Episode 1033 We are not there. (3)
Every once in a while, the sky makes Cheongmyeong feel sad.
The truth is that the sky he sees now, sitting next to Hyeonjong, is no different from the sky he saw when he turned away after spewing harsh words at Cheongmun.
Qingming was sometimes confused.
Even though I came back to life and worked hard without even blinking, I kept hiding the feeling of discomfort in a corner of my heart. Even though I wanted to escape, a feeling of extreme discomfort suddenly followed me.
There are times when I wake up at the same time as usual, put on my clothes and go outside, and the faces I see are so unfamiliar that I start to tremble.
Those unfamiliar faces are familiar to me, but there are times when I can’t even do anything about them because they are so unfamiliar.
Although he lives in the present, he still remains in the past, and although he lives in the past, he is alone and disconnected from this reality.
Why did it come back to life? Why did it have to be that way?
Cheongmyeong, who was staring blankly at the sky, slowly opened his mouth.
“…It’s not because it’s a volcano, Jang Mun-in.”
If it were a hearing, how would you have answered?
Cheongmyeong seemed to know the answer. But I didn’t think about it on purpose.
Because not now. Because it’s not the time to give him his answer. Now is not the time to chase after the answer to the question, but the time to give the answer to the question.
He is the sword of volcano. It becomes a sharper blade than anyone else and cuts down volcanic enemies.
But… it shouldn’t be the sword of the volcano at this point.
A disciple of Hwasan and a sage of Hwasan. A follower and a leader.
And it’s just one person named Cheongmyeong.
Cheongmyeong said calmly.
“The things that Hwasan must protect… The reputation that Hwasan must achieve and the spirit that Hwasan must maintain. All of that….”
“….”
“At least to me, it is not even worth the life of one disciple.”
Instead of following the answer that Cheongmun would have given, I tried to find the answer myself. The volcano seen by Cheongmyeong contains all the thoughts I had.
It was funny.
The answer he arrived at was no different from what Cheongmun would have said.
“Agreement?”
Cheongmyeong muttered and chuckled.
– There may have been something like that in the beginning.
“At first… yes, there might have been something like that.”
– But now it’s worn out and there’s only one thing left. Do you know what that is?
“But I guess that’s okay now. “Now there is only one thing left for me.”
Hyeonjong, who was listening to Cheongmyeong’s calm remarks, quietly asked.
“…What is that?”
Cheongmyeong’s mouth opened. Just like the hearing that day.
– future.
“We are the disciples of the volcano.”
At that time, I did not understand the ‘future’ that Cheongmun was discussing. But now I also know Cheongmyeong. For Cheongmun, the future was the young disciples left behind in the volcano.
For Cheongmun, that was something he had to protect at all costs.
Cheongmyeong said, gently closing his eyes.
“Jang Mun-in said so.”
Hyeonjong’s question was no different from the questions he had in the past.
“Is the pride we have in the agreement we will gain now more important than the days those children will have to live in the future?”
– Can what you gain fill the void of what you lost?
– I don’t know what meaning there is in gaining something by losing something that shouldn’t be lost.
Cheongmyeong said so. And… I said something harsh that I shouldn’t have said.
– I won’t be able to accept this decision until the moment I die.
okay. It was like that.
I couldn’t accept it. Because I couldn’t understand. Because the world Cheongmun sees and the world he sees are different.
But now I have to answer.
The answer that Cheongmun couldn’t give him that day. Because he is who he is now, the answer he can give to the Maehwageomjon of the past.
“If I can.”
His true feelings that he never told anyone.
“…I want to run away too, Jang Moon-in.”
Hyeonjong looked blankly at Cheongmyeong for a moment.
He too was so emotional that he poured out words, but he never imagined that such words would come out of Cheongmyeong’s mouth.
I couldn’t imagine it because it was Cheongmyeong and no one else.
“If it was a problem that could be solved by running away, if it was something that could be avoided by running away, I would like to go back to the volcano right now without looking back. “I want to close my eyes and ears right now.”
“….”
“Because I’m scared.”
Cheongmyeong’s fingertips trembled.
“I am afraid, Jang Mun-in. It’s so scary. Those mighty ones and him behind them. He will come someday… I am so scared.”
“…Cheongmyeong.”
“But what’s scarier than that is…”
Cheongmyeong bit her lip.
“This is me facing the death of everyone with my own eyes without being able to protect anything.”
I had no idea when I would be able to escape from that nightmare.
The day when everyone he tried to protect died at the hands of the Heavenly Demon. The nightmare of that time when he was the only one who survived and screamed at the Heavenly Demon.
But…
the recent nightmare has become even more terrifying.
Everyone dies at the hands of the Heavenly Demon who comes to the volcano.
Hyeonjong, Hyeonyeong, and Hyeonseondo. Baekcheon, Yui Seol, Yoon Jong, and Jo Geoldo. Hyeyeon and Dangso Sodo.
Their lives fall in vain before this terrible evil. His bloody hands protect nothing.
okay. Again.
When I managed to wake up from screaming, the air that hit my face was so cold. I would shiver until the sun came up.
How can it not be scary?
I am afraid that that dream will become a reality and that I will be helpless and lose everything again.
“You asked why I had to fight.”
“….”
“Because there are things that must be protected.”
When I closed my eyes, I felt like I could see Cheongmun’s smiling face.
A face that looks worried and a calm smile on the corner of the mouth. It was a face that Cheongmyeong knew, but did not know.
“If you can’t have someone else do it for you, you have no choice but to do it yourself. If no one protects you, you have no choice but to protect yourself. “We’re not going out because it’s a volcano.”
“….”
“I have to go because it’s me, Jang Moon-in.”
Hyeonjong bowed his head. How should I reply to this?
“Sometimes….”
Cheongmyeong opens his mouth after a little hesitation.
“It may seem stupid not to avoid it. There may be times when you are not as clever and look foolish. But… as time passed and I looked back, I realized. In fact, the path of the seemingly foolish fool was the fastest path.”
Has it changed? well. I’m not sure yet.
Cheongmyeong only understands now. I just found it.
A reason to fight.
When I hear the word demonic religion, my blood rushes. But now I know. That anger is not just a desire for revenge for the past.
He becomes angry at the fact that they will once again take away the things he is trying to protect.
Cheongmyeong gritted his teeth.
“I still feel scared and scared. Crossing that river is scarier than jumping into a pit of fire.”
“….”
“But… sitting and waiting for the outcome that is clearly coming is even scarier than that. “The regret I must feel at that moment, the outcome I will face one day because I failed to do what I should have done at this moment… is a hundred times more scary than that.”
This time, it won’t be taken away like that time. never.
That’s why you have to go.
Hyeonjong slowly shook his head.
So many things were omitted from the story of Cheongmyeong that it sounded like something out of nowhere. However, I was able to fully understand what Cheongmyeong was trying to say.
Because such things cannot be conveyed only through words and logic.
“It’s difficult.”
“….”
“Indeed… it is truly difficult.”
Hyeonjong’s voice was filled with deep regret.
He still doesn’t know. What is right and what is wrong.
However, I knew for sure that I could not break Cheongmyeong’s will. Then….
At that very moment, Baekcheon’s voice was heard from behind.
“I said I had to go. “Because that is your will.”
Hyeonjong and Cheongmyeong looked back at Baekcheon. Even after receiving those gazes, Baekcheon remained calm.
“then.”
He raised his neat eyebrows.
“You can’t stop me from heading across the river of my own will.”
“…uh?”
Baekcheon shrugged his shoulders.
“Aren’t you going to brazenly say that you are the only person in the volcano who is qualified to protect the disciples of the volcano?”
“That’s right.”
“That is certainly true.”
“Yes, it’s about the three great disciples.”
After hearing those words, Cheongmyeong asked back in a daze.
“…no. You are the youngest disciples, so why…”
“You are the youngest, you bastard.”
When Jo Geol got upset, Baek Cheon tapped him on the shoulder a couple of times and continued talking.
“I know what you mean. “Isn’t this saying that if we don’t run to Gangnam and do something right now, one day they will become unstoppable and even cover Shaanxi?”
“…okay.”
“Then I’m going too.”
“No…”
“Listen to me clearly, you stupid bastard.”
Baekcheon resolutely stopped speaking.
“You’re not the only one who can’t stand sucking your thumb and waiting in the background for someone to protect you.”
Cheongmyeong was momentarily speechless and kept his mouth shut. Baekcheon continued.
“The reason I learned the sword is because I wanted to become a protector.”
“Sasuk.”
“If you want to fight of your own volition, fine. How can I stop that? instead!”
Baekcheon’s voice stuck in Cheongmyeong’s heart like a painting.
“I too will choose to fight with my own will.”
Everyone who was watching Baekcheon’s back nodded.
Yu Yi-seol, Yoon Jong, and Jo Geol, Dang So-so. And even Hyeyeon, who had been taking a step back from the conversation until now, looked at Cheongmyeong with a resolute determination in her eyes.
Cheongmyeong, who was looking at them blankly, shook his head without realizing it.
“…On the topic of chicks….”
“If you want to stop it, try blocking it.”
Cheongmyeong sighed deeply and slowly stood up.
Baekcheon instinctively placed his hand on his sword. That’s because I thought he could just knock them out, knock them out, and head across the river alone.
But Cheongmyeong just turned his head and looked at the river.
“Let’s talk about the rest later.”
“…huh?”
“Because a guest is coming.”
At those words, everyone looked towards the river. A small boat was seen in the middle of the river submerged in the dark night. It was coming towards this direction at a not very fast speed.
Cheongmyeong muttered.
“He’s so annoying that I even call him a guest… But first, I’ll have to listen to what he’s saying. Let’s listen and then decide. Should I rip that snout off or…”
Baekcheon’s face hardened.
It was now clearly visible to his eyes.
A piece of clothing floating on a river stained with dark, achromatic colors, and bright red clothing like the blood fluttering on top of it. It seemed like only he was clear in the whole world.
“…Jang Il-so.”
Baekcheon muttered as if in pain.
Cheongmyeong stared coldly at the approaching Jang Il-so.
