Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 373

373. The Calm Before the Storm

The news of Hwasan and Wudang joining the Azure Dragon Alliance spread rapidly.

When it became known that Shaolin and the Murong Clan had also joined, surprise rippled through the martial world.

While some had predicted this outcome, few anticipated it happening so swiftly.

As if defying predictions that it would struggle against the Taiping Alliance and the Hero Alliance, the Azure Dragon Alliance swiftly rose to become a dominant righteous alliance and the undisputed leader of the Kangbuk [North of the River] Murim [martial arts world].

Although some still believed that the Taiping Alliance and the Hero Alliance wouldn’t remain idle, shrewd merchants and sects began aligning themselves with the Azure Dragon Alliance.

And naturally, attention shifted to the next pressing question.

When would the Azure Dragon Alliance strike the Hero Alliance to avenge the fallen Murim Alliance?

The eyes of the Kangho [Jianghu – martial world] Murim were all focused on the Azure Dragon Alliance and its leader, the Azure Dragon Sword Lord.

It was like the calm before a storm.

Hero Alliance Headquarters, Hangzhou.

The Alliance Leader, Iron-Blooded Tyrant Lord Yeom Jung-bu, scowled deeply.

“Did you find out?”

“Yes, we did.”

The subordinate, dressed in scholar’s attire, immediately presented a letter.

As Yeom Jung-bu had instructed, they had successfully leaked the naval training plan through a courtesan house in Nanjing.

Yeom Jung-bu roughly unfolded the letter.

After a moment of tense silence, Yeom Jung-bu gritted his teeth.

“Creak.”

“These crazy bastards!”

Yeom Jung-bu exploded in anger.

“From Wuhan to Chongqing? And no deadline?”

“Crack.”

The letter crumpled in Yeom Jung-bu’s hand.

“This means they’re trying to destroy us!”

“Bang.”

Yeom Jung-bu crumpled the letter and slammed his fist onto the armrest of his chair.

The luxurious wooden armrest shattered, but Yeom Jung-bu paid it no mind.

His anger was justified.

The area from Wuhan to Chongqing encompassed a vast stretch, covering nearly half of the lower Yangtze River.

This included the most heavily trafficked section of the river, responsible for the majority of the Yangtze River’s logistics.

“N, no, that’s not quite it.”

The subordinate explained, his face paling.

“No matter how strong the Yangtze River Fleet is, they can’t possibly block the entire lower Yangtze River. It simply means they will conduct surprise naval training exercises in random areas between Wuhan and Chongqing.”

It seemed like a reasonable plan.

It suggested that they would conduct training in conditions closer to actual combat than in previous years, when they had merely gone through the motions.

The designation of a large area from Wuhan to Chongqing was also understandable.

There would be little point in training in random areas if the designated section was too small.

“So, the passage of merchant ships will be better than before…”

“How can you say that!”

Yeom Jung-bu roared at his subordinate.

“The important thing is that the area between Wuhan and Chongqing will become a naval training zone! This means they will inspect all ships passing through the lower Yangtze River!”

The naval training area would naturally fall under military control.

Large checkpoints would be established in Wuhan and Chongqing, allowing the navy to effectively inspect and control all ships traversing the lower Yangtze River.

“But we are already being inspected. If we offer them some money as usual…”

“Ha!”

Yeom Jung-bu let out a hollow laugh, as if dumbfounded.

Then, he glared at his subordinate and said.

“Do you think that will work? Do you think those bastards will let our Hero Alliance ships pass willingly!”

Faced with Yeom Jung-bu’s fierce intensity, the subordinate fell silent.

But that didn’t mean he was convinced.

Yeom Jung-bu’s assertion that the naval training was intended to destroy the Hero Alliance seemed like too great a leap to accept without question.

“Yun Hyun, that bastard…”

Yeom Jung-bu gritted his teeth and muttered.

After a moment, Yeom Jung-bu asked.

“How long until the naval training begins?”

The subordinate immediately bowed his head and replied.

“It seems it will start in three months at the earliest, and six months at the latest.”

Preparations for large-scale naval training couldn’t be completed in a day or two.

Considering the much larger scale compared to previous years, it would require months of preparation.

“Three months…”

Yeom Jung-bu frowned and pondered.

His torment didn’t last long.

“Issue orders to all branches of the Hero Alliance.”

Yeom Jung-bu said in a cold voice.

“All branches must deliver twice the amount of this year’s designated tribute to the main branch within three months. Without exception, without fail.”

The subordinate’s face turned white.

“T, that’s too much…”

“I won’t inquire about the means or methods.”

Yeom Jung-bu continued.

“Tell them that I will personally kill anyone who fails to fulfill it.”

Yeom Jung-bu’s murderous gaze made it clear that his words were no idle threat or exaggeration.

The subordinate bit his lip.

The tribute already set for each branch was already excessive.

Demanding twice that amount within three months was tantamount to ordering them to plunder.

“Are there still many who want to join the Alliance?”

Those from the Demonic Sects, who had been in hiding due to the power of the former Murim Alliance, were volunteering to join the Hero Alliance.

However, Yeom Jung-bu had only accepted a very small number of them.

As a result, so many Demonic Sect experts were waiting to join that they overflowed into the city of Hangzhou.

“Yes. Because the number of cases where membership is granted is so rare, the number continues to increase.”

“Tell them to accept them all.”

The subordinate’s eyes widened.

Yeom Jung-bu continued.

“But they have contributed nothing to the Alliance, so they will have to demonstrate their sincerity.”

“S, sincerity?”

“Yes.”

Yeom Jung-bu raised his chin and looked down at his subordinate.

“I will bestow the position of Alliance to those who contribute the most.”

The subordinate was flustered.

The condition of tribute was unexpected, and the offer of a position was equally sudden.

“W, what kind of position…”

Yeom Jung-bu frowned.

“Of course, we have to create a new one. Do I have to spell it out for you?”

There were already positions in the Hero Alliance that had grandiose names but no real power.

For example, like the position of ‘Taeju’ [Great Lord] of Lee Mu-shim, who was the head of the former Surochae Alliance, but no one remembered now.

He meant to create more positions that existed only in name.

“But if we bring such people into the Alliance, there will be trouble.”

One of the reasons why Yeom Jung-bu hadn’t accepted them was precisely that.

People from the Demonic Sects, who were so violent that they were hunted by the Murim Alliance, might not adapt to the organization and follow orders.

But Yeom Jung-bu smirked.

“There’s nothing to worry about. No matter how vicious they are, there are plenty of uses for them. No, the more bloodthirsty, the better.”

The subordinate didn’t understand Yeom Jung-bu’s words.

A use for vicious people? It seemed like there was a plan, but he didn’t dare to ask.

“Where is the main branch of the Azure Dragon Alliance?”

At Yeom Jung-bu’s sudden question, the subordinate quickly bowed his head.

“I understand that there is no main branch yet.”

“Hmph, that can’t be.”

Yeom Jung-bu snorted.

Any organization needed leadership to function.

This was even more true for the Azure Dragon Alliance, which had large sects under its command.

“Even if there isn’t one right now, there will definitely be an organization that functions as the main branch. Find it. Secretly.”

“Yes, I will…”

“One more thing.”

“Swish.”

Yeom Jung-bu, moving closer to his subordinate, said with a glint in his eyes.

“Find out the whereabouts of the Yangtze River Fleet Admiral.”

“Yes?”

The subordinate’s face turned pale.

The Azure Dragon Alliance and the Fleet Admiral were completely different matters.

“Find out what he’s doing, who he’s meeting, and where he’s going. Understood?”

He spoke in a whisper, but his voice echoed clearly in the subordinate’s ears.

The subordinate trembled.

But he couldn’t disobey Yeom Jung-bu’s order.

“Y, yes, I understand.”

The subordinate bowed his head.

A bitter smile spread across Yeom Jung-bu’s lips.

“The Yangtze River Grand Merchant Group plan will be suspended for the time being. You may leave.”

The Yangtze River Grand Merchant Group was one of the plans that Yeom Jung-bu valued most.

Even suspending that meant that Yeom Jung-bu was going to dedicate all his efforts to this matter.

The subordinate, with a hardened expression, bowed and backed out of the main hall.

“Tap.”

The door closed, leaving only Yeom Jung-bu in the magnificent main hall.

“That bastard, Yun Hyun…”

Yeom Jung-bu muttered with a distorted expression.

“If you think I’m going to die like this, you’re wrong. Even if I die, I’m not going to die alone.”

“Gritting teeth.”

Iron-Blooded Tyrant Lord Yeom Jung-bu gritted his teeth.

His eyes gleamed like those of venomous snakes.

***

Yun Hyun and his party left the Murong Clan and headed to Wuhan, Hubei Province.

Wuhan, a large city, was a historic place, famous for the Yellow Crane Tower, one of the most renowned pavilions in Gangnam [south of the Yangtze River].

However, it was also known as one of the three furnaces of the world, a city notorious for its intense heat and humidity.

“Clatter, clatter.”

As the carriage approached Wuhan, Dam So-ha clicked his tongue while chatting.

“I’m going to die from the heat.”

Dam So-ha’s words were no exaggeration.

Wind entered through the window, but it wasn’t enough to alleviate the oppressive heat.

Moreover, the humidity was so high that the sweat wouldn’t dry.

“Are we going to collapse from the heat like this?”

“Surely not?”

Younghojun smiled.

To him, a master who had earned the title of Plum Blossom Sword, the heat wasn’t a significant problem.

“People live here, so they must have ways to cope. Staying still in the shade, or designing buildings for good ventilation. Besides, there are good things about hot weather.”

“What is it?”

“Everyone comes out at night. Women, exhausted from the heat, venture out into the streets in search of cool night breezes and exciting diversions.”

When the weather was hot, the downtown area became even more vibrant at night.

Wuhan was one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the world.

It was natural for the night streets to be bustling.

“Besides, people go to cool valleys to play in the water, which is pleasing to the eye.”

Playing in the water often meant simply dipping one’s feet in a stream.

But Younghojun couldn’t hide his happy smile.

“You wouldn’t understand. The sight of shy young ladies slightly revealing their white feet is truly…”

“Are there any large sects here?”

Yun Hyun suddenly asked.

The conversation seemed to be heading in an odd direction.

“There are no large sects, but there are organizations with considerable power.”

Younghojun shrugged with a wry smile.

“It’s the Hero Alliance.”

Wuhan was a large city adjacent to the Yangtze River.

The organization with the greatest influence in the city was the Wuhan branch of the Hero Alliance.

“What about before that?”

At Dam So-ha’s words, Younghojun shrugged.

“It was similar before that. There were sects with considerable power, but the most influential were the Wudang sect’s lay disciples.”

Before the Hero Alliance was established, those who controlled Wuhan were the Wudang sect’s lay disciples.

Although the sects and martial arts centers they belonged to were different, their loyalty to their fellow disciples and their excellent martial arts skills allowed them to form a force that no one could ignore.

Even if they weren’t lay disciples, decent sects sent gifts to Wudang every year.

In fact, there was a saying that you couldn’t establish a presence in Wuhan without being connected to the Wudang sect.

That was until the Murim Alliance collapsed and the Wudang sect banned all disciples from entering the mountain gate.

“Then the lay disciples will rise again.”

Dam So-ha said.

“Now the Wudang sect belongs to the Azure Dragon Alliance.”

“Of course, that’s true, but.”

Younghojun said with a bitter smile.

“Nothing in the world happens automatically. Especially in the Kangho Murim, blood always flows.”

The Wuhan branch of the Hero Alliance wouldn’t step down willingly.

The Wudang sect’s lay disciples, who felt they had been deprived of Wuhan, wouldn’t stand still.

Yun Hyun looked out with a somber expression.

“Clatter, clatter.”

“By the way, the main branch building must be in a place with good ventilation.”

Younghojun said with a serious expression.

“I don’t want to work in a place that smells of men’s sweat.”

Younghojun asserted with a frown.

Carrying the still indifferent Guest Elder and the Surveillance Inspector Jo Gwan, who maintained his composure despite sweating profusely, the carriage entered Wuhan, a historic city in Gangnam.