Book 22 Chapter 8

"Does being second make any difference?

― Tiger's Calamity vs. Dragon's Calamity

Jang Wooyang stood on the deck, glancing at the side of the old master's face.

I always think he's a strange old man. I can't figure him out. He's too profound to be reached by my hands. The old man existed beyond my sight. Surely his perspective was different from mine now.

'But thanks to him, I've come this far without any trouble.'

It would have been impossible without this person. I felt that way. After bringing down the Black Dragon Ship's flag, they were unimpeded by anyone.

'Well, what lunatic would try to raid a ship that's capturing the Black Dragon Ship and dragging it like a dog!'

Fortunately, there were no such lunatics. Jang Wooyang was inwardly relieved to know that common sense still existed in the martial world. Recently, he had been seeing only illogical things, making him yearn for common sense and normalcy.

'But I can't go back there now…'

I've already seen too much that's different. I've seen the extreme. Perhaps this old man is the embodiment of 'extreme.' Just seeing it imprints itself on the retina like a brand. It's like staring directly at the sun. The retina, burnt by the intense flood of light, reflects its afterimage for a while. I can't go back to who I was before.

'Is this what they call a fortuitous encounter?'

Even without falling off a cliff or receiving martial arts training, a fortuitous encounter is a fortuitous encounter. I was able to step on my past self and climb one step higher, so it's definitely a fortuitous encounter. Moreover, I gained a guardian deity and contracted with the Blue Dragon Silver Seal, creating a stepping stone to broaden my foundation. It was this mysterious old man who arranged that connection.

'Was meeting this old man a fortuitous encounter… or…'

Well, meeting the old man was a fortuitous encounter, and meeting that man was a bad encounter. It seemed best to leave it at that.

'I can't go back now. Then, all that remains is the path forward.'

Jang Wooyang looked ahead with eyes filled with firm will and resolve. The horizon of the vast Dongting Lake welcomed him.

It seemed to be asking if he could come this far. Those who have seen the sea cannot be satisfied with a lake. That's how it is.

'Now, I just need to hand over the token…'

I finally felt like I could relax.

But that was a big mistake. There's no guarantee that others know what I know. Moreover, the world is vast, and there are many crazy people.

* * *

"Is that the ship?"

A man with a rough face, standing at the bow of the black ship that melted into the darkness, asked.

"Yes, Vice-Captain! That ship is clearly dragging the Black Dragon No. 1 Ship."

"Hah! I thought my brother was bluffing, but it's true… That Captain Sagak, I didn't like him much, but he got what he deserved."

Even though a comrade was captured, he seemed glad.

"Of course, the owner of the No. 1 Ship is none other than I, the monstrous dragon Hae-eogwang!"

At the Changjiang Water Fortress, he and Heuksagak were always rivals in skill and merit. How could he not be happy that a competitor was eliminated on his own?

"Well then, shall we go catch it!"

At this moment, the old master was humming these words.

"It's always good to have more the better."

He even added a remark, seeming quite pleased.

"Hmm, not one but two, this is quite profitable. I've even prepared the advertising slogan… This time, I'll keep it simple since I'm bothered."

*Snap!*

The old master flicked his fingers with a cheerful sound.

"Leader, that… that… that…"

Jongpil, a subordinate who usually enjoyed blood, was trembling severely, his voice as murky as his trembling fingertips.

"What is it? Did you suddenly get a lisp? Why are you stammering like that?"

Monstrous Dragon Hae-eogwang replied irritably. Jongpil was at his mental limit just trying to accept the situation before him.

"Th-that is… that… that… that…"

Jongpil's finger, pointing at one spot, was now trembling like an aspen leaf.

"What is it? If it's nothing important, you'll die!"

With that threat, he followed the fingertip and raised his gaze to the mast.

"Gasp!"

At that moment, Hae-eogwang stopped breathing.

'Why is something like that here…?'

When did it appear? And where did it come from? On the mast, a giant shadow with golden, sun-like eyes gleamed down at them.

"N-no way…"

This was not the middle of a deep mountain, but the center of the Changjiang River. It wasn't a place for something like that to be.

"Haha, guys, that's just a hallucination, right?"

"…"

The only reply was a heavy silence.

Unlike those who live on land, those who live on water do not worry about one thing: tiger attacks. Therefore, while they worship the water god, Dragon God, they do not fear tigers, which are servants of the mountain god. No matter how terrifying tiger attacks or epidemics were, they were stories from another world that did not exist in their realm. And as long as they didn't leave the water, they should never encounter such a creature in their lifetime. Yes. Tiger attacks were enough to exist only in stories.

Then what was that? What was that crouching on the mast, looking down at them arrogantly?

It couldn't be on the mast, and it shouldn't be there, but it stood there with pure white dignity.

ROOOOAR!

When the first roar echoed, everyone on the Black Dragon Ship flinched and trembled. It was a sound that shook the soul, like the wrath of the Dragon God.

The next moment,

A white lightning bolt struck the black ship.

ROOOOAR!

CRACKLE!

The 'thing' roared again, bending the wooden planks of the deck.

A battle of dragon and tiger (Yongho Sangbak). A phrase describing a fierce struggle between a dragon and a tiger, fought on equal terms. However, in reality, the Black Dragon was no match for the White Tiger. How could mere fakes impersonating the Black Dragon dare to defeat the true lord of the divine mountain!

A single charge was enough. It seemed this White Tiger was not afraid of water at all. It seemed to proclaim with its entire being that it was invincible as long as there was even a span of space to stand on. With that confidence, its movements were like a gale, and its leaps were full of power. From deck to deck, from bow to stern, from stern to mast, the people of the Zhongyang Express Bureau could only stare blankly at the magnificent spectacle of its overwhelming speed, reminiscent of white lightning. They realized there was no chance for them to intervene. All that would remain after this flash of speed would be bewildered husks and corpses.

"Well, it's about worth the cost of food and drink."

Only the old master quietly watched the scene and made a brief comment.

* * *

ROOOOAR!

As night fell, a ferocious beast's roar echoed from across Dongting Lake.

"What is it?"

"What is it?"

"Eek! No!"

"A tiger, perhaps?"

While arguing about sanitation and such, the confused envoys of the Tianwu Academy's questions converged into one.

'A tiger's roar in the middle of Dongting Lake?'

They had never heard a ghost story about a tiger that liked to swim with fish in Dongting Lake. But among them, Yeonbi's complexion was particularly pale, as if drained of blood.

'Could this sound be…?'

Her heart sank the moment she heard it. She couldn't forget the sound she often heard in the mountains since childhood.

"What's wrong, Yeonbi? You don't look well?"

Her change in complexion seemed to be worrying Na Yerin.

"Could it be…"

"Yes? Why are you suddenly like this, Yeonbi? What's wrong?"

Na Yerin had never seen Yeonbi, who always seemed confident and fearless, tremble so visibly, even when enjoying the flamboyant welcoming ceremony at Macheongak.

'What on earth could it be?'

"Are you okay, Yeonbi?"

Yeonbi didn't answer. Her eyes were lost in thought.

"That sound just now… did you hear it too, Yerin?"

She asked, just in case. It might be her last struggle. But she wouldn't be satisfied without proper confirmation. She wished it were an auditory hallucination, but she knew it wasn't. She resented her own personality, which couldn't ignore reality, just a little today.

"Yes, I definitely heard it. It's unexpected to hear that sound again in the middle of a lake like this."

"'Again'?"

That word lingered heavily in her mind. When had she heard it? If so, the timing was very important. Was it ten years ago? It was entirely possible.

"Was it perhaps ten years ago?"

"No."

Na Yerin shook her head.

"It hasn't even been a month yet."

"What did you say?"

"It was when Ryu… um, someone close was imprisoned."

There was only one person imprisoned in the last month. That meant they had also come to Nanchang…

'Could it be…'

Was she unable to hear it because it was underground?

'If I don't find a way…'

The options were very limited.

'If I don't have a favorable negotiation item… my life might be in danger.'

No matter how much a disaster occurs outside of human intention, if one doesn't prepare for the 'what if,' they will be swept away and die.

'I have to do something!'

No matter how unavoidable a natural disaster is, if one stands by with folded hands when it strikes, they are sure to die. One must do something, to confront this cruel fate. That's an undeniable truth, even if the sky splits in two.

Trembling!

Her heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand.

'Calm down, calm down!'

This is a trial. A trial that must be overcome someday. It's just that by sheer bad luck, today is that day.

'So, calm down. Settle your mind!'

She forced her pounding, about-to-rupture heart to calm down. Why had she rehearsed this kind of worst-case scenario so many times? Wasn't it a dress rehearsal so as not to fall into chaos when that situation arose? So, in her mind, she had already gone through it hundreds of times. The gap between fantasy and reality was just that large. She had almost thrown away all those countless prior rehearsals in an instant.

She quietly repeated to herself to calm down. As if casting a strong suggestion on herself. So that the experience she had accumulated could awaken.

'I am the master of this situation.'

She instilled stronger words within herself.

'All variables have already been re-evaluated.'

All that remains is to bring the imagined conclusion into reality and make it a fact.

I want to run. I want to run. I want to run.

Naturally. Humans are bound to fear situations they cannot handle. If avoiding it wasn't the easiest and also the most foolish method, she would have done so without hesitation. However, running away cannot resolve any knot. Once one decides to run, they will continue to run away from that matter. That's inertia. Once a horse starts running, it's difficult to change direction, and even harder to stop. Therefore, even if it's scary, even if the future is unpredictable, one must throw themselves into that unknown darkness with courage. That is the theory, a theory that fits perfectly.

However, moving her body according to that theory was another matter entirely. Her body refused. The body always wants what is easy. It seems humans cannot act solely based on reason. The mind knows, but the body keeps avoiding. It's a vicious cycle. That's why she had repeated so many dress rehearsals to accumulate even a little more courage.

There must be something gained! Now was the time to bring it out. Still, she couldn't hide her bewilderment.

'Is it because the variable of 'Hayan-i's roar' has been newly added?'

Indeed, the world held more events than she had imagined. Next time, she would need to include that part in her expected variables.

One thing is certain… yes. She didn't want to admit it, but she had to admit it. She had to accept the reality she didn't want to accept.

That her master had finally appeared before her!

Now she had to choose one of the several plans she had reviewed hundreds of times. It was time for a decision."