Chapter 74: Bloodbath on the Yangtze (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 74: Bloodbath on the Yangtze (1)
“It’s the Waterway Stronghold!”
The shout from the lead ship sent the deck into an immediate frenzy.
No one had expected the Yangtze River Waterway Eighteen Strongholds to appear this early. I was no exception. We were barely at the mouth of the Yangtze proper. This was far too fast.
Just as the Lesser Conversation Sword said, ships with black sails were drawing nearer. That seemed to be why the lead ship was desperately trying to come to a halt. But how could they sail against such a ferocious current?
“The—the ships are coming!”
“Against the current?”
“...They aren't moving,” Wolf King Hyeok Cheon-man said, his expression grim.
The others looked confused, but they soon realized what he meant.
The black-sailed ships of the Waterway Stronghold were holding their positions. It was us who were being swept toward them by the current. I didn't know what trick they were using, but those ships remained motionless despite the raging waters.
Just then, Taoist Master Do Uk of the Zhongnan Sect shouted to the people on deck.
“If it’s the Waterway Stronghold, we must stick to the plan!”
Their plan was to be captured by the pirates. Though they had appeared sooner than expected, if we continued to resist and were exposed, the entire operation would be ruined.
Hong Gu-ga, the Chamber Leader of the Beggar’s Sect, added his voice to the command.
“Everyone, return to the hold and activate the Turtle Breathing Technique!”
“Understood!”
“To the crates in the hold, move!”
The disciples of the Beggar’s Sect and the Zhongnan Sect scrambled toward the cargo hold. The appearance of the pirates had turned the situation chaotic and urgent.
[What should we do?]
Sama Yeong’s voice reached me through Sound Transmission. At this rate, the Waterway Stronghold really might seize the ship. If that happened, our plan to place them under the Blood Cult’s influence would backfire and fail.
-
‘Ah...’
The Lesser Conversation Sword’s suggestion gave me pause. This wasn't a calm river; poking a hole in these treacherous rapids would put us all in danger. No matter how skilled a martial artist is, they are mere humans in the face of a natural disaster. A reckless move could result in casualties among our own.
Hyeok Cheon-man spoke to me urgently.
“Junior Brother, get into a crate in the hold.”
“Me, sir?”
“Your companions as well. We were supposed to be on the first ship, remember?”
Ah... what should I do? If I hid in the crates with them, I’d be trapped.
It was then.
CRASH! BOOM! ROAR!
The thunderous sound of something shattering echoed again, louder than before. At the sound, the chaos on the lead ship intensified. People at the stern were even waving lanterns toward us and screaming.
They were far away, so their voices were faint, but I could hear them clearly once I focused my internal power into my ears.
“Stop the ship! Stop the ship!”
‘!?’
What were they talking about? How were we supposed to stop a ship here?
Hyeok Cheon-man must have heard them too, as he frowned and looked at me.
“Did you hear that?”
I nodded and watched the lead ship, which was struggling desperately to stop. They were even dropping spare anchors in a frantic effort. Sensing something was wrong, I looked around and spotted the mast.
Swish!
“Young Master!”
“Wait there!”
Leaving Sama Yeong’s shout behind, I used my Lightness Skill to leap onto the mast. I needed to reach the highest point to see what was happening. I reached the top, only to find Hyeok Cheon-man appearing beside me. He had clearly had the same idea.
From the top of the mast, the view ahead was clear.
However...
‘!!!’
In an instant, both the Wolf King and I were struck speechless. I wondered if my eyes were deceiving me.
In front of the third ship, which was struggling to stop, were the shattered remains of vessels being swept away by the torrent. Countless people were floundering in the water. It was a scene of pure carnage.
Except for our ship and the third one, everything seemed to have been smashed. The fragments of ships being swept down the rapids were proof enough. I couldn't fathom how they had managed to destroy such large vessels like that.
“Look at that!”
The Wolf King pointed. Following his finger, I saw something glinting over the dark river.
“Chains?”
There was no mistake; they were iron chains. Massive chains were connected between the black-sailed ships of the Waterway Stronghold. Their thickness far exceeded anything normal—they were much larger than those used for anchors.
“Ah!”
Now I understood why the ships had been destroyed. The chains connected to the two pirate ships were pulled taut beneath the surface. As the ships were swept down the rapids, they must have slammed into the chains and been sliced apart.
“Linked Rings...”
The word escaped the Wolf King’s lips.
Yeon-hwan (Linked Rings). It was a tactic where chains were tied between carriages or warhorses to mow down enemies or neutralize enemy vehicles. I had never seen it used with ships before.
The Lesser Conversation Sword was right. Pirates usually aim for wealth. But these men had indiscriminately destroyed the ships ahead with those chains.
‘Wealth isn't their goal.’
There was no other reason to destroy the ships like that. The third ship in front of us was doing everything it could to stop, but it was only a matter of time. The current was dragging it closer and closer.
“Senior Brother, something is wrong.”
“I agree.”
If capture wasn't the goal, the remaining two ships would also be smashed to pieces by those chains.
“This is no time to wait.”
Hyeok Cheon-man leapt down from the top of the mast. I followed right behind him. As soon as we landed, the escort guards and sailors rushed over, asking what was happening.
“Ships—whether they're the Waterway Stronghold or not—are using iron chains to destroy the vessels. We must abort the plan immediately! Guards, go to the hold and tell everyone to stop the Turtle Breathing Technique!”
“U-understood!”
As the guards scrambled away, Hyeok Cheon-man turned to the ship’s captain.
“Captain Bang, do you have a small boat?”
“We have one tied to the side. Why so suddenly?”
“Lower it immediately.”
“It’s impossible in these rapids! A rowboat like that will capsize in an instant!”
“It only needs to hold out until we reach the ship ahead.”
Ah! I realized why he wanted the small boat. He intended to cross over to the other ship and stop it before it was destroyed by the chains.
Actually, this worked out. If we cut the chains and escaped without fighting the Waterway Stronghold, the Martial Alliance’s plan to subjugate them would be rendered moot.
“Junior Brother, I’ll cross to the ship ahead and try to cut the chains. You protect this ship.”
“Understood—”
CRASH! RUMBLE!
At that moment, the ship lurched violently from a massive impact. Most of the guards and sailors on deck were thrown off their feet, tumbling across the wood. I couldn't tell what had happened.
Then, one of the guards screamed.
“L-look at that!”
Where he pointed, something made of rope had flown through the air and embedded itself into the cabin. A hook-like tip had anchored it, causing the ship to shudder. Following the rope to its source, I saw large crossbow carts positioned on the hills to the east.
Numerous silhouettes stood upon the hills in the darkness.
“Don't tell me...”
THUD!
THUD!
More grappling bolts flew in, embedding themselves all over the ship. The heavy impacts caused the vessel to tilt precariously.
SCREECH! SPLASH!
“Aaaargh!”
“The—the ship is tilting!”
“Grab the railing!”
The bow, which had been cutting through the rapids, was forced sideways by the ropes and came to a halt at a bizarre angle. The shock sent quite a few people flying overboard into the river.
“Are you okay?” I asked, grabbing Sama Yeong’s hand.
She had almost been thrown over the railing as the ship tilted.
“I-I’m fine.”
It was a relief I had managed to catch her after stabbing my sword into the deck for stability.
“Dammit! I wish someone would ask if I’m okay!”
I saw Song Jwa-baek hanging onto the edge of the railing. He had narrowly avoided falling in. I looked around; fortunately, Song Woo-hyeon and Jo Seong-won were safe as well.
“Throw the ropes!”
“Rescue the people who fell!”
The sailors frantically threw ropes to save those in the water. But the current was so fierce that those who had fallen were instantly swept far away. Once you were in, rescue was practically impossible.
The captain screamed, “If—if we don't cut those lines, the ship might capsize!”
“Cut the lines!”
At his command, the guards rushed to detach the grappling bolts embedded in the ship. But then, another problem arose. Suddenly, a rain of arrows poured down onto the deck.
Whiz! Thwack!
“Aaargh!”
“Gah!”
The sailors, who knew no martial arts, fell screaming under the barrage.
“Arrows! Defend yourselves!”
“Protect the sailors!”
The guards swung their weapons to deflect the arrows, but there were simply too many. The deck was quickly becoming a pincushion. Before long, the disciples of the Beggar’s Sect and the Zhongnan Sect emerged from the hold, battered and bruised, to help, but casualties continued to mount under the relentless rain of arrows.
“I said cut the lines!”
“No, wait!”
Hyeok Cheon-man shouted at the guards trying to cut the grappling ropes holding the ship. He then turned his gaze to me.
“You handle the chains! I’ll go up there and stop them!”
As soon as he finished speaking, Hyeok Cheon-man deflected arrows with his sword and leapt toward one of the ropes anchored to the ship. It seemed he intended to use the rope to climb the hill.
Tap, tap, tap, tap!
His Lightness Skill was incredible. He ran across the single rope as if he were walking on flat ground.
Taoist Master Do Uk of the Zhongnan Sect shouted, “Hero Hyeok! I shall assist you!”
Do Uk also leapt onto a rope and began to run. Only masters of their caliber could traverse such swaying lines. A few disciples from the Beggar’s Sect and Zhongnan Sect tried to follow but fell into the river after only a few steps. The only ones successfully crossing were the Wolf King and Do Uk.
‘Tsk!’
For now, I had to do as Hyeok Cheon-man said. If he dealt with the people above or cut the lines, the ship would move again. But if it moved without the chains being dealt with, the ship would be destroyed.
I ran across the tilted deck and threw myself into the rowboat that was dangling from its ropes.
“I’m coming with you!” Sama Yeong shouted, following me.
“No, it’s too dangerous. Stay here.”
“But...”
“Staying here is helping! Trust me!”
“Please be careful!”
If the boat capsized in this situation, I had no way to protect her. Realizing this, she quickly gave up. I hurriedly cut the ropes holding the boat with my sword.
Whirrr!
The ropes unspooled like a pulley, and the rowboat dropped into the river. If the large ship had been unstable, the rowboat was like a candle in the wind.
Was the sword as anxious as I was? I gripped the boat tightly and let it take me with the flow. If I followed the current, I would naturally be headed toward the ship ahead.
Then, the Namcheon Iron Sword spoke to me.
I looked where he directed and saw the people on the hills cutting the ropes they had anchored. It seemed they were trying to prevent Hyeok Cheon-man and Do Uk from reaching them.
With his superior Lightness Skill, Hyeok Cheon-man leaped to another rope every time one was cut, performing a mid-air acrobatics act. Do Uk, however, eventually fell.
Splash!
I saw Do Uk floundering in the water. Fortunately, he was holding onto a severed rope; if he pulled himself up, he could get back on the ship.
“Oh!”
Then, Hyeok Cheon-man also fell from the ropes. However, with an amazing display of skill, he threw himself toward the cliffside and stabbed his sword into the rock to hang on. The figures on the hill rained arrows down on him, trying to knock him off. Deflecting arrows with one hand while trying to climb didn't look easy.
At the Lesser Conversation Sword’s shout, I looked ahead. The rowboat was about to slam into the ship in front, swept by the rapids.
Swish!
I used my Lightness Skill to leap onto the ship’s deck in a single bound. The sailors on board were startled by my sudden appearance. Ignoring them, I rushed toward the bow.
“We’re going to hit!”
“Brace for impact!”
The ship was already inches away from the iron chain. Because the chain was so thick and massive, no one seemed to even think about trying to do anything about it. The guards, seeing me, cried out as if grasping at straws.
“Young Master So! The ship is about to hit!”
“A few men tried to cut it, but they were swept away by the water!”
So they had tried to cut it. Then again, an iron chain of that size would be difficult to break even with a sword or an axe. It would be impossible for most masters.
What else? I have to cut the chain.
I backed up as far as I could to prepare for a jump. The guards asked in confusion, “Young Master So?”
“D-don't tell me...”
Swish!
Ignoring them, I leapt toward the iron chain without hesitation. Covering over thirty feet in a single bound, I landed atop the chain.
“Whoa.”
I wobbled and almost fell, but managed to regain my balance. Looking at the rapids rushing beneath the chain and the massive ship fast approaching from behind made my head spin. But I immediately focused all my senses into my sword.
Hummmmm!
The Namcheon Iron Sword began to glow with a white light. It was Divine Sword Unity. I channeled ten stars of internal power and brought the sword down upon the chain.
CLANG!
Blue sparks flew as the blade of the Namcheon Iron Sword bit into the iron like it was cutting through tofu. The taut chain snapped and whipped violently. I almost lost my footing as it lurched, but I didn't stop.
SNAP!
The chain broke completely, and the two ends recoiled away with the force of the tension. At that moment, a roar of cheers erupted from the ship.
“The chain is broken!!!”
“We’re saved!!!”
But the celebration didn't last long. As the chain snapped, I lost my footing and plunged into the river.
Splash!
“Young Master So!”
The current was so fast that I was instantly swept away. I kicked off with all my might. My body, submerged in the water, surged upward.
Splash!
I protected my feet with Qi and kicked off the surface of the water, just as Hyeok Cheon-man had advised.
‘Once! Just once is enough!’
He had said that the Water-Skimming Lightness Skill was impossible in these rapids. He said I would be bounced away by the current, but as long as I got the direction right once, it would be enough.
Boom!
I kicked the water. My body was launched through the air. My target was the severed end of the chain.
Grab!
I caught the chain just as it was about to sink into the river.
I couldn't miss this chance. I had to use the chain to get onto the Waterway Stronghold’s ship. If they were truly the Waterway Stronghold, I had to negotiate.
I protected my heart meridian with Qi and tried to move forward while holding the chain in the water. Even this thick iron chain was being bent by the force of the rapids.
‘Dammit!’
I pulled myself forward, hand over hand, using every ounce of my strength. Then, the Lesser Conversation Sword shouted.
‘What?’
Startled, I looked ahead and saw the chain sinking into the water. The people on the pirate ship had released the chain from their end. Because of that, I was swallowed by the rapids along with the chain.
‘Gah!’
No matter how much internal power I applied, there was nothing I could do. I let go of the chain and struggled, but the current was so strong I couldn't even reach the surface. I was going to die underwater at this rate.
Then, I heard the voice of the Namcheon Iron Sword.
The Namcheon Iron Sword flew out of its scabbard. It shot toward my hand with incredible speed.
In my dazed state, I did as the sword said and gripped the hilt. Driven by the sword’s power, my body gained a powerful momentum and was pulled along.
Whoosh! Splash!
My body, which had been cutting through the water, burst out onto the surface. But it didn't stop there. I was pulled into the air by the Namcheon Iron Sword.
At that moment, a thunderous roar of cheers erupted.
“WAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!”
The guards and sailors on the ship were cheering as they watched me fly through the sky. Some even stood agape, unable to close their mouths at the sight of me flying while clutching my sword.