Martial Artist Lee Gwak novel - Chapter 268
Due to some copyright issues. I changed some word such god= supreme-ruler. /diviné= supreme. And some Chinese words etc, all of this to avoid copyright *.*
Since we barely make any profit from our site, I will close the site and turn it into a Blogger blog where I will publish the two most famous novels on the site. After we finish translating the novels, we will close it.
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Chapter 268
Forgotten but Not Gone (2)
‘Ugh!’
A harsh groan escaped Lee Cheong’s vicious lips.
His face showed signs of exhaustion.
He had been riding his horse non-stop for five days. It was a grueling schedule for a boy whose physical strength was not yet developed.
Except for short rests or sleep, he spent most of his time on horseback. He even ate on the move, surviving on dried rations, which was hard for someone as young as Lee Cheong to endure.
But still, he held on.
He couldn’t complain about being tired when he was the one who had begged Lee Gwak to let him come along. So he kept enduring.
But his patience was reaching its limit.
His bum was bruised from the saddle, and his eyelids were constantly closing from lack of sleep.
Lee Gwak, who was riding with him, was well aware of this.
He could have taken a break for his son’s sake, but Lee Gwak did not. At home, he could indulge his son’s whims as much as he wanted, but this was not home; it was Jianghu
In Jianghu, a single word could make someone an enemy or a friend. Therefore, one had to be responsible for their words.
Moreover, they were racing against time.
It wasn’t a situation where they could rest just because Lee Cheong was tired. So they continued for five days. As a result, they were almost in Chaohu.
In the distance, they could see a vast lake spreading out. The lake was so wide that someone unfamiliar might mistake it for the sea—that was Chaohu.
Only after reaching the outskirts of Chaohu did Lee Gwak slowly reduce the speed of his horse. Lee Cheong approached him.
Lee Cheong’s entire body was covered in sweat and dust, and the horses were so exhausted that they were foaming at the mouth.
Lee Gwak patted Lee Cheong’s shoulder and said,
“You’ve worked hard. Now that we’ve arrived at Chaohu, let’s find an inn and rest for a while.”
“Yes!”
Lee Cheong showed a happy expression.
More than anything, he was happy to get off his horse and rest.
The two of them found the largest inn in the area. There was only one inn in Chaohu that had a separate stable for the horses.
Blue Moon Inn
Even from a distance, the Blue Moon Inn was grand and luxurious.
Usually, Lee Gwak used cheap inns, but this time he sought out the biggest and most splendid one.
After leaving their horses with the stable boy, they entered the inn. The first and second floors were filled with diners, and the place was packed, with barely a seat left.
“Welcome!”
The innkeeper greeted the two.
“Do you have an outbuilding?”
“The outbuilding is expensive, though…”
“Price doesn’t matter; please give us the outbuilding.”
Lee Gwak placed three silver coins on the counter.
The innkeeper quickly pocketed the silver and called over a nearby attendant.
“Guide these gentlemen to the western outbuilding.”
“Yes!”
The attendant answered and led the two to the outbuilding on the west side.
The outbuilding wasn’t anything extravagant, but it offered privacy, being enclosed by tall walls and having its own well for easy washing. It was more than enough.
“Thank you.”
Lee Gwak handed a coin to the attendant who had guided them. The attendant’s face lit up.
“Thank you very much.”
“We’re new to Chaohu; how are things around here these days?”
“Oh, sir! Don’t even mention it. It’s terrible.”
“Why?”
“Don’t you know? There was a big fight recently. The Jade Heaven Alliance and the Thousand Kingdom School clashed! Because of that, dozens of people died.”
“You mean they clashed here in Chaohu?”
“Yes! Many innocent people got caught up in the fight and died. Because of that, the whole of Chaohu feels like a mourning hall. Sir, you should be extra careful when you go out. You could get caught up in trouble if you’re not careful.”
“Thank you.”
“Then I’ll take my leave. If you need anything, please call me anytime.”
“We’re going to wash up and go out, so please prepare a simple meal.”
“Understood. Then…”
The attendant bowed his head to Lee Gwak and went out.
Lee Gwak spoke to Lee Cheong, who was looking around inside the outhouse.
“First, wash up and relieve your fatigue. We’ll go out later in the evening.”
“Yes!”
“Yes, Father!” Lee Cheong immediately ran to the well, stripped off his clothes and splashed cold water over himself.
“Wow!”
A gasp of relief escaped his lips as he doused himself again and again, washing off the dust from his body.
Just by washing up, he felt his accumulated fatigue melt away. After finishing his wash, Lee Cheong immediately began to cultivate.
Lee Gwak also drew water from the well to wash off the dirt on his body. Only then did the sticky feeling disappear.
“Whew!”
Lee Gwak put his clothes back on.
Though he hadn’t said it, he was also somewhat tired from the forced march. But after washing up, his fatigue was completely gone.
Lee Gwak sat down on a bench and waited for his son to finish his cultivation.
With his eyes closed, Lee Cheong was fully absorbed in his cultivation.
He was commendable.
He must have been very tired, but he hadn’t uttered a single word of complaint. For someone so young to have such patience was no easy feat.
The congenital illness he had suffered when he was younger had made him mature early. Although he was now completely cured, the patience ingrained in him from that time remained.
Lee Gwak’s eyes softened as he watched his son.
It wasn’t just because he was his own flesh and blood; the boy was truly admirable.
After a while, Lee Cheong finished his cultivation and stood up.
There was no longer any sign of fatigue on his face. His eyes shone brightly, and his smiling face indicated that he had fully recovered.
“I’m ready, Father.”
“Good.”
The two left the outbuilding and went to the dining hall. It was even more crowded than before, with no empty seats in sight. Just then, the attendant from earlier approached them.
“Don’t worry, I’ve saved you a table.”
“Thank you.”
“Hehe, it’s my pleasure. Please follow me.”
He led them to a secluded table where food was already laid out.
“Please bring me a bottle of wine as well.”
“Yes!”
The attendant answered and quickly ran off.
Lee Gwak and Lee Cheong sat down.
“You must have been very tired. Let’s eat up.”
“Dad, you eat too.”
The two picked up their chopsticks at the same time.
The first thing Lee Cheong ate was stir-fried pork. The stir-fried pork with all kinds of vegetables was perfect for Lee Cheong’s taste buds.
On the other hand, Lee Gwak chose the steamed fish made from fish caught in Chaohu. Its salty flavor paired perfectly with the wine that soon arrived.
After filling his stomach to some extent, Lee Cheong asked,
“What are we going to do now?”
“I’m thinking of finding the Hao Clan.”
“As expected, you’re planning to gather information.”
“Everything starts with obtaining information. You need to know the situation to respond effectively.”
“I think so too.”
Lee Cheong nodded.
Even while living with his family on Mount Qilian, he never let go of books. He loved them so much that he would sometimes ask visitors to bring books when they returned.
Thanks to that, their home was filled with books, and his knowledge was incomparable to other children his age. But the world couldn’t be fully understood just by reading books.
During the journey with his father, Lee Cheong clearly felt the gap between reality and ideals. He now worked hard to see the world through a more practical lens.
He looked up at his father, Lee Gwak.
Quietly eating his food and wine, he didn’t look any different from any other guest in the inn. But Lee Cheong knew.
He knew that his father was actually listening carefully to the conversations of the people around them.
Whenever they stayed at an inn, his father always did that.
He tried to gather even the smallest bits of information from the conversations around him, and he would deduce the truth based on those trivial pieces of information.
Seeing his father like that gave great insight to Lee Cheong.
‘The truth isn’t somewhere far away. It can be found even in such bustling places.’
In response, Lee Cheong, too, began listening to the conversations around them.
“When will this conflict finally end? We haven’t been able to fish for days. Are they telling us to starve?”
“I know! If they want to fight, they should do it on land. Blocking the waterways like this—what are we supposed to do?”
“Ugh, it’s infuriating.”
It seemed the men complaining were local fishermen. They spoke in low voices, careful to avoid drawing attention.
But they weren’t the only ones grumbling.
“Those bastards! Raiding a merchant’s warehouse like that?”
“But didn’t they at least pay?”
“Pay? They took it at less than half the price it was supposed to sell for. It’s a huge loss.”
“Is that true? They took two thousand sacks of rice and only paid that little?”
“It wasn’t just me. It’s not like they’re requisitioning military provisions; how could they take it at such a low price? They’re called the Jade Heaven Alliance, but they’re no different from bandits.”
The merchants looked fed up, but they also looked pitiful as they scanned the area to make sure no one was listening.
Lee Gwak’s expression darkened for a moment.
The Jade Heaven Alliance these people were cursing had once been his home.
Back then, he was a mere outer hall martial artist with little presence, but he had many fond memories of his time there. Hearing the alliance spoken of this way didn’t sit well with him.
‘How did the Jade Heaven Alliance end up like this…?’
Lee Gwak closed his eyes with a complicated expression.
Just three years ago, many people praised the Jade Heaven Alliance. But now, it was no longer an object of praise.
On the way here, most of the people they met were tired of the long war and angry at the Jade Heaven Alliance, the main culprit.
This reality left a bitter taste in Lee Gwak’s mouth.
“Dad?”
Lee Cheong’s voice pulled Lee Gwak back to the reality.
When he opened his eyes, he saw his son looking at him with a worried expression.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I was just thinking about something else.”
“Your expression didn’t look good.”
“Sorry to make you worry.”
“It’s okay.”
Lee Cheong shook his head.
Seeing his son’s face eased his bitter feelings.
“Shall we head out, then?”
“Yes!”
The two paid the bill and left the inn.
By now, darkness had settled deeply over the streets.
In the past, at this time, the brothels around would have lit their red lanterns. But since the clashes between the Jade Heaven Alliance and the Thousand Kingdom School had intensified, the brothels did not light their lanterns. The atmosphere was so tense that they didn’t want to draw the attention of warriors.
Perhaps because of that, there were few people on the streets.
Normally, this would be the busiest time of the evening, but now, everyone stayed indoors, avoiding any unnecessary risks.
Looking up at his father, Lee Cheong asked, “Do you think Uncle ki is alright?”
“I hope so.”
“I really hope he isn’t too badly hurt. He’s such a good person.”
Lee Cheong had spent a lot of time with Gi Jin-Hwi, and he had fond memories of him, affectionately calling him “uncle.”
Lee Gwak patted his son’s head, causing the boy’s tense expression to relax slightly.
Lee Gwak was just as worried about Ki Jin-Hwi. But worrying won’t solve anything. First, they needed to find the Hao Clan and gather information.
Fortunately, finding the Hao Clan wouldn’t be too difficult. The letter Lee Gwak had received included the location of their branch in this area.
Suddenly, Lee Gwak’s expression tensed.
Lee Cheong noticed and gave a puzzled look.
“Father?”
“We’re being followed.”
“Followed?”
Lee Cheong was puzzled, but he didn’t turn around.
“There are three of them. They started tailing us as soon as we entered this alley.”
“Who are they?”
“I’m not sure.”
They continued their conversation, their voices calm, as if they were simply enjoying a friendly father-son chat.
Then, it happened.
“Stop right there.”
The men who had been quietly tailing them finally revealed themselves.
The moment Lee Gwak saw their faces, his expression stiffened.
“Jade Heaven Alliance!”
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