Chapter 79
Chapter 79
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Annihilation Confirmed
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Thank you."
The Escort Bureau Chief kept expressing his gratitude from earlier, and Yeo Woongi scratched the back of his head with an awkward expression.
"It was just something that needed to be done."
"Thanks to Young Hero Yeo Woongi and Lady Hyukryeon Cheonghwa, we crossed the Yangtze without any losses despite the Water Dragon Stronghold's attack."
"We were just lucky."
The Escort Bureau Chief looked at Yeo Woongi in front of him and then at Hyukryeon Cheonghwa, who was standing quietly in the corner.
Thanks to the two of them, the Dancheong Escort Bureau's ships had crossed the Yangtze without a hitch.
"I'll make sure to report this to the Alliance."
At that moment, Yeo Woongi broke into a wide grin.
It was the result he had wanted more than mere thanks.
"Hahaha, thank you."
As Yeo Woongi responded loudly,
"Thank you so much. You saved my worthless life."
"I won't forget this favor."
Escorts and boatmen crowded in front of Hyukryeon Cheonghwa, turning the place into a throng.
Her beauty was dazzling enough to make their eyes hurt.
And on top of that, she possessed outstanding martial prowess.
In their eyes right now, Hyukryeon Cheonghwa was the incarnation of the heroic lady they'd only heard about in stories.
"It was just the right thing to do."
Hyukryeon Cheonghwa felt burdened by the escorts and boatmen taking turns to express their thanks one by one.
'...It's always so uncomfortable.'
This wasn't the first or second time, yet she still wasn't used to it at all.
All she could manage was an awkward smile that didn't suit her.
A short while later, after the Dancheong Escort Bureau departed,
"I'm drained."
Yeo Woongi let his shoulders slump.
Hyukryeon Cheonghwa nodded in agreement.
Fighting would have been easier; this kind of thing was torture for her.
"More importantly, where on earth did Young Hero Cheonhwi go? He was in the middle of the river."
"Hmph. Probably splashing around swimming."
Hyukryeon Cheonghwa said curtly.
She didn't like Cheonhwi.
Fleeing in the middle of a fight—what kind of martial artist did that?
But unlike her, Yeo Woongi didn't think he had fled.
'He possesses skill superior to mine.'
Cheonhwi's martial arts were exceptional.
He hadn't seen him swing a sword, but just from the footwork he'd glimpsed briefly, it was enough to infer.
It was then.
Whoosh―
Suddenly, a hawk descended from the sky.
"That's the vice squad leader's messenger hawk."
Yeo Woongi adeptly extended his arm.
The hawk landed lightly on his forearm.
"What could it be? He wouldn't send a messenger hawk for just anything."
Yeo Woongi untied the paper from the hawk's leg, gave it a light wave, and the messenger hawk immediately took off again.
As he watched it soar away quickly, he unfolded the paper and read it.
"Ch-Cheonghwa! They've confirmed the Water Dragon Stronghold's location!"
He shouted loudly.
"Is that true?"
"Yes! And..."
Yeo Woongi, who had been speaking energetically, suddenly froze.
"What's wrong?"
Hyukryeon Cheonghwa, waiting for his response, couldn't hold back any longer and snatched the paper.
"Water Dragon Stronghold location confirmed. And..."
Soon she too saw the last line written on the paper, and her expression hardened.
"Anni...hilated?"
At that instant, the face of one person flashed in Yeo Woongi and Hyukryeon Cheonghwa's minds.
"No way!"
"No way!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Bang!
Seolgeom, who had been handling documents as usual, looked up at the sudden sound of the door opening and flinched involuntarily.
The person who had just burst in shouldn't have been here.
"Young Hero Cheonhwi, why are you here?"
"Mission's done, so I came back."
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
Seolgeom was beyond perplexed at Cheonhwi's abrupt declaration—he was utterly baffled.
"The mission I gave you was clearly to block the Water Dragon Stronghold's attacks for a month..."
"There's no more stronghold to attack now."
Cheonhwi cut him off.
"No more attacks?"
"Yes."
Seolgeom couldn't comprehend what he was hearing.
Was there a way to resolve the Water Dragon Stronghold's attacks?
If there had been, they would have done it long ago.
But the solution he doubted soon spilled from Cheonhwi's mouth.
"I wiped out the Water Dragon Stronghold."
"Pardon?"
Seolgeom's mind blanked for a moment.
The Water Dragon Stronghold suddenly gone? What nonsense was this?
"What do you..."
"Come on, you can't even understand that?"
Cheonhwi looked at Seolgeom pitifully.
"I swept them all away."
"The Water Dragon Stronghold?"
Seolgeom's face went blank.
It was a method he hadn't even considered.
But he quickly regained his composure, and his expression turned icy.
"That's hard to believe at face value."
Seolgeom said coldly.
The Water Dragon Stronghold was one of the top among the eighteen Yangtze river strongholds, and they didn't even know its base location yet.
And he claimed to have wiped it out?
"Young Hero, the Water Dragon Stronghold's location has never been revealed."
It was a warning not to spout useless lies.
But,
"Makes sense why."
Cheonhwi chimed in agreement.
And went even further.
"Who would've thought they'd nest in a cave."
"A cave?"
It was a place no one would have imagined.
And that's why it suddenly made sense.
If it was a cave, it explained why the Patrol Squad hadn't found it despite patrolling the Yangtze multiple times.
"H-How did you find the Water Dragon Stronghold?"
"I boarded one of their ships."
It was an answer that struck at his blind spot.
And a perfectly logical one.
Just follow their returning ships, right?
But they'd failed to pursue before because their counterattacks were fierce every time.
'But to board their ship alone...'
It was astonishing boldness.
Boarding a ship full of enemies and heading to their stronghold was like sticking his neck into a tiger's maw.
"Didn't they attack you?"
"They did."
"Then how?"
"Did you hear what I said earlier?"
Cheonhwi scanned Seolgeom up and down with pitiful eyes.
"I annihilated them."
Seolgeom swallowed hard.
'Is it really true?'
Seeing Cheonhwi's utterly confident demeanor, Seolgeom's gaze wavered slightly.
"Is there a way to verify that claim?"
"Why would I lie if it's going to be exposed right away?"
Seolgeom was at a loss for words.
As he said, if the Water Dragon Stronghold attacked again, the lie would be instantly exposed.
"Plus, I told the Patrol Squad's vice squad leader where it is. They'll send a letter or something after confirming later."
Cheonhwi recalled the middle-aged man he'd met at a Yangtze ferry on his way back to the Murim Alliance after demolishing the Water Dragon Stronghold.
Seeing he wore the same uniform as Yeo Woongi and Hyukryeon Cheonghwa, he figured mentioning it was smart in case they handled the bodies.
"You told the vice squad leader?"
Seolgeom's eyes widened.
Mentioning the Patrol Squad's vice squad leader by name made his suspicions about Cheonhwi turn to conviction.
'He really wiped out the Water Dragon Stronghold!'
Realizing Cheonhwi's words were true, shock hit Seolgeom's chest.
The Water Dragon Stronghold was infamous.
All its bandits were martial artists, and its leadership was brilliant.
From Black Night Demon who once turned Qinghai Province upside down, to Blood Ghost Axe, a former Green Forest stronghold leader who willingly submitted to the Water Dragon Stronghold Chief out of admiration.
And commanding them, the Water Dragon Stronghold Chief.
Little Tiger Great Blade Jakryang.
He was a master who had elevated the once-weak Water Dragon Stronghold to its current status with his high prestige and astonishing skill.
Common consensus was that if he had ambitions, he could surpass the Water Dragon Stronghold and become a renowned figure in the Central Plains.
'...He killed all those guys.'
If this was really true, he needed to reevaluate his thoughts on Cheonhwi.
'I thought he was dangerous just from enduring the Beggar Clan Leader's presence...'
Withstanding the Beggar Clan Leader's aura alone made him noteworthy, but he was demonstrating far more.
'Perhaps even superior to the Nine Great Sects' top disciples.'
A rare martial arts genius.
Cheonhwi seemed to be one.
'Is this good for me?'
As Seolgeom organized his thoughts, a faint smile crept onto his lips.
He had allied with the Mount Hua Sect.
For him, having such an outstanding figure in Mount Hua was a great boon.
'And if Mount Hua's power grows like this, it'll upset the Alliance's balance too.'
He suppressed a laugh.
To become the Military Strategist, he needed to draw out the hidden one.
For that, he needed something.
Someone to shake the Murim Alliance.
And right now, Cheonhwi and Mount Hua fit perfectly.
"Then I'll believe you, Young Hero."
Seolgeom pulled a document from his drawer.
Flipping the paper densely filled with text revealed a seal.
"Just sign here."
Cheonhwi looked at the seal.
It was clearly antique and high-quality at a glance.
But,
"Not this one."
It wasn't what he wanted.
"I want to move to the old Mount Hua Sect lodging."
"The old Mount Hua lodging..."
Seolgeom's smile twisted.
"That's the Jongnam Sect's lodging."
Seolgeom said in a fluster.
"It used to be Mount Hua's."
"That was before."
"That's why I want it back."
The flustered Seolgeom quickly changed tack.
"Haha, Young Hero, how about the eastern annex this time? We just renovated it..."
"Oh, perfect then."
Cheonhwi smiled brightly.
But seeing that smile, Seolgeom felt uneasy for some reason.
And he wasn't wrong.
"Give that one to the Jongnam Sect?"
"Pardon...?"
"You said it's better."
"B-But that's..."
"Why? Did you lie just now?"
Sweat beaded on Seolgeom's forehead.
"No, it's not that. The newly renovated annex is indeed better, but..."
"Then it's settled. We prefer the old one even if it's worn. Wow, this worked out great."
Cheonhwi locked eyes with the awkwardly smiling Seolgeom and twisted the corner of his mouth.
"Right?"