliffs and mountains like this, I wouldn't have bothered to be tense." Hearing this, Tang Pae gave up thinking any further.
What made it even more painful for him was the fact that, even though they were eating and resting without any apparent tension, they were moving at least twice as fast as he originally expected.
'If you think about it, it's actually amazing...'
"It's ready!"
"Ah, wait! It's not fully cooked inside yet!"
"Then why don't we eat from the outside first?"
"... Seriously?"
"Let's eat!"
Seeing the Mount Hua bastards charging at the roast pig, he felt like any remaining respect he had for them was completely blown away.
Don't use the Plum Blossom Sword Technique for roasted pork, you crazy guys!
While The Five Swords were overturning Tang Pae's insides, Baek Cheon, who had stepped back, asked Im Sobyeong.
"How is it going? Going according to the plan?"
"Hmm."
Im Sobyeong answered while poking his cheek with a fan.
"If you ask if it's going as planned, it's slightly subtle to answer. Of course, I've anticipated some variables to some extent..."
Im Sobyeong looked up and down at Namgung Dowi with a sullen face. Seeing him lying down and groaning, Im Sobyeong couldn't hide the blatant contempt on his face.
"If you ask about those variables... well."
Certainly, this was not Im Sobyeong's fault. Even if you were a god who could predict the heavens, it wasn't easy to anticipate Namgung Dowi's fear of heights. Did it even make sense for a sword-wielding warrior to have a fear of heights in the first place?
"Well... even considering that, we are moving within the expected range. At this rate, we should reach the coast of Southern Island within five days."
"Oh, incredible..."
Baek Cheon thought for a moment.
Penetrating Gangnam in just five days was an enormous feat. Even in normal circumstances, it would be doubtful if it's possible.
But since only those who can be considered top-notch masters have joined the group, they could at least attempt it.
Although Seol So Baek was a bit troubled, Chung Myung is somehow pulling him along.
So, it was definitely good news, but...
"Can we increase the speed a bit?"
Baek Cheon wanted to reach Southern Island as soon as possible.
Not just because of the situation with the Southern Island Sect, but also to reduce the time spent in Gangnam where anything could happen at any moment.
However, Im Sobyeong firmly shook his head.
"The speed has already reached its limit."
"We could reduce the time for resting or sleeping. There's no need to waste time like this..."
"Not possible."
Im Sobyeong cut through as if to say it's not worth listening. Then, he shrugged his shoulders and spoke.
"Of course, I understand Deputy Sect Leader's urgency. But there are limits for humans. No matter how remarkable one is, it's impossible to maintain peak concentration for three days straight."
"...That's true."
"What's more important for us now than speed is caution. If our senses dull even a bit, we might miss the presence of people. If that happens, we'll be in a situation worse than just arriving late."
Baek Cheon nodded slowly in understanding. It meant that they weren't just resting because they had found a cave; Im Sobyeong, in his own way, was also preserving the group's stamina.
"Getting caught is a problem, but handling the aftermath is an even bigger issue. If I were alone... well, whether it's a civilian or anyone else, I could just bury them and shut their mouths."
"Ah, aye aye!"
"Heung-eo!"
When the Five Swords stopped chewing on the meat they had stuffed into their mouths and shot a glare, Im Sobyeong sighed.
"...What?"
"The Evil Sect bastard will die!"
"...Thank you for the interpretation. So, since we can't close people's mouths as will, we have no choice but to proceed without getting caught. For that, we also need some reasonable rest."
"I understand."
Satisfied, Baek Cheon nodded.
'It's not wrong.'
He glanced briefly at Namgung Dowi and Tang Pae.
While The Five Swords were somewhat accustomed to marches forced to the point of cruelty, it would be the first time for Tang Pae, Namgung Dowi, and Seol So Baek to experience this. Although they may outwardly pretend to be nonchalant...
'There's no way it's not difficult.'
Traveling a whole day along a vertical cliff was unimaginable for most people. And not just hanging on the cliff, but moving at a speed faster than a horse?
Moreover, with no space to be lax in guarding the surroundings, rapid exhaustion of stamina was inevitable.
'They're probably eating more excessively than usual, considering the tension. Well, who woudn't be tense in such a situation...'
"Ah, damn it! I should have brought at least one bottle from the Beast Palace Lord!"
Well...there was a human who threw away the word 'tension' on Mount Hua's cliffs...
Baek Cheon let out a deep sigh.
Yes, Chung Myung was that type of guy, and Im Sobyeong's complexion was decidedly darker than usual.
Despite pretending to be nonchalant, it was inevitable that Im Sobyeong, who had the Nine Yin Spreading disease, wouldn't have exceptionally good stamina.
"Indeed... It's better not to rush too much."
As Baek Cheon said this, Im Sobyeong chuckled.
"Baek Cheon Dojang seems to have a lot on his mind."
"Well... it seems that way."
"Well, you don't have to burden yourself too much. There's no one behind me who can't be trusted."
As Baek Cheon was about to nod with a wry smile, Im Sobyeong looked at Namgung Dowi with sullen eyes.
"Except one."
"... "
At this point, it seemed to be not just an issue of origin, but an instinctual hatred...
"Anyway, the road to Gangnam doesn't seem to be as dangerous as I thought. I was prepared to fight to some extent."
"Even if it's the Evil Tyrant Alliance, finding ten people in the vast south is no different from finding a single grain of sand in a desert."
"That's true."
If I were to change my position and ask Baekcheon to mobilize the personnel of Hwasan to find the Sapa bastards who infiltrated Gangbuk, I would have kicked him in the head, asking if he was sane.
If he were in their shoes and asked Baek Cheon to mobilize the members of Mount Hua to find a couple of Evil Sect guys who infiltrated Gangbuk, he would've been kicked in the head and accused as insane.
"There are only two potential dangers."
As Baek Cheon looked at him with a questioning gaze, Im Sobyeong hardened his expression slightly.
"If a man puts his mind to it, he can be persistent enough to find a grain of sand in the desert."
At Im Sobyeong's words, Baek Cheon's spine chilled for a moment.
Indeed, if it was Jang Ilso... he might be capable of it.
"But there's no need to worry. Even if it's Paegun, he would never imagine that we would enter Gangnam at this time."
"Well..."
"Do you really think there are people crazier than us?"
"... "
Was that a compliment?
"On the contrary, what's more worrying is the other side..."
"... The other side? Is there another problem?"
At that remark, Im Sobyeong wore an uneasy expression.
"I don't think it's worth mentioning. It might be meaningless to talk about it. We just have to hope that such a thing won't happen."
Baek Cheon was about to ask something more when...
"No! What am I supposed to eat if you eat it all! You monsters!"
Im Sobyeong rushed towards the roasted wild boar, panicking. The wild boar, which had been hung over the bonfire whole, was shrinking at light-speed.
Baek Cheon sighed and shook his head.
"It's this way, not that way."
"... How do you know just by looking at it?"
"Isn't it obvious? Just look at it."
As the Heavenly Comrade Alliance entered the dense thicket, they looked around as if amazed.
It was difficult to discern how thick the vegetation was, and distinguishing the cardinal directions was nearly impossible. However, Im Sobyeong, like a ghost, was guiding everyone even within the thick growth.
"This way?"
"Yes, this way!"
"Why are you getting mad..."
"Just follow behind! Don't keep running ahead!"
"No, you're too slow..."
"What did you say?"
Certainly, Baek Cheon realized anew that Im Sobyeong was an incredibly versatile person in this aspect.
Ah, of course...
"Tsk. It's usually faster to go upward."
"... "
"Because of who? Tsk!"
His personality was worse than he thought.
As Namgung Dowi noticeably became more defiant, Yoon Jong awkwardly changed the subject.
"Anyway, it's impressive. We see all these paths the same way, but to distinguish and guide like this, especially without ever seeing it before."
"Hehehe. It's not that I'm remarkable. For a Nokrim member like me, this is just the basics. A member of Nokrim, claiming to dominate the mountains, should at least know the mountains..."
"Huh, running around like a frightened mouse to avoid the government troops and boasting about taking the shortcuts again."
As Chung Myung retorted, Im Sobyeong shrugged his shoulders. Seeing this, Yoon Jong widened his eyes.
"Hey! Why are you killing the mood and all! He's helping us so much!"
"What are you talking about? It's only natural that Evil Sect bastard would be helpful!"
"Huh? Why are you suddenly... "
"If he weren't helpful, he would've been dead already!"
Ah...
"If they're not helpful, why keep the Evil Sect kids alive? It's more profitable to grind them up and use them as fertilizer!"
Uh... Chung Myung. It's not entirely wrong what you're saying... But no matter how you look at it, you seem more like an Evil Sect guy.
Baek Cheon silently patted Im Sobyeong's shoulder.
"Cheer up."
"...Thank you."
"So, run away with determination like I did."
For a moment, Im Sobyeong's mouth was left agape. Then, during the moment he tried to say something.
"Shh!"
Suddenly, Chung Myung's expression changed. Signaling to be quiet, he cautiously moved forward, parting the bushes left and right.
Others followed suit, holding their breath.
When he raised his head, a small path through the bushes revealed a procession approaching slowly.
A large carriage and a group guarding it.
But the most noticeable among them was the large flag planted in the carriage. The characters for "Tyrant" were boldly embroidered.
"...It's the Evil Tyrant Alliance."
For a moment, tension crossed everyone's faces. They all tried to approach the procession as quietly as possible.
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