Chapter 454

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Chapter 454: Black Dragon of the North Sea

The scene unfolding before them was chaotic. The Qingwu County Gang had tried to guard the cargo, but they were no match for the intruders who stormed in without any resistance.

There was no place to stand on the river. The enemy had blocked it with a pole, overturning the large boat in the process. The situation was hopeless, and it was clear that they were facing an unbeatable opponent.

Everyone understood that retreating wasn’t shameful, but the Qingwu County Gang had its own internal struggles, ones that couldn’t be easily explained. Green Bear felt bitter. He had no choice.

He had accepted this task from a powerful family in Yanwei City. They had told him the cargo was extremely precious and could not be opened or tampered with. It had to be delivered safely, no matter the cost.

Green Bear had no other options. If he succeeded in delivering the cargo, Qingwu County Gang would earn the support of this powerful family. That could mean better opportunities, higher income, and a more secure future. While they might not be able to buy a grand house in Yanwei City, at least they’d have enough to feed their brothers once the business succeeded.

But what if it didn’t work out?

Green Bear dared not ask that question. The family had not provided any answers. They had merely laughed coldly, leaving him with a sense of foreboding.

Green Bear had lived in the Ten Thousand Demon Kingdom for centuries. His life in the Liu State had been peaceful until he gained intelligence. For fifty years, he had worked with an escort agency, learning how to be a good person and even picking up some martial arts. He’d had a fortuitous encounter and learned an incomplete form of magic.

Initially, Green Bear had planned to become a gatekeeper for a powerful family. But despite his martial skills, they had looked down on him. Deep inside, Green Bear didn’t want to sacrifice his life for people who saw him as inferior, despite their lesser talents. He believed those willing to give their lives away didn’t have much left to begin with, and once they died, their families would fall apart.

Green Bear had realized he had to rely on himself to make a name. Over the years, he tried many things, even resorting to criminal activities. He became a notorious gang leader, stealing, cheating, and robbing. He managed to gather enough capital to found the Qingwu County Gang and settled in Yanwei City after operating on water routes for half a year. Life had been relatively peaceful, though always filled with anxiety.

Desperate for a powerful backer, Green Bear spent money, built connections, and with a bit of luck, secured this job through a favor from an acquaintance. It was his chance to live in peace for the next few decades.

Green Bear and the guest had known each other for three years. Both had once been notorious gang leaders, but over time, they had become like brothers. Green Bear was curious about how his guest had built such connections, but the guest only hinted at debts. Green Bear invited him to sit, but the guest declined. Instead, he walked slowly to his room. Green Bear sighed and ordered someone to prepare a medicinal soup to help the guest’s blood circulation.

The guest turned to him. “Let go of the goods.”

With red eyes, Green Bear replied, “We can’t let them go! If we do, we’ll both die!”

“Maybe… If we keep sailing, pass Longyao, and reach Leopard Eye City, we can all change our identities and survive!” the guest said.

“You still want to go back and become a pirate?” Green Bear asked.

“It’s better than dying here!” the guest replied firmly.

Green Bear clenched his fist, then relaxed it. After suffering multiple setbacks, he had just wanted a place to settle down. His ambitions had faded, and he now longed for a simple life, focused on food and shelter. He had even found a good courtyard in Yanwei City and paid the deposit. He dreamed of a peaceful, stable existence.

“You go,” Green Bear said, looking at the guest. “Go alone.”

“Are you willing to risk your life?” the guest asked.

Green Bear looked around at the brothers who were all present, many of whom had families depending on them in Yanwei City. If the goods were stolen and he died, they would be unaffected. But if they ran away, their families would suffer.

He gazed at the angler in black, standing alone on the bamboo raft. To him, the angler looked like a drop of ink in the river—an unmovable force.

“I will fight you!” Green Bear declared, stepping onto the deck and rushing forward. His body surged with power, and his incomplete magical techniques began to activate.

He had once found a bone from a Kui cow, gaining its storm-based magical powers. The Kui cow was a creature known for its incredible strength and storm magic, and although Green Bear only knew a fragment of its power, it was still formidable. He stomped his foot, creating a massive depression in the water.

The illusion of the Kui cow appeared, and a ripple spread out towards the bamboo raft where the mysterious fisherman stood. Despite the intense winds and surging waters, the fisherman remained unaffected.

The fisherman’s voice was cold, “These bear paws are impressive… I’ll take them.”

With a quick shake of his fishing pole, the line wrapped around like a snake, and Green Bear’s magical power was suppressed. Before he could react, his leg was hooked and he was thrown back onto the deck, blood flowing from his wound. His breath was weak, and the collapse of his demonic power was the true blow.

Unable to hold himself up, Green Bear saw the mysterious fisherman board the deck. The fisherman moved lightly, almost floating, as if a fairy.

In his fading consciousness, Green Bear saw the visitor kneeling on the deck, holding a plain wooden box.

Green Bear’s eyes widened in realization. He was the only one who knew the location of the smuggled goods.

He tried to speak, but when he saw the visitor kneel, a sense of futility overcame him.

The goods had to be handed over for everyone to survive, he understood that. But it hurt deeply. He could only beg for his life now.

The visitor spoke, “Master, please take care of this treasure.”

Green Bear’s shock deepened. The guest wasn’t begging for his life; he was a partner to the mysterious fisherman. Kneeling was a sign of respect, even pride.

The fisherman nodded, taking the wooden box and opening it. He inhaled deeply, satisfied. “I can feel its presence. Well done.”

The guest bowed, “As long as the master is pleased, it’s what this old servant should do.”

“You no longer need to remain in this desolate place. Come with me,” the fisherman said.

“Yes!” The guest was overjoyed, his excitement almost exaggerated as he pressed his forehead to the ground.

Green Bear’s anger surged as he realized he had been betrayed.

“You bastard!” he shouted, blood staining his face. He had treated the guest like a brother.

The guest turned cold. “Loyalty and righteousness don’t coexist. I hope you understand. But don’t worry, you won’t be alone on your journey to the afterlife. Everything here will accompany you in your burial.”

The guest continued, revealing all the secrets as if discarding trash. “I was the one who facilitated this business. The noble family in Yanwei City only cooperated with me. They never intended for this treasure to reach Longyao Province. And even if it did, no one is waiting for you there. This treasure was always meant for our master.”

“You wonder why we did this? Simple… This place is perfect for burying secrets.”

“Anyone who knew the truth is dead. There will be no trace of the cargo left.”

“Maybe it fell into the Small Dragon River and got lost. In any case, there will be no evidence left.”

The guest stood over Green Bear, who was now angry, terrified, and defeated. “When you took this job, you were always destined to die. Think about it. A gang with no connections, living peacefully in Yanwei City for almost half a year. What happened to all the gangs before you? The Qingwu County Gang disappeared, just like you. The previous gang met the same fate. They thought they could achieve greatness in one step but ended up dead in the river.”

The words struck Green Bear like a blow. His anger dissipated, leaving only emptiness.

From the very beginning, they had been on a dangerous path. His dreams of a peaceful life were far out of reach. He understood now that in this harsh world, there was no escape for ordinary people.

Above Green Bear’s head, the exclamation mark turned from yellow to red, and then black, with the word “dead” written above it.

The guest drew a small, rough sword, its fish-scale patterns designed to collect blood. Looking at the boat’s crew and witnesses, he coldly declared, “Everyone must die. You can either jump off the boat or I will kill you.”

And with that, he unsheathed his sword, striking down one of the sailors.

Meanwhile, on the second floor of the boat, Bai Wei touched his forehead and muttered, “Chaos. So much chaos.”

Chao Lu sighed, “A calamity, for no reason.”

The little snake girl, confused, asked, “?”

Chao Lu wasn’t worried about the guest but about the mysterious fisherman. “Who is he?”

Bai Wei examined the status bar above the fisherman’s head. “The Black Dragon of the North Sea… The most abstract tribe among the Four Seas Dragon Clans.”

“Abstract?” the snake girl asked.

“It means they are incredibly ugly but unique,” Bai Wei explained.