Novel Return of Mount Hua Sect Chapter 909


    Righteous Sects lead their disciples with Chivalrousness and value.


    But those in the Evil Sects scorn such intangible pretenses. The only thing that motivates them is profit.


    Of course, Jang Ilso is in a situation where he dominates the Evil Tyrant Alliance under his pressure, but there is definitely a limitation. If food runs low, even against the emperor, people will rebel, won’t they?


    “……Ryeonju-nim mean they are cutting off our lifeline.”


    After understanding the situation, Ho Gamyeong bit his lips slightly.


    When he first thought of handing over the ind, now called Plum Blossom Ind, to Mount Hua, he didn’t anticipate such a scenario. At best, he thought it would be used as an element to widen the rtionship between the Ten Great Sect and the Heavenly Comrade Alliance.


    That crazy Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword has expanded the situation endlessly and brought it to this point.


    “But Ryeonju-nim. Isn’t this odd?”


    “Odd?”


    “Yes, Plum Blossom Ind is meaningful only when the Yangtze River is sealed off. If the water fortresses unblock the Yangtze, wouldn’t Plum Blossom Ind be pointless? This isn’t a strategy.”


    “If you consider it withmon sense, it is.”


    Jang Ilso smirked.


    “If that pig ck Dragon King has any intention of lifting the blockade of the Yangtze River.”


    “…Yes?”


    Ho Gamyeong tilted his head as if he didn’t understand.


    “Isn’t the water fortresses experiencing financial difficulties due to the presence of Plum Blossom Ind? That is why they requested several times to allow them to attack Plum Blossom Ind.”


    “That’s the story of when Plum Blossom Ind belonged to someone else.”


    Jang Ilso distorted his face.


    “That sword-swinging bastard and lung diseased bastard handled some insignificant ind and centralized the logistics of the entire Yangtze River to one ce. Just by moderately transporting some goods, they earned a huge amount of money, to the point where the money pirates earned through looting could be considered mere pennies.”


    “That’s… That’s right.”


    Although it was half of the stageid by Evil Tyrant Alliance, it was clearly their ability to take it so perfectly that it grew beyond their expectations.


    “If you were ck Dragon King, what would you do?”


    Jang Ilso’s lips curled up to the fullest.


    “Would you try to go back to the old days by getting rid of that Plum Blossom Ind? Or will you maintain the current situation and try to devour the Plum Blossoms Ind?”


    The eyes of Ho Gamyeong shook.


    “N- No, of course, it is more profitable to upy Plum Blossoms Ind. But wasn’t Plum Blossoms Ind favored because it was operated by Mount Hua? If water fortresses upy it, who would trust them with their goods? It’s like entrusting a fish to a cat.”


    “Who actually ran Plum Blossoms Ind?”


    Ho Gamyeong closed his mouth.


    It was something he didn’t want to say, but is there any reason not to answer Jang Ilso’s question?


    “No…krim.”


    “Nokrim has been trusted with goods, yet they’re just a band of bandits.”


    Jang Ilso snorted.


    “Ordinary people might not know, but to merchants, there’s little difference between water bandits (pirates) and mountain bandits. Besides, what are merchants? As long as safety is assured, they’d trade with ghosts, not just water fortresses. If only water fortresses banned looting within Plum Blossoms Ind, soon everyone would start using Maehwa Ind again.”


    “…….”


    “Or they can just appoint a representative. People might doubt, but what other choice do they have?”


    “Would ck Dragon King even think that far?”


    “Of course, that pig iszy and greedy. But he’s not stupid.”


    “…….”


    “Especially when ites to profit, he calctes faster than anyone else.”


    Jang Ilso clicked his tongue.


    “It would be manageable up to that point, but the problem is that the one eyeing Plum Blossoms Ind isn’t just ck Dragon King.”


    “…….”


    He could immediately understand what Jang Ilso was trying to say.


    “A huge profit is at stake. Hao Sect and ck Ghost Fortress cannot help but move.”


    “Indeed….”


    Ho Gamyeong nodded profoundly.


    The more he thought about it, the more painful it seemed.


    Jang Ilso has been struggling to takeplete control of the Evil Tyrant Alliance for the past three years. However, Jang Ilso’s actual possession was the rest of the alliance except the water fortresses, Hao Sect, and ck Ghost Fortress.


    Although Evil Tyrant Alliance’s power, which is based on Myriad Man Manor, became stronger than in the past, it was not easy to quickly break and absorb the power of the Five Great Evil Sect, who had built a solid system for decades.


    So, this was essentially a ticking time bomb within the Evil Tyrant Alliance.


    “What if the pigs, who have been waiting for a small trigger, start to move?”


    “…It could light the fuse.”


    “Tsk. This is why I have been moving carefully so far.”


    Jang Ilso shook his head as if he didn’t like it.


    If Heavenly Comrade Alliance had withdrawn slowly from Plum Blossom Ind, they might have had time to prepare. However, Mount Hua was too abrupt to pull their feet out of the Yangtze River.


    Where bnce is broken, apetition takes ce to create a new bnce. They precisely targeted the fact that the immense profit would cause problems within the Evil Tyrant Alliance.


    “…However.”


    Then Ho Gamyeong, with a stern face, asked.


    “It could be an opportunity, Ryeonju-nim.”


    “Opportunity?”


    “Yes. An opportunity.”


    He nodded heavily, speaking in a clear voice.


    “Sooner orter, we had to deal with them. It’s true it was a burden to lead those with other motives into war. It’s quite a timely opportunity, if you think about it.”


    “Tsk, tsk. Gamyeong-ah, Gamyeong-ah.”


    However, Jang Ilso immediately shook his head.


    “You strangely narrow your view whenever Mount Hua is mentioned. It was the same before.”


    “…What do you mean?”


    “Why don’t you understand? Don’t you know what it means to upy Plum Blossom Ind?”


    Jang Ilso reached out his finger and pointed at Plum Blossom Ind.


    “Goods move from thend, through the ind, and across the river.”


    When Jang Ilso’s fingertips slowly moved from Plum Blossom Ind to the other side of the river, Ho Gamyeong realized what he meant.


    “…Ah!”


    “The possession of Plum Blossom Ind means that even the docks across the river must be upied. And this is….”


    “…Gangbuk.”


    The face of Ho Gamyeong stiffened.


    “What’s on thisnd?”


    “…A massive city. There’s a city that’s grown to a ridiculous size in just three years.”


    “Right. Do you think those pig-headed idiots would resist the temptation to seize Plum Blossom Ind and covet that city?”


    Impossible.


    If it were just the ind, maybe, but those who control the ind and the docks would never ignore the city connected to them. It’s like saying a powerful martial artist, obsessed with strength, would choose to learn only third-rate martial arts despite having ess to the world’s greatest techniques.


    “To get a hold of Plum Blossom Ind means to advance to Gangbuk. Like it or not, trouble will brew. A problem beyond my control!”


    “…….”


    “But… they’ve created this situation, where we can’t withdraw or look away, and now Heavenly Comrade Alliance has retreated, as if telling Ten Great Sects and us to fight it out ourselves.”


    Cold sweat began to form on the forehead of Ho Gamyeong.


    ‘How could such a simple move lead to all this?’’


    At first, he thought it was just a stupid move to let go of such a huge gain. But it was not Chung Myung who was stupid, it was Ho Gamyeong.


    The important thing is not what you give up, but how much you gain in return for giving up.


    By giving up the enormous profits of Plum Blossom Ind, Mount Hua created an internal conflict within the Evil Tyrant Alliance, and evenid the groundwork for conflict between the Evil Tyrant Alliance and Ten Great Sects.


    What’s even worse is that even after knowing all this, they still can’t retreat.


    The worst situation was now ahead of them, where they had no choice but to walk into a ce where they would die, even though they knew it was a trap.


    ‘What the hell is this…’


    He understood this vicious move logically, yet felt bewildered as if he couldn’tprehend anything. That’s right.….


    How could such a simple move lead to all this?


    A chill ran down his spine.


    “Fascinating. Truly fascinating. Hahahahahat! For the first time in three years, I’m feeling this excited! Truly fascinating! Hahahahahahahat!”


    Jang Ilso leaned back andughed loudly. Then, he covered his face as if he couldn’t control hisughter anymore.


    But at that moment, Ho Gamyeong saw it. Between those long, white fingers, he saw Jang Ilso’s eyes. Those chilling eyes.


    “Gamyeong-ah.”


    “Yes, Ryeonju-nim.”


    “I regret not having destroyed Heavenly Comrade Alliance. Should I have gone overboard and killed him at that time?”


    Jang Ilso licked his crimson lips.


    “It’s falling apart. The n I carefully constructed is falling apart in an instant. It’s irritating, really irritating.”


    What most displeased Jang Ilso was that he was being dragged into a situation that he had not drawn up.


    This is not Jang Ilso’s taste. He was someone who pulled others into his own scheme, not an actor dancing on a stage set by someone else.


    “…Do you really think that Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword anticipated all of this? That he has been nning since three years ago?”


    “Impossible.”


    Jang Ilso spoke dismissively.


    “As long as he’s human, it’s not possible. It’s probably just a coincidence.”


    Ho Gamyeong nodded. His thoughts were the same as Jang Ilso’s.


    “But….”


    However, what followed was slightly different from what Ho Gamyeong expected.


    “Even if he couldn’t have used Plum Blossom Ind as a tool, the results would have been no different.”


    “Yes? What do you mean by that?”


    Jang Ilso chuckled.


    “Those who love to gossip think of striking at one’s weak point as the result of genius. They believe it’s an amazing idea created by a wide perspective that allows you to see things that no one could have thought of and a quick turn of the mind.”


    “…Isn’t that the truth?”


    “No. No. Not at all.”


    Jang Ilso waved his hand dismissively. The ornaments on his wrist clinked against each other.


    “If one were truly that brilliant, they wouldn’t create situations that require risky and intricate cunning ns in the first ce.”


    “…….”


    “Strategies are not the means of the strong. It’s a means of the weak. It’s what those who can’t win by conventional means resort to, pondering and wringing out everyst drop of cunning.”


    A precious smile bloomed around Jang Ilso’s mouth.


    “How sticky. Such dense hostility. A move filled with the stench of his desire to throw shit on my face no matter what. A guy like this would have found a way to drag me into hell nheless, even if the circumstances were different.”


    “…….”


    “Kukuk. The audacity of that brat.”


    Jang Ilso’s hand holding his face tightened.


    “So…”


    Ho Gamyeong squeezed his words out with a pale face.


    The words he, as an advisor, never wanted to utter.


    “…What do you n to do?”


    When Jang Ilso heard that, he slumped back into his chair, leaning against the backrest.


    In some ways, he looks drowsy, and in other ways, he looks bored. With a face that looks like a child who has had his favorite toy taken away, or someone saddled with an unwee task.


    “I’ll have to y along.”


    He nodded slowly.


    “When you fall into the swamp, if you try to get out half-heartedly, don’t you get dragged deeper and deeper instead? For now, ying along is a strategy.”


    Jang Ilso’s expression instantly regains itsposure.


    “If this has reached even our ears, ck Dragon King must have already been moving, and since Hao Sect cannot receive information slower than us, we have to assume that he is also moving. That leaves just the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, I suppose.”


    As if having sorted everything out in his mind, Jang Ilso waved his hand.


    “What a headache. Everyone, get out.”


    “Yes.”


    As the servants carefully withdrew, Ho Gamyeong rose from his seat. He knew that at this moment, even he was unnecessary for Jang Ilso.


    After he withdrew so as not to interfere with his thoughts, and finally alone, Jang Ilso lightly tapped the table.


    “Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword….”


    A terrifying aura of murderous intent radiated from Jang Ilso’s entire body.


    “A bit too much for a greeting after three years… This time, I took a hit. To the point where I’m wondering what I should give back to you in return…”


    Jang Ilso, who was tapping the table with a thud, soon grabbed the edge tightly.


    “But….”


    And slowly, very slowly, his face rxed.


    And a peculiar expression emerged. It was as if he was mocking, worrying, or simply toying.


    “You don’t know. You don’t know yet. How extreme a man’s malice can go. Hahahaha. Hahahahat! Ahahahahahahahat!


    The shadows in the chamber swayed with Jang Ilso’sughter, as if being sucked into a deeper, endless darkness.