Martial Artist Lee Gwak

Light Novel: Volume 2 Chapter 12

Manhwa: Chapters 39

Episode 4. The Thread of Fate Leads to Unpredictable Places (3)

That day, the leaders’ meeting decided to launch an all-out war against the Celestial Demon Union.

Up until now, they had only sent partial forces to gauge each other’s strength, but from now on, they plan to use all of their power to punish the Celestial Demon Union.

Immediately, the atmosphere within the Jade Heaven Alliance changed.

If it had felt somewhat lax before, now it was overflowing with tension, like a powder keg about to explode.

As if to prove the point, the number of caravans entering the Jade Heaven Alliance drastically increased. Most of them dealt with supplies needed for waging war.

War brought misfortune to many, but for merchants, it was a golden opportunity that did not come easily.

And so, they took advantage of the turbulent times.

* * *

There were significant changes in Lee Gwak’s daily life as well.

The laxness of the past was no longer tolerated. They had to stand guard at the outer gates and patrol even with their small number of members.

While other squads had the luxury of some rest due to having more members, Squad 13, with its fewer members, could not afford such a luxury.

Lee Gwak had requested additional personnel from Maeng Hee-cheon, but it was denied. There were many other places that were more in need of reinforcements than the Outer Hall.

Talented individuals were primarily assigned to the Black Tortoise Squad, which had lost twenty-seven members. New recruits were also deployed to more active military organizations like the Inner Court and Main Court.

Organizations that didn’t significantly contribute to combat, such as the Outer Hall’s Squad 13, were utterly sidelined.

After a long wait, only two new members were assigned to Squad 13—

Go Cheon-gwang and Woo Il-yeong.

Go Cheon-gwang was a warrior in his early twenties, and Woo Il-yeong was a martial artist in his late teens, who had yet to shed his youthful naivety.

Neither of them was particularly talented, coming from a small sect like Ki Jinhwi, but they were quick-witted and adapted rapidly to the life of Squad 13.

Thanks to them, Lee Gwak and the existing members could breathe a little easier.

In the early evening, Lee Gwak and his team visited an inn outside the city.

The faces of the members following Lee Gwak were visibly excited. It was the first time since Lee Gwak became the leader of Squad 13 that he was treating them.

“Can we really drink to our heart’s content?”

“Yes!”

“And eat as much as we want?”

“Yes!”

“Then I’ll have to loosen my belt and drink up.”

Ki Jinhwi cracked a joke.

Lee Gwak and the members took seats in the farthest corners of the room and ordered food and drinks.

“How long has it been since we had a drink like this? I’m going to drink until my nose is crooked today.”

“Hehe! It will be quite a sight, brother, especially since you’re already ugly to begin with.”

“You! Don’t even think about going back to the quarters tonight–!”

“Uh no! How scary.”

“Hehe!”

Seok Yi-cheon and Ki Jinhwi laughed together, while Go Cheon-gwang and Woo Il-yeong smiled at their camaraderie.

Seok Yi-cheon and Ki Jinhwi got along exceptionally well, making the atmosphere in Squad 13 always cheerful and lively. Thanks to them, Go Cheon-gwang and Woo Il-yeong could quickly blend into the squad.

Woo Il-yeong cautiously called out to Lee Gwak.

“Squad leader!”

“Yes?”

“Won’t we get into trouble for drinking like this? We’re in a state of emergency, right?”

“We haven’t had a proper rest in the last three days. It’s fine to relax a bit. If anyone says anything, I’ll take responsibility, so don’t worry and just enjoy.”

“Really?”

“Yes!”

A look of relief finally appeared on Woo Il-yeong’s face.

Woo Il-yeong was still young and so was cautious about everything. Seeing him like this reminded Lee Gwak of his own youth.

He had been just as cautious as Woo Il-yeong when he first entered the Outer Hall. The people who took care of him at that time were Seok Yi-cheon and Gok Chae-bong.

Under their care, he had adjusted to life in the Jade Heaven Alliance. That’s why Lee Gwak now showed the same consideration towards Woo Il-yeong.

As they laughed and chatted, the inn servant brought out drinks and snacks.

Once the table was set, the atmosphere heated up even more. Lee Gwak and his squad members drank and chatted merrily.

After a few rounds of drinking, the atmosphere became even more lively.

Seok Yi-cheon and Ki Jinhwi led the atmosphere, and Go Cheon-gwang also joined in with his lively wit. Woo Il-yeong, observing the situation, sipped his drink and smiled.

Lee Gwak quietly emptied his cup, surveying the inn.

Most of the people in the inn were ordinary people. Just because they lived near the Jade Heaven Alliance didn’t mean they were all martial artists. In fact, there were more ordinary people like these.

After a hard day’s work, they would gather and unwind with their coworkers or friends over a drink. Tired from the day, they chatted and enjoyed their time.

Just then, Lee Gwak’s eyes narrowed.

Across from where Lee Gwak and his team sat, a woman had occupied a table.

She was dressed in a plain outfit that was easy to move around in. However, her beauty was anything but plain.

She had a dainty face and eyes as cool as the moon in an autumn sky. She also sat upright with a grace reminiscent of a lone snowy eagle in the dead of winter.

Many people sneaked glances at her but dared not approach or speak to her.

‘A master!’

The moment Lee Gwak saw her, he felt a chill run down his spine. It was as if his entire body was being stabbed by hundreds of needles.

It was the kind of sensation one only got when encountering an extraordinary master.

The woman was quietly sipping her drink, with simple snacks in front of her. Her solitary figure appeared more beautiful than lonely.

‘Who is she?’

Lee Gwak was curious but didn’t give it much thought.

As the front lines expanded, the Jade Heaven Alliance had seen an increase in the arrival of masters. It was a sign of the war’s growing intensity.

Lee Gwak suspected the woman was one of them.

As she was unrelated to his world, he didn’t pay much attention and continued drinking.

The drink from the inn, though not as fine as what he had at the Red Flower Pavilion, was still quite good. He felt fortunate to be able to drink and enjoy this kind of liquor.

Just as Lee Gwak was deeply immersed in his drink—

Bang!

The door of the inn opened, and three people who appeared to be in their twenties entered.

A handsome but somewhat fierce-looking man led the way, followed by a burly man whose head seemed two sizes too big. The last to enter was a woman with a strikingly beautiful appearance.

However, her upturned eyes suggested she was not someone to be taken lightly.

The handsome man turned back and grumbled,

“Damn it! What is this? We’re too late to enter the city now.”

“That’s why I said to hurry up.”

The woman said as she glared at the burly man.

The burly man scratched his head as he made an excuse.

“Who knew this would happen? You both agreed to take a break, too.”

They were noisy from the moment they entered.

Ignoring the other people in the inn, they talked loudly among themselves. This caused several people inside to frown in disapproval. However, their imposing demeanor prevented anyone from confronting them.

They sat down in an empty spot and loudly called for the inn servant.

“Hey, inn servant!”

“Yes!”

The inn servant hurried over and bowed his head.

“Do you have a room to stay in?”

“Well, about that…”

“You don’t mean to say there are no rooms, right?”

“I’m sorry. Recently, there have been a lot of people trying to get into Jade Heaven Alliance, so–”

The handsome man’s expression crumpled at the inn servant’s response.

“So you’re saying there are no available rooms?”

“I’m sorry. It’s likely to be difficult to find a room at any other inn too–”

Thud!

Before the servant could finish, he was suddenly kicked to the ground by the burly man.

“If you’re sorry, you should provide a room. Why is your tongue so long?”

“That, that— ugh!”

The servant gasped for air, unable to breathe properly. The burly man looked down at him with disdain.

The inn suddenly fell silent.

Everyone held their breath as they stared at the burly man and his group. Then, the burly man glared around menacingly.

“What are you all looking at?”

Everyone then looked down in fear, trying to avoid his gaze. Satisfied, the burly man turned his attention back to the inn servant on the floor.

“Do you have a room or not?”

“Keugh! That’s–!”

“You! Your tongue is really long. Just answer yes or no.”

The burly man nudged the servant’s cheek, demanding a response.

Tears streamed down the servant’s cheeks.

The owner of the inn was nowhere to be seen, having apparently run off and left the servant to fend for himself.

The servant felt like he was thrown into hell, overwhelmed by despair. He was just a mere servant with no power. He couldn’t understand why he deserved such suffering when he wasn’t even the owner.

“Do you know who we are? We’re the Tempest Three Heroes.¹ We came all this way to help the Jade Heaven Alliance, and this is how we’re treated? Do you think this inn will be safe once they find out how we’ve been treated?”

At the mention of the Tempest Three Heroes, the atmosphere in the inn became tense.

As far as they knew, there were no Tempest Three Heroes in Jianghu. There were only the Tempest Three Demons.

The Tempest Three Demons were a group of warriors notorious for doing whatever they wanted, straddling the line between righteousness and evil. The reason they were still alive despite causing so much trouble was primarily due to their incredibly strong martial skills.

The handsome man was the first of the demons, the woman laughing beside him was the second, and the giant was the third.

The first and second demons simply laughed and did not try to stop the third as he bullied the inn servant. Such incidents were routine for them.

Their arrival at the Jade Heaven Alliance was not driven by a sense of justice to protect the martial world, but by the belief that they would be highly valued in these times of war.

“Hoo!”

Lee Gwak, who had been watching them, sighed quietly. They had gone too far.

Even though his shift was over, he was still the leader of the Outer Hall’s Squad 13, and the Outer Hall was responsible for enforcing discipline outside of the Jade Heaven Alliance.

He disliked getting involved in such matters, but he couldn’t just ignore it and pretend he didn’t see anything.

At that moment, Seok Yi-cheon grabbed Lee Gwak’s hand. When Lee Gwak looked at him, Seok Yi-cheon shook his head with a pleading expression.

‘They’re not people we can handle. Let’s just pretend we didn’t see it.’

His eyes conveyed this message.

Go Cheon-gwang and Woo Il-yeong’s expressions were no different from Seok Yi-cheon’s.

They were just squad members, they didn’t want to be swept up in such a big incident.

Only Ki Jinhwi looked at Lee Gwak with an ambiguous smile, saying nothing.

Lee Gwak understood Seok Yi-cheon. He also understood the fear that Go Cheon-gwang and Woo Il-yeong, who were still just newcomers, had of getting involved in such affairs. However, unlike them, he was the leader of Squad 13.

As much as possible, he also didn’t want to draw attention to himself by getting involved in such a complicated matter. But, turning a blind eye and neglecting his duties was against his principles.

He did not want to cower in the face of such tyranny.

Shaking off Seok Yi-cheon’s hand, Lee Gwak stepped forward.

“That’s enough.”

“What? Who are you?”

The third of the Tempest Three Heroes looked at Lee Gwak with narrowed eyes, his pupils glistening with murderous intent.

“I am Lee Gwak, the leader of the Jade Heaven Alliance’s Outer Hall Squad 13.”

“Oh! A squad leader of the Outer Hall?”

“Yes. This place is under the jurisdiction of the Jade Heaven Alliance. Harassing citizens here is strictly forbidden.”

“So what do you want us to do?”

“Please let go of the inn servant.”

At Lee Gwak’s words, the third demon’s eyebrows twitched.

At that moment, the first and second demons stepped forward.

“Quite impressive. I guess we, the Tempest Three Heroes, seem like nothing to you, a squad leader, huh?”

“Hmm! Maybe so. After all, we’re just insignificant beings to the grand Jade Heaven Alliance.”

Both of them moved closer to Lee Gwak, scrutinizing him from head to toe. Their eyes held a faint murderous intent.

The third demon also left the inn servant and joined his companions, surrounding Lee Gwak.

The first demon suddenly jabbed Lee Gwak’s chest with his finger.

“But what to do? We were invited here by your esteemed superior, the Outer Court’s Geum Guho. What do you think his reaction will be when he finds out that you treated us so rudely?”

Lee Gwak’s expression stiffened.

Thinking he was scared, the first demon chuckled mockingly.

“Heh heh! How dare a mere squad leader like you interfere? You’re nothing but the lowest rank in the Jade Heaven Alliance.”

Poke! Poke!

The first demon kept poking Lee Gwak’s chest. He was clearly disrespecting Lee Gwak. But despite his continuous poking, Lee Gwak’s body remained unshaken, rather, his action only caused pain to his own finger.

The first demon’s eyes darkened with more intense murderous intent, joined by the second and third demons.

“I wonder what the leader of the Outer Court will think. Is the life of an Outer Hall squad leader more important, or are we?”

Shing!

The third demon unsheathed his sword from his waist.

‘Is there no other way?’

Lee Gwak sighed inwardly.

He couldn’t just stand idly by while being threatened with a weapon. Just as he was mentally preparing for a confrontation, an unexpected voice interjected,

“You should stop right there.”

The voice, clear yet cold, belonged to the woman who had been drinking alone in the inn,

At her arrival, the second demon frowned. The woman was far more beautiful than she was.

“What did you just say? I think I heard you wrongly.”

“I said it would be best to stop.”

“Ha! Really…”

A chilling murderous intent appeared in the second demon’s eyes.

She already hated to see someone more beautiful than herself, so when the woman straightforwardly retorted back, her temper flared even more.

“How dare you!”

Just as the second demon was about to explode in rage—

Flash!

Suddenly, a flash of light burst forth, and the jade earring dangling on her ear shattered into pieces.

“……”

Silence descended on the inn.

SoundlessWind21’s Notes:

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. Tempest Three Heroes. Raws: 광풍삼협(狂風三俠).
   • 狂 kuáng, jué – insane, mad; violent; wild
   • 風 fēng, fěng, fèng – wind; air; manners, atmosphere
   • 三 sān – three / 3
   • 俠 xiá – knight-errant / brave and chivalrous / hero / heroic

2. Tempest Three Demons. Raws: 광풍삼괴(狂風三怪).
   • 狂 kuáng, jué – insane, mad; violent; wild
   • 風 fēng, fěng, fèng – wind; air; manners, atmosphere
   • 三 sān – three / 3
   • 怪 guài – bewildering / odd / strange / uncanny / devil / monster / to wonder at / to blame / quite / rather

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