Chapter 781: Let’s Have Some Fun (1)

"...That's what it is!"

"..."

Hyun Jong, after listening to all the explanations, looked at Chung Myung with an expression that was hard to describe.

"So, you're saying..."

His gaze swept over those seated in front of him: Chung Myung, Baek Cheon, Baek Sang, Yu Yiseol, Yoon Jong, Jo Gul, Tang Soso, and even Hye Yeon and Im So-Byeong.

"...you want to occupy this island."

"Yes!"

"...and run a piracy operation?"

"Come on, Sect Leader! I’ve already explained this! How could you still not understand?"

Chung Myung pounded his chest in frustration.

"It’s not piracy, it’s a legitimate toll collection!"

"...You want to collect tolls on the river?"

"Yes!"

"Isn't that piracy?"

"..."

"..."

Chung Myung and Hyun Jong’s gazes locked in the air. After a brief but intense exchange, it was, of course, Chung Myung who looked away first.

"Well... if you put it that way, I guess it can be seen that way…"

Ssshing.

"Eek!"

"Why are you drawing your sword, Sect Leader?!"

"Please calm down!"

"Let go! Let go of me!"

Hyun Jong angrily shook off the disciples clinging to him, bloodshot eyes blazing.

"Now I’ve reached the point where I hear that a disciple of Mount Hua wants to engage in piracy! I should have just cut you down back when I had the chance!"

"Did you have the ability to do that?"

"Whose side are you on, Hyeonyeong?!"

"Why even ask? Of course, I’m on Chung Myung’s side."

Foam bubbled at the corners of Hyun Jong’s mouth.

He had clearly chosen the wrong person to ask. Of course, Hyeonyeong would side with Chung Myung.

Then, in a calmer voice, Hyeonyeong continued.

"And honestly, it’s not entirely wrong."

"You’re calling it toll collection!"

"Just because they’re collecting tolls doesn’t mean it’s piracy. Are the boatmen who ferry people across the river all pirates too?"

"..."

"If you follow that logic, then everyone sailing on the Yangtze would be considered pirates. Does that mean the Yangtze is a lawless zone?"

"...That’s a good point."

Hyun Jong, realizing the validity of the argument, sat back down.

"…But I said the same thing…"

"Chung Myung."

"Yes?"

"Words take on different meanings depending on who says them."

"..."

Chung Myung knew the Sect Leader wasn’t wrong, but he still couldn’t help feeling a little offended.

Noticing Chung Myung's slightly sulky face, Hyeonyeong laughed softly before turning back to Hyun Jong.

"In any case, it's not a bad idea. If the term 'toll' bothers you, then we can simply charge for ferrying people across the river, while leaving the use of the island free."

"Hmm…"

"More importantly, there's no guarantee that something like this won’t happen again. We can’t rush back here every time there’s trouble. And don’t forget that Mount Hua is supposed to ensure the safety of the Galaxia Trading Company. We’ve already suffered considerable losses."

"That’s true…"

Hyun Jong nodded after a moment’s thought.

In the past, he might have refused outright, but now he had learned a bit about how business works. He understood the importance of the matter at hand.

"But we can’t stay here forever, can we? What about training? What about the main sect?"

"Oh, that’s fine."

"Hm?"

"Green Forest will take care of it. We’ve already worked things out with the Green Forest King."

Hyun Jong blinked in surprise and turned to look at Im So-Byeong, who nodded with a smile.

"That’s right."

"…Green Forest?"

"Yes."

"They’ll control the Yangtze?"

"People don’t become bandits because they love mountains; they do it to survive. If there’s money to be made, what does it matter if it’s on land or water?"

Well… that made sense. And a bandit is a bandit, whether they operate on land or water.

"I understand your concerns, Sect Leader. But currently, Green Forest is following the Hua Sect’s and Heavenly Alliance’s directives, protecting civilians and collecting a reasonable toll."

"…But isn’t the toll itself the problem?"

"In exchange, we provide protection. We escort people safely across the mountain. People used to be attacked by tigers or robbed by petty thieves, but now they welcome us with open arms."

Open arms? Bandits?

"They… welcome the bandits…?"

"Some are a bit frustrated, but what can they do? If they don’t like it, they can leave."

"...Not everyone leaves because they dislike it."

Everyone turned to look at Hye Yeon, who had spoken up, his face suddenly flushed with embarrassment.

"You disliked it, huh."

"You must have hated it a lot."

"No wonder you refuse to go back to Shaolin."

"Amitabha! Amitabha!"

"Just say Om Mani Padme Hum."

Clicking his tongue, Chung Myung spoke again.

"Anyway, there’s no downside. We don’t have to stay here forever, and Green Forest will manage the place. Meanwhile, we can ensure the safety of the Galaxia Trading Company and collect half of the tolls from the merchants passing through."

Huh. Half?

That’s quite a fair profit-sharing deal. Half.

If you think about it, Mount Hua wouldn’t even have to do anything… but still, half.

At that moment, Hyun Sang, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke.

"Chung Myung."

"Yes."

"I understand why you’re doing this, but I’m worried. This is the Yangtze. You’ve already destroyed two pirate factions. If you take control here, do you think the other pirate factions will sit idly by?"

"Oh, that?"

"On the way here, I saw you installing cannons around the island and on the new bridge. But a few cannons won’t be enough to fend off the pirate fleets. Don’t underestimate the strength of the Yangtze pirate factions just because you’ve destroyed a couple."

"Come on, really?"

Chung Myung waved his hand dismissively.

If the Black Dragon King were to lead all the pirate factions here, this island would be conquered within half a day. To defend it would require the full strength of both Green Forest and Mount Hua, but that’s simply impossible.

"You don’t need to worry about that."

"Hm?"

"The Black Dragon King won’t attack this place."

"...Why not?"

"Soon, this place won’t even be an issue."

"Hmm?"

A twisted smile formed on Chung Myung’s lips.

"Before, he might have attacked immediately. But the Black Dragon King can’t move now."

"What? Has something happened to the Black Dragon King?"

"No, nothing has happened yet, but something will happen soon."

"...I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You’ll find out soon enough."

Chung Myung’s grin widened.

"If I’m right, something’s about to go down. Just wait a little longer."

Hyun Jong stared at Chung Myung, clearly puzzled.

"Did you do something?"

"You could say that. But even if I hadn’t, it would still happen. There are others involved too."

"Who?"

"I’m not entirely sure. But…"

Chung Myung paused for a moment, then smiled wickedly.

"When a stage is set so perfectly, how can anyone resist playing along? Let’s have some real fun."

Though his smile was bright, his eyes were dark.

On the surface, there seemed to be no plots or schemes, but Chung Myung’s instincts sensed something unnatural. In battle, when you feel this way, it usually means there's a well-crafted trap lying ahead.

There are only three ways to deal with such traps.

One, avoid them.

Two, break through with overwhelming force.

And lastly...

'Blow the situation up so big that the trap can’t contain it.'

If a path has been laid, you just follow it.

But make sure to take your reward. Not just some petty money, but a real prize.

Chung Myung’s gaze drifted far beyond Hyun Jong, toward a distant horizon. Only he knew what he was truly looking at.

Hyun Jong sighed softly.

‘I don’t understand.’

He knew that Chung Myung’s thoughts often surpassed his own. All he could do was trust him. Still, Hyun Jong couldn’t help but worry that this would place yet another burden on Chung Myung’s shoulders.

"Alright. I’ll trust your judgment. So, we leave the island to Green Forest and return to Mount Hua?"

"Yes, but…"

"Hm?"

"I’ve actually been waiting for you to arrive. You brought a lot of disciples with you, right?"

"...Yes?"

Chung Myung clapped his hands excitedly, grinning like a child.

"Great! Let’s get started. There’s a simple task that needs doing."

"A simple task?"

Hyun Jong couldn’t help but feel uneasy at those words.

 

A large ship pulled into the dock.

Thick ropes were tossed from the ship to the shore, securing the vessel firmly. A wide wooden plank was lowered between the ship and the land, and people began to disembark, one by one.

However, the faces of those getting off the ship were grim.

"Damn it!"

One of the merchants, fuming with anger, threw his bundle to the ground.

Normally, the bag, filled with valuables, would have been treated like a treasure, but the man didn’t hesitate to toss it aside in frustration.

"Again! Damn it!"

Other merchants waiting at the dock approached, looking at him sympathetically.

"...You got robbed again?"

"Damn it! They took everything but my underwear! What the hell am I supposed to do now?!"

"Which pirate faction was it?"

"I don’t know! They didn’t even say! They just came on a small boat, took everything valuable, and left!"

"Ugh."

"This is crazy."

The merchants’ faces were filled with worry.

Pirates running rampant on the Yangtze was nothing new, but lately, their actions had become more brazen.

In the past, they would take a toll and leave, but now they didn’t even reveal their faction, stealing every last coin without hesitation.

As these incidents kept happening, the merchants grew more and more afraid to travel along the Yangtze.

"This is the third time! The third time!"

"What is the government even doing? Why are they letting these pirates run wild?"

"Has the government ever done anything? They’re probably getting paid off by the pirates!"

"Shh! Lower your voice!"

"Am I wrong?!"

The frustrated merchants began shouting indiscriminately.

"Damn it! I’m just trying to make a living, but how can I feed my family when they steal everything I have?! I might as well just end it all! The river’s full of pirates! The government and the Nine Great Sects don’t care at all!"

"Not everyone is ignoring it."

"Huh?"

"You haven’t heard? Mount Hua."

"Mount Hua?"

"Yeah, the Mount Hua Sect from the Heavenly Alliance. They destroyed Daekyeongchae and even wiped out a new pirate faction while they were at it."

"Mount Hua? Why would they?"

"Does Mount Hua need a reason? They heard pirates were kidnapping civilians, so they rushed over in a rage."

"...Is that true?"

"Absolutely. You know Mr. Cheon, right?"

"Of course."

"He got kidnapped by pirates and was saved by Mount Hua’s people. He’s been telling everyone about it ever since, nonstop."

"Mr. Cheon isn’t one to make things up."

"Exactly! While the Nine Great Sects are doing nothing, the Heavenly Alliance is stepping in."

"...It seems so."

The merchants, deep in conversation, suddenly realized just how powerful the Heavenly Alliance had become.

For them, the most terrifying threat was the pirate factions. Even the renowned Nine Great Sects avoided getting involved, which made the pirates even scarier.

But now, the Heavenly Alliance, and specifically Mount Hua, had stepped in, right in the pirates’ backyard.

"Is the Heavenly Alliance really this powerful?"

"I’m even considering switching trading partners."

"Switching trading partners?"

"Think about it. If the Yangtze is blocked off, the trading companies will suffer. But if Mount Hua clears a safe passage, those with connections to the Heavenly Alliance will be able to pass through without a problem."

"...That’s true."

"Where do you think the profits will go? It’s obvious."

"...I see."

The merchants exchanged looks, some of them already making plans.

‘Is this for real?’

‘If it’s true…’

Some were merely shocked, while others admired Mount Hua.

But a few sharp-minded individuals realized that the world was changing.

Mount Hua, based in Shaanxi, and the Heavenly Alliance were extending their influence all the way to the Yangtze. What seemed like a small change now would have massive implications for the future.

"I hope Mount Hua succeeds."

"Why?"

"Regardless of their motives, they’re the only ones stepping in to help when we need it. The Nine Great Sects do nothing but talk about righteousness, but they don’t actually do anything!"

"Exactly!"

"Yeah, screw them!"

"They can all go to hell!"

Amid the growing discontent with the Nine Great Sects, praise for the Heavenly Alliance and Mount Hua spread quickly, reaching even the ears of Shaolin and Wudang.

What began as a small skirmish was rapidly escalating into something much bigger.

Like a spark igniting a dry forest.