Chapter 194: The Water Rogues

Chapter 194: The Water Rogues

At this moment, the only person who could intervene was indeed none other than Su Mo.

He had actually been listening for quite some time from the side.

Seeing that the conversation was becoming increasingly tense and that it was about to escalate into a fight, he quickly jumped in.

The leader of the Red Leaf Gang and the chief of Xuanlong Water Village all exclaimed in astonishment when they saw Su Mo.

Their voices brimmed with excitement and joy.

Especially Zhuge Changtian, who rushed forward in two quick steps, cupping his hands and saying, "Chief Escort Su, long time no see! How have you been?"

"Zhuge, you’ve always been poor with words," the chief of Xuanlong Water Village shot Zhuge Changtian a glance. "Chief Escort Su’s martial arts are unparalleled; of course, he’s doing better than ever!"

"……Although I could say that pointing out others’ lack of eloquence isn’t your forte,

"But on this, I concur."

The leader of the Red Leaf Gang smiled and said to the chief of Xuanlong Water Village, "Chief Escort Su is naturally doing well. Who would dare to put Chief Escort Su in a bad position? I would be the first to object!"

The three owed their lives to Su Mo, so their enthusiasm was understandable.

Mr. Zhan, along with Li Zhongcheng and others, stood stunned.

Although they already held Su Mo in high regard, given his young age and position as Chief Escort.

His subordinates were clearly not ordinary, so they naturally viewed him with respect.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have presented him with a telescope upon their first meeting.

However, it wasn’t so much that they respected Su Mo as the Ziyang Escort Agency.

They knew nothing about the Ziyang Escort Agency, assuming Su Mo was a second-generation heir relying on his father’s legacy.

What was remarkable was his humility and courteous nature, making it advantageous to befriend him for future business.

Yet, they hadn’t anticipated that Chief Escort Su was a man of true capability, relying not on his family’s protection but on his own abilities.

When the chief of Xuanlong Water Village boarded the ship, he had already made a slight move.

Though it was just a demonstration, his martial arts skills were clearly astonishing.

In his words, Su Mo was a peerless martial artist.

They looked at each other, seeing the surprise in each other's eyes, but this wasn’t the time for deep contemplation. Mr. Zhan quickly stepped forward:

"Chief Escort Su, what do you think? You are old friends with these heroes. It’s like the great flood has washed into the Dragon King’s temple, causing a misunderstanding."

The chief of Xuanlong Water Village glanced at Mr. Zhan and said to Su Mo, "Chief Escort Su, please don't blame us. If I had known you were on the ship, how could I have dared to speak so recklessly? But I wonder, how are these gentlemen related to Chief Escort Su?"

"Haha."

Su Mo smiled and said, "Mr. Zhan is a distinguished figure from the Southern Sea. It is an honor to have met him and to be traveling on his merchant ship to escort a delivery."

These words were not entirely explicit, but the meaning was clear.

They knew each other, the other person was from the Southern Sea, and he was merely hitching a ride, having made an acquaintance but not being very familiar yet.

Although the chief of Xuanlong Water Village had a somewhat careless personality, he was ultimately well-versed in the ways of the world. Upon hearing these words, he immediately grasped the situation.

He nodded at once and said, "Since that is the case, I would ask Chief Escort Su to make a decision. Just now, this person asked to see my true abilities. Whether or not to reveal my true abilities now depends entirely on Chief Escort Su's word. I wouldn't dare to object in the slightest."

"It's all a joke, just a joke."

Mr. Zhan quickly said, "This hero shouldn’t take offense at my friend’s words."

The words of the chief of Xuanlong Water Village had actually provided a way out.

By suggesting that Su Mo should make the decision, he was actually giving them a chance to back down gracefully.

Just now, the situation was tense, but now there was room for maneuver. If they didn’t seize this opportunity to apologize, even a fair ruling by Su Mo would still require him to enforce justice impartially.

So, Mr. Zhan quickly gave the black-clothed man a meaningful look.

The black-clothed man hesitated briefly but finally nodded and bowed, saying, "Greetings, hero! I acted rashly and spoke provocatively. Please don’t take offense, brother. I apologize here."

After saying this, he bowed deeply.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

The chief of Xuanlong Water Village burst into laughter: "Enough, enough. Since Chief Escort Su and everyone else have the camaraderie of sharing the same boat, it would be disrespectful of me to hold onto this matter any longer. If I were to cause Chief Escort Su to lose face, I would find it hard to atone for my sin even if I were to take my own life here."

"Chief, you speak too much."

Su Mo hurriedly said: "Now that we've turned swords into plowshares, it's best. Since you've asked me to decide, I'll take the liberty to invite everyone inside for a chat on behalf of Manager Zhan. Would that be alright?"

"Sure."

Manager Zhan was a businessman who always believed in the power of harmony to bring wealth. Hearing Su Mo's words, he felt they struck right at his heart, and immediately laughed heartily, saying:

"If all of you are willing to grace us with your presence, you would be honored guests we couldn't possibly refuse. Please come inside and let me have someone prepare some food and drinks for you."

The chief of Xuanlong Water Village, the leader of Red Leaf Gang, and others exchanged glances, and Zhuge Changtian spoke up:

"If it were anyone else, we might decline, but since Chief Escort Su has extended the invitation, we cannot refuse."

"Exactly, in that case, we will impose upon you."

The chief also nodded.

Immediately, everyone went inside, completely ignoring Manager Zhan.

Seeing this, Manager Zhan did not feel embarrassed; he simply had someone quickly tidy up.

In a short while, everyone was seated in the cabin.

However, Manager Zhan refused to sit in the main seat: "These past few days, I have failed to recognize the true worth of all of you. Chief Escort Su, please take the seat of honor."

Seeing that there was no way to decline, Su Mo finally sat down.

After he sat down, the others followed suit.

Zhuge Changtian then introduced Su Mo to the others present.

These people were all key figures along the river routes, and Su Mo greeted them one by one. None of those present dared to slight Su Mo.

Gathering with Zhuge Changtian and his group naturally implied some connections among them.

They were all aware of what had transpired in the Jiaolong Water Village.

They all returned the greetings, thus becoming formally acquainted.

Then, Su Mo glanced at Wei Ziyi and smiled, saying, "Speaking of which, there’s someone here you must all meet."

Everyone was taken aback. The leader of the Red Leaf Gang looked at Wei Ziyi, then at Su Mo, wearing a puzzled expression.

Last time, it was clearly Miss Yang, but now, who is this new companion by Su Mo’s side?

Su Mo went on, "This is the esteemed disciple of the Cold Moon Palace, the cherished daughter of the Fallen Phoenix Alliance’s leader, Wei Ruohan, and the current Eighth Leader of the Fallen Phoenix Alliance, Wei Ziyi, Young Miss Wei!"

Upon hearing this, everyone except Mr. Zhan’s group gasped in surprise. The others were left in awe and respect.

When Su Mo mentioned the disciple of the Cold Moon Palace, the leaders of the water villages immediately showed respect.

And who wouldn’t recognize the daughter of Wei Ruohan?

Now, this new leader of the Fallen Phoenix Alliance, the alliance’s rising star, was seated right next to Su Mo.

At that moment, they all stood and bowed.

Only then did Mr. Zhan’s group realize what was happening.

Their journey began with entering the Southern Sea Bay.

The Southern Sea Bay was under the Fallen Phoenix Alliance’s control.

After that, they traveled along the Hui River, circling through the four cities, three rivers, and two bays, completing a large loop.

Though their information was limited and they hadn’t heard of the Ziyang Escort Agency or Su Mo, not knowing about the Fallen Phoenix Alliance would be more than just limited information—it would be akin to being deaf and blind.

Who would have thought that the Eighth Leader of the Fallen Phoenix Alliance, the Grand Master’s granddaughter, would be on their small boat?

Instantly, cold sweat broke out on Mr. Zhan’s forehead.

He was even more astonished by Su Mo’s true identity.

This young escort leader, who seemed so unassuming, must have an impressive background.

He was also immensely grateful that he had been respectful to Su Mo earlier and even gifted him the telescope...

But thinking about the telescope made Mr. Zhan’s heart sink.

The telescope was indeed a fine item, but at the time, he hadn’t realized Su Mo’s background and hadn’t considered the possibility that he might be involved in the Southern Sea in the future.

Thus, he had forgotten to mention the most crucial matter to Su Mo.

While thinking about these things, she heard the heroes along the river stand up and greet Wei Ziyi.

Seeing this, Wei Ziyi couldn't help but glance at Su Mo.

She wondered why he mentioned her affiliation with Cold Moon Palace, and why he also brought up the Fallen Phoenix Alliance.

Hadn't he always wanted to stay out of the internal conflicts of the Fallen Phoenix Alliance?

He wished no one knew they were friends.

So why was he suddenly bringing up the Fallen Phoenix Alliance now?

Wei Ziyi felt puzzled. Although she had grown up in Cold Moon Palace, she was neither naive nor unaware of the ways of the world.

The mysteries surrounding her family and her father’s death weighed heavily on her, leaving no room for the innocence and naivety that other girls might enjoy.

She hadn't considered this before because Su Mo had left such a strong impression in this regard.

But now, thinking back, it seemed odd.

It was already strange that Su Mo had killed Zhou Qingchuan, and then he accepted Wei Ruhan’s invitation to attend a banquet at the city lord’s mansion.

Even more surprising, her grandfather had met him personally.

Whatever they discussed in the backyard, Huang Yuan had remained tight-lipped.

Out of curiosity, she had asked later, but Wei Ruhan hadn’t given her a clear answer.

Reflecting on it, everything seemed a bit off.

Now, Su Mo had even revealed her position as the eighth leader of the Fallen Phoenix Alliance.

Although they were no longer within the Fallen Phoenix Alliance's territory, they were in a neighboring region where the alliance still held significant influence.

What was really going on with Su Mo?

Despite her tumultuous thoughts, she stood up quickly and greeted everyone present with a fist salute.

But in her heart, she wondered if she should ask Su Mo about it later, since her father hadn't been forthcoming. What had the old man and the young Su Mo discussed in the backyard that they couldn’t disclose?

After everyone had been introduced, Su Mo finally spoke:

"I have a question, but I'm not sure if I should bring it up."

"Chief Escort Su, feel free to ask any questions you have."

Zhuge Changtian laughed heartily, "If we know the answer, there’s no reason to keep it from you."

"Actually, it’s not hard to guess that Chief Escort Su is curious about why we’ve gathered here..."

The leader of the Red Leaf Gang sighed, "I wonder if my guess is right?"

"Leader of the Red Leaf Gang, you are incredibly smart and insightful. Is this what you’re referring to?"

Su Mo smiled and nodded. "On my journey, I noticed that the heroes on the river had disappeared. I found it quite peculiar, but I never expected that all of you would be gathered here... What major event has brought all these heroes together? I wonder if you could do me the honor of enlightening me?"

"This matter... Sigh, we’re just as puzzled."

Zhuge Changtian and the others looked at each other and sighed. The leader of the Red Leaf Gang then said, "Chief Escort Su, as you can see, we’ve been earning our livelihoods on this river.

"The river has never been tranquil, and troubles have always arisen. However, each family controls its own territory, so the situation has been relatively stable.

"But recently, for unknown reasons, several powerful bandits downstream suddenly issued a joint summons, inviting us to join them!"

"Join?"

Su Mo raised his eyebrows.

"Heh, by 'join,' they mean 'submit,'" sneered the chief of Xuanlong Water Village. "These people must have been bored after eating at home and decided to stir up trouble for no reason. They act on whims.

"However, this issue has escalated... We couldn’t afford to take it lightly.

"That’s why we contacted the heads of each family and held a meeting on the territory of the Red Leaf Gang, taking the opportunity to visit the local scenery."

"Pah!"

The leader of the Red Leaf Gang slammed the table and angrily said, "If you dare to plot against my Red Leaf Gang, I’ll hang your head on the gate!"

"...I wouldn’t dare provoke you formidable ladies."

The chief of Xuanlong Water Village waved his hand. "Let’s continue with the main topic... Chief Escort Su, after deliberating together, we decided not to agree to this sudden proposal. Their alliance was formed out of nowhere, and we have no clue about their motives or intentions.

"Why would we join such an alliance?

"Therefore, we sent a notice to them, stating that the current situation is stable and the alliance proposal should be set aside for now.

"Of course, the notice has been sent out, but it’s easy to predict their response.

"So we’ve been preparing for this.

"Sure enough, a couple of days ago, a letter was pinned to the window of the Red Leaf Gang leader using a concealed weapon."

"Window?"

Zhuge Changtian was stunned.

The leader of the Red Leaf Gang’s face turned ashen. "Think again."

"Slip of the tongue," the chief of Xuanlong Village hurriedly said. "I meant the window... That letter was their challenge to us, stating that if we don’t comply, we should prepare to lose our lives!

"Heh, we are not easily frightened. The more they say that, the less we can tolerate them.

"So the brothers have formed a naval array here and are ready to deal with any incoming enemies!"

The chief of Xuanlong Water Village briefly summarized the entire situation.

Su Mo lightly tapped his fingers on the table and nodded slightly. "May I ask who our enemies are?"

"There are many... The Water Pavilion, Iron Net Gang, and Hengjiang Alliance are among them."

"However, the most critical issue is that this trip involves a particularly dangerous figure."

"Oh?"

Su Mo glanced at Zhuge Changtian. "Do you know who this person is?"

"Downstream, he is one of the notorious bandits, the Water Ghost, Qi Shaoming!"

Water Ghost!?

Su Mo’s eyebrows knitted together slightly. This name was unfamiliar to him.

Instinctively, he glanced at Wei Ziyi.

He noticed Wei Ziyi looked equally puzzled.

It then occurred to him that Wei Ziyi was not Yang Xiaoyun.

Yang Xiaoyun was well-versed in this route in East City. While she couldn’t list all the bandits along the river, she knew many of them.

However, Wei Ziyi was less knowledgeable about these matters. But if you asked her about the East City Cult, she could talk for days without repeating herself.

"Chief Escort Su, you might not be aware," came the Red Leaf Gang leader's voice just as he was thinking.

"This Water Ghost is like a river demon, drifting along the riverbanks, aimlessly wandering.

"On a whim, he might jump onto a merchant ship and plunder.

"When idle, he might fish by the shore, living in isolation, unconcerned with the world.

"He is a lone wolf, unburdened and highly skilled in martial arts, with few equals.

"Thus, he is greatly feared between the two rivers, and his name carries significant weight."

"Indeed, the most unexpected part of this matter is that this person is also involved in this alliance.

"If they attack in force, he will certainly be among them, making it very difficult to handle."

The chief of Xuanlong Water Village nodded in agreement.

However, Zhuge Changtian slammed his hand on the table. "This is outrageous! Why should we fear them? All our brothers are here. This is a moment of life and death.

"If we win, we will still have a place on the riverbank.

"If we lose... if we die, so be it. If we survive, we’ll join someone else’s ranks as dogs!

"From then on, our survival will depend on our master’s whims."

"Nonsense! Are you afraid?"

"In my opinion, the priority now is to determine why Qi Shaoming is colluding with them."

"They are coming soon; there’s no time for further discussion."

The group erupted into a heated argument, with everyone talking over each other.

Seeing this, Wei Ziyi couldn’t help but glance at Su Mo, her brow furrowed slightly.

With a formidable enemy at our doorstep, achieving unity is difficult. Once the battle begins, we will surely end up in disarray.

Su Mo folded his arms and observed them in silence. As the argument grew more intense, suddenly, a burst of laughter rang out.

“Hahahaha!!

“I was wondering where you all had disappeared to, forcing me to search desperately.

“I never expected to find you all gathered here, bickering like this!

“This is absolutely outrageous!”

“Who’s there?”

Hearing this, Zhuge Changtian and the others immediately sprang up and, in the blink of an eye, were outside.

However, the voice came from the water’s surface:

“It’s me, Qi Shaoming!”