Almighty God of War - Chapter 66

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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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066

Guyang Cheongang looked around at the people and spoke.

“Before we discuss how to deal with Thousand Seas Sect, there’s something I need to say.”

All eyes in the Main Hall turned toward him.

“As I recall the situation in Payang and the ritual scene that Blood Spirit Demon, the Thousand Seas Sect Leader, was conducting on Blood Pearl Island, there are points I simply cannot understand no matter how much I think about it.”

Du Jeongkwang and Du Weiping also listened intently, having heard from Du Jinseong about the horrific appearance of the altar.

Guyang Cheongang frowned slightly as he continued.

“First, why did Thousand Seas Sect demand excessive tolls that the families of Payang could never accept? Were they foolish enough not to anticipate that all ten great families of Payang would react with tremendous opposition?”

“…!”

At his point, Du Weiping’s face hardened.

It was something he hadn’t considered while caught up in anger.

“That’s not all.”

Guyang Cheongang’s voice grew even colder.

“Why did they kidnap people, and why did they commit such cruel acts against those precious hostages they had kidnapped? Countless people died as well. If they were valuable goods for exchange, common sense would dictate not killing them.”

Heavy silence filled the Main Hall at his words.

The three generations of the Du family felt chills down their spines as they realized they might have been dancing in the palm of Thousand Seas Sect’s hand.

Guyang Cheongang looked at everyone with intensely shining eyes and said.

“I believe Thousand Seas Sect never intended to negotiate from the beginning. Their real purpose wasn’t money or showing off their power… it was something else entirely.”

Du Jeongkwang asked in a heavy voice.

“If they didn’t want tolls, what do you think Thousand Seas Sect was after, Grand Young Master?”

At Du Jeongkwang’s heavy question, all eyes in the Main Hall turned to Guyang Cheongang.

But instead of answering, he turned the topic in a completely different direction.

“Whatever their purpose was, one thing is certain. We cannot leave Thousand Seas Sect as they are. And we must not be the ones to handle this matter.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Even Du Jinseong, who was a genius, couldn’t grasp his intention and continued asking.

“If not the families of Payang, then who else can deal with them?”

“The Yangtze River Waterway Alliance.”

People were bewildered by the unexpected name that came from Guyang Cheongang’s mouth.

Jupyo asked with a stern expression.

“Are you… thinking that the Waterway Alliance has been turning a blind eye to Thousand Seas Sect’s existence and standing by while they commit their acts?”

“I think there’s even a possibility they supported them beyond just turning a blind eye. Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense that those who control the waterways of the Yangtze River would let pirates run wild in their own front yard.”

“Gasp!”

The shocked eyes of the three generations of the Du family widened.

Du Jinseong swallowed dryly and asked.

“If the relationship between the Waterway Alliance and Thousand Seas Sect is as you suspect, Grand Young Master, wouldn’t they refuse to deal with Thousand Seas Sect?”

“We have to make it so they have no choice but to deal with them.”

“Do you have a method in mind?”

A cold smile appeared on Guyang Cheongang’s lips.

“Yes.”

“Please tell us what it is.”

Guyang Cheongang asked Jupyo.

“Elder Master, do you know anything about the Yangtze River Waterway Alliance?”

Jupyo frowned and answered.

“They claim to protect the waterways of the Yangtze River for smooth commerce, but essentially they’re a group of water bandits united for profit. That’s why they hate taking losses more than death itself.”

Guyang Cheongang nodded and asked Du Jeongkwang.

“Is there a merchant force large enough to threaten the Waterway Alliance’s business territory and trustworthy enough for Payang’s ten great families to deal with?”

Du Jeongkwang seemed to think for a moment before answering.

“A merchant force that could make the Waterway Alliance feel threatened… though they’re weak inland, only the Four Seas Trading Company, which is part of the Great Merchant Alliance among the Five Great Powers of All Under Heaven. They’re always looking for opportunities to break through the Waterway Alliance’s checks and expand their business inland.”

A smile appeared on Guyang Cheongang’s lips after hearing the two veteran masters’ words.

“The answer is already fully contained in what you two elders have said.”

He continued in a calm tone.

“First, we’ll gather the excessive toll demands that Thousand Seas Sect proposed and testimonies from those who survived Blood Pearl Island and send them to the Waterway Alliance. We’ll demand they handle this since such things are happening within their territory.”

Du Weiping asked in a worried voice.

“But Grand Young Master, what if the Waterway Alliance ignores our demands and instead turns all of Payang into their enemy? We might create an even more fearsome enemy than Thousand Seas Sect.”

“They won’t be able to do that.”

Guyang Cheongang’s eyes gleamed.

“When a meeting with the Waterway Alliance is arranged, the two family heads should tell them this: ‘If the Waterway Alliance cannot restore order to Poyang Lake, all families of Payang will entrust protection of all future waterway business to the Four Seas Trading Company.'”

“Ah…!”

“As long as the Four Seas Trading Company, a potential competitor in waterway business, is watching, attacking Payang without justification would give them cause to make enemies of the entire Great Merchant Alliance. This is a battle of justification and profit, not force.”

At that moment, everyone in the Main Hall felt chills.

Guyang Cheongang was drawing up a grand scheme that would use even the great forces of Gangho as pawns for Payang’s stability.

* * *

Several days passed.

The most luxurious VIP Room on the second floor of Daeseong Inn, located in central Payang.

Du Weiping and Du Jinseong sat with tense expressions, while behind them by the window stood a young man in his mid-twenties with ordinary features, standing indifferently like a guard warrior.

The young man was, of course, Guyang Cheongang wearing a human skin mask.

Du Weiping swallowed dryly and spoke.

“Grand Young Master, we’re truly fortunate that the second disciple of the Yangtze River Waterway Alliance Leader happened to be in Hubei Wuhan. Otherwise, it would have taken over a month to arrange such a meeting.”

Guyang Cheongang nodded and responded.

“I agree. We would have had to send a messenger to the Three Gorges where the Waterway Alliance’s headquarters is located, so it would have taken that long.”

He added in a low voice.

“Family Head, people are coming to this place. It seems to be the second disciple of the Water Alliance Leader’s group.”

Du Weiping’s eyes widened at his words.

Guyang Cheongang had detected presences that even he, a first-rate master, hadn’t sensed yet.

‘I didn’t see him defeat the Thousand Seas Sect Leader, but from what Jinseong told me and seeing his current abilities, the Grand Young Master’s martial arts seem to have already reached the level of supreme masters…’

Shortly after, there was a knock on the VIP Room door, and two people entered with the guidance of a young innkeeper.

The person leading was a handsome young man in his mid-twenties wearing silk robes.

On the blue silk resembling river water, a pattern of an ascending dragon was embroidered with silver thread, and his face was full of pride and arrogance.

He was Yeon Cheolrim, the second disciple of Water Dragon King, the Yangtze River Waterway Alliance Leader, who they had arranged to meet today.

Behind him stood a middle-aged warrior with a fierce appearance and sharp aura emanating from his entire body like a shadow.

However, upon seeing Yeon Cheolrim, Guyang Cheongang unconsciously frowned slightly.

‘Those eyes… those eyebrows… I’ve definitely seen them somewhere before…’

Puzzled by Yeon Cheolrim’s somehow familiar face, he commanded Akasha.

‘Akasha, cross-reference the facial data of that young man who just entered with everyone I’ve met so far.’

[Understood, Doctor. Cross-referencing data… Upper facial area, especially eyes, eyebrows, and forehead bone structure… This person’s data matches 100 percent with the Masked Man you fought in the underground stone chamber of Daeyangsan Island Saam Peak.]

“…!”

Guyang Cheongang felt as if the blood flowing through his body had turned ice cold.

The owner of those terrifying hands who had tried to take his life and even steal the Ghost Hand Divine Thief’s legacy after his desperate escape was that arrogant young man right before his eyes.

Though his heart boiled with rage, he perfectly concealed all emotions.

Right now, he wasn’t Guyang Cheongang but a guard warrior for the Du father and son.

While a storm raged within him, Du Weiping and Du Jinseong rose from their seats and respectfully cupped their fists toward Yeon Cheolrim.

“I am Du Weiping, who serves as the Second Family Head of Payang, and this is my son Du Jinseong.”

But the young man, Yeon Cheolrim, didn’t even cup his fists in return, merely nodding his head lightly as he responded.

“I am Yeon Cheolrim.”

With those words, he plopped down in the seat of honor and crossed his legs. Then he looked at Du Weiping across from him with an expression of utter boredom and said.

“Just get to the point briefly. I’m a busy man.”

Du Jinseong’s face reddened at that arrogant attitude.

At nineteen, he was still clumsy at controlling his emotions.

Du Weiping struggled to compose his expression as he began explaining Payang’s tragic situation and Cheonhae Gang’s tyrannical acts.

Yeon Cheolrim listened to his desperate explanation with indifference, fidgeting with his nails or gazing outside the window.

His attitude suggested this was a story that had nothing to do with him, like watching a fire across the river.

After finishing his words, Du Weiping spoke in an earnest tone.

“Young Master Yeon, please look upon Payang’s circumstances with mercy and have the Waterway Alliance subjugate those evil pirates.”

Yeon Cheolrim yawned as he replied.

“Poyang Lake’s affairs are for Payang to handle themselves. How can you expect our alliance to solve a crisis brought about by your own incompetence? Whether you pay tolls to Cheonhae Gang or fight them, handle it yourselves.”

At his heartless response, Du Weiping took a deep breath and said.

“If the alliance will not help us, then all ten great families of Payang will have no choice but to unite our strength and entrust the Four Seas Trading Company with protecting our businesses.”

In that moment, the boredom and arrogance completely vanished from Yeon Cheolrim’s face.

Thud!

His eyes, as he slammed down the tea cup he was holding, had turned incomparably colder and sharper than before, glaring at Du Weiping.

“What… did you just say.”

The air in the VIP room froze like ice.

Though his voice was low, no one could miss the intense fury contained within it.

“Are you threatening me right now? How dare a mere Second Family Head of Payang threaten our Yangtze Waterway Alliance?”

Du Weiping bowed his head as he spoke.

“How could the families of Payang possibly threaten the Waterway Alliance? We are merely seeking mercy.”

Though it was acting agreed upon beforehand, his desperation was not false.

Yeon Cheolrim’s deeply frowning gaze grew complex.

‘If all the families of Payang really turn to the Four Seas Trading Company, Master will never forgive me. The waterways of this region are clearly under my responsibility.’

As Yeon Cheolrim fell into complex thoughts, Akasha’s voice reached Guyang Cheongang’s mind.

[Doctor, Yeon Cheolrim’s reaction is extremely interesting. The moment the Four Seas Trading Company was mentioned, his heart rate and stress hormone levels spiked dramatically.]

‘Really?’

[He is clearly agitated right now. This strongly suggests he belongs to a higher power structure where he must take personal responsibility for this situation.]

‘So because he’s been delegated responsibility for this region by the Water Alliance Leader, Yeon Cheolrim would have to take responsibility if problems arise?’

[The probability is 98%.]

Yeon Cheolrim composed his emotions and opened his mouth with a cold expression.

“Fine. Those filthy pirate bastards… I’ll handle them without leaving a single ant alive.”

He warned Du Weiping with murderous eyes.

“However, the name Four Seas Trading Company must never flow from anyone’s lips again. Understood?”

“…I promise.”

Du Weiping answered respectfully.

Rising from his seat, Yeon Cheolrim swept Du Weiping with a contemptuous gaze once before leaving the VIP room.

And the next evening, everyone in Payang could see it.

From the direction of Blood Pearl Island, the magnificent sight of enormous flames that seemed to devour the sky, illuminating the darkness throughout the night.

Cheonhae Gang, which had threatened Payang, completely vanished from the map overnight just like that.

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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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