Almighty God of War - Chapter 136

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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136

 

Dongban Island, also called Daewan.

 

Far off the coast of Fujian Province, beyond the horizon, this massive island was a lawless land beyond the reach of the Hwan Empire’s laws.

 

A place untouched by the Emperor’s hand. And thus, paradoxically, the most free place of all.

 

It was heaven for the outlaws of the sea, and a land of opportunity for merchants blinded by gold.

 

The center of massive smuggling operations that connected the continent to the South Sea Islands, and even across the great ocean.

 

A place where greed danced freely, freed from the shadow of law.

 

Ruling over all of this was the White Whale Sect, which took the white whale as its symbol.

 

They were both pirates and merchants, plunderers and rulers of the sea.

 

The White Whale Sect’s history spanned a hundred years. The current Sect Leader was a man called Hyeok Seung, known as Whale Waves Ten Thousand Li.

 

Chae Mungyeong leaned against the railing of the sailing ship, lost in deep thought as he gazed at Dongban’s approaching coastline.

 

The sea breeze swept through his graying hair.

 

Dongban was truly a massive island.

 

Its circumference alone reached three thousand li, and at the island’s center stood Jade Mountain, piercing the sky at a height of one thousand zhang.

 

‘In the end… I’ve come to this place.’

 

There was only one reason why he, Dong Hyeondo’s right-hand man, had sought out this lawless land.

 

Dongryeong Salt Field.

 

To completely eliminate that troublesome matter.

 

Dongban’s harbor was truly a spectacular sight.

 

Hundreds of ships large and small were packed tightly together, with half of them flying pirate flags embroidered with black whales.

 

The rest were merchant ships from various nations, but here the distinction between merchant and pirate was meaningless.

 

Every ship was illegal, and every transaction involved contraband.

 

As the gangplank was lowered, Chae Mungyeong stepped down onto the dock.

 

Behind him followed a man like a shadow, wearing a three-foot sword at his waist and a bamboo hat tilted at an angle.

 

The moment the two men set foot on the wharf, a group approached as if they had been waiting.

 

The instant Chae Mungyeong saw the man at the front, his eyes changed subtly.

 

‘So that’s Im Bang.’

 

A fierce-looking man whose entire face was covered in scars.

 

With his appearance, wearing a water-splitting blade and dragon-crossing chain at his waist, the bustling harbor instantly fell quiet.

 

Even the pirates who had been drunkenly carousing naturally bowed their heads and cleared the way.

 

That silence alone made it immediately clear that this man’s status was extraordinary.

 

“Are you the one from Golden Tower Manor?”

 

The man’s voice was as rough as his appearance, and a beast-like gleam flashed in his eyes.

 

Chae Mungyeong smiled and gave a cupped fist salute.

 

“That’s right. I am Chae Mungyeong, sent according to the Trading House Master’s will.”

 

“I am Vice Sect Leader Im Bang.”

 

Im Bang, the Vice Sect Leader of the White Whale Sect and known as the Life-Taking Ghost Blade, was a supreme master who was hard to match on the seas.

 

Im Bang looked Chae Mungyeong up and down.

 

When his gaze subsequently settled on the bamboo hat wearer, a subtle tension flowed between the two men.

 

‘A peak master, I see.’

 

A bitter smile appeared at the corner of Im Bang’s mouth.

 

“Follow me. The Sect Leader is waiting.”

 

He turned and began walking.

 

Chae Mungyeong and Namgung Segeom followed behind him as they crossed the harbor.

 

Around them, languages from various countries mixed together. The continental official language, native tongues of the South Sea Islands, even languages from the Western Regions.

 

They could truly feel how enormous a center of smuggling this place was.

 

Chae Mungyeong’s eyes deepened.

 

The sea wind blew strongly.

 

From that wind came the fishy smell of the sea along with the thick scent of blood and greed.

 

The harbor city they entered following Im Bang was a massive whirlpool of desire where the word ‘order’ did not exist.

 

The vitality and killing intent emitted by tens of thousands of outlaws mixed together to the point where even the air in the streets felt bloody.

 

The place they arrived at was a massive manor situated at the highest point of the island.

 

The base of the White Whale Gang.

 

The overwhelming presence emanating from that place eloquently declared where the heart of this island was.

 

As they entered the massive main hall of the central building, the sinister energy emitted by over ten men became killing intent that pierced Chae Mungyeong’s lungs.

 

At the center, in the seat of honor, sat a man in his fifties with a chilling appearance.

 

More impressive than the long scar that cut diagonally across his face were his eyes.

 

Eyes like an abyss that saw through everything yet contained no emotion whatsoever.

 

Chae Mungyeong stopped walking before the man and bowed deeply as he spoke.

 

“Chae Mungyeong of Golden Tower Manor greets the White Whale Sect Leader.”

 

The White Whale Sect Leader, Hyeok Seung of Ten Thousand Li Across the Seas, spoke in an indifferent tone.

 

“I’ve heard there’s a clever strategist called the Spider’s Web Master beside Master Dong, who knows everything under heaven. I’m curious about the reason why such an esteemed Spider’s Web Master would not hesitate to take the rough sea route to visit the base of us seafaring folk.”

 

His voice carried a faint mockery.

 

Chae Mungyeong smiled calmly and answered.

 

“Don’t you already have an idea, Sect Leader?”

 

“I heard that the manor’s salt business is suffering great damage because of Dongryeong Salt Field. But what does that have to do with us?”

 

Hyeok Seung snorted.

 

Chae Mungyeong didn’t fall for that provocation and spoke with a smile.

 

“What do you think is the reason why more than half of the smuggled salt you sent to Jiangnan over the past three months couldn’t be sold and returned intact?”

 

Hyeok Seung’s expression changed slightly.

 

“It’s the same with the northern trade routes. Dongryeong Salt Field’s salt has almost monopolized the market.”

 

Chae Mungyeong took another step forward and continued.

 

“If things continue this way, your smuggled salt business will be completely finished within a year.”

 

At those words, Hyeok Seung’s eyes contorted.

 

Because Chae Mungyeong’s words were true.

 

Hyeok Seung stroked his chin with his rough hand and fell silent for a moment.

 

The air in the main hall settled down as cold as ice.

 

The White Whale Gang were pirates but also merchants, and their main product was salt.

 

They sold salt produced in Jiangsu and Fujian using ships to Jiangnan, the northern and southern parts of the continent, and across the sea.

 

This business was several times more profitable than piracy.

 

This golden goose business had been shaking since the emergence of Dongryeong Salt Field.

 

If their production volume had been small, it could have been ignored, but the situation wasn’t like that.

 

The amount of salt produced at Dongryeong Salt Field was enough to meet the demand of about half the continent by itself.

 

Moreover, that amount was increasing with time.

 

Naturally, the demand for the already expensive salt from smugglers was declining sharply.

 

For now, salt smugglers could survive because Dongryeong Salt Field’s salt supply couldn’t keep up with demand.

 

But when supply became sufficient to meet demand, not only existing salt field businesses with salt licenses but also salt smugglers would all be ruined.

 

In Hyeok Seung’s mind, the secret conversation he had with Vice Sect Leader Im Bang a few days ago flashed by.

 

In the quiet room where only candles flickered, he asked.

 

“Vice Sect Leader, tell me the exact situation right now.”

 

Im Bang was a supreme master of blade technique, but at the same time, he was also devilishly sharp with calculations and schemes.

 

Those who looked only at his appearance and underestimated him as a fierce and foolish man had long since become cold fish food in the West Sea.

 

Im Bang clicked his tongue and spoke in a heavy voice.

 

“The volume of illegal salt trade in the Jiangnan region has been cut in half over the past two months. The routes heading north are the same.”

 

“…What’s the scale of losses?”

 

“Monthly average, thirty thousand nyang in silver coins.”

 

A quiet sigh escaped from Hyeok Seung’s mouth.

 

Thirty thousand nyang per month meant three hundred sixty thousand nyang annually.

 

Money worth more than thirty percent of the White Whale Gang’s total profits, which fed the hundred thousand dependents belonging to Dongbeon, had evaporated into thin air in just two months.

 

Hyeok Seung’s face gradually hardened.

 

“How long can we last if things continue like this?”

 

“Six months. At most, six months.”

 

Im Bang’s voice sank coldly as if pronouncing a death sentence.

 

“After six months, the moment Dongryeong Salt Field’s supply completely meets demand, our gang’s salt smuggling business will be finished.”

 

Heavy silence flowed through the room.

 

It was a life-or-death crisis that could collapse the entire economy of Dongbeon, this island of outlaws maintained only by force and money, without law or country.

 

It was at this time that Chae Mungyeong had come to find him.

 

A cruel smile like that of a beast appeared on Hyeok Seung’s lips.

 

“So you’re saying Golden Tower Manor now needs our White Whale Gang’s power?”

 

“That’s correct.”

 

Chae Mungyeong continued speaking calmly.

 

“Our Trading House Master wishes for Dongryeong Salt Field to disappear from this world forever.”

 

“What’s the compensation?”

 

Hyeok Seung’s eyes flashed with greed.

 

“One hundred thousand nyang in silver coins. And…”

 

Chae Mungyeong paused for a moment and looked around.

 

“The Trading House Master has promised to share half of the profits from the salt we produce in Zhejiang Province with the White Whale Gang for the next ten years.”

 

The Main Hall was instantly enveloped in silence that seemed ready to explode.

 

One hundred thousand nyang was already an enormous sum, but offering half the profits from salt produced in Zhejiang Province over ten years was worth dozens of times more than that.

 

Considering the scale of Golden Tower Manor’s salt business, this was a deal that could be expected to yield hundreds of thousands of nyang in annual profits.

 

Excited murmurs arose among the White Whale Gang executives lined up on both sides.

 

“Such conditions…”

 

“Half the profits for ten years?”

 

But only Hyeok Seung remained cautious.

 

He slowly raised his head to look at Chae Mungyeong.

 

“The conditions are… attractive. So attractive that it’s problematic.”

 

Chae Mungyeong secretly swallowed dry saliva and asked.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Golden Tower Manor can’t directly attack Dongryeong Salt Field because of the Emperor, right? I may be an islander, but I’m not ignorant of continental affairs.”

 

“…That’s correct.”

 

“But is it really because they have the Emperor’s protection that the manor can’t attack?”

 

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

 

A fiery gleam flowed from Hyeok Seung’s eyes.

 

“Blood Master Chae! If you don’t want to overturn the negotiation table, don’t try to be clever in front of me.”

 

His momentum was fierce, but Chae Mungyeong wasn’t a man who would blink at this level of threat.

 

However, given the reality that it would be difficult to find a better contractor than the White Whale Gang, he needed to endure for now.

 

“…Please speak, Sect Leader. This Chae will listen carefully.”

 

“Burning down one salt field isn’t difficult even if you mobilize several mercenary groups from the Unorthodox Sects. Yet the Blood Master of Spider’s Web came to me.”

 

Hyeok Seung turned his head to Im Bang and asked.

 

“Vice Sect Leader, what do you think this means?”

 

“It means Dongryeong Salt Field’s military force is strong enough that it can’t be broken by mobilizing several mercenary groups.”

 

“I think so too.”

 

Hyeok Seung nodded and turned his gaze to Chae Mungyeong, asking.

 

“I’d like to hear Blood Master Chae’s opinion on what our Vice Sect Leader said.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

Chae Mungyeong cleared his throat quietly and spoke with a calm expression.

 

“As the Sect Leader said, Dongryeong Salt Field has considerable military force. They have two hundred warriors from two escort agencies and three hundred martial artists they’ve hired independently.”

 

“Five hundred… The Blood Master wouldn’t have come to our gang just because of that level of force, would he?”

 

Hyeok Seung’s eyes became piercingly sharp as he continued speaking.

 

“Let’s talk about the real story now. What’s there that makes Golden Tower Manor choose such a roundabout way while spending this much money?”

 

Chae Mungyeong fell silent for a moment.

 

Hyeok Seung was showing sharper judgment than expected.

 

Half-baked information wouldn’t work against such an opponent.

 

“…The Sect Leader is correct. There’s a master named Hahou Gang.”

 

“Hahou Gang?”

 

“Yes. His whereabouts are currently unclear, but I believe he may be at Dongryeong Salt Field.”

 

“You came to our gang because of that one person?”

 

“That’s right. If he’s hiding at Dongryeong Salt Field, even the Sect Leader would find it difficult to easily bring that place down.”

 

“Because of that one person, I should? Blood Lord Chae, have you lost your mind?”

 

A fierce light poured from Hyeok Seung’s eyes, his pride wounded.

 

Though he was a supreme master, his essence was that of a pirate.

 

Chae Mungyeong spoke in a calm tone as if he were a person without nerves.

 

“Hahou Gang is a master who single-handedly annihilated the Blood Sea.”

 

The Main Hall fell into silence.

 

After a moment, Hyeok Seung spoke with a grave expression.

 

“Blood Lord Chae, it seems we need to have a more serious conversation.”

 

Chae Mungyeong nodded without hesitation and responded.

 

“Of course we should.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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