chapter 232

Once the Hunt is Over, the Hunting Dogs are Bound to be Abandoned (1)

A messenger pigeon flew into the White Light Sect.

Tied to the pigeon’s leg was a red ribbon, signifying the message was of utmost urgency.

The person in charge of the pigeons took the ribbon and hurried to his superior.

“Urgent news.”

Inside the ribbon was a rolled-up piece of paper.

The superior, holding the paper, ran to the head of the White Light Sect.

Thus the message was delivered all the way to Won Gong-yeo, the leader of the White Light Sect.

“Hmm!”

Won Gong-yeo’s expression hardened as he read the letter.

Go San-ja, Won Gong-yeo’s closest aide, cautiously asked, “What content has made your expression so grave?”

“The Assassin King is being pursued.”

“Excuse me?”

“It seems the Hidden Blood Squad of the Jade Heaven Alliance has been on the chase. It’s true what they say, a long tail gets caught eventually.”

“If she gets caught by the Hidden Blood Squad, wouldn’t that be disastrous?”

“Indeed, it would.”

Won Gong-yeo tapped his chin thoughtfully.

The Assassin King had been used to eliminate many. Most of them were obstacles to White Light Sect’s progress, but some were targeted due to Won Gong-yeo’s personal grudges.

Lee Chi-soo, Han So-cheon’s last assassination target, was one such case.

Lee Chi-soo’s trading company was insignificant and shabby, but it held a treasure unknown to others. This was the exclusive right to sell salt, granted only to a few.

Lee Chi-soo no longer had ambitions to grow his business and merely held on to the salt selling rights.

Won Gong-yeo coveted these rights, so he forced Lee Chi-soo’s name onto Han So-cheon’s assassination list.

“Tsk! Was I too greedy?”

Won Gong-yeo clicked his tongue.

If it hadn’t been for the assassination of Lee Chi-soo, their tail wouldn’t have been caught by the Hidden Blood Squad.

He was among the few who knew the true nature of the Hidden Blood Squad.

The assassins were secretly nurtured by the Jade Heaven Alliance.

They had successfully carried out numerous assassinations thought to be impossible.

Though Han So-cheon was formidable, they couldn’t be underestimated. Moreover, while Han So-cheon worked alone, they had numbers on their side.

“Even if the Assassin King is a remarkable assassin, escaping from the hands of the Hidden Blood Squad would be impossible. If she gets caught and reveals our involvement, it won’t just end with us being in a bit of trouble.”

“We must prevent that from happening beforehand.”

“It’s regrettable, but it seems we must dispose of the Assassin King here and now.”

Despite Won Gong-yeo’s drastic decision, Go San-ja was not surprised.

The purpose of an assassin was precisely that.

If used correctly, they could be a great tool, but a slight mistake could turn them into a weapon that backfires on their master.

Especially someone like Han So-cheon, who knew too much about the White Light Sect, posed a significant risk.

There was a chance that her knowledge could expose the identity of Gu Mun-hoe, closely associated with Yong Cheong Myeong. Such a worst-case scenario had to be avoided at all costs.

“Send Hwa-ryeon.”

“Do you mean the… young master?”

Go San-ja raised his head in surprise. Won Gong-yeo smiled at his reaction.

“What’s there to be so surprised about? Are you worried about Hwa-ryeon?”

“It’s not that…”

“Millions of gold were spent raising that boy. It’s about time he earned his keep. Hwa-ryeon is capable of handling this quietly.”

“Understood. I will convey your message to the young master.”

“And what about the Assassin King’s child?”

Once Han So-cheon is disposed of, Lee Cheong becomes unnecessary. There would be no need to waste the expensive Life Saving Pill on him.

“But isn’t that child cherished by Lady Noh Tae-tae?”

“Would Grandmother be upset if she lost a mere plaything? You still don’t know her well. Those children are nothing more than her toys. She may feel empty for a while, but she can always find another toy.”

Won Gong-yeo stood up.

“I’ll speak to the lady myself. You, go to Hwa-ryeon.”

“Understood.”

Go San-ja bowed deeply.

***

Lee Soo-ah was incredibly intelligent.

Throughout their time together, Lee Gwak could not help but marvel at Soo-ah’s intelligence. Perhaps it was due to her long experience of being on edge within the White Light Sect, but she had an uncanny sense of awareness and could read people’s minds as if by instinct.

Cheol Gwang Woo was completely taken by Soo-ah’s charm.

“Our Soo-ah, is there anything you’re uncomfortable with?”

Cheol Gwang Woo took great care of Soo-ah.

So much so that Lee Gwak had to scold him not to fuss over her too much. But Cheol Gwang Woo paid no heed and continued to cherish Soo-ah.

“Wow! I can see so far from here.”

Soo-ah exclaimed in admiration as she looked around.

She was sitting on Cheol Gwang Woo’s shoulders. When Cheol Gwang Woo noticed that her legs seemed tired, he had lifted her onto his shoulders.

From Cheol Gwang Woo’s shoulders, the surrounding landscape was visible at a glance.

The view was different from the height of an adult’s waist. It was broader and more distant. And the sky felt so close it seemed like it could be touched.

Soo-ah stretched her hand towards the sky.

“Hehe!”

Laughter came naturally.

Lee Soo-ah had matured early. She had always lived in tension.

Because everything was precarious.

Han So-cheon often left home due to her duties, and Lee Cheong was always sick. Taking care of Lee Cheong was always Soo-ah’s responsibility, so she could never relax. That’s why she matured early. She had to take care of everything from one to ten.

But now, she didn’t need to.

There was no need to be on edge looking for an escape route, nor to be wary of others’ gazes.

Her father was with her.

Her father was much stronger and more reliable than she had imagined, always watching over her with loving eyes.

She liked all of that.

“Dad!”

“Hmm?”

“Just… Hehe!”

Lee Gwak smiled too.

He reached out and stroked Soo-ah’s hair, causing her to laugh even more brightly.

Lee Gwak then turned his gaze back to the front.

They were now approaching the White Light Sect’s territory.

As one of the Ten Sects, its territory was vast, and they had not yet been detected, but entering deeper would surely alert them, prompting some sort of action.

‘We need to move like lightning.’

It was a battle against time.

They needed to rescue Lee Cheong before they were detected and recognized by the people of the White Light Sect.

For this reason, Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo took only minimal rest as they proceeded.

“Dad!”

Suddenly, Lee Soo-ah reached out with both her hands towards Lee Gwak.

Lee Gwak took Soo-ah from Cheol Gwang Woo.

Rubbing her cheek against Lee Gwak’s face, Soo-ah said, “It’s going to be okay.”

“What will?”

“Everything!”

“Everything?”

“Yes!”

Soo-ah nodded vigorously.

Lee Gwak felt a sense of wonder. It seemed almost instinctual how Soo-ah could grasp his feelings.

‘Is it because she’s a child? Or because we’re blood-related?’

Either way, it was a new experience for Lee Gwak, making it feel all the more special.

Holding Soo-ah, Lee Gwak asked, “Soo-ah.”

“Hmm?”

“You still remember the escape route?”

“I remember everything.”

“Can you guide Dad then?”

“Yes! I can guide you.”

“Then from now on, you lead the way.”

“Okay.”

Lee Soo-ah jumped down from Lee Gwak’s arms and took the lead.

Lee Gwak and Cheol Gwang Woo followed Soo-ah, discussing their plan.

“Using Soo-ah’s escape route is likely to catch them off guard. They wouldn’t expect her to return the same way she escaped.”

“Let’s hope so.”

“It will work out, brother.”

“Thank you. And just in case, be ready to protect Soo-ah.”

“Don’t worry, brother. Soo-ah is like a niece to me as well.”

Cheol Gwang Woo looked at Lee Soo-ah with a fond smile.

The sight of little Soo-ah bravely leading the way was simply endearing.

“And what about the Hao Clan?”

“I’ve already made contact. If sister-in-law gets detected by the Hao Clan’s information network, we’ll be able to make contact right away.”

“Hmm!”

Lee Gwak nodded.

With that, he had done everything he could.

The only thing left was to safely rescue Lee Cheong.

****

As they entered the White Light Sect’s territory, Lee Gwak and his companions became more discreet in their movements.

Cheol Gwang Woo, being conspicuous, moved at a distance, while Lee Gwak and Soo-ah disguised themselves as wandering father and daughter.

They changed into shabby clothes and smeared their faces with dirt. Roughening their hair made them look like a pair of wanderers roaming the world.

Lee Soo-ah, curious about her new appearance, checked her reflection in the water several times.

Standing next to Lee Gwak, anyone would believe they were a pair of wanderers.

After the war, it was common to see wanderers who had lost their homes roaming the Jianghu, so their appearance did not raise any suspicions.

Cheol Gwang Woo also made sure to move far enough away to avoid drawing attention to them.

Throughout their journey, Lee Gwak paid close attention to the terrain around them.

Soo-ah found Lee Gwak’s behavior curious.

“Dad, why are you looking so closely? It’s just land.”

“There are different kinds of land.”

“What kinds?”

“There’s land we can use and land we can’t. In places where the terrain is rugged and the

pathways are narrow, setting a few simple traps can be very effective.”

Despite the urgency, Lee Gwak took the time to explain in detail to Su-ah.

After hearing everything, Soo-ah nodded and said, “So it’s about using mechanisms and traps. Cheong would know a lot about this.”

“Cheong knows about mechanics?”

“Yeah! He reads books whenever he has the chance. The escape route I used was planned by Cheong.”

“Seems Cheong is quite smart.”

“He’s a genius. I’ve never met anyone smarter than Cheong.”

“That’s impressive.”

“Yeah! Cheong is amazing. I hope we can rescue him soon. It would be really nice for the four of us to be together.”

“That will happen.”

Lee Gwak’s assurance made Soo-ah look up at him and nod. Trust was evident in her eyes as she looked at him.

The two of them talked whenever they could.

Having been separated for a long time, they had many questions about each other, which led to many conversations. However, they never stopped moving even as they talked.

Whenever Soo-ah showed signs of tiredness, Lee Gwak carried her on his back.

After several days of travel, they finally arrived at the Nong River, where the White Light Sect was located.

Upon entering the Nong River area, they became even more cautious.

Everyone in the area could be assumed to be associated with the White Light Sect. Any slightly suspicious behavior could lead to them being reported to the White Light Sect.

They had to act cautiously yet naturally.

Fortunately, no one seemed to suspect Lee Gwak and Lee Soo-ah.

The White Light Sect had yet to realize Lee Gwak’s presence. They hadn’t dreamed that Lee Soo-ah would return to the Nong River with Lee Gwak.

In the distance, White Light Sect, surrounded by vast forests, was visible.

Flower Castle lived up to its name because of its beauty. But for Lee Gwak, it didn’t look beautiful at all.

His son, Lee Cheong, was trapped inside.

Originally, Lee Cheong and Soo-ah lived in a mansion near the Flower Castle, but after Soo-ah’s escape, Lee Gwak learned that Lee Cheong was immediately transferred to the Flower Castle.

There was no information on what happened to Lee Cheong after entering the Flower Castle.

White Light Sect was among the most secretive and closed sects in the Jianghu. Not even the intelligence networks of the Jade Heaven Alliance or the Hao Clan could penetrate White Light Sect.

Therefore, gathering information from the outside was nearly impossible.

In the end, Lee Gwak had to directly confront the situation.

Leaving Soo-ah with Cheol Gwang Woo, Lee Gwak scouted the Flower Castle quietly. As expected, there were no gaps in Flower Castle’s defenses.

Numerous martial artists were stationed everywhere, closely monitoring without leaving any room for infiltration, and many mechanisms and formations were set up throughout.

The Flower Castle was a fortress that even the most skilled assassins would hesitate to infiltrate. However, Lee Gwak did not believe in impregnable fortresses.

Even the Jade Heaven Alliance, known for having the best defenses in the world, had weaknesses.

No place is without flaws; they just haven’t been discovered yet.

Lee Gwak was persistent and had a deep understanding of mechanisms and formations.

This combination eventually led him to discover a weakness in Flower Castle.

‘The Flower Castle has never allowed an external intrusion. The biggest weakness is the

complacency of its guards.’

Among them, the discipline of those monitoring the mechanisms was the most lax, likely due to overreliance on the mechanisms themselves.

Lee Gwak quietly waited for an opportunity.