Episode 83: The Road Home (2)
Light Novel: Volume 4 Chapter 3
Manhwa: Chapter 67
Chapter 3. The Road Home (2)
Lim Sobo informed Lee Gwak of their return to the Jade Heaven Alliance.
“We’ll be heading back to the Jade Heaven Alliance at dawn tomorrow. So make sure you’re ready in advance.”
“Got it.”
“But where were you last night?”
“I happened to meet someone I got along with and had a drink.”
“At the Ten Thousand Merchant Union?”
“That’s right.”
At Lee Gwak’s answer, Lim Sobo glanced him up and down with cat-like eyes.
“Why?”
“It’s just unexpected.”
“What is?”
“I didn’t think you were the type to drink with just anyone. You’ve got this… invisible wall or something that makes it seem like you don’t really open up to others.”
“Well, I interact with you, don’t I?”
“What did you just say?”
Lim Sobo’s eyes flared up in response to his remark.
She tried to glare at him with what she probably thought was a frightening expression, but to Lee Gwak, it only made her look cuter.
Lee Gwak chuckled and said,
“I’ll make sure everything is ready so the schedule doesn’t get delayed. Don’t worry.”
“By the way, Brother Woon won’t be returning with us.”
“What?”
A look of surprise crossed Lee Gwak’s face.
They had come together, so he naturally assumed they would return together as well.
“Seems like he hit it off with Young Master Eun Il-myeong of the Ten Thousand Merchant Union. He says he’ll be staying here a bit longer before returning.”
“Then what about your escort? Don’t tell me we’re supposed to handle it.”
“The Ten Thousand Merchant Union said they would assign elite escorts to me. So no need to worry about that.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Lee Gwak let out a sigh of relief.
Having an important figure like Lim Sobo guarded only by a minor squad from the Outer Hall would have been unthinkable.
“I’m sorry.”
Suddenly, Lim Sobo apologized.
“What for?”
“You came all the way here because of me, and yet I left you with nothing to do.”
“This kind of thing is something we’re quite used to, so don’t worry about it.”
Even at Lee Gwak’s half-joking response, Lim Sobo couldn’t quite erase the guilty expression from her face.
Lee Gwak found that side of her kind.
In fact, considering Lim Sobo’s status, she had every reason to be arrogant. She was a rare genius nurtured with the full support of the Jade Heaven Alliance, a talent hardly seen even across Jianghu.
She was a promising candidate to become the next military strategist of the Jade Heaven Alliance, and held a rank far above what any Outer Hall warrior could hope to reach.
She had every right to be proud, and no one would dare rebuke her for it. And yet, she always treated others with courtesy.
It was something that couldn’t exist unless she was genuinely kind by nature.
“When we return to the Jade Heaven Alliance, I’ll talk to Master to make sure you get plenty of rest.”
“Thank you.”
“This is about all I can do for now.”
“That’s more than enough. You must be busy, so go on ahead. We’ll get ready to return.”
“Yes! Then, take care.”
Lim Sobo gave him a warm smile and headed back to her quarters.
Lee Gwak then relayed Lim Sobo’s words to his squad members.
“Waaah! We’re finally going home!”
“Freedom at last! Hahaha!”
The squad members erupted in cheers.
The next morning, just before dawn, Squad 13 departed the Ten Thousand Merchant Union alongside Lim Sobo. With them were the Silver Sword Squad, one of the elite forces of the Ten Thousand Merchant Union.
There were two people watching their departure from afar.
They were Lee Shin-chung and Mo Yong-shin.
“They’re finally leaving.”
“I heard that the negotiations went well.”
“They gave up what needed to be given up and secured what had to be secured. That’s what I’ve been told.”
“That’s good to hear.”
As Mo Yong-shin nodded, Lee Shin-chung suddenly spoke as if something had just come to mind.
“By the way, I heard there was a duel while I was unconscious?”
“Hm? What are you talking about?”
“With that squad leader. They said you had a duel with him.”
“Why on earth would I duel with someone like him? Am I so free that I have time to fight with a mere squad leader from the Jade Heaven Alliance?”
“Why are you acting like this? There are still traces left at the training ground. So? What do you say? Was he really as skilled as that old man at the workshop claimed?”
Lee Shin-chung wore a confident expression. But Mo Yong-shin flatly denied it.
“Ahem! I don’t know what nonsense you’re talking about.”
“Oh, come on now. I’ve got eyes and ears too, you know. Just be honest with me.”
“Enough talking. Let’s just have a drink.”
“What do you mean? Drinking at this hour?”
“Early morning drinks are the best kind.”
“No! I said I’m not drinking!”
Lee Shin-chung shuddered and tried to run off, while Mo Yong-shin chuckled heartily and went after him.
* * *
The Silver Sword Squad was one of the units within the Ten Thousand Merchant Union responsible for escorting high-ranking figures. This was the first time they had ever been tasked with guarding someone from another sect.
That alone showed how much importance the Ten Thousand Merchant Union placed on Lim Sobo. For that reason, they assigned her to Squad 1, the most elite among the seven squads of the Silver Sword Squad, to prepare for any possible danger.
Squad 1 possessed the strongest combat power among the other squads of the Silver Sword Squad.
Not a single one of its fifteen members was below the peak master level, and most notably, their squad leader Naeng Ha-gyeom was an exceptional young expert whose skill was second to none.
Above all, he was known for his formidable leadership and cold, rational judgment. Though currently the leader of Squad 1, he was also the leading candidate to become the next commander of the entire Silver Sword Squad.
Naeng Ha-gyeom beckoned Lee Gwak with a gesture.
“Excluding Lady Lim, you’re the one with the highest rank here. Is that correct?”
“That’s right.”
“Then let me make this clear. Our mission is to escort Lady Lim safely back to the Jade Heaven Alliance. From this point on, we’ll take full command of the group. You all just need to follow behind us. Understood?”
“Understood.”
“Good. That makes things easier. All you need to do is keep Lady Lim entertained so she doesn’t feel bored. Just like you did on the way here…”
A cold smile crept across Naeng Ha-gyeom’s lips.
It was, to anyone watching, a clear expression of mockery.
It would’ve been enough to make anyone feel humiliated, yet Lee Gwak didn’t show a flicker of emotion and calmly replied,
“Understood. We’ll leave the escort duty entirely to the Silver Sword Squad and focus solely on making sure Lady Lim is comfortable. So please don’t concern yourself with us.”
“Then we’re done here.”
Naeng Ha-gyeom said bluntly and waved his hand. It was a gesture telling him to leave.
Without a trace of annoyance, Lee Gwak returned to his place.
Seok Yi-cheon asked cautiously.
“What did he say?”
“He told us to forget about the escort duty and just take good care of Sobo.”
“Nice!”
“Right?”
“Definitely!”
Seok Yi-cheon smiled and nodded.
If it had been anyone other than Squad 13, they would have been quite offended. However, Squad 13 was already used to such treatment. Even on their way to the Ten Thousand Merchant Union, they had been little more than a ceremonial escort following behind the Bloodcloaked Death God Battalion so they weren’t particularly bothered by the words of the Silver Sword Squad.
Lim Sobo was riding in the center of the procession. Beside her rode Cheon-wol, his face half-covered by a cloth.
Since receiving the Hidden Sword Art from Lim Sobo, Cheon-wol seemed to be paying more and more attention to her.
In any case, with Cheon-wol personally tending to Lim Sobo, there wasn’t much for the others to do. It was, in truth, a rather convenient arrangement.
Lee Gwak was at the very rear, riding in silence as he replayed his duel with Mo Yong-shin in his mind.
The battle with Mo Yong-shin had given Lee Gwak a profound realization.
While other prodigies had been engaging in proper sparring since they were young, this had been Lee Gwak’s first true duel so its impact was all the greater.
Lee Gwak recalled every moment of his battle with Mo Yong-shin.
There were things he did well, but far more that left him regretful. He imagined how things might have gone differently—if only he had responded this way when Mo Yong-shin attacked like that…
His train of thought continued until Naeng Ha-gyeom called for a break.
“We’ll rest here for a bit. Fill your stomachs with the provisions you brought with you.”
The sun was already high in the sky. The horses were exhausted, and the people were weary.
“Hoo!”
Sighs spilled out from the mouths of Squad 13.
Their faces were flushed red from the scorching sun, and thick beads of sweat were pouring down their bodies, soaking through their clothes.
They tethered their horses in the shade and sat down to catch their breath.
Lee Gwak turned to Lim Sobo and asked,
“Aren’t you tired?”
“A little, but I’m fine.”
As she replied, Lim Sobo glanced subtly at Cheon-wol.
Cheon-wol pulled out some dry rations from his robe and broke off a piece for her. Lim Sobo sat down beside him and began munching on it with a crisp crunch.
“Damn, that guy’s got it good.”
“He’s living life with just that face of his.”
The members of Squad 13 muttered among themselves as they watched the two.
While they chatted and rested, the Silver Sword Squad divided their roles—some took a short break, while others kept watch.
To anyone looking, it was clear that their discipline was flawless. In stark contrast, Squad 13 looked completely disorganized, scattered lazily about the ground.
The Silver Sword Squad occasionally glanced at Squad 13 and Lim Sobo, but they didn’t initiate any conversation. Squad 13, for their part, also refrained from saying anything and simply enjoyed their break.
After a short rest, they resumed their journey. Up until that point, not a single word had been exchanged between the Silver Sword Squad and Squad 13.
And that silence continued all the way on their journey back to the Jade Heaven Alliance.
“Let’s camp here for the night.”
On the fifth day since leaving the Ten Thousand Merchant Union, Naeng Ha-gyeom decided on an overnight stop.
Not only were there no nearby settlements, but the sun had already begun to set, so there was little choice.
The Silver Sword Squad and Squad 13 each began preparing to spend the night outdoors.
When it came to setting up camp, Squad 13 was far more skilled. While the Silver Sword Squad was still arranging sleeping spots, Squad 13 had already set up a campfire and started preparing a simple meal.
It was Seok Yi-cheon who prepared the food.
He cooked a pot of unidentifiable porridge and brought it to Lim Sobo.
“Please have some, Lady Lim.”
“Thank you. I’ll eat it well.”
Lim Sobo expressed her gratitude.
Already familiar with Seok Yi-cheon’s excellent cooking skills, she didn’t hesitate to eat.
Lee Gwak and the other squad members also gathered around the fire, sitting in a circle as they ate.
“You’re the best, brother.”
“This is really delicious.”
The squad gave Seok Yi-cheon a thumbs-up for his cooking.
Lee Gwak, too, emptied a bowl of porridge in no time and leaned back to rest. It was then that Ki Jinhwi came over and plopped down beside him.
“Ahhh, after staying in comfort, camping like this makes my whole body ache. How are you holding up, squad leader?”
“I’m fine.”
“Heh heh! Youth really is a blessing.”
Ki Jinhwi chuckled.
Anyone who didn’t know better might think he was being sarcastic, but Lee Gwak knew better than anyone that he wasn’t.
“It’s been so long since we’ve been back, I’m starting to wonder if the Jade Heaven Alliance hasn’t run off somewhere.”
“How could they? It’s not as if it has legs to run.”
“Heh heh! You never know. It might just have grown legs.”
The two traded light, meaningless jokes.
“Oh, come on, you two…”
Watching them, Lim Sobo let out a disapproving sigh, while Cheon-wol, sitting beside her, lowered his head in embarrassment.
Ki Jinhwi glared playfully at Cheon-wol.
“What, are you ashamed of us?”
“……”
Cheon-wol did not answer.
Ki Jinhwi looked at Lee Gwak with a wounded expression.
“Did you see that, squad leader? How could Cheon-wol do this to us?”
“Truly shameful.”
“This is why you don’t take in beasts with black hair. The brat’s barely grown, and he’s already tossing aside his older brothers for a girl.”
Ki Jinhwi shot Cheon-wol a dramatic glare. In response, Cheon-wol pulled his cloth mask higher, covering his entire face.
The other squad members laughed like crazy at the sight of the two.
Lee Gwak smiled, and even Lim Sobo laughed heartily for the first time in a long while.
“Hmph!”
Watching Squad 13, Naeng Ha-gyeom let out a faint scoff.
In his eyes, Squad 13 was no better than a band of unruly rabble. He couldn’t understand what they found so amusing or joyful in the middle of a mission.
He and the Silver Sword Squad had been taught that they must never let their guard down under any circumstances. In their training, their teachers had taught them that carelessness in their missions meant death.
Naeng Ha-gyeom and the Silver Sword Squad faithfully adhered to those teachings and remained tense even now.
Naeng Ha-gyeom looked over at Lim Sobo.
A talented young woman, who was considered the jewel of the Jade Heaven Alliance, was laughing and talking with the insignificant squad members of the Outer Hall.
He simply couldn’t comprehend her.
‘She must be too young to realize just how important she is. Tsk. What a pity.’
If he were in her position, he would’ve taken the opportunity to build rapport with the Silver Sword Squad instead of wasting time with useless Outer Hall members. That would’ve been far more beneficial for her future.
At that moment, Lee Gwak’s gaze happened to meet Naeng Ha-gyeom’s.
Even as the leader of this ragtag group, Lee Gwak didn’t so much as flinch when their gazes locked. That unbothered expression irked Naeng Ha-gyeom even more.
Then, all of a sudden, Lee Gwak’s gaze sharpened.
Naeng Ha-gyeom perceived it as a provocation and was just about to spring to his feet when—
Fiiing!
A piercing whistle cut through the night sky.
Naeng Ha-gyeom shouted on instinct.
“It’s an ambush!”
SoundlessWind21’s Notes:
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