Chapter 776: If You Fall Behind, You're Dead! (6)

 

Thud!

The sound of the severed head hitting the sandbank was eerily chilling.

It wasn’t loud, but in this vast place, it was heard clearly by everyone still engaged in battle.

“C-Captain…”

“Oh no…”

The captain was dead.

And it wasn’t even by the hand of the crazed man who had been wreaking havoc moments ago, but by someone else. The significance of this was undeniable.

‘We can’t win.’

‘Damn it, we never should have come here.’

In any newly formed pirate or bandit group, the core members were usually those with dubious skills, people who didn’t fit in elsewhere, or criminals on the run. For people like that, loyalty was non-existent. Now that their captain was dead, there was no will to keep fighting—only fear and confusion spread among them.

The pirates’ eyes filled with despair and hopelessness.

Seeing that the mood was ripe, Chung Myung smirked and stepped forward.

“You're all gonna die—”

“Drop your weapons! Anyone who surrenders will be spared!”

“…”

Chung Myung spun around in surprise. Baek Cheon had stepped forward, shouting out orders.

“Those who resist will die! I won’t warn you again—drop your weapons!”

The pirates, trembling and unsure, glanced at each other, looking for direction.

In truth, the captain’s death was merely symbolic. Whether he lived or died, the battle had already been decided. There was never a chance for them to win from the start.

Realizing this, the pirates quickly discarded their weapons and fell to the ground, lying face down.

“What’s this? Letting them live again?”

“Why don’t we just kill them all? Keeping scum like them alive won’t do us any good!”

A strange situation unfolded where the bandits were arguing that all the pirates should be killed.

If it had been Chung Myung, he might have knocked some sense into those bandits first, but Baek Cheon was at least respectful enough to show some courtesy to those who had helped them.

“I’d rather avoid unnecessary bloodshed.”

“Hmm… Well, I guess that makes sense, coming from a Taoist.”

The bandits, nodding in agreement, stepped back. After all, they had only come to support the fight, and it wasn’t as if they had achieved much. Most of the credit for the victory belonged to Chung Myung and Baek Cheon’s group, who were now standing in front of them.

“Drop your weapons, you bastards!”

“What? Are you still resisting?”

Though most pirates had surrendered, there were still a few who clung to their weapons and continued to fight.

If they had been surrounded by Mount Hua's disciples, the disciples would have tried to subdue them without killing. But the ones surrounding them were the Green Forest bandits, and mercy wasn’t something they were known for.

“Aaaaargh!”

“Urgh!”

In an instant, the resisting pirates were cut down by the bandits’ blades, their dying screams filling the air. Seeing this, the last remaining pirates frantically threw down their weapons and surrendered.

“Hmph.”

Baek Cheon’s expression tightened as he watched the scene.

It had been all too easy.

For them, things had been difficult. But since Chung Myung had arrived, everything—from clearing out two pirate bases to subduing the rest—had been accomplished in less than a day.

‘It’s almost laughable how easy it was.’

But, in reality, none of this had been simple. If it had been, why would other sects have stood by without intervening?

It wasn’t that the task was easy.

It was that Chung Myung made it seem easy.

Looking back, every challenge they had faced—from fighting the Southern Edge Sect, to allying with the Tang family, to confronting the Demonic Sect in the Northern Sea—was all possible because of him.

‘We understood that well enough already, but…’

Baek Cheon and the other disciples had always focused on Chung Myung’s raw power, but they had underestimated his tactical brilliance.

“What’s with that gloomy face?”

“Huh?”

Baek Cheon turned to see Chung Myung looking at him curiously.

“We won, didn’t we?”

“...Yes, we did.”

Baek Cheon answered hesitantly, and Chung Myung grinned faintly.

‘He must have realized it.’

Training and developing one’s strength was important. But what truly mattered in real combat was creating situations where that strength could be fully utilized. The biggest mistake the Five Swords made today wasn’t venturing onto the Yangtze or moving too hastily—it was allowing themselves to be drawn into a situation where they couldn’t fight to their full potential.

‘And that’s partly my fault.’

Chung Myung now understood the wisdom in what Hyun Jong had once said.

Chung Myung was both a blessing and a burden to them.

• You crazy bastard! Can’t you give us a heads-up before you charge in? Or at least move in a way that makes sense! You just dash in, stab here, stab there, and leave us scrambling behind! How do you expect us to keep up with that?

• Ah, shut up, you old nag!

 

Tang Bo had often complained as well.

Even Tang Bo, an elder of the Tang family, struggled to keep up with Chung Myung on the battlefield. So, how much harder must it have been for the Mount Hua disciples, who lacked Tang Bo’s strength and experience?

Learning only holds meaning when there’s understanding. Dragging someone along without giving them the chance to comprehend what’s happening doesn’t teach—it only breeds confusion.

Chung Myung often found the optimal approach after surveying the battlefield, a skill honed through countless battles. Baek Cheon and the others had tried to emulate his method, but they weren’t him. Attempting to mimic his instincts with only their heads led to the current situation.

Had Baek Cheon stuck to his original cautious nature, things would have gone smoother. This failure was born out of excessive ambition.

Chung Myung, fully aware of this, didn’t blame the Five Swords for what happened.

‘The failure stings, but… they’ve gained something valuable from it.’

As long as they survived, every experience would become an asset. This failure would strengthen them in the long run.

And this was a necessary failure.

‘They’ll need to lead others in battle from now on.’

Chung Myung’s eyes darkened slightly.

Until now, they had been able to fight on their own. But as the scale of the battles grew larger, there would be times when they would have to lead others—sometimes without Chung Myung there to guide them.

If this failure had come too late, the consequences could have been far more severe. It was fortunate they could reflect on their mistakes now.

“Hey, Baek Cheon.”

“Yeah?”

“Make sure you finish things properly. It’s not over yet, right?”

“…”

Baek Cheon stared at Chung Myung for a moment before nodding.

“You’re right.”

He turned to look at the remaining pirate base.

“There’s still work to be done.”

He quickly gathered the disciples of Mount Hua.

“First, rescue the civilians who were captured by the pirates. Some of them might be weak or injured, so Soso, check their condition immediately.”

“Yes, senior brother!”

“Also, find out if there are any missing disciples from Ghost Gate among the prisoners. Some might have been taken captive. Sang Yi, interrogate the remaining pirates and find out if they’re holding any more hostages elsewhere.”

“Understood, senior brother.”

“Good.”

Baek Cheon nodded in satisfaction as his orders were swiftly carried out.

‘We were on a winning streak.’

They had always achieved results beyond their abilities. At some point, they started to believe that those results were solely due to their own strength.

They had been humble on the surface, but in truth, they hadn’t been truly humble.

“The greatest mistake is not failure or a misstep. It’s failing to learn from it.”

“…”

“I’ll reflect on my own shortcomings. So don’t forget what you’ve learned from this experience.”

“Yes, senior brother.”

The disciples nodded solemnly, their eyes filled with newfound determination, and Baek Cheon couldn’t help but smile faintly.

“You’re really trying to look cool, huh?”

“…”

But the mischievous voice that followed quickly wiped the smile from his face.

 

“Haaah.”

The Black-Haired Ghost finally emerged from the water after swimming far enough that the island was barely visible as a dot in the distance.

“The battle must be over by now.”

One of his subordinates, who had followed him out of the water, glanced back and asked nervously.

“Most likely.”

“Then Ga Nam-Pyung is probably dead as well.”

The Black-Haired Ghost wiped his wet face with his sleeve and twisted his lips into a sneer.

“Fool. He probably never suspected a thing until the very end.”

“There’s no way he could have. After all, we really did bring him the expensive White Thunder Cannons and the ships.”

“…What a waste.”

The White Thunder Cannons and ships had cost a fortune, all of which were now sunk to the bottom of the river. It was truly a shame.

But it didn’t matter. None of it had been his money in the first place.

“It’s incomprehensible. Why go to all this trouble?”

The Black-Haired Ghost clicked his tongue and shook his head.

Thinking about everything that had gone into setting up the pirate base, it was like throwing money into the river. He couldn’t understand why anyone would bother with such a scheme.

“Not that it matters to me. I just get paid, and that’s all I care about.”

“And you’re right.”

At the unexpected voice, the Black-Haired Ghost whipped his head around. A figure emerged from the woods along the riverbank.

Watching the figure with wary eyes, the Black-Haired Ghost spoke quietly.

“You didn’t have to come and greet me in person…”

“I thought things were moving a bit quickly, so I decided to come myself.”

“There’s no need to worry. Everything has been handled as you instructed.”

“It seems that way.”

The man who stood before the Black-Haired Ghost nodded coldly.

“Would you like confirmation?”

“There’s no need for that.”

The man reached into his sleeve and handed the Black-Haired Ghost a piece of paper.

“Here it is.”

The Black-Haired Ghost carefully unfolded the paper and inspected it.

“It’s a certificate from the Central Plains battlefield. The money has been sent to the location you specified. Along with the advance you received earlier, it matches the agreed-upon amount.”

“...Very thorough.”

The Black-Haired Ghost nodded and folded the paper, tucking it carefully into his robe.

“You could’ve received it directly.”

“You never know what might happen. Someone like me has to be cautious. I hope you understand.”

“I do. It’s always wise to be careful.”

The man nodded slightly before continuing.

“With that, our transaction is complete.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“What will you do now?”

“As promised, I’ll leave this life behind. I plan to take the money and either head to a distant country or retire to a quiet, secluded place.”

“You’re quite trustworthy.”

“Even if I were to talk, no one would believe me. But it’s better to leave no room for doubt.”

“That’s why I sought you out in the first place.”

A faint smile appeared on the Black-Haired Ghost’s lips.

“Deceiving those fools was easy. I almost feel like I charged too much.”

“You were worth every coin.”

“May I ask… why you went to all this trouble?”

The man before him brought a finger to his lips.

“Loose lips invite disaster. There are some things it’s better not to know.”

“I’ll forget I asked. No, I’ve already forgotten.”

“Good. Well, you’ve done well. Take care.”

“Yes, farewell—”

But before he could finish his sentence—

Swiish!

Dozens of throwing knives whistled through the air from the forest, striking the necks of the men standing by the riverbank.

“Gurgle!”

“Urgh!”

Their eyes bulged as they clutched at their throats, convulsing before collapsing to the ground.

“…”

The Black-Haired Ghost stared in shock at his chest. A short throwing knife was buried deep into it, almost to the hilt.

Slowly raising his head, he looked at the man standing before him, his voice trembling.

“Why…?”

“You said it yourself.”

The man answered emotionlessly.

“It’s always best to be thorough. And there’s no reason to leave your mouth around, is there?”

“...But the money is already…”

“That’s beside the point. Don’t worry, though. I promise on my name that I won’t harm your family. They’ll live out their lives in peace.”

“...”

The Black-Haired Ghost crumpled to the ground, his knees giving way as he gasped for breath.

“Why… go this far…”

“This is a much bigger matter than you realize. No one can know about this. No one. So, when you think about it, the price wasn’t too high. After all, it included the cost of your life.”

“…”

“Now, rest.”

With that, the Black-Haired Ghost collapsed, his life slipping away.

“Cut off the head and bury it separately. Throw the body into the river.”

“Yes, sir!”

The man, known as Hoga Myung, a strategist of the Maninbang, cast a glance toward the distant island.

“A harvest… A harvest, huh…”

A twisted smile appeared on his thin lips.

“If you plant the seeds, you’ve got to reap the rewards. Thanks to those Mount Hua bastards, this just got a whole lot easier.”

Without a second thought, Hoga Myung turned away.

“Let’s leave before we’re discovered. Move quickly.”

“Yes, sir!”

And so, time passed.

The riverbank was cleared, leaving no trace of what had transpired.

Only the indifferent flow of the river remained, continuing its course without a care.