Chapter 332

“Let’s go together.”

At Jin Ja-gang’s suggestion, the merchants were startled.

“No, no. How could we with a great hero…”

“We have business on the other side…”

The merchants waved their hands and adamantly declined.

“To go to the other side, you’d have to cross the river again. Would that be alright?”

“Oh my, of course. No problem at all.”

Jin Ja-gang spoke again.

“You’ve helped us and must be deeply saddened by losing your cargo. I’d like to treat you to some warm soup at least.”

The merchants turned pale and broke out in cold sweat.

It wasn’t even a meal, but specifically mentioning “soup” made them very uncomfortable.

“Well…”

“That is… we’re not really hungry either…”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t press further and nodded.

“I understand. Then we’ll go first. Thank you for helping us.”

“Not at all! Not at all!”

“We should be thanking you!”

The merchants kept bowing their heads.

Jin Ja-gang left the riverbank with Woon-jeong. Woon-jeong looked at Jin Ja-gang and clicked his tongue.

“You know what? Sometimes I think Poison Dragon is really mean.”

Jin Ja-gang smiled silently.

Woon-jeong continued.

“Actually, I thought Poison Dragon would really harm those merchants.”

“Why did you think that?”

“If they stay alive, won’t it be exposed that Poison Dragon is going to Zhejiang? You said you had business with some trading company. What if they all run away?”

It seemed Master Bok-cheon hadn’t given Woon-jeong detailed information.

“If that’s the problem, it’s fine. I’d actually prefer if they spread more rumors.”

Woon-jeong made a puzzled expression.

Jin Ja-gang said.

“We’re not going to Zhejiang.”

“What?”

Woon-jeong stared at Jin Ja-gang blankly, then shouted.

“Then what about So-so!”

* * *

Dongqian Lake, a famous scenic spot in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province.

With a large mountain as backdrop and round island-shaped peaks rising here and there, it looked more like a river than a lake.

Dongqian Lake was more than four times larger than the famously beautiful West Lake of Hangzhou, making water activities very closely connected to daily life.

The nearby villages were also connected by large and small waterways, with many places having waterways leading directly to Dongqian Lake right behind their houses.

Among them, one extremely luxurious estate.

In the middle of the night, the back gate of that estate opened wide. Several small boats floated in the waterway right in front of the back gate.

Warriors holding torches guarded all directions, and a merchant wearing expensive silk clothes came out through the back gate.

The merchant who seemed to be in charge gestured backward.

Servants came out through the estate’s back gate carrying chests.

The captain of the warriors asked the merchant.

“Where shall we send them?”

The middle-aged merchant answered boldly.

“Split them between Yayu Wang Temple and Tianning Temple. I’ve already sent word, so there should be no problem moving the cargo.”

“Yes.”

The captain of the warriors directed the servants to load the chests onto the boats.

The boats loaded with chests in haste departed along the waterway. The captain of the warriors also boarded the last boat, greeted the merchant, and left together.

The middle-aged merchant watched the boats depart with a displeased expression.

“Damn, why is Poison Dragon targeting us? But it’ll be useless even if he comes. Nothing he’s looking for will be left.”

The boats that left the estate moved quietly for a while.

After passing through waterways connected as complexly as a maze, the captain of the warriors came to the bow. The captain gestured to split the boats in half and sent them to side waterways.

It was the direction where they would split toward Yayu Wang Temple and Tianning Temple.

“Be careful. If problems arise, throw them in the water. I’ll take all responsibility.”

The warriors bowed and rowed away.

But then.

When they had gotten somewhat far from sight, suddenly the boats that had gone in the opposite direction began pushing something into the waterway.

Splash… splash.

“What, what is it?”

The captain of the warriors was surprised and waved his torch left and right while quietly shouting.

“What’s happening!”

Were they already throwing away the chests because something had gone wrong?

But looking closely, it wasn’t chests.

“People?”

Soon someone came out waving their hand, but their huge build showed they weren’t one of their people.

Suddenly, low groaning sounds began coming from his boat as well.

“Gasp!”

“Ugh!”

The captain of the warriors was startled and grabbed the sword at his waist.

Instantly, fine silk flew and wrapped around the captain’s neck.

“Gck!”

He tried to draw his sword to cut it, but silk also wrapped tightly around his body.

At some point, a woman had climbed onto the very top of the cabin. One sleeve fluttered empty as if she was missing an arm, while silk extending from her other arm flew over to wrap around the captain’s body.

Then strangers came out from the cabin and began throwing his subordinates into the water.

Splash splash.

Though the captain struggled, he couldn’t move at all.

“It’s all finished, young master.”

The strangers who had dealt with all the subordinates came out and reported. The captain’s eyes widened.

Wishful Fairy Maiden Dan Ryeong-gyeong tightened the silk with force. The captain’s neck broke.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong threw the captain wrapped in silk outside the boat. The silk wound up and was drawn into her sleeve.

Dan Ryeong-gyeong had a somewhat gaunt face, but was much more dignified and imposing than when she had been in Sichuan.

Soon the Shandong unorthodox sect members who had seized the boats going in the opposite direction returned with their boats turned around.

Beast-Man Gam-chung climbed aboard and placed both hands on his bulging belly while reporting.

“We handled it cleanly. Not a single item was damaged.”

An unorthodox sect member brought a chest onto the boat, broke the lock with an axe, and opened it.

Inside the chest were countless ledgers.

“Well done.”

“Heh heh, I didn’t expect Poison Dragon to request such work. And through Qingcheng Sect’s secret channels at that.”

“It means it’s very important work. Have the ledgers in the chests taken to experts for analysis.”

“We’ll follow your orders.”

Gam-chung bowed his head, and all the other unorthodox sect members on the boat also bowed. Moreover, dozens of unorthodox sect members who had been lying in ambush on both sides of the waterway stood up together and bowed to show respect.

Flutter!

Dan Ryeong-gyeong waved her empty sleeve grandly and commanded.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

The Shandong unorthodox sect’s boat that had seized the Ningbo merchant’s ledgers flowed leisurely along the waterway.

* * *

Jin Ja-gang and Woon-jeong traveled along the Yangtze River.

After walking for several days, Jin Ja-gang discovered a blacksmith shop marked with the Yangtze River Sword Sect emblem in a village on the way to Wuhan.

Jin Ja-gang entered the blacksmith shop and showed the jade token, the sword command he had received from Taoist Haewol.

The blacksmith was startled and respectfully received and confirmed the sword command before returning it.

“You’re an honored person. What can I do for you?”

“I’d like to repair a special item.”

Jin Ja-gang showed the blacksmith the Soul Seizing Thread with broken strands.

“Is it possible?”

The blacksmith shook his head.

“While I might manage ordinary swords, it’s difficult to handle such rare artifacts here.”

“Where should I go?”

The blacksmith thought for a moment then answered.

“Go to Wuhan. In Wuhan, there should be places that can repair it.”

Jin Ja-gang thanked the blacksmith and prepared for travel with Woon-jeong in the village.

Woon-jeong coveted the sword command Jin Ja-gang possessed.

“What exactly is that thing? Why is it that just by showing it, they give you clothes, money, and free lodging?”

Jin Ja-gang answered in one sentence.

“There’s no such thing as free in this world.”

It was an ambiguous answer.

“Ah…”

Woon-jeong thought about what it meant and scratched his head.

“No, I mean. Anyway, you don’t pay money so it’s free, right? I wish I had something like that too.”

Yangtze River Sword Sect, like Yangtze River Water Route, was an association of sects based in the Yangtze River region. One could receive conveniences across a considerable area.

“Shall I give you one?”

“Huh? Really?”

“I’m not lying.”

Woon-jeong was happy but soon looked at Jin Ja-gang up and down with suspicious eyes.

“No. There’s no way you’d just give me something like this.”

“Of course there’s a condition.”

“Can I just ask what it is?”

“You have to kill someone.”

Woon-jeong’s mouth fell open.

“Ugh, I was wrong to expect anything. You do plenty of that yourself, Poison Dragon. I’ll just dress as a monk and go to Zhejiang while begging for alms…”

Woon-jeong stopped mid-sentence and hastily shut his mouth.

Jin Ja-gang smiled slightly and said.

“To go to Zhejiang, wouldn’t you need this jade token?”

Woon-jeong became serious.

“No. I’m not going to Zhejiang, you know? Why are you saying that?”

“I see. If you ever need it, just let me know.”

Woon-jeong’s ears perked up.

“No, I won’t be fooled. I’m sure I’d end up taking the blame. And besides, I can’t go to meet someone after killing a person…”

Woon-jeong suddenly looked at Jin Ja-gang and asked casually as if nothing had happened.

“Where did we say we were going again?”

“Wuhan.”

“Ah right. Wuhan has so many cherry blossoms blooming, so we were going to meet the cherry blossoms.”

Jin Ja-gang stopped bothering Woon-jeong and walked forward with a smile.

“Huh? What’s that smile? Hey? Poison Dragon, that smile seems strange. Hey hey? Tell me quickly. What’s that smile about!”

Woon-jeong followed behind him, chattering.

* * *

Jin Ja-gang and Woon-jeong traveled to Wuhan by land.

Since the task he had asked Dan Ryeong-gyeong to do would take several days anyway, there was no need to hurry.

After about ten days, the two arrived at Mount Sheshan in Wuchang, Wuhan.

Wuchang had Yellow Crane Tower, called one of the three great pavilions of Central Plains. Yellow Crane Tower was famous for its beautiful scenery, facing the Yangtze River to the west and overlooking East Lake to the east.

The pavilion built in an almost circular shape had multiple stories and was extremely large and wide. Moreover, the eaves of each floor curved upward as if soaring to the sky, creating a majesty that overwhelmed all the surrounding buildings.

As Woon-jeong had said, Wuhan’s spring was famous for cherry blossoms. When the wind blew, small cherry blossom petals swirled around Yellow Crane Tower in a flurry.

“Wow.”

Seeing Yellow Crane Tower for the first time, Woon-jeong opened his mouth in blank admiration.

“It’s like a painting. Looking down from up there, poetic inspiration would naturally arise, don’t you think?”

It was widely known that countless scholars had come to Yellow Crane Tower and left poems.

Not only Jin Ja-gang and Woon-jeong, but countless people were coming and going to Yellow Crane Tower, busily enjoying the surrounding scenery.

“Can I go up there once?”

“Go ahead.”

“Aren’t you coming with me?”

“Places with many people seem inconvenient.”

“That’s a sickness. And usually places with many people are less dangerous.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. With so many eyes watching, who would do anything? Plus, this is Wudang Sect and Zhuge family territory, you know? There are lots of civilians too, so if you cause trouble, it’s perfect for becoming a public enemy.”

“Hmm.”

Though Woon-jeong persuaded him, Jin Ja-gang still didn’t seem to like the crowded Yellow Crane Tower.

“Ah, just trust me and let’s go. Let’s go see it.”

Woon-jeong pushed Jin Ja-gang’s back toward Yellow Crane Tower.