Martial Artist Lee Gwak Episode 199
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way (3)
The dock was getting closer.
By the time they arrived, the dock was already filled with numerous boats at anchor. From the Unmado riverboat that Lee Gwak had arrived in, to small rowboats and pleasure boats used by the courtesans, the variety was great. As diverse as the boats were, so were the people at the dock.
Even before they reached the dock, the voices of people chatting could be heard in the wind.
Behind the dock, the mighty presence of the Jade Heaven Alliance loomed large. Its sheer size seemed to fill the entire Dongting Lake.
Lee Gwak silently gazed at the Jade Heaven Alliance.
His eyes were filled with mixed feelings, an amalgamation of emotions so complex that even he could not understand.
Thud!
The boat carrying Lee Gwak finally docked at Dongting Lake.
A gangplank was lowered, and the passengers started to disembark in a rush.
Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo waited at the very end of the line. Finally, when everyone had disembarked and the deck was empty, Lee Gwak made his move.
Stepping on the creaking gangplank felt strange.
With each step, Lee Gwak carefully descended the plank.
Finally setting foot on the dock, Lee Gwak closed his eyes for a moment.
‘I’ve finally returned.’
After circling back through six years of time, he had finally returned to the Jade Heaven Alliance.
Though he had not entered the Jade Heaven Alliance yet, just arriving in front of the dock was enough to feel the return.
Nam Woo Gyeong silently watched Lee Gwak with his eyes closed.
He could not precisely know what Lee Gwak was feeling at the moment, but he did not want to disturb him.
Cheol Gwang Woo also remained silent, watching the two.
After a moment, Lee Gwak opened his eyes.
He smiled broadly and said, “Let’s go.”
“Where to? Are you planning to enter the Jade Heaven Alliance right away?”
“It’s late today, so we probably can’t enter the Jade Heaven Alliance.”
“Then, do you plan to rest at an inn?”
“Yes!”
“Let’s go to the Crimson Flower Brothel instead.”
“Crimson Flower Brothel? Isn’t that a branch of Hao Clan? Would it be okay for us to stay there?”
“Why are you so excited about staying at a pleasure house?”
“Brother, too.”
“Hehe! Just kidding.”
Nam Woo Gyeong smiled wryly and led the way.
Lee Gwak shook his head slightly and followed him. Cheol Gwang Woo stuck close by Lee Gwak’s side.
“Brother, are we really going to a pleasure house?”
“Yes!”
“Pleasure house is a place with many beautiful women, right?”
“There are indeed many women there.”
“Wow!”
Cheol Gwang Woo’s face flushed bright red, as if imagining something.
“That kid.”
Nam Woo Gyeong clicked his tongue as he looked at Cheol Gwang Woo, but his expression wasn’t one of dislike. He had grown quite fond of Cheol Gwang Woo during their time together.
The three of them left the dock and headed for the Crimson Flower Brothel.
Although six years had passed, the streets hadn’t changed much. Lee Gwak couldn’t take his eyes off the familiar street scenes.
He had spent his youth here. The streets, the voices of the people, the atmosphere – there was nothing he didn’t know.
Darkness had settled over the streets, but the faces of the people were more lively than ever.
Occasionally, they would see martial artists who appeared to be affiliated with the Jade Heaven Alliance.
Their brown martial uniforms clearly indicated they were from the Outer Hall.
Whether they were heading out for a drink after their day’s work, their faces were beaming.
Seeing them made Lee Gwak’s heart grow heavier.
“Sigh!”
Lee Gwak sighed quietly to himself.
He saw his past self in them. However, he forcefully pushed away those thoughts and followed Nam Woo Gyeong.
By then, Nam Woo Gyeong had arrived in front of a large pleasure house.
Red lanterns hung from the eaves, and through the wide-open windows flowed the mellifluous laughter of the courtesans and the sound of the pipa.
A large signboard with the characters for Crimson Flower Brothel was hung on the eaves.
Bang bang!
Nam Woo Gyeong boldly knocked on the door of the Crimson Flower Brothel. After a moment, a middle-aged man with a beard poked his head out from between the doors and said,
“We’re fully booked tonight and can’t accept any more guests. Please go elsewhere.”
“It’s been a while, Manager Yeom.”
“Ah! Young Master.”
The middle-aged man with the goatee, who had been speaking curtly, opened the door wide and rushed out when he recognised Nam Woo-gyeong’s face.
He bowed deeply to Nam Woo Gyeong and said,
“Young Master, what brings you here without notice?”
“Is there room inside?”
“Of course, there is. Even if there isn’t, we must make room. Please, come in.”
“Make sure these two have a place to stay as well.”
“Would there be any issue? Please, follow me.”
The manager hurriedly ushered the three men into the Crimson Flower Brothel.
Upon entering, the sounds of the pipa and the courtesans’ laughter became even clearer.
“It seems business is still doing well.”
“With the Jade Heaven Alliance flourishing, not only our pleasure house, but all the establishments in the area are enjoying prosperity.”
“Impressive.”
“I have prepared a detailed report for your review.”
“Hm!”
Nam Woo Gyeong nodded in satisfaction.
The manager led them to a detached house deep inside the Crimson Flower Brothel, a modest place Nam Woo Gyeong usually used when he visited.
Nam Woo Gyeong told Lee Gwak and the others,
“Consider this place like your own home while you’re here. There are several rooms, so choose whichever you like.”
“Thank you!”
Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo responded simultaneously.
Nam Woo Gyeong then gave an order to the manager.
“I’ll listen to the report later. For now, I want a simple meal. We haven’t eaten properly during our long journey and are very hungry.”
“Understood. I will instruct the kitchen immediately, so please rest for a while.”
“Good.”
Nam Woo Gyeong nodded, and the manager cautiously withdrew.
Left alone, Nam Woo Gyeong turned his gaze towards Lee Gwak.
“Lee Gwak, you’ve been here before, haven’t you?”
“Yes! I came once for the Outer Hall Squad Leader’s meeting.”
Lee Gwak nodded.
The Outer Hall leader, Maeng Hee Cheon, liked to show off. He gathered the leaders here to boast about his authority.
Lee Gwak remembered the interior of the Crimson Flower Brothel because he had been there. Thus, he wasn’t surprised by the lavish scenery that might astonish anyone. On the other hand, it was Cheol Gwang Woo’s first time in such a place, and he couldn’t close his gaping mouth.
Although Nam Woo Gyeong’s quarters were modest, the view from the window was dazzling enough to tempt anyone.
Nam Woo Gyeong laughed at Cheol Gwang Woo’s reaction.
“You’re going to drop your jaw, country bumpkin!”
Suddenly, Cheol Gwang Woo grabbed Nam Woo Gyeong’s hands with his large hands and said,
“Brother, I respect you.”
“Oh?”
“From the moment I first met you, I respected you. I mean it.”
“Alright, alright, can you let go of my hands now?”
“Hehe!”
Cheol Gwang Woo finally released Nam Woo Gyeong’s hands, laughing.
Then, a voice came from outside.
“May I come in?”
Nam Woo Gyeong answered with a stern face,
“Come in.”
With his permission granted, the door opened, and a woman of graceful beauty walked in. The woman was dressed as gorgeous as her beauty, and she was as bright as a rose.
Cheol Gwang Woo’s eyes widened at her entrance.
Behind her were several courtesans of equal beauty, and maids carrying tables laden with food.
Nam Woo Gyeong smiled at the rose-like beautiful woman.
“How come you’re here in person instead of managing the business?”
The rose-like beautiful woman was Cho Ha, the owner of the Crimson Flower Brothel.
Cho Ha gently smiled gently and said,
“It’s been a while since the young master visited, so I had to come personally.”
“And if the business suffers tonight because of this?”
“One night’s loss won’t ruin the Crimson Flower Brothel.”
“You’ve become quite bold in my absence.”
“It’s all thanks to your generosity, Young Master.”
Cho Ha, still smiling, gestured to the courtesans and attendants waiting at the door. The attendants brought in tables of food, followed by the courtesans.
“You, sit next to the young master, and you, next to the gentleman over there.”
“And what about you?”
Nam Woo Gyeong looked puzzled.
At that moment, Cho Ha’s gaze was fixed on Lee Gwak.
“It’s been a while, Mr. Lee Gwak.”
“Indeed, it has been.”
Lee Gwak replied with a somewhat awkward expression.
“Six years, isn’t it? I heard you were gone…”
Cho Ha’s eyes were moist as she looked at Lee Gwak. The intensity of her gaze was slightly burdensome, but Lee Gwak did not look away.
Six years ago, when Lee Gwak had visited with the Outer Hall leader Maeng Hee Cheon, the young courtesan who sat beside him was none other than Cho Ha.
The ways of the world are unpredictable, and Lee Gwak never dreamed that he would meet her again as the owner of the Crimson Flower Brothel.
“I was lucky.”
“Luck, you say?”
“Yes.”
“I’m glad it was good luck.”
Cho Ha smiled and took her seat beside Lee Gwak.
The fragrant scent coming from her body was intoxicating.
Over the six years, Cho Ha had become even more charming and radiant.
Her beauty, like a fully bloomed rose, was so renowned that people would line up just to see her.
Even though she no longer personally greeted guests as the owner, many still sought her out.
Nam Woo Gyeong clicked his tongue.
“So the owner herself came not for me, but for Lee Gwak.”
“Anyway, he’s someone I have a past connection with.”
“Hmm!”
Nam Woo Gyeong frowned slightly at Cho Ha’s response.
Just from the way she looked at Lee Gwak and spoke to him, it was clear that Cho Ha still harbored feelings for him.
However, Lee Gwak’s gaze was not on her. His eyes held the remnants of another person.
Nam Woo Gyeong brought a cup of alcohol to his lips, muttering,
“Tsk! What is this thing between men and women that makes even a bystander’s heart feel so cold?”
He closed his eyes tightly.
***
Late into the night, Lee Gwak quietly slipped out of the Crimson Flower Brothel.
Nam Woo Gyeong and Cheol Gwang Woo had long succumbed to their drunken stupor. Nam Woo Gyeong had fallen asleep early due to the release of his built-up tension, and Cheol Gwang Woo had passed out after gulping down the liquor offered by a young courtesan seated next to him.
Lee Gwak silently drank the liquor poured by Cho Ha.
Cho Ha, without imposing further, quietly served the liquor until everyone was intoxicated and then withdrew with the courtesans.
Despite having consumed two bottles, Lee Gwak strangely felt no hint of drunkenness.
He looked around for a moment before quietly moving on.
He headed towards the northern streets, adjacent to the slums.
Though it was late, the streets were still somewhat bustling with people. Lee Gwak passed them and continued towards his destination.
As he neared, his heart began to beat a little faster.
He felt the familiar air of the familiar streets. And then, Lee Gwak arrived at his intended location.
It was a dilapidated house surrounded by a high wall.
A myriad of feelings crossed Lee Gwak’s face.
This rundown house was his home.
It was the house he had bought with the salary he saved while serving as an outer hall martial artist of the Jade Heaven Alliance.
When he left this house six years ago, he never dreamed it would take so long to return.
The house’s main door was securely locked, covered with unsightly boards. A paper with red letters prohibiting entry was plastered over the door.
After gazing at the house for a moment, Lee Gwak used his qigong to leap over the tall wall.
As he had guessed from the outside, the interior was in complete disarray.
Holes punctured the tiled roof, and all the doors were smashed and tattered. The platform Lee Gwak had built with his own hands was rotting away, collapsed, and the stone-paved courtyard was overrun with weeds.
It seemed as if no one had been here for a long time; there was no warmth of people inside.
Lee Gwak quietly surveyed the courtyard before stepping inside the house.
The inside was even more of a mess.
It looked as though someone had ransacked the place, with furniture and belongings all broken. Utensils like spoons and chopsticks were scattered across the floor, and there were clear signs of rain and wind entering through the broken windows.
It was evidence that the house had been neglected for six years.
Lee Gwak’s eyes wavered as he looked around the interior.
The fact that his first home was left to decay pained his heart. Even more heartbreaking was that the space filled with memories of Han So Cheon was utterly destroyed.
For a while, Lee Gwak stood motionless, staring at the wall.
Life returned to his eyes when the moonlight shining through the holes in the roof illuminated the wall.
Under the moonlight, faint letters appeared as if written in charcoal.
“I will always wait for you”
He did not know when it was written.
Nor did he know who wrote it.
It could have been scribbled by someone who broke in out of boredom, or perhaps it was a prank by someone from the Jade Heaven Alliance.
But the moment Lee Gwak saw those seven characters, his heart raced uncontrollably, worrying it might burst through his chest.
Lee Gwak reached out to touch the words on the wall.
It seemed as though he could feel a warm energy emanating from those seven characters.
“Sigh!”
After a moment, Lee Gwak withdrew his hand from the letters, his breath light. Black ash smeared on the hand that had caressed the letters.
Whether it was dust accumulated on the wall or charcoal powder was uncertain.
Lee Gwak silently rubbed the black ash.
His heart, once pounding, gradually calmed down. Yet, Lee Gwak still couldn’t bring himself to move.
He stood still as if turned to stone for a long while.
“So Cheon!”