Chapter 224 - Gotta Catch the Big Fish First, Right?
The mountains, rivers, and fields had donned robes of pure white under days of relentless snowfall. It was a sight as breathtaking as a masterpiece by a renowned artist, but to Akso and Baekun, who were leaving Baekya-beol for Cheokbyeok, it was a hindrance greater than hundreds or thousands of enemies.
"Let's rest a bit, brother."
Baekun flopped down spread-eagled in the snow. After three days of non-stop travel without even a proper meal, both men were thoroughly exhausted.
"Damn it! This is brutal."
Each heave of Baekun's chest sent ragged breaths bursting from his lips, freezing white on his beard. Akso sat beside him, scooping up a handful of snow and tossing it into his mouth.
"Pah!"
Baekun rubbed his face with snow like a washcloth, then pushed himself up.
"We've probably outpaced those Elder Council bastards by now, right?"
"The Elder Council doesn't just have men in Baekya-beol. We need to hurry."
"Just a little longer, please. If we keep pushing like this, our lungs'll burst."
Thwack!
Baekun sprawled out again. Akso, frowning at him, soon lay down beside him spread-eagled as well. The chill seeping through his body quickly cooled his overheated frame and steadied his labored breathing.
"Brother."
"What."
"If the Elder Council Chairman ousts the Great Earth Sovereign and takes over Baekya-beol, would that hurt us in the North... or benefit us?"
"Never thought about it. Don't care."
"Aigoo, come on! You need to start paying attention to politics, brother. Once our lord unifies Murim, you'll be ruling a region yourself. Treat this as a lesson and get interested now."
Snort.
"No need for that crap."
"As long as I can stay by our lord's side, that's enough... something like that?"
"Yeah."
Akso stood, smacking Baekun on the head.
"Enough lounging. Move."
"Just a bit more. Come on!"
"Then go on ahead."
Whoosh!
Akso kicked up a blizzard as he shot forward. Baekun let out a roar and chased after him.
"Raaargh!"
How far did they run? The vast mountain range finally gave way to a snow-covered plain stretching before them.
Baekun pointed to the plain's far edge.
"Cross the plain, hit the river, follow it south for two days, and we're at Cheokbyeok."
"Faster than expected."
"Had to be. Three days without sleep, just scarfing snow and pushing non-stop..."
Baekun trailed off, his eyes flashing. He grabbed Akso's arm, shaking it, and pointed to the left—or west, where a mountain road fed into the plain.
Akso turned, his gaze sharpening. About ten figures in white robes emerged from the mountains onto the road.
"Elder Council goons?"
"Maybe."
"Wanna grab a couple and beat some answers out of 'em?"
"Don't rush. And don't overestimate us. The world's vast, and there are experts like grains of sand on the beach. Always stay cautious."
"That's not like you, brother—way too careful."
"I've always been cautious."
Akso stood first.
"We head to Cheokbyeok first."
Baekun watched Akso's retreating back, shaking his head.
'This guy's style is grabbing a few and torturing 'em on the spot... Guess living in Baekya-beol has made him more prudent.'
Akso was more brutal than anyone. If he deemed someone an enemy, he killed without mercy; even if not, crossing him meant facing his sword, no questions asked. In sheer cruelty, he matched or exceeded the Blood King. No wonder his moniker was Yacha-wang, the Demon King.
"Brother."
"What."
"You finally growing a brain late in life?"
"Shut up and follow."
Snort.
They veered far from the road. Waist-deep snow and dense woods slowed them, but with recovered stamina, they ignored the terrain, boosting speed with terrifying lightness skills.
About half a shichen later, Akso—leading—halted at red bloodstains staining the snow.
Baekun landed beside him, frowning.
"Bloodstains in this remote spot?"
Akso scanned silently, then spotted a corpse to the forest's left, his eyes gleaming.
"Hwangha Suryeon..."
The body wore their uniform.
"More over there."
Baekun pointed. Two more corpses lay there.
Akso examined them.
"Dead less than a shichen ago. All taken down by skilled experts."
"What were Hwangha Suryeon guys doing here? Heard they retreated from Cheokbyeok days ago."
"Ignore it. Move on."
Then—
Akso's eyes changed; he drew his sword. Baekun unsheathed his massive blade, turning slowly.
Swish swish.
Five figures approached through the woods—more accurately, they'd stumbled upon the pair.
One was an elderly man who'd stepped up to kill Umunjeok in Hwangha Suryeon's grand hall.
Spotting them, he barked coldly,
"No witnesses. Kill them both."
Two charged Baekun and Akso.
Whoosh!
Baekun's brows arched like blades.
"The nerve."
As his blade rose to meet them—
Whoosh!
Akso exploded upward in a snowstorm. His sword unleashed qi, slamming into the elder.
Boom!
"Urk!"
The elder flew back with a choked cry. The other two white-robed men lunged at Akso, but he dodged, targeting the elder.
"...!"
Caught off-guard, the elder thrust his sword—a blindingly fast strike, pure efficiency.
It seemed to pierce Akso's heart. But illusion.
Boom!
Akso's blade arced down, smashing the elder's sword. The impact wrenched it free; the rest was inevitable.
Splat!
"Gah!"
Akso's left hand pierced the elder's chest—right side, sparing instant death but dooming him.
Thud thud!
"Argh!"
"Gaaah!"
Screams erupted behind. Baekun's foes met gruesome ends, torsos severed from legs.
"Damn it!"
The remaining two fled into the woods. But Akso and Baekun were faster.
"Leave one alive, Baekun."
Akso's order made Baekun's downward slash veer, severing a leg instead.
Splat!
"Arrrgh!"
The other lost his head to Akso's sword.
Akso approached the vomiting elder. The man raised his left hand to his temple for suicide.
Akso was quicker.
Splat!
The severed hand flew into the air, vanishing over the trees.
"Grraaah..."
"You mentioned witnesses earlier... Who're you hunting?"
"Urgh..."
The elder glared demonically. Akso, sensing no more answers, slit his throat.
Slice.
Baekun grinned, pressing his blade to the legless man's head in the snow.
"See that? Spill everything unless you want the same."
"W-We were chasing Umunjeok."
"...What?"
Baekun couldn't believe it. He knew the name well.
"Your lord Umunjeok?"
"Y-Yes."
Baekun's eyes bulged. Why would Hwangha Suryeon's elites hunt their own leader?
"You rebels...?"
"We just followed the strategist's orders."
"Ga Hoe ordered Umunjeok's death?"
"...Yes."
"You bastards are rebelling. Where's Umunjeok now?"
"Tracked him from headquarters here. Comrades ahead said he's heading to Geomga's camp at Cheokbyeok."
Baekun glanced at Akso, who approached.
"You said comrades ahead... How many?"
"Thirty..."
No more. Akso beheaded him.
Clang!
Akso sheathed his sword, turning south. Baekun followed.
"Umunjeok's the biggest fish of big fish... Gotta catch him first, right?"
"Our main mission is finding the Zhuque strategist. But if we spot Umunjeok en route..."
"We smash his skull. Wait—no, he's hunted by rebels. Maybe coax him gently to our lord? Ex-leader of Hwangha Suryeon—he's gotta have killer intel we don't."
"Decide based on the situation. Quit yapping and follow."
Snow erupted at Akso's feet—qi surging for lightness skill.
Then—
"Argh!"
"Gaaah!"
Dying screams echoed from afar ahead.
"Left side, brother."
Akso frowned toward the cries. South, but slightly off from Cheokbyeok's path.
"Gotta catch the big fish first, right?"
Akso pondered briefly.
"You go straight to Geomga's camp at Cheokbyeok. Scout the strategist's whereabouts."
"Brother, you can't go alone. We just heard—thirty chasing Umunjeok."
Snort.
"Worried about me now?"
"Not your skill—I trust it. But given the numbers, I'll tag along. A day's delay won't kill us."
"No."
"Brother!"
"Wait at Geomga's camp."
Bam!
Akso launched skyward, vanishing into the woods. Baekun snorted hot breath, staring after him.
"Changed my ass. Same old."