Chapter 1235: So? (Part 5)

The weather in Southern Island was unpredictable. When the sun began to scorch, strong storms and typhoons often swept through. As a result, those living in Southern Island were accustomed to taking such typhoons in stride.

However, as the Sect Leader of the Southern Island Sect, Kim Yang Baek, gazed through the temple window at the raging typhoon, a profound worry settled on his face.

'It's overwhelming.'

His mind was as tumultuous as the scene before him. As the leader of the Southern Island Sect, he had to lead everyone, but the burden on his shoulders felt unbearably heavy.

'I'd rather...'

He looked around at the swaying trees and let out a bitter laugh. It wasn't a thought fitting for a sect leader to wish that everything would be swept away by this typhoon.

'I've grown weak.'

No, perhaps it wasn't that he had weakened, but rather that those he had to confront were overwhelmingly powerful. Whether it was the Evil Tyrant Alliance or the ruthless Kangho.

Tap tap.

At that moment, a sound cut through the wind—the sound of someone knocking on the door.

"Sect Leader, it's Im Gyeom."

"Come in."

As the door opened, a gust of wind rushed into the room. A plaque hanging on the wall was propelled into the air and fell to the ground.

Kim Yang Baek's gaze fell on the fallen plaque, precisely inscribed with the words: "With the spirit like the sea, and chivalry like the waves," representing the eight characters symbolizing the Southern Island Sect.

Unconsciously, Kim Yang Baek closed his eyes tightly.

"The wind is fierce, Sect Leader."

Im Gyeom remarked as he looked at the open window. Kim Yang Baek slowly raised his head.

"Leave it. It won't be as turbulent as inside my mind."

"..."

"...What happened?"

"First..."

Im Gyeom took a short breath and began speaking.

"I tried to send the young disciples to Saga as you ordered, but..."

"Hmm."

"At the moment we were about to proceed, a typhoon struck. So, I decided to postpone it until the wind subsides."

"I see."

Kim Yang Baek nodded slowly.

For the seasoned martial artists, facing this storm might not be a big deal. However, sending out children who needed to walk on small feet in such a storm was not a wise decision. Besides, there was no imminent threat of attack during the typhoon, so it wasn't a bad choice.

"Did the children obediently follow orders?"

"Some resisted, but what could we do? We had to send them even if we had to use force."

"...Well done."

"And..."

Im Gyeom glanced at Kim Yang Baek and cautiously continued.

"As for your instructions about cutting ties with the sect..."

Kim Yang Baek sighed and spoke.

"Don't hesitate. Let's save time."

"...Yes. Among the three hundred sixty-five elders, including those at the main peak, seventy-eight have requested leaving the sect." 

Kim Yang Baek closed his eyes again. Perhaps due to the chilly wind, his face appeared even paler.

"...Fewer than I thought."

"...Do the children have a deeper commitment to the sect than I anticipated?"

"That's..."

Im Gyeom hesitated slightly before responding. However, under the pressure conveyed by Kim Yang Baek's gaze, he ultimately couldn't resist and let out a deep sigh.

"What Sect Leader said may not be entirely wrong, but among the disciples, there was a strong belief that even if they cut ties with the sect and went to Saga, the Evil Tyrant Alliance wouldn't acknowledge it."

"..."

"So, rather than being scattered and picked off one by one, it seemed some disciples wanted to stay and resist here instead."

A faint chuckle escaped Kim Yang Baek's lips.

"Well, that makes sense."

"Even among those disciples who wanted to cut ties seemed they prefer the option that at least held a glimmer of possibility."

The two of them didn't delve into discussing the sincerity and loyalty of those disciples who wanted to cut ties with the sect. It was now a meaningless task.

If the disciples lacked commitment to the Southern Island Sect, it was the fault of the leaders, the head disciples, and the elders who had led Southern Island astray. The lack of justice among the disciples was also the fault of the leaders and elders who had failed to demonstrate a model of righteousness to the disciples.

No matter the blame was assigned, it would ultimately end up spitting in his own face. What more could be said?

"As for the departure ceremony... Well, we decided to carry it out as soon as the typhoon passes."

"The departure ceremony?"

Kim Yang Baek chuckled wryly. What meaning did such a ceremony have at this point?

"It is done. Just go ahead and send them off. Erasing one name from the list in the martial lineage is not such a great feat."

"...Sect Leader, it's not that..."

"Hmm?"

When Kim Yang Baek looked at him with a puzzled expression, Im Gyeom, with a hesitant expression, replied.

"I didn't say that I would conduct the departure ceremony; it's that the disciples want it."

"...What did they say?"

"Well... When the Evil Tyrant Alliance investigates, it seems they want a solid shield."

At that moment, an indescribable sense of helplessness spread across Kim Yang Baek's face.

"Haha... Ha..."

When the sun is directly overhead, shadows are invisible. The Southern Island Sect was no different. Everything seemed fine when the prestige of the sect was at its peak.

But at this moment, Kim Yang Baek keenly realized.

'What have I been doing all this time?'

He thought he had done his best to continue the sect cultivated by his predecessors. However, when adversity struck the sect, he inevitably learned the truth. The things he had believed in all this time were nothing but illusions.

"...Then, I suppose I have to allow it."

"Sect Leader..."

"The departing disciples are asking for this as their final wish. If we can't grant them that much, what good are we?"

Watching Kim Yang Baek mutter with a bitter expression, Im Gyeom clenched his lips.

"...It's an unreasonable request."

"It might be. But what can we do? We're the ones who taught them."

"But..."

"Let's stop here."

Kim Yang Baek sighed deeply with a tired expression.

"Elder Im."

"Yes, Sect Leader."

"Is there still no contact from the outside?"

"...Perhaps it's because of the typhoon, but there hasn't been any communication yet."

Once again, Kim Yang Baek sighed in self-mockery.

Several hours had passed since the typhoon had swept through. Was it really because of the typhoon that no news had come? In the end, it meant that there was no news from the beginning.

His gaze once again turned listlessly toward the window. The black ominous clouds filling the sky seemed to speak of the dire situation the Southern Island Sect was facing.

'When the typhoon subsides, the sun will rise again, as it always does. However...'

Would the sun rise again on Southern Island?

"Sect Leader..."

At that moment, Im Gyeom cautiously spoke up.

"Now is it not the time to make a decision?"

"...A decision?"

"What Sect Leader is saying is not entirely wrong. Holding out like this won't lead to a solution, will it? Instead..."

"So, if we don't hold out, will the answer come?"

Kim Yang Baek spoke with a voice mixed with sighs.

"Yes, Sect Leader. Considering that the Evil Tyrant Alliance does not seem to harm the common people, it doesn't seem like a big problem for the remaining few. So..."

"Did you think I hadn't considered that?"

"..."

"I said it. The one who most wishes for us to leave this island is none other than the Evil Tyrant Alliance. The only places we can go are Gangnam and Imeup. Is there even one place among them that is friendly to us?"

"That is..."

Kim Yang Baek lowered his head.

"It's not a matter of choosing between life and death. It's choosing where to die. It's not something a person should do, leaving the place where they've rooted themselves to die just because they want to grab onto their lives a little longer."

"Sect Leader..."

Kim Yang Baek raised his head and stared intently at Im Gyeom.

"Elder Im."

"Yes, Sect Leader."

"Do you really want to find a solution?"

Suspicion flickered in Im Gyeom's eyes for a moment. He felt oddly tense because of the slightly changed tone of Kim Yang Baek's words.

"...Are you saying there is a way?"

"A way... yes, there is. There is one way, at least."

"What way is that?"

"All we want is for the name Southern Island to endure, and for the disciples here not to lose their lives, right?"

"Yes."

"To achieve that, don't we have to be willing to endure even humiliation?"

Im Gyeom's face stiffened in an instant.

"W-what...?"

"There is a way. A way to preserve the name Southern Island, even if it means widely spreading disgrace throughout the world."

Kim Yang Baek laughed as if mocking himself.

"Surrender to the Evil Tyrant Alliance and bow our heads under Jang Ilso's feet. At least then, all the disciples will be able to preserve their lives."

"Sect Leader!"

Im Gyeom's voice exploded louder than the thunder outside the door.

"Are you saying that now?"

"The Evil Tyrant will probably accept. No, not just accept but welcome us with open arms. It would be the achievement of the century for the Evil Tyrant Alliance to have the sect that laid down the Ten Great Sects under its feet. They will probably treat us with great favor."

"Stop it!"

Im Gyeom glared at Kim Yang Baek with eyes ablaze.

"No matter how casually you say it, the Sect Leader of the Southern Island Sect should never utter such words! How can you speak such shameful and treasonous words?"

"Shameful and treasonous."

Kim Yang Baek smirked.

"What's so treacherous about it? Those who enjoy the fruits of others' bloodshed, who steal what benefactors should enjoy—what right do they have to utter words like treachery and villainy?"

"Sect Leader!"

"...In the first place, we were not so different from the Evil Tyrant Alliance. We were just pretending otherwise."

Kim Yang Baek limped on his chair. He knew it was an unreasonable thing to say. He just wanted to voice it at least once.

"So, if not that, we should just accept it."

"..."

"If there is no one to help us, we can't do anything. Our opponents are Jang Ilso, the Evil Tyrant Alliance, and the cunning and merciless Ho Gakmyung. What can we do against those who even played the Shaolin and the Ten Great Sects? They probably anticipated our moves and set traps for us."

Im Gyeom bowed his head deeply. He couldn't deny those words.

"What should we do..."

Kururung!

Following a weak murmur, the sound of thunder and lightning striking resonated.

"I believed..."

"..."

"I believed that by rising high, gaining fame, and receiving praise, I was doing something great. But that wasn't really important. What mattered was not forgetting why Southern Island Sect was Southern Island Sect. Even if impressive praises are poured upon a sect whose shell alone remains, what significance does that hold?"

"..."

"Now, we're paying the price for swaying in the direction we shouldn't have. Just... I feel sorry for the disciples who are paying the price for the wrong choices of the predecessors and me."

"Sect Leader..."

Kim Yang Baek's gaze focused on a distant place.

Somewhere across the sea, they must be there.

"I should have met them and apologized at least once."

Now, it was impossible, and it just hurt his heart. He only hoped that his feelings would be conveyed someday...

Quaaaang!

At that moment, the door opened violently, as if it would shatter.

"Sect Leeeeeeader!"

In no time, a soaked elder, Jayang, rushed in with a face that seemed to have seen a ghost.

"What's happening?"

"Evil Tyrant Alliance? Has the Evil Tyrant Alliance arrived?"

The two contemplative figures sprang up from their seats.

"N-no, it's not that...!"

"...Then?"

Jayang shouted with a pale face.

"You have to see it! A guest! A guest has arrived!"

"A guest?"

Incredulous, Kim Yang Baek was about to ask again, but Jayang shouted once more.

"Hua, Hua, Mount Hua!"

"...Huh?"

A voice verging on a scream rang out.

"Mount Hua has come!"