CLS-Chapter 158

Chapter 158

“Looks like torches?”

Gong Mu-jin tilted his head as he looked at the distant lights.

They had almost reached Luoyang. Just a little further and they’d be at Luoyang. So it wouldn’t be strange to see lights.

But if there were more than just one or two lights, it became a bit odd.

‘If they were lights on the city walls, they wouldn’t look so scattered.’

Gong Mu-jin quietly turned his head to look at Wei Yan-ho.

“Do you know what that is?”

“People.”

“…So beasts know how to use fire too. Thanks to you, I learned that for the first time today. Who doesn’t know they’re people!”

Wei Yan-ho said with a blank expression.

“You seem to have a lot of complaints about me lately.”

“I don’t!”

“No, you definitely seem to have some.”

“I said I don’t!”

Gong Mu-jin ground his teeth.

Speaking of complaints, there were endless ones, but Gong Mu-jin knew well that they were all too petty to voice aloud.

“What kind of people are they?”

“Who knows.”

Wei Yan-ho squinted his eyes and looked ahead.

‘Can he see that?’

To Gong Mu-jin’s eyes, the lights only looked like beans, but Wei Yan-ho was looking ahead with a serious and grave expression as if he could see something clearly.

‘As expected, there’s a difference in the martial arts realm.’

Just as Gong Mu-jin was about to accept this, Wei Yan-ho opened his mouth.

“The lights look like beans to me.”

“Hey, you damn bastard!”

Gong Mu-jin pointed at Wei Yan-ho and shouted.

“Why are you getting angry!”

“Who here can’t see that! What are you pretending to look at so carefully!”

“No, you told me to look.”

Just as Gong Mu-jin was about to explode in anger, Musan grabbed his sleeve.

“Please calm down.”

“…Grr.”

Even though Gong Mu-jin knew that talking with Wei Yan-ho would make him irritated, he always got drawn into it.

“Why are those people gathered there? Did something happen?”

Musan slowly shook his head.

“Every event in the world has its cause and effect. If people are waiting ahead on the road, the first thought should be that they’re waiting for someone from our side.”

“Right.”

At Musan’s words, Gong Mu-jin looked up at the cart.

Well, it was obvious.

“What will you do?”

“About what?”

“Those people are clearly camped there waiting to devour you.”

“…What did I do wrong?”

“You didn’t commit any sin. Having treasure is the sin.”

“Wow, so you’re saying people are flocking here to steal my Secret Manual just because I have treasure? What terrible people.”

“Isn’t that what the martial world is like?”

“That’s really funny.”

“Huh?”

“Everyone here is from the martial world. But if there are bad aspects of the martial world, those should be fixed. Why are you talking as if it’s natural?”

“…”

At Wei Yan-ho’s words striking right to the point, Gong Mu-jin’s mouth gaped open.

“I, I’ve never really thought about it?”

“I thought so.”

What was this?

This feeling of being looked down upon?

“So what will you do?”

At Seomun Da-yeon’s words, Wei Yan-ho seemed to ponder before opening his mouth.

“How about we stay here for a day and go during the day?”

“That won’t mean much. If we don’t go, they’ll come to us.”

“Then there’s no choice. Let’s go.”

“Go?”

Wei Yan-ho nodded.

“If waiting won’t solve it, we have to go and see the conclusion. I’d avoid it if possible, but looking at the situation, it doesn’t seem avoidable.”

At Wei Yan-ho’s words, Seomun Da-yeon nodded.

Wei Yan-ho was right. This wasn’t something that could be avoided. If they continued toward Luoyang like this, they would eventually have to face that group.

“Wait a moment.”

Eonhyo raised his hand.

“How about waiting a bit? If the Martial Alliance learns that so many people are gathered outside the city, they’ll investigate. Then they’ll have no choice but to disperse.”

“No. They’ll come to us first.”

“Hmm.”

Wei Yan-ho came to a simple conclusion.

“Well, let’s just go. They wouldn’t kill us, would they?”

“Understood.”

Watching Seomun Da-yeon urge the horses forward again, Eonhyo muttered the words he couldn’t say aloud.

‘But why are we going along too?’

Not being able to say those words aloud was the difference between Eonhyo and Wei Yan-ho.

“Wow!”

Wei Yan-ho opened his mouth wide looking at those blocking the road.

“There are so many.”

Not just the main road.

The fields spread out on both sides of the road were also packed with people. The people blocking the road had two things in common.

One was that they all had fierce looks in their eyes, and the other was that they were all martial artists carrying weapons.

Just from those two things, their purpose was obvious.

“Uh…”

As Seomun Da-yeon stopped the cart and looked quietly, Gong Mu-jin stepped forward and spoke.

“I am Gong Mu-jin, a disciple of Mount Hua.”

“Whatever.”

“Huh?”

He had expected them to murmur about the Plum Blossom Sword Ghost or something, but their reaction was extremely direct and sharp.

“We have no intention of dealing with small fry… Tell the Secret Manual Owner to come out.”

“Right!”

Gong Mu-jin’s pupils shook violently.

“Sm-small fry?”

He was the Plum Blossom Sword Ghost Gong Mu-jin.

From childhood, he had been famous in the world as a prodigy, and was called the most likely candidate to be the next sect leader of Mount Hua, a prestigious sword sect.

He was someone who had never once in his life escaped the expectant and admiring gazes of people.

But what did they say?

Small fry?

“No, these crazy…”

“Please calm down, Great Hero Gong!”

Musan grabbed Gong Mu-jin from behind.

“No, they… they…”

“I understand your frustration, but if you explode in anger now, this will become a big problem.”

“Urgh…”

Gong Mu-jin was so angry he was about to cry.

Small fry! Small fry, for heaven’s sake!

When has he ever been treated like this in his life?

“No, you crazy bastards! If the Plum Blossom Sword Ghost is small fry, then what the hell are you… mmph!”

Musan covered Gong Mu-jin’s mouth and quietly dragged him back.

Gong Mu-jin looked on with hollow eyes, unable to resist.

That was until he saw Wei Yan-ho looking at him from the cart with a sneer on his lips.

“Aaaahhh!”

Gong Mu-jin had a fit, but unfortunately, there was no sword in his hands. Lee Seol-hwa, who had grasped the situation, had quickly approached and taken his sword away. A swordsman without a sword couldn’t handle a Shaolin monk.

“Benefactor, please calm down.”

Wei Yan-ho glanced back at Gong Mu-jin being dragged away by Musan and stepped forward.

“A big shot came here, not the small fry.”

“Hey! You! Damn! Damn bastard… mmph!”

Some sound came from behind, but Wei Yan-ho let it go in one ear and out the other as he continued speaking.

“What do you want?”

The man at the front drew his sword and pointed it at Wei Yan-ho.

“Hah, you’re not asking because you don’t know, are you? If you want to live, hand over the Secret Manual and go.”

“Hmm…”

Wei Yan-ho shook his head as if he didn’t understand.

“I thought I already gave you a chance to get the Secret Manual?”

“Damn! Two gold nyang isn’t some child’s name, and if I could pay that money, would I be crazy enough to chase after the Sword Emperor’s Secret Manual!”

Wei Yan-ho turned back and said.

“He says you’re all crazy.”

When those who had been following the cart to copy glared with bulging eyes, the man at the front waved his hands in panic.

“No, no. I wasn’t talking about you all. You bastard, don’t sow discord!”

“No, I just conveyed the facts…”

Wei Yan-ho felt wronged, but for smooth conversation, he decided to let it go this time.

“So?”

“Those who can’t pay two gold nyang should also have a chance to get the Secret Manual.”

“So I made loans available too?”

“…Who wants to go into debt to get it!”

Wei Yan-ho quietly looked at the man at the front and said.

“So… you don’t want to pay money, you don’t want to borrow and pay, but you want to have the Secret Manual. So you’ll take it by force?”

“Hehe, who said we’d take it? If you hand over the Secret Manual, we can look at it well and return it later.”

Wei Yan-ho looked around.

“Do you all think the same?”

No answer came.

“Hmm…”

Wei Yan-ho scratched his cheek.

Seomun Da-yeon slowly approached him and said.

“What will you do?”

“I’m thinking about it.”

“Can’t you suppress them with your martial prowess like before?”

“These are people who’ve seen me once. But they still blocked the way, which means they’re prepared to fight.”

“…Then?”

Wei Yan-ho’s eyes sank slightly.

“I don’t want to treat those who shamelessly covet others’ belongings as human beings, but…”

Seomun Da-yeon’s body trembled.

‘Here he goes again.’

It was like this when fighting the Demonic Cult, and when fighting the Twin Demons of the Ghost Path. This person usually seemed absent-minded and stupid, but when he really needed to use his sword, he could become more bold and cruel than anyone.

Given Wei Yan-ho’s martial prowess, if he really made up his mind to face all these people, no matter what the result, tremendous bloodshed would flow.

“But I can’t kill them all either. Well, there’s no choice.”

Wei Yan-ho clicked his tongue and turned around.

“Please pay attention.”

The people following behind the cart all looked at Wei Yan-ho.

“They say they want to get the Secret Manual without paying money. What do you think?”

The reaction was immediate.

“Living thieves!”

“You can’t give it to them!”

“Hey, you bastards! Do you think I borrowed money and got the Secret Manual because I have a lot of money!”

Wei Yan-ho nodded.

“I don’t intend to give it for free either. So you have to choose.”

“…You said choose?”

“Yes.”

Wei Yan-ho gave a clean explanation.

“We’re going to break through here. But those people won’t just let you go either. Whether your copying is complete or not, they’ll try to steal the Secret Manual in your possession too.”

“Hmm!”

It was an obvious statement.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have flocked here like this. If they had just made copies equally, what would it matter whether it was the original or a copy?

“So choose. If you want to run away, run away quickly. Those who will follow us and break through come this way.”

“You’re saying you can break through there?”

“Luoyang is just a bit further. No matter how bold these people are, they won’t be able to brandish swords and cause trouble in Luoyang.”

People nodded.

Luoyang had the Martial Alliance. And the Luoyang Prefect would absolutely not stand for it.

“But won’t the city gates be closed since it’s night?”

“I can open them.”

As all situations were explained, the people began rapid calculations in their heads.

Breaking through there would be difficult. But if they couldn’t break through, they would lose all their Secret Manuals and their lives would be in danger. They could abandon everything and run away even now, but…

‘I can’t go back with an incomplete Secret Manual!’

They absolutely had to complete this copying.

Those who had made up their minds rushed toward Wei Yan-ho and lined up behind the cart.

“Then it seems settled.”

Wei Yan-ho smiled and looked at Seomun Da-yeon.

Seomun Da-yeon also got on the cart with a determined expression.

“Heave-ho.”

Wei Yan-ho climbed onto the horse hitched to the front of the cart and shouted.

“There’s no negotiation! If you don’t want to die, it would be good to get out of the way!”

At the same time as those words, Seomun Da-yeon struck the horse’s rump with the whip. Instantly, the horses leaped up greatly and began running forward at full speed.

Eonhyo and the Three Dragons and One Phoenix also ran after them.

Eonhyo shouted loudly with an expression half about to cry.

“No! Why are we getting involved!”

If it’s going to be like this, at least give us a Secret Manual!

Damn it!