Martial Artist Lee Gwak - Chapter 28: Some Go, Some Stay… (3)

Light Novel: Volume 2 Chapter 3

Manhwa: Chapter 30-31

Episode 1. Some Go, Some Stay… (3)

Time passed quickly.

It had already been six months since Han Socheon had descended the mountain. In the meantime, nearly a hundred individuals had successfully passed through the Steel Blood Hell Training Ground.

Those who passed through the Steel Blood Hell Training Ground had gone down the mountain, while those who remained clung on desperately. And still, the casualties continued to emerge, for the instructors drove the talents to their limits.

Lee Gwak looked down with a heavy heart at the dozen or so corpses lying on the ground. They were the day’s victims.

It was never a pleasant sight to see young martial artists, whose talents shone above all others, lying dead. Even if they had no relation to Lee Gwak.

“Tch, another body to clean up.”

“To lose one’s life while practicing martial arts? I’d rather live an ordinary life. Even if I were to die and come back to life, I couldn’t do what they did.”

The Outer Hall warriors murmured among themselves.

There had been an unusually high number of victims in recent days, causing the atmosphere at Mount Shaohua to become grim and somber. The warriors of the Outer Hall were sick and tired of disposing of the bodies, and the thought of having to do it again made them feel nauseous.

Lee Gwak felt no different from them, but he didn’t show it and began to load the corpses onto a cart. He then spoke to the other warriors,

“I will bury the bodies. Rest, brothers.”

“Really? You’ll do that?”

“Ahem! Well, thank you. We’ll buy you a drink later.”

The Outer Hall warriors smiled in delight.

Lee Gwak pulled the cart with the bodies to a small valley far from the Steel Blood Hell Training Ground.

There were already hundreds of graves, both large and small– the final resting places of the fallen warriors.

“Hoo!”

Lee Gwak parked the cart and started digging with a pickaxe.

Thud! Thud!

With each strike of his pickaxe, deep holes were dug into the ground. In no time, Lee Gwak had dug about a dozen pits.

One by one, he carefully laid the bodies in the pits.

The touch of lifeless bodies was eerily cold. Yet, without a grimace, Lee Gwak respectfully placed each one into their grave.

No one came to visit while he filled the graves and formed small mounds over them. Only Lee Gwak was there to offer solace to the deceased.

He took a small bottle of liquor from his pocket and sprinkled it over the mounds.

“May you be reborn in paradise…”

Lee Gwak sincerely wished they would go to a better place, if there really was an afterlife.

Lee Gwak stared at the newly formed mounds for a long while.

Suddenly, his lips parted.

“Do you really think your deaths were worth it?”

No answer came back, of course. The dead cannot speak. But Lee Gwak genuinely wanted to hear their reply.

He had witnessed more deaths than anyone else since entering Mount Shaohua. Countless young warriors were thrown into hellish trials and perished under the pretext of protecting Jianghu. Yet, not a single soul visited their graves.

Whose sacrifice was it for, and what was the purpose of their deaths, Lee Gwak wondered.

The real war they spoke of hadn’t even started yet.

With a heavy heart, Lee Gwak returned to his quarters.

Unexpectedly, someone was waiting for him at the quarters.

“You’re back?”

It was Seo Jong-myeong.

“Squad Leader!”

“Where have you been? Ah, that’s not important.”

“Yes?”

“From today, you’re the leader of Squad 13, Lee Gwak!”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m planning to step down as the leader today. So you will take over as my successor.”

Lee Gwak was confused at Seo Jong-myeong’s sudden declaration.

It was typical of Seo Jong-myeong to appear out of nowhere and say something unintelligible, but this was the first time he had said something so unexpectedly.

“What do you mean, me, a squad leader?”

“There are no other squad members, right? So you have to be the leader.”

“Then what about you?”

“Me? I have other matters to attend to.”

“What matters?”

Lee Gwak’s brow furrowed deeply. Seo Jong-myeong just smirked.

“Aren’t you happy to become the squad leader?”

“What’s there to be happy about without any squad members?”

“Ha! You can gradually fill the squad with members. A leader has that much authority. Just smile! It’s good news.”

“……”

“And as a squad leader, your salary increases too. Aren’t you happy about that?”

“I am.”

“That’s the spirit! Haha!”

At Lee Gwak’s response, Seo Jong-myeong chuckled to himself again. His laughter had a tinge of madness.

Lee Gwak thought there wasn’t a single sane person on Mount Shaohua. Everyone seemed to be swallowed by madness, or perhaps the madness they already had was just erupting.

Lee Gwak waited for Seo Jong-myeong’s laughter to subside before asking.

“So where will the squad leader go now?”

“Me? I have to return to my place.”

“Your place? I guess I’m not supposed to know, right?”

“Of course not. Don’t try to find out anything deeper.”

“Understood.”

“Good! That’s the right attitude.”

Seo Jong-myeong patted Lee Gwak on the shoulder a couple of times. The touch was heavy, indicating strength in the gesture.

“Does this mean I won’t see you anymore?”

“That might be the case, or it might not. Anyway, you won’t see me for a while. I’m leaving this place tomorrow.”

“What?”

“Why are you so surprised? My job is done, so it’s natural for me to leave.”

“It’s just so sudden.”

“You should get ready, too.”

“For what?”

“The Steel Blood Hell Training Ground, it’s about to be closed soon.”

“What?”

Lee Gwak’s expression turned to one of bewilderment at the abrupt revelation. Seo Jong-myeong’s words seemed like a lie. But Seo Jong-myeong’s face was more serious than ever.

“Those who could pass through the Steel Blood Hell Training Ground have already done so. The rest have hit their limits. They will never be able to pass through it.”

“Even so–”

“Do you know how much it costs to maintain this place? Even the Jade Heaven Alliance would feel the burden by now.”

“Hmm!”

“That’s why we’re closing it down. We’ve already achieved our goal, and maintaining the Steel Blood Hell Training Ground any further is pointless since the limits of the others are clear.”

“Then what about those who couldn’t pass through the Steel Blood Hell Training Ground?”

“Oh! Are you worried about them?”

“It’s not that I’m worried–”

“Their destination is already determined. Even though they failed to pass the Steel Blood Hell Training Ground, they still have their uses.”

Seo Jong-myeong said with a faint smile. Lee Gwak thought his smile was chilling.

He continued,

“They will be at the forefront in the war against the Celestial Demon Union. In a position more glorious than any other. So, just think about returning to the Jade Heaven Alliance. And be devoted to your role as squad leader.”

“Understood.”

“And don’t forget to buy me a drink when your salary increases.”

“Will I have the opportunity to do that?”

“Heh, do you think I’d forget my only squad member? I’ll come to visit sometime, so make sure you save up.”

“Understood.”

Lee Gwak eventually nodded his head.

It didn’t matter if he stayed as a squad member forever. He had no lingering attachment to the Jade Heaven Alliance anyway. Nevertheless, he accepted Seo Jong-myeong’s offer, partly because he had nowhere else to go at the moment, but also because there was no other place than here that had the best conditions for martial arts training.

Aside from abstract things like lofty ideals or beliefs, the Jade Heaven Alliance was quite a good place to work. At least the salary was always delivered on time. Thanks to that, during his three years and six months here, Lee Gwak had managed to save a considerable amount of money.

With the money he had saved so far, he could afford a small house outside the Jade Heaven Alliance. With a squad leader’s salary, he might even afford a slightly bigger one.

“Can I choose the squad members myself?”

“You can pick a few, but most will be assigned by those above.”

“It wasn’t like that for the squad leader, was it?”

“Are you and I the same? We’re in different leagues. Heh! You think you can play with me?”

“I apologize.”

“Alright, I’m off. I don’t know when we’ll meet again, but take care until then.”

“Please return safely, squad leader.”

“Okay, take care.”

Seo Jong-myeong waved his hand dismissively and shuffled off.

Lee Gwak watched him disappear with a contemplative gaze.

* * *

The next day, the First Instructor was nowhere to be seen, and so were around twenty talents. But no one seemed to care.

Those confined by the wall known as the Steel Blood Hell Training Ground had no spare energy to pay attention to changes around them.

For the talents, the hellish days kept repeating themselves over and over again like a hamster wheel, and it took all their strength just to make it through the day.

The enthusiasm they had when they first arrived at Mount Shaohua was no longer visible. They simply went through each day, like going through the motions. Seeing them like that, Lee Gwak realized Seo Jong-myeong’s words might be true.

For them, any further attempts at the Steel Blood Hell Training Ground would be futile. Pushing any harder would only lead to a pointless death.

This place would be closed soon, and there was no telling when it would open again.

For someone like Lee Gwak, who belonged to the Jade Heaven Alliance, returning here was impossible.

Lee Gwak decided to do what he had been putting off.

He waited for nightfall before heading to the Steel Blood Hell Training Ground again. Perhaps because the closure had been decided, the security was lax today. Thanks to that, Lee Gwak could enter the desired section without any special procedures.

Lee Gwak found himself at the Asura Blood Soul Trial.

It was the very gate that Han Socheon had previously passed through. Although many disciples had passed through since then, the appearance of the place had not changed.

It remained steadfast, exuding a dangerous aura.

The golden puppet that Han Socheon had thoroughly destroyed was perfectly restored. Beyond the puppet, an exit was visible. But Lee Gwak wasn’t headed for the exit.

He pounded the wall next to the golden puppet with his hand.

Thump! Thump!

The dull sound echoed, evidence that there was an empty space behind. It was a space he had accidentally discovered while repairing the mechanisms Han Socheon had destroyed.

He had been curious about what was inside, but until now, he hadn’t had the time to dare to open it.

‘Since this space was hidden at the end of the Asura Blood Soul Trial, there must be some kind of secret.’

Though he had been here for three years and six months, no one had ever mentioned such a space. It was clear that either no one knew of this space’s existence, or it was intentionally concealed.

Lee Gwak carefully examined the mechanisms. Finding the device to open this kind of sealed space wasn’t too difficult for him.

It didn’t take long for Lee Gwak to locate the control mechanism. When he manipulated it with the tip of his finger, the wall moved with a heavy sound.

Boom!

Finally, the space hidden behind the wall was revealed.

It was an empty room with about five meters on all sides.

The space was wide enough to be used as a practice area, but it was completely empty, without a single piece of furniture.

Lee Gwak stared at the empty space wordlessly.

There was clearly nothing there, but he felt an eerie chill over his whole body.

For a moment, Lee Gwak hesitated to enter the room. His mind urged him to go in, but his body resisted his will.

‘What is this?’

Lee Gwak couldn’t hide his confusion at the unfamiliar reaction. But soon after, he bravely stepped into the room.

The room was as empty as it looked from the outside.

It was desolate– no treasures, no weapons, and not a single piece of furniture. And yet, Lee Gwak felt an inexplicably chill run down his spine.

It wasn’t just the coldness of the stone chamber, there was something more.

Lee Gwak looked around the room cautiously, until his gaze fell on the south wall.

“……”

Suddenly, Lee Gwak’s body trembled violently as if struck by lightning.

He couldn’t breathe, as if he was crushed under a massive boulder.

It was because of the black shadow engraved on the wall.

It was the shape of something human, seemingly in a seated meditation posture.

‘What is this?’

It could have been just a scribble, or perhaps an indentation in the wall creating an illusion.

But the moment he saw the shadow, he could neither breathe nor move. His chest tightened, and his eyes bulged as if they would pop out.

Thick veins protruded over Lee Gwak’s hands. His fingernails dug in, drawing blood, yet he couldn’t move an inch.

The first snake had broken free and was moving uncontrollably.

From the second to the fifth snake, all awoke, thrashing and slithering violently.

It was a phenomenon that had never happened since he had mastered the Eight Snakes Art. The Eight Snakes Art had always been under Lee Gwak’s control, never moving on its own like this.

‘What?’

Lee Gwak clenched his teeth.

It felt as if his soul was being torn apart.

All because of the black human-shaped shadow etched on the wall.

Lee Gwak concentrated qi on his eyes, and the shadow’s form became even clearer.

Only then did he realize that what he was seeing was not an illusion.

The black shadow was unmistakably a human.

It was a projection of someone else’s form in the form of a black shadow.

Just like the Shaolin Temple’s Bodhidharma had left his silhouette after nine years of facing a wall in meditation. Someone had left their likeness as a shadow through wall-gazing here in this place.

And that shadow was now pressing down on Lee Gwak.

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