Chapter 601: North Sea (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 601: North Sea (3)
Crackle! Snap!
The sound of embers crackling filled the air.
Something that had once been human was burning. Its form had long since been lost, reduced to nothing more than a pile of ash.
I watched the remains for a moment before pushing myself to my feet.
Drip… Drip…
Blood trickled from my fingertips. It wasn't my blood, of course; it was merely the aftermath of the torture.
The two long-dead corpses were now engulfed in flames. In contrast, my gaze as I watched them was chillingly calm—so cold it surprised even me. That was the current state of my emotions.
I turned my head. Yuri was there, staring at me with trembling eyes, unable to utter a single word. Her pupils were filled with deep fear and a shallow sense of bewilderment.
Flick!
I swung my hand, shaking off the blood. At the same time, I burned away the residue on the floor. The acrid smell of charring instantly filled the space.
In the heavy silence, I looked at Yuri and asked, “I’ll ask again.”
“…Yes…?”
“Is there really no one you suspect?”
“...”
My words carried several meanings.
“You still don’t think so?” I forced a smile. Thankfully, my face complied.
I had managed to extract a fair amount of information through the torture. As expected, the man had a great attachment to life. Such men always become endlessly weak in the face of death. Their grit, their courage, even what little loyalty they might have clung to—it all withers away.
“Or do I need to provide more proof?”
“…No, sir.” Yuri bit her lip and shook her head. “It’s still… hard to fully believe, but… I know this is not a situation where I can deny it.”
“As long as you know.”
Hearing her answer, I gave a slight nod. It was a signal for her to continue.
The information I’d obtained was roughly this: The rebellion was spearheaded by the Blue Wolf clan, one of the four great tribes of the North. The man’s orders were to wait here and, upon Yuri’s arrival, lure her to a specific destination.
‘So far, it’s as I expected.’
Just as I had thought earlier, their goal was to bait us. The plan was for those lying in ambush at the destination to strike.
If there was one lingering question, it was this: ‘How did they know when we would get here?’
Simply calculating the distance from the Central Plains to the North, we only made it this quickly because we rode Ttolddoli. Otherwise, we would have arrived much, much later. They surely couldn't have predicted we would fly through the sky.
But the fact that they had this kind of response prepared meant one of two things. Either they had a way of knowing the exact moment we arrived in the North and prepared then, or they had simply prepared for all possible routes.
Logically, the latter had a higher probability. Also, it had to be that way. If it were the former, things would be a complete disaster.
The information that followed also pointed to this. According to the man, the reason a bloodbath had begun in the Ice Palace was because someone at the top of the rebellion was involved…
‘A member of the Ice Palace’s bloodline.’
A direct blood relative of the Palace Lord was complicit. This directly contradicted what Yuri had said about the bloodline being unable to betray one another.
‘Was that really a lie?’
The man’s words were the truth—at least, under the premise that he hadn't lied under torture. Then, had Yuri lied?
‘That’s not it either.’
Objectively speaking, the chances of Yuri doing so were remarkably low. Of course, "remarkably" didn't mean "absolutely." I was just excluding her from the top of my suspect list for now.
I looked at Yuri again. “What should we do?”
At my question, Yuri swallowed dryly. Her expression was dark and scorched, as if she too couldn't quite process the situation. It seemed she was struggling to accept the news that her own kin was involved.
What should we do?
This question wasn't really for Yuri. It was a question I was asking myself.
‘It’s right to assume all the routes Yuri mentioned earlier are blocked.’
If the very first hideout, the one she was most confident in, was in this state, then every path to the Ice Palace from here on out would be compromised.
So, what now?
Swoosh.
I ran a hand through my hair, pushing it back from my forehead. My cold gaze swept through the empty air. I had already decided on the answer the moment the torture ended.
“If the safe path is gone, then we just have to take the one that isn't.”
The information the man gave up included the location where they were planning the ambush. The answer, then, was simple. I asked Yuri directly, “The location you mentioned earlier. Do you know where it is?”
“The location, you mean…?”
“The place this bastard mentioned. Seorak Gorge, was it?”
“…!” Yuri’s eyes widened like saucers. “That… That place. You said that’s where the enemy is lying in ambush.”
“That’s right.”
Yuri was flustered, failing to understand my intention. Watching her, I spoke nonchalantly.
“They’re going to all the trouble of waiting for us. We should pay them a visit. If you know the way, lead on.”
“What does that…!” Yuri raised her voice without realizing it. “You want to walk straight into the enemy’s trap?”
“Because it’s the fastest way.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to go straight to the Ice Palace…? If we ride that creature from before, we can safely—!”
“We can’t.”
“What…?”
“He’s at his limit right now.”
Why wouldn't I have thought of that? It was the first thing that came to mind.
“He can’t fly right now.”
There was a reason I had sent Ttolddoli off to rest. The creature was too exhausted to fly. He had flown for days while bearing our weight. I had chosen the members with the garden’s capacity in mind, but we exceeded that by bringing the Dishonored Venerable. Even then, he flew at full speed. I let him rest once every few days, but the fact that we arrived so quickly was only because Ttolddoli had pushed past his limits.
Besides that, “There’s no guarantee the Ice Palace is safe, either.”
“…!”
“Things are already this fucked up out here. You think your home is going to be any better?”
A rebellion had broken out, and enemies occupied the designated hideout. Was the Ice Palace truly safe? What if the Palace Lord had already been defeated and the palace was occupied? There were problems tangled in every choice we could make.
‘There is no best option.’
This wasn't about finding a better way. It was time to choose the least-bad option.
“So, lead the way.”
“But…”
Yuri, still unconvinced, tried to argue. I let out a heavy sigh.
“I told you before.” It seemed she was still mistaken. “Does this look like a request to you?”
A hint of the killing intent I had been suppressing coiled around my cold voice. Yuri’s body flinched.
I was at my limit. I was holding back, over and over again, but I had reached the breaking point. I wanted to burn everything to the ground this very instant. The effort of restraining that urge was agonizing. It burned so hot it felt cold instead.
“Lead the way. Now.”
Before I burned something down, I needed to find someone to cool me off.
* * *
Swoooosh!
The falling snow made it difficult to see even a step ahead. A fierce blizzard was raging. The path to the gorge wasn't steep, but it was arduous. As she climbed, Yuri’s entire body radiated vigilance.
The biting cold wasn't the problem; for Yuri, the cold was more familiar than anything. The problem was her pounding heart and the endless, gnawing anxiety. As she climbed, Yuri repeatedly bit her trembling lips.
‘What… in the world is happening?’
She couldn't think straight. The fact that enemies were in her pre-planned hideout, and that her own blood kin was involved in the calamity—those two facts alone were enough to leave her devastated.
‘How could this possibly…?’
It was unbelievable. Those who bear the curse of the ice crystals cannot betray one another. That had been the absolute rule imposed upon the Ice Palace bloodline for ages. But the information gleaned from the torture was nothing short of shocking.
Torture.
As the recent events came to mind, a wave of nausea rose in her stomach. Yuri forced it down. It had been a horrific sight.
Crack.
A human body being pierced, joints being shattered.
[Gyaaaaarghhh!!!]
Splurt!
Screams had filled the air as blood splattered. For the first time in her life, she had smelled burning human flesh. The scent was unbearably bitter. It had taken only a few minutes for the man’s desperate pleas for mercy to turn into fervent begging for death.
‘I’m scared.’
Fear rose just from the memory. That was the moment Yuri became certain that something was wrong. Even in the face of such screams, the torturer’s eyes had remained impassive. He paid no mind to the screams, the blood, or the burning flesh. The only thing he focused on were the words that would come from the man’s mouth.
Faced with such cruelty, Yuri could barely breathe. What in the world had she brought to the North? Was it right to bring him here? Fear and dread tightened their grip around her neck.
Crunch.
She took a step, her emotions weighing her down. The strange thing was that despite her fear, Yuri was ultimately following his orders. Was it because she couldn't overcome the threat? Perhaps. She wasn't sure of anything.
The important thing was that she was obeying him. She was guiding them to a place where the enemy was lying in ambush, even when she didn't know the fate of the Ice Palace. Even if he had presented a rational path, she was the one who had chosen to follow it. She was the one who had to take responsibility.
“Huu… hu….”
Knowing this, Yuri did not stop.
Seorak Gorge. It was dangerous terrain with a gentle slope but a deep, slippery path and steep cliffs. It was one of the paths to the Ice Palace, but a route rarely taken due to its danger.
‘A path to the Ice Palace.’
He said he was heading toward the ambush. If he had suggested Seorak Gorge for safety, Yuri would have agreed; the place was so deserted that almost no one ever came here.
‘…Is he really right?’
She didn't want to admit it, but she had to. Her predictions had been wrong.
Swoooosh.
The wind continued to howl. The blizzard made it impossible to see. Should they go on? Yuri looked back. The group was following her quietly. The cold didn't seem to affect them at all.
‘I’ve heard of this.’
That among warriors, the truly exceptional are not swayed by the elements. Were they like that? It was a useless thought. Yuri shook her head and looked at the group.
“…The situation is not good.”
It was already night. The raging blizzard was a serious problem. Even the skilled warriors of the Ice Palace would stop walking in conditions this severe. No matter how skilled these Central Plains people were, moving further seemed impossible.
Gu Yangcheon, who was in the lead, glanced around. For a moment, it seemed his eyes glowed with a faint blue light.
“Right, we don’t have to go any further.”
“As I thought…” A sense of relief washed over her. “There’s also the risk of an ambush, so let’s find a place nearby to rest for a moment—”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
“Pardon?”
Wasn't he suggesting they wait until morning? Just as Yuri was feeling puzzled…
Fwoosh.
Suddenly, Gu Yangcheon began to gather flames in his palm. Instantly, the temperature shifted. It was warm—a sudden heat in the midst of the blade-like cold.
Whoosh!
The warmth gathered into a single point, looking like a small sun. Just as Yuri’s eyes were captivated by the mystical sight…
Fling!
Gu Yangcheon tossed the sparkling jade marble into the air.
FLASH!
The floating marble emitted a brilliant light, illuminating the surroundings. The blizzard seemed to cease around the sphere. The light pushed back the darkness, revealing the terrain.
And as the scenery came into view…
“Hah…!” Yuri gasped. “What… What is this…?”
Something was visible on the snowfield. It was almost completely buried by the fresh snow, but Yuri had a vague idea of what they were.
Thud, thud!
Gu Yangcheon walked over and grabbed something on the ground, lifting it up. What had been buried in the snow was finally revealed.
To her shock, it was a human corpse. Gu Yangcheon examined the body nonchalantly.
“Hasn’t been dead for long.”
Its condition was poor, but it looked recent. Yesterday at the latest. Perhaps even today. And it wasn't just this one.
‘There are so many.’
Corpses buried in the snow were visible everywhere. A rough count suggested over twenty bodies.
“Are these the guys who were lying in ambush?”
If so, why were they all dead? Perhaps they were Ice Palace personnel? It would be strange for the ambushers themselves to be found dead here.
Just then, Yuri approached in surprise. “…General…?”
“You know him?” Gu Yangcheon asked.
“Ah…” Yuri frowned. “He’s a general from the Blue Wolf clan…”
“The Blue Wolf clan.”
That was the tribe involved in the rebellion. Which meant he was one of the ambushers. Moreover, the rank of General was held only by renowned warriors in the North.
‘So they were definitely planning to capture us.’
The plan to lure them here was real. The problem was: ‘Why are they dead?’
“Hmm…”
It was incomprehensible. The fact that there wasn't a single presence to be felt nearby made it even stranger. Did they get into a fight with Palace Lord loyalists?
Just as I thought I needed to investigate further…
Halt!
Gu Yangcheon turned his head toward the west. Everyone except Yuri did the same.
“They’re coming.”
“Yes.” Gu Yangcheon nodded at the Dishonored Venerable’s words. He could feel presences from the west. About thirty people. They would arrive in fifteen minutes.
‘Is it because of this?’ I raised my gaze. It seemed the men had seen the light of the Fire Wheel Star and were heading this way.
“Young Master, what should we do?”
“Let’s hide for now. We need to see who they are.”
Friend or foe? Confirming that was the priority. Gu Yangcheon extinguished the Fire Wheel Star. The light faded, and darkness returned. The blizzard began to rage once more.
“Let’s erase our presence and grasp the situation.”
He was about to move when a sense of incongruity caught his eye. He saw something glittering in the snowfield to one side. Normally, he would have dismissed it as a discarded weapon.
“...”
“Young Master? Where are you going—?”
For some reason, Gu Yangcheon headed toward it. He felt an inexplicable urge to see what it was. His steps, which usually left no footprints, now sank deep into the snow. His internal energy control had slipped.
He walked. No, he ran. He didn't understand why he was in such a hurry. When he arrived, the light was gone. He was sure he had seen a glint from afar, but now there was only white snow.
Plunge!
Gu Yangcheon thrust his hand into the drift. A cold sensation brushed against his skin. Ignoring it, he pushed deeper until his fingertips caught on something. It wasn't the texture of the ground.
He grasped it and pulled his hand back. The moment he saw the object…
“...”
Gu Yangcheon’s entire body froze solid.
It was a familiar object. It was something a certain woman had carried around to the point of obsession. And it was something he had bought for her.
It was cheap, bought in a hurry while passing by. He remembered offering to buy her a new one because it looked a little rusty, but she had refused to replace it, no matter what.
A crescent-shaped hair accessory he had chosen for her because he thought it resembled her.
That object was found in a place it should never have been.
The moment he confirmed it, something inside Gu Yangcheon snapped.
FWOOOOOSH—!!
Starting from his feet, an intense, incinerating heat exploded in all directions.