Chapter 322

The merchants stirred uneasily.

It wasn’t just one or two, but ten coffins being brought onto the ship, which couldn’t help but be ominous.

“Don’t tell me there are actually corpses inside…”

The hooded men not only had gloomy expressions that were ill-omened, but even the smell emanating from their bodies was nauseating.

Some of the merchants felt nausea rising from their stomachs and went to the ship’s rail to vomit.

When people showed uncomfortable faces, Jeong Dae-su stepped forward.

He blocked the plank bridge connecting the ferry to the ship and asked.

“Hey. What are you people?”

The twenty hooded men stopped in unison and looked at Jeong Dae-su. Then they looked at the captain beside him.

The captain smiled awkwardly and said.

“It was originally scheduled to load coffins here. I’m sorry, but please understand…”

The merchants protested.

“Damn it, encountering coffins during business brings bad luck.”

“You want us to travel with corpses while transporting goods? If people knew this, who would buy our merchandise?”

The captain asked for understanding with a truly sorry face.

“This is the ship owner’s decision, not something I can do anything about. Please bear with us just until Wuhan.”

“Ah, if I had known this would happen, I would have taken the next ship.”

“Really, this is ridiculous.”

As the merchants grumbled, a particularly dark-faced, square-jawed hooded man spoke in a low voice.

“All people are destined to die.”

Though it was a low tone, it was a voice that made everyone turn to look. The black-eyed hooded man spoke stoically.

“The people here will also die someday and be put in coffins to be buried in graves. Life and death are not special matters and are always beside us.”

It was obvious talk, but it was so matter-of-fact that it was rather eerie.

The black-eyed hooded man looked at Jeong Dae-su blocking the way and said.

“We have already paid the proper fare, so please step aside now.”

Jeong Dae-su frowned. If they had paid the fare, he should step aside. However, it seemed suspicious.

“I’ve lived on the Yangtze River for ten years, but I’ve never seen people like you. Reveal where you’re from.”

The black-eyed hooded man stared at Jeong Dae-su with indifferent eyes. But he gave no answer. Jeong Dae-su’s expression hardened further.

“If you can’t speak, I’ll have to see what’s in the coffins. If they’re corpses with diseases, they can’t be brought on board.”

The black-eyed hooded man’s gaze changed. His lips twisted as he tried to say something. Jeong Dae-su also flinched and grabbed the handle of his ghost-head sword.

Then.

“Corpses with diseases… That’s possible. But since you’re blocking the way in front, we can’t board. You can’t take the boat fare and then not let us ride.”

Jeong Dae-su looked toward the back of the hooded men’s procession with a ‘what are you?’ expression and was startled.

It was a martial artist with crescent-shaped eyebrows and thin eyes, smiling.

He wore a Taoist cap and dark blue martial robes, carrying his sword turned around his waist as if clasping his hands behind his back.

A gentle impression and the posture of holding his sword turned around.

Jeong Dae-su tilted his head and asked.

“Could it be…”

But the answer came from elsewhere.

“It’s Benevolent Hero Bulgi of Zhongnan Sect!”

It was a voice that came from far behind Benevolent Hero Bulgi.

Benevolent Hero Bulgi also looked back.

There was sound but no person.

A moment later, a monk in yellow robes appeared as if dropped from the sky.

Thoom!

As the monk landed, tremendous dust rose and spread in all directions. It was impossible to tell from where he had leaped and flown.

Benevolent Hero Bulgi narrowed his eyes and looked at the monk.

“What about you, Great Master…?”

His right ear was cut off, and his shaved head with tonsure marks had dark scars as if burned.

“Namo Amitabha. I am an insignificant old monk from Shaolin. Fortunately, I’m not late for the ship’s departure.”

Jin Ja-gang, who was watching from far at the stern, felt strength enter his eyes.

It was Beom-mong from Shaolin Temple.

Mysterious hooded men, Zhongnan Sect, and even Great Master Beom-mong.

Naturally, this couldn’t be a coincidence.

Woon-jeong, who seemed to have noticed something, looked at Jin Ja-gang and asked quietly.

“Poison Dragon… this is the situation you wanted, right?”

Jin Ja-gang answered.

“No.”

“What?”

“I didn’t know they would all rush in at once like this either.”

Woon-jeong showed a flustered expression.

“Then what should we do? Should we get off now? Then those people probably won’t follow us.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because if we said we’d ride but then immediately get off without riding, it would be embarrassing.”

Jin Ja-gang almost laughed at innocent Woon-jeong’s idea.

“I wish that were the case.”

Woon-jeong sighed deeply.

“Primordial Heavenly Venerate, Numinous Treasure Heavenly Venerate, Moral Heavenly Venerate. Please illuminate my path so there will be no misfortune ahead.”

Woon-jeong recited Taoist scriptures while shaking his head.

With masters from Zhongnan Sect and Shaolin Temple appearing, neither Jeong Dae-su nor the hooded men could continue their confrontation. Jeong Dae-su stepped aside, and the hooded men deliberately dragged the heavy coffins all the way to the bow and stacked them on deck. Then they settled around them.

It was positioned so the coffins were visible from anywhere, making the merchants very uncomfortable. However, with monks from Zhongnan Sect and Shaolin Temple present, they felt inwardly relieved that even if those people had strange intentions, nothing serious would happen.

But.

The captain spoke in a troubled tone to Great Master Beom-mong from Shaolin Temple as he crossed the plank to board the ship.

“I’m sorry, Great Master. The fare…”

Beom-mong answered.

“As you can see, I’m a monk so I have no wealth. But don’t worry. One lump of cold rice per day is sufficient. There will be no other troublesome matters.”

After finishing his words, Beom-mong stamped his foot.

Then he stepped on the ropes binding the mast and climbed to the very top of the mast.

“This old monk will be here, so pay no mind.”

But to anyone watching, that was more distracting and uncomfortable. The merchants who couldn’t stand it suggested.

“We’ll donate the boat fare and provide a room, so please come down.”

“Namo Amitabha. This old monk is comfortable here, so don’t mind me and achieve enlightenment.”

He politely clasped his hands toward the merchants from atop the mast, but Beom-mong’s eyes were directed at Jin Ja-gang and Benevolent Hero Bulgi.

The ship departed.

A strange standoff formation had formed on board.

The bow was occupied by mysterious hooded men and coffins, the house’s cabin held merchants and Benevolent Hero Bulgi from Zhongnan Sect, Beom-mong was on the mast, and Jin Ja-gang was at the stern with Woon-jeong.

At the stern was a small lifeboat, so they could lower the boat and escape if necessary.

Only the innocent merchants were in danger of death.

They had to travel at least fifteen hundred li to Wuhan. Since the ship was slow and would take at least five days even with good wind, they had to endure extremely uncomfortable companionship during that time.

When night came, the merchants prepared a banquet on the second floor to lighten the mood.

They generously brought out food to serve.

“Everyone, please have dinner!”

Benevolent Hero Bulgi came up, and Beom-mong also came down from the mast.

The hooded men declined. They decided to guard the coffins at the bow and eat provisions they had brought themselves.

Then Bulgi smiled and said a word.

“That’s possible. But if you know this isn’t just a call to eat, you’d also know that at least one person should come to avoid trouble later.”

At those words, the black-eyed hooded man dusted off his bottom and came up to the second floor.

Bulgi looked at Jin Ja-gang and Woon-jeong at the stern.

“Same for you over there.”

Woon-jeong grabbed Jin Ja-gang’s arm, but Jin Ja-gang nodded to show it was okay.

When Jin Ja-gang went up to the wide space on the second floor of the house, interestingly, the seat of honor was empty.

Jeong Dae-su had already moved aside and was standing respectfully to one side. Then he offered the seat of honor to Bulgi.

“Please sit, Great Hero Benevolent Hero of Zhongnan Sect.”

Bulgi declined.

“Since Great Master Beom-mong is present, I’ll yield to the Great Master.”

Beom-mong stroked his beard and shook his head.

“I’m in the position of hitching a ride without paying fare, so the seat of honor doesn’t suit me at all.”

“Then…”

They couldn’t leave the seat of honor empty, nor could they seat the black-eyed hooded man. The black-eyed hooded man had already gone to the very end of the seating, showing his intention to eat food as if present yet absent.

Inevitably, when the oldest among the merchants was wondering if he should sit there himself.

Someone suddenly stepped forward.

“I’ll sit.”

Along with a clear voice that would never be suitable for the seat of honor, Jin Ja-gang took the seat of honor.

Bulgi’s expression slightly hardened, the corners of Beom-mong’s mouth turned up as if smiling, and the black-eyed hooded man raised his eyes to look at Jin Ja-gang while slightly bowing his head.

“…!”

The merchants looked at Jin Ja-gang in shock.

A handsome-faced young man who looked no older than twenty at best had taken the seat of honor, pushing aside Benevolent Hero Bulgi, Beom-mong… no, even Jeong Dae-su!

“Hey, hey. What are you doing? Qu, quickly get up.”

Even Jeong Dae-su glared at Jin Ja-gang.

“Hey! There are so many elders here, what kind of nonsense is this? Can’t you get up right now?”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t budge and answered.

“Since all those people came to see me, it should be fine for me to sit in the seat of honor.”

“What?”

Bulgi snorted and took his seat.

“That’s possible. Well, if it’s the guy I’m thinking of, that’s possible.”

Beom-mong also sat in the seat across from Bulgi and said.

“Keke keke. It’s not wrong. If it’s that fellow, he’s qualified.”

It was a strange arrangement with Jin Ja-gang in the seat of honor and Bulgi and Beom-mong on either side.

Jeong Dae-su rolled his eyes left and right, reading the situation.

What was this young man called Jin that masters from Zhongnan Sect and Shaolin Temple yielded their seats to him?

The merchants also watched Bulgi and Beom-mong’s expressions, not knowing how great Jin Ja-gang was.

Jeong Dae-su couldn’t even sit down and asked carefully.

“Elders, who is this friend that…”

“Oh, you don’t know? Well, just looking at his appearance, that’s possible. But he’s the most famous friend in the martial world right now. Don’t you know Poison Dragon?”

“Poison Dragon? Poison Dragon? Poi…”

Jeong Dae-su, who had repeated the name several times, was horrified.

“Poison Dragon!”

At that moment, the merchants also froze.

It was a well-known fact that Poison Dragon had been in Chongqing. Since the ship came from that direction, it was sufficiently convincing.

Jeong Dae-su and the merchants swallowed dry saliva. It seemed better to quickly get up and leave based on the atmosphere.

But Jin Ja-gang, sitting in the seat of honor, offered food to the people.

“Please eat.”

Though it was the natural thing for someone in the seat of honor to say, Jeong Dae-su and the merchants flinched.

Eat food in front of Poison Dragon?

Jin Ja-gang went further.

“I’ll pour a cup of wine for each of you.”

Jeong Dae-su and the merchants’ faces turned pale.

Cold sweat poured out.

Jin Ja-gang poured wine into cups.

“Hero Jeong, please distribute them.”

Jeong Dae-su, with a forced smile, distributed the wine cups that Jin Ja-gang had poured to each person.

The merchants received the wine cups.

But they couldn’t not drink, nor could they drink.

It was difficult.

Jeong Dae-su and the merchants had no choice but to hold their wine cups and watch others’ expressions.

Jin Ja-gang offered again.

“No poison. You may drink.”

However, the moment he mentioned poison, they really didn’t want to drink anymore.