Chapter 221
Chapter 221
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 221
Chapter Title: Black Dragon Pirates' Pursuit
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“Uwaaaaaah!”
“Damn it, shit! Pirates!”
“Row! Row like hell!”
People clung to the oars on both sides of the ship, paddling desperately.
Splash—!
The vessel surged forward, slicing through the rough waves at a speed like it was on fire.
But the pirate ship closed in even faster. It was an unbelievable velocity considering its massive size.
Waves churned violently with every movement of the pirate ship.
“Uwaaak!”
“Hngh!”
“They’re catching up—faster!”
“Damn lunatics! We never should’ve come by boat!”
Warriors from the Jiangsu Province Orthodox Alliance and Blood River Sect disciples rowed madly, veins bulging on their foreheads.
The Black Dragon Sect disciples howling from the pirate ship’s railing looked ready to tear them apart if caught.
It was a ferocious aura even a blind man could sense.
But against their desperate will to escape, the pirate ship stuck right to their stern.
Namgung Hyeok stared at Ma Song and the strategist, who were straining with veins popping as they steered, with utter disbelief.
“Shit, they’ve got all kinds of tricks.”
Not just any unorthodox scum—actual pirates?
“Man, ‘a dog’s habits last till eighty,’ huh.”
……Isn’t it three-year-old habits?
Ignoring everyone’s thoughts, Namgung Hyeok shook his head.
“We called ‘em thieving bastards, but I didn’t think they’d be real thieves.”
“……W-what do we do now? They’re foaming at the mouth.”
“Let ‘em foam all they want.”
“They’re screaming to lop off your head, young master. Look at that—look!”
Sogolgae pointed at the pirate ship.
He could see the guys making a racket from the railing.
On top of that, over ten speedboats flanked the brig, closing the distance from both sides.
“You beggar scum! I’ll take your heads!”
“Stop right now!”
“If we catch you, we’ll rip you apart and feed you to the dogs!”
“Avenge the sect leader! That’s him—that one!”
“Even if we lose everyone else, boil that bastard into soup! Grab him!”
Ha, hahaha.
Damn, those kids sure can talk.
Namgung Hyeok let out a hollow laugh as he watched the Black Dragon Sect disciples, who’d become blood-sworn enemies overnight.
“Aaah. We’re screwed, totally screwed. How do we shake those guys? They’re no ordinary pirates.”
Sogolgae stared at the pirate ship with a voice full of despair.
Outrunning lifelong sea raiders on the open water was damn near impossible.
And this was Black Dragon Sect territory!
That meant facing those Black Dragon Sect disciples on their ship……
‘Not a chance with these numbers!’
The pirate ship drew perilously close, almost within reach.
The rowers’ stamina couldn’t last forever.
Even at full speed, escape was iffy; now with fatigue setting in, the stern was caught immediately.
Boom!
“Hngh!”
The rear bumped with a massive jolt, sending the Thunder Dragon Squad and Namgung family warriors scrambling.
“You worthless shits! What’re you gawking at?! Move your asses!”
“Row!”
“Blast the water with your palm strikes! From the stern—now!”
Those without oars jabbed poles into the surface; others hammered it with palm winds.
Getting boarded meant another round of that hellish fight, and there was nowhere to run on deck.
“They’re catching up!”
“No speed!”
“Damn it all!”
The gap that had briefly widened closed again.
The speedboats had already overtaken them.
At this rate, they’d be surrounded in no time.
Sogolgae stared blankly at the pirate ship, then his eyes blazed.
“That’s it! We gotta lighten the load!”
Sogolgae lunged for the cargo, foaming at the mouth as he grabbed items and yelled.
“Everyone, toss the cargo—waaaaaah!”
Sogolgae, mid-throw, suddenly floated up and flew toward the railing.
Clang!
Namgung Hyeok drew his sword, eyes blazing.
“Who gave you permission to touch my stuff?!”
“We gotta survive first……”
“You think I’ll let you live if you touch it?! Huh?”
“They’re our allies, allies!”
“Don’t matter—all who touch my cargo are enemies! Blood will spill, you idiots! How the hell did I get this stuff, and you wanna toss it?!”
“Y-young master?”
“If you’re tossing, start with those beggar scum over there!”
Shit, why me again?!
Sogolgae was speechless.
“Get close, and you all die! You can’t touch my cargo even if you toss everything else, you bastards!”
At Namgung Hyeok’s maniacal shout, the people about to cling to the cargo gaped.
Whoa, look at those crazy eyes?
Drew his sword?
He’s gonna kill?
The enemies are over there……
Geon Cheon-hwi shouted in panic.
“We gotta get away from those guys first, young master! We know they’re the enemy now, so we can take back the goods later……”
“Sell me that crap! You think I’ll fall for it?!”
Damn……
Even if we don’t trust them, blood’s thicker than water.
Namgung Ryong gestured, but Namgung Hyeok’s eyes showed no sway.
To the bewildered crowd, Namgung Hyeok bellowed.
“Less time on cargo—row! Row! Put your backs into it—effort!”
Shit.
Geon Cheon-hwi and the others inwardly cursed as one and scattered to grab oars.
Splash! Splash!
“Rowww! Harder!”
“Shit, the young master says no tossing cargo! Row harder!”
“Row till you drop!”
“Get caught and you die—rowww!”
They rowed with frenzied roars.
Namgung Hyeok dashed to the stern, flames shooting from his eyes.
“You bastards!”
Lightning crackled from Namgung Hyeok’s sword.
Crackle!
He leaped high; over five feet of lightning gathered on his blade.
The Black Dragon Sect disciples howling from the pirate railing bulged their eyes.
“C-crazy!”
“Hngh!”
“D-dodge!”
Namgung Hyeok swung his sword wind mercilessly.
“Get lost?!”
The five-foot lightning bolt struck the pursuing pirate ship dead-on.
Boom!
With a thunderous roar, part of the railing exploded, sending Black Dragon Sect disciples tumbling into the river.
Whoosh!
The following gust shoved Namgung Hyeok’s ship forward hard.
Ma Song, barely hanging onto the railing, glared.
He stabbed his spear into the hull, climbed aboard, and roared.
“That mangy dog!”
Grinding his teeth as the ship pulled away, Ma Song’s eyes filled with thick killing intent.
“What’re the speedboats doing?! Why isn’t the net tightening?!”
“Their ship’s moving faster than expected!”
“What about the ones from the council?!”
“They’re on the speedboats, so soon……!”
“Bring it!”
“D-deputy leader!”
The strategist stared at Ma Song, face pale as a ghost.
“C-calm down! Using that’ll blow the cargo away too!”
“Better than letting those bastards escape!”
“But the council’s goods are on……!”
“I’ll take responsibility! What’re you waiting for? Bring it!”
At Ma Song’s shout, Black Dragon Sect disciples moved swiftly.
Rumble!
A massive cannon barrel emerged, dragged across the deck.
The strategist gulped at the black muzzle’s menace.
“Deputy leader! Think again! Those are council goods!”
“My master’s killers are right there—think I care?!”
“D……!”
“Outta the way!”
Ma Song shoved the strategist aside and lit the fuse.
Fwoosh!
It ignited fiercely.
Sizzle!
The acrid gunpowder scent stung just as—
Boom!
A world-shaking blast erupted from the cannon.
Rumble!
Thunder rolled as the cannonball hurtled toward the ship.
Whooosh!
The rowers’ eyes nearly popped out.
“C-cannon!”
“Hngh!”
“Hiiik!”
They yelped, butts jumping in terror.
The ear-splitting boom and incoming shot panicked everyone.
Namgung Hyeok’s eyes widened.
Boom!
The cannonball smashed the stern; shards flew, rocking the ship like it would capsize.
“Hngh!”
“Uwaaak!”
“Gah!”
Nearby people were struck and toppled. Gray smoke billowed; the surging ship ground to a halt.
“Kill them!”
“Grab ‘em!”
Whoosh!
Seizing the moment, the overtaking speedboats swarmed, encircling the ship in seconds.
Sogolgae flailed, face ashen.
“Y-young master, do something! Oh god, they’re boarding!”
“Young master Namgung!”
“Sweep every bastard boarding!”
“No running—nowhere to run!”
Chaos engulfed the deck in an instant.
The Thunder Dragon Squad formed the Ghostly Wailing Linked Array; Peng Zhong Hyeok and others grimly guarded the rails.
As Namgung Ryong backed Namgung Hyeok at the stern—
Boom!
“Kraaak!”
“Uwaaak!”
“H-hngh! E-elite!”
“Crazy!”
The Blood River Sect disciples on the left collapsed in screams.
Sect Leader Jo Cheol-rok spewed blood and flew back.
Tumbling on the deck, Jo Cheol-rok stared ahead in shock.
Men in black masks were mowing down his disciples.
Overwhelmed by their power and presence, he groaned.
“W-who the hell are they?!”
Even Black Dragon Sect’s Ten Elites couldn’t rout him like this!
He’d never imagined being pushed back by anyone less than their Heavenly Strong.
Clang!
Boom boom boom!
One breach led to endless Black Dragon Sect disciples pouring in.
Like ants, they overran the deck in moments.
Sogolgae despaired, firing palm strikes.
Black Dragon Sect disciples had swarmed blackly; behind them, the pirate and guard ships lingered.
“Ohhh! World help me, this unworthy disciple goes first. Dying by beggars in water—no grave even! Ohhhh!”
Mid-sweeping foes with Dragon Sound Twelve Forms amid wails, his eyes caught Namgung Hyeok.
Namgung Hyeok, you bastard! I said leave Black Dragon Sect alone…… Huh?
What’s that punk doing?
Huh?
That……
“Huh?! N-Namgung Hyeok, young master! N-no way, right?!”
Sogolgae and Namgung Hyeok’s gazes met in midair.
“St-stop that bastard! He’s lost it—waaaah!”
Geon Cheon-hwi, Tak Hyeok-dong, and Jang Ung, slicing Black Dragon Sect disciples, whipped their heads around.
They gulped in unison.
“Eek?!”
“Guh?!”
“W-wait!”
With final screams, Namgung Hyeok lit a thunderclap bomb he’d pulled out.
“You dog bastards! Firing cannons?! Think you’re the only ones? I’ll blast you too, you mutts!”
“Y-you madman—waaaah!”
“Touch my cargo and you all die! No one touches it!”
His shout launched the thunderclap bomb at the pirate ship.
Ma Song and the strategist, aiming their cannon, freaked.
“Th-thunderclap bomb!”
“Dodgeeee!”
Boom!
The one bomb on the pirate ship was just the start.
Namgung Hyeok hurled the thunderclap bombs from his box wildly.
“Kra ha ha ha! Die!”
Whiiiish!
Whoooosh!
Boom boom boom boom boom!
Boom!
Soaring bombs crashed, chaining explosions.
Everything around the ship was engulfed in flames from the blasts.
Kablooey!
Deck folk toppled, staring dumbfounded at the fiery surroundings.
Even the masked Hidden Shadows and Secret Shadows gaped wide-eyed, heads snapping to Namgung Hyeok.
Everyone stared at him, still clutching bombs, souls lost.
A brief silence fell.
Even the Black Dragon Sect pirate fleet went quiet.
Amid soaring black shadows silhouetted by flames.
“Anyone not wanna die—get lost, bastards!”
Namgung family folk and everyone gaped.
Whoa, that guy doesn’t look back.
True madness no one living day-to-day could match.
Namgung Hyeok panted, eyes gleaming with greed and rage, sweeping the scene.
“Wanna burn everything? Huh? All of it up in flames?”
Namgung Hyeok’s madness dominated the ship.