Martial Artist Lee Gwak Episode 229
Blood Is Thicker Than Water…(1)
“Why?” she might have asked, but Lee Soo-ah simply closed her eyes.
Ssh!
At that moment, a chilling sound pierced her ears.
“Ugh!”
Following a suffocating groan, Lee Soo-ah’s body was freed. Just before hitting the ground, someone gently cradled her.
The intense smell of sweat and a strong odor filled her senses.
‘Dad!’
No one had to tell her; Lee Soo-ah knew instinctively that the person holding her was Lee Gwak.
Lee Soo-ah reached out and tightly hugged his neck.
With one hand holding Lee Soo-ah, Lee Gwak glared at Yoon Sa-pyeong.
“Grr!”
Yoon Sa-pyeong staggered.
A long cut had appeared on his side.
‘When did that happen?’
His eyes wavered.
He hadn’t even realized when Lee Gwak moved. The moment he felt a gust of wind, a long cut appeared on his side, and Lee Soo-ah was already in Lee Gwak’s arms.
It was then that Yoon Sa-pyeong realized that Lee Gwak was a master beyond his imagination.
“Attack him, all of you.”
As Yoon Sa-pyeong retreated, he ordered a combined attack. Immediately, the Shadow Chasing Squad launched an assault on Lee Gwak.
Their killing intent enveloped Lee Gwak like a dense net.
Lee Gwak tightened his grip on his blade.
Since entering the Jianghu, he had avoided unnecessary killings as much as possible. But now, his heart was filled solely with the desire to kill.
The sight of the little child’s body, covered with wounds, cradled in his arms like a bird seeking refuge, ignited his desire to kill.
Ssh!
Lee Gwak’s blade sliced through the darkness.
Drops of red blood splattered across the thick darkness.
Slash!
Lee Gwak moved with terrifying speed, skimming the ground like a swallow flying over water.
His blade , infused with the intent to kill, was an embodiment of the Heaven Killing Blade.
Martial artists charging at Lee Gwak from the front fell helplessly, like logs with their bases cut off.
Ssh!
Every time Lee Gwak’s blade cut through the darkness, someone lost their life.
“What?”
“How could he…?”
The martial artists ‘ eyes shook violently as they witnessed the unbelievable scene.
A gruesome sight, unlike anything they had ever imagined, unfolded before their eyes.
The bodies of their comrades piled up on the dark ground.
Every time Lee Gwak’s blade cut through the darkness, someone lost their life. These were comrades they had fought alongside for over ten years. They knew their comrades’ skills better than anyone.
The martial artists of the White Light Sect were known for their formidable martial arts, enough to instill fear. But even such powerful skills were useless against the man before them.
He was a demon.
No, he was a Sura.
A Sura bringing death.
Only then did Yoon Sa-pyeong recall the existence of a martial artist known as Sura in the Jianghu.
Busy chasing Lee Soo-ah, he had dismissed the nickname as mere rumor. But seeing Lee Gwak rain down death so mercilessly, he could not help but recall the nickname Sura.
Ssh!
Lee Gwak’s blade drew a sharp arc. The last three subordinates standing fell like rotten straw.
Swoosh!
Lee Gwak’s swift movements approached Yoon Sa-pyeong.
The darkness around him seemed to ripple. The swaying darkness instilled a peculiar fear in Yoon Sa-pyeong.
“I won’t go down easily.”
Yoon Sa-pyeong tried to shake off his fear and used his secret sword technique, the Shadow Flying Sword.
Shhh!
His sword emitted a clear aura.
It was sword energy.
But before his sword energy could fully manifest, Lee Gwak’s blade pierced his forehead.
Thud!
Like piercing tofu, the blade went through his forehead and came out the back of his head.
“Ugh!”
Yoon Sa-pyeong’s body convulsed like a fish on a spear.
That was his last reaction in life.
His body soon went limp.
Lee Gwak swung his blade to fling away Yoon Sa-pyeong’s corpse.
“Aah!”
Gwan So-Choo shuddered.
It happened in the blink of an eye.
The time it took for the fearsome trackers of the White Light Sect to be annihilated was shockingly brief.
In the whole place, only Lee Gwak, Lee Soo-ah, and himself were left alive.
Gwan So-Choo couldn’t even see how Lee Gwak moved. He only saw a flicker before his eyes.
‘I can’t believe Lee Soo-ah’s father is such a terrifying person.’
Lee Soo-ah was still clinging tightly to Lee Gwak’s chest with her eyes closed. Lee Gwak, at some point, had sheathed his blade and was gently stroking Lee Soo-ah’s back.
“It’s alright. It’s all over. No one will harm our Lee Soo-ah anymore.”
“Dad! Waaah!”
Lee Soo-ah hugged his neck even tighter.
In the darkness, Lee Soo-ah’s soft sobbing echoed.
＊＊＊
“Brother!”
Cheol Gwang-Woo blinked in surprise.
Lee Gwak, who had gone out briefly, returned holding a small child. The child had her face buried in Lee Gwak’s chest, fast asleep.
Lee Gwak, being extremely careful not to wake her, turned around.
“You come in, too.”
“Yes!”
Gwan So-Choo entered behind him.
“Brother?”
As Cheol Gwang-Woo’s face showed more confusion, Lee Gwak spoke.
“She’s my daughter.”
“What?”
“Lee Lee Soo-ah! My…daughter.”
Lee Gwak’s voice trembled slightly.
“Brother, are you joking? How can you suddenly have a daughter…?”
“I thought it was a joke at first, too.”
Lee Gwak looked at Gwan So-Choo.
When Gwan So-Choo first mentioned the name Lee Lee Soo-ah, Lee Gwak thought it was just a child in trouble.
But when Gwan So-Choo said that Lee Soo-ah was looking for Lee Gwak and that he was her father, Lee Gwak was so shocked his heart nearly stopped.
If his heart hadn’t pounded like crazy, if he hadn’t felt an inexplicable pull, he would have dismissed Gwan So-Choo’s story as a lie.
That unknown pull led him to Lee Soo-ah, and eventually, he met her.
The moment Lee Gwak saw Lee Soo-ah, he felt like he was struck by lightning. It was as if his soul was being shaken to its core.
No further explanation was needed.
Lee Gwak was certain Lee Soo-ah was his blood.
The warmth he felt from her body proved it.
Lee Gwak carefully sat down so as not to wake Lee Soo-ah. When he tried to lay her down, she subconsciously resisted.
She probably didn’t want to be separated from her father’s embrace.
Lee Gwak wiped the tears from Lee Soo-ah’s cheek. Though she was in a deep sleep, a smile had formed on her lips, a smile that brought happiness to anyone who saw it.
‘Sleep well, my daughter.’
Lee Gwak also smiled.
Cheol Gwang-Woo watched the scene in a daze.
Whether Lee Soo-ah was really Lee Gwak’s daughter or not, the warm sight of Lee Gwak holding her seemed to suit him perfectly.
Lee Gwak, careful not to wake Lee Soo-ah, asked Gwan So-Choo.
“How did you meet Lee Soo-ah?”
“Well…”
Gwan So-Choo steadied his trembling heart and began explaining how he met Lee Soo-ah.
Lee Gwak listened silently.
He couldn’t know what path Lee Soo-ah had taken before entering the Siege Fortress, but he could understand how she had been since arriving here.
When Gwan So-Choo finished his story, Lee Gwak bowed to him.
“Thank you for taking care of my daughter with such dedication. I will repay this kindness.”
“It’s nothing. It was just the right thing to do.”
“The right thing is often ignored by most people. You did something commendable.”
“Thank you.”
Gwan So-Choo blushed at Lee Gwak’s praise and bowed his head. It was the first time since losing his parents that anyone had praised him, especially someone as formidable as Lee Gwak.
The boy’s heart pounded harder than ever.
‘My goodness! She really is his daughter.’
After hearing Gwan So-Choo’s story, Cheol Gwang-Woo was convinced that Lee Soo-ah was indeed Lee Gwak’s daughter.
“Gwang-Woo.”
“Yes, Brother.”
“Give So-Choo a room and let him rest.”
“Understood.”
Without hesitation, Cheol Gwang-Woo responded. The one who was taken aback was Gwan So-Choo.
“Oh, there’s no need. I can go home and sleep.”
“I insist out of gratitude. Rest here tonight.”
At Lee Gwak’s firm words, Gwan So-Choo blushed and replied.
“Yes!”
“Everyone, rest now.”
“Have a good rest, Brother.”
“See you tomorrow.”
Cheol Gwang-Woo left with Gwan So-Choo.
Once alone, Lee Gwak held Lee Soo-ah’s small hand. Her soft, delicate hand was covered with recent scars.
Similar wounds likely covered parts of her body hidden by clothing.
A shadow fell over Lee Gwak’s eyes.
This six-year-old child had risked her life to find him. Even without asking, he could tell she had gone through a lot.
“Sigh!”
Lee Gwak sighed softly, placing his palm on Lee Soo-ah’s vital acupoint and carefully channeling his internal energy.
His Eight Snakes Art was highly effective for healing. He believed this technique could work on others, especially on his daughter.
Handling her with extreme care, Lee Gwak observed Lee Soo-ah’s reactions as he channeled his energy. Fortunately, Lee Soo-ah accepted his energy without resistance.
Perhaps it was because they shared the same blood.
Feeling relieved, Lee Gwak gradually increased the amount of energy. As his energy flowed through her body, Lee Soo-ah’s complexion improved.
Lee Gwak cared for Lee Soo-ah throughout the night, never losing the smile on his lips.
At dawn, after hearing the news, Seo Jong Myeong and Cheol Gwang-Woo went to Lee Gwak’s room.
“What’s this about a daughter? What do you mean?” Seo Jong Myeong asked, bewildered.
His voice was so loud that it woke Lee Soo-ah from her deep sleep.
“Dad?”
The first person Lee Soo-ah looked for upon waking was Lee Gwak.
“Don’t worry, I’m here,”
Lee Gwak reassured her by holding her hand. Only then did Lee Soo-ah’s face show relief.
“What? Is she really your daughter?”
Seo Jong Myeong’s voice grew louder, causing Lee Soo-ah to burrow into Lee Gwak’s chest in fright.
“As you can see, she’s my daughter.”
“What on earth happened while I was out cold?”
Lee Gwak recounted the night’s events to Seo Jong Myeong, whose expression became serious as he listened to the startling events that had taken place while he slept.
After finishing his story, Lee Gwak looked at Lee Soo-ah.
“Now I want to hear your story, Lee Soo-ah. Can you tell Daddy how you got here?”
“I lived in the White Light Sect’s estate with my mom and brother…”
“Brother? You have a brother?”
“Yeah! We’re twins. His name is Lee Cheong.”
“Lee Cheong, Lee Cheong!”
Lee Gwak repeated the name several times, his shoulders trembling slightly.
“Gwak!”
Seo Jong Myeong placed a hand on Lee Gwak’s shoulder to calm him. Lee Gwak gave him a grateful look and then turned back to Soo-ah. She continued her story.
“Cheong is very sick. So, to save him, Mom turned to the White Light Sect for help and followed their orders. Mom…”
As Lee Soo-ah’s story continued, Lee Gwak’s expression grew increasingly stern.
‘So-Cheon!’
Now he understood why he hadn’t been able to find Han So-Cheon.
A single day, a brief moment of love, had borne fruit.
Han So-Cheon, wandering with no place to lean on, had been approached by the White Light Sect, who recognized her worth.
Under the pretext of curing Lee Cheong’s illness, the White Light Sect had exploited Han So-Cheon, and she had no choice but to comply with their demands.
‘So-Cheon! You’ve endured so much.’
Lee Gwak closed his eyes gently.
Though he had never forgotten her face for a moment, he had never wanted to see her so desperately as he did now.
When Lee Soo-ah finally finished her story, a heavy silence filled the room.
Cheol Gwang-Woo and Seo Jong Myeong’s eyes were bloodshot with emotion. They simply blinked, their lips pressed tightly together.
Lee Gwak broke the silence.
“You’ve been through so much, my daughter.”
“Dad, please save Mom and Cheong. Please…”
“Yes!” Lee Gwak stroked Lee Soo-ah’s head.