Chapter 321
Chapter 321
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 327
Chapter Title: The Cart-Pulling Thunder Dragons
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Rattle-rattle-rattle! Rattle!
On the rolling cart, Namgung Hyeok chewed jerky with loud smacks.
Matching his lazy expression, he lounged half-reclined in a slovenly pose, idly staring at the horse's hindquarters.
"You're saying we're going all the way to Mingguang like this?"
Paeng Jung-hyeok spread out An Hwi-seong's map and nodded.
"Yes. We'll board a ship at Mingguang, pass through Hong Lake, and head straight to Hangzhou."
"So we're taking the long way around?"
"It'll be a few days longer, but this should keep us out of the Orthodox Alliance's sight..."
"Let's run."
"Pardon?"
"We can make it in a day if we run."
"..."
Paeng Jung-hyeok subtly covered his face with a thick hand.
If he could, he'd smack that guy's mouth with this palm.
"Is there anything that draws more attention than dashing along using lightness skills?"
"Uh... what if I run while beating you up? Wouldn't that draw even more eyes?"
"..."
Ah, Buddha. Please take that bastard away.
Paeng Jung-hyeok felt his Buddhist faith boiling over.
Namgung Hyeok, half-draped over the cart, let out a lament.
"Aigoo, did Cheomsang smear honey all over Zhejiang Province or what? Where the hell is he that his master has to ride this crappy cart without even showing his face?"
"He's working hard in Hangzhou..."
"That wasn't the case back in my day. Just a year ago, on the trip to Mount Huang, this cart was piled so high it could've built half the Great Wall."
"That's a bit of an exaggeration..."
"No, Zhejiang's close enough to go back and forth for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, isn't it?"
That's not it either.
"This guy's family nearly flipped upside down, and he hasn't shown his face once. Aigoo, my feet are gonna blister. It wasn't like this back in my day, no sir!"
That 'back in my day' talk of his.
The others shook their heads.
'Feels like he gets worse every time the wheels turn.'
'Just ignore him. Don't make eye contact. Eye contact means you're screwed.'
'One wrong move and he'll shake you down.'
Namgung Hyeok was already frustrated with their slow pace.
How desperate must he be to have run from Hefei to Sichuan nonstop for a week?
A distance he could cover round-trip in a day, and they were taking days. It wouldn't be strange if he exploded any moment.
In other words.
'That guy's super on edge right now.'
'No, he's just bored.'
'Damn, that's even worse.'
"..."
Namgung Hyeok kept sighing heavily from the cart, continuing his laments.
The Thunder Dragon Squad shuddered at the sound.
The Thunder Dragon Squad quickened their silent steps forward.
Seeing the Thunder Dragon Squad ahead, the Blood Executioner Squad, Verdant Shadow Blood Guards, and Tang siblings gaped.
Tang Myeong-jin muttered blankly.
"...But why are people pulling the baggage cart?"
No, pulling? More like carrying it?
They're lifting the cart and moving?
"Crazy bastards. Of all things..."
Everyone, including Tang Myeong-jin, had been shocked since Hefei to see the Thunder Dragon Squad carrying the baggage cart the whole way.
Just like oxen pull carts and horses pull carriages, the Thunder Dragon Squad took positions and walked like that.
And without a single ragged breath, they chatted and laughed. Their monstrous strength and stamina left mouths agape once more.
They knew these guys were lunatics, but this was a first.
"...What the hell are they doing that for?"
Scribble-scribble-scribble.
Tang Myeong-ok jotted in her notebook.
"That's why the Thunder Dragon Squad is so strong."
"What?"
"Martial arts training must be ceaseless, day and night. Infusing training into daily life—that's the secret to the Thunder Dragon Squad's strength."
"..."
My crazy sister's interpreting it her own way again.
"So why are the Beggars' Clan beggars weak if they beg all day?"
The Rat Tail bristled beside her.
"Our Beggars' Clan is weak? Why would you say our Beggars' Clan is weak! Ten thousand beggars fear nothing, Young Lady Tang!"
"N-No, I just meant..."
"Huff, huff! People are people! You can't judge by appearances! Huff huff."
"C-Calm down."
"D-Damn it! Those crazy bastards are strong because they do crazy shit, not because our Beggars' Clan is weak!"
Tang Myeong-jin opened his mouth.
You're carrying baggage right now too...
The Rat Tail had naturally grabbed a load from the cart, huffing as he chased the Thunder Dragon Squad's heels.
Tang Myeong-jin blankly turned to the Verdant Shadow Blood Guards.
"It's true?"
The singled-out Verdant Shadow Blood Guard flinched.
"...Pardon?"
"I can tell without asking."
"...Yes."
"Sigh, if doing crazy shit like that made you strong, everyone would do it. Huh? Huh?!"
Tang Myeong-jin shook his head, then startled.
Among the Blood Executioners, Paeng Yeon-hwa had sneaked up carrying the carriage, unnoticed.
"Y-You can't do this!"
"Let go! I wanna do it too!"
"You can't! Why are you mimicking their nonsense?! Did you hide in the carriage just to do this?"
"We always played like this."
"You damn fools! How dare you make the young lady do such ridiculous things!"
"No, I'm doing it because I want to."
"Young lady!"
The Blood Executioners sweated bullets as they lifted Paeng Yeon-hwa's carriage alongside her.
Since she wouldn't let go, they'd help at least.
Paeng Jung-hyeok shouted.
"You idiot! You're putting the Blood Executioners in a tough spot!"
"Why aren't you getting in, brother?"
"What?"
"Get in!"
"I'm saying if you're carrying that, what am I supposed to carry!"
"..."
Do your thing.
Tang Myeong-jin shook his head.
Up front, Namgung Hyeok's laments; behind, the Thunder Dragon Squad's antics and the warriors mimicking them.
'Do these crazies even remember we're sneaking to Hangzhou?'
No, they definitely don't.
Otherwise, they couldn't act like this.
Tang Myeong-jin suddenly looked at the Supreme Sword Platoon Leader.
"...Supreme Sword Leader."
"Y-Yes, speak, Young Master Tang."
"Why so startled? They're Namgung family warriors like you."
"...This is my first joint mission too..."
I had no idea the Thunder Dragon Squad travels like that.
Heh heh, heh heh...
Namgung Hyeok and the Supreme Sword Platoon Leader's gazes crossed in the air.
"The Supreme Sword Platoon slacking?"
"N-No."
"Fun, huh?"
"N-No."
"What're you waiting for? Run and join 'em. Want me to poison your jar?"
"Nooooo!"
The Supreme Sword Platoon Leader and Supreme Sword Platoon bolted madly, hoisting the cart high.
Tang Myeong-jin shook his head once more.
Were the people getting weirder the further they went?
'...Am I gonna end up like that too?'
Tang Myeong-jin felt a sudden chill.
How long had they traveled like that?
"I see a river tributary ahead!"
A bright, cheerful voice rang out.
The Rat Tail, dragging baggage from the cart, snapped his head up.
"D-Dock! It's the dock, damn it!"
The Rat Tail went wild.
The others perked up, picking up speed.
Namgung Hyeok's eyes gleamed.
"Oh!"
Ships were moored at the dock leading into Hong Lake.
Namgung Hyeok stuck his head out of the cart, looking around.
"Our ship?"
"That one."
"A fast ship?"
Geon Cheon-hwi quickly replied.
"It's a sailing ship operated by the main family."
"Sailing ship?"
"You can't reach Hangzhou via Hong Lake on a fast ship with this many people."
At least ten fast ships would be needed for this group.
Plus, the waters from Hong Lake to Hangzhou were extremely rough; fast ships couldn't even attempt it.
This just highlighted Namgung Hyeok's impatience.
"A sailing ship?"
"Yes!"
"Sailing ship?"
Geon Cheon-hwi hurriedly moved to load baggage, ignoring Namgung Hyeok's tilting head.
"D-Depart!"
"Depart quick, quick!"
"Faster, faster!"
The Thunder Dragon Squad frantically loaded onto the sailing ship like beasts were chasing them.
Their intent to board ASAP and catch their breath was obvious.
Creak-creak.
Namgung Hyeok stared blankly at Tak Hyeok-dong and Jang Ung carrying his cart onto the ship.
Geon Cheon-hwi up front had his hands moving busily.
Namgung Hyeok's lips twisted.
"Hey, get the oars."
Geon Cheon-hwi whipped his head around.
"Pardon?"
"Let's row."
"...The sailing ship is fast enough, Young Master."
"I want this sailing ship to be faster than a fast ship."
"But to Hangzhou..."
"Ah, so you can't?"
"...We can."
Geon Cheon-hwi replied with bloodshot eyes.
"Everyone, grab oars!"
He dashed forward, ordering the Thunder Dragon Squad.
The Thunder Dragon Squad, setting down baggage, sadly picked up oars and headed below deck.
Namgung Hyeok's gaze turned to Paeng Jung-hyeok, but he gulped and ducked into the cabin.
'To him, everyone looks like manpower.'
That look just now meant the Blood Executioners should row too.
Namgung Hyeok smacked his lips regretfully.
'Anyway, what to do about the Hwangbo family.'
This meeting with the Hwangbo family was to strengthen the Five Great Families' alliance, but strengthening had its degrees, right?
'Nothing's set in stone.'
They could walk together if aligned, or unite over shared interests.
'If it doesn't work, make it work.'
Strengthening the Five Great Families bolstered the Namgung family's position and fence.
Even if the Hwangbo family's momentum had waned, absorbing them wasn't bad.
The issue was how.
'That'll depend once we reach Hangzhou first.'
He needed to see the situation there firsthand and meet the Hwangbo guys directly.
Swoosh-!
The ship cleaved through the waves at high speed.
"Lower it!"
"Faster!"
"Damn it!"
Roars echoed from below deck where the Thunder Dragon Squad rowed.
The Blood Executioners and Verdant Shadow Blood Guards watched the scene in stunned silence.
Nothing normal had happened since leaving Hefei until boarding.
The Supreme Sword Platoon Leader, catching their stares, groaned and bowed his head.
"Th-The main family isn't always like that. Not always..."
...Who knows.
Scribble-scribble!
Tang Myeong-ok nodded, recording the events.
'Not always.'
Tang Myeong-jin shook his head beside her.
'...Insane.'
Leaving the Tang siblings' differing thoughts behind, the sailing ship swiftly entered Hong Lake.
Namgung Hyeok chewed jerky with smacks.
The ship overtook vessels entering Hong Lake.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
"Eek, eek!"
"Wh-What sailing ship?"
"Gasp!"
Fishermen gawked at the ship gliding forward like on ice.
Namgung Hyeok chuckled.
"Some solid performance, huh?"
People make the difference!
Namgung Hyeok was satisfied as the sailing ship outpaced even fast ships.
At this speed, Hangzhou in two days—no, one.
Ignoring the prickly stares from behind, he leaned on the railing.
"Huff huff, shit. Ugh, beggars are dying."
The Rat Tail dumped his load in a corner, steadying his churning gut.
'Who said a beggar's life is the best? Damn it!'
Sure, he'd volunteered, but the ship's speed made him feel like death.
'Namgung Hyeok, you maniac! Treating a sailing ship like a fast ship!'
No wonder—with that impatience, he ran over five thousand li in a week.
The Rat Tail huffed, looking up.
"Hm?"
He scratched his head.
"What's with the smoke? Fog?"
Hong Lake spanned billions of pyeong, hundreds of li across at its ends.
Even at the entrance, it was dozens of li from land, and it was broad daylight.
Smoke from a campfire would scatter in the lake winds.
Smoke visible to the naked eye like this meant...
"Y-Young Master."
"What."
"Looks like a mountain fire over there..."
"So what."
Namgung Hyeok shrugged indifferently, then tilted his head.
A small dot from the smoking area rapidly approached.
"What's that?"
The dot burst through thick smoke, instantly enlarging into a fast ship.
Everyone's gazes whipped toward where Namgung Hyeok looked.