Chapter 775: If You Fall Behind, You’re Dead! (5)

 

"You insolent wench…"

What kind of person wouldn't get angry seeing a young swordswoman, not even half his age, say something like that right to his face?

Ga Nam-Pyung's eyes began to gleam with murderous intent.

"Let's see if you can still spout that nonsense when your body is riddled with cuts."

Tension filled the air between the two of them.

"Th-that…"

Jo Seung, who had somehow crept close to Chung Myung’s side, spoke in a trembling voice.

"G-grandmaster! No, Taoist! We need to stop this!"

"Hmm?"

Chung Myung tilted his head, looking at Jo Seung as if asking, 'Why are you here?'

"Why?"

"That man is Ga Nam-Pyung! The Ga Nam-Pyung of the Turbulent Waters! He's a well-known master around the Yangtze River!"

"…Hmm?"

"He's infamous for his skill with the dao and his water techniques. Several factions have tried to recruit him, but he rejected every offer, saying he didn't want to serve under anyone… But I never imagined he would create his own pirate group…"

Jo Seung swallowed nervously, his face filled with anxiety.

"Ga Nam-Pyung isn't just some random thug wandering the Yangtze. He once killed a renowned master from one of the Nine Great Sects and evaded their pursuit. He's that strong and dangerous."

"Ah, is that so?"

"Yes! I couldn't understand how a newly formed pirate group had gathered so many men, but now it makes sense. Ga Nam-Pyung must have been training them in secret."

"Hmmm."

Chung Myung stared at Ga Nam-Pyung with curious eyes.

"Doesn’t seem like such a big deal to me, though."

"I wondered about that too. From what I knew, Ga Nam-Pyung was skilled, but not particularly resourceful… How did he manage all of this…?"

"Does he have a lot of money?"

"What?"

"I'm asking, does he have a lot of money?"

"…What kind of money would a wandering rogue have?"

"Exactly."

Chung Myung narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.

‘How did a penniless vagabond manage to gather all these White Thunder cannons and feed such a large group?’

Once a pirate group starts functioning, they can sustain themselves by plundering. But at the beginning, you'd need significant funding to support such an operation.

And this newly formed group had managed to sustain this many men? It didn’t add up.

"He must have had a pretty substantial source of funds, don’t you think?"

Chung Myung lightly tapped his cheek.

"Well, we'll find out once we investigate. More importantly, the terrain here is pretty unusual. I thought it was just a sandbank, but it really is more like an island."

"T-Taoist! Now’s not the time to be talking about that! That woman will die!"

"Who? Sago? Or that Ga Nam-Pyung fellow?"

"…What?"

Chung Myung chuckled.

"You're worrying too much. Sago isn’t the type to lose to some thug like that."

"Taoist, you don't seem to understand how dangerous Ga Nam-Pyung is…"

"Do you know how strong our Sago is?"

"…What?"

"Neither of us knows the other’s limits, so it’s the same situation, right?"

Jo Seung looked puzzled, as if he wanted to ask what kind of nonsense that was, but Chung Myung just shrugged.

"T-Taoist, are you really sure it's okay?"

"Is it okay, you ask… huh?"

At that moment, Chung Myung tilted his head again.

"Wait a minute."

"Yes?"

"You're the guy who cursed me while flying away earlier, right?"

"…Yes?"

"Haha, I almost forgot. Come here."

"…."

Sometimes, even the kindest intentions can have unintended consequences.

 

Ga Nam-Pyung inhaled sharply, drawing his dao forward.

The dao, typically more suited for slashing, was being used in a way that resembled a thrust. Ga Nam-Pyung’s unique blade, the horizontal dao, was designed for piercing, unlike traditional heavy weapons, making it perfect for water combat.

Swishing through the air, his dao emitted an eerie wailing sound from the holes along its edge as he unleashed a barrage of rapid thrusts.

The blade moved with precision and deadly force, making it clear why Ga Nam-Pyung was renowned across the Yangtze. His skill was not exaggerated—his reputation was well-earned.

However.

Swish!

The dao came to an abrupt halt just an inch from Yu Yiseol’s throat. To a bystander, it might have looked as though Ga Nam-Pyung deliberately stopped his attack at the last moment.

But while Ga Nam-Pyung’s face twisted in frustration, Yu Yiseol remained calm, indicating the situation was not as it seemed.

‘This woman…’

Caution flashed in Ga Nam-Pyung's eyes.

Each time he thrust his dao, Yu Yiseol stepped back just half a step, staying out of range with minimal movement. She was perfectly calculating the trajectory of his blade, neutralizing each attack without wasting any energy.

It was a feat that could only be accomplished by someone with complete confidence in their footwork and skill.

The fact that she could maintain such composure against him only fueled Ga Nam-Pyung's frustration.

Yet instead of losing his temper, Ga Nam-Pyung took a deep breath. Losing control in battle was more dangerous than facing an enemy's blade.

‘She may be skilled, but she’s still young and inexperienced.’

He could tell just from this brief exchange. In ten fights, he might lose two. But his experience and cunning would guarantee him victory the other eight times.

Ga Nam-Pyung thrust his dao again, the tip aiming for Yu Yiseol’s neck.

As expected, she stepped back half a step, avoiding the blade.

Swish! Swish!

The seemingly pointless thrusts continued.

The wailing sound from the dao and the rapid strikes were loud and flashy, but to the untrained eye, they appeared ineffective.

‘Hmm?’

Chung Myung, watching from afar, smiled slyly.

"He’s resorting to tricks."

Almost as if he had heard Chung Myung’s words, Ga Nam-Pyung's eyes gleamed, and he thrust his dao once more. As usual, Yu Yiseol moved back slightly to avoid it.

But suddenly, the blade extended farther than before, rushing toward her throat.

Yu Yiseol’s eyes widened, and she immediately leaped back.

"Taaah!"

Ga Nam-Pyung didn’t let her escape. His razor-sharp blade followed her with lethal speed, aiming for her neck.

Yu Yiseol quickly swung her sword to block it.

Clang!

The dao deflected off her sword with a shrill sound, sending a jarring sensation up her wrist.

Ga Nam-Pyung pressed forward, kicking up a cloud of sand that flew towards Yu Yiseol.

“Ugh.”

For the first time, a flicker of confusion crossed Yu Yiseol’s usually composed face.

Baek Cheon, witnessing this from afar, was also puzzled.

‘What’s going on? Why is Sago…?’

Ga Nam-Pyung might be a formidable opponent, but it seemed as though Yu Yiseol wasn’t fighting to her full potential. The calm and collected Yu Yiseol appeared momentarily shaken.

"It’s about the distance."

"What?"

Without taking his eyes off the battle, Baek Cheon responded to Chung Myung’s voice.

"That sound coming from his blade—it's a sonic technique. The constant noise disrupts her concentration."

"…."

"And that guy has been subtly adjusting the range of his attacks. He’s messing with both her sight and hearing. He’s smarter than I thought."

Kicking up sand and creating noise wasn’t meant to defeat Yu Yiseol directly. It was meant to confuse and disorient her, gradually wearing her down until she made a mistake.

"It’s dirty…"

"There’s no such thing as dirty in a fight. Surviving is better than dying cleanly."

"…."

Baek Cheon nodded, understanding the harsh truth. As someone who had experienced many real battles, he couldn’t disagree.

"Should we go help her?"

"Don't talk nonsense."

When Chung Myung asked with a grin, Baek Cheon immediately dismissed the idea.

"Sago won't lose to someone like him."

"Hmm."

Chung Myung smiled quietly.

 

"How’s that?!"

Ga Nam-Pyung roared like a tiger. But it wasn’t a sign of excitement—it was just another tactic to throw Yu Yiseol off balance.

There are two ways to defeat a superior opponent: either become stronger or bring your opponent down to your level.

Attaching bells to his blade and using soundwaves to disturb his opponent’s internal energy was a technique with a long history among unorthodox fighters. Ga Nam-Pyung’s Ghost Wailing Blade was an advanced version of this art, designed to disrupt his opponent’s concentration and balance.

If Yu Yiseol had more experience with unorthodox techniques, she might have found a way to counter it. But it seemed unlikely that someone her age would have faced such methods before.

The proof was in the results.

Slash!

The dao grazed her shoulder, leaving a cut that bled through her clothes.

Slash!

Another wound appeared on her side.

Ga Nam-Pyung's attacks, which had previously missed entirely, were now starting to land.

‘Just a little more.’

When hunting, patience was key. If he rushed now, a careless counterattack could end in disaster. But time was on his side. He just needed to take her down slowly.

‘You’ll be the first to die!’

Ga Nam-Pyung’s eyes gleamed with cold determination as he thrust his blade forward.

"Haap!"

With a fierce shout, he added more power to his strike, but just as his blade extended—

Clang!

Before his dao could fully extend, it was deflected by Yu Yiseol’s sword.

"Ugh!"

But Ga Nam-Pyung didn’t panic. He calmly retracted his blade and attacked again.

Clang!

Once again, Yu Yiseol intercepted his strike before it could reach her.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

No matter how many times he attacked, Yu Yiseol’s sword was always there to meet his blade, preventing it from completing its arc.

Each time, she deflected his blade as if she had predicted its path.

Ga Nam-Pyung stepped back in shock, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at Yu Yiseol. She stood there, her face impassive once more.

"I understand now."

"…."

"Your sound, your distance, your tricks—they only work if your blade reaches the target."

"W-what…?"

Is she saying she’s countering my blade before it even extends?

That’s impossible.

For her sword to reach his dao before it completed its thrust, her sword would have to be at least twice as fast as his.

Attacking after him, yet reaching him first?

"That’s impossible! Aaaaah!"

In desperation, Ga Nam-Pyung screamed and thrust his blade again. This time, there was no sound technique involved—just pure, desperate aggression.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

But each strike was met by Yu Yiseol’s sword, which deflected his attacks with perfect precision.

No matter how fast he struck, her sword was always there, waiting for him.

"Aaaaaargh!"

Ga Nam-Pyung's movements grew frantic, resembling the spasms of a man in a fit of madness.

If he could just overpower her with sheer force—

But at that moment—

Swish.

Yu Yiseol gracefully sidestepped his thrust, letting his blade slide past her as if it were nothing. Then, with the grace of a butterfly, she gently extended her sword.

Time seemed to slow.

Ga Nam-Pyung, realizing his fate, had a moment of clarity.

‘Where is…?’

The Black-Haired Ghost was nowhere to be seen.

The man who had joined the battle before him, the Black-Haired Ghost, had disappeared. And along with him, the rest of the warriors who had helped form their pirate group were gone as well.

‘Where…?’

Gone.

Someone like the Black-Haired Ghost should have stood out on the battlefield. But neither he nor his subordinates were anywhere to be found.

"That bastard…"

Shing.

Before Ga Nam-Pyung could finish his sentence, Yu Yiseol’s sword sliced through his neck.

Thunk.

Without a sound, Ga Nam-Pyung’s head flew into the air.

As the world spun around him, Ga Nam-Pyung saw one final sight.

On the other side of the island, the Black-Haired Ghost and his men were floating away, leaving the island behind as they drifted down the Yangtze.

‘He deceived…’

And then, darkness.

Anger and hatred are the feelings of the living.

Ga Nam-Pyung no longer had the right to feel either.