Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Section 8. A Butterfly's Wingbeat Summons the Storm (4)
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Hwang Hye-ryeong and Muk Il-gwang were aboard the Yunma Riverboat departing Dongting Lake.
The Yunma Riverboats arriving at Dongting Lake were packed with people, but the one leaving was utterly deserted by comparison. It was proof that far more people were coming in than going out.
Dongting Lake and Eoyang were like the maw of a starving hungry ghost, greedily sucking in everything under heaven.
With vast numbers of manpower and resources flooding in all at once, Eoyang was enjoying unprecedented prosperity, and the Murim Alliance was swarming with martial artists all vying for a spot.
On the flip side, almost no one was trying to leave Eoyang. Thanks to that, they could claim a comfortable spot on the Yunma Riverboat and rest easy.
Hwang Hye-ryeong muttered to herself.
“The Murim Alliance must be something else. It feels like every martial artist in the world is gathering in one place. Not just the massive sects, but even the mid- and small-sized ones are sending huge numbers of people.”
“Even so, they’ll be keeping their core forces intact.”
“Yeah, probably.”
Hwang Hye-ryeong nodded at Muk Il-gwang’s words.
Even if the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families—those colossal powers—sent only a fraction of their strength, it wouldn’t weaken them.
“I saw and learned a lot in such a short time.”
“That’s a relief.”
Hwang Hye-ryeong’s gaze turned toward the lake’s surface, where sunlight shattered into glittering fragments.
Confirming the Murim Alliance’s lineup with her own eyes had been a huge gain. Once the alliance formed, it was obvious they’d target the Green Forest bandits first.
After all, the nail that sticks out gets hammered first.
‘For now, we halt all activity and keep eyes on the Murim Alliance’s movements.’
Most Green Forest bandits were illiterate brutes. Overconfident in their own strength, they often crossed lines they shouldn’t.
Even plundering had to be done without inciting the wrath of the entire martial world. One misstep, and countless mountain strongholds would crumble, with even more bandits meeting their end.
Though they were heading home having achieved their goal, Hwang Hye-ryeong’s expression wasn’t bright.
“Any word on Black Water Stronghold’s movements?”
“Nothing yet.”
“You think he’ll actually make a move?”
“Fifty-fifty chance.”
Hwang Hye-ryeong’s face darkened at Muk Il-gwang’s reply.
Jo Yun-san was a disagreeable man.
Suddenly, she recalled their first meeting.
On the occasion of Hwang Kyung-moon’s birthday, every stronghold master of the Eighteen Green Forest Strongholds had been invited to Tyrant Stronghold. Jo Yun-san had shown up then, too.
Seeing Hwang Hye-ryeong for the first time, he had said,
“You’ve grown a lot.”
Even though it was clearly their first encounter.
When she voiced her confusion, Jo Yun-san claimed it was a mistake. But his eyes had gleamed with utter cold clarity.
Years had passed since then, but the memory remained vivid.
“There’s definitely something off about him.”
“What do you mean?”
Muk Il-gwang looked puzzled.
“Just a bad feeling.”
“What’s bothering you so much?”
“All sorts of things. It’s just... complicated.”
Hwang Hye-ryeong leaned back against the railing and gazed up at the sky. Muk Il-gwang watched her silently.
She was usually so lively and upbeat, but sometimes she’d retreat into her own world like this. Whenever that happened, he simply watched over her without a word.
Lost in thought, Hwang Hye-ryeong was beautiful.
She exuded a noble grace that made it hard to believe she was a rough woman whose life revolved around a mountain stronghold. That only made her more stunning.
‘Miss.’
He had fallen for her at first sight.
Joining the Dragon Guards so doggedly could be traced back to wanting to stay by her side. For Muk Il-gwang, these moments with her were pure bliss.
That was when the two were lost in their separate thoughts.
“What’s that?”
The people on deck suddenly began to stir.
At the commotion, Hwang Hye-ryeong rose from her seat.
“What’s going on?”
Two boats appeared in the distance.
Armed martial artists stood aboard them, radiating a murderous aura.
The two boats were heading straight for the Yunma Riverboat.
Hwang Hye-ryeong and Muk Il-gwang’s faces hardened.
‘No way?’
Their eyes met in midair.
Among the passengers on the Yunma Riverboat, there were no martial artists noteworthy enough to draw attention—except for Hwang Hye-ryeong and Muk Il-gwang.
Which meant the attackers were likely after them.
“Il-gwang?”
“The mood’s off. We should prepare for the worst.”
“Yeah!”
Muk Il-gwang positioned himself at Hwang Hye-ryeong’s back.
A seven-foot giant with two massive axes crossed on his back, his already fierce face looked even more intimidating.
The two boats blocked the Yunma Riverboat’s path, forcing it to halt abruptly.
As the Yunma Riverboat stopped, the martial artists from the two boats leaped onto the deck.
The ship’s captain asked in a fearful voice,
“I’m the captain of this vessel. Why are you blocking our way?”
Nearly thirty men boarded—not one or two. All were experts who could easily leap three zhang high.
The rivers and lakes were vast, teeming with masters, but you didn’t see this caliber of expert so casually.
One of the boarding masters stepped forward.
“We’re from the Murim Alliance.”
“The Murim Alliance?”
“That’s right. We received word that a Green Forest spy is aboard this ship.”
The bold speaker was none other than Namgung Su.
At Namgung Su’s declaration, the captain shrank back like a turtle pulling in its head.
Having traversed Dongting Lake many times, the captain knew well how things worked here.
The Murim Alliance hadn’t officially launched yet, but its name alone carried immense weight.
Especially for those like the Yunma Riverboat operators ferrying passengers across Dongting Lake, the Murim Alliance was no different from the grim reaper. Falling afoul of them meant being barred from the lake entirely.
The captain stepped aside, realizing this was beyond his control.
Namgung Su swept his sharp gaze across the deck.
His eyes landed on Hwang Hye-ryeong and Muk Il-gwang. No matter how he tried to ignore them, their striking appearances drew the eye.
‘Matches the description perfectly.’
Namgung Su strode unhesitatingly toward them, followed by Namgung family warriors.
At last, he stood before Hwang Hye-ryeong.
“I am Namgung Su of the Murim Alliance. Might I have your names?”
“Why do you ask?”
“We’ve received intelligence.”
“What?”
“A Green Forest spy is aboard this ship.”
“What does that have to do with us?”
“Everything. We believe you’re the spies.”
“What proof do you have?”
“Someone tipped us off recently. A pretty girl and a man with axes on his back came to Eoyang to scout the Murim Alliance’s movements.”
“What of it?”
“And here you are, matching that description exactly.”
Namgung Su’s lips curled into a smirk. Hwang Hye-ryeong’s face, by contrast, grew rigid.
She didn’t know who had tipped them off, but these men already knew everything.
At Namgung Su’s finger snap, Namgung family warriors surrounded Hwang Hye-ryeong and Muk Il-gwang.
“I’d prefer no resistance. Though it wouldn’t matter if you did.”
Namgung Su grinned.
His uncle Namgung Chang had strictly ordered him not to make contact, but right now, his mind was filled only with thoughts of claiming credit.
In that instant, Muk Il-gwang stepped forward.
The overwhelming pressure from the seven-foot behemoth made even the Namgung warriors flinch back momentarily.
“No one approaches the miss without my permission.”
Shring!
Muk Il-gwang drew his two massive axes.
The Namgung warriors felt as if a giant bear was blocking their path.
At that moment, Namgung Su’s shout rang out.
“What are you waiting for? Subdue that bastard!”
“Raaah!”
The Namgung warriors charged at Muk Il-gwang.
***
“Is this true?”
Gi Ye-hwa’s expression was gravely serious. Before her stood a neatly dressed man in a deferential posture.
He was the chief steward of Thousand Fragrance House—and also the deputy branch chief of Haomen’s Eoyang branch.
“Information from a disciple embedded in the Green Forest, so it should be reliable.”
“Hmm!”
“She’s quite the celebrity there now—no one who doesn’t know her. It’s stranger that she stayed unknown this long.”
“That ambitious, huh?”
“Indeed.”
Gi Ye-hwa rubbed her temples at the steward’s words.
A paper lay before her, bearing intelligence received that morning.
—Black Water Stronghold, one of the Eighteen Green Forest Strongholds, confirmed under Jo Yun-san’s command.
Even Gi Ye-hwa hadn’t expected to get intel on Jo Yun-san this quickly.
“And him?”
“He’s been spotted passing near Hamnyeong.”
“Not far yet.”
“What should we do?”
“We tell him. A deal’s a deal.”
“May I say something, Branch Chief?”
“Go ahead.”
“Is it truly beneficial for Haomen to keep ties with him?”
“What do you mean?”
“Given the situation, he’s likely to clash with the Murim Alliance. Continuing this could earn their ire.”
The steward’s concern was perfectly reasonable.
Haomen’s network was vast, but their martial prowess was not. At its core, Haomen was an intelligence group formed by the destitute to protect themselves.
The Murim Alliance was an absolute powerhouse. Common sense dictated avoiding conflict with such a force—at least by the steward’s reckoning.
“Maybe. But maybe not.”
“What do you mean?”
“Sometimes the world produces people who upend common sense. They shatter the old order entirely.”
“You think the Fist Demon might be one?”
“Right now, he’s the most likely candidate.”
“Hmm!”
“Pass this intel to him.”
“Understood.”
In the end, the steward bowed in acceptance.
That was when.
“Madam!”
A young girl’s immature voice rang out as a still-childish-looking girl burst into the room.
Gi Ye-hwa frowned slightly.
“What’s wrong, Un-jeong?”
“There’s trouble brewing at Dongting Lake right now.”
“At Dongting Lake? Why?”
“Namgung family warriors clashed with key figures from the Eighteen Green Forest Strongholds.”
“The Eighteen Strongholds?”
Gi Ye-hwa and the steward exchanged glances.
A hunch struck them.
Meanwhile, Un-jeong kept talking.
“And we’ve spotted Green Forest activity inside Thousand Fragrance House too.”
“What?”
“One of our guests got drunk and boasted he was from Black Water Stronghold.”
“Really?”
“The courtesan who attended him heard it herself.”
“Hmm!”
Gi Ye-hwa’s face hardened.
She sensed something ominous was afoot.
She turned to the steward.
“Tell him everything. Leave nothing out. He’ll decide.”
“Understood.”
The steward answered and hurried out.
Gi Ye-hwa closed her eyes gently.
Darkness came briefly. But soon, a vision arose of the whole world dyed red with blood.
There, the Fierce Tiger stood alone.