When one was at the bottom of a list, there was no burden on them because there was nothing lower to fall to, nor anything to protect.
Burden came into existence when there was something to lose, not when one had something to achieve.
Sausk. I
As soon as Kwak Ho opened his mouth to speak, Baek Sang slightly raised his hand and interrupted him.
Ah, wait, wait.
Uh?
Kwak Hos eyes filled with doubt at that unexpected action.
I will speak in advance; do not expect that I will provide you with a proper answer to the question you have or that your worries will be resolved by this small talk with me.
I am not such a great person. I am already dying because my work is hard to handle.
I really dont have the will.
Life is something one lives alone.
At Baek Sangs words, Kwak Ho eventually burst into laughter, and Baek Sang asked.
You mean that following them is getting difficult?
It is actually not that
If it is different, it means what it means.
Baek Sang shrugged his shoulders.
As I said a moment back, everyone is worried about it, and you arent the only one who is special.
Think about it. I cannot tell someone to take it easy when the man who is my sahyung is running insanely right in front of me, and I cannot tell someone who is holding 15 times more burden than me to slow down.
R-right.
As Baek Sang spoke, his face slowly turned angry.
At least the people you should follow are those half-assed people like Yoon Jong and Jo Guk.
H-half ass?
Sahyung?
To Kwak Ho, Yoon Jong and Jo Guk were exemplary people he could never speak ill of. But, when Baek Sang said those words, he had no choice but to be convinced of it.
I mean, the person I should be following is Baek Cheon sahyung, damn it.
Ahh
At that moment, Kwak Ho genuinely empathized with Baek Sang from the bottom of his heart.
I am in a better position.
Compared to Baek Cheon, Jo Gul and Yoon Jong at least possessed something called humanity within them. Surely, if Chung Myung were added, a whole new story would form, but well, that guy wasnt someone anyone could be compared with.
And, as if sahyung is the only problem? Theres samae, who is like a ghost, and now even the sajil bastards are swinging their blades like animal fangs
things must be difficult.
Are you just saying it?
Baek Sang gritted his teeth.
I knew this would happen, so I ran away to the Finance Hall right then damn it, what is running away going to even do? I thought I wouldnt have to practice if I shifted there. Well, training has to be done according to the training and then work in the Finance Hall again
Surely, one would smile if they saw he escaped to the Finance Hall, but the truth was that Baek Sang was having a lot of trouble juggling both works.
Meanwhile, my sahyung is busy training, abandoning everything he has to do as a great sahyung. People who should go to sahyungs when something is bothering them are coming to me and complaining about their training.
I was in the wrong.
When Kwak Ho thought that he was one of them, he felt seriously bad.
Tsk.
Baek Sang clicked his tongue in displeasure, gulped his drink down, and sighed.
But.
Yes.
But that doesnt mean I am having the hardest time.
His gaze was at the banquet hall.
Like I said before, just because they are drinking and being cheerful there, it doesnt mean they are devoid of thoughts. Everyone is surely carrying a burden of their own.
Kwak Ho quietly nodded.
Mount Hua is getting stronger at a shocking pace. And sometimes I also get scared like you. I am afraid that at some point, everyone will be ahead of me, and I will be left all alone. I am afraid I will not be able to meet the minimum qualities I need to have as a disciple.
right, Sasuk.
These were the words that expressed the stressful thoughts Kwak Ho harbored.
It was indeed a good thing for a monk to grow and become stronger.
However, if one thought about it from another perspective, it implied that the burdens and stress each individual carried on their shoulders were gradually increasing.
Maybe the burden you feel now will never leave you. No, perhaps it will only grow.
From here on out?
The more you win, the more enemies you make.
Baek Sang was calm as if he had already considered all these points.
The Mount Hua of the past always followed those ahead. Because there were Southern Edge and Wudang ahead, and we all had nothing to lose even if we lost.
But that isnt the case anymore. Because now we all have something to lose, and the other sects will gradually begin to keep us in check and target us constantly.
Baek Sang turned his head, looked at the tip of the pavilion, and clicked his tongue lightly.
It is a nice thing.
Until now, it was just about doing what you were told. But thats no longer possible. As Mount Hua found more work to do and disciples other than the Five Swords were given more responsibilities, these concerns would start to increase.
And they would get stronger through those worries.
Tsk. What am I saying repeatedly
No. It wasnt that bad.
Flinch.
Baek Sangs body suddenly went stiff at the familiar voice. After standing in silence for a while, he asked in a shaky voice without turning around,
You saw it?
Yes.
since when?
From the start.
From the start?
He turned his head to see Baek Cheon smiling at the moon.
No. Why are you keeping an eye on me?
My lovely sajil left with a sad look on their face, so I just followed to see what was happening.
But you didnt care when your sajae came out?
My sajae is so good at handling things; why would I?
Baek Sangs face turned red.
Such a show-off, seriously!
Haha!
When Baek Cheon smiled without an answer, Baek Sang, embarrassed for no reason, turned his head nervously.
Ehh!
He felt embarrassed because it felt like his true feelings had been exposed. His ears and the back of his neck grew hot, too.
Where are you going!
To my room!
Already?
You won easily without being hit, but I got beaten! I need to rest!
Even so, cant we have a drink?
Uh?
When Baek Sang turned around, Baek Cheon was waving an alcohol bottle in one hand as if showing it off.
Its been a while since we had a drink together. How have you been?
Baek Sang scratched his head and sighed as if he had no other choice.
Fine, but dont mention what I said earlier.
Once alcohol is involved, you never know what might happen.
Baek Cheon smiled softly and patted Baek Sang.
Just as he was desperate to support Chung Myung, the other disciples of Mount Hua had been doing their best, too.
After realizing this again, his heart felt full of gratitude.
Lets go.
Where, with the injuries
I need to take care of my favorite sajae.
today, for the first time, youre speaking like that.
Baek Cheon patted Baek Sangs shoulder again, which ended with laughter, and slowly walked ahead. Baek Sang silently looked at him.
You wont come?
Im coming.
Baek Sang laughed and ran to Baek Cheon.
So changed.
Right, he changed so much. So much had changed that he couldnt be compared to his past self.
Even with the rapidly changing future of Mount Hua.
Maybe it would be a different Mount Hua from what Baek Sang was imagining. But there were definitely some things that didnt change.
Right, even so, Mount Hua will still be Mount Hua.
Come on, now!
Ah, dont dawdle!
The bright moon quietly shone behind the two people who were playing around and ended up waddling.
A night where the light was unusually bright, and everything in the world seemed equally bright.