Chapter 1374: That's How It Should Be Done (Part 4)

"Hooeup!"

With a burst of water, the Yangtze Mackerel leaped out of the water, gasping for breath. [lmfao] He roughly swiped the water off his face with his hands, floating in the water as he gazed into the distance at the rapidly spreading fire.

"It's burning quite well."

A sly smile appeared.

With a fire of that magnitude, it would be impossible for even the most sturdy ships to maintain their functionality. Of course, in exchange, all the high-speed boats they had ridden were burned to ashes, but it didn't matter. There were still plenty of boats left in the Su Lo Chae.

"Indeed, it must be Ryeonju-nim."

Perhaps even the Yangtze Mackerel couldn't have imagined that they would be so careless in defending the ships.

No, perhaps it wasn't originally like that; maybe Ryeonju intentionally dispersed those guarding the boats to different locations.

In any case, one thing was certain: Jang Ilso's plan worked perfectly.

"Is everyone back?"

"At least to this extent..."

The Yangtze Mackerel glanced down at the water's surface.

"It seems the day of the Yangtze River's feast of fish is approaching."

"..."

"Mission accomplished. Let's go back."

"Yes!"

He began swimming back to the opposite bank. The bodies of those who had mastered swimming cut through the Yangtze like fish born and raised in water.

Leaving the burning riverside behind.

❀ ❀ ❀

Beopjeong's face turned red with the burning shadow of flames. His expression, as he watched the burning ships spewing thick smoke, was as grim as it could be.

"These... these dirty bastards!"

Jonglihyung couldn't contain his anger and spat out curses in a suppressed voice. It was none other than his disciples who had been guarding this boat. While what Beopjeong saw was a burning ship, what Jonglihyung saw were the bodies of his disciples being moved away from the ship.

"Bangjang!"

Jonglihyung shouted, his face distorted with anger. 

"We must make these vile bastards pay for their sins!"

"Calm down, Sect Leader Jonglihyung."

"Do you think I look calm!"

Peng Yeop tried to persuade him, but it only seemed to amplify Jonglihyung's anger. Even Peng Yeop, who was always blunt and cold-hearted, flinched.

"This..."

Crack.

A grinding sound echoed from Jonglihyung's mouth.

Fortunately, he didn't lose many disciples, but these were disciples he had raised like his own children. How would Jonglihyung feel when these children turned into charcoal in an instant?

"How could they commit such outrageous acts!"

As he vented his anger, a short, mocking laughter escaped from Peng Yeop's mouth.

Outrageous? What was considered outrageous? Killing people?

From the beginning, the Evil Tyrant Alliance and the Ten Great Sects were engaged in a war. Although it hadn't been officially declared, everyone in the world thought so. Even the Evil Tyrant Alliance and the Ten Great Sects themselves.

Could a surprise attack during a war truly be considered outrageous?

"Bangjang! Are you just going to let those Su Lo Chae guys be?"

As Jonglihyung expressed his frustration once again, Beopjeong turned to look at him with a stern face. Then, in a calm voice, he asked,

"...What do you suggest?"

"What kind of frustrating talk is this...!"

"We've lost all the boats to go out, so how can we confront them without any means? Are you suggesting we fight against the Su Lo Chae with our limited skills? Against those who have mastered water combat?"

Unable to answer, Jonglihyung trembled in anger.

He had lost his composure in a moment of rage, but as soon as he heard Beopjeong's words, he quickly regained his sense of reality.

Originally, the boats gathered here were desperately assembled by them to block the advance of the Evil Tyrant Alliance. Since they had lost all of that, those gathered here had no way to cross the river.

"And even the minimum means to prevent them from freely moving across the Yangtze River are gone."

Peng Yeop murmured with an emotionless voice.

"It was an obvious mistake."

Beopjeong, who had been silently listening, closed his eyes tightly.

"We should have protected the boats more securely."

"Are you saying our kids were not capable enough?"

As Peng Yeop casually uttered his words, Jonglihyung sharply opened his eyes, shooting him a piercing look. Given the heightened sensitivity of the situation, it was understandable that he overheard a conversation that was difficult to catch.

This time, Peng Yeop didn't back down.

"In the end, didn't it turn out like that?"

"Be careful with your words! Was it even reasonable to guard this many ships with this number of people?"

Jonglihyung, spewing rage, confronted Peng Yeop.

"And if we had the usual number of people, we wouldn't have fallen victim to those bastards! But didn't you suddenly summon more than half of the kids who were guarding the ships to the camp?"

"We still should have been able to deal with the opponents."

"Have you said everything!"

"...Let's stop."

A dejected tone escaped from Beopjeong's mouth.

It was Beopjeong who had ordered everyone working in all directions to gather urgently in the camp due to Jang Ilso's movements.

But how could anyone not react that way? The opponent was Jang Ilso.

'He's completely outplayed us.'

Jang Ilso knew.

He knew that just his movement would alarm Beopjeong enough to mobilize the troops. Thanks to that, the defense of the ships would inevitably become lax.

He had been looking down at this place as if it were in the palm of his hand, even from a thousand miles away.

No, perhaps what was on that palm wasn't the situation here, but Beopjeong himself.

"Blaming each other for what has already happened, what good will it do? Peng Gaju, please stop. This doesn't seem like something to say to someone who lost disciples."

"I apologize."

After Peng Yeop apologized, another heavy silence fell.

The three of them stared at the ships, which were not yet completely engulfed in flames. The disciples of each sect were running around trying to salvage them, but with the added oil, it seemed challenging.

When the flames were finally extinguished, how many usable ships would be left?

"Now..."

A feeble voice escaped from Jonglihyung's mouth. After the surge of anger, there seemed to be a sense of resignation.

"Now... What should we do?"

Even Peng Yeop couldn't answer that question.

It would have been simpler if they had attacked and approached this place with the momentum of burning the ships. It would have been more straightforward to fight them.

However, they merely set the ships on fire and withdrew. Despite receiving a proper hit, they didn't fight back, leaving them no choice but to grip their slapped cheek and look across the river blankly.

Pangyeop let out a deep sigh.

"What can we do? We need to quickly get new ships, even if it's temporary."

"We've gathered all the ships we can from the Yangtze River, haven't we?"

"Even if they're small fishing boats, bring them over and establish makeshift measures. We need to build new ships, shouldn't we?"

"Easier said than done. Is that something achievable in a day or two?"

"...So are you suggesting we just stand by and watch?"

A cutting remark flew between the two again, as if asking when the calmness had come. A deep sigh escaped from Beopjeong's mouth.

What should they do?

In the face of such a situation, what solution could there be, even for Beopjeong?

Peng Yeop's words were correct. What was lost was lost, and now, as soon as possible, they needed to equip themselves with ships again. Only then could those Su Lo Chae ships not roam the Yangtze River as they pleased...

"Ba-Bangjang!"

Before he could fully grasp their thoughts, Jonglihyung shouted. Beopjeong, suppressing his rising anger, opened his mouth.

"For now... Yes, for now, as Peng Gaju suggested..."

"N-no! Bangjang, look over there! There!"

At that, Beopjeong opened the eyes that he had closed.

'There?'

Jonglihyung pointed to a place where only burning ships were visible. They had already checked everything; what else was there to see?

"Try to save a few..."

"Not like that! Look behind there!"

"Behind?"

Only then did Beopjeong cast his gaze far away. Through the flickering flames, the distant scene seemed to appear, and for a moment, Beopjeong's eyes widened as much as possible.

"Su-Su Lo Chae! They're moving, they're!"

A chill ran down Beopjeong's spine.

The massive fleets of the Su Lo Chae, which had long occupied the central part of the Yangtze River with Plum Blossom Island at the center, were turning their bows all at once.

The direction was...

"To the east."

That's right. It was the direction Jang Ilso was heading.

"Why, why are they suddenly...?"

As Jonglihyung mumbled in confusion, Peng Yeop responded with a chilling tone.

"Now, they are able to move, haven't they?"

"...What does that mean?"

"Although it was true that the Su Lo Chae were pointing a dagger at our throats, looking at it the other way around, we were also pointing a dagger at their throats. If the fleets of Su Lo Chae retreated, we could have advanced to the headquarters of the Evil Tyrant Alliance across the river."

"...Uh?"

"But it doesn't matter now. So, they need a boat to cross. A boat that can move them to the nearest land from Hanam."

Jonglihyung spoke as if he didn't understand.

"Oh, no. We lost our ship, but it's not like our hands and feet are cut off. Without the Su Lo Chae, it's not that difficult to swim across this river."

"What's over there?"

"As you said, the headquarters of Evil Tyrant Alliance..."

Jonglihyung paused for a moment and then closed his mouth. He now understood Peng Yeop's words.

Across the river was the headquarters of the Evil Tyrant Alliance. But what was at the core of the Evil Tyrant Alliance?

'Nothing's there.'

The headquarters itself had no meaning. At best, a few buildings were constructed there recently.

The headquarters of the Evil Tyrant Alliance was significant only because it was where Jang Ilso resided.

What on earth could they gain if they headed to Gangnam, where the Evil Sect had left and only commoners remained, and burned down the headquarters? 

But it was different for the Evil Tyrant Alliance. Just by stirring up Hanam, they could make enormous gains.

If they swim across the river and set the headquarters of the Evil Tyrant Alliance on fire here, Jang Ilso will advance to Hanam without even looking back.

"This...!"

Jonglihyung's face turned pale.

"If that was the case, we should have gone with that ship from the beginning..." [not sure lol]

"Could we have set our own ship on fire?"

"...Are you saying that Jang Ilso started moving because he foresaw all this?"

Peng Yeop didn't answer. However, even a three-year-old would understand that his silence implied affirmation.

Meanwhile, the Su Lo Chae's fleets continued steadily moving to the east.

"Ba, Bangjang. What should we...?"

"A boat..."

Beopjeong bit his lips, then spoke with a sigh-mixed voice.

"Summon those who are extinguishing the fire."

"Yes?"

A cold aura passed through Beopjeong's eyes.

"After all, it was inevitable. Gather the disciples. We have to follow them along the Anhui."

"...?"

"Spread the news to the Heavenly Comrade Alliance as well."

"Bangjang?"

Jonglihyung looked puzzled at the light coming from his eyes.

"In the end, peace is elusive without eliminating evil."

"..."

"We fell victim to the enemies. That's undeniable. However, Jang Ilso must also realize one thing."

The gentle and wise elderly monk was nowhere to be seen, and the voice that came out of Beopjeong's mouth was cold.

"No matter how clever the strategy is, it's meaningless if power is insufficient. The moment we cross that river will be Jang Ilso's end. I will make it that way."

His prayer beads slipped from his grasp, shattering into pieces.