Chapter 1370: Do You Know What Shame Is? (Part 5)

The man at the head of the approaching group was extremely fearsome.

Of course, the old man who had lived a long life knew. Judging people by their faces alone was useless.

However, he also knew. While it wasn't sure for one person, if a group exuded the same atmosphere, the outcome would be evident.

As the crowd entered the village, a dangerous atmosphere emanated from them. It was a feeling that ordinary villagers couldn't sense. It was a dangerous scent, something that could only be perceived by those who had been immersed in the blood of others countless times.

The old man wasn't the only one who sensed it. The villagers collectively held their breath.

What appeared in the old man's eyes was resignation, but what appeared in the villagers' eyes was a deep-seated despair. They knew these visitors didn't come here casually. They had a clear purpose. Having lived a lifetime watching others, the old man could sense the approaching footsteps and their intent just from the way they walked.

'In the end... it had to come to this.'

The old man let out a bitter laugh.

If just complying wouldn't change anything, if this was the outcome they had to face, he would have preferred to raise his voice and at least curse them once.

That way, he wouldn't be ashamed in front of his departed child.

The monsters that had entered the village looked around and directed their gaze towards the gathered people.

"There they are."

The one at the front stepped confidently towards them.

Like a rabbit facing a tiger, ordinary people couldn't even think of escaping when confronted by these creatures. The old man accepted his fate with powerless resignation.

But others couldn't. Those who hadn't lost their children and held a stronger will to live couldn't resign as easily as the old man.

"P-Please spare us!"

The man who had been justifying his betrayal a moment ago, upon seeing the approaching men, immediately fell flat to his knees.

"We have already told you everything! There is nothing more to give. If you spare us, we will live the rest of our lives in gratitude, noble sirs!"

Even the man knew it was a futile attempt, but he couldn't simply let go and die. Wasn't it the life he had tried to protect at the cost of betraying others? How could he easily let go of such a life?

"W-We just remembered! They definitely went north! Up there! I saw them going north! Since it's north, you can find the tracks of those hypocrites by searching the north!"

The enemies, who had reached in front of them, squinted their eyes and mumbled. [They're not really referred to as "enemies", but idk what "괴인들" is]

"Hypocrites in the righteous sects?"

The man held his breath. He had inadvertently revealed information, and it felt like a slip of the tongue.

"That's the most satisfying thing I've heard in a while."

Thankfully, the answer he desired came back. The momentarily courageous man shouted even louder.

"Yes! Yes! Those... those hypocritical bastards of the righteous sects! How can they compare to the heroes of the Evil Sect! If you spare us, we will help you. We can recognize their faces; we will help you, noble sirs!"

"Their faces, huh?"

The enemy let out a strange laugh and asked.

"If we take you with us, can you recognize those faces and make amends?"

"Yes! Yes! If not, we can at least assemble their appearances! Some of us are good at drawing, so it will surely be helpful! So please, spare us!"

"But first, let me ask one thing. Is this Hyeong Village?"

"W-Well, yes..."

The man hesitated with a puzzled expression. Why would the people who had visited yesterday ask such a question? At that moment, someone searching around the village shouted.

"Leader! There are traces of someone having been here."

"It's a large group. At least several hundred, it seems."

Upon hearing those words, the enemy squirmed his eyebrows. He meticulously examined the traces left by the person prostrating in front of him, the grave, and the remnants left by the Myriad Manor members. Then, he raised the corners of his mouth with a sneer.

"It's true that the righteous sects are hypocrites."

"Yes, yes, that's right!"

"However... among the righteous sects is our boss. Judging by the situation, it seems like you lot have betrayed our boss to the Evil Tyrant Alliance."

"...What?"

The enemy's expression turned cold.

"To think we crossed the Yangtze risking our lives to save trash like this. It's turning my stomach."

The man could only stare blankly at the enemy, unable to comprehend the meaning behind his words.

Soon, the enemy spoke as if spitting out the words.

"We are here under the orders of the Nokrim King to take you all to the north. But...you couldn't bear but seek revenge for the favor you received? Such despicable creatures!"

Not only the enemy was speaking but the entire group exuded a fierce aura. These were direct subordinates of the Nokrim King, the Nokchae. Their loyalty to the Nokrim King was unmatched. Given their loyalty, the reaction was natural upon hearing that these villagers were selling out the Nokrim King right in front of their faces.

As the enemies released their fierce energy, the man hastily tried to get up but stumbled backward.

"I, I..."

Why were they here? The villagers had rejected the plea for help from the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, believing it to be impossible. They thought any promises made would be futile, and it would be the end because of that refusal.

Who would want to show favor to those who received grace but coldly abandoned their benefactors? But strangely enough, the people who had come to help the villagers arrived at this moment, and the man started babbling things he should not say in front of them.

In a state of despair, the man gaped at the situation below like a person who had rolled down into a valley of despair.

"These vermin..."

Gwak Min ["Night Tiger"], a loyal follower of the Nokrim King and one of the Ten Shadows (綠林十影) of the Nokrim, twisted his face in disdain. Those who had been observing from behind also whispered comments.

"It seems like the Nokrim King might have misjudged these people."

"The Nokrim King wouldn't do that! It's probably those arrogant folks from the Mount Hua Sect."

"Wouldn't it be better to just handle them all? Why bother taking these scoundrels all the way to the north?"

"Still, it's the Nokrim King's command."

"If we say the Evil Tyrant Alliance came and killed them, who would know?"

Honestly, betrayal was not unfamiliar to the Nokrim disciples. Betraying a favor was also not so rare. 

However, because of that, the condemnation of such people was more severe. Because they know better than anyone else through experience that if one showed mercy clumsily, the foundation of a sect would be shaken.

Listening to the words of his subordinates, Gwak Min squinted his eyes. His thoughts were not much different from those of his subordinates.

The Nokrim King's orders were solemn. However, lately, the Nokrim King seemed to be overly influenced by the people from the Mount Hua Sect. Would the Nokrim King of the past have issued such a command?

"...Answer."

"Yes?"

"Where did the Evil Tyrant Alliance go?"

"W-We don't know about that..."

Gwak Min smirked.

"You willingly sell those who helped you but can't sell out the Evil Tyrant Alliance?"

"It's not like that..."

The man's face turned pale. Now, an overt killing intent emanated from Gwak Min.

"Tsk."

"Is there any need to say more?"

Swoosh.

The Nokrim disciples drew large knives from their waists. Now that there was no need to feign kindness, the rough energy peculiar to the Nokrim began to emanate openly.

Thinking everything was over, the man closed his eyes tightly.

However, at that moment, one of the Nokrim disciples from the back spoke up.

"Wait a moment. What about this burial mount?"

"...Yes?"

"Who died here?"

From what anyone could see, it looked like they had buried someone who had recently died. The villagers cast fleeting glances at the burial mound. The gazes they exchanged were somehow complicated.

Gwak Min frowned, looking at the burial mound.

"Did you check?"

He asked, and the approaching member nodded.

"Yes. There were clear signs of torture in the central part of the village. It looks like the torture was very severe, as the smell of blood still hasn't washed away."

"..."

"If the victim had been one person, it wouldn't have been enough to drain all the blood from his body..."

Gwak Min was also a martial artist. There was no way he hadn't heard stories about the unimaginably severe torture carried out by the Myriad Man Manor. Especially if Ho Gakmyung came in person, the intensity of the torture would have exceeded the usual level.

'To endure that... '

It was hard to believe that an ordinary villager, not even a martial artist, could endure such torture and remain silent until the end. But the traces left here and the expressions of the villagers prove the truth of the matter.

There was no need to dig into the burial mound to confirm the body.

"Ugh..."

Gwak Min, who slightly turned his head down with a disgusted face, looked around at the villagers who were staring at him with gazes mixed with fear.

Having remained silent for a while, Gwak Min slowly nodded his head.

"Arm yourselves."

"...Yes."

Without a word, his subordinates picked up their weapons. The ill feelings towards the villagers didn't disappear, but they could no longer harm them. Even if they were given such an order, the discomfort that arose once would not be easily removed.

The Nokrim were generally ruthless, ignorant of betrayal and unfamiliar with mercy, but they knew more than anyone about pride.

"Old man."

"Yes...?"

"Prepare. We'll take you to the north."

"A-Are you talking about us?"

"Yes."

The old man blinked his eyes with a bewildered expression.

"H-However, we..."

He should have covered it up and nodded first, but a strange feeling of uneasiness made him hesitate. It was the kind of uneasiness that he wouldn't have felt if it weren't for what happened in the village on this day.

But Gwak Min just raised his head and, with a firm tone, said.

"We are just following orders. Choose. Stay here or follow us to Gangbuk. If you choose the latter, we will make sure you step on the land of Gangbuk alive."

The old man looked back hesitantly.

The villagers sent desperate glances at the old man, but his gaze fell on the burial mound where his son was buried.

His eyes, which had been fixed on that spot for a while, began to glisten.

'This scoundrel...'

In the end, it was Hyeong Wook who saved this village.

If even Hyeong Wook had sold out their benefactors, everyone's lives might have been saved for a moment, but in the end, they might have suffered disaster at their own hands. Even if they were lucky enough to avoid that fate, the enemies would have had no choice but to leave the village without helping the villagers.

Because Hyeong Wook had maintained his faith in the Heavenly Comrade until the end, the villagers had a chance to survive.

"The sooner you choose, the better. You never know when those bastards might return."

"...We will go."

The old man nodded his head with great effort.

"We have to live... somehow, we have to live."

"Then prepare. The lighter the luggage, the better. You don't need to bring unnecessary grains; there are plenty of grains in Gangbuk."

Gwak Min's words stabbed into the old man's heart even more painfully. If only he had known a little earlier that he would hear such words...

"That... that will be done."

Gwak Min nodded his head. The villagers, who had been staring at him with a desperate look, hurriedly rushed back to their homes.

Watching them scatter, Gwak Min laughed bitterly.

'What is this world...'

The one who kept his loyalty to the end was buried in the cold ground, and those who betrayed him survived at the cost of his life. This might be why kindness is hard to spread in the world.

But...

Looking at the still-fresh red burial mound, Gwak Min muttered.

"...At least you won't have any regrets."

It felt as if someone unseen was smiling at him.