Martial Artist Lee Gwak Episode 175

Old Ginger is Spicy 4

“Alright.”

Cheol Gwang Woo smiled broadly.

Even Lee Gwak didn’t fully understand the Vajra Demon Shadow Technique, so he could only give Cheol Gwang Woo his best guess.

Cheol Gwang Woo desperately needed even those small pieces of guidance and attention.
Lee Gwak’s teachings provided him with at least some direction in the darkness.

Cheol Gwang Woo would ask Lee Gwak questions whenever he had them, and Lee Gwak would answer them as best he could.

Cheol Gwang Woo felt a deep gratitude for Lee Gwak’s thoughtful guidance and vowed never to forget his kindness.

Lee Gwak was the only person who had reached out to him when he was most in need. If not
for Lee Gwak, whom else could he trust?

Cheol Gwang Woo closed his eyes, recalling the details Lee Gwak had shared with him.
Lee Gwak watched Cheol Gwang Woo for a moment before turning his gaze back outside.

The Shenyang Escort Service had by now left Leizhou and entered an unnamed mountainous area. Given the size of the party, their progress was naturally slow, yet the escort mission had so far encountered no issues

They operated systematically, befitting their experience.

Every two hours, a leader would take five couriers on a scouting mission to check for dangers ahead.

Despite the hassle, they never skipped reconnaissance, ensuring that the procession was never exposed to any risks.

Lee Gwak genuinely admired their risk management and understood why they were considered the best courier service in Leizhou.

They even had their meals on horseback, eating dry rations to minimize risks.

The convoy halted for the night as the sun set.

“Tonight, we rest here and depart early tomorrow morning.”

The Escort Service halted at a small clearing midway up the mountain. A large rock served as a backdrop, and a small stream flowed in front

This spot was a regular stop for them when departing from Leizhou. They always camped here on their first night out, making the location familiar to them

The escorts circled the clearing with their wagons, creating a fortress-like formation. The porters gathered the horses and prepared the meal.

The courier head and leaders gathered to discuss plans for the journey ahead.

There was no place for Lee Gwak and the other vagrants in these discussions. They were always an extra force, prepared for emergencies.

They weren’t asked to do menial tasks by the porters, nor were they included in the leaders’ meetings.

The vagrants, seemingly accustomed to this atmosphere, didn’t protest and instead laughed and chatted among themselves. It seemed such situations were not new to them.

Lee Gwak’s gaze was drawn to the central carriage, which carried the elderly man who had commissioned the cargo. Unlike other carriages, the old man’s carriage was positioned near the fire inside the clearing.

Throughout the journey, the old man hadn’t once exited the carriage. It appeared he managed all his needs, including meals and restroom breaks, within it.

Lee Gwak was curious about the old man’s identity and the need for such secrecy.

Just then, Cheol Gwang Woo approached Lee Gwak.

“Brother, please eat.”

In his hands, he carried bowls of an unidentified porridge.

It was food made by the porters.

It was a simple meal made of pre-prepared grain flour and shredded beef jerky. It was a simple meal that was very useful while traveling.

Lee Gwak looked at the small bowl in Cheol Gwang Woo’s hand and asked,

“Will that small amount be enough?”

“I guess not.”

Cheol Gwang Woo had a gloomy expression on his face.

The amount he ate in a day was truly enormous. A mere bowl of porridge was not enough to satisfy his hunger, making him feel gloomy already.

“But they said they would give me any leftover porridge, so it’s not the worst.”

Cheol Gwang Woo tried to find some consolation.

‘I should think about feeding this guy.’

The Shenyang Escort Service wouldn’t be camping out forever. As soon as they reached the next village, Lee Gwak decided to buy some extra food for Cheol Gwang Woo.

Fortunately for Cheol Gwang Woo, there was plenty of leftover porridge after everyone had eaten. The porters had prepared generous portions from the start.

The leftovers were all Cheol Gwang Woo’s share. Thanks to this, he was able to stave off hunger for a while.

After everyone had finished eating, Du Yeo-gwang approached Lee Gwak.

“Did you eat well?”

“Thanks to you, I did.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Do you have something to say?”

“It’s about the night watch. We will take care of most of it, but your side should bear some burden as well, shouldn’t it?”

“Have you spoken to the other vagrants?”

“Of course. They readily agreed to it.”

“I understand. Then we will do it too.”

“Thank you! With so many of us, we can rotate easily. Take the first watch tonight and another in three days. We’ll adjust as necessary.”

“We will do so.”

Lee Gwak readily nodded.

He had anticipated having to take night watches as part of the escort journey, so he felt no burden.

Cheol Gwang Woo, hearing he would take a night watch, looked excited. For him, every experience was a new adventure.

The young man, newly independent, found everything novel and thrilling.

After a few more words of instruction, Du Yeo-gwang returned to where the escorts were gathered.

The escorts , the porters, and the vagrants each conversed in their groups. Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo did not belong to any of them.

The escorts always had a strong aversion to escorts, and the vagrants did not dare approach Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo after witnessing their formidable martial prowess firsthand.

Thanks to this, Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo were able to have a leisurely conversation a bit away from the others.

After a while, Cheol Gwang Woo began practicing his Qigong of the Vajra Demon Shadow Technique. Unlike before, he wasn’t just practicing Qigong blindly but was doing so while paying
attention to the insights he gained from his conversation with Lee Gwak.

Lee Gwak silently kept watch beside him.

Practicing Qigong in a place with so many people was almost taboo. Receiving external shocks during Qigong could easily lead to severe mental distractions.

Therefore, reputable sects would either have someone guard the practitioner or provide an isolated place for practicing Qigong.

Lee Gwak resolved all these issues by deploying a Qi membrane. The Qi membrane perfectly blocked out external noises, allowing Cheol Gwang Woo to focus on his Qigong without any external disturbances.

Lee Gwak leaned against a rock and looked up at the sky.

The stars filling the night sky shone as if they were about to spill down, and the sound of insects was pleasing to the ear.

It was a scene that could be considered romantic.

Lee Gwak closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment’s romance.

To the vagrants and the escorts, Lee Gwak’s behavior seemed out of place. They glanced over at him and murmured among themselves.

Regardless, Lee Gwak closed his eyes and spent time alone.

Lee Gwak opened his eyes when it was his turn to stand the night watch.

He spoke to the escort who had been on watch before him.

“I will take over now. Try to get some rest.”

“Then I leave it in your hands.”

The escort gave a few words of advice and returned to his sleeping spot near the campfire.

“Brother!”

Cheol Gwang Woo also woke up and approached Lee Gwak.

Perhaps because of his Qigong practice, there was no sign of tiredness on his face.

Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo stood watch, being careful not to wake the others.

As Lee Gwak was adding branches to the campfire to keep it from going out, the door of a carriage suddenly opened, and an elderly man stepped out.

It was the elderly man who had entrusted their goods to the newly established courier service.

It seemed he had come out for some air, taking deep breaths, and was momentarily startled upon seeing Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo.

Despite the surrounding darkness, the elderly man still wore his hat pulled down low.

He cautiously approached the spot where Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo were.

Standing in front of the campfire, the elderly man asked Lee Gwak.

“May I join you for a bit? It’s rather suffocating to be alone.”

“Please do.”

“Thank you!”

With Lee Gwak’s permission, the elderly man sat opposite him.

Stretching his hands towards the campfire, he continued, “This feels a bit more bearable.”

The elderly man’s voice was eerily solemn.

It felt as if a crow was speaking human words, creating a similar atmosphere.

Lee Gwak stared at the elderly man. Sensing Lee Gwak’s gaze, the elderly man looked back at him.

“Are you also an escort with the Shenyang Escort Service?”

“No.”

“Then?”

“Think of me as a sort of hired vagrant, going in the same direction.”

“Hmm! You must be quite skilled. Lee Won-chang wouldn’t hire just anyone.”

“I can protect myself to a certain extent.”

“That might not be enough.”

“Excuse me?”

As Lee Gwak looked puzzled, the elder snorted.

“What I mean is, that won’t be enough to protect me.”

The elder spoke carelessly, but Lee Gwak deduced the truth from his words.

‘The cargo isn’t something separate; the elder himself is the cargo.’

Lee Gwak’s eyes narrowed.

It would have been much better if the cargo were simply goods. Those targeting the cargo would mostly be thieves or bandits, who are only after the goods and thus, there could be room for negotiation.

However, when the cargo is a person, the situation changes. Those targeting a person are usually filled with killing intent, leaving no room for negotiation and increasing the likelihood of casualties.

The escort service owner Lee Won-chang had not mentioned that the cargo to be protected was a person. He had withheld important information from Lee Gwak.

Lee Gwak asked the elder,

“What is your name, elder?”

“Ha! Curious, are you? Unfortunately, you are not worthy to know my name.”

“Worthy?”

“Yes! One must be at least a key figure in the Jade Heaven Alliance to have the right to know my name. That’s why I am on this long journey.”

The elder seemed very proud.

He appeared to think of himself as a very special person, which was evident from his arrogant tone.

Lee Gwak silently observed the elder.

A martial artist of Lee Gwak’s caliber could usually gauge another’s skill level with a single glance.

The elder’s skill level didn’t seem that remarkable to Lee Gwak.

At best, he was on par with Lee Won-chang, the owner of the newly Shenyang Escort Service. While that was impressive, it was negligible on the grand scale of the Jianghu.

Such arrogance from him meant he was relying on something other than personal martial prowess.

No particularly notable items or treasures were visible.

Therefore, Lee Gwak concluded that the elder was relying on some kind of information.

People carrying secret information often move in utmost secrecy for transactions.

Lee Gwak finished assessing the elder.

‘This man must possess some information, and he is heading to the Jade Heaven Alliance for a transaction.’

Lee Gwak slightly furrowed his brow.

It seemed he had gotten involved in a more troublesome matter than anticipated.

Lee Gwak glanced towards where Lee Won-chang was sleeping.

‘Outwitted by an old fox.’

Having grown much under Gwang Noh ya’s tutelage over the past six years, Lee Gwak thought he was well-prepared, but dealing with an old fox seasoned in the ways of the Jianghu was not easy.

‘Well, this is a good experience, too.’

Experiences like this accumulate over time, eventually making one less likely to be easily exploited by others.

The elder, perhaps feeling he had said enough, shut his mouth tightly and returned to the carriage after a brief moment in the cold air.

“What’s with that old man?”

Finally breaking his silence, Cheol Gwang Woo burst out in frustration.

A subtle killing intent swirled in Cheol Gwang Woo’s eyes as he looked at the carriage the elder had entered.

He had been holding back because of Lee Gwak, but the elder’s dismissive attitude had ignited anger within him.

Lee Gwak sighed as he looked at Cheol Gwang Woo’s face.

‘This guy’s killing intent is too strong.’

Upon reflection, the elder wasn’t the real issue. The real problem was Cheol Gwang Woo, who couldn’t contain his murderous aura.