Chapter 73: Like the Waves of the Yangtze, We Meet and Part (2)

The rain stopped on the third day after the ship docked in Jingzhou. Though the rain had ceased, it was impossible to set sail immediately.

Three days of rain had swollen the Yangtze's waters. The muddy brown water surged like a raging torrent, showing no sign of subsiding.

In the end, the ship remained in Jingzhou for two more days before it could depart. Having been delayed for five full days, the Cloud-Running Yangtze Ferry increased its speed.

"Sigh."

A sigh escaped Bang Jin-bo's lips as he gazed vacantly at the Yangtze.

Ever since that day, he had been this way. He often stared at the river with a sigh, frequently losing himself in a daze.

Dam Ho watched him in silence.

Though indifferent to worldly affairs, Dam Ho could tell that Bang Jin-bo was experiencing the pains of first love.

He did not know how to offer comfort in such situations. But he knew that simply watching might be better than offering premature consolation.

Then suddenly, the sailors began moving with urgency.

The captain's voice rang across the ship.

"Rapids ahead shortly. Make sure the cargo is properly secured!"

"Yes, sir!"

Tension was etched on the captain's face.

The place they would pass through shortly was known as one of the most treacherous stretches of the Yangtze, where rapids claimed over a dozen ships each year.

Moreover, it had rained for three days. The swollen waters made the rapids even more violent.

There was no choice but to remain tense. If they could pass this stretch safely, the rest of the journey would be smooth sailing.

It was not only the sailors who felt the tension.

Kim Jong-gyeong, the chief escort of the Seon-do Escort Agency, was equally tense.

"Check that the cargo is firmly secured. If we lose even a single item, the agency will suffer enormous losses."

"Understood."

The escorts' movements grew more urgent as well.

An anxious look hung on Kim Jong-gyeong's face. He had not anticipated losing five full days on the Yangtze. Had things gone according to schedule, they should have already reached the outskirts of Dongting Lake by now and delivered the cargo to its owner.

"If that had been the case, I wouldn't be so anxious."

Kim Jong-gyeong gritted his teeth.

The cargo had been sent by the Tang Clan, renowned throughout the land. If even one piece were lost, the matter would not end with mere compensation.

The Tang Clan was a family that kept clear accounts of favors and grudges.

They did not forget kindness, and they never forgot enmity. Causing them a loss went without saying.

A momentary thought crossed his mind that he should not have taken the job, but Kim Jong-gyeong quickly shook his head.

"Futile worry. We're already in Hubei Province—what could go wrong?"

Kim Jong-gyeong surveyed the deck.

Dam Ho's figure stood at one side of the deck, catching his eye. Seemingly without a care in the world, arms folded, he watched the Yangtze's rapids—his silhouette strikingly out of place.

As the ship entered the rapids, it pitched violently, yet Dam Ho's stance did not waver in the slightest.

'A master.'

Kim Jong-gyeong was certain upon seeing him.

Only those who had trained in martial arts could maintain their balance in such rapids.

As they entered the rapids in earnest, the boatmen's movements became more frantic.

"Secure that sail properly!"

"Rowers, pull left!"

The boatmen struggled to keep the ship balanced, sweat pouring down their faces. Thick veins bulged on their arms, and their muscles swelled as though ready to burst.

The ship lurched as though it might capsize at any moment, and each time, the boatmen had to fight through another wave of exertion. The captain's tension was beyond words.

Then—

Snap!

A thick rope that had been securing the cargo finally snapped under the tremendous strain. A crate on the deck toppled and its contents spilled.

"Damn it!"

The escorts rushed over in panic, frantically gathering the scattered items.

"Be careful! If we lose even one piece, there will be hell to pay!"

"Yes, sir!"

Dam Ho watched the escorts scramble in silence. A fleeting glint of interest flickered in his eyes before vanishing.

The objects the escorts were frantically gathering were silver cylinders. Each was about the length of a young child's forearm, with a dozen or so small holes drilled into the flat end.

Kim Jong-gyeong issued orders to the escorts.

"Tie it down again. Make sure it doesn't shake."

"Understood."

"Nothing is missing, is there?"

"No! Everything has been accounted for."

Though the escorts answered, Kim Jong-gyeong's expression did not relax in the slightest.

'So the cargo was hidden weapons?'

He had suspected as much.

The Tang Clan, a renowned family of poisons and hidden weapons, would have little reason to send cargo that was not such. But there was a vast difference between speculating and seeing it with one's own eyes.

Kim Jong-gyeong glanced at Dam Ho. But Dam Ho's expression remained unchanged, giving no indication of what he might be thinking.

Boom!

In that instant, the ship lurched violently.

Those on deck were momentarily lifted off their feet and slammed back down by the force of the impact.

It was the rapids' final convulsion—the ship no longer pitched.

"Phew!"

Only then did sighs of relief erupt from all around.

The captain and crew collapsed to the deck, gasping for breath.

They had weathered the terrible rapids, but Dam Ho's appearance remained unchanged. Not a single hair was out of place, and his posture had not shifted in the slightest.

The only difference was that Bang Jin-bo was clutching his leg. Had he not held on, Bang Jin-bo would have been rolling across the deck like the other passengers.

"Are you all right?"

Dam Ho lifted Bang Jin-bo to his feet.

"I—I'm fine."

Though he said so, Bang Jin-bo looked utterly wretched. His clothes and hair were disheveled, and he was soaked and bedraggled. Yet he had stubbornly guarded his bundle containing his cooking implements.

It seemed that not even rapids could halt Bang Jin-bo's passion for cooking.

Then the exhausted captain's voice reached them.

"Now that we've passed the worst, the rest will be smooth. Everyone, please rest a while."

"Haah!"

At the captain's announcement, everyone let out sighs of relief. True to his word, the ship that had weathered the rapids now sailed smoothly along the river. And at last, Dongting Lake lay before them.

"Wow!"

Bang Jin-bo gasped in awe at the vast, seemingly endless lake. To his eyes, Dongting Lake did not look like a mere lake—it looked like the sea.

The distant horizon, enormous pleasure barges and small fishing boats floating on the water, dazzling sunlight, and massive clouds rising above the surface—

All of these sights stirred indescribable emotion in Bang Jin-bo. He trembled at the shoulders as he beheld the scene.

It was Dam Ho's first time seeing a great lake like Dongting Lake as well. He suddenly thought that Master would have liked seeing this sight.

The Cloud-Running Yangtze Ferry cut through the waves, advancing forward. As they neared their destination, the boatmen's movements were filled with renewed energy.

The passengers were no different. Several impatient ones were already packing their belongings, preparing to disembark.

The Seon-do Escort Agency's escorts were likewise ready, having completed preparations to transport the cargo under Kim Jong-gyeong's command, awaiting only the ship's arrival.

The Cloud-Running Yangtze Ferry's final destination was Eakyang City, located at the northeastern tip of Dongting Lake.

Eakyang City was situated at the confluence of the Yangtze and Dongting Lake, a hub of commerce and transportation since ancient times. With well-developed waterways and overland routes, it was of tremendous military and commercial importance.

The ferry slowly approached the pier on the outskirts of Eakyang. The sizable pier was crowded with many vessels already docked.

Boom!

The Cloud-Running Yangtze Ferry moored at the pier.

When the gangplank was finally lowered, the waiting passengers disembarked in a line.

"Finally, solid ground."

"Now I can breathe."

Smiles returned to the faces of those who stepped onto the pier.

Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo also disembarked with the crowd. What pleased them most about leaving the ship were the horses they had been traveling with.

The black stallion seemed to be in high spirits, whinnying and pawing at the ground. Bang Jin-bo's white horse did the same.

Behind them, Kim Jong-gyeong's voice rang out.

"Everyone, hurry! We must deliver the cargo quickly."

"Yes, sir!"

The Seon-do Escort Agency's escorts responded with vigor and set off.

The escort agency's wagons, loaded with cargo, were the first to leave the pier, followed by the other merchants. In an instant, the crowd had cleared.

Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo also departed the pier and entered Eakyang.

Eakyang was incomparably more developed than any city they had visited before. Buildings with high, adjoining eaves stretched endlessly, and the streets were as orderly as an enlarged Go board.

People on the streets wore fine silk garments, emanating an air of refinement. While not everyone was truly of noble bearing, to young Bang Jin-bo's eyes, it seemed so.

Vitality returned to Bang Jin-bo's face.

"Brother, let's find an inn first."

"Mm!"

When Dam Ho nodded, Bang Jin-bo eagerly took the lead.

As on their journey thus far, finding an inn was Bang Jin-bo's task. He asked around and learned which inn had the finest cuisine. The one selected was the West Wind Inn.

The West Wind Inn was the largest of Eakyang's many establishments. It was said that the view of Dongting Lake from the inn was exquisite.

When the two entered, a waiter hurried over.

"Welcome."

"Brother, do you have rooms?"

"Of course. As it happens, there's a room with a fine view of Dongting Lake still available. Watching the sunset from there is truly marvelous."

"That's wonderful."

Bang Jin-bo clapped his hands in delight.

After the waiter had put the black stallion and white horse in the stable, he led them to their room.

True to his boast, the view of Dongting Lake from the room was superb. Drinking wine here would be like a feast among immigrants.

The waiter grinned as though he had expected as much.

"Fantastic, isn't it?"

"The best."

Bang Jin-bo gave a thumbs-up.

"Just come down to the second floor at mealtime. Ah! And never go up to the third floor."

"Why?"

"There's an important event today."

"What event?"

"The Yueyang Sword Gate has rented the entire third floor."

"The entire third floor?"

"That's right! The Yueyang Sword Gate is Eakyang's premier sect. For such a mighty sect to hold an event here—it's truly a remarkable occasion."

The waiter's expression was animated.

The Yueyang Sword Gate was not merely Eakyang's premier sect. Within all of Hunan Province, fewer than five sects could rival them.

That meant the Yueyang Sword Gate was counted among Hunan's Five Great Sects, wielding enormous influence.

The waiter himself harbored the ambition of one day joining the Yueyang Sword Gate. For him, the prospect of observing the sect's martial artists up close was a great happiness.

"Well then, rest well and come down later."

The waiter bowed to Dam Ho and rushed out.

Once they were alone, Bang Jin-bo threw himself onto the plush bed.

"Ah, this is lovely. I could sleep like this."

"Take a nap then."

"What about you, brother?"

"I have somewhere to go."

"Where?"

"I'll tell you when I return. Rest here in the meantime."

"Yes, sir!"

Though curious, Bang Jin-bo did not ask further.

If it was something Dam Ho felt he should know, he would have told him already. Bang Jin-bo accepted this with easy confidence.

He quickly fell asleep.

Dam Ho left him and went outside.

Jin Ja-gang, without responding to the warrior’s words, drew a Sogokdo-a small curved blade-and threw it. Since it was thrown in haste, he didn’t use the spring mechanism; it was a simple hidden weapon technique.

The warrior tilted his head slightly to the side, dodging it, and the Sogokdo futilely embedded itself into a mud wall. In that moment, Jin Ja-gang charged at the warrior and kicked at his ankle.

The warrior spread his legs apart, evading Jin Ja-gang’s attack. Instead, he counterattacked by swinging his sickle down toward Jin Ja-gang’s shoulder. Gritting his teeth, Jin Ja-gang deliberately moved his head toward the sickle.

“Huh!”

The warrior was startled.

From a distance, Guai Song shouted.

“Don’t kill him!”

The warrior used all his strength to retract the sickle.

He could kill, but he mustn’t. There was still much to uncover about Jin Ja-gang. If Jin Ja-gang died like this, everything would be buried in secrecy!

“Urgh!”

The warrior stopped, pulling back as much force as he could.

However, because it was so sudden, he couldn’t fully withdraw his strength. The sickle grazed Jin Ja-gang’s forehead.

Blood spurted out.

Even so, Jin Ja-gang charged straight at the warrior, raising his knee.

Since the warrior had his legs spread apart, Jin Ja-gang’s knee struck precisely into his groin.

Thwack!

A horrific sound rang out, and the warrior’s eyes bulged. Jin Ja-gang followed up with a headbutt to the warrior’s nose.

Crunch! The nose shattered, and blood poured over Jin Ja-gang’s face as well.

The warrior’s eyes completely glazed over, and he fell backward like a rotting old tree.

Thud.

Even in that moment, Jin Ja-gang didn’t just pass by. He mounted the fallen warrior and stabbed his neck with the Sogokdo, ensuring his death, before leaping over the body and fleeing.

Seeing this, Guai Song’s face twisted in anger.

Guai Song took a deep breath and stomped his foot.

Bang!

Guai Song’s body shot forward like an arrow.

Bow Body, Bullet Shadow!

As Jin Ja-gang was fleeing, he sensed an unsettling killing intent and turned his head. At that moment, a gust of wind bore down on him.

Guai Song’s rough, gnarled hand gripped Jin Ja-gang’s face.

“Ugh…!”

Guai Song held Jin Ja-gang’s face and slammed him straight into a mud wall.

Boom!

The mud wall collapsed, and Jin Ja-gang was buried in the rubble. Guai Song reached out, grabbed Jin Ja-gang by the collar, and pulled him out of the debris.

“Guh, urgh!”

Rustle, rustle.

Dust fell everywhere.

Yet, even amidst this, Jin Ja-gang extended his left arm. He intended to attack with the Sogokdo, but before he could, Guai Song kicked him in the stomach.

Thud! Crash.

Jin Ja-gang tumbled back into the pile of rubble.

Guai Song looked at Jin Ja-gang and the corpse of the fallen warrior alternately with a displeased expression.

“Tenacious b*st*rd.”

Jin Ja-gang could only twitch his body, unable to move. The impact was so severe that his head spun.

Soon, the warriors of the Shadow Bureau swarmed in.

Guai Song gave an order.

“Get him up.”

There were mountains of questions to ask Jin Ja-gang. Uncovering any potential mastermind behind him was also crucial.

However, as a warrior attempted to lift the collapsed Jin Ja-gang, he suddenly let out a stifled groan, “Urk,” and stumbled backward, collapsing. A Sogokdo was embedded in the warrior’s thigh.

Even after taking such a beating, Jin Ja-gang had not let go of the Sogokdo in his hand.

Guai Song’s face contorted in fury.

Not only was his pride wounded, but he was also dumbfounded.

This guy had already killed two people.

Yang Gong was one thing, but to do this in the heart of the Shadow Bureau’s stronghold, right under his watch!

Not just one, but two!

Including Yang Gong, who died outside the Shadow Bureau’s territory, that made three who had fallen to this guy’s hands!

It was utterly incomprehensible. No matter how he looked at it, this guy’s martial skills didn’t seem particularly impressive.

“Such a damned b*at*rd…”

Guai Song was on the verge of losing his composure. If there weren’t things to uncover from Jin Ja-gang, he would have torn him apart on the spot.

But he couldn’t just leave it at that.

Seeing Jin Ja-gang lying there, looking up at him with an insolent smirk, Guai Song thrust out a palm strike.

Bang!

Struck in the chest, Jin Ja-gang spat out blood and rolled backward several times.

Jin Ja-gang trembled, struggling to get up, but soon went limp.

Guai Song approached the unconscious Jin Ja-gang and reached out.

Guai Song’s fingers, imbued with internal energy, dug into Jin Ja-gang’s vital points one inch at a time.

He sealed his pressure points using a technique unique to the Shadow Bureau.

Crack, crunch.

Guai Song used his internal energy to manipulate Jin Ja-gang’s muscles and bones while sealing the points.

“Daring to cause havoc in someone else’s home…”

Guai Song ground his teeth.

“Lock him in the storage shed!”

The Shadow Bureau warriors, not content with just sealing his pressure points, tightly bound Jin Ja-gang with ropes before hoisting him onto their shoulders and carrying him to the storage shed.

However, there was something neither Guai Song nor the Shadow Bureau warriors knew.

Indeed, Guai Song had delivered a palm strike powerful enough to knock Jin Ja-gang unconscious. But Jin Ja-gang wouldn’t lose consciousness from something of that level.

Moreover, since many of his energy channels were already blocked, sealing his pressure points had little effect.

Especially since his left side was completely blocked, sealing pressure points there was essentially meaningless.

In reality, Jin Ja-gang’s pressure points were already halfway unsealed.

* * *

Jin Ja-gang was thrown into the storage shed.

Clank.

The sound of the Shadow Bureau warriors closing the door and locking it echoed.

Left alone in the storage shed, Jin Ja-gang couldn’t move his arms due to the ropes binding his body.

Jin Ja-gang tested moving the fingers of his right hand.

Twitch, twitch.

They moved, more or less. The pressure points were already starting to unseal.

His left hand and left foot, which hadn’t been sealed at all, had been movable from the start.

Jin Ja-gang lifted his head.

The only light came through the gaps between the iron plates and wooden planks.

Using that light, he surveyed the inside of the storage shed.

It wasn’t an ordinary rundown shed; there were no windows, and the planks were extremely thick, reinforced with iron plates.

Even the door was crossed with iron bars.

‘A substitute for a prison, huh.’

The floor of the shed was covered with straw, and there was a faint smell of blood.

It seemed someone else besides Jin Ja-gang had been held here before.

After fully assessing his surroundings, Jin Ja-gang finally let out a sigh.

“Phew…”

As he exhaled, a sharp pain throbbed in his chest. It seemed his ribs were either broken or cracked.

Even so, considering the circumstances, he had fared better than expected.

‘It wasn’t a poison palm strike.’

If Guai Song had used a poison palm strike, Jin Ja-gang could have died, so he had used a regular palm strike instead. However, for Jin Ja-gang, a regular palm strike was more painful than a poison one.

The force of the strike had affected his internal organs, causing significant internal injuries. If Jin Ja-gang’s energy channels weren’t already blocked, Guai Song’s internal energy would have spread further, causing even greater internal damage.

Indeed, one must never let their guard down against martial arts masters. Jin Ja-gang realized he should abandon any foolish dreams of facing them head-on.

Especially that old man, who was undoubtedly the sect leader of the Shadow Bureau-his martial skills seemed the strongest Jin Ja-gang had ever encountered.

Throwing dried buckwheat stalks, brittle enough to crumble at a touch, to pierce through a wrist, catching hidden weapons with his fingers, and that terrifying movement technique…

Yet, Jin Ja-gang found himself smiling.

He had achieved everything he intended.

Now, all that was left was to wait.

Of course, he wouldn’t just sit idly by and wait.

Jin Ja-gang tried to get up but let out a groan due to the pain in his chest.

“Urgh.”

With his body bound, moving was even more difficult.

‘First, the ropes.’

Jin Ja-gang clenched his teeth tightly.

* * *

The atmosphere in the Shadow Bureau was peculiar.

Originally, the first harvest day was supposed to be a lively festival, with everyone sharing Shaobing made from buckwheat, but that wasn’t the case this time.

Three people had died, including one high-ranking expert and another warrior nearly as skilled. The third was a regular warrior, but still, it was a loss for the Shadow Bureau.

Yet, despite this, the mood wasn’t one of solemn mourning, as if preparing for a funeral.

This was partly because they were assassins who often took human life lightly, and also because, as people who lived by the blade, they knew they could die at any moment themselves.

But above all, capturing the person involved in both the incident at the Extreme Poison Sect eight years ago and the annihilation of the Stone Forest Gang was a significant achievement.

Having caught the troublemaker who had been a thorn in the side of Yunnan’s poison sects, the Shadow Bureau would likely have a strong voice at the upcoming general assembly of Yunnan’s poison sects!

Thus, while some were burying the bodies and preparing for the funeral, others continued harvesting buckwheat and baking Shaobing as usual.

As evening fell, Guai Song placed the first batch of Shaobing made from the harvested buckwheat on an altar and conducted a memorial rite for the three deceased.

Then, he gathered everyone at the village hall.

In the center of the village hall’s table, a large pile of baked Shaobing was stacked.

Everyone held a wooden cup of liquor in their hands.

Guai Song briefly shared his thoughts on the day’s events before raising his cup for a toast.

The cups made a full round among all the Shadow Bureau warriors.

Suddenly, Guai Song picked up a piece of Shaobing and handed it to a young warrior in his twenties beside him, saying.

“It’s about time for that guy to wake up. Take this to him and bring him here.”

“Yes, sir.”

The young warrior took the Shaobing and went to fetch Jin Ja-gang from the storage shed.

“Now, let’s eat as well. You’ve all worked hard this year.”

With a smiling face, Guai Song distributed the baked Shaobing to the others and took a bite himself.

Crunch.

* * *

The young warrior stood in front of the storage shed door, listening for any sounds inside. Hearing nothing unusual, he unlocked the door with the key.

Jin Ja-gang was still lying on the cold floor, bound by ropes.

“Ugh…”

Seeming to have regained consciousness, he opened his eyes and looked at the warrior as moonlight streamed in.

The warrior held out the Shaobing to Jin Ja-gang.

“You must be hungry too, huh? It’s our tradition to bake and share Shaobing with the first harvested buckwheat. Be grateful and eat it.”

Jin Ja-gang, appearing to want to eat, twitched his body, but bound as he was, he couldn’t reach the Shaobing.

“Put in a bit more effort and crawl over here. Or should I eat it instead?”

Jin Ja-gang tilted his body to crawl forward, but due to the injury to his ribs, he grimaced in pain and couldn’t move.

Suddenly, the warrior kicked Jin Ja-gang in the head.

Thud!

It wasn’t an extremely hard kick, but it was filled with emotion.

“Does it hurt? Does it hurt, you b*st*rd? The guy whose groin you smashed and killed earlier was my sworn brother.”

The warrior, panting with anger, ate the Shaobing he had brought for Jin Ja-gang himself.

“Something like this is too good for a guy like you. You’re going to die anyway.”

Jin Ja-gang opened his eyes narrowly and looked at the warrior.

But his gaze wasn’t one of pain or fear. It was a calm, emotionless stare.

“What are you looking at with those eyes! I’ll gouge them out!”

The warrior, mid-bite into the Shaobing, grew irritated and repeatedly kicked Jin Ja-gang’s face from side to side.

Thud! Thud!

Jin Ja-gang’s nose bled, and his cheeks swelled.

Yet, Jin Ja-gang didn’t even let out a groan, continuing to look at the warrior with that same calm expression.

The warrior’s mood soured further.

“You…”

The warrior, about to lash out in anger, suddenly stopped speaking. Tilting his head, he touched his stomach.