Chapter 1441: What Should I Do? (1)

“Sect leader. Are you really going to turn back like this?”

At Jin Cho-Baek’s question, who had come up beside him, Jong Ri-Gok narrowed his eyes slightly and asked back.

“What do you mean?”

“Dian-Cang, I mean.”

Jong Ri-Gok fell silent. Jin Cho-Baek spoke again.

“Of course, as you said, even if we head to Dian-Cang now it would already be late, but if we just turn back like this the martial world will point fingers and say Southern Edge Sect has no compassion.”

“What does that matter?”

Jong Ri-Gok scoffed coldly.

“While we sealed our gates the world changed. This is no longer a time when face and honor matter.”

“…That is certainly…”

“We have already entered troubled times. In an era like this, survival requires strength and the pursuit of practical gains.”

Jin Cho-Baek nodded gravely. Jong Ri-Gok looked back at him with an odd expression.

“Why? Are you worried about the child you left behind?”

After a moment of silence, Jin Cho-Baek let out a short sigh.

“You know I didn’t mean it that way.”

“I was only teasing. Your son is quite impressive, after all.”

Jong Ri-Gok clicked his tongue as if disappointed.

“You should have done whatever it took to keep him in Southern Edge Sect.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“How is that something for you to apologize for? Raising children is never entirely under one’s control. But…”

“Yes?”

Jong Ri-Gok stared ahead in silence and muttered to himself.

“The problem is that he’s not alone.”

It sounded like a random remark, but Jin Cho-Baek immediately understood what Jong Ri-Gok meant. It wasn’t only Baek Cheon. Each Mount Hua disciple protecting him was razor-sharp.

They were no longer people who could be taken for granted as the ones once trounced by Southern Edge Sect’s disciples at the Southern Flower Sub-sect.

“In just a few years…”

A bitter laugh was inevitable.

Others in the murim world seem to accept this change naturally, but Southern Edge Sect’s position is different. Having been sealed off for years, the scale of change hit them all the more starkly.

Then Jin Cho-Baek spoke up with concern.

“Sect leader. I’m a bit worried.”

“About what?”

“For now… yes, honestly I am not too worried at the moment. No matter how much Mount Hua struts, they’re a sect without a single proper elder, aren’t they?”

“That’s right.”

“At best they’re just youngsters. Right now they’re inflated by borrowed reputation; Mount Hua’s real power cannot be compared to Southern Edge Sect.”

Jong Ri-Gok nodded. He agreed.

“Then what are you worried about?”

“But… will that still be true in ten, twenty years?”

“…”

“When Mount Hua’s first class disciples become the elders of Mount Hua, I worry whether we can still boast that Southern Edge Sect will be ahead of Mount Hua.”

Jong Ri-Gok chuckled.

“It seems your youngest pains you more than your eldest, huh.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I see. But… you needn’t worry that much.”

“Yes?”

Jong Ri-Gok’s gaze deepened.

“Do you know why it’s hard to find saints in the world?”

“Because it’s hard to do good?”

“Tsk. Listen now. If someone refrains from doing good because it’s hard, they’re not a saint to begin with. That’s not the right answer.”

“Then…?”

“The reason is simple.”

Jong Ri-Gok let out a faint sneer.

“Because they’re all dead.”

At the unexpected answer, Jin Cho-Baek stared blankly at Jong Ri-Gok. Seeing that expression, Jong Ri-Gok let out a small laugh.

“What’s the matter?”

“Sect leader. What do you mean by that…”

He was about to ask what strange words those were, but Jong Ri-Gok spoke first.

“It was a joke.”

Jong Ri-Gok smiled as if it were truly a joke, but Jin Cho-Baek knew this was no mere jest.

“Sect leader. Are you perhaps… Mount Hua…”

“Is there a need for that?”

“Sorry?”

Jong Ri-Gok shrugged. Then he went on with another enigmatic remark.

“Listen, Cho-Baek.”

“Yes, Sect leader.”

“What do you think makes someone a good father?”

Jin Cho-Baek’s face flushed faintly; he knew he wasn’t the ideal parent. If he had been, his son wouldn’t be at Mount Hua now.

“I… don’t know well…”

“I think otherwise. Teaching a child what’s right and guiding them? No, a proper parent protects their child no matter what.”

Jin Cho-Baek glanced back. Jong Ri-Gok took one look at the same place and spoke.

“See. Soon the land we’ve stepped on will be stained red. Not only here, but many places as well.”

“…It will be so.”

“I have one goal. Of all the blood that will soak the ground, to minimize the blood that the Southern Edge Sect sheds. For that, I’d gladly be a coward or a villain. What say you? Will you point fingers at me?”

Jin Cho-Baek shook his head.

“If I weren’t of Southern Edge Sect, I might have done so.”

“Interesting answer. Hahaha.”

As he laughed, Jong Ri-Gok’s mind flashed to Hyun Jong. A person’s core doesn’t change; no matter how he changes, Hyun Jong remains Hyun Jong.

“Don’t be too late.”

“…What do you mean?”

“I’m talking about your son.”

Jong Ri-Gok smiled.

“If you wait too long you may have an irreparable regret. Southern Edge Sect’s arms are wide enough to take back a prodigal son, so don’t miss the chance.”

Jin Cho-Baek’s face hardened.

“For the record, this is not a joke.”

“Sect leader…”

“Let’s go.”

Jong Ri-Gok quickened his pace and moved ahead of Jin Cho-Baek. It wasn’t urgency; he didn’t want Jin Cho-Baek to see the expression he wore now.

‘Mount Hua.’

The world is not so forgiving.

How many sects once famed as if they would devour the world have there been? In the end they could not bear what they had done and collapsed, just like Mount Hua now.

‘So it shall be. Naturally it should be so.’

But what if… Mount Hua overcomes all that? And proves itself a sect capable of bearing all that weight?

Then who in the world could possibly stop them?

Jong Ri-Gok’s eyes dimmed.

‘What a delusion.’

Such a thing will not happen. Never.

“Family Lord. We’ve recovered all the bodies, but…”

Tang Gunak closed his eyes gently instead of pressing for the rest.

The reason the reporter trailed off was obvious. Normally they would move the recovered bodies to embalm and bury them in the Tang Family grounds. Those who gave their lives protecting the household deserve that much.

But they could not do that now. The Tang Family compound had already burned, and Sichuan was under the control of the Ten Thousand People Clan.

“Bury the bodies.”

“…Yes, Family Lord.”

He began to add that they should set proper tombstones to make future visits easy, but then shook his head. The thought that it would all be meaningless had crossed his mind.

And above all… Tang Wei and those who fell here would not want that. They would rather command him to lead the surviving household members to try to revive the Tang Family.

“Family Head, now…”

Tang Pae, who had come to ask a question, fell silent at the sight of Tang Gunak’s face.

He had wanted to ask, ‘What will you do now?’ but the question felt too cruel to put to Tang Gunak at that moment.

“Young lord.”

“Yes, Family Lord.”

“Prepare a camp.”

“…Here, you mean?”

Tang Gunak nodded.

“Night will come soon. It’s too much to lead the weary on the road at night. We’ll rest here for today.”

“…Understood.”

Tang Gunak said as he looked back at Tang Pae.

“And… have everyone ready at first light tomorrow.”

“Where do you plan to go?”

Tang Gunak did not answer, but Tang Pae nodded.

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

Watching Tang Pae walk away, Tang Gunak slowly lifted his head.

‘Who knows.’

The sky streaked with sunset came into view.

‘Where should we go?’

Darkness fell over the fields.

Camping in the field without preparation is not as easy as it sounds. Especially for children and women unversed in martial arts.

But thanks to Mount Hua’s disciples, who were used to such things, they busied themselves and finished preparations without much trouble.

Women comforted whining children while the craftsmen, despite everything, managed to put up tents to shelter them from the wind.

Crackle.

Embers flew from the campfires lit here and there. The faces of the Tang Family people watching those fires fell quickly into deep sorrow.

Only after a brief rest did the reality sink in anew.

That they had lost their home and now wandered.

And that perhaps they might never be able to return to Sichuan again.

A heavy atmosphere settled among the gathered groups.

“As instructed, we’ve fetched pots and grain. We’ll prepare porridge at once.”

When Tang Gunak nodded, Tang Family members hung pots over the various campfires. As he watched blankly, a quiet voice reached Tang Gunak’s ear.

“Family Lord.”

It was Hyun Jong, who had come close without him noticing. He, who had hesitated to offer comfort before, spoke cautiously.

“Is there anything else we can do to help?”

Tang Gunak faintly smiled and shook his head.

“They’re tired from coming this far, but they’re not useless. The Tang Family’s strength alone will be enough now, so don’t worry.”

Hyun Jong looked at Tang Gunak with renewed respect.

How could he be so strong?

If Hyun Jong had faced the same, if Mount Hua had burned completely and he had lost disciples, he would likely still be unable to pull himself together.

Yet Tang Gunak retained the dignity of the Sichuan Tang Family’s Family Head even in the midst of it all.

“Family Lord.”

“If you dwell on the bad, there will be no end. We lost much, but we saved people. Isn’t that enough for now?”

Hyun Jong closed his eyes.

Hearing this, he felt ashamed for having been so dismayed by Jong Ri-Gok’s words. Tang Gunak, who had it much harder, still stood so firm.

Then Tang Gunak bowed his head politely.

“More than that… thank you.”

Startled, Hyun Jong hurriedly tried to stop him.

“Why, why are you doing this, Family Lord!”

“Had the Alliance Lord not made the decision, we could not have saved these people.”

“It wasn’t a decision I made. Raise your head. Please.”

Naturally, their voices grew a bit louder.

Watching the scene from a short distance, Yoon Jong sighed.

“The Tang Family Lord is truly remarkable, sasuk.”

“What’s there to say?”

“Even after what he has been through, he is no different than before. I couldn’t imitate that even if I tried.”

“That’s precisely why he’s the Family Lord.”

Jo Gul frowned at that remark.

“What’s so difficult about it? Just carry on as before.”

“…Gul, people are talking here.”

“Yes? What do you mean by that?”

“Here. Porridge over there, porridge.”

“This fellow?”

The Five Swords began bickering and squabbling.

A heavy atmosphere, calm conversation that seemed to avoid it, and exaggerated jests trying to lift the mood.

Amid all of it, Chung Myung simply watched Tang Gunak in silence—watching that back that only seemed unbreakable.