TSBIRBV Ch 331

Chapter 331. The False Dragon King (1)

“Gold. Real gold…”

The man exhaled in pure delight as he opened each chest one by one.

“So much gold… unbelievable.”

The merchant guild under the protection of the North Hebei Peng Clan dealt only in the highest quality goods, and the payoff for fencing their stolen spoils was considerable.

Chayeop raised a gold ingot, running his fingers along its polished surface. Smooth and cool at first, it gradually warmed beneath his touch — a strange and beautiful sensation.

He knew this business was dangerous. With each step, he sank deeper into perilous waters. But that didn’t bother him much.

He had spent his entire life as a mere martial warrior, risking his life for the sake of others — and what had it ever brought him?

Cheap liquor and dried jerky, night after night. Swinging a dull harpoon until it snapped, wondering whether it would break today or tomorrow, yet still forced to wield it again and again.

But now?

Now he wore silk robes. He ate freshly roasted meat and drank fine wine once served only to royalty.

Gone was the battered harpoon — now he chose from among several exquisite swords, whichever caught his fancy.

If you’re going to risk your life either way, isn’t it better to do it where the pay’s higher?

That was as far as his conscience went these days. Whatever remnants of guilt remained had long since faded, buried under the gleam of gold.

Just then, one of his men came rushing in, breathless.

“Dragon King! A merchant ship’s been sighted at the ferry!”

Chayeop grinned, drawing his sword — its hilt inlaid with gold, the blade gleaming pale white beneath the light.

“Excellent. Let’s go collect our toll.”

It was time to become the true ruler of the Yangtze River.

“There, good boy. Eat up.”

Yegyeol smiled as he carefully fed Beambeam a small golden-yellow pellet with a wooden spoon. Crumbs scattered all around, but he didn’t care in the slightest.

The treat was made from mashed boiled egg yolk — something Hongye had put together with casual ease. Supposedly, it contained all the things snakes liked. And indeed, Beambeam loved it.

Technically, he doesn’t even need to eat, being a spirit creature, but he enjoys it so much it’s kind of endearing.

He wasn’t sure if snakes even had a sense of taste, but one thing was certain — this thousand-year Thunder Serpent was a gourmet.

Hongye had even prepared a variety of other special snacks just for Beambeam, and judging by the creature’s bright mood, it was a success.

After eating its fill, Beambeam rubbed its head against Yegyeol’s finger. Its touch was cool and sleek, like the smooth underside of overlapping leaves. The scales were so fine and soft that they barely caught against his skin.

“You’ll have to stay hidden, especially with Namgung Un around, alright?”

Yegyeol spoke seriously to the small serpent.

He’d considered leaving it behind with Hongye, but Beambeam seemed to require his presence — as though drawing on his energy to recharge, much like an esper needed a guide.

And truthfully, Yegyeol was the type to be disarmingly gentle — when it came to something of his own.

Still… how am I going to explain Beambeam later?

He had actually planned to mention the serpent while talking to Namgung Un about his past life.

But before he could, news had broken that Namgung Un’s father, Namgung Akcheon, had been accused of murder. The shock of it had sent Un rushing out, cutting the conversation short.

At least he didn’t look disgusted or suspicious of me.

That was a relief.

Unlike Jeokroe, who had once doubted everything about him, Namgung Un hadn’t rejected him at all.

In fact, Un had been the one to persuade Yegyeol to accept the position of Head of the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.

If he’d truly believed Yegyeol was a brainwashed pawn of the Heavenly Demon, he never would have done that.

Yegyeol rose lightly to his feet. He held out his hand, and Beambeam slithered up his wrist as if understanding the unspoken command.

“Let’s take a little walk — but no falling overboard, okay?”

They were aboard a ship, after all — specifically, a merchant vessel disguised as such but secretly owned by the North Hebei Peng Clan.

As the saying went, strike while the iron is hot. Seven days after the first training session, Peng Munhyeong led the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly out of Wuhuan.

“This is a diversionary mission. You’ll now rendezvous with the strike unit dispatched by the Martial Alliance,” he had declared.

The young warriors listened in tense silence. The air of a grand subjugation weighed heavy on them — not to mention the fatigue from the relentless training that followed.

Still, Peng Munhyeong was a natural at balancing whip and carrot. When he corrected their stances mid-training, the younger prodigies looked at him with starry-eyed admiration.

He really does have charisma, Yegyeol admitted inwardly. Not much for scheming, but people naturally follow him.

Even mountain bandits called him “Brother Peng” with genuine respect.

“I have a question,” one of the young disciples asked. “Where will you be stationed, Master Peng?”

“Myself and a select group of these young elites will form a detachment. We’ll circle around and strike Hoakchae from the rear — our goal is to capture their leader.”

“Capture, sir?” another asked — this one from the Qingcheng Sect.

“…Good question.”

Peng Munhyeong nodded seriously — and then went quiet, as though his mind had frozen mid-thought.

Yegyeol immediately caught on.

Looks like the Peng Clan’s cover story only went that far.

“The Hoakchae leader is suspected of human trafficking,” Yegyeol smoothly supplied. “We need him alive to locate the missing victims.”

Peng Munhyeong blinked, then nodded solemnly as if that had been his plan all along.

“Exactly as the new head says.”

His delivery was a bit stiff, but who among these young, wide-eyed martial heirs would dare question the terrifying “Mad Tiger” of the Peng Clan?

Thanks to Yegyeol’s quick thinking — and the inexperience of his peers — the false Dragon King operation began smoothly.

Their group split off en route to Hoakchae, following a tributary of the Yangtze. There, they boarded one of the Peng Clan’s vessels — a sleek, fast ship cleverly disguised as a merchant craft.

The ship had been outfitted with hidden compartments for the warriors, showing just how seriously Peng Gunak, the clan head, took this mission.

And so began several days of monotonous travel — eating, sleeping, and waiting.

Even knowing they were bait, the gentle rocking of the river eased the nerves of many.

As for Yegyeol, he wasn’t particularly worried. After all, their opponent wasn’t the real Dragon King.

No way he’s stronger than Yeonso So.

Stretching his arms, Yegyeol pushed open the cabin door and stepped onto the deck.

The humid night air carried the scent of river water. A cool breeze brushed against his cheek.

Then he noticed someone standing by the railing — the very man who had been on his mind just moments ago.

“Namgung Un?”

Un turned at the sound of his name.

The river wind tousled his neatly tied hair, softening the clean lines of his face. Surprise, awkwardness, and warmth flickered across his expression before settling into calm composure.

“Good evening,” he greeted politely.

Yegyeol smiled, adjusting his sleeves as Beambeam stirred faintly beneath them before going still again. The clever serpent understood it was to stay hidden.

“I couldn’t sleep — the sound of the river was too loud,” Yegyeol said lightly. “Didn’t expect to find you here.”

“Ah.”

Un gave a quiet nod.

“How is your father?” Yegyeol asked softly.

“My father is… fine,” Un replied, then added quickly, as if to reassure him, “He only laments that he can’t drink while under investigation. There were multiple servants who saw him return home that night, so…”

“Then why relinquish your position as Head of the Assembly?”

Yegyeol tilted his head. Un smiled faintly, a little rueful.

“The case isn’t closed yet. The constable refuses to accept testimony from the Namgung household, saying it’s unreliable.”

“That’s absurd. The incident has nothing to do with you, and we’re out here for a righteous cause.”

“Even so,” Un said quietly, “the more I appear in public, the more my father’s name will be brought up. I can’t chase down every rumor or correct every misunderstanding. Sometimes… silence is kinder.”

“I see.”

He wanted to erase the gossip altogether rather than drown it out with good deeds.

“Truthfully,” Un admitted after a pause, “even without that incident… I don’t think I would’ve stayed as Head for long.”

He looked directly at Yegyeol. His gaze was steady, honest.

If Yegyeol had been guilty of anything, meeting that gaze would’ve been unbearable.

But he was innocent — at least mostly — and only fidgeted briefly with his sleeve.

Beambeam isn’t the Thousand-Year Thunder Serpent — he’s just Beambeam, he told himself.

He had rescued the creature from the Demon Lord, after all. Nothing to be ashamed of.

…Probably.

“Why?” Yegyeol asked gently. “You have the respect of your peers, and your martial skill is unmatched.”

Un smiled bitterly. “Because I think too much.”

How poetic, Yegyeol thought with mild amusement. Then, half-teasing, he asked,

“Is it because of what I told you before — about my past life?”

Un’s eyes widened. Clearly, he hadn’t expected that.

“No,” he said quickly, shaking his head. “No, not at all.”

Then, after a brief pause, his voice softened.

“Though perhaps… unconsciously, maybe a little.”

He recalled the day Baiyang Zhenren had asked him to find his missing disciple — and the long conversation he’d had afterward with Jeokroe, about the Demon of Kunlun, Je Haryang.

“Then why?” Yegyeol asked again.

This time, Un didn’t answer right away. The night breeze whispered between them.

And finally, he murmured — his tone low, tinged with something unspoken:

“…You no longer call me ‘Un’?”