Dokmaeuiseon - 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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Chapter 146

 

A race against time.

 

Jung Myeong’s words were exactly right.

 

“From what I hear, Ju Ma-ji-sal has a meticulous personality, so the intervals for sending communication tubes won’t be very long.”

 

“That would be the case.”

 

There were still twenty messenger pigeons remaining.

 

Even if they were kept in reserve for unforeseen circumstances, that number was too many.

 

They probably sent communications every two hours.

 

Still, considering the nature of the Jusan Archipelago, the situation becomes more complicated.

 

“By my estimate, we have about two days.”

 

“Two days…! That’s short!”

 

“Yes. Very short indeed.”

 

Two days was the time it would take for them to realize something had happened here and prepare their defenses.

 

And that was the maximum time. There was one variable.

 

‘It could change depending on what Elder Ju Tae-gong does… but that’s just wishful thinking.’

 

Would that variable really move as he wanted?

 

With Jung Myeong’s extensive experience, it was hard to view this optimistically.

 

Whenever moving against an enemy, one must always prepare for the worst.

 

Therefore, two days was the maximum time by any measure.

 

In fact, he recognized that even that could be shortened.

 

“We need to make a choice here.”

 

“Yes.”

 

In the end, it came down to choice again.

 

The one Ju Ma-ji-sal was pressuring most heavily was Ju Tae-gong.

 

He had heard that numerous old comrades were being mobilized to target the island where he was located.

 

With so many people deployed, the place where Ju Ma-ji-sal had established himself was surprisingly unchanged.

 

It was right where Jungho Stockade was located.

 

‘If he moved to the center of the archipelago, defense would be easier, yet his continued obsession with Jungho Stockade is unexpected.’

 

Among the numerous islands in the archipelago, the place where Jungho Stockade was situated wasn’t particularly important.

 

He remained fixed there as if he had hidden treasure in that spot.

 

He was targeting Ju Tae-gong with strange intensity.

 

While targeting Ju Tae-gong, he was obsessed with Jungho Stockade’s island.

 

‘The reasons for his obsession with both can be figured out later. The question now is what to do here.’

 

First, he had to choose.

 

Strike at the head, Ju Ma-ji-sal?

 

Or help Ju Tae-gong, who would become an ally?

 

Choosing either option was by no means easy.

 

However, as someone who now led a group, he had to make a choice.

 

Jung Myeong made his decision immediately.

 

“!!!!”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“What…”

 

Everyone who heard him expressed surprise.

 

They couldn’t help it.

 

His choice was beyond their expectations.

 

* * *

 

Splash.

 

The ship deck cut through the waves as it advanced.

 

At the front, Song In stood at a spot where he might fall at any moment.

 

Having started moving after hearing Jung Myeong’s choice, he still looked full of concern.

 

“I’m not sure if this is right.”

 

“I don’t know either. Heh heh.”

 

Man-am-gun’s face, as he answered, also clearly showed signs of deep thought.

 

All of them were moving after hearing Jung Myeong’s choice.

 

However, his choice was also something that warranted questioning.

 

Therefore, it was perhaps inevitable that they followed while having concerns.

 

“But aren’t you following him, Elder?”

 

“I’ve decided to follow, so what good would it do to harbor doubts? Is your loyalty found in questioning?”

 

“!!!!”

 

Rather than sympathizing with the doubts, Man-am-gun actually argued back.

 

Making the same expression yet arguing back.

 

One might think this was some kind of spite.

 

But it wasn’t for the sake of being spiteful.

 

“Sometimes there may be doubts, sometimes there may not. However, isn’t what the Physician has shown us so far different from that?”

 

“…Even though he surprised us, he was never wrong.”

 

“Exactly! I’ve heard more than I’ve experienced together with him, but I haven’t experienced nothing at all. The Physician has always shown results through unconventional methods. Isn’t that right?”

 

“Unconventional! That’s right. He always made third choices like that. He somehow accomplished things that seemed absolutely impossible.”

 

“I think this time is the same.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

Man-am-gun wasn’t being spiteful.

 

He harbored the same doubts but was simply following.

 

That was the difference between Song In and him.

 

Perhaps this difference was due to the difference in experiences they had gone through.

 

Although Song In had known Jung Myeong the longest, he had rarely gone to battlefields together with him.

 

Conversely, Man-am-gun had not only left Anhui, which was like a battlefield, together with him, but had also experienced things alongside Ju Tae-gong.

 

Therefore, even in the same situation, the two acted differently.

 

Song In harbored doubts, while Man-am-gun grew more resolute.

 

In truth, Song In would normally have been the same way.

 

Whatever form it took, he would follow through to the end.

 

But this time, even he couldn’t help but worry.

 

“…You mean this insane method he’s currently employing?”

 

“Hehe. It is indeed an insane method.”

 

“Should I have stopped him?”

 

“Would the Physician have stopped just because you tried to stop him?”

 

“…No. I wouldn’t have been able to.”

 

“Right. The choice isn’t in our hands anyway. It’s in the Physician’s hands.”

 

“And we must follow that choice.”

 

“That’s the right answer. At least for now.”

 

“At least for now…”

 

The third method Jung Myeong had chosen.

 

It was a method that involved choosing neither Ju Tae-gong nor Ju Ma-ji-sal.

 

That’s why Song In couldn’t easily set aside his worries.

 

He could only show his troubled expression.

 

However, there was no more time to show his troubles.

 

Kuuung-! Thud!

 

The ship had docked at a new island!

 

* * *

 

The ship’s docking was a signal that they needed to move busily from now on.

 

“This is as far as we go. If you’re worried about the Physician, shouldn’t you move properly from now on?”

 

In other words, it also meant it was time to do their best so that Jung Myeong’s choice could become the right choice.

 

Realizing this, Song In erased the worry from his face.

 

Instead, he burned with an unprecedentedly strong fighting spirit.

 

“I’ll go first!”

 

Drawing his treasured weapon, he immediately rushed forward to take the lead.

 

Man-am-gun, watching him, showed a faint smile.

 

“Hehe… He’s burning with passion. Youth is indeed youth.”

 

Seeing Song In who believed and followed despite having doubts, perhaps his own past self working alongside Ju Tae-gong was being reflected.

 

They say the young live looking forward, while the old look backward.

 

‘It’s not yet time to look backward, I suppose. Heh…’

 

Knowing there was much to be done before reminiscing about memories.

 

Swoooosh-!

 

Man-am-gun shot hidden weapons at the enemies while heading toward the front where Song In would be.

 

It was a battle taking place on one side of the Jusan Archipelago.

 

* * *

 

Such battles weren’t happening in just one place.

 

Jung Myeong had initially dealt with one archipelago where Bloodlust Sword was located, successfully capturing several ships. Along with large and small fishing boats, there were also ships that could be called pirate vessels.

 

He divided the people according to the increased number of ships.

 

At first glance, it could seem like a foolish act. It was no different from dividing their own forces!

 

However, looking at the lineup, it wasn’t at all.

 

While the previous ship was led by Song In and Man-am-gun, this ship had Wave Blade and Gyeom Gwang-ja aboard.

 

“There’s a ship over there!”

 

The enemies recognized them too.

 

It was thanks to Ju Ma-ji-sal’s thoroughness.

 

Even while occupying the archipelago, he had made sure to prepare proper defenses.

 

The results of that were shining now.

 

“Identify them!”

 

“Well, the ship is one of ours, but…”

 

“The people inside are different, aren’t they?!”

 

“Huh…!”

 

“They’re enemies!”

 

Even before the ship could approach, the island became chaotic.

 

“Well now. Their vigilance is certainly thorough. They’re giving us quite the welcoming greeting.”

 

“Indeed they are.”

 

Seeing this, Wave Blade and Gyeom Gwang-ja chuckled.

 

They were two who would normally never get along.

 

But both were men who had rolled around in the Evil Sects of Murim for decades.

 

Regardless of their usual personality differences, they were rougher than they appeared.

 

To such men, the enemies making such a fuss wasn’t something to fear.

 

Rather, it was a signal worthy of igniting their fighting spirit.

 

“They’re coming!”

 

As soon as they docked the ship, those who were on guard shouted loudly.

 

This was a signal to announce that battle was about to break out.

 

That signal was also meant for the Martial Artists on Jung Myeong’s side.

 

Seeing this, Wave Blade spat and asked Gyeom Gwang-ja who was beside him.

 

“Let’s see. Where exactly do you think all these forces came from?”

 

“Hmm. Let me see.”

 

Without people, they couldn’t have maintained such defenses.

 

Where exactly did they mobilize such manpower from?

 

Examining this, Gyeom Gwang-ja quickly figured out where they had come from.

 

“Well now. I see someone who should be in Lyeon. One, two, three. Five? My, there are quite a lot.”

 

“Lyeon?”

 

“Yes. Lyeon. They’ve brought people from there quite well.”

 

“Good grief. What is there to pick up and eat on this archipelago that brings so many here?”

 

“That’s what I’m saying.”

 

At a glance, the main force consisted of people from the Jusan Archipelago.

 

Among them, those who came from Lyeon could be seen here and there.

 

Though they couldn’t hold major positions. Those who had made modest names for themselves in their youth.

 

Such people were here on this archipelago.

 

‘I thought they brought at most a handful that could be counted on fingers. But if there are five just here, that means they brought dozens in total. I didn’t properly grasp this extent either? Good grief. There were gaps in Black Point’s intelligence too.’

 

Even Gyeom Gwang-ja hadn’t properly grasped that these people had come here.

 

However, seeing them with his own eyes, he could immediately recognize who they were at first sight.

 

In truth, ordinarily one wouldn’t be able to recognize them.

 

But Gyeom Gwang-ja was an exception.

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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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