CLS-Chapter 530

Chapter 530:

The operation itself was simple.

It wasn’t particularly difficult either.

They just had to sneak into a corner of the Demonic Cult that had become an unguarded mountain, turn their backs to the wind, light some appropriately dry straw bundles on fire, and throw them into the buildings.

In the process, they could blow wind to make the buildings burn well, or alternatively, directly collapse the buildings—that wouldn’t be bad either.

While this would be no easy task for ordinary people, these were children of renowned families in the martial world. Setting buildings on fire wouldn’t be particularly difficult for them.

Moreover, this place was so barren and windy that it never seemed to calm down, so there were many structures where wooden houses were surrounded by tents to block the outside wind—they would burn very well once set ablaze.

The wind would blow on its own. Strong wind at that. If they set fire to just a few buildings, it would obviously spread in an instant to a degree that even those who set it couldn’t extinguish.

The only thing to omit from this series of processes was the fact that it was called ‘arson’ and had been considered one of the most terrible crimes since ancient times.

Jang-il threw the bundle of straw on the ground.

“I can’t do it.”

“Huh?”

Wei Yan-ho turned his head toward Jang-il.

“I said I can’t do it.”

“What, this worthless beggar whose only skill is begging?”

“Curse me if you want to curse. I won’t do it.”

“Why are you suddenly making a fuss!”

“Ugh!”

Jang-il plopped down on the ground.

“I know how stupid this sounds, but I can’t do it.”

“Why?”

“Damn it!”

Jang-il couldn’t even answer and fumbled around.

It wasn’t that he felt reluctant about setting fires itself. Jang-il had a history of accidentally burning down a hut while playing with fire and getting beaten like a dog by the senior beggars. What would be so difficult about closing his eyes tight and setting a fire?

But he couldn’t do it.

When Yeom Mong said that the Demonic Cult was also a place where people lived, Jang-il had actually sneered inwardly.

People? People would live there, sure. People who weren’t like people.

What was so remarkable about people living in the Demonic Cult?

Barbarians are people too. Murderers are people too.

How disgusting was Yeom Mong’s appearance, calling those shameless ones who invaded the Central Plains and killed parents and siblings the same people.

But those words were now holding onto Jang-il.

“I can’t do it.”

This place was not an unguarded mountain.

The mountain was empty, but people were not empty. In the place where the detestable Demonic Cult members had departed, what remained were old people tilling the land, children running around, and women covering the scorching sun with plain cloth.

Yes, people.

How could he set fire to a place where such people lived? No matter how good the strategy was, no matter how much crisis had befallen the martial world.

“…Damn fool.”

It wasn’t someone else’s curse. It was Jang-il’s self-reproach.

Jang-il knew very well how stupid what he was doing was.

Those who defeat enemy soldiers and set fire to the enemy’s main camp—how could they lack compassion? Enduring all of that and ultimately gaining something greater is the path of a true man.

But right now, Jang-il was ruining the greater cause because of his petty sympathy.

If he didn’t set fire to this place and become a demon, more people would die in the Central Plains. Fellow Beggar’s Sect members who were like brothers would die. Beggars who didn’t even know what the Beggar’s Sect was would be beaten to death, cut to death, and starve to death.

Even knowing this fact clearly, Jang-il was now saying he would throw away the golden opportunity given to him.

“Damn it…”

Jang-il raised his hand and rubbed his eye sockets. Then he looked at Wei Yan-ho with reddened eyes and said:

“I’m sorry. I can’t do it. I know how stupid and foolish this sounds, but I can’t help it. I can’t do it. I can’t.”

“What the hell did this guy eat wrong?”

Wei Yan-ho’s face twisted with anger.

It wasn’t like Jang-il causing trouble was a day or two occurrence. But seeing him make a scene while even shedding tears, he couldn’t help but feel irritated.

“What can’t you do, man! Why?”

“…I can’t do it. I’m sorry.”

“No, so why can’t you do it!”

“Common people… No, I can’t call those belonging to the Demonic Cult common people, but I can’t set fire to where those people live. I know this is the most foolish thing to say. But… still, I can’t do it. I’m sorry.”

Wei Yan-ho’s face hardened like ice.

Jang-il bit his teeth hard.

It was natural that contemptuous looks would return. This was something someone had to do. Just because he said he couldn’t do it didn’t mean others could let go of it. It was just pushing the dirty work onto his comrades because he couldn’t overcome his conscience’s guilt.

Whether he got beaten to a pulp or got a knife stuck in his stomach, it was something he naturally had to accept and still beg for forgiveness.

Wei Yan-ho lifted his foot with a hardened face and kicked Jang-il.

Thwack!

Jang-il, who had been biting his teeth hard, tilted his head at the pain that felt subtle compared to the loud sound. The pain from being thrown against the wall was greater than from his kicked buttocks. Though it was still at a minimal level.

“Huh?”

He had thought his jaw would fly off in one blow, but what was this ticklish strike?

“Damn, this beggar bastard is making me look like trash?”

Ah, take back what I said about it being ticklish.

Wei Yan-ho kept kicking Jang-il’s buttocks.

“W-wait. Wait… No, wait… Hey, man!”

It didn’t hurt. If Wei Yan-ho had put his mind to it, his pelvis would have shattered in one blow, so this was an attack without emotion behind it…

“It hurts!”

“Stop exaggerating.”

Wei Yan-ho clicked his tongue and fed Jang-il a knuckle sandwich.

“You deserve to get hit a bit.”

“Well, that’s true, but.”

“Still spouting nonsense?”

Wei Yan-ho reached out and grabbed Jang-il’s head. Then he turned his neck around to make him look at one place.

“Do you see it?”

“…Huh?”

“What did I say I’d do when I came here?”

“Set fires, kill, and plunder…”

“Damn it, you beggar!”

Wei Yan-ho kicked Jang-il once more.

“I said steal treasures and set fires!”

“R-right, you did.”

Jang-il nodded blankly.

“Do you see any treasures on those people?”

“…There wouldn’t be any.”

They looked like people who had never even tasted gruel, so what treasures would they have?

“Not here!”

Wei Yan-ho’s hand that had been pointing at the ground stretched forward.

“Over there!”

“…”

Wei Yan-ho’s eyes flashed. Where his hand pointed was the only tall, massive pavilion rising high in this castle.

“Hehehehe.”

Wei Yan-ho laughed eerily.

“To make the Demonic Cult bastards foam at the mouth and return, we have to burn that place. That place!”

“…That was the place?”

Jang-il sighed with apparent relief.

Of course, even if Wei Yan-ho was crazy, he wasn’t a bad guy, so such a plan…

“Wait a minute? Then that beggar bastard thought we were going to set fires and commit plunder here?”

At Zhuge Moon-in’s words, the atmosphere turned ominous.

“Amitabha, what a wicked patron who thinks the same thoughts as me.”

“The same thoughts as you?”

“Beggar-like thoughts.”

“Ah!”

Mu San also glared at Jang-il with eyes that said he was hopeless. Cornered, Jang-il shook his head.

“No, that’s not it…”

Wei Jeong-han smiled gently and patted Jang-il’s shoulder.

“Shut up.”

“…Yes.”

Jang-il, whose excuse was cut off, kept his mouth tightly shut and stood at the front. To avoid being cursed for life, he really had to work hard from now on.

“B-but then why did you come here?”

Where they had come was the opposite side of the pavilion. So he had to be suspicious.

“That bastard, what did he hear?”

“Leave him be. He’s been out of it since earlier. His condition wasn’t good from the time we infiltrated.”

“Where would you find a beggar in good condition?”

“…Now that you mention it, that’s true.”

Wei Jeong-han cut off everyone’s words.

“Enough!”

Wei Jeong-han, who cleanly waved his hand to shut everyone’s mouths, said with a hardened face:

“The longer we drag this out, the worse it gets. Are you ready?”

“Yes!”

While everyone was answering, only Jang-il looked around with a face that didn’t understand what was going on.

“N-no…”

“Let’s go!”

However, Wei Jeong-han didn’t listen to Jang-il’s answer and began running forward.

“L-let’s go together! Great Hero Wei!”

Jang-il frantically followed those who had rushed ahead. At that moment, Wei Yan-ho took the lead. The sprint that started in the dark outskirts soon connected to the main road.

‘Where are you going, you crazy!’

If they were going to burn the pavilion, they should secretly infiltrate the pavilion—what kind of behavior was this?

The main road.

Wei Yan-ho fearlessly rushed into the castle’s largest main road that connected from the main gate to the pavilion.

Good heavens.

Among all the countless martial artists in the world, there were probably only six here who had run down the Demonic Cult’s main road. Realizing how historically significant a situation he was in, Jang-il felt breathless.

Then, after seeing what Wei Yan-ho did, Jang-il thought it would be better to die breathless.

***

The Historian looked at Divine Beggar with a sullen expression.

Divine Beggar avoided the Historian’s gaze with an awkward face.

“You…”

“You must have been exceptional since birth?”

“…Excuse me?”

Before the Historian could say anything in rebuttal, Divine Beggar pressed him like a pecking bird.

“People make mistakes sometimes while living.”

“Who said what?”

“Your eyes are irreverent! Your eyes!”

The Historian turned his head and coughed awkwardly.

Old ginger is spicy indeed, his perception was sharp.

“Anyway.”

“What damn anyway?”

“Anyway, I mean.”

Before Divine Beggar could raise another objection, the Historian quickly continued.

“Didn’t you talk too much?”

“About what?”

“About infiltrating the Demonic Cult. Even if the demon people had vacated their positions, the Demonic Cult is still enemy territory, isn’t it? In the middle of enemy territory, is it okay to chatter and talk so noisily?”

“Of course it is.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Because we did it on purpose.”

“What?”

The Historian tilted his head stupidly. Seeing that, Divine Beggar clicked his tongue.

“Why did we go there?”

“To set fires.”

“Tsk tsk, what good does it do to know history with that head? We went there not to set fires, but to turn back the Demonic Cult’s main force.”

“Ah!”

Divine Beggar shrugged his shoulders.

“Setting fires is a means, not the purpose. The fact that we infiltrated needs to be conveyed to the main force as quickly as possible, doesn’t it?”

“So you deliberately let them know you were there.”

“That’s not exactly it?”

“…”

“It’s just that there was no need to be particularly careful.”

“Ah, yes.”

The Historian didn’t even bother to raise an objection this time. He was used to it now. It was awkward to see the true faces of those packaged as heroes, but now he could accept it.

“But would the Demonic Cult retreat just for something like that?”

“Something like that?”

“I mean, would they retreat when their headquarters burns while they’re risking their lives to attack the Central Plains? The Demonic Cult is a religion too, but it’s not like they have sacred objects or holy places they must protect…”

“They do.”

“…Excuse me?”

Divine Beggar said with a somewhat bitter face.

“There was something more important than sacred objects or holy places. I don’t know if Wei Yan-ho knew that fact, but anyway, what they absolutely had to protect was there. Absolutely.”