Thud.
The knee that had held out until the very end finally gave way and touched the ground.
Blood flowed from the corner of the mouth, hands trembling uncontrollably. Eyes filled with hatred and resentment.
The mouth, heavy with all the hatred and grudge, slowly opened.
"Why… is it… like this…?"
"Heh heh heh."
The handsome man in white, standing upright, looked down at the man kneeling before him with a chillingly expressionless face.
"Do not harbor too much resentment towards me."
"…"
"Isn't the murim world all like that?"
"Y-You…"
Before the voice filled with rage could fully come out, the curly-haired man with a sly expression standing beside the handsome man stepped forward with a twisted smile.
His eyes poured out contempt and mockery.
"This… why would someone who should know better act like this?"
Someone trusted.
Seeing the despicable face of someone trusted even more because they were from the same hometown felt like being stabbed in the chest with a sharp knife.
"Is there any word more futile than trust in this world? Heh heh heh. Consider it the price of your foolishness."
"Fucking…"
The man slowly collapsed forward.
"Fucking… bastard…"
Thud.
The moment the last Tang family member fell, Mount Hua disciples shouted "Hooray!" like thunder.
"We won!"
"Tomorrow we get half a day off!"
"Mom! I beat the Tang sect!"
The Mount Hua disciples, guaranteed half a day of rest, hugged each other and jumped up and down in place cheering.
"Half a day! Half a day! Oh my!"
"It's the first time I've had half a day off since Chung Myung came to the sect!"
"Tomorrow I'll sleep in! I really won't get up no matter what!"
"It's drinking time! Tonight is drinking time!"
It was almost like they were going crazy with excitement.
The Tang sect members watched the scene with faces boiling with rage.
Among the Mount Hua disciples tumbling around like somersaults, a shining bald head stood out unusually.
'…That one is also a monk.'
Of course, it's not that the other Taoists did well, but still, a man who is supposed to be a monk beating people down and rejoicing about drinking—where on earth is this world going…?
Huh? …Soso?
You shouldn't be so happy. I'm your older brother-in-law…
You look the happiest of them? Huh? Soso?
"Kya ha ha ha! Rest! Rest! Sago, let's go play at the demonstration tomorrow!"
"I never thought a day like this would come in my life."
"Rest. Recharge. Rest. Good things."
Tears streamed down the eyes of the Tang faction members watching the jubilant Mount Hua disciples.
'I trusted them, those sons of dogs.'
What? Comrades? Sense of solidarity? I shouldn't have expected that from those who aren't even human.
'It's unfair. This is unreasonable.'
It was a fight doomed from the start.
No, seriously, does it make sense for sword users and secret technique throwers to start fighting right next to each other? Moreover, the Tang family was lined up tightly packed!
Basically, assassination techniques require distance to be unleashed. Maintaining proper distance and securing space is necessary to exert their full power.
It's a delicate weapon completely different from swords that you can just rush in and swing!
But if those you trusted as comrades attack without giving distance or time to prepare mentally?
'This is what happens.'
The Tang family members, completely smashed and rolling around, trembled with humiliation and anger.
"Th-This kind of cowardice…"
"Huh? Sasuk? What are they saying over there?"
"Huh? What words?"
"They say it's cowardly."
"You bastard!"
Baek Cheon sternly scolded Jo Gul.
"Those are Tang family members. Do you think they are petty cowards making excuses after defeat? Where do you get such nonsense!"
"Ugh. Sasuk. I was short-sighted."
Tang Pae's expression blanked for a moment.
He just realized what it means when a person is so angry that words won't come out.
But Tang Zhan seemed less angry and suddenly raised his head, shouting with bloodshot eyes!
"No! That's…!"
"Sasuk, I clearly heard it."
"That can't be!"
"Then what is this nonsense?"
"Probably just the sound of the river wind."
"Ah."
"…"
Those sons of dogs really…
Tang Zhan gritted his teeth and shouted.
"Enough joking around, Taoist Baek Cheon! No matter how realistic the sparring is, at least it wasn't supposed to be a surprise attack! You should have given us time to prepare mentally!"
"Ah…"
For a moment, Baek Cheon's gaze toward Tang Zhan became indifferent.
Tang Zhan, unable to contain his anger, slammed his fist on the ground and shouted.
"Is attacking from right beside us truly the conduct of an honorable Justice faction member? Answer me!"
Baek Cheon's face hardened seriously.
At that moment, Tang Zhan was ready to counter all the arguments Baek Cheon would bring. The match was already decided, so at least he wanted to make them feel uneasy.
But the words Baek Cheon spoke next completely crushed his enthusiasm.
Baek Cheon scratched his head and shrugged.
"If that's not the way of the Justice faction, then let's just say we're not Justice faction."
"…"
"Let's just say we're the Evil Sect."
Baek Cheon openly shrugged at the stunned Tang Zhan.
"If you're going to prepare everything and fight politely in a non-real match, then you might as well be the Evil Sect."
"Ugh. Our Sasuk's tongue is especially smooth today."
"Chung Myung's divine skill is in full swing."
"Sasuk, then we should go join the Four Sects Alliance now…"
"Don't cross the line!"
Jo Gul, hit by Yoon Jong's fist, rolled on the ground. Yet even as he was knocked away, his face was full of happiness, unlike the trembling, furious Tang family members.
"Ugh…"
"Th-That…"
The Tang family members' eyes reddened with fury.
The pain from the blows was bearable. What truly broke the Tang family was those damn Mount Hua bastards who cowardly rushed in to seize victory and then showed the happiest faces in the world.
'I actually thought those kinds were my comrades, even if just briefly.'
'They seem like the type to betray even friends if it benefits them!'
'Those rootless bastards!'
As the Tang family members' gaze toward Mount Hua turned into that of mortal enemies,
"The match is decided."
At that moment, everyone sharply turned their heads at the voice. Tang Gunak was smiling gently and nodding.
"It's regrettable from my standpoint, but a promise is a promise, so Mount Hua will rest from training tomorrow morning."
"Hooray!"
"Ugh! Wise words, Family lord!"
As the Mount Hua disciples cheered, Chung Myung clicked his tongue in displeasure. But a promise is a promise. He knew well that breaking it easily would make it hard to be used next time.
"Ugh. Lucky you, family lord, getting to rest too."
"Me?"
"Yes. You won't have anyone to train."
"Ha ha ha. That's funny. The one resting from training isn't me, but you."
"Huh? Me?"
"Exactly. Aren't you also from Mount Hua? This was definitely a match where the winner rests."
"…That's true, but I'm an exception…"
"It's fine. Take good rest tomorrow morning."
"No. I'm fine…"
"Rest."
"No…"
"I said rest."
At the increasingly firm voice, Chung Myung closed his mouth and glanced at Tang Gunak. The usually solemn and calm corners of his eyes twitched slightly.
'…He's pissed off.'
If that man can't control his facial muscles, it's more than just anger. Usually, in Mount Hua, this is called "eyes going crazy."
'Well…'
Still, the trusted people were smashed without doing anything. It would be stranger if the family lord Tang Gunak wasn't angry.
For others, excuses about not being able to show their skills might work, but is Tang Gunak someone who would accept that?
"Huff."
Tang Gunak took a short deep breath, then smiled gently.
"I suppose I was a bit complacent."
At that moment, a cold sweat ran down Chung Myung's spine. How long had it been since he felt this from a person?
"The victor deserves to enjoy victory. You shall rest well with Mount Hua tomorrow. As long as possible."
"No, just the morning…"
"Rest long. It's not good for a person to run without rest. Didn't I clearly say so?"
"No… that's already settled…"
"Listen to me."
"Yes."
Tang Gunak nodded clearly and raised his voice slightly.
"Now then, Mount Hua members, please leave the place."
"Ugh. Family lord, we won…"
Thup!
Baek Cheon quickly covered Jo Gul's mouth who was talking without tact, and Yoon Jong struck Jo Gul's lower abdomen with a palm strike.
"Ugh…"
Baek Cheon, carrying the foaming mouthed Jo Gul, bowed politely to Tang Gunak.
"Then we shall be going now."
"Rest well."
"Let's go, quickly!"
"Yes!"
"L-Let's run!"
Tang Soso, face pale blue, urged the others.
Except for Jo Gul, the Mount Hua guys with sharp senses ran swiftly and disappeared from the training ground. Even Baek Ah ran so fast that her feet seemed on fire, quickly chasing after the disciples.
"Hmm…"
Tang Gunak, leisurely watching the Mount Hua disciples flee as if seeing ghosts, turned his gaze to the Tang family members.
"F-family lord…"
"I hope you don't misunderstand."
"Yes?"
Tang Gunak quietly shook his head.
"Losing is never shameful. If your skill is lacking, you can lose. I too have not always won in my life."
"Ah…"
"So don't make such faces. What's important is not to avoid defeat, but what you learn from it."
The family lord, who was expected to shout orders immediately, spoke in a gentle voice, bringing hot tears to the Tang family members' eyes.
It felt like both rage and grievance were flowing out at once.
"Family lord…"
"Young lord."
"Yes!"
"What have you learned?"
Tang Pae gritted his teeth and answered.
"That there is no one to trust in this world."
"And?"
"Also, that you must never let your guard down anywhere or anytime."
"Good."
Tang Gunak quietly nodded. His thick sword-like eyebrows twitched pleasantly.
"However."
"…Yes?"
"That's not all, right?"
Suddenly, Tang Gunak's face lost its expression.
"No matter how much you were ambushed, as disciples of Sichuan Tang, you should never collapse so easily. Your biggest problem was giving up the fight the moment your formation broke."
Emotion vanished even from his voice.
"And that is ultimately because of a lack of fighting spirit. Do you know why?"
"Th-That is…"
"Because you have nothing to lose. Because even if you lose, you won't die, and even if you lose, you won't suffer any loss."
"…"
"Watching you and Mount Hua clash today, I too realized my mistake."
"Wh-What…"
At that moment, Tang Gunak's hand hidden inside his sleeve slowly emerged.
"I hadn't considered that I didn't need to use secret techniques to train you."
"…"
"This is definitely my fault. So I will reflect first…"
Crack.
Tang Gunak's hand outside the sleeve slowly clenched. Veins bulged on the back of his hand.
"Never again… will you suffer such a miserable fate. I will do my best to help you."
Tang Pae, staring blankly at Tang Gunak approaching with clenched fist, suddenly cast his gaze to the distant sky.
'Damn it… rotten.'
Looking back, the bad relationship with those Mount Hua bastards started from the beginning.
Comrades my ass, they're the kind I'd kill on sight.