Chapter 45

The captain stared at Daoshi Go with a dumbfounded expression.

“What are you talking about? Our lives are on the line, and you want to haggle? Do you think they’ll only take the rice?”

“That’s exactly why I’m saying this. If you want to protect both the rice and your lives, you have to pay a price.”

Daoshi Go grinned slyly.

“A price? You’ll die too if the Water Bandits attack, so what’s this about a price? You’re truly insane.”

“Hehe! Insane? Could an insane man do this?”

Pow!

As Daoshi Go pointed his finger, the anchor rope, thicker than a grown man’s forearm, burst apart with a powerful sound.

“Umm!”

The captain finally realized that the Daoist Master before him was a Martial Artist who had learned Martial Arts. To be able to project his external energy without a weapon, he was worthy of being called an Expert.

“Can you handle all of them by yourself?”

“I’m getting old, and my bones aren’t as strong as they used to be, so that would be difficult.”

“Then you’re useless.”

“Ahem! Why is this person so impatient? Did I say I was alone?”

Daoshi Go pointed to Heo Ranju and Hyeolseung behind him.

The captain furrowed his brow deeply.

Based on their appearances, he didn’t find them very reliable. But he had no other choice.

“Fine! If you can protect all the rice and the people, I will pay you one hundred Silver Tael.”

“Forget it! Who do you think you can satisfy with a mere one hundred Silver Tael?”

“One hundred Silver Tael is a huge sum of money that a family of four can live on comfortably for five years.”

“But compared to the value of the rice on this ship, it’s a paltry amount.”

“Then two hundred Nyang…”

“Five hundred Nyang!”

“That’s too expensive. With that much, I could buy thirty percent of the rice on this ship.”

“Hehe! It’s a bargain if you can save both your life and all the rice for just thirty percent of its price.”

“Ugh! You damn robber…”

The captain’s body trembled.

The conflict was evident on his face.

If he gave Daoshi Go five hundred Silver Tael, he would make no profit from this voyage.

Even at that moment, the boat carrying the Water Bandits was getting closer. The distance between the two boats was now only about ten Zhang.

The captain had to make a decision.

“F-fine! If you really defeat them, I will give you five hundred Silver Tael.”

“Hehe! A wise decision.”

Daoshi Go grinned and turned around to face Heo Ranju and Hyeolseung.

Heo Ranju asked.

“How much is it?”

“Five hundred Silver Tael!”

“What! Is that all?”

“Let’s be satisfied with this for now. We can aim for a two-birds-one-stone effect.”

“Two birds, one stone?”

“If we’re going to sell our strength, we need to advertise, don’t we? This is a golden opportunity to make an impression on the Emei Sect and the Qingcheng Sect.”

“You and your petty schemes…”

Heo Ranju let out a soft laugh.

Daoshi Go also smiled broadly and said to Hyeolseung.

“Well, I’ve set the stage, so go run wild.”

“Why do you always make me do these things?”

“Do you really not know?”

“Amitabha!”

“Hurry up and go do what you do best.”

Daoshi Go waved his hand as if to rush him.

After a brief sigh, Hyeolseung turned his head and looked at the boat carrying the Water Bandits.

Having approached the rice transport ship, the Water Bandits were preparing to board, weapons in hand.

“Amitabha! Oh, most merciful Buddha. Please forgive this unworthy disciple.”

Phat!

Hyeolseung, holding his Buddhist staff, kicked off the deck and soared into the air.

Reaching his peak altitude, Hyeolseung’s body flipped over and plunged straight down onto the Water Bandits’ boat.

Kwaang!

With a deafening roar, the Water Bandits’ boat rocked violently, as if it would sink at any moment.

“Uwaak!”

“W-what was that?”

The Water Bandits lost their balance and tumbled over. But they quickly regained their senses and stood up.

“What? That damn monk?”

“Be careful! He looks strong.”

The Water Bandits cautiously approached Hyeolseung.

“Haap!”

Thud!

At that moment, Hyeolseung slammed his Buddhist staff into the bottom of the boat. The boat shook violently again, as if an earthquake had struck. However, the Water Bandits were prepared this time and didn’t fall over so disgracefully.

It was then.

Fwoosh!

The floor where the Buddhist staff had struck burst open, and water shot up. Hyeolseung had punched a hole in the bottom of the boat.

The enraged Water Bandits rushed at Hyeolseung.

“Die!”

“How dare a mere monk…”

At that moment, Hyeolseung spread his palm wide towards the charging Water Bandits.

Poong!

“Keuk!”

“Ack!”

Struck by the powerful palm force, the Water Bandits were thrown backward and fell into the water.

Those who fell into the water were motionless, their breath cut off, just drifting with the waves.

“This crazy monk.”

“Everyone, attack together!”

Seeing their comrades fall into the water, the enraged Water Bandits charged all at once. But what greeted them was Hyeolseung’s Buddhist staff.

Crack!

“Keck!”

“Keoheuk!”

With the sound of breaking bones, two Water Bandits struck by the Buddhist staff were sent flying.

Hyeolseung’s methods were brutal.

Every technique he unleashed was thick with killing intent and devastatingly powerful.

Among the Water Bandits, there were some who had learned Martial Arts, but not a single one could block Hyeolseung’s Buddhist staff.

If they blocked with their hands, their bones broke; if they blocked with a sword, both the sword and their bones broke.

It was truly immense destructive power.

Heo Ranju leaned her upper body against the railing and watched Hyeolseung run rampant.

“Hmph! There’s no one whose words and actions are as different as his.”

“Why else would his Alias be Hyeolseung? They call him that because he’s crazy for blood.”

Daoshi Go fanned the sweat from his forehead with a hand fan and chuckled.

There was no trace of tension on either of their faces. That was how much they trusted Hyeolseung.

Although he was caught between the two of them every day, getting pushed around here and there, his Martial Arts skills were the real deal.

Those who fell to Hyeolseung’s hands suffered at least serious injuries.

The condition of the surviving Water Bandits was so tragic that it would have been better to lose their lives.

Their arms and legs were bent at grotesque angles, or white bones pierced through their skin, jutting out.

At the gruesome sight, the crew and passengers on the rice transport ship squeezed their eyes shut.

Just a moment ago, they had been trembling in fear of losing their lives to the Water Bandits, but now they looked at the Water Bandits with pity.

The captain, in particular, looked at Daoshi Go and Heo Ranju, who were chatting without a hint of tension, with a horrified expression.

After chatting with Daoshi Go for a while, Heo Ranju clapped her hands as if she had just remembered something.

“Ah! What’s the handsome Orabeoni doing? He’s not scared, is he? Aigoo! I should have told Hyeolseung to go easy on them.”

As she looked for Pyo Wol, Daoshi Go chuckled.

“Does that look like the face of someone who’s scared?”

Heo Ranju’s gaze followed Daoshi Go’s finger.

Where her gaze landed, there was Pyo Wol.

Pyo Wol was sitting on the railing, indifferently watching the spectacle of Hyeolseung’s rampage. It was an expression a scared person could never make.

“That guy, he’s no ordinary fellow. You can’t have eyes like that unless you’ve been through your fair share of Asura Fields.”

“Where did an Orabeoni like that pop out from? We know most of the famous Experts in Sichuan Province, don’t we?”

“Not all of them. What did you find out?”

“Nothing!”

“What? You were stuck to him like that and found out nothing? I guess the Blood Spider is past her prime. Can’t even figure out a single man like that.”

“Hmph! You said it yourself, Daoshi Go. That he’s no ordinary fellow. I can’t read anything. He definitely lets me get close, but I can’t seem to get inside his heart.”

Heo Ranju chewed on her fingernail.

Seeing her looking so hurt in her pride, Daoshi Go clicked his tongue and said.

“Tsk! Anyway, if you don’t want to create any variables, find out about him. Otherwise, the Unit Leader will be disappointed.”

“Hmph! That will never happen. He’s just a man, how long can he resist without giving in? Sooner or later, I’ll make him spill everything in his gut. Just you watch.”

“Alright! I’ll be watching.”

It was then.

Kwaaang!

An enormous explosion, incomparable to any before, erupted. And then silence fell.

On the boat where the Water Bandits had been, only Hyeolseung stood alone. All the Water Bandits had been thrown into the water.

Among them was the leader of the Water Bandits.

His Martial Arts were quite strong, but he was no match for Hyeolseung.

In just three seconds, he was beaten to a pulp and thrown into the water. And he never resurfaced.

Hyeolseung kicked off the boat and climbed onto the rice transport ship.

Right after he landed, the Water Bandits’ boat completely disappeared beneath the surface of the water.

The passengers and crew stared at Hyeolseung with fear-filled eyes. But Hyeolseung, quite used to such gazes, wore an indifferent expression.

“Good work, Hyeolseung!”

“Amitabha! Next time, send Ranju instead of me.”

“Does that wench listen to me? I’d be lucky not to get an earful of curses. Hehe!”

Daoshi Go let out his characteristic laugh and approached the captain. The captain, startled, stumbled backward.

Daoshi Go held out his hand to the captain.

“Well, the job is done, so it’s time to settle the bill.”

“H-here you go!”

The captain handed over five hundred Silver Tael without a second word.

He had clearly hired three people. But he couldn’t question why only one had fought instead of all three. Hyeolseung’s display of martial prowess was too overwhelming for that.

If Hyeolseung possessed this level of martial prowess, he couldn’t even begin to guess how strong Daoshi Go or Heo Ranju were.

“It was a good deal.”

Daoshi Go took the pouch of silver and approached Hyeolseung. But Heo Ranju was nowhere to be seen.

“Uh, where’s that wench?”

Hyeolseung silently pointed at Pyo Wol.

Heo Ranju was already stuck close to Pyo Wol’s side. Pyo Wol paid her no attention, but Heo Ranju was chattering and laughing by herself.

Daoshi Go furrowed his brow.

“I told her to seduce the man, but isn’t she the one getting seduced?”

The way she was twisting her body and smiling with her eyes felt somehow unsettling.

Whether she knew Daoshi Go’s feelings or not, Heo Ranju linked her arm with Pyo Wol’s and whispered.

“Do you have a place to stay when we get to Chengdu? If not, how about coming with us?”

“No thanks!”

“Why? Is it because of Hyeolseung? As you can see, he’s usually gentle. Don’t worry.”

“I’m more comfortable alone.”

“That’s quite unusual. For a woman this beautiful to show such favor, and for you to refuse like this.”

“No matter how pretty, I’m not fond of embracing a rose with thorns.”

At Pyo Wol’s indifferent words, Heo Ranju’s brow twitched slightly. But it was only for a moment; she smiled brightly with an unfazed expression.

“So you’re saying I am pretty, then.”

“It’s a fact that the shell is pretty.”

“Wow! How can you say that to a woman? I’m hurt right now.”

Heo Ranju clutched her chest and pretended to collapse. But Pyo Wol’s eyes, as he looked at her, remained as cold as ever.

The display of force Hyeolseung had just shown was extremely impressive.

Although it was somewhat highlighted by the fact that the Water Bandits’ Martial Arts were not great, it was still clearly powerful.

Though he hadn’t confirmed it with his own eyes, the level of Daoshi Go’s and Heo Ranju’s Martial Arts was likely similar to Hyeolseung’s.

And these three people were heading to Chengdu at the exact same time as Pyo Wol.

There were too many coincidences to dismiss it as a simple chance.

‘The biggest problem is for what purpose they are entering Chengdu…’

Pyo Wol looked at Hyeolseung.

When the three of them were together, he was the one with the least presence. But when an incident occurred, Heo Ranju and Daoshi Go pushed Hyeolseung to the forefront.

It felt as if they had deliberately made a big scene by putting Hyeolseung forward for something that Heo Ranju or Daoshi Go could have handled quietly.

He didn’t know the reason, but the show of force they had just displayed was clearly meant for someone to see.

‘Who are they trying to show it to? And what do they gain from this?’

Pyo Wol once again carefully observed Heo Ranju.

Heo Ranju was wearing revealing clothes. Her chest area, in particular, was clearly exposed.

Pyo Wol looked at Heo Ranju’s chest. To be precise, he looked at the scars that ran across her chest.

Scars so deep that an ordinary person would have long since stopped breathing were still clearly visible.

Not only on her chest, but deep scars were also visible on her forearms.

These were not simply injuries sustained during training. They were the marks of life-and-death battles. There were probably many more scars on the parts of her body hidden by her clothes.

No matter how perilous Jianghu was, fights fierce enough for a Martial Artist to sustain such deep wounds didn’t happen every time.

Unless one actively sought out places where wars were being fought, it was almost impossible to get so many scars.

‘So they were Wanderers who sell their strength for money. They’re putting on a show of force for a potential client. To show that this is the level of their skills.’

The Water Bandits were nothing more than pitiful sacrifices to raise their price.

‘Does this mean a conflict has arisen in Chengdu that requires Wanderers?’

Pyo Wol thought things were getting interesting.

Chengdu was the heart of Sichuan Province.

Under normal circumstances, the hegemons of Sichuan Province, like the Emei Sect and the Qingcheng Sect, would not have tolerated a conflict in Chengdu.

The fact that they couldn’t meant that the situation of the Emei Sect and the Qingcheng Sect was not so good.

Perhaps the seeds of discord he had sown seven years ago had begun to sprout.

Pyo Wol smiled, and Heo Ranju stared blankly at his smile.

It was so chillingly beautiful that she even felt a shiver.