Episode 76: Fate Will Always Find a Way to Connect (1)
Light Novel: Volume 4 Chapter 1
Manhwa: Chapter 65
Chapter 1. Fate Will Always Find a Way to Connect (1)
“What’s got you so deep in thought? You look like someone who’s lost their soul.”
“Hmm!”
Ki Jinhwi’s voice brought Lee Gwak out of his reverie.
Before he realized it, Ki Jinhwi had pulled up alongside him, riding his horse at his side. He must have noticed Lee Gwak falling behind, distracted.
“It’s nothing.”
“Doesn’t seem like nothing to me.”
“I was just thinking about a bunch of things.”
Lee Gwak forced a smile.
Ever since meeting Go Geomwol, his mind had been clouded with thoughts. The lingering impression Go Geomwol left behind had continued to trouble him.
It wasn’t a matter of martial strength or weakness.
Though he had trained alone, Lee Gwak was still a martial artist whose life depended on a single blade.
Lee Gwak lived each day, accepting the fact that he could lose his life at any moment if he encountered an opponent stronger than himself.
So the fact that Go Geomwol’s martial prowess was far beyond his own wasn’t the issue. After all, their starting points were different. It was only natural that there was a gap between him and someone who had begun from a far superior place.
Even if he spent his whole life chasing, he might never catch up. But Lee Gwak didn’t mind that. He was someone who was truly putting in everything he had—his life—to advance.
He didn’t know how far he would go, but he had the confidence to keep walking forward until the day he died.
That was Lee Gwak’s resolve.
To walk alone, without concerning himself with anyone else.
He didn’t want to waste his strength treating others as rivals.
Perhaps that was why he couldn’t bring himself to leave the Jade Heaven Alliance.
It wasn’t that he deeply trusted or relied on it. But at the same time, he didn’t want to deliberately reject all the benefits it provided. Maybe he was using the excuse of waiting for Han Socheon as a way to stay comfortable.
That was why the shock Go Geomwol delivered hit him so hard.
From the moment he laid eyes on Go Geomwol, he could feel it.
He was Lee Gwak’s natural counterforce—his opposing element.
He existed on the opposite side of everything Lee Gwak was.
And not just across from him, but at a height so distant it felt utterly unreachable.
Lee Gwak didn’t know why the heavens had shown him such a being. But one thing was certain.
As long as he lived in the world of Jianghu, he would never escape the lingering presence of Go Geomwol.
If he had never known of Go Geomwol’s existence, it might have been different. But now that he had become aware of him, the web of cause and effect would begin to tighten mercilessly around him.
“Hoo…”
Lee Gwak let out a quiet sigh.
For the first time, a determined gleam appeared in his eyes, which had been complicated by a myriad of emotions.
‘I have to leave the Jade Heaven Alliance.’
Staying in the Jade Heaven Alliance would make life easier. But he wouldn’t be able to progress much beyond his current level.
There was no advancement for those who remained complacent.
There was already an overwhelming gap between them. And if he continued to settle where he was, there would be no way for him to ever catch up to Go Geomwol.
Even now, at this very moment, Go Geomwol was likely advancing at a terrifying pace. To catch up to him, Lee Gwak would have to completely reset and rebuild his mindset.
Suddenly, Lee Gwak let out a soft chuckle.
Because he truly felt that Go Geomwol was his destined counterforce.
With a single encounter, Go Geomwol had shaken and shattered the fixed notions and perceptions that no one else had ever been able to break in Lee Gwak.
Through meeting him, Lee Gwak had finally resolved to stand on his own—as a true martial artist.
None of it would have been possible without that encounter with Go Geomwol.
But for now, it was still too soon to leave the Jade Heaven Alliance.
There were still too many things binding him for now. However, now that he had made his decision, it wouldn’t be long before he could put everything in order and leave the Jade Heaven Alliance.
Having made up his mind, Lee Gwak’s expression looked visibly more at ease.
Ki Jinhwi quietly studied Lee Gwak’s face.
‘Looks like the fledgling has finally decided to take flight.’
They had spent enough time together that he could now read Lee Gwak’s thoughts to some extent just by his expression.
And the look on his face now was one he only wore when making a significant decision.
Ki Jinhwi was genuinely glad.
Lee Gwak was too valuable a person to simply settle inside the Jade Heaven Alliance.
At first, he had thought Lee Gwak was just an ordinary man.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Someone whose skill level matched that of a squad leader from the Outer Hall, and nothing beyond that.
That had been his judgment when he first met Lee Gwak, and so even after he had joined Squad 13, he hadn’t paid him much attention.
It wasn’t until a long time later that his prejudices were shattered.
Though he still couldn’t quite gauge Lee Gwak’s exact martial level, one thing was clear.
He was continuously improving with each passing day.
Slowly, steadily, and most importantly—without ever stopping.
Someone like that was bound to reach the summit of the mountain eventually.
‘If it weren’t for the mission I’ve been given, I’d have liked to stick by his side and watch where he ends up.’
The thought passed through his mind with some regret, but he soon let it go.
He didn’t know how long his connection with Lee Gwak would last, but he believed it wouldn’t be cut so easily.
Just then, Woon Dae-yeon’s voice rang out from the front of the group.
“Let’s rest here for the day.”
Lost in thought, they hadn’t realized they had arrived at a rather sizable village.
Lining both sides of the well-maintained main road were rows of guest houses. A clear indication that many people passed through the area.
Indeed, there were quite a few people on the streets, most of them were merchants driving heavily loaded wagons.
Woon Dae-yeon secured the largest and most luxurious guest house as their lodging.
“Let’s each rest in our rooms for now, and regroup again in the evening.”
The group followed his instructions without complaint.
Since crossing the river, they had been camping out nonstop, and the accumulated fatigue, though unspoken, was clearly weighing on everyone.
All of them were honestly looking forward to having a proper rest in a real room at least for a day. Lim Sobo, in particular, looked visibly exhausted.
After agreeing to meet again in the evening, everyone retreated to their respective rooms.
Lee Gwak also entered the room he had been assigned and unpacked.
His luggage was nothing more than a small bundle.
Without even removing his clothes, Lee Gwak sat down in the chair by the window. Through the open window, he could see the street bustling with people passing by.
Lee Gwak thought about resting just like that but instead, he stepped outside. Unlike the others, he didn’t feel tired at all.
“Eh? Squad Leader!”
As soon as he came out, he unexpectedly ran into someone.
It was Ki Jinhwi.
He, too, had simply dropped off his things and come right back out.
“You’re not going to rest?”
“I’ve got a place I need to stop by.”
“Do you know someone in this town?”
“Not exactly…”
Ki Jinhwi looked a bit awkward for a moment. But soon, as if he’d made up his mind, he continued.
“If you’ve got nothing to do, come with me, Squad Leader. But you absolutely can’t tell anyone where we went. Just promise me that one thing.”
“If you’re not comfortable with me accompanying you, I’d rather stay here.”
“No, no. It’s no trouble at all. Just keep it a secret, that’s all.”
“Understood.”
When Lee Gwak nodded, Ki Jinhwi grinned wide, showing his yellowed teeth.
“Let’s hurry. We’ll need to move quickly if we want to be back by dinner.”
“Yes!”
Without knowing the reason, Lee Gwak followed after Ki Jinhwi.
The streets were so complex it was hard to tell which way was which, but Ki Jinhwi moved without hesitation.
The place he led Lee Gwak to was a back alley tucked away in a remote part of town. At the very end of a filthy alley that looked like a den where thugs might appear at any moment, there stood a surprisingly large building.
“What is this place?”
“A gambling house.”
Ki Jinhwi replied as he strode forward without slowing down.
“Stop right there!”
“No one can enter this place without permission.”
Men with vicious-looking faces blocked their path. Their appearance alone was enough to make one’s knees go weak.
They glared at Lee Gwak and Ki Jinhwi with threatening eyes. But Ki Jinhwi stepped forward and pulled something from inside his robe to show them.
“Eek!”
The men instantly turned pale.
As Ki Jinhwi tucked the item back into his clothes, he spoke.
“I’m here for the black market. May we enter?”
“Of course. Once inside, someone will come to guide you.”
“Much appreciated.”
The men stepped aside to open the path.
Ki Jinhwi walked in confidently, and Lee Gwak followed close behind.
Just as Ki Jinhwi had said, the inside was arranged like a gambling house and in fact, many people were deeply immersed in gambling.
Some looked like ordinary townsfolk, while others seemed worn down, as if they’d been gambling for years. But in all their eyes, a common flicker of desire could be seen shimmering.
None of those lost in gambling spared even a glance at Lee Gwak or Ki Jinhwi, their eyes were fixed solely on the game tables.
“You’re here!”
Just then, a figure from the inner part of the gambling hall came scurrying over.
It was a middle-aged woman in a silk outfit that clung to her curvaceous figure. She looked to be in her early to mid-thirties, with a voluptuous appearance and sultry eyes that smiled with overt sensuality.
She made no attempt to hide her delight at seeing Ki Jinhwi. He greeted her in return.
“It’s been a long time, Su-wol.”
“About ten years, hasn’t it, Brother?”
“Seems so.”
“You haven’t changed a bit. You’re exactly the same as I remember.”
“Heh heh! I wasn’t good-looking to begin with. Imagine if time beat me down on top of that.”
“Hohoho!”
At Ki Jinhwi’s self-deprecating humor, the woman called Suwol couldn’t hold back her laughter.
After laughing heartily, her eyes shifted to Lee Gwak.
“And this gentleman is…?”
“This is my squad leader.”
“But… is it really okay to bring him inside? The Lord doesn’t want this place to become any more exposed than it already is.”
“I’ll take full responsibility. He’s someone who knows how to keep his mouth shut. He’ll absolutely keep the secret, so don’t worry.”
“Well, if you say so, Brother…”
Su-wol’s eyes as she looked at Ki Jinhwi were filled with warmth. It wasn’t the gaze one used for just anyone.
Lee Gwak immediately sensed that there was some history between the two of them. But it was none of his business, so he remained silent.
Su-wol led the two of them to a shabby storeroom located in the deepest part of the gambling house.
With her small hand, she tapped on the wall several times in quick succession. There must have been a predetermined number of knocks.
Grrrrk!
With the sound of a mechanism activating, the wall opened.
“Please, come in.”
With a coquettish smile, Su-wol stepped into a dark corridor. Ki Jinhwi and Lee Gwak followed behind her.
The corridor was unbelievably long. Even after walking for quite a while, there seemed to be no end in sight. It was long enough to provoke a sense of unease. But Lee Gwak was able to clearly understand the direction they were headed.
‘We’re descending underground in a slow spiral.’
There weren’t many in the world more knowledgeable about mechanism arts than him.
The corridor they were walking through now was a basic trap mechanism that utilized darkness to disorient human senses.
The corridor felt as though they were walking a great distance, but in truth, they were simply spiraling down into the basement of the building.
After descending for quite some time, they arrived at a fairly spacious underground area. Like a massive warehouse, large shelves were lined up across the space, filled with all kinds of goods.
Between the aisles, people could be seen browsing and bargaining.
“What is this place?”
“The Black Market.”
Lee Gwak furrowed his brow at Ki Jinhwi’s answer. It was a term he had never heard in his life.
“As everyone knows, the center of the world’s commerce is our destination—the Ten Thousand Merchant Union. That’s a truth no one can deny. But where there is light, there is also shadow. There is a place that boasts a wealth comparable to Ten Thousand Merchant Union’s, and that place is the Black Market. Even things that can’t be found in Ten Thousand Merchant Union can be found here.”
“Hmm!”
“The Black Market is a strange place indeed. Its security is extremely tight, and entry is selective, so ordinary people don’t even know it exists. But once someone has traded with this place even once, they’re bound to come back.”
“Is it because you can get things here that can’t be obtained through the Ten Thousand Merchant Union?”
“That’s right. I also acquire the items I need through this place.”
Ki Jinhwi had come to know of the Black Market thanks to Su-wol. She had been connected with the organization for a long time, and eventually rose through the ranks of the Black Market to become one of its key officers.
At the time, Ki Jinhwi had been struggling to obtain something he desperately needed. Su-wol had told him about the Black Market and given him a token to access it.
Thanks to that, Ki Jinhwi was able to obtain what he needed through various Black Market branches spread across the Central Plains.
‘The Black Market, huh…’
Lee Gwak found the place fascinating and etched its name into his memory.
Su-wol was the one in charge of this Black Market branch. In effect, she was its regional head.
She turned to Ki Jinhwi and asked,
“So then, Brother. What is it you’re looking for today?”
SoundlessWind21’s Notes:
Start of Volume 4. If there are any errors, whether it be grammatical, spelling, translation, or website-related issues, feel free to let me know. (´◡`) Anyway, thank you for reading!
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