Martial Artist Lee Gwak Episode 200
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way (4)
“Sigh!”
Lim So Bo let out a deep sigh as if the ground beneath her was collapsing.
Beside her, Lim Ji Moon couldn’t lift his head.
Although failing to prevent O Se-eui’s death wasn’t his fault, he blamed his own incompetence for not capturing the assassin.
“A card to pressure the young master has vanished into thin air.”
“Sister, don’t be too disheartened. There will surely be another opportunity.”
Lim Ji Moon tried to console Lim So Bo. However, no consolation could reach her.
“Sigh, I can’t bear to look at my master.”
“I’m sorry, sister!”
“There’s no need for you to look so guilty, you brought O Se-eui here safely.”
“But still…”
“It’s my fault. I never expected an assassin to strike within the Secret Court. Any competent strategist should have prepared for the worst…”
Lim So Bo bit her lip tightly.
Lim Ji Moon looked at her with a sorrowful expression.
Who could have predicted that a key witness within the Jade Heaven Alliance would be murdered?
Technically, Lim So Bo wasn’t at fault for anything.
It was simply that the assassin was exceptionally skilled.
To successfully ambush in a seemingly impregnable fortress was nothing short of extraordinary.
‘That there exists such an assassin in the world…’
Lim Ji Moon unconsciously clenched his teeth tight.
Usually, when one encounters another person, there is bound to be at least one memorable feature, whether it’s their voice, their gaze or their physique.
No matter how adept someone was at hiding, they couldn’t conceal everything. Especially to someone with keen observational skills like Lim Ji Moon.
However, Lim Ji Moon couldn’t find any distinguishing feature in the assassin. Even if he were to meet the assassin again, he couldn’t be confident in recognizing him.
“Sigh! The world is changing rapidly, but we lack information. Our intelligence network had no idea that such an assassin existed in the world.”
“Sister. That’s because…”
“It is because the Heavenly Intelligence Hall is not sharing vital information with the Secret Court.”
Lim So Bo’s brow furrowed.
The largest intelligence organization in the Jade Heaven Alliance was the Outer Court’s Heavenly Intelligence Hall. They had the most personnel and the longest history, making their reach unmatched.
The Secret Court also had its own intelligence group, the Lesser Intelligence Hall, but it couldn’t compare to the Heavenly Intelligence Hall in terms of the volume of information.
“If only we could receive assistance from the Hao Clan. Where on earth is that Ahjussi wandering off to?”
Lim Ji Moon lamented over Nam Woo Gyeong’s absence.
Since Nam Woo Gyeong had suddenly disappeared, cooperation with the Hao Clan had fizzled out. Such matters heavily depended on the leader’s intent.
Despite extensive efforts to find Nam Woo Gyeong’s whereabouts, no trace of him was found anywhere, deepening their frustration.
Then, the voice of a trusted aide came from outside.
“Miss, a guest from the Hengshan Yu Family Manor has arrived.”
“From the Hengshan Yu Family Manor?”
A glimmer of hope flashed across Lim So Bo’s face.
She immediately opened the door and stepped outside, where the aide who had brought the news was waiting.
“Where are they staying?”
“They are staying at the Jin family guesthouse outside the outer court.”
“Why didn’t they come straight here?”
“The gates have not yet opened. They decided to rest and enter in the afternoon.”
It was too early for the gates of the outer court to open.
Unless one was a key figure in the Jade Heaven Alliance, most people could only enter after the gates were opened.
“Then I’ll go myself.”
“What about your escort?”
“You know I don’t need one.”
“Understood.”
The aide agreed surprisingly easily.
Lim So Bo was not only a key figure in the secret court, but also highly respected within the Jade Heaven Alliance. As such, the secret court had always paid close attention to her safety. Recently, however, they had begun to overlook such concerns.
As Lim So Bo hurried on, Lim Ji Moon’s voice reached her from behind.
“Should I come too?”
“No need. I’ll go and come back by myself. You rest.”
Without waiting for Lim Ji Moon’s response, Lim So Bo quickened her pace.
As she left the Secret Court and headed towards the main gate of the Inner Court, a cold voice stopped her.
“Where are you rushing off to?”
A cold voice suddenly arrested her steps.
Lim So Bo turned her head to see a familiar face.
“Cheon Myeong Oraboni.”
It was Yong Cheon Myeong, the young master of the Jade Heaven Alliance.
The moment she saw Yong Cheon Myeong, Lim So Bo felt a chill run through her body involuntarily.
His domineering gaze and fierce aura made her feel intimidated, but she did not allow herself to show any signs of being daunted.
“I heard we have a visitor outside.”
“Ha! Is this visitor so important that you must personally go to meet them?”
“Any visitor to the Secret Court is an honored guest.”
“But you don’t go out to meet everyone like this. Isn’t that right?”
“…”
Lim So Bo’s face turned pale at his words.
The invisible pressure emanating from Yong Cheon Myeong was shaking her core. Recently, Yong Cheon Myeong’s presence had grown so formidable that even seasoned martial artists found it hard to face him head-on. Lim Sobo’s martial skills were woefully inadequate in comparison.
Being exposed to Yong Cheon Myeong’s aura was a significant threat to her. Yong Cheon Myeong was aware of this but seemed to enjoy her reaction with a smile on his face.
Just as Lim So Bo’s endurance reached its limit, someone silently appeared before her, intercepting Yong Cheon Myeong’s aura on her behalf.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, the oppressive pressure that had been bearing down on her vanished as if it were a lie.
“Ha!”
A gleam of interest appeared in Yong Cheon Myeong’s eyes.
The man standing in front of Lim Sobo to protect her was dressed all in black. He had black hair, black eyes and a black cloth covering the lower half of his face. Even his clothes were all black.
“So, you are Sobo’s Dark Sword.”
“…”
The man referred to as the Dark Sword remained silent. At this, Yong Cheon Myeong’s eyebrows twitched.
Unknown to many, Lim So Bo had a secret protector who accompanied her.
Invisible, protecting Lim So Bo from the shadows and only revealing himself when she was in danger, he was known within the Secret Court as the Dark Sword.
Only Lim So Bo knew its true identity and face. The Dark Sword was indeed her last line of defense.
Even in the presence of the young master of the Jade Heaven Alliance, the Dark Sword said nothing. Or rather, he couldn’t speak.
He had to muster all his strength just to counteract Yong Cheon Myeong’s aura.
Dark Sword’s eyes, visible above the black cloth, were bloodshot, a testament to the immense pressure he was under.
Yet, the Dark Sword neither retreated nor uttered a groan.
Even if his body were to break, protecting Lim So Bo was his mission.
Yong Cheon Myeong stared intently at the Dark Sword’s fierce eyes and smirked. Then, the tremendous aura pressuring the Dark Sword disappeared without a trace.
Yong Cheon Myeong said to the Dark Sword,
“Take good care of Sobo. She’s precious, after all.”
“…”
Dark Sword remained silent.
Yong Cheon Myeong walked past him and past Lim So Bo.
“Let’s meet again. Always take care of yourself.”
“You too, please take care of your health, brother.”
“Ha ha ha!”
Yong Cheon Myeong’s laughter stretched out long.
As soon as he disappeared, Lim So Bo approached the Dark Sword.
“Are you okay?”
“I am fine.”
Dark Sword pulled down the cloth covering his face, revealing a handsome man with skin as pale as if it had never seen sunlight.
His name was Cheon Wol, Lim So Bo’s Dark Sword.
***
The Jin family guesthouse was relatively newly built.
The rooms were clean, and the food was known to be delicious, attracting many visitors. Yoo Sang-myeong and Yoo Sehwa chose to stay at the Jin family guesthouse for these reasons.
They came down to the first floor restaurant around noon. They planned to eat and then enter the Jade Heaven Alliance in the afternoon.
After ordering a simple meal, they sat by the window and chatted.
“Are you feeling better now?”
“I’m sorry for worrying you unnecessarily. I’m feeling better now.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“What about the schedule being delayed because of me?”
“I’ve already informed Sobo that we’ll be entering in the afternoon, so don’t worry.”
“Really? That’s a relief.”
Relief washed over Yoo Sehwa’s face.
Right after they arrived at the Jin family guesthouse the night before, Yoo Sehwa had fallen ill. It was embarrassing for a martial artist to suffer from such a journey.
Thus, they had sent a message to Lim So Bo saying they would arrive late in the afternoon.
Then, Yoo Sehwa noticed familiar faces entering the guesthouse.
“Oh, it’s them.”
“Them?”
“People we came with on the boat. Hmm! One of them isn’t here.”
Following Yoo Sehwa’s remark, Yoo Sang-myeong looked towards the entrance. Then, he saw two men scanning the restaurant.
‘It’s them.’
Yoo Sang-myeong recognized them at a glance.
One of them had a notably memorable appearance that was hard to forget.
A man with an immense stature like a bear but with a gentle demeanor was Cheol Gwang Woo.
Cheol Gwang Woo, with eyes full of curiosity, looked around the guesthouse and said,
“Brother, there’s a table over there.”
“Yes!”
The man nodding beside him was Lee Gwak.
Nam Woo-gyeong wasn’t with them due to some business with the Hao clan.
Since they were staying at a brothel, they needed to find a place to eat outside. Thus, the two ended up at the Jin family guesthouse while searching for a place to dine.
The two sat down at a table by the window.
Leaving the food ordering to Cheol Gwang Woo, Lee Gwak quietly observed the interior of the guest house.
The Jin family guesthouse didn’t exist when Lee Gwak was with the Jade Heaven Alliance, so the interior was unfamiliar to him.
Through the window, he could see the Jade Heaven Alliance.
Still imposing and awe-inspiring, Jade Heaven Alliance stood as it always had.
Then, Yoo Sang-myeong spoke to him from a nearby table.
“We were on the same boat yesterday. I didn’t expect to meet here again, but it’s a pleasant surprise. This must be fate; let’s introduce ourselves. I’m Yoo Sang-myeong, and this is my niece, Yoo Sehwa.”
“Nice to meet you, master Yoo. I am Lee Gwak. And this here is my brother, Cheol Gwang Woo.”
“So, it’s master Lee. What brings you to the Jade Heaven Alliance? Are you here to join the alliance?”
“I’m here to meet someone briefly.”
“Is that so?”
Yoo Sang-myeong nodded.
The number of people residing in the Jade Heaven Alliance exceeded thousands, not to mention their families and relatives, which could push the total over ten thousand.
Finding someone among them wasn’t strange at all.
Yoo Sang-myeong observed Lee Gwak’s face intently.
At first glance, he hadn’t noticed, but upon closer inspection, Lee Gwak’s extraordinary aura became apparent.
His gaze and attire might have seemed ordinary, but Lee Gwak exuded an indescribable dignity.
What Yoo Sang-myeong paid most attention to when assessing someone was the aura and atmosphere they conveyed, essentially their dignity.
The dignity Lee Gwak radiated was something Yoo Sang-myeong had never seen before. It fascinated him even more.
Just as Yoo Sang-myeong was about to inquire further, an unpleasant, crow-like voice filled the air.
“Well, if it isn’t the little brat from Hengshan?”
Just hearing it made his eardrums ache as if they would tear, and his head pounded.
Yoo Sang-myeong turned around to see an old man draped in a black robe resembling a black crow, complete with a hooked nose and sinister flashing eyes.
The moment he recognized the old man’s face, Yoo Sang-myeong’s complexion turned even darker.
‘How could this old demon be here?’
Yoo Sang-myeong recognized the old man instantly.
Mysterious Elder Nam Cheon-yang.
He was a notorious veteran martial artist from the previous generation.
Known for his powerful martial arts and cruel handiwork, he had a dreadful reputation in the Jianghu.
If one were to classify his alignment, it would be closer to the demonic path, accumulating numerous enemies and entanglements, including with the Hengshan Yu Family Manor.
Unable to stand it any longer, the previous head of the Hengshan Yu Family Manor, Yu Nam-cheon, sought to kill him.
Despite Nam Cheon-yang’s considerable skill, he was no match for Yu Nam-cheon. He was defeated miserably and vanished from the Jianghu.
Assumed dead by many, his sudden reappearance here was utterly unexpected.
“How come you are here?”
“Me? Hehe! I was invited to the Jade Heaven Alliance by the young master.”
“This young master invited you?”
“Hehe! The ways of the world are truly unpredictable. To think I would encounter the Hengshan Yu Family Manor, whom I despise the most in this world, right here.”
Nam Cheon-yang let out a sinister laugh.
His eyes shimmered with a red gleam.
It was unmistakably a killing intent.