Martial Artist Lee Gwak Episode 204

People Change as Time Flows (1)

One of the main tasks of the Dark Moon Pavilion was to monitor people who might pose a threat to Yong Cheon Myeong.

Go Jeon-ok used his background in the Heavenly Intelligence Hall to establish and operate the Dark Moon Pavilion. He had excelled at manipulating information and concealment in the Heavenly Intelligence Hall, so once he became the head of the Dark Moon Pavilion, he thrived like a fish in water..

Thus, Go Jeon-ok became an essential asset to Yong Cheon-myeong.

Now, no one in the Jade Heaven Alliance dared to underestimate him. The mere fact that he was Yong Cheon Myeong’s confidant made him a feared figure.

Go Jeon-ok rarely left his residence at the Dark Moon Pavilion unless it was absolutely necessary.

As he sipped his tea, he was reading a report on the activities of people under surveillance. The small booklet was compiled from the information gathered overnight by the scribes residing in the Dark Moon Pavilion.

He would sift through the information and present anything useful directly to Yong Cheon Myeong.

Since the information would be relayed directly to Yong Cheon Myeong, it had to be handled with utmost care. Thus, interrupting Go Jeon-ok during his reading time was considered taboo in the Dark Moon Pavilion.

Unless the sky was falling, disturbing Go Jeon-ok during this time was akin to courting death. In fact, those who were unaware of this and dared to enter his room were mercilessly slaughtered.
After that incident, no one dared to interrupt Go Jeon-ok while he was reading.

Rustle!

It was when Go Jeon-ok quietly turned a page.

“Master.”

Suddenly, a cautious voice of One Kill came from behind.

A look of irritation flashed across Go Jeon-ok’s face. No matter who it was, he couldn’t tolerate interruptions during his reading time.

“If it’s not important enough to justify interrupting my most precious time, you’d better be prepared.”

Go Jeon-ok closed the notebook with a thud and turned around. He saw One Kill, looking guilty with his head half bowed. But what caught Go Jeon-ok’s attention was not One Kill, but the man standing quietly behind him.

The moment Go Jeon-ok recognized the man’s face, his eyes shook as if hit by an earthquake.

“Could it be… Lee Gwak?”

“It’s been a while.”

“It really is Lee Gwak.”

Go Jeon-ok stood up abruptly, disbelief on his face.

The book he was holding fell to the floor, but he paid it no mind. Such carelessness was unlike him, indicating the turmoil he felt.

He had vaguely imagined that Lee Gwak might still be alive. But when that imagination turned into reality, he felt an indescribable fear.

However, Go Jeon-ok quickly regained his composure.

The fact that Lee Gwak was alive was unexpected, but the current Go Jeon-ok was not the same as before.

He was the leader of the powerful organization, the Dark Moon Pavilion.

He was someone who instilled fear in others, not someone who felt fear.

He felt ashamed for a moment for feeling fear towards Lee Gwak and composed himself with a calm demeanor.

“What’s going on? Why haven’t you contacted us if you were alive?”

“There were reasons for that.”

“How did you meet One Kill…”

Go Jeon-ok trailed off.

He had belatedly noticed the wound on One Kill’s ankle. Blood from his ankle had stained the floor red.

Go Jeon-ok’s gaze deepened.

“Did you meet Brother Yi Cheon?”

“Yes!”

“I don’t know what Brother Yi Cheon told you, but I am still the same, Lee Gwak.”

“…”

“Take a seat.”

Go Jeon-ok offered Lee Gwak a chair.

Lee Gwak did not refuse and sat down. Go Jeon-ok sat across the table from him.

With a frown, Go Jeon-ok spoke to One Kill,

“Tell the attendants to serve tea again.”

“Yes!”

One Kill quietly withdrew.

Where he had been standing, blood had pooled on the floor.

Right after One Kill left, two attendants entered. One of them cleaned the blood-stained floor.
Fear was evident on her face, worried she might incur Go Jeon-ok’s wrath.

The other attendant hurriedly brewed tea for Lee Gwak and Go Jeon-ok.

The servant’s hands trembled slightly as she handed Go Jeon-ok his cup, but she managed not to spill a drop.

Go Jeon-ok silently waved his hand, and the attendants bowed deeply before quickly exiting the room.

Go Jeon-ok offered Lee Gwak the tea.

“It’s the highest quality Longjing tea. It’s also called pre-Qingming tea, as it is picked before the Qingming Festival. I only serve it for special guests.”

Lee Gwak did not refuse and drank the tea.

Go Jeon-ok quietly observed Lee Gwak, who, although aware of his gaze, continued to savor the tea without concern.

“Indeed, it’s a fine tea.”

“I don’t have much of it, so I’m saving it.”

“You talked about making a name for yourself, and you truly have.”

“I’m still far from it.”

“Even as the confidant of Young Master Yong Cheon Myeong, you say you’re still far away?”

“If I were satisfied with just this much, I wouldn’t have started. My dreams don’t stop here.”

“Jeon Ok.”

“Lee Gwak! Let’s join hands. With your martial prowess and my strategies, no one within the Jade Heaven Alliance could stand against us.”

Madness had crept into Go Jeon-ok’s previously cold eyes.

Lee Gwak silently looked at Go Jeon-ok’s face.

“We are practically brothers. If we join hands, no one can treat us lightly.”

“……”

“Lee Gwak, it’s not too late. Let’s do this together.”

Go Jeon-ok reached out his hand to Lee Gwak. However, Lee Gwak did not take it.

Go Jeon-ok’s expression twisted, but he soon regained his composure.

“Ha! It seems I got too excited. I might have rushed things. But if you knew my situation, you would understand. It might look glamorous on the outside, but it’s a battlefield on the inside. A moment’s negligence and you’re out. To survive in a place like this, you have to be faster and smarter than the others. So, it’s inevitable to be on edge.”

“You’re not asking.”

“What?”

“How I’ve lived, and how I got here.”

“I already know a lot about you.”

“……”

“You are the one who left a scar on Young Master Yong’s face when escaping from the Celestial Demon Troupe. And this…”

Thud!

Go Jeon-ok opened a drawer and spread a small piece of paper on the table.

“The one who defeated Woo Mun Pae of the Martial Sword Troupe is a person named Lee Gwak.”

The paper contained Lee Gwak’s movements as tracked by the Dark Moon Pavilion.

Go Jeon-ok continued.

“The one who defeated the Gatekeeper Assassin Moon Gwang is also the person named Lee Gwak. My uncertainty was whether this Lee Gwak was the same one I knew, not your actions. I already know your activities since you entered the Central Plains. So, is there any need to ask you separately?”

“Impressive.”

“I see through the entire Jianghu from here. Everything is in my grasp. No person or event escapes my reach. All I lack is a sharp sword to fight for me. Everything else is already in place.”

“So, you want me to be that sword for you.”

“I’d like you to think of it as us working together.”

Go Jeon-ok’s eyes gleamed.

His sharp gaze seemed to pierce Lee Gwak’s chest, a gaze that had silenced many and left them breathless.

Go Jeon-ok was used to such reactions and enjoyed the stiff expressions of people. However, the response from Lee Gwak was not what he had hoped for.

Lee Gwak looked at Go Jeon-ok with pity.

He sincerely pitied Go Jeon-ok, who was so engulfed in ambition that he could think of nothing but himself.

Lee Gwak’s expression irritated Go Jeon-ok.

“Lee Gwak, the choice is yours now.”

“Let me ask you one thing.”

“Anything.”

“How do you plan to speak to Young Master Yong? As you know, I’ve injured his face. Do you think he would just overlook someone like me?”

“I’ll stop him. I can persuade Young Master Yong if it’s me, provided you join hands with me.”

“Young Master Yong is not so merciful.”

“If it were me…”

“Go Jeon-ok.”

“……”

Go Jeon-ok bit his lip and looked at Lee Gwak with resentful eyes. Lee Gwak looked back at Go Jeon-ok with a pitiful expression.

They were silent.

For a while, they just looked at each other without speaking.

“Sigh!”

It was Go Jeon-ok who broke the silence with a sigh.

Go Jeon-ok stood up and walked towards the window. He could see the residence of Yong Cheon Myeong beyond the window.

“If I signal now, Young Master Yong’s men will come to capture you.”

“That’s likely.”

“But I won’t do that.”

Go Jeon-ok turned to look back at Lee Gwak, a cold smile on his lips.

“It’s much more advantageous for me. I don’t know what your purpose is for returning here, but cause as much turmoil as you like. The more chaos within the Jade Heaven Alliance, the stronger my position becomes.”

“I could kill you right here, right now.”

“You could, if what’s written in this report about your martial prowess is true. But you won’t. Know why?”

“……”

“Because you’re Lee Gwak. Despite having exceptional martial skills, you cling to petty happiness instead of ambition and act foolishly, always seeking justification. Without a proper reason, you won’t lay a hand on me.”

“People change. I have, too…”

Lee Gwak’s words caused a slight change in Go Jeon-ok’s expression. Lee Gwak’s voice was ice-cold.

Despite knowing him for over ten years, Go Jeon-ok had never heard Lee Gwak speak in such a tone. It was unfamiliar.

Lee Gwak stood up and approached Go Jeon-ok.

“One last question. Where is the Hidden Blood Squad that was deployed to the Celestial Demon Troupe at that time?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I have something to ask them.”

“What do you want to ask?”

“I’ll speak directly to them when I meet them.”

“Then I can’t tell you. The Hidden Blood Squad is one of the main secrets of our alliance. Even if you’re my friend, I can’t divulge the secrets of the alliance lightly.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes!”

With that, Go Jeon-ok firmly closed his lips.

Lee Gwak also silently looked at Go Jeon-ok.

From the moment he entered this room, he felt it. The Go Jeon-ok before him was not the Go Jeon-ok he once knew.

Go Jeon-ok was no longer the ambitious youngster blinded by the desire for success. He was one of the leading figures leading the Jade Heaven Alliance, possessing sufficient ability and status to back his ambition.

Turning Go Jeon-ok into an enemy was not an easy decision for Lee Gwak. But Lee Gwak had no choice but to make that decision.

He knew that Go Jeon-ok was the one who orchestrated the assassination plan executed by the Hidden Blood Squad in the Celestial Demon Troupe six years ago.

Previously, Han So Cheon had said that the person who led the Hidden Blood Squad was the same one who devised the plan.

The leader of the Hidden Blood Squad was Go Jeon-ok himself.

For his contribution, Go Jeon-ok quickly rose through the ranks and reached the position of Dark Moon Pavilion’s lord.

Had it not been for Go Jeon-ok, Han So Cheon would not have been abandoned on the battlefield, and Lee Gwak would not have had to return to the Jade Heaven Alliance to search for her.

Their relationship with Go Jeon-ok was bound by a tragic fate.

Although he had felt it vaguely before, this occasion had made it crystal clear to him.

The look in Lee Gwak’s eyes as he gazed at Go Jeon-ok was as cold as his feelings. Go Jeon-ok also clearly perceived the emotions hidden in Lee Gwak’s gaze.

“Take care, Lee Gwak. I won’t see you out.”

“Alright!”

Lee Gwak said his farewells calmly and was about to leave when…

“Lee Gwak!”

Suddenly, Go Jeon-ok called out to him.

As Lee Gwak turned around, Go Jeon-ok hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“Are we still friends?”

“You already know. I’m leaving.”

After Lee Gwak had left, Go Jeon-ok remained motionless for a while, standing as if he had turned into a statue.

It wasn’t until One Kill reappeared that Go Jeon-ok moved again.

A white cloth was tightly wrapped around One Kill’s ankle, hastily applied to stop the bleeding.

As soon as he appeared, One Kill knelt before Go Jeon-ok.

“I apologize, leader. I brought him without permission because he said he was your friend.”

“How did you get past the guards? You didn’t reveal his true identity, did you?”

“Of course not. I disguised him as your guest.”

“That was a wise decision.”

Go Jeon-ok’s praise left One Kill unable to lift his head in shame.

He thought he had survived the ordeal.

But then, with a soft sound, something white pierced through his throat.

“Cough!”

One Kill spat out blood.

What protruded from his throat was a sword as clear as glass.

With a click, Go Jeon-ok retracted the glass demon sword into his sleeve, murmuring,

“Still, bringing him without permission is unforgivable.”

“Gurgle!”

One Kill fell, foaming at the mouth, convulsing until his breathing stopped.

Go Jeon-ok silently watched as One Kill died, his face full of irritation.

“You already know? Yes! You already know.”