“Ah, no. Um...”
At that mont, other mbers of the Heavenly Friends Alliance also staggered into view through the open door.
“Ugh. The sea fatigue seems to have been worse than expected.”
“Hyung. Aren’t you too weak? The Tang Family must have given you all the best things.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. The one who ate well was you, raised by the Namgung. The Tang Family may have lots of poisons, but not any spiritual pills. At best it’s poisonous dicine.”
“Didn’t the Tang Family use poison-dicines like spiritual pills?”
“...I don’t know where such rumors co from. Do people say the Tang Family runs poison instead of blood? If we eat poison we die too! Do they say Namgung swings a blade and it’s alright and don’t die if cut by the sa blade?”
“Now that you ntion it...”
Watching them walk out chatting so calmly, Gwak Hwan-So blinked in a daze.
“Why aren’t they giving us food?”
“Tsk tsk. How long do you plan to sit and wait to be fed? Once ti has passed, of course you go to the dining hall and eat yourself.”
“They brought it yesterday, so that’s why.”
“A new day has dawned. It can’t be the sa as yesterday.”
“Wow, sharp as a blade.”
What on earth are these people still doing here?
A hollow voice escaped from Gwak Hwan-So’s mouth.
“No... what are you doing right now?”
“Huh?”
“Didn’t we even prepare a boat for you to leave once the storm subsided?”
“Really?”
Chung Myung, who had been scraping at the boat, glanced indifferently inside the room and asked.
“Sasuk. Did they prepare the boat for us?”
“Hm? Ah, I heard of it. They said they’ve prepared boats on the coast to use when leaving the island.”
Baek Cheon walked out from inside.
Unlike the others whose clothes were disheveled, Baek Cheon’s outfit remained spotless. Gwak Hwan-So, staring blankly at the white martial robe shining in the sunlight, twisted his face.
“Are you even in a right state of your mind?”
The answer to that question ca from elsewhere.
“You’re the one who’s out of your mind, you bastard.”
“...Excuse ?”
“If guests co, you feed them! Even Mount Hua, who throws away manners by the handful, doesn’t starve guests!”
“Chung Myung. You shouldn’t insult another sect when you’re visiting them.”
“These bastards are worse than Mount Hua!”
“Don’t insult our sect either.”
Gwak ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) Hwan-So clutched his throbbing forehead. In a situation where the Four Sects Alliance could attack at any ti, they calmly planned to have breakfast. Their nerves aren’t made of whale sinew; what on earth are these people thinking...
“Ja-Yang.”
“...Yes, sahyung.”
“Show the guests to the dining hall. Tell them to prepare a al.”
“No, sahyung. This is...”
“Do as I say.”
“Yes...”
Ja-Yang glared at Chung Myung and his group with eyes stuffed full of resentnt.
‘This is going too far.’
In principle, there was nothing wrong with what they said. Sending off guests who ca from afar with goodwill without even offering breakfast is certainly rude. At another ti, the Sect leader would have shouted harshly about how this was being handled.
But this isn’t an ordinary situation now, is it?
The disciples of Southern Island must now face the Four Sects Alliance. Those who remain will die fighting, and those who descended the mountain to avoid the Four Sects Alliance must now hold their breath and accept their rule.
Everyone here already knows that fate. What would they think seeing mbers of the Heavenly Friends Alliance calmly leaving Southern Island after finishing what they ca to do? No matter how strong-willed, morale would inevitably fall.
‘I thought a reasonable explanation would be understood.’
Lee Ja-Yang’s gaze fixed on Baek Cheon’s face.
He wasn’t stupid, so he assud there was no need to explain their situation in detail—but apparently that oblivious man didn’t understand the aning of their words at all.
“...Please follow .”
A thousand angers boiled up inside, but since the other disciples had already seen them with their own eyes, there was no other way. They could only treat them politely and see them off.
Lee Ja-Yang bit his lip and turned his body.
“By the way, why did you all gather together like this from the morning? You’re not picking a fight, are you?”
At Chung Myung’s question, Ja-Yang’s head snapped around. He couldn’t hold back and yelled like thunder.
“And this idiot really—!”
“Ja-Yang!”
“No, sahyung! This is going too far! If this isn’t mockery, what is it?”
“Didn’t I tell you to stop!”
When Gwak Hwan-So glared and snapped, Ja-Yang bit his lip.
“Bang Hong. You guide them!”
“..., , sahyung?”
“Why? Can’t you do it?”
“No. I’ll do it.”
Ja-Yang spun around. From behind ca Gwak Hwan-So’s voice, trying to sound composed.
“...I’m sorry. I thought the guests had left, so I ca to clean the rooms. I didn’t know you were still here.”
“Hm?”
“We’ll pack your belongings properly, so don’t worry and please go eat first. When you return we’ll prepare so you can leave imdiately.”
Ja-Yang knew Gwak Hwan-So’s temperant was actually even more impatient than his own. So he knew how much restraint it took for him to say that.
Facing the sahyung’s calm response, Ja-Yang felt ashad of his hasty behavior.
It was then.
“Sasuk. What are those guys saying?”
Chung Myung’s voice, sounding as if he were openly ignoring Gwak Hwan-So, rang indifferently. That snapped the last thread of Ja-Yang’s composure.
‘Alright, this is it!’
Lee Ja-Yang’s eyes flared as he turned. Whether it was Southern Island’s last sight or not, he intended to fix that insolent brat’s manners.
But the mont he heard Chung Myung and Baek Cheon talking, he was so incredulous his strength drained away.
“Why clean a room soone else is using?”
“Chung Myung. At good inns, they’ll clean the room even if soone is staying in it.”
“That’s an inn. This isn’t an inn, right?”
“That’s true.”
“Then it’s rude. Why rummage through soone else’s belongings as you please?”
“Hm. That’s sothing to consider. The customs of the western island and the South Sea aren’t necessarily the sa as ours.”
Lee Ja-Yang lost even the energy to be angry and let out a hollow laugh. Gwak Hwan-So grit his teeth and elaborated.
“It’s not that. We’re packing the belongings of those leaving in advance. If you want to leave the island before the Four Sects Alliance attacks, every minute counts. There’s no ti to dawdle.”
There was steel in Gwak Hwan-So’s words, as if he couldn’t hold back any longer. But Chung Myung only let out a hollow laugh.
“That’s for when I’m the one leaving.”
“Exactly! The baggage... huh?”
About to shout, Gwak Hwan-So blinked in disbelief.
“Who’s leaving?”
“...”
“These guys are ridiculous. Does the South Sea treat their guests like this? I never once said I was leaving—so why are they driving guests away on their own?”
“It does cost a lot to feed you.”
“Honestly, we’ve eaten way too much.”
“All that was eaten by Young Lord of Namgung.”
“, ? ? Wow, ?”
The Heavenly Friends Alliance entourage remained unfazed. Gwak Hwan-So was montarily at a loss for words and stared at them blankly. Chung Myung snapped his fingers and said.
“Hey, you.”
“...Yes?”
“Don’t talk nonsense and just show us to the dining hall. Don’t touch our belongings. Kids these days have no manners—no sense! Ugh!”
“...”
“Lead the way!”
“Yes?”
“What are you doing?”
“Ah... yes.”
Gwak Hwan-So, as if bewitched, began leading them toward the dining hall.
The disciples of Southern Island Sect simply stared blankly at their departing backs.
“Um... sahyung.”
“Yes?”
“Then what should we do? Clean? Or...”
Lee Ja-Yang’s face twisted miserably.
“You’re... not going?”
Gwak Hwan-So asked, doing his best to hide his bewildernt.
But sadly, there was no one here to give a proper answer to that question.
“No... you’re saying you eat raw at?”
“This is a precious ingredient.”
“It’s uncooked, right? Who eats fish raw?”
“That’s how it’s normally eaten, I tell you.”
“Even those who catch fish on the Yangtze River didn’t eat it like this! In Anhui, with Dongting Lake nearby, they still cooked their fish!”
“I heard they eat it in the North Sea?”
“No, they didn’t originally in the North Sea either. We made them eat it.”
“In any case, they eat it. As long as nothing happens after eating, it’s fine.”
“So apparently this is how they eat here.”
“Ah, no...”
When Namgung Do-Wei tried to object sohow, Chung Myung’s face twisted in anger.
“Just shove it in, you bastard! Who’s whining about side dishes here! That’s why the precious ones are raised sheltered and die! You have to stick them in the corner and feed them mud to make them people!”
“What does being raised precious have to do with this!”
“Shut up. Damn rich brat!”
Namgung Do-Wei, unable to overco the culture shock, trembled and tried to seek agreent from the others.
However.
“Oh, chewy, chewy.”
“It sticks right on.”
“It’s tasty, though?”
The Mount Hua fellows were already stuffing the raw fish into their mouths. Even Tang Pae shouted “Delicious!” and smacked his lips while chewing the flesh.
‘If they can eat it, they’d tear and eat another’s raw flesh.’
Is there any difference from predatory fish? Those are the predators. Namgung Do-Wei hit his chest in frustration.
But there was soone here even more exasperated than Namgung Do-Wei.
“No! Please listen to !”
“...Ah, we’re trying to eat, and you keep...”
“They say you don’t bother soone while they’re eating.”
“The South Sea really does have different customs.”
Gwak Hwan-So grabbed his head. He almost wanted to praise his own patience for not swinging a blade at those mouths.
“Ai, geunge aaauoer.”
“...Excuse ?”
Chung Myung swallowed what he had been chewing and got angry.
“Why do you keep pressuring us to leave! Are you stingy with food?”
“Yes, we are stingy... no, that’s not it. The talks are over, and the Heavenly Friends Alliance and Southern Island decided to go their separate ways, didn’t they?”
Baek Cheon nodded calmly.
“That’s right.”
“Then there’s nothing left to do, so there’s no reason to remain here. I believe the Acting Sect leader said he would properly convey the Heavenly Friends Alliance’s Sect leader of our stance.”
“That is true as well.”
Again Baek Cheon nodded. That only made Gwak Hwan-So feel more suffocated.
“But suddenly you’re not leaving—what does that an?”
Chung Myung interrupted, pounding his chest.
“That’s one thing, you jerk!”
“Yes?”
“But why can’t this one understand? Is the kid a little stupid?”
Chung Myung contorted his face in annoyance.
“Look, I’ll explain. The negotiations with the Heavenly Friends Alliance broke down, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Then our job is simply to convey that situation properly to the Sect, isn’t it?”
“Exactly!”
“Then our role is finished.”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying!”
Chung Myung shouted, exasperated.
“So! We’ve completed our assigned duty, so the remaining matters are up to each of us! The Heavenly Friends Alliance goes but I say I won’t go! Is that so hard? Don’t you get it?”
Gwak Hwan-So was montarily speechless... Could he understand that? How does that even work?
Seeing him stunned, Chung Myung clicked his tongue.
“What are you going to do not understanding sothing so simple? It’s driving nuts, really.”
Gwak Hwan-So fell into thought. What more could he possibly say to this lunatic? Baek Cheon, listening, smiled faintly and spoke.
“After the al, I’d like to hold another eting.”
“...Yes?”
“Not as Mount Hua’s Acting Sect leader representing the Heavenly Friends Alliance’s position, but...”
Baek Cheon’s gaze had deepened and grown solemn.
“As a single warrior who ca upon hearing that comrades in the Central Plains are in crisis.”
At that mont, a chill ran down Gwak Hwan-So’s spine.
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