Rebirth of the Thunder God

Zhejiang Province. Zhoushan Archipelago.

The Zhoushan Archipelago, sometimes called the Zhoushan Islands, is a collection of large and small islands lined up in a row.

On a very small island within that archipelago, Putuo Mountain was situated.

After leaving Suzhou, Namgung Hui didn't stop by Hangzhou but headed straight for Shaoxing, right next to the Zhoushan Archipelago.

From Shaoxing, large and small canals were developed, allowing one to head inland.

One could also head towards the sea where the Zhoushan Archipelago was located.

And above all, the Hoicheon Association's blockade line was set up from Shaoxing, so even Namgung Hui could not deploy his lightness skill from here.

No matter how much of a non-aggression pact existed between the government and the martial world.

When the imperial army was this determined to enforce a blockade, even martial artists were helpless.

Since it was an incident related to treason, the martial world had no special means to intervene.

Namgung Hui looked at the imperial soldiers deployed around and was lost in thought for a moment.

'Even if I enter using the map Yewol gave me, it's troublesome if I'm blocked right from the start like this. More imperial troops have been deployed than I thought.'

He had wondered why the Imperial Palace's treasury was unguarded and easy to infiltrate, and it seemed it was because so many imperial troops had been dispatched outside.

If this was the case, wouldn't he have been able to infiltrate easily even without the help of the Black Tortoise Troupe Leader or Yewol?

Well, in any case, he thought it was fortunate that Princess Ju Hwayeong was drawing more attention than expected.

Now it was time for Namgung Hui to steal that spotlight.

To deal a blow to the Hoicheon Association, there would be nothing better than safely smuggling Ju Hwayeong out.

Namgung Hui disguised himself again.

This time, as a man.

Not with the rough and fierce impression from the Blood Cult, but with the scholarly appearance he had used when infiltrating the Imperial Palace.

He then considered using the Hoicheon Association's token, but for some reason, his intuition told him he shouldn't.

'In a place full of the Hoicheon Association's forces, they probably won't fall for such a shallow trick.'

Rather, the Hoicheon Association members might become suspicious at once upon seeing Namgung Hui's unfamiliar face.

Hadn't he been caught by that man, Commandant Yang, in the Imperial Palace?

And since he had already used the jade token in several places, they might have taken additional measures.

Therefore, Namgung Hui resolved not to use the jade token this time.

"Excuse me. Sir. Scholar. This is not a place for scribes like you. It's a dangerous place, so please turn back the way you came."

A government soldier blocked Namgung Hui's path and warned him.

He seemed to have been commissioned as a military officer not long ago, as the baby fat had not yet left his face.

His skin also seemed a little pale.

"Traditionally, although Shaoxing is not a tourist destination, is it not a famous spot widely known to poets? My acquaintances have already gone inside, so what would happen if I alone cannot enter? If there is a child of a high-ranking official among those gathering, they will surely ask who stopped me. A powerless scholar like me would have no choice but to answer the question hon.est.ly. Therefore, I must learn your name."

The government soldier was flustered by Namgung Hui's threat-that-wasn't-a-threat.

"Ahem! No. When did I ever say I was stopping you? It's just that the principle is to send people back, but if there's a special reason, there's no reason I can't let you in. Goodness. Please look favorably upon me when you reach a high position later. My name is Jang Hyeokjin."

"Jang Hyeokjin... I will remember it well. Well then, carry on."

"Ah! Wait. You should take this pass to avoid any trouble. Here, take it."

Namgung Hui accepted the pass the soldier handed him and gave a bright smile.

"I am truly indebted to you. The name Jang Hyeokjin. I will not just remember it, but I must also tell my acquaintances."

"Yes! I beg of you. I have quite a few people I must serve. Hahaha..."

Namgung Hui committed Jang Hyeokjin's appearance to memory and entered Shaoxing.

As expected, the pass he received from Jang Hyeokjin was used effectively.

"Halt! Why is a scholar here... Hah! Please enter."

"No. Who let a scribe in here... Ah! Welcome. Did you perhaps come from the palace?"

"Hmm... A person from the Association, I see."

Each showed a different reaction, but no one ever blocked Namgung Hui's path.

Rather, the closer he got to the inner core, the less they even glanced at him.

Hearing the word 'Association' occasionally, it seemed that the only people who could wander around inside in a scholar's attire were members of the Hoicheon Association.

'Rather, perhaps because the Association's power is so strong, there are some lax aspects in this regard. They act so high-handedly on a daily basis that the government soldiers can't even conduct thorough inspections.'

It was a good thing for Namgung Hui, but the taste in his mouth was a little bitter.

If the government soldiers became lax, the people's livelihood could not improve.

The ill effects were visible everywhere.

They seized private homes and engaged in plunder under the name of the imperial order.

The Emperor probably didn't even know that his imperial troops were tormenting the common people like this.

Was the Hoicheon Association really established to control the martial world?

Namgung Hui didn't like the self-righteous leaders of the orthodox factions either, but they were only a small fraction.

However, the corrupt officials within the Imperial Palace seemed to be half of them, with a slight exaggeration.

Furthermore, the majority of the eunuchs who made up the Eastern Depot were corrupt and depraved.

The General himself might deny it, but...

'I should have asked for certain during the three-way meeting last time. I was so flustered back then that I couldn't even speak properly. I was also distracted because Seolhwa's story came up.'

Still, there was one thing the General had said.

That he would carve out this rotten martial world.

Namgung Hui also wanted to change the rotten water, but he did not intend to resort to extreme measures like the General.

Did he really intend to punish them with the information he obtained through Yewol and the Black Tortoise Troupe Leader?

Namgung Hui was certain that was absolutely not the case.

In the first place, if the Hoicheon Association were that clean, they would never have used the black market to sell slaves and drugs.

Nor would they have schemed using the Green Forest and the Heretic Factions.

'At the very least, guys who use vicious forbidden techniques like Gu poison cannot be clean.'

Like a government official lost in such thoughts, Namgung Hui walked straight down the road and soon arrived at the coast overlooking the Zhoushan Archipelago.

Here, no matter how much Namgung Hui looked like a person from the Association, he could not simply pass.

"Where are you from? I have not been informed that anyone from the Association is coming."

A man who appeared to be a naval commander scanned Namgung Hui up and down with his sharp eyes.

Perhaps because he held a grudge against the Hoicheon Association, a hint of contempt was also present in his gaze.

Namgung Hui sensed that the time had come and slowly approached him, speaking.

"I am not a person from the Association."

"Then where are you from?"

"Would you believe me if I said I descended from the heavens?"

"From the heavens? What kind of nonsense is that? I have no time for wordplay, so state your business quickly."

"Are you perhaps using the nearby private houses as a base?"

"Private houses? Do you think our navy is mad enough to seize private houses? We are not beings who cause trouble to our surroundings like you people. Ah. You said you weren't from the Association. Anyway. If you keep spouting nonsense, you won't see a good end."

Namgung Hui looked at the commander before him and nodded.

He was certainly far from the image of a corrupt official.

Even when Namgung Hui kept spouting nonsense, he maintained his composure and did not lose his manners.

In other words, his self-cultivation was quite deep.

On top of that, since he had not caused any harm to the civilians, Namgung Hui decided not to harm him.

However.

"What do you think you're doing? If you come any closer, I will not stand by. Stop!"

The commander even drew his sword and threatened Namgung Hui, but.

-Clang...

His sword fell to the ground before he could even swing it.

Because Namgung Hui had instantly sealed his pressure points.

It seemed he was not a high-ranking commander, as his martial arts skill was on the lower side.

Originally, the imperial troops generally did not have a high level of martial arts.

Anyway. He stripped the subdued commander of his clothes, and Namgung Hui wore them instead.

After putting on the armband symbolizing a Centurion and mimicking his appearance with the Art of Disguise, Namgung Hui's outward appearance was now sufficient to be seen as a Centurion.

Now was the time to begin the operation in earnest.

Namgung Hui visited the bases surrounding the Zhoushan Archipelago—Cixi, Zhenhai, and Ningbo—in order.

"Salute! Have you arrived, Commander?"

"Yes. You're working hard, Decurion. But something has come up."

"What is it? Did the Association perhaps give you a troublesome task?"

"Not that. The plan has changed. I heard that one of the wenches we were chasing crossed the sea and went over to Fuzhou."

"Aren't our naval forces stationed not only in the south but also up north in Shandong Province?"

'They really have deployed troops in all directions. To think they're besieging three whole provinces.'

Namgung Hui clicked his tongue inwardly upon seeing the enormous number of troops that had been deployed.

To besiege Shandong and Zhejiang provinces, at least 10,000 soldiers must have been mobilized.

The amount of food going to them alone would be staggering.

Since that would be extorted from the common people, all of this would be directly linked to their livelihood.

"Of course, the blockade line extends that far, but the enemies passed through it and crossed over to Fujian Province."

"Hah! I never even considered Fujian Province. How far is that? They are truly tenacious bitches."

"Therefore, our navy will advance to Fujian Province by ship. If we surround them with the personnel from Shandong Province, that will be the end of it."

"But Centurion. As far as we know, no one has come out of Putuo Mountain. So when did they cross over to Fujian Province? Moreover, to get to Fujian Province, they must pass through Zhejiang Province here."

"Have you forgotten that those wenches are martial artists? Martial artists can walk on water using a lightness skill called Water-Walking. If their internal energy supports it, running across the water to cross a province is nothing."

"That's absurd...!"

As the Decurion's eyes widened in surprise, Namgung Hui patted his shoulder and said.

"The eunuchs in the Eastern Depot use such brutish martial arts right now. Anyway. You will take the ships and advance to Fujian, and I will go to Zhenhai and Ningbo."

"Is there a need for you to go personally, Commander?"

"If not me, who will deliver the orders? And if I send a Decurion and you run into those bastards from the Association, it will be a headache. It's better for me to deal with them."

The Decurion nodded slightly, as if in agreement.

The members of the Hoicheon Association were arrogant and would likely laugh off a Decurion's words.

They might not even pretend to listen to a Centurion's words.

But they wouldn't just ignore him completely, so it was better for Namgung Hui, disguised as a Centurion, to make the move.

"But Commander. For some reason, you seem a little taller today. Your jawline also seems strangely sharper. Could it be..."

'Has my disguise been seen through? It seems my first time mimicking another person's appearance was clumsy.'

Just as Namgung Hui was contemplating whether he needed to subdue the Decurion.

His words continued.

"You must be working on making a second child recently. You've lost some weight, and it feels like your stooped back has straightened. Hahaha!"

Namgung Hui let out a sigh of relief, having avoided the need for force.

If a vacancy arose due to a missing person, the imperial army would surely notice something was amiss.

It was still too early to be discovered, so he maintained a thoroughly expressionless face.

"Ahem! The things you say. Anyway. I will be heading over to Zhenhai now, so you lead the troops and head south to Xiangshan as I ordered."

"Salute! I will follow your orders!"

And so, Namgung Hui flatly refused the Decurion's offer of an escort and headed for Zhenhai.

However, unexpectedly, he ran into an unexpected person in Zhenhai.

And a person from the Hoicheon Association at that.

'General Yi...! That bastard was here.'

(End of Chapter)