chapter 226

The Daughter Seeks Her Father, and The Father Recognizes His Daughter (1)

Siege Fortress was situated at the very front lines.

It was once a place where thousands of people lived peacefully, but now, it had been occupied by the Jade Heaven Alliance and transformed into a fortress.

Jade Heaven Alliance had taken over the abandoned houses and fortified the entire city. They built high walls around the city’s outskirts and brought in numerous war supplies. After meticulous effort, the Siege Fortress became the most formidable fortress in the world.

Even when a war broke out with the Celestial Demon Troupe, Jade Heaven Alliance relied on Siege Fortress and fought on equal footing.

To the Jade Heaven Alliance, Siege Fortress was more than just a fortress.

It was a symbol of victory and an indestructible marker.

Because of this, the pride of the martial artists stationed in Siege Fortress was beyond expression.

As if to prove their pride, the surface of the Siege Fortress was covered with countless battle scars. Its deeply gouged and blood-stained appearance instilled fear in those who saw it for the first time.

On the blood-stained walls of Siege Fortress stood a man in red martial attire, alone.

Between his disheveled hair, his eyes emitted a chilling gleam. Below his tightly sealed lips, a scar ran long down his neck, so deep that a little more would have been fatal.

In fact, the man wandered on the brink of death for three days after receiving this wound.

However, with a fiery will, he clung to life and came back to life like a demon.

The man’s name was Seo Jong Myeong, but in Siege Fortress, he was called Ruthless Demon Sword.

He was a righteous martial artist.

He had slain more Celestial Demon Troupe martial artists than anyone else and had saved Siege Fortress from falling several times. It was because of his cruel and demon-like speed that people gave him the terrifying nickname “Ruthless Demon Sword.”.

His ferocious assaults on Celestial Demon Troupe martial artists, tearing into them like a mad dog, instilled fear not only in his enemies but also in his allies.

Thus, a nickname unbecoming of a righteous martial artist was attached to him. Even though such a nickname might be shunned by a righteous warrior, Seo Jong Myeong took pride in it.

The war had ended, but he refused to return to the Jade Heaven Alliance and stayed in Siege Fortress.

“It’s quiet now, but they will surely make a move soon.”

Seo Jong Myeong’s cool gaze was directed towards the Celestial Demon Troupe, invisible from this location.

Woong!

As if sensing his feelings, the sword at his waist cried out.

Bisa.

It was the supreme weapon of the Diancang Sect’s Sect Leader.

Although the Diancang Sect had vanished from the world, the Sect Leader’s supreme weapon remained in his hand, having killed numerous Celestial Demon Troupe martial artists.

The blood of Celestial Demon Troupe martial artists absorbed by Bisa’s blade was too numerous to count. For this reason, the Celestial Demon Troupe also marked Seo Jong Myeong as their greatest enemy and were wary of him.

“Sigh!”

Suddenly, Seo Jong Myeong sighed and turned around, the interior of Siege Fortress, enclosed by tall walls, came into view.

Contrary to its overwhelming exterior, the inside of Siege Fortress was pitifully dilapidated.

Buildings were neglected and falling apart, and the streets overflowed with the impoverished. These destitute individuals freely entered and exited Siege Fortress through gaps in its defenses.

It wasn’t always like this.

For a while after the war ended, the fortress was overflowing with martial artists and the administration was well maintained. However, as time passed, the Jade Heaven Alliance gradually neglected the Siege Fortress, and as a result, many martial artists left the place.

The martial artists that remained in Siege Fortress now were less than a fifth of its heyday. If it weren’t for Seo Jong Myeong still holding out here, the rest would have left too, and Siege Fortress would have been dismantled long ago.

The places vacated by the martial artists were filled by residents who had left during the war and refugees who had lost their homes due to the war.

They flowed into the nearly ruined Siege Fortress and became beggars. Naturally, a slum emerged in Siege Fortress.

In principle, Seo Jong Myeong should have eradicated the slums. However, the fact that he had to drive out those who had lost their places and ended up here was not to his liking, so he left them be.

“Sigh!”

Seo Jong Myeong sighed deeply once again. Then, the deep scar stretching from his chin down his neck writhed like a worm.

It was then.

“Leader!”

He heard a voice calling him.

Turning his head, Seo Jong Myeong saw one of his subordinates from the Shadowless Squad climbing up the walls.

“You need to come quickly.”

“What’s the matter?”

“People from the White Light Sect have arrived.”

“White Light Sect?”

A flicker of interest crossed Seo Jong Myeong’s eyes.

During the height of the war, many martial artists from various sects had come and stayed in Siege Fortress. However, he didn’t recall the name White Light Sect from his memories.

“Why have they come?”

“They’ve requested a meeting with you, Leader.”

“Let’s go.”

Seo Jong Myeong moved forward.

The Shadowless Squad followed him.

The fierce aura that naturally radiated from the bodies of the Shadowless Squad, who had spent six years on the battlefield, was intimidating.

Arriving at the guesthouse where external guests typically stayed, they saw martial artists occupying the courtyard.

The moment Seo Jong Myeong saw them, his eyes narrowed due to the aura emanating from them.

At first glance, they appeared to act freely and unrestrained, but a unique sharp atmosphere and ruthless aura were radiating from them.

Ordinary martial artists might have been completely deceived by their appearance, but Seo Jong Myeong, who had spent a long time on the battlefield, could not be fooled.

‘Hounds of war.’

It was common for organizations dedicated to tracking and eliminating criminals, or capturing them, to exist within the ten major sects. These groups had a unique, sinister atmosphere and aura, similar to what was emanating from the men before him.

At that moment, a man with a particularly cold aura stepped forward and addressed Seo Jong Myeong.

“Are you the person in charge here at this fortress?”

“That I am…”

“Pleased to meet you! I am Yoon Sa-pyeong, the leader of the Shadow Chasing Squad from White Light Sect.”

“Shadow Chasing Squad?”

“We are tasked with tracking down and eliminating the criminals of the White Light Sect.”

“Hmm!”

Seo Jong Myeong’s gaze sharpened even more.

Having spent his life on the battlefield, Seo Jong Myeong did not favor the likes of Yoon Sa-pyeong. This was because they relied more on trickery and shadow tactics than on the strength and capability of a warrior. However, Seo Jong Myeong did not reveal his thoughts and continued the conversation calmly.

“What brings the Shadow Chasing Squad here?”

“We are tracking a criminal from the White Light Sect. We have reasons to believe the criminal is hiding here, so we would appreciate your cooperation in our investigation.”

“Do you have any evidence that a criminal from White Light Sect is here?”

“No evidence as of yet. We only suspect based on circumstances that it’s likely they are here.”

“Hmm!”

Seo Jong Myeong crossed his arms and looked at Yoon Sa-pyeong.

Yoon Sa-pyeong did not avert his gaze from Seo Jong Myeong’s and stared back. However, perhaps finding it difficult to withstand Seo Jong Myeong’s fierce eyes, he soon subtly turned his head away.

Although Yoon Sa-pyeong, as the leader of the Shadow Chasing Squad, prided himself on having been through many battles, he could not withstand the gaze of Seo Jong Myeong, who had faced life and death on the battlefield countless times.

Seo Jong Myeong was a true warrior unlike any Yoon Sa-pyeong had ever faced before. While the Shadow Chasing Squad might specialize in ambushes, they would be at a disadvantage in a direct confrontation with him.

Initially, when Yoon Sa-pyeong first came to the fortress, he had underestimated the martial artists remaining there. He thought that the real elites had returned to their respective sects, leaving only the dregs behind.

But the moment he saw Seo Jong Myeong’s eyes, such thoughts vanished far away. His blood boiled with excitement. His body involuntarily reacted to sensing the strength of his opponent.

‘I want to kill him.’

For the first time in his life, Yoon Sa-pyeong felt the desire to kill someone who wasn’t a criminal of White Light Sect. However, Yoon Sa-pyeong suppressed such urges.

What mattered now was not a duel with Seo Jong Myeong, but capturing Soo-ah.

He and the Shadow Chasing Squad had searched beneath the cliffs but ultimately failed to find Soo-ah’s body. It was possible that Soo-ah had died, but they also had to consider the possibility that she had not.

Yoon Sa-pyeong thought that Soo-ah must have had a purpose for coming to the forest. That’s how Siege Fortress caught his attention.

It was the only place in the vicinity where martial arts forces resided, and coincidentally, the water from the valley where Soo-ah had fallen flowed close to Siege Fortress. That’s why Yoon Sa-pyeong had made his way to the fortress.

“If you grant permission to search Siege Fortress, I assure you that your kindness will not be taken for granted.”

“Hmm!”

“We formally request cooperation from the Jade Heaven Alliance on behalf of the White Light Sect, and would be grateful for your approval.”

With Yoon Sa-pyeong putting it that way, Seo Jong Myeong found it hard to refuse.

Although it was not ideal for the Shadow Chasing Squad to freely roam within Siege Fortress, he could not simply reject a formal request from the White Light Sect, one of the ten sects.

“Permission granted. But promise you won’t disturb the residents living inside.”

“I promise.”

“Good.”

“Thank you! We will make sure to repay this favor.”

Yoon Sa-pyeong bowed to Seo Jong Myeong.

Seo Jong Myeong’s eyebrows twitched. He had reluctantly allowed the search, but he was not pleased.

‘Those who wouldn’t even show their noses during the war with the Celestial Demon Troupe…’

Stepping outside, Seo Jong Myeong ordered his subordinates.

“Keep an eye on those fellows. Something doesn’t feel right.”

“Understood.”

＊＊＊

The situation in Siege Fortress’s slums was more severe than it appeared from the outside. The huts, barely held together with gathered branches and covered with mats, could barely keep out the wind.

When it rained, water poured in as if a flood had struck, making the rainy season the most hellish time of year for the slum’s inhabitants.

A boy carrying a bucket glanced around before slipping into one of the dilapidated huts.

Inside, a figure was shrouded in a mat.

The boy carefully spoke to the figure covered in the mat.

“I’m back. Are you okay?”

“I’m… okay.”

A weak voice answered as the figure poked their head out from under the matting.

Despite her hair being a mess and her face dotted with scabs, the beautiful girl was Lee Soo-ah.

Soo-ah struggled to sit up, her body covered in both large and small wounds.

“Sigh!”

Lee Soo-ah took a deep breath, the simple act of sitting up causing her entire body to throb with pain.

“Drink some water.”

The boy offered Soo-ah the bucket he was holding, filled to the brim with water.

Lee Soo-ah nodded, taking the bucket to her lips. Drinking the cool water seemed to bring her some relief.

“Thank you! Brother.”

“Don’t mention it!”

The boy blushed with a shy expression.

The boy’s name was Gwan So-chu, and he lived alone in these slums.

Lee Soo-ah had miraculously survived after falling into a swamp. However, her injuries were too severe for her to escape on her own.

In the end, she let the water’s current carry her and managed to crawl out near Siege Fortress. The fall into the valley turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

It was sheer luck that she made it to the Siege Fortress, but Soo-ah’s injuries were grave. Gwan So-chu, who had gone out to fetch water, was the one who saved her.

Gwan So-chu carried Soo-ah back to his dwelling and took great care of her, allowing her to cling to life.

Gwan So-chu was an orphan living in the slums. His parents, once farmers rooted here, lost everything and left Siege Fortress when the war broke out.

Having left the Siege Fortress, Gwan So-chu’s parents suffered greatly and eventually succumbed to illness, leaving the young boy alone in a cruel world.

Eventually, Gwan So-chu returned to Siege Fortress. He scraped by with begging and odd jobs.

Despite struggling to keep himself alive, he did not hesitate to rescue Lee Soo-ah.

Thanks to Gwan So-chu’s meticulous care, Lee Soo-ah regained consciousness. However, her physical condition was dire.

As Gwan So-chu took the bucket from Lee Soo-ah, he advised,

“You better not go outside for a while.”

“Why?”

“Strange people have come in, stirring unrest.”

“Strange people?”

“People from outside have been rummaging through the slums. It’s causing a tense atmosphere.”

“Are you sure they’re from outside?”

“I know all the martial artists stationed in the Siege Fortress.”

Gwan So-chu’s dream was to join the Shadowless Squad. However, the Shadowless Squad would hardly accept an orphan with no martial arts training.

Despite several applications, the Shadowless Squad never opened its doors to him. Though he couldn’t join the squad, he certainly remembered its members.

The people currently scouring the slums were not in his memory, clearly indicating they were from outside.

Soo-ah’s expression darkened.

“They’ve followed me here.”

“What do you mean? Are you saying they’re after you?”

“Probably.”

Gwan So-chu’s brows furrowed deeply.

“What exactly is your identity?”

From her attire and demeanor, he had guessed she was not of ordinary status, but he hadn’t imagined her to be so significant as to have pursuers.

Lee Soo-ah bit her lip gently.

‘Can I trust him?’

She didn’t know much about Gwan So-chu. To confide her circumstances to him was a significant risk. Yet, she had no other choice.

To gain Gwan So-chu’s cooperation, she needed to be honest on her end.

“I am…”

Within the humble hut, Lee Soo-ah’s story unfolded for a long time.