Stepping into the Central Plains (1)
Seo Baek leaped toward the water, and Wang Yi Sam, barely clinging to the anchor chain, recoiled in shock.
"Junior! Are you out of your mind...?"
But then Seo Baek landed squarely on the surface?
"No way—Wall-Walking Technique?"
Wang Yi Sam gaped, convinced Seo Baek was executing the lightfoot skill of running across water. In truth, he was simply stepping on the wreckage of the floating planks.
Once they reached the debris, swimming to shore was straightforward. The problem was the main ship, snagged on the rocky reefs and sinking, dragging the anchor chain with it.
"Hurry!"
The group grabbed the rope Seo Baek was pulling taut and shuffled along the chain. Yu So Un dashed across it like a bird in flight, while Wang Yi Sam stumbled along awkwardly.
But Yang So So halted midway, spotting something. A chest tangled in the rope ladder.
The helmsman had dropped it into the water while shifting cargo amid the ship's wild rocking, and it had snagged there, dangling.
"Father's sacred relic and the silver ingots—they're in there!"
Yang So So spun around and bounded across the ropes toward the chest.
As the wreckage reached its limit, Seo Baek shouted.
"No time—come back!"
But what returned was Yang So So's voice, laced with madness.
"What nonsense? The Long River Three Gorges Waterway Gang's sacred relic and silver are right here! With those, we can rebuild the gang as many times as it takes..."
Then the main ship slammed headlong into a massive reef.
Kaboom—crack!
The hull shattered with a thunderous roar.
The massive vessel lurched violently, sending the anchor chain—and the ropes—whipping up and down like jump ropes.
Yang So So, who had just seized the chest, was flung into the air.
"Aaaahhh...!"
Her figure vanished with the chest into the pitch-black sky, soaring so high she became a speck.
A long moment later, a distant splash echoed from afar.
Seo Baek peered into the water but couldn't activate the Shika Heart Method, so he saw nothing.
Soon even the thrashing sounds faded. Yang So So and the chest had sunk into the raging Long River, never resurfacing.
What she truly desired in the end—who could say?
Her father's legacy? The gang's sacred relic? The silver chest?
One truth was clear.
In the martial world, craving something without the strength to claim it was mere greed!
And greed's price was steep. Seo Baek prayed for her soul but felt no sorrow.
'A weakling indulging in greed—her end was predictable.'
No time to dwell on the dead.
The safety of his companions came first.
As the chain bucked wildly, Yu So Un used the rebound to leap airborne, landing gracefully beside Seo Baek.
Yu So Un had never been a concern from the start. Wang Yi Sam, however, staggered and plunged into the water.
"Damn it. Eight silver taels lost to the Long River—I couldn't just leave 'em."
With his usual leisurely wit, Yu So Un hauled Wang Yi Sam in. The man dangled from the rope as he was dragged ashore.
Moments later, the trio stood atop the wreckage.
They hopped across the floating debris like stepping stones. Soon, they escaped the water entirely, planting their feet on solid ground.
In the gorge's midst, the main ship was sinking.
The three watched in silence as it went down. Even a behemoth like that ship submerged in seconds once its keel was breached.
As it slipped beneath the waves, the revenants' eerie rowing chant drifted out once more. With the blood scent fading, they resumed their pre-death routines.
At last, the stern vanished, leaving only bubbling froth.
"We barely scraped by again. Truly grateful."
"No need. Don't go swallowing all eight silver taels yourself."
"Saved from drowning, and you think I'll cough up more? Give it up."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
As Yu So Un and Wang Yi Sam bantered warmly, Seo Baek gazed at the vista beyond the gorge's far side.
The sun was cresting the horizon.
He'd assumed endless rugged canyons ahead, but past the sheer cliffs lay vast plains.
Behind roared the fierce Long River Three Gorges; ahead stretched boundless flatlands.
Mountains and gorges layered the distance, but the plains were unmistakable.
Seo Baek stared blankly until Yu So Un asked.
"What's wrong? First time seeing the Central Plains?"
"Yes. First time."
Seo Baek had finally left the Sichuan encircled by canyons and peaks, stepping into the true Central Plains.
As he quietly took in the plains, Yu So Un and Wang Yi Sam exchanged glances, shrugged, and left him be.
At length, Seo Baek spoke.
"Let's move."
In an instant, the myriad events from Sichuan evaporated from his mind.
Now, he focused solely on piercing the revenant-infested Central Plains ahead.
The martial world overrun by the undead.
Yet one bastion of hope remained: Shaolin Temple.
Toward it, Seo Baek took his first step into the Zhongyuan.
The Central Plains at last came into view.
Time to choose their next destination.
Seo Baek pressed a hand to his chest, checking his robes.
Tucked inside his thick tunic lay a single book—the one his master had ordered delivered to Shaolin.
Before leaving Shika Manor, he'd sealed it in oilcloth. Not enough; he'd sewn it into the lining.
It wouldn't be lost unless his clothes burned—or he died.
'The book is safe.'
No dampness when he pressed. No water had seeped in.
The book was intact.
The map, however, was a mess.
Jeong Su Sa Tae's map detailed the Three Gorges canyons and tangled river branches.
With it, navigation seemed simple.
But plunging into the gorges had soaked his clothes and satchel through.
They'd stripped, hung everything on branches to dry, and Yu So Un had rekindled the fire.
Yet ink-smeared from the drenching, the map was ruined beyond repair.
'Should've sealed the map with the book, sewn into my clothes...'
Too late for regrets—spilled milk.
Seo Baek, raised his whole life in mountain-bound Shika Manor.
Thorough by nature, he'd never dreamed of shipwrecks in the Three Gorges.
With regret, he unrolled the blurred map.
Wang Yi Sam and Yu So Un leaned in.
"Why spread the map?"
"Don't play dumb—we need to pick our next stop before heading out."
"Oh ho, so prepared, yet a pathfinder? Priceless."
"Not knowing the way means prepping extra, no?"
As the two bantered fondly, Seo Baek scrutinized the map for options.
"Past the Three Gorges, we're around here."
He jabbed a finger at a spot.
"Let's find the nearest sect."
Post-revenant outbreak, sects and clans had fortified gates and fortresses against the hordes.
To evade them, one hopped from stronghold to stronghold like stepping stones. Hadn't they stopped at Shu Dao Pass first to resupply?
"Lemme see."
Wang Yi Sam scanned it once and declared.
"Three nearby: Wudang, Iron Palm Gang, Jegal Clan."
"Which?"
"Wudang's how about it?"
Mount Wudang lay northeast on the map.
One of the martial world's twin pillars alongside Shaolin—a famed orthodox sect, self-evident.
But Yu So Un shook his head.
"Skip Wudang."
"Why?"
"They're at odds with the Murim Alliance, cozy with the court. They won't welcome us."
"Got it."
"Plus, Mount Wudang's as treacherous as the gorges. Detour saves time."
"Understood. Iron Palm Gang?"
"Not much on them. Known for practical martial arts, but no big names—Alliance intel's thin."
Yu So Un shrugged.
Unexpectedly, Wang Yi Sam grinned and chimed in.
"I know 'em well. Drank the deputy leader under the table once."
"Friends through booze, as expected."
"Damn right! Booze buddies beat childhood pals—haven't you heard?"
Seo Baek teased lightly, but Wang Yi Sam missed it, puffing up proudly.
Still, Iron Palm Gang posed issues.
Distance and direction.
"Shame—Mount Iron Palm's farthest."
"Yeah..."
Wang Yi Sam's enthusiasm deflated.
Iron Palm Mountain lay remotest from their spot.
Worse, southeast—nearly opposite Shaolin.
Yu So Un smirked.
"Detour to Iron Palm Mountain. Sucks not drinking, huh?"
"Me, a drunkard? Skip the sauce—no big deal!"
Wang Yi Sam thumped his chest.
Seo Baek and Yu So Un stifled laughs—they knew he carried a wineskin.
Serious now, Seo Baek decided.
"Then, Jegal Clan it is."
The Jegal Clan, descended from sage tactician Zhuge Liang of Shu.
Its scions wielded influence across the Zhongyuan.
Yet headquarters nestled in remote Yongzhong, Hubei—where Zhuge spent his youth.
Wudang northeast, Iron Palm southeast; Yongzhong sat east, midway and closest.
Most rational choice now.
Yu So Un nodded.
"Solid pick. Jegal Clan's first young master is with the Alliance—my duties come from him."
"Tch, nice connections. I'm in."
Wang Yi Sam snorted but nodded, respecting their prestige.
All agreed—destination set.
Issue: ink blurred the route to Yongzhong.
"Map's too smudged."
"No sweat. Yongzhong's east—follow the sunrise. Wander a bit, we'll hit it eventually!"
Wang Yi Sam's usual vagueness rang true this time.
Straight east with the sun.
Best for unknown paths.
With the map unclear, his way was optimal.
"As Senior Wang says. East to Yongzhong."
Brief council done, they resumed the journey.
But assuming east led straight to Yongzhong? A colossal miscalculation.