The Birth of the Ganggwi Pirates
The ships of the Baekcheong Merchant Group were indeed as large and numerous as one would expect from a group of their reputation. Perhaps they had been built as massive and sturdy as possible to cross the vast, perilous seas? Once we cleared out all the useless trade goods, there was more than enough room to fit all of the Gang family's retainers and the belongings we had brought along.
On top of that, we crammed in the engineers, navigators, and laborers we needed, along with some high-status captives. Surprisingly, they all fit. Honestly, there were some treasures that felt like a waste to leave behind, but the navigators warned us that any more would overload the ships. With tears in our eyes, we decided to bury them at our first settlement. I hope the day comes when we can return and dig them up.
Rumble—
"Dig deeper! You lot who know earth-manipulation techniques, get over here and help!"
Piles of spirit stones cascaded into the deep pit. They were lumpy, multi-colored spirit stones of various grades, accompanied mostly by relatively low-quality dharma treasures.
I patted the head of the mermaid lady, whose arms and tail were tightly bound by restraining dharma treasures. It wasn't for any grand reason; she just looked absolutely heartbroken watching her own merchandise being buried "alive" in a dirt pit.
"Do you mostly deal in spirit stones and dharma treasures?"
"Do... Do you have any idea how much all of that is worth? To just dump it in a dirt pit like that..."
"Answer the question."
"Y-yes, Senior. While we do sell spirit stones, we mainly use them to purchase local specialties of the sea regions we visit. Our merchant group's primary trade is supplying dharma treasures. They are compact but highly valuable, making them ideal for shipping."
"See? Isn't it so much better when you're obedient?"
Had they realized from the start that they stood absolutely no chance? The moment the Elders and I unleashed our Samgeuk auras, and hundreds of Qi Circulation cultivators poured out of the cave, their will to fight had evaporated. Well, fair enough. Even back when I was in the Qi Circulation realm—hell, even now that I've reached the Samgeuk realm—if I stumbled upon a deserted island crawling with hundreds of wild Qi Circulation cultivators, I'd be shitting my pants too. Schemes and escape attempts only work when there's a sliver of opportunity. Against a crowd like this, it was only natural for their spirits to break.
"Senior, is there anything else you wish to know from your junior? I have been groomed to be the successor of our merchant group since childhood. I am confident I can satisfy you in any way you require."
In that sense, this cheeky mermaid lady was quite extraordinary. The fact that a mere early-stage Qi Circulation cultivator could remain so calm while surrounded by four Samgeuk masters and hundreds of Qi Circulation warriors was impressive. She seemed to be trying to appeal to me by showing off her extraordinary composure and boldness... but her education was clearly lacking. A captive needs to tremble in fear and beg for their life to make me feel secure. Acting this bold only makes me want to kill her. From that perspective, she wasn't actually all that clever. If I were in her shoes, I would have acted similarly to Baek Ryeom, but with an undercurrent of uncontrollable trembling and terror. You have to look a bit easy to handle so your captor lets their guard down. As the young mistress of a merchant group, she had probably only ever practiced projecting authority and confidence to keep others from looking down on her. Unfortunately, she had completely misread the situation this time. If she wanted to live, the only attitude she should be showing me was groveling submission.
"Hmm."
"...Fufu."
I wondered what to do with her, but decided to leave her be for now. Once she was on the ship, where could she possibly run? Ah, wait. She's a fish. What if she jumps into the ocean? That would be a massive pain. Since I was a born-and-bred land creature, I almost overlooked that. I quickly called over the Elder in charge of escorting the prisoners.
"What is it, Family He—ahem, Lord Hayun?"
"These ones are merfolk, so keep a close eye on them. If they dive into the sea, they'll be hard to track down."
"Ah, I hadn't thought of that. However, we have placed restriction seals on them. Even if they flee into the ocean, the seals will detonate automatically once they get too far. A miracle of grilled fish in the deep blue sea will occur."
Aha. Her fin just twitched. She was totally planning on diving overboard at the first opportunity, wasn't she? What should I do with this cheeky brat? I gave Baek Ryeom's back a gentle pat.
"Keep an especially close eye on this one. Once all the prisoners are loaded onto the ships, gather everyone."
"Everyone, Lord Hayun?"
"Yes. I want to announce our general direction going forward."
"Understood."
We had secured the ships. At the same time, we had learned of a lawless zone where origins and names meant absolutely nothing. They called it a treacherous sea infested with pirates, but with the strength of the Gang family, the pirates would be the ones running away from us. A lawless zone is only a nightmare for the mediocre; for the strong, it is a paradise that naturally provides a cool, comfortable shade. Soon, all the prisoners were locked away, and I gathered every member of the family on the sandy beach.
"From this moment on, we can no longer use the name of the Gang family in public."
My women, the Elders, the Qi Circulation warriors, the highly talented Core Condensation disciples, and even the members of the Heavenly Demon Cult. Every single one of them was looking up at me as I stood on the platform.
"I believe you all know the reason, so I won't elaborate. We have already exposed our presence, and it is also true that everyone is exhausted from living in hiding."
My women aside, all of these people were valuable assets that would be a waste to discard. They all followed me, looking up to me as their last hope, so why would I throw them away? I had to raise them well and put them to good use.
"Therefore, we will head to the Dongheo Sea and operate as pirates. The existing hierarchy will remain the same, but the titles of our positions will change. For starters, I will no longer be called the Family Head. From now on, you will call me Captain."
I had been struggling to grasp the peak of the mental realm anyway. I needed time to stabilize my cultivation after reaching the Second Extreme faster than anyone else and build up my foundation.
"The Samgeuk Elders will each hold the rank of Vice-Captain. I will draft the specific details later and distribute them to everyone."
Well, at least I won't be bored until Ryeo-ah wakes up.
"Now! Everyone, board the ships! The Gang-gwi Pirates are setting sail!"
Internally, I wanted to shout "Worororo" or "Gurarara," but I held back. Doing that in real life would just make me look like a lunatic. What a pirate captain needed wasn't a warm, goofy, nakama-loving persona, but charisma and authority. Savoring the sea breeze, which felt exceptionally refreshing today, I pointed toward the horizon.
"Set sail!"
"Um... Family Head, I mean, Captain."
"What is it, crewmate?"
"How do we steer this thing?"
"Ah."
I became a pirate. If you're wondering why I'm so nonchalant about it, well, bandits becoming pirates—what more is there to say? A family whose trade was already plundering and killing had simply changed their turf to the sea. Perhaps that was why the Gang-gwi Pirates, established less than a month ago, were brimming with an indescribable vitality. I suppose it was only natural, considering so many people had been cooped up on a barren island with absolutely nothing to do.
After grilling the merfolk navigators and engineers, quite a few of our Dokkaebi were already picking up their skills. In a few years, once we fully absorbed their know-how, we would truly integrate into this Oryong Sea region. And today, I met with the Chief Manager, only to hear something quite absurd.
"We don't have any ships."
"Is what we're riding right now a carriage and not a ship?"
"What we are currently aboard are merchant vessels, Captain. They are not suited for piracy."
On top of that, because we had crammed so many people in, we needed more ships. I thought to myself that we had already absorbed an entire merchant fleet, and if we grew any larger, we'd be a navy rather than a pirate crew, but I brushed it aside since it wasn't important.
"Therefore, I suggest we stop by a nearby island to purchase some ships..."
"Tsk, tsk. That's not it, Chief Manager."
"Pardon?"
This guy still hadn't washed off the habits of a prestigious family. To think he was actually planning on paying money for goods.
"Listen closely. We are pirates."
"Yes, we are."
"And what do pirates do?"
"Well, piracy, I suppose."
"Exactly!"
"Oh."
If we lack something, we just take it from someone else. That's what pirates do. No matter how much they have, their greed is never satisfied, so they float on wooden planks across the vast ocean—incarnations of pure desire. That is a pirate. Trade is a product of civilization, born of mutual respect and negotiation. And piracy is a profession that is billions of light-years away from words like respect, negotiation, and civilization. Dialogue? Negotiation? Sure, we can do that if necessary. But to negotiate with the Gang-gwi Pirates, you have to be qualified. Those who lack even the most primal and basic qualification—strength—will simply be beaten half to death, and have their property and bodies dragged away. As for us, once we're done plundering, we can just flee into the open ocean. We don't even have a home anyway, so who could possibly find us once we set sail on the boundless sea?
"Wow."
Who knew being homeless could be this convenient? Using a ship as a home meant we could just drift away with the waves whenever we wanted. It really was a lifestyle tailored for crime. Looking at the sea chart, I spotted a few nearby islands that looked like prime targets for plundering. Come to think of it...
"Ryeom."
"Yes, Senior?"
"You mentioned something last time... some kind of alliance of great pirates in the Dongheo Sea."
"Are you referring to the Grand Alliance of Dongheo Gallants?"
"What kind of name is that?"
Did I ask about a pirate alliance or a local fishermen's union? Yet, the mermaid lady's expression was dead serious as she spoke the name, as if it were a title that should never be uttered lightly.
"It is a terrifying pirate alliance led by great pirate admirals and captains who have reached the Samgeuk realm...! Though their bond is loose, as expected of pirates, every time they unite for a joint operation, a massive storm sweeps through the Oryong Sea."
"Wow. Why are guys who reached the Samgeuk realm wasting their time playing pirate? They must have absolutely nothing better to do."
"..."
The mermaid lady's expression turned incredibly insolent. Specifically, I could practically see the words Are you seriously the one to talk? rising to the tip of her tongue. It was quite a sight. But seriously, isn't it weird? How does someone reach the Samgeuk realm and end up as a pirate? They must have been incredibly bored.
"Mediocre bastards aside, if they've got the title of 'Great Pirate,' they must have a lot of connections and lucrative businesses, right?"
"That is true."
"And since they've been pirating all this time with Samgeuk cultivation, they must have hoarded a mountain of treasures."
Besides, as our pirate seniors, wouldn't they have plenty of know-how and handy tips to share? Even a minor piece of advice from a senior would be invaluable to us juniors, who are currently stumbling around in the dark. I tapped my finger on the sea chart, which roughly outlined the territories and activity ranges of the great pirates.
"Since they're so big, they even collect taxes and run territorial operations. For pirates, they sure pursue a highly stable source of income."
"Yes."
"We should invite one of them as a guest lecturer so we don't make any rookie mistakes while pirating."
"Pardon?"
Baek Ryeom's head slowly turned toward me, her neck practically creaking. I patted her buttocks to reassure her.
"Don't worry. We'll win."
"Ah... Yes. I'm sure you will."
Sigh. Since she has a human upper body down to her mid-thighs, it really makes me contemplate. Should I fuck her or not? The moment I take her, the horizon of my sexual possibilities is going to expand significantly.
The Akgwi Pirates, led by the infamous "Fiend of the Sea," Dae-akgwi, were living the dream. Protection fees and transit taxes practically rolled in on their own. Whenever they were bored, they could pick a random island and indulge their desires to their hearts' content. A stable income, limitless pleasure, and a reputation fearsome enough to silence crying children—it was the ultimate paradise that not only every pirate but even mid-to-small-sized sects dreamed of achieving.
After all, a stable, recurring revenue stream from tributes wasn't something that could be built on raw power alone. The Akgwi Pirates even possessed their own shipyard, dharma treasure workshop, and a team of dedicated experts. At this point, they weren't just pirates; they were practically a mid-sized sect that happened to have a hobby of highway robbery. In fact, the various factions trading with the Akgwi Pirates regarded their captain, Dae-akgwi, not as a mere pirate, but as a Samgeuk master and the leader of a formidable organization.
Dae-akgwi was happy. Today, he was planning to down a bowl of strong liquor laced with drugs and go ravish some plundered women. That was, until a bunch of lunatics started bombarding his stronghold with dharma treasures.
"What the fuck is that?!"
Dae-akgwi rubbed his eyes in disbelief. "Are those all dharma treasures?!"
Boom! Crash! Crunch!
"Aaargh! Boss!"
Of course, rubbing his eyes didn't change reality. The aura of dharma treasures radiated from each of the massive ships, which looked more suited for trade than warfare. Every single one of them was a war-grade dharma treasure optimized for siege warfare. These weren't ordinary dharma treasures wielded by individual Samgeuk masters; they were weapons of mass destruction designed purely for war. Such an absurd display of wealth was something only major sects could afford.
Who in their right mind would heavily modify perfectly good dharma treasures just to slaughter Qi Circulation and Core Condensation cultivators when they barely had enough for themselves? Enabling non-Samgeuk cultivators to operate dharma treasures required an immense amount of effort and resources. Such monstrosities only came about when an ancient, prestigious sect had warehouses overflowing with low-grade dharma treasures accumulated over generations, and their elders racked their brains to find a use for those white elephants.
"We're fucked."
Had they offended one of the rulers of Oryong Island—or rather, Saryong Island, as it was now called? Damn it, after all the treasures and spirit stones I bribed them with to prevent exactly this, they stab me in the back?!
Boom! Boom!
"Aaargh! Captain!"
"Those motherfuckers aren't even trying to hide who they are!"
Dae-akgwi gnashed his teeth. Their orderly formation and perfectly coordinated, ironclad advance were identical to the tactics of a major sect's regular army. With dharma treasures bombarding them from a distance, even a notorious pirate crew that ruled the region couldn't hold their ground.
"Retreat!"
If this was the will of one of the Oryong Island lords, he couldn't oppose it. To defy Oryong Island, it would take nothing less than the Grand Alliance of Dongheo Gallants. As long as he survived, he could rebuild his pirate crew as many times as he wanted. It was time to cut his losses. It was at that moment.
"Found you! You're a Samgeuk master, not some Qi Circulation scrub, so you must be the captain!"
"Who goes there?!"
"I'm a pirate! Hand over everything you've got!"
A lunatic with horns on his head had jumped out, claiming he was a pirate here to plunder a pirate. Normally, Dae-akgwi would have dismissed him as a madman, but knowing this lunatic was a Second Extreme master gunning for his head, he couldn't even force a laugh. And just how many dharma treasures did this guy have? Just from what was visible, there was a bow on his back, his clothes, and that club looked like a dharma treasure too... Wait, hold on.
A brutal strike carrying the weight of thunder, unleashed from a spiked club.
"You bastard!"
The lunatic lunged, swinging his spiked club. Clang! A heavy vibration traveled down Dae-akgwi's broadsword as it clashed with the club. It's fine. He seems to be the only Samgeuk master here. If I can shake him off quickly and escape...
"Family Head—no, Captain! We are here to assist!"
"Is this the only Samgeuk master? Let's kill him quickly and leave. One of the Vice-Captains had to guard the ship, so only the two of us came."
"Oh! Elders—no, Vice-Captains! Glad you're here!"
Fuck. These lunatics weren't even trying to pretend anymore! And they called themselves pirates? Where in the world would you find people who reached the Samgeuk realm and chose to live as lowly pirates?!
"Bwahaha! Surrender before your men are fried to a crisp by our dharma treasures! Do that, and I'll sell you into slavery with your limbs intact!"
"Hand over everything you've got!"
"If you do not surrender now, nothing but brutal torture and intimidation awaits you upon your defeat!"
Fending off the coordinated onslaught of three Samgeuk masters from three directions, Dae-akgwi roared in sheer, boiling fury.
"Aaaargh! If you've reached the fucking Samgeuk realm, go join a major sect, raise some cute kids, and live a good life! Why the fuck did you come all the way to the Dongheo Sea to pull this shit?!"