Many people gathered at the residence of the Mount Hua Sect leader.
Not only the people of Mount Hua but also Tang Gunak and Im So-Byeong, who had arrived the day before, sat across from the sect leader.
"Firstly…."
Hyun Jong coughed softly as he continued.
"I would like to offer my deepest apologies to the two of you who must have worked hard while Mount Hua was away. And as the leader of the Heavenly Friends Alliance, I also feel the need to apologize to the two of you for not being able to fulfill my role."
"You don't have to say all that, alliance leader."
Tang Gunak shook his head.
"Who doesn't know that Mount Hua was away and that we didn't have much time? We just had different things to do."
"Lord…"
Amidst all of the warm talk came this crooked voice.
"Well, of course, it was a bit difficult."
"…."
Im So-Byeong looked at Hyun Jong with a bright smile and no trace of guilt.
"We trembled at the thought of stray dogs that might come from the other side at any moment, and we had to watch out for the Nine Great Sects, who would come to the Yangtze River once in a while and glare at us for no reason. We had to please the merchants who kept talking about how expensive the toll was, and we even had to give the money we worked so hard for to the common people. We lived a hard life…!"
"…."
"Of course, Mount Hua, training behind the scenes, must have had a hard time too. Yes! What could be harder? Hahahaha."
"No, this guy!"
Chung Myung glared and tried to get up, but Baek Cheon pressed his shoulders down hard.
"Hold on, Chung Myung. It is just the start, and if you keep doing it, we won't be able to get anything done today."
Then, Chung Myung, who was groaning, turned his head sharply and asked Hyun Young.
"The ledger is fine, right? Is there anything missing in it? Is there anything that was taken advantage of? Could there be something? There has to be something, right?"
It was a statement that momentarily caused confusion as to whether embezzlement was a good thing or not.
Unfortunately, Hyun Young's answer was different from what Chung Myung wanted.
"It is clean."
"Clean?"
"Yes, it is clean."
Hyun Young nodded and emphasized.
"Not a single coin was missing."
"Really?"
"I checked everything. This is the first time in my life I have seen such perfect ledgers."
When Hyun Young looked back with an admiring expression, Im So-Byeong spread out his fan and smiled with a proud look.
"Hahaha. I am glad I could satisfy the elder."
But then.
"I knew it! That bandit bastard!"
Chung Myung suddenly rushed at Im So-Byeong and grabbed him by the collar.
"Kuak!"
Im So-Byeong, who was suddenly grabbed by the collar, opened his eyes wide like he was struck by lightning.
"N-No! How long have you been deaf? It is clean and perfect! Perfect! Don't you know perfect?"
"Yeah, I know, perfect! That is why you are acting like this!"
"Uh?"
Im So-Byeong looked at Chung Myung with a face that said, 'What are you even talking about?' and shouted.
"A bandit bastard wrote an account book, so how can you say there is nothing wrong with it? Who do you think you are fooling?"
"…"
Im So-Byeong's mouth fell open.
"Spit it out! You moron! How much did you gulp down? You must have scraped it all clean and taken it away! Spit it out! Aren't you going to spit it all out now!?"
Chung Myung shook Im So-Byeong's hair. The neatly combed hair of Im So-Byeong had turned disheveled.
"C-Chung Myung. That guy…"
"I know! You are a thief, bastard! Don't worry. Sect leader! I will take every single coin that this bastard has hidden, even in his underwear, and get it all back!"
"N-No, the Green Forest King…"
"This brat, will you not confess? Are you wanting to die? Uh?"
Tears welled up in Im So-Byeong's eyes.
It was obvious that the thief would be suspected of doing business, so many people stayed up all night to ensure no information was overlooked, even by mistake. But what was all the effort for?
"Catch him!"
"Yes!"
As soon as Hyun Jong's order was given, the Five Swords, who had been waiting, rushed in and pulled Chung Myung away from Im So-Byeong. Chung Myung kicked the air as he was dragged away.
"No! Let go! I'm telling you, everyone is being fooled right now!"
"The ledger is accurate!"
"How dare this bandit's bitch speak to the sect leader!"
"…."
Ah, right.
Then let us talk.
Baek Cheon, who almost let go of Chung Myung's hand, flinched at the last moment and regained his senses. He then grabbed Chung Myung tightly and dragged him back.
"… I am sorry, Green Forest King."
"…"
"Are you alright?"
"… I am alright."
His eyes looked wet, but neither Hyun Jong nor Tang Gunak bothered to point that out.
"Anyway…"
Chak!
Im So-Byeong opened his fan. It was a shame that the fan, usually a symbol of confidence, was now being used to hide his face.
"As you can see from the ledger, Plum Blossom Island is making a lot of money. Since the merchants who confirmed the Island is safe are trying to cross the Yangtze River through the Island, there is a shortage of ships."
"Oh my! These people are stealing money to buy ships… eupp! Eup!"
"…"
Im So-Byeong looked back at Chung Myung with empty eyes. At that time, Hyun Jong said.
"Green Forest King."
"Yes, Sect Leader…."
"Let us just not worry about it."
"… Yes."
Im So-Byeong coughed and continued speaking.
"As Mount Hua's Sword Saint mentioned, increasing the number of shops could address the issue. However, since the benefits ultimately arise from controlling the Yangtze River, the situation at Plum Blossom Island could change drastically at any time, depending on the Yangtze River's conditions."
"Hmm. Right. Honestly, I hadn't considered that the path would block the Yangtze River until now."
"Yes, Sect Leader. That's why we might incur losses if we recklessly increase the number of ships. For now, it seems wiser to maintain the current situation."
"You have really worked hard."
"Don't mention it."
Im So-Byeong smiled brightly.
"Shouldn't we, the Green Forest Bandits, fulfill our role as proud members of the Heavenly Friends Alliance? Hahaha."
"But where is that Evil Sect guy sticking his nose in! I think I'll see the end before dirt gets in my eyes… eupp! Eupp!"
This time, even Tang Gunak stepped forward and covered Chung Myung's mouth.
"Be quiet! Please be quiet!"
"Shut your mouth."
"If you open your mouth one more time, I'll stab you in the forehead, sahyung!"
Hyun Jong covered his face and apologized to Im So-Byeong once again.
"… I am sorry."
"They say the life of a bandit is worse than that of a dog."
"Isn't that for a slave?"
"… slave or bandit, it's the same."
They were different. Very different.
However, Hyun Jong comforted Im So-Byeong, who was groaning under the shackles of social status.
If the Green Forest had truly lived honestly for the past three years, as Im So-Byeong claimed, the world's perception of them would have changed significantly. Even if that perception hadn't changed much, they would have acknowledged that Mount Hua had suppressed Green Forest.
So, as Im So-Byeong suggested, it might be necessary to clarify the position of Green Forest, which was unofficially allied with the Heavenly Friends Alliance.
"Before the problem with the Four Precept Alliance really comes to a head."
Hyun Jong nodded quietly and then turned to Tang Gunak.
"Lord, you have had such a hard time too."
"It wasn't hard at all."
Tang Gunak shook his head.
"There really wasn't a big problem during the riots in the Yangtze River. If there was a problem, it would be that the Tang family, which already has a small number of people, had to coordinate the large area."
Chung Myung took Baek Cheon's hand off his mouth and grumbled.
"Then why didn't you just use those bandits who are just messing around?"
"… it wasn't that easy in reality. Who would welcome bandits coming down to capture the Evil Sect people?"
"Well, I told you, those bandits are of no help."
While Im So-Byeong wondered why he had come all this way from the Yangtze River, Tang Gunak continued.
"But thanks to that, the public sentiment in the Yangtze River has clearly turned towards the Heavenly Friends Alliance."
Hyun Jong nodded at that.
He also knew how scary public sentiment could be. Wasn't it because a few people were willing to support Mount Hua that Mount Hua was able to endure the difficult situation before Chung Myung appeared?
"But now we have reached our limit, alliance leader."
"Hmmm."
"Right now, the Four Precepts Alliance is quiet, so we can manage, but if the Four Precepts Alliance does rise up, the problem will definitely get worse again. We need support from the entire Heavenly Friends Alliance."
Although it was called the Heavenly Friends Alliance, the only Heavenly Friends Alliance in the Central Plains was Mount Hua and the Tang family.
This was no different from Tang Gunak officially requesting support from Mount Hua.
"Certainly… if you stayed in the Yangtze River for the past three years, the main family in Sichuan would be in trouble."
"It is embarrassing, but that is the truth."
"Understood, my lord. We, Mount Hua, will—"
"What?"
"Uh?"
Everyone turned to Chung Myung.
Baek Cheon, who had been holding onto Chung Myung, slowly released his hand. He could now predict that this guy, who had been speaking nonsense before, would start talking properly.
"Should we just leave him alone?"
Baek Cheon's hand slowly grabbed Chung Myung's shoulder again.
Did he subdue him?
"…did we move?"
"Yes."
"To Yangtze?"
"Yes."
Tang Gunak frowned as he watched Chung Myung speak calmly.
"I know you're not the type to speak thoughtlessly, but I don't understand what you're saying in the least."
Baek Cheon's eyes widened in shock.
This guy, to the lord…? He seems to have misunderstood something. There's no one in the entire Central Plains who spoke more thoughtlessly than this guy.
"The Tang family has protected the common people all this time, of course, because it was a natural duty, but it was also to create favorable public opinion towards the Heavenly Friends Alliance. But if you back out now, wouldn't it all be useless?"
"No, if you curse me for taking a break after doing everything you have done for me, can you be called a human? Isn't that an animal?"
"…"
"When someone helps, you need to be grateful! You cannot ask me to hand over the money after saving me from drowning!"
"That… that is not wrong, but isn't that how things in the world work?"
"That is right, but why would we be guarding that place? It is supposed to be guarded by the Wudang and Namgung."
"They closed the gate…"
"Is closing the gate an official position? If you close the gate, you do nothing?"
"…that isn't something Mount Hua should say."
Baek Cheon nodded quickly.
Right. That wasn't something they should be saying, right? Uh?
But Chung Myung snorted bitterly.
"Then continue."
"Uh?"
"Are you asking for support from Mount Hua now?"
"Right…?"
Tang Gunak's face was filled with anxiety.
And as expected… Chung Myung was being Chung Myung.
"Even if a knife is put to my throat, I won't go to the Yangtze River to fight instead of those Wudang bastards, so either get out of there or just keep doing it!"
"…."
"Why are we doing what those rotten Nine Great Sects bastards are supposed to do!"
"Even so, even though the Nine Great Sects and the Heavenly Friends Alliance aren't official, they are kind of like an alliance…"
"Allianceee?"
Finally, Chung Myung had lost it.
At those dazzling eyes, Tang Gunak unconsciously shut his eyes.
"I would rather stick with the Evil Sect than ally with the Nine Great Sects! Shaolin and Wudang can just eat some shit!"
"Hahaha. Then, while we are on the topic, Green Forest and…"
"You should spit out any money you ate!"
"No! I ate nothing!"
Chung Myung was throwing a tantrum, Im So-Byeong was protesting, and Tang Gunak was in agony.
In front of the scene where chaos was raging like hell, Hyun Jong smiled happily.
'Yes. That is how it felt.'
Ah… he just wanted to go back to the deep mountains.
Please…