Chapter 1406: It’s Time To Wake Up From The Dream. (1)

“…What did you just say?”

Beop Gye swallowed dryly, at a loss under Beop Jeong’s searching gaze. That bewildered expression seemed to convey Beop Jeong’s feelings perfectly.

“T-the Heavenly Friends Alliance has crossed the Yangtze and set foot on the Southern land.”

Beop Jeong fell into heavy silence. Unable to bear the weight, Beop Gye went on to reveal things that hadn’t even been asked.

“According to the news the Beggars’ Union brought us, the Heavenly Friends Alliance that crossed has joined with the Southern Island Sect and has left the river, heading south.”

“They met Southern Island?”

“…Yes.”

“But heading south—what on earth does that mean? Didn’t they go into Southern lands to rescue the Southern Island Sect? They met the Southern Island Sect and are going south instead of returning? Is that report accurate?”

“W-well, judging from the situation…”

Beop Gye nervously wetted his parched lips with saliva.

“It seems a small number, including Mount Hua’s Sword Saint, remained in the rear. The leader of the Heavenly Friends Alliance appears to have led the main force to rescue them…”

Beop Jeong’s eyes trembled. His gaze toward the river went blank.

The Pirates’ ship was swiftly cutting through the Yangtze along the waterway. Beop Jeong opened his mouth in stunned disbelief.

“So…they led the entire Heavenly Friends Alliance into the Southern land, where the Four Sects Alliance is gathering, just to rescue a few disciples?”

“…Yes. For that reason…”

A hollow laugh finally escaped Beop Jeong.

“Hyun Jong…this madman has gone and…”

If others heard, it would be a disaster. Even if he were the Abbott of Shaolin and head of the Nine Great Sects, calling the leader of the Heavenly Friends Alliance and Mount Hua’s Former Sect leader Hyun Jong a ‘madman’ was unthinkable.

But Beop Jeong had no strength left to keep such formalities. He was sick of Hyun Jong.

“What on earth! What on earth was he thinking!”

Beop Jeong’s scream made Shaolin disciples glance over in alarm. Only after Beop Gye bit his lip and looked at them did the startled disciples slowly create distance from where Beop Jeong stood.

“No matter how precious a few disciples are, how can you stake the fate of the entire Heavenly Friends Alliance on just those few lives? How could such an idiot occupy the position of alliance leader!”

There was not a single understandable aspect to it.

Of course Hyun Jong’s action was itself incomprehensible. What truly maddened Beop Jeong, however, was that the other sects of the Heavenly Friends Alliance accepted that madness.

What kind of place is the Southern lands?

It is °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° the land where Jang Ilso’s Four Sects Alliance sharpens its blades. Moreover, isn’t the Four Sects Alliance currently gathering across the Yangtze? Even a three-year-old would know what would happen once they crossed the river.

And yet the leaders of those famed sects accepted this absurd act? Why?

“…Have they all, all gone mad?”

Beop Jeong kept mulling it over. Had he perhaps missed something? Could there be a reliable way for them to enter the Southern lands and return safely?

But no matter how he thought, there was nothing he could have missed.

The situation was too clear to consider any other possibility. No matter how he turned it over, the Four Sects Alliance was gathering here, and there was not a single ally across the river to help the Heavenly Friends Alliance.

Mount Hua crossing the river could happen; Mount Hua was always a faction that did the unimaginable.

But for the entire Heavenly Friends Alliance to cross the river was unimaginable.

“Abbott.”

Jong Ri-Hyung, Kongtong’s sect leader, looked puzzled as he watched Beop Jeong remain in shock.

“Why are you so enraged?”

“…”

“Of course what the Heavenly Friends Alliance did was utterly foolish. But looking only at the situation, it’s not necessarily all bad, is it?”

“Not bad, you say?”

“Yes, Abbott.”

Jong Ri-Hyung nodded and continued.

“Of course they’ll suffer unforeseen losses, but those losses would fall entirely on the Heavenly Friends Alliance, wouldn’t they? The Four Sects Alliance wouldn’t be able to advance into Henan while the Heavenly Friends Alliance is within their territory. Wouldn’t they be fighting for us in effect?”

At that moment Beop Jeong glared at Jong Ri-Hyung. The chill in his eyes made Jong Ri-Hyung flinch unconsciously.

Beop Jeong spoke.

“Keep speaking. Why did you stop?”

“Pardon?”

“Do you mean that even if the Heavenly Friends Alliance were annihilated, they’d still inflict damage on the Four Sects Alliance, so it wouldn’t be bad for us?”

“Ah, no, that’s not exactly what I meant…”

Jong Ri-Hyung averted his eyes awkwardly from Beop Jeong.

It was true he harbored that thought inwardly, but as a sect leader of the Justice faction who favored consultation, he felt ashamed at weighing pros and cons over the deaths of others in the same faction.

Beop Jeong, glaring at Jong Ri-Hyung, opened his mouth.

“Sect leader, if the Four Sects Alliance and the Heavenly Friends Alliance clash head-on, what outcome do you foresee?”

“Well…”

Jong Ri-Hyung thought briefly then spoke.

“It’s true the Heavenly Friends Alliance has grown extremely powerful, but I think it’s still difficult for them to face the Four Sects Alliance. In the end, the Four Sects Alliance would win. Of course they’d suffer huge losses too…”

“Losses?”

Beop Jeong retorted in a cold tone.

“A-am I wrong?”

“What, exactly, are you looking at?”

“Pardon?”

“What does the Heavenly Friends Alliance even have? Even the Tang Family numbers are only half that of the great sects, and Namgung has lost half its strength.”

“…”

“They say the Beast Palace from the Nanman came to support, but their martial power was never on par with the great Central Plains sects, and only a few from the Ice Palace joined. The Green Forest? Those ragtag types—would they be of any help in this situation?”

“W-well…”

“Places with inflated reputations! The power the Heavenly Friends Alliance can use now doesn’t even equal half their reputation. Do you not understand what it truly means to rush into the enemy ground where that Hegemony Lord has camped under such circumstances?”

Beop Jeong’s eyes turned bloodshot.

“Mount Hua? What could that small number possibly do! The larger the war becomes, the more they’ll be nothing but a handful of sand!”

Jong Ri-Hyung lowered his head with an uneasy look.

‘No, really…’

Of course Beop Jeong was right. It was a point he hadn’t fully considered. Though the sects within the Heavenly Friends Alliance are all notable, only three can truly exert power on their own: Mount Hua, the Tang Family, and the Beast Palace.

They cannot be called weak, but could they alone handle a massive alliance like the Four Sects Alliance? It was nearly impossible.

The moment the three elements, lack of strength, enemy territory, and the Hegemony Lord, combined, the outcome was practically decided.

But that fact alone wasn’t the reason Beop Jeong was furious, was it?

Was the defeat of the Heavenly Friends Alliance by the Four Sects Alliance something to mourn anew?

Jong Ri-Hyung furtively gauged Beop Jeong and then spoke.

“I…didn’t realize, Abbott, that you cared for them so much.”

A sigh escaped Beop Jeong’s mouth at that. The frustrating man still didn’t understand the situation.

“You really don’t get it, do you?”

“…Sorry?”

“What if the Hegemony Lord orchestrated this entire situation? After swallowing the Heavenly Friends Alliance, where would their next spearhead aim?”

Jong Ri-Hyung’s eyes widened.

“T-that would…”

“Do you think they’d endure losses to topple the Heavenly Friends Alliance and then wait while we obviously send pleas for aid and prepare to face the Four Sects Alliance?”

Of course not. Especially not Jang Ilso.

They would not concern themselves with the Four Sects Alliance’s condition; they would strike at the unassembled Nine Great Sects.

“…Henan.”

“Do you understand now?”

Beop Jeong shouted suddenly.

“Those we’ve sent word to are not responding! There is no support coming here! That means if they bring down the Heavenly Friends Alliance this quickly, it will be us who must stop their crossing over the river—us!”

Chills ran down Jong Ri-Hyung’s spine. His gaze turned to the Yangtze.

Who would the Pirates’ ships riding the river carry? Obviously the forces of the Four Sects Alliance, their morale soaring after toppling the Heavenly Friends Alliance.

Even if we follow those ships, can this number of people here stop that ant-like army crossing the river?

‘Could we stop them…’

Of course, if the Four Sects Alliance has been exhausted fighting the Heavenly Friends Alliance, we might somehow hold them off. But if that happens, neither Shaolin nor the coalition will be able to maintain their names.

Then the factions that didn’t come will take the now unguarded Central Plains for themselves.

As the price for offering no help and simply standing by.

“T-that…”

Jong Ri-Hyung’s face finally turned sallow. Beop Jeong cried out in an agitated voice.

“The only way to defeat a stronger force is to pick them off one by one! And coincidentally, the Justice faction is split into three: the Heavenly Friends Alliance, us, and the bystanders!”

“…”

“And that damned Heavenly Friends Alliance has given the Four Sects Alliance the opening to pick us off! Worse, they’ve shoved us into isolation as well! Don’t you see!?”

Jong Ri-Hyung’s mouth opened unconsciously. Only now did he realize how perilously close to disaster they stood.

“This is why…this is why we shouldn’t have many heads. This is why Mount Hua should never be the thinking head…”

Beop Jeong’s voice trembled.

If they and the Heavenly Friends Alliance could have held the far bank firmly, the Four Sects Alliance wouldn’t dare cross the river. Then they could have followed later without issue.

But that insane move by the Heavenly Friends Alliance distorted and crushed the entire situation.

“Abbott, then what should we do?”

When Jong Ri-Hyung asked, Beop Jeong bit his lip. As anger and resentment ebbed, a frighteningly cold reason returned.

Now there was only one factor that would decide the situation.

‘Which side is it?’

How would Jang Ilso view that absurd act the Heavenly Friends Alliance committed?

Was their action an unexpected embarrassment even to Jang Ilso?

Or did he foresee this whole situation?

If the former, there is hope. The power of the Heavenly Friends Alliance wouldn’t be easily dismissed even by the Four Sects Alliance.

But what if the latter? What if Jang Ilso predicted their action? No, what if this movement was all part of Jang Ilso’s plan to create this situation?

‘It’s all over.’

Then the Hegemony Lord would certainly have prepared another move, one that could topple the Heavenly Friends Alliance without suffering losses.

The vision of the burning Yangtze formed before Beop Jeong’s eyes. Fierce flames leapt across the river into the Northern lands, consuming the world in red.

“Send word to the Beggars’ Union and have them reassess the enemy positions! We must know what those bastards are planning!”

“I-it’s difficult! They may not be able to move either…”

“Don’t you realize this isn’t a situation to be sparing with lives!?”

In the end, Beop Jeong bit his lip so hard it bled.

‘We must stop them. By any means necessary.’

His burning gaze turned beyond the river—to the land where the fate of the Central Plains would be decided.