"Umm."
Jang Ilso snorted and lifted his glass. The bright, full moon illuminated his pale face.
"Late night, on the Yangtze River…."
His lips formed a soft curve.
"Drinking alone with the moon as my companion, how could it not be exciting?"
The moon seemed to quietly descend into his glass.
"… I am right next to you."
"Tsk."
Jang Ilso looked back at Ho Ga-Myung, who was sitting across from him, with an annoyed expression.
"You never understand what style is."
"I don't know what style is, but I know the rules."
"Enough."
Jang Ilso waved his hand and slowly emptied the glass in his hand. After downing every drop, he placed the glass on the table with a slightly languid expression.
"Isn't this good?"
Looking at Jang Ilso, who seemed to be in a good mood as if he had come out to see the moon, Ho Ga-Myung sighed.
"Of course, the alliance lord is interested, but not me."
"Why? Are you worried about something?"
"Worried?"
Ho Ga-Myung looked around with a trembling face. The place where they were drinking was none other than the deck of the Black Dragon Ship.
The Black Dragon King was the lord of the ship, and Jang Ilso was the lord of the Alliance… The Black Dragon Ship was a space that symbolized the pirates. Playing around on that deck as if it were his own home was no different from barging into someone else's living room with his feet on the ground.
'Even I am the same.'
If the Black Dragon King were to invade the Ten Thousand People Clan and sit on the throne of Jang Ilso, there would be nothing Ho Ga-Myung wouldn't do to kill the Black Dragon King right away.
'Can this be called bold?'
That too on this river?
And the Ten Thousand People Clan members they brought were staying on a different ship, not this one. This meant that if the Black Dragon King had any desire, he could be in serious danger.
But Jang Ilso was calmly sipping his drink, which meant that such things didn't matter to him.
"Kukukuk."
Jang Ilso laughed softly as he watched Ho Ga-Myung anxiously looking around.
"Ga-Myung, why are you so scared?"
"… If my life were at stake, I wouldn't be scared. But I am not a great person who would show courage while risking the Alliance Lord's life."
"Courage…"
Jang Ilso waved his finger left and right.
"No, no. This isn't courage; it's calculation."
"…."
"The Black Dragon King is smarter than you think. That's why he absolutely cannot touch me."
"Why…"
"If I die, the Four Precepts Alliance will lose its leader, and each of them will split up again. Then who will have to bear the anger of those glaring at me with their angry eyes?"
"Ah…"
Ho Ga-Myung nodded slowly.
Certainly, if Jang Ilso backed out, even if the Southern Lands were not involved, the Yangtze River would be scorched. The wrath of Shaolin would be terrifying.
"The Black Dragon King is surely restless, worried that I might die from a stray arrow. So don't worry about it and just drink. It's so lonely drinking alone."
"… You said you drink with the moon as your friend."
"A good memory. Such a bad habit."
Jang Ilso snickered and slowly turned his head. He could see the figure of Plum Blossom Island in the darkness at a glance.
"Don't you feel bad?"
"Are you saying this again?"
Ho Ga-Myung slowly drank the alcohol in front of him.
Tak.
Then he put the glass down on the table and said with an indifferent face.
"Compared to what we have been through, something like this is no crisis."
"It isn't something I experienced."
"….?"
"It is something you and I have experienced."
At Jang Ilso's words, a faint smile crossed Ho Ga-Myung's expressionless face.
People only saw the glamorous side of Jang Ilso.
At a young age, he became the leader of the Ten Thousand People Clan and elevated that clan to become a member of the Shenzhou Five Clans. Now, beyond leading the Ten Thousand People Clan, he had ascended to the position of leader of the Four Precepts Alliance, which oversaw the world's Evil Sect.
It was an incredibly splendid history.
But who else knew?
What path Jang Ilso and Ho Ga-Myung have walked to achieve such splendid things.
Surviving a near-death experience was not even a drinking snack now. For them, a life-threatening crisis was as natural as the night that came after the sunset.
Ho Ga-Myung picked up the bottle and filled Jang Ilso's empty glass again.
"And you will experience it in the future."
"Right. Hahaha."
Jang Ilso laughed cheerfully and emptied his glass full of alcohol in one gulp. Even so, his eyes were fixed on the Plum Blossom Island in darkness.
"Hmm?"
At that moment, Jang Ilso's eyes twitched slightly. Ho Ga-Myung hardened his face at that reaction and asked.
"Is there a problem?"
"No."
But Jang Ilso shook his head.
"It is nothing."
His lips, red as blood, drew a line.
"And the preparations?"
"… All done."
Namgung Hwang turned to face Namgung Do-Wei with a stiff face. The son who seemed young forever was now staring with a face of innocence gone.
Namgung Hwang nodded his head sharply.
It didn't matter if he wasn't his son. Anyone who could make that kind of expression would be worth risking their life for.
"Elders?"
"Ready, Lord."
The elders standing behind Namgung Do-Wei were the same.
He looked haggard and thin, and it wouldn't have been odd if he collapsed, but his two eyes were bright and clear. It was so bright that he worried that he might be discovered by the others.
Namgung Hwang let out a short breath.
"Do-Wei."
"Yes, Lord."
"I know you made up your mind, but I request you for the last time."
"Yes."
"Do not look back."
Namgung Do-Wei clenched his fists.
"What is on your shoulders is the life of the Namgung family on this island. Compared to that, our lives are nothing."
"… I know."
Namgung Hwang nodded after finishing his words. Then, he quietly looked at Namgung Do-Wei with eyes filled with determination.
"…."
Namgung Hwang, who had engraved the image of his son in his eyes for the last time, turned his body around as if he had no regrets left.
"Namgung Myung."
"L-Lord."
"You will handle this place."
Namgung Myung gritted his teeth. A firm look quickly appeared on his face.
"Yes, leave this to me."
"Nice."
Namgung Hwang spoke forcefully without looking back.
"Let's go."
"Yes!"
"We will approach without being detected as much as possible."
There were exactly seven of them: Namgung Hwang, Namgung Do-Wei, and the five elders who were no different from Namgung's core members.
They began to slip silently into the Yangtze River, which was as black as ink.
They dove under the surface without even making a splashing sound and slowly approached the ship.
Namgung Do-Wei followed right behind Namgung Hwang and carefully swam.
Namgung Do-Wei swam for a long time in the water where he couldn't even see ahead, and a vain hope suddenly pierced his heart. Maybe he could pass under the ship without being detected and reach the land.
But the wind was just wind, and hopes were usually shattered.
Before they were even halfway to the ship, something rose from the bottom.
"Kuak!"
Pure white bubbles poured out of Namgung Hwang's mouth.
Those insane pirates were watching the riverbed to see if anyone was moving in and out of there.
If they were out of the water, there was no way they could detect Namgung Hwang's presence. But this was underwater. In other words, there was not a single place to hide.
Grruk!
A loud noise rang out from underwater, and dozens of spears flew toward them.
Namgung Hwang gritted his teeth and drew his sword.
Kwaaang!
A massive splash of water erupted above the calm surface of the Yangtze River.
"What is that?"
"The enemy! The rats are in the water!"
"Arrows!"
The once tranquil Yangtze River was suddenly filled with shouts and curses.
Kwang!
The Black Dragon King, who had been inside the cabin, jumped out swiftly.
"What is happening?"
"It looks like they are trying to escape!"
"What!?"
The Black Dragon King quickly turned his head and looked toward Plum Blossom Island. As he widened his eyes, he could clearly see people groaning in the center of the island.
'What is this?'
Most of the people were still on the island.
Then?
"Namgung Hwang!"
The Black Dragon King roared and ran across the deck.
Swish!
Soon, the form of the Emperor Sword, Namgung Hwang, rising from the water, came into view.
"Euhahahahahah! This little rat! Does he want to live?"
The Black Dragon King burst into laughter and waved his hand in the air as if he had no time to waste.
"Shoot! Turn that coward into a hedgehog now!"
The pirates swarmed to one side of the deck, causing the ship to tilt. They were packed so tightly that their shoulders touched, all raising their bows toward Namgung Hwang.
"Fireee!"
Swish!
Arrows loaded with qi were released all at once. Not only did the Black Dragon King fire, but arrows from dozens of ships also covered Namgung Hwang's body.
If it had been daytime instead of night, the arrows would have cast a huge shadow over the Yangtze River.
"Black Dragon KINGGGG!"
But at that moment…
Kwaaaang!
The enormous sword qi Namgung Hwang released shone like the sun rising through the river, illuminating the surrounding area. The rain of arrows collided with the sky-high sword qi and bounced off in all directions.
The sword qi was so impressive that it gave the onlookers goosebumps.
"Hahahahah!"
The Black Dragon King burst into laughter at the sight.
"Tear it apart! Let him know exactly what the price is for daring to dip his body into the Yangtze River!"
The pirates dropped their bows as if abandoning them and jumped into the water. There were so many of them that the foam rising as they jumped made the river look white for a moment.
Chak!
A multitude of people rushed through the water at incredible speed, cutting through the current and heading toward Namgung Hwang and the seven others.
Not only outside the water but inside it as well.
It was like a school of sharks rushing toward a tiger that had fallen into the water.
"Lord!"
"I know!"
Namgung Hwang shouted loudly.
"Elders, stop those approaching from inside the water! I will take charge of the surface!"
He gripped the handle of his sword so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
'I will make sure that Do-Wei lives!'
A strong will never seen before surged in his eyes.
"Come! Dogs of pirates! I will show you how the lord of the Namgung family dies!"
Namgung Hwang's sword roared like a wounded tiger and struck the water's surface with tremendous force.
Kwaaak!
Huge ripples began to form on the surface of the Yangtze River. The rising waves shook the ships floating on the water.
And at that moment.
Paat!
The mercenaries, floating above the water like dolphins, hurled spears at Namgung Hwang and Namgung Do-Wei.
"Do-Wei!"
"Yes!"
Tat!
Namgung Do-Wei stepped on Namgung Hwang's shoulder and jumped out of the water like a flying bird. His sword drew a pure white line in the air.
Dark sky.
Pitch-black river.
The white line in the middle looked pitiful.