Return of the Mount Hua Sect - Ch. 834
As the pirates rampaged, the public sentiment around the Yangtze River turned extremely uneasy.
It wasn’t easy to grit one’s teeth and hold on as people were losing their lives and having all their belongings taken one after another everywhere.
Those who were exhausted went to the government to appeal. Still, all they received was a perfunctory response that they would request the Imperial Palace to subdue the pirates.
In the first place, the administrative power of the officials did not extend to the Yangtze River. If they could find and deal with the pirates hiding along the river, they would have done so immediately.
Moreover, since the pirates were devastating villages and reducing tax revenues, they must be caught somehow. However, since the pirates didn’t touch the grain or food, they weren’t considered as urgent a threat as bandits.
Since the pirates were also mindful of the goods transported by the government, those were left completely untouched.
Therefore, the officials were not planning to take any hasty action.
Those who were pounding the ground in frustration soon felt like they were grasping at straws and went to small and medium sects adjacent to the Yangtze River, rather than the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families, to seek help.
But they also expressed their rejection.
“I have no excuses for this. If we step forward and handle it, it will be a distraction for no reason.”
“It is a nearby village, so we will do our best to protect it…”
“What can we do when the Nine Great Sects cannot do anything?”
In the end, the civilians had to just turn their backs.
More than anything else, the most despairing thing was pondering what they could do about a situation that even the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families had given up on.
It was said that the merchants along the Yangtze River were taking measures, but there was no way they could do anything special.
At best, it would involve hiring escorts and placing them around merchant ships. It made no sense to expect that an escort, who could be purchased for a few pennies, would be able to fend off the pirates, one of the Shenzhou Five clans.
Meanwhile, the damage was increasing, and while everyone was speaking out against the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families out of frustration, strange rumors began to spread.
-Pirates cannot approach the area around the mouth of the river.
-The Heavenly Friends Alliance, centered on Mount Hua, settled there. The pirates who were plundering were caught by Mount Hua and cut to pieces.
-The Heavenly Friends Alliance, led by Mount Hua, declared the mouth of the river as their land and said they would protect the ships traveling from there.
The merchants who heard the news were very upset.
People gathered at the dock in groups of twos and threes, each raising their voices to understand the situation.
“No, wasn’t the Justice Faction not allowed to come to the Yangtze River? They said they signed a treaty like that?”
“N-No! It isn’t that the Justice Faction cannot come; it is the Nine Sects and Five Families who cannot come! Aren’t the Heavenly Friends Alliance neither of the two?”
“I-Is that so? Why didn’t I think of it?”
Those who were shocked by the choices of the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families, which had forgotten the existence of the Heavenly Friends Alliance, began to engrave the name in people’s minds once again.
“But is this alright? Is the Heavenly Friends Alliance a greater force than the Nine Great Sects or Five Great Families? They won’t be able to handle the pirates, right?”
“We don’t necessarily have to think that. Isn’t Mount Hua the place which was first to subdue those hostile bastards in the first place?”
“R-Right!”
One of the merchants nodded.
What happened next was so significant that it was eventually forgotten. Still, if one considered it, it all began because Mount Hua struck the pirates first.
“If Mount Hua was afraid of the pirates, it wouldn’t have taken such action initially. Didn’t I mention that all pirates approaching the river’s mouth had already been defeated? Mount Hua is actively navigating a ship to bring them down.”
“And the pirates? Is there no response from them?”
“It seems that way.”
“Does that make sense?”
“If you think about it, it doesn’t make sense. Aren’t the pirates the ones who suffered the most damage in the war?”
“Right. Because countless pirates have collapsed.”
“Maybe the pirates lack the strength to confront Mount Hua right now. And wasn’t Mount Hua a sect that wasn’t afraid of pirates to begin with? What is there to fear from the pirates when they were originally confident of handling them?”
“Oh my… was Mount Hua such a strong sect? Strong enough to not fear the pirates?”
“Recently, the name of Mount Hua has been heard more often than Shaolin or Wudang. I guess we did underestimate Mount Hua.”
Someone nodded quickly.
It didn’t matter if the news was true or not.
The most important thing then was that a route had opened up. Merchants on the Yangtze River were suffering enormous losses each day because they could not keep their ships afloat.
“So, whatever, you’re saying that you can use that route while Mount Hua is holding it, right?”
“Yes.”
“W-wait… does that make sense? The pirates control the entire Yangtze River, so we cannot even move a ship. If we somehow move the goods there, there couldn’t possibly be a ship to transport them to the other side.”
“They said that wasn’t true. Mount Hua is said to have built a bridge across the Yangtze River.”
“B-bridge? On the Yangtze River? What nonsense is that?”
It was impossible to build a bridge across the wide Yangtze River.
“No, no, listen. It is said that long piers were built on the left and right around the middle of the river. They say that if you bring the goods, they will load them onto a ship and move them.”
“R-really?”
“Right. But I heard that there is a toll to pay. It takes a huge amount to protect such a path.”
“Yah, man, seriously! Are tolls really a problem now? The goods are all rotting in the warehouse, and they will be thrown away if we cannot ship them right now! D-did… did you say the mouth of the river? I need to report this to the merchant’s head!”
The rumor spread quickly, mainly among the merchants.
This news was like a ray of light for those who were stamping their feet because they couldn’t launch their ships due to the fear of pirates. Everyone who heard this rushed there.
“I-it is real!”
What those who arrived at the place saw was an estuary whose topography had changed from before, with dozens of merchant ships anchored around the river.
“L-look there. I want to ask something.”
The Green Forest person managing the ship turned his head and looked at the merchant who rushed in.
“What… no, the… uh, what is happening?”
The person, who was about to give a harsh answer, clasped his hands and answered politely, causing the merchants to react. At that time, one of the merchants said,
“That… Mount Hua is indeed moving the goods across the river?”
“It isn’t Mount Hua; it’s the Heavenly Friends Alliance, the Heavenly Friends Alliance!”
“Yes, yes! Heavenly Friends Alliance. Is that true?”
“Of course, it is true. So what do all these ships seem to be doing? Instead, if you drop off the goods on the island, they have to move them to the other side. Of course, we rent the ship, I get paid too.”
Sparks shone in the eyes of the merchant.
“I-is this really true?”
“W-wait a minute, doesn’t that mean we have to pay twice for the ferry fare and also pay to use the cart?”
“What’s wrong with that? Then, if you meet the pirates, they rob everything!”
“Who said it was wrong? Yah-yah! What should I do to use the ship?”
The Green Forest person smiled and said,
“I will move things or people, so come. We will rent out a ship if you want and even a porter. Please negotiate the detailed prices over there.”
“There?”
The eyes of the merchants turned.
Indeed, there was a small house built in front of the dock where the ships were lined up and anchored.
At that moment, the eyes of the merchants shone with madness.
“Get out of my way!”
“Come out, you bastard!”
“I came here first!”
Merchants began to rush to the reservation office on the dock. The Green Forest bandits burst into laughter, seeing the merchants fight each other.
“… I never thought this would happen.”
One could never guess what happens in the world.
Swish!
The ship approached the island through the current.
“H-here it comes!”
“Hurry up! Hurry!”
The pirates who saw it were frightened and ran to the water.
Tat!
A ship stopped at the dock, and when the person jumped out of the ship, the bandits lined up immediately, bending their backs at a right angle.
“They are here, great sahyung!”
“What?”
The grumpiest voice in the world came out. Everyone who heard the voice clenched their necks.
“Ha… Hahaha….”
One of the pirates opened his mouth awkwardly, sweating profusely.
“N-now that we have become one family…”
“One familyyy?”
“…”
Chung Myung rolled his eyes and said sarcastically,
“The world has gone insane, uh? Is this bastard really trying to bring Taoists into their family? Uh?”
‘This bastard.’
‘Even if we treat him well, it is still shit.’
But he couldn’t bear to say that with his mouth.
He knew right away that this person was terribly strong with the worst personality, but who would have imagined that he could be so incredibly strong and reckless?
‘I never thought he would be a human being who was capable of fighting against the Hegemony Lord.’
‘It was fortunate that I got saved.’
‘He gives me goosebumps, really.’
Chung Myung looked at the pirates with crazy eyes.
“Guys.”
“Yes!”
He seemed satisfied with the loud answer, so he nodded and spoke in a much softer voice.
“Being a person has its own value.”
“Yes!”
“But you are not a person. Bastards of pirates who are trying to be treated like a person. Does it work? It doesn’t, right?”
“Ah, no!”
“Right, I know. So break that arm and then work. If there is a bastard who isn’t working properly and playing around, I will tie the limbs and throw them into the water. If you are that good in the water, you can survive even with arms and legs tied. Right?”
“…”
“Why are you not answering?”
“I-I will do my best!”
“I will do my best!”
“Please spare me!”
“Nice.”
Chung Myung nodded with a satisfied look. Jo Gul, who was getting off the ship at that time, looked at that and laughed.
“… this suits you so well.”
“Pirates, pirates.”
“He was so excited when the ship hit earlier that I wasn’t sure if he should give them full-time work or not.”
“Bastard.”
The Five Swords shook their heads.
They took a quick glance around the island to see what was happening.
“There! Hold the pillar straight!”
“We don’t have enough materials! Is the transport ship too far?”
“I-I am doing my best to carry it, but since the transportation ship is…”
“Hurry a little more!”
“Yes!”
Large pavilions were being built in the middle of the island. And, of course, those leading the construction were members of the Tang Family.
“Eh. If I had known this would happen, I would have brought my higher-ups.”
“I thought we were coming to fight, so I couldn’t bring them along. It’s not like we’re creating something amazing here.”
“Still, it is a pity, isn’t it? There! No, you cannot do that! Get out of the way!”
Baek Cheon mumbled with a slightly exhausted expression as he watched the Tang family members running around.
“Did it really have to go this far?”
“Because the situation changed. Chung Myung mentioned it, right? Not just here, but all the nearby merchants will flock here. So, of course, we have to expand. We need to build more paths.”
Baek Cheon nodded hesitantly at Jo Gul.
‘It seems like things are getting bigger and bigger.’
Paradoxically, the chaos throughout the Yangtze River was more beneficial to Mount Hua. The more the pirates rampaged, the more merchants seeking safe trade routes would flock here.
Chung Myung asked, gesturing toward the pirates.
“Right. Have the guests arrived?”
“Now, there is an endless stream of people coming to the other side. The Green Forest King will soon start the business.”
“Where is he?”
“Receiving guests? That’s his job.”
“…”
Uh… in the end, a bandit’s job was to receive guests.
But it could hold a different meaning…
‘I don’t know. As long as you do your job well, things will be fine here.’
Chung Myung put away the complicated thoughts and smiled as he looked at the merchant ships anchored across the river.
“Money is money. Now, let’s get it all together! Kekeke!”
Hit the Nine Great Sects bastards, make money, and kill the pirates along the way. This was a ditch and…
Ah… there was nothing to even eat here, so it wasn’t a big deal.
Could they not even catch a carp here?
Ugh.