Chapter 37
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Meeting the Little Prince
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The next day.
Around noon, Seol Hwa-un and his group had a late meal on the first floor of the West Lake Inn.
Most of them had come back late last night and couldn't pull themselves together in the morning, so Seol Hwa-un hadn't bothered to wake them.
Having ridden hard the night before, the North Wind Brigade members all looked pale, and Dong Ho-won and Eom Mu-hwi were no different.
“…….”
At least they'd forced themselves up and circulated their qi to shake off the hangover. Otherwise, they might still be lying in bed.
Dang So-gyo looked exhausted too. That was the result of wandering the night market until late.
The most refreshed was Hwang Bo-young, who had gone to bed early.
“As expected! Eating together like this is so much better. It felt really empty this morning with just me and the Little Palace Lord.”
In truth, he'd enjoyed eating alone with him, but Seol Hwa-un had been lost in thought the whole time, barely saying a word, which had left him disappointed.
Seol Hwa-un asked,
“Mu-hwi, Dong-won. Did you enjoy yourselves last night?”
The two flinched involuntarily at the question. Dong Ho-won said with an awkward expression,
“Haha, y-yeah. It was a night I'll never forget.”
Eom Mu-hwi glared at him.
“Definitely. We went to heaven and hell.”
The two had gone to Heavenly Fragrance Tower, the most famous spot in Hangzhou.
Drunk on the courtesans' beauty, they'd blown through all the money Seol Hwa-un had given them in less than half a shichen.
When they came to, even Dong Ho-won's emergency funds were gone.
Dejected, Eom Mu-hwi tried to leave, but Dong Ho-won grabbed him and made a tempting offer.
Lend him some money, and he'd pay it back soon. Though suspicious, Eom Mu-hwi gave in to Dong Ho-won's coaxing and handed over his own emergency funds. Confident, Dong Ho-won headed to the gambling den.
He started with the simplest dice game.
To Eom Mu-hwi's surprise, Dong Ho-won actually began winning.
The money multiplied in an instant, growing from ten taels of silver to a hundred in no time.
Eom Mu-hwi said that was enough and to leave, but Dong Ho-won, blinded by greed, couldn't stop.
At the dealer's suggestion, Dong Ho-won bet all hundred taels on one game and lost everything on a single pip difference.
Afterward, as Dong Ho-won threw a tantrum demanding his money back, Eom Mu-hwi knocked him out with a chop to the back of the head and barely dragged him back.
Dong Ho-won murmured with a distant look.
“……I felt the impermanence of life.”
Those who didn't know the situation stared at him like he was spouting nonsense.
Just then, a slight commotion arose at the inn's entrance.
“……?”
Over a dozen constables entered the inn. The man who seemed to be their leader said,
“There was an unfortunate incident last night, so we're conducting a brief inspection. We appreciate your cooperation!”
“Unfortunate incident?”
They checked the guests one by one.
“May I see your travel permit?”
“Where are you from?”
They inspected every guest, and Seol Hwa-un's group was no exception.
“North Sea Ice Palace…… Sorry for the trouble.”
At the North Wind Brigade Leader's words, the head constable glanced over the group and withdrew without issue.
“Thank you for your cooperation.”
Once the constables left, the guests voiced their confusion.
“Hangzhou's atmosphere has been tense lately…….”
“What happened last night?”
One guest narrowed his eyes and said,
“I know.”
“Huh? You do?”
“You know my friend Chil-sam? He's a constable. He let it slip.”
Naturally, all eyes turned to him.
“You know Black Wind Hall, right?”
“Of course.”
“Black Wind Hall got wiped out last night.”
“What? Is that true?”
Seol Hwa-un's group felt a strange sensation upon hearing that. Their gazes naturally turned to Seol Hwa-un.
“…….”
Seol Hwa-un pretended not to know and kept eating.
“It's true. All the Black Wind Hall executives are dead, and the hall leader was found raving mad from his injuries.”
Seol Hwa-un's brow furrowed slightly.
‘He didn't die? Lucky bastard.’
Last night, he hadn't killed the Black Wind Hall Leader right away and had questioned him about the Wind Phantom. As expected, he knew almost nothing.
Since he'd promised not to kill him if he told the truth, he'd only destroyed his dantian and left him. Even so, he'd inflicted deep wounds, so he'd assumed he'd die, but somehow he'd survived.
“If that's true…… After all their villainy, they got what was coming.”
“Yeah. And here's the weird part. The low-level members were injured but mostly survived, while the rest were almost all killed.”
“Strange. Only the weak ones lived.”
“Right? And even the survivors aren't right in the head. Some fled in fear, so the authorities are hunting them down.”
“Huh?”
“They deserved heavenly punishment, but over a hundred died. Can't cover up something that big, so the officials are after the culprit.”
“They should be rewarding him!”
Seol Hwa-un's lip curled up slightly.
“Do they know who the culprit is?”
“According to surviving witnesses, it was a young man in white…….”
The group's gazes turned back to Seol Hwa-un. Eom Mu-hwi cautiously asked,
“Little Palace Lord?”
“Hm?”
“Did you happen to see the white robe I bought as a souvenir?”
Seol Hwa-un replied calmly.
“Nope.”
“It conveniently disappeared last night.”
“Really? Must've been thieves all night.”
Too much blood had splattered on it, so he'd burned it.
“…….”
As the others were growing certain, the conversation continued.
“One young man? The culprit's definitely a martial arts master, but even so, he smashed Black Wind Hall alone?”
“Multiple witnesses agree, so it seems certain. They say fire came from his fists? Must be an expert in yang-gang energy.”
“Huh?”
Dong Ho-won looked puzzled.
“What? Then it wasn't the Little Palace Lord?”
“Looks like…….”
Only then did they realize why the constables had left without suspicion upon hearing North Sea Ice Palace. A place that cultivated yin energy couldn't be the culprit.
Seol Hwa-un chuckled and said,
“Enough nonsense. Finish your meals.”
“Ah, yes.”
Eom Mu-hwi tilted his head.
‘Strange. I was sure it was the Little Palace Lord…….’
Only the North Wind Brigade Leader wore a meaningful smile. In truth, he'd secretly escorted Seol Hwa-un last night, so he knew everything.
Even so, he said nothing because Seol Hwa-un had handled it while hiding his identity.
‘That martial art, though—what was it?’
The Thunderbolt Three Fists Seol Hwa-un used was something even he had never seen before.
One thing was clear: it wasn't a North Sea Ice Palace technique. Still, the North Wind Brigade Leader was curious but didn't suspect Seol Hwa-un.
He had solid trust in him now.
Seol Hwa-un smiled at the North Wind Brigade Leader's expression.
‘Thanks. Aside from everything else, the Thunderbolt Three Fists must've raised questions, but he didn't ask.’
He knew wiping out Black Wind Hall wasn't a small matter. With the authorities moving like this.
That's why he'd changed into plain white robes instead of North Sea Ice Palace attire and used the Heavenly Collapse Fist Emperor's techniques instead of palace ones.
Masking his face would've been ideal, but this was enough. In the dark night, none of the survivors had seen his face clearly.
‘……But it's not perfect.’
He suddenly recalled the gang he'd taken down in the rear garden last night. The inn's errand boys had handled them well, but an investigation could still pinpoint him.
‘Hmm.’
Right on cue, an officer in official robes entered the inn. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, with an extraordinary aura suggesting considerable martial prowess.
He went straight to Seol Hwa-un.
“Are you the Little Palace Lord of the North Sea Ice Palace?”
“I am.”
“Someone wants to meet you. Come with me.”
“Why should I?”
The officer transmitted via inner force,
[The gentleman wishes to see the Little Palace Lord regarding the Black Wind Hall matter.]
“……!”
At that moment, the North Wind Brigade Leader stepped in front of him.
“No matter that you're officials, we can't let you take our Little Palace Lord so casually.”
“…….”
Their eyes met. Reading the officer's aura, a glint appeared in the North Wind Brigade Leader's eyes.
‘A mere officer with this level of skill.’
He seemed to hold a high position. As their auras clashed and intensified, Seol Hwa-un stood up.
“I'll go and come back.”
“Then I'll go too.”
The officer immediately replied,
“No one else can come.”
Seol Hwa-un nodded.
“Understood.”
“Little Palace Lord!”
“It's fine. If they meant harm, they wouldn't have sent just him, right?”
“But…….”
Seol Hwa-un transmitted,
[Seems they have something to discuss about Black Wind Hall. It's not an immediate problem, so I'll go hear what they say.]
“…….”
In the end, the North Wind Brigade Leader fell silent.
“I'll be right back.”
Seol Hwa-un followed the officer out of the inn.
Dang Cheong and the others looked bewildered, but the North Sea Ice Palace group remained composed. That was how much they trusted Seol Hwa-un.
* * *
Once outside the inn, the officer immediately unleashed his movement technique. Seol Hwa-un followed suit, launching his form.
The officer's lightness skill was exceptional. But Seol Hwa-un trailed leisurely with hands behind his back.
“…….”
Irritated, the officer gradually increased his speed. Yet Seol Hwa-un maintained a constant distance effortlessly.
Provoked, the officer went all out with his technique. Even then, he couldn't shake Seol Hwa-un.
‘He's just past twenty, I heard.’
His lightness skill alone showed what an extraordinary martial artist Seol Hwa-un was.
‘Indeed, worth “that lord's” attention.’
The two arrived at the Zhejiang Provincial Office.
The provincial office was where the Provincial Governor, who oversaw Zhejiang Province, resided and conducted administration.
Seeing the grand buildings, Seol Hwa-un thought,
‘The one who wants to see me is the Provincial Governor?’
The Chief of the Provincial Administration Office—commonly called the Provincial Governor—oversaw the six ministries of Zhejiang.
He'd expected someone like the Hangzhou Prefect, so this was unexpected.
‘The Provincial Governor…… This could get annoying.’
The Provincial Governor wielded power over an entire province. Not that he feared him, but resentment could lead to headaches.
As expected, the officer led him to the governor's office.
Two men were inside: a young man in his late twenties and a middle-aged man radiating intense energy.
Yet the officer bowed to the young man, not the middle-aged one.
“I have brought the Little Palace Lord of the North Sea Ice Palace as ordered.”
“Well done. You may go.”
“Yes, my lord!”
Once the officer left, Seol Hwa-un eyed the young man with surprise.
‘He's the Provincial Governor?! But he's too young…….’
The young man, exuding an air of refinement, smiled and said,
“Pleased to meet you, Little Palace Lord. I am Joo So-cheon.”
The middle-aged man bellowed like thunder at the dazed Seol Hwa-un,
“What are you doing? Kneel before Young Lord Joo at once!”
Seol Hwa-un's eyes widened for once.
‘Young Lord?!’