Return of the Mount Hua Sect

“It’s just a little further. Hold on a little longer.”

“My legs hurt, though…”

The woman, carrying a heavy load, patted her son, Sodong’s back to soothe him. She’d love to give him a piggyback ride right away, but the load she carried wasn’t that small either.

No, it was excessively heavy and large for an average woman to carry.

“Damn it.”

The man, presumably the child’s father, looked back with a face full of frustration and resentment.

“How did the world come to this…”

They were just leaving the Yangtze River area.

Although they had spent their lives farming on the Yangtze River, casting nets, and living off the river, they could no longer withstand the situation that pushed the whole Yangtze River into tension.

Doesn’t everyone have only one life?

“It’s at least three days until we reach a village…”

The man sighed deeply as he watched his wife massage their child’s legs.

‘Even if we go…’

It is not easy for people who have lived in one place all their lives to settle in a new place. But they couldn’t just stubbornly stay there during this war.

This is because there’s no guarantee that a new war won’t break out after this one ends. As a result, even those who bravely stayed on the Yangtze River during the turmoil three years ago had to leave their homes and hit the road due to this war.

“Let’s find a suitable place and rest.”

“…Yes.”

Just as the man was about to sigh again, something caught his attention.

“Huh?”

He furrowed his brows as he noticed something. He stared intently before his eyes widened in shock.

“What, what’s that?”

“What?”

“O- Over there!”

The man raised his hand and pointed to one side. Something hazy was encroaching.

“A sandstorm?”

“There’s not even a breeze, what sandstorm… Do- Doesn’t that seem to be getting bigger?”

“Looks like it…”

The man’s mouth fell open more and more.

The hazy dust that rose at the end of the road they passed gradually increased in size, and soon it became a huge dust cloud that was recognizable at a glance and came fiercely towards them.

“Q- Quickly to the side of the road!”

In a state of alarm, the man quickly picked up his child. If the cause of that dust cloud was the forces of the Evil Sects crossing the Yangtze River, wouldn’t their lives be in danger?

“Over there!”

Terrified, the three of them quickly moved to the side of the road.

‘What should we do? Should we run…’

As they contemplated whether to flee to the forest, something strange caught his eye.

‘A cart?’

A cart appeared, much larger than those typically used for transporting goods, about three times bigger. But what captured his attention wasn’t the massive cart itself. It was what was pulling the cart.

Not an ox or a horse, but a human was pulling the cart.

“O- Oh my gosh.….”

It was both absurd and astonishing. It was absurd that such a large cart was being pulled by a man, not a horse or an ox, and astonishing that a cart loaded with goods could run at such speed.

‘What in the world…’

As he was still trying to comprehend the situation, the cart continued its relentless pace. And it was at that very moment that it was about to pass in front of them at an incredible speed.

“Stoooooooop!”

Kwagagagak!

When someone’s shout sounded, the feet of those pulling the cart with half-crazed faces dug into the ground at the same time without a single error. Then, the hard soil scraped and surged upward.

Udeudeudeuk.

At the same time as the rising soil fell to the ground, the carts that had tilted forward and were half-lifted in the air landed back on the ground with a thud.

“…….”

The man stared at the scene in bewilderment.

‘It doesn’t seem like the Evil Sects…’

Those sturdy… No, the sight of that excessively bulky man made him shudder, but there was no prickly feeling of backstreet thugs.

On the contrary…

“Cough! Cough!”

“I’m, I’m dying… I’m going to die.”

“Water… just a sip of water… please, Chung Myung, water…”

“Oho!”

There was an unknown familiar feeling.

At that moment, a young man sitting on top of a pile of luggage that was taller than a person clicked his tongue.

“They say drinking water will make you lazy!”

“…You’ll die if you don’t drink water!”

“You won’t die, you won’t! I’ve done it all before.”

“What have you never done before…. You crazy bastard….”

The young man, chuckling softly, turned his head and greeted the man.

“Excuse me?”

“Uh? Oh… Yes! Yes!”

The man nodded vigorously quickly. It seems clear that they have no malicious intent, but the first thing that caught his eye as he lived an ordinary life was the long sword hanging from their waist.

You should always be cautious around someone with a sword. Whoever they are.

“Where are you headed? You seem to have a lot of luggage.”

“We, we are just people on the road.”

“So where are you headed?”

“Tha- That is…”

“Get on.”

“What?”

The young man grinned. It was a pure smile that didn’t show a single speck.

For some reason, that smile felt genuinely pleasant. The man unwittingly let his guard down.

The young man spoke again.

“I don’t know where you’re going but I’ll give you a lift.”

“W- We are just…”

“We’re taking this load to Sichuan. At least until we reach Wuhan, we can give you a ride.”

“We- We’re on our way to Sichuan, too, but….”

“I thought so.”

The young man jumps off the luggage. And he came scurrying towards them.

“It seems like your child’s legs are hurting, no need to walk when you can ride. We already transported one person in the morning.”

“Y- You’ve transported people…?”

The man, startled, glanced at the young man’s chest for a moment. The plum blossom pattern engraved there caught his eye.

“Co- Could it be…?”

“Huh?”

“Are you from Mount Hua Sect?”

“Keuuuuu!”

The young man burst out in an overly proud laughter and clapped his hands loudly.

“This is why people should strive for fame! See, they recognize us without us even saying anything.”

“…Must be nice.”

“You look happy.”

The young man, Chung Myung, approached with a chuckle and roughly patted the child’s head.

“Does your leg hurt?”

“…Yes.”

“Eucha!”

Chung Myung lifted the child with ease and perched him on his shoulder. Mount Hua’s disciples murmured to each other as they watched.

“Wow, he’s not crying.”

“Riding on that guy’s shoulders must be scarier than riding a tiger.”

“The child must be very brave. Don’t you think he has the potential of a general?”

“How tired must the kid be…. Poor thing.”

Then, Chung Myung suddenly turned his head and yelled.

“What are you all mumbling about, guys! Load up the luggage!”

“…Yes, yes.”

“He takes all the credit! We’re the ones pulling the carts!”

Though they complained, the disciples of Mount Hua, led by Baek Cheon, swiftly ran over and took the burden from the couple’s shoulders.

“Y- You really don’t have to go to such lengths…”

Baek Cheon smiled at the man who didn’t know what to do.

“It’s fine. The load we’re carrying is quite heavy.”

“What?”

“…Even if we take two more people, it won’t make much difference.”

“…….”

That was a truly terrifying story.

“Please, hand it here.”

“I wonder if that’s okay….”

The man would never have accepted a ride from strangers under normal circumstances. How heartless is the world? The head of the household, who has to protect his wife and child, cannot take risks just for a moment of comfort.

But the expressions of these people and the plum blossom emblem on their chests drained the strength from his hands and shoulders.

‘Mount Hua…’

At least for those who have lived by the Yangtze River, the name Mount Hua symbolized chivalry and trust. If these people were truly from Mount Hua Sect, then it would be safe to let his tired legs rest.

What’s more…

The man’s gaze drifted forward.

Seeing the child sitting quietly on the neck of the young man who suddenly appeared, the man felt even more reassured. Seeing his son, who is extremely wary of strangers, sitting there comfortably, he must not be a bad person.

“…Then, I’ll humbly accept your kindness.”

With the help of Mount Hua’s disciples, the couple awkwardly settled on the cart. It felt strange because it was their first time sitting on such a high load on a cart.

“Eucha!”

Chung Myung, the last to board the cart, gently placed the child he had perched on his shoulders in front of him.

“Hold on tight!”

“What?”

“Let’s go, Sahyung!”

“Ugh! Damn it!”

“Please die! Just die!”

The cart jerked into motion again. The couple, who had boarded the cart, was startled and quickly grabbed onto the luggage below them.

The cart began to run at a ridiculous speed.

“Good heavens.”

It was frightening. How could a cart pulled by people be faster than a horse?

The man firmly grasped his wife’s hand. If he was this nervous about the incredibly fast landscape whizzing by, his wife must be feeling it even more. Holding his wife’s hand firmly, he opened his mouth carefully.

“E- Excuse me…”

“Yes?”

Chung Myung turned his head slightly and looked at them.

“You said we were heading to Wuhan, right?”

“That’s right.”

“B- But you mentioned that you returned from there this morning?”

“Yes, I did. What about it?”

“That Wuhan!? It’s a distance that even on horseback can’t be covered round trip in a day…”

“Ei.”

Chung Myung waved his hand dismissively.

“Well, these punks are humans after all. How can we be worse than horses?”

“…….”

“Don’t worry. We’ll ensure your journey is safe and comfortable. What are you doing! The sun is going down, you guys! Run, don’t crawl!”

“Ugh, damn it!”

With someone’s shout, the cart picked up even more speed towards Wuhan.

At the gate of the makeshift dwelling near Wuhan.

“We’re here!”

Tolssok. Tolssok.

Finally arriving, Mount Hua’s disciples let go of the handles and collapsed to the ground.

“Sahyung.”

“…What?”

“Are you still alive?”

“…Obviously, I’m dead.”

Yoonjong, too drained to turn his head, just lay face down on the ground, panting.

‘I feel like I’m really going to die.’

Carrying a load from Kugang of the Yangtze River all the way to Wuhan?

In fact, it’s not much of a big deal. To ordinary people, it might seem impossible, but after all, they were from Jungwon Express Courier Mount Hua, weren’t they? They could even fly such a load from the North Sea to Yunnan.

The problem was that it had to be done at a full sprint.

– Time is money, time is gold! How dare you run so leisurely! For the person who runs last, I’ll shave your head clean and send you to Shaolin… No, except for Hye Yeon… Ah, don’t cry!

The demon of Mount Hua couldn’t stand to see people rest.

“I’m, I’m dying, really… really dying.”

“These ghost bastards are slacking off, why are they not catching that bastard…”

“I feel like vomiting…”

Chung Myung, who had jumped off the pile of luggage, clicked his tongue and looked around.

“No, how can you be panting like this after running just a little like this! Back in my day, I could run from Chengdu to Beijing in one go and not even feel tired! Youngsters these days, ugh!”

“…You’re the youngest, you madman.”

“Please just die. Please…”

At that time, the front door of the garden opened and a familiar face walked out.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Tang Gun-ak nodded as he looked at the luggage and people transferred to the cart.

“Is this all for today?”

“Huh?”

Then Chung Myung tilted his head as if he didn’t know what that meant.

“Ei, it’s not even the beginning of the hour yet. We can make another trip.”

“…You’re going again?”

“Of course.”

“B- But you all look exhausted?”

“Haha. You worry too much. We’re just unloading now, and we’ll rest on the empty cart on the way back.”

“…….”

Tang Gun-ak silently gazed towards the cart. As someone deeply knowledgeable in all kinds of metal, he wouldn’t fail to estimate the weight of that cart. That dark, colored iron cart must boast an enormous weight.

‘Gaju-nim!’

‘Stop him, please!’

‘Help! Save us!’

Mount Hua’s disciples, lying prostrate on the ground, suddenly lifted their heads and sent pleading glances toward Tang Gun-ak. Tang Gun-ak, who was looking at them with a pitiful face, soon steeled his face and opened his mouth.

“….I’d appreciate it if you could.”

And then he subtly averted his gaze.

“Traitor!”

“Demon!”

“Daaaadddd!”

The last cry pierced his heart sharply, but Tang Gun-ak turned away with tears in his eyes.

They’ll have to move even one person faster so there won’t be any victims.

For the efficiency of the work, while Mount Hua moved the people of the Yangtze River to Wuhan in one trip, Tang Family moved them to Sichuan.

First and foremost, it was most important to get the commoners out of the Yangtze River area, which could become a battlefield at any moment.

“Anyway, take some rest. After all, humans aren’t made of steel.”

“Ei, you don’t know.”

“Huh?”

“Steel breaks and that’s the end, but broken bones heal.”

“…….”

“People are tougher than steel, you know?”

This guy is hopeless. First of all, words won’t get through.

“Keuhum.”

Tang Gun-ak cleared his throat, composed his expression, and said.

“Listen, Mount Hua Chivaorous Sword.”

“Yes?”

“……News from the Yangtze River has come in. Would you like to hear it?”

Chung Myung’s eyes, which had been smiling, darkened slightly.