Chapter 1166: Was I Really Wrong? (Part 1)

Chung Myung stared at Beopjeong.

Nothing in his eyes had changed. Yet, everyone felt the meaning in Chung Myung's eyes had shifted.

"Do you know what you're saying right now?"

"I do."

"But..."

"Listen to the end."

"...."

Beopjeong interrupted Chung Myung and continued.

"Furthermore, I would not allow any sect associated with Shaolin to move toward Gangnam."

"Bangjang..."

"Of course."

In one glance, Beopjeong captured both Chung Myung and Hyun Jong sitting behind him.

"Heavenly Comrade Alliance, too, regardless of the outcome of this discussion, is formally requested to refrain from moving towards Gangnam."

Chung Myung's face became expressionless.

"And if I refused?"

"I would stop it."

Beopjeong responded calmly.

"I would do everything I could to stop it."

And then, unnecessary words were added to that statement.

"Even if the price came back to hurt Shaolin."

A heavy silence descended in the room.

Not a single breath was heard.

The weight of Beopjeong's words, and perhaps more so, the seriousness in Beopjeong's expression and atmosphere, made the silence profound.

It didn't fit.

What Beopjeong's statement implied was too harsh. It wasn't a statement someone pursuing justice would dare to utter.

But contrary to the meaning contained in those words, Beopjeong's attitude in speaking was so serious that it seemed almost sublime.

The two conflicting elements coexisted, conveying an indescribable, eerie feeling to those watching Beopjeong.

"I said it, though."

Chung Myung's cold voice broke the eerie atmosphere.

"Do you know what you're saying right now?"

Looking at the frighteningly emotionless Chung Myung, Beopjeong just stared back with a calm face.

"Of course I know."

"No, it seems like you don't."

Chung Myung's lips slightly parted, revealing his teeth. Even though he tried to hold it back, intense emotion seeped out of him.

"You said you would do your best to save even one more person."

"That's right."

"And aren't the Southern Island Sect people?"

Chung Myung's voice was so icy that it felt like it could freeze one's soul.

Upon hearing that voice, Beopjeong, without answering, simply closed his eyes.

As if not liking that attitude, Chung Myung's voice became a bit more intense.

"I asked if those enduring day after day, bleeding dry at the southernmost tip of the Central Plains, surrounded by the Evil Sect, are people."

"...."

"They are people too. And they are the ones who agreed to align with the Sect Leader. Those who have been striving within the confines of the 'Ten Great Sects' for quite some time."

Naturally, Chung Myung's feelings towards the Southern Island Sect were not favorable.

In the first place, Chung Myung had no positive feelings towards the sects belonging to the Ten Great Sects, and besides, wasn't Southern Island a sect that had recklessly occupied the position where Mount Hua should have originally been?

Although he didn't have particularly strong negative feelings towards the Southern Island Sect, there was no reason to look favorably upon them.

Nevertheless, Bangjang's attitude was enough to provoke Chung Myung's anger.

"Do you think it's a contradiction?"

"A contradiction?"

Chung Myung's mouth twisted slightly, as if mocking.

"It's not a contradiction, it's sophistry. If not, it's hypocrisy!"

"Amitabhul."

Beopjeong chanted a prayer against the curse, slowly opening his eyes. At that moment, a slightly surprised expression flickered on Chung Myung's face. Seeing Beopjeong's unchanged gaze despite the harsh criticism, Chung Myung realized that Beopjeong's eyes were no different from before.

Beopjeong looked at Chung Myung with lowered, sunken eyes.

"It might seem that way. No, perhaps what you're saying is correct."

"...."

"Indeed. You may be right. It's only natural for the Shaolin to rescue them. But I will ask. Is that the only righteous thing to do?"

Chung Myung's face twitched slightly. It seemed difficult for him to understand what Beopjeong was talking about.

"Why?"

"Are you asking because you don't know? That's because..."

"I guess it's because it's the natural and reasonable thing to do."

Beopjeong interrupted Chung Myung's words.

However, instead of getting angry, Chung Myung nodded his head. It was because Beopjeong's words were exactly what he wanted to say.

Without attaching grandiose words like "righteousness," helping those in danger was too natural a thing to do.

"If that's the case, I have a question. Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword."

Beopjeong quietly opened his mouth.

"There is a way to save a hundred people. In that case, shouldn't Kangho's Buddhists undertake that task?"

"Of course, that makes sense."

"What if, as a consequence, a thousand lives are lost?"

"..."

Chung Myung fell silent.

"Ask again."

But Beopjeong didn't stop speaking.

"You can only choose one path. The path to save a hundred or a thousand lives. Which one should you choose?"

"What sophistry is this..."

"Is it really sophistry?"

Beopjeong nodded slightly.

"Southern Island is at the southernmost tip of the Evil Tyrant Alliance's territory. To help them, inevitably, we have to clash with the Evil Tyrant Alliance, and that's no different from the Ten Great Sects declaring war on the Evil Tyrant Alliance. It will inevitably lead to a full-scale war."

"Are you afraid of that?"

"I am."

Beopjeong nodded nonchalantly.

"I'm so scared that my body shivers. When you think about how many people will die in that war, it's enough to make one unable to sleep."

"..."

"Aren't you afraid?"

Chung Myung couldn't answer that question.

Their feelings were no different from each other.

"It's an unavoidable war."

"I know. I know it better than anyone."

Beopjeong also did not deny Chung Myung's words.

"But Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword. Even if it's an unavoidable war, there's a difference in the approach. If we have to enter the enemy's territory and execute a reckless strategy, those who don't need to die will die."

"..."

"More people than the Southern Island residents we're trying to save may die, perhaps several times more. Yet... does carrying out this plan qualify as righteousness?"

"If it's not done without considering one's own benefit, then you don't have the right to call it righteousness."

Upon hearing those words, Beopjeong slowly shook his head.

"Behold, Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword."

"..."

"I will not die."

A low sigh escaped from Beopjeong's lips.

"Regardless of the strategy, I will not be on the front line."

"Well..."

"Is it truly justifiable for the one who won't die, regardless of what plan he executes, to force other people into death in the name of righteousness?"

Chung Myung's eyes slightly flared.

"It's always been like that."

"..."

"I've heard that excuse back in Plum Blossom Island. 'It's the path for everyone.' 'It was unavoidable.' 'We had to endure to save more people.' So? What were the results?"

"..."

"Aren't you just scared? Bangjang!"

A hollow laughter echoed from Beopjeong's mouth.

"Did you say if I'm afraid?"

"Yes."

"What an absurd question. Isn't it too obvious?"

"... Yes?"

"Aren't you afraid?"

"..."

Beopjeong and Chung Myung's eyes met in mid-air. But in that moment, both of them felt it.

The deep-seated, helpless fear hidden in each other's gaze.

A fear only felt by those who understood how easily their choices could lead to the death of others.

"I've thought about Plum Blossom Island several times, too. Several times."

"..."

"What wrong have I done? What mistake have I made? Was my choice truly wrong?"

Beopjeong turned his gaze to Namgung Dowi.

Even though Namgung Dowi was staring at Beopjeong with eyes that almost showed no emotion, Beopjeong remained composed.

"In the end, I obtained the conclusion. Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword and Namgung Sogaju. Even if I were to go back to that time, my choice wouldn't change. Even if I went back, I'd just watch Namgung die."

"... Bangjang!"

Namgung Dowi retorted sharply.

But Beopjeong, facing Namgung Dowi's anger, just shook his head calmly.

"Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword."

"Tell me. What?"

"Do you truly think I should have led others to Plum Blossom Island before you arrived?"

"Isn't that obvious?"

"Then, let me ask you. If I, leading the Shaolin, advanced to Plum Blossom Island before you all came, what do you think would have happened?"

"Well..."

Chung Myung fell silent.

They would have been saved. Shaolin was by no means weak. However, if they had rushed in without considering the consequences, the blood spilled there would undoubtedly have been substantial.

Firstly, the existence of the Shaolin camped across the river would have disappeared from Jang Ilsu's mind. He probably would have surrounded the island on all sides and opened fire.

"More people would have died there than the Namgungs who remained. Wouldn't that be the case?"

"..."

"And that's just the story when considering mere numbers. In terms of strength, it wouldn't even be worth comparing. In order to save the surviving young ones of Namgung, we would have inevitably lost countless who would someday become swords against the Evil Tyrant Alliance. Do you really think I should have chosen that path?"

Namgung Dowi's face contorted upon hearing those words.

"Bangjang."

"...Please speak, Sogaju."

With a slightly softened voice, Beopjeong nodded his head. No matter how he put it, it wasn't easy to say such things in front of Namgung Dowi.

"Perhaps what Bangjang says is not entirely wrong."

Namgung Dowi bites his lip and speaks.

"But still, Mount Hua came. The Tang Family risked their lives."

"..."

"Don't you think that's the difference between the two sects?"

Beopjeong laughs lightly.

"Look here, Namgung Sogaju."

"Yes. Please speak."

Namgung Dowi gazed at Beopjeong as if to say, 'Go ahead, speak your mind.'

"That's why I hesitated. Why could the Heavenly Comrade Alliance do what I couldn't? Do you know what the answer I found was?"

"...I don't know."

Namgung Dowi was prepared to reject whatever Beopjeong said. No matter what words came out, it would only be an excuse.

However, Beopjeong's subsequent response made even Namgung Dowi flustered.

"Because I'm dull."

"...What?"

Beopjeong responded calmly.

"It's because I was too dull to find a way to deal with them without casualties."

"..."

Namgung Dowi's eyes widened.

"Ba, Bang..."

"And Shaolin, being too dull compared to Hwasan, couldn't find a way to win without shedding blood. It's simply because we were lacking."

Namgung Dowi's body trembled.

Never could he have imagined hearing such words from anyone other than Beopjeong. Wasn't he the one with incomparable pride throughout the world?

"If you don't admit that, everything is twisted. Mount Hua and the Tang Family become places where people receive praise for their misdeeds, and we become a place that receives unjust criticism even for doing the right thing. So, it's not strange that Sima visits my heart. [idk] It was wrong from the beginning."

"..."

"But now I've simply accepted it. We just didn't have the ability. So, I'll ask again. Sogaju, do you really think we, with our insufficient abilities, should have headed to Plum Blossom Island, staining the river with blood, just to save Namgung?"

Namgung Dowi couldn't bring himself to answer.

Seeing his reaction, Beopjeong closed his eyes and expressed his displeasure.

"There are such people in the world. These are these geniuses beyond reach. No matter how much one tries to follow them, they are unattainable, and they effortlessly accomplish what ordinary people can't."

Everyone looked at one person with a sidelong glance. Everyone here knew who Beopjeong was referring to.

"But that's it."

Beopjeong opened his eyes, his gaze piercing Chung Myung.

"If a genius forces a fool to follow his path and is unable to distinguish between what one can achieve and what one cannot, it is nothing but another form of violence."

"..."

"I'll ask you, Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword."

Beopjeong's voice flowed slowly.

"Was I really wrong?"

Chung Myung's lips sealed tightly.

The slightly trembling end of those lips seemed to convey his current state of mind.