Chapter 910: Let A Bite Of This Now! (5) |
“Leave it?”
“That was what was said.”
“Is that so? All of it?”
The first elder opened his mouth.
No, of course, it was understood. One could not just take things apart and move them, and they could not destroy it all when the island was left behind.
But…
“Why are you leaving all the ships behind, the ships!? Do you know how much one ship cost?”
“Tsk tsk! A bandit is being greedy for a ship! You have lived by the water for too long now, so you’ve developed the habit of fishing?”
“That is not the story! If you just take it and sell it…!”
Im So-Byeong spread out his fan.
“And what is important isn’t money. It is the intention. If you are always after money, you will end up missing out on something really important.”
The first elder couldn’t say anything and just kept pounding his chest.
The Green Forest King had always had a strange side, but it felt even worse after meeting that Taoist from Mount Hua. He couldn’t understand what this man was doing.
“So, what about Cheol-su?”
“… everything is done. The collected treasures have been sent to the Eunha Merchant with an escort, and the guys from Plum Blossom Island have all moved to the mainland. The rest of them have packed up and left, so now it is just us to go.”
“Right. So.”
Im So-Byeong waved his fan gently. A small breeze tickled his cheek. He looked at Plum Blossom Island with slightly regretful eyes.
“It was a good place.”
“It didn’t suit my temperament. It is like Commander Zhongzi living off the pine needles! What kind of work would it be for the proud heroes of Green Forest to carry other people’s luggage and make money?”
“But aren’t you wearing really expensive clothes? Didn’t you buy new ones?”
“A-ahem. That is…”
The first elder’s face went red.
Since Plum Blossom Island earned so much money, even if they took only the money the Green Forest bandits received, they still made a huge profit. Consequently, the elders’ pockets were quite full of silver coins.
The first elder twisted his body, but how could the expensive silk clothes he wore cover his entire body?
“If the first elder insists on going into the mountains and becoming a bandit, I don’t plan to stop them either.”
“W-what are you saying? That is…”
“Tsk tsk. A bandit wearing silk clothes and doing business—if the ancestors knew, they would ignore everything else.”
“Ughh.”
As soon as the word “ancestors” came out, a groan escaped from the first elder’s mouth. If the ancestor of the Green Forest king had seen this, they would have tried to tear the first elder apart, not just his silk clothes.
Im So-Byeong clicked his tongue as he looked across the river.
‘Three years.’
In the past three years, Im So-Byeong and the Green Forest have truly gained a lot. For Im So-Byeong personally, it was a time when he could stabilize the Green Forest, which had been in chaos. Money was not a means to solve everything in the world, but it was a means to solve most things.
Those who opposed Im So-Byeong becoming the Green Forest King kept their mouths shut when they saw the wealth falling into his hands.
However, compared to what the Green Forest really gained, the wealth was nothing.
The biggest achievement was that the common people no longer feared the Green Forest.
Changing their business to not harm those traveling to and from the mountains, collecting tolls, and safely escorting them had a clear effect. Demonstrating hard work through Plum Blossom Island also had an impact.
But what had an even greater impact was the Four Precepts Alliance.
The Four Precepts Alliance declared unification and absorbed all the Evil Sects under their command. At the same time, they absorbed all the hatred of the people in the world.
In the meantime, Green Forest rebelled against the Four Precepts Alliance and supported the Heavenly Friends Alliance. Hence, those who hated the Four Precepts Alliance began to look at Green Forest with a rather warm gaze.
“Mount Hua’s halo also played a part in it. Anyway, I told you he was a very useful Taoist.”
“Uh?”
“No, nothing.”
Im So-Byeong smiled softly.
‘This is how you gamble.’
When he, the leader of Green Forest, said he would join hands with Mount Hua, there must have been more than one or two people who thought he was insane.
He must have been unable to say it out loud because he had gathered power by sweeping away the Great Star Bandits and other places. Still, there must have been no one who truly agreed with the idea.
But the gamble was a complete success.
“No, no, not yet.”
However, Im So-Byeong’s eyes sank coldly once again.
‘At least I need to sweep away the Four Precepts Alliance and stab Jang Ilso in the neck before I can talk about success.’
He briefly pictured that scene in his head and chuckled.
“Well, that isn’t my job.”
“What on earth have you been talking about all this time? Like you are insane.”
“….”
Im So-Byeong’s forehead turned red at the sudden harsh words.
‘We should change into a justice faction at this chance; we can…’
He didn’t even want to go as far as the family lord, who would pretend to die at the word of the family. But even that crazy Taoist from Mount Hua didn’t spit at the Sect leader’s words, so why on earth was the Green Forest going around like this?
His insides were seething.
But before he could say anything, the first elder asked with a serious face.
“More than that, are you really going to back out like this?”
“Why are you bringing up a story that is already done?”
“I am saying this because I feel bad because I feel sorry. Plum Blossom Island is…”
The First Elder’s gaze turned to the back. He could see the large pavilions stretching from the dock.
How much effort had he put into creating the city?
Leaving all of this behind felt like trying to sever a limb. However, Im So-Byeong waved his hand, dismissing the elder’s regret.
“Forget it, get ready now. The guests will be arriving soon.”
“Guests?”
“Yes, guests. Very dark… hmm, it seems like they are already coming.”
“Uh?”
The First Elder turned his head towards where Im So-Byeong was looking.
“Uh…?”
Indeed, the black ship was revealing itself in the distance. At first, it looked small, but as it got closer, its majestic presence was truly amazing.
“T-that is?”
A ship that looked at least three times larger than the other ships escorting it. The sails were painted with the image of a black dragon sailing across the Yangtze River.
And the First Elder was one of those who knew the identity of the ship better than anyone else.
“I-is that the Black Dragon ship?”
When the First Elder asked in surprise, Im So-Byeong calmly fanned himself.
“Hmm, I didn’t expect him to show up in person. It seems like the Black Dragon King is quite pleased with how things are going.”
The ship and the Black Dragon flag hanging from it meant that the Black Dragon King had come here in person to take this small island into his own hands.
Im So-Byeong chuckled.
“No… the Black Dragon King himself…?”
The First Elder opened his mouth wide in shock.
Im So-Byeong was the Green Forest King, but he was not like the other kings, so it was not surprising that he moved around lightly. However, those who were generally called ‘kings’ did not move easily.
But the Black Dragon King himself appeared?
“He must have come to get his hands on Plum Blossom Island while we are away. Before the others do anything.”
The First Elder, who did not immediately understand the situation, opened his eyes wide and looked at the approaching Black Dragon ship.
However, at that moment, another thought crossed Im So-Byeong’s mind.
‘Just one day, right?’
A strange smile appeared on his lips.
Just before leaving Mount Hua, Chung Myung called him and asked him to confirm one thing: Who would come first after they retreated from Plum Blossom Island, and how long would it take for them to show up?
‘Since the pirates came to occupy this place before the bandits even left it alone, it means that he didn’t ask for permission from the Four Precepts Alliance.’
If they showed up within two days, it would be considered a success, but this guy showed up in just a day?
That means a clear rift had begun to form between them. It was undeniable evidence that the Heavenly Friends Alliance’s plan worked more effectively than expected.
“Hehehehe. This is why I like the Taoist.”
Im So-Byeong laughed.
For the past three years, the one who has taken the lead in martial arts was, no matter what anyone says, Jang Ilso of the Four Precepts Alliance. Shaolin, which once held supremacy in martial arts, was unable to handle the Four Precepts Alliance’s speed and simply stayed in hiding, alert.
There was no major conflict, but no one could deny that martial arts was being used around as Jang Ilso intended.
But, as soon as Mount Hua returned, Jang Ilso’s hegemony began to falter. Without lifting his sword even once, without shedding a single drop of blood, he struck a blow more fierce than any sword attack.
Im So-Byeong, who had been lost in thought for a moment, shook his head.
“Let’s go. If you stay here for no reason, you will get struck by lightning.”
“N-No, Green Forest King. If the pirates eat this place…”
“There will not be any trouble.”
Despite the voice of the first elder’s concern, Im So-Byeong spoke with confidence.
“The one who would be most upset at the sight of us abandoning the mountain and mingling with the commoners and comfortably amassing wealth would naturally be the Black Dragon King.”
“….”
“Furthermore, we know how to bow our heads to Mount Hua, but that proud man doesn’t know how to bow his head to Jang Ilso. So, he will try to gather wealth here and strengthen the power of the pirates somehow.”
“That sounds plausible, but…”
“That is what is going to happen.”
Im So-Byeong covered his mouth with the fan and smiled meaningfully.
“Who do you think felt the greatest fear at the sight of Jang Ilso gathering his strength?”
“What do you mean?”
“Let’s go.”
Im So-Byeong turned around, folding his fan, and started walking alone.
“Green Forest King! Come, let us move together!”
The first elder quickly followed. He asked some more questions, but Im So-Byeong just smiled meaningfully and hurried his steps.
‘Now, how will the Shaolin act?’
As expected, there was nothing more fun than watching a fight.
“We have arrived! Black Dragon King!”
“Hmmm!”
The Black Dragon King, who was standing ahead, stared intently at the small island in front of him.
“That insignificant thing can be so annoying.”
If Jang Ilso hadn’t blocked it, he would have wiped them out long ago. Because of that one island, the pirates’ plan to control the Yangtze River was entirely destroyed.
But…
‘This is what they mean by recovering the land.’
The past was no good. He had seen with his own eyes that collecting the proper tolls was a lot more profitable than sloppily robbing people.
Furthermore, he was the leader of the pirates. Unlike them, he was in a position to firmly control those who traveled across the Yangtze River. If he put his mind to it, it wasn’t difficult to earn several times the money that Mount Hua earned on Plum Blossom Island.
“If that happens… I can build a force that surpasses the money of that Ghost. Then Jang Ilso will be nothing.”
The Black Dragon King gritted his teeth.
The status of the Four Precepts Alliance has risen day by day, but the Black Dragon King’s power wasn’t as great as it used to be. People even considered him to be Jang Ilso’s subordinate.
The leader of the Four Precepts Alliance was Jang Ilso, and he was just a sub-leader, so it wasn’t wrong. But…
“This isn’t even fun.”
Now, he would show who the true leader of the Four Precepts Alliance was.
“I will join you!”
The Black Dragon King nodded heavily.
“Get off and occupy!”
“Yes!”
The calm Yangtze River began to boil again.