Chapter 423
Chapter 423
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 423
Chapter Title: Facing Directly (4)
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We raced down without rest to reach the base of Dongjeong Lake Lord Baek Gwang-ho, the lair of Dongjeong Lake.
And upon arriving at Ak Yang, the gateway to Dongjeong Lake, we paused for a moment.
'Dongjeong Lake Lord Baek Gwang-ho.'
This was to confirm Baek Gwang-ho's whereabouts.
Though his epithet bore the name of Dongjeong Lake, the man had no fixed abode.
'He wanders Dongjeong Lake with his fleet in tow, mooring at one spot to make it his temporary home.'
In short, wherever he anchored his ships became his residence.
Our task was to find that "wherever."
The problem was that Dongjeong Lake, though called a lake, was wider than many a small kingdom.
'And the islands dotting it are as countless as the stars, if not more.'
Thus, we had sent Cheon Jang-ho ahead to scout where Baek Gwang-ho had been lately.
We waited briefly in an alley nestled among the shops of Ak Yang.
'...He should be back any moment now.'
Cheon Jang-ho returned and lifted the brim of his bamboo hat.
"Did you find out?"
I asked immediately.
Cheon Jang-ho nodded.
"Where?"
But when I pressed him, he slyly stepped back and held up an index finger.
"Food. Buy me food first. They say even Ak Yang Tower waits after a meal. We've been rushing without a break—if you're planning to head to 'that place,' shouldn't you at least feed us? Otherwise, I won't say a word!"
We had planned to eat in Ak Yang anyway.
So I calmly tried to persuade Cheon Jang-ho.
"...Fine. We'll eat before we go, didn't I say that? I told you it's not a place to go on an empty stomach. You don't trust me now?"
At that moment.
Master clicked his tongue.
- ...No trust at all.
'?'
- Why act all wronged? Even the compassionate Buddha, famed for mercy, might've hesitated to swallow your words whole if he'd served under you as a junior brother. Ask Won-cheol.
At those words, I found myself staring at Won-cheol without thinking.
"...Is there something on this humble monk's face?"
Then Cheon Jang-ho spoke up again.
"If we're eating anyway, doesn't that make it even more necessary? Just put one bite in my mouth, and I'll spill everything. It's fine to go after a meal, right?! Or just let me starve."
"Fine..."
I nearly snapped, 'Fine, if that's your wish, I'll gut you.' The words rose to the tip of my tongue.
But since I thought it best to sate our hunger before facing Baek Gwang-ho, I changed what I was about to say.
"...Alright, alright."
Then I led my junior brothers to a nearby inn.
And ordered food.
"Your dumplings are here! The other dishes will come out soon!"
As the food arrived, Cheon Jang-ho lunged greedily at the steaming dumplings.
The others picked up their chopsticks as well.
I was hungry too, so I tore into a dumpling.
"Eat slowly. Not hot?"
"Chill it in ma sthmach."
"...Chill it in your stomach? You madman. So, where? Where is he?"
When I finally asked where Baek Gwang-ho had made his lair.
Cheon Jang-ho swallowed his mouthful and spoke in a cheeky tone.
"Big bro. You know? They say eating tangerines from Dongjeong Lake brings long life. Finish the meal here and one as dessert..."
"Kid."
"...Yes?"
"You really think that? Long life? Hmph. I think it might shorten yours instead."
"......"
I set down my chopsticks.
And cracked my knuckles.
"Lately, you've been hanging with this guy here and that guy far off, so you haven't gotten beat. Long life? Fine, let's stimulate some vital acupoints good for the body today."
"I'll talk! I'll talk!"
Cheon Jang-ho panicked and mouthed Baek Gwang-ho's location.
'Cheongnok Island?'
I recalled its precise position as I finished eating.
Right after, we boarded a boat with my junior brothers and began cutting through Dongjeong Lake's currents.
At that moment.
Paeng So-jin asked a question.
"You're heading there because you have some clever plan, Yong-un. But I don't get it—this okay? Baek Gwang-ho must be pretty pissed that we moved without notifying the Beggar Clan or the Green Forest."
"Probably."
"A guy like that, in the current state of the world... might even ally with the Demonic Cult? If I were the Fourth Demonic Prince, that's what I'd do."
When I opened my mouth again at his question.
"It's not just considering—he's already allied with them."
Woo So-reung, rowing the oars, widened her eyes in shock.
"D-Demonic Cult?!"
Cheon Jang-ho, who had bought a basket of tangerines en route and was peeling them beside us, choked.
"Kek!"
Dang Ok-gi thumped his back irritably and glared at me like a wildcat.
"You're crazy! Eat slower—it's not like today is your last day! No, the real crazy one is you, Eon Yong-un. What? Already allied with the Demonic Cult?"
"Yeah. He had no choice."
"Ack! But we're going in there alone?"
"But not a tight alliance like a community of fate. Baek Gwang-ho's got his own wits. He knows how the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult swallows the Black Path, and they don't have the spare power to grip him tightly right now... so they've likely formed a very loose alliance."
"...Loose alliance?"
"Yes. One where the Fourth Demonic Prince stays the Fourth, and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult just hopes he'll be a thorn in the White Path's neck."
As I finished, Won-cheol posed a question.
"Still, an alliance is an alliance, right? Couldn't demonic minions try to harm Venerable Sea Dragon under their orders?"
I shook my head firmly at that.
"Baek Gwang-ho gains nothing from killing me, and we still have a promise between us."
With that opener, I briefly told Won-cheol about returning the Paeryong Sword, the Fourth Demonic Prince's heirloom.
"...Heavens. So there's such a connection between Venerable Sea Dragon and the Fourth Demonic Prince."
As Won-cheol gaped and gasped.
"Brother Eon. But didn't that promise end when you returned the jade on the Paeryong Sword?"
Woo So-reung spoke as if she'd forgotten.
"No. The promise that day was that the Fourth Demonic Prince would lend me aid when I needed it. The jade was just proof of that promise."
"Ah?!"
"Even black path folk who flip promises like pancakes won't shamelessly break one with a green junior."
As I answered her, the silent Paeng So-jin added.
"Especially with the Beggar Clan and Green Forest on friendly terms with you?"
To that, I turned toward the horizon and grinned.
"Yes. Baek Gwang-ho wants to settle that now."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Meanwhile, in the chancellor's office at Righteous Martial Academy.
A subtle tension flowed between Chancellor Gyeong Hye and Eastern Unity Society Leader Jeokgal Cheok as their tea grew cold.
After a moment.
A graduate student returned after being sent to summon the executive committee.
"Chancellor, regarding your orders..."
Bang!
Before the report finished, Paeng Jae-hyeok, dormitory supervisor of Yunmae Hall, kicked the door open.
"I heard!"
Then, among the professors who burst in with him, Chang Ryang of Hyangran Hall spoke.
"Yong-un's missing again?!"
At that, Jeokgal Cheok chuckled heartily.
"Not missing—I sent him on an errand. Check around. It's not just Sea Dragon gone. One from each dormitory, even Shaolin's Won-cheol monk, all sent together."
As Gyeong Hye sighed deeply.
"Haa. But you won't say where or what errand."
Jeokgal Min, supervisor of Yun-guk Hall, spoke.
"Eon Yong-un, Dang Ok-gi, Woo So-reung, Paeng So-jin, Cheon Jang-ho, Won-cheol. Six cadets gone. If Father really sent them on an errand, why this lineup?"
Jeokgal Cheok answered nonchalantly.
"Because we needed representatives from the four major dorms."
But Jeokgal Min knew his father too well.
And the cadets of the four dorms even better.
"If it was just for show, Father wouldn't have sent Dang Ok-gi. His uniform's from Hyangran Hall, but he's practically a Cheongjuk Hall cadet."
"......"
Thus spotting the flaw instantly, Jeokgal Min pressed.
"To the infirmary, perhaps? Meaning it's dangerous. In these outwardly peaceful times, danger means... the Fourth Demonic Prince?"
Speechless, Jeokgal Cheok grinned awkwardly.
"Well, caught red-handed."
Since it was out, better to rein in the committee than stay silent.
Jeokgal Cheok spoke again.
"But pretend you don't know and stay quiet. Our silence helps Sea Dragon. If things go as planned, it's still spring break. They'll all return before term starts."
Chang Ryang spoke in disbelief.
"Again! Again! Your favoritism's flaring up!"
As Jeokgal Cheok burst into laughter.
"Kuhahaha. Sea Dragon's quite the guy. To see Chang Ryang make that face."
Gyeong Hye slammed the desk and roared.
"Sennnior Broooother!!!!!!!"
"......"
"How dare you chuckle now? The cadets crawled into Dongjeong Lake Lord's jaws!!"
"Jaws..."
"You find this funny nowwww!!!!!"
"......"
"Even if you're our sky-high senior brother! Even if you've devoted your life to the world and the martial realm! I can't tolerate this attitude!!!"
At that, Jeokgal Cheok recalled Gyeong Hye's epithet, Demon-Slaying Lioness.
And slightly regretted re-entering the martial world.
'...Kids, come back quick.'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The ferry carried us through Dongjeong Lake's currents for a long while.
We finally reached the vicinity of our target, Cheongnok Island.
Cheongnok Island.
True to its name, "Spreading Deer."
The island resembled a herd of deer—or stags.
Baek Gwang-ho's fleet was arrayed in layers along the winding coastline like antlers.
It looked no different from a fortress afloat.
"......"
"......"
"......"
"......"
"......"
My junior brothers each drew sharp breaths.
I addressed them on what they needed to note.
"If you didn't sleep through 'Formations and Battle Arrays' class, you know this. That fleet is in formation array. If intruders appear, they'll use the water's nature to shift the life and death gates endlessly."
At my words, Cheon Jang-ho whined.
"You said it'd be easy!"
"Precisely, 'easier than expected.'"
Then Dang Ok-gi chimed in.
"Baek Gwang-ho's inviting us!"
"Not like an invitation flew in."
"Kyaaak!!!"
As I replied to them.
Woo So-reung swallowed dryly.
"...S-So, how do we get in? Send word?"
"No. We force our way."
As my junior brothers gasped again at my words.
I grinned and rolled up my sleeves.
"Enter easy, exit hard. We're six in number... but we need to show our caliber properly—and what happens if they mess with us."
How to win negotiations.
First, smack the opponent around.
"Let's go."