The Hwangbo Clan’s Beloved Live-In Son-in-Law - Chapter 67
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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 67
Outside the cabin was pure chaos.
People wailing and bleeding, bandits grabbing them by the hair and dragging them away, sailors and guards being tormented as they died.
The ‘Wanjinchu’ that Hahee and her party had boarded was a medium-sized merchant vessel carrying fifty passengers and thirty crew members.
Yet already half were dead or captured.
It had been a terribly swift, stealthy, and brutal surprise attack.
It meant they had no intention of considering the future.
In the meantime, bandits who had escaped from the cabins fled in panic.
“Captain! Chaejoo!!”
The wind had died down, but the raindrops were still heavy.
Their bodies were quickly soaked by the thick raindrops.
The reason the ship wasn’t rocking much was probably because of the five enemy vessels surrounding them.
Goods from the Wanjinchu were already being loaded onto their small, nimble ships.
“That’s the woman!”
Chuan River Stronghold.
Black flags with writhing flood dragons fluttered from each ship.
“Aunt.”
“Shh.”
“…Sister.”
She sent a warning glance to her confused nephew and took another step forward.
Behind her, people who had mustered the courage to defend the ship came rushing out, but upon seeing the carnage outside, they squeezed their eyes shut.
It was a sight too horrible to witness with open eyes.
Someone was wailing the names of their family and acquaintances.
“Chaejoo!”
The leader of Chuan River Stronghold was an enormously large man. He was so big that he was even larger than her husband and brothers.
His belly was protruding, but rather than fat, he seemed solid – that was the first impression that came to mind about this sturdy man.
“Are you the leader?”
Hahee took heavy steps forward.
She knocked the heads of ignorant fools who rushed at her calling her arrogant like wooden fish.
In an instant, those blocking her way decreased. Instead, they circled around her like hyenas.
Even watching this scene, the leader leisurely stood up and straightened his pants.
The strong smell of alcohol seemed to rise through the rain.
“I heard they were troublesome fellows, but they look like mouth-watering prey.”
Thump.
The giant figure licked his lips, then laughed heartily and stamped his foot for show.
With a thunderous sound, the floor cracked deeply. The impact seemed to make the large ship sway.
Waah!
The men who hadn’t even frowned while watching their comrades fall with cracked skulls began screaming.
Fierce-eyed men stepped forward one by one.
Their number easily exceeded ten.
“I asked if you’re the leader.”
The rain showed no signs of letting up.
The reason for setting sail in such weather was obvious.
The captain of Wanjinchu, who had bet his life on this gamble, was already sprawled as a corpse.
Those violated by these bandits had nowhere to voice their grievances even if they felt wronged.
Hahee, having glanced at the fallen corpses and faces clearly marked with tears, asked again.
The bandits stopped what they were doing and slowly surrounded the area.
They looked exactly like cockroaches crawling out.
“Yes. I am Meng Duo, master of this Chuan River. What is your name… no, what is your name, miss?”
Meng Duo straightened his shoulders and deliberately lowered his voice.
The surrounding bandits giggled at his much softer tone.
They seemed to pay no attention to their fallen comrades.
“Excellent! You have a fine build and look strong – exactly the leader’s type!”
“Since the leader likes you, he’ll let you live! You wench!”
Instantly, lewd talk assaulted her ears. The sounds were so filthy and disgusting that she felt as if her entire body was covered in filth, but Hahee remained completely unmoved.
As if her composure pleased him even more, Meng Duo took another step forward.
“Shut up, you bastards! How dare you speak such foul words when your leader is about to meet his life companion!”
He shouted angrily at those surrounding them.
Still, the bandits only continued giggling.
At least their crude jokes subsided.
Meng Duo laughed heartily and spoke to Hahee.
“Ahem. Despite my appearance, I’m a gentle man. And also, as you can see, I’m a strong man. How about it? If you come quietly into my arms, I’ll show you paradise!”
Uhahaha! His hearty laughter triggered another burst of mockery.
“What paradise! He’ll send her straight across the River of Three Crossings, that’s the problem!”
“Look at that body! Still, she’d last at least seven weeks, wouldn’t she?”
“Seven weeks my ass, if she lasts even three days I’ll serve her as my mother!”
“Hehe. With the leader’s temperament, he’ll get bored after just two days. If she survives, will we get our turn?”
Their voices overlapped so much that shouts poured out incomprehensibly.
It felt like a joyful festival, but within it, thick madness and desire overflowed abundantly.
It was an atmosphere that would intimidate even the strongest-hearted person.
“These bastards worse than dogs…”
Naturally, there was no way they could let such insults pass.
Hwangbo Yeonghil’s face contorted mercilessly.
As he gripped his staff tightly and tried to step forward, someone firmly blocked his chest.
Naturally, it was Hahee.
“Sister!”
“I will.”
Hahee smiled crookedly.
Hwangbo Yeonghil saw this and simply nodded without saying anything.
Unlike her twisted lips, her eyes were calm.
Though she had a fiery temperament, she wasn’t someone who would lose her reason before battle.
Still, she was angry.
From the looks of it, she wouldn’t kill him peacefully.
“Bastards like you who only run their mouths never amount to anything, do they?”
Hahee lightly provoked him.
She had heard such taunts dozens of times before.
Living by the sword as a woman in the harsh Gangho was no easy task.
Being treated like baggage was fortunate; being used as arrow fodder was commonplace, and more often than not, they would come charging at her.
Once she stripped away the facade of being a descendant of a great family, life became incredibly unkind.
“If you’re curious, why don’t you come at me?”
Meng Duo laughed as if it were ridiculous.
His tone was merely condescending. This despite having seen his subordinates fall before his very eyes.
Hahee found that attitude rather pathetic.
Pride, indeed. And carelessness, too.
How ungrateful, wasn’t it?
“Right. Right. Good. But I’m a bit rough, you see.”
Hahee grinned wickedly.
“I prefer men with broad shoulders.”
So.
With those words, she took a large step forward.
Between Chaejoo and his close associates.
She deliberately entered a position where anyone could strike her with just one step forward.
Thud.
The ground caved in deeply.
“Take this.”
Her body exploded outward in all directions.
Clang clang clang clang!
Without regard for front, back, left, or right, the black staff cut through streaks of rain.
Rainwater and blood splattered together, and screams mixed in instantly.
Even though they were executives worthy of Chuan River Stronghold, not one of them could parry that staff.
Just when they were desperately trying to protect themselves.
A path opened.
Crash!
“Oh my. You have less composure than I thought? At this rate, will you even be able to loosen my collar?”
Bifeng, Pagon’s iron staff struck Meng Duo’s broad sword.
It was such a powerful blow that the barely blocked sword was pushed back, its spine lightly grazing around Meng Duo’s shoulder.
“Hmph! Not a chance!”
Meng Duo’s face contorted.
As if his pride was hurt by unconsciously taking a step back, his sword thrust out roughly.
Clang! Claaang!
Sparks continuously flew between the broad sword and staff.
The blade chipped and the staff got scratched. Naturally, this wasn’t what Meng Duo wanted.
“This bitch!”
Even though he was using excessive force, he was actually being pushed back.
Meng Duo couldn’t believe it.
“What kind of!”
Strength!
He couldn’t finish his words. No, he didn’t. But this wasn’t the time to worry about pride.
Meng Duo wildly swung his sword while leaping back greatly.
His eyes swept around in all directions.
Behind Hahee who was targeting him, guards including Hwangbo Yeonghil came charging.
Not only in numbers but also in quality, except for a few, their side was far superior.
If he could just buy time…
“You told me to come.”
However, Hahee wouldn’t just stand by and watch.
Piercing through the gaps of the fiercely sweeping broad sword, Hahee suddenly surged up.
Clang!
Blood flowed steadily from his torn grip. Rainwater seeped into the fresh wound, stinging.
Another powerful strike rang out above, tearing the wound further.
Still, it was fine. She had seized the advantage.
Watching the face of the pig bastard frantically retreating, Hahee’s smile deepened.
“Die!”
Whoosh.
Meng Duo’s blade curved strangely.
Unlike his previous relentless powerful swings, his hidden technique was this exquisitely curving strike.
That blade aimed for Hahee’s face,
Thwack!
With a chilling sound, it sliced through the air.
“How predictable.”
Thud.
Thump.
Meng Duo’s body, struck squarely in the center of his forehead, tilted forward.
Hahee lightly twisted to avoid his body falling to the ground.
She raised her hand to wipe the wound that cut across her cheek.
“How they all aim for the face in exactly the same way.”
What, did he think she’d cover her face and scream?
At times like this, even winning left a foul taste.
Ptui.
Hahee spat and shouted toward the battlefield watching her.
“Everyone charge!”
Thud!
And without hesitation, she rushed forward.
The bandits began scattering like insects.
***
Though Sulomang was a group with a fearsome reputation, they weren’t actually a group with high martial prowess.
Their infamy came from their cruelty and cowardice that left no survivors, and their stealth and speed in navigating treacherous waterways like their own home.
Of course, their leadership’s martial arts were said to range from first-rate to peak level, but they couldn’t compare to the renowned Bibong of the Central Plains.
“That’s supposed to be Meng Duo? The Golden Water Pig of Chuan River Stronghold?”
“His face wasn’t originally like that. I heard he got beaten and swollen.”
“My goodness. He deserved that beating! That bastard worse than a dog. I won’t be satisfied until he’s dead.”
“I heard one person did that to him. But they said not to kill him?”
“One person made him like that? Must have been quite a grudge… Well, looking at his condition, there’s not a limb left intact. Even if he lives, he’s not really living.”
“Ptui. Serves him right. How cruel were those Chuan River Stronghold bastards! He deserves to be beaten to death.”
“Now he’s just a cripple who can’t function as a man, let alone as a person. How long could he live anyway? Leave him be.”
The bandits who lost their leader scattered in all directions.
No one bothered to take care of Chaejoo. Even his close associates were the same.
No, they were the first to turn their backs.
Instead, they shed blood fighting among themselves to claim the ships loaded with treasure.
Thanks to that, they were able to salvage some goods.
Only after the rain subsided could they reach the next village.
Since it was a small fishing village where large ships couldn’t dock, the group traveled overland along the river and finally reached Chongqing.
“Are you alright?”
“…Yes.”
Hahee and Yingying felt awkward with each other. Since their uncomfortable conversation, they hadn’t had a moment alone together.
They could have talked with Xie Baowei present, but deep conversations were naturally difficult when someone else was involved.
While Xie Baowei was quick to notice anything related to Hahee, he was also terribly oblivious in strange ways, making it even harder to find an opportunity.
“I heard there’s much to see at the market. Won’t you come out together? You too, Yingying.”
“I’ll rest a bit. How about you go alone, my lord?”
“Ah. Then I’ll rest too. Are you feeling unwell somewhere? Huh? Are you hurt? Should I get some medicine? No, no. Let’s go to a physician. I was already worried your wounds might fester…”
“I’m fine, so please go alone.”
“Oh my. If you underestimate a small wound, you’ll pay dearly. When I was in the north, I had a comrade who lost his arm when a small wound from rolling around with horse dung became infected…”
“My lord.”
“Yes?”
“Please, go alone.”
Really.
Looking at him like this, nothing had changed at all.
Was all that grumbling when they first met as children just an act? After opening his heart, Xie Baowei had only shown foolish behavior.
She had been such a fool to think everything was fine because she liked that side of him too.
So Hahee couldn’t be angry with him at all.
“Brother, just go. I already thought winter had come.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“…It’s just something. Sister, we’ll be back.”
The companions standing outside the door dragged Xie Baowei away.
Whether it was an outing led by Peng Sohui who had left the ship, the chattering voices with Dangyeonhwa noisily faded into the distance.
“Would you like some tea?”
Hahee smiled gently.
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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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