Episode 1338 What happened? (1)
Cold sweat ran down Lim So-byeong’s face.
“I was ⋯⋯.”
A terrain where three mountains meet each other. Of course, the road is open to the left and right.
But either way, the end was the same.
A distant cliff.
A steep rock wall more fittingly called ‘Despair’ stood between the mountains.
Even if it was in perfect condition, it was a cliff that did not seem easy to climb over. So, there is no point in discussing it now that our internal strength has been depleted and we are exhausted.
You can try to force yourself to climb the cliff, but the result is obvious. You will be slaughtered without even being able to resist the Maninbangdo who are chasing you from behind.
However, climbing a mountain is no different. Because the slope is steep, rugged, and the forest is dense, stamina consumption is excessive and the risk of being attacked increases.
So in the end, this place is like a jar blocked on all sides by cliffs. Lim So-byeong led everyone and jumped into the terrain that was blocked on all sides on his own.
“Why…”
It is very difficult to understand the topography of Hibmandaesan Mountain because the mountains overlap. It is not easy to figure out what might be behind the mountain.
These things had already been confirmed on the way to Haenam Island, and that was why Lim So-byeong also chose this as his escape route.
However, even Lim So-byeong could not have imagined that there would be such a steep cliff behind the mountain.
“House name…”
Clutter.
He bit his lip until it bled.
I thought I had broken through the siege. I thought I had defeated all the targets. I thought he was at least half ahead in the battle.
Because it has been like that until now.
But at this moment, I realized it. The fact that from the moment I entered that canyon until now, I have been playing into Hu Jiaming’s hands.
‘It wasn’t clumsy…’
Since it was a hastily constructed force, it was thought that they could not do anything other than stop by. But that wasn’t all he could do, it was enough. It was my intention to guide him by opening a path that only his eyes could see.
Would it have been different if we had bypassed the canyon?
No, it wouldn’t have been any different. Just because the route changes, doesn’t mean the destination changes.
With only a difference in time, it would have eventually reached this mountain of 100,000.
Why didn’t you doubt it? Why didn’t you pay attention to the pseudonym of the Reading Mind Rakshachal? Why did you think you could always be one step ahead if you wanted to?
Ho Ga-myeong is actually someone who accomplished more than what Lim So-byeong did while leading Green Forest.
“No Green Forest King.”
Geumyangbaek’s voice was heard. Lim So-byeong’s eyes trembled. For the first time in his life, he realized that it could be scary for someone to talk to him.
“What should we do now?”
Lim So-byeong gritted his teeth.
What should I do? Rather, he wanted to ask. What on earth should I do in this situation?
The road I was trying to take was blocked by a high cliff, and several thousand armies were rushing in from behind.
And all our allies who had to deal with evil enemies have long since reached their limits. The strength to fight was long gone.
“Green Forest King!”
Geumyangbaek raised his voice once again, but Lim So-byeong could not reply.
Numerous words passed through my mind, but none of them seemed like they would lower my morale in this situation.
And at that moment, Lim So-byeong saw. No, I felt it.
The moment he hesitated to answer, something slipped away from the faces of the Haenam disciples who were looking at him. The two letters of hope that I was somehow holding on to were fading away in vain.
‘Oh no…’
What made me move my body, which had reached its limit, was the hope of survival and the will to fight against the enemy.
The moment you lose that hope and will, you will become nothing more than a rat in a poison.
Therefore, we must somehow prevent them from completely losing motivation.
‘But by what means?’
Should we fight as hard as we can and try to take at least one more person to the underworld?
Or should we say that we will die anyway, but face that death solemnly and fiercely?
None of the military techniques that Lim So-byeong had learned nor any experience he had had could answer this question. So, I just struggled helplessly in the despair that came upon me.
At that time, someone’s calm voice was heard.
“It’s a song on all sides…”
Baekcheon was the last one to reach this place, covered in blood while holding off the pursuers from behind.
He looked around without any sign of being in a hurry. After carefully checking the high cliffs and surrounding terrain, he nodded slowly.
“It must be difficult here.”
For a moment, all strength disappeared from Lim So-byeong’s body.
Lim So-byeong realized that, knowingly or unknowingly, he had been psychologically dependent on Deputy Jang Moon to some extent.
The moment the negative words came out of Baekcheon’s mouth, it felt like the string of hope he was holding on to was broken.
Baekcheon turned and glanced at the road they had entered.
“Then there’s nothing you can do. “I have no choice but to break through again and find another way.”
Lim So-byeong momentarily couldn’t believe his ears.
What did that guy say just now?
Baekcheon said calmly.
“The Green Forest King.”
“yes?”
“Are there many similar terrains here?”
The question may seem a bit unexpected, but Lim So-byeong understood Baek-cheon’s intention even then.
“It won’t be like that. “If there were many places like this, the Demonic Cult would not have been able to wage a guerrilla war here…”
“Then that’s it.”
Baekcheon took a deep breath.
“So, all you have to do is break through here and re-enter the side road.”
“⋯⋯.”
“Is that correct?”
Lim So-byeong could not bear to answer.
Of course that is correct. Of course that is correct.
Except that in order to go back out here and find another way, you have to break through the poisoned Maninbang’s main force.
“Now, Assistant Manager Jangmun. “That’s…”
“Is there another way?”
Baekcheon’s calm question interrupted Lim So-byeong again.
other way? There’s no way something like that exists. If there was another method, Lim So-byeong would have already used it.
There is nothing wrong with what Baekcheon said. Their only option now is to reopen that road. Or rather…
“Is it okay to just open the road?”
In response to Yunjong’s question coming from behind, Baekcheon nodded without looking back.
“It seems like that.”
“It’s nice because it’s not complicated. Then, the Green Forest King.”
“yes?”
“Please take care of this guy.”
Yunjong held out Cheongmyeong, who was carrying him, to Lim So-byeong.
“That…”
“Protect it with your life.”
Lim So-byeong accepted the request with a puzzled expression. Then Yoonjong stood next to Baekcheon without a word.
“monk. “Please take care of our execution.”
“Seal…”
“Quickly.”
Dang So-so also handed Jo Geol over to Hye-yeon and tried to move forward. Jo Jie urgently stretched out his hand and grabbed the hem of Tang Soso’s clothes.
“Me too…”
“huh?”
“Me too… I’m still fighting… evil!”
Tang Soso’s needle was mercilessly stabbed into Jo Geol’s hand, which was holding the hem of his clothes. Looking at Jo Geol, who was startled, Tang Soso chuckled.
“The bleeding will stop a bit.”
“⋯⋯.”
“Take care of yourself. Because it’s a real goal. “Anyway, it’s like a death sentence with no answer.”
Tang Soso quickly retrieved the needle and went to stand next to Yun Jong.
Everyone looked at the backs of the three with blank eyes.
“The Green Forest King.”
“⋯⋯Yes?”
“We will stop those who come in. Lead everyone along the path you have opened. Nangong Sogaju and Tang Sogaju will help.”
“⋯⋯.”
“I believe it.”
Lim So-byeong’s eyes trembled slightly.
How can you come forward so calmly even in this situation?
You will know. That this is nothing more than hitting a rock with an egg. No matter how evil you try, it is difficult to avoid the result of annihilation.
Nevertheless, they willingly stepped forward. Unlike him, who was caught up in despair and didn’t know what to do.
Lim So-byeong immediately bit his lips tightly.
Basically, there is only one way to choose here based on common sense. They abandon Haenam, who is like a burden, and climb up the cliff on their own.
If you do that, Haenam’s disciples following you from below will act as a shield, and you can survive the rest of the climb up the mountain.
Don’t they know this?
No, I know. They will definitely know. There is probably no one more familiar with volcanoes burning down cliffs.
But everyone is acting as if such a method does not exist in the first place. They plan to protect Haenam until the very end.
It’s foolish and stupid.
However, even Lim So-byeong, who had lived his entire life for profit as a Safaan, could not bear to say those words out loud. It would be the same even if it were anyone other than him.
“Sasook. “It seems like you have a lot of enemies?”
“You’re going to have a hard time.”
“⋯⋯You’re good at speaking.”
“Be arrogant to Sasuk.”
Tang Soso’s hands were shaking slightly as he smiled and talked with Baek Cheon. Lim So-byeong looked at those hands and knew.
I’m not calm because I’m not scared. He desperately suppresses the desire to run away at any moment.
That fact made Lim So-byeong even more unbearable. Even if others don’t know, Lim So-byeong knows. That it was his own arrogance that caused this whole situation.
If he had had even a single doubt while overpowering his family name, he wouldn’t have walked into this trap on his own.
Lim So-byeong was about to say something.
“Let’s stop now, Assistant Manager Jang Moon.”
A calm voice came out. In an instant, everyone’s eyes turned towards that direction. Geumyangbaek, whose complexion was pale due to poisoning and injury, was looking at Baekcheon.
“Don’t embarrass us anymore.”
“⋯⋯Long writer.”
“The consultation you have already shown for Haenam is sufficient. Hoping for more than this is just a shame.”
“It’s still a long story…”
“Take the injured people and climb the cliff. “We, Haenam, will block the back.”
“Come on, Jang Moon-in!”
Haenam’s disciples looked back at Geumyangbaek in surprise. But Geumyangbaek simply answered calmly.
“Isn’t that what you decided to do from the beginning?”
Geumyangbaek’s gaze turned to Cheongmyeong, who was riding on Lim So-byeong’s back.
“The Huashan Sword Association told us not to at least sit back and wait for death. Go and die somewhere where you can die with honor.”
“⋯⋯.”
“I think this is the place.”
“Jang Moon-in. “We still have more…”
“Jangmun Assistant Manager.”
Geumyangbaek smiled kindly.
“Actually, I both agreed and disagreed with that statement. “It was difficult to understand how honorable it was to jump into enemy territory and die fighting.”
“⋯⋯.”
“But it’s okay now. “It is difficult to find honor in the face of extinction while fighting against Maninbang, but…”
Geumyangbaek looked at Cheongmyeong and said.
“I think I understand now. What is the last honor we must protect? What is the last thing we must protect? “What is our role?”
Baekcheon’s shoulders began to tremble slightly.
Haenam’s disciples also could not bear to open their mouths and looked at Geumyangbaek.
“Up until now, you have protected us. He shed the blood we should have shed and carried the burden we should have borne. So at least… please let us pay that debt now.”
Geumyangbaek looked at everyone and asked.
“Shouldn’t that be so?”
Light returned to the eyes of the Haenam disciples.
Just because they are doesn’t mean they don’t understand the situation. I just needed one final determination.
And now Geumyangbaek’s words are giving us courage for that final determination.
“At least the last part is like Haenam. “Isn’t it too embarrassing for the sea people of Haenam to die while only receiving help from people from the land?”
“That’s right, Jang Mun-in!”
“We have to do it!”
“Actually, aren’t you tired of running away!”
Haenam’s disciples raised their voices as if they were scolding.
I couldn’t even try properly and just ran away.
I couldn’t accept getting stabbed in the back and dying while running away under someone’s protection until the very end. Because that fact will taint even their last days.
“Even if I go to the afterlife, I have to say something to the people who died first.”
Geumyangbaek laughed softly at those words.
“That is correct.”
Instead, they talked in the most calm and calm manner ever.
Baekcheon’s face darkened as he saw this.
The determination to die is not visible. There is no boiling morale. But that made me know better that my resolve was solid.
Being more stubborn here is an insult to them. Even a hundred thousand people could know that much.
“Hwanso Jayang!”
“Yes, Jang Mun-in.”
Kwak Hwan-so and Lee Ja-yang, with firm determination in their eyes, rushed out at Geumyangbaek’s words.
“You follow them.”
“⋯⋯Yes?”
“Now, Jangmun-in. “What do you mean!”
“If only you survive, Haenam will not be destroyed even if it is destroyed. Be sure to survive and one day make Haenam’s name known throughout the world.”
“Jangmun-in!”
Kwak Hwan-so was about to protest strongly, but at that moment Geumyang-baek grabbed his shoulder.
“request.”
“⋯⋯.”
Guo Huanxiao’s shoulders were shaking.
“Please, death penalty.”
“Priest Jayang, please. “Do not make our death a dog’s death.”
“Survive.”
Due to the pouring voices and gazes, thick teardrops eventually began to pour from the eyes of the two people.
I can’t bear to refuse it. It’s not a situation where you’ll waste time saying you’re not going.
That’s why I can’t even say a brief word of rejection. This fact made Guo Huanxiao and Li Liyang even more unbearable.
“Deputy Jangmun. Please take care of them.”
“⋯⋯Long writer.”
Geumyangbaek smiled and stepped forward.
And as he passed by Baekcheon, he whispered softly so that only he could hear.
“The Hwasan Sword Association must be saved.”
It was when Baekcheon couldn’t bear to respond and bit his lips.
“⋯⋯cough.”
“Che Cheongmyeong!”
“Hwasan Sword Association!”
Cheongmyeong, who was riding on Lim So-byeong’s back, opened his eyes coughing blood. His half-closed, blurry eyes looked around.
“⋯⋯here⋯⋯.”
Cheongmyeong’s eyes became increasingly clear.
“You’re playing.”
Lim So-byeong lowered his head. But what followed was unexpected.
“⋯⋯As expected.”
Lim So-byeong raised his head in surprise.
Meanwhile, Cheongmyeong’s expression was so vague that his intentions were completely unknown.
