Book 22 Chapter 4

The storm came from an unexpected place.

- A Turning Point of Fate

"The voyage is going smoothly, Chief!"

"Mmm, good wind. If it stays like this, we should arrive by tomorrow."

Jang Woo-yang looked up, gazing proudly at the mast. The Baekho flag and the Yeonhwa sword energy fluttered side by side in the river breeze.

"We've come this far!"

It had been a long and arduous road. Starting from a small courier service in the borderlands, they had now grown to a level where they could compete on the world stage. If they had to walk it again from the beginning, they probably wouldn't even dare to try.

"We are entering Dongting Lake soon."

"Mmm."

Once they exited this narrow passage, the vast Dongting Lake would welcome them. Their destination was not Macheon Pavilion. Jang Woo-yang himself didn't know exactly where Macheon Pavilion was. He only knew that if they docked their boat in a village by Dongting Lake, someone from Macheon Pavilion would come to pick up the goods.

'To come this far and still not be able to enter Macheon Pavilion. It's a shame, but it can't be helped.'

However, there was one thing that bothered him.

'What about the old man?'

The old man had clearly said he was going into Macheon Pavilion. But if things continued like this, there would be no chance to set foot in Macheon Pavilion. And he was definitely not the type of person to say, "Oh dear, then there's nothing to be done!" and just back down. They hadn't known each other for long, but he had grasped that much.

"Surely not…"

A premonition flashed through his mind like a shooting star.

'Bah, it can't be. Surely he wouldn't go that far? Yes, of course.'

But the more he denied it, the more his anxiety grew.

"Please, let nothing happen…"

Jang Woo-yang began to fervently pray to the heavens and earth, wishing for peace. But perhaps his faith was insufficient? His prayers crumbled to dust before even a quarter of an hour had passed.

Ding ding ding ding!

A sailor on the mast, who had been keeping watch, frantically rang the alarm bell.

"Disaster! The Black Dragon Ship has appeared!"

At the near-screaming cry, the deck, which had been enjoying tranquil peace just moments before, turned into a chaotic battlefield.

"What! Why are those guys here? This isn't even a trading location!"

Jang Woo-yang, who had received the report, exclaimed in astonishment.

The Black Dragon Ship. It was a black ship adorned with black sails and a black flag bearing a black dragon. Although Jang Woo-yang was not well-versed in waterways, he had heard of the notorious pirate group that roamed the Yangtze River as they pleased, disregarding even the Yangtze River Water Bandits.

'Damn it, I should have lit incense and burned paper money when I prayed! There must be more than one or two people praying for their lives! Did the heavens and earth get angry because I prayed with empty hands!'

He regretted it, gnashing his teeth while thinking nonsensical thoughts, but it was of little use.

"Damn it! Still, this is too much!"

While resenting the heavens and earth for their unfairness, Jang Woo-yang hurried to the bow of the ship and glared forward. He intended to assess the situation.

Beyond the horizon, a black shadow slowly emerged, moving against the current.

It was entirely painted in ominous black. The frame of the ship, the hull, the sails, the flag, the oars – all were painted black. If it were night, it would have been buried in darkness, and they wouldn't have noticed it even if it had come right up to them. That's why the Black Dragon Ship was also nicknamed 'The Reaper of the New Moon'.

Not a single ship that had encountered them in the dead of night had ever escaped safely. Of course, sailing at night without considerable skill was dangerous, so there were fewer ships sailing at night.

The Zhongyang Courier Service also always anchored their ships on land around sunset for safety. Moreover, as they were delivering goods to Macheon Pavilion, they had never imagined encountering pirates in broad daylight.

"If we try to escape, we'll be caught. There's no choice."

The Black Dragon Ship was a predator that knew no compromise. Tolls were out of the question. Their creed was to plunder thoroughly rather than to take a little at a time. Thus, the ship itself was built solely for attack, destruction, and plunder. The two steel ramming horns protruding from under the bow resembled ox horns, and the mast, which seemed unshakeable in any storm, and the twenty-four perfectly aligned oars were overwhelming just to look at.

Fight and die, flee and be caught. That black, ominous ship seemed to say, "Give up meekly and offer everything."

'But is there anything worth offering? It's just the luggage of the envoy students.'

The ship had very few expensive goods. Their intelligence network should already know that much, so their actions were inexplicable. In any case, the Black Dragon Ship slowly approached and stopped at a suitable distance. It was just the right distance to throw grappling hooks and ropes.

As expected, a giant man whose shoulder muscles looked strained began to swing a thick rope wrapped around him above his head. As soon as the spinning rope flew, another giant appeared behind him and began to swing the rope.

Whirrrrrrr!

With a sound that cut through the wind, the rope flew. The rope, with no deviation, drove its steel claws into the railing of the ship.

"Cut the ropes quickly!"

Jang Woo-yang shouted urgently. He couldn't let them build a bridge right before his eyes. Several leaders stepped forward and frantically slashed at the ropes with their swords. However, the dark ropes, seemingly treated with a special substance, only got scratched and wouldn't break. They were ropes tougher than steel cables.

Amidst the flying ropes, Jang Woo-yang tried to remain calm and stepped forward. For the safety of the mission, he had to try anything. He went to the stern of the ship and called out in greeting, attempting to communicate.

"I am Jang Woo-yang, the Chief of the Zhongyang Courier Service of Sichuan. From what brotherhood do you hail?"

His voice, infused with internal energy, echoed clearly, but no answer came back. Hoping against hope, Jang Woo-yang called out loudly again with his internal energy.

"I ask again! From what brotherhood do you hail?"

But again, there was only silence. Still, as their leader, the Chief, dealt with the situation calmly, the initially flustered guards also gradually regained their composure. It was a good opportunity to regroup.

"Deal with them!"

A man with a square face shouted fiercely, and twelve assault troops, stepping on the black ropes, rushed forward nimbly. They were the elite 'Twelve Fangs' of the Black Dragon Ship, always the first to shed blood.

At that moment, the cabin door opened, and an old man walked out.

"It's noisy. What's all this commotion? I can't even sleep."

It was the Old Master. Without even glancing at those leaping agilely on the ropes, the Old Master immediately asked Jang Woo-yang about the situation. Behind him, the Twelve Fangs from the Black Dragon Ship rushed forward like a whirlwind. They judged that they could just cut down this frail old man along with Jang Woo-yang.

"Be careful, Old Master!"

Jang Woo-yang shouted urgently, watching the twelve shadows rushing from behind him. The purpose of these Twelve Fangs was Jang Woo-yang's head. They had no interest in anything else, so the suddenly appearing Old Master was merely a simple obstacle. Just a quick cut, as always. However, that usual rule did not apply this time.

Thump, thump, CRASH!

"What?"

The Old Master retorted in a bored voice.

'Gasp!'

Jang Woo-yang was terrified.

'What just happened?'

In fact, he had been watching with his own eyes, but he couldn't quite grasp the situation.

'So, those twelve people who rushed forward like a whirlwind, they seemed to stop in mid-air for a moment. Then… then…'

His memory seemed to have a gap, with that part completely empty. It felt as if a part of his memory had been ripped out wholesale. All he could confirm was the resulting phenomenon. Now, before his eyes, twelve shadows, having suddenly lost all their strength, were tumbling to the ground. The cause of this inexplicable phenomenon remained unknown. Only then did the Old Master mechanically turn his head and say,

"What is it? There's nothing much."

He didn't seem to intend to look down. As always, it seemed to be his principle not to pay attention to trivial matters.

"Ah, yes…"

Jang Woo-yang couldn't say anything else in the face of his indifferent demeanor.

Regardless of Jang Woo-yang's dazed state, the Old Master gazed intently at the grotesque and ominous black ship blocking the front of his own ship.

"Hmm?"

The fact that it had attracted the attention of the Old Master, who dismissed most things as trivial, meant that this black ship had passed. Of course, with that passing, it was as clear as day that they were likely to encounter misfortune, but they had no way of knowing that they had to cherish even the slightest remaining opportunity at this moment.

"Hmm…"

After gazing at the black ship for a long time, the Old Master asked,

"Hey, that black ship, is it expensive?"

At first, Jang Woo-yang couldn't understand what he had heard. It was a word that existed beyond his frame of thought.

"Pardon? I-I'm sorry. I didn't hear you clearly."

Jang Woo-yang stammered an apology in a flustered manner.

"Tsk tsk, you're still young, and your hearing is so poor."

However, the Old Master kindly did not press further and spoke clearly again.

"I asked if that black ship has a high price tag."

Only then could Jang Woo-yang finally understand the content. Although it was a conversation he couldn't comprehend, there wasn't a significant problem with communication.

"I believe it is likely quite expensive. For one thing, it must be a custom-made order."

As if he had expected this answer, the Old Master nodded calmly.

"Hmm, so it is?"

"Y-yes, Old Master."

An unknown anxiety, surging from the bottom of his heart, from the depths of his subconscious, caused a crack in Jang Woo-yang's voice.

"Then I must accept it."

Jang Woo-yang doubted his own ears at the unnervingly calm voice that did not match the content.

"What? Accept it, you mean obtain that ship?"

'No, have you been deaf since earlier?' Jang Woo-yang retorted, enduring the Old Master's gaze.

"What will you do if you accept it?"

"Sell it."

"Sell, sell it?!"

So shocked was Jang Woo-yang that his eyes almost popped out. But the Old Master remained as composed as ever. As if this sort of thing was no different from eating three meals a day.

"If it's a ship made that well, there must be demand for it besides just piracy. There must be. First, I'll clear away the trash and then accept it. They blocked our way, so they must pay the price, right? They say time is money."

"B-but…"

Was he going to confront the notorious Black Dragon Ship head-on simply because they blocked the way and it was an expensive ship? No matter how unfathomable the Old Master was, his way of thinking was completely beyond the comprehension of an ordinary person like himself.

"There are always people who pick unnecessary fights, but a ship of that caliber is useful, so handle it with care so it doesn't get damaged. If those poisonous weeds of society try to interfere, throw them to the fish."

The Old Master's instructions were very detailed and specific. The only remaining problem was the mundane and practical one of who would carry them out.

"Hey, old man! What are you mumbling about so much!"

An impatient pirate roared gruffly from the other side of the ship. As if to threaten them, he whipped the menacing rope, slapping it against the deck floor with a crackling sound.

'Hieeeek—!'

Witnessing such an outrageously disrespectful scene, Jang Woo-yang's face turned pale. However, the Old Master seemed unconcerned and remained as composed as ever.

"As I thought, it's better to just throw them all to the fish. It doesn't matter how much a dog barks, but looking at that, they'll damage the ship. It's also a bit noisy."

The Old Master looked intently at Jang Woo-yang and spoke gently. Jang Woo-yang's face, devoid of color, was now so pale it was almost bleached.

Although his voice was low and calm, it was heard clearly by those on the Black Dragon Ship across the way. The captain of the Black Dragon Ship, known as Sagak (Four-cornered), his face as square as his name suggested, shouted in a gruff voice.

"Black Dragon Thunder Arrow, prepare! Put that unlucky old man in the center of the coordinates!"

His fingertip pointed at the Old Master's brow.

Creak! Grrr!

A heavy mechanical sound came from behind Sagak's captain. Simultaneously, rectangular boxes, like Sagak's offspring, were aimed at the Old Master. It was a strangely shaped object with four square holes on the top and bottom, six in each.

"Old Master, that is…!"

Jang Woo-yang's face turned ashen upon seeing it. He had heard rumors about it.

Black Dragon Thunder Arrow!

It was a giant twelve-shot crossbow that the Black Dragon Ship prided itself on, with each arrow being as tall as a person. It was a fearsome anti-ship weapon with devastating destructive power capable of piercing the outer wall of a ship and even the hull in a single blow. What was certain was that it was by no means a weapon for use against people.

"This is retribution for insulting the men of the sea!"

Sagak declared solemnly, raising one hand as if he were Yama, the King of Hell. Although it was a desperate situation, Jang Woo-yang, feeling wronged, cried out inwardly.

'The sea? That's not it—!'

"Repent in hell, old man! Fire one!"

As the raised hand fell, thunder boomed, and a storm raged. Jang Woo-yang closed his eyes tightly, sensing his own death.

"Hieek!"

Instinctively, he tried to curl up. However, his body did not bend downward. An invisible force, like the wind, was holding him back.

Swishhhhhh!

A sound that tore through the wind was heard right in front of him.

"……?"

Jang Woo-yang, who had cautiously opened his eyes and was surveying the situation, had his mouth agape in shock.

He saw a Black Dragon Thunder Arrow, fired with immense power, held neatly in the Old Master's grasp. The Old Master was holding it with an indifferent, unperturbed expression.

"The first, the first arrow is malfunctioning!"

Sagak, caught in shock and disbelief, could not accept what he saw.

What he had imagined were the crushed remains of the old man, pulverized by the lethal power of the Black Dragon Thunder Arrow. The sight of the old man standing calmly with such an indifferent face was unbearable. He felt an urgent need to do something to shake off this unfamiliar sensation that was creeping up from the bottom of his chest.

"Prepare all shots, from two to twelve!"

Sagak shouted in a voice filled with madness and confusion.

"All shots prepared!"

The subordinates behind him felt the same fear. Normally, firing weapons like the Black Dragon Thunder Arrow all at once would require more preparation time, but the sailors' terror remarkably shortened that time.

"Destroy the ship and the old man in one go! Simultaneous firing!"

Shushushushuck! Sweeeeeeek!

Eleven Black Dragon Thunder Arrows, rotating at incredible speed, were fired towards the Old Master and the Zhongyang Courier Service's ship. It seemed their intention was to break it down first and then plunder it or discard it. Jang Woo-yang despaired. Even if the Old Master survived, the ship and the people on it would not be safe. No matter how powerful the Old Master was, he was only one person, and there were a total of eleven arrows flying uncontrollably.

'It's over!'

It was no wonder Jang Woo-yang muttered this without even having time to think of his last words. But…

Sssrrrurrr!

It seemed he had received a verdict from the true Yama that it was too early to end his life.

The Old Master, who was just one person, split into two. The two became four, the four became eight, and the eight became sixteen.

Fffftttttt!

The Black Dragon Thunder Arrows flew towards these new forms with fierce speed.

"I-impossible!"

Sagak, still unable to comprehend the situation, was astonished. However, it was not his fault for having a short perceptive ability. At that very moment, Jang Woo-yang uttered the same words. It was no wonder, as all eleven figures that emerged from the Old Master held a Black Dragon Thunder Arrow in their hands. Where had the terrifying rotational force, which seemed capable of crushing even a city wall with the speed of tearing through the void, gone? The eleven arrows held in the hands of the eleven Old Masters were as docile as those of a bride.

However, as a result, five of the figures were empty-handed. One of the Old Masters shrugged his empty hand and complained.

"What, did I divide too much?"

"I know."

"Been too long since we used them…"

"The power was excessive, perhaps."

"Tch!"

As soon as he finished speaking, four of the idle figures disappeared. Twelve Old Masters looked at Sagak. He was already too weak to stand and had collapsed on the floor. His former majesty had long since vanished, replaced by a look as if he had seen a ghost.

"Thunder Arrow?"

A displeased expression appeared on the Old Master's face.

"Tsk tsk, to dare call such a flimsy toy 'Thunder'… The crime of impersonation carries a heavy penalty."

That seemed to be what he wanted to say.

Sssrrrurrr, the eleven divided clones gathered around a central point. The twelve arrows, including the first one that flew in, were neatly piled in front of the Old Master who stood before Jang Woo-yang.

"I could break them, but they might fetch a good price…"

Meaning he was holding back. The Old Master turned around and said,

"Do you understand?"

Jang Woo-yang replied, standing at attention in a rigid posture.

"Yes, I understand, Old Master!"

Jang Woo-yang clearly understood what he had to do.

"Yes, that's good then. Now that Zhongyang Courier Service has raised a new flag, it should have a new tale of bravery, shouldn't it? While you're at it, try to achieve something today."

The Old Master said, patting Jang Woo-yang on the shoulder.

"I-is that so?"

"Mmm, it is. Oh, and by the way, make sure not a single person dies! Try to avoid injuries as much as possible!"

"Old… Old Master…"

Jang Woo-yang's eyes welled up with emotion, unable to contain his overwhelming gratitude that he was so concerned about their safety.

"Why would you cry? It's for the sake of propaganda that we must win with ease. Don't get so moved by trivial things."

It was clear that the Old Master had no intention of sparing them the brutal truth.

"Gasp! I-is that so?"

"It is. So don't die. Don't get hurt. Only when you win without a single person getting hurt will the effect be maximized."

"Yes! I will keep that in mind!"

Jang Woo-yang replied, still at attention.

"Oh, and! As I said before, leave that strange crossbow alone!"

"Eh? Are you serious?"

That object was a presumptuous beast that had bared its fangs at the Old Master. Of course, it deserved to be shattered into pieces for its crime.

"What fault does a weapon have? It's the people who use it who are the problem. Hate the person, but don't hate the weapon. Especially rare weapons sell for a lot! Understand?"

Ignoring Jang Woo-yang, who was momentarily lost in thought, the Old Master flicked his fingers lightly.

Click!

That was the signal.

It was a turning point that would play the melody of despair on one side and the joy of victory on the other.

"Charge!"

"Subdue the enemy!"

Jang Woo-yang drew his sword and shouted.

"Waaaaaahhhhhh!"

"Let's tear them apart!"

With shouts of renewed morale, the leaders and guards, without fear, bravely leaped towards the Black Dragon Ship, stepping on the rope ladders they had made.

Surprisingly, the fight ended anticlimactically. The Old Master, who had even brought a chair to watch, sat leisurely, picking his ear, as he observed the Zhongyang Courier Service's leaders and the Black Dragon Ship's crew mingle.

Perhaps their morale had been completely broken by the appearance of the monstrous old man, but the men of the Black Dragon Ship did not fight as hard as expected. With the Old Master holding their rear, the story had already ended, and the curtain had fallen.

The brave charge of the Zhongyang Courier Service's guards that followed was merely a cleanup operation behind the scenes. However, it was a necessary one. Because the main protagonists of the stage were not very interested in cleaning up.

"This is a dream! This is a dream! This is a dream!"

The owner of the Black Dragon Ship, more famously known as Sagak, the Midnight Reaper Black Sagak, repeated this with eyes filled with despair.

They had boasted of being the strongest on the water. They were the troubleshooters who secretly handled things that the Yangtze River Water Bandits could not do openly, even within the elite circles of the dark path, the peak of the underworld. Therefore, they were always in the midst of battle.

Compared to the tasks they had undertaken over the years, sinking a courier ship of a newly emerging courier service that had just begun to make a name for itself was nothing. It was so easy that it was unpleasant. Yes. What they had expected was by no means this hellish scene.

'Strongest on the water.' Now, that was merely a fleeting past. The remaining subordinates of the Black Dragon Ship were all captured without even attempting to resist properly.

The Old Master lay back comfortably on a makeshift chair set up on the deck, with his eyes closed. There was a brief commotion from the other side of the ship, but it quickly subsided. After a while, someone approached.

"It's all over, Old Master!"

As if from a fierce battle, beads of sweat formed on Jang Woo-yang's forehead as he reported.

"Mmm, it's over? Faster than expected. I thought it would take a little longer."

The Old Master said, peeking his eyes open.

"It's all thanks to you, Old Master."

He himself had never dreamed that he would be able to so easily capture the notorious outlaws of the Yangtze, the Black Dragon Ship. Even now, after completing the task, he wondered if it was a dream or reality.

"What's the result?"

The old man asked briefly.

"I am sorry to report that we had six casualties due to insufficient strength. However, they are not severe injuries. The ship and that strange weapon were also captured without significant damage. The enemy did not resist as fiercely as we expected, so almost all of them were captured alive. We also managed to pull out most of those who jumped into the water, but should we search for a longer period to see if any are missing?"

Against the Black Dragon Ship, which had sunk over a hundred ships, this was an extraordinary record. No, it was almost a miracle. A miracle that would not have been possible without the old man before him.

"It's fine. One or two are no big deal."

"What?"

"No, it's not. By the way, it's good that there are not many scratches. Take them with you. The captured men can be handed over to the authorities to exchange for bounties, and the ship should be sold if we find a good place along the way. I wonder if there is anywhere around here that would buy a ship of that size."

"Are you really selling it?"

"Then why would we go through such a troublesome and bothersome process? We could have just sunk it in one go."

"In one go?"

"Yes, one go."

What was frightening was that it didn't sound like a joke.

'If it's the Old Master, it might be possible…'

Jang Woo-yang now thought of it as natural.

"For an ordinary ship, there would be many places to buy it. But this is a warship. It was built and improved solely for effective combat on water, and only for that purpose. To get a good price, we need to find a buyer who recognizes its value."

The only place he knew of that was suitable for selling it was just one.

"I know a place where people who would be interested gather. I think we might find someone willing to buy a ship of that caliber there."

"Hoho?"

The old man's eyes, which had been closed, slowly opened. And he asked,

"Where is that place?"

Jang Woo-yang bowed and replied respectfully. Unaware of how many storms would erupt from his words, he opened his mouth.

"That place is…"

Jang Woo-yang paused for a moment and then said,

"It's called Jianghu Randao (Chaos Island of the Rivers and Lakes)."

If there were eyes that could peek into destiny, he would never have said that one word, which finally took shape and received meaning from the world.

Finally, the destiny of one person took a step into the orbit of a fierce storm.

* * *

From under a log floating about thirty paces away from the Zhongyang Courier Service's ship, two arms suddenly protruded, and a person emerged. If anyone had seen it, they would have been terrified, thinking a water spirit had appeared.

Shake shake shake!

A man wearing a water-repellent suit hugged the log tightly and shook his wet hair vigorously. It was unclear whether he was trying to shake off the water or shivering. His face was pale, and it didn't seem to be solely due to the cold water.

"Damn it, did they see me? No, did they see me? But they just let us go?"

It was unbelievable. In the chaos, he had hurriedly slipped away from the ship and had been submerged for a long time. But he still felt uneasy. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was watching him.

Jang Yong, the secret agent of Simhaejeon, the intelligence agency of the Yangtze River Water Bandits, his primary mission was close surveillance of the Black Dragon Ship. In fact, he and the Black Dragon Ship were of the same kind in that they were submerged entities in the Yangtze River. His main mission was to monitor whether the Black Dragon Ship was embezzling anything during its secret missions or whether it was exaggerating or downplaying its reports. The Black Dragon Ship itself was so powerful that even the owner of the Yangtze River Water Bandits would be uneasy without such a surveillance agent.

A single Black Dragon Ship could easily contend with ten fast ships of the Yangtze River Water Bandits. The Black Dragon Ship, which the Yangtze River Water Bandits had only three of due to their exorbitant construction costs, was attacked and subdued by a courier ship operated by a newly emerging courier service in the Sichuan borderlands! It was an unbelievable event if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. Catching the Black Dragon Thunder Arrow with his bare hands, and with illusionary techniques! He himself wondered if he was seeing things.

"But it's better not to mention that, right?"

If he put in something too unbelievable, he might be told he was dreaming.

"Still, they said they were selling it, so the destination must be that place. The main branch will be satisfied with this."

That was truly a great achievement. Still, to think of selling it, they had guts.

"Should I include this fact as well?"

He couldn't help but worry whether he should include another fact that might not be believed. Although he couldn't ascertain the old man's identity, it was still the most important information.

"Oh, right! This is not the time! I must notify the headquarters immediately!"

Soon after, a pigeon took flight from a leisurely drifting flat-bottomed boat on the Yangtze River.

* * *

Flap flap!

No one would believe that a single pigeon could cause such a commotion in the Yangtze River Water Bandits. However, if they knew it was a top-class letter, specifically one with 'Urgent' on it, everyone would nod in agreement.

Lee Maeng, the Chief of Surijeon, hurried his steps towards the Chief's office. The letter he had just received was clutched tightly in his hand.

What would the Chief's reaction be? He was inwardly anxious.

"What? It was stolen!"

As expected, the Black Dragon King let out a roar first.

"Yes, that's right."

"Are you kidding me? How could it be stolen?"

"That… is unknown."

*Bang!*

"Unknown? Are you playing games? The Black Dragon Ship was subdued, so how can the reason be unknown! Were there a whole bunch of Heavenly Sword Three Stars on it?"

"There were no such reports."

"Did you take medicine?"

"Not yet."

"Really? I thought you took a whole bunch of medicine at once and went crazy. You know how much that costs, don't you?"

"I am well aware."

"Anyway, fine. Find a way to get it back!"

"Please calm down, Chief!"

"Goddamn it! Can you calm down now? We lost the value of ten ships!"

"Fortunately, we found out the destination."

Flash!

The Black Dragon King's frenzy momentarily stopped at Lee Maeng's words.

"What? Speak up earlier! So, where is it?"

"According to the report, it's called Jianghu Randao."

Lee Maeng replied with an attitude that absolved him of any responsibility if it was wrong.

"Really? Good! If it's wrong, you'll die, understand?!"

He wanted to refuse, but his fists were too close, so he could only swallow it inwardly.

"Then who will you send?"

Lee Maeng asked in a cautious voice.

"I will go myself… No, no! Send the Vice-Chief. He hasn't done anything lately, so let him do some work. No matter how close a brother he is, he can't just play around in this day and age."

Of course, the Vice-Chief hadn't earned his position merely because he was a blood relative.

For example, his bounty was higher than his brother's. This was proof that he had committed a wide variety of wrongdoings. Because of this, he felt quite humiliated. However, he couldn't confront him and ask, "Why is your bounty higher than mine?"

"The Vice-Chief?"

Lee Maeng retorted in a lukewarm tone. He didn't like him, although he was skilled, because he was too quick-tempered and cruel.

"Yes, that guy. I'm sending him. Along with the second Black Dragon Ship!"