章 18: Chapter 1660 - I Like Such Foolish People (5)
The man, standing like a statue, silently stared at the mountain before him.
Junyan, Hubei Province.
Originally, it was a small village on the way to Wuhan, with nothing to make it particularly famous. The reason everyone in Kangho came to know its name was undoubtedly the towering 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 a very long time ago.
Those who wanted to avoid the world's eyes, those who sought their own way of life unbound by human affairs, those who tried to open another path through hardships unseen in the world...
The intertwined lives and paths of such people created the name Wudang, and the world referred to Mount Wudang as the sacred land of Taoism, calling it Hyeonak.
Mount Wudang now came into the man's view as if it were in his grasp.
A feeling that was hard to describe swept through Ho Gakmyung's eyes.
He had always wanted to place this world under the feet of the Ryeonju. The plan had proceeded without any issues 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 great enough to rewrite history.
However, even the one who had coldly carried out these feats, Ho Gakmyung, found it hard to explain his emotions, other than saying that the sight before him brought him a different feeling.
Had he really imagined it? Had he really dreamed it?
The day when this blade would aim directly at Junyan, at Mount Wudang, and at 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 Wudang's base and pointing their blades at them was another.
While the former could happen whenever Shaolin's fists were aimed at the Evil Tyrant Alliance, the latter was something one couldn't even imagine.
When he first met Jang Ilso in the dirty back alleys of Guizhou, when he decided to bet his future on a fantasy that was hard to even call a dream...
No, even when they created the Myriad Man Manor and eventually formed the Evil Tyrant Alliance, had he ever really believed this day would come?
Ho Gakmyung let out a heavy sigh.
No matter how many times he blinks, the sight of that mountain remains vivid.
They had finally come this far.
Not only were they fighting the Ten Great Sects that had ruled the world for centuries, but their blue blade had also reached the hearts of those sects.
Finally...
"Hmm. Wudang, huh..."
At that moment, a light hum pulled Ho Gakmyung, who was lost in his thoughts, back to reality. He reflexively turned his gaze to Jang Ilso. Was Jang Ilso thinking the same thing as him? Or...
"It took a long time."
Although he didn't say anything, Ho Gakmyung's fingertips trembled slightly.
Jang Ilso's tone was casual, as if it wasn't anything new.
This wasn't arrogance or bravado. Even the languid voice of Jang Ilso, the sinister light in his eyes, and the subtly confident smile were all as usual.
"Gakmyung."
"...."
"Gakmyung."
"Yes, Ryeonju-nim."
Ho Gakmyung bowed deeply. He suddenly remembered that his sentiments were not important right now.
"What do you plan to do?"
At Jang Ilso's question, Ho Gakmyung slowly raised his head. Jang Ilso was looking at him with a familiar expression of curiosity and amusement.
Before a fight, especially with a significant opponent, Jang Ilso would often ask Ho Gakmyung how he planned to deal with them. It was as if he was 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 was still Jang Ilso. Oddly, in this moment, Ho Gakmyung felt certain that this fact would not change.
Ho Gakmyung cleared his throat.
"The opponent is..."
He lowered his voice, infusing it with the utmost respect.
"The opponent is Wudang. And this is their base. If we attack hastily, even if we win, we will have to bear significant losses."
Jang Ilso watched Ho Gakmyung with an entertained smile, without showing any major reaction.
"The standard approach would be to attack slowly and steadily."
Ho Gakmyung's gaze shifted to the terrain of Wudang.
The fact that numerous eccentric masters had specifically chosen that mountain meant that there were many deep valleys and hidden spots throughout the mountain.
From the perspective of the attackers, it was nightmarish terrain.
Moreover, the opponent has made this Wudang Mountain their home. It's clear that they will attack in ways that Ho Gakmyung finds difficult to predict, using the terrain to their advantage.
Therefore, we must proceed as cautiously as possible, approaching it like one would a stone bridge. But...
"What if we can't?"
This question was expected. From the beginning, Jang Ilso's gaze didn't seem like it was expecting such a simple answer.
Ho Gakmyung calmly responded.
"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 traps set, there is no reason for us to step into them. We can just 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 that suggested he found this notion absurd, Ho Gakmyung elaborated in a steady voice.
"They probably already know we are coming. Yet they still remain there, guarding the place. This means they have a reason to fight us, whether it be for honor or revenge. The important thing is that 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 to where they have entrenched themselves. Instead, we'll draw them to a place of our choosing and..."
Ho Gakmyung's icy gaze turned towards Wudang Mountain.
"Crush them."
"Ha… Hahahah!"
Jang Ilso burst into laughter, as if finding the plan intriguing. The ornaments adorning his body jingled cheerfully in response.
"Indeed, it's a good plan."
Ho Gakmyung slightly bowed his head at the compliment.
Suggesting plans was his role. But the final decision always rested with Jang Ilso. This was an unchanging rule between them.
Jang Ilso's crimson lips parted.
"But it's a bit lacking."
Ho Gakmyung's brows furrowed slightly.
"Is there something I overlooked?"
"No, that's not it."
Jang Ilso turned his gaze towards Wudang. The subtle smile on his face, which was present when he looked at Ho Gakmyung, gradually took on a sinister aspect, with his lips stretching to both sides.
"It will certainly happen, as you say. If we leave them behind, they will follow us. There's no fault in your logic."
"Then…"
"But that alone is not 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 summit of Wudang Mountain. Despite the distance, he could see it clearly. The image of an old, stately building stood beyond the thick pine trees.
"Understand? 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 gain. Do you understand, Gakmyung?"
Ho Gakmyung nodded.
"Then, the Ryeonju-nim wishes to trample that mountain."
"That's right. So, what should we do?"
Ho Gakmyung looked away from Jang Ilso and stared at Wudang for a while. The mountain, covered in verdant pine trees, appeared to be clad in green robes.
At that moment, as if reading his thoughts, a dry and cold air swept past him like a blade.
"In that case, there is only one way left."
"What is it?"
Ho Gakmyung's lips twisted slightly.
"Make their traps ineffective."
Understanding his meaning, Jang Ilso's eyes curled gently like a crescent.
✿❀✿❀✿❀✿❀✿❀✿❀✿❀✿❀✿❀✿❀
Mu Kyung discreetly pulled on his sleeve to hide his trembling fingertips.
'Damn it.'
The trembling hadn't stopped for a while now.
He hadn't known fear when he was with his brothers. The heat and the anger had swallowed up his fear.
But now, seeing the enemy approaching with his own eyes, the forgotten fear slowly began to spread, eventually engulfing him.
'We can win. I am a disciple of Wudang.'
He repeated it to himself several times. Then he briefly recited a passage from the Tao Te Ching. For a swordsman, nothing is more important than an unshakable 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 out to him in a trembling voice.
"Do y-you think it'll be alright?"
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, perhaps, but here on Mount Wudang, no one in the world can challenge us. Not the Evil Tyrant Alliance, not even all of the Ten Great Sects combined."
These weren't just words to comfort him.
The dense forest, the deep canyon that looked as if a giant had clawed at it, the naturally formed caves, and even the man-made hideouts created by the Taoists who had gathered at Wudang over hundreds of years for training.
All these 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 against 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 just hold out until reinforcements arrived but might even inflict significant damage on the enemy.
No, they must do so. There was no better place to restore the honor they had lost on the Yangtze River.
"Sasuk."
"There's nothing to worry about. We can do this."
"But...."
"In this terrain, numbers don't matter. What matters is a firm resolve and the willingness to risk your life."
Mu Kyung said, as if to steady himself. But Jin Hae's voice became even more anxious.
"I-it's not that, Sasuk."
"Huh?"
"D-don't you smell something strange?"
"Smell? What smell...."
Suddenly, Mu Kyung's face changed.
He smelled it, too. The strange, pungent odor. A smell he had never encountered in all his life wandering Mount Wudang.
'T-this is!'
A strange but familiar smell. The moment he recognized what it was, Mu Kyung forgot he was ambushed and sprang to his feet.
"N-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 over hundreds of years, wrapped in a color they had never once seen.
"F-fire...."
Mu Kyung, who had been momentarily lost in thought, shouted until his throat hurt without realizing it.
"Fire! It's a fire attack! They're using fire!"
The voice he screamed with all his might, along with the acrid smoke, shot out like an arrow, announcing the start of war.
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