Episode 1035 We are not there. (5)
The ferry that Jang Il-so was riding in gradually moved further away from the riverside.
Jang Il-so, who was sitting and watching the flowing river, heard Ho Ji-myeong’s voice in his ears.
“Ryeonju.”
“hmm?”
When Jang Il-so turned his gaze, Ho Ga-myeong, who was rowing, calmly opened his mouth.
“Can I ask you one thing?”
Jang Il-so nodded grimly.
“I’ve said this repeatedly, but you just have to ask. “What’s new?”
Hu Jiaming thought slightly and said.
“I know that Lord Lian needs someone who has mastered Taoist martial arts to deal with the Demonic Cult.”
“yes. however?”
“But I don’t understand why it has to be that Hwasan Sword Association.”
“Hmm.”
Instead of answering, Jang Il-so smiled as if it was fun.
But for Hu Jiaming, that smile alone was not a sufficient answer.
“If you put your mind to it, you can attract not only that shaman but also Shaolin.”
“Sure… it might be possible.”
This is not a relationship problem. Demonic cults are a more serious problem than anything else for those living in Gangho.
But in other words, it also means that Jang Il-so has received a powerful card that cannot be compared to anything else. If he had put his mind to it, he might have been able to move even Shaolin.
“If you need a sharp knife, wouldn’t it have been better to join hands with them? It is true that the Hwasan Sword Association cut off the arm of the Black Dragon King, but it is not the sharpest sword in the sect…”
“Tsk.”
Jang Il-so clicked his tongue as if he did not like it. Then Hu Jiaming hurriedly lowered his head as if he was sorry.
“A pseudonym.”
“Yes, Lord Ryeon.”
“You sometimes miss the point in strange places.”
Ho Ga-myeong looked at Jang Il-so with questioning eyes and expressed his thoughts.
“I think the political faction has sharper swords than that. And there are knives that are easier to control than that. “No matter how sharp the Hwasan Sword Association is, a sword that can even harm the person holding the hilt can never be called a famous sword.”
Jang Il-so smiled and quietly nodded.
“that’s right. “You’re right.”
“But how…”
“Of course, as you said, the political faction has swords that are easier to handle. Plus, there will be stronger and safer knives.”
“yes.”
“But it’s an alias. Why don’t you know? “If it’s not dangerous to me, it means it’s not dangerous to others.”
“….”
“If it was an enemy that could be dealt with so easily, wouldn’t there have been a need for me to cross this river? What I want is not a safe and sturdy knife. “It’s a magic sword that can perfectly cut off an enemy’s head, even if it means cutting off my arm.”
Jang Il-so’s eyes, gently curved with a smile, shone.
“That’s why it has to be the Hwasan Sword Association. Do you understand?”
Hu Jiaming nodded slowly without saying a word.
However, contrary to his nod of approval, his expression did not seem to convince him at all. His thoughts did not change.
‘…The Hwasan Sword Association is a very dangerous person.’
By Jang Il-so’s side, Hu Jiaming fought many fierce battles and overcame numerous crises. There is probably no one in all of Sapa who has been immersed in the mud of the battlefield as much as that, except for Jang Il-so.
His senses speak for themselves.
They say that the Hwasan Sword Association is more dangerous than any enemy they have faced so far. It would be several times more dangerous.
‘No, there is no need to discuss senses.’
people say It is said that there is no other sect that has expanded its position in as short a period of time as Maninbang. That may be true. Except for that volcano.
Maninbang is also a well-established sect that started out in a small black island in Guangxi and rose to the position of the loser of the Four Leagues. However, Hwasan was also an absurd sect that rose from a third-rate sect that was evaluated to be ruined soon to the position of leader of the Cheonwoomaeng.
If you were to ask who holds a higher position, of course it would be everyone. However, if you were to ask which path was more difficult…
Hu Jiaming slightly bit his lip.
‘What year was it?’
In less than ten years, Hwasan, which was just a small sect in Shaanxi, has come this far.
No matter what anyone says, at the center of it all is the Hwasan Sword Association.
That’s why it’s dangerous. More than anyone else in the world.
‘of course.’
Jang Il-so must have thought all of this too. Even taking all that into account, they are probably trying to use that Hwasan Sword Association as an arrow to decapitate the bishop.
But Hu Jiaming did not agree with that idea.
‘Because what we pursue is different.’
To Jang Il-so, everything is just a means to keep the world at his feet. Man-in-bang, Sapae-ryeon, that Hwasan Sword Association, Hu Ji-myeong, and even Jang Il-so himself could be sacrificed.
For him, purpose is something that cannot be replaced by anything.
But it is not a nickname.
For Hu Jiaming, the most important thing was not to have Kang Ho under his feet, but Jang Il-so’s safety.
He can do anything to protect Jang Il-so’s safety. In the past, wasn’t the reason he tried to kill and eliminate the Hwasan Sword Association that entered Gangnam even against orders because he thought that the Hwasan Sword Association could become a threat to Jang Il-so someday?
“And…”
As if reading Hu Jiaming’s thoughts, Jang Ilso opened his mouth with a subtle smile on his face.
“It’s not just that.”
“yes?”
“…Okay, that’s not all.”
Jang Il-so slowly raised his hand and wiped the corner of his mouth. His blood-red lips were sore from his rough touch. Jang Il-so’s eyes held a light so deep that it was hard to guess.
Hu Jiaming sighed without realizing it. Is there anyone in the world who can guess what was inside Jang Il-so?
The master he chooses is so outstanding, but because of that, he sometimes makes things difficult for his followers.
Hu Jiaming’s complexion slowly hardened.
‘Dangerous.’
Certainly, as Jang Il-so said, a magic sword may be needed to deal with the Demonic Cult. But what after defeating that demonic cult?
In a situation where there are no enemies, a magic sword is of no use. It is reduced to an ugly object that must be disposed of.
The more confident a person is in himself, the more likely he is to get hurt by a magic sword. This is because he is confident that only he can handle this magic sword.
So…
a cool darkness fell on Hu Jiaming’s eyes as he rowed in silence.
* * *
Hyeonjong, who watched Jang Il-so’s ship moving away in silence for a long time, let out a deep sigh.
‘It’s huge.’
Every time I faced Jang Il-so, I felt as if a huge mountain was pressing down on my son-in-law.
Nevertheless, the reason why he can stand calmly in front of Jang Il-so is very simple. This is because there is another Taishan behind.
Hyeonjong turned his head and looked at Cheongmyeong.
I thought of several things for a moment, but in the end I just shook my head. There is so much I want to say, but there is nothing I can say.
There was only one thing left.
“Are you sure you want to go?”
Cheongmyeong smiled slightly at those words.
The agony I felt a moment ago has disappeared, as if it has already been washed away. Transparently clear eyes and a face full of playfulness. It’s the usual clearing.
“Well, wouldn’t it be polite to leave when it’s so empty?”
Hyeonjong looked at Cheongmyeong’s grinning face for a long time and then sighed.
I know I shouldn’t do this, but as soon as I see Cheongmyeong’s confident face in front of me, my anxiety goes away. Knowing clearly how much is hidden behind that smiling face.
“Then the volcano is also….”
“No, Jang Mun-in.”
When Cheongmyeong suddenly spoke clearly, Hyeonjong frowned.
“Why?”
“Because it’s dangerous.”
“So…”
“Because we are in danger, not the volcano.”
“hmm?”
Cheongmyeong shrugged his shoulders.
“That bastard, Jang Il-so, is like a poisonous snake and will sting you whenever he gets the chance.”
“…I guess so.”
“So it is dangerous for the entire volcano to enter that damn territory. If a problem arises, help should be available at any time.”
Hyeonjong kept his mouth shut.
Rather than entering Gangnam together, it would be better to distract Jang Il-so’s calculations by watching Hwasan closely from across the river. It certainly makes sense.
But… there is one thing that Qingming did not reveal.
“Please answer just one question.”
“Yes, Jang Mun-in.”
“The reason you don’t want to take Huashan’s other disciples with you is because you’re worried about them? Or is it because it’s easier for you to step out in case something goes wrong?”
“It’s the latter.”
A strange heat passed through Cheongmyeong’s eyes.
“This time…”
The corner of his mouth twitched.
“I really wanted to run wild.”
Cheongmyeong shrugged his shoulders while looking at Hyunjong, who seemed to be thinking about what to say for a moment.
“You don’t have to worry, Jang Mun-in.”
Cheongmyeong glanced at the people standing behind him.
“Honestly, it’s not that reliable, but I’m not going alone anyway.”
Hyeonjong nodded slowly and reluctantly.
“I am…” He
looked at Cheongmyeong and those standing behind him quietly and said as if he was sighing.
“I still don’t know. “What is right and what is wrong.”
“….”
“But I know one thing.”
For the first time, a smile appeared on Hyeonjong’s lips.
“What you have to do when you can’t choose is… just trust.”
“Jangmun-in.”
“Remember one thing, Cheongmyeong.”
Cheongmyeong stared at Hyeonjong in silence. The hesitation was now gone from Hyeonjong’s face. Hyeonjong gazed at Cheongmyeong with deep, pensive eyes.
“If something happens to you in Gangnam.”
“….”
“Hwasan will definitely hold that Sapaeryeon, Maninbang, and Jang Ilso responsible for their sins. Even if it is something you do not want, even if the decision is a foolish one that will push the volcano into further downfall than before.”
Hyeonjong’s voice no longer shook or trembled maliciously.
“I will not hesitate.”
He looked at everyone in front of him, one by one. The unprecedented sharpness in his gaze proved that these were not just empty words.
“So…”
Faith and concern Worry and trust.
Hyeonjong’s voice contained it all with great weight.
“Be sure to come back alive.”
Cheongmyeong straightened up. At the same time, other Hwasan disciples also straightened their postures.
“yes! A long writer!”
The disciples of Hwasan at this place all shouted at Hyeonjong, the leader.
Unfinished relationships, deep regrets, and new resolutions. Cheongmyeong’s gaze, containing all of that, turned to the land beyond the Yangtze River.
