"… Please."
Kneeling and bowing one's head was a cowardly posture that a warrior should never take.
However, no one here thought that Namgung Do-Wei was cowardly. How could anyone think that way?
"… young lord."
The first to move was Hyun Jong.
"Young lord, this… how did…"
He hesitated for a moment as he was about to ask, 'What is going on?' and ended up shaking his head.
Did he really not know?
Was he asking because he didn't know what kind of hardships Namgung was going through in the Yangtze River?
Instead of asking, Hyun Jong approached Namgung Do-Wei and grabbed his shoulder. The moment Hyun Jong's trembling hand touched him, Namgung Do-Wei's body flinched as well.
"… sect leader."
Namgung Do-Wei raised his head with difficulty and looked at Hyun Jong.
Hyun Jong, who looked into the red eyes, bit his lips without realizing it.
"In the Plum Blossom Island…"
"…"
"Still… the family members of Namgung are still trapped."
"… young lord."
"The injured are dying day by day, and the survivors are just waiting for the day to die… right, just, waiting."
Hyun Jong's shoulders trembled.
"Please… help us, sect leader. All of them… please help them."
When Namgung Do-Wei tried to bow his head to the floor, Hyun Jong quickly grabbed his shoulder tightly.
"… Don't do this, young lord."
"Please."
Meanwhile, Tang Gunak, who had been watching the situation, turned his gaze to the Gentle Crow Beggar. Seeing the anger in his eyes, Gentle Crow Beggar sighed and opened his mouth.
"Shaolin…"
However, he paused for a moment and then bit his lips.
Was all of this really Shaolin's fault?
"The Beggars Union, Kongtong, and Shaolin did not help Namgung."
"Why?"
"… The Ten Thousand People Clan came to the river. In such a situation, we could not fight in the water…"
"That is not what I am asking, elder."
Tang Gunak's voice was so dreary that it felt like an evil spirit was crawling out of hell. That was how angry he was.
"I know the situation. What I am asking is why you have all just been watching until now."
"…"
Gentle Crow Beggar couldn't answer right away.
There were too many reasons, but none of them seemed to be the real reason.
"This is…"
When Tang Gunak glared at him with bared teeth, Gentle Crow Beggar couldn't bear to meet his gaze and turned his head away.
How could he not know how hard the Tang Family had worked to protect those whom the Nine Great Sects couldn't protect?
When he was with the Nine Great Sects, he was in a position to laugh at them, but here, he was just a sinner. No one who used the Nine Great Sect's name dared to raise their head in front of Mount Hua and the Tang family. No, they shouldn't.
"… and Namgung Hwang?"
"…"
"What happened to the Lord?"
The reason Tang Gunak asked this was simple. The Namgung Hwang he knew was not the kind of person who would risk his son's life like this.
No, it would be more accurate to say that he wasn't a man who would send his son to a dangerous place alone.
"Probably…"
Gentle Crow Beggar lowered his head, unable to finish the words.
Clench.
The sound of Tang Gunak gritting his teeth spread around. Thick veins appeared on Tang Gunak's fists, which were exposed under his wide sleeves.
"Please."
At that moment, Namgung Do-Wei raised his head and looked at everyone. Tears flowed down his face, mixed with the dried blood.
"They… they need to be saved. I beg you."
"…"
"Please…."
Hyun Jong tightened his grip on Namgung Do-Wei's shoulders. However, he couldn't bring himself to say yes.
If it was something that could be done at the risk of his life, he would have already run towards Plum Blossom Island. But right now, he wasn't the only one who had to risk their lives.
He couldn't ask the disciples to risk their lives.
"… I am sorry."
Hyun Jong's shoulders trembled.
"I am sorry…. I am sorry, young lord. I am… sorry."
That was not an apology to Namgung Do-Wei.
Perhaps it was an apology to himself. Those painful days, when he had to endure and endure the heavy burden of Mount Hua.
Didn't Hyun Jong resent those days?
No one reached out to help.
No one listened to his cries.
Didn't he complain and cry out so many times?
Even so, Hyun Jong couldn't readily grab Namgung Do-Wei's hand right now. His teeth were clenched in agony.
'I…'
That was it.
Srring.
The sound of a sword being drawn behind his back.
Hyun Jong looked back with trembling eyes.
He looked at the sword that Baek Cheon had drawn carefully and put it back into the sheath. Then, he took a step ahead, tying the sheath around his waist.
His eyes, silently looking at Hyun Jong, were full of determination.
"Baek Cheon…"
Clack!
Yu Yiseol pulled out her sword and checked if it was faster than Baek Cheon did. Likewise, she tied her sword sheath tightly and stood next to Baek Cheon.
It wasn't just them.
Yoon Jong walked with firm eyes and followed Baek Cheon. Jo Gul stood behind Yoon Jong with an angry face that said he would run out any moment. Tang Soso stood behind Yu Yiseol without a word, and Baek Sang and the other disciples were all pulling out their swords and checking them all at once before moving.
"… You all…"
Hyun Jong closed his mouth as if he were speechless.
No one spoke when someone stepped ahead. It wasn't as if they hadn't forgotten that Hyun Jong was the one who decided all this.
But their actions spoke.
The moment his order was given, no one would hesitate and run right to the river.
Step. Step.
Un Geom walked slowly and stood behind the children. Un Am too stood by them with a firm face, unlike usual.
Hyun Jong looked at them and bit his lips tightly. An unknown chaos rose in his chest.
I want to help.
He also wanted to run to that river right then, but…
'I am the sect leader of Mount Hua.'
That was when Hyun Jong decided to shut his eyes.
Srrng.
Chung Myung, who had been silent all that time, pulled out his sword halfway and glanced at him.
"Chung Myung…"
Hyun Jong looked at him in surprise. However, instead of looking at Hyun Jong, Chung Myung looked at Namgung Do-Wei and then slowly opened his mouth.
"Answer me."
"…"
Namgung Do-Wei raised his trembling head and looked up at him.
"Why should we help you?"
"…"
"That place is a dead end. If we help, we have to risk our lives too. But why should we risk our lives?"
"…"
"Answer me."
Namgung Do-Wei's eyes trembled.
There were so many things he wanted to say; there was no end to what he could say. However, not a single word could completely convince them.
"… I."
Logic collapsed in the face of desperation, and everything he had turned useless. Now, all that was left was just that one human being, Namgung Do-Wei.
"I cannot bear to see it."
"…"
Chung Myung's lips hardened.
Namgung Do-Wei sobbed, his shoulders shaking.
"They… my hyungs, my family… my allies… I cannot watch them all die like that."
Chung Myung's gaze landed on Namgung Do-Wei's crouching back.
"Please… please."
Chung Myung could sense the emotion on his back, which was trembling so miserably. That trembling wasn't from pain or sadness.
Fear.
Namgung Do-Wei was trembling with fear.
Fearing that Chung Myung would reject him. Fearing that he would face himself, having failed to protect those he absolutely had to protect.
Fearing that he would watch everyone die, and in the worst-case scenario, he would be the only one left alive.
He was trembling in front of that great fear.
"…"
Chung Myung's gaze, which had been silently glaring at Namgung Do-Wei, finally turned to Hyun Jong.
"Sect leader."
"…."
"What do you want to do?"
There seemed to be no emotion in his voice. There was no urging or persuasion. He was simply asking.
As if the choice was entirely on Hyun Jong.
Hyun Jong bit his lips until they turned pale.
"I…"
What he had originally intended to say was, 'I will not help'.
He didn't know how to negotiate, so he was okay with being pointed at. He was no different from Shaolin at all. He was okay with being laughed at. However, he couldn't bring himself to order his disciples, who were already down to rags in work, to risk their lives for others.
Hyun Jong might be able to do that, but the sect leader of Mount Hua, who had survived those hellish days, couldn't.
However, he couldn't bring himself to say that he wouldn't help. No matter how hard he tried, only a faint groan escaped his throat as if it were blocked.
At that moment, Chung Myung, who had been silently looking at Hyun Jong, opened his mouth.
"There was one person I thought was great."
"…"
"It is the past Sect leader. Everyone trusted and followed him, and everyone would risk their lives for him. He was literally the perfect person to lead a sect."
Hyun Jong tightly closed his eyes. That was because those words sounded like they were criticizing his weakness.
"But."
Chung Myung looked straight at Hyun Jong and said.
"In my opinion, the sect leader now is by no means inferior to him."
"Chung Myung…"
"There is just one thing that is missing."
Chung Myung closed his mouth for a moment.
A short silence flowed, and Hyun Jong, unable to bear the weight, let out a sigh and asked.
"What is it?"
His voice seemed to be filled with earnestness.
"What is that I lack… what is it?"
Chung Myung answered with a blank look.
"You know it."
There was not an inch of wavering in Chung Myung's gaze.
"The sword in the Sect leader's hand…"
He paused for a moment, the corners of his lips twisting as his pure white teeth were revealed.
Srrng.
His sword was completely drawn from its sheath.
"… How sharp it can be."
The moment those words fell, all of Mount Hua's disciples simultaneously drew their swords.
In the darkest dawn, the lowered swords shone white in the darkness.
Tang Gunak, who had been silently watching, clenched his fists. This sensation, sending goosebumps down his body, could probably be called a shiver.
The calm voice of Chung Myung flowed.
"I am the sword of the Sect leader."
Hyun Jong's body trembled slightly.
"Give me the order."
Chung Myung bared his teeth and spoke powerfully in a tone as sharp as a blade.
"The sword carries out your will. If the Sect leader commands it, I will carry it out. Me and them!"
Hyun Jong's gaze scanned Mount Hua's disciples, who had formed a line.
Every single one looked at Hyun Jong without a moment of hesitation.
What was in those eyes was unrivaled trust. It was the belief that their sect leader would never make a wrong choice.
"We will simply achieve it."
Hyun Jong closed his eyes tightly.
He seemed to be agonizing, calming his mind, or perhaps looking back at the path he had to take.
When he finally opened his eyes after a long silence, there was not a single trace of hesitation left in them.
"Disciples of Mount Hua, listen."
"Yes, Sect leader!"
All of Mount Hua's disciples knelt on one knee and bowed.
"We head to the Yangtze River."
Everyone's eyes shone clearly, even in the darkness.
"Rescue the Namgung family who are trapped on Plum Blossom Island and let that group of Evil Sects know that there is still righteousness in this land!"
"Yes!"
The answer rang out as if it came from one mouth.
The disciples of Mount Hua all stood up.
Namgung Do-Wei, who was watching the scene, sobbed loudly. His relaxed body collapsed. However, before his body could even touch the ground, someone grabbed him and forcibly lifted him up.
"Get up."
"T-taoist."
Chung Myung gritted his teeth and grabbed Namgung Do-Wei.
"If there is something you need to do, do it yourself. We are not going to save you."
His voice sounded like the growl of an angry beast.
"We fight together."
"…"
"There is no such thing as doing it for one. You are the one who will take the lead. You will save Namgung."
Namgung Do-Wei, who was looking at Chung Myung with shaking eyes, gradually stopped trembling. A newfound determination, a poisonous spirit, filled his eyes.
"Yes! That will be it!"
When Chung Myung looked back, all of Mount Hua's disciples were staring at him with faces full of confidence. It seemed as if they were just waiting for Chung Myung to speak.
Chung Myung nodded lightly and responded to their will.
"Let's go!"
Finally, the eastern sky began to turn dim and red.
Mount Hua, along with the Sichuan Tang family, began to advance to the Yangtze River in the name of the Heavenly Friends Alliance.