Reaper of the Drifting Moon novel - Chapter 588

Chapter 588

Dokgo Hwang glared at the man with cold eyes.

“Go Il-won?”

“Yes!”

“I don’t know you.”

“Do you know the Ghost Fleet Commander?”

“The Ghost Fleet?”

The corners of Dokgo Hwang’s eyes twitched, a detail Go Il-won did not miss.

“You seem to know.”

“I’ve heard of it.”

Dokgo Hwang answered honestly.

Those on land were largely unaware of the Ghost Fleet’s existence. However, the main theater of the Martial Sword Alliance was the sea.

They couldn’t possibly not know about the Ghost Fleet.

However, because he had never clashed with them directly, he had not paid attention to them until now.

The Ghost Fleet never touched ships associated with the Martial Sword Alliance. So he never wasted his energy on them.

Go Il-won spoke.

“How long will you keep me standing here?”

“Why should I let you in when we have no relationship at all?”

Dokgo Hwang spat out in a sarcastic tone. However, Go Il-won’s expression remained unchanged.

“Why no relation? We’ve been closely intertwined for a long time.”

“Nonsense!”

“You wouldn’t say you don’t know the unreturnable prison, would you?”

At that moment, Dokgo Hwang’s expression hardened as if it were encased in iron.

Go Il-won looked at Dokgo Hwang and chuckled softly.

Dokgo Hwang, after looking at Go Il-won for a moment, stepped back from the window and said,

“Come in.”

“You made the right decision.”

Without hesitation, Go Il-won squeezed himself through the window.

It wasn’t easy for his massive frame to squeeze through the small window, but he entered Dokgo Hwang’s cabin safely.

Go Il-won looked around the cabin and said,

“It’s simpler than it seems.”

“I don’t fancy extravagant things.”

“That’s where we are alike.”

“Now speak.”

“What are you talking about? Ah! The Unreturnable Prison?”

“Yes!”

Dokgo’s voice sank low.

The Unreturnable prison was one of his problems.

If it became known that he had sent Yoo Soo-hwan, his sworn brother, to the unreturnable prison, it would be a fatal blow to his moral standing.

Even though the Kangho Great War was in full swing, the people’s feelings were not so forgiving that they would blindly follow someone whose morals were in shambles.

Dokgo Hwang asked,

“Did the Ghost Fleet have anything to do with the Unreturnable Prison?”

“Think of them as two heads sharing the same body.”

“So, they are part of the same group.”

“If you get to the root of it, then yes.”

“I had no idea! the Unreturnable Prison and the Ghost Fleet had such a relationship…”

“When you get down to it, yes.”

“Of course you didn’t know. It’s a secret.”

“You’d give up such a secret so easily? Do I look that gullible?”

“I trust you enough to share the secret.”

“You trust me? That’s amusing.”

“There’s no need to be so defensive. At the very least, I’m not your enemy.”

“How am I to believe that?”

“We share a common enemy. Try believing me once.”

“A common enemy?”

Dokgo Hwang’s eyes deepened.

“Pyo Wol!”

“……”

“I know that you’ve followed him here.”

“What’s your relationship with Pyo Wol?”

“He killed my father and grandmother.”

“Your mortal enemy, then.”

Dokgo Hwang’s eyes changed.

He, too, had lost dear ones to Pyo Wol.

Both had experienced losing loved ones to Pyo Wol.

Go Il-won smiled.

“What do you think? Can you trust me now?”

“I’ll ask you one thing.”

“Ask away.”

“Are you sure that Pyo Wol is here?”

“I’m certain. He followed me here.”

“Is that so?”

Dokgo Hwang fell silent for a moment.

He looked at Go Il-won without a word.

It was the first time he’d met this man. But he was familiar with Go Il-won’s demeanor and appearance, which resembled Jang Mugak’s.

It doesn’t matter if he is like Jang Mugak. If I can use him, I’ll shake hands with him.

Dokgo Hwang bit his lip hard.

If it fit his plans, he’d use him and discard him when he was done.

Dokgo Hwang was no longer who he used to be.

He used to value trust, but his attitude had changed after he lost to Jang Mugak.

After all, Go Il-won approached him to use him as well, so he felt no reluctance to reciprocate by using Go Il-won.

Dokgo Hwang extended his hand.

“Good! I’ll join hands with you.”

“You made the right decision.”

Go Il-won clasped his hand.

And thus, a temporary alliance was formed.

So Geoksan gulped down the liquor.

He drank so fast that two bottles were empty in no time.

He already looked quite drunk, but Pyo Wol did not stop him.

He knew that even if he was that drunk right now, he could get rid of it in an instant if he wanted to.

Since Pyo Wol didn’t stop him, Geoksan drank another bottle.

Finally, Pyo Wol spoke.

“It’s time to get up.”

“Already?”

“It’s getting late.”

“So it is.”

So Geoksan obediently rose to his feet.

His body swayed quite a bit, but not to the point of total instability.

He left the inn with Pyo Wol.

“Why is the weather so good? The moon is disgustingly bright.”

So Geoksan grumbled at the innocent moon.

He hadn’t lived a day with a clear head since he lost his Heavenly Flower Troupe. If he didn’t drink, he couldn’t stand the pain.

Suddenly, So Geoksan spoke to Pyo Wol.

“It’s not so bad, walking like this with you.”

“You’ve changed a lot.”

“Hmph, I can’t live without changing. As a matter of fact, it is strange to have a life without change, like you.

“Is that so?”

“You’ve always been like this, handling what everyone else finds strange and difficult without a care. That made you who you are today, but back then, I couldn’t understand you. You could’ve moved with the crowd, yet you insisted on being alone.”

“I thought it was advantageous for survival.”

“Moving alone is better than banding together? I can understand it to some extent now, but back then no one could understand you.”

“It doesn’t matter. I have never sought the understanding of others. That hasn’t changed even

now.”

“Right! If you change, you wouldn’t be Pyo Wol.”

So Geoksan chuckled.

A person specialized in survival and assassination.

That was Pyo Wol’s identity.

In any situation, this aspect of Pyo Wol would never change.

Then, Pyo Wol’s demeanor suddenly shifted.

His expression and eyes remained the same, but the atmosphere subtly altered.

So Geoksan didn’t miss Pyo Wol’s change.

“What is it?”

“There are suspicious people on the street.”

“Suspicious people?”

So Geoksan naturally scanned the surroundings.

Even though it was late in the evening, quite a few people were moving about. It looked like an ordinary scene. However, the behavior of a few individuals seemed suspicious.

Their actions were so natural that only Pyo Wol or So Geoksan’s eyes could detect them.

Pyo Wol performed the reverse bone technique and changed his face in an instant.

“Look at this?”

“So Geoksan gathered his internal energy to dispel his drunkenness.

“Who do you think they’re looking for?”

“Hm!”

“I will trace their source.”

“I’ll wait at the Sea Dragon Manor.”

“You won’t have to wait that long.”

So Geoksan naturally distanced himself from Pyo Wol.

Pyo Wol continued to walk, calmly surveying his surroundings.

Strangers appeared on every street.

People who have lived in a place for a long time tend to have a distinct vibe that allows them to recognize outsiders. That’s why the term “locals” was used.

Sea Gate city had an unusual number of outsiders.

It was something that only those who traverse the distant seas could possess – a distinctive temperament or aura, clothing, skin color, and so on.

However, the unfamiliar faces on the street did not possess that unique atmosphere.

It was clear they had come to Sea Gate city with a definite purpose.

‘Could it be the Ghost Fleet?’

The only group Pyo Wol could think of in the current situation was the Ghost Fleet.

Pyo Wol etched the faces of the strangers in his mind. His observations were so subtle that the strangers failed to realize he was watching them.

‘Twenty-two.’

The number Pyo Wol had identified.

Since he hadn’t covered all the streets, there were probably more he hadn’t seen.

“Have you returned?”

Sal-no greeted him when he returned.

Thunk!

Pyo Wol answered by removing his disguise.

Seeing his true face, Sal-no cautiously asked,

“Is something the matter?”

“I have confirmed strangers scattered throughout the streets.”

“Is it the Ghost Fleet?”

“I’m not sure yet. So Geoksan has gone to investigate.”

“So Geoksan? The friend you mentioned before?”

“Yes!”

“Then we must wait for him to return.”

“In the meantime, tell Tarha to strengthen the security of Sea Dragon Manor. Something doesn’t

feel right.”

“Understood.”

“And Soma?”

“He is with the Taemu brothers. Would you like to see him?”

“Call him to my dwelling.”

“Understood.”

Pyo Wol headed directly to his abode.

Upon entering his room, he once again checked his equipment.

He meticulously examined his armor, hidden silver wires, and the condition of his Ghost Blades.

It was then that Soma entered the room.

“Big brother?”

Entering the room, Soma was startled to see Pyo Wol’s actions.

If Pyo Wol was preparing this much, it could not be an ordinary matter.

“An enemy?”

“Perhaps?”

“Seems you’re not sure yet.”

“Not yet.”

“We should prepare, then?”

“Preparation never hurts.”

“Got it!”

Soma nodded as he drew the sword that was strapped to his waist and began to wipe it down with a dry cloth.

Although his original weapon was a chakram, he changed it to a sword while studying at the Wudang sect.

Il-geom jin taught Soma how to wield a sword.

It was not a special secret technique or a transmission of the martial arts of the Wudang Sect; it was just a part of his deep understanding that he shared.

Though learning swordsmanship was different from his original Chakram method, Soma wielded the sword skillfully.

Once you master one thing, learning something similar is not that difficult.

Of course, those who tread a different path to reach the pinnacle were extremely rare.

Soma had not reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship, but it was clear he had begun to carve out his unique realm.

After reclaiming his sword, Soma became more devoted to swordsmanship.

He practiced, recalling the teachings of Il-geom jin.

Thanks to this, Soma’s martial arts had skyrocketed since his return to Kangho.

Someone quietly climbed through the window while the two were busy tending to their weapons.

The person was So Geoksan

He spoke,

“I’ve figured out who’s behind them.”

“Where?”

“It’s the Martial Sword Alliance. Dokgo Hwang is moving personally.”