“Haha. It feels awkward to go after others, right?”
But there was no answer. Cold sweat broke out on Hyun Jong’s back.
Chung Myung, who was sitting in the residence room, had turned his body halfway and was only looking at the Plum Blossom scroll hanging on the wall. Hyun Jong thought.
‘Why did I have to make him stay back?’
If it were just a wall, it would be awkward and boring to look at, but by hanging the scroll, there was not much change, though it gave Chung Myung enough reason to turn his head.
“That... haha. Isn’t the Plum Blossom so pretty?”
“Yes, it is pretty.”
Hyun Jong forced a smile as he saw Chung Myung answering without even turning his head.
“Right, right. That...”
Once he opened his mouth and looked around, he saw that both Hyun Sang and Hyun Young were just sitting there with sullen faces. In any case, it was Hyun Jong who forbade Chung Myung from going, so it seemed like he had to solve the problem himself.
‘Damned things.’
Hyun Jong took a deep breath, adjusted his expression, and looked at Chung Myung again. The appearance of the swollen cheeks didn’t seem like something that would be resolved easily.
“That... Chung Myung.”
“Uh?”
‘You have to turn your head here and speak. Okay?’
“As you know, things don’t always go the way we expect, but change from time to time... isn’t that right?”
“Right, sect leader.”
As moderate answers came back, Hyun Jong smiled brightly and nodded.
“Haha. So what can be done? We have a problem, and we need to solve it. Aren’t you the person I trust the most in Mount Hua?”
“It is sasuk, right?”
“... It is you.”
“Yes, it is sasuk.”
This bastard, he was so quick-witted...
Hyun Jong’s eyes trembled.
“Right, that is right. I also trust Baek Cheon. But I cannot leave everything to him and the kids. As you know, they are still learning and confused.”
“...”
“Don’t you think the same?”
When he turned around to ask for consent, the elders all had sullen looks and didn’t respond. But Hyun Jong widened his eyes as if glaring, and both of them said,
“R... right. It is too late to leave it to them...”
“Ehh. That’s the right thing to say. How can you trust them! Things will go properly only when Chung Myung steps in!”
Flinch.
At that moment, Hyun Jong looked like a ghost.
Chung Myung’s ears were fluttering subtly as he slightly turned to his original position.
‘Now is the time!’
“I see it too. I made a bold decision for the growth of the kids, but the task turned out to be a bit too much to leave alone to them. In times like this, you should step up and give help! I am the greatest Sword of Mount Hua!”
It was visible to the experienced eyes of Hyun Jong. The corners of Chung Myung’s lips were twitching.
‘Almost done.’
“Chung Myung. So won’t you go ahead and give them help?”
Chung Myung slowly brought his head down. Unlike before, there was a refreshing smile on his face.
‘W-we did it....’
“Sect leader.”
“R-right. Chung Myung!”
Chung Myung smiled at Hyun Jong, who responded happily.
“This disciple is fine!”
“... Uh?”
“Sasuk will handle it. What’s the use of going there? Sect leader trusted him so much and sent them; they will do a good job.”
With those words, Chung Myung slowly moved his butt.
“Then, I have to clean the dorms, so I will go.”
“W-wait!”
When he thought of it, he stood up like he was really leaving. Hyun Jong was frightened and held onto Chung Myung’s waist, hanging there.
“Why are you doing this, sect leader!”
“S-sit down first! Sit down! Uh? Chung Myung, let us sit down and talk!”
“I have nothing to say! Don’t do this to me! My pants will fall down.”
“Then shouldn’t you just sit down?”
“Ugh!”
In the end, Chung Myung pretended not to win and sat back down. Only then did Hyun Jong wipe the sweat off his forehead and let go of Chung Myung’s belt.
“No, I understand why you are doing this, but... hasn’t the situation changed?”
Hyun Jong wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled awkwardly.
“Anyway, the only person I can trust right now is you. What can we do when you are the best?”
Chung Myung’s cheeks twitched.
Building the reasoning, the elders did their best to praise him.
“Right, right. The only one I can trust is Chung Myung!”
“Yes, Chung Myung. The sect leader didn’t stop you because of bad intentions, right? Isn’t the reason why I made the decision because I needed you to step ahead in times of crisis?”
“Uh? What do you mean?”
“When times are dangerous, I believe that you can solve it all, so you can make bold decisions. In other words, all these decisions were possible because of how strong you are.”
Once Chung Myung’s face appeared to have calmed down, the two elders began to add more.
“Uhuh. What do we do? If Chung Myung doesn’t come, then no one else can solve this problem.”
“Mount Hua will fall; Mount Hua will be in ruin. If the sect leader makes a large decision, Mount Hua will be destroyed.”
“Y-You lost your guts, tsk tsk.”
Hyun Jong, who was cheering and applauding at the words of the two, looked at the sajaes with a bit of a strange gaze.
Now that he was listening to them...?
The two didn’t care one bit about what they were saying.
“Chung Myung. You need to think with an open mind.”
“Yes. Chung Myung has an amazingly big heart.”
Chung Myung’s face was changing. His ears continued to turn red, his eyes wide open as he tried to suppress a smile. His nose flared, and the corners of his lips twitched, threatening to rise. It seemed like he was trying hard not to smile.
“Ahem!”
Chung Myung cleared his throat and finally nodded.
“It cannot be helped then.”
He shrugged his shoulders.
“Well... the sect leader also tried to do well, and this is what happened. It wouldn’t be the duty of a disciple to question his actions.”
The words of what he had done so far rose to Hyun Jong’s lips, but he managed to stop them from coming out.
“Right, that is right. After all, our Chung Myung is a Taoist!”
“Hehe. Come to think of it, when I first came to Mount Hua, the sect leader said something like that.”
“I did?”
“Yes.”
“You are insane....”
“Ahahahaha! Oh my, the sect leader must have been so tired!”
Hyun Sang and Hyun Young covered Hyun Jong’s mouth and pulled him back.
“Hupp!”
Hyun Jong’s eyes were tearing up, and he failed to get even one word out.
Chung Myung, who was watching this, stood up and slowly pushed his stomach out. Baek Ah, who was in Chung Myung’s sleeve, stuck her head out and looked like she had won.
‘T-that too...’
Now, even that was the truth?
“I have a lot of things I want to say, but since we are in a tough spot, I will leave right away.”
“Y-yes, Chung Myung.”
“And from the next time... sigh... no. What can be said? One has to understand.”
“Eup! Euppp!”
“Please make wiser decisions, sect leader.”
Chung Myung bowed his head.
“Then, I will come back fast.”
“Right. Have a nice trip.”
“Haha. The sect leader also seems happy with this. Doesn’t this make you want to dance? Haha. Just wait. Hahaha!”
Chung Myung caught a glimpse of the scene, full of confusion and joy, and went out.
Tak.
Seeing him come out with an excited face, Un Am asked awkwardly.
“What happened?”
“Sasuk, this disciple is going to the Yangtze River.”
“...Right, go fast.”
“Yes. Hahaha!”
As he looked at Chung Myung, who was already far away, it seemed as if his steps were moving swiftly. At that moment, desperate screams came from behind.
“Hit him! I will kill you all, you bastards! Tell him not to go!”
“Ah, just stay still now!”
“As people get older, they become immature!”
Hearing the three people fighting, Un Am lowered his head.
“Kids.”
“Yes, sasuk.”
“Cover your ears...”
“...Yes.”
After many twists and turns, a set of grumpy cheeks of anger set off softly to the Yangtze River in the beam of light.