Return of the Blossoming Blade Chapter 1245

Episode 1245 That’s all? (5)

The embarrassed voices of the elders came from all over.

“Ten people?”

“Are you saying these are all the people here?”

“How could this…”

Cheon Woo-maeng and his party, who were guarding Baek Cheon’s back, were rather taken aback by his reaction.

“⋯⋯Death penalty. “Why is everyone doing this?”

When Jo Geol asked in a whisper, Yoon Jong answered with a bitter smile.

“Maybe… they thought we were just an advance team.”

“Advance team?”

“There is no way that only 10 people could come this far to Haenam… I guess they thought we were the only ones to cross the sea first by bringing more people with us.”

“Uh…”

Jo Geol looked at the Haenam elders with an expression of bewilderment.

Of course, Jo Geol may have been quite surprised, but in fact, this was a very natural reaction for them.

From Cheon Woo-maeng’s point of view, he sent people of high reputation and heads of each sect to show maximum sincerity. However, from Haenam’s point of view, he could not have imagined that people of that size would move alone without an attendant.

What clan leader in the world would leave his clan alone and cross the enemy lines alone? This is completely outside of Kangho’s common sense as well as the world’s common sense.

So, of course, I had no choice but to assume that there were other people who came with us. It was a misunderstanding that arose because we could not ask each other’s situations in detail.

“Then what on earth did you come here for!”

“Abandon Gupailbang and join Cheonwoomaeng? Are you going to use the last name of the damn clan anyway?”

“Such shamelessness!”

The elders’ anger burned like wildfire and poured out on the group.

Some people widened their eyes in surprise at the violent reaction. And some others frowned. Even though I was in a desperate situation, I risked my life to think of them and came all the way here, so I didn’t think it would be appropriate for them to react like that.

“Stop…”

“Jang Moon-in! “How is this any different from saying that they would even rip off a sick tiger’s fur?”

“It won’t help you, but it’s a plan to take that name! “Why are we treated like this?”

“stop!”

At that moment, Geumyangbaek’s voice burst out like the roar of a wild beast.

The elders were dumbfounded and looked at Geumyangbaek. Even though I had been by his side as an elder for a long time, this was the first time I had seen him so angry.

“Those things called Namhae men…”

When Geumyangbaek glared at him with cold eyes, the elders all lowered their heads.

“Even if what they did is different from what we thought, it does not change the fact that they are the people who risked their lives to help Haenam. “Isn’t it true?”

“Long story…”

“There are actually people who need to help us, but you can’t say anything to them, but you’re criticizing those who cared about us by not giving more. “No matter how treacherous a person’s heart is, is this really the kind of disgrace that would be seen by the elders of Haenam?”

The elders could not bear to look directly at the gold and silver white and only bowed their heads deeper. A small sigh soon escaped from the mouth of Geumyangbaek, who was glaring at them harshly. He turned his head and looked at Baekcheon again and said.

“I’m sorry for showing you off. “Everyone is desperate…”

“No, Jang Moon-in. “We should have prepared more…”

“no. “I just want to thank you for your understanding.”

Geumyangbaek smiled. But unlike before, his smile had a distinct shadow.

“I understand well what Deputy Jang Moon said.”

“It’s still a long story…”

“no.”

Geumyangbaek shook his head.

“Just because we didn’t bring people along to help doesn’t mean we changed our mind. “We just had unreasonable expectations.”

“⋯⋯.”

“Even if, as the ugly elders said, the Cheonwoo Alliance came to only use our name…”

“Oh, that’s…!”

“Yes, I know. That can’t be possible. Although I am Haenam’s long-time writer, I don’t think Haenam’s name is big enough to move everyone here.”

Geumyangbaek laughed as if mocking himself.

“If you came here with that intention, it is such an excessive treatment that you would think it would be polite to take advantage of your efforts.”

Geumyangbaek looked detached, as if he had gone beyond. Baekcheon gently bit his lip.

At that time, Geumyangbaek slowly shook his head and said.

“But Deputy Jangmun. “I’m sorry, but I will decline Cheon Woo-maeng’s recommendation.”

“⋯⋯Long writer.”

“The reason is simple.”

Geumyangbaek quietly raised his head and looked up at the ceiling. His gaze is directed to the ceiling, but what he is seeing is probably something else.

“Haenam is a place that belongs to the old file room, but it cannot truly be a old file room. “It’s just a place that was hastily pushed in to fill the space where the volcano left.”

Although it was a self-deprecating statement, the tone was simply calm.

“So, even though I belonged to the same old group, I suffered implicit discrimination. And perhaps underlying that discrimination was contempt for us, the islanders of the South Sea.”

“That’s…”

“Islanders cannot be trusted. Islanders are faithless. “The islanders treat betrayal like a meal, and like the sea, they change their attitude from time to time.”

Geumyangbaek laughed out loud.

“It may be a difficult feeling for those of you who are native to the country to understand. And… maybe it’s a feeling that even Binggungju finds difficult to understand. “What do those who are discriminated against have to endure to be included among those who discriminate?”

Baekcheon asked Geumyangbaek as if he didn’t understand.

“But it’s a long story. If so, is there no reason to hesitate even more? As Jang Moon-in said, no matter how hard Haenam tries, it is far from becoming a true member of the Gupa Ilbang. However, the Cheonwoo Maeng does not discriminate between factions belonging to the Maeng. Even Noklim is recognized as a member of the Maeng. So…”

Baekcheon, who was speaking, soon closed his mouth.

I thought it was pointless to make this recommendation again, but more than that, it was because Geumyangbaek was smiling. That laugh bothered me.

Geumyangbaek said.

“Director Jang Moon, what do you think good faith is?”

“⋯⋯Yes?”

“That’s literally it. What is faithfulness?”

Baekcheon could not answer right away. It would be very easy to answer the question of what faith is, but that is probably not what Geumyangbaek wants to ask now.

When Baekcheon did not answer, Geumyangbaek spoke.

“I believe that faithfulness is something that is proven in the end.”

“⋯⋯.”

“Deputy Jangmun. For a long time, Haenam was a sect that was difficult for them to trust, and it was a sect that might one day turn around. No matter how much they cried for agreement or made excuses for not doing so, their deep-rooted prejudice did not go away.”

“⋯⋯.”

“I’m not just talking about Kang-ho’s work. Haenam Island has power, but the powerless people of Haenam Island suffer all kinds of discrimination and prejudice just because they do not live on the mainland because their skin color is different.”

“Long story…”

“But what would they say if we, the Haenam faction, at the last moment, as Deputy Jang Moon said, abandoned the nine factions and joined the hand of Cheon Woo-Maeng?”

Geumyangbaek spoke without waiting for Baekcheon to answer.

“That’s right.”

“⋯⋯.”

“As expected, they were incredible island bastards.”

Geumyangbaek paused for a moment and shook his head.

“Deputy Jangmun. We are not fools. I am not so stupid as to not know that the factions in the central region, including the Gupa Ilbang, have already abandoned Haenam. “Even though I knew it, even though I already knew it, I couldn’t help it.”

“Jang Moon-in. “They were the ones who betrayed trust in the first place.”

“If so, what difference would it make? In the end, the only thing that remains is the fact that Haenam did not keep his faith.”

A sigh escaped Baekcheon’s mouth.

“If we take hold of the hand that Cheonwoo-maeng holds out in the end… we will be able to inform the whole world of the lack of trust between the nine factions and one party, thereby hurting their faces. However… the contempt inflicted on those who remain will become even more severe. “Isn’t it the way for people to look at other people’s small flaws more seriously than their own big mistakes?”

Even Baekcheon couldn’t refute this.

“Thank you, Manager Jang Moon. “Whatever the reason, there is nothing I can say other than thank you for taking the risk to come all the way to this far away land.”

Geumyangbaek bowed his head deeply. Baekcheon quickly tried to stop him, but withdrew his half-outstretched hand.

This is because Geumyangbaek spoke in that state.

“But unfortunately, due to Haenam’s position, we cannot accept that offer. The Haenam faction may end like this, but the people of Haenam Island have to live their lives even after that. “I hope you understand Haenam’s position, which must take that into consideration as well.”

“⋯⋯Of course I understand.”

Baekcheon said with a bitter expression.

“So… what are you going to do now?”

“well.”

Geumyangbaek raised his head and smiled detachedly. Rather, I felt like my head became clearer thanks to Baekcheon’s recommendation.

“Some will leave, some will surrender, and those who remain will stand up and prove it. And my job is to throw in my lot with those who stand up and try to prove it.”

“⋯⋯.”

“When I thought I had a way out, I thought that since I could fight against prejudice for the rest of my life, it would be okay to take a different stance at least once. However, if the end has already been decided, it should end in a way that will be worthy of the name Haenam.”

Baekcheon quietly closed his eyes with a heavy heart.

‘I should have come a little earlier.’

There is nothing you can do. That’s why I couldn’t say anything.

Whatever he says now, it will only be an insult to Haenam.

“The typhoon will end soon. “If you live on an island for a long time, you naturally learn it.”

Geumyangbaek looked at Baekcheon and those seated behind him and said.

“Leave the island when the typhoon stops. We are the ones who should bury our bones here, but you do not. “If we all leave, there’s no need to chase after one small boat as it leaves the island.”

Jo Geol grabbed my thigh without even realizing it. Strangely enough, those calm words struck my heart.

“So… when you return to the central plain, please tell me just one thing. “Haenam kept faith with the central government and the old faction and fulfilled its duty as a political faction.”

Geumyangbaek closed his eyes and spoke quietly.

“That is enough.”

Baekcheon, who had not taken his eyes off Geumyangbaek, turned his head back for the first time and looked at one person. However, the person who received the gaze only returned an emotionless look.

Baekcheon sighed briefly and slowly got up from his seat. And then he politely gave Geumyangbaek a handshake.

“I have clearly received Jang Moon-in’s intentions.”

Geumyangbaek also stood up and hugged Baekcheon.

“I wish you good health and safety.”

At the end of an extremely bitter meeting, the result was a complete breakdown.