Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 775

“Chaeju!”

“Ugh……”

Ga Nampyeong was the leader (Chaeju) of Cheongsachae, the Blue Snake Fort. This was a new water fortress on an island in the Jang River. He frowned as he watched his boats being pushed back to the shore.

The boats he had sent out were being chased back, crashing onto the sandbar. They didn’t even have the time to slow down to stop the boats properly.

Enemy ships were following close behind at a tremendous speed.

Defeat.

He had to admit that, at least in naval warfare, they were completely defeated.

His men hurriedly jumped off the swaying boats and scrambled ashore.

“Bloody hell.”

They looked defeated. Their faces were pale, and their clothes were torn.

If the opponents were a real naval force or skilled in naval warfare, he could understand the defeat. His men weren’t well-trained.

But weren’t they just mountain bandits?

To think that these river pirates were being chased by mountain bandits who had never even touched the water…

He had thought about many things when he built this stronghold, but he never thought this ridiculous situation would happen.

“W-what do we do?”

“What do you mean, what do we do?”

Ga Nampyeong pointed to the boats.

“They’re just mountain bandits. Kill them all!”

“B-but……”

Ga Nampyeong’s eyes narrowed when his subordinate looked at him, trembling.

“Or what? Are you thinking of running away? From this island?”

“……”

“It’s the same whether you drown or die fighting. If you want to live, tell them to take down at least one more!”

“Y-yes, sir!”

The subordinate bowed and ran towards the riverbank as fast as he could. Ga Nampyeong snorted.

“Fools.”

Ga Nampyeong muttered to himself, “It’s only natural since we gathered a bunch of unskilled people.”

Ga Nampyeong turned to the voice.

A man in a black cloak stood there with a cold look on his face.

“Who suggested gathering those unskilled people?”

“Who would have thought that the Green Forest would get involved?”

“Damn it!”

The man talking to Ga Nampyeong was the same man who had attacked the Eunha Escort Agency’s special transport. The cross-shaped scar on his face proved it.

“What are you going to do now?”

“Fight, of course,” he said casually.

“Or abandon everything and run.”

“……”

Ga Nampyeong gritted his teeth.

“Black Fur Devil, if you hadn’t egged me on, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“What do you mean by egging you on? Suggesting we create a water fortress? Or attacking the special transport?”

The one called Black Fur Devil licked his lips.

“Either way, you agreed in the end. It’s not fair if you’re only blaming me now.”

“You rude bastard……”

Ga Nampyeong glared at Black Fur Devil with angry eyes.

Anyone who saw it would think it was strange. A water fortress was a hierarchical structure. Because it was a group of rough people, the superior-subordinate relationship was stricter than even prestigious sects. But Black Fur Devil’s attitude toward Ga Nampyeong was different from a river pirate’s attitude toward the leader of a water fortress.

“If it had gone well, all the wealth and glory would have been yours, wouldn’t it?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying that responsibility comes with rights. If you wanted to gain a lot, then you have to bear a lot.”

“Ha!”

Ga Nampyeong’s eyes turned cold. He looked like he would draw his sword and attack Black Fur Devil at any moment.

“There’s no need to get so upset. This is also a chance.”

“Chance?”

“Anyway, those guys have only ever fought in the mountains. They won’t know much about landing battles. If we just sink them all, the water fortress’s reputation will rise, and we’ll gain even more.”

“……”

“We just need to get through this crisis.”

“Easy for you to say.”

Black Fur Devil’s eyes narrowed at the sarcastic reply.

“I wish you wouldn’t be so negative. Who got the White Lightning Cannons and gathered the ships to create the water fortress? And who gave up the position of leader of that water fortress without any regrets?”

“……”

“Don’t forget. I’m the one who did you a favor.”

Clack!

A sharp trident appeared from Black Fur Devil’s sleeve. He gripped the trident and stared at Ga Nampyeong before turning away.

“If we wait, we’ll miss the chance. We need to show them that landing is the most dangerous time.”

Ga Nampyeong watched Black Fur Devil head towards the waterfront without waiting for a reply. He ground his teeth.

‘He’s acting all high and mighty.’

He wouldn’t have been able to create a water fortress without his reputation!

“Humph!”

Ga Nampyeong drew the long knife he wore at his waist. It was a long, straight knife, sharp on only one side (橫刀).

“I’ll kill them all!”

Ga Nampyeong, with fire in his eyes, ran towards the waterfront.

“Disembark!”

“Charge!”

“Kill them all!”

The ship Chung Myung was on crashed into the ship in front because it couldn’t slow down. But not many people made the same mistake after seeing that.

Of course, ‘not many’ meant that some still did… but most of the ships slowed down and stopped safely at the waterfront.

Splash! Splash!

The Green Forest bandits jumped off the ships and charged onto the island.

“Hey, guys? At least form a formation……”

“Oooooh!”

“Fight!”

“We’ll turn you all into water ghosts!”

Im Sobyung sighed.

‘This is my fate.’

The art of war begins with training soldiers to follow orders. But the mountain bandits here were the least likely people to follow orders.

There was a reason why the Green Forest Kings had all been strong and simply smashed things with brute force.

Why would those with the patience to follow instructions hide in deserted mountains and become bandits?

This was a limitation of the Green Forest, which couldn’t change much even in the Green Camp, where only the Green Forest elites were gathered.

And……

“Let’s goooo!”

“Oooooh!”

Chung Myung waved his sword in the air, stirring up the Green Forest bandits’ morale.

“……”

Was it his imagination, or did the Green Forest bandits who followed, chanting in response, look more energetic than when Im Sobyung was leading?

“Eura-chaaaa!”

Chung Myung charged at the fleeing river pirates, and the disciples of Mount Hua followed behind. The Green Forest bandits began to sweep away the weak river pirates like hungry tigers.

Like splitting bamboo.

That’s the only way to describe it.

The river pirates waiting on the island were scared when they saw the boats fleeing and crashing into the sandbar. Then, they were scared again when they saw the river pirates pouring out of those boats and running away.

How could they keep their wits about them when those chasing them were charging as if they were going to destroy a mountain?

Even if they fought well, there was a big difference in strength. Since they were being pushed back from the start, there was no way they could fight back.

“Hahaha! You puny bastards! How dare you provoke Mount Hua?”

“I’ll make you pay!”

Jo Gul, confused by the voices coming from the left and right, turned to Yoon Jong.

“……Aren’t those guys from the Green Forest?”

“Who cares! Damn it! Die! You river pirate bastards!”

Jo Gul’s mouth dropped open as he watched Yoon Jong charge forward with his eyes rolled back.

“Uh…… that’s my role? S-Senior Brother! Let’s go together!”

Yoon Jong gritted his teeth and swung his sword.

Whoosh!

His sword swept through the enemies more fiercely than usual. He knocked down several river pirates and tried to run to find his next target.

“You little brat!”

A loud roar came from behind. A man dressed differently from the river pirates ran straight at Yoon Jong.

“I’ll tear your throat out!”

Yoon Jong’s eyes glowed blue.

Bang!

Yoon Jong kicked off the ground and jumped at the charging river pirate.

“Huh?”

The river pirate was surprised that he counterattacked head-on. For a moment, he looked confused.

In that moment, Yoon Jong’s sword flew like a ray of light towards the river pirate’s face.

“Kugh!”

Clang!

The river pirate barely managed to block Yoon Jong’s sword. But Yoon Jong’s sword, which had been blocked, moved faster than before and struck the river pirate’s sword again.

Clang!

The river pirate’s sword was pushed back with the strong impact.

Then, Yoon Jong’s sword slashed across the river pirate’s chest.

“Kkeueuk……”

Thud!

Yoon Jong kicked the groaning river pirate’s stomach and shouted loudly.

“Charge!”

“Wow……”

“You too, get a grip and fight properly!”

“Y-yes, Senior Brother!”

Jo Gul quickly came to his senses and swung his sword.

It seemed that Yoon Jong was angry because these guys had taken the commoners. If he got caught at the wrong time, he would be nagged at for a month.

It was then.

“Uncle-Master, to the front! Sahgo, take the left!”

“Got it!”

“Okay.”

“Soso! Stick behind Uncle-Master!”

“Okay!”

Chung Myung pointed and shouted at the Green Forest bandits.

“Push them!”

“Ooooooh!”

The Green Forest bandits charged with more courage.

“Hmm.”

Chung Myung looked at the battlefield and lowered his sword.

The battle was already over.

In a large battle, the side with momentum wins. Especially in places like this where the terrain doesn’t matter, the results are the same as the power itself.

Then, he didn’t need to step forward and steal his Senior Brothers’ prey.

‘I need to give them experience.’

What he had said at Mount Hua wasn’t empty words. Dragging them around was enough until now, but now that wasn’t enough. He needed to let them experience more.

‘That’s that, and……’

Chung Myung looked around with strange eyes.

‘It’s simpler than I thought?’

The water fortress seemed large, but he didn’t feel threatened during the naval battle or now. The White Lightning Cannons were dangerous, but these guys were like scarecrows.

These guys created a water fortress and provoked Mount Hua?

“……Is it because they’re new?”

If it was a powerful water fortress, it would be in the Water Route Alliance. It would be strange if a new water fortress had power.

These ignorant guys thoughtlessly touched the commoners and stirred up Mount Hua……

‘It’s strangely unsettling?’

He was lost in thought, trying to find the source of that uneasiness.

“Aaaaargh!”

Chung Myung looked up at the sudden scream. It was different from the screams he had heard so far.

“What is it?”

A man who was taller than the others was standing where the scream came from, holding a long knife. The bandits who had tried to face him were collapsing, covered in blood.

The man shouted fiercely.

“What are you doing! Turn around! There’s nowhere to run! Fight to the end if you don’t want to die!”

“Hoo?”

This guy seemed to have some skill.

“Is he the Chaeju?”

Well, even if they were unskilled, the leader would have to be strong to gather this many people.

Now, who should I send……

Tap.

Before Chung Myung could worry, someone flew through the air and landed in front of Ga Nampyeong.

“……What?”

“Yoo Iseol of Mount Hua.”

She quietly aimed the tip of her sword at Ga Nampyeong’s neck.

“I’ll take that head.”

Ga Nampyeong’s face twisted.