Chapter 957: Where is Mount Hua? (Part 1)

Splash!

Namgung Dowi fell into the water and clenched his teeth.

'Father!'

Yet, he mustn't be sad. There was no time to be sad. He convulsively moved his arms and legs. The riverbank was not that far away now.

"Uwaaaaaaah!"

An agonizing and incomprehensible cry erupted from his mouth. Frustration, sorrow, pain, anger - countless emotions mixed together and surged out in a wild scream. He couldn't tell if it was blood, tears, or the river water streaming down his face. He only moved his arms and legs convulsively, pressing forward.

If he died here, the last moments of those who had fought alongside him on the other side of the river would be in vain. So he had to keep going!

"Uwaaaaaaah!"

With a desperate cry, Namgung Dowi, who had been moving forward, suddenly had to stop before advancing a few more steps. The pirates ahead had surrounded him quickly.

Namgung Dowi stared at them with bloodshot eyes and drew his sword.

"Don't get too excited."

It felt as if his heart wanted to release all the accumulated anger towards them. He wanted to swing his sword wildly, putting aside reason and surrendering himself to exhaustion.

But he couldn't do that.

His life right now was not just his own.

'I must survive.'

Definitely! Absolutely!

Paaaaaaah!

His sword instantly slashed the waist of a pirate rushing towards him.

The ruptured body sprayed hot blood all over Namgung Dowi's face. The cold river water and the hot blood mixed together.

Kwaduk!

An incoming harpoon grazed his arm, leaving a shallow wound. But he felt no pain. Reflexively, he swung the sword, piercing through the pirate, and continued moving forward.

'I have to survive!'

The riverbank was not far now.

Just a little more... just a little more!

"Uwaaaaaaah!"

Every time he swung his sword frantically, the white sword energy cut through the bodies of the pirate. He was aching with fury, sadness, and pain, but he couldn't afford to stop now.

'I must...'

Just a little more, and he'd reach the riverbank.

Pwaaaaaah!

At that moment, Namgung Dowi reflexively turned around toward an ominous sound that pierced his ears.

A dark river blade.

The same dark river blade that had brought Namgung Hwang to his knees was now heading straight for Namgung Dowi. It was a powerful strike that he couldn't possibly evade with his already exhausted body.

Namgung Dowi's dilated pupils quivered.

"No..."

Pwaaaaaah!

At that very moment, the river blade that had been flying in a straight line exploded in midair. The pirates pursuing Namgung Dowi were engulfed in the massive energy explosion, screaming in terror.

"Euaaaah!"

"Aaaaaah!"

Namgung Dowi was momentarily confused.

"What's going on?"

What had just happened? But instead of dwelling on the "why," he immediately turned around. The most important thing now was not "why" but to survive.

"Get out of the way, you bastards!"

With a desperate shout, Namgung Dowi headed towards the shore.

"This..."

The furious Black Dragon King's eyes filled with anger.

"What's going on here?"

He had never felt this much anger before. If he were this angry, he would go after his opponent with a vengeance, no matter who it was. But now, he was too furious to even charge at his opponent.

The reason was quite simple.

The one who had made him so furious was none other than the Paegun, Jang Ilso.

"Why did you block my attack?"

He had definitely sent that strike to finish things. If there were no obstructions, Namgung Dowi would have been in a critical state right now. However, his attack exploded before it could reach Namgung Dowi, deflected by Jang Ilso's energy.

In other words, Jang Ilso saved Namgung Dowi.

"Hmm."

Jang Ilso snorted softly and looked at the Black Dragon King with an annoyed expression.

"Ryeonjul!"

"Tsk tsk."

In the end, the Black Dragon King couldn't stand it anymore and shouted again, while Jang Ilso lightly clicked his tongue and glared at him as if reproaching him.

"It's because people are so cruel..."

"What did you say?"

Jang Ilso smiled faintly and licked his lips.

"It really makes you cry, doesn't it?"

"…"

"In order to save that child, I went through all that trouble, but it's not in a person's nature to kill both the father and the child. It's just too heart-wrenching."

The Black Dragon King gritted his teeth.

What kind of bullshit was this?

"Ha, ha, ha, hah!"

With that expression, Jang Ilso burst into laughter and glanced at Namgung Dowi. Namgung Dowi was frantically dodging the pirate's attacks. Jang Ilso's eyes turned slightly sentimental.

"Don't you want to see him?"

"What are you talking about?"

Jang Ilso slowly continued.

"Isn't it what people do? Hide, suppress, and avoid facing their flaws. But... you'll always have to do it at some point in your life. The moment you have to confront your flaws head-on."

"..."

"At that time..."

Ilso slowly licked his red lips and turned his gaze toward the Black Dragon King.

"Do you know what kind of expression people make?"

The Black Dragon King's shoulders trembled slightly.

He simply couldn't understand Ilso's thoughts. However, there was no need to understand. Ilso's malice was vividly apparent, even without comprehension.

"You will see."

Hearing Jang Ilso's light voice, the Black Dragon King quietly glared at him. However, as time passed, it was the Black Dragon King who avoided his gaze first.

"Collect the bodies!"

The Black Dragon King, who commanded in a harsh voice, turned and walked away from Jang Ilso as if he was displeased.

Listening to this entire conversation, Ho Gakmyung shook his head.

He might have understood his feelings, but he didn't like Ilso's attitude.

"It won't be long now."

Glaring at the Black Dragon King's retreating back with sharp eyes, Ho Gakmyung regained his composure and spoke to Ilso.

"Your Excellency, now..."

"Ssshh."

Ilso calmly silenced Ho Gakmyung's words with his slow, outstretched hand. He then reached for a bottle of alcohol placed on the table.

Staring at the white bottle, he extended his hand over the railing and slowly tilted the bottle.

Drip, drip, drip, drip.

The flowing alcohol scattered onto the cold surface of the Yang River.

Understanding the meaning of this action, Ho Gakmyung looked at Ilso with a peculiar expression.

"Your Excellency dislikes foolish people, doesn't he?"

"I dislike them."

Ilso nodded slowly.

"But I don't hate them."

Silence settled over the Yangtze River again. Ilso's slightly lowered eyes focused on the flowing river as if nothing had happened.

"I've achieved what I set out to do, so there's no need for regrets."

The alcohol Ilso spilled scattered like rain over the Yangtze River.

His feet touched the river floor.

Thump!

Namgung Dowi took a step forward with a foot that weighed a thousand pounds.

By this point, the pursuit of the pirates had stopped.

A bloody path had formed in the black river he had traversed. At its end, Namgung Dowi staggered but continued to move forward, taking step after step. Water that had reached his neck was now below his chest, and his upper body was completely exposed.

Thump. Thump.

'Survive...'

As if possessed, he kept muttering something. His eyes were half-closed, and his pupils were clouded, but Namgung Dowi continued to move forward.

'I must survive...'

Thump. Thump.

Finally, his feet emerged from the water.

His chin touched the shore, and he crawled, whimpering. The river water flowed from his sword as he continued...

The people who stood on the riverbank couldn't make a sound, not even a breath, as they watched him emerge from the water. Despite seeing him stumble towards them, they couldn't bring themselves to do anything.

Guilt-ridden, shamefaced, and unable to support him in any way.

They didn't even dare to help him as he staggered.

Trudging. Stumbling.

Namgung Dowi finally reached them, planted his sword on the ground, and leaned on it. It was a pitiful sight. His whole body was covered in wounds, and the water dripping from him was tinged with crimson. His clothes were soaked, turning red, and watching this scene made their hearts tremble.

"Cough! Cough!"

Namgung Dowi, leaning on his sword, managed to overcome a fit of wet coughing. Gradually, very slowly, his head lifted, making it feel unbearably slow to those watching.

Who could dare meet those eyes? 

Namgung Dowi raised his head, but their gazes still couldn't meet.

Everyone turned their eyes down, as if they had made a pact not to look.

The Shaolin monks who had stood here like statues, observing everything happening in the river.

The Kongtong sect members who had arrived late and couldn't do anything.

Even the beggars of Beggar's Union, who had taken pride in living in the lowest places with only conscience in their hearts.

No one dared to meet Namgung Dowi's eyes.

Even Beopjeong, the leader of the Shaolin, had turned his gaze to the distant sky. Any person, with even a shred of conscience left, couldn't bear to look. They couldn't meet those eyes.

"Huh..."

A groaning sound, like a whimper, escaped from Namgung Dowi's mouth.

"Heh, heh..."

And the distorted voice soon turned into a hoarse laughter. No one here understood the meaning of that laughter. They could only guess that it carried a trace of self-pity and a trace of sorrow.

"Cough! Cough!"

Namgung Dowi coughed heavily, as if he were about to collapse, then he straightened up his body while gripping his sword tightly. He took a deep breath.

For a moment, everyone there was terrified. The words that could come out of that mouth, whether they were sharp criticisms, solemn rebukes, or blatant sarcasm, they couldn't resist any of it. They could only close their eyes and listen.

What would Namgung Dowi say to them, the people who had become like family to him? There were too many possible words, and they all hurt. Every one of them.

And at the end of that long and short moment of suffering, Namgung Dowi finally opened his mouth.

Everyone present wanted to plug their ears. They barely managed to resist that impulse and listened to Namgung Dowi's voice.

But at that moment, what came out of Namgung Dowi's mouth wasn't a criticism, a reprimand, or sarcasm. It was something no one had expected, a very unexpected phrase.

Everyone, who had been lowering their heads, suddenly raised their heads. They did so to confirm that they hadn't misheard.

Naturally, the many gazes met with Namgung Dowi's gaze.

Namgung Dowi's eyes held no expectations, no emotions. They were indifferent and dark, and at that moment, everyone understood what mistake they had made.

And at that moment, Namgung Dowi spoke clearly once again.

"...Where is Mount Hua?"