Martial Artist Lee Gwak Episode 149

The World is Wide Yet Narrow (2)

Mok So-pung joined the Azure Maritime Company when he was twenty, so he had been with Ahn Yu-san for over twenty years. Therefore, there was nothing about the Azure Maritime Company that he didn’t know.

Despite his seemingly reserved demeanor, Mok So-pung was a very talkative person, and when Lee Gwak told him to relax, he quickly let his guard down and talked a lot.

“Usually, once we set sail, it’s almost half a year before we can return home.”

“You spend that long on the ship?”

“Yes! It’s not just between Hội An and the Central Plains. Sometimes we go further. For example, we might pick up goods in the western regions, sell them here in Hội An, and then buy new goods here to sell in Wa (Japan). Travelling between countries in this way can take months. Time flies in the blink of an eye.”

“It’s really remarkable. Spending months at sea”.

“That’s why I hardly know how my children are growing up. When I come home after a few months, they’ve already grown so much.

“You must miss them a lot.”

“What can I do? A man with no education like me has no choice if he wants to provide for his family. But I consider myself lucky. Our master is a good man.”

Mok So-pung’s voice was filled with respect when he mentioned Ahn Yu-san.

He continued, lifting his cup,

“Other trading house owners aren’t as generous as our master. He truly treats us like family. Thanks to him, we’ve been able to overcome many hardships together, despite facing numerous challenges.”

“You respect him a lot, I take it?”

“Indeed! I respect him. I would willingly give my life for the master if necessary.”

“What about your family?”

“I don’t know! The master will take good care of them, I’m sure.”

Mok So-pung’s faith in Ahn Yu-san was almost blind.

‘The Leader is even more remarkable than I thought.’

Lee Gwak recalled meeting Ahn Yu-san earlier that day. He definitely had the air of a great merchant, and Lee Gwak felt fortunate that he was able to return to Jianghu with such a person.

Mok So-pung suddenly asked,

“You mentioned you’ve trained in martial arts, right?”

“Yes!”

“This is amazing. I too once dreamed of learning martial arts. I dreamed of becoming a hero by mastering powerful martial arts. But here I am, working on boats.

“What’s wrong with working on boats? Mediocre martial arts skills often only lead to being exploited and dying a meaningless death”.

“I know that intellectually, but the heart doesn’t always follow. Everyone’s entitled to dream, aren’t they?”

“That’s true.”

Lee Gwak ended up nodding in agreement.

He knew all too well how dangerous the world of the martial arts could be. Yet, despite the dangers, the Jianghu had a way of drawing men’s ambitions.

Once someone became part of the Jianghu, returning to a normal life was not an option. Very few who delved deep into the martial arts lived to retire peacefully. Nonetheless, many dreamt of the rugged life in the Jianghu and plunged into it.

Mok So-pung continued to chatter away. Watching him, crew members from the surrounding tables joined Lee Gwak’s table.

As the alcohol circulated and the crew members became slightly tipsy, they began to talk more.

Seizing the relaxed atmosphere, Lee Gwak cautiously asked,

“Do you know what happened with the war between the Celestial Demon Troupe and Jade Heaven Alliance?”

“You said you’ve been here for a while, right? Then you might not know. They entered a truce last year.”

“A truce… you say?”

Lee Gwak looked incredulous at Mok So-pung’s answer.

“Hard to believe, isn’t it? I couldn’t believe it myself. Those who fought so fiercely last year are now in a truce. But what I say is true.”

“His words are correct. Whatever the reason may be, both forces are currently in a truce. It’s beyond me why they fought so fiercely only to pause like this.”

An old sailor shook his head disapprovingly.

According to them, for the past few years, the Jade Heaven Alliance and the Celestial Demon Troupe had been locked in a back-and-forth struggle. Their conflict escalated into a grand war involving the Ten Great Sects, resulting in countless deaths.

However, there was no clear victor, and both sides suffered heavy losses, leading them to step back and agree on a truce. As a result, the war had temporarily cooled down.

For Lee Gwak, it was a story hard to believe.

Knowing firsthand how intense the covert battles between the two forces had been made it all the more unbelievable.

The envoy, Yong Cheon Myeong, had assassinated leaders of the Celestial Demon Troupe, and he himself had killed the second disciple of the Celestial Demon Troupe leader. With such deep-seated grudges, how could they have agreed to a truce? Lee Gwak found it difficult to accept.

Lee Gwak wanted to ask more, but Mok So-pung and the other sailors had no more details. They were people who had nothing to do with the Jianghu. And since they spent more than half the year at sea, they were even less informed about the affairs of the Jianghu.

‘I guess I’ll only find out the full story when I return to Jianghu.’

Lee Gwak downed his cup.

The cheap liquor burned his throat and stomach, but lost in deep thought, Lee Gwak hardly noticed the alcohol’s effect.

‘What has become of So cheon?’

Han So cheon was the first thing that came to his mind when he heard that the Celestial Demon Troupe and the Jade Heaven Alliance had called a truce. He was worried about Han So cheon’s safety, but there was nothing he could do at the moment.

He also thought of the 13th squad: Ki Jin-hwi, Seok Yi-cheon, Cheon Wol…

He wished to meet them as soon as possible.

Although Lee Gwak’s face was filled with longing, Mok So-pung and the other sailors, caught up in the excitement, didn’t notice.

They continued their chatter, and in their conversation, Lee Gwak gained more information.

One of them was that he had been here for six years already. He had thought it would be three or four years at most, but it had been much longer than he had expected.

“Sigh!”

Lee Gwak couldn’t help but sigh.

He didn’t regret the time spent training in martial arts, but still, too much time had passed.

***

During the ten days he stayed in Hội An, Lee Gwak followed Mok So-pung around and mingled with sailors from the West.

Though he couldn’t understand their language, Mok So-pung, who had traveled abroad for many years, was fluent in several languages and acted as an interpreter. Muk claimed to be proficient not only in Western languages but also in those of Wa and even distant Haedong. Thanks to him, Lee Gwak learned a lot while following him around.

The ten days in Hội An greatly expanded Lee Gwak’s horizon.

Until now, he had thought the Jianghu in the Central Plains was all there was. But he discovered the world was much bigger than he had imagined.

There were countries far beyond the Western Regions he thought were the world’s edge, with cultures not inferior to the Central Plains. It was a shock to Lee Gwak, realizing the world of martial arts wasn’t everything.

‘I was a frog in a well.’

Lee Gwak deeply felt his ignorance and followed Mok So-pung even more diligently to learn as much as he could.

Every word and every line of conversation from the people around him became a lesson for Lee Gwak.

He spoke less and listened more.

By the time he was set to leave Hội An, he had picked up a bit of the language. Though not fluent, he could understand simple words.

Mok So-pung was impressed by how quickly Lee Gwak picked up the languages, considering it took him twenty years of life at sea to learn what Lee Gwak had grasped so easily.

Muk thought it was just Lee Gwak’s linguistic talent, not realizing Lee Gwak had been desperately focused on learning.

The ten days in Hội An were an invaluable experience for Lee Gwak, something he couldn’t have bought with money.

Lee Gwak resolved to return to this place someday and vowed to see more of the world.

Finally, the day arrived for the ship to set sail.

In the port, mountains of luggage were piled up. The Azure Maritime Company had bought them separately.

“Quickly, load the goods onto the ship.”

At Ahn Yu-san’s command, Mok So-pung and the crew members and workers busily moved between the ship and the port, carrying loads.

“I’ll help as well.”

Lee Gwak rolled up his sleeves to assist them.

With the physical strength and stamina honed by martial arts training, Lee Gwak was far superior to the sailors and workers. He carried heavy loads, which would normally require three men, up and down the ship by himself.

Ahn Yu-san smiled at the sight of Lee Gwak.

Martial artists with cultivated skills usually had too much pride to engage in such menial tasks. But Lee Gwak had voluntarily stepped forward to carry loads, with no trace of pretense on his face.

“I must have chosen the right person. He’s not one to forget kindness.”

“Still, you never know what a person is thinking on the outside, so you must always be on your guard.”

A guard beside Ahn Yu-san spoke skeptically.

He was the one who had been reluctant to let Lee Gwak aboard the ship from the beginning.

Ahn Yu-san gave a slight smile to the cautious guard and responded,

“We’ll see in time. But I don’t think I’m wrong.”

“Still, I’ll keep an eye on him. He might be a spy sent by the Nine Shadows Fleet to gather information.”

“Do that. It’s always best to be fully prepared.”

A shadow briefly crossed Ahn Yu-san’s face.

Pirates had recently been rampant on the maritime routes. Large ships, sailing in groups of three or four, were so elusive that many ships had fallen victim to their raids.

These raids were brutal, often resulting in the slaughter of everyone on board. The atrocities were widely known through the testimonies of those who barely survived by jumping into the sea.

Because they moved like ghosts, leaving no trace, they were called the Nine Shadows Fleet. Fortunately, the Azure Maritime Company had yet to encounter the Nine Shadows Fleet and had suffered no losses.

But the uncertainty of encountering the Nine Shadows Fleet meant the Azure Maritime Company had bolstered its protective forces, always prepared for the worst. Still, the best outcome was to avoid meeting them altogether and to complete the voyage safely.

Putting aside his worries for a moment, Ahn Yu-san watched the sailors and workers loading the ship. Though the workers were hired locally, the sailors were like family to him, having shared life and death together.

“Phew! I hope we return safely this time.”

After returning to the Central Plains, he planned to take a break from trading. Not only was he physically tired, but the growing threat of the Nine Shadows Fleet weighed heavily on his mind.

Avoiding the storm was the best strategy, and continuing to traverse the sea while risking piracy was foolish.

Fortunately, the profits from this voyage were substantial, so taking a break from trading would not be problematic.

Finally, all the cargo was loaded onto the ship. The sailors, including Mok So-pung, prepared for departure, and Lee Gwak also boarded, handing over his sword to Ahn Yu-san.

“Thank you for allowing me to board.”

“We should help each other in this vast sea. Now, board the ship. I’ll keep your sword safe until we disembark.”

“Understood, Master Ahn!”

After saluting Ahn Yu-san, Lee Gwak took a seat on one side of the deck.

He watched Mok So-pung and the sailors, who moved efficiently like experienced seafarers.

As the large sails caught the wind and the cargo was securely tied down, the giant ship began to move. Slowly at first, it gained speed as it moved away from the harbor.

Whoosh!

The ship cut through the high waves, heading towards the Central Plains.

Lee Gwak stood up and walked to the bow. The strong wind blew through his hair and clothes.

“Whew!”

He took a deep breath.

The air felt refreshing deep in his lungs.

The sea from the harbor and the sea from aboard the ship felt different. The port where he had stayed was no longer in sight. All around was the vast ocean.

He felt as if he was the only one existing in this expansive world.

Despite only having been at sea for half a day, a sense of solitude washed over him like a rising tide.

If Ahn Yu-san hadn’t approached him at that moment, Lee Gwak would have continued to dwell on his loneliness.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes?”

“When you first go out to sea, the vastness can be shocking, and you realize how insignificant you are.”

“It does seem that way.”

“I felt the same when I went to sea for the first time. Then I realized how insignificant I was and I shivered. Everyone goes through this process once.

“It seems like a valuable experience.”

“It’s too early to say.”

“Excuse me?”

“Experience a bit more, and if you still think it’s okay, then you can call it a good experience.”

Lee Gwak understood the meaning of Ahn Yu-san’s words three days later.

Whoosh!

The sea was churning like crazy.