Almighty God of War - Chapter 146

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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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146

 

On the sea a hundred li away from the Jiangsu Coast.

 

The fleets of Dongryeong Salt Field and Sahaesangdan were sailing with favorable winds.

 

“Over there… something’s coming!”

 

A warrior keeping watch from the watchtower shouted.

 

Jang Cheol-un, First Company Commander of the Jagang Corps on the command ship’s deck, placed his hand above his eyebrows and looked down at the sea.

 

White spray was rising in a straight line beyond the horizon.

 

Jang Cheol-un’s eyes widened.

 

Swoooosh-

 

With massive spray, a small ferry was shooting toward the fleet like an arrow, as if running across the sea.

 

A man could be seen standing at the ferry’s stern, intermittently unleashing palm winds.

 

Each time his power struck the sea, the boat advanced forward at terrifying speed, cutting through the waves.

 

The face of Jang Cheol-un, First Company Commander of the Jagang Corps who was standing at the bow and serving as the command ship’s captain, brightened.

 

He shouted.

 

“The Leader has returned!”

 

“Waaaah!”

 

Dozens of First Company warriors on the deck roared in excitement.

 

“Waaaaaaah!!!”

 

“Waaaah!”

 

The Jagang Corps warriors on deck all shouted in unison.

 

They knew why Guyang Cheongang had remained at Dongryeong Salt Field.

 

His safe return meant he had defeated those who attacked the salt field.

 

But complex emotions were mixed in their cheers.

 

One warrior quietly whispered to his comrade.

 

“I don’t know who those guys were, but… poor bastards.”

 

“Right. They would have been lucky to just get beaten up like us.”

 

Another warrior shook his head and continued.

 

“We got beaten and still survived, but those guys… they were just erased.”

 

Reverent fear toward their leader flashed across the warriors’ faces.

 

Memories of being mercilessly beaten for months resurfaced.

 

The hellish training, endless beatings, and Guyang Cheongang’s indifferent gaze as he carried out all of it calmly.

 

They trembled involuntarily.

 

“But…”

 

One warrior looked around and spoke in a small voice.

 

“We became this strong all thanks to the Leader. If it weren’t for that brutal training…”

 

“Right.”

 

The warriors nodded. It was a complex feeling mixing fear and gratitude.

 

They were both afraid and proud.

 

That such a monster-like being was their leader.

 

“Anyway…”

 

One warrior sighed in relief and said.

 

“What’s important is that our turn won’t come before this fight ends.”

 

All the warriors nodded silently.

 

Their eyes held absolute reverence for Guyang Cheongang.

 

Meanwhile, the ferry pulled alongside the command ship.

 

Guyang Cheongang, with the Supreme Sword at his waist, floated up like a cloud and descended onto the deck.

 

Jang Cheol-un gave a cupped fist salute and bowed.

 

“Welcome back, Leader.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Guyang Cheongang nodded calmly as if he had just returned from a stroll.

 

“What kind of guys were they?”

 

“They called themselves Ronin Group.”

 

Jang Cheol-un’s expression hardened.

 

“Mercenary wandering warriors… Golden Tower Manor moved them. How many came?”

 

Guyang Cheongang seemed to think for a moment before speaking.

 

“Well… I didn’t count exactly, but about a thousand?”

 

“A… a thousand?”

 

Jang Cheol-un’s face turned pale.

 

“Oh, I let one live to spread the word.”

 

The deck fell quiet.

 

Everyone understood the meaning of letting only one survive out of a thousand.

 

Jang Cheol-un couldn’t open his mouth any further.

 

Just like when he annihilated Im Bang’s fleet, Guyang Cheongang in his eyes didn’t seem human at all.

 

* * *

 

An unbelievable rumor spread through Gangho as quickly as ink spreading on rice paper.

 

Dongryeong Salt Field.

 

A monster-like master was crouching at that place run by the Ten Thousand Gold Mountain Villa Master’s daughter.

 

Sea Heaven Death God Jang Woomyeong.

 

His name shook Gangho as soon as it became known.

 

“He massacred twenty-five hundred Baekgyeong Bang members single-handedly?”

 

“And that was in the middle of the sea?”

 

At first, no one believed it.

 

No matter how supreme a master, such a thing couldn’t be possible.

 

But a few days later, another rumor threw an even greater shockwave through Gangho.

 

Complete annihilation of Ronin Group.

 

The mercenary group under Heavenly Death Department had mobilized a thousand men, but only one returned alive.

 

“This time it was on land, they say.”

 

“Fighting one against a thousand and massacring all thousand…”

 

The Gangho martial world was shocked.

 

Everyone asked the same question.

 

“Who exactly is Jang Woomyeong?”

 

And a few days later, a third rumor became known in Gangho.

 

Sea Heaven Death God Jang Woomyeong had joined hands with Sahaesangdan and was heading to attack Baekgyeong Bang’s base, Dongban Island.

 

“He’s insane. Is he planning to sweep away all the pirates?”

 

“If Baekgyeong Bang falls, the power structure of the sea will completely change…”

 

Intelligence networks of countless sects all turned toward the sea at once.

 

Not only Jiangnan but merchants throughout All Under Heaven all paid attention to this rumor.

 

It was an event that could change the hegemony of smuggling through the sea.

 

* * *

 

Dongban Island, Baekgyeong Bang Sect Leader’s office.

 

The heart of the pirates’ city where fists came before law.

 

Usually this place would vibrate with rough laughter and the smell of alcohol, but not today.

 

Heavy silence dominated the room.

 

Sect Leader Hyeok Seung was looking at the young man sitting in the place of honor, breaking out in cold sweat.

 

The man in his mid-twenties, wearing spotless red silk robes, had a completely different atmosphere from Baekgyeong Bang’s rough men.

 

He was merely sitting quietly in the room, but his surroundings created an eerie illusion as if a bloody battlefield was unfolding around him.

 

The young man’s name was Jeoksa Gang-pil, the leader of the Blood Tiger Corps, a frontline military force of the Gunma Alliance that occupied one of the seats among the Five Tyrants of All Under Heaven.

 

The Blood Tiger Corps was not a romantic group of warriors who engaged in one-on-one martial duels in the traditional Gangho manner.

 

Instead of individual martial arts, they were one of the Gunma Alliance’s supreme military forces, with hundreds of members armed with formation techniques and combined attacks specialized solely in slaughter and destruction.

 

Gang Pil opened his mouth with an extremely leisurely smile that didn’t match the tense atmosphere in the room.

 

“Sect Leader Hyeok, I came here urgently under orders from above, so I don’t know the detailed circumstances. But on my way here, I heard truly astounding rumors.”

 

His voice was gentle, but the chilling energy contained within it made Hyeok Seung’s concubine Chu-seol tremble slightly.

 

Gang Pil’s eyes turned directly toward Hyeok Seung.

 

“I heard that the elite 2,500 members of Baekgyeong Bang led by Vice Leader Im Bang were completely annihilated by some nameless salt field overseer. Just how much of this absurd story is actually true?”

 

A moment of silence.

 

Hyeok Seung’s scar twitched.

 

Suppressing his rising sense of humiliation, he replied with a hardened expression.

 

“All of it… is true. And that bastard is now heading here with the Sahae Trading Company’s fleet.”

 

Even he, who had reigned over the seas for seventy years, dared not treat Gang Pil with disrespect.

 

He knew well what it meant to lead the Gunma Alliance’s elite Blood Tiger Corps at such a young age.

 

The man was certainly extraordinary not only in martial arts but also in his backing.

 

Otherwise, it would be impossible to hold the position of Blood Tiger Corps leader at that age in the Gunma Alliance.

 

“Hmm…”

 

Jeoksa Gang-pil crossed his arms and spoke.

 

“I heard that if the Sect Leader wins this battle, you promised half of all salt rights from Dongryeong Salt Field to our Alliance Leader as compensation.”

 

He added quietly, as if making casual conversation.

 

“But you know, Sect Leader Hyeok. Don’t you think that’s too little as the blood price for my five hundred Blood Tiger Corps members?”

 

The temperature in the room dropped sharply, and all sounds seemed to fade into the distance.

 

Cold sweat ran down Hyeok Seung’s spine.

 

He had staked Baekgyeong Bang’s future to receive the Gunma Alliance’s support.

 

So if he failed to please Gang Pil here, everything would obviously go wrong.

 

Hyeok Seung gritted his teeth and threw away even his last remaining pride.

 

“Corps Leader, if it’s insufficient, I can offer sixty percent.”

 

“Hehehehehe.”

 

At those words, Gang Pil laughed quietly. But there was no warmth in that laughter.

 

“I’m joking, Sect Leader.”

 

He waved his hand while setting down his cold tea cup.

 

“I wouldn’t dare object to something our Alliance Leader has already approved. I just wanted to confirm whether Sect Leader Hyeok intends to keep that promise to the end.”

 

“Though I may be pointed at as a pirate, how could I take a promise with the Gunma Alliance lightly? Don’t worry.”

 

“Well, I naturally thought you would.”

 

Hyeok Seung swallowed dry saliva and asked.

 

“Corps Leader, there are widespread rumors that Jang Woomyeong… that bastard is a Transformation Realm level master. Can you really handle him?”

 

Gang Pil rose from his seat.

 

As if his pride was hurt, he slightly frowned and replied.

 

“Don’t worry, Sect Leader. Gangho people call Transformation Realm masters disasters, but…”

 

He walked toward the door and left his final words.

 

“My Blood Tiger Corps is a demon army group that hunts those disasters. When you meet him, Sect Leader Hyeok will come to know this.”

 

Bang.

 

Only after the door closed did the air trapped in the room finally breathe freely.

 

Only then did Hyeok Seung and Chu-seol realize they hadn’t been breathing properly until now.

 

* * *

 

At sea, two hundred li away from Dongban Island.

 

Swoooosh-

 

Guyang Cheongang stood tall at the bow of the command ship he had newly named Dongryang Ho, gazing at the sea as darkness lifted.

 

Fifteen ships in his fleet were following behind him.

 

He looked over the command ship’s deck, lost in thought.

 

‘Akasha, I felt this when fighting Baekgyeong Bang too, but isn’t it a bit strange?’

 

[What do you mean?]

 

‘A ship of this scale should have cannons or firearms, but I don’t see any.’

 

Guyang Cheongang continued with a disappointed expression.

 

‘The only long-range weapons are bows and crossbows at best. Even their dependence on those doesn’t seem high.’

 

[Considering the Empire’s technological level, that’s a natural consequence, Doctor.]

 

‘You mean they couldn’t overcome the limitations of their era? That alone doesn’t explain it though?’

 

[As you said, Doctor, era limitations aren’t the decisive reason.]

 

‘Then?’

 

[The fundamental cause for gunpowder weapons not developing is presumed to be due to the existence of martial arts.]

 

Guyang Cheongang’s brow furrowed.

 

‘Because of martial arts?’

 

[Yes. The firearms that can be made with this era’s ironworking and chemical technology are at most matchlock gun level. Such weapons are like toys to absolute masters.]

 

‘…I see. They’d be hard to hit even if fired, and your head would be gone while reloading.’

 

[Exactly. The same goes for cannons. This place doesn’t yet have the technology to make cannonballs with proper delayed fuses. They’re still at the level of using black powder instead of smokeless powder.]

 

Akasha’s voice continued.

 

[There’s no absolute master who couldn’t dodge a lump of metal clearly visible to the eye.]

 

Guyang Cheongang smiled bitterly and said.

 

‘They’d catch what’s flying at them and return it to whoever shot it.’

 

[The probability of that is 100%.]

 

Akasha laughed lightly and continued.

 

[In the end, this is a world where one absolute master is more efficient and powerful than dozens of cannons. So the direction of technological development had to be completely different.]

 

‘So the power of individuals who learned martial arts suppressed technological advancement. What an interesting world indeed.’

 

Jang Cheol-un approached with a smile and said.

 

“Overseer, with this favorable wind, we should be able to see Dongban Island around this time tomorrow.”

 

Guyang Cheongang’s eyes sank deeply.

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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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