"Thank you for your hard work, Alliance Lord."
"Hmm."
Jang Ilso, having climbed aboard the ship, smiled bitterly. Seeing that expression, Ho Ga-Myung asked with a hint of puzzlement, "Was there a problem?"
"A problem… well, I don't know, Ga-Myung. Should I even call it a problem?"
"…"
"The Black Dragon King will be released, and the war has stopped, so everything I wanted is done."
"Then why…"
Jang Ilso glanced back at Plum Blossom Island and shook his head.
"No."
He cut off the words and soon gave an order with a calm expression.
"Tell the pirates not to touch those escaping from Plum Blossom Island and to send them away peacefully."
"Yes, Alliance Lord."
Ho Ga-Myung, after giving instructions to his subordinates, quietly observed Jang Ilso.
"What?"
"… I know I can't dare guess what the Alliance Lord wants. But…"
"Tsk, tsk. Don't beat around the bush. Why are you asking me this now?"
Ho Ga-Myung's eyes showed slight suspicion.
"It's true the Black Dragon King is important. Without him, the pirates would lose control. It would be fortunate if we could absorb them safely, but the Lower District Sect and Black Ghost Fort wouldn't just stand by."
"Right."
"But… even so, isn't it too lenient to let them go like this? At least they could have caused some damage. They were surrounded and restrained on Plum Blossom Island."
"Hmm, right. That's true."
"If I do that, what will…"
Jang Ilso spoke indifferently.
"The reason is simple. First, it's more beneficial for me if those guys return safely to the Northern lands rather than die here."
"…"
"Secondly…"
Jang Ilso snickered and looked back at Ho Ga-Myung. Then, suddenly, he said something unexpected.
"What do you think of Mount Hua's Sword Saint?"
Ho Ga-Myung's face hardened the moment Jang Ilso mentioned Mount Hua's Sword Saint.
'What do you think?'
If you asked someone who had observed everything on Plum Blossom Island, wouldn't the answer be obvious?
"… a monster."
"Right."
Jang Ilso nodded quietly.
"He's so suspicious you wonder if he came from a human's stomach. The martial arts he showed me before are still vivid in my memory, but in just three years, he has…"
Mount Hua's Sword Saint defeated the Black Dragon King single-handedly.
That meant Mount Hua's Sword Saint should be recognized as one of the best martial warriors in the world.
Countless warriors had appeared throughout the long history of the murim world, but had anyone else reached this level at such a young age?
If one focused on martial arts alone, Mount Hua's Sword Saint far surpassed Ho Ga-Myung's knowledge and common sense.
"That's why he's dangerous. Extremely so."
"Yes, he is dangerous."
Jang Ilso curled his lips into a smile.
"But Mount Hua's Sword Saint is dangerous not because he's strong."
Ho Ga-Myung didn't understand what he meant.
"… What do you mean?"
Jang Ilso turned his head slightly and glanced at Mount Hua's Sword Saint, Chung Myung.
"A strong person is just difficult to handle, not entirely impossible. If you can't win alone, two can fight him, and if two can't win, three can join."
That's the way of the Evil Sect. Ho Ga-Myung nodded in agreement. Jang Ilso continued.
"They say those who are strong are not truly strong. Those who know how to survive are the strong ones. But the problem is…"
He narrowed his eyes and trailed off for a moment.
"Mount Hua's Sword Saint is someone who knows how to survive."
"… Uh?"
Jang Ilso's face was faintly filled with dread.
"Ga-Myung."
"Yes, Alliance Lord."
"Do you really think Mount Hua's Sword Saint jumped into Plum Blossom Island without any plan?"
"…"
"No. Not at all. A devilish guy with dozens of snakes in his stomach wouldn't act on impulse. Even if he started on impulse, he must have finished his entire calculations while running here."
"T-that is…"
"There they come."
Jang Ilso gestured toward the river. Ho Ga-Myung turned his gaze in that direction, eyes wide.
At a glance, dozens of ships appeared.
"T-those are…?"
"They must be the ships called by Mount Hua's Sword Saint to escape Plum Blossom Island."
"B-but he already gave orders to the pirates to take over all nearby ships?"
"Yes. But isn't there one guy skilled enough to get through all the interference and get ships like that?"
"… Uh?"
Jang Ilso snickered.
"The guy who sticks to the Justice faction like a bat and hasn't even shown his face yet."
Ho Ga-Myung bit his lip.
"… Im So-Byeong."
"Right. That guy."
Jang Ilso chuckled. But unlike him, all the color drained from Ho Ga-Myung's face for a moment.
So, the guy called Mount Hua's Sword Saint, while running all the way to Plum Blossom Island to save the Namgung family, arranged a fleet through the Green Forest King, Im So-Byeong, to escape safely?
"But the bandits…"
"There's no need to fight the pirates. If you just spread out the ships, those guys can cross over like on a plank."
"…."
Cold sweat ran down Ho Ga-Myung's back.
Everyone gathered on the Yangtze River were famous warriors. However, among all of them, how many would have noticed the many hidden arrangements behind this battle?
"T-then?"
Ho Ga-Myung's face turned pale as if he realized something.
"Did you enter Plum Blossom Island alone, even though you knew Im So-Byeong was steering the ships?"
"Right. Is there any reason why I shouldn't?"
"N-no…"
"That's the same either way. No matter how great that guy was, he couldn't know exactly when the ship would arrive. You can't gamble on a ship that may or may not come."
Ho Ga-Myung let out a long sigh as he watched the fleet approach through the waves.
But what was even more bizarre was that Jang Ilso, who had barely escaped death by a narrow margin, was somehow smiling brightly.
"Do you understand now why I'm just letting them go?"
"Yes, Alliance Lord."
Since they had prepared the ship, they would have been able to escape from the island even if they suffered damage. If that had happened, the Black Dragon King would have lost his life.
'That would clearly be our loss, too.'
In that case, it was better to return with the Black Dragon King and let them go.
"I don't know how long it's been since I've felt this way."
"… Alliance Lord."
"Hmm."
Jang Ilso looked at Plum Blossom Island with a subtle expression once again.
"Ga-Myung."
"Yes."
"Send them what you've prepared. Since it looks just as I wanted, I should be giving them a gift."
"I will."
Jang Ilso waved his hand as if annoyed and walked slowly. His eyes, raised to the bow while pushing against the blowing river wind, settled quietly on Plum Blossom Island.
"In this world, if you gain something, you also lose something."
His red lips curved into a smile.
"Do you know what you lost now?"
It doesn't matter whether you know or not. It isn't something you can do anything about even if you do."
"He's coming fast, that useless human!"
Chung Myung, clinging to the railing, gritted his teeth as he watched the approaching fleet. If that moron had arrived just a moment earlier, he could have cut off Jang Ilso's head.
"Tsk."
Now, Plum Blossom Island was quite far. The pirates surrounding the island's outskirts were just watching them board the ship and escape.
With the Black Dragon King held hostage by Mount Hua and Jang Ilso's words, they had no choice but to stay still.
At that moment, a person approached Chung Myung.
"Taoist."
"Hmm?"
Turning his head, he saw Namgung Do-Wei walking unsteadily.
He walked precariously in front of Chung Myung, took a deep breath, and bowed his head. It wasn't a formal greeting but a simple bow.
This was the courtesy shown by Namgung Do-Wei, the human being, not Namgung Do-Wei, the Lord.
"I am… truly grateful."
"…"
Chung Myung stared at Namgung Do-Wei with an expressionless face.
Then, the Five Swords, a little distance away, started whispering among themselves.
"Why is he doing that?"
"Leave him alone. How many times has he heard someone say thank you in his life? I've only heard 'you're a piece of shit' and nothing else."
Those bastards!
Just as Chung Myung was about to glare at them, Namgung Do-Wei raised his head.
"Thanks to the Taoist, the Namgung family was able to continue our name. How do I ever repay this favor…?"
"Favor comes later."
"… Uh?"
"The first thing you shouldn't forget is resentment."
Chung Myung glanced to the side and saw the Black Dragon King lying unconscious.
"How about now? There's no need to keep the promise to the Evil Sect bastards anyway, right?"
It meant he could kill the Black Dragon King if he wanted.
But Namgung Do-Wei shook his head without hesitation.
"No."
"Uh?"
Though struggling, Namgung Do-Wei's eyes didn't waver.
"Killing the Black Dragon King here won't be the end of Namgung's revenge. It would be nothing more than venting my anger. One day, I will defeat the Black Dragon King with my own strength and honor the souls of the dead."
Chung Myung nodded in satisfaction. Then Namgung Do-Wei added something unnecessary.
"Because I'm sure my father would want that too."
When Namgung Hwang's name came up, the ship fell silent.
Chung Myung nodded slightly and lightly patted Namgung Do-Wei on the shoulder.
"Right. That's right."
At that moment, Namgung Do-Wei bit his lip.
"Chung Myung!"
"Uh?"
"A ship is approaching us."
"What?"
Chung Myung kicked the deck and ran to the other side.
But the approaching ship was a small boat with only one person, despite his surprise.
It was the very same boat Jang Ilso had been on just moments ago.
"… What is that?"
Chung Myung frowned.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Jang Ilso was not on the ship. He had been spotted by Jang Ilso's side a few times.
The moment the boat reached within arm's length of Chung Myung's ship, a loud voice called out.
"Mount Hua's Sword Saint!"
Instead of answering, Chung Myung simply watched.
"This is a gift from the Lord."
The person on the boat grabbed a large object loaded on the raft.
'Coffin?'
Chung Myung's eyes widened slightly as the large coffin was thrown onto the ship.
Tak!
Chung Myung silently accepted the coffin.
Ho Ga-Myung, who had been glaring at him, turned the boat without another word as if his work was done.
A strange silence descended on the ship.
Chung Myung carefully set the coffin down and looked at Namgung Do-Wei. Namgung Do-Wei must have guessed something, too, as he slowly opened the coffin lid with trembling hands.
And…
"Lord!"
"Kuaaaak! Lord!"
"Eukkkk!"
The moment the coffin was opened, the Namgung family warriors burst into tears.
Namgung Hwang.
He was in a miserable state, but the body inside the coffin was definitely his.
"Father! Father! Kuaak…"
Namgung Do-Wei collapsed, sobbing as he held the body.
He had thought the body would sink helplessly beneath the cold river water, his heart breaking at the thought of leaving the Yangtze River without even collecting it.
But Namgung Hwang's body had returned to him in a coffin unexpectedly.
Chung Myung, watching the Namgung family and Namgung Do-Wei with dark eyes, turned his gaze toward the ship in the distance.
'… That damned bastard.'
So disgusting.
The day he would understand Jang Ilso would never come. They would only be running in parallel lines forever.
But…
"Once in a while, you have to do something humane."
Chung Myung spat out the words and turned away.
On the ship heading toward the Northern Lands, the sorrowful sobbing continued for a long time.