"…."
Baek Cheon's face contorted slightly.
Be honest. Let's be honest.
He fully understood that interfering with this trip to the Yangtze River could be a trick of Shaolin. Baek Cheon was young, but based on his experience, he was now more than capable of outsmarting and overcoming the disciples of the top sects.
It meant that it was understandable why Chung Myung would foam at the mouth and start a fight just by hearing the word Yangtze.
But that didn't mean Baek Cheon didn't want to go to the Yangtze River.
Baek Cheon, a disciple of Mount Hua, didn't want to get involved in the affairs of the Yangtze River either. Still, Baek Cheon, as a swordsman, wanted to run to the Yangtze River right away.
Why?
'I should put my training to good use!'
In the past three years, Baek Cheon and the disciples of Mount Hua had literally been through hell.
The training of the Mount Hua sect was so intense that other sects would naturally exclaim, 'Are those guys insane?' But that crazy bastard who laid the foundation for that intense training took the lead and pushed them even harder, so what must those three years of training have been like?
Just thinking about that time made his body tremble, his teeth grind, and his ribs tingle, with tears welling up in his eyes.
So, shouldn't he confirm it?
It wasn't just Baek Cheon's wish to strike the leaders of the Evil Sect people of the Four Precepts Alliance who made them endure the hellish training with the Plum Blossom Swords and shout, 'I prepared well for you!'
Wasn't it the heart of all the Mount Hua swordsmen to repay the tears they shed over the past three years with blood and tears?
So, to be honest, he was secretly feeling elated.
No matter what the reason, if he went to the Yangtze River, he would somehow get involved with the Evil Sect people. Then he would be able to return all the pain he received to them!
But… what greeted Baek Cheon, who came down from Mount Hua with a hopeful heart, was not his future as a swordsman of the murim world, but his past that he didn't even want to imagine.
"I…"
Baek Cheon opened his mouth, his voice trembling so much that words were barely audible.
"Chung Myung?"
"Uh?"
"… what is this?"
Chung Myung snickered.
"Young man, do you have dementia or something for you not to know this?"
"I know what it is, brat!"
"Then why did you ask?"
"Why is it here!"
Baek Cheon's voice grew agitated. His trembling fingertips pointed to dozens of carts placed at the entrance of the village and Hwang Jongi, who was smiling happily in front of those carts.
Hwang Jongi greeted Chung Myung with a bright smile, unaware of Baek Cheon's concerns.
"Fortunately, it seems we weren't too late, young Taoist."
Chung Myung clasped his hands tightly and smiled.
"Oh my, you worked so hard for this."
"It was a request from the Taoist, so of course, I had to do it. As you said, I reinforced the carts a bit more. At this level, even if Mount Hua people hit them with swords, they won't break a bit!"
"Ughh! I know the quality of the Eunha Merchants to be the best! So trustworthy!"
"Hahaha! As you can see, this cart was made bigger so that it could carry more items, and I paid more attention to the comfort of the ride so people could ride it, too. And I doubled the weight compared to before."
At that moment, Jo Gul raised his hand.
"I am sorry for interrupting!"
"Go ahead, young Taoist, Jo Gul."
"Usually, you should brag about reducing the weight by half… right?"
"Usually, that is how it is, but since the request was from Taoist Chung Myung, I did my best."
Jo Gul looked back at Chung Myung, his face suddenly drained of life. Chung Myung asked bluntly.
"What? Why?"
"… bastard."
That was true.
At that moment, Chung Myung looked back at the Four Swords and smiled.
Even the disciples of Mount Hua, who had not understood the situation, trembled at the sight of that malicious smile.
"Oh my, sasuk, and sahyungs."
"…"
"Did you expect to go to the Yangtze River and fight the pirates while swinging your swords?"
Chung Myung snickered as he looked at the startled disciples of Mount Hua.
"Oh my, wake up now, you morons! I told you we will not be fighting! What are we going there for? Yoon Jong sahyung!"
"T-to save the civilians."
"To be exact, we are going to move those people, move them! What in the world is that called?"
"What is it called…?"
"Transportation! It is called transportation, transportation!"
Chung Myung snorted.
"Transportation means Mount Hua! And Mount Hua means transportation!"
"Since when did that happen, you insane bastard!"
"That is how it always was!"
The moment he finished speaking, all of Mount Hua's disciples realized something.
'This brat is really up for moving things.'
It felt like some insane guy had poured a bucket of cold water on the small spark burning inside their hearts.
But Baek Cheon's eyes widened as he realized something.
"W-wait."
"Uh?"
"When did you tell them to prepare this cart?"
"I told them when I went to the Eunha Merchant manor."
"T-then did you know this would happen from then…?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Uh?"
Chung Myung snickered.
"It is just that everyone's health has gotten better, and their stamina is better these days. I thought the cart could be a little bigger than before."
"…"
"I told them because I thought they'd make a lot of them since they were already making one, so we could use them wherever we wanted. I didn't know they'd end up making them like this…"
"…"
In other words, wasn't he saying that as soon as the Closed Gate was released, he was calculating how to use them more economically?
"Fucking demon."
"That fucking dog who won't get bit by a dog."
"He really chose the wrong sect to join. If he had joined the Evil Sect, he would have made a mark on the Murim world several times."
"Be quiet."
Chung Myung waved his hand as if he was chasing flies.
"Stop dreaming nonsense, and grab the cart! From now on, the sahyungs are cows! Not swordsmen but cows! Our goal is to run to the Yangtze River at the topmost speed and transport all the civilians to a safe place without leaving anyone out!"
"…."
"Questions?"
"… None being taken, brat."
A dark darkness filled the hearts of Mount Hua's disciples, who had been excited about this plan.
"Ahem, this cart is good."
"Where… I think we should check to see if there will be any problems when the civilians ride it."
"Yes, sect leader. It is important."
And the darkness grew thicker as the Hyun disciples climbed onto the carts, and the Un disciples, who had been watching, followed them, coughing in vain.
Hyun Jong laughed heartily.
"Chung Myung's words were right. Harmony isn't always needed, only when fighting with swords. Harmony is about giving people what they need the most. Do you want to fight for them? Or do you want to help them?"
Those were good words.
It would have sounded better if they hadn't gotten onto the carts beforehand.
Sect leader, you seem quite comfortable, right?
"There is no time! Hurry up and move."
"…."
The disciples of Mount Hua walked with faces like cows being dragged to a slaughterhouse and grabbed the carts. At that moment, the familiar feeling they felt at their fingertips made them even more upset.
Ah… even after 3 years, this wasn't changing.
"Hahahaha."
Hwang Jongi, who was watching it from the side, laughed with satisfaction.
"Originally, the handle should have been bigger, but since it is a cart for the people of Mount Hua, I paid special attention to it. I made the handle the same thickness as the handle of the sword you use, so you won't have any inconvenience in using it."
… I am so grateful that it brings tears to my eyes.
You are so considerate, merchant lord.
"Okay!"
Chung Myung jumped slightly and climbed onto the cart.
"Okay, then we will go all the way to the Yangtze River! Let us go, run! Dong-Ryong!"
"Fuck!"
"Let's go!"
As soon as Chung Myung's words fell, the large and heavy carts rushed out at an incredible speed that made their weight seem insignificant.
"The last one to arrive will be used for wheels, so run as fast as you can!"
The groaning curses and screams echoed loudly. The carts, which had picked up speed like that, vanished into the distance.
"Hehehe."
The remaining person, Hwang Jongi, burst into laughter.
"I wish you good luck."
Hwang Jongi gave a deep bow towards the dust clouds in the distance.
Kwaaang!!
Namgung Do-Wei's hands were shaking. His mouth was stinging, and his whole body felt heavy, like wet, soaked-up cotton.
But he wasn't even given time to rest.
"Taaat!"
He jumped up from the place and knocked the flying cannon in one go.
Kwaang!
The cannon and the sword collided, creating a loud explosion.
"Kuak."
That kind of cannon was nothing. If he had been in perfect condition, he could have thrown it away like a feather.
But that cannon was too heavy and burdensome for him right now.
'Fucking shit…'
Now, he felt like he knew what it meant to starve and die.
They never rushed. They didn't fire enough to clearly corner them, and they didn't land more troops than necessary. They just attacked the riverside slowly enough that they didn't have time to get our butts on the ground.
In short, they were very lukewarm attacks.
But as the attacks continued for several days, he couldn't help but think he would rather fight them head-on than be defeated slowly and annihilated.
Slowly but surely, they were eating away at the Namgung Family.
Kwaang!
"Ackkkk!"
Someone's scream was heard from somewhere.
Just two days ago, everyone would have turned their heads in panic at the scream and let out an angry shout.
But not now. They were used to such things now.
It had become a common sight on Plum Blossom Island for someone whose concentration was disturbed to be hit by a shelling they would normally avoid without much difficulty.
Namgung Do-Wei looked back with a contorted face.
The emotion visible in the expressions of the Blue Sky Swordsmen wasn't despair or anger.
It was apathy.
The faces once filled with passion were no longer there. They were more like the faces of those dragged to an unknown land and forced to work there.
The resignation shown on the faces of the Blue Sky Swordsmen in the face of the helpless situation was evident.
'We should have attacked.'
It wasn't that he didn't understand the decision of Namgung Hwang. However, even if he did understand it, it didn't mean he thought it was the best option.
'What should I have done?'
What should he do next?
At that moment, another shell fell on the island. Namgung Do-Wei caught sight of the Blue Sky Swordsmen standing helplessly, unable to even react.
It was the moment when the face of the archer turned pale as he discovered the shell coming towards them.
Before his mind even processed it, his body moved.
Kwaaaang!
Namgung Do-Wei rushed in like lightning and struck the cannon, gritting his teeth. Perhaps because he was swinging his sword in a hurry and was unable to properly use his internal qi, his hand holding the sword was torn, and blood dripped down.
"Y-Young lord…"
Tak!
Namgung Do-Wei grabbed the shoulder of the archer who had barely escaped the crisis.
The man, expecting to be reprimanded, tightly closed his eyes.
"Just endure it a bit more!"
However, instead of a shout, Namgung Do-Wei offered words of encouragement.
His voice, markedly different from Namgung Hwang's, echoed across the island.
"Grit your teeth! We are the Namgung family! We may fight to the death, but we are not allowed to give up on our own!"
"Young lord!"
"We will get our chance! If the chance doesn't come, we will make it! I will not let you die here without swinging your sword one last time! That is why!"
Namgung Do-Wei shouted with a voice full of rage.
"Trust me, and hold on a bit longer! Until the moment when we repay them for this pain and humiliation!"
The eyes of the Namgung family swordsmen, which had been lifeless, gradually brightened.
They nodded, and with bloodshot eyes, they glared at the ships surrounding the island.
Clench.
Namgung Do-Wei's eyes glared at the Black Dragon Ship floating on the Yangtze River, biting his lip until blood was visible.
He was truly a dignified sight to behold.
But his fingertips, desperately hidden inside his long sleeves, were trembling.
'Anyone, please… Please hurry up.'
Before this faint spark he had barely revived went out…