Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: The Dinosaur Stole the Ice Crystal
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Ice Palace underground.
Ice crystal storage.
The place where Seol-hwa arrived was a total mess.
The ice crystals, clear as glass and perfectly refined.
They had vanished without a trace.
"We're sorry... Palace Lord!"
The guards knelt, trembling with guilt.
One furious subordinate yelled at them.
"Sorry? You think that's all it takes? The ice crystals, the only ones cultivated in the entire world from the North Sea..."
The warrior spat out his rage.
But he couldn't finish.
Seol-hwa silenced him and stepped forward.
She drew a sword of pure white from her waist.
"Who are you people?"
At that moment, the kneeling Ice Palace warriors suddenly drew their weapons.
The man unsheathed his sword and unleashed sword qi.
The woman began chanting a spell with her staff from her waist.
Seol-hwa's eyes flashed coldly at the sight.
"Pathetic."
With those words, she shoved her accompanying subordinate out of the room.
Then she unleashed the Ice Spirit Heavenly Heart Art, permitted only to the Ice Palace Lord.
She deployed it at full power, something she usually suppressed.
And then...
Craaack—
Just from her aura, the entire room froze over.
"...Insane."
"This is... way beyond the rumors..."
The intruders trembled in panic.
Seol-hwa walked toward them.
"You're not her. The Third Elder..."
She was about to ask where Hawol was.
BOOM!
The ceiling collapsed in an explosion of debris.
Seol-hwa leaped back, her skirt fluttering.
As she dodged the rubble and looked up, a woman in a fox mask appeared through the breached ceiling.
"That's the sword you dared point at the young master."
The sword hilt bore red embroidery.
"I've been looking for you, Third Elder Hawol."
Hawol clicked her tongue.
"Tch. Didn't expect that guy to be streaming. Now there are more annoyances sniffing around."
Hawol raised her hand wearily.
Her minions in Ice Palace disguises hurled themselves toward the ceiling.
"Where do you think you're going without the host's permission?"
Seol-hwa swung her sword.
Cold crystals floated in the air and rained down on the enemies.
However...
📰 Breaking News "Not bad. But you're still far off." With those words, Hawol's sword unsheathed itself.
It danced through the air on its own.
Clang! Cling! Clang-clang!
Metallic clashes rang out continuously as sword met ice crystals.
Hawol's blade moved like a living thing, perfectly blocking every attack.
As Seol-hwa frowned and prepared another form...
Whiiist—
Hawol whistled.
The outer wall shattered instantly.
KABOOM!
As the dust cleared...
"A dinosaur?"
It was a massive pterosaur.
As Seol-hwa panicked at its sudden appearance...
"We'll put the ice crystals to good use. And tell my prospective disciple this: I'll visit again soon."
With that, Hawol and her gang mounted the pterosaur.
Seol-hwa shouted after them.
"Wait!"
But the pterosaur had already vanished into the blizzard.
Gritting her teeth, Seol-hwa turned away, her eyes blazing with fury.
"Pursue them! We must find them!"
The gathered Ice Palace warriors responded to her command.
"Yes! We'll retrieve the ice crystals no matter what!"
Seol-hwa frowned at their words.
"What are you talking about? Steal back the magic tool they used to escape the Abandoned Continent! Oh, and the ice crystals too. We need them for the young master's antidote."
"......"
The warriors quietly exited the storage room at Seol-hwa's words.
The moment they closed the door, they opened the gallery.
💬 Unique Gallery ⭐ Top Post [Just had our ice crystals stolen by a dinosaur.] — (Photo of thief riding dinosaur with ice crystals) — Anonymous For real, it's massive. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Forest outpost.
I was roasting hydrosaurus meat and said,
"...Pig, save some for me."
"I-I'm not a pig, meow!"
"You are."
I muttered and glanced back.
Nearly thirty percent of the massive hydrosaurus thigh was gone.
"......Still denying it?"
"I-It's not just me, meow! You ate some, and the wolf did too, meow!"
I'd been too busy grilling to eat much.
And the wolf pup...
"Woof!"
Its belly was stuffed, sprawled flat on the ground photosynthesizing.
"A-And the mermaid too, meow!"
I looked to the side.
A few days ago, during the hydrosaurus fight, I'd seen the mermaid.
The woman who'd introduced herself as Seirena.
"Shihanbu-nim! Here, have some!"
She handed me phoenix flower leaves to wrap the meat, like ssam leaves.
"Thanks."
I took the wrapped meat with a nod and ate it, glaring at Ruby.
Caught by her conscience, Ruby fidgeted and made one for me.
"H-Here, meow!"
"Now you do it?"
"B-Better late than never, meow!"
Fair enough.
I nodded, ate it, and looked at Ruby.
She ate a ton, but I didn't mind.
She worked for it.
With the mandrake cultivation, that is.
And that wasn't all.
Somehow, Ruby had made a vegetable garden behind the outpost, planting all sorts to help with daily life.
"By the way, how're the mandrakes?"
"Going great, meow! The healthy ones are seeding already, meow! Harvest soon, meow!"
"Good to hear."
I muttered and looked at my feet.
Three toes were frozen solid.
I took stock of the situation.
"Need one more dinosaur inner core, and four spirit beast ones..."
If the mandrakes grow, I can treat before my whole foot freezes.
Spirit beasts and dinosaurs pick fights all the time anyway.
"Left with Heavenly Strong Body and World Tree Descendant..."
I eyed my stinging arm.
The Heavenly Strong Body side effect had my bones aching lately.
"...Maybe visit Old Man Feng Jeong."
Tsk. Not sure I trust him.
But no other options.
"Gotta hit the martial world again sometime. World Tree's the problem..."
I sighed and checked my lower dantian.
Eating huge dino meat, I felt the parasite sucking up the lingering energy.
"...Don't wanna die."
Sighing, I opened the gallery.
Ruminating hopeless crap just depressed me.
Dopamine covers anxiety—good for mental health.
"Wonder what nutrient-void nonsense today."
Scrolling hot posts slowly.
One title grabbed me.
"Dinosaur stole ice crystals? Damn, this guy's got pull."
Clicked it.
"Not clickbait?"
Photo was dusty and distant.
But definitely a dinosaur.
And the woman riding it.
"Hawol?"
The weirdo who'd locked her disciple in the basement.
"She stole the ice crystals?"
Curious, I searched the gallery.
📰 Ice Crystals Stolen? Meh, who cares lol — Mages using them for research take the hit. No impact on normies like me lol — Anonymous Who cares my ass;; Can you live without AC? — OP lmao you dummy? AC runs on mana stones lol — Anonymous Mana stones are raw material. The cold air comes from ice crystals. — Anonymous lmao for real? — Anonymous Just die in the heat then. 📰 Food Crisis Incoming — Fridges use ice crystals too. Remining takes a year. No crystals = all preserved food rots, mass starvation incoming. — Anonymous We're screwed. Mages got a fix? — Anonymous Enchant instead. — Anonymous Phew, saved. — Anonymous One enchant costs 100x ice crystals lol 📰 Lost My Job — Quit my job. Why? Red Magic Tower, fire specialist. I nodded.
The Red Magic Tower ran ACs even in winter.
"This is seriously bad."
Gallery vibe seemed light.
But reality was dire.
Ice crystals halted the cold-based civilization.
Bodies rotting.
Stored food spoiling.
Outbreak risks.
Yet it didn't hit home.
I empathized, but couldn't feel it.
Then it clicked.
My life was already that.
Tiny freezer, still tossing half my food.
Hydrosaurus? Eighty percent waste probably.
The hell they lamented?
I was living it.
"...Stuffed."
Muttering, browsing more posts.
📰 Never Knew This Was Precious Upvote lol — (Ice crystal photo) That's when it hit.
My eyes widened.
I'd seen that "ice crystal" photo before.
Startled, I looked beside me.
"Shihanbu-nim! I'll clean up!"
Seirena volunteering for cleanup.
The necklace on her neck looked just like it.
"Hold on."
I stopped Seirena heading for the stone slabs.
Examined her necklace closely.
"This... is it?"
Hmm. Not sure.
I'm no expert; can't tell by looking.
"Can you take off the necklace for a sec?"
Seirena looked flustered.
For a moment, I worried I'd messed up.
"If it's for Shihanbu-nim... sure."
She smiled shyly and removed it.
"I'll give it right back."
I snapped a photo and posted to the gallery.
💬 Unique Gallery ⭐ Top Post [Is this an ice crystal?] — (Necklace photo) Comments flooded in.
— Anonymous S-Saved!!! — Anonymous Shihanbu a god? Shihanbu a god? Shihanbu IS GOD!!! Looks like it is.
I asked Seirena,
"Seirena, where'd you get this gem on the necklace!?"
"Oh... They sometimes fall into the river."
"Fall into the river?"
I glanced at the river, puzzled.
Then it made sense.
Snowy mountains behind the river.
Ice crystals came from there.
I checked comments again.
— Anonymous Shihanbu pls. Pls give ice crystals! — Anonymous My kid has a disease, needs AC or dies! — Anonymous Shihanbu you bastard! We know you're reading! Hand 'em over NOW!!! Whiny gallery trash.
"Do I gotta hustle for these idiots?"
Unfamiliar area, risky.
As I pondered...
— Anonymous Shihanbu check quest tab! "Quest tab?"
Opened it.
Top was a new joint quest.
📜 Joint Quest 📜 [Shihanbu, auction some ice crystals!]
🎁 Reward: [670,000 Gallery Points]
"Six hundred seventy thousand!?"
Refreshed, thinking I misread.
📜 Joint Quest 📜 [Shihanbu, auction some ice crystals!]
🎁 Reward: [1,000,300 Gallery Points]
Points climbing.
Joint quest—people bidding up.
"...Jackpot... Nah, unknown area... But clearing means AC for me... Still risky..."
Weighing AC life vs. danger.
No more needed.
⚙ PRIVATE MESSAGE ⚙ [Snow Girl has requested a 1-on-1 chat.] Snow Girl) Young master! Big trouble! Snow Girl) That woman Hawol stole the ice crystals, but we need them for your antidote! Saw the chat, posted immediately.
💬 Unique Gallery ⭐ Top Post [Off to the snow mountains.] — [Shihanbu] Mom's gonna mine ice crystals. You boys earning hard and funding the quest, right? Mom believes in you. — Anonymous Yes mom! Grabbing from auction! — Anonymous Bought magic money bonds, mother. "Told 'em to fund the quest, they're coining."
Grumbling to reply...
— Golden Bring the ice crystals straight to me. Or you'll regret it. "Who the hell is this psycho."
Annoyed, I closed the gallery and packed.
Ruby looked puzzled.
"Huh? Where you going, meow?"
"To extend this shitty life."