Episode 345

Digging an ant hole under the enemy’s nest (2)

 

Darkness enveloped the Jade Heaven Alliance.

 

Torches and lanterns emitted light here and there, but it was insufficient to illuminate the entirety of the alliance’s grounds.

 

So many forces had been sent to wage war against the Seven Sects that many buildings and quarters were left empty. Even though guards patrolled every night, there was still an air of eerie desolation that could not be dispelled.

 

If one were to name the darkest place within the Jade Heaven Alliance, it would undoubtedly be the Thunder Prison, where the most heinous criminals were held.

 

Though torches were hung throughout, they were inadequate to dispel the deep shadows that cloaked the prison. Yet, amidst this thick darkness, there was one cell that emitted a faint light.

 

Unlike the others, this particular cell had a small table, a crude chair, and a faint oil lamp.

 

It belonged to Yeo Jung Wol.

 

Once, he had been the master of the Secret Court and was hailed as a military genius in the Jade Heaven Alliance. Now he was reduced to a prisoner, confined within these walls. As a small courtesy, he had been given a table and a chair.

 

On the table lay five books he had brought with him.

 

Rustle… rustle…

 

Yeo Jung-wol read the books in the dim light of the oil lamp.

 

The light was so dim that he had to strain his eyes to make out the characters. Yet it was unthinkable for him not to read. As a result, his eyesight deteriorated rapidly. These days, even reading a few lines made his vision blurry.

 

Even now, if he wished, he could return to a life of luxury. Ja Hong Cheon would welcome him back with open arms and reinstate him as the strategist of the Secret Court, putting him in command of tens of thousands of troops to conquer the Jianghu. For a strategist, there was no greater glory than that.

 

But Yeo Jung Wol had renounced all such honours.

 

His pride and conscience as a lifelong strategist would not allow him to compromise.

 

He had joined the Jade Heaven Alliance to fight against the Celestial Demon Troupe, not to spill the blood of fellow Jianghu members. Even though it had led to his imprisonment, Yeo Jung Wol did not regret his decision.

 

A faint smile touched his lips.

 

“I hope you’re doing well.”

 

He thought of his disciple, Lim Sobo. Sending her away early had been the right decision. It was thanks to that decision that he had been able to withstand Ja Hong Cheon’s endless temptations and threats. When all his efforts to sway Yeo Jung Wol failed, Ja Hong Cheon had imprisoned him in the deepest part of the Thunder Prison.

 

The stifling air was laced with must and dampness, tormenting his every breath. Unable to bathe for a long time, his skin had begun to break out. Even then, Yeo Jung Wol never allowed himself to show any signs of distress.

 

Just as Yeo Jung Wol was about to return to his book –

 

Thud!

 

A heavy noise echoed through the prison.

 

Yeo Jung Wol frowned. In all his time here, he had never heard a sound like that. At first he thought it was his imagination.

 

Thud!

 

But the sound came again and Yeo Jung Wol realised that he hadn’t misheard. He closed his book and got up.

 

“Ugh!”

 

A muffled groan reached his ears, followed by the sound of a heavy iron door creaking open. A figure clad in black robes and a black mask entered cautiously.

 

Yeo Jung Wol suspected it might be an assassin sent by Ja Hong Cheon, so he eyed the figure warily. But then the man removed his mask and spoke.

 

“It’s me.”

 

The face revealed beneath the mask was drenched in sweat but unmistakably handsome.

 

Yeo Jung Wol’s eyes widened.

 

The face revealed was one Yeo Jung Wol knew well.

 

“Cheon Wol? How did you—?”

 

The man was Cheon Wol, the dark sword that protected Lim So Bo, Yeo Jung Wol’s disciple.

 

It was his job to protect her, never leaving her side, no matter what.

Cheon Wol approached Yeo Jung Wol and spoke.

 

“So Bo has sent me to rescue you.”

 

“Sobo? I told her not to interfere.”

 

Yeo Jung Wol frowned. Even in prison, he had never given up his pride as the military strategist of the Jade Heaven Alliance.

 

“Sobo needs you,” Cheon Wol insisted.

 

“Leave. Sobo has the ability to navigate the storm on her own. I would only be a burden to her.”

 

“That’s not true. Sobo is still young. No matter how talented she is, she needs guidance.”

 

“Cheon Wol!”

 

“Please, reconsider, Strategist!”

 

Cheon Wol’s voice was filled with desperation. He had once served under Lee Gwak but had followed Lim Sobo to the Secret Court. He had endured countless hardships to protect her and had mastered the Hidden Sword Art in the process. Though he was still far from the level of the Jianghu’s top masters, he was more than capable of protecting Lim Sobo.

 

He had trained so hard in the Hidden Sword Art solely to protect her. He had watched over her for a long time and knew how much she was struggling.

 

Yeo Jung Wol believed that Lim Sobo could handle things on her own, but the reality was not so simple. While she had the ability, her youth was a problem. The elders of Sky High Castle and Thousand Kingdom School often disregarded her commands, citing her age. If she had been a man, leading the two factions might have been easier. Though the Jianghu did not discriminate much between men and women, some bias still existed.

 

Because of this, Lim Sobo was struggling immensely. Having witnessed this firsthand, Cheon Wol was certain that she still needed Yeo Jung Wol.

 

“Hmm…”

 

Yeo Jung Wol let out a low groan. He had never imagined that his disciple would be suffering so much because of such issues.

 

“Above all, Sobo feels immense guilt over your imprisonment. She believes it’s her fault that you gave up everything and ended up in the Thunder Prison.”

 

“Tch.”

 

“So, for Sobo’s sake, please escape with me.”

 

“I can’t do that.”

 

Yeo Jung Wol’s response was firm. Though he sympathized with Lim Sobo’s plight, these were challenges she needed to overcome on her own. She had the ability; the rest would depend on her will and the passage of time. If he were to join her now, it would only weaken her resolve. That was why he refused to leave.

 

At that moment, Cheon Wol knelt on one knee.

 

“Forgive me, Strategist. I must commit a crime against you.”

 

“You wouldn’t—?”

 

Crack!

 

Like a bolt of lightning, Cheon Wol struck Yeo Jung Wol’s pressure points. Before Yeo Jung Wol could react, he collapsed into unconsciousness.

 

Cheon Wol hoisted the unconscious Yeo Jung Wol onto his shoulder, a bitter smile on his lips.

He didn’t want to resort to such measures, but Lim Sobo had insisted strongly.

 

She had said that Yeo Joong Wol would surely refuse to come out, so they must rescue him by force if necessary.

 

It was an order Lim Sobo had given after much deliberation.

 

She wasn’t trying to rescue Yeo Joong Wol just for her own sake. If by chance Ja Hong Cheon managed to win over Yeo Joong Wol using some unknown method, it would spell disaster for the Jianghu.

 

“Hoo!”

 

Putting his mask back on, Cheon Wol quietly stepped out of the stone cell.

 

All around the thunder prison, martial artists lay unconscious. They were the ones Cheon Wol had subdued upon infiltrating.

 

‘I’ve got to get out of here before anyone notices.’

 

With Yeo Joong Wol hoisted on his back, Cheon Wol moved swiftly.

 

He arrived at an empty cell in the thunder prison.

 

 

The Jade Heaven Alliance had secret passages built over a century ago. Most people were unaware of their existence, but Cheon Wol had learned of them from Lim Sobo’s younger brother, Lim Jimun.

 

Long ago, Lim Jimun had conducted a thorough inspection of the Jade Heaven Alliance’s secret passages alongside Lee Gwak. At that time, he discovered there was a passage leading to the thunder prison and informed Cheon Wol.

 

Cheon Wol vanished into the secret passage.

 

It wasn’t until an hour later that the Jade Heaven Alliance was thrown into chaos. The guards who came to relieve the shift discovered Yeo Joong Wol’s disappearance and began their pursuit.

 

***

Lee Gwak moved his residence to the guesthouse run by Cheol Dae-San.

 

Thanks to Cheol Dae-San’s remarkable culinary skills, the guesthouse was experiencing extraordinary success.

 

Cheol Dae San’s skills alone were outstanding, but with Bang Ye-in’s help, the taste became famous not only in Taegang but also in Dragon Heaven Valley, attracting countless visitors every day.

 

As a result, Cheol Dae San’s inn was filled with a long line of people.

 

Seeing the crowd gathered in front of the small inn, Cheol Gwang Woo clicked his tongue in amazement.

 

“People are really coming in droves.”

 

“When the best duo teams up, it’d be strange if business didn’t boom.”

 

“Well, that’s true.”

 

At Lee Gwak’s response, Cheol Gwang Woo nodded his head.

 

The two were not inside the inn, but had been pushed outside.

 

Both of them were pushed outside because there wasn’t even a small room for them to rest in.

 

Especially Cheol Gwang Woo, who occasionally looked at Bang Ye-in through the window with loving eyes.

 

Lee Gwak, noticing this, asked him, “When do you plan to get married?”

 

“What?”

 

Cheol Gwang Woo looked at Lee Gwak, startled.

 

Lee Gwak smiled.

 

“Why are you so surprised? Don’t you plan to marry?”

 

“I do, but the timing is a bit…”

 

“Because of the war?”

 

“Yes! It’s hard to think about marrying comfortably during such times.”

 

“That’s true,” nodded Lee Gwak.

 

Although she had already reached a high level of skill, Bang Ye-in endlessly researched food and sought out good ingredients.

 

Watching her, Lee Gwak truly understood what it meant to have no end to learning. Despite being younger than him, she was someone from whom he could learn a great deal.

 

Bang Ye-in always gave her best and approached her work with joy, an attitude Lee Gwak felt he should emulate.

 

After watching Bang Ye-in for a while, Lee Gwak stood up.

 

“Where are you going?” Cheol Gwang Woo asked.

 

“Just going out for some fresh air. Want to come?”

 

“I’ll stay here.”

 

Cheol Gwang Woo shook his head.

 

His gaze remained fixed on the inn.

 

Seeing his unwavering focus on Bang Ye-in, Lee Gwak smiled faintly.

 

Lee Gwak left Cheol Gwang Woo behind and walked alone through the streets.

 

Although it was late at night, the streets were as busy as if it were daytime. The inn and even the red light district were crowded with people. Lee Gwak looked for a secluded place away from the crowd.

 

He wanted to be alone, at least for a moment.

 

Just as Lee Gwak entered a quiet street, a loud explosion sounded, and his body was pushed backward.

 

“Ugh!”

 

A groan escaped his lips as he instinctively raised his blade to defend against the sudden sense of danger.

 

Thud!

 

A shattered arrow shaft fell at Lee Gwak’s feet.

 

Someone had shot an arrow to ambush him.

 

Swoosh!

 

The delayed sound of the arrows cutting through the air echoed again.

 

Lee Gwak looked in the direction the arrows had come from.

 

His pupils shook slightly.

 

The fact that the arrow arrived before the sound meant it had been shot from a considerable distance.

 

If it weren’t for Lee Gwak’s extremely sensitive senses as a martial artist, he might have died without even knowing what hit him.

 

The ambush was terrifyingly precise.

 

Pow! Pow!

 

Another series of explosions sounded.

 

Once again, an unseen enemy had shot arrows.

 

Relying on his superhuman senses, Lee Gwak deflected the arrows.

 

His hand felt numb.

 

The fact that simply deflecting the arrows caused such explosive sounds meant that an immense force was behind each shot.

 

Swoosh! Swoosh!

 

The delayed sound of the arrows cutting through the air followed.

 

Lee Gwak looked in the direction the arrows had come from.

 

Pitch-black darkness filled his vision.

 

He remembered that there was a river over four hundred zhang wide in this direction. This meant that someone was shooting arrows from at least four hundred zhang away across the river.

 

It was an attack from an unbelievably long distance.

 

Lee Gwak had never heard of any martial artist in the jianghu with such extraordinary archery skills.

 

If it was indeed shot from over four hundred zhang away, the opponent must have surpassed human limits in vision and archery skill.

 

Such a being deserved to be called the King of Archery.

 

The problem was that Lee Gwak had no history of enmity with such a person.

 

‘Who is it?’

 

Lee Gwak glared into the pitch-black darkness.

 

His brow twitched.

 

He tilted his head slightly, and a sharp gust of wind grazed his temple.

 

He had narrowly dodged the arrow.

 

Without further hesitation, Lee Gwak leapt towards the direction from which the arrows were coming.