Chapter 780: Life Is Innately Painful (4)

"You have fun with your hands, you bandits!"

The roar of a lion echoed loudly.

The same scene Hyun Jong witnessed was unfolding on the other side of the island.

If there was any difference, it was the presence of Chung Myung.

One might think it was just a small difference, but the impact of that small difference was enormous.

"Euk..."

"That's why I have no strength in my hands."

Some of those who were whining and clinging to the ship slowly approached Chung Myung, who was standing on the shore.

"What?"

As Chung Myung rolled his eyes, the bandits all fell flat on the ground.

"Oh my, Taoist! If this continues, we'll all die!"

"More than 30 people have fallen into the water and been washed away just this morning!"

"Everyone is so tired. Holding a ship that's trying to drift away is harder than you can imagine."

Chung Myung tilted his head as if he couldn't understand the complaint.

"So?"

"... uh?"

"So?"

"..."

Language was communicated, but words weren't always understood. Words only had meaning when both parties comprehended each other. Unfortunately, although someone was speaking, there was no one understanding.

The bandits, who were about to suggest giving up, changed their words when they saw Chung Myung's genuinely puzzled expression.

"W-we need some rest...."

"What? Rest?"

"T-take a break..."

"Breakkk?"

Chung Myung's eyes blazed at that.

"No, since you were stuck in the mountain playing the forest god, did you think you came down to play here too? Your limbs and legs are all still intact, and you want to rest in broad daylight!"

Actually... weren't people usually called Taoists if they stayed up in the mountains and trained? If the Mount Hua Taoist was telling the bandits that they were just playing forest god....

And they worked all night too...

"Taoist, everyone is exhausted..."

"Exhausted?"

Chung Myung tilted his head slightly in disapproval.

"Those guys who can ride the mountain while roaring are now getting tired from just work? So this is what the Green Forest is! What? Would you like me to show you all what it means to be exhausted?"

"W-well, no...."

"Anyway, you people don't have guts, guts! That's why you all make a living by stealing! Come on, I will take this chance to completely change your mindset! Can't you go back to your place and work right now?"

"Eikkk!"

The second elder, who was watching Chung Myung roll his eyes, ready to kick the bandits' asses, opened his mouth to Im So-Byeong.

"Excuse me... Green Forest King."

"Hmm?"

Im So-Byeong, who was sitting on the watchtower, admiring the scenery and drinking tea, looked at the second elder as if asking why he was being called.

"... you will leave that situation like that?"

"What about it?"

"I think it is a bit harsh..."

"Ah, those words he said now?"

Im So-Byeong, who elegantly put down the teacup on the table, smiled.

"He didn't say anything wrong, right?"

"..."

"In the first place, the words were right. Now is the time to accept some harsh words."

The second elder was silent at this, his nose turning cold.

It's definitely a problem that a guy like that is called Mount Hua's Divine Dragon. It was clearly misfortunate to have Mount Hua's Divine Dragon as the best warrior among the disciples, holding the position to be the best in the future, and being a full-on bastard.

But from the Green Forest's point of view, the more problematic thing was that this person was the Green Forest King.

'What will become of Kangho?'

A terrible situation was happening before him. The man who was at the peak of the Evil Factions, the guy who made a living out of banditry, was worrying about Kangho's future.

At that time, a group of people jumped out of a ship that was approaching quickly through the currents.

"Taoist!"

"Hmm?"

As soon as they got off, they ran to Chung Myung with joyous looks.

"White Thunder cannons! All six have been recovered!"

"Woah! They really worked hard."

"The pirates almost died. They managed to survive, but... no, it isn't important. Anyway, we did as instructed here!"

"Oh?"

Chung Myung's face cleared up and turned softer for the first time in a while.

"Found them all?"

"Yes, Taoist! Hehehe! Really... it was really so hard.... The chain was short, so we had to hold on to them and go into the water, so...."

"Yes, yes. You had a hard time."

Chung Myung smiled happily as he listened to the words that briefly explained their hardships. Then suddenly, he asked.

"How many were there?"

"Six of them."

"Oh?"

At that moment, Chung Myung launched himself like a thunderbolt and threw a flying kick at the bandit.

"Kuaak!"

With a scream like a pig getting slaughtered, the bandit fell back.

"You bastard! Do you think my eyes don't work? What? How many? Six? I clearly saw the number of cannons on board the sunken ships when fighting! What? You say six? Sixxx?"

The body of the bandit lying on the ground trembled.

This poisonous bastard... in the midst of such a vicious fight, he was counting them?

"Ah, did I look like an ignorant bandit who couldn't count? What! I will make sure to teach you how to count from now on!"

Chung Myung ran upright, got on top of the bandit, and began swinging his arms like windmills.

"One! Two! Five! Ten! Now count them, you bastard! Count how many times you get hit! If you get the last one wrong, you get hit right from the start again!"

"Ahhh! Ackkkk! Please spare me! Taoist! I did wrong! I made a bad mistake because it was so hard!"

"It was hard? It isn't hard if you move, you bastard! Just die! Forget it!"

The faces of the bandits began to gradually turn gray.

In faraway places, thieves couldn't move against the strong.

It wasn't because they followed some rules, but because they did not follow worldly morals or laws in the first place, so they could not resist the oppression of those stronger using any means other than force.

What can they do?

Would they like to discuss morals with someone who spends his qi on the topic of bandits? Or would they rather just go to the office and report the pirates?

In that sense, Chung Myung was their natural enemy.

First, basically anyway... in his own way... since he was a member of the Justice faction, he had justification and was extremely powerful. A guy like that was pushing a bandit with scary eyes that made him confused.

"Just do it!"

Chung Myung took his eyes off the bandit lying down and looked around.

Everyone who made eye contact with him flinched and looked down.

"These thieves expect to be treated like human beings! Gather these people who are useless even if they survive, and throw them into the river bottom!"

The one who was working with the bandits was now criticizing them and losing his temper.

"Don't even think about having a meal until you retrieve all the White Thunder cannons!"

"T-then, what do we eat?"

"Just catch a fish and eat it! It is meat all over!"

"..."

"Oh, and don't even think about sleeping until the ships are all set!"

"..."

"Now go straighten your back and do the work right! Will you not work? It is even harder if you take breaks between work! Finish it quickly and take a break! I will definitely make you all do it! If you always have that mindset, there is nothing a person cannot do!"

The nagging made their ears bleed.

'I want to go back to the mountains.'

'It would have been better to get scolded by the leader.'

But unfortunately, this was an island.

There was no way for the bandits to escape from there under the watchful eyes of Chung Myung and Im So-Byeong. All of them had iron chains on their legs. No matter how skilled one was, wasn't it just a dream to run from Chung Myung while wearing these iron chains?

'This is slavery. This is slavery.'

'Ugh, my life...'

The faces of the bandits turned pale and lifeless.

In the first place, Chung Myung didn't particularly show mercy to normal people. Still, he was a person who didn't even understand why bandits needed to be treated like normal people.

Chung Myung, himself a bandit by nature, lived with patience (?) according to the teachings of Mount Hua. So, on what basis could he understand people who lived their lives by looting others?

"Well, these bastards need to get beaten more to come to their senses!"

"Chung Myung."

"What! Bastard..."

Uh?

Instead of cursing, Chung Myung slowly turned around.

"What?"

Why was this face here?

He tilted his head, and his expression, despite being awkward, softened a bit.

"Uh... When did you come, sect leader?"

"... I just arrived."

"Ah... if you came, you could have contacted...."

No, they could have contacted him too.

If they hadn't contacted him, then how could they have known the place....

Chung Myung slowly tilted his head to the side and saw Baek Cheon hiding behind Hyun Jong.

"...your sasuk did...."

"Hmm."

Chung Myung mumbled through gritted teeth, then his expression completely changed, and he smiled brightly at Hyun Jong.

"Sect leader, you had a hard time coming this far, right? Welcome to... ah! Ack! Ear! My ear! Ahhh! My ear, sect leader! My ear will fall off!"

"Come here."

"Ear! Let go of my ear! Ahh!"

Despite Chung Myung's harsh words, Hyun Jong smiled, pulling the ear further.

"I ordered you to stop civilians from being sold as slaves, and now you are directly using pirates and bandits as slaves? Let's go, and you will listen carefully and then tell me what the hell is happening."

The tyrant was dragged along, leaving footprints in the sand. In the meantime, he glared at Baek Cheon with angry eyes, but Baek Cheon just slightly turned his head and looked away.

"Ackkk! Baek Cheonnn! Jin Dong-Ryonggggg! There was no need to bring an adult into the matter without speaking... Ahhh! Ear! Sect leader! Sect leader! My ear! Ahhh... it is being torn... no, I mean it!"

"Shut your mouth and follow me! I hate myself already!"

"Sect leader!"

The bandits all looked like they had seen a ghost at the sight of Mount Hua's Divine Dragon being dragged around.

"... did Mount Hua's Divine Dragon get dragged out?"

"By the ears?"

Those present clearly saw with their own eyes how Chung Myung had taken down two pirate troops, ran on water, and cut the ships with his sword.

Seeing such a terrifying human being dragged away, screaming like this, felt absurd to them.

"... that person is the sect leader of Mount Hua...."

"Oh my... he is so strong that he could easily subdue a monster like him."

"Hmmm."

Baek Cheon cleared his throat very slightly.

It seemed like an unnecessary misunderstanding was happening... well, he didn't think he had to correct anything.

"That guy will not be able to come out for a while, so everyone, take some time to rest."

"T-thank you, Taoist!"

"Ahem... we can finally rest!"

"Sect leader! Hurray!"

The bandits of the Evil Faction, who were supposed to be the opposite of the Taoist factions of the Justice faction, began to praise the sect leader of Mount Hua in unison.

If you look at that without knowing the meaning, one might think this was a historic sight of murim harmony, but the inside was salty and tearful.

"But why did he come all the way here?"

"Well... from the looks of it, it seems like he brought a bunch of people from Mount Hua with him."

"Could it be that he predicted the situation in advance and came to occupy this place?"

"Eh. No... that person isn't some saint."

"No, no. If you think about it, it is true. Even though Mount Hua's Divine Dragon is the strongest, isn't he still one of the Third Class disciples? It doesn't make sense for the Third Great disciple to make a decision to occupy an island and create his own base."

"Uh? I guess that's what I heard?"

The bandits looked at one another.

"The Mount Hua's sect leader predicted...."

"As expected, I heard that Taoists with deep understanding read the secrets of Heaven. It is wonderful."

"... Should I also step into Taoism?"

"Heavenly Buddha!"

"Immense Peaceful Buddha!"

Baek Cheon closed his eyes tightly.

'I am sorry.'

He didn't have the courage or confidence to correct it.

What... and actually, no matter what the intention was, the result was good....

"Heavenly Buddha...."

A weak chant flowed from Baek Cheon's mouth.