Chapter 1556: Can We Back Out? (Part 1)

"Oh, it's coming!"

A trembling voice burst out.

Shwaaaa!

A massive warship, completely painted in black, was charging full speed towards the shore. It emanated a tremendous sense of intimidation.

"Black Dragon Ship..."

Someone murmured as if in pain.

The pattern drawn on the fully spread sail was that of a black dragon.

In this vast Yangtze River, there was only one ship that dared to paint that pattern on its sail, and only one person who could wield that symbol.

Even just its presence was majestic as the ship rushed towards the shore without slowing down.

"Uh, what do we do?"

"What can we do! Are you suggesting we run away?"

Those who had belatedly run to the Yangtze riverside shouted as if possessed by evil spirits.

"If it's really the Black Dragon Ship, we should escape! It's said that the Black Dragon King is on board!"

"Damn it! How do we know who's on board! If it turns out not to be the Black Dragon King, who will take responsibility?"

"Say something that makes sense!"

Though emotions flared, they all knew it wasn't the time for such wasteful arguments.

"For now, send a messenger to the branch immediately! The Black Dragon Ship is approaching Gangbuk! No, to the Ten Great Sects! Send messengers not only to the branch but also to Hubei! They're the closest here, and we need to be prepared for any unexpected situation!"

"Yes! Uh, what about us?"

"Damn it, go hide somewhere!"

After shouting with frustration, Baekmyeong Gae ['White Face Beggar'] (白面丐) observed the Black Dragon Ship with trembling eyes.

'It can't be....'

Didn't the Black Dragon King retreat to seclusion after losing his arm to Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword?

Because information about him never entered the Beggar's Union, there were rumors circulating that he might've been eliminated by the Myriad Man Manor.

And yet, to have the Black Dragon King appear at a time like this...

'That can't be true.'

Baekmyeong Gae bit his lower lip tightly.

Even if the Black Dragon King were alive, there was no reason for him to independently target Gangbuk, separated from the main force. It was an eventuality that no one had considered.

Crash!

At that moment, the Black Dragon Ship reached the shore, producing a thunderous noise that felt like it would shatter eardrums.

Thud! Thud!

The sound of the thick hull breaking and twisting resonated clearly. It seemed like a declaration that it would not matter whether the precious Black Dragon Ship was destroyed.

Finally.

Kwoong!

The massive hull of the Black Dragon Ship, rising more than half above the shore, came to a halt.

Baekmyeong Gae involuntarily swallowed dry saliva.

'No way....'

"YOU LITTLE RAT!"

Kwaaaa!

At that moment, an enormous burst of light poured from the prow of the Black Dragon Ship with a tremendous roaring sound.

'What?'

Thuddd!

"Ahhhhhhhhh!"

A desperate scream erupted from Baekmyeong Gae's mouth.

With his head twisted back in agony, he trembled and forcibly pulled his jaw back. Peering down, he saw something sticking out of his chest.

A long black pole with a carved black dragon. The identity of the sword that impaled him was a long scimitar.

The moment Baekmyeong Gae realized it, he understood his impending fate.

"Uh, how..."

Instead of words, blood poured out of his mouth.

There was at least a hundred yards away from the shore where Baekmyeong Gae stood, so how could someone detect him and accurately send a sword flying...

The question didn't linger. It wasn't because of pain or despair.

Kwoong.

Right in front of Baekmyeong Gae, the figure of someone appeared as if it were a lie.

"YOU LITTLE RAT!"

A man with disheveled long hair, exuding a ferocious aura, stared at Baekmyeong Gae as if he would incinerate him with his eyes.

Thud.

Reaching out with a large hand, Jaeksekwang grabbed Baekmyeong Gae's pale face and roared like a beast.

"How dare you mock me? You saw me coming and still snooped around?"

"Bl, Black Dragon..."

Just when Baekmyeong Gae seemed to want to make some comment.

Thud!

Caught within the firm grasp of the Black Dragon King, Baekmyeong Gae's head twisted, and he quickly fell.

"Heung!"

Jaeksekwang, who had pulled out the scimitar stuck in Baekmyeong Gae's chest in one go, turned around with a blazing gaze.

"What are you all doing! Disembark!"

"Yes!"

Then, figures dressed in blue robes symbolizing the Su Lo Chae poured out of the Black Dragon Ship like an ant swarm.

Wooddduk.

The Black Dragon King, gripping the scimitar as if he would break it, looked around as if searching for something.

"Where is he? WHERE IS HE?"

As he was about to rage like a madman, someone who had approached quietly whispered to him.

"Black Dragon King, do not forget Ryeonju's command."

"This...!"

The gaze of the frenzied Black Dragon King turned toward him. But it was only for a moment.

"I know."

The Black Dragon King nodded heavily. And he stomped the ground.

"FIND HIM! Do not leave a single member of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance alive across Gangbuk! KILL THEM ALL!"

"Yes!"

Wuuuuuu!

Along with the resounding trumpet sound, a massive fleet revealed itself on the Yangtze River.

The Eighteen Yangtze River Fortresses

The rulers of the Yangtze, a faction of the Evil Tyrant Alliance. Their main force, which had stained Plum Blossom Island with blood in the past, finally revealed itself in Gangbuk.

Wooddduk.

Blue veins protruded in the Black Dragon King's left arm holding the scimitar.

It throbbed. It was painful.

Although his right arm had been severed for a long time, he still felt pain from the nonexistent arm. As if the severed arm was crying out for revenge.

As long as this pain didn't disappear, he would never be able to escape from that day.

And the Black Dragon King knew. There was only one way to escape from this pain.

"Mount Hua. And... that rat bastard."

The one who cut off his arm.

The ones who made the Su Lo Chae and the Black Dragon King bow under the feet of Myriad Man Manor.

Even if he died, he wouldn't be able to close his eyes without chewing up every single one of them.

"Black Dragon King! The preparation of the Black Dragon Fleet is complete."

"GO!"

Black Dragon King howled like a wounded beast.

"GO AND KILL THEM ALL! Those hateful bastards!"

"Yes!"

The pirates rushed forward.

The Black Dragon King, observing their backs with bloodshot eyes, finally took a step forward.

His rough hair and empty sleeves fluttered in the blowing wind.

He would definitely kill them.

Even if this step meant he would never cross the Yangtze River alive again.

Kuwung!

As if Black Dragon King's footsteps on the ground were a signal, white doves flew up from various places along the Yangtze River.

* * *

Woodeuk!

"Cough!"

An evil sect member, with a twisted jaw, collapsed in place.

"Tsk."

Chung Myung, as if annoyed, clicked his tongue as he shook his hand.

"Not even ants, and they keep coming!"

If only the nearby ant's nest was destroyed, it would be enough, but these bastards' nests happen to be in Gangnam.

"Ah, can't just kill them all at once."

Chung Myung, who was complaining, stretched out his foot and crushed the Dantians of the fallen people.

"Kkureuk…."

Even in a state of unconsciousness, the fallen ones showed signs of convulsions. Watching their desperate struggles with a cold gaze, Chung Myung turned his body as if he thought it was a waste of time.

At that moment.

Jjaeaeeaak!

A clear bird cry penetrated his ears. Looking up, he saw a white dove wandering in the sky.

"Come here!"

Chung Myung reached out his arm, but the bird continued to circle in the same place, seemingly unaware of the fact.

"Ah, you stupid thing!"

Taat!

Finally, Chung Myung threw his body upwards and caught the messenger dove in midair, landing on the ground.

Tadak.

The dove, released from Chung Myung's hand, landed on his wrist and nervously pecked at his arm.

Chung Myung, who exhaled deeply, took out a small bird feeder from his chest and placed it on his arm. The bird quickly pecked at the feed.

He watched the scene for a moment, then clicked his tongue.

"Birds have no taste." 

If it were that other bastard, he would have started squeaking by now, but this one was satisfied as long as you fed it. Somewhat boring.

"Kkeuung. Well, not exactly regrettable."

This is all because of that bastard.

He treated it so well (?) so why did it keep behaving so badly? He wondered who it resembled to have such a dirty personality. Was it because of the Beast Palace Lord?

Chung Myung opened the envelope and quickly read the contents written inside.

"Hmm."

Good news.

Most of the units had entered the cities assigned to them, and the process of eliminating the Evil Sect was also going smoothly. Although various problems were arising in the process of handling refugees, as long as they clung to their lives, anything could be resolved.

"The foundation is almost ready... Soso must be suffering."

The busiest person right now would undoubtedly be Tang Soso. She took on a heavy mission compared to her own experience, so the burden must be severe.

But thinking about Tang Soso, Chung Myung couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Tang Soso would do well. In some ways, she was better than her father.

Chung Myung, who was thoroughly scanning the contents written on a small piece of paper without missing anything, stopped for a moment. The two names "Baek Cheon" and "Yoon Jong" caught his eye.

"...."

But only for a moment. Without hesitation, he quickly finished reading the remaining contents. Then he took out a brush from his robes and wrote a message on the back of the paper. There were a few requests.

He folded the letter small, pushed it back into the envelope, and put it back into the letter container.

"Now, go!"

As Chung Myung raised his arm, the small dove flapped its wings and flew into the air.

Watching it fly west for a moment, Chung Myung lowered his gaze with a firm expression.

'Not yet....'

Jang Ilso still hadn't moved.

The problem wasn't that Jang Ilso hadn't moved yet, but that everyone knew he would move eventually.

It was like fighting someone in front of you while being aware of a poison-coated knife behind your back.

It would be okay.

Because they were prepared to respond as soon as the knife moved. If you can't predict the enemy's actions, make sure you can respond to any situation.

Yeah, that was right.....

Chung Myung, who was about to step on the ground, suddenly stopped in place.

'Wait....'

Respond? Because he couldn't predict?

Chung Myung's face twisted strangely.

Was it really unpredictable? Did he really have no idea what he was trying to do?

I couldn't know. Shouldn't know. Because he wasn't Jang Ilso.

A madman recognized throughout the world. There was no one in this world who could know what was in the head of that crazy man who was driven solely by desire.

But.....

If he was Jang Ilso...?

At the very moment when Chung Myung's head reflexively turned south.

Fwee fwee fwee!

A high-pitched flute-like sound echoed.

A golden trail flying across the sky was clearly visible.

"That's...!"

Chung Myung reached out his arm sharply.

Unlike before, the golden trail flew straight toward Chung Myung's arm like an arrow.

Taat!

The golden bird grabbed Chung Myung's arm and stopped in midair. It seems to be well-trained. Chung Myung immediately opened the envelope hanging from his foot.

Woodeuk.

A moment later, Chung Myung's teeth dug into his lower lip.

"This...."

Why not a little faster...?

Chung Myung, who tightly grasped the envelope in his hand, immediately crushed it, and then kicked the ground. A new form of Chung Myung, a black steak, was drawn across the desolate yellow ground.

Like the blood-red line drawn over someone's pure white face.