Chapter 790: Live Like a Dog, or Die Like a Wolf (Part 5)

“You…”

Already angered by the situation, the Black Dragon King was pushed to the brink by Jang Ilso’s direct jab. His eyes flared with rage, and he was about to roar, but the Thousand Faces Gentleman interrupted in a calm voice.

“Lose your head, huh...”

He smiled faintly.

“Are you saying the Patriarch plans to take our heads?”

Jang Ilso responded with a smile of his own.

“That’s quite the frightening thought. I wouldn’t dream of it.”

The Thousand Faces Gentleman’s soft gaze lingered on Jang Ilso.

“Then who is going to take our heads?”

“You don’t need to ask. If you didn’t understand that before coming here, there wouldn’t be much point in continuing this conversation.”

“Hahaha…”

Though he continued laughing, the killing intent in the Thousand Faces Gentleman’s eyes was unmistakable.

Despite his friendly appearance, the Thousand Faces Gentleman was known as the most ruthless of the Five Lords. His role as an information broker meant that torture and killing were tools of the trade, and he never considered such actions a sin.

“Your joke has gone too far, Patriarch.”

“Hm.”

Jang Ilso silently poured himself another drink.

The simple act of refilling his cup, which could be seen as disrespectful, caused the Thousand Faces Gentleman’s eyes to narrow. But before he could react, Jang Ilso spoke.

“First, the Eighteen Waterway Factions of the Yangtze.”

“…”

“Then, perhaps… the Black Ghost Fortress.”

The Ten-Thousand-Gold Duke’s eyebrow twitched ever so slightly.

It was rare for someone as emotionless as him to show any reaction. That small twitch revealed just how uncomfortable he was with what Jang Ilso had said.

“After that, it will be the Maninbang. And finally, Hao Gate.”

“…”

“One by one, we’ll all be hunted, and our heads will roll. Or, we’ll flee with nothing, living the rest of our days as fugitives.”

Bang!

The Black Dragon King slammed his fist down on the table.

“Who would dare try such a thing?”

“The Nine Great Sects.”

Jang Ilso’s answer came without hesitation, silencing the Black Dragon King for a moment.

“…”

“And… the Heavenly Alliance.”

The Black Dragon King’s face twisted into an ugly scowl as he glared at Jang Ilso.

“The Nine Great Sects, fine. But are you saying we need to worry about those Heavenly Alliance scum too?”

“Scum?”

Jang Ilso chuckled, locking eyes with the Black Dragon King.

“Is there anyone here who can claim they could take on the Heavenly Alliance alone?”

“…”

“With the Sichuan Tang Clan, Southern Savage Palace, Northern Sea Ice Palace, Mount Hua… and even the Green Forest Bandits joining forces, can any of you stand against them? Can the mighty Eighteen Waterway Factions?”

“You…”

“The times have changed, Black Dragon King. The name of the Eighteen Waterway Factions no longer strikes fear into anyone.”

“Hmph.”

The Ten-Thousand-Gold Duke gave a small nod.

“It’s true. Taking on the Heavenly Alliance alone is impossible. But the idea that they could unite into one force is unrealistic. They’re too scattered, too loosely tied together. The Heavenly Alliance will never be able to fully concentrate its power in one place.”

“You’re right. But…”

Jang Ilso’s lips curved into a sinister smile.

“The problem is the Heavenly Alliance itself.”

“…”

“You all know that if not for the Heavenly Alliance, Shaolin and Wudang would never have made a move.”

The Ten-Thousand-Gold Duke nodded in agreement.

“That’s true. There was nothing for them to gain.”

Conquering the Yangtze River might earn Shaolin and Wudang some fame, but they didn’t need any more of that. They already had an overwhelming reputation and had no reason to chase after more glory.

“But with the Heavenly Alliance, everything changes.”

The Heavenly Alliance acted as a replacement.

Without it, no matter how distasteful or infuriating it was, everyone would have to rely on the Nine Great Sects and the Five Noble Families. They were the only ones capable of standing against the unorthodox sects.

But now, people no longer had to cling to them. The Heavenly Alliance had already proven its power and initiative.

“The history of the martial world is always the same. When two powerful righteous factions compete, they don’t go to war directly. Shaolin and Wudang have never once fought each other to the death. Instead…”

Jang Ilso bared his teeth.

“They find something to hunt.”

“…”

“There are two ways to prove you’re the stronger tiger. One is to fight and win, and the other is to kill more wolves.”

“So we’re the wolves now.”

“That’s right.”

Jang Ilso pushed a small cup forward on the table.

“First, the Eighteen Waterway Factions.”

His finger pressed down on the cup.

Crack!

The cup shattered with a sharp, piercing sound.

“And after that?”

“…”

“There’s no point in betting on whose head will fall first. If we were to bet, it would be on something more interesting. Where will my head end up? In the latrines of Shaolin? Wudang? Maybe Mount Hua or the Tang Clan? Hahaha…”

Jang Ilso laughed softly, casting a slow gaze over the three men.

“I’d put my money on Shaolin. What about you all?”

“…”

None of them could bring themselves to speak.

They knew Jang Ilso wasn’t making baseless claims.

The Black Dragon King, as the one already under attack, felt the pressure most keenly. But the others were also beginning to sense the looming threat.

“So?”

The Ten-Thousand-Gold Duke cut in coldly.

“Enough with the pointless talk. You’re wasting our time. What do you propose?”

“We need to unite.”

“With this trash?”

The word “trash” came out with no filter, causing both the Black Dragon King and the Thousand Faces Gentleman to grimace.

“You should watch that tongue of yours, Duke, unless you want it cut out.”

“Or maybe we should cut off your limbs and feed them to the dogs.”

Threats filled the air, but the Ten-Thousand-Gold Duke remained unfazed.

“Anyone can suggest an alliance, but no one can actually make it work. We can’t trust each other.”

“...That’s true.”

“Just looking at your faces makes my stomach turn.”

The unorthodox sects hated the righteous factions.

But they hated each other even more. The history of the unorthodox sects was one of endless fighting, betrayal, and backstabbing.

“At this rate, I’d rather kill you all and take over your forces myself.”

“That’s not a bad idea.”

For a moment, the killing intent between the three of them grew thick enough to choke the air in the pavilion. The intense malice was enough to crush the soul of anyone who wasn’t strong enough.

But then…

“Hahahahahaha!”

Jang Ilso suddenly burst into loud laughter, shaking the pavilion with his mirth.

“Hahahahahaha!”

The sound of Jang Ilso pounding the table and laughing even brought an abrupt halt to the suffocating killing intent. All eyes turned toward him.

“...What’s so funny?”

When the question came, Jang Ilso wiped away the tears that had formed from laughing so hard.

“Ah… sorry. I just couldn’t help myself. It’s too funny to stop.”

“I asked, what’s so funny?”

“If you don’t think this is hilarious, then something’s wrong with you.”

Jang Ilso, still grinning, looked at each of them.

“Watching a bunch of vermin, already sinking into the mud, gnashing their teeth and growling at each other… How could I not laugh? It’s pathetic! And these pathetic creatures are the leaders of the Five Lords! Hahaha!”

“...What did you just say?”

Jang Ilso’s red lips curled even more.

“What? Did I say something wrong?”

“…”

“Even beasts know to unite when their lives are on the line, regardless of their natural enemies. But here you are, humans, letting your petty grudges cloud your judgment when your very survival is at stake?”

“…”

The polite tone Jang Ilso had maintained earlier was gone. His white teeth glinted as he bared them.

“Grudges, pride, all those little emotions you hold onto—none of it matters if you’re dead. After you die, those feelings mean nothing. The most important thing for anyone, more than grudges or pride, is survival.”

No one could argue. They all stared at Jang Ilso in silence.

As all eyes focused on him, Jang Ilso slowly spoke.

“Survival.”

“…”

“If you don’t survive, nothing else matters. I’ll do whatever it takes to stay alive. Even if it means crawling through filth or licking the feet of my enemies.”

Such words were unbecoming of a leader of the Five Lords.

But that was why they could feel the sincerity in his words.

“Compared to that, watching the back of the man you once fought seems like nothing.”

Jang Ilso downed his drink in one gulp, then looked at the others with a chilling smile.

“Don’t you agree?”

“Hm.”

Both the Black Dragon King and the Thousand Faces Gentleman let out low groans.

There was no denying it. They despised the people sitting in front of them far more than the righteous sects. Their histories were soaked in blood from fighting each other for years.

But in the end, they were all unorthodox sect members. There was no one else they could turn to. With the righteous sects bearing down on them, their only choice for support was each other.

“First…”

The Ten-Thousand-Gold Duke finally spoke.

“If this is a temporary matter, then all of this is pointless. Only the Waterway Factions will suffer.”

“That won’t happen.”

Jang Ilso’s response was firm.

“If the Heavenly Alliance doesn’t stop, the Nine Great Sects won’t be able to stop them either. The Heavenly Alliance may not have more strength, but they’ve taken control of the initiative.”

“…”

“And the head of the Heavenly Alliance is Mount Hua, which won’t stop at anything. They’re as greedy as I am.”

Jang Ilso’s smile deepened as his eyes gleamed with a touch of madness.

“In some way or another, they will push south beyond the Yangtze River. And the Nine Great Sects won’t stand by and do nothing.”

“Out of pride?”

“That’s part of it. But more importantly, they won’t be able to just watch as the Heavenly Alliance slowly absorbs the lands south of the Yangtze.”

The Ten-Thousand-Gold Duke nodded, as if he had finished calculating the situation.

“So, to stand against the Heavenly Alliance, the Nine Great Sects, and the Five Noble Families, we need to unite?”

“Yes. If we don’t, then we’ll be left with only two choices.”

Jang Ilso’s smile vanished as his voice turned into a low growl.

“Live like a dog, or die like a wolf.”

“…”

“…”

“But I don’t want to do either. I want to live like a wolf. The only time you can call something a hunt is when you’re sure you can take down your prey without suffering any harm. If you have to sacrifice an arm or drag your guts behind you, you’re not hunting—you’re being hunted.”

Jang Ilso grasped his face with one hand and continued speaking.

“Make up whatever grand reason you want.”

His eyes, visible between his fingers, were as cold and terrifying as a predator’s.

“Whatever justification you create, the goal is the same: survival. If we miss the right moment, even if we unite, we’ll be nothing more than prey. I plan to survive. I will live, and I will enjoy everything I’ve fought for, down to the last drop.”

The Thousand Faces Gentleman covered his forehead with his hand and let out a low chuckle.

“It’s so blatant and low that I can’t even find words.”

“…”

“But…”

His eyes glowed with a sharp, icy light.

“You’re not wrong. I’m not so eager to die either. If this is the only way to live, then I’ll go along with the Patriarch.”

Jang Ilso’s lips curled into a smooth smile.

“From this moment on, the Five Lords no longer exist.”

His declaration rang out loud and clear.

“What remains are four factions, united as one! Where the Five Lords once stood, now there is only the name ‘Sapae Alliance!’”

The name that would sweep the martial world like a storm.

This was the moment when the existence of the Sapae Alliance first emerged from Jang Ilso’s mouth.