CLS-Chapter 528

Chapter 528:

To burn down the main stronghold entirely and steal their treasures—if you were to describe this in two words, it would be this:

Plunder.

Right now, Wei Yan-ho was declaring that he would plunder the Demonic Cult’s main stronghold while their main force was away. The reaction of those who heard his bold declaration was truly unanimous.

“Crazy bastard.”

“Fucking lunatic.”

“Insane… Namo Guanshiyin Bodhisattva.”

“What? You’re saying the Bodhisattva is crazy?”

“Patron, please shut your mouth.”

There is no royal road in military strategy.

Even if Sun Wu were the greatest strategist under heaven, he could not claim that his military tactics were unconditionally correct. If he had been one to burn with such arrogance, he would never have been able to create The Art of War, that unprecedented masterpiece.

Therefore, no military strategy could be cursed as despicable, nor could any be criticized as foolish.

However…

“Sneaky bastard.”

“Despicable human.”

“A person should at least fulfill basic propriety.”

“Amitabha, hell awaits you, patron.”

“He’s my son, but still…”

Wei Yan-ho nodded contentedly as he received such reactions.

“Good, good. The more curses that come back, the more appropriate and excellent the strategy is. I will become a demon to protect the Central Plains!”

Jang-il’s face twisted severely.

“You crazy bastard.”

“Hm?”

“No matter how much their main force is away, does it make sense to attack the Demonic Cult?”

“Why doesn’t it?”

Jang-il held up two fingers.

“There are two reasons why your scheme is meaningless.”

“What are they?”

Jang-il clicked his tongue and spoke.

“First, no one knows who might be inside there right now.”

“Why don’t we know?”

Wei Yan-ho looked at Jang-il as if he were pathetic.

“I already explained everything. There’s no way those Demonic Cult bastards would leave troops behind. This is an all-out war. And if they lose, everyone dies. If they were going to deploy half-hearted forces, they wouldn’t have started at all.”

“Did you confirm this?”

“Eh?”

Jang-il spoke with a stern face.

“I asked if you confirmed this.”

“Of course I didn’t confirm it. How could I confirm such a thing?”

“Then how can you guarantee it?”

Jang-il turned to look at Zhuge Moon-in.

“All strategies under heaven come from the mind, but they must be grounded in thorough confirmation and adjustment. Isn’t that right?”

“The beggar’s words are correct.”

“…Can’t you call me Jang-il? Or at least Little Beggar?”

“The beggar’s words are reasonable.”

“…”

The beggar—no, Jang-il—looked at the distant sky with sorrowful eyes.

‘If I could go back to the past, I’d tear the mouth off that bastard beggar who told me to join the Beggar’s Sect.’

They say a moment’s choice determines a lifetime, and the profession of beggar that he had chosen without much thought was becoming his lifelong regret.

“Anyway!”

“Ah, you startled me. Why are you shouting?”

Jang-il ignored Wei Yan-ho’s complaint and continued speaking.

“Are you saying we should enter the Demonic Cult together without knowing what’s inside there?”

“Then we can just check it out, can’t we?”

“Check?”

Wei Yan-ho chuckled and said.

“What’s so difficult about it? Someone just needs to go and check.”

“R-right. So you’re going to go?”

Wei Yan-ho shook his head. His eyes were full of spirit.

“Though I may be reckless in my behavior and loose with my tongue…”

“We know that well.”

“You knew?”

“We know, so why are you acting like this?”

“…”

Wei Yan-ho’s lips trembled.

But Wei Yan-ho still didn’t lose his righteous glow and continued speaking.

“One who plans and gives orders does not move his own body. Though I’m not without the desire to go myself, knowing how to exercise restraint for the greater good is what makes a true man.”

“It’s somewhat annoying, but what you say is correct.”

“It can be said to be absolutely right.”

Jang-il agreed, and Zhuge Moon-in added his support.

“Then who’s going?”

Wei Yan-ho’s gaze turned toward Jang-il.

“…Me?”

“A scout should naturally have swift feet, quick wits, and be able to grasp the opponent’s movements at a glance. Among us, the one who fits those conditions is…”

“…Me?”

“Yeah.”

Jang-il’s face turned pale.

He was about to raise an objection but it looked like he’d end up charging into the Demonic Cult single-handedly. Jang-il broke out in cold sweat and changed his words.

“O-of course, knowing how many troops are inside there is also important. But…”

“But nothing, you’re right. Hurry up and go check it out.”

“F-first calm down and listen to what I have to say!”

Jang-il shouted desperately.

“If you hear the second reason, you’ll realize that scouting and such things are completely meaningless.”

“Geez, you sure have a long tongue.”

Wei Yan-ho clicked his tongue. But he nodded as if he’d at least listen to this final struggle.

“Say it.”

“Where’s the guarantee that those bastards will turn their horses around if we burn that place and cause a ruckus? You said it yourself. Those bastards are now planning for the Central Plains with a desperate resolve. Would those going to battle come back just because their house is burning?”

“Yeah.”

“…Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Wei Yan-ho spoke as if it were completely obvious.

“Of course they’ll come back. They’ll probably come running barefoot.”

“Why? You said they went to the Central Plains betting everything.”

“That’s right.”

“Then why would they come back? Please explain it clearly. Only then will I be convinced!”

“Because they’re the Demonic Cult.”

“…”

Jang-il stared at Wei Yan-ho with bewildered eyes. There couldn’t be a more idiotic reason than this. Who would be convinced hearing such words?

“Ah, I see!”

“…Don’t be convinced, damn it!”

Jang-il shouted angrily at Zhuge Moon-in. This is why he hated dealing with smart people.

“My lord’s words are correct. Indeed excellent. You’ve precisely pointed out something I hadn’t thought of.”

“Yeah, you guys are so great.”

Jang-il spat on the ground with a ptooey.

“Fine, I get that you’re great. Since you’re so great, please explain how things work. Why would the Demonic Cult return?”

“As I said. Because they are the Demonic Cult.”

“No, that’s…”

Those who had eaten some ink always had the habit of speaking in riddles. But while Jang-il might not know about Zhuge Moon-in, he couldn’t acknowledge Wei Yan-ho as someone who had eaten ink.

“Tsk tsk… Beggar, you should understand with just a hint.”

“What are you saying, someone who can’t even finish the Thousand Character Classic?”

“What, you bastard?”

Wei Yan-ho, hit in his sore spot, flailed and charged at Jang-il, but Wei Jeong-han promptly kicked such a Wei Yan-ho away.

“Be quiet, you fool! You should know to be ashamed!”

“Damn it!”

Since it was Wei Jeong-han speaking, even Wei Yan-ho didn’t dare act recklessly.

“But you…”

“Yes, Great Hero Wei.”

Zhuge Moon-in politely bowed his head. He was twice as courteous as when dealing with Wei Yan-ho, whom he served.

“I also don’t quite understand. Because they’re the Demonic Cult? What does that mean?”

“Yes. I’ll explain, Great Hero Wei. It’s exactly as I said. If they were another faction, they might not return. But because they are the Demonic Cult, they have no choice but to return.”

“They return because they’re the Demonic Cult?”

“Yes. The Demonic Cult is a cult, meaning a religion.”

“Ah…”

Wei Jeong-han tilted his head. It seemed like he might understand, but he didn’t quite get it.

“To other factions, the main stronghold is ultimately just a dwelling. Where they are is what matters. The main stronghold can just be rebuilt. If they could abandon the main stronghold and gain the world instead, they would choose that without hesitation.”

“That would be natural.”

“But a cult is different.”

Zhuge Moon-in turned his head to look at Mu-san.

“Mu-san.”

“Why do you call me, patron?”

“If you could place all under heaven under Shaolin’s name in exchange for burning down Mount Song, what would you do?”

“That makes no sense.”

Mu-san shook his head.

“To begin with, Shaolin does not seek to dominate the world. What would the Buddhist sect do by dominating the world? We seek to save the masses, not to rule over them. Moreover…”

Mu-san gave the answer Zhuge Moon-in wanted.

“Even if we wanted that, it would still make no sense. Mount Song contains everything of Shaolin. Shaolin’s direction, spirit, and the countless Buddhist scriptures and traces of our predecessors are there. How could we call it Shaolin if we lost all that?”

“Exactly.”

Zhuge Moon-in turned his head as if to say ‘see?’

“If Huashan had heard this question, their answer would certainly have been different. Huashan is secular, so they pursue practical benefits. But those in the religious realm cannot abandon their roots.”

“Hmm.”

Wei Jeong-han finally understood.

“Moreover, the Demonic Cult’s obsession with their main stronghold is incomparably stronger than Shaolin’s. For them, if religion were something that could compromise with reality, they wouldn’t have waged war with the Central Plains in the first place, nor would they have cultivated and lived in this barren land. They would have moderately hidden their beliefs and blended into the Central Plains. But for them, religion is not something that can be compromised. It’s something that must only be carried through. Such people…”

Zhuge Moon-in coughed lightly.

“There’s no way they wouldn’t return when their holy land is burning. They will definitely be held back.”

“Couldn’t just some of them return?”

“With just some, who could we capture?”

Zhuge Moon-in subtly gestured toward Wei Yan-ho with his eyes.

“Indeed.”

Though the Demonic Cult was said to be crawling with masters like a swarm of bees, Wei Yan-ho was no pushover either. To capture Wei Yan-ho without losses, several bishop-level experts would need to step forward. However, the departure of bishops would bring massive weakening of their forces. It wouldn’t be easy to charge into the Central Plains recklessly after removing such forces.

“It’s certainly worth trying.”

Compared to Yeom-mong’s operation, this had several times more feasibility.

“But one thing.”

Wei Jeong-han’s face hardened.

“According to Brother Yeom-mong, there are also common people living there. If we set fire to the main stronghold, we won’t be able to avoid sacrifices. Are you saying you’ll accept that?”

The question was not directed at Zhuge Moon-in.

Wei Jeong-han’s gaze was precisely aimed at Wei Yan-ho.

“Fewer will die than if the Demonic Cult storms into the Central Plains, right?”

“Do those people have any guilt?”

“The people of the Central Plains are also without guilt.”

“Just because the enemy tries to kill innocent people, will you also kill innocent people to fight back? Is that your way?”

“Eh…”

Wei Yan-ho tilted his head.

“I haven’t thought that far?”

“…”

“Do I really have to think about all that before acting? I just want to use a method because it’s available. Why would someone like me think about such things?”

Wei Jeong-han sighed.

Well, he’s right. Why would Wei Yan-ho worry about such things? If there’s a method available, he just does it.

“And that can be solved too.”

“Hm?”

Wei Yan-ho grinned.

“We just don’t kill them.”

“They’ll resist.”

“They’ll get hurt a little, but…”

Wei Yan-ho shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s better than dying. And it might be a bit fun too.”

Fun?

Did he just say fun?

Watching Wei Yan-ho giggle, Wei Jeong-han felt increasingly uneasy.