The Salt Light Fortress Leader’s choice was obvious.

Now was not the time to be proud. The opponent was an unidentified master who had trampled and killed the vice-fortress leader as if he were a bug.

Next to him was Wang Jeonyu, whom he could not dare to face alone.

Weren’t the Green Forest members collapsing rapidly in the face of the suddenly changed situation?

It was clear.

This was a defeat.

If he fought to save his pride, he might all die here, contrary to his plan.

‘Far from securing the River King’s person, I’m about to die!’

His vision went dark.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t anticipated losses.

If he could just secure Wang Jeonyu’s person, he could endure the losses.

But this was a meaningless loss.

The subordinates he had brought with him now were his direct subordinates from the Salt Light Fortress.

If he lost them, it would be difficult to maintain his position as the second-in-command in the Green Forest in the future. No matter how good his relationship with the Great Strength King was, this world was too cruel.

So the Salt Light Fortress Leader’s decision was set.

“I surrender! River King senior, please spare my life!”

Jjaenggeurang!

The Salt Light Fortress Leader threw down his sword and prostrated himself.

And with that, the situation was over.

When the leader knelt, what could the subordinates do?

And wasn’t the River King fine, and wasn’t there an unidentified master next to him?

Was it just one person?

From Neung-heo, who had madly stabbed and killed at least a dozen people, to the big man who was protecting the Unorthodox Alliance group from behind, Guk Jihum.

The Salt Light Fortress Leader’s back broke out in a cold sweat as he confirmed the damage.

Wang Jeonyu looked at the kneeling Salt Light Fortress Leader with a hollow laugh.

“You dog-like bastard… you rushed in with such momentum, and now you’re begging for your life?”

A vicious killing intent poured out from his hideously contorted face.

He was on the verge of cutting his neck with his greatsword right away.

But Wang Jeonyu did not do so and turned his head. Just then, Neung-heo arrived at that spot.

Wang Jeonyu’s cold gaze landed on Neung-heo.

“You deceived me?”

“Uh, well… uh.”

Neung-heo was quite flustered by the cold gaze that was suddenly pouring on him.

He glanced at Cheon Mubaeck with a resentful gaze, but how could he know the expression hidden under the mask?

But Neung-heo guessed.

‘He must be smiling. Saying that I should handle it well on my own.’

Until just a moment ago, when he was killing the Green Forest members, he had been determined to do whatever he was told.

But.

Now, he felt a little wronged.

‘No, he was the one who suggested the role-playing. And when it got boring, he just flipped the script? What’s with that?’

Since he had shown such martial power, who would consider him a mere guard of the Unorthodox Alliance?

The goodwill he had shown until now was nowhere to be seen, and Wang Jeonyu’s gaze was not just cold, but murderous.

It was an ominous sign that he would cut his neck with his greatsword if things went wrong.

Although Neung-heo racked his brain, how could even Neung-heo, who was good at improvising, overcome this situation? As he glanced at Cheon Mubaeck with a resentful gaze.

Wang Jeonyu’s angry voice pierced him.

“Why did you hide that you were the Black Heart Gang leader and disguise yourself as a guard?”

“…?”

Neung-heo’s expression became strange.

Because Wang Jeonyu had spoken to Cheon Mubaeck.

Only then did Neung-heo realize what misunderstanding Wang Jeonyu was having.

‘He thinks the Lord is the gang leader, and that he hid his identity.’

Come to think of it.

Hadn’t there been a tendency for people around Cheon Mubaeck to think whatever they wanted about him?

As Neung-heo was lost in thought and lost his words for a moment, Wang Jeonyu snorted with a triumphant expression.

“Hmph. Did you hide your identity and try to spy on me? It was the Great Dragon Gang that invited you to the Black Assembly. The Great Dragon Gang leader must have had you approach me and watch me, right?”

“…!”

Neung-heo understood at a glance why he had made such a misunderstanding.

When there was no answer, Wang Jeonyu turned his head and looked at Neung-heo again. His voice had a slight hint of disappointment. It was a reaction that came from being truly disappointed.

“You deceived me. I’m disappointed. I had taken quite a liking to you…”

“I did not deceive you.”

Cheon Mubaeck’s voice echoed quietly.

“You did not deceive me?”

“I am the gang leader.”

“Hah! Then what was the reason you hid your appearance? If you disguised yourself as a guard, you would get less attention, so it would be less burdensome, right?”

In any case, it was true that he had deceived him, and the river pirates who had fought with him were now aiming their swords at him with ominous eyes.

Cheon Mubae-ck shrugged his shoulders.

“Why would I spy on you?”

“What?”

“How great do you think you are, that I would hide my appearance and spy on you?”

“You bastard…!”

“A man who was almost caught by mere mountain bandits, it’s truly shameless of you to act so brazenly without any shame after being saved.”

“…!”

At the continuous harsh words, the surroundings fell into silence.

Because it was a harsh statement so absurd that he could not even vent his anger.

But Cheon Mubaeck’s words were right in a way.

“You almost got all your subordinates who were fighting to save their leader’s life killed, what’s so great about you?”

“…”

Only then did Wang Jeonyu turn his gaze and look at the corpses of his fallen subordinates.

Quite a few of them had become cold corpses.

A pained expression appeared on Wang Jeonyu’s face. A heavy question flowed out.

“Then why? Why did you hide that you were the gang leader? Even if you had said you were the gang leader, I would have had no reason to kill you.”

“It wasn’t to spy, but to see how great a person you are.”

“A great person?”

“For example, whether you are a person who can drive out the Great Dragon Gang leader and take over the Black Assembly.”

“…!”

This time, it wasn’t just Wang Jeonyu. Even the Salt Light Fortress Leader, who was prostrated on the floor and couldn’t quite grasp the situation, was startled.

To take over the Black Assembly?

“What is that…”

“Not all the Unorthodox Alliance sects are absolutely obedient to the Great Dragon Gang leader. There are quite a few Unorthodox Alliance who are dissatisfied with the Great Dragon Gang leader, who is trying to integrate the Unorthodox Alliance and demand absolute obedience.”

In an instant, the Salt Light Fortress Leader’s face, who had been listening, changed strangely.

Because it was true.

Weren’t the Green Forest trying to win over such Unorthodox Alliance?

Just then, Wang Jeonyu witnessed that change in the Salt Light Fortress Leader’s expression.

“You, what do you know!”

“W-well, that’s right. There are those among the Unorthodox Alliance sects who dislike the Great Dragon Gang, and the Great Strength King is trying to bring them into his fold. So, River King senior, if you also cooperate…”

“Shut up! You worthless bastard!”

When he mentioned cooperation so casually, Wang Jeonyu became furious. The Salt Light Fortress Leader’s neck shrank, and he quickly bowed his head.

The gaze that had returned to Cheon Mubaeck was relatively softer than before.

Because Cheon Mubaeck’s words were not entirely wrong.

“So, you wanted to rebel against the Great Dragon Gang leader, and you hid your identity to judge whether I was a suitable person?”

“In any case, if I had revealed that I was the gang leader, you would have observed me carefully, and that would have been a bit uncomfortable.”

“…Are you telling me to believe that? To overthrow the Great Dragon Gang leader and take over the Black Assembly?”

“In any case, the Black Assembly is a natural flow. Since all the Unorthodox Alliance of the Central Plains are already gathering. The birth of a coalition is a natural thing. For me, there is nothing more terrible than the Great Dragon Gang leader becoming the king. Even now, he’s acting as the big brother of the Unorthodox Alliance and interfering in all sorts of things, but what if he’s given a complete mandate with a cause?”

“…”

“In that case, a river pirate who is not interested in the affairs of the back alleys is better. He has enough power, and his reputation is high.”

Wang Jeonyu’s gaze became strange.

Come to think of it, wasn’t he overestimating him?

Because he was judging him as a person who could take over the Black Assembly in place of the Great Dragon Gang leader.

‘If so…’

Would Wang Jeonyu not have greed?

He had thought he would be satisfied with everything after taking control of the Yangtze River, but ambition was never like that.

Ambition knows no satisfaction.

What was the reason that Wang Jeonyu could not become the leader of the group that encompassed the Unorthodox Alliance of the Central Plains?

As Cheon Mubaeck subtly stimulated that point, a strange heat flickered in Wang Jeonyu’s eyes.

‘Well, that’s fine.’

Cheon Mubaeck smiled inwardly.

Just by stimulating his ambition and making him hostile to the Great Dragon Gang leader, it was a good result for Cheon Mubaeck.

“In the end, you were planning to deceive me and use me.”

“Well. It’s not a wrong statement.”

“If I had pleased you, what would you have done if I were a person who could overthrow the Great Dragon Gang leader?”

Cheon Mubaeck let out a hollow laugh.

Because he had read the desire contained in those words.

“I was planning to help you with all my might. As for me, as long as it’s not the Great Dragon Gang leader, it’s fine.”

“…”

But still, Wang Jeonyu did not let go of his suspicious gaze. Although it had been diluted a lot.

Cheon Mubaeck smiled and drove the nail in.

“Well, should I cut off the Great Dragon Gang leader’s head for you?”

“…!”

Wang Jeonyu’s gaze wavered.

“Of course, it’s a bluff. If I could have done that, I would have done it long ago. But I have that much determination.”

“…”

Wang Jeonyu, who had been staring for a long time, finally averted his gaze and was lost in thought.

Although his expression was full of contemplation, Cheon Mubaeck did not doubt what kind of answer he would give.

The struggle to take over the leadership of the Black Assembly.

Cheon Mubaeck’s scheme was to moderately incite that and create a three-way division represented by the Green Forest, the Great Dragon Gang, and the Yangtze River.

To do that, he needed to help the relatively weak Wang Jeonyu.

‘Well, if it’s certain that the Great Dragon Gang is connected to the Blood Demon Valley, it’s not bad to incite Wang Jeonyu and the Great Strength King to kill them. And it’s also fine to see Wang Jeonyu and the Great Strength King fight each other to take over the remaining Unorthodox Alliance forces and be mutually destroyed.’

Not long after, Wang Jeonyu answered.

His eyes were burning with flames.

“How was it?”

“…?”

“What was the result of observing me, while hiding your identity as a guard?”

“Not bad. Seeing the river pirates rushing madly at the Green Forest to save you, your popularity must be high. And on land, I don’t know, but at least your control over the Yangtze River is great.”

“What that means is…”

“If you just get the momentum, what’s to stop you from taking over the Black Assembly?”

The corners of Wang Jeonyu’s mouth twitched.

He was a surprisingly simple person. It wasn’t for nothing that he had the impression of a boar. He was a type close to a brave general. He fought well, and he was popular with his subordinates.

“If so, what are you going to do?”

The way he addressed him had changed from ‘you bastard’ to ‘you’. The answer had come.

Cheon Mubaeck nodded his head and took a fist and palm salute.

“The Black Heart Gang will help the senior River King. As long as we can drive out the Great Dragon Gang, we can do anything.”

“Is that all?”

“Of course… if you can share just enough of the interests that the Great Dragon Gang originally had to digest.”

When Cheon Mubaeck said so, Wang Jeonyu finally laughed heartily.

He had deliberately shown a moderately greedy appearance.

If he had only wanted the downfall of the Great Dragon Gang, Wang Jeonyu would have left a suspicion in his heart.

At least, when it came to profit, the Unorthodox Alliance were beings who sometimes became like moths to a flame.

Wang Jeonyu, who had read a certain amount of greed, rather lessened his suspicion only then.

“Good. Then let’s go to the Black Assembly together.”

“Before that, there’s a place to stop by.”

“A place to stop by?”

Cheon Mubaeck’s gaze turned to the Salt Light Fortress Leader.

Wang Jeonyu’s eyebrows twitched as he followed that gaze.

“Isn’t your purpose the Great Dragon Gang?”

“The Great Dragon Gang is strong. If we can join forces with the Green Forest, we should.”

“Join forces?”

“To take over the leadership of the Black Assembly, in the end, we have to make even the Green Forest kneel. But this is also not easy. The best way is to at least take a relative advantage and become the leader of the coalition. For example, if you make the Great Strength King your younger brother.”

“…”

“So, let’s go make a proposal for cooperation.”

“A proposal for cooperation…”

Wang Jeonyu hesitated with a displeased expression.

“Ah, the proposal for cooperation I mentioned is the same as the cooperation that the Salt Light Fortress Leader here proposed to us.”

“…?”

In an instant, the surrounding air changed. A strange smile appeared on Cheon Mubaeck’s lips.

“You were attacked first, are you just going to stand there? Won’t you take revenge?”

Wang Jeonyu’s face was colored with astonishment as he understood the meaning of those words.

Because he understood what it meant. Not only him, but also the river pirates who were gathered around could understand the words.

But along with the astonishment, a strange heat rose, and Cheon Mubaeck did not miss it. He pulled the reins hard.

“To repay what you have received. To repay kindness twice, and resentment ten times, a hundred times. Isn’t this the creed of the river pirates?”

A slight smile appeared on Wang Jeonyu’s lips.

Somehow, he liked those words.

“Let’s catch the Great Strength King.”

To make a proposal for cooperation, that is.

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep