Chapter 217
Chapter 217
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 217
Chapter Title: Stand Against the Black Dragon King
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Sogolgae gaped at the retreating enemies.
"Whoa, holy fuck! We're alive! We're alive! Look at those unorthodox bastards—they can't catch us! Hahaha!"
It felt like escaping from the depths of hell.
He felt like he'd come back from the dead.
Looking back, he could see the Black Dragon Sect disciples in chaos amid the raging flames.
Seeing the enemies, who had chased them like starving ghosts, thrown into disarray by a single thunderbolt bomb—it was more than refreshing; it was downright exhilarating.
"Hehe! Serves you right, you unorthodox fuckers! I survived, you bastards!"
No one said a word to the wildly celebrating Sogolgae.
They too were reveling in the thrill of breaking through the Black Dragon Sect's encirclement and escaping.
Then Sogolgae felt a twinge of doubt.
"But how the hell did you know it was the unorthodox factions behind it?"
Namgoong Hyuk snorted.
"How? Those unorthodox bastards all act the same!"
That's not what I meant, you idiot.
"I'm the guy sitting at the top of the unorthodox world!"
That's a pretty big problem too, isn't it?
'No, it was obviously them, and they really showed up, so what can we even say?'
That was why Sogolgae and the others clamped their mouths shut.
No matter the process, they'd found the culprits and the goods—there was nothing left to say.
Geon Cheon-hwi approached Namgoong Hyuk and asked,
"Young master! Do we keep going like this?"
"Follow the canal all the way!"
"The canal?"
"Go where I say!"
"Go? Then go already! Who the hell are you talking back to, you know-it-all second young master!"
Sogolgae suddenly butted in with a grin.
Namgoong Hyuk's eyebrow twitched.
"You damn beggar brat! We almost died because of you!"
"What? How is that my fault! Sure, I didn't relay the info properly, but..."
"You're dead by my hand later, you fuck!"
"H-Hiik! Spare me! L-Let go of my collar! I'm falling! Hiiik! Wait, why are you drawing your sword...? Huh?!"
"Head down!"
Namgoong Hyuk, charging ahead, suddenly flashed fierce eyes and grabbed Sogolgae by the collar.
"Gasp!"
Feeling his nape snag, Sogolgae tumbled to the ground.
Whoa, this crazy Namgoong second young master is beating up a beggar! A beggar!
Cursing inwardly as he rolled forward.
Shiiiaaaang!
A ferocious iron spear, spinning wildly and tearing through the air, suddenly plummeted onto the cart.
Namgoong Hyuk swung his sword with terrifying eyes, batting the iron spear away.
Kwaaaang—!
With a deafening roar that shook their eardrums, Namgoong Hyuk was flung back with a thud, separating from the group.
The cart flipped, spilling its contents everywhere.
"Hyuk!"
"Young master!"
"W-What?!"
The people cried out in shock.
Namgoong Hyuk, who had been overwhelmingly charging ahead until now, had been repelled?!
What the hell was that iron spear?!
The people froze in horror.
Namgoong Yong was the first to sprint toward where Namgoong Hyuk had flown.
"Hyuk!"
As he shouted desperately, a dark silhouette dropped down in front of him.
Thud!
A middle-aged man in black robes rose, coldly scanning the surroundings.
His presence overwhelmed the hundreds of Black Dragon Sect disciples who had been pursuing them.
The sheer force emanating from his sturdy frame made their flesh crawl.
The middle-aged man, Black Dragon Sect Lord and Black Dragon King Je Cheon-gang, turned his head.
Sogolgae gasped upon recognizing his face.
"Th-the Black Dragon King Je Cheon-gang!"
That single name froze the air.
Everyone stared at Je Cheon-gang in shock.
Just looking at him choked their breath with his immense presence.
'Damn it! Even the Black Dragon King showed up?! We're fucked, fucked!'
Absolute Peak Supreme Master.
That one phrase sufficed to describe Je Cheon-gang.
Proving he was no empty title as Jiangsu Province's top expert, the aura he exuded surpassed imagination.
It wasn't for nothing that they said the Black Dragon Sect Lord could stand toe-to-toe with the elders of the Nine Great Sects.
And now, he was directing thick killing intent toward them.
"These flies are a real nuisance."
A low voice that squeezed their hearts like a vise.
Sogolgae and the others tensed up.
Rustle!
At that moment, Namgoong Hyuk pulled himself from where he'd crashed into a wall and walked out.
Namgoong Yong and the others lit up with relief and shouted.
"Hyuk!"
"Young master!"
"Yeah! That's right! No way you'd die that easily!"
What the hell, man?
Namgoong Hyuk grimaced and shook out his wrist.
"Fuck, ambushing prick!"
Spitting thick curses, Namgoong Hyuk glared at Je Cheon-gang.
A glint rose in Je Cheon-gang's eyes.
"Not bad. Blocking that."
Not only had he blocked the surprise iron spear, but he looked unscathed.
A filthy beggar appearance, yet still boyish.
Namgoong Hyuk frowned at Je Cheon-gang and the Black Dragon Sect disciples chasing behind.
"Ah, this got annoying."
Annoying is putting it mildly...
Sogolgae sighed.
Namgoong Hyuk muttered.
"I was trying to end this peacefully."
As if this could ever be peaceful...
Ignoring the stares, Namgoong Hyuk lowered his sword.
Je Cheon-gang eyed him with interest.
"Were you after the goods? Is that why you pulled off that impossible stunt in Jiangsu Province?"
"Of course! It's mine!"
"I don't know how you found out."
Je Cheon-gang continued with a blank face.
"But you picked the wrong opponent today."
"......"
"Surrender, and I'll take just one arm and leg. Resist, and I'll chop off all four limbs and feed them to the dogs. That's a promise."
Everyone believed it—not mere bravado, but something the Black Dragon King Je Cheon-gang would absolutely do.
Namgoong Hyuk snorted.
"Who the hell do you think you are, talking about chopping off limbs?"
"If this lord says so, it happens."
"Huh, that's something I used to say a lot back in the day."
You still do, don't you?
Watching Namgoong Hyuk poke at Je Cheon-gang's mood, the others swallowed dryly.
The Thunder Dragon Squad regulated their breathing as the Black Dragon Sect disciples closed in.
They sensed it too.
No escaping the fight, and the situation was heading straight to hell.
Je Cheon-gang stood before them, with waves of Black Dragon Sect disciples surrounding from all sides.
Despair rose on their faces amid the overwhelming might.
The righteous alliance warriors from Jiangsu Province and Blood River Sect disciples were already trembling in terror.
Even the Thunder Dragon Squad and Paeng Jung-hyuk tensed, gulping hard—this time was no joke.
A razor-sharp tension rose between Namgoong Hyuk and Je Cheon-gang.
An explosive suspense.
In that volatile moment where one move could set everything off, Namgoong Hyuk's eyes gleamed.
Now, if Namgoong Hyuk struck first, the battle would begin...
Huh?
Wiggle, wiggle.
Namgoong Hyuk subtly nodded his chin so Je Cheon-gang wouldn't notice.
What the hell is he doing?
Huh?
What's he mouthing?
The others focused on Namgoong Hyuk's lip movements.
'Hey, go.'
'What?'
'Run, you idiots!'
'W-What?'
"Run, you idiots—!"
"Eh?!"
Namgoong Hyuk bellowed at full volume.
Namgoong Yong and the Thunder Dragon Squad reflexively grabbed the cart and bolted. The Paeng siblings and others followed belatedly.
"Waaah!"
"Gasp!"
"Why, whyyy!"
At almost the same instant, Namgoong Hyuk unleashed his ultimate Blood Wind Divine Step.
Je Cheon-gang was briefly startled by the wind-like movement, then thrust his spear like lightning.
"No chance!"
Deflecting the pitch-black Black Dragon Spear, Namgoong Hyuk leaped away.
Paat!
Je Cheon-gang hardened his expression and followed with a barrage.
"Useless!"
With a thunderous shout, the Black Dragon Spear targeted Namgoong Hyuk's heart.
A speed like a flash of light, unthinkable for an iron spear!
Chaang! Chachachachaang!
Namgoong Hyuk's sword created dozens of sword shadows in the air, blocking the Black Dragon Spear.
Dozens of clashes in a single breath.
Sparks flew everywhere, roars echoed, and qi erupted.
"You think a sneak attack would work...?!"
Je Cheon-gang flinched mid-spin, using centrifugal force to attack.
"Sneak attack my ass! Eat shit!"
Namgoong Hyuk snorted fiercely, bulging his eyes at him.
His gaze was fixed on Je Cheon-gang, but his body bolted the opposite way.
Namgoong Hyuk pointed two fingers at his own eyes.
"You dare touch my goods? You fucking bastard! I remember you. I remember!"
Even the lord of the world, Je Cheon-gang, was dumbfounded by the absurd, idiotic move.
Whatever, Namgoong Hyuk quickly gathered the scattered cargo, loaded it onto the cart, and dashed off.
Je Cheon-gang, momentarily stunned, snapped to attention at the arriving Black Dragon Sect disciples and strategists.
"That bastard! Catch him!"
Je Cheon-gang kicked off the ground hard.
Namgoong Hyuk, a mere dot in the distance moments ago, had already whipped up a dust cloud chasing right up their tails.
The people marveled at the beam-of-light speed.
But the joy at Namgoong Hyuk's safe return was short-lived as they spotted the Black Dragon Sect disciples herded in like cattle behind him.
Namgoong Hyuk glared.
Running along the canal, he yelled,
"Look ahead, you idiots! Don't look back—run! Run!"
"Gasp! Gasp!"
"Damn it! Run if you don't wanna die!"
"N-No more...!"
"The dock's almost here! Keep following the canal! Just get to the dock!"
"C-Can't...!"
"Fuck! This is infuriating! Why did I drag you lot along as backup?! Useless as shit! Karma, my karma!"
Grab!
Namgoong Hyuk seized the staggering Jiangsu righteous alliance warriors by the nape and hurled them onto the cart.
"Waaak!"
"Gasp!"
As the cart filled up, Namgoong Hyuk's eyes gleamed.
Not far off.
A mid-sized ship sat at the dock.
Namgoong Hyuk kicked the stragglers' asses hard.
Paaaang! Bang bang bang!
"Kweeeek!"
"Kyeeeek!"
"Cough! Why, waaah!"
Those kicked by Namgoong Hyuk shot like cannonballs, crashing onto the ship.
Sogolgae was flabbergasted.
'What the fuck! What's going on!'
He couldn't help but marvel at the miracle of people flying overhead and landing precisely on the ship.
People aren't balls!
Huh? Hey, wait!
"Waaait—!"
Pwaang!
"Go quick, you beggar fuck!"
Namgoong Hyuk kicked hard, launching Sogolgae onto the ship.
"Load the cargo!"
Namgoong Hyuk tossed the cart onto the ship and urged the others.
The Thunder Dragon Squad moved in perfect sync, loading the goods plundered from the Black Dragon Sect warehouse.
Soon, Geon Cheon-hwi shouted urgently.
"All loaded, young master!"
"All loaded?"
"Yes! Now hurry..."
"All loaded, right?"
In that instant, Namgoong Hyuk's expression darkened.
Geon Cheon-hwi flinched at the change, and simultaneously, Namgoong Hyuk turned around.
What crazy shit is this?
Why turn back?
"Y-Young master! What are you doing!"
"It's all loaded."
"Then we run!"
"Fuck! Then he'll think I ran scared!"
What nonsense?
Namgoong Hyuk rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward.
Amid the panic, Namgoong Yong grabbed his arm.
"Let go—I gotta land one solid hit before I come back! Running away like cowards? No way!"
"You're crazy!"
"Go first! I'll follow!"
You think you're Guan Yu or something?!
Back before the food gets cold?!
Fuming with rage, Namgoong Hyuk strode toward the Black Dragon Sect disciples charging into the dock.
His steps showed no hesitation whatsoever.
Seeing Namgoong Hyuk blocking the entrance to the dock, the others' pupils shook.
As everyone floundered, Sogolgae bellowed.
"Cast off! Cast off! Row, row!"
Fuck, this beggar.
No loyalty, just like no money.
Splash!
As the ship sliced through the water and left the dock, Je Cheon-gang arrived at the wharf.
Hundreds of Black Dragon Sect disciples swarmed in behind him.
Killing intent rose in Je Cheon-gang's eyes.
"A madman, eh!"
Namgoong Hyuk grinned at the icy shout.
Madman?
Hey, compared to when I swept through the Righteous Heavenly Alliance in my later years, this is nothing?
"I told you—exactly on cue."
"I'll handle that one. You all..."
"Bullshit!"
Namgoong Hyuk swung his sword at the last remaining ship docked at the wharf.
Kwaaang!
With a boom, the dock crumbled, and a hole punched through the ship.
"......!"
"......!"
"Th-That...!"
The Black Dragon Sect disciples panicked.
Destroying his own escape route!
That mad bastard planned to die here.
The strategist grimaced and yelled.
"Bring a ship!"
As some Black Dragon Sect disciples rushed to fetch one, Je Cheon-gang growled.
"Come to die?"
Even at his thick killing intent, Namgoong Hyuk's face didn't change.
Crack, crack!
Cracking his neck side to side, Namgoong Hyuk muttered.
"Cargo's all moved. Nothing holding me back..."
His relaxed, confident expression twisted crookedly as he eyed Je Cheon-gang.
"You think I'd run scared from a puny unorthodox runt? Huh?"
"You're provoking your death!"
"Everyone who said that back in the day crossed to the Yellow Springs."
"What?"
"Ah, you'll see."
Namgoong Hyuk grinned.
Wiggle, wiggle!
"Come on, punk."
Je Cheon-gang's eyes flashed murderously at Namgoong Hyuk beckoning with his fingers.