Chapter 606
Episode 606
Episode 606. An Unexpected Clue (2)
I turned my head and looked toward where the arrows had come from.
I saw countless ships, and I was startled when I saw the flag raised at their head.
That flag belonged to the Eunha Merchant Guild.
In other words, the ship at the very front was a merchant ship of our Eunha Merchant Guild.
Then these arrows must have been fired by the archers of the Eunha Merchant Guild who had learned the Thousand Wave Bow of Manjeong, the Bow God.
When I observed their training, I had not realized they were at this level, but seeing them in actual combat, they were truly terrifying.
Ah, this was no time for that!
Pak!
Paaak!
What I sensed from the arrows embedded in the ship was the scent of oil.
If so, staying on this ship was dangerous.
Since they were firing from such a great distance, they were attacking without knowing we were here.
I asked the Hainan Sect warrior who had come to support us.
“What is the retreat signal?” (MC)
“Pardon?” (Hainan Sect Warrior)
“We have to retreat immediately. Right now!” (MC)
Perhaps reading my urgency, he hurriedly blew the whistle.
Piiik! Pi! Piiik! Pi!
No sooner had that sound rung out than the Hainan Sect disciples who had boarded the other ships immediately shook off the pirates and jumped off the ships.
Since arrows were also embedding themselves in the ships to the left and right, they were able to escape by taking advantage of the confusion.
We also jumped from the ship.
But it would be a shame to leave like this.
I rushed toward the captain at full speed and struck him in the stomach.
“Keok!” (Pirate Captain)
The captain lost consciousness from the shock.
I grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and jumped straight into the sea.
The pirates belatedly tried to stop me, but there was no chance.
“C-catch him!” (Pirate)
“That man has our captain!” (Pirate)
Just then, fire arrows began pouring onto the ship.
“Uwaaaak!” (Pirate)
“D-damn it! Fire!” (Pirate)
Listening to the pirates’ screams, I moved hard through the sea and arrived at the shore.
“Are you all right?” (Warrior Seowoo)
“Yes. I am fine.” (MC)
I took the hand Warrior Seowoo offered and emerged from the water, then handed over the pirate captain I had brought out.
“He is an important witness. Do not let him kill himself.” (MC)
“Understood.” (Warrior Seowoo)
It seemed the other Hainan Sect warriors had all arrived as well, because Captain Dojin and Warrior Cheongryu approached me and asked.
“Whew, that almost became disastrous. What on earth is going on?” (Captain Dojin)
I answered Captain Dojin’s question.
“Ah, those are the merchant ships of the Eunha Merchant Guild.” (MC)
“What? No, how can merchant ships have such attack power……” (Captain Dojin)
“They are merchant ships for trade with Dai Viet, so we put a little effort into their armed strength to respond to pirates.” (MC)
“That is…… a little?” (Captain Dojin)
At that question, I awkwardly smiled and turned my head.
Even to my eyes, it is not little.
“In any case, the pirates already knew our operation.” (MC)
At my words, their expressions hardened.
“That is right. This is truly serious. Our operation has never been leaked before, yet the fact that those pirates knew our operation means……” (Captain Dojin)
“Someone told them.” (MC)
They seemed to have been thinking the same thing, because they clenched their fists tightly.
In any case, a pirate attack and collusion at a time like this……
That means those people must be thinking of wrapping things up soon.
From the standpoint of those currently committing corruption, the people who are the biggest thorn in their eyes are the Hainan Sect.
Their martial force is one thing, but they are people who receive overwhelming support and respect from the residents of Hainan Island.
If those people want to clean up what they have been devouring until now and run, they cannot avoid the eyes of the Hainan Sect.
So they mobilized the pirates to turn their eyes elsewhere.
However, perhaps the heavens were on our side, because it coincided with the return of the Eunha Merchant Guild’s merchant ships from their trade trip to Dai Viet.
And the merchant ships of the Eunha Merchant Guild discovered the pirates, attacked them without hesitation, and leisurely departed.
It was worth telling them to subjugate pirates on sight along the route as proactively as possible.
I should convey my thanks when I return later.
In any case, they came perfectly on time. If they had not come this time, we would have been like a dog that chased a chicken and could only stare at the roof.
Then I would not have been able to strongly influence the matter of establishing a berth for Eunha Merchant Guild ships here.
Meanwhile, the pirates who had landed and were advancing on land had also been mostly dealt with.
Cutting off their heads without mercy and throwing their corpses into the sea looked cruel, but that was the best method.
Pirates have a strange kind of romance to them, so if they are imprisoned, other pirates rescue them and they return to piracy again.
As they say, one cannot abandon one’s old habits; when they finish serving their sentence, going back to piracy again is in their nature.
Taking that into consideration, executing them outright is better for everyone.
Seeing the soldiers executing the pirates, I could tell just how much they had suffered at the pirates’ hands.
I also had a pirate to deal with separately, so should I move?
I dragged the pirate I had brought out and headed to the Hainan Sect.
It was a place where I could have a serious conversation without interference from others.
And on the way, I made a request of Warrior Yeo Eungam.
To bring Master Jangwon, who was evacuating together with Miss Seohyang, to the Hainan Sect.
Master Jangwon was also quite experienced in interrogation, and since this matter was being carried out by imperial order, it would not be good for me to handle it arbitrarily on my own.
I had to give credit to the Royal Guards’ side as well and share information to avoid trouble later.
I could also receive help in the future.
I arrived at the Hainan Sect and asked the Sect Leader for a secluded place.
“That is not difficult. If you go that way, there is a detached house that is rarely used.” (Sect Leader)
I took the pirate and, guided by Warrior Cheongryu, entered the detached house and tied him to one of its pillars.
He struggled to escape, but there was no one to save him.
After waiting a short while like that, Master Jangwon arrived at the detached house.
“Oh! I heard the story! They said the pirates were successfully swept away.” (Master Jangwon)
“Yes. A merchant ship of our Eunha Merchant Guild happened to be passing by and helped.” (MC)
“That is truly fortunate.” (Master Jangwon)
He continued speaking.
“But why did you call me? And who is that man?” (Master Jangwon)
I explained the whole story to him.
Master Jangwon immediately understood my explanation.
“I see. That man is the captain of the pirates, and because there is someone on Hainan Island colluding with the pirates, you captured him and brought him here. And you called me to find out who is colluding with them.” (Master Jangwon)
“That is exactly right.” (MC)
“I see.” (Master Jangwon)
Master Jangwon cracked the joints of his fingers.
Crack! Crack!
“Leave it to me. I shall show you my skill once.” (Master Jangwon)
As if he had sensed something, the pirate captain had a frightened look on his face.
I left him with a word of warning and stepped out of the detached house.
“The less pain you want, the faster you should honestly spill everything you know.” (MC)
.
.
.
I entrusted the captain to Master Jangwon and came outside.
At that moment, Warrior Yeo Eungam said to me.
“Um, there is something Madam asked me to convey.” (Warrior Yeo Eungam)
Something Miss Seohyang left for me?
“Please speak.” (MC)
He conveyed Miss Seohyang’s words to me, and after hearing them, I gave several instructions to the bodyguards.
Then I headed toward the seashore together with Warrior Seowoo.
It was the place where the pirate ships that had burned earlier had sunk.
“Why have you come here?” (Warrior Seowoo)
“Ah…… because it would be a waste to leave the valuables remaining on the pirate ships.” (MC)
“Pardon?” (Warrior Seowoo)
“When we boarded the pirate ship earlier, judging from Geumryeong’s reaction, it seemed there were quite a few valuables on the ship. So I am going to bring them back. It would be a waste.” (MC)
At my words, Warrior Seowoo nodded.
“You are right, but the pirate ships have already sunk into the deep sea. How are you thinking of bringing them back?” (Warrior Seowoo)
“I have water arts, do I not?” (MC)
“Ah…… that is true.” (Warrior Seowoo)
“So do not worry and stay here for a while.” (MC)
I asked Warrior Seowoo to keep watch around the area, then entered the sea while still wearing the night-activity clothes.
The night-activity clothes even had a hood to pull over the head, so I could enter the sea without my hair getting in the way.
In fact, one of the Hainan Sect’s special techniques is water arts.
Since the Hainan Sect is located on an island, they cannot move freely without martial arts that allow them to traverse the sea.
However, the water arts they learned have limits.
That is, they cannot dive to deep places.
How do I know that?
Because valuables did not remain in ships sunken in the shallow coastal seas, but in ships that had sunk into deep seas far from land, valuables still remained untouched.
On the other hand, the water arts I had learned, the Ice Sea Assimilation Mental Technique and the Ice Sea Water Severing Art, made it possible to enter very deep places.
Geumryeong was happily flapping its short arms and legs as it swam through the sea.
I had told it I would give it one gold character.
Geumryeong moved freely in every direction under the sea and put every kind of expensive thing remaining in the sunken ships into my treasury.
I am looking forward to what will be there when I open the treasury later.
After thoroughly looting the ships sunken in the area for quite some time, I returned to land.
“Are you only coming now?” (Warrior Seowoo)
Warrior Seowoo approached me. Looking at his expression, he seemed to have been rather worried.
“Were you worried?” (MC)
“Yes, because you did not come out until daybreak.” (Warrior Seowoo)
Indeed, seeing that the day had brightened, it seemed to be morning, which meant I had been under the sea for a good few shichen.
“Hahaha, I apologize. Treasure hunting was more fun than I expected, so I lost track of time.” (MC)
In any case, by now the pirate captain should have confessed something, right?
“Let us go to the Hainan Sect.” (MC)
“Yes.” (Warrior Seowoo)
I headed to the Hainan Sect, took off the night-activity clothes I had been wearing, and changed into my original clothes.
Then I headed to the detached house.
“Hoho, are you only coming now?” (Master Jangwon)
Master Jangwon was waiting in front of the detached house.
“You must have worked hard.” (MC)
“It was nothing. He confessed more easily than I expected. Let us go inside.” (Master Jangwon)
I went inside with him and saw the pirate captain hanging from the ceiling.
“…….”
That is why he confessed more easily than expected.
I resolved once again.
I will absolutely never do anything that puts me outside the Royal Guards’ good graces.
“As you said, Master, there was someone colluding with them. It seems a man named Cheon Cheonbok was mobilizing the pirates and plotting something.” (Master Jangwon)
“As far as I know, the one backing Cheon Cheonbok is Branch Lord Jibu.” (MC)
“Then if we arrest Cheon Cheonbok and interrogate him, Jibu will come out.” (Master Jangwon)
“I suppose so. But is there any need to go in order and make things difficult? Since we are going to arrest them anyway, it seems we can strike simultaneously.” (MC)
“That is also true. Then I will take charge of Branch Lord Jibu. I shall lead the Imperial Army currently stationed on the Seomunhyeon side and arrest Branch Lord Jibu.” (Master Jangwon)
“Then I will take charge of Merchant Guild Head Cheon.” (MC)
“Then, support……” (Master Jangwon)
“I do not need it. I have something in mind.” (MC)
After Master Jangwon left, we stayed quietly as though nothing had happened.
Because we could not cause a commotion before he came with the Imperial Army and make the mistake of beating the grass and startling the snake.
And several shichen later, Master Jangwon entered Hainan Island leading the Imperial Army.
As soon as I heard that news, I headed to the Chaehong Trading Company.
In front of it stood the black path warriors he had summoned, in other words, pirates, standing guard.
“I am Eun Seoho of the Eunha Merchant Guild. Is the Merchant Guild Head inside?” (MC)
“Please wait a moment.” (Black Path Warrior)
Right now, they are visibly anxious.
The pirate group they belonged to had been annihilated, so they had no choice but to be anxious.
That is why, unlike before, they did not pick a fight with me.
“He says to come in.” (Black Path Warrior)
“Thank you.” (MC)
I entered and waited in the reception room.
Soon Cheon Cheonbok came in, and anxiety lingered in his eyes as well.
“What brings you here? It will still be quite some time before the pearl ornaments are complete……” (Cheon Cheonbok)
Looking at him, I smiled inwardly.
He must be wondering what on earth happened, with the pirates annihilated overnight.
The pirates were probably a rather important part for Cheon Cheonbok and the others.
But now that such an important part had suddenly disappeared, they must be confused about what to do.
“Thinking about it, I never even thanked you for introducing me to pearls of such good quality. So I came here to offer my thanks and perhaps have a meal.” (MC)
“Thank you for being so considerate.” (Cheon Cheonbok)
“Then shall we go?” (MC)
The reason I lied like this to take him outside was to prevent unnecessary conflict.
If these people ran wild, innocent civilians would become victims.
I left the Chaehong Trading Company with him and entered a restaurant I had reserved in advance.
“Welcome.” (Waiter)
Because I had reserved a place through Palgap, we were immediately guided to a separate building.
However, there was no food prepared in that separate building.
“Wh-what is this……” (Cheon Cheonbok)
Realizing that something unusual was happening, he quickly tried to leave the place.
However,
Thud!
My fist was faster.
After subduing Cheon Cheonbok like that, I loaded the unconscious man into a palanquin and headed to the Hainan Sect.
Then I headed to the detached house where the pirate captain was hanging, and hung Cheon Cheonbok beside him as well.
Bang!
Just then, the door opened and Master Jangwon entered.
But his expression did not look very good……
“I apologize.” (Master Jangwon)
“What happened?” (MC)
“Whether that side caught the scent of it or not, Geum Sagyeon, the Jibu of Hainan Island, has already fled.” (Master Jangwon)
People like this always have that kind of intuition developed, after all.
A short while later.
I headed to the prefectural office.
There was no longer any need to hide my identity, so I could walk proudly.
I ordered a portion of the Imperial Army to be sent to the Chaehong Trading Company and suppress the black path martial artists there.
Therefore, there were not that many Imperial Army troops at the prefectural office.
I headed to Geum Sagyeon’s quarters.
There were traces that he had hastily packed his belongings.
Even if he ran away from here, he would end up heading toward Guangdong Province.
The Imperial Army had already been spread all over that side, so there would not be anywhere for him to receive help.
Well, it does not matter.
He is already in my hands anyway.
Because what Miss Seohyang had told me was about this, so I had prepared in advance.
I looked at one of the things in his room and gave a small laugh.
An empty box.
That was the box that had contained the golden toad I had previously received from the Mu Trading Company as collateral.
In that urgent situation, he must have judged that it was the item that would become the greatest treasure and fled with it as well.
But what to do?
That thing is fake.