chapter 290

The Age of Warring Heroes (3)

The dawn at Unsan Escort Agency was busier than usual.

The escort leaders and wagon guards had been inspecting the wagons and carriages since the day before. Partly because they were embarking on a long journey, but more importantly, because the cargo they were escorting was of great importance, necessitating thorough preparations.

In contrast, the vagrants temporarily hired as escort guards appeared more relaxed. Their task was simply to be prepared for emergencies and confront any external threats.

Above all, the escort agency did not entrust such tasks to temporarily hired vagrants for security reasons. For them, the vagrants were merely expendable shields, nothing more, nothing less.

Interestingly, the vagrants welcomed this arrangement. They had no interest in wasting effort on petty tasks that would earn them no recognition.

On this escort journey, the head of Unsan Escort Agency, Nam Woo-chang, and his nephew were accompanying them. This indicated just how important the cargo was.

Some vagrants were curious about the nature of the cargo, but most turned off their interest entirely.

One of the secrets to surviving long in the Jianghu was not to pay attention to unnecessary matters. They knew from experience that needless curiosity was a monster that shortens one’s lifespan.

Their job was to protect the cargo so it could safely reach its destination and receive their rightful reward. So, experienced vagrants deliberately did not approach the cargo. They avoided doing anything that might arouse unnecessary suspicion.

Lee Gwak was no different.

Although he was not a vagrant, he had plenty of experience traveling with escort agencies. Therefore, he knew well what actions escort agencies or merchant groups considered taboo.

Lee Gwak and Lee Cheong deliberately positioned themselves as far from the cargo as possible. Fortunately, they owned horses, allowing them to act independently.

Those without horses had no choice but to squeeze uncomfortably onto the backs of the luggage carts provided by the agency.

Although horses were widely available on the market, it was rare to own one due to the high purchase price and even higher maintenance costs.

For most vagrants, horses were a luxury.

“That’s a fine horse,” came a voice.

“Good day,” Lee Gwak greeted.

Seol Cheon-bok and Chae Il-yeon rode their horses over to the father and son, Lee Gwak and Lee Cheong. They were also vagrants but owned horses.

On the other hand, Sung Jae-kyung and Dam Myeong, with whom they had shared a meal the day before, were sitting in the luggage carts with the other vagrants.

Lee Gwak greeted them.

“Did you sleep well?”

“With a roof to shield us from the rain and walls to block the wind, we slept soundly,”

Seol Cheon-bok smiled kindly.

Chae Il-yeon acknowledged Lee Cheong.

“Did you sleep well too?”

“Yes! How about you, sister?”

“I slept well too. Thanks to that, I’m in great condition.”

Indeed, Chae Il-yeon’s face was full of vitality, exuding freshness. Because of that, some of the vagrants and escort warriors were staring at her face as if entranced.

Seol Cheon-bok said to Lee Gwak, “It would be good for those on horseback to move together. What do you think?”

“I think that’s a good idea.”

“But we’ll be spending quite a long time on horseback; can Cheong handle it?”

“Cheong rides better than I do. His stamina is also sufficient, so you don’t need to worry.”

“That’s a relief then…”

Seol Cheon-bok nodded.

At that moment.

“All preparations are complete; we are departing.”

The voice of Go Chang-seon, the chief escort captain of Unsan Escort Agency, resounded throughout the area.

Five escort captains, twenty escort martial artists, ten porters and twenty vagrants hired from outside – a large group of well over fifty people began to move.

Lee Gwak and Lee Cheong took up the rear, accompanied by Seol Cheon-bok and Chae Il-yeon.

Seol Cheon-bok asked Lee Gwak, “Looking at Cheong’s physique, he seems well-trained. Could you perhaps tell me where he learned martial arts?”

“He hasn’t had any particular sect or master yet.”

“Then are you teaching him?”

“Yes! I teach him whenever I have time.”

“Hmm!”

At Lee Gwak’s answer, Seol Cheon-bok’s eyes sparkled.

He hadn’t properly examined his bones and muscles yet, but even at a first glance, Lee Cheong’s talent seemed excellent.

His arms and legs were long, and the balance between his upper and lower body was well-proportioned. Even while riding a horse, his steady posture showed how exceptional his sense of balance was.

Most impressive of all were his clear and deep eyes.

Seol Cheon-bok had met many people in his long years. Among them were numerous outstanding talents, but none caught his eye as much as Lee Cheong.

Above all, what he liked most was Lee Cheong’s gentle and sincere nature. Perhaps because he resembled his father, his character was bright and seemed broad-minded.

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He was a talent that anyone would covet, not just Seol Cheon-bok.

Seol Cheon-bok asked in a subtle tone, “Do you perhaps have any particular sect or master in mind?”

“Not yet.”

At Lee Gwak’s calm reply, Seol Cheon-bok’s face lit up.

“If you don’t mind, may I introduce you to someone who could be Cheong’s master? His martial arts are truly great, and his reputation in the Jianghu is outstanding, so he would certainly be a great help to Cheong’s future.

“I’m sorry! I will learn martial arts from my father.”

The one who answered was Lee Cheong.

At Lee Cheong’s firm reply, Seol Cheon-bok frowned slightly. But he soon relaxed his expression and smiled kindly.

“Haha! I’m not saying you should leave your father’s side right now. Even after you get a bit older, it’s not too late to learn martial arts from the person I introduce. He is truly a great martial artist.”

“I’m really sorry, sir. I appreciate the offer,  but I need to learn the martial arts of our own sect.”

“Sect? Are you saying you already belong to one? May I ask its name?”

“I’m sorry. Due to circumstances, I can’t tell you the name of the sect, but it’s true that we belong to a sect.”

Lee Cheong answered decisively.

Lee Cheong’s firm reply left Seol Cheon-bok speechless.

From their appearance, Lee Gwak and Lee Cheong seemed like ordinary wanderers, the type to have no fixed affiliation. That’s why he had offered his suggestion.

The person he intended to introduce was the owner of Bokho Martial Arts Hall, the largest martial arts hall near Lake Hong, reputed for his strong martial arts.

Although he wasn’t as strong as the “Ten Ten Great Overlords” or the “Eight Great Martial Artists,” he was known to have no equal near Lake Hong.

A significant number of escort martial artists belonging to the Unsan Escort Agency had learned martial arts at Bokho Martial Arts Hall. But none of them had become the direct disciple of the master of Bokho Martial Arts Hall.

The Hall master was now old and wanted to find a direct disciple to whom he could pass on his legacy, but he couldn’t easily find a talent that caught his eye.

Knowing this, Seol Cheon-bok intended to recommend Lee Cheong as his disciple.

Seol Cheon-bok looked at Lee Gwak. “Is what your son said true?”

“It’s true.”

“Oh! I have committed a great discourtesy. I apologize.”

“Not at all.”

Lee Gwak slightly shook his head.

Lee Cheong was looking at Lee Gwak. His eyes were filled with a strong determination to follow in his father’s footsteps.

‘I will definitely succeed the Mad Martial Sect.’

When Lee Gwak was active in the Jianghu, people were curious about his sect. At that time, he answered “Mad Martial Sect” in honor of Gwang Noh-ya.

One day at Qilian Mountain, Lee Gwak told Lee Cheong this story. Although it was a casual remark by Lee Gwak, the term “Mad Martial Sect” was deeply engraved in Lee Cheong’s mind.

Mad Martial Sect.

First-generation sect leader Gwang Noh-ya, second-generation sect leader Lee Gwak, and Lee Cheong decided to become the third-generation leader following them.

Until a few days ago, Lee Cheong had no desire for the position of a Sect leader. But the death of Cho Ryu-jin changed his thinking.

To become as strong as Gwang Noh-ya or Lee Gwak and protect those who come into his embrace.

That was the symbolic meaning of the Mad Martial Sect.

Others might call it ridiculous, but to Lee Cheong, nothing was more important.

Sons grow up watching the backs of their fathers.

Lee Cheong also wanted to look at Lee Gwak’s back and resemble him.

Therefore, he never dreamed of becoming someone else’s disciple other than his father.

Reading Lee Cheong’s firm expression and demeanor, Seol Cheon-bok inwardly sighed.

‘What a waste. This child could have ruled this region for decades as a disciple of Bokho Martial Hall.’

Seol Cheon-bok thought about recommending Lee Cheong become a disciple of the Bokho Martial Hall one more time, but stopped himself. He thought that even if he recommended it again, Lee Cheong wouldn’t listen, and he was worried that doing so might only hurt their feelings.

Seol Cheon-bok said to Lee Gwak and Lee Cheong, “Forget what I said earlier. Just think of it as an old man being overly meddlesome.”

“I know you said it because you think well of my son. I’m just grateful for your consideration.”

“Thank you for thinking that way. Haha!”

Seol Cheon-bok let out a hearty laugh, dissipating any lingering awkwardness.

The group continued to chat amiably as they rode on.

At that moment, the window of the carriage in the middle quietly opened. It was the carriage carrying Nam Woo-chang, the head of Unsan Escort Agency.

Nam Woo-chang stuck his head out the window and looked at Lee Gwak and the others who were conversing.

He gestured for the chief escort captain, Go Chang-seon.

“Did you call for me?”

“Who are those two people?”

“Two people?”

“That father and son over there. They are unfamiliar faces.”

“Ah! They are martial artists recommended by the branch manager of the Hao Clan.”

“He recommended them?”

Nam Woo-chang showed a surprised expression.

Because the Hao Clan’s branch manager he knew was not someone who casually recommended people.

“Yes! He recommended them as trustworthy martial artists. So the chief manager hired them without hesitation.”

“Hmm! I see.”

Nam Woo-chang looked carefully at Lee Gwak.

From his appearance alone, he couldn’t find any outstanding features. But the Hao Clan’s branch manager wouldn’t recommend a martial artist with no merits.

There must be something he couldn’t discern.

“If he wrote a letter of recommendation, he must not be an ordinary person. Please pay special attention to him.”

“I will do so.”

“Hmm!”

Nam Woo-chang stroked his beard.

His gaze remained fixed on Lee Gwak.

At that moment, a boy next to him poked his head out. The boy, who looked about fourteen or fifteen years old, had an arrogant expression on his face.

He was Nam Jin-woon, the nephew of Nam Woo-chang.

He was the son of his older brother, who had lost his life to illness long ago. Because of that, Nam Woo-chang took special care to look after Nam Jin-woon.

Having been raised under such excessive care, Nam Jin-woon naturally developed an arrogant personality, thinking only of himself.

He also had considerable talent in martial arts and was recognised in the Bokho Martial Arts Hall, but he did not inherit the direct teachings of the master of the Bokho Martial Arts Hall due to his reckless personality.

Even so, Nam Jin-woon didn’t mind.

His ambitions were so great that a place like Bokho Martial Arts Hall didn’t satisfy him.

The reason he insisted on joining this escort mission was precisely to gain admission to the Nine Dragons Clan.

One of the conditions Nam Woo-chang had set when accepting this mission was the entry of Nam Jin-woon into the Nine Dragons Clan. The client who commissioned the cargo had the power to facilitate Nam Jin-woon’s entry into the Nine Dragons Clan.

Because of that, Nam Woo-chang accepted this risky assignment.

‘I hope nothing happens on the way to the Nine Dragons Clan.’

If they failed to deliver the cargo to the Nine Dragons Clan on time, the Unsan Escort Agency might go bankrupt. The cargo was that valuable. Therefore, Nam Woo-chang went out of his way to hire vagrants to strengthen their defenses.

Nam Woo-chang noticed that his nephew Nam Jin-woon’s gaze was fixed on Lee Cheong.

“Are you interested in that boy? If you want, I can call him over to the carriage.”

“No need. I have no business with such wanderers.”

“Wanderers?”

“Aren’t vagrants wanderers?”

“Still, he’s about your age; he could be a good companion during the journey.”

“Companions should be of similar status. I have no intention of talking with a vagrant.”

“Really, you…”

“I can make as many companions or friends as I want once I join the Nine Dragons Clan.”

Nam Jin-woon said curtly.

At that, Nam Woo-chang could not press further.

Watching this, Go Chang-seon clicked his tongue.

‘The agency leader is fine in other aspects, but his weakness for his nephew is a problem.’

Perhaps because he was the only son of his deceased brother, Nam Woo-chang was especially indulgent toward Nam Jin-woon. Knowing this, Nam Jin-woon became even more arrogant.

Because of that, Nam Jin-woon caused various problems even within the escort agency. But each time, Nam Woo-chang let it slide, indulging him.

‘Tsk! They should have corrected his habits when he was young.’

It was too late to fix them now.

His personality had already fully formed.

Thud!

Nam Jin-woon closed the window of the carriage.

Go Chang-seon turned his attention away from Nam Jin-woon.

Although his attitude was bothersome, there was a more important matter at hand: safely transporting the cargo to the Nine Dragons Clan.

They couldn’t use the waterways to reach the Nine Dragons Clan. They had to use overland routes.

Overland routes required much more attention than using waterways.

Especially in chaotic times like now, they had to be more thorough in their defenses. To do that, they had to utilize their current personnel as efficiently as possible.

‘Did he say his name was Lee Jin-moon? If the branch manager of the Hao Clan recommended him, he would be quite useful. I’ll have to make the most of him.’

Unlike Nam Woo-chang, Go Chang-seon did not accept Lee Gwak with pure intentions.