Chapter 1214: That's How It Is (Part 4)

"Sea route! The sea route seems good!"

"Oh, no, wait a moment. First, let's consider the land route..."

"Ah, shut up! Decide on one quickly for now!"

"Sea route! Let's go by the sea route! It's been my lifelong dream to ride a boat!"

"Actually, if I don't regularly go on a boat, thorns grow in my mouth! Seriously!"

Everyone was desperate. Because they knew who Chung Myung was. In particular, the disciples of Mount Hua, who, knowing enough about Chung Myung, literally felt that their lives were in danger and the veins rose in their necks.

But...

"Ah, noisy."

Chung Myung chuckled and waved his hand dismissively.

"I haven't decided anything yet, alright? I just suggested we talk. Still, if the great Nokrim King, who is considered the first among the leaders of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, brings up such an option, there must be a rational reason, don't you think?"

"That Evil Sect bastard?"

"Didn't you say they needed to be burned?"

"Didn't you say if you listen to an Evil Sect bastard, your stomach twists, and you have to take medecine?"

"Me?"

Chung Myung looked at The Five Swords and clicked his tongue.

"Taoists discriminating against people based on their background, what a world we live in. Tsk, tsk."

The Five Swords covered their faces with both hands, bowing their heads deeply. Despair settled heavily on their shoulders.

In the midst of it all, Namgung Dowi, who managed to maintain some sanity, asked Im Sobyeong.

"Nokrim King, what advantages are there to the third option?"

Im Sobyeong wiped a drop of cold blood from his nose and answered with a grim expression.

"Can't you see? It's fast, isn't it?"

Namgung Dowi's eyes twitched faintly. He looked at Im Sobyeong and said with a smile.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Hmm?"

"I asked too much of an Evil Sect member. It was rude to ask for something that exceeded their abilities ..."

"What?"

This time, Im Sobyeong's face twisted.

"This young master, who used to be quite humble, got along well with Mount Hua. He's grown up quite well, hasn't he?"

"Is that really all thanks to the Mount Hua Sect? It's thanks to Nokrim King's personal help."

"Oh, really?"

The eyes of the two clashed fiercely in the air.

Tang Pae, who was looking at them, began to press his stomach with one hand. Then, Tang Soso silently handed him a small paper packet.

"What's this?"

"Stomach medecine."

"..."

"Don't worry, we brought plenty. We're used to it."

"Thank you."

Still, only his sister considered his well-being... No, that wasn't not it!

"Now is not the time for this! Please, let's focus on the matter at hand!"

"Hmm."

"Humph."

Im Sobyeong, who coughed loudly in response to Tang Pae's criticism, spoke.

"Of course, it may sound a bit crazy..."

"A bit?"

"Very crazy?"

"Are you sure you're in your right mind?"

"..."

Im Sobyeong, who was briefly speechless, continued with a troubled expression.

"But if you examine each point one by one, it's not such a crazy idea."

"It seems crazy though?"

"Is the standard of craziness different?"

"Is this the style of the Evil Sect? I mean, looking at that Jang Ilso guy, he clearly isn't in his right mind."

Im Sobyeong's cheeks twitched. These Mount Hua guys clearly didn't even think of him as a passing bandit. No matter what, he was the Nokrim King...

"Ah, cut the nonsense and just explain cleanly! Anyway, it seems like these Evil Sect guys are natural-born swindlers. Every time they open their mouths, their tongues get longer!"

But such complaints from Im Sobyeong disappeared like melting snow in the face of Chung Myung's annoyance. Yes, just by keeping that guy with them, these Mount Hua people had the qualifications to be recognized as honest Taoists, right?

"What? Why?"

"...No, nothing."

Im Sobyeong sighed and unfolded the fan with a snap. However, the reaction was not as refreshing, perhaps because he had already shown an unbearable sight.

"The path that pierces through the south by land undoubtedly involves considerable risks. However, for the sake of a significant reduction in time, it is worth taking all those risks."

"Why?"

"Because the risks decrease."

A moment of silence followed. Everyone who listened to the story sent sympathetic looks, thinking, 'So that's how it turned out; he hit his head after all.' Im Sobyeong raised his head quickly and spoke hurriedly.

"Think carefully! Consider it the other way around. It's very simple. What problems arise when the journey is prolonged?"

"It becomes dangerous for Southern Island?"

"That could be. The Southern Island Sect is in a hurry right now."

Although Namgung Dowi and Tang Pae provided reasonable opinions, Im Sobyeong firmly shook his head.

"No. That's a secondary issue. The real concern is that the Evil Tyrant Alliance and the Ten Great Sects will discover our absence."

"Ah..."

Upon hearing this, Yoon Jong nodded as if realizing something. Jo Gol, still not understanding, asked curiously.

"What are you talking about, Sahyung?"

"Think about it. Whether it's the Ten Great Sects or the Evil Tyrant Alliance, wouldn't they sense the situation in the manor now that we're gone?"

"...That's true."

Of course, they couldn't directly monitor the surroundings. It was practically impossible for those with weak strength to monitor those stronger than them. Unless someone as powerful as Jang Ilso or the leaders of the Ten Great Sects personally stepped forward, they wouldn't be able to elude Chung Myung's awareness and monitor their surroundings in detail. 

However, it wasn't difficult to make an educated guess about the situation in the manor through the people coming and going.

"Among them, what they're most concerned about is Chung Myung and the leaders of the sects. And this time, the movements of Sasuk, who has officially become the Deputy Sect Leader. But if the discussion about them suddenly disappears overnight, what do you think they'll suspect?"

"...That we've left the manor."

"Exactly."

Tap!

Im Sobyeong struck his palm with the folded fan.

"Correct. In my opinion, it won't take more than three days for them to be convinced that we've left the manor."

Everyone could only nod. When you think about it, it was such an obvious statement.

"If that happens, no matter how discreetly we move, we won't be able to hide the fact that we're heading to Southern Island. Then, how do you think they'll respond?"

"They'll try to release people to find us."

"No, that's not it."

Tap, tap!

The end of Im Sobyeong's fan lightly tapped the lower part of the map depicting Haenam.

"There's no need for that. Just moving those with the ability will be enough to blockade Southern Island. Regardless of which path we take, we'll eventually head to Southern Island, won't we?"

"Ah..."

"Unless..."

A cruel smile briefly touched the corner of Im Sobyeong's lips.

"Before we arrive, wiping out Southern Island could be another option."

For a moment, everyone fell silent. The tension that was difficult to express in words permeated the air. The thought crossed their minds that their actions might accelerate the Southern Island Sect's fate even more before they arrived.

"The crucial thing is these three days."

The end of Im Sobyeong's fan once again drew a line from the mouth to Haenam on the map.

"The distance from here to Southern Island is a straight line distance of two thousand five hundred li. It's an enormous distance, but... with the speed at which those here can run, it's almost a joke."

"If we travel a hundred li in one hour, how far can we go in twelve hours in a day?"

"...Twelve hundred li."

"Yes. Two days should be sufficient. We might reach Southern Island before the Evil Tyrant Alliance realizes that we have left!"

"Now, wait a moment! Nokrim King!"

Namgung Dowi raised his hand with a puzzled expression.

"Isn't that too optimistic? First of all, the road to Southern Island is not a straight line distance. Moreover, we can't run on main roads like highways. If more than ten people run through Guandong at that speed, the whole of Gangnam will know of our whereabouts before even two hours, let alone two days, have passed."

"Of course, we won't do that. And as humans, it's impossible to run continuously at the same speed for two days."

"That's right."

"But even considering all that, it's the same. With this number of people, even if we move cautiously, avoiding noticeable paths through the mountains and keeping an eye on the surroundings, it wouldn't take more than five days to reach the coast of the Southern Sea."

"..."

"In that case, even if they realize our absence on the third day and send troops to Southern Island?"

"...We could still arrive in Southern Island first."

"That's right."

In response to Im Sobyeong's words, Tang Pae spoke with a cautious attitude.

"Now, wait a moment. If that happens, won't we be surrounded as soon as we enter Southern Island?"

"Tsk tsk. It seems that Sogaju still lacks understanding of large-scale troop movements. Think about it. How many days did it take for the Sichuan Tang Family to arrive after deciding to move to the Yangtze River?"

Recalling the past events in his mind, Tang Pae blushed slightly and answered.

"It took about ten days."

"That's because the Sichuan Tang Family can exert their strength with a small number. To blockade or annihilate Southern Island, they would need personnel far beyond the Sichuan Tang Family. It will take at least two weeks or more."

"Ah..."

"In that time!"

Tap!

Im Sobyeong struck the map with his fan.

"It won't be too tight to persuade Southern Island and devise a way to escape before Southern Island is surrounded. Of course, we have to see the situation in Southern Island."

Listening quietly, Chung Myung chuckled.

"And even if things go wrong, we still enough time to withdraw, right?"

"Well... I won't deny that. I'm not someone like you who would risk my life for those gentlemen."

Chung Myung chuckled and nodded. It would be even more awkward if loyalty and righteousness came out of that man's mouth.

"Though it sounds plausible, is it really possible? Will they really not know that we are heading to Gangnam?"

In response to Jo Gol's question, Im Sobyeong grinned.

"Of course, it's possible. That's why I requested such a grand succession ceremony."

"What?"

"No matter how lawless and unruly the Mount Hua is... No, no! That's what they think! Not me! Put, put your fists down!"

"..."

"Anyway, even with a sect like that, they wouldn't think you would kick out the Deputy Sect Leader right after you appointed him."

"...That's true."

"This is especially true for the Evil Tyrant Alliance, who won't be able to know exactly what happened during the conversation with Bangjang."

Everyone nodded. The people here knew Baek Cheon and understood what Baek Cheon had in mind when he requested to become the Sect Leader, so they accepted this situation without any hesitation.

However, from the perspective of the Evil Tyrant Alliance, wouldn't it seem odd if a second-class disciple suddenly became the new Sect Leader?

Moreover, such a person leaving the sect immediately on the same day to break through Gangnam and head to Southern Island?

'That's insane.'

'It's not something a normal person would do.'

'We should send him to the mental institution.'

'But we're the ones doing it.'

Im Somyeong chuckled.

"Do you understand?"

"...Yes."

"They wouldn't have expected it. If they find out later, even from leader Jang Ilso's mouth, you'll only hear him say he never expected someone to go this crazy, this insane...Hey! I'm not insulting, it's just facts! Someone please stop that man!"

At that moment, when everyone was swayed by Im Sobyeong's eloquence, Yoon Jong spoke up again.

"I understand that part. However, Nokrim King, can we really penetrate Gangnam, the territory of the Evil Tyrant Alliance, without them noticing? Isn't that unreasonable?"

At that moment, Im Sobyeong lifted the corner of his mouth with a sneer.

"Seems like you've forgotten what I said in the beginning."

"Yes?"

"In determining our route, the first consideration is to move through areas with strong influence from the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, minimizing exposure of our movements. That's why the chosen areas were near Zhejiang, Anhwi, Sichuan, and Yunnan."

"...That's right."

"But what's the problem?"

"Yes?"

For a moment, Yoon Jong couldn't understand and blinked his eyes, and Im Sobyeong opened his eyes slightly with a hint of sharpness.

"When we headed to Gangnam, through which path did we travel?"

"Well... a hidden mountain path that wouldn't be noticeable to people... Ah!"

Yoon Jong's eyes widened in realization.

At that moment, an overwhelming force emanated from Im Sobyeong, causing Yoon Jong to feel breathless.

"You all seem to have forgotten, but I am the King of Nokrim."

"..."

"Whether it's Gangnam or Gangbuk, all mountains belong to the territory of Nokrim."

Everyone looked at Im Sobyeong with renewed astonishment at his statement.

"Let me guide you, to Gangnam. Under the protection of the Nokrim King."

A confident smile spread across the face of the Nokrim King, Im Sobyeong.