Return of the Volcano – Episode 1745 (1746/1753)
Episode 1745. It’s not visible. (5)
Jerk.
The masked man left the tent and headed outside the camp.
All warriors belonging to the Sapaeryeon are prohibited from leaving the area defined by their superiors. However, this did not particularly apply to masked people.
Several eyes turned to him as he approached the perimeter of the camp. However, even for a moment, the gazes that checked his movements dispersed as quickly as they had gathered.
Even though he felt all of this, the masked person did not show even the slightest reaction. It’s not about ignoring it or being insensitive. It just feels meaningless.
The masked man’s steps crossed the wide plain and headed towards a small mountain. After going deep into the mountain, several tents appeared in front of him.
It is a place that is very far from the camp set up by the Sapaeryun. Perhaps most of the warriors in the Sapaeryun do not even know that such a camp exists in the vicinity.
The masked man, who was staring at the tent with dark eyes, opened the entrance to the tent in front and entered.
As soon as I put my face inside, a musty smell hit my nose.
The smell of the old human stench, the smell of drying rotten blood, and the smell of rust on poorly maintained iron all mixed together in such a way that it was almost suffocating.
Although the sun had not yet set, it was dark inside the tent.
The masked person’s vision very slowly became accustomed to the darkness.
You can see mud scattered everywhere and people lying on it. Even though they must have already sensed that they are popular, not a single person even looks at them.
Only the sound of soft breathing coming from all over showed that they were alive.
Most people who saw this scene would think of a barracks for the remnants of the defeated soldiers or a prison where prisoners were imprisoned. Even the masked people think so.
Jerk.
The masked man took a step forward, feeling the stale air. And he opened his mouth to those who were not even paying attention.
“for a moment.”
It was meant to be a moment of attention, but no one responded to those words.
“… … “The telegram has arrived.”
But there was definitely a reaction to what he said next. The people who were so motionless that it was hard to tell whether they were dead or alive slowly turned their gaze towards the masked person.
They were dressed in dirty military uniforms, each with a black mask over their face, and their empty-looking eyes were exposed through holes in the masks.
The masked person took out the letter from his arms and threw it at the person closest to him.
“There was no particular problem.”
“… … .”
The person who received the letter silently confirmed its contents. Then he passed the letter to the next person with a nonchalant hand.
It was a slow hand movement.
Neither the person turning over the book nor the person receiving it feels anything interesting. However, this process of reading the entire book and passing it on to the next person was uninterrupted.
It took a long time for everyone to check the transcript. The last person to read the manuscript folds it again and hands it to the first masked person.
The masked man in the center, who had returned the letter and put it away, looked around and then turned around. There is an obligation to show this certificate to those in other tents.
What caught the masked man’s footsteps was a small sound made by someone.
“cook.”
The masked person who turned toward the direction from which the sound came gave a cold look, but the person who laughed was unfazed.
“I don’t know.”
However, he spoke in a weak voice. No, it might be more accurate to say that it is a lifeless voice.
“Is it fortunate, or… … .”
No words came out of my mouth. But everyone here knew what would come next.
“What do you want to say?”
“no. It just made me laugh. With this again… … “I will have to continue to be their dog for a while.”
The masked man’s eyes were slightly distorted.
“Thank goodness. “Aren’t you so glad?”
“Close your mouth.”
“Why are you doing this? They say it’s fortunate. Or perhaps… … “You don’t think so?”
The corners of the mouth of the person sitting on the mat twitched.
“Even if it’s a pity… … .”
“bloke!”
Paang!
The sword, which was drawn out in an instant, struck the air like a flash of lightning and penetrated into the throat of the person who was speaking. The sharp tip of the sword touched the neck exposed beneath the mask, and a drop of blood flowed out.
However, the person whose neck the sword touched did not react at all.
It’s not because I have a lot of guts. It’s just that even if I were to lose my head right now, I wouldn’t feel any emotion.
The masked man, reading the extreme emptiness in those eyes, bit his lips and retrieved the sword. Then he turned around as if he didn’t want to see him, and finally let out a word he couldn’t hold back.
“Nothing will change if you say things like that. “No one forced me to choose.”
A soft laugh erupted again. It was not a sneer, but a self-deprecating laugh.
“When is the next battle?”
“… … “I don’t know yet.”
“okay.”
There was no more words.
But the masked person knows. Those words asking about the next battle contain an inner thought that it would be better to lose one’s life in battle than now.
“Does it end when I die? “If it were that simple, I wouldn’t have put on this mask.”
Some people lowered their heads in silence.
A self-deprecating laugh eventually flows from the masked person’s mouth.
“We don’t even have hell to fall into. “You would know.”
“… … .”
“Don’t think anything. “If your head is spinning, get some sleep.”
Even though he knew that sharp gazes and sighs of despair were coming from behind him, the masked man completely ignored them and left the tent.
Sunlight suddenly poured onto my face.
Feeling the stinging sunlight, he smoothed the mask over his face. I didn’t want the light to reach me. So that no one can see his face.
‘There isn’t much left.’
no… … . Is that really true?
This war will end one way or another. But is there really an end for them?
He bowed his head. He moved his feet toward the next tent, avoiding the overlooking sky.
Dark clouds were approaching very slowly from afar. As if to hide him from heaven.
* * *
“It’s not here.”
“I guess so.”
At first glance, Zhuge Zhongxiao’s face showed annoyance as he gave an answer without any sign of disappointment.
How many days do you plan on continuing this meaningless search? After searching all of Mt. Wudang, they were now ordered to search the surrounding private houses.
Are you really going to find one person in this wide world?
“If you look for it this much and see that it’s not there, you’re probably already far away.”
“But isn’t it strange, brother? He is a person who has lost his martial arts skills… … .”
“Still, he was a long-time deputy to Hwasan.”
“Anyway, if you don’t have martial arts, it’s the same, right?”
“Be careful what you say.”
“… … sorry.”
Although he scolded him coldly, deep down, Zhuge Jonghyo’s thoughts were not that different.
‘One hundred thousand.’
Hwasan Jeonggeom Baekcheon. The leader of the famous Hwasan Five Swords, and the one who was designated as the next Jangmun of Hwasan. Perhaps, he is the swordsman with the brightest future guaranteed in this powerhouse.
‘It didn’t work out.’
It was not incomprehensible that the superiors were trying to find Baekcheon by doing such unreasonable things.
But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s meaningless.
‘This is nothing but a waste.’
No matter how great they were in the past, now they are mere commoners who have lost their military education. What on earth are you going to do to find someone like that?
No, even if he had not lost his martial arts skills, the same would be true.
It is an excessive waste to mobilize so many people to find the whereabouts of just one person in a situation where a great war with the SPA is about to take place. It’s not like one person can change the situation.
“Whoa.”
A soft sigh escaped from Zhuge Zhongxiao’s mouth. A cautious voice came from next to me.
“older brother.”
“why?”
“Shouldn’t we just say we should give up now? “We don’t have a say, but don’t you understand the situation, matriarch?”
Zhuge Zhongxiao did not answer.
“Even if they don’t say it, everyone has quite a few complaints. Why… … .”
“Then just keep your mouth shut.”
“older brother.”
“Don’t do anything useless and look for it again.”
“… … yes.”
Zhuge Zhongxiao sighed quietly and turned his head away.
‘stolid… … .’
I’ve already said things like that several times. The head of the family also knows. This is meaningless.
Nevertheless, the reason why I cannot make a strong claim is simple.
This is because the places most active in this exhaustive search are Hwasan and Jongnam. Even the party implicitly supports them.
The forces with the greatest say in the Tianwu Alliance speak with one voice, but the voice of Zhuge Sega, who belatedly joined the Tianwu Alliance as a remnant of the Five Great Families, cannot be heard.
“You just need to do a little more.”
“… … .”
“If you suffer one or two more days, they will realize that this is meaningless.”
“Are people who would know that like this?”
“At least we will have a reason to speak strongly.”
A sigh escaped from the mouth of his cousin, Zhuge Dongyin.
“Yes, yes. All right. “You are saying that we should continue even if it is meaningless.”
“… … .”
“Honestly, I don’t know how this is different from what we used to do in the old school. Still, I heard that Cheonwoomaeng was a little better, so I was expecting it.”
“… … “Your mouth causes anger.”
“I understand.”
Zhuge Zhongxiao briefly clicked his tongue.
Of course, that statement is not entirely wrong. In the past, Tianyu Meng was definitely not like this. Even when I was with the old faction, how much I envied Cheon Woo-maeng.
However, the current Cheonwoomaeng does not feel as vibrant as in the past.
Will the expanded federation necessarily follow the same path?
‘no. There must be a different cause.’
In the past, when Cheon Yu-maeng began to make a name for himself in the world, it was clear… … One person’s name always rang out together. But I feel like I don’t hear that name very often these days.
Wasn’t it from then? In a place called Cheonwoomaeng, vitality has disappeared and the number of frustrated people has increased.
‘Hwasan Sword Association Cheongmyeong.’
What is he thinking now? He would be the one who would be most upset about Baekcheon’s work, but he is strangely quiet.
Has leading a large group changed you as a person? or not… … .
Zhuge Zonghyo, who was thinking about this and that, soon shook his head.
This is not an area he can know just by guessing. First of all, you have to do your job properly. He began searching his surroundings in silence, clearing his head.
And out of sight… … Red eyes were flashing.
The blood cult leader let out a chuckle as he saw the two people walking out of the village. Just the two of us walking down the mountain.
“I didn’t really ask for great boundaries, but this feels like I’m being ignored.”
Did you think that the Sapaelian would never attack? Or is it more important to find that Baekcheon guy?
“Master, give orders.”
“hmm.”
The blood cult leader’s eyes sank coldly.
According to common sense, there is a high probability that it is a trap. Because there are quite a few clever people in Cheonwoomaeng.
but… … .
“Nothing bad.”
Tachogyeongsa (打草驚蛇) means when you tap on the grass, a snake comes out.
“If you’re going to knock, shouldn’t you be sure?”
The corners of the blood cult leader’s mouth turned up slyly.
“Kill everyone you see.”
“yes!”
The believers he brought with him shot forward like poisonous snakes. The eyes of the blood cult leader watching glowed red.
