Chapter 200
Chapter 200
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 200
Chapter Title: A Grand Diversion
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The wine bottle was empty, and only the bones of the fish remained.
And Neung Un-bi asked calmly.
“May I ask for your reason?”
“What? For helping you?”
“Yes.”
“It’s just… I can’t stand the sight of what those Orthodox bastards are doing.”
“…Pardon?”
“Isn’t it absurd how they act like they own the Central Plains? We may be branded as criminals and live on the fringes… but it’s not like they’re the only ones who live here. Honestly, what’s the difference between them and us? It’s just a matter of whether you extort money in the light or in the dark.”
Neung Un-bi gave a bitter smile at the pirate chief’s words.
It was a massive difference.
Though they were bastards, the Orthodox sects at least exercised their power within the bounds of the law. They were also quite mindful of the authorities.
But river pirates and mountain bandits were different. Not only did they scoff at the authorities and the law, but they also didn’t hesitate to use direct threats and force.
They were truly people who would live well without the law—no, who *should* live without the law to thrive.
…He wanted to say that, but there was no need to argue the point when he was the one asking for help.
Still, it was strange.
This wasn’t a decision to be made simply because he found them displeasing.
Hadn’t the situation changed drastically since he first met the man?
If the Orthodox-Demonic Pact was still in effect, joining hands with the Demonic Cult would have offered considerable benefits.
But now, the Demonic Cult couldn’t set foot anywhere in the Central Plains.
Furthermore, just for meeting him, the Alliance Leader of the Orthodox Murim had been confined, and the Mount Hua and Shaolin Sects had sealed their gates.
He couldn’t possibly be unaware of this situation, yet he was willing to bet the fate of his stronghold just because he didn’t like them?
Neung Un-bi looked at the pirate chief with narrowed eyes and asked.
“Are you still hiding your true intentions?”
“Hiding? Who’s hiding anything?”
“Don’t you care for your river pirates more than anyone? If it becomes known that you helped me, the Orthodox Murim Alliance won’t just stand by, will they?”
“Hah, a man who came asking for help is now worried about us?”
Neung Un-bi could only sigh, unable to reply.
He needed someone’s help, but he couldn’t ignore the suffering that person would endure.
“Don’t worry. We won’t come to any harm because of you.”
“Pardon?”
“If things go as I plan, it’ll be those Orthodox Murim bastards who suffer a great loss. Hehehe.”
“……?”
Neung Un-bi tilted his head at the man’s muttering and laughter.
“So, with that said, you should go somewhere else.”
“Pardon?”
What was this now?
He said he’d help, but now he was telling him to go somewhere else?
“Why are you staring at me so blankly? Don’t you understand? I thought you were quite clever, dodging the net those Orthodox Murim bastards cast all by yourself… tsk tsk.”
“……”
Seeing the pirate chief click his tongue and shake his head, Neung Un-bi gritted his teeth while forcing a smile.
This old man…
Who could understand when he put it like that? Even Gongming, the ancestor of the Zhuge clan, would just tilt his head in confusion.
But the pirate chief held all the cards.
Besides, didn’t his expression look quite serious?
Surely, a man of his age wouldn’t be playing a prank. There must be another plan.
“Well now. My head’s a bit slow, so I’m not quite gettin’ it. So why don’t you explain it to me in detail?”
“Hah, you brat. Such a temper. Anyone would think you came here to help me.”
“……”
Neung Un-bi pouted at the pirate chief’s mischievous grin.
“Alright. We’ve stalled for long enough. It’s about time to make a move.”
“……”
“Think about it. Since they cast their Heaven and Earth Net, you’re the first one they’ve lost. And a Grade-Alpha Heaven and Earth Net, at that.”
“And so?”
“They must be furious. How big of a blow do you think that is to their pride?”
“……”
“By now, they’re probably wondering about your location. You’re definitely on the Yellow River, but… where could you be hiding? Then they’ll start to suspect. Maybe those river pirates are hiding him.”
Of course, they would.
And the Beggars’ Union member who fell for the illusion and was lured away by Namgung Mu-wi would soon come to his senses. Since that man heard about the river pirates, it was highly likely the Orthodox Murim Alliance would come storming in.
“In this situation, if I make a move, how do you think they’ll react?”
“…They’ll pursue you.”
“Right. They’ll pursue me with all their might. The bigger I make my fleet, the greater the force they’ll send after me.”
A thought flashed through his mind, and Neung Un-bi’s eyes shot open.
Could it be that telling him to go somewhere else meant…?
“Are you saying you’ll act as a decoy?”
“Brat, is your head finally working?”
“……”
“I’ll take the ones chasing you and head north. In that time, you run to the Demonic Cult without looking back.”
Neung Un-bi’s jaw dropped.
Wasn’t that a truly plausible idea?
It was a masterstroke of the highest order.
When the pirate chief moved, the great fleet of the Yellow River would move with him. Seeing that, Zhuge would undoubtedly give chase.
But…
“Will you be alright?”
“What about?”
“I managed to divert the Sword Emperor’s attention, but… moving north…”
The pirate chief cut off Neung Un-bi’s worried voice with a displeased expression.
“Sword Emperor? Who’s the Sword Emperor?”
“Pardon?”
“What a ridiculous thing to say. I never thought I’d hear such words from Dam Un-cheon’s disciple.”
“……”
“Who in this Central Plains is worthy of using the character for ‘Emperor’ in their title?”
“……”
“There is only one sovereign. From the moment Dam Un-cheon was called the Heavenly Demon Emperor, no other bastard could attach the word ‘Emperor’ to their name.”
At his resolute voice, Neung Un-bi couldn’t bring himself to finish his sentence.
The shattered heavens… no, they were merely beings who were once the heavens.
“I heard. The old tiger of the Peng Clan, the weasel of the Seomun Clan, and that great ape of the Hwangbo Clan went north. But what does that have to do with me?”
“……”
He couldn’t answer.
Wasn’t the man’s face filled with the pride that he wouldn’t yield to the likes of them in the slightest?
“They might chase me and request my cooperation to inspect my ships. I have nothing to lose, so I can just pretend to relent and let them. What do you think will happen then?”
Seeing the pirate chief’s wicked smile, Neung Un-bi finally understood everything and nodded.
The river pirates would suffer no harm.
They might have suspicions, but without proof, what could they say?
The Orthodox Murim Alliance would have pursued him for no reason, and after forcing an inspection of his ships, the pirate chief wouldn’t let it slide.
“I see. So that’s what you meant by the Orthodox Murim Alliance suffering a loss.”
“Heheh, of course. Within the Unorthodox Faction, at least, my influence is quite formidable.”
“……”
“They persecute me and just get away with it? If that happens, the Orthodox Murim Alliance will have to make an enemy not only of the Demonic Cult but of our Unorthodox Faction as well.”
Neung Un-bi wore a subtle smile at the pirate chief’s confident words.
The pirate chief…
He wasn’t just strong; his wisdom was not to be underestimated either. To think he had devised such a meticulous plan.
“Ah, where are Yun An-ro and his companions?”
“That’s right! There was him!”
“……”
“But what’s your relationship with him? No matter how I think about it, I can’t see any connection between you two.”
“That… is a personal secret.”
“Hmm… well, that aside. You’ll have to wait a little longer to meet them.”
“Pardon?”
“Someone will be here soon.”
“…Someone? Who?”
“The man who will take you safely to the edge of the Central Plains. Yun An-ro is with him.”
“Safely…?”
“Here he comes. Tsk tsk, for a wildcat, he’s gotten quite good at pretending to be a tiger, hasn’t he? To show up as soon as we speak of him.”
As the pirate chief’s gaze turned to the distance, Neung Un-bi whipped his head around.
“Oh! Young Master Neung! It’s been a while!”
“……”
The person who appeared, waving his hand enthusiastically, was none other than the King of the Green Forest, Jong Ri-gang.
The man who had come to kill him for raiding one of his strongholds, but ended up giving him advice on how to live as a martial artist.
But why was he here?
“That fellow has the same reason as me.”
“The same reason…”
Could it be that he, too, couldn’t stand the sight of the Orthodox sects?
“You bastard, what took you so long? I thought my neck would break from waiting.”
Leaving a stunned Neung Un-bi behind, the pirate chief chided him, and Jong Ri-gang glared back, annoyed.
“You think a mountain path is the same as a waterway? You just ride your comfortable boat all day, you don’t know how hard it is for others…”
“You’re the one who travels like that all the time, yet you’re complaining… Anyway, you have a long journey ahead. Care for a drink?”
“My throat is parched, but the situation isn’t good. The whole area is crawling with those beggar bastards.”
“Hmm… we’d better hurry then, lest something happens if we delay.”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
After a brief greeting with the pirate chief, Jong Ri-gang turned to Neung Un-bi with a wide smile.
“Are you ready to leave?”
Neung Un-bi’s expression changed instantly as he replied.
“Yes!”
“Good, then let’s depart. I have Yun An-ro’s group with me, so let’s hurry and join them, then head to the Demonic Cult.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me… It hurt my pride to see the man who defeated me getting pushed around by the Orthodox sects, so don’t worry about it.”
“Pardon?”
Neung Un-bi tilted his head at Jong Ri-gang’s words.
“Trying to act all cool. What pride does a mountain bandit have?”
“What did you say, you bastard? I oughta!”
At the pirate chief’s jab, Jong Ri-gang’s eyes widened as he raised a fist.
“Sigh. Go on, go. Didn’t you say you were out of time?”
“Damn it! You just wait.”
Jong Ri-gang swung his fist with a whoosh, as if in threat, then whipped his head around and took Neung Un-bi’s hand to lead him away.
“Come, let’s go. We can leave the rear to the Chief. He’ll manage somehow, whether he dies or not.”
“You be careful yourself.”
“Hmph!”
That was their way of saying goodbye.
Worrying about each other in a gruff manner.
Neung Un-bi, who had chuckled unknowingly at their childish display, stopped for a moment and turned back as he followed Jong Ri-gang.
“Chief.”
“……”
“I will one day repay this debt of saving my life.”
Though the riverbank was wet, Neung Un-bi bowed deeply and sincerely, not caring if his clothes got dirty.
It had seemed like an arduous escape.
But the heavens had helped him, and now people were helping him as well.
He felt a renewed sense of determination welling up inside him.
And that flame flickered fiercely in Neung Un-bi’s eyes as he turned away after his bow.
The Orthodox Murim Alliance…
I will return.
Neung Un-bi repeated this promise to himself several times as he followed Jong Ri-gang out of the reed forest.
As the pirate chief remained alone in the reeds, watching the ferry, Cheon-hyu asked him.
“Will you really be alright?”
“And if I’m not?”
“It is the Chief’s will, so everyone will follow, but…”
“Cheon-hyu.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t you want to see it?”
“Pardon?”
“A young brat, who’s just come of age, has twisted the Orthodox Murim Alliance around his finger.”
“……”
“Though it’s a different method from Dam Un-cheon, who sought out and broke the powerful figures of the Central Plains one by one… will there ever be another one like him?”
“Of course, but…”
“I want to see it. I want to see Neung Un-bi use this as an opportunity to truly mature and return to the Central Plains… It will likely be quite a sight, don’t you think?”
At the sight of the pirate chief grinning from ear to ear, Cheon-hyu couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh.
He’d been giggling for a while while exchanging letters with the King of the Green Forest…
“Cheon-hyu.”
“Yes.”
“Stop sighing and set sail.”
“……”
“Let’s take a little trip up north.”