TSBIRBV Ch 255

Chapter 255. The Audacious Impostor (4)

After being treated with great hospitality, the group departed early the next morning. They needed to hurry if they were to make it in time for their ship.

With a loud clatter, the young waiter came running out from the first floor.

“Are you… are you leaving already?”

“Just a moment, please! My uncle is still unwell, but he said he wished to see his benefactors before you departed. If it’s not too much trouble, could you spare a little time?”

At the boy’s earnest plea, Yegyeol glanced at Peng Munhyeong. The older man, who had clearly been through similar situations before, remained composed and merely gave Yegyeol a subtle nod, as if to say, Do as you wish.

“I’m afraid we must be on our way,” Yegyeol replied gently. “Someone is waiting for us.”

He had already sent a letter to the Flood Dragon King. Since he had written that they would arrive around this time, it was only proper to be punctual.

“I see…” the boy murmured, unable to hide his disappointment.

Mounted on the horse Hongyeo had brought, Yegyeol said kindly, “Please tell your master that when we return this way, I hope to meet him again in good health.”

“Yes, sir!” The youth nodded vigorously, his expression brightening.

Without further hesitation, Yegyeol gripped the reins. As soon as Hongyeo’s red stallion, Jeokroe, snorted and pawed at the ground, the other two horses followed in perfect unison, galloping forward without needing command.

It was a sight that never failed to impress. Hongyeo controlled Jeokroe’s pace with a mere whistle, and the other horses moved in flawless rhythm, guided only by the leader’s motion. Even with proper training, it would be hard to achieve such harmony, Yegyeol thought, watching the dirt rise beneath their hooves.

Following the path along the riverbank, they rode upstream along a tributary that branched off from the Yangtze. The air grew thick with the scent of water and silt.

By the time Yegyeol noticed the color of the trees changing, they had reached the ferry dock.

The place was alive with people — bustling as though a market had sprung up overnight. Workers carried cargo, travelers disembarked or boarded, vendors shouted over one another as the smell of cheap snacks and rice wine mingled in the air.

What a headache, Yegyeol thought with a small click of his tongue. He had received enough guidance to manage, but without his Guide physically beside him, things always felt just a little off.

“This way,” he said, heading toward a stall beneath a large willow tree.

Unlike the other tables crowded with travelers, one seat was occupied by a single person. When Yegyeol saw who it was, his eyes widened slightly.

He had expected one of her subordinates — not the Flood Dragon King herself.

Sitting alone, Yeon Sosho held a porcelain teacup delicately between her fingers. Yegyeol had assumed she preferred strong liquor, so the sight of her calmly sipping tea was unexpectedly refined.

She looked up as though she had sensed his arrival long before he reached her. The moment their eyes met, she smiled faintly, and as Yegyeol approached, the Dragon King greeted him warmly.

“It’s been a while.”

The fact that she didn’t address him as “Young Master Mun” meant she had received his second letter — the one that mentioned his new identity and his journey alongside Peng Munhyeong.

“It has indeed, Captain. Have you been well?”

Yegyeol smiled politely, his tone deferential. He was imitating the demeanor of Je Haryang, the modest young disciple freshly stepping into the martial world.

It was, in truth, the easiest role he had ever played — for all he had to do was recall the man whose image was etched into his heart.

Back in Kunlun… I could copy him even with my eyes closed.

“I’ve been enjoying a blissful newlywed life,” Yeon Sosho said with a teasing smile — though to Yegyeol, there was something sharp and metallic in that curve of her lips, a faint tang of blood beneath her honeyed words.

Rather than pry into the husband’s safety, Yegyeol smoothly shifted the topic.

“This is Yaryul Hongyeo, the companion I mentioned in my letter.”

Truthfully, he would have bet a hundred gold taels that Yeon Sosho already knew who Hongyeo was. But to keep up appearances before Peng, he went through the motions of a formal introduction.

“Ah, then this must be… Master Peng,” she said naturally, taking the cue.

“Uh… y-yes, that’s…”

To Yegyeol’s amusement, Peng Munhyeong couldn’t seem to tear his gaze away from her. His famously booming voice came out small and uncertain — like a whisper from an ant.

Curious, Yegyeol turned slightly — and there it was. The man’s neck, ears, and even the tips of his cheeks were flushed a deep, telltale red.

“…Yes,” Peng stammered.

Wait. Don’t tell me…

The Reclusive Tiger — the ruthless champion of justice known for cutting down demonic sect members without mercy — just fell for the Flood Dragon King?

The thought sent a shiver of delighted disbelief down Yegyeol’s spine.

Suppressing his laughter, he turned back to Yeon Sosho. “Captain, we’d like to inspect the ship we’ll be taking.”

“Of course,” she said immediately, rising to her feet.

She led them toward the pier with brisk, graceful steps. Amid the dozen or so moored vessels, one ship stood out immediately. It wasn’t as massive as the flagship Flood Dragon Ship Yegyeol had seen before, but it dwarfed every fishing boat around it.

“This is a newly built swift vessel,” she explained. “Its hull is narrow enough to navigate the shallower channels of the Yangtze, but that makes it unsuitable for heavy cargo. I only use it for private cruises.”

Her voice was unusually gentle — almost fond. It was obvious she was proud of this ship; perhaps she had personally overseen its construction.

The look in her eyes was soft and full of affection. It reminded Yegyeol of the way Hongyeo gazed at his horse Jeokroe — as though it were something precious, almost sacred.

Then it’s decided, Yegyeol thought. When I get a ship for my Senior Brother, it’s coming from her.

Anyone who could craft a vessel like this had excellent taste — and excellent connections.

“I’ve already prepared for departure,” Yeon Sosho said. “Shall we board right away?”

“Yes,” Yegyeol replied smoothly.

As Peng dismounted, he stumbled slightly — almost falling — but caught himself with a neat roll. The loud commotion drew Yeon Sosho’s brief glance, and Peng’s face somehow grew even redder.

Hongyeo led the horses onto the ship. The two unfamiliar ones snorted nervously until Jeokroe calmed them with a soft neigh. Watching them, Yegyeol followed behind, taking in the ship’s interior — complete with stalls and sleeping spaces for the animals.

It’s practically a miniature luxury barge, he thought, impressed.

“Wait,” Hongyeo said suddenly. “Jeokroe is fine, but best not to approach the other two yet. They’re still unsettled.”

“I’ll be careful,” Yegyeol promised.

He approached Jeokroe quietly, lifting Baembaem in his palm. The gentle red stallion sniffed the tiny serpent and nudged it with its nose, earning a light chuckle from Yegyeol. He placed the golden snake gently between its ears, scratching affectionately behind them.

Since the crew were all Yeon Sosho’s most trusted people, there was little danger here.

Hongyeo sat cross-legged on the straw beside the horses, settling in as if he planned to remain there for the voyage. Despite the strong animal scent, he seemed entirely unbothered. Yegyeol didn’t ask — he simply left him to it and climbed back onto the deck.

Peng was waiting there, fidgeting restlessly.

“My brother,” he said quickly, “I… I think I’ll head to my cabin.”

“Ah. You’re not feeling well?”

“I—uh—yes. Seasick. Normally I don’t get seasick, but… I feel rather dizzy.”

He spoke stiffly, staring straight at the floor — as though if he looked up, he’d turn to stone.

It didn’t take a genius to guess the real reason. Suppressing a grin, Yegyeol nodded. “Rest well, Brother Peng.”

Good. Now it’s my chance to talk to the Dragon King.

Sailors moved briskly about, untying the ropes and preparing the vessel to depart. Yegyeol spotted Yeon Sosho standing at the bow and made his way toward her.

“Young Master Mun,” she greeted warmly, once she saw Peng was gone.

“Je Haryang,” Yegyeol corrected softly.

At that, her brows lifted slightly, her expression flickering with amusement — as if she were trying not to laugh.

Hongyeo was horrified, Samrang sighed, and Jinyeong pretended not to hear… but she actually finds it funny, Yegyeol thought. Well, fair enough.

“So, Young Master Je,” she said, eyes gleaming. “The river wind is still cold this season. Is there a reason you’re pacing the deck instead of resting below?”

“I wished to ask you something.”

“How straightforward,” she said with a smile. “Very well. What is it?”

“Have there been any… unusual happenings lately?”

One of the main reasons he’d ventured into the Central Plains was to gather information.

He could have turned to Beggar’s Sect or Hao Clan, but that carried its own risks. The more he asked, the more they might begin asking about him. That was why he chose Yeon Sosho, an ally of Haryang and mistress of the Yangtze’s flow.

After all, the river carried more than just water — it carried whispers, rumors, and secrets.

“Unusual happenings…” she mused. “Nothing too strange. The river always brings its share of stories. Oh, but—”

Her eyes lit up suddenly. “There’s talk of a monkey with two tails. They say it’s an auspicious spirit, though plenty of hot-blooded martial artists with red eyes have gone chasing after it.”

“I see,” Yegyeol said with mild amusement. “No, I meant something… else.”

He paused, rolling his eyes playfully before asking, “Have you had any guests like me?”

In other words — had anyone else recently requested to travel down the Yangtze in secret?

“Hmm… there’s always demand for that sort of thing,” she said lightly, though her tone carried a deeper meaning.

The water bandits of the river were not mere thieves; they did everything that could be done on water.

“Those fleeing justice, merchants carrying goods too dangerous to sell openly, escorts transporting forbidden treasures, nobles who must not be seen…”

Tilting her head, the Dragon King’s gaze sharpened, and her smile turned knowing once more.

“Which kind of traveler are you looking for, Young Master Je?”

Yegyeol met her eyes, calm and unflinching, and answered:

“The kind who will commit an even greater sin.”