Chapter 608: Curse of Ice Crystals (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 608: Curse of Ice Crystals (4)
What did I just hear?
My mind went completely blank, refusing to work properly.
Who did he say was who?
And who did what?
It felt as if the world had ground to a halt at his words.
“What… did you just say?”
I asked the Palace Lord again.
I had to ask. It had to be a misunderstanding. I must have misheard him. It absolutely had to be a mistake.
I hoped and prayed as I looked at him, but…
[I said that the one known as the Sleeping Dragon, Woo Hyuk, led the rebellion.]
Goddammit. It seemed I hadn't misheard after all.
“....”
Countless thoughts swirled in my head, but not a single word came out. I tried to sort through them. They were a tangled mess, but I had to organize them, no matter what.
Yes, I definitely needed to get my head straight, but…
Woo Hyuk, that bastard… what?
I couldn't. The news was simply that staggering.
Woo Hyuk, that son of a bitch, did what?
What did he call him? Biwegun?
I didn't know if it was a name or a title. Regardless, he was saying that this Biwegun character was the mastermind behind the rebellion, backed by the bloodline of the Ice Palace.
And that person…
…was Woo Hyuk?
What’s more, being born to a famous family in the North Sea meant he wasn't from the Central Plains, but a native of the North. Someone born in the North Sea went to the Central Plains and joined the Wudang Sect? How was that even possible?
No, forget that for now.
“Is what you're saying really true?”
First, I had to determine whether the Palace Lord's words were the truth.
[Why? Do you think I am lying?]
“Because it's not something I can easily believe.”
[I see. That is understandable.]
To me, it was completely out of the blue. The fact that Woo Hyuk was suddenly from the North Sea. That he was from a famous family here. And above all, the fact that the guy who seemed to have no greed or ambition had started a rebellion.
I couldn't believe a single bit of it.
As I stared at the Palace Lord with bewildered eyes, reflecting my inner turmoil…
[I understand that it is hard to believe. It must be quite sudden.]
The Palace Lord continued to speak. The problem was…
Crrrackle.
…a subtle sound echoed from all around us.
“…?”
The Ice Qi enveloping the area began to grow denser. It looked hazy, like a fog, but I could see its form subtly changing. What had been soft and round was gradually sharpening into blades.
The pressure weighing down on my shoulders intensified. Feeling this, I couldn't help but frown.
“What is the meaning of this?”
I asked, glaring at the Palace Lord.
[As you said, it may be sudden. But the situation is not very good.]
“Hah.”
Hearing that, I let out a dry laugh. In the rapidly changing atmosphere, I finally understood what was happening. I met the Palace Lord's gaze. His eyes were still unsettling. Looking into them, I spoke.
“So, are you saying you suspect me as well?”
[It is merely a confirmation.]
“Does this look like 'mere' confirmation to you? It looks like you're dead set on tearing me apart.”
When I heard the Palace Lord himself was looking for me as soon as I woke up, I thought it must be an urgent situation, but…
Was an interrogation the real intention?
My mood turned to absolute shit. It was too rude to be a simple greeting, but a bit too polite for a formal interrogation.
Crack.
Perhaps because of the Ice Qi, I felt my toes slowly freezing over.
Vwooom—!
Inside my body, the rings of the Gu Flame Wheel Art began to spin on their own. Heat instinctively circulated to push back the cold.
What the hell is this?
As if things weren't bad enough, fuck.
It was already hard enough to keep my sanity. Now all sorts of trivial bullshit kept happening.
“Palace Lord.”
I ignored the encroaching cold and spoke to him.
“Do you not know why I am here?”
My voice was thick with emotion.
[I do.]
At that, I laughed again.
“You do?”
I am the honored guest who came all the way from the Central Plains to save you. It's ridiculous to call myself that, but from the Palace Lord's perspective, that's what I am.
And yet.
“You know that, and you still treat me like this?”
The pressure was so tight it was hard to even breathe. Sharp shards of Ice Qi circled my neck.
“Is this how you treat a guest? Is this how things are done in the North Sea?”
To treat someone who came to save his life this way… this was no different from picking a fight.
[Young Master Gu.]
The Palace Lord called my name. I didn't answer.
[Do you truly believe you can break this curse?]
“I don't know. I won't know until I try. How could I possibly know that?”
Treating Moyong Hi-ah and treating the Palace Lord's current condition were worlds apart. As I said before, I couldn't be certain.
[Yes, it is not a certainty.]
“Is that the problem?”
I didn't know if I could properly cure him or not. I thought that might be the issue, but…
[No, that is not much of a problem.]
As he spoke, the chilling Ice Qi grew even denser.
[In the first place, whether you can truly cure me or not… that was never important.]
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
[I am not so foolish as to entrust my body to someone who is circumstantially suspicious.]
The Palace Lord's vertically slit, pale blue pupils glinted.
[And besides, I had no intention of being treated in the first place.]
“What?”
I blurted out the question without thinking. What did this man just say?
No intention of being treated?
What kind of new bullshit was this? I couldn't understand. If the Palace Lord really had no intention of being treated, “Then why did you seek me out?”
Why am I even here?
“Did you really bring me here just to interrogate me?”
Did he want to see me just because I was connected to Woo Hyuk? As these questions surfaced, the Palace Lord's voice reached me.
[The first reason was curiosity.]
[I was curious about you, the one the Second Young Lady spoke of. And I was curious about the familiar energy I felt long ago.]
Familiar energy…
Is he talking about the Gu Flame Wheel Art?
He did say he'd met my father. It seems that was the reason.
[The second reason is that you are friends with Biwegun.]
“So it is an interrogation.”
[I must confirm, must I not?]
The Palace Lord didn't deny it. This was indeed an interrogation.
[So, I hope you will answer my questions carefully.]
The cold had grown so dense it was now biting into my skin.
Crrrackle.
Frost was forming. It was an unpleasant, foul sensation—like insects crawling on my skin. It was just Ice Qi, so why did it feel so repulsive?
[I have no desire to harm the child of a friend.]
“...”
It was nothing short of a chilling threat. As if to prove his words were not empty, the Palace Lord aimed all of the sharpened Qi directly at me.
Assessing the situation, I asked, “You said you were my father's friend. Is it really okay for you to act like this?”
[He may be my friend, but you, Young Master Gu, are not.]
“What an incredibly cold answer.”
A friend is a friend, and a son is a son. He drew the line with a coldness befitting the master of ice.
[I shall ask.]
[Are you friends with Biwegun?]
Hearing that, I tilted my head. The question was strange. If Woo Hyuk was Biwegun, then he should already know that I'm friends with the guy. The question he should be asking was, 'Did you participate in Biwegun's rebellion?'
But instead, he asked if we were friends?
Look at this guy.
I narrowed my eyes and stared at the Palace Lord. Why would he bother to ask in such a way? The conclusion came to me quickly.
Those words probably meant: Are you still friends?
Even after knowing he committed treason. Are you still his friend? That must be what the Palace Lord was asking. To put it more precisely: Will you cut ties with Woo Hyuk and stand on my side, or will you maintain your friendship?
That seemed to be the most accurate interpretation.
“What will you do if I say that I am, in fact, his friend?”
[Hmm….]
CRRRRACK—!
The ice creeping up from my feet grew even harder.
[Well. I would advise you not to be curious.]
“Haha.”
I didn't need him to say it to know. If I said yes, he had no intention of letting me go peacefully. I nodded. I could understand that much.
In that case.
“Palace Lord.”
[Speak.]
“By any chance, did you also summon my companions to your room and interrogate them in this manner?”
As I asked, the Palace Lord's gaze shifted slightly. He looked as if he hadn't expected such a question. A brief silence passed. All the while, I stared intently into his eyes.
After waiting a few more seconds, he made a contemplative expression before finally opening his mouth.
[If I did, what would you...]
Before the Palace Lord could even finish his sentence.
“Then you'll die right here, by my hand.”
Heat erupted from my body.
FWOOOOSH—!!
The rings of the Gu Flame Wheel Art inside my heart spun rapidly and expanded. Blue flames burst from my shoulders.
Fwoosh—!
The blue flames spread out, devouring the Ice Qi that had been aimed at me.
Crack—!
The ice binding my feet shattered, unable to stop my advance. I strode forward aggressively and said to the Palace Lord, “Answer me straight. I might actually kill you.”
I couldn't take it anymore.