Don’t bow your head. (4)
“Hmm…”
Jang Ilso let out a snort as he raised his cup. The bright full moon reflected in his pale eyes.
“Late at night, on the Yangtze River…”
His lips traced a gentle curve.
“Drinking alone under the moon, how can one not be intoxicated?”
Just as the moon was about to quietly descend over his cup..
“..I’m also here, though.”
“Tsk.”
For a moment, Jang Ilso cast an annoyed look at Ho Gamyeong, who sat across from him.
“You will never understand the charm.”
“I may not understand the charm, but I do understand the essence.”
“Enough.”
Jang Ilso waved his hand and slowly emptied his cup. He placed it on the table without leaving a single drop.
“Isn’t it wonderful?”
Watching Jang Ilso, who looked as if he was enjoying himself like he had just been on a moonlit stroll, Ho Gamyeong sighed deeply.
“Of course, it might be enjoyable for you, but I can’t do that.”
“Why? Do you have some concerns?”
“Concerns?”
Ho Gamyeong looked around with a worried expression. They were drinking on the deck of the Black Dragon Ship.
The Black Dragon King is one of the commanders of the Sapaeryeon, and though Jang Ilso is called the Leader, the Black Dragon Ship is a space symbolic of Surochae. On that deck, the two of them invading someone else’s inner chamber with muddy feet was no different.
‘Even if it’s just me for now.’
If the Black Dragon King was to barge into Maninbang and sit on the throne of Jang Ilso, there would be nothing he wouldn’t do to kill all the Surochae, starting from the Black Dragon King himself.
‘Can this be described as bold?’
Moreover, this place is on the river.
And the Maninbang forces they brought with them are staying on a different ship, not the Black Dragon Ship. If the Black Dragon King entertains futile thoughts, it could become really dangerous.
However, Jang Ilso was casually sipping on alcohol as if such things didn’t matter at all.
Cluck cluck cluck.
Jang Ilso smiled softly as he looked at Ho Gamyeong, who kept looking around with an anxious face.
“Gamyeong, with so much fear, will you be of any use?”
“…If my life was the issue, I wouldn’t have been afraid. But I’m not such a remarkable person to take risks with Ryeonju’s [Leader of the Sapaeryeon] life.”
Jang Ilso lightly waved his index finger left and right.
“No, no. This isn’t risk, it’s calculation.”
“…”
“The Black Dragon King is smarter than you think. That’s why he absolutely won’t touch me right now.”
“Why…”
“If I die, Sapaeryeon will instantly lose its head and split into factions. Then, someone will have to bear the anger of those bastards who are glaring at us with these furious eyes. Who do you think that would be?”
“Ah…”
Ho Gamyeong slowly nodded his head.
Indeed, if Jang Ilso were to withdraw his support, even though Gangnam [Gangnam is a general term to refer to the southern side beyond the river] might remain stable, the Yangtze River alone would definitely turn to chaos. The rage of Shaolin is terrifying right now.
“The Black Dragon King is worried that I might accidentally die from a stray arrow. So don’t worry needlessly and have a drink. It’s too quiet when I drink alone.”
“…Drinking to the moon again?”
“I have a long fuse. It’s a bad habit.”
Jang Ilso chuckled and slowly turned his head. The figure of Maehwado submerged into the darkness was visible at a glance.
“Don’t you feel sorry for them?”
“Are you asking again?”
Ho Gamyeong slowly drank the liquor placed in front of him.
Thunk.
Then, he placed the glass on the table and said with an indifferent expression.
“Compared to what Ryeonju has been through, such things can’t be called a crisis.”
“Not what I’ve been through.”
“…”
“What you and I have been through,”
Jang Ilso’s words brought a faint smile to Ho Gamyeong’s face, which had been expressionless all along.
People only see the glamorous side of Jang Ilso. Becoming the leader of Maninbang at a young age, raising it to be part of Shinjuopae*, and now ascending to the position of the Lord of Sapaeryeon, overseeing all the evil sects in the world. It’s an incredibly glamorous track record.
But who would understand?
The paths Jang Ilso and Ho Gamyeong walked to achieve those glamorous feats.
Close calls with death were not even worth mentioning. For them, the danger to their lives was as natural as night falling when the sun sets.
Ho Gamyeong raised the liquor bottle and refilled Jang Ilso’s empty glass.
“And we’ll probably face more in the future.”
“That’s right. Hahaha.”
Jang Ilso laughed cheerfully and downed the filled glass in one gulp. In the meantime, his eyes remained fixed on the Maehwado, hidden in the darkness.
“Hmm?”
At that moment, Jang Ilsu’s eyelids twitched slightly. In response, Ho Gamyeong asked with a stern expression,
“Is there a problem?”
“No.”
But Jang Ilso soon nodded solemnly.
“It’s nothing,” he said as his lips, as red as blood, drew an arc.
“Are the preparations complete?”
“…Yes, they are.”
Namgung Hwang turned to Namgung Dowi with a stern face. His son, who had seemed so young not too long ago, was now looking at him squarely with an expression devoid of emotion.
Namgong Hwang nodded heavily.
Even if he wasn’t his son, it didn’t matter. Anyone who could make such an expression was worth staking their life on.
“What about the elders?”
“They are prepared, Lord.”
The elders standing behind Namgong Dowi were the same.
They had a somewhat old and feeble appearance, the kind that wouldn’t seem out of place even if they collapsed at any moment. However, their eyes shone brightly and sharply, as if they were more alert than anyone else. Worried that their secret might be revealed because of those glints.
Namgong Hwang took a short breath.
“Dowi.”
“Yes, Lord.”
“I know you’ve made up your mind, but I’ll give you one final instruction.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t look back.”
Namgong Dowi clenched his fist.
“What hangs on your shoulders is the life of Namgung Clan on this island. Compared to that, our lives are nothing more than worthless things.”
“…I understand.”
Namgung Hwang finished speaking and nodded his head. He then gazed at Namgung Dowi, who had unwavering determination in his eyes.
“…”
With that final image of his son etched in his mind, Namgung Hwang turned his body as if leaving no room for regret.
“Namgung Myeong.”
“Y-Yes, Lord.”
“I entrust this place to you.”
Namgung Myeong clenched his teeth. His face quickly took on a resolute expression.
“Yes, please leave it to me.”
“Good.”
Namgung Hwang spoke forcefully without looking back.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes!”
“We must approach without being detected.”
Exactly seven of them. Namgung Hwang and Namgung Dowi, along with five elders who were indispensable as the core of Namgung Clan.
They began to silently merge into the dark, ink-like Yangtze River, like shadows slipping away without a sound.
Without even the sound of water droplets splashing, they submerged beneath the surface and slowly approached the ship.
Namgung Dowi followed closely behind his father, being as cautious as possible as they swam through the water, where the front was barely visible.
For a moment, false hope surged in Namgung Dowi’s chest as he swam underwater, not being detected, wondering if they could reach the shore underneath the ship like this.
However, the wind is just the wind, and hopes are often shattered.
Before they could get halfway to the ship, something surged from the riverbed.
Ck!
A burst of white bubbles escaped from Namgung Hwang’s mouth.
The crazed pirate scum had been monitoring whether anyone was moving on the riverbed, stuck to the bottom of the river.
If it were outside the water, there was no way they could have detected Namgung Hwang’s presence. But this was underwater. In other words, there was not a single bit of cover to hide their bodies.
Even if it were Namgung Hwang, it meant he couldn’t escape their sight.
Kurururur!
A loud noise emanated from the water, and dozens of long harpoons flew towards them, swirling in their direction.
Namgung Hwang clenched his teeth and drew his sword.
Kwaaaah!
The calm surface of the Yangtze River immediately erupted into a massive whirlpool.
“What is this?”
“It’s an attack! The bastards are in the water!”
“Get the crossbows!”
The once silent river was suddenly filled with shouts and curses.
Bang!
The Black Dragon King, who had been in the cabin, burst out like lightning.
“What’s going on?”
“It looks like they’re trying to escape.”
“What?”
The Black Dragon King turned his head to scan Maehwado when he heard this. When he squinted his eyes, he could clearly see those still groaning in the center of the island.
‘What’s this?’
Most of the people were still staying on Maehwado.
So?
“Namgung Hwang!”
The Black Dragon King shouted angrily and rushed across the deck.
Shaaaark!
Eventually, the figure of the Emperor Sword Namgung Hwang, rising from the water, came clearly into view.
“Ehahaha! These little rats! Do you want to see me so soon?”
The Black Dragon King burst into laughter, wasting no time as he gestured with his hand.
“Shoot! Turn that coward into a hedgehog!”
The pirates crowded to one side of the deck, causing the ship to tilt slightly. The tightly packed pirates, shoulder to shoulder, raised their bows and aimed at The Sword Emperor.
“Fireeeee!”
Swiiiiish!
Arrows, charged with all their might, were shot one after another. Arrows not only from the Black Dragon Ship but also from dozens of other ships simultaneously rained down on Namgung Hwang like a torrential downpour.
If it was a day instead of night, the arrows would have created a huge shadow over the Yangtze River.
“Black Dragon!”
But at that moment…
Kwaaaaah!
The massive energy emitted by Namgung Hwang rose like the sun piercing through the river, illuminating everything. The torrent of arrows raining down was deflected in all directions when it collided with the surging energy.
It was a terrifying display of power that made onlookers shudder.
“Ehahaha!”
However, the Black Dragon King, instead of being frightened by the spectacle, was exhilarated.
“Bite him! Let the wretch know the price of entering the Yangtze River!”
The pirates who had dropped their bows as if discarding them all jumped into the water. Their numbers were so great that the foam created by their entry into the water made the river appear momentarily frothy.
Shaaaark!
With astonishing speed, the crowd of pirates divided the currents as they surged toward Namgung Hwang and the other six.
In the water and above it.
It was like hundreds of sharks rushing towards a trapped prey in the water.
“Lord!”
“I know!”
Namgung Hwang shouted loudly.
“Elders, block those approaching in the water! I will take care of the surface!”
He gripped the handle of his sword until his knuckles turned white.
‘I will save Dowi!’
A fierce determination that had never been seen in his eyes surged.
“Come! You dogs of the Great River! I will show you how the Lord of Namgung dies!”
With a roar like a wounded beast, Namgung Hwang’s sword, marked by his battle scars, struck the water’s surface with tremendous force.
Kwaaaaah!
Instantly, giant ripples began to form on the river’s surface. The surging waves violently rocked the ships that were floating on the water.
And at that moment…
Paaah!
Pirates, who leaped out of the water like dolphins, hurled harpoons toward Namgung Hwang and Namgung Dowi.
“Dowi!”
“Yes!”
Taaat!
Dowi stepped on his father’s shoulders and leaped out of the water like a flying fish. His sword left a trail of white lines in the air.
Under the dark sky.
Amidst the pitch-black darkness of the night.
The white streaks of light in the midst of it all seemed somewhat fragile.
________
*Shinjuopae – 신주오패(神州五覇) – the initial union between Maninbang, Surochae, Hao Clan, Black Ghost Fortress and Blood Palace.
- 신 (神): This character means “divine” or “godly.” It is often used to refer to something related to gods, deities, or divinity. In this context, it signifies the divine nature of the land or realm.
- 주 (州): This character represents a “region,” “state,” or “land.” It signifies a specific territorial area, which, in the context of the term, is the divine land or realm.
- 오 (五): “오” is the number “five” in Chinese, indicating that there are five elements or entities in the term “신주오패.”
- 패 (覇): Here the character “패” inclines towards “overlord,” “supreme ruler,” or “hegemon.” It suggests the dominant and authoritative position of the entities referred to as “Five Overlords.”
So, when combined, “신주오패(神州五覇)” can be translated as “Five Overlords of the Divine Land.”
Return of the Mount Hua 
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