“If you’re all acting like this out of fear for the Number One of the Evil Path...”

I drew my sword.

“Then shouldn’t you be showing the same respect and fear to the man who came here to kill him? Just because I mock the Evil Apostle doesn’t mean you should do the same to me. Especially when I’m standing right here watching.”

The pirates charged at me, resolved to die.

The moment Im Sobaek’s Six Combat Blade came to mind, I charged forward.

I slashed through arms, struck down, cut, deflected, and dodged. As I fought, I realized—whether it was the Plum Blossom Sword Technique or the Six Combat Blade, the difference was only in time. The destination was the same.

I wasn’t sure whether I was using the Plum Blossom Sword or mimicking the Six Combat Blade, but I severed a pirate’s arm first.

That’s the most effective method when facing a crowd.

Since I was cutting through swinging arms, blood gradually soaked into me.

The stench of blood and the foul odor from the pirates clung to me, but neither the dying nor I could stop.

No matter how much weaker they were than me, or how deserving of death, the aftermath always lingers.

When you kill filthy bastards, you can’t help but get covered in filth yourself.

While enduring the stench, it didn’t take long to completely slaughter the pirates on deck. The most cowardly ones had taken advantage of their dying comrades to jump into the water and swim away.

Of course, they were headed for the dock.

There was nowhere else to go—land was only in that direction.

I picked up the bow used to fire the flaming arrows and shot the escaping pirates swimming toward the dock.

It wasn’t that I was innately good with a bow. I had already trained to shoot well. With external energy, internal energy, sharp focus, and a murderous aura, I buried arrows in the backs of those desperate swimmers.

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

“...What the hell am I doing this early in the morning.”

One of them sank below the surface and held his breath persistently, so I waited. When he rose for air, I shot him dead.

Thunk!

Because the ships at the dock were already engulfed in flames, boatmen and nearby onlookers had gathered to watch. Since the pirates had even set fire to local ferryboats, boat owners sat down, cursing or gesturing in grief.

“The Apostle’s damn servants are really a pain.”

Plenty of people probably resented me, too.

But I’m not someone who stops just because people resent me a little.

I watched the indifferent waves of Dongho and glanced at the spectators by the dock, then crouched and peered below deck. Through the gaps in the planks, I saw pairs of eyes looking up at me.

“...”

I found the stairs and went down. The men clutching the oars stared at me silently.

Their eyes were wide open—though I couldn’t tell if they were seeing a man or a demon.

They weren’t bound in chains, but they had the exhausted look of people who’d long given up the idea of escape.

They surely knew everyone on deck had been killed. But there were too few of them to sail a large ship alone. They had likely been used alongside the pirates to operate the vessel.

So I couldn’t tell if these men were just rowers or actual pirates.

“...Who the hell are you?”

“We were rowing.”

“Only rowing?”

“Yes.”

They had no weapons, looked poorly fed, and were paler than the pirates. More importantly, their clothes were different, and signs of labor showed in their expressions, eyes, and forearms.

They seemed like workers. I had no intention to kill them anymore.

I asked with little expectation.

“You polemasters—can you take me back to where you came from? I’m the Lord of Haomun.”

They looked at each other, then answered.

“Yes, we can guide you.”

“Really?”

I studied their faces and asked:

“Have you eaten?”

“Not yet.”

“Then let’s head to the dock first. You should eat something.”

Maybe it was my blood-soaked appearance—whatever the reason, they still looked frightened. One of them whispered nervously:

“To the dock.”

The rest joined in murmuring:

“To the dock...”

I echoed them softly:

“To the dock, to eat.”

As they began rowing, the ship turned.

I went back up to the deck, kicked at corpses or grabbed them by the neck and hurled them overboard for a water burial.

Splash—the sound served as a makeshift funeral.

I don’t know how long the Number One of the Evil Path intends to keep hiding.

But just as I declared, I’m going to kill every one of his subordinates.

And if I end up beating every single one of them to death—

—then the victory belongs to Jomsoi.

***

By the time we reached the dock with the polemasters, Sword Demon, the Drunk, and the Lecher were already there, along with members of the Special Task Force who were checking the situation.

Instead of jumping ashore, I dove into the river to wash myself off.

I scrubbed the blood off in Dongho’s waters, then climbed onto land and beckoned to a Task Force agent I recognized by face but didn’t know by name. He came over and asked:

“Lord Munju, what happened?”

“The pirates set fire to every ship near the dock with flaming arrows, so I killed them all. The polemasters haven’t eaten yet, so I figured I’d feed them first. They seem to know a base location.”

The agent nodded.

“Then we’ll stand guard here.”

Meaning they would watch the ship.

“I’d prefer the polemasters eat somewhere under Special Task Force protection. Where can they go?”

Another agent offered:

“I’ll guide them.”

Just then, the Drunk approached and asked:

“Did the oarsmen say they could guide us to the island?”

I nodded.

“Seems like it. Not sure what kind of island it is though. Let’s go ask.”

Still drowsy, I walked with the polemasters toward food. It struck me that even among the Evil Apostle’s subordinates, there must be a hierarchy—and those at the very bottom were the rowers.

If the pirates normally treated these workers like trash, then they probably didn’t give a damn about their comrades’ lives.

That’s why you shouldn’t mistreat the people who do the actual work. But the noble Number One of the Evil Path probably doesn’t understand that.

If he did, he wouldn’t have driven his subordinates to such pointless deaths.

Ironically, the clue to finding the Evil Apostle lay with the very ones the pirates treated like garbage.

As we headed to the inn, Sword Demon said to the Lecher:

“Third, go buy him some clothes. He’s hard to look at.”

“Yes, Master.”

My sleeves were already too shredded, so I tore them off completely. One arm felt nice and breezy.

Sword Demon asked:

“You’ve been up all night. Will you be alright?”

“I’ll eat and get some sleep.”

Escorted by the Four Great Villains and led by the Task Force, I headed to the inn.

***

I changed into new clothes brought by the Lecher, watched the polemasters eat, then dozed off in my chair.

Sleep came over me like ripples on water, soaking my body.

And just like that, I sank into it like slipping beneath the surface.

Still, some part of my mind stayed alert—caught in a haze between dream and thought.

A possibility occurred to me: what if we were attacked en route to the island the polemasters guided us to?

Water in every direction.

If the Evil Apostle surrounded us with ships—

Only top-tier martial artists would survive.

I opened my eyes and asked the polemasters as they ate:

“What’s the name of the island you’re guiding us to?”

“Baeksa Island.”

“Is the Number One of the Evil Path there?”

“He visits from time to time, but we don’t know if he’s there now.”

“So it’s one of their bases, at least?”

“Yes.”

“Who’s in charge there?”

“The Baeksa Island Lord. I don’t know his name, but he’s an officer of the Evil Alliance.”

Everyone—including the Task Force and the Four Great Villains—heard that.

“If the ship hasn’t returned, they’ll be on high alert by now, right?”

“Yes. They even have catapults to launch oil-filled jars.”

I asked again, without much hope:

“Catapults, huh... Instead of going the usual [N O V E L I G H T] route, is it possible to circle around or dock near a cliff?”

The polemasters all looked at one man. The oldest among them thought for a moment, then answered:

“It’s possible. But it’s a cliffside terrain, full of sharp rocks. Risky.”

I turned to the Task Force agent.

“Can you prepare dried rations and drinking water for the oarsmen to survive at sea?”

“We’ll handle it.”

I looked at the Four Great Villains.

“In any case, we’re taking Baeksa Island.”

Shortly after, I left the inn ahead of the others and had a separate conversation with Dan Hyuksan and the Four Villains.

“If the polemasters are spies, we might be ambushed at sea—or attacked on Baeksa Island itself.”

The Lecher responded:

“They seem normal, though.”

“Can’t fully trust that.”

I looked at Dan Hyuksan.

“If we get trapped on Baeksa Island, it’s better for the Task Force to arrive afterward. There's only one ship, so the Alliance Leader shouldn’t come. I’ll leave behind a polemaster—bring a new ship and follow.”

Dan Hyuksan nodded.

“Understood.”

I turned to Sword Demon, who hadn’t spoken at all.

“What do you think, eldest?”

He answered in a flat tone:

“I don’t think the oarsmen are guiding us with bad intent. But the entire island could be a trap. We might get surrounded at sea. Watch for cliffside boulders, hidden weapons in the sand, venomous insects or snakes.”

The Lecher added:

“Then maybe we shouldn’t go at all?”

Sword Demon ignored his disciple’s opinion.

“Sometimes you have to walk into the trap for the bastard to show up.”

I watched the polemasters as they finished eating. I considered threatening them a little, but they weren’t martial artists, so I held back.

“Let’s move. Leave two behind. They’ll go with the Alliance.”

The Task Force grabbed two polemasters like they were under arrest.

“You two, come with us.”

“Ah, yes.”

Soon we boarded the ship again and tidied the deck. Sword Demon, seeing a bow, instantly nocked an arrow and fired it high into the sky.

Watching that arrow soar gave me some comfort.

For a while, we practiced archery like it was a competition, turning the trip into a little pleasure cruise. Practice now, fight better later.

As we neared Baeksa Island, I stood on the stairs and told the oarsmen:

“If any pirates show up, steer the ship close. Easier to kill them that way.”

“Yes, Lord Munju.”

The Drunk looked at me and muttered:

“Get some sleep. Your eyes are bleeding.”

I nodded and went into a broken cabin alone to rest. The ship wasn’t that fast, so I could afford some short naps. I drifted in and out for an hour until the Lecher called out:

“We’re at Baeksa Island.”

I stepped outside and gazed at it. The island wasn’t named for its shape—but for the white mist blanketing it like a coiled white snake. Just then, the ship shuddered from striking a reef.

I chuckled.

“...Dangerous, huh?”

As the ship rocked, the Four Villains laughed too. Oddly enough, hardship and danger spread laughter like a disease. Slowly, we pushed forward into the fog and reached a cliffside ledge. I looked around.

No fire arrows. No flaming oil jars.

I climbed the stairs and addressed the oarsmen one last time.

“Thanks for your work. If you’re nervous, wait offshore.”

“Yes, Lord Munju.”

As I turned to climb up, one of them spoke.

“Lord Munju... good luck.”

I nodded faintly, then jumped with the Four Great Villains onto the rocks where the river clashed.

Looking back, our ship was slowly sailing away.

All four of us carried bows and quivers.

Leaping across a dozen boulders, we reached Baeksa Island. Without a word, we paused and read each other’s faces.

It felt like we were the Task Force sent to capture the island.

Not just me—The Lecher, the Drunk, even Sword Demon were all smiling.

Sword Demon said:

“If nothing strange happens—let’s just kill everyone.”

“Let’s do that.”

And with that, we entered Baeksa Island.