Chapter 1340: What Has Happened? (Part 3)

Drip. Drip.

The sound of water dripping echoed clearly.

Im Sobyeong looked up. Water gathered at the tip of a rock protruding from the ceiling and dripped down.

'Where in the world is this...'

His gaze returned downward. It was so dark that nothing could be seen a step ahead. The thick darkness, almost impenetrable for those not adept in martial arts like the Unhindered Senses [idk], engulfed their surroundings. The only faintly visible feature was a narrow and long path extending into the distance.

'A cave... No, is it a tunnel?'

The tunnel they had passed through continued behind them. How they had come to this place still baffled him. His mind was in disarray.

"Cough."

At that moment, Chung Myung, who was walking in front, coughed and bent over. Every time he moved his body, flakes of dried blood fell out.

Im Sobyeong stiffened his face and spoke.

"Dojang..."

"I'm fine."

But Chung Myung, as if indifferent, raised his head and continued forward. A sigh escaped from Im Sobyeong's mouth. Even though he was offered help, Chung Myung insisted on walking with his own feet. Who could break that stubbornness?

After silently following behind for a while, Im Sobyeong couldn't hold back and asked,

"Dojang... Where are we?"

"A cave."

"What?"

"If you look, you'll know. It's a cave."

Im Sobyeong's face twisted slightly.

"No, is that what I'm asking? What in the world is this cave?"

Even as he spoke, he found the question itself absurd. A cave is a cave; would it have a different purpose?

But in reality, the question was quite valid.

Im Sobyeong glanced at the cave walls.

No matter how you looked at it, it didn't seem like a naturally formed cave. It was rough, but it clearly seemed touched by human hands.

'A cave like this was made by people?'

Why? For what reason?

At that moment, Chung Myung's voice spread nearby.

"Do you know where this is?"

"Um, I'm not sure."

"At the edge of the Ten Thousand Mountains."

Im Sobyeong's eyes narrowed slightly. What did that mean...?

"Most people might perceive the war against the Demonic Cult as a territorial battle fought in a peak, but in reality, thousands of wars have taken place in the southern part of the Central Plains over the years. Over several years."

"..."

"The place where the most battles occurred isn't at the center of Ten Thousand Mountains. It's the road leading there."

"Then this place..."

"Yeah."

Chung Myung's voice replied coolly.

"It's one of the hiding places they dug."

Im Sobyeong, with a stern face, glanced around again.

'In a place like this...'

Ten Thousand Mountains itself was a natural hiding place with its splendid terrain. However, who could have imagined creating such tunnels on a mountain like this?

But the reason Im Sobyeong was genuinely shocked was different.

From the perspective of a strategist, nothing was more chilling than this tunnel. Already, the mountain was difficult enough to predict where the enemy might emerge.

But having such tunnels meant that the enemy could potentially break through the ground.

'How in the world did they deal with those guys?'

As memories of the Demonic Sect members in Hangzhou emerged in his mind, a shiver ran down his spine. The wars from the past, which he had vaguely imagined as harsh, vividly unfolded before him.

Moreover, considering the long passage of time, there was still a lingering scent of blood within this cold tunnel.

"Are you saying there are more of these besides this one?"

"It can't be helped."

A bitter laugh escaped from Im Sobyeong's lips. However, before his thoughts could linger for long, three diverging paths appeared in front of them.

"Uh..."

Like anyone else, when faced with an unfamiliar intersection in an unknown place, one tends to stand there contemplating.

But without a moment of hesitation, Chung Myung entered the left path, as if he already knew this place.

Im Sobyeong, squinting slightly, expressed his doubt.

"Why this way...?"

"A wall."

"...A wall?"

At the simple answer, Im Sobyeong touched the wall mentioned by Chung Myung.

"Ah..."

Soon, he could understand its meaning. Traces unseen until now cluttered the wall of the left path. It looked as if a giant beast had clawed at it with sharp claws, leaving marks all over.

These were clearly traces of numerous weapons grazing the wall during the battle.

'Did a battle take place here?'

Even in this deep tunnel?

Thud!

Suddenly, Im Sobyeong flinched as he felt something being stepped on. Confirming its identity, he paled. What he had stepped on was a faded, yellowed human bone.

"...Corpses."

Behind him, continuous gasps flowed.

The narrow tunnel floor was covered with corpses, nothing but bones remaining after a long period of decay. It was a sight similar to what they had witnessed when advancing through Thousand Mountains earlier.

"A Songmun Sword."

"Wudang...?"

For a moment, silence fell after someone's words. In the pitch-black underground, a narrow tunnel was filled with this ghastly scene, where battles between the Demonic Sect and righteous sects had taken place.

It was clear that the righteous sect that couldn't withstand the guerrilla warfare of the enemy had risked their lives to enter this perilous terrain.

"Dojang."

As disciples of Southern Island shuddered at the horror, the gaze of the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect and Im Sobyeong were solely fixed on Chung Myung.

"Dojang... Did you already know that there was an entrance to this tunnel there?"

"Yeah."

"...So, did you also know in advance that Ho Gakmyung would lead us to the place where the entrance is?"

Chung Myung nodded slowly.

"Well, because he's that kind of guy."

Im Sobyeong lost his thoughts for a moment.

"Then, did you, by any chance, know that I would be played into Ho Gakmyung's hand and be led to that dead end?"

"No."

"...What? Then...?"

"Just in case."

Chung Myung answered without turning his head. It was unclear whether there was no need to make eye contact or if he simply lacked the strength to turn his head.

"It's good if we're not stopped. But even if we're stopped, we need to find a way out."

"..."

"The moment we broke through the canyon, the path was already open."

Im Sobyeong lost words and stared blankly at Chung Myung's back.

He was completely defeated by Ho Gakmyung. It seemed he paid the price for arrogance, or maybe it was a fight against his own conceit. Ho Gakmyung was someone he thought was not on the same level as him. So, practically, Ho Gakmyung had no place in his mind.

Whatever the reason, it was certain that he had been perfectly defeated in the battle against Ho Gakmyung.

But in the first place, it didn't matter who won at all. Because the whole fight was taking place in the palm of Chung Myung's hand.

'What in the world is this guy...?'

Now, Im Sobyeong finally seemed to understand Ho Gakmyung's feelings.

Why Ho Gakmyung never included that guy, Jang Ilso, in his range of schemes.

Wouldn't it be the same for anyone if the strategies they had painstakingly devised were easily foiled and playing out in someone else's palm again and again?

When Im Sobyeong was struggling with the overwhelming powerlessness and despair, Baek Cheon spoke up.

"Chung Myung."

Chung Myung didn't respond. However, Baek Cheon asked without hesitation.

"Then how did you know there was an entrance to this place?"

Some of Mount Hua's disciples flinched, alternating their gazes between Baek Cheon and Chung Myung.

It wasn't just once or twice. Throughout this journey, Chung Myung had surprised everyone by bringing out information that no one could guess.

However, until now, no one had explicitly asked about that fact. They hadn't asked because even if that guy did something unusual, they didn't bother to ask. It was an unspoken rule regarding Chung Myung in Mount Hua.

But now, Baek Cheon, as if he no longer wanted to acknowledge that rule, brought up the most sensitive question without hesitation.

"Answer me."

Baek Cheon urged. This time, he seemed unwilling to pass over Chung Myung's silence.

After a while, Chung Myung spoke. However, the beginning of his words was somewhat irrelevant.

"Why did Nokrim King get caught by Ho Gakmyung?"

"What are you suddenly talking about?"

"Because he didn't know."

Baek Cheon looked at Im Sobyeong with questioning eyes. Im Sobyeong's face was stiff. The laughter was gone, making his face look chilly.

"If he had known there was such terrain, he would never have entered there with his own feet. Fighting in an unknown place is like that. There are tremendous advantages that you can't imagine unless you experience it."

At Chung Myung's words, Baek Cheon nodded slightly. Even if he temporarily set aside the question, those words themselves were vividly felt throughout this journey.

If looked at from a different perspective, it was clear.

What if intruders new to Mount Hua came to attack it? Baek Cheon could immediately think of five terrains. Five treacherous terrains that could drive them into hell.

"But that's what I mean. Just knowing can also allow you to guess their intentions. Especially if they think you don't know that terrain."

"..."

"Nokrim King didn't know that such terrain existed here, and Ho Gakmyung didn't know that I knew about this place. So he got caught. Because he didn't know."

Baek Cheon stared at Chung Myung with a rigid gaze.

"War is not just determined by force. No, to be precise, it's not just about wielding a sword. Anything that can push the opponent can be power."

Chung Myung slowly turned to look at Baek Cheon. The look in his eyes, seen through blood-soaked hair, was chilling.

"How did I know?"

"..."

"Not by sitting. I knew. So I went there. No matter how well he knows Guangdong, I probably know more."

"That's... "

"How would I know more?"

Chung Myung twisted the corner of his mouth.

"How could I not know?"

For a moment, Baek Cheon felt like he wanted to say something again. However, before that, someone grabbed the hem of his clothes.

When he turned around, Yoo Iseol, who had just regained consciousness, was pulling on his sleeve.

Now covered in blood, she slowly shook her head, indicating not to ask anymore.

Baek Cheon attempted to say something, but before that, Chung Myung's footsteps halted slightly.

The narrow and long tunnel had come to an end. Suddenly, a vast space, almost unbelievable for an underground area, revealed itself.

"It'll take at least two days for them to find the entrance. Until then, do your best to rest."

Chung Myung left these words with a pitchless voice as he collapsed forward.

"Wait..."

Before anyone could make a sound, Baek Cheon swiftly moved to catch the falling Chung Myung. Gazing down at the unconscious Chung Myung, Baek Cheon sighed deeply.

"...You damn bastard."

His voice slowly echoed through the expansive space.