Chapter 1286: Who Came To Southern Lands Now? (6)

“Who?”

Jang Cheon-Gi, leader of the Yaksha clan, one of Guangdong’s minor Evil Sects’ clans, echoed in bewilderment.

“Who did you say came to the Southern Lands?”

“Wasn’t it Southern Island?”

“Southern Island? Southern Island entered the Southern region?”

“That’s what I’m hearing! It’s chaos right now.”

“Well...”

Jang Cheon-Gi repeated with a dazed expression.

“Those Southern Island bastards didn’t suddenly go mad from the sea breeze and walk into Southern lands on their own feet, did they?”

“Do you think they came on their own? The Ten Thousand People Clan attacked Southern Island, so they abandoned their base and fled into Southern lands.”

“Does that even make sense?”

Even someone ignorant of military strategy has basic common sense, doesn’t he?

To flee logically means moving away from the enemy. What lunatic runs into the enemy’s stronghold? The Southern Island fools surely know Southern lands is the Four Sects Alliance’s domain.

“Either way, we must move immediately. Orders came from Ho Ga-Myung.”

“Orders?”

“They’ve already landed on the shore and are moving north. A command was issued to every nearby sect to form perimeters so not a single rat can escape. It’s a mobilization order issued in the name of the Ten Thousand People Clan.”

“The Ten Thousand People Clan? Not the Four Sects Alliance?”

“...It was stated as the Ten Thousand People Clan.”

“Why? No... well, that’s not important.”

Jang Cheon-Gi shook his head.

“Seems the Southern Island bastards really did enter Southern lands. In all of my days...”

“Head. There’s no time. That Mind-Probing Inquisitor gave the orders personally. If we fail to hold it, who knows what will happen...”

Jang Cheon-Gi flinched at the mention of the Mind-Probing Inquisitor.

Guangdong people most feared Jang Ilso, the Hegemony Lord, but for small Evil Sect heads like Jang Cheon-Gi, it’s different. Jang Ilso might barely notice them like passing flies, but Ho Ga-Myung watches even those flies one by one.

If you fall out of Ho Ga-Myung’s favor, a small Evil Sect like Yaksha Clan would be wiped out overnight.

“Y-yes! This is no time for that! Bring my spear! And call the others! Where were we assigned again?”

“They said they’ll tell us once we join up.”

“Alright. That’s fine then! What are you waiting for? Hurry up!”

“Yes, yes.”

Watching the people leave in a hurry, Jang Cheon-Gi let out a hollow laugh.

“The Southern Island sect leader isn’t senile, either.”

Of course warrior men aren’t immune to illness, but no matter how close-minded the Justice faction are, they wouldn’t all follow a senile old man’s orders and walk into danger on their own.

“Stupid bastards.”

Jang Cheon-Gi clicked his tongue sympathetically and shook his head.

“They might be desperate, but if they’re going to die anyway, they’d have been better off dying where they lived.”

They clearly don’t understand what this Southern land is like. If they knew even a little that Gangnam three years ago and now are completely different, they wouldn’t have done something so reckless.

Southern lands is no longer a place where people can breathe freely.

Everyone here is the Four Sects Alliance’s eye and hand. At least in this land of Southern lands, you can’t take a single sip of water without going through the Four Sects Alliance.

“A fish that crawled up onto the desert can only dry up and die. And when the hunter approaching behind it is the Mind-Probing Inquisitor...”

Sneering darkly, Jang Cheon-Gi strode out of the room.

“So?”

Ho Ga-Myung, disembarking from the boat that had reached land, slightly twitched his brow. His gaze fixed on the bodies of Lower District Sect disciples strewn gruesomely along the shore. Their blackened faces showed they had died from poison.

“So they recklessly searched an empty ship and all got poisoned?”

“...”

“And because of that you completely lost their trail?”

Yeop Wei’s face, still pale from the effects of the poison, flushed with shame for a moment.

“We didn’t expect they’d use such a trick...”

“You didn’t know?”

Ho Ga-Myung stared coldly at Yeop Wei without a word. Yeop Wei quietly bowed his head.

“I have nothing to say. If punishment is due, I’ll accept it.”

Ho Ga-Myung, who had been silently watching him, shook his head.

“No.”

It was an unexpected response. Yeop Wei glanced up to study Ho Ga-Myung’s face. Surprisingly, there was no trace of emotion on Ho Ga-Myung’s expression.

“If there’s fault, it’s mine for giving orders beyond the capability of those with insufficient competence. I should have considered that.”

Grit.

At that indifferent voice, Yeop Wei gritted his teeth.

It wasn’t wrong. There was something to be blamed for, and he had to accept it. It wasn’t an order to kill the enemy, just to tail them. If those who failed to carry it out had ten mouths to defend, what could they say?

Yet the anger rose because the ones harmed by this were entirely Yeop Wei and the Lower District Sect. He lost disciples he had painstakingly trained, while Ho Ga-Myung and the Ten Thousand People Clan suffered no real loss, did they?

Given that, it’s natural his guts boiled hearing what felt like mocking reproach.

“We didn’t get information that there was a master of poison among them. If we’d had that information...”

“Information?”

Ho Ga-Myung looked steadily at Yeop Wei with no expression.

“You’d better distinguish what to say and what not to. Wasn’t it originally the Lower District Sect’s job to secure that information?”

“That is...”

“Enough.”

Ho Ga-Myung cut him off coldly.

“There’s no point in dwelling on past mistakes. What’s important is to make amends going forward.”

It wasn’t exactly cruel; depending on perspective it could sound like support. But Yeop Wei couldn’t take Ho Ga-Myung’s words at face value.

“First, we should track them...”

“To begin with!”

Unable to contain his anger, Yeop Wei cut Ho Ga-Myung off and snarled.

“If we’re talking who’s at fault, isn’t it the Ten Thousand People Clan who let them seize the ships and get a beautiful foothold in Southern lands!”

“...”

“If that hadn’t happened, there wouldn’t be needless deaths!”

He glared at Ho Ga-Myung with bloodshot eyes and asked.

“Am I wrong?”

He shouted like he dared Ho Ga-Myung to kill him, but Ho Ga-Myung unexpectedly nodded calmly.

“Yes.”

“What... did you say?”

“It’s not wrong. It’s my mistake. No, it’s my fault.”

For a moment Yeop Wei stared at Ho Ga-Myung in stunned disbelief.

“It would have been better if it could’ve been handled in Southern Island. But circumstances didn’t allow it. Need further explanation?”

“...No.”

“Then that’s settled. However... there’s one thing to clarify.”

“What...”

“It wasn’t just ‘wrong’, was it?”

Yeop Wei flinched and met Ho Ga-Myung’s gaze. Ho Ga-Myung’s emotionless eyes pressed heavily down on him.

“Or are you still living in the past?”

Yeop Wei bit his lip. After trembling for a long while, he spoke in a cracked voice.

“...I’m sorry. That was rude of me.”

“Good, that’s a relief.”

Ho Ga-Myung, as if done questioning, changed the subject.

“You have communication with other branches, right? Use every means to investigate their movements and secure their location.”

“Yes. I’ll order them to stop the bastards.”

“Make sure you understand clearly. What I ordered is to investigate their movements.”

“...What?”

“They are not ones that a single branch can stop.”

“...”

“In any case, the Lower District Sect is a major force, not just a bunch of thugs. There’s no need to increase pointless sacrifices. Don’t approach unnecessarily; just accurately pinpoint their location. We’ll handle the rest. Do only what you’re ordered.”

Yeop Wei nodded heavily.

“I’ll remember.”

“Move out.”

“...Yes.”

As Yeop Wei turned and quickly left, Ho Ga-Myung’s gaze grew cold. Then a mocking voice reached his ear.

“How merciful of you.”

Gwi Yang sneered openly.

“The Commander is so righteous; he might fit better in the imperial palace than among the Evil Sects. If it were me, I’d have the tongue ripped out.”

“Such useless talk.”

But Ho Ga-Myung was simply calm.

“It’s merely venting. It gains nothing. Even a tiny ability is better than none. Right now, we need even that ability.”

“But he insulted the Clan.”

“He didn’t insult the Clan; he insulted me.”

Ho Ga-Myung said calmly.

“Me being insulted is nothing; it’s happened many times. So don’t fret about pointless things.”

“As if that’s easy for you?”

Gwi Yang clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

Of course Gwi Yang felt no friendly sentiment toward Ho Ga-Myung. But he conceded this point: if the Justice faction ruined things from useless pride, the Evil Sects did so for the same reason.

‘But if that bastard had even mentioned the Clan lord, he’d have torn him apart right here.’

That’s why Ho Ga-Myung is uncomfortable.

“Still, I don’t get it.”

“Hm?”

Gwi Yang snorted and laughed.

“They say you’d even borrow a cat’s paw in a pinch, but are those guys even as capable as a cat? Wishing Mount Hua’s Sword Saint to be tailcaught by scumbags like that—it’s more realistic to hope they slip off a cliff.”

“Not incorrect. You may be able to judge ability, but your judgement of people is still lacking.”

“...Hm?”

“I never said ‘find them’. I said secure their position. It simply means don’t lose sight of them.”

“Is there a difference?”

“If it’s the Mount Hua’s Sword Saint I know...”

Ho Ga-Myung’s eyes sank gloomily.

“No. There’s no point in saying it; you’ll see soon enough.”

Gwi Yang’s face twisted slightly.

“How noble.”

“No time for idle chatter. Move.”

“As you wish, Commander.”

When Gwi Yang turned away without hesitation, Ho Ga-Myung gave a brief order to a waiting subordinate. The subordinate glanced around briefly before speaking.

“By the way, Commander. What do we [N O V E L I G H T] do with the ones who piloted the boats here?”

Ho Ga-Myung shifted his gaze slightly to the rear. The expelled disciples of the Southern Island faction stood awkwardly on the shore. Ho Ga-Myung barked in a cold voice.

“Those who can’t follow will be held as hostages; those with martial arts will be taken along.”

“Yes.”

Yu Gong simply closed his eyes in resignation. Ho Ga-Myung’s gaze flashed meaningfully for a moment.

Gwi Yang might have scolded that it was pointless if he heard, but Ho Ga-Myung’s thinking was different.

‘If there’s a variable the Mount Hua guys didn’t expect, it would be those bastards.’

And in his mind, that variable would likely be fatal to them—by the time they notice, it will be like a poisoned dagger already plunged into the belly.

“Depart.”

“Yes!”

No sooner had Ho Ga-Myung given the order than the Ten Thousand People Clan’s forces began marching north, and then further north.

The target was only the Heavenly Friends Alliance.

And the neck of Mount Hua’s Sword Saint.