We Can Even Flatten a Mountain Now (5)
“Ughhh…….”
“Urk!”
Under the ferocious killing intent, even Yeo Sa-hon and the other prisoners could barely draw breath, let alone speak, and could only groan.
Will-killing.
It was the kind of murderous aura that showed exactly what it meant to kill someone with nothing but killing intent alone.
“Benefactor!”
“C-Chung Myung! Calm down!”
Baek Cheon was so startled that he rushed forward and clamped both hands hard on Chung Myung’s shoulders.
Chung Myung gave a twitch and slowly looked ahead. Only then did he finally withdraw the killing intent and press his lips together.
“Kheh!”
Freed in an instant from the crushing pressure, Yeo Sa-hon coughed violently.
Normally, Chung Myung would have apologized at once for a mistake like that, but he had no room for that now.
“The Heavenly Demon? He’s descending?”
“……Y-Yes, that’s right! I, I definitely heard it like that.”
“……Those insane bastards…….”
At last, the scattered pieces that hadn’t fit together seemed to lock into place.
Why had they come all the way to this remote North Sea? And why, of all things, were they after Ice Crystal?
“I don’t know the exact method, but…….”
If they were scheming to resurrect the Heavenly Demon by some means, and needed a massive quantity of Ice Crystal to carry out the ritual?
“……Then it’s clear they didn’t choose the North Sea because it was some foreign backwater.”
From the beginning, their target had been the North Sea—more precisely, the Ice Crystal.
Chung Myung’s heart began to turn cold.
Remember this, disciple of Mount Hua. This is not the end. The demonic ways will return once more.
“What bullshit.”
Chung Myung ground his teeth.
The Heavenly Demon was going to revive?
Who gave you permission?
As long as Chung Myung was alive and breathing, that kind of thing was never happening. That bastard looked best with his head cut off.
Damn it.
Was it luck, or bad luck?
It was fortunate that they had arrived in the North Sea just as the remnants of the Demonic Sect were plotting the Heavenly Demon’s resurrection. If they had remained ignorant until the bitter end and the Heavenly Demon had truly come back to life, then not only Mount Hua but the entire Central Plains would have been turned into hell.
But the fact that they couldn’t rely on Mount Hua, let alone any of the other sects, was equally disastrous.
At this rate, they might have to fight those Demonic Sect bastards with only themselves.
“Ugh, I’m going out of my mind!”
As he chewed over the situation and understood it, Chung Myung grabbed his own head and raked his fingers through his hair. His already unkempt hair went even wilder.
“Chung Myung. Are you all right?”
“Do I look all right to you?”
Chung Myung shot back sharply, his eyes gleaming wildly, then squeezed them shut and took a deep breath.
“Huff! Huff! First, let’s calm down. Calm down.”
If there was one thin strand of hope in this hellish mess, it was that the Heavenly Demon still hadn’t been resurrected.
“No, those crazy bastards don’t even want power? The guy who used to boss people around with a nod of his chin is happily dead, so why not just enjoy themselves and live in peace? What the hell are they thinking, trying to bring back that ridiculous bastard…….”
“……No, wait. Can a person even come back to life in the first place?”
At Jo Gul’s question, Chung Myung shut his mouth.
No. There was no way something like that could happen.
But he couldn’t say that aloud. Chung Myung himself was the most undeniable proof that it could happen.
I can do it, so why can’t the Heavenly Demon?
In truth, he had already thought about it more than once.
He had only been consciously avoiding the thought, but perhaps the Heavenly Demon had already returned to life and was simply waiting for the right moment. Waiting somewhere out there.
There was no reason something possible for Chung Myung would be impossible for that bastard.
Every time he had that thought, goosebumps rose all over him and his heart went dark.
To think that bastard might be alive somewhere in this wide world. How horrifying was that?
“I guess this is lucky, or unlucky…….”
At any rate, the fact that those bastards were still carrying out this madness meant the Heavenly Demon clearly hadn’t revived yet.
“Agh!”
Better to die than to suffer through this.
“Come here. Sit down here!”
When Chung Myung slapped the floor a few times, the Mount Hua disciples silently sat down.
With his face twisted, Chung Myung began to speak.
“All right. Let’s sort this out. So those Demonic Sect bastards are hauling out every last bit of Ice Crystal in the North Sea to pull off some insane resurrection ritual for the Heavenly Demon, right?”
“Seems like it.”
“And the Ice Palace is happily helping them…… no, are they complete lunatics? They’re cooperating with them knowing full well who the Heavenly Demon is? If that bastard comes back, the first thing he’ll do is neatly chop off the Ice Palace Lord’s head!”
There were all kinds of different ways to kill yourself in this world. There was no need to choose such a mythic form of suicide among them.
“Perhaps they intend to become his subordinates?”
“Sasuk doesn’t know the Heavenly Demon, so he can say that kind of thing.”
“And how do you know?”
“……I’ve got my ways. I’m busy, so don’t pry.”
For one thing, the concept of subordinates barely existed for that Heavenly Demon bastard.
What did that mean?
He didn’t even blink when countless Demonic Sect followers were dying. There’s no way he’d welcome the Ice Palace.
The Demonic Sect’s faith was a one-way street.
The Demonic Sect worshipped and revered the Heavenly Demon beyond measure, but the Heavenly Demon didn’t exactly cherish or protect his followers.
So why did Demonic Sect members follow him?
“Because they’re all crazy.”
“What the hell are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“Nothing.”
Chung Myung shook his head. Then he let out a long sigh.
“Hoo, so…… anyway, this resurrection thing or whatever is almost ready, and they were driving these people like dogs because they needed more Ice Crystal, right?”
When Chung Myung snapped his head toward him, Yeo Sa-hon quickly nodded.
“The labor here was harsh enough to begin with, but recently they’ve been pushing us as though they meant to work people to death. Thanks to that, there have been no shortage of men collapsing from illness and exhaustion.”
“Ugh. This is exactly the kind of thing that should not be making sense.”
Even as the clues all fit together and the mystery was resolved, instead of feeling relieved, Chung Myung only felt sick to his stomach.
“So Ice Crystal is the key. But that Ice Crystal…….”
Chung Myung glanced at his sleeve.
Every last bit of Ice Crystal he had overharvested was stuffed into it.
“……is all in here.”
“…….”
All the Mount Hua disciples twitched slightly.
“……Couldn’t we just mine more?”
“There won’t be any more Ice Crystal here for a while.”
“……Why not?”
“Because I hauled it all out. Until the cold qi builds up again and new essence forms, digging here’s pointless. Unless you’re planning to drill straight down into the depths of the earth.”
After a brief moment of thought, Baek Cheon muttered sourly,
“So, that means…….”
“Yeah.”
Chung Myung nodded.
“The last key those bastards need to resurrect the Heavenly Demon is, quite literally, in my hands.”
The image was already vivid.
The crazed Demonic Sect bastards, eyes rolling, rushing at him like madmen for the Ice Crystal.
As long as the name of the Heavenly Demon was involved, there was no doubt they would throw away their lives and do everything they could to kill him.
“Heh-heh-heh-heh.”
Chung Myung laughed like a lunatic, then suddenly slammed the floor and shouted,
“This situation is twisted in the most miserable way possible, damn it!”
* * *
In the Ice Palace Lord’s chambers.
“You dug out Ice Crystal? In that quantity?”
“Yes, Palace Lord.”
Seol Cheon-sang’s face twisted as he heard the report.
“You forced those prisoners that hard, and they still managed to dig it out in one go?”
“……Yes, sir.”
Seol Cheon-sang let out a disbelieving laugh.
“They say even a maggot can roll when it wants to, I suppose…….”
He had no idea how they had done it, but in any case, it was highly unlikely the report was false.
“Ice Crystal…….”
He had already given Mount Hua’s disciples permission to buy whatever Ice Crystal they dug up. In the end, that meant all the Ice Crystal they supposedly mined would belong to Mount Hua Sect.
“This is ridiculous.”
Seol Cheon-sang murmured the words, but contrary to his tone, he broke into a dry laugh. The more he thought about it, the more absurd it became.
“……What do you think we should do, Palace Lord?”
Beside him, Elder Yi spoke up cautiously.
“If those people hear about this, they absolutely won’t sit still.”
Seol Cheon-sang’s face contorted viciously. The look in his eyes as he glared at Elder Yi was full of rage.
“And you expect me to be afraid of them?”
“N-no, that isn’t what I meant.”
Elder Yi hurriedly lowered his gaze and denied it. Seol Cheon-sang glanced out the window with a trace of irritation.
This has gone sideways.
He had only granted them permission to pass the time in the mine, and yet they had actually dug the stuff out.
“It can’t be helped.”
After a moment of thought, Seol Cheon-sang smirked and said,
“We’ll placate them and tell them to hand over the Ice Crystal. Tell them they can keep anything extra they dig up.”
“……And if they don’t listen?”
“If they don’t listen?”
The corner of his mouth twisted.
“Then there’s only one way.”
The cold voice drifted slowly through the hall.
“Take it by force.”
“Do you mean to kill them?”
“Tch. Did you hear nothing I just said? They must not die here.”
“Then how…….”
“Killing them and taking it is different from simply taking it. If we kill them, the sects of the Central Plains will raise objections. But how can anyone question us taking goods that were produced here?”
“Now that you mention it, yes. In fact, that was Ice Palace property to begin with.”
“Exactly. Then it’ll all be…….”
But as he spoke, Seol Cheon-sang’s expression hardened and his words trailed off.
“No…….”
“……Yes?”
“No, no. Just in case. Those bastards might pack up the Ice Crystal and run.”
At that, Elder Yi tilted his head.
“Would they have any reason to do that?”
“Idiot. Ice Crystal is priceless. Do you think those bastards have the money to buy so much of it, even at half price? Even if they did, there’s no way they would have brought that kind of cash all the way here.”
“Ah…….”
Seol Cheon-sang’s face went slightly pale.
“If those bastards were to run off, even for a moment…….”
Cold sweat began to gather on his back.
If that happened, the Bishop’s fury would surely be directed entirely at him. Fury he could never hope to withstand.
“Send the Ice Sword Unit to seize them.”
“There are enough martial artists stationed there.”
“Don’t underestimate them. If the talk that they are the finest young talents in the Central Plains isn’t empty boasting, then they won’t be easy prey.”
His voice was firmer than ever.
“Not one mistake is allowed. Not even the possibility of a thousand-to-one chance must be left standing!”
Elder Yi bowed his head at once.
“Understood! I’ll issue the order.”
“If they resist too much, you may kill them.”
“…….”
“Move! Now!”
“Yes!”
Elder Yi hurried away at a brisk pace.
“Follow me.”
“Yes!”
The man who had come to deliver the report followed after him.
Once outside the Palace Lord’s chambers, Elder Yi stole a glance at Seol Cheon-sang’s expression before closing the door.
He’s frightened.
He might try to sound logical, might try to seem bold, but in the end he was nothing more than a man who had thrown away every principle he had upheld up to now because he was terrified the Bishop’s wrath would fall on him.
Palace Lord. That is precisely why I can’t trust only you.
Elder Yi shut the door and moved at once toward the stairs.
The two men quickly descended the tower steps.
“You heard everything, yes?”
“Yes! Elder.”
“You, go straight to the Ice Sword Unit and deliver the Palace Lord’s order.”
“……May I be the one to do it?”
At the cautious question, Elder Yi took out the identification tablet that proved his rank as an elder and handed it over.
“Show them this and there will be no problem.”
“Understood! Then, Elder, what about you……?”
“I have something else to check. Don’t delay—move!”
“Yes!”
After bowing deeply, the man went down the stairs ahead of him. Watching his back, Elder Yi slowly stopped walking and twisted his lips.
I’ve obtained valuable information.
Very valuable information.
They’ll be delighted to hear this.
As Elder Yi started walking after the man, he suddenly changed direction. The path his steps took was not deeper into the Ice Palace, but outward.
Whoosh.
In an instant, he slipped out of the fortress and began to run with stealth and speed. He vaulted over the western wall like a swallow and raced across the snowfield.
A strange voice leaked from his lips.
“The Heavenly Demon returns; the ten thousand devils rejoice.”
The final piece that would mark the end of that long wait had now been put into place.