"Ah! What happened!"
"…."
Hong Dae-Kwang stared blankly at Chung Myung with a completely absent-minded expression.
'I am insane.'
Why did he miss this crazy person? This devil who destroyed all peace with his mere presence? Did he really?
"Um… Mount Hua's Divine Dragon… no, Mount Hua's Sword Saint."
"What?"
"Information is like that… uh? It isn't like it is right here when you want to know… uh? It isn't?"
"What are you even talking about! How can the Beggars Union have no information!?"
"That isn't what I am saying… there is information, but it isn't right here when you want it…"
"NOOO!"
Hong Dae-Kwang tightly shut his eyes.
"Anyway, these beggars aren't helpful, they aren't helpful! If you cannot even beg properly and you cannot even give proper information, what are you going to do to make a living!"
"… I appreciate your concern, but…"
He, of all people, didn't need to worry about that, right? Uh?
However, Chung Myung kept pestering and nagging him, whether he knew Hong Dae-Kwang's feelings or not.
"Ah, so what happened?"
Hong Dae-Kwang looked up at the ceiling with a relieved face.
There was much he wanted to say. If it wasn't Chung Myung but someone else throwing this tantrum in front of him, Hong Dae-Kwang would have smiled broadly and said this:
'Listen, little one. The information I requested from the main sect will take some time to arrive here via messenger. I cannot fly like a bird and get the information by myself, and nagging will not shorten the time, so just wait patiently; it won't take long.'
Right. He could say that.
And if he said that, those who know the nature of the Beggars Union would nod or feel guilty for daring to nudge them.
That was if it was a person with common sense.
But unfortunately, the person in front of him right then was Chung Myung. This person didn't even treat the Beggars Union's dignity equal to a dog's bone rolling on the ground in the street, and he was also a person without common sense or reasoning.
If he said that, he would get cursed back, 'You incompetent beggars! Since you are so free, you might as well beg for food!'
"Kuak…"
Or, he could just try to hit him, unable to control his anger.
As he watched Chung Myung's face, which was turning redder and redder, his hair began to stand on end.
It felt like he was watching fire rush toward a gunpowder barrel. The moment the fire touched the drum, it would surely explode.
That face?
No, it was the Branch Leader.
'Please! Please! Hurry up and look right, you bastard!'
Since he requested it so urgently, the Thousand Miles Blue Pigeon of the Beggars Union must be flying in with its wings about to fall off, carrying a letter with information in its claws.
Whether the branch was destroyed or not depended solely on the speed of its wings.
"Ugh!"
Finally, Chung Myung's eyes began to roll back, and Hong Dae-Kwang was considering whether he should get out without looking back, given the imminent situation.
Piiiik!
"Here it comes!"
Hong Dae-Kwang finally jumped up from his place at the sound of the chirp.
He wouldn't be this happy to see his deceased grandfather's face again. In fact, Hong Dae-Kwang didn't even know his father's face, let alone his grandfather's, but anyway, let us get this over with!
"Where is it?"
"Here! It is here!"
At that moment, a blue-winged pigeon flew in like lightning through the open window.
"Okay!"
Hong Dae-Kwang quickly reached out and grabbed it with his hand, opening the small message tied to its ankle.
As soon as he took out the tightly rolled letter, Chung Myung quickly snatched it.
"Mine!"
Chung Myung's eyes, which had opened the letter, moved swiftly over the words.
"What does it say?"
"That…"
"Uh?"
After reading the letter, Chung Myung raised his head and looked at Hong Dae-Kwang. His expression was hard to describe.
"Mr. Beggar."
"What?"
"… It seems like you guys are ruined."
"…What? W-what are you saying now?"
"No, I just… thought it wouldn't be…."
Chung Myung laughed nonchalantly and scratched the back of his head.
"There he is, a crazy guy."
"Uh?"
Hong Dae-Kwang blankly stared at Chung Myung with a face that had no idea what was happening.
The mouth of the Yangtze River.
A bleak tension flowed around Plum Blossom Island, which was completely taken over by the pirates.
The street, which was once full of life, was nowhere to be seen. It was hard to find people coming and going, and even the bars that had opened their doors wide and were eagerly soliciting customers had shut down.
Those who had gathered quietly in the bars on the outskirts of the city, which had been created along with Plum Blossom Island, couldn't help but hold their breath as they watched the crowds move.
"… Is it really necessary to continue like this?"
A man who saw the backs of the pirates passing by through the crack in the window sighed.
"Actually, there cannot be a big problem, right? The pirates aren't hurting anyone."
"It isn't that there are no big problems. It is just that no problems have happened yet, you idiot."
One of the merchants beat his chest as if hearing frustrating words.
"When a tiger is full, doesn't it just ignore passing people? Those pirates are quiet now, but how do we know when and what they will do?"
"That is true, but…"
The merchants' faces were filled with concern.
It had been several days since the pirates took control of Plum Blossom Island, but no one had been harmed yet.
However, it was impossible to look at the pirates, whom they had feared their entire lives, with a calm mind. This was especially true for merchants who made a living by traveling the Yangtze River.
"We have to get along somehow. In the past, when you met the pirates on the ship, didn't you pay a toll to them? If you think about it, this is the same…."
"How is it the same? We will inevitably meet them briefly once every few weeks or months. But how are we supposed to live when we have to face them every day?"
"…."
"And back then, we only had to pay for the goods we were moving. But now they even collect taxes on the goods in the warehouse. Damn it, business isn't going well, and if we pay the money they demand, how are we supposed to make a living here?"
A sigh escaped the merchant's mouth.
Mount Hua, who had established Plum Blossom Island, just rented the warehouse to those who needed them and didn't charge any taxes on their items. So, in reality, the only money the merchants paid while using Plum Blossom Island was the toll for transporting the goods on the ships.
Of course, there were costs for using various facilities, but wasn't that the same everywhere in the world?
But those bastards took control of Plum Blossom Island and immediately doubled the toll and threatened to charge taxes on the cargo waiting inside the island.
So they had to pay twice as much on the toll, but in reality, they ended up paying 3 to 4 times more.
"Do we really have to put up with this?"
"Man. Yesterday, the East River Merchants left Plum Blossom Island and rode past the river."
"The East River Merchants? Ah, right. What about them?"
"… they are all dead."
"What!? What does that mean!?"
"Those damned bastards seem to be using their brains. They're sinking all the merchant ships trying to cross the river on their own, away from Plum Blossom Island. If you don't want to die, you have to use Plum Blossom Island."
"… Oh my."
Everyone froze, unable to continue speaking.
In the past, even if they encountered pirates while crossing the river, it was rare for people to get hurt. This was because the toll fee usually solved the problem.
But if those damned pirates were acting like this, no one would dare cross the river.
Of course, the Yangtze River was so wide that it was not like they were guaranteed to be caught by the pirates. The chance of running into them was one in ten.
But what kind of person would risk their fortune and life on a one-in-ten chance?
"… Now it looks like we will be completely wiped out."
"It was better when Mount Hua was here."
Even if they didn't know where they were, the pirates did, and the merchants realized once again how much Mount Hua had protected them by ruling the island.
"What can we do by looking for those who aren't here? So? Is there any news from the Nine Great Sects? How long has it been since those pirates took over this place, and those people haven't shown their faces yet?"
Now, the only way for the merchants to survive was for the Nine Great Sects to take over this place. If not, they could end up with pirates wiping the place across the Yangtze River again.
"… I heard there is still no movement."
"Even now?"
One of the merchants couldn't hold back his anger and raised his voice.
"Surely, the Nine Great Sects aren't just going to hand over this place to the pirates, right?"
"H-How could they do that? This is the Northern lands."
"Then why haven't they shown us their noses yet?"
"That is…"
The merchants looked at each other with anxious eyes.
"Didn't they already get scared and retreat once during the war? Are you sure they will not do the same thing again?"
"Eh, as if! No matter what, they are people called the Justice Sect…."
"Justice Sect? If they had such a tag on them, they should have moved three years ago! Isn't it true that the Nine Sects guys just bowed their heads to the enemy because they were afraid of losing their lives?"
"…"
"Not this too…."
"Don't speak nonsense! Wasn't the situation bad back then? If the Nine Great Sects moved in earnest, not only the pirates but even the Black Dragon King would have lost his head. What are you talking…"
Kwang!
At that moment, the door to the bar opened violently as if it would break, and a man in blue walked in.
"…."
A face full of vigor and a tight blue dress known for the pirates.
The inside of the tavern became as quiet as a graveyard.
"Hmm."
The man looked around with cold eyes. All the merchants who met his gaze froze, unable to even take a deep breath.
The pirate opened his mouth.
"In here…"
His cruel eyes flashed fiercely.
"I thought I heard someone talking about Nine Sects?"
"T-that…"
"The Black Dragon King's head would fall off?"
The blood drained from the merchant's face in an instant. Who knew better than merchants how cruel the pirates could be?
"This is why unneeded kindness shouldn't be shown. The Black Dragon King has been so considerate. Still, you don't even recognize the kindness and just carelessly speak your mouth."
Anger flashed across the man's contorted face.
"I guess I will just have to kill a few of you to set an example for the others to come to their senses."
"T-that isn't what…"
"No! You misunderstand things!"
The merchants waved their hands in haste to make excuses, but the man pretended not to hear and gestured to them.
"Drag them out."
"Yes!"
As the pirates swarmed in, the merchants screamed in confusion.
"I-it is a misunderstanding! Let me go! Let me go!"
"Please spare us!"
"Ehh! W-we…!"
The merchants caught by the pirates cried and pleaded, but the hands pulling them were cruel.
"Drag them out and kill them. The sin of daring to insult our Black Dragon King, even with their lives, would not be enough!"
The man who shouted clicked his tongue.
As he walked out of the bar, he mumbled.
"I don't know why the Black Dragon King is showing mercy to these guys. If he just killed them all and took the money, that would be the end of it, whether they are merchants or sects."
"Kill them and take them?"
At that moment, a loud voice came from behind the man.
Annoyance flashed across the man's face. He clicked his tongue and looked back. Another fearless bastard….
Crack!
But at that moment, a vicious hand grabbed the man's neck.
"Kuak!"
The man stuck his tongue out in sudden pain as his throat tightened. It was an incredible pressure that seemed as if it would squeeze and burst his throat at any moment.
His face quickly turned red, and he hurriedly looked at the person who grabbed his neck.
The moment he saw who it was, shock filled his eyes.
A pure white robe, contrasting black hair.
His eyes were like those of a tiger, and his thick face reminded him of a lion.
But what caught his attention more were the two letters, 'Blue Sky,' engraved boldly on the right of the chest.
"N-nam…kuak! Namgung…"
Kwaaang!
He grabbed his neck and slammed the pirate to the ground in one go. The sound was unbelievable, like that of a person hitting the ground. The pirate who was hurting the merchants just a moment ago was now in a bloody mess.
"Pirates."
The one who dealt with the pirate in a single breath.
The pirates who saw his face let out voices mixed with despair and shock.
How could they forget that face?
Three years ago, the name that was almost absolute when they stood on equal footing with the pirate, Black Dragon King, echoed in the air.
"E-emperor… Sword Emperor!"
"You…"
A roar erupted from Namgung Hwang's mouth at that moment.
"You filthy bastards! How dare you step on the North of the river in front of me! I will kill you all!"
It was the moment when the lion of Anhui, who had been crouching for three years, finally roared towards the sky.