Episode 69: The Brighter the Light, the Deeper the Shadows (1)
Light Novel: Volume 3 Chapter 7
Manhwa: Chapter 62
Chapter 7. The Brighter the Light, the Deeper the Shadows (1)
Lee Gwak’s gaze turned to the man with the scar on his face.
“What is your name?”
“What’s the point of you knowing that?”
The scarred man spat at Lee Gwak’s feet. The yellowish phlegm barely missed, landing just beside his shoe.
“Me?”
Cheon-wol’s eyes turned ice-cold in an instant. But because Lee Gwak remained still, he, too, did not move.
Lee Gwak then shifted his gaze to the tattooed man standing in opposition to the scarred man.
“And your name?”
“You must be an Outer Hall squad leader. Let’s just leave it at that. I’ll introduce myself properly later.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“You’re here for a cut, aren’t you? I’ll have plenty of money once I get rid of that bastard, so just be patient.”
“Now you’re saying you’re going to pay me?”
“Tsk. What a big mouth. Can’t even understand simple words.”
The tattooed man shot Lee Gwak a defiant glare, his eyes brimming with arrogance. It was a sharp, intimidating gaze—one that only those who had mastered internal energy could possess.
This made it clear.
Martial artists had begun infiltrating the slums, and it was clear that they were forming factions and fighting for control of the slums.
Even a dry rag will produce water if squeezed hard enough. Likewise, these men were exploiting the destitute, wringing whatever little they had for their own gain.
If it had merely been a fight between commoners, it would have been enough to mediate and let them be, but if there were martial arts masters involved, it could not be ignored.
Lee Gwak spoke.
“Everyone, drop your weapons and disperse. I will not tolerate any further disturbance.”
“Ha! You won’t tolerate it?”
The tattooed man stepped in close, nearly shoving his face into Lee Gwak’s. Behind him, his men tensed, their bloodlust thickening the air.
Amusement flickered in the tattooed man’s eyes.
He had been in this place for several months now. Long enough to grasp how the Outer Hall, responsible for guarding the outer perimeter of the Jade Heaven Alliance, operated.
From what he knew, each Outer Hall squad typically consisted of twenty members. The squad leaders of well-structured squads were experienced and not easily provoked. If they were carelessly antagonized, the Jade Heaven Alliance would undoubtedly step in to eradicate any threats.
That was why they had already bribed and paid a considerable amount of money to the experienced squad leaders of the Outer Hall. Because of that, they felt emboldened to challenge Lee Gwak—a leader with too few squad members and a face that looked too young. They believed that if things escalated, the bribed squad leaders would step in to protect them.
“Just step aside while I’m still being polite. I’ll make it worth your while later.”
“Fuck off. Move.”
Both the tattooed man and the scarred man pressed in on Lee Gwak at the same time.
They may have been enemies a moment ago, but in this instant, their interests aligned.
When Lee Gwak took a step backward, a nasty grin spread across both of their faces. They thought they had successfully intimidated Lee Gwak.
‘Just a damn rookie.’
‘If he’s this weak-minded, I can easily manipulate him and use him.’
Once someone was seen as weak, they would forever be exploited and taken advantage of. That was the law of the underworld. And these men had spent their entire lives surviving in that world.
Like starving beasts, they had a common instinct. To latch onto anyone who showed even the slightest hint of weakness and never let go.
But they had miscalculated.
Lee Gwak had not stepped back out of fear of their threats, nor did he have any intention of leaving their fight unchecked.
“Cheon-wol!”
“Yes, Squad Leader.”
Cheon-wol’s low yet chilling voice echoed through the clearing.
In that instant, a sharp chill swept over the gathered men, making them involuntarily shudder. They had never experienced anything like this before, so they had no idea what was happening.
And then, Lee Gwak’s voice rang out once more.
“Disarm them all.”
“Yes.”
Cheon-wol responded briefly, as if he had been waiting for the order.
A gleam of light flickered through his eyes, which peeked out from beneath the cloth wrapped around his face. But none of the men noticed the change in Cheon-wol. Instead, they scoffed at Cheon-wol as he stepped forward.
“What the hell? Who’s this little brat?”
“The Jade Heaven Alliance must really be scraping the bottom of the barrel. This kid is supposed to be an Outer Hall martial artist? Hey, kid! Where’s your mommy? Have you even stopped breast feeding off of her?”
It was then.
Thwack!
“Guaaagh!”
The head of the burly man who had been laughing the loudest snapped backward violently. Before anyone could react, Cheon-wol had already struck him using the blunt pommel of his sword. A part of the sword commonly referred to as the sword head.
“What… what the hell?”
“You little bastard!”
The stunned men scrambled to draw their weapons. But before they could even get into formation, Cheon-wol was already on the move.
Cheon-wol was like a small leopard. He was so swift that the men’s eyes could barely keep up with his movements.
He swept through the men like the wind, swinging his sheathed sword.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
“Argh!”
“Ghak!”
With sounds like splitting bamboo, the men screamed and collapsed to the ground.
Their hands and feet, struck by the sword sheath, swelled up in an instant.
Cheon-wol showed no mercy. This was because the men had insulted Lee Gwak, the person he respected and admired the most.
It was as if a cold blue flame was rising from his eyes.
Cheon-wol was like a wolf leaping into a flock of sheep.The men shouted frantically and swung their swords wildly, but not a single one could block Cheon-wol’s attacks.
Wherever he passed, only fallen men writhing in pain remained.
“Our youngest is truly incredible.”
“Whoa!”
Even the members of Squad 13 stared in awe at Cheon-wol’s overwhelming presence.
Although they knew that Cheon-wol was strong, they had never imagined he had reached such a level.
It wasn’t until later that the men in charge realized the gravity of the situation.
“Damn it!”
“Shit!”
They never expected that such a small boy would possess such overwhelming strength. The shock of it only made their humiliation greater.
A moment ago, they had been at each other’s throats. But now, their instincts screamed at them to work together because Cheon-wol had frightened them that much.
Shuaak!
Cheon-wol’s small frame moved like a shadow stretching under the light, streaking toward the two men.
Despite their arrogance, the two gang leaders were far from ordinary thugs. Unlike their subordinates, they had trained in martial arts.
Swish!
Their blades whipped through the air in a vicious arc.
The scarred man targeted Cheon-wol’s upper body, while the tattooed man aimed for his legs.
Their strikes carried a significant amount of internal energy. Moreover, their techniques were refined enough that most Outer Hall martial artists would have struggled to counter them. But their opponent was Cheon-wol.
Shuaak!
Cheon-wol’s sword flashed free from its sheath.
His blade shot out in the most direct and efficient path.
Single Flash Severs the Lake. The fifth technique of the Sun Splitting Sword Art.
Like a flash of lightning cleaving through a still lake, his sword sliced through the two men.
“Urgh!”
“Keuh!”
Their screams rang out as their swords clattered to the ground. Both had been struck on the wrist, deep enough to disarm them, but not enough to sever. But Cheon-wol’s attack wasn’t over yet.
Thud!
Cheon-wol’s foot struck the backs of their knees.
The force of the impact caused the two gang leaders to stagger violently before collapsing onto their knees.
Grinding their teeth, they desperately reached for their fallen swords, but the moment their fingers stretched out, they felt a cold sensation on their necks. Before they knew it, Cheon-wol had pointed his sword and scabbard at their throats.
“Ugh…”
“Damn it…!”
Their bodies trembled uncontrollably.
They had known that the Jade Heaven Alliance was home to fearsome warriors. But they never imagined that even a boy this young could be this terrifyingly skilled.
Before coming here, they had been renowned martial artists in their own right, standing out even within their respective martial schools. Now, in the slums, they had fought ruthlessly to carve out their own domain. But at the very least, their skills were real.
However, they were overpowered by Cheon-wol without putting up much of a fight. That was proof of just how formidable Cheon-wol’s martial prowess was.
Cheon-wol had not been practicing martial arts for long. And yet, the fact that he could already display such power proved that he was naturally gifted in martial arts.
Still holding the two men down, Cheon-wol turned to Lee Gwak. It was a silent indication that his role here was done.
Lee Gwak walked over to the kneeling men. Their faces twisted with resentment as they glared up at him.
“Damn it! Do you really think you’ll get away with this?”
“Hurry up and let us go.”
Their eyes burned with venomous hostility. If it were an ordinary person, just making eye contact with them would have been enough to send chills down their spine. But unfortunately for them, Lee Gwak was no ordinary man. He was not just another Outer Hall martial artist, as they had assumed.
Lee Gwak crouched down in front of them, meeting their gaze.
His eyes did not shine with an intense aura like Cheon-wol’s. Rather, they seemed plain, unremarkable. And yet, there was something strangely deep about them.
Dark pupils, deep and endless like the abyss, stared back at them.
For a moment, they flinched.
They wanted to spit out curses, to lash out, but as they stared into Lee Gwak’s eyes, their voices failed them.
‘What the hell…?’
‘Tsk…!’
They were like insects caught in a spider’s web, unable to move, drenched in cold sweat.
Lee Gwak spoke.
“Now, will you tell me your name? You first.”
“I-I’m Yi Woo-myeong.”
The tattooed man stammered his answer.
Lee Gwak then turned to the scarred man.
“And you?”
“Ghhk…!”
The scarred man gritted his teeth, refusing to answer.
A subtle ripple flickered through Lee Gwak’s black eyes.
‘Heuk!’
The scarred man gasped sharply.
The instant Lee Gwak’s gaze shifted, an indescribable terror washed over him.
His entire body stiffened, his limbs locking up unnaturally. Yet his heart pounded wildly, beating against his ribs like it was trying to escape his chest. His breath came in short gasps, and every hair on his body stood on end. It was a reaction he couldn’t understand.
Lee Gwak asked once more.
“What is your name?”
“…Jang Wi-moon.”
In the end, the scarred man revealed his real name.
“Good. Master Jang, Master Yi. I understand that you’re both martial artists, and that you are fighting over dominance in the slums. However, I will not allow you to continue exploiting the poor.”
“Hng…!”
“If you want to make money, do it through honest work. Stop preying on those who are already struggling.”
“You think we’re doing this because we enjoy it? We were never given a choice. We lost everything because of the war between the Jade Heaven Alliance and the Celestial Demon Union, yet the Jade Heaven Alliance refuses to take us in. What do you expect us to do?”
Jang Wi-moon raised his voice, his frustration spilling over. Yi Woo-myeong nodded in agreement.
“This is all we have left. If you take even this from us, you’re telling us to just die.”
Their eyes were bloodshot.
Even though they had been subdued, not by Lee Gwak, but by one of his subordinates, Cheon-wol, they still had their pride.
They had devoted their lives to martial arts. To them, being told to live like ordinary people and do menial labor was unthinkable, and humiliating beyond words.
Even though they had been subdued by Cheon-wol and humiliated, they remained optimistic. As long as they could get through this moment, they believed they could regain control of the situation.
After all, they had succeeded in bribing other squad leaders in the Outer Hall. If they leveraged a squad leader of higher rank than Lee Gwak, they would be able to smooth things over.
‘We just need to get through this moment.’
Fortunately, Lee Gwak didn’t seem particularly ruthless. His face looked mild, even gentle—someone who, if persuaded the right way, might just let them off.
Lee Gwak watched them in silence for a moment before finally standing up.
Then, he turned to his squad members and ordered,
“Escort them to the Outer Hall’s dungeons.”
Caught off guard by Lee Gwak’s unexpected words, Jang Wi-moon widened his eyes and glared at him.
“How long do you think we’ll stay locked up? One day? Two days? We’ll be out in no time.No matter how many times you throw us in, it won’t change anything. So don’t waste your energy and let’s just move on.”
“That’s right. Do you know how many people in the Outer Hall have taken our money? Even if we’re locked up, we’ll be out before you know it.”
Even Yi Woo-myeong raised his voice, trying to pressure Lee Gwak. But Lee Gwak remained completely unfazed. His expression didn’t change in the slightest as he calmly responded,
“Feel free to get out as many times as you like. I’ll throw you right back in, every single time. I’m confident that I will never get tired of it, but can you say the same for yourselves?”
“Hic–!”
The two men’s faces twisted.
Only then did they realize that the man they’d seen as so easygoing was, in truth, an utterly relentless monster.
‘Damn it!’
The same thought flashed through their minds simultaneously.
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