Martial Artist Lee Gwak - Chapter 41: Relationship Branches Out (1)

Light Novel: Volume 2 Chapter 16

Manhwa: Chapters 43

Lee Gwak rubbed his stomach as he headed towards the Jade Heaven Alliance.

He couldn’t recall how much he had drunk, but his stomach felt heavy. Even after using internal energy to alleviate fatigue and hangover, the effects of the alcohol were still evident.

“Alcohol is truly an enemy.”

Lee Gwak shook his head, bemused.

After a drink or two, he felt pleasantly tipsy and in the heat of the moment, he agreed to become sworn brothers with Nam Woo-gyeong. It was a complete reversal from his refusal of Nam Woo-gyeong’s proposal just a few days ago.

He found his own actions somewhat ridiculous but he had no regrets.

Unlike before, when Nam Woo-gyeong approached him with hidden intentions, this time, Nam Woo-gyeong had opened up first.

They talked a lot throughout the night and because of that Lee Gwak had to enter the Jade Heaven Alliance without a wink of sleep.

As Lee Gwak walked, enduring his sour stomach—

“Lee Gwak!”

Someone called out to him.

Turning towards the voice, he saw a familiar face.

“Go Jeon-ok!”

It was Go Jeon-ok, his comrade from the Outer Hall.

Go Jeon-ok approached, waving his hand.

“Did you just got here?”

“Yeah!”

“You look like you’ve been up all night. Who did you drink with?”

“Just had a light drink with my fellow squad members at the inn.”

“Is that so?”

Go Jeon-ok’s eyes sharpened momentarily and Lee Gwak did not miss the change in his expression. Go Jeon-ok’s voice lowered,

“Did anything strange happen at the inn?”

“What do you mean?”

“About the Tempest Three Demons. They were beaten up by Lady Muk Seon-wol of the Dragon Sky Valley, weren’t they? Did anything strange happen after that?”

“I’m not sure…”

“You were involved in it too, weren’t you?”

“……”

“I know all about it, about how you almost got killed trying to save that inn servant from the Tempest Three Demons.”

Lee Gwak felt his blood run cold at Go Jeon-ok’s words.

The event happened only a few hours ago. Sure, there was a saying that even words without feet travel a thousand miles,¹ but it made no sense that Go Jeon-ok already knew about it.

Then Lee Gwak recalled that Go Jeon-ok had joined the Heavenly Intelligence Hall, an organization mainly tasked with gathering information. It became clear to him then that Go Jeon-ok was gathering information about him.

Lee Gwak responded calmly.

“So, what are you curious about?”

“I told you. Did anything strange happen at the inn? Any suspicious characters?”

“I don’t know! As you know, I went straight to the Inner Court with Lady Muk. So I have no idea what happened after that.”

“Really?”

“Why would I lie about something that can be easily verified? You could ask any of my squad member on duty that day, and they will tell you the same thing!”

As Lee Gwak’s voice rose, Go Jeon-ok became flustered.

“Calm down, I’m not trying to interrogate you.”

“Then why are you asking so persistently?”

“I don’t know if you know, but the Tempest Three Demons were guests invited by the leader of the Outer Court. They disappeared without a trace last night so I’m on a secret mission from the Outer Court’s Leader to find them.”

“You’ve really moved up in the world since you wanted to join the Heavenly Intelligence Hall, haven’t you, Jeon-ok!”

Lee Gwak said with a nonchalant expression.

Go Jeon-ok, without a hint of doubt, replied,

“It’s too early to say I’ve made it. Only after I fulfill the leader’s command will my path to advancement open. That’s why this mission is crucial for me. If you remember anything, please tell me.”

“I really don’t know anything. I only escorted Lady Muk to the Inner Court and then went straight home.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes!”

“Okay. If you remember anything later, let me know anytime.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’ll keep investigating. Persistence pays off so I’m sure I’ll find some trace.”

“Is there a possibility that they ran away embarrassed by their defeat?”

“The Tempest Three Demons are not the type to feel ashamed of their defeat. Rather, they must be feeling vengeful that they’re looking for a chance to seek revenge. “

“Hmm!”

“Anyway, thanks for your time. I know you’re busy. Go on in.”

“Sure!”

“Let’s have a drink together later.”

Go Jeon-ok waved and walked away.

Lee Gwak silently watched his retreating figure.

Though he maintained a calm facade, cold sweat trickled down his back.

Only then did he realize how carelessly he had acted the night before. If Nam Woo-gyeong hadn’t handled the aftermath properly, he could have been dragged to the Outer Court for interrogation by now.

Nam Woo-gyeong had said last night that under no circumstances would the Jade Heaven Alliance find the corpses of the Tempest Three Demons.

It was a guarantee from Nam Woo-gyeong himself. Though he felt sorry for Go Jeon-ok, he wouldn’t be able to fulfill the Outer Court Leader Geum Guho’s command.

Relieved, Lee Gwak also deeply realized his own lack of experience and how misplaced mercy in Jianghu could return as a great disaster. This realization alone was a significant gain for him.

Shaking his head, Lee Gwak resumed his walk towards the Jade Heaven Alliance.

Upon entering his quarters, he was greeted by the members of Squad 13.

“Did you just arrive?”

“Welcome back, squad leader!”

Their faces still showed traces of last night’s heavy drinking.

“Did you get any sleep?”

“Heh, I can live without sleep for a night or so.”

“We had a real blast last night. Thanks to you, squad leader, we’re feeling great.”

Seok Yi-cheon and Ki Jinhwi said with satisfied expressions.

After Lee Gwak had left the inn with Muk Seon-wol, the rest had continued to drink to their hearts’ content. The amount they drank was evident as two of the new members were unable to even stand up despite Lee Gwak’s arrival.

“Jeez!”

Lee Gwak clicked his tongue.

He didn’t need to see it to know. Seok Yi-cheon and Ki Jinhwi must have really pushed the drinks onto the two newcomers.

Pointing at them with his chin, Lee Gwak asked,

“Can you do something to help them?”

“Why?”

“They can’t patrol in that state, can they?”

“Heh! That’s my specialty.”

Ki Jinhwi smiled as he rummaged through his bag and pulled out two pills.

“These are instant remedies for sobering up.”

He forcibly opened the mouths of the two members and made them swallow the pills.

With a ‘gurgling’ sound, the pills instantly melted in their mouths and went down their throats.

Lee Gwak and Seok Yi-cheon watched with furrowed brows as Ki Jinhwi administered the pills. They doubted whether the nearly unconscious pair would wake up just by taking those pills.

“Cough!”

“Ugh!”

To their surprise, the two men simultaneously screamed and abruptly sat up, their faces almost pale as death.

Seeing them hunched over like shrimps and trembling uncontrollably, Lee Gwak asked in alarm,

“What exactly did you give them?”

“A poison called Heat Poison Pill.”²

“Why would you give them poison? What if it’s harmful?”

“Heh! Even though it’s poison, it’s not harmful to the body. It actually neutralizes the main toxin. It’s like using poison against poison. Sure, they might suffer a bit, but they’ll feel better soon.”

Ki Jinhwi smiled nonchalantly. Seeing him like that, Seok Yi-cheon broke out in a cold sweat.

‘What a demon.’

Last night, they had bonded over drinks, but now Ki Jinhwi seemed like a completely different person.

It was then.

Go Cheon-gwang and Woo Il-yeong, who had been trembling as if on the brink of death, suddenly sprang to their feet.

“Burp!”

After a loud burp, they looked at each other in surprise. The excruciating stomach pain had vanished in an instant, leaving them feeling surprisingly comfortable.

Ki Jinhwi chuckled.

“Heh! See? Told you they’d be fine.”

In some way, he was quite the eccentric.

Lee Gwak found himself wondering what else might be hidden in Ki Jinhwi’s small bag. However, knowing there were boundaries not to be crossed, he suppressed his curiosity.

Seok Yi-cheon asked,

“What happened last night? Did you really go straight home after dropping off Lady Muk?”

“Yes!”

“It’s unbelievable that such a big shot would show up at such a shabby inn. She should’ve stayed at a high-end place suitable for her status, not somewhere that gives people heart attacks.”

“That’s right.”

Lee Gwak smiled slightly at Seok Yi-cheon’s jest.

Ki Jinhwi joined their conversation.

“Anyway, it seems like something is going on, for a big shot like her to be visiting around incognito–”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Lady Muk is the only daughter of Lord Muk Jin-myung, the leader of the Dragon Sky Valley, which means that she is likely the heir to the Dragon Sky Valley. Whether she likes it or not, she has no choice but to represent her sect. So, her visit here probably represents Dragon Sky Valley in some capacity.”

“Hmm!”

“The location of the Dragon Sky Valley is really bad. They’re not far from the frontlines where the fierce battles between the Celestial Demon Union and the Jade Heaven Alliance are ongoing. Perhaps that’s why they have no choice but to cooperate closely with the Jade Heaven Alliance. And since the leader of the Dragon Sky Valley, Muk Jin-myeong cannot leave the sect, Muk Seon-wol must have come in his stead for negotiations. Hehe! This is getting quite interesting. Or maybe not? Because it could mean that the conflict is intensifying. Oh no! At this rate, we might get called up to the frontlines.”

Ki Jinhwi was talking to himself before he started freaking out. Seok Yi-cheon and the others chuckled at his behavior, but Lee Gwak couldn’t join in.

The fact that Ki Jinhwi was able to infer this much just from Muk Seon-wol’s arrival indicated that he was no ordinary person.

“Hoo!”

When Lee Gwak let out a soft sigh, Ki Jinhwi looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“What are you sighing for?”

“Because we have to go on patrol now.”

“Hehe! I thought–”

“Let’s all head out.”

Following Lee Gwak’s command, everyone grabbed their weapons and stepped outside.

Muk Seon-wol’s arrival in the middle of the night didn’t seem to have brought any noticeable changes inside the Jade Heaven Alliance, at least not in the Outer Court where Lee Gwak was patrolling. Everything was the same as yesterday. But, he wasn’t sure if it was the same beyond the tall walls of the Inner Court.

They didn’t know how long they were walking when an unusual sight caught Lee Gwak and his squad members’ eyes.A massive line of carriages was entering through the main gate.

Lee Gwak approached the captain guarding the gate and asked,

“What is this procession?”

“Thy’re from the Ten Thousand Merchant Union. They’re carrying war supplies.”

“The Ten Thousand Merchant Union?”

“Yes! They’re one of the Ten Supremes. It’s an organization consisting of merchants from all over the world.”

“Hmm!”

Lee Gwak mused quietly.

What the person said was right, the Ten Thousand Merchant Union was indeed one of the Ten Supremes. The only difference between it and the others was that it was an organization made up of the top merchants in the world.

Lee Gwak didn’t know how the Ten Thousand Merchant Union was created, either. All he knew was that the wealth of the Ten Thousand Merchant Union was so great that it could buy the whole world, and that the merchants had united to protect this wealth.

The Ten Thousand Merchant Union used its vast financial resources to either buy or nurture martial artists. At first, the level of martial artists was not very high, but now, a hundred years later, they were said to possess a force that could rival any martial faction in the world.

Lee Gwak watched the merchants and martial artists entering the city with a settled gaze. He particularly paid special attention to the martial artists.

Their clothing and weapons were extremely extravagant. It was as if they were boasting of the immense wealth of the Ten Thousand Merchant Union.

The captain guarding the gate beside him spoke with an envious expression.

“They look so grand. How nice must it be for them? Unlike us, they don’t have to struggle at the bottom, they get proper treatment, and hardly have to fight.”

“What do you mean they don’t have to fight?”

“With the financial power of the Ten Thousand Merchant Union in their hands, anyone who offends them risks making enemies of all merchants in the world. If that happens, no merchant would do business with them, leading to their downfall.”

Lee Gwak nodded. He understood what the captain was saying.

“In any case, it seems like the Ten Thousand Merchant Union and the Jade Heaven Alliance have come to a good agreement, seeing how they’re providing such a massive amount of supplies.”

“Hehe! The Ten Thousand Merchant Union and the Jade Heaven Alliance have always been on good terms. I’m not sure why though.”

“Is that so?”

“Don’t be surprised. This is just the beginning. More tremendous supplies will enter the main sect in the future.”

At the captain’s words, Lee Gwak looked out at the endless line of carriages.

Each carriage was loaded to the brim. Some carried weapons, others grain.

The goods were worth tens of millions of gold.

‘And this is just the beginning?’

Lee Gwak was shaken by the immense power of the Ten Thousand Merchant Union. And for the first time, he realized the power of the Jade Heaven Alliance.

Even the Ten Thousand Merchant Union, which possessed such an enormous financial power, was providing a tremendous amount of support to the Jade Heaven Alliance. Such a feat would not have been possible if the power of the Jade Heaven Alliance did not encompass the whole world.

At that moment, Ki Jinhwi, who was standing behind Lee Gwak, muttered in a low voice,

“Tsk! Looks like a storm of blood is brewing on the battlefield.”

“What do you mean?”

“These many supplies is just proof how bad the situation at the frontlines has become.”

“Hmm!”

“Perhaps Lady Muk’s arrival also has something to do with those supplies.”

Ki Jinhwi’s voice was filled with certainty.

SoundlessWind21’s Notes:

Thank you for reading!

1. Even words without feet travel thousand miles. Raws: Korean idiom or proverb which means: no matter how much you try to keep things secret, they quickly become known. 
2. Heat Poison Pill. Raws: 열독단(熱毒丹).
   • 熱 rè – to warm up / to heat up / hot (of weather) / heat / fervent
   • 毒 dú – poison / to poison / poisonous / malicious / cruel / fierce / narcotics
   • 丹 dān – red / pellet / powder / cinnabar 
3. Ten Thousand Merchant Union. Raws: 만상련(萬商聯).

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