“Kekeke..”
“…….”
“Hup.”
“…….”
“Kekekeke.”
“…….”
Yoon Jong looked up quietly at the sky.
‘Fucking hell.’
What’s the deal with the blue sky today?
Chung Myung clapped while laughing loudly, then suddenly stretched his shoulders and smiled confidently. Then he started imitating Yoon Jong from before.
“I don’t know! Do people need a reason to help others?”
“Hooo?”
Then Jo Gol, who had quickly moved in front of Chung Myung, pretended to be taken aback by the act.
“I just do what my heart leads me to! That’s my way!”
“Hoooooh?! You have your own Tao!”
“Bwaahahahahaha!”
“Kekekekek!”
Chung Myung and Jo Gol both burst out laughing. Yoon jong looked up at the sky, tears welling up in his eyes. And secretly stole the snow.
‘Damn it.’
‘How could I have done that?’
He just wants it to be over. Why in the world should he have to go through this just because he can’t decide what to say and what not to say and can’t stop talking about whatever comes to mind?
“Wow! There is Taoist in Mount Hua!”
“Chung Myung ah. It’s Mount Hua sect, it is natural that there is Taoist.”
“Oh, that’s right. Then there’s a chivalrous man in Mount Hua!”
“It’s chivalrous. chivalrous!”
“Keuuh! Sahyung! This Saje was very impressed!”
‘Chung Myung ah.’
‘Why don’t you cut it?’
‘I’d prefer it if you beat me with your fists rather than your words.’
Yoon Jong, wiping tears from around his eyes, looked at Baek Chun with desperation. Baek Chun, who sees the intention in the eyes, coughs slightly and returns his gaze to Chung Myung and Jo Gol.
“You guys should stop now!”
“Ei.”
“All right, I understand, Sasuk.”
When the two of them calmed down from their joking, Baek Chun nodded sternly and said,
“A great Tao was born in the volcano, should you be teasing him like that? You should not make fun of Yoon Jong, but follow his Tao….. pfft!”
“…….”
Baek Chun put his hand over his mouth.
“Sasuk…….”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I keep thinking……. Huhuhup!”
Chung Myung did not waste time when even Baek Chun collapsed!
“That’s my calling as a disciple of Mount Hua!”
“Oh, don’t do that!”
“Don’t cry! Kekekek.”
Chung Myung jolted him awake. Yoon Jong was thinking endlessly about Tao and life, rather than looking at him, who was laughing hard and crying.
Tok!
Baek Chun coughs a few times before opening his mouth and placing his hand on Yoon jong’s shoulder.
“There is nothing to be ashamed of.”
“…….”
“You were great. It’s not that you’re wrong. It’s because we didn’t do well.”
“Kuh! That’s right. I can’t believe I have such a great Sahyung! This Chung Myung is moved! Sahyung! Now I believe in Sahyung…….”
“Hey!”
Baek Chun pushed away the approaching Chung Myung.
“You little punk.”
“………Sasuk laughed, too.”
“I’m sorry.”
Baek Chun covers his mouth to contain his laughter.
“Keheup. Keheup …….”
“Kukukuku.”
“Kekekekek.”
‘This is the pits.’
‘This is unquestionably hell.’
Baek Chun secretly felt sorry for Yoon jong, who was shuddering with despair and embarrassment.
Yoon Jong was actually fantastic today. Even if the logic was flawless, convincing those who had been wronged would have been difficult.
On the other hand, Yoon Jong persuaded them not through logic, but through his manner.
‘You did an excellent job.’
Mount Hua was able to establish a good relationship with Yunnan as a result of this. In comparison, obtaining monopoly rights for Yunnan tea is regarded as trivial.
It was incredible to be friendly with Namman Yasugung Clan, one of the world’s most famous clans.
‘This trip to Yunnan has given us a lot of unexpected things.’
Namman Yasugung is Namman Yasugung, but they have an alliance with the Tang Family. It laid the groundwork for a collaboration with the most powerful forces in Jungwon’s west.
Most importantly……
“You must be taking good care of Jamokcha, right?”
“Look at me.”
Baek Chun cocked his chin slightly. Chung Myung is tightly wrapping a sack of Jamokcha around him. Until Chung Myung was killed, it seemed impossible to touch the sack.
“…At that point, it seems safer than the Imperial Palace Treasury.”
“I think so too.”
Baek Chun smiled and slightly cleared his throat.
“Gather up, everyone.”
“Yes! Sasuk.”
Around Baek Chun, Jo Gol, Yoon Jong, Chung Myung, and Yoo Esul gathered.
“First of all… it may be a little early to say this, but everyone’s been through a lot.”
“No, Sasuk.”
“But it’s too early to be relieved. Our aim is not to obtain Jamokcha, but to take it safely to Mount Hua.”
“There’s one more!”
Chung Myung stated emphatically.
“Take it home as soon as possible.”
“Yes!”
Baek Chun gave the nod.
“Everyone knows it’s been hard so far. Let’s go back to Mount Hua quickly and get rest.”
“That’s obvious. Sasuk!”
“Right, then, first of all…… We’ll have to meet Peace Merchant Association again.”
“Huh? What about them?”
Chung Myung’s words made Baek Chun frown slightly.
“Isn’t that the only way to get out of Yunnan?”
“Why? Let’s get a carriage. We can buy it. We already have the horse.”
“Huh? Horse…….”
Baek Chun’s eyes widened slightly.
“Oh…….”
“I- I’m so hungry. Bachaeju nim.”
“…….”
“I’m really going to die at this rate.”
“I can’t even beg. The people here are too harsh…”
“I feel like my belly is going to stick to my back skin……. there’s no bark to peel off.”
Jang Hochaeju, alias ‘Bang Yo,’ sighed deeply in response to the outpouring of complaints.
Chung Myung has already placed restrictions on their Dantian for a few days. They’ve left in a remote area with no experience, nothing to do, and no choice but to pass the time.
“What are we going to do? There is no other way.”
“Why don’t we try being bandits again?”
“What kind of bandit are you when you don’t have the skills?”
“Can we lose to Yangmin (Civilian) just because we don’t have much strength?”
“… who’s going to take care of the aftermath?”
“…….”
Bang Yo, who was crying, said.
“If there is a rumor that a bandit appeared in Kunming all of a sudden, of course, we will be suspected…… Can you handle that devilish bastard?”
A man’s face appeared in their minds as soon as they heard the words “devilish bastard.”
“Even dog won’t bite dog him.”
“A bastard worse than bandit!”
A curse escapes their lips just thinking about it.
They are a thief.
A bandit is a bandit, and bandits are typically composed of people who lack morality and cannot adapt to everyday life.
No matter how difficult they are, those who have thoughts will not become bandits. No, even if it is so difficult that one becomes a bandit for a while, they will not choose to live their entire life as a bandit.
Simply put, no sane men out there say they’re going to become a bandit.
Chung Myung, in their opinion, went too far. It makes them wonder what Heaven thought when it sent such seeds into the world.
“…What are we gonna do then?”
“What do you mean by that? We’ll just wait like this!”
“What if we starve to death?”
“That’s better than being beaten to death.”
“… ugh.”
The bandits exhaled heavily.
Why did they meet such a devil and end up in this situation?
“Stop it, I think he going to laugh and beat us to death if do something weird.”
“What the hell did he eat to grow up to be such a young man….”
With tears in his eyes, one of the bandits said to Bang Yo.
“But what should we do? Would we really be released?”
“How am I supposed to know?”
“Bachaeju nim, if he comes back, we’ll suffer all sorts of hardships and eventually be beaten to death. I’d rather run away now…….”
“How can we live without our cultivation!”
“However, how can we not go back to Sichuan?”
“Sichuan? Did you just say Sichuan?”
“Yes, there’s our camp…….”
“Such an idiot I have seen!”
Bang Yo yelled.
“How many grudges do we have against Sichuan? Do you think we can survive if rumors spread that we lost our inner strength and became common people? There will be more than a hundred people who will come after us with axes to kill us!”
“But if we still ask Chaeju nim for protection…….”
“Do you think he will protect us? Chae Ju is a person who throws a healthy man into tiger’s food just because he can’t raise his spear properly with his arm cut off. That kind of man protects us from losing our strength?”
Everyone was silent.
Bang Yo shook his head at such a subordinate.
“Stop it, stop it. For now, it’s best to just grab a boat and hold on here. Do you think he let us go for nothing? He’ll wait for us to make a mistake. If we do make a mistake, he’ll kill us right away.”
“You know it well.”
“Yeah. It’s obvious. It’s obvious what that vicious bastard thinks.”
“I don’t think it’s that bad.”
“What are you talking about! I’ve never seen such a wicked man in my life. Bandit is better than him. Bandit! I’ve never been proud of my job, but he gave me the pride I didn’t have.”
“Oh, well, that’s a good thing.”
“Yeah, that’s a good…….Huh?”
Bang Yo cocked his chin slightly.
His subordinates’ faces, who are contemplating in his slowly turning gaze, are the first to enter.
Bang Yo’s face began to turn white as he intuitively felt something.
“…….”
Bang Yo found a familiar face smiling when he finally turned his head to the side where the voice came from.
“…….”
The world appears to have come to a halt.
Bang Yo, who was drenched in cold sweat all over his body, opened his mouth, trembling, as if he had seen a ghost.
“Oh, when did you get here…….”
“Just now.”
“Then, the one who just spoken to me…….”
“Yes, it’s me.”
“…….”
Bang Yo’s face darkened. Something is about to happen, as Chung Myung smiles.
“Wha- What I just said is not true…..”
“It’s okay, it’s okay.”
Chung Myung reached out and gently tapped Bang Yo on the shoulder.
“It can happen in life. Even Emperor is cursing where there is no one, so that’s not a big deal.”
“I- I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right.”
Chung Myung smiled happily.
“I’m not that bad of a person. I’m a Taoist after all. I understand it all. That’s possible.”
‘Taoist?’
‘Was this jerk a Taoist?’
‘What on earth are you talking about? There is no such thing as a Taoist as yourself! ‘
Bang Yo unintentionally shook his head.
Chung Myung smiled even wider when he saw those poor eyes.
“Do you know why Taoist is a Taoist?”
“I- I don’t know.”
“Even if you hear bad things from the other person, you are a Taoist when you know how to give even after that. I learned it from Sahyung. So I’ve prepared a gift for you, too.”
“What?”
Chung Myung strode to the back and returned with something in his arm. He then tosses it in front of Bang Yo.
“……What is this?”
Bang Yo shakes his head.
Chung Myung had brought nothing but hay.
But what good is hay in this hot Yunnan city….?
Chung Myung beams as he looks at the perplexed Bang Yo.
“As you can see, it’s hay.”
“I understand that, but why…….”
“Food is the best thing for a gift.”
“…Yes?”
“Eat.”
“…….”
Bang Yo looked at Chung Myung blankly.
‘Would you like me to eat it?’
‘Hay?’
“Ho- How can a man eat this…….”
“A man?”
Chung Myung, who had his eyes slightly open, gradually opened them wider.
“…….”
The dark eyes glowed.
“There’s a person here? Not a horse?”
“…….”
“Think carefully.”
“What?”
“Horses can do that. It’s weird to get angry just because a horse talks behind his back. But if it’s a person…….”
Crunch.
Chung Myung’s grip on the handle is broken.
“You’re gonna pay for your snout!”
“…….”
“Do you want to eat? Or do you want to be human instead of eating?”
The answer came quickly.
“I’ll eat!”
“We love hay!”
“Thank you! I can’t believe you thought of us like this!”
Chung Myung smiles happily once more.
“Right? Eat a lot.”
“Yes!”
Tears streamed from the eyes of the bandits grabbing the hay.
It was the price they paid for meeting someone they shouldn’t have.