Chapter 53
Chapter 53
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Inside the Cave
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The order of climbing the rocky ridge was the same as the order of crossing the icy valley.
Gong Cheon-ak, who had crossed first, had raced far ahead, hell-bent on catching Hyeon-gak, who had kidnapped Bing-seol.
Not far behind him, Yeom Jin-sang was following close, eager to reach the cave as quickly as possible to thaw his body.
Third came Heuk Do-san, with Dang Yak-ran.
The western rocky ridge was far steeper than it had appeared from the mountainside. It was also treacherous. The path would suddenly drop off, or sharp rocks like candelabras would block the way. Naturally, their steps slowed.
But what truly tormented them was something else.
The wind. The fierce gusts sweeping up snow from both mountainsides, centered on the narrow, steep ridge, cut like knives.
It was especially bad for Heuk Do-san. He had given his fur coat to Bing-seol long ago, and it had vanished somewhere. His remaining original clothes were torn to shreds from the palm strike by Seop Dae-gang.
Every time the wind pierced his clothes, it felt like his heart was freezing solid. He wondered if he'd end up stiff as a cicada shell while still standing.
Each step upward was agonizingly hard, like dying. Paradoxically, to avoid dying, he had no choice but to keep moving without rest.
"Are you okay?"
Dang Yak-ran asked, her eyes whitened by the blizzard.
"It's bearable."
"You'll freeze to death like that."
"No choice. If I'd known, I would've stalled for time instead of wasting good fur on a smoke signal I didn't even use."
"Here, wear this."
Dang Yak-ran took off her own fur coat and offered it.
"What are you doing?"
"My internal energy is probably better than yours. And women are less susceptible to cold than men. Medically speaking."
"There's a difference between being cold-resistant and not dying. You trying to make me a murderer?"
"If you die, I'm fine?"
"Who said anything about dying? I survived ten years on the battlefield. I'm not freezing to death from this."
As he spoke, another blast of cold wind hit. Heuk Do-san shivered involuntarily.
Dang Yak-ran smirked and said,
"Alternate every fifteen minutes. At this temperature, you can last that long. Happy now?"
Heuk Do-san was slightly flustered.
Why hadn't he thought of that?
'She's clever.'
"People don't freeze because of low temperature. It's the cold wind sneaking inside their clothes. Just fifteen minutes at a time."
"Got it."
He accepted the fur coat from Dang Yak-ran and draped it over himself. With the wind blocked, it felt much warmer. It seemed like her body heat lingered in every strand of fur.
That was when it happened.
Crack!
A sound rang out, like ice cracking on a spring lake.
Everyone froze in their positions and whipped their gazes toward the source.
Atop a towering snow peak far away, chunks—snow or ice, impossible to tell—were crumbling off in showers.
Heuk Do-san bellowed at the top of his lungs.
"Everyone, get down!"
Boom! Rumble rumble rumble!
A deafening roar tore through, and another avalanche struck. The entire snow mountain shook like an earthquake. An immense pressure of wind and snowstorm bore down.
"Grab onto anything!"
Heuk Do-san shouted again and tackled Dang Yak-ran. He pulled her into an embrace and shoved under a massive boulder.
Rumble rumble rumble!
The avalanche raged on for a long time.
The impact at mid-mountain had been different. When the noise finally died and the shaking stopped, the sky was filled with snow whipped up by gusts.
"You okay?"
"I'm fine. You?"
"Me too."
Confirming Dang Yak-ran's safety, Heuk Do-san jumped up and scanned upward.
Far off, Gong Cheon-ak and Yeom Jin-sang were struggling to their feet, staring at the mountainside in bewilderment.
Heuk Do-san now looked downward.
Half a shichen ago, he had last seen Seop Dae-gang leading Mo Yong-ak and Hong Gong-tak upward.
But now, all three had vanished completely. Clearly swallowed by the avalanche.
'These idiots!'
"I'm heading up after Yeom Jin-sang."
As he instructed Dang Yak-ran and prepared to descend, he spotted a figure rising amid the swirling snow far below.
A man with a large iron bow on his back.
Seop Dae-gang.
He quickly dug around, unearthing Mo Yong-ak and Hong Gong-tak. Fortunately, both seemed unharmed.
Heuk Do-san let out a sigh of relief.
Dang Yak-ran asked,
"Worried?"
"......?"
"Your face earlier was scary. Like you were about to jump into a fire pit."
"Even blood enemies—we save the dying first out of basic humanity."
Not to mention they had briefly shared a master as fellow disciples. As humans, he couldn't ignore that. Their master would reprimand him if he knew.
"I'm not saying leave them to die. If closeness matters, I'm closer to them. We've shared over a decade of fellowship through the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament."
"What are you doing right now?"
"Jealous."
"You say that so casually."
"What's wrong with that?"
"Man."
"Do I seem really stupid?"
"Of course."
Dang Yak-ran's face fell instantly. Heuk Do-san felt a pang.
She spoke again.
"Mo Yong-ak senior knows your twenties that I don't. What food you liked, books you read, dreams you had."
"......?"
"What was good about Mo Yong-ak senior? Was she... prettier than me now?"
Heuk Do-san stared piercingly at Dang Yak-ran. His face reflected in her clear, large eyes.
"Do you like sea cucumbers by any chance?"
"Pardon?"
"I do. When I lived by the Shandong coast, I'd hit the tavern for sea cucumber soup the morning after drinking. Ugly-looking, but perfect for hangovers. Tastes great."
"......?"
"But after a while, I'd crave them just from booze. Nearly choked on hot soup once, and now sea cucumbers alone make me queasy. Weird, huh?"
"Why bring that up suddenly?"
"That's how Mo Yong-ak is to me. Not that I like her, but she nags at me. I want her safe, out of danger."
Heuk Do-san gripped both her shoulders firmly. He added,
"Right now, my head's full of how to get you safely to the Tang Clan of Sichuan. If it doesn't hinder, I'd like to bring others along too."
Dang Yak-ran's eyelashes dampened quickly. She wiped away tears with her fingers, then smiled brightly.
"So you're saying Mo Yong-ak senior is like a sea cucumber? Fine. That's enough for me."
"What?"
"It's cold. Let's go."
* * *
The temperature difference between the mountain base and peak was, if anything, like heaven and earth. The unprecedented bitter cold was downright terrifying.
At least the moon's nearness made the surroundings slightly clearer.
They arrived at the cave half-frozen.
The cave, roofed by a house-sized boulder, had a narrow mouth but widened inside. Perfect for blocking the wind.
Up to three or four zhang from the entrance, faint moonlight eased finding spots.
"Hoo, freezing."
As expected, Yeom Jin-sang claimed the coziest corner first. Hunched under his fur coat, shivering like a mangy pup.
"Instead of sitting there, go inside and look for firewood."
Gong Cheon-ak said.
"It's pitch black—how am I supposed to find anything?"
"So light a fire."
"What fuel's in a place beasts won't climb? Be reasonable."
"So you're refusing!"
Gong Cheon-ak bellowed.
Icicles dangled from his nostrils, ready to drop.
Startled by Gong Cheon-ak's glare, Yeom Jin-sang rose reluctantly. Muttering unintelligibly nonstop, he vanished into the cave depths.
Heuk Do-san, third to enter, chose a spot with less wind and seated Dang Yak-ran.
He knelt on one knee and swiftly removed her shoes. From half a shichen ago, he'd made her wear the fur coat alone. Yet her body trembled like an aspen. They had reached the extreme.
"Your feet aren't wet. Good."
"Thanks to the straw shoes you made."
"Still, wiggle your toes. Rub your ears, move your fingers. As a doctor, you know better than me why."
"Don't worry."
"You're tough. I like that."
"Not scary."
What Dang Yak-ran really wanted to say was, 'Not scary because you're here.'
Heuk Do-san gazed quietly at Dang Yak-ran.
The human spirit is stronger than the body.
By now, the extreme cold must be excruciating. Yet seeing her pretend otherwise, he felt both proud and sorry for her.
"The entrance faces east. Dawn in about an hour. Sunlight will reach inside then, and it'll get better. Just hold on."
Nod nod.
Gong Cheon-ak still paced restlessly, searching. He halted abruptly, muttering to himself.
"Where the hell did that bald bastard go? He definitely came this way, but no traces. Guess not."
Gong Cheon-ak suddenly turned back. Heuk Do-san grabbed his shoulder.
"What are you doing?"
"Can't see the bald one. Gotta go out and look."
"Crazy? Going out in this weather is suicide. You're exhausted too."
"Bing-seol's out there."
"She might've taken another path. Could be another cave we missed mid-mountain. With Hyeon-gak, no need to worry too much. You know—he trains the Sunlight Divine Art. More resistant to cold than us."
"That's the problem. Who knows what that bald bastard'll do to her."
"Aren't you going too far? Hyeon-gak's a lying rogue monk, sure, but not the type to assault a woman in crisis."
"You didn't see his eyes carrying Bing-seol. Should've snapped his neck earlier. Damn lecherous bastard."
'This fool. Hyeon-gak likes Bing-seol. He'd never let her freeze.'
Heuk Do-san swallowed the words rising to his throat.
He knew Gong Cheon-ak didn't truly see Hyeon-gak that way, despite the insults.
His pride wouldn't let him admit worry for both—he used Bing-seol as an excuse.
But if he learned Hyeon-gak liked Bing-seol as a woman, he'd really try to kill him.
A Shaolin Arhat monk and Heavenly Demon Divine Cult witch—eyes meeting? Absurd.
Around then, Seop Dae-gang's group entered. Like the others, snow-caked. Utterly drained from the ordeal.
Sure enough, Mo Yong-ak staggered upon entering.
"Senior!"
Dang Yak-ran rushed over frantically.
"Stay back!"
Mo Yong-ak yelled.
"Senior..."
"You betrayed the Righteous Alliance and even drew steel on a Dragon-Phoenix senior. Think you can still call us that?"
"That was..."
Seop Dae-gang supported Mo Yong-ak to a spot and sat her down. She hugged her knees, burying her face. Seop Dae-gang removed his fur coat and draped it over her.
Dang Yak-ran froze in place. Drawing on Seop Dae-gang was reason enough for Mo Yong-ak's anger.
Seop Dae-gang was not just Dragon-Phoenix elder, but her fiancé.
Yet Dang Yak-ran had aimed at him—with Mo Yong-ak's own sword.
Mo Yong-ak must have felt insulted as if struck herself. Seop Dae-gang was her pride.
'But why suddenly...'
After surviving the mid-mountain avalanche, Mo Yong-ak had called his name, asking after others. He'd thought her fine then, but she'd been deeply hurt.
'I was wrong.'
Then a hand rested on her shoulder.
Heuk Do-san.
He nodded lightly. Dang Yak-ran nodded back and returned to her seat—facing Mo Yong-ak across the cave.
Heuk Do-san turned to Seop Dae-gang.
"Don't just stand—sit."
"Mind your own business!"
Hong Gong-tak spat coldly.
"You're blocking moonlight is all. And let me be clear: I found this cave. So know your place as guests. Act up, and you're out immediately. Got it?"
"What... do you mean?"
"Simply: you're tagalongs. Cross me, you're gone. Clear?"
"Such nonsense!"
Hong Gong-tak gripped his sword hilt, ready to draw.
That was when.
Thud!
A resonant crash echoed through the cave.
Gong Cheon-ak had slammed a stone on the floor. Flames shot from his eyes as he said,
"Brat, don't draw recklessly. I overlooked your pack attack earlier 'cause I was dazed, but this time, I swear I'll end you."
"You son of a—!"
"Stop!"
Seop Dae-gang shouted. Hong Gong-tak ground his teeth and retreated.
Seop Dae-gang faced Heuk Do-san.
"No trouble."
"Good."
At that moment, Yeom Jin-sang burst out from the depths, pale-faced.
"S-something inside."