Chapter 914
“….”
“That came?”
His head slowly tilted to the side.
At that sight, Hyun Jong closed his eyes tightly without realizing it. Knowing all too well what thoughts crossed that guy’s mind when that neck bent like that.
“Keuhum, I mean….”
“Yes.”
“A message from Shaolin has arrived.”
“Aah, Shaolin.”
“R- Right, Shaolin.”
“That Shaolin I know? A place, with shiny bald heads huddling and swarming around on a mountain called Seongsan?”
Hyunjong’s gaze scoured the room urgently.
Worried there might be another baldie (?) around, but fortunately, everyone here boasted abundant hair…
Abun…dant….
“Why are you glaring like that?”
As Hyun Jong’s gaze rested on Hyun Young for a while, Hyun Young tilted his head.
“That…”
“What?”
“N- No.”
Hyun Jong swallowed the words he couldn’t bear to say and slightly averted his gaze. The area around his eyes became moist.
That poor guy, after a lifetime of hardship…
“Kuhuhum.”
Hyun Jong, clearing his throat, looked at Chung Myung again.
“Yes, that Shaolin indeed.”
“Yes?”
Chung Myung said with a slightly surprised expression.
“That Shaolin sending us a message? Oh my gosh! I thought all we had left to share were warm punches and cool blade swings, but a message? Between us and those bastards, a civilized attitude of wanting to solve problems through dialogue….?”
“N- No. Chung Myung-ah. As much as that’s the case, we aren’t at a point where we can’t exchange a single letter, are w-…”
“Yeeeeesssss?”
Chung Myung asked and widened his eyes in disbelief.
“No, Sect Leader! Did you say a letter?”
“Yes, a letter….”
“A letter means it’s written, right?”
“Huh? Urm. Yes. It is, but what’s…”
“Sending something in writing means understanding human words. There’s no way those bald Shaolin bastards can understand human words, so how can they send a letter?”
“….”
“If they can understand human words, they wouldn’t have done those damned trouble up til now! How can those hairless bastards be able to read? The writings are equally black!” (x: he meant equally black as their black evil hearts. ;))
Chung Myung poured out harsh words that if Bop Jeong would have foamed at the mouth and collapsed.
Meanwhile, Hyun Jong was just relieved there were no outsiders present.
“…Yeah. Surprisingly, they sent a letter. Therefore, I was thinking we should discuss its contents.”
“Do we have to?”
“…Please.”
When Hyun Jong pleaded with a desperate expression, Chung Myung folded his arms and nodded.
“Alright. I’ll listen.”
“Right, right. Well thought….”
“After all, if we can listen to a dog’s bark, why can’t we listen to a bald monk’s words?”
“….”
Hyun Jong quickly opened his mouth, reminding himself that the best way to talk to Chung Myung was to quickly state the matter.
“This is a letter that came in the name of Shaolin Bangjang Bop Jeong. It’s a letter addressed to Heavenly Comrade Alliance, not Mount Hua.”
“What about the content?”
“Hmm.”
Hyunjong spoke the content with a slightly troubled look.
“It asks for Heavenly Comrade Alliance Maengju’s attendance to discuss the concerning movements of Evil Tyrant Alliance Gangnam. And… your name is mentioned specifically. They ask you to make time and come to Shaolin.”
After finishing his speech, Hyun Jong quickly glanced into Chung Myung’s eyes. This is because he expected Chung Myung to foam at the mouth and throw a fit.
Strangely, however, Chung Myung didn’t react much, but he was slowly nodding his head with his arms crossed.
Slightly puzzled, Hyun Jong cautiously asked.
“…Are you okay?”
“Yes? What?”
“No. That….”
Saying that out loud seemed a bit…
“Well, it sounds like a good idea.”
“Go- Good idea?”
“Yes. Essentially, they are asking Sect Leader and me to come to Shaolin, right?”
“Tha- That’s right.”
“So, of course, that’s a good idea.”
Chung Myung smiled brightly.
Hyun Jong, who saw that flawless bright smile, was finally relieved and was about to nod his head.
“I’m glad you think so…….”
“They ask us to come and crack their heads, why wouldn’t I go? You bald-headed monk! Alright, I’m coming now!”
“Where do you think you’re going, this punk!”
When Chung Myung tried to rush out, the Five Swords, which were waiting, flew like light and held onto their limbs. Their swift response reminded others of a perfect combination attack technique.
“Let go! Not letting go? Fine, then!”
“Whe- Where are you going, man!”
“Where am I going? To Shaolin!”
“Why to Shaolin!”
“They told me to come! The Great Bald Head wants me to come! He says come, so I am! What’s the problem!”
Chung Myung turned his eyes upside down.
“This guy must have lost his sense during these three years of stillness! Alright, fine! Let me show them why I trained for three years! If I carve a plum blossom tattoo on his shiny head, he will attain Buddhahood!”
“I- It’s Shaolin!”
“That’s what I’m saying! Why did I train for three years!”
Huh? Wasn’t it because of Evil Sects?
As Hyun Jong massaged his aching head and sighed, Hyun Young spoke vaguely.
“Sect Leader.”
“…What is it?”
“We might need to think this through.”
“Think?”
“Yes, Sect Leader. What do you plan to do, Sect Leader?”
“Hmm.”
Hyun Jong thought for a moment and said.
“Even if our relationship with Shaolin isn’t what it used to be, if they’ve sent a personal letter regarding Evil Tyrant Alliance, isn’t it only polite to pay them a visit?”
“My opinion differs a bit.”
At Hyun Young’s words, Hyun Jong looked at him, as if to say, explain further.
“As we saw with the recent upheaval caused by the Evil Tyrant Alliance, Shaolin does not regard us highly,”
“….”
“Yet, they still invite us. Doesn’t that suggest they have some ulterior motive?”
Most were aware that Shaolin, the leader of the Ten Great Sects, did not value Heavenly Comrade Alliance highly. It was an unspoken understanding.
At that time, a grumpy voice was heard.
“What are you up to? It’s just that fire catches their feet.”
“Huh? Fire catches their feet?”
Hyun Young looked back at Chung Myung. Chung Myung shook off his Sahyung hanging from his limbs and twitched his lips as if he were disapproving.
“Would Shaolin have turned to us if the Ten Great Sects or the Five Great Family had answered their call properly? Others didn’t listen, so they’re reaching out to us.”
“….”
“Right now, they’re probably clinging to their Buddha statues, crying their eyes out. Kikikikik!”
“Chung Myung, if you rejoice in the misfortune of others, you will not attain enlightenment of the Tao…”
“Wow, then all those bald Shaolin bastards will fall into hell! When they fall, the Buddha would descend to hell saying, ‘Come here, you bastards! I especially went out of my way to come down here and wait for you!’ and smack them with a sutra!”
“….”
Better to just stop talking.
Hyun Jong was speechless at his disciple’s once again dark personality, with no end in sight. Then Baek Cheon tilted his head.
“By the way, Chung Myung.”
“Yes?”
“If what you say is right, isn’t it what you wanted?”
“That’s true.”
“Then why are you so angry?”
“No!”
Chung Myung’s eyes, which had calmed down a little, began to gleam again.
“The impudent monk bastard dared to tell our Sect Leader to come!”
“….”
“Does he still think he’s in a position of power? I’d barely consider whether to go even if he came crawling barefooted and begged, but what? He ‘requests’ our attendance? I’ll let him know better!”
“….”
While Baekcheon was at a loss for words, someone nodded his head vigorously.
‘Samae?’
No, why are you agreeing with that…
In the meantime, Hyun Jong, who did not forget his role as Sect Leader, calmed down the chaotic situation.
“Please, everyone, quiet down…”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“It’s unfair for Sect Leader to say that. There was only one person who opened his mouth, so why do we… Ahh!”
Jo-Gol, who was hit by Yoon Jong and thrown into a corner for inadvertently interfering, expressed his resentment with eyes like a puppy getting caught in the rain, but no one looked at such him.
“…Since this is a letter sent to Heavenly Comrade Alliance, we will have to send a reply. What do you think we should do?”
“Ignore.”
“Just burn it.”
“Oho. Why is everyone being like this? Let’s politely decline.”
“Can’t we just ask them to come instead?”
Eventually, clear dew formed in Hyun Jong’s eyes.
These punks are beyond redemption. These are things that cannot be recycled no matter where you put them.
“Sect Leader.”
Meanwhile, Baek Cheon opened his mouth in seriousness. Still, Hyun Jong, who still had a glimmer of hope for Baek Cheon, was pleased.
“Yes, Baek Cheon. Tell me.”
“It is true that a request from Shaolin has come, but there is no reason why we should listen to that request.”
“Do, do you think so?”
“Yes, Sect Leader. To put it bluntly, so far, Shaolin has always ignored our requests or imposed conditions upon it. But is there any reason why we should do as they say?”
Hyun Jong nodded at the correct remark. But even so, he still couldn’t get rid of the deep worry in his eyes.
“But I’m worried. Looking at the current situation, a war might break out soon…”
“Wars aren’t sparked so easily.”
Chung Myung was the one who said this.
“Even if they growl and fight like that, they can’t easily start a war. Especially those that have something to lose. Whether it’s Shaolin or anything else, they all wish to avoid incurring losses.”
“….”
“One of the reasons why Ten Great Sects and Five Great Family don’t listen to Shaolin is that.”
“Are you saying they’re afraid that if they gather for no reason, a war will really break out?”
“Yes.”
Jo-Gol, puzzled, raised his hand to ask.
“No, but holding back doesn’t mean a war won’t break out. I don’t think Jang Ilso will continue to be satisfied with Gangnam, right?”
“Jang Ilso hasn’t made a move yet. People tend to want to put off things even if they are inevitable.”
“Hmm.”
It certainly made sense. Jo-Gol nodded.
“Well, I guess I too try to hide for as long as possible after sneaking some liquor, even though I know I’ll get caught eventu…. Ouch! Why hit me?!”
“Did I hear you stole alcohol now!”
“Before! Before! Not this time! I already got punished for that!”
“Then get punished again!”
Baek Cheon said, completely ignoring Yoon Jong, who grabbed Jo-Gol by the collar and began to shake him.
“So, you’re saying even if we ignore Shaolin’s request this time, there probably won’t be any major issues for a while?”
“That’s right.”
“But Sect Leader’s concern makes sense, Chung Myung-ah. Shaolin being so proactive is unsettling.”
“Sasuk.”
“Yes?”
“If Mount Hua was of the Ten Great Sects, do you think we would have heeded Shaolin and rushed into battles?”
“That’s….”
Baek Cheon trailed off his words with a slightly subtle expression.
If it were in the past, he might have answered yes. But now his answer has already been set.
“People are all the same. Even if Shaolin leads the Ten Great Sects, it’s only during crises. Normally, everyone tries to beat Shaolin at least once, right?”
“…Right.”
“People who have piled up emotion towards Shaolin like that will listen to them in perfect harmony in ambiguous situations like now? Kikik. That’s ridiculous. Right now, that Bop Jeong fake monk is probably gripping on hundreds more beads than usual.”
After speaking, Chung Myung smiled bitterly at the past that suddenly came to mind.
‘These crazy bastards.’
Even when Magyo was at their doorstep, they were bickering over who should go and who should stay. They only had their mouths active. If these bastards had just moved in unison, the sacrifice would have been halved.
Chung Myung, who knew how petty a person can be when the most basic things like lives and gains were at stake, could clearly see what was going to happen in the future.
“Then what about the Yangtze River?”
“Most likely, they’ll just struggle moderately and retreat.”
“…Even so, will the honor of Ten Great Sects and the Five Great Family really fall to the ground?”
“There are not as many people who risk their lives for honor as you might think. Honor can be regained, but life, once lost, is gone. They will probably make the excuse that no matter how much they give away, they can all recover as long as they destroy the Evil Tyrant Alliance in the end.”
“Hmm.”
“So, that’s why wars don’t usually get resolved through gatherings. Usually, it takes one crazy person to…”
Chung Myung, who was rambling, suddenly shut up.
Then his eyes widened and he muttered as if panicked.
“Wha- What’s wrong?”
When the confused Baek Chun asked, Chung Myung looked back at him with a blank look on his face.
“Sasuk.”
“Huh? Yes?”
“…War might actually break out?”
“What?”
Chung Myung muttered with his head tilted sideways.
“Wait, if it goes like this…”
His expression became strange as he remembered the existence of the bomb, which he had forgotten.
“It might actually set Shaolin on fire?”
“What are you talking about, man!”
“I, I need to check first! Where’s Old Man Beggar? Old man beggar!”
As Chung Myung kicked down the door and left without a proper explanation, the remaining people could only stare blankly in the direction he left.
“What’s he thinking about now?”
“Who knows…”
“I’m hungry.”
A collective sigh escaped everyone’s lips.