Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Negotiating
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After shoveling away the snow piled on the surface for quite some time, a pale block of ice emerged. It was snow ice, hardened from millennia of accumulated snow.
Heuk Do-san cut the snow ice into brick shapes and piled them into a dome like a grave. Then he piled on more snow, packed it down tight, and sealed it against the wind seeping through the gaps.
"You're sleeping here?"
"Got a problem with that?"
"If we sleep in there, we'll be frozen sardines by morning. We're not fish."
"It's warmer than it looks. One winter, my master and I went out hunting rabbits, saying we'd try some meat. Then a blizzard hit out of nowhere, and we were stuck. Thanks to my master packing snow into an igloo like this, we spent the night safe inside."
"I still don't get it. How can a house made of ice be warmer?"
"What kills people isn't the cold temperature—it's the wind sneaking into your clothes. Block the wind, and you won't die."
"I'm still uneasy..."
Bing-seol bent down and crawled into the snow ice dome. In no time at all, she popped back out, beaming.
"My goodness, it really is warm."
"See? Told you."
"No law says people have to die."
"Even warmer with two of us together."
"...!"
"...?"
"What did you just say?"
"What?"
"That it's warmer together. You don't mean we should sleep in there together, do you?"
"You wanna sleep outside?"
"That's ridiculous."
"If you were gonna sleep alone, I wouldn't have bothered making it so big. I went to all this trouble, and now you're treating me like some lecher. Fine, if you don't like it, get lost. I'll sleep in there alone. Hurry up and come out."
"Right now?"
"You planning to squat in my house forever? Get out. I wanna nap before the Sea Dragon Gate folks show up."
"So what am I supposed to do?"
"Why ask me? If you're bored, make your own ice cave. I'll lend you the axe."
With that, Heuk Do-san tossed the axe onto the snow.
Bing-seol was so flabbergasted she couldn't speak.
By late afternoon, the sunlight had lost its vigor. The air grew steadily colder. The wind rising through the valley turned into a biting cold gust.
The Sea Dragon Gate group arrived just as the sun began dipping toward the horizon. Bing-seol dropped her axe mid-swing on the snow ice and dashed behind Heuk Do-san.
The people froze like statues at the sight of Heuk Do-san and Bing-seol. They'd figured the pair had already climbed the snow peak by now—never expected to run into them here.
Heuk Do-san, hands clasped behind his back, scanned the group. The first to catch his eye was Dang Yak-ran.
Her face was half its size from the ordeal getting here. Their eyes met in midair, and he could see her own moisten.
"What are you doing here?"
Hyeon-gak asked belatedly.
But what he really wanted to say was probably, "What, you planning to camp here instead of running far away?"
"Prepping to spend the night."
As if on cue, everyone's eyes flicked to the ice dome behind Heuk Do-san.
"What's that?"
"A desperate measure against the cold wind."
"Why here of all places...?"
"Had my reasons."
Just then, Yeom Jin-sang came dragging the litter, groaning. His face was drenched in sweat, his breaths ragged gasps. He startled at the sight of Heuk Do-san.
But Heuk Do-san was the truly shocked one. Climbing this high snow mountain alone, dragging a litter?
'Is that guy insane?'
"Seventh Star Lord!"
Bing-seol cried out at the sight of Gong Cheon-ak lying on the litter. But he showed no reaction.
"Amitabha, he'll be fine."
Hyeon-gak said.
"Is his breathing still steady?"
"It's faint but holding. Every time he regains consciousness, we feed him water and minced meat. Now he's even managing his bowels properly."
When checking a dying man, you look at his bowels first. Regular shitting and pissing means his body's on the mend.
"Thank you."
Bing-seol bowed deeply, eyes brimming with tears.
It was impossible to tell if this was talk between enemies or allies.
Hong Gong-tak, watching, scowled darkly. He barked at his men.
"What are you waiting for!"
Shing! Shing! Shing! Shing!
No sooner said than four of the Ten Pursuing Ghosts drew blades and shot forward like arrows.
In a blink, Heuk Do-san and Bing-seol were surrounded by the Ten Pursuing Ghosts. Four razor-sharp swords hovered, ready to sever necks.
Startled, Dang Yak-ran instinctively lunged forward to help Heuk Do-san. Hyeon-gak grabbed her shoulder. Hyeon-gak's voice transmission rang in her mind.
[Don't.]
[But...]
[Forget we're still at war? Step in rashly, and we'll all be branded traitors.]
[But Heuk Gongzi is in danger.]
[Let's watch a bit. He must have a plan—why else would that cunning fox build an ice dome and stand around so calmly?]
[What if something happens?]
[If it gets dire, I won't sit idle. For now, observe.]
Dang Yak-ran turned her eyes back to Heuk Do-san.
Even surrounded by the fearsome Ten Pursuing Ghosts with blades drawn, he didn't twitch.
He simply stood tall, staring down Sea Dragon Gate Leader Ha-geuk-sang.
'What scheme is this?'
"Fight later—plenty of time."
Heuk Do-san said.
"No need to delay."
Ha-geuk-sang replied.
"Why not send your men to scout the terrain first? Then we can talk."
Only then did Ha-geuk-sang notice something off about the area ten-odd paces behind Heuk Do-san. The snowy flat felt layered somehow.
He nodded to Hong Gong-tak. Hong Gong-tak shot off like a bolt. As he vanished, Ha-geuk-sang addressed Heuk Do-san again.
"I'm grateful you left us the boat at the river."
"Repaying the debt from the canyon."
"Not demanding payment, but a life debt isn't the same as boat fare."
"I let six of your Ten Pursuing Ghosts live, didn't I? You saved four in the canyon; I pulled six from the swamp. Fair trade now?"
"True, they owe you their lives from the swamp, but I didn't expect you'd call it a lifesaving debt."
"Enough. How about we call our debts even here?"
"I told you—I didn't do it for payback. I owe you nothing. If anything, it's enforcing alliance law on traitors."
"Still so arrogant."
"Just following alliance law."
"Surely alliance law allows for mercy?"
"No mercy for Demonic Cult witches or traitors. That would undermine the very reason the Righteous Alliance exists."
"Fine, the witch maybe. But I just joined for revenge on my dead master's killer. Strictly speaking, I'm no alliance member like you. What do righteous or demonic have to do with me?"
"Use it when convenient, discard when not? Defy imperial law, then claim I never recognized you as emperor?"
"If imperial law's shit, why not? What's next—capture us and what?"
"Interrogate the witch and Seventh Star Lord first. Execute one or both based on severity. Then sever your limbs' meridians and escort you to the Central Plains."
Ha-geuk-sang spoke these chilling words without a flicker.
Dang Yak-ran, watching, felt her blood boil. What irked her more was Mo Yong-ak's attitude.
Anyone who knew understood: she was once Heuk Do-san's lover. Even if they were strangers now, how could she watch so indifferently, like it was none of her business?
She couldn't act rashly with her fiancé Ha-geuk-sang watching.
But that calm, unchanging expression was beyond comprehension.
'Poor Heuk Do-san...'
"Not the witch, but me? Even by your logic, we were once fellow disciples under the same master."
"Strict law maintains discipline. In wartime, one crime punished a hundredfold."
"What if alliance enforcers commit heaven-defying atrocities in secret? Like raping a woman fetching water by the well."
Mo Yong-ak, Dang Yak-ran, Hyeon-gak, and Bing-seol all looked baffled. Why bring up something so random, so off-topic?
As expected, Ha-geuk-sang's face hardened. The light in his eyes was like staring at a honed sword.
'Too far?'
No helping it. Only a bold jab like this could shake that iron-willed monster. And it worked—he was rattled.
Heuk Do-san glared back without flinching. Their gazes clashed in midair, sparks flying.
'What game?'
'Concede a little?'
'Gonna spill it?'
'Look at yourself.'
'Saved your ass, and you threaten me? Thought you'd get away with it?'
The exchange flashing in Heuk Do-san's mind. He couldn't read Ha-geuk-sang's thoughts exactly, but it'd be something like that.
Just then, Hong Gong-tak returned from scouting the ice gorge. As he approached to whisper his report, Ha-geuk-sang said.
"Just say it."
"There's a deep ice gorge right nearby, like a bottomless pit. It connects to the valleys on both sides—both wide. This spot's the narrowest."
"How wide?"
"About ten-odd paces."
A distance no unaided human could cross. The group erupted in murmurs.
"No other path?"
"None."
"Can't we tie ropes from our belts and cross? The new folks have some around their waists. We can untie sashes and link them."
Mo Yong-ak asked.
She meant the ropes around Dang Yak-ran, Hyeon-gak, Yeom Jin-sang, and Gong Cheon-ak. Yeom Jin-sang had brought plenty to start.
But they'd used most on the way—barely enough left to cinch waists.
"Woefully short."
Hong Gong-tak cut in. He added.
"Only way is down the mountain, up another peak, start over."
Everyone eyed the peak across the gorge. Far taller and steeper than theirs. The summit shrouded in clouds.
"Detour adds two days. No guarantee that peak won't have its own ice gorges."
Heuk Do-san interjected.
Eyes turned back to him.
Mo Yong-ak asked.
"You have another way?"
"I'll teach you to cross the ice gorge. In exchange, you provide what's needed."
Ha-geuk-sang's eyes twisted oddly. Now he grasped why Heuk Do-san had dared hold out here.
"What's the method?"
Mo Yong-ak asked.
"Conditions first. One: too late today—camp here together. Two: guarantee safety for me and the witch till then. Three: at dawn, cross together. Deal?"
"Method first."
Ha-geuk-sang said.
"You haven't answered."
"No reason to keep you and the witch alive right now, the Ten Pursuing Ghosts will execute alliance law mercilessly. That answer enough?"
Murderous intent dripped from every word. The surrounding Ten Pursuing Ghosts gripped tighter.
'Damn hothead.'
Heuk Do-san figured pushing more might make the lunatic charge blindly.
"As Mo Yong-ak said—untie all belts and ropes, link into one long line."
"Done deal."
Mo Yong-ak said.
"Then strip off all Blood Wolf furs. Slice and twist them into leather ropes. Gorge is ten-odd paces wide. Need at least twelve to anchor firm. Three paces from belts and ropes, nine from leather."
Murmurs rippled.
After spotting Hyeon-gak and Dang Yak-ran in the canyon, Ha-geuk-sang's group had skinned Blood Wolves too.
Thirteen wearing furs.
Slicing and twisting them all—even accounting for knots—should yield nine paces.
"But who crosses to fix the rope?"
Mo Yong-ak asked again.
Surprisingly, Ha-geuk-sang answered.
"One ties rope to waist, leaps, jams axe into far ice wall, clings. Fail, rope saves life. Succeed, climb and secure. Right?"
"Right."
"What if the first crossers cut the rope?"
Aiming at Heuk Do-san and Bing-seol. If they went first and severed it, Ha-geuk-sang's side loses furs and can't cross.
Mo Yong-ak nodded, as if it were valid.
Hyeon-gak and Dang Yak-ran tensely watched Heuk Do-san and Ha-geuk-sang.
Did he have a counter?
"Witch and I cross last."
"...!"
Ha-geuk-sang's face stiffened.
The group doubted their ears.
By then, the sun had vanished behind the western ridge. Darkness from the foothills swallowed the mountainside in moments.
Even weakened sunlight made a difference. As dark fell, the air crackled with frost. The valley wind sharpened to skin-flaying blades.
"Especially cold tonight."
Ha-geuk-sang said.
Acceptance.
"One more thing."
"...?"
"Seventh Star Lord stays with us. Just one night—you can spare that?"
Bing-seol gasped.
He'd bragged about the big ice dome to buy time for her and Seventh Star Lord together.
'And I didn't realize...'
"No."