Chapter 327
Chapter 327
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 335
Chapter Title: Looting the Great Tiger Stronghold
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Creak—screech!
Boom!
With a shriek from the hinges, the door to the Great Tiger Stronghold's granary burst open forcefully.
Grains, silks, and treasures filling the storehouse captured Namgung Hyuk's gaze.
"Hey, this is loaded. How much have you bastards been fleecing people?"
"Young master! There's more over here too!"
"Oh, really?"
Namgung Hyuk scurried over and flung open another granary the Thunder Dragon Squad had found.
Sure enough, it brimmed with riches, and the corners of Namgung Hyuk's mouth curled up.
"What are you staring at? Move it, quick!"
Namgung Hyuk waved at Paeng Jung-hyuk, making a fuss.
Paeng Jung-hyuk nodded and turned to the Blood Fiend Squad.
"You heard him. Let's load it up."
The Blood Fiends looked flustered.
They'd thought Namgung Hyuk was no ordinary guy from the start of the operation, but here he was, looting a bandit lair as naturally as breathing.
This was the second young master of the mighty Namgung family, renowned across the land.
The Thunder Dragon Squad was already deep into the work, acting like it was their own stuff.
"This is high-grade silk, huh?"
"Whoa, there's even a golden calf here."
"Man, this lives up to the Thirty-Two Green Forest Strongholds."
"Kehahaha! There's a ton of booze too!"
"Grab some of that as well."
"That's why we do this kinda thing—whew! Hey, hey, that's mine!"
Was this the Namgung family or bandits?
Even Paeng Yeon-hwa and So Hye-yeon had already gotten to work.
Dang Myeong-ok and Dang Myeong-jin had joined in before long, while Little Beggar Girl was already draped in pearls, giggling away.
"Y-Young master..."
"Might as well accept it now. It's not wrong, is it?"
"Returning what bandits stole from the common folk would be righteous heroism."
"Then let's call it hazard pay."
Paeng Jung-hyuk glanced at Namgung Hyuk before slyly starting to pocket items.
The Blood Fiend Squad leader let out a groan.
'...Just one year.'
In a single year, the young master had changed so much...
'A silent one turns dark.'
Why of all sayings did that one pop into his head?
The Blood Fiend Squad leader bellowed.
"Move the loot!"
The Blood Fiends lent a hand, piling the treasures in the center of the stronghold.
Namgung Hyuk watched the growing pile, letting out whoas and wows of admiration.
It truly befitted one of the Thirty-Two Green Forest Strongholds.
Not quite peak season for bandit hauls, so it fell a bit short, but still impressive.
Nothing like the haul from third-rate bandits.
Namgung Hyuk smacked Seo Gang-jong hard on the back of the head.
Smack!
"Kek! S-Spare..."
"Got more?"
"Huh?"
"No secret stash?"
This bastard really plans to lick the place clean!
Seo Gang-jong ground his teeth, but upon meeting Namgung Hyuk's eyes, he plastered on a fawning grin.
No matter how thuggish the Black Path, his opponent was a Wudang Daoist who'd crushed a Sword Pavilion elder and a Mountain King Stronghold hero in seconds—an unreachable master.
"Heh, hehe... Th-There's a box in my office."
"Oh, really?"
"Y-Yes, hehe...!"
Smack!
The sudden head smack made bloodshot veins pop in Seo Gang-jong's eyes.
"Keeeeek! Wh-Why...!"
"Tell me that shit before I ask, you punk."
"Ugh, ugh!"
"Bandit bastards never know how to offer up their goods. Sigh, that's why the ignorant ones are hopeless. Tsk tsk!"
Ignorant enough to become bandits, you prick.
Seo Gang-jong gnashed his teeth before tucking tail.
It was over.
Their lives hung on this mad Daoist bastard.
Paeng Jung-hyuk approached.
"More or less sorted."
"With this many hands, it goes fast."
"Then..."
Paeng Jung-hyuk's gaze shifted to the kneeling bandits.
Injured to varying degrees, but most subdued alive.
To avoid drawing eyes by wiping out experts from the Thirty-Two Green Forest Strongholds, they'd minimized lethal unique arts and killing—which led to this.
"What do you plan to do with these?"
Leave them and face pursuit; kill them all and become butchers.
So Hye-yeon, watching from the side, gleamed with fierce eyes.
"They're wicked scum. Leave 'em alive and they'll harm more common folk!"
Her killing intent made Seo Gang-jong flinch and shout.
"N-No! I..."
"Shut it!"
"Guh!"
So Hye-yeon's sharp yell made Seo Gang-jong clamp his mouth shut.
Forget being stronghold chief—after seeing that crazy girl rampage, pride meant nothing.
Plenty had lost right wrists charging her.
Paeng Jung-hyuk furrowed his brow.
"So we kill them all?"
"Cripple their dantians, sever their meridians, chop off their right wrists..."
"They'd die."
"Then lop their heads and let 'em go."
Hey...
'They say Sword Pavilion freaks out at any evil demon outsider since the Demonic Blood Tribulation.'
Freak out? More like inherited madness.
Ah, someone rein her in.
As Paeng Jung-hyuk shook his head at So Hye-yeon, Namgung Hyuk, lost in thought, spoke up.
"Killing them myself feels off."
Seo Gang-jong's eyes sparkled from his knees.
"As expected of upright, merciful Wudang masters. Right—killing ignorant scum like us would just dirty your hands..."
"First, carry the loot."
"Y-Yes! Of course!"
With a flick of Namgung Hyuk's finger, Seo Gang-jong felt his stiff muscles loosen slightly.
'The acupoint's partially released...'
Thud!
Seo Gang-jong jolted up only to flop down, staring blankly at Namgung Hyuk.
"Th-The acupoint loosened halfway...?"
"Giving full release would be weird. Half it is."
"......"
You can control it like that?
Half-released, cramps wracked his body.
'This vicious Daoist prick!'
"Uh, D-Daoist master. Could you release the acupoint first..."
"Carry the loot."
"So if you release it, it'll be easier..."
"Carry it."
Ah, no way he's releasing it.
Namgung Hyuk nodded, and Seo Gang-jong got the message, shambling over to grab a load.
The other bandits eyed things slyly before hoisting stronghold goods one by one.
Namgung Hyuk dusted his hands.
"Feels good! Heroism's all about this thrill!"
Pockets bulging from heroic deeds.
* * *
Yeo Man-chu paced the deck restlessly, repeatedly glancing toward the Great Tiger Stronghold.
"Chief steward, calm down already."
The guard's words didn't help; Yeo Man-chu wiped sweat from his brow, unable to hide his anxiety.
"I'm worried. What if it goes wrong? It could burn Shaolin and the merchant house too."
"Even if it does, the Green Forest won't dare touch Shaolin."
"I know that. But it stains Shaolin and Yeora Merchant House's reputation!"
Yeo Man-chu was right.
Not just the stolen Shaolin goods, but relying on another sect instead of handling it themselves.
And not properly—posing as bandits to steal back.
If it backfired, the infamy would flood Shaolin and Yeora.
Yeo Man-chu sighed.
"Can fifty really loot the Great Tiger Stronghold?"
"Good strategy and Solar Liquid Palm? Possible."
"Hmm."
"Rumors say Radiant Dragon's skill rivals major sect elders."
Major sects dominate regions.
An elder there counts among a region's top ten.
"At such a young age?"
"Not for nothing he's called future world's best. Plus Sword Dragon, Dao Dragon, Little Sword Phoenix, Blood Fiend Squad, Thunder Dragon Squad. Plenty possible. Don't worry."
"Hmm!"
An trustworthy lineup indeed.
With famed Thunder Dragon Squad of Namgung and Blood Fiend Squad of North Hebei Paeng, reclaiming goods should be easy.
'Laid-back since they are.'
Seeing the warriors left on the sailboat lounging, Yeo Man-chu steadied himself.
How much time passed?
As red sunset dyed the river gold.
A group descended from the Great Tiger Stronghold direction.
"They're coming!"
A Thunder Dragon Squad member on deck shouted; Yeo Man-chu shot up.
"Oho!"
Namgung Hyuk leading came into view.
"Success, success... Huh?"
One, two, three...
But why so many?
Namgung Hyuk strolled casually, Namgung Ryong beside, Thunder Dragon and Blood Fiend Squads behind.
Exactly fifty.
Then another group trailed them down.
But their gait was off.
Like folks with urgent needs.
Shamble.
Ddddrraaag.
Shouldering loads, wheeling carts down the slope.
"Ugh! Ngh!"
"Hng! Krk!"
"Cough! Sl-Slowly..."
"D-Daoist masters... Ack!"
What the hell?
"Th-Those are bandits."
But bandits looked weird?
Twisting uncomfortably with each step, groaning in pain, scurrying after Namgung Hyuk.
"Kek! Kek!"
"Gak! Ack!"
Over a hundred easily...
"They looted the Great Tiger Stronghold..."
Not just stole back—raided it?
With fifty?
And using them as porters!
"Wh-What's going on..."
Not just reclaiming goods—dragged out every bandit.
Mind-blowing.
Yeo Man-chu gawked at Namgung Hyuk up front.
Namgung Hyuk beckoned with a finger.
"Load it."
"Y-Yes!"
"Faster!"
Seo Gang-jong panicked, heaving loads onto the sailboat.
Bandits hurriedly loaded, groveling.
"D-Daoist masters, all loaded. Heh, hehe..."
Yeo Man-chu blinked wide.
'Posed as bandits—why call him Daoist?'
Myriad questions surged inside, but he swallowed them.
Great Tiger bandits, resigned like pigs to slaughter, finished loading and knelt politely below the boat.
Yeo Man-chu and guards gaped.
But Namgung Hyuk's next words and demeanor topped it.
"Infinite Buddha. This Wudang Daoist shall show mercy."
His Daoist exclamation moved Seo Gang-jong.
"Oh! As expected of a Wudang Daoist! Then now..."
"Yeah, all dig holes and climb in."
"Yes, dig and cli—Huh?"
"Soil's soft—easy digging."
What mad talk?
'This fucking Daoist prick! Looted the wealth, made us haul, now dig and enter?!'
Namgung Hyuk glared at Seo Gang-jong.
"Why?"
"Y-You're releasing us, right? Th-The river's right here..."
"Can't toss you to wild beasts for feed. I'm a Daoist, after all."
Spits lethal lines like breathing.
"Don't like it? Gimme your dantian or right wrist."
"......We'll go in."
"Right?"
"Yes. Thank you, Daoist sir."
Seo Gang-jong gave up talking.
Better this way.
Yeah—priority's escaping this vicious Daoist prick.
Seo Gang-jong and Great Tiger bandits shambled, digging holes and climbing in.
A hundred-odd heads bulging grotesquely along the riverbank.
'Get lost quick.'
Namgung Hyuk boarded the sailboat; they rowed swiftly away.
Seeing the boat shrink to a dot eased his nausea.
Seo Gang-jong ground his teeth.
"Acupoints full release and I'd fuck 'em all dead!"
"T-Tell the main stronghold?"
"No need. Green Forest King's envoys know already!"
"Th-Then war with Wudang...?"
"Who knows! But Green Forest won't sit idle!"
Seo Gang-jong dreamed revenge, narrowing eyes.
Waves rippled in sync, as if echoing his will...
Splash! Splash!
"Hey, why's the water creeping closer?"
"Water's rising, ain't it?"
"We at sea?"
"Hongtaek Lake mixes with the sea."
"Oh, so the tide..."
Tide?
Tide coming in?!
"Y-You fuckeeers! Tide?! Heyyy! Tide's coming! Help! Help!"
"Hiiik!"
"Fuck, why no acupoint releaseee! Move, move! Move if you wanna live, you fucks!"
Great Tiger bandits panicked, screaming.
"S-Save usss! Save us before you gooo!"
Seo Gang-jong's wail echoed, but Namgung Hyuk's sailboat sailed endlessly away.