Return of the Mount Hua Sect Chapter 1362: You Really Are Generous, After All. (2)

Click. Click.

Gulp.

Click. Click. Click. Click.

......gulp.

Clank! Clank! Clank!

“Um...”

The villager sitting in front of the large cauldron couldn’t stand it and quietly looked back. Those holding spoons and empty bowls all stood there drooling and swallowing hard.

“It should steam a little longer...”

“You can eat it even if it hasn’t steamed fully...”

“Still, well you know, rice needs to steam...”

“You can even eat raw rice if needed.”

The villager’s face twisted oddly.

“Ahem.”

Geum Yang-Baek, watching the situation, coughed awkwardly with an embarrassed look.

“Um... is it not okay to eat it now?”

“You can eat it, but if you haven’t had food for a long time, you might get sick from eating something undercooked...”

“Our boys are warriors, so I think they’ll be fine.”

At that the villager reluctantly nodded.

“Yes, well, if that’s the case... then give me the bowls...”

“You may eat!”

“Move!”

“I’m standing up front! Step back!”

“Aah! Who is that? Someone’s grabbing my face!”

The Southern Island Sect’s disciples lunged at the cauldron like piranhas. White steam billowed massively from the opened lid, but rather than retreating from the heat, Southern Island Sect’s disciples charged more fiercely and scooped rice with the bowls.

“Ah, my goodness, what is this...”

The villager, half pushed over, blinked and stared at the scene unfolding before him.

They said they were honored guests from the South Sea, but this is no different from a bunch of Beggars’ Union ruffians. No, even those Beggars’ Union scoundrels would have backed off seeing this.

“Aah! I told you not to shove me!”

“Please move!”

“Hey, someone took it all! Do you want to die?”

Faced with that indescribably dreadful sight, the villager shook his head in despair and said.

“Um... We have several cauldrons going, so if you wait a little longer...”

“Right! We can eat that!”

“Huh?”

Southern Island Sect’s disciples then ran toward the other cauldrons. Though the firewood blazed under the pots, such infernos were no more than a cozy hearth to them now and posed no obstacle.

The lids of the boiling cauldrons lifted one after another, sending white steam billowing across the village.

It looked as if the village had been raided by bandits.

Hyung Euk, watching the sight, blankly turned to Baek Cheon. Baek Cheon quietly avoided his gaze and coughed awkwardly.

“...they’ve been starving a lot...”

“...”

“Please try to understand them. They’re not usually like this.”

“...Yes.”

Baek Cheon awkwardly brushed his flushed face. He hadn’t expected those Southern Island Sect fellows to throw off all semblances of decorum so quickly.

Those who had scooped rice sat down right where they were and shoved rice into their mouths without even looking for proper seats.

“Ahh. This is the taste of being alive.”

“After so long of only eating inedible meat, I thought I was done for.”

“A person needs to eat proper food to live!”

“...If only there were a grilled fish, that’d be perfect.”

“Where are you spouting nonsense about being full? You don’t get to eat!”

“No! Who said they’re full? Give me back my rice!”

Lee Ja-Yang, watching the scene, sighed deeply.

‘Still, at least they didn’t sit on the floor.’

The sahyung-sajaes of the Southern Island Sect sitting down on the village floor and practically scooping rice with their hands—he shuddered at who might see this...

“Ja-Yang sahyung. If you won’t eat this, may I...”

“Don’t touch my rice! I’ll chop your hand off!”

“...”

An awkward silence hung in the air. Lee Ja-Yang deliberately avoided his sajae’s gaze and coughed.

...Embarrassment is one thing, but hunger is hunger.

He awkwardly picked up his bowl to eat, but noticed Gwak Hwan-So still hadn’t served himself rice.

“Sahyung, please have something to eat.”

“Mm. I’ll eat a bit later.”

“Later? Do you think your rice will still be there by then?”

Lee Ja-Yang snapped, and Gwak Hwan-So gave a small chuckle.

Gwak Hwan-So’s gaze was fixed on the pot placed in the far corner. Noticing this, Lee Ja-Yang let out a small sigh.

That pot wasn’t for cooking rice—it was boiling gruel for the wounded.

“...I know your intention, but you should eat first and gather strength so you can treat the wounded.”

“I know. I’ll make sure to eat, so don’t worry.”

Lee Ja-Yang’s expression somehow turned sour.

‘I never would have thought...’

He had been preoccupied with maintaining Southern Island Sect’s image in front of others, while Gwak Hwan-So, in the meantime, tended to the wounded who couldn’t eat properly.

These were people even the sect leader had failed to pay attention to.

By now there was no need to argue who had the bigger heart between him and Gwak Hwan-So. And...

“Sahyung! Try this.”

“If the rice isn’t great, how about this? The villagers offered it; it’s good for a quick bite.”

“What are you saying! You should have a proper meal!”

“Ah, no. It’s just that you said you wouldn’t eat... you can always have a meal later...”

Other Southern Island Sect disciples, hearing that the great sahyung wasn’t eating, put down their bowls and noisily gathered around Gwak Hwan-So.

“I’m fine, so finish your meals first.”

“How can we eat when the great sahyung isn’t eating...?”

“Don’t worry about me. I still have strength.”

“Still...”

It wasn’t merely because of his title as senior sahyung. Ungodly as it sounds, even if Southern Island Sect’s sect leader Geum Yang-Baek had done the same, it would’ve been hard to provoke this kind of response.

They’d endured hardships to get here, and now everyone knew how much Gwak Hwan-So cared for them and how much he’d given up for their sake. So without being told, they naturally worried for and cared for him.

Gwak Hwan-So smiled at the crowd that had gathered.

“You lot, what poor tact. If you eat now you’ll only get coarse grains, right?”

“Huh?”

“If you eat what the patients would eat, you’ll get the fine white rice—so it’s to your advantage.”

“Oh, is that what you were thinking?”

“Wow... so this is our great sahyung.”

His joke brightened the atmosphere instantly.

“So just finish what you’re eating. And make sure to look after the Heavenly Friends Alliance folks too.”

“Yes. We will, sahyung.”

❀ ❀ ❀

After checking the yard, Baek Cheon entered the village head’s house and stared at the old man sitting before him.

The old man bowed deeply to Baek Cheon.

“First... I’m not sure of the details since I wasn’t conscious, but I’ve heard you saved and treated a fool like me. How can I ever repay this kindness...?”

“Please don’t mention it.”

Baek Cheon scratched his cheek with a slightly embarrassed look.

“I should have let that matter end there, but it’s embarrassing to intrude again so shamelessly.”

“What are you saying! I’m the one who should be grateful that you allowed us to repay even a little of that great kindness.”

The elder repeatedly kowtowed to Baek Cheon.

Hyung Euk watched the display and couldn’t help but furrow his brow slightly.

Until just a moment ago, his father hadn’t seemed so friendly toward them. Though he kept saying he was grateful for saving lives, there was an undeniable subtle distance in his heart.

But now the elder treated Baek Cheon as if he were a deity descended from heaven. The excessive kowtowing felt inwardly uncomfortable.

Then the elder, who had been bowing as if to smash his forehead to the ground, quietly checked Baek Cheon’s expression and began to speak.

“Um, by the way... did you say you needed grain?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Baek Cheon quietly nodded.

“It would be proper to explain the situation in detail, but unfortunately we can’t stay here long.”

“...”

“We will pay a fair price. So please share the grain you have.”

Baek Cheon bowed deeply in thanks. Hyung Euk, who was beside the elder, was startled and tried to stop him.

“Hey, warrior, why are you doing this! Of course we should give grain! What kind of payment are you talking about for sharing grain with the ones who saved our lives? Please don’t do this...”

“You stay quiet.”

But the elder gently hushed Hyung Euk. Flustered, Hyung Euk said.

“No, Father. This is only natural...”

“I said be quiet!”

Hyung Euk was visibly taken aback and stared blankly at the elder. But his father’s gaze was sterner and colder than usual, so he had no choice but to bow. After all, wasn’t his father the village head?

“Ahem.”

The elder gave a small cough, as if to break the awkward atmosphere.

“I’m sorry.”

“Not at all.”

“Um...”

The elder, watching Baek Cheon’s reaction, opened his mouth.

“I understand what you’ve said. We’re only human—we should naturally do that.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“However...”

The elder let out a deep sigh.

“As you may know, warrior, this year a severe drought ruined the crops and we ourselves have no way to survive. If you take our grain, we have no means to get through the winter.”

“I know. That’s why we intend to pay well. We’ll pay generously for the grain, so you can buy grain in the nearby Hyeong yang and replace what you give.”

The elder bowed deeply, as if grateful they would think so far.

“To repay us and even offer payment—I’m truly grateful.”

Baek Cheon’s expression grew even more awkward.

He wasn’t used to such excessive politeness. He was beginning to understand how too much courtesy could make the recipient uncomfortable.

Then the elder looked at Baek Cheon with a strange expression.

“But, warrior, there’s one thing I’d like to ask.”

“Yes?”

“Right now... are you perhaps being chased by those wicked ruffians?”

Baek Cheon hesitated briefly and answered. It wasn’t something he could hide.

“Yes. That’s what’s happened. But...”

“Oh my...! Please spare us! I’m begging you like this!”

At that moment the elder cried out and flung himself face-down on the floor. Baek Cheon’s eyes widened.

“W-what are you doing all of a sudden!”

“If those wretches learn we gave you grain, not a single one of us will survive!”

“Ah... you don’t need to worry about that. We’ve wiped any traces of our presence here. And money doesn’t have names on it anyway...”

Baek Cheon said with as much calm as he could muster, smiling, but the elder hit his head to the floor again before he could finish listening.

Thump!

“I beg you!”

Baek Cheon’s face twitched in shock. The elder’s plea continued.

“Think of it as sparing these miserable people once—could you not take grain from here? I’ll tell you of a nearby village. Please...”

“...”

“If by some one-in-a-thousand chance word gets out that we did such a thing, we will all be killed. You might erase traces, but you can’t seal people’s mouths, can you?”

Baek Cheon opened his mouth to say something, but the elder was quicker.

“Please.”

With tear-wet wrinkles at his eyes, the elder looked at Baek Cheon desperately. Seeing that, Baek Cheon’s strength drained from his body.

The elder bowed his head and said.

“You need not pay for the grain you just ate. So please take everyone and leave here as soon as possible. I beg you like this!”

Baek Cheon squeezed his eyes shut without meaning to.