Chapter 510

Ship-Fire Boy Mu Song had been a sailor from birth.

His parents, whose faces he could no longer remember, had been a pair of river bandits famous in the area for being inseparable. Both sides of his family were full of river bandits and fishermen, too.

River banditry ran deep in his blood.

Maybe that was why Mu Song much preferred being aboard a boat to being on land.

Dense forests and open fields made his hands and feet tingle and left him short of breath, as though he had swallowed deadly poison. But the sight of a wide-open river or sea brought him back to life.

And that wasn’t all. While other stronghold lords who had made fortunes as river bandits bought grand estates and indulged in wine, women, and gambling at pleasure houses, Mu Song decorated his boat, lay on a bed woven from nets, and watched the Yangtze.

Whenever he did, he had the same thought.

I wish the whole world were made of water. Then I could spend my entire life on a boat.

But now, Mu Song was staring blankly at the Yangtze and muttering to himself.

“Ah, fuck. This boat is fucking slow. I want to get off already…”

“……!”

“……!”

The mood turned icy.

The nearby Water Dragon Stronghold river bandits doubted their ears. They rolled their eyes toward one another, exchanged glances, and soon reached an obvious conclusion.

We must have heard wrong!

That’s it. All our ears must have gone bad at once.

The Stronghold Lord would never say that.

Everyone in the Yangtze River Channel League knew what kind of man Mu Song was, from the most senior Water Dragon Stronghold river bandit to the youngest recruit.

The very embodiment of a passionate sailor! A man who loved the Yangtze even more than his Master, the Seafaring King!

There was no way a man like that would curse the swift ship he treasured as much as his own life for being slow and say he wanted to go ashore—

“I should quit this whole damn business. Fuck this.”

“……!”

“……!”

An invisible shock swept across the deck. Mu Song’s sudden talk of retirement left everyone silent, faced with the prospect of Water Dragon Stronghold itself disbanding.

The silence might have gone on forever if a liquor barrel hadn’t slipped from a dazed river bandit’s shoulder.

Thud! Crack!

Full of liquor, it was heavy enough to shatter when it struck the deck. Alcohol splashed everywhere.

Only then did Mu Song snap out of his thoughts. He glared.

“What the hell are you doing?”

Mu Song already had a fearsome face. The river bandit who had dropped the barrel went pale and bent sharply at the waist.

“I-I’m sorry!”

“You bastard. You don’t know the value of liquor? I ought to hang you upside down and… What was it? The Yangtze, the Yangtze… Right. I might just sentence you to the Yangtze’s dip-and-taste punishment.”

“I deserve to die. Please, anything but that…”

“Watch yourself. I’m in a shitty enough mood without you making it worse.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Enough. Clean this up and put everything back the way it was. Bring another barrel of liquor, too.”

“Pardon? But…”

“Are you insane? How dare you talk back? Get moving!”

“A-at once, sir!”

As the subordinate hurried away, shouting frantic acknowledgments, Mu Song let out a deep sigh.

Nothing is going right.

It wasn’t just a complaint. Nothing was going right.

Even good fortune would not have been enough to make up for it, yet one bad thing after another kept happening.

He had reluctantly left his home base in Sichuan for Hubei. Not long ago, he had also had to part with Hwang Chung, the Yangtze One Saber, who had been like family to him.

Thinking he had to repay the gratitude and grudges he owed Hwang Chung, Mu Song had agreed to take Jin Taekyung’s group as far as Henan. And sure enough, the worst had happened.

I was going to keep pretending I didn’t know.

An unidentified old master who had clearly achieved Returned to Youth.

That beast wearing the guise of a young medical apprentice had realized that his identity had been exposed.

That monstrous old man. Who the hell is he?

From what Mu Song had observed, very few people in the traveling party knew the truth. The Fire King, Jeok Cheongang, and Jin Taekyung, at most?

Cheongpung was impossible to predict, but even he quieted down in front of Mungyeong. Chances were he knew, too.

Damn it. If I’d known this would happen, I should’ve taken the other ship.

Water Dragon Stronghold had two swift ships heading toward Henan. Jeok Cheongang had insisted on splitting the passengers between them because there were so many, and Mu Song hadn’t dared defy the Fire King.

Thinking of the Deputy Stronghold Lord traveling comfortably aboard the other swift ship, more than a hundred jang¹ ahead, was enough to make his stomach hurt.

Compared to this, that ship’s a flower garden. A goddamn flower garden.

At least the people aboard the other ship could be reasoned with.

Gung Gibang’s smell was a problem you could solve by holding your breath for a moment, and the strange snake Cheongpung called Mimi was surprisingly entertaining to watch when it performed tricks.

But this ship?

Blazing Flame Divine Dragon Jin Taekyung. Fire King Jeok Cheongang. And another old monster hiding his identity.

It was a gathering of monsters.

At least Jin Taekyung, his junior in name only, still spoke politely to him. And after seeing Mu Song so often, Jeok Cheongang treated him more or less like a person.

The last one was the problem.

Those eyes…

Mu Song shuddered involuntarily at the memory of Mungyeong’s cold gaze.

One of the senior river bandits, who had been watching his Stronghold Lord’s strange behavior for some time, came over and asked cautiously, “Stronghold Lord, are you all right?”

“Do I look all right?”

“Not at all, sir.”

“Then why ask? You know what’s going on.”

“I worry about you, and that’s the thanks I get? Anyway, what did that old monster threaten you with to make you look so—mmph!”

Mu Song’s hand shot out at the speed of light and clamped over his subordinate’s mouth. His eyes darted around the deck.

Only after checking twice, then a third time, that no one had heard did his anger surge.

“Have you lost your mind? Do you have a death wish?”

“Mmph, phew!”

The senior river bandit finally pulled free and stammered, “I-I’m sorry, sir. It just slipped out.”

“I’ve told you again and again. Neither you nor the others are to say a word about him. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

The senior river bandit was one of the few who had seen Mungyeong’s true identity for himself.

Mu Song sighed deeply at the man’s anxious, darting eyes before speaking.

“More importantly, did you make sure everyone understood the orders I gave earlier?”

The senior river bandit nodded.

“Yes, sir. Just as you said, I made it clear they’re not to go anywhere near the stern.”

“Anyone get suspicious?”

There were dozens of river bandits aboard. With that many people, there was bound to be an idiot or two who couldn’t take a hint.

“One did. Chunsam. Even after I said it was your order, he asked me about it three times. Nearly gave me a heart attack.”

Mu Song ground his teeth.

“I knew it’d be that bastard. Where’s Chunsam now?”

“We dunked him in the Yangtze and hauled him back out. He’s been tossed down below. He won’t be saying anything like that again.”

“Whew. Good work. Keep the others in line even when I’m away. One slip, and every last one of us could end up drowned at the bottom of the Yangtze along with the swift ship.”

Mu Song’s expression darkened.

As if the monster known as the Fire King, Jeok Cheongang, weren’t enough, now an unidentified old monster who had achieved Returned to Youth was aboard as well. Mu Song almost missed the days when he hadn’t known.

Seeing his mighty Stronghold Lord look so vulnerable, the senior river bandit asked anxiously, “At this rate, are we ever going to make it back to Sichuan? We’ve already been away from the Water Dragon Stronghold for nearly two months. I’m worried it might stay vacant forever.”

“Don’t say such unlucky things. They say you can survive even in a tiger’s den if you keep your head.”

“That’s a tiger. Against a Returned to Youth Supreme Peak master, I don’t think keeping your head a hundred times over would help…”

Come to think of it, he was right.

Mu Song had no answer. He shut his mouth.

That was when a voice came from behind him.

“I brought the liquor barrel. Where should I put it?”

There was only one person who would be talking about a liquor barrel right now.

Irritation flared. Without even turning around, Mu Song snapped, “I’ve been letting it slide, but that useless bastard has been getting on my nerves since—”

“Did you just call me a useless bastard?”

“……Huh?”

A moment passed that felt like an eternity.

The senior river bandit was staring over Mu Song’s shoulder, mouth hanging open. Mu Song knew at once that he was thoroughly fucked.

Something else he’d forgotten flashed through his mind.

Ah. I left a spare liquor barrel at the stern.

No wonder his subordinate had started to say something when Mu Song told him to bring another one, then stopped.

Mu Song felt faint. He hadn’t been afraid even when he was caught in the whirlpool at Tianling Falls, but now he was sweating enough to bathe his neck in it.

“Great Hero Mu Song.”

Mu Song squeezed his eyes shut. Then he slowly turned around, forcing a smile.

The one person he never wanted to meet, even in his dreams, was standing there.

“O-oh, Mungyeong. W-what brings you here?”

“Nothing in particular.”

Mungyeong smiled like any other boy his age.

“I was watching the Yangtze from the stern when your subordinate came by. He said Great Hero Mu Song had ordered him to bring a liquor barrel…”

“I-I did?”

“Didn’t you?”

“Well, I… I don’t remember giving an order like that…”

A river bandit appeared behind Mungyeong with a barrel on his shoulder and called out briskly, “Stronghold Lord! I brought the liquor barrel you ordered!”

Mu Song fought down the urge to tear the man’s mouth apart.

“I… I do remember giving that order. Yes. I did. It was a clear mistake.”

“A mistake. I see.”

Mu Song felt Mungyeong’s gaze travel from one part of his body to another.

It had to be his imagination that made him feel as though Mungyeong was looking at his lethal acupoints.

Fortunately, perhaps his desperate wish had reached the heavens. Mungyeong soon withdrew his gaze and spoke.

“Great Hero Jeok was beside himself with rage. He said that if it happened again, you’d better be prepared.”

Of course, Jeok Cheongang hadn’t flown into a rage or said anything of the sort.

But Mu Song wasn’t stupid enough to miss what Mungyeong meant.

“Y-yes, I understand. Tell Great Hero Jeok I’ll bear it in mind. But…”

“Go ahead.”

“What if someone absolutely has to go to the stern? For ship’s business, say. Or to bring meals.”

Mungyeong thought for a moment before answering. “Great Hero Jeok told me to pass along instructions for that, too. If it’s ship’s business, you’re to come alone and take care of it. And you’re to deliver the meals yourself.”

“……You mean I have to do all that alone?”

“Would you rather not?”

Mu Song’s face went rigid.

“It’s been my lifelong wish. I couldn’t be happier.”

“I see. Then I’ll be going. See you at dinner.”

Mungyeong headed back toward the stern, leaving Mu Song behind. Then he stopped and turned around.

“Oh, and one more thing.”

“What else? Is there still something you need to tell me?”

“Two portions will be enough for each meal until we reach Henan.”

“Huh?”

“Young Master Jin is going to have no appetite for the time being, so keep that in mind.”

They had at least ten days left before they reached Henan. No matter how poor someone’s appetite was, going ten whole days without eating was absurd.

Curiosity got the better of Mu Song. He mustered his courage and asked, “Um… did something happen to Junior Jin?”

“Oh.”

A dimple appeared beside Mungyeong’s mouth.

His smile was so natural that even Mu Song, who thought of him as a monster, mistook him for an innocent boy for an instant.

“He must be busy right now. Very busy.”

Sometimes I feel like I’ve become a human smartphone.

A System window had appeared before my eyes, much like the warning you get when your battery falls below fifteen percent.

Beep.

System

• Most of your internal energy has been depleted.
• Circulate your qi to replenish your internal energy. If it runs out completely, you may suffer a Status abnormality!

But why was I more puzzled than alarmed?

If I ran out of internal energy right now, I’d sink in the middle of this vast stretch of the Yangtze. Yet the danger bothered me less than the questions.

And one reason for that was surely the presence of something approaching from far away.

Ssssh.

A large body drew closer with remarkable stealth. The fin poking above the water looked oddly familiar.

No, fuck.

Why the hell was there a shark in the Yangtze?