396 Chapter 1284: Who Came to Gangnam? (Part 4)

Guo Hansuo fiercely swung his arms and legs.

"Faster!"

Gritting his teeth, he strained his muscles, his eyes growing bloodshot. He didn't really understand the situation. All he knew was that he had to reach the coast as fast as possible.

Splaaaash!

The water currents surged heavily as he swept through them, the underwater scenery quickly flashed by. He was moving at an incredible speed. This was the fastest Guo Hansuo had swam ever since he was born. It was astonishing even to himself that he could move at such a speed underwater.

'Pf!'

But no matter how fast he swam, the gap with those ahead only widened.

'Damn it.'

Unconsciously biting his lips, Guo Hansuo watched the almost invisible figures of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance members.

Martial art skills? Of course, he had no choice but to fall behind.

They weren't just ordinary disciples of prestigious sects. They were key figures leading each martial arts sects. It would be disrespectful to directly compare Guo Hansuo's martial art skills with those who were world-famous.

However...

'Does it even make sense to fall behind in water combat?'

What Guo Hansuo couldn't understand was this part.

He was from the Southern Island, where people started swimming before they learned to walk. He grew up with water as his playground. How could someone like him be falling behind in swimming compared to those from other sects?

Water combat wasn't simply about having high martial skills. Just like there were those good at running and those skilled in swimming, people unfamiliar with water would find it challenging to swim proficiently, especially in deep water.

But why were the disciples of Mount Hua gradually moving away from him, even in the turbulent water?

'Damn it!'

If it weren't for Sect Leader and the elders ahead creating a path for him, he might have lost track of them in these rough currents.

As he reached out forcefully with his arm, trying to increase his speed with the last ounce of strength.

Thunk!

Someone grabbed his leg.

Surprised, Guo Hansuo turned around to see Lee Ziyang vigorously shaking his head, looking like he might burst at any moment. Lee Ziyang pointed backward with a jerk of his head.

Before he knew it, there was a considerable distance between the disciples of the Southern Island Sect and Guo Hansuo. Just as Guo Hansuo couldn't catch up with the Heavenly Comrade Alliance members, the Southern Island Sect disciples couldn't catch up with him.

Guo Hansuo bit his lips.

Without lingering in regret, he briefly looked ahead, reconsidered his role, and loosened the strength he had put into his arms and legs.

'Geez...'

Sending a signal to Lee Ziyang to go forward, he threw his body towards the rear. Moving to the back of the group, he gently pushed the backs of the disciples who were falling behind.

The disciples, struggling with exhaustion, looked at Guo Huansao. Guo Hansuo nodded his head without saying a word. Only then did the disciples gain strength again and swim forward.

Guo Hansuo clenched his fist and followed the disciples, who were now moving ahead again.

Paaaat!

The disciples of Mount Hua, almost reaching the coast, surged out of the water.

Chung Myung casually tossed away Seol So Baek, who had been hanging on his shoulder.

"Ugh! You piece of baggage!"

"Chung Myung!"

"That... He was someone essential for persuading Southern Island."

"Essential my foot!"

"Kkuruuk... Do, Dojang..."

"Hey!"

Chung Myung stamped on Seol So Baek's belly with his foot. Following that, clear water spouted out from Seol So Baek's mouth.

"...You really can't swim at all."

"What swimming would there be in the North Sea? Chung Myung almost froze when he went into the water there."

"But looking back, didn't Chung Myung tie Baek-ah to a fishing rod to fish back then?"

The people who were chatting back and forth suddenly cast a fleeting glance toward the distant north, as if making a silent promise.

"Is he doing well?"

"...We're sorry."

"I never thought people would feel guilty towards animals."

Thinking of Baek-ah desperately moving his short legs to journey across Gangnam, the disciples of Mount Hua fell silent for a moment.

Regardless human or animal, conscience was essential.

"We don't have time for this. Move!"

"Yes!"

As soon as Baek Cheon's words fell, Jo Gol, Yoon Jong, Yoo Iseol, Tang Soso, and Hye Yeon surged forward like a flash. Namgung Dowi glanced back at Baek Cheon with a slightly bewildered expression.

"What are you doing now?"

"I went to check if there are enemies nearby. We need to assess the situation to determine our next move."

"I, I can also..."

"No."

Baek Cheon decisively shook his head.

"If a person whose limbs are not aligned properly moves, problems may arise. Sogaju-nim, please inspect the condition of Prince Seol-nim here, and manage the disciples of the Southern Island Sect who are arriving behind."

"...Understood."

"Once everyone comes ashore, give them a short rest, and erase all traces left on the coast. Eventually, we might be exposed, but delaying that time even a bit will be of significant help."

"Understood."

"Well, then..."

Baek Cheon's expression, which had been firm and clear as he issued commands, changed in an instant. Soon, he turned his head weakly. He witnessed Chung Myung vigorously shaking Seol So Baek behind him.

"Why aren't you waking up? Aren't you going to wake up, you bastard? You're a Palace Lord! Passing out just because you drank a bit of water!"

"I, I can't breath... Breath... Dojang..."

"He still thinks he's a kid! If you were in the normal world, you would've had children by now! Where are you pretending to be weak? Not waking up? Hey, you rasc... Ouch! My, my ear! No, Sasuk! Why touch someone else's precious ears! Ouch!"

"Follow me, you rascal."

"Ouch! Dong Ryong, my ear! Let go of my ear! Hey, you..."

Ignoring Chung Myung's whining, Baek Cheon firmly held onto Chung Myung's ear and dragged him away into the forest. Watching this in a daze, Namgung Dowi let out a deep sigh.

"Why?"

When Tang Pae asked the reason for his sighing, Namgung Dowi just made a bitter expression without saying a word.

"Is it because you think the gap between us and them hasn't decreased?"

"No. It's not like that."

Namgung Dowi shook his head affirmatively.

"I know that I am still lacking. Especially, I know the Namgung Family's martial arts are not the kind that can be improved by impatience. If I continue to make steady progress, someday I might be able to compete with others. Even if it's not Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword."

"So why?"

"...Isn't it strange?"

"Huh?"

Namgung Dowi glanced briefly towards the forest where the disciples of Mount Hua had disappeared with a strange expression.

"They are too skilled in everything."

At those words, even Tang Pae nodded slightly, looking a bit uneasy.

Namgung Dowi remained silent, gazing at his hand. Clear imprints of Baek Cheon's grip, where he had guided and pulled him underwater, were vivid on his wrist. The clarity of those imprints seemed to convey the distance between Baek Cheon and Namgung Dowi.

"Even their water skills are strong."

"What does their swimming ability..."

"But that's not all."

Namgung Dowi added with a stern expression.

"I was only thinking of reaching our destination as quickly as possible, but they're considering the next moves as a matter of course. Sometimes, it feels like they can't be bad at anything, doesn't it? No matter what you ask them to do, it seems like they can handle it well."

Tang Pae nodded in agreement. Indeed, the disciples of Mount Hua had that aspect. It felt like they could excel at anything twice more proficient and capable than others.

"It might be possible to contend with them if I use evil techniques, but whether I can keep up with them in these aspects..."

"You're worrying about useless things."

Suddenly, a sarcastic voice interjected. When Namgung Dowi turned his face, Im Sobyeong, soaked in water, was coming forward, squeezing his clothes. There was annoyance written all over his face.

"Do you think people who grew up in the warm Namgung household, seeing only good things and eating only good things, would be the same as those who grew up experiencing all kinds of things outside?"

Namgung Dowi asked back sullenly.

"It's the difference between me who grew up like a greenhouse flower and them who grew up like weeds experiencing all kinds of hardships, right?"

"Ah, it seems like you understand that much. Wow, people's brains get better sometimes."

Even with explicit sarcasm, Namgung Dowi didn't get angry and laughed.

"I understand what you're saying, but then why is Nokrim King like that?"

"...Huh?"

"He's a person who seems to have grown wildly in the weeds outside, but in reality, the Nokrim King doesn't seem to be good at anything other than using his head, right?"

"Well... Uh... That's..."

"I guess some weeds are just weeds, right? Even useless weeds exist."

"Uh..."

Watching their conversation, Tang Pae was quite fascinated. The sight of Namgung Dowi giving a big blow to Im Sobyeong like that was a first.

'You've grown, Dowi!'

Tang Pae's heart was filled with admiration without realizing it.

Even though Im Sobyeong tried to protest belatedly, Namgung Dowi didn't pay attention and remained lost in thought.

'People from Mount Hua are definitely different.'

Were they skilled because they've experienced all kinds of things?

The statement wasn't wrong, but it missed the point. The real importance lay in the fact that within those 'all kinds of things,' there were things that others may never experience in their entire lives.

Do people who grew up rough learn how to do all that?

'Not likely.'

It wouldn't happen. Even the disciples of the Southern Island, who had lived quite rough lives for a righteous sect, were just trying to keep up from the moment the situation unfolded until now.

However, the disciples of Mount Hua moved as if they already knew all about this. As if they had been thinking and preparing for this kind of situation long before it happened.

Was this really possible? Nangong Dowi, who had been contemplating, shook his head.

Preparing for war was not that difficult. You just needed to elevate your martial skills, stockpile resources, and secure influence. However, anticipating and cultivating the skills necessary for the events that would unfold during that war were realistically impossible.

'I don't know.'

Nangong Dowi became curious once again. What kind of world did Chung Myung, Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword see? Did he truly see the same world as others?

At that moment, disciples from the Southern Island Sect began arriving on the coast one by one. At the forefront, the elders and Kim Yang Baek rushed forward. Namgung Dowi, unknowingly, found himself chewing his lips.

'The best Ten Great Sects and the Five Great Families in the world.'

A faint chuckle escaped his lips.

'If there's anything wrong, it's probably the world I've been seeing. I was a fool who lived and dreamed there.'

Reality is always harsh. However, Namgung Dowi was not going to turn away from the impending reality now. If that was the real world, he would face it head-on anytime...

"Dowi, don't just stand there. Come over and help press Prince Seol's stomach. The water isn't coming out enough."

"…Yes."

But for Seol So Baek, it still seemed a bit too early.