"Well then, first things first…"
Hyun Jong drew everyone's attention, signaling it was time to address the practical matters.
"Baek Cheon."
"Yes, sect leader."
"How do you think Shaolin will act moving forward?"
Baek Cheon was momentarily speechless, meeting Hyun Jong's gaze. Hyun Jong had never asked him this question directly before, especially not in front of everyone.
But Baek Cheon quickly regained his composure.
"As Chung Myung mentioned earlier, Shaolin probably won't move from this river for a while. For them to move, the pirates would have to withdraw first, but the pirates are still holding their fleet."
"Hmm, that sounds right."
Hyun Jong nodded in satisfaction. At that moment, Jo Gul quickly interjected.
"Of course! The bald king of Shaolin values his pride immensely!"
"…Right."
Now, even if Jo Gul called the abbot of Shaolin, a bald king, no one would dare correct him.
"Then the key question is when the pirates will move."
Hyun Jong pondered deeply before speaking.
"Isn't the Black Dragon King injured? I doubt he can endure staying there forever, even for treatment."
"Yes, I think so."
"I agree."
"So you're saying this standoff won't last long?"
As everyone's thoughts converged, Chung Myung spoke up.
"Is that really so?"
"Uh?"
Hyun Jong looked at Chung Myung with a puzzled expression.
"Do you see it differently?"
"Yes, sect leader. At first glance, it seems the Black Dragon King should retreat due to his injury, but I think otherwise now."
Baek Cheon asked, confused.
"Why? From the Black Dragon King's perspective, he needs to recover quickly. In an Evil Sect where pride runs deep, the leader's skills are paramount."
"On the contrary."
"Uh?"
"If the Black Dragon King still firmly controlled his pirates, then what Sasuk said would hold true. But there's someone else involved."
Baek Cheon immediately realized who Chung Myung meant and groaned.
"Jang Ilso…"
"The Black Dragon King has lost control of the pirates. The pirates are a sect under the Four Sects Alliance, and their leader is right there. Since the Black Dragon King is injured, it wouldn't be surprising if Jang Ilso temporarily took command of the fleet."
"…That makes sense."
"And…"
Chung Myung smiled mockingly.
"That bastard wouldn't just let this situation slide. He probably found an excuse to push the Black Dragon King off the front lines, aiming to fully consume the pirates' power."
Everyone couldn't help but agree. How could Jang Ilso, the embodiment of greed, miss such an opportunity?
"Will the Black Dragon King just sit back and watch?"
"The Black Dragon King?"
"Yes. Given his nature, he would never quietly watch Jang Ilso devour his power."
"…"
At that moment, Chung Myung looked at Baek Cheon with a pitying expression. Baek Cheon flinched and protested.
"What? Why!"
"Sigh… this is why you're Sasuk. Oh my, Dong-Ryong."
"Sigh, don't start now, you punk!"
Chung Myung shook his head.
"Well, you'll see soon enough."
He glanced around at everyone and continued.
"Anyway, the standoff will probably last longer than we expect."
"…Why?"
"That would take too long to explain."
Chung Myung chuckled as he chose his words carefully.
"The thoughts of those with tainted hearts tend to be similar."
The Five Swords still looked confused, while Chung Myung just smiled softly.
His eyes had grown cloudy, and his face was so gaunt he was barely recognizable.
The commanding presence he once had was gone, even after washing his eyes. His dark complexion now evoked only pity.
The Black Dragon King stared blankly ahead, focusing on Jang Ilso, who sat cross-legged on a large chair.
"Where…"
Jang Ilso's lips, which had been curled in a smile like a crescent moon, slowly parted.
"Are you feeling alright now?"
This man was always threatening, like a venomous snake.
The reason the Black Dragon King found him especially dangerous now wasn't just because he had lost an arm.
"Thanks for your concern…"
The Black Dragon King paused, lowering his head.
He didn't want to show it, but his face must have been filled with anger, hatred, and fear.
"… I'm recovering quickly."
"Thank God."
Jang Ilso leaned back in his chair, looking down at the Black Dragon King with a relaxed expression.
Just days ago, the Black Dragon King had stood on equal footing with Jang Ilso. Though Jang Ilso held the position of Alliance leader and the allied leaders of the Four Precepts Alliance, the Black Dragon King hadn't been forced to bow to him.
That was because Jang Ilso's position wasn't seized by force.
Though the Black Dragon King was gradually losing initiative to Jang Ilso, he still had room to counterattack.
Before things deteriorated this far.
"You're getting better…"
Jang Ilso murmured as if recalling the Black Dragon King's words.
"Yes, you should recover quickly. Then you can seek revenge and reclaim your reputation, right?"
"…"
"For now, focus on healing. It'll take time to get used to wielding the sword with your left hand."
He thought he heard laughter.
Though there was no trace of laughter in Jang Ilso's voice, the Black Dragon King kept hearing the hallucination of Jang Ilso laughing in his ears.
No, he must be laughing.
It might not show on his face or in his voice, but Jang Ilso was surely bursting with anger.
"Don't worry. I'll handle the small matters now. For the time being, step back and focus on regaining your strength."
Crack.
The Black Dragon King clenched his teeth.
Step back?
He hadn't even faced the pirates since being released by Mount Hua. Stepping back from the front lines required at least some discussion and orders. Yet now, he was completely isolated from the pirates.
One thought never left his mind.
Was all of this really a coincidence?
Jang Ilso's timely support, Mount Hua and Namgung's advance to Plum Blossom Island, and his own near-death experience without intervention…
Was it all really just by chance?
At first, he dismissed it as nonsense. Even Jang Ilso couldn't have predicted the Black Dragon King's defeat by Mount Hua's Sword Saint. But everything had played into Jang Ilso's hands, and he hadn't missed the opportunity.
Yes, he believed that.
Until he saw Jang Ilso's eyes.
The moment those eyes, like a venomous snake stalking prey, met his, the Black Dragon King realized everything.
"Is there a problem?"
Jang Ilso's voice was calm. The Black Dragon King barely swallowed his anger. Anger that can't be expressed isn't anger—it's the sorrow of the weak.
"…No, Alliance leader."
"Hmmm."
Jang Ilso snorted softly.
"Alliance lord…"
He muttered for a moment and slowly stood.
The accessories on his body clinked sharply.
Anyone who knew Jang Ilso would recognize the sound. But to the Black Dragon King, it was creepier than a ghost's howl from hell.
Step. Step. Step.
Jang Ilso approached slowly.
The Black Dragon King's shoulders trembled.
He wasn't afraid of death. If it were just death, he would have accepted it with dignity.
But Jang Ilso was not one to be satisfied with mere death. He would use death to strip everything away—the pirates, his honor, everything he had built—leaving nothing but ashes.
Step. Step.
Finally, Jang Ilso stopped just a step ahead of the Black Dragon King. He smiled—the gentlest smile imaginable.
"Why are you shaking?"
"…"
"I will…"
A languid voice slipped from his red lips.
"Do you think I will kill you?"
The Black Dragon King closed his eyes.
He finally understood why others feared Jang Ilso so much.
Tigers didn't usually fear snakes; they avoided them because their venom was deadly and offered no benefit. That's why snakes and tigers coexisted.
But…
What if the snake was so large it could swallow an entire tiger? What if it wasn't a snake but a giant poisonous scorpion with its massive mouth wide open?
It would be strange for a tiger not to fear such a creature.
"Don't worry, I won't do that."
Jang Ilso continued with a soft smile.
"I think I'm gentler than people believe… but people fear me. Do you know why?"
His tone shifted completely as if addressing his subordinates kindly. Yet the Black Dragon King couldn't utter a word of protest.
"In their hearts…"
Jang Ilso's eyes glowed blue.
"There is hostility."
"…"
"They say a dog doesn't fear its master. It finds him strong and happy. It fears the whip of discipline, but what it offers its master is simply happiness. What a dog truly fears is the enemy. Do you understand?"
"…Alliance Lord."
"Then I'll ask."
A sharp smile appeared on Jang Ilso's lips.
Clap.
The rings hidden in his sleeves made a sharp sound.
It wasn't loud, but to the Black Dragon King, it sounded louder than thunder.
"What's inside your heart now?"
The Black Dragon King opened his eyes and looked at Jang Ilso.
Seeing those eyes—bright yet infinitely gloomy—something inside him broke.
"I…"
"Yes. Answer me."
"I-I…"
His body slowly bent.
Thud!
His knees hit the ground.
With a face full of fear and horror, he trembled and lowered his head with difficulty.
"All I have is… respect."
Jang Ilso's gaze turned cold as he looked down at the kneeling Black Dragon King. After a moment of silence, he slowly reached out his hand.
The white hand, adorned with jewels of five colors on the fingers, touched the Black Dragon King's head. Instantly, the Black Dragon King's body flinched and spasmed briefly.
"Hmmm."
A smile appeared on Jang Ilso's lips as he let out a short snort.
"Right."
The white hand slowly stroked the Black Dragon King's head.
"Such a good boy."
The moon in the sky slowly slipped behind the clouds. A terrible darkness quietly descended upon the Yangtze River.