Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: Sword Pavilion's Challenge
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"Are you really the heir of the Nangong Clan?"
It was the same question she'd asked him on deck last night.
But the situation was completely different from yesterday.
Though they looked like bandits, the Thunder Dragon Squad members in their proper Nangong Clan uniforms were standing nearby, so she was asking with full certainty.
In other words, she already knew the answer but was pressing him again to stop him from spouting nonsense like he had before.
But Nangong Hyeok liked spouting nonsense.
Better that than getting tangled up with Sword Pavilion.
"Nope."
"......"
"No, I'm not. Right? Am I or aren't I?"
Nangong Hyeok turned to Geum Cheomsang.
Geum Cheomsang stared back blankly.
He was at a loss for words seeing Nangong Hyeok deny his own origins.
He'd thought refusing the duel outright would be enough, but now he wondered just how badly Nangong Hyeok wanted to avoid Sword Pavilion.
"......Yes, no, you're not."
Nangong Hyeok shrugged with a satisfied look.
"See?"
It was only natural for disbelief to flash across the face of the veiled woman, So Hye-yeon.
"But......"
"Hey now, miss. I said no."
At that moment, as Nangong Hyeok's voice rose a bit, Tak Hyuk-dong—who'd been kowtowing on the deck—sprang up and looked his way.
Tak Hyuk-dong's eyes caught sight of the young lady right up against Nangong Hyeok.
"Oh?"
A subtle curve formed in Tak Hyuk-dong's eyes.
"Heh heh. A fine pair."
A faint smile played on his lips as he started walking toward them.
Thud! Thud thud!
The huge footsteps shook the deck so much that Nangong Hyeok and the Little Sword Princess turned to look.
"Keh heh heh heh! Looks like our young master has met a new connection?"
Nangong Hyeok's brow furrowed at the booming voice.
What the hell was this guy doing, showing off out of nowhere?
'Hey, don't act like you know me. Just go! Get lost!'
Nangong Hyeok signaled Tak Hyuk-dong with his chin.
But Tak Hyuk-dong clearly didn't get the hint.
'A guy who's only ever lain in bed sick his whole life isn't gonna handle this well.'
So it fell to him, the expert(?), to step in.
If he played this right, it would boost his own standing for sure.
"Our Second Young Master—if that's who you're talking about—is a real man's man, with martial arts so profound! His personality is a bit...... well, yeah, his personality is kinda......"
"......"
Nangong Hyeok's face twitched faintly.
'......Was this idiot always this oblivious?'
Oh, right—he'd never been the perceptive type.
As Nangong Hyeok pondered how to deal with this fool, the Little Sword Princess stared straight at Tak Hyuk-dong.
Then she spoke in a calm voice.
"I just need to confirm one thing."
"What?"
"Are you from the Nangong Clan?"
Nangong Hyeok desperately signaled Tak Hyuk-dong with his eyes.
Go!
Just go!
Snap!
But Tak Hyuk-dong was Tak Hyuk-dong, and his mouth moved faster than he could read the signal.
"Keh ha ha ha! Of course! Our young master is none other than the Nangong Clan's Second Young Master! Has word already spread beyond Anhui Province?! Keh ha ha ha!"
"The Nangong Clan's Second Young Master?"
"That's right! Keh ha ha ha, isn't he? Right?! But why the sour face, young master? Chilly river wind? Or embarrassed by the lady? Uh heh heh heh!"
Nangong Hyeok's face spasmed subtly, his molars grinding.
Oblivious, Tak Hyuk-dong kept blabbering away.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh.
Suddenly, a shadow shot out from one side.
"What the hell's wrong with this guy."
Grab!
"Wh-what! Why ar—mmph! Mmph!"
"Shut it!"
Geon Cheon-hwi clamped a hand over Tak Hyuk-dong's mouth and jabbed a fist into his side.
"Guh...... Wh-why all the......"
"Ah ha ha ha ha! This guy's at it with his illness again. Why keep spouting nonsense? Ha ha ha ha!"
Jang Woong had sidled up at some point, grabbing Tak Hyuk-dong's arm and dragging him off.
'What the fuck, why are you all doing this?!'
Mmph mmph!
Tak Hyuk-dong, utterly baffled, was hauled away by Geon Cheon-hwi and Jang Woong, vanishing quietly from the deck.
Silence settled over the deck.
The Little Sword Princess turned to look at Nangong Hyeok.
Nangong Hyeok, who'd been clenching his fist, slyly averted his gaze.
'That bastard's dead meat.'
Nearby, a Thunder Dragon Squad member doing a headstand caught Nangong Hyeok's expression, startled, and scurried into the cabin.
Watching this, Nangong Hyeok cleared his throat awkwardly and forced the corners of his mouth up.
"......Looks like there was some misunderstanding."
It was a misunderstanding on this side, but apparently not on hers.
"I'm So Hye-yeon of Sword Pavilion. I've long heard that the Nangong Clan's swordsmanship is unparalleled. If it wouldn't be too rude, might you point out the flaws in my humble skills?"
Ah, still coming on strong, huh?
And why was the dialogue the exact same as a hundred years ago?
'Not the point.'
If he got swept up in this, he'd end up suffering like before.
His eyes sharpened like a predator spotting prey.
"......Well, it's true I'm from the Nangong Clan."
"Then......"
"But I've got...... *cough*! *Cough*! *Urk*! *Cough*!"
Nangong Hyeok covered his mouth and hacked violently.
So Hye-yeon's eyes widened at the blood on his hand when he pulled it away.
"......As you can see, my body's weak."
"Ah......"
Who knew having a frail body would come in handy!
"I don't think I can spar with you. Hmm, let me see......"
Nangong Hyeok swiftly snagged Nangong Ryong—who was passing by—and yanked him forward.
"This is the Nangong Clan's eldest son!"
"......?"
Nangong Ryong, sword in hand, stared at Nangong Hyeok in confusion.
Nangong Hyeok grinned.
"Right? Isn't he?"
Say yes.
No, just nod.
Nangong Ryong unwittingly nodded.
It was the plain truth, after all.
So Hye-yeon's eyes flicked between Nangong Hyeok and Nangong Ryong.
"Hmm......"
A low murmur slipped from behind her veil.
Her gaze darted quickly before settling on Nangong Ryong as she nodded.
She judged him the better fit as the Nangong Clan's heir.
Sword in hand, So Hye-yeon clasped her fists toward Nangong Ryong in salute.
"I'm So Hye-yeon of Sword Pavilion. Shall we cross swords?"
Silence fell at the sudden duel challenge.
But it didn't last long. Unlike Nangong Hyeok, Nangong Ryong nodded quietly right away.
Without hesitation, he drew his sword from his waist.
Shing!
So Hye-yeon drew hers as well.
Shing!
Nangong Hyeok let out a dry chuckle from a safe distance, watching the two stare silently at each other with blades bared.
"Keh, nice to see."
Geum Cheomsang approached and spoke softly.
"......Young master, you said getting involved with Sword Pavilion is a hassle, right? They chase you relentlessly until you win."
"Yep."
"What if the eldest young master wins?"
"Winning's not bad."
"It's what comes after that's the problem."
Nangong Hyeok shook his head.
"You probably think I just dumped the duel on him."
"Not think—you did."
"No. Strictly speaking, the Nangong Clan's heir is the eldest, right? And look at the hierarchy. Who's leading this procession? Obviously the eldest."
"......Th-that's true, but."
Geum Cheomsang looked frustrated, at a loss for words.
Nangong Hyeok placed his chin on Geum Cheomsang's shoulder.
"And even if Sword Pavilion's a pain, they're worth sparring once. Their swordsmanship is the real deal. The clan's just got weird tendencies."
He meant it.
Sword Pavilion's sword arts were swift, light, and elegant.
Yet majestic like the Yangtze's waves—that was their chain swordsmanship.
Worth experiencing once.
'I've already been through it, though.'
For Nangong Hyeok, it was a style he'd clashed with hundreds of times, so it was less intriguing and more annoying.
Truth be told, encountering a Sword Pavilion master—known as the Mysterious Sword Marks—was exceedingly rare.
With the vast Central Plains and countless martial artists, when would one run into a Sword Pavilion elite?
Geum Cheomsang, grasping Nangong Hyeok's deeper intent, said,
"Either way, it's a hassle."
Damn, right to the heart.
Yeah...... kinda.
"I'm sick, you know. It's cold. Hurts."
Watching Geum Cheomsang's eyes narrow, Nangong Hyeok flinched again.
"The Family Head already warned me—if things look bad, you start coughing blood first."
"......Who from?"
"The Family Head."
"Oh ho."
So that's why the doubt was so deeply etched in his eyes?
Leaning against the wall, Nangong Hyeok replied indifferently.
"But I didn't expect them to duel right away. Who spars on a boat like that?"
"......You make your subordinates train like that."
"Outside the boat."
......That's even worse.
Geum Cheomsang clamped his mouth shut and quietly smoked his pipe.
He himself was casually smoking on deck without a care, completely oblivious.
Nangong Hyeok yawned, warming himself by the fire nearby, and turned to watch Nangong Ryong and So Hye-yeon.
They stood perfectly balanced amid the raging waves.
Healthy folks just had to flaunt it.
'Ugh, cold.'
As Nangong Hyeok huddled up, the boat entered the gorge.
Fiercer waves battered it, shaking the vessel violently amid thickening white mist.
Through the fog, Nangong Hyeok spotted a black shadow looming.
"Boats."
"Huh?"
"Over there."
"I just see fog."
"One, two...... five of them? One big, four small."
"You can see that?"
How deep were his internal energies to pierce the mist like that?
As Geum Cheomsang thought this, the shadows came into his view too.
"Wh-whoa? For real?"
At the gorge's end, five boats waited.
The ship slowed abruptly after slicing through the currents, rocking heavily.
Everyone on deck grabbed nearby pillars in haste as it heaved.
Nangong Ryong and So Hye-yeon—who'd been facing off with swords—crouched and turned simultaneously.
Geum Cheomsang clung to Nangong Hyeok in shock.
"......Wh-why are they blocking the way?"
"Dunno. They've been waiting since earlier."
"Wh-what for?"
Nangong Hyeok shrugged indifferently.
"Probably ran into water bandits."
"Huh? In winter? No, what water bandits out of nowhere?"
"Then boat bandits."
"That's the same as water bandits!"
Geum Cheomsang gawked ahead in disbelief.
Sure enough, a massive ship blocking the gorge approached.
Fierce-looking men leered at them from its deck, cackling.
They wielded bizarre weapons rare on land: grapples, harpoons, waterproof hides.
"......Young master, with the main family's warriors here, we're safe, right?"
Nangong Hyeok shrugged.
"Looks like the Yangtze Waterway Gang. They don't negotiate well."
"Huh? No way the Yangtze Waterway Gang's on the Yellow River. They belong on the Yangtze......"
"They were originally."
"Huh?"
"I said originally."
"......Wh-when?"
"Since ancient times."
"Ah...... Wait, that's not the point—wh-what do we do?"
Nangong Hyeok chuckled as if it amused him.
"What do you mean, what?"
"We need to...... resolve......"
Before Geum Cheomsang could finish,
Splash! Thunk!
A grapple hooked the railing.
As Geum Cheomsang's eyes bulged,
Boom boom boom!
Dozens of grapples arced through the air and slammed onto the deck.
"Huh-heok!"
"Ah, aaaah!"
"Wh-what's this?!"
People on deck recoiled in horror as water bandits swarmed up the ropes.
Swoosh swoosh swoosh!
Dozens landed on deck in an instant.
Tata tat!
"Kyaaack!"
"Eeeek!"
The bandits seized the deck in seconds.
Among them, a one-eyed brute with bulging muscles bellowed with laughter.
"We are descendants of the Dragon King who rules the Yellow River! We've chosen this ship as an offering to the Dragon King—consider it an honor!"
People gulped at his thunderous roar.
The one-eyed man continued.
"Any who defy me, Dok An-ryong, descendant of the Dragon King, gets a hole in the head!"
Thud!
A spear-like harpoon slammed the deck, booming deeply.
As people trembled,
Creak!
The cabin door cracked open, Thunder Dragon Squad members peeking out.
Dok An-ryong's single eye widened at the heads peering from the cabin.
As they emerged one by one, there were thirty of them.
"......Huh?"
And these weren't ordinary folk.
Heads tilted at the sight of them wielding massive axes, iron maces, naga swords.
Up close, each face bore scars, their muscles anything but ordinary.
What the hell were these guys?
Dok An-ryong squinted suspiciously.
"Hey! Who the hell are you lot?!"
The Thunder Dragon Squad looked up and glared at Dok An-ryong.
Flinch!
As he startled at their menacing aura,
Nangong Hyeok watched the unfolding scene with a splitting grin.