Chapter 528

Chapter 528 – The Lazy One Resists (3)

To summarize in two words the act of completely burning down the headquarters and stealing its goods would be:

Looting.

At that moment, Wei Yanho was declaring his intention to loot the main headquarters of the Demon Cult while their main force was away. The reactions to such a bold declaration were unanimous:

“He’s crazy.”

“A damn lunatic.”

“Crazy… Bodhisattva Guanyin of Salvation.”

“What? That the Bodhisattva is crazy?”

“Silence, benefactor.”

In the martial arts, where could the royal road reside?

Not even Sun Tzu, the greatest strategist, could claim that his tactics are absolutely correct. If he had been so inflated with arrogance, he would never have created that unparalleled classic that is “The Art of War.”

Therefore, no strategy can be criticized for being dishonest or labeled as stupid.

However…

“What a rascal.”

“Despicable man.”

“A man must follow at least the basic principles.”

“Amitabha, hell awaits you, benefactor.”

“He’s my son, but this is too much…”

Wei Yanho nodded in satisfaction at those reactions.

“Good, good. The more insults I receive, the more appropriate and brilliant the strategy is. I am willing to become a demon to protect the Central Plains!”

Jangil twisted his face.

“Lunatic.”

“Huh?”

“Do you think it makes sense to attack the Demon Cult even though their main force is absent?”

“Why not?”

Jangil raised two fingers.

“There are two reasons why your plan doesn’t make sense.”

“Which ones?”

Jangil clicked his tongue before speaking.

“First, nobody knows who might be inside now.”

“Why wouldn’t they know?”

Wei Yanho looked at Jangil as if he were a poor fool.

“I already explained it. Those from the Demon Cult wouldn’t have left forces behind. This is an all-out war. A war in which they will die if they lose. If they mobilized mediocre forces, they wouldn’t have even started.”

“Have you confirmed it?”

“Huh?”

Jangil maintained his serious expression.

“I’m asking if you have confirmed it.”

“Obviously I haven’t confirmed it. How could I?”

“Then how can you be so sure?”

Jangil looked at Jegal Munin.

“All strategies in the world are born from the mind, but what turns those plans into reality is thorough confirmation and adjustments. Isn’t that so?”

“The beggar is right.”

“…Could you call me Jangil? Or at least ‘Little Beggar’.”

“The beggar speaks sensibly.”

“…”

The beggar, no, Jangil, looked at the sky with sadness.

‘If I could go back to the past, I would tear the mouth off that damn beggar who convinced me to join the Beggar Sect.’

A moment of decision can determine an entire life. Having thoughtlessly chosen the profession of beggar had become his greatest regret.

“In any case!”

“Ah, you scared me! Why are you shouting?”

Jangil ignored Wei Yanho’s complaints and continued.

“How can we attack the Demon Cult without knowing what’s inside?”

“Then we can check it, can’t we?”

“Check it?”

Wei Yanho smiled mockingly.

“What’s so difficult about it? Have someone go check it.”

“Y-yes. So, will you go?”

Wei Yanho shook his head. His eyes gleamed with determination.

“Even though my behavior is frivolous and my tongue is light…”

“I know that very well.”

“You knew?”

“If I knew, why are you saying it?”

“…”

The corner of Wei Yanho’s lips twitched.

But Wei Yanho, without losing his radiance, continued.

“He who plans and gives orders must not act on his own. It’s not that I don’t want to go, but a true man knows how to restrain himself for the greater good.”

“Sounds irritating, but it’s true.”

“Undeniably correct.”

Jangil agreed, and Jegal Munin nodded.

“So who will go?”

Wei Yanho’s gaze landed on Jangil.

“…Me?”

“A scout must be quick on his feet, perceptive, and capable of discerning the enemy’s movements. Among us, the one who best meets those conditions is…”

“…Me?”

“Yes.”

Jangil’s face paled.

He tried to object, but it seemed he would have to charge against the Demon Cult without further ado. Jangil, sweating cold, changed the subject.

“O-of course, knowing how many troops are inside is important. But…”

“No matter what you say, you’re right. Go quickly and confirm it.”

“W-wait, calm down and listen to me first!”

Jangil shouted desperately.

“When you hear the second reason, you’ll see that reconnaissance is pointless!”

“Wow, what a long tongue.”

Wei Yanho clicked his tongue. But he nodded, willing to listen to the last attempt at resistance.

“Tell me.”

“What guarantee is there that those bastards will return even if we burn their base and cause disturbances? You yourself said it: they are determined to conquer the Central Plains. Do you think they will return just because their base is on fire?”

“Yes.”

“…’Yes’?”

“Yes.”

Wei Yanho spoke as if it were obvious.

“Of course they will return. Probably running barefoot.”

“Why? You said they would risk everything for the Central Plains.”

“Correct.”

“Then why would they return? Explain it to me clearly. So I can understand it!”

“Because they are the Demon Cult.”

“…”

Jangil looked at Wei Yanho with empty eyes. There couldn’t be a more stupid reason. Who could understand something like that?

“Ah, right!”

“…Don’t understand it, damn it!”

Jangil shouted at Jegal Munin. That’s why he hated dealing with people who were too intelligent.

“The lord is right. It’s brilliant. He has identified something I hadn’t even thought of.”

“Yes, you are great.”

Jangil spat on the ground.

“I know you’re great. But if you’re so great, explain to me what the hell is going on. Why would the Demon Cult return?”

“Literally because they are the Demon Cult.”

“No, that…”

Educated people usually tangle words. But Jangil couldn’t accept that Wei Yanho was one of them, although Jegal Munin was.

“Tsk tsk… Beggar, you should be simpler.”

“What are you saying? You didn’t even finish the ‘Classic of the Thousand Characters’.”

“What, you bastard?”

Wounded in his pride, Wei Yanho pounced on Jangil, but Wei Jeonghan stopped him with a kick.

“Silence, bastard! You should be ashamed of yourself!”

“Damn it!”

As it was Wei Jeonghan who was speaking, Wei Yanho didn’t dare to act lightly.

“But you…”

“Yes, Great Hero Wei.”

Jegal Munin respectfully bowed his head. He was twice as courteous as he was with his own lord, Wei Yanho.

“I don’t understand it either. What do you mean it’s because they are the Demon Cult?”

“Yes. Allow me to explain, Great Hero Wei. It’s literal. If they were another faction, perhaps they wouldn’t return. But since they are the Demon Cult, they have no choice but to return.”

“They return because they are the Demon Cult?”

“Yes. Because the Demon Cult is a religion.”

“Ah…”

Wei Jeonghan tilted his head. He seemed to understand it, but not entirely.

“For other factions, the headquarters is just a place. What’s important is where they are. The headquarters can be rebuilt. If they can win the world in exchange for abandoning it, they wouldn’t hesitate to do so.”

“That’s obvious.”

“But a religion is different.”

Jegal Munin looked at Musan.

“Musan.”

“Why are you calling me, benefactor?”

“If you could burn Mount Song in exchange for ruling the world under the name of Shaolin, what would you do?”

“That makes no sense.”

Musan shook his head.

“Shaolin does not seek to rule the world. What would Buddhism gain by controlling the world? We seek to save people, not dominate them. Besides…”

Musan gave the answer Jegal Munin expected.

“Even if we wanted to, it still wouldn’t make sense. On Mount Song is all of Shaolin. Our direction, spirit, countless sutras, and the footsteps of the sages. To lose it would be to cease being Shaolin.”

“Exactly.”

Jegal Munin looked at the others as if to emphasize his point.

“If Mount Hua had heard this question, their answer would have been different. Mount Hua is secular and seeks practical benefits. But those who are in the religious realm cannot abandon their roots.”

“Mmm.”

Wei Jeonghan finally understood.

“Furthermore, the Demon Cult is much more attached to its headquarters than Shaolin. If their religion were the type that can compromise with reality, they would never have waged this war against the Central Plains or lived in this barren land. They would have hidden their beliefs and integrated. But for them, their religion is not something negotiable. It is something that must be fulfilled. Those guys…”

Jegal Munin coughed slightly.

“They cannot ignore that their holy land is on fire. They will surely return.”

“What if only a part returns?”

“A part to capture whom?”

Jegal Munin discreetly pointed to Wei Yanho.

“I understand.”

Although the Demon Cult has many experts, Wei Yanho is not weak either. To capture him without losses, several bishops would be needed. But their absence would greatly weaken their strength. It is not easy to march towards the Central Plains without that strength.

“It’s definitely worth a try.”

Compared to Yeom Mong’s plan, this one had several times more possibilities.

“One thing.”

Wei Jeonghan hardened his expression.

“According to brother Yeom Mong, there are also civilians there. If we burn the headquarters, there will be casualties. Are you willing to accept that?”

The question was not for Jegal Munin.

Wei Jeonghan was looking directly at Wei Yanho.

“Would fewer people die than if the Demon Cult attacked the Central Plains?”

“Is it their fault?”

“The people of the Central Plains are not at fault either.”

“Because the enemy kills innocents, will you also kill innocents? Is that your way?”

“Eh…”

Wei Yanho tilted his head.

“I hadn’t thought about that.”

“…”

“Should I consider all that before acting? I just want to use any method available. Why would I think about that?”

Wei Jeonghan sighed.

Well, he’s right. Why would Wei Yanho worry about that? He simply acts if there is a method available.

“And there’s also a solution for that.”

“Eh?”

Wei Yanho smiled.

“Don’t kill them.”

“What if they resist?”

“Some might get hurt…”

Wei Yanho shrugged.

“It’s better than dying. And it might be fun.”

Fun?

Did he just say fun?

Wei Jeonghan felt increasingly uneasy seeing Wei Yanho laughing.