Episode 74: Where Destiny Takes You…(3)
Light Novel: Volume 3 Chapter 8
Manhwa: Chapter 63
Chapter 8. Where Destiny Takes You…(3)
The journey to Ten Thousand Merchant Union was uneventful.
Although public sentiment was uneasy due to the war with the Celestial Demon Union, they were far enough away from the front lines not to have been affected as much.
The Bloodcloaked Death God Battalion flawlessly carried out their duties, not only as escorts but also as attendants.
They rode ahead of the group to scout for any potential dangers or secure lodgings. Thanks to them, Lee Gwak and Squad 13 had it easy.
With Woon Dae-yeon and the Bloodcloaked Death God Battalion handling everything in advance, there was nothing for them to do. Their only task was to make sure Lim Sobo didn’t face any hardship.
At first, the squad members had felt intimidated by Lim Sobo, but as they spent more time together, they gradually became more comfortable with her.
Lee Gwak thought her sociability was truly remarkable.
Lim Sobo was, after all, the disciple of a military strategist. In terms of status alone, she was worlds apart from the members of Squad 13. And yet, she had treated Squad 13 without reserve.
Perhaps because of that, even Cheon-wol could be seen slowly opening up to her.
‘It would be nice if things just continued like this.’
At that moment, the Bloodcloaked Death God Battalion, who had gone ahead, returned and reported to Woon Dae-yeon.
Woon Dae-yeon’s expression stiffened for a moment before he let out a sigh.
“Phew! Looks like we’ll have to camp out tonight.”
The Bloodcloaked Death God Battalion’s martial artist who had gone on reconnaissance had reported that there were no villages up ahead where they could stay.
Woon Dae-yeon gave the order for an outdoor camp, and the Bloodcloaked Death God Battalion dismounted from their horses and began preparing in perfect order.
They not only arranged a place for Woon Dae-yeon, but also made sure Lim Sobo’s sleeping area was well-prepared, then proceeded to prepare the meal.
Lee Gwak also spoke to Squad 13.
“Let’s get moving too.”
“Got it!”
Under Seok Yi-cheon’s command, the members of Squad 13 began moving quickly. Since Seok Yi-cheon was the oldest, he had the most experience with camping out and naturally took charge.
“Jinhwi, you light the campfire. Il-yeong, fetch some water. Cheon-gwang, set up the sleeping area here. Cheon-wol, go gather some twigs.”
Seok Yi-cheon assigned each of the Squad 13 members their tasks.
The squad members followed his orders without complaint.
By the time they had finished all preparations for camping, the sun had already set. The surroundings had already been swallowed by darkness, with only the sound of insects echoing in the blackness.
The Bloodcloaked Death God Battalion’s rations were jerky. As if it were the most natural thing, they each sat in their own place and gnawed on their meat.
Squad 13’s meal, on the other hand, was hearty.
Seok Yi-cheon placed a small pot over the campfire and quickly cooked up an unidentifiable porridge. Using a mix of dried grains and finely chopped jerky, the resulting porridge looked surprisingly decent.
“Here it is, Seok Yi-cheon’s special porridge. Line up!”
As Seok Yi-cheon raised his voice while holding a ladle, the members of Squad 13 quickly grabbed their bowls and lined up. Their noisy commotion made the Bloodcloaked Death God Battalion frown slightly, but they said nothing.
They maintained a thoroughly refined demeanor, placing an invisible yet towering wall between themselves and Squad 13.
At first, the presence of the Bloodcloaked Death God Battalion had felt awkward and even intimidating, but as time went on, Squad 13 found themselves caring less and less.
Lee Gwak also stood in line, bowl in hand. Behind him stood Lim Sobo, holding her own bowl as well.
“That looks delicious.”
Lim Sobo smacked her lips in anticipation.
After receiving a bowl of porridge from Seok Yi-cheon, she sat beside Cheon-wol as if it were the most natural thing. Cheon-wol flinched slightly but didn’t shy away from her.
Just then, an unexpected figure walked up to Lee Gwak’s side.
“Would I be able to get a bowl as well?”
It was Woon Dae-yeon.
When Lee Gwak looked at him, Woon Dae-yeon glanced at the jerky in his hand and shrugged.
“It tastes awful.”
“Please stand in front of me, then.”
“No, no. I already feel bad enough imposing. Cutting in line would be too much. I’ll just wait behind this squad leader and take whatever’s left.”
Woon Dae-yeon really did stand behind Lee Gwak and patiently waited his turn.
Seok Yi-cheon, anticipating this, had purposefully reduced the portions for the squad members slightly to leave enough for Woon Dae-yeon. Thanks to that, Woon Dae-yeon received a full bowl of porridge.
“My apologies. I feel like I’ve taken away from your shares.”
“Not at all.”
“I’ll make it up to you later.”
“Well, that is…”
Seok Yi-cheon didn’t know how to respond to Woon Dae-yeon’s words.
To him, Woon Dae-yeon was an overwhelming presence.
If he had spoken casually, it might’ve been easier, but the polite and formal attitude only made him feel more pressured.
It was the same for Lee Gwak.
Woon Dae-yeon was, after all, a disciple of the Alliance Leader. Among the countless martial artists of the Jade Heaven Alliance, he could easily be counted in the top ten—an extremely important figure. Having such an important person act so modestly only made it harder to deal with.
Woon Dae-yeon plopped down beside Lee Gwak and began eating his porridge. Lee Gwak also quietly spooned his porridge.
Even though Seok Yi-cheon had made it crudely, the porridge was genuinely delicious.
Woon Dae-yeon then spoke up.
“Squad Leader Lee seems to be leading his squad very well.”
“Pardon?”
“The faces of the squad members looking at you are filled with trust. That’s something you rarely come across.”
“Ah! Maybe it’s because we’ve known each other for a long time.”
“No matter how close you are, if you lack ability, your subordinates will never truly follow you.”
“……”
“Did I bring up something too heavy?”
“Not at all.”
Woon Dae-yeon looked closely at Lee Gwak. Woon Dae-yeon’s eyes were as sharp as a well-honed blade.
Lee Gwak knew exactly what that gaze meant.
Woon Dae-yeon was observing him.
Through his speech, demeanor, gaze, posture, and relationships, he was dissecting and analyzing Lee Gwak as a person, piece by piece.
Woon Dae-yeon’s interest in Lee Gwak stemmed from his relationship with Lim Sobo.
As Yeo Jung-wol’s disciple, Lim Sobo had an excellent eye for people. And she had specifically requested to have Lee Gwak accompany them. That alone made Woon Dae-yeon believe that there must be something about him that stood out from the rest.
But no matter how much he looked, Lee Gwak seemed ordinary.
‘His internal energy doesn’t seem that impressive, and even his gaze is unremarkable…’
Yet something about him was oddly unsettling.
Despite lacking any standout qualities, this was the first time he’d ever felt such an inexplicable sense of discomfort. And that made him all the more curious.
‘If nothing else, I’ll admit he’s got guts.’
Most people couldn’t even breathe properly just by being near him.
His status as a disciple of the Alliance Leader, combined with his naturally imposing presence, was enough to overwhelm others.
Most couldn’t even straighten their backs in his presence, constantly bowing and groveling. But Lee Gwak showed none of that.
Rather than being afraid, he gave off the feeling that it was all just bothersome.
“Hmm!”
A strange sound escaped Woon Dae-yeon’s lips.
It was a habit of his whenever he discovered someone who piqued his interest.
“Squad Leader Lee!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Have you ever thought about working somewhere other than the Outer Hall?”
“I haven’t really thought about that yet.”
“Is that so? What if you were asked to join the Alliance Leader’s division? Would you accept?”
“Sir?”
For the first time, a puzzled expression appeared on Lee Gwak’s face. He hadn’t expected Woon Dae-yeon to say something like that. However, despite his surprised expression, his answer was firm.
“I’m sorry. Just managing a squad in the Outer Hall is already overwhelming for me. I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think I’d be able to keep up even if I joined the Alliance Leader’s division.”
“Hmm!”
Woon Dae-yeon’s expression stiffened, as he hadn’t expected such a resolute answer. But then he burst out laughing as if it were nothing.
“Perhaps I spoke too hastily. If you ever change your mind, come find me anytime.”
With that, he rose to his feet and walked back to where the Bloodcloaked Death God Battalion was.
Lee Gwak stared after Woon Dae-yeon’s retreating figure. His gaze sank deep into thought.
He hadn’t declined the offer out of pure goodwill.
It felt more like a test. Like he was probing for something rather than speaking with sincerity.
One of the biggest changes that had occurred to Lee Gwak after awakening his Mind’s Eye was that he was now able to discern to some extent the good or ill intent behind a person’s words.
He didn’t know what Woon Dae-yeon’s intentions were in making such a suggestion to him, but he could tell that the offer hadn’t been made with pure intentions.
‘Someone to be wary of.’
That was Lee Gwak’s assessment of Woon Dae-yeon.
The fact that he had to constantly evaluate and stay guarded around others like this was mentally exhausting.
In his heart, he wanted to live freely, like the wind that blew where it pleased but countless things had tied him down and wouldn’t let go.
‘Will I ever be able to break all these chains someday?’
Lee Gwak leaned back against the rock.
Just then, Lim Sobo carefully approached and sat beside him.
“Big brother!”
“Yes?”
“You look really tired.”
“A little.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“It feels like I dragged you out when you were doing just fine inside the Jade Heaven Alliance.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. As a martial artist of the Jade Heaven Alliance, it’s only natural to follow orders when they come down.”
Lim Sobo smiled at Lee Gwak’s words.
It was a plain, ordinary answer that anyone could’ve given but somehow, hearing it from Lee Gwak gave her a sense of relief.
“This mission is really important. That’s why even Young Master Woon is accompanying us.”
“What kind of person is he?”
“A textbook martial fanatic.”
“Martial fanatic?”
“Just like Sister Li-yeon, the Black Martial Empress, he’s also a person completely obsessed with martial arts. He has no interest whatsoever in the power struggles within the Jade Heaven Alliance, and only pursues personal strength. That’s why he ignored countless requests and just locked himself away in the training hall, immersed in cultivation.”
Many people had tried to draw him out from his near-reclusive life in the training hall.
In the end, they had to assign him the responsibility of overseeing the Gathering of the Young Supremes to finally lure him back into the world. While they were at it, they even gave him the task of leading the mission to the Ten Thousand Merchant Union.
Lee Gwak quietly looked over at Woon Dae-yeon.
He was chatting calmly with the Bloodcloaked Death God Battalion. Though the battalion had kept a clear wall between themselves and Squad 13, they were laughing and speaking openly with Woon Dae-yeon.
Sensing Lee Gwak’s gaze, Woon Dae-yeon turned his head and smiled. In that instant, Lee Gwak felt an indescribable chill run through him.
* * *
The next day, the group set out on the road at dawn.
Although they had camped outdoors for the night, there was no trace of fatigue on anyone’s face. Even Squad 13 looked relaxed, not to mention Woon Dae-yeon and the Bloodcloaked Death God Battalion.
Lee Gwak sagged to the very back of the procession, naturally standing at the rear to guard against any possible threats.
Just then, someone from the front of the formation gradually dropped back and approached Lee Gwak. It was one of the Bloodcloaked Death God Battalion.
The man, who looked to be in his late thirties, wore a stylish mustache.
“You’re the squad leader of the Outer Hall, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“I’m a bit late with introductions. I’m Yeom Jung-ak, the man tasked with escorting Young Master Woon.”
“I’m Lee Gwak.”
“Good to meet you, Squad Leader Lee!”
“Yes!”
Since he didn’t know Yeom Jung-ak’s intentions, Lee Gwak replied briefly. Yeom Jung-ak, however, smiled and said,
“There’s no need to be so on guard. I figured we’d be traveling together for a while, and it wouldn’t do to stay awkward the whole time so I came to say hello. I’ll let the others know as well, so if you run into any trouble or need help, come find me anytime.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“We all need to help each other out. I heard that Lady Lim specifically requested your squad be included. You must be quite close with her.”
“We just happened to cross paths by chance and got to know each other.”
“That’s some good fortune. To have ties with someone like Lady Lim. She’s practically a treasure of the Jade Heaven Alliance. Make sure not to neglect her care.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Well then, I’ll be off. Take care.”
After patting Lee Gwak on the shoulder a couple of times, he returned to the front of the formation.
Lee Gwak frowned slightly as he watched Yeom Jung-ak’s retreating figure. That was because he had felt a trace of foreign internal energy through the shoulder that had been patted.
By injecting his own internal energy through Lee Gwak’s shoulder, Yeom Jung-ak was trying to gauge Lee Gwak’s internal energy.
Once a martial artist reaches a certain level of cultivation, they naturally react to the presence of foreign internal energy. Yeom Jung-ak had been trying to assess Lee Gwak’s level based on that reaction. But since he hadn’t sensed any resistance or feedback at all, he lost interest and simply returned to his place.
Lee Gwak silently watched Yeom Jung-ak’s back as he walked away.
He could see him rejoin the front and chat with his companions, laughing. The smile on his lips was clearly a sneer directed at someone.
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