Chapter 605
Episode 605
Episode 605. An Unexpected Clue (1)
Soon after, a bell rang out noisily.
Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang!
It must mean pirates had attacked.
I asked the innkeeper.
“How do you respond here when pirates invade?” (MC)
“Noncombatants evacuate to the shelters, and the remaining combat personnel immediately respond to the pirates.” (Innkeeper)
“What happens to the combat personnel?” (MC)
“They are the disciples of the Hainan Sect, the vigilantes from each village, and the soldiers from the county office and prefectural office.” (Innkeeper)
I could see old people, women, and children hurrying off somewhere.
Seeing them move in perfect order in an instant, carrying their belongings, it seemed they were used to this kind of evacuation.
In other words, it meant they had already packed their evacuation baggage beforehand.
“I heard that this Hainan Island is often invaded by pirates.” (MC)
“That is correct. Still, invasions had been rare for a while, but it seems they heard the rumor that a large amount of food was released not long ago.” (Innkeeper)
“So the money I generously donated was the problem.” (MC)
When I said that bitterly, the innkeeper hurriedly waved his hand.
“Oh my! You mustn’t say such things! How many people avoided starvation thanks to you, Master? How can you say that?” (Innkeeper)
I’m grateful you say that.
“It is only that the pirates who were going to come have come. So please take shelter.” (Innkeeper)
“What? Take shelter?” (MC)
“Of course I know that you are an outstanding martial artist, Master, but how could we ask the hero who saved us to fight for us?” (Innkeeper)
“No. If I have strength and yet do not use it, what would the heavens think of me?” (MC)
I spoke firmly and entered the inn.
My companions had already gathered and were waiting for me.
“I will give an order from now on. No, I suppose I should call it a request rather than an order.” (MC)
I looked at the bodyguards one by one as I spoke.
“I intend to fight the pirates who have invaded this Hainan Island. However, I do not wish to order you to risk danger for my sake. Just as my life is precious, your lives are precious as well. So if any of you will fight together with me, I would be grateful if you joined me. It is all right if you refuse. I will never speak ill of you over it.” (MC)
At my words, the bodyguards let out sighs, and Warrior Seowoo stepped forward as their representative and spoke.
“Ha, Liege. The reason we bodyguards exist is to protect your safety. That is absolute.” (Warrior Seowoo)
“That is right.” (Warrior Yeo Eungam)
Warrior Yeo Eungam continued.
“Please do not shame us. Wherever you are, following you there is what we bodyguards do.” (Warrior Yeo Eungam)
Warrior Myeongjong gripped his sword hilt and spoke.
“Also, even if I were not your bodyguard, I do not wish to become a shameful martial artist as a member of the orthodox sects.” (Warrior Myeongjong)
I smiled and gave them a clasped hands greeting.
“I am grateful you say that.” (MC)
Then I turned my head and looked at Miss Seohyang.
“Vice Official Gwak…… no, Madam, please evacuate quickly. And Palgap.” (MC)
“Yes. Young Master.” (Palgap)
“Protect Madam.” (MC)
“I will protect her with my life.” (Palgap)
“Then, let us go.” (MC)
Thus, I led the six bodyguards and headed toward the place the combat personnel were going.
The place where the pirates had invaded was the southeastern point of Hainan Island.
There, people from the Hainan Sect and men who looked like soldiers of Hainan Island were already setting up wooden barricades.
As expected of people who had long suffered at the hands of pirates, their response was calm and fast.
“Ah! Master Seonhyeopmirang!” (Warrior Cheongryu)
The one who recognized me and came running was Warrior Cheongryu.
“Why have you come all the way here?” (Warrior Cheongryu)
“Why else? Of course I came to face the pirates together with you.” (MC)
“But, Master, you are……” (Warrior Cheongryu)
“Is now the time to be worrying about things like that? Isn’t this the time when you need even a cat’s paw?” (MC)
“That is true. Then I will shamelessly ask for your help.” (Warrior Cheongryu)
The Sect Leader of the Hainan Sect had gone to the trouble of raising my favorability, so there was no need to lower it by unnecessarily protecting myself.
And if I overcome this crisis together with them like this, they will truly open their hearts to me.
This Hainan Island is an island.
And islands, because of their harsh environments, tend to band tightly together among themselves.
Thanks to the relief money I had generously donated and the praise of the Sect Leader of the Hainan Sect, they were treating me as a hero, but that did not mean they had completely opened their hearts to me.
One could say it was similar to Sichuan Province, which was practically an island within the mainland.
There was that reason, but on the other hand, I also had a desire to help those suffering at the hands of pirates.
I looked at the pirates approaching from far away.
At the front of the pirates stood those carrying bows, and behind them followed those carrying hooks and ropes.
It seemed their plan was to subdue or restrain us with a hail of arrows and topple the wooden barricades.
“Raise the shields!” (Commander)
At the commander’s order, the soldiers raised their shields, and between them the spearmen thrust out their spears.
Thududududuk!
I heard the sound of arrows embedding into the shields.
For now, they were blocking the arrow attack well, but if the wooden barricades collapsed, our side would suffer heavy casualties.
What should we do?
After pondering, I called Warrior Cheongryu.
“Warrior Cheongryu.” (MC)
“Yes!” (Warrior Cheongryu)
“I intend to go into their midst and stir them up thoroughly. Can you do it?” (MC)
“Of course.” (Warrior Cheongryu)
“Then let us go!” (MC)
Together with the bodyguards and Warrior Cheongryu, I raided their flank.
Since there was risk involved, I selected only warriors at the absolute realm or above and charged in with them.
And we began cutting them down indiscriminately.
“Uwaak! Wh-what is this?” (Pirate)
“Where the hell did these bastards come from?” (Pirate)
“Keheok!” (Pirate)
From the pirates’ perspective, the intrusion of the five of us must have been no different from a disaster.
Because their ranks began collapsing in an instant.
No matter how well-polished an elite unit is, the moment its formation collapses, it is only an instant before it degenerates into a rabble.
Likewise, even untrained people can fulfill their role to some extent as long as they do not break formation.
Moreover, the day was dark, so visibility was poor.
Since we were warriors at the absolute realm or above, we could sense and see the enemies’ movements, but they could not, so they would be helpless.
“Let us pull out now.” (MC)
“Yes!” (Warrior Cheongryu)
Having disrupted their ranks like that, we swiftly slipped out.
“They’re running away!” (Pirate)
“Damn it! Where do you think you’re going!” (Pirate)
I easily cut down the neck of the pirate blocking me.
Honestly, with our level of martial force, we could deal with most of them.
But even absolute-realm warriors do not have infinite stamina.
Also, we had to prepare for the worst.
Because we must not think that the people we were facing now were all of them.
The ones on the ships are the real ones.
Moreover, the black path qi felt from them is similar to that of the men who had been under the command of that man called Cheon Cheonbok.
Black path qi is not all the same qi, after all.
Thanks to our scattering the pirates’ front line, the battle situation was flowing favorably for our side.
Just then, someone approached from behind and spoke to Warrior Cheongryu.
“Now leave this place to the soldiers and vigilantes. We will attack the ships.” (Dojin)
“I will help as well.” (MC)
At my words, he looked at me and asked.
“You must climb aboard the ships. To do so, you will also have to enter the sea and swim. Can you do that?” (Dojin)
“Of course.” (MC)
“Then I look forward to your help. Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Dojin, the Captain of the assault unit.” (Dojin)
That meant the Hainan Sect was operating its own armed unit.
Now this place would be fine without us.
Therefore, I followed him and headed toward where the ships were.
To pirates, ships are life itself.
Only with ships can they commit piracy, and if danger arises, they can flee.
Dealing with the ships is no different from binding the pirates hand and foot.
That is why they defend the ships desperately.
So the strongest ones often remain on the ships.
Those who set out to deal with the pirate ships were twenty-three Hainan Sect warriors, including Warrior Cheongryu, and the seven on our side.
There were more Hainan Sect warriors, but they had left some of them behind to fight the pirates who had landed.
“Please change into these night-activity clothes.” (Captain Dojin)
Captain Dojin and his unit members held out night-activity clothes to us.
They were not completely black.
They were black, as though slightly faded.
Seeing that the clothes of the others were in a similar state, it was not as if they had intentionally given us inferior ones.
I should send some night-activity clothes to the Hainan Sect later.
We quickly moved that way, but the pirates were not fools, so there were men guarding the road to the ships.
“We will handle them.” (Warrior Seowoo)
“We must prevent them from setting off signal flares.” (Captain Dojin)
“Then let us all go together.” (MC)
Warrior Seowoo and Warrior Jinyu swiftly ran out first and cut their necks.
They collapsed just like that, unable even to scream.
In the meantime, we dealt with all the others as well, and Captain Dojin recovered the signal flares they had carried.
“If you strike this down hard, blue flames shoot out. The pirates on the ships see that and go on alert.” (Captain Dojin)
“I see.” (MC)
We stealthily approached the ships again and reached the wall behind a place where the ships could be seen.
“What is the operation?” (MC)
At my question, Captain Dojin answered.
“There are thirty of us in total, so we will divide into three groups. Each group will climb onto a ship within the set time, and when the signal comes, we begin the attack at the same time.” (Captain Dojin)
“Is that the whole operation?” (MC)
“That is correct. The situation changes too much to draw up an overly elaborate operation. So each group will respond according to the situation. And……” (Captain Dojin)
And what?
“All of you simply need to return safely.” (Captain Dojin)
“Understood.” (MC)
The reason for launching the attack at the same time was that it would not be good for us if the other ships realized the situation.
I continued speaking.
“You said we will divide into three groups, correct? Then please assign just one more warrior to our side.” (MC)
“Then you will have only eight people. Will that be all right?” (Captain Dojin)
“Of course. We are fairly skilled as well.” (MC)
Thus, the eight of us took charge of the ship in the center and headed there.
In the silence, people could be seen walking around on the ship’s deck.
The set time was half a shichen from now.
In other words, we had to get aboard that ship within half a shichen.
I examined the equipment Captain Dojin had handed out.
They had hooks attached, tools for clinging to the ship.
The Hainan Sect warrior who had joined our side briefly explained how to use the equipment.
We put on the equipment and quietly entered the water.
Then we slowly swam closer to the ship and stuck close against it.
Looking at the faded night-activity clothes I was wearing, I gave a small laugh.
I had wondered whether the Hainan Sect was wearing clothes like these because they were financially strapped, but that was not it.
Because with moonlight shining on the sea, completely black night-activity clothes would instead stand out.
My discernment was shallow.
Reflecting on that slightly, I sent a telepathic message to everyone.
* Then, let us climb up. (MC)
* Yes. (Bodyguards)
* We will go around to the opposite side and board the ship. (Bodyguard)
* We will go to the bow. (Bodyguard)
* Then the two of you, please take the stern, and the other two, please take the right side. (MC)
Thus, the eight of us each paired off, decided our positions, and began climbing the ship using the tools.
Thanks to the equipment Captain Dojin had given us, climbing the ship was not difficult.
They were probably tools made after fierce deliberation and research.
Before we had completely boarded the ship, we waited for a while.
Because we could not be discovered before the signal came.
And then……
Piiiiiik!
A sudden whistle sounded.
At that signal, I immediately climbed onto the ship and cut down the man I saw before me.
Slice!
“Keok!” (Pirate)
I immediately spread my qi and searched for the strongest person on this ship.
Because I had something to ask him.
When several ships like this belong to one band of pirates, each ship has vice-captains.
Of course, there is only one captain.
And the ship with the captain is usually in the center.
That is why I decided to take charge of the center ship.
As I advanced toward the captain’s cabin, my companions began gathering.
And it was when we reached the captain’s cabin.
“Hahahaha! I already expected you bastards would climb onto the ship.” (Pirate Captain)
With that voice, pirates instantly surrounded us.
Looking to the side, the other ships were also in the same situation as us.
In other words, they had seen through our operation and had instead prepared to counterattack.
“H-how……” (Hainan Sect Warrior)
The Hainan Sect warrior who had come to support our side looked flustered.
“Our operation has never leaked until now.” (Hainan Sect Warrior)
I asked him in a quiet voice.
“By any chance, what did you do with the ships captured in this way until now?” (MC)
“We either burned them or sold them as merchant ships.” (Hainan Sect Warrior)
“Then what did you do with the pirates you captured alive?” (MC)
“We killed them all.” (Hainan Sect Warrior)
If so, it means there is someone on Hainan Island colluding with these men.
There is only one answer.
Cheon Cheonbok, the head of the Chaehong Trading Company.
Because the qi of the warriors he hired to protect the pearls is similar to that of these pirates.
Moreover, considering his relationship with the Branch Lord……
Ha!
So in the end, they were all in the same boat.
I gave a small laugh.
Because that meant that if I thoroughly shook down that pirate captain, I would be able to hear the answer I wanted.
They had grasped our operation, so they must think they can instead launch a counterattack, deal with us, succeed in plundering, and leisurely leave.
However, there is one thing they did not think of.
That is the fact that I am here.
It was then.
Shwaaaaaaak!
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
Countless arrows embedded themselves into the ship in an instant.
Huh?
These arrows…… somehow look familiar?