Martial Artist Lee Gwak - Chapter 55: The Return of the Weapons (2)

Light Novel: Volume 3 Chapter 5

Manhwa: Chapter 53

As the morning sunlight squeezed through the window cracks, Lee Gwak woke up. However, he felt an emptiness in his arms.

Han Socheon, who had fallen asleep in his embrace throughout the night, was nowhere to be seen. Lee Gwak left the room and looked around the house, but couldn’t find Han Socheon anywhere.

He wondered if her visit last night was just a dream. However, the moment he saw a small note on the table, he realized it wasn’t a dream.

The note was left by Han Socheon.

[I’ll come back, brother.]

The note had a short line in Han Socheon’s handwriting.

Lee Gwak stared blankly at the words for a moment.

“Hoo!”

Han Socheon had really appeared out of nowhere, shaken his heart, and then disappeared just as suddenly. The only good thing now was that she knew where Lee Gwak’s house was so she could come back and visit him anytime.

Lee Gwak quickly washed up and left the house.

His destination was not the Jade Heaven Alliance but the nearby slums.

As Lee Gwak entered the slums, he could feel the wary stares of the residents. He ignored their stares and quickened his pace.

He arrived at Nam Woo-gyeong’s house.

“Oh, what brings you here?”

Nam Woo-gyeong looked slightly surprised to see Lee Gwak visiting him early in the morning.

“I came to ask for a favor.”

“A favor? From you?”

“Yes!”

Nam Woo-gyeong’s eyes changed at Lee Gwak’s response.

They had been talking and considering each other as sworn brothers for quite some time, but Lee Gwak had never once asked for a favor, even knowing that he was the young leader of the Hao clan.

“If you’re asking for a favor then it must be information, right? What do you want to know?”

“One of those who passed the Steel Blood Hell Training Ground has entered the Jade Heaven Alliance.”

“Is that true?”

“I saw it with my own eyes.”

“Hmm!”

Nam Woo-gyeong murmured.

The young talents who had passed the Steel Blood Hell Training Ground were dispatched to various frontlines, where they were making remarkable achievements in the fight against the Celestial Demon Union and were rising to prominence.

The world was yet unaware of their existence, but sects dealing with information like the Hao clan were very well aware of their fearsomeness.

“Do you think you can find out why they entered the Jade Heaven Alliance?”

“Let me ask you one thing. Is the person who entered the Jade Heaven Alliance someone you know well?”

“Yes.”

Lee Gwak answered without a hint of hesitation.

“It’s a woman, isn’t it?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m talking about the person who entered the Jade Heaven Alliance.”

“……”

“When a man steps forward with such a decisive look in his eyes, it’s only when a woman is involved.”

“Can you figure it out?”

“I’ll do my best. We’re also curious as to why they entered the Jade Heaven Alliance secretly.”

“Thank you.”

“Do you owe me one now?”

“I will repay you someday.”

“Good! Remember that promise.”

Nam Woo-gyeong smiled pleasantly.

He knew that a person like Lee Gwak never spoke idly. And that he was someone who always took responsibility for his words.

Having Lee Gwak owe him a small debt of gratitude was no loss.

* * *

The inner city of the Jade Heaven Alliance was not a place that was easily accessible to anyone.

Even martial artists who were officially invited to the Jianghu Grand Conference were only allowed to stay in the outer city, not even daring to think about entering the inner city.

The tall walls of the inner city symbolized the high authority of the Jade Heaven Alliance. As such, the mere fact of staying within the inner city was a source of great pride for its members.

The same was true for the martial artists of the Main Court. Along with the Secret Court and the Outer Court, they were located within the inner city but were incomparable in scale and manpower to the other two forces.

With its vast size, the Main Court contained many secret spaces, one of which was the Demon Execution Hall.¹

It was a completely was a completely independent space, off-limits to even the martial artists of the Main Court. Except for a few authorized individuals, it was impossible to even get close.

As a result, the purpose of the Demon Execution Hall was a topic of speculation even within the Main Court.

Some said it was where the forces secretly cultivated by the leader, Nam Il-geuk, resided, while others speculated that it was the home of those who performed dirty work that could not be revealed outside.

They speculated that the inside of the Demon Execution Hall was filled with all sorts of gruesome weapons and tools. Contrary to their expectations, however, the inside of the Demon Execution Hall was very serene and peaceful.

In front of the large hall was a well-maintained courtyard and garden, with a waterway running through the center of the garden and a large pond.

There was also a simple pavilion by the pond that harmoniously matched the picturesque beauty of the garden.

Near the pavilion and pond, about a dozen young men and women sat leisurely.

Some were tending to their swords, while others lay on large rocks, making pillow of their arms and gazing up at the sky.

It was such a peaceful scene that a stranger might think they were just a group of young people taking a leisurely break.

Among them, one person stood out in particular— a young man sitting in the center of the pavilion. He looked to be in his mid-to-late twenties, boasting a robust appearance and an immense stature.

With a physique easily twice the size of an ordinary person, enormous muscles reminiscent of massive boulders and hair that grew wildly down to his shoulders, he resembled a large lion.

Sitting in the center of the pavilion, he was tending to a huge iron sword. The sword was so massive that it seemed impossible for an ordinary person to even lift, yet the man handled it with ease in one hand.

“Hmm!”

Seemingly pleased with the condition of his iron sword, the man smiled as he put the sword back into its sheath.

Creak!

Just then, a small moon gate connecting to the Demon Execution Hall opened with the scream of rusty hinges.

Everyone’s gaze shifted towards the moon gate.

Amidst everyone’s attention, a woman of bewitching beauty appeared.

With jet-black hair, thick eyebrows, and skin as white as snow sprinkled over her face, complemented by red lips reminiscent of plum blossoms, she was a striking beauty.

Instantly, the giant man opened his mouth.

“You’ve arrived, Socheon.”

The woman who opened the moon gate and was walking toward the pavilion was Han Socheon. At her arrival, the dozen or so young men and women who had been sitting comfortably immediately stand up.

“Socheon!”

“Vice-squad leader!”

They greeted Han Socheon with familiarity.

Han Socheon just nodded slightly in greeting to them.

The young warriors around the pavilion were those who, along with Han Socheon, had passed through the Steel Blood Hell Training Ground in Mount Shaohua. They were the best among the warriors, having passed with outstanding results.

Han Socheon spoke to the giant man.

“I’m back, squad leader.”

“Where have you been?”

“……”

“Hmm! You don’t want to tell us, huh? Tch! In any case…”

The giant man clicked his tongue, looking at Han Socheon, who remained silent.

The giant man’s name was Cheol Gwan-ho, and he was the squad leader of the warriors in the Demon Execution Hall. And Han Socheon was his vice-squad leader.

There was little to no difference in skill between Cheol Gwan-ho and Han Socheon. However, Cheol Gwan-ho was chosen to become the leader because he had better leadership and friendliness than Han Socheon.

Despite her beautiful appearance, Han Socheon had a cold personality. She rarely showed emotions or shared her thoughts. Nevertheless, her martial skills were undoubtedly outstanding.

This led her to achieve many feats and provide significant help to her squad members. Many people were grateful to her, but apart from that, her disposition made her unsuitable to lead the organisation.

That was why she remained the vice-squad leader

Cheol Gwan-ho shrugged his shoulders as he watched Han Socheon standing silently.

“Well, fine! Since it’s everyone’s free time now, I don’t care what you do with the rest of your time as long as you make it back on time for the assembly. Just remember not to be late. That’s the only condition.”

“Got it.”

“Though I don’t know where you’ve been, I assume you’ve gotten some sleep, right?”

“Yes.”

Han Socheon’s response caused a spark of interest to flash in Cheol Gwan-ho’s eyes.

Those thrust into the battlefield each had to live with their own aftermath. The people here were no different. Everyone had their own issues, and in Han Socheon’s case, it was insomnia.

Thanks to her strong internal energy, she was able to survive up until now but her problem was undoubtedly serious. It was concerning enough for those around her to notice.

Until yesterday, Han Socheon’s face looked particularly drained and pale. But now, her skin was glowing, an indication that she had gotten a good night’s sleep.

“That’s good to hear. Take a seat for now.”

Han Socheon nodded and sat down at one side of the pavilion. Then, a woman of her age subtly approached and sat next to her.

“Where have you been?”

“……”

“Aren’t you going to tell me either?”

The woman who was displaying a slightly sullen expression was Han Socheon’s colleague and rival, Lim Moon-hye.

Despite how she acted friendly on the surface, Han Socheon was well aware of how much Lim Moon-hye guarded against her.

Not wanting to get into an argument with her, Han Socheon spoke briefly,

“Sorry!”

“Tch!”

Lim Moon-hye snorted in disdain.

Han Socheon leaned back against the pavilion’s pillar and closed her eyes slightly. A breeze blew in just then, gently caressing her body. This caused a small smile to tug at the corners of her mouth.

As Cheol Gwan-ho mentioned, she couldn’t recall when she last had such proper sleep. It seemed as if it was the first time in almost a year that she had slept soundly without waking up once in the middle of the night.

‘Brother.’

The more she thought about Lee Gwak, the more intriguing he seemed.

Despite it being their first meeting in a year, he didn’t feel unfamiliar at all. Instead, there was an even stronger sense of closeness and warmth.

Perhaps that was why she sought out his embrace.

His embrace was truly comforting.

She could still feel the warmth lingering all over her body.

In Lee Gwak’s arms, she could sleep not as a weapon but as a human.

As Han Socheon was lost in thought about Lee Gwak, another figure entered the Demon Execution Hall.

It was a middle-aged martial artist, lean as a bamboo stalk. His eyes were as emotionless as a viper’s, and his skin was pale as if he had never seen the sunlight in his life.

His entire body seemed to emanate an unidentifiable, ominous aura. Even the air around him seemed distorted by it.

As soon as he appeared, the martial artists sitting in the pavilion promptly rose to their feet.

Cheol Gwan-ho spoke on behalf of all of them,

“My lord!”

“Squad Leader Cheol, has everyone gathered?”

“Yes! With Socheon joining last, everyone is here.”

At Cheol Gwan-ho’s reply, the middle-aged martial artist nodded.

The dozen or so young martial artists had already formed a line behind Cheol Gwan-ho. Tension swirled on their faces as they looked at the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man’s name was Cheol Geuk-jin, a dangerous martial artist whose name was known to only a few leaders within the Jade Heaven Alliance.

Leader of the Hidden Blood Battalion, Chul Geuk-jin.²

That was his official title.

The Hidden Blood Battalion was divided into three squads, with Cheol Gwanho, Han Socheon, and others all belonging to Squad 1.

Cheol Geuk-jin’s icy gaze swept across the squad members instantly. Those who met his gaze felt a shiver run down their spine.

“You’ve all worked hard. The higher-ups are highly impressed with your assassination of the Iron Lord, Ko Jin-rak.”

“……”

“Under normal circumstances, your achievements would warrant a longer vacation, but the situation has changed.”

Cheol Geuk-jin paused for a moment and looked straight ahead. His eyes caught the sight of Han Socheon sitting alone, leaning against a pavilion pillar.

Despite her not moving an inch even with his arrival, which makes her seem quite arrogant, Cheol Geuk-jin didn’t really mind.

Jianghu respected only the strong, and Han Socheon was an entity that fit the law of the martial world perfectly. Thus, Cheol Geuk-jin didn’t reproach her for her lack of courtesy.

Cheol Geuk-jin continued,

“According to intelligence gathered by the Outer Court, the Celestial Demon Union is planning a large-scale assassination during the Jianghu Grand Conference as revenge for the Iron Monarch Ko Jin-rak.”

“Hm!”

“How many assassins will infiltrate the Jade Heaven Alliance remains unknown. Your mission is to preemptively identify these assassins from the Celestial Demon Union and eliminate them.”

A ghastly gleam of madness flashed out from Cheol Geuk-jin’s eyes.

“If we’re not careful, the Jianghu Grand Conference we’ve painstakingly prepared could be ruined. Eliminate them before that happens. The Outer Court’s Heavenly Intelligence Hall and the Secret Court will provide information.”

“Can we act independently once we receive the information?”

In response to Cheol Gwan-ho’s question, Cheol Geuk-jin smirked.

“Of course. No one will restrain you. Unleash your wrath on those daring enough to challenge the Jade Heaven Alliance. I don’t care if there would be casualties among our forces. I will take full responsibility.”

SoundlessWind21’s Notes:

Awww, Han Socheon you’ve been through a lot. The part when Han Socheon slept with Lee Gwak in the same bed is not shown in the manhwa.

If there are any errors, whether it be grammatical, spelling, translation, or website-related issues, feel free to let me know. (´◡`) Anyway, thank you for reading!

1. Demon Execution Hall. Raws: 참마전(斬魔殿).
   • 斬 zhǎn – to behead (as form of capital punishment) / to chop
   • 魔 mó – (bound form) evil spirit; devil / (prefix) supernatural; magical
   • 殿 diàn – palace hall 
2. Leader of the Hidden Blood Battalion. Raws: 암혈대주(暗血隊主).
   • 暗 àn – dark / to turn dark / secret; hidden / (literary) confused; ignorant
   • 血 xuè – blood
   • 隊 duì – squadron / team / group
   • 主 zhǔ – owner / master / host / individual or party concerned / God / Lord / main / to indicate or signify / trump card (in card games) 
3. Iron Monarch. Raws: 철군주(鐵君主).
   • 鐵 tiě – iron (metal)
   • 君主 jūnzhǔ – monarch, sovereign

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