episode_0031

Cheong abandoned the boat just before the collision.

After all, it wasn’t Cheong’s boat to begin with.

As she quietly leaped onto the deck of the ship, she saw people lying flat on the floor.

And then, a spiral-

Kwoong…!

With a heavy impact felt through the soles of her feet, the deck tilted sharply.

Geeeee…!

The sound of wood twisting, the screams of the ship filled the entire space.

But true masters never waver.

In fact, there were quite a few people standing firmly in their places, observing the mysterious woman who had suddenly appeared with a critical gaze.

Her piercing gaze was not very welcoming.

Sensing the palpable hostility, Cheong quickly scanned her surroundings.

Was this a rescue ship, or had she escaped only to stumble into another den of villains?

There were those who had fallen all the way to the bottom, and occasionally someone who had maintained their dignity.

Excluding a few extreme cases, the average level was somewhat decent.

At that moment, Jang Han, who was standing at the bow, aimed his glare at Cheong and growled.

“How dare you touch the waterway on the Janggang River, let alone this Dragon King Ship. One must commend the courage of a woman like you.”

Cheong was aware that this was a situation that could be easily misunderstood.

However, she also believed that it wasn’t her fault.

Wasn’t it just an accident that the boat drifted and hit something?

Cheong didn’t rush to confront him like a man, shouting to fight. Of course, she wanted to try it.

Nevertheless, the collision just now was unintentional.

Cheong was someone who believed that most misunderstandings could be resolved through honest conversation or manipulation and fabrication.

And she had learned the art of honest conversation from Seomun Sulin.

Having seen, heard, and experienced the back alleys of third-rate rogues, she had learned the proper etiquette of a true martial artist, enduring numerous nuclear explosions of insults.

“A… I am-”

But she wasn’t exactly a little girl.

“-Seomun Cheong. Thank you for the rescue.”

Cheong straightened up, taking a defensive stance.

Jang Han’s anger softened slightly.

And Cheong felt a little more at ease.

“Rescue? What are you talking about?”

“Well, you see. I boarded the ship because they offered to provide a meal, or rather, treat me, but those guys, I mean, that guy? No, those people? Anyway, they were a bunch of bastards…”

As her forced manners relaxed, she found herself back in the alleys of her past.

Her memories of fighting beggars with discarded food containers were vivid.

Above all, Cheong’s attitude towards the world wasn’t particularly serious.

Cheong finished her story.

It was mostly about how those guys were just plain bad guys, and she was innocent and got caught up in it.

Jang Han, troubled by the situation, pondered.

After hearing the story, there was no point in asking about guilt.

Luring people to the ship and then committing despicable acts was a well-known method.

It was also the reason why legends of water spirits were passed down in famous rivers and lakes.

And Cheong’s baseless chatter and decent appearance shone brightly.

It seemed like a naive girl from a noble family who didn’t understand the ways of the world.

The sharp, lively eyes of someone who had mastered the art of dodging blows spread a wave of misunderstanding.

Moreover, Jang Han was also a father who had a daughter.

It was difficult for him to be harsh with a young, inexperienced girl.

“Well, men are usually like that, so you should be careful and watch out for yourself. It’s dangerous to follow just anyone blindly.”

Suddenly, all hostility disappeared.

Cheong asked in a much more relaxed manner.

“So, can you drop me off in a nearby city? But where exactly are we?”

“Dongjeong Lake.”

“What? Dongjeong Lake? How…”

Cheong swallowed the rest of the words.

How could the lake be called Dongjeong Lake?

Not understanding the hidden meaning, Fabonmu casually brushed it off, thinking he must have been surprised by the random chatter.

More importantly, there was a crucial detail he had heard.

“By the way, that bastard mentioned he was the son of an official. Didn’t he mention whose son he was?”

“Boochal? Boochal Inspector? It was something like that.”

Fabonmu’s heart sank.

“Boochal Dowaesa.”

“Yes, that’s it! That’s the one.”

“Damn it, you bastard…”

Fabonmu cursed under his breath.

—-

Jang Gangsu’s group is a group of river bandits.

It was like that during his time as the leader of the gang.

The current leader of the gang, So Myeonkyo, knew that this business was always on the edge of being shut down.

It was because of the officials.

The moment the officials cracked down, it would be the end of the gang.

Gunpowder was the exclusive property of the officials, and if only one side had gunpowder in a battle, the fight wouldn’t even start.

In So Myeonkyo’s eyes, the gang seemed to be surviving only within the officials’ tolerance.

So, So Myeonkyo decided to change the gang.

He actively engaged with the officials, protected their interests, and acted as a liaison for communication.

He even conducted searches to help the criminals evade capture.

Cracking down on smugglers was something they had always done. Smuggling was a business only the gang could handle.

To avoid the officials’ suspicion, they significantly reduced the toll fees.

Thanks to this effort, the river’s shipping volume increased dramatically, leading to much more lucrative profits than before.

Their hard work paid off, and now Jang Gangsu’s group was more like a river management business than a criminal gang.

Unofficially, they had gained the true recognition of the river.

But then, the son of the Boochal Inspector died.

The problem was who was responsible.

Cheong claimed that the youngest son, Cha Namjeong, was still alive before the accident.

There may have been some distortion, but it was a fact.

Even though his arms and legs were gangrenous, and his tongue and lips were severed, the umbilical cord was still attached.

According to Cheong’s plan, less than a hundred survivors of the evil deeds were supposed to testify by dragging Cha Namjeong to Uichang.

But unfortunately, they all became leaders due to the unfortunate accident.

So, who should bear the responsibility for the death of the high official’s son?

Gang leader So Myeonkyo furrowed his brow.

Just when things were already complicated, another incident occurred.

“I knew that perverted murderer would cause an accident someday. I didn’t expect it to turn out like this, though.”

Cha Namjeong had been active in the Uichang watershed of the Jang River.

And the gang knew everything that happened on the river.

From the ship managers to the dockworkers, there were very few people involved in sailing who didn’t have a connection to the gang.

“So, what did you do with that child?”

“For now, we’ve locked him up in Seonok.”

Fabonmu asked cautiously.

“Are you planning to hand that child over to the officials?”

“If not?”

“Isn’t it pitiful? Seeing him in such a state.”

“It is pitiful. But still.”

So Myeonkyo shook his head.

“If he had come out with a knife, he would have been a gangster by now. As you know, innocence in the gang is a sin. It can’t be helped.”

“Ugh…”

So Myeonkyo pleaded with Fabonmu in a stern voice.

“Who wouldn’t feel like a daughter? But do we really need to take it upon ourselves to seek revenge? That’s the job of the righteous faction.”

Suddenly, he remembered something and asked.

“Oh, by the way, didn’t Hmchuck see that guy? A few days ago, he caused a big fuss and the young man was so upset that he didn’t even show his face to his father.”

As Cheong entered the cabin, the door slammed shut.

Suddenly, a bitter feeling washed over him.

He tried to shake the door, but it was tightly locked and wouldn’t budge.

After dealing with some official business, Cheong’s father’s expression turned grim.

He was led to a room to spend the night until they reached Akyang, but before that…

“Hey mister, you didn’t see it coming, did you? I could really give you a beating. Hm, hm. Should I just sweep you away? I could even resort to violence….”

Cheong mimicked a famous line from a great writer he admired.

It was his usual banter, always on the tip of his tongue.

However, he only spoke it out loud when there was no one around to hear, or when it was in front of a villain who deserved to hear it.

Even though no one would understand his banter, it felt awkward to say it out loud while sober.

“Is that really true?”

“Eek!”

Startled by the sudden unfamiliar voice, Cheong jumped and shuddered.

“If I startled you, I apologize.”

The voice belonged to a delicate-looking beauty.

Her gentle voice resonated softly in his ears.

A sweet melody that seemed to soothe his weary soul.

As Cheong looked at her, the beauty gave him a warm smile. A smile that pierced through his heart.

I see.

I have a thing for delicate beauties.

But why is she smiling at me?

Could it be…?

“I’m Yeon Yeong. From Jinju. And you?”

“I’m Seo Mun Cheong…”

When Cheong focused on someone’s face, numbers would appear above their head.

Yeon Yeong was no exception.

How many children would be good? Should I give Seo Mun a son or continue our lineage in this primitive China? Cheong pondered, and numbers appeared in his eyes.

-1711. Suddenly, he snapped back to reality.

A four-digit number? Is this for real?

Oh man.

I loved you, my dear….

Cheong suddenly felt melancholic.