Chapter 14: The Transfer
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 14: The Transfer
Elder Gwak Tae-san stared at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, the scoundrel of the Demonic Cult who was slated to become the matrilocal son-in-law of the North Sea Ice Palace.
‘Talking back to me... he certainly acts the part of a scoundrel.’
To think a mere brat would dare to throw down a challenge before him.
No matter how much of an Extreme Yang Body he possessed, the boy was barely twenty. Gwak Tae-san couldn't fathom where such confidence came from. He decided it was time to give the lad a bitter taste of the North Sea.
"I don't know what gives you the gall to flap your lips like that, but come then! Let’s see what you’ve got, disregarding our ranks!"
"You’re sure about that? No ranks involved?"
A thick, knowing smirk spread across Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s lips.
—Ho ho, the descendants have certainly grown up without any manners.
Had it been before he met the Sword Venerable, Ryeon-yeom would never have made such a gamble. No matter how exceptional his martial arts were, they wouldn't surpass those of an Ice Palace Elder.
But things were different now.
‘With the Sword Venerable here, it’s a different story.’
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom drew the Snow Extreme Sword.
—Do you remember the forms of the Snow Wind Sword?
The soul of the Sword Venerable asked, floating mid-air. As long as he held the Snow Extreme Sword, the Sword Venerable was always with him.
‘I can’t exactly show off your sword techniques here, old man.’
Whoosh!
Flames erupted. The Fire Control Sword lunged toward Gwak Tae-san.
"I already know you use fire!"
Gwak Tae-san pulled a short spear from his waist. In an instant, several short spears clicked together, extending into a long spear.
"Snow Wind Spear Style, Second Form: Rigid Wind Snow Explosion!"
Whirrrr!
As Elder Gwak Tae-san spun his spear, a massive blizzard erupted, blocking the path of the flames.
"Aren't seniors supposed to yield the first three moves to their juniors?"
"We’ve set aside our ranks! There are no seniors or juniors here!"
As he shouted, a smile played on Gwak Tae-san’s lips. In response, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom drew upon his Extreme Yang Qi once more and swung his blade.
A whirlwind of fire began to howl against the blizzard.
‘So, he’s an Elder who enjoys a good duel.’
At first, it seemed he had come to enforce discipline, but the more they exchanged blows, the more it became clear that Gwak Tae-san was enjoying himself. It was as if he hadn't been able to cut loose with his martial arts in a long time.
—It’s the distance. If you can pierce through that long spear and get inside his guard, you win.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom knew that even without being told. Looking back, he possessed a diverse array of talents.
From his first life, he had developed "plate discipline" and patience through baseball. A batter needs the patience to wait until the ball enters the strike zone.
From his second life, where he couldn't manipulate mana and had to conduct research through constant visualization, he had gained the ability to predict. The power to observe and anticipate how an opponent would move was one of his greatest gifts.
The spear thrust forward.
‘Wait.’
Not yet. Not quite yet.
Swish!
Narrowly dodging Gwak Tae-san’s spear strike by a hair’s breadth, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom lunged into the Elder’s guard, following the path of the retracting spear shaft.
"Not so fast!"
Gwak Tae-san was not one to be caught off guard by such a move.
Clang!
In a flash, the long spear disassembled, and the short spears whipped around Hyeok Ryeon-yeom like a chain.
‘I expected that.’
From the moment the Elder combined the short spears into a long one, Ryeon-yeom had predicted he might operate the weapon this way.
‘I’ll be borrowing this.’
He infused the sword forms of the Snow Wind Sword Saint, Baek Un-han, with his Extreme Yang Qi.
"Flame Wind Explosive Flash!"
The flames blooming from the Snow Extreme Sword soared into the sky like a firestorm.
"What?!"
The moment the short spears were blown upward!
Shink!
The Snow Extreme Sword stopped exactly at Gwak Tae-san’s throat.
"If this were my home sect... you would be a dead man, Elder."
*
Gulp.
Elder Gwak Tae-san couldn't move. He felt as if that shimmering red blade would consume him if he even twitched.
It was then.
"Third Young Master?"
The voice of Seol Yerin, the Young Palace Lord, rang out. Hyeok Ryeon-yeom sheathed his sword.
"With this, I hope you won't interfere in our business anymore, Elder Gwak. Tae. San. I would appreciate it if you conveyed my thoughts to the Council of Elders as well."
Since he had lost in a fair fight where ranks were disregarded, Gwak Tae-san had no choice but to listen.
"...What is going on here? Was the Elder harassing the Third Young Master?"
Flinch.
A cold chill began to envelop Gwak Tae-san. Coming from anyone else, it might have been fine, but the words of the Young Palace Lord carried immense weight. No one in the Ice Palace was unaware that the Palace Lord was a fool for his daughter.
"He just came by because he was curious about me. He said he’d put in a good word for me with the Council of Elders, so you don't need to worry too much."
"Ah, is that so? Then this duel just now..."
"The Elder was kind enough to grant me a lesson."
"Ah, yes... that is correct."
At Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s words, the chill vanished as if it had never been there. Gwak Tae-san glanced back at Ryeon-yeom—who had made the Young Palace Lord smile with a single sentence—before turning and disappearing.
"Did you use formal speech because you were in front of the Elder?"
As soon as Gwak Tae-san was gone, Seol Yerin asked, looking intrigued.
"Well, yeah. If I want to be recognized as the son-in-law, I need to mind my reputation here and there."
"Hmm, that’s unexpected."
"What is?"
"I didn't think you were the type to care about such things."
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom looked back at Seol Yerin. Something had been bothering him for a while.
"You were calling me 'Gaga' so boldly in front of your father. Have you decided to go back to calling me 'Third Young Master'?"
"Th-That’s...!"
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom smirked as he watched Seol Yerin’s face turn bright red.
"Well, we can improve the titles as we go. For now, are you alright?"
He was referring to the Sword Venerable. Seol Yerin asked him cautiously.
"Is... is he still nearby?"
—Cluck, cluck. To think a descendant with such power in her body is afraid of me. She’s a faint-hearted one.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom couldn't bring himself to tell her that the Sword Venerable was currently blabbering right next to her. He intentionally changed the subject by grabbing her wrist.
"Ah!"
"It seems your Yang Qi has been depleted quite a bit again."
"Eh?"
"I have to head out of the Ice Palace to wipe out those bandits, so I think we need to replenish your Yang Qi before I go."
At his comment, Seol Yerin began to panic, flustered.
"I-I think I have plenty for now!"
Clatter!
Watching Seol Yerin scramble back into her room, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom turned around. Baek Mu-yong, who had been waiting in front of the lodging as if monitoring him, was staring at him with an expression that said he had just witnessed something unbelievable.
"Don't look at me like that. Tell the Deputy Squad Leader and Ye-young to get ready to head out tomorrow."
"Where are you planning to go this time?"
"I have to deal with the bandits who dared to attack the Ice Palace and come back."
He still hadn't completed the task the Palace Lord had given him. Now that he had confirmed the bandits were bold enough to strike the Ice Palace itself, it was time to return the favor.
"......The four of us?"
"It’s enough."
To the bandits living on the plains, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom would be nothing short of a calamity.
"Because I’m just going to burn them all to the ground."
*
"Chief Officer."
In the Chief Officer's office of the North Sea Ice Palace, Seol Su-hyeok looked back at the subordinate who had visited him late at night.
"What is it?"
"I’ve been informed that a duel took place a short while ago at the Young Palace Lord’s residence between Elder Gwak Tae-san and Young Master Hyeok Ryeon."
"A duel? Who won?"
He had expected the Elders to make a move, but they had acted faster than anticipated. Elder Gwak Tae-san was a martial artist who had achieved great mastery with the spear in the North Sea. If such a man had moved, then no matter how skilled Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was...
"They say Young Master Hyeok Ryeon won."
"What?"
When he heard the boy had suppressed Eun-bin, he thought he was somewhat capable, but he never imagined he was at the level of an Elder.
‘Did he gain some enlightenment while treating the Young Palace Lord?’
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, who had been overflowing with hot Yang Qi, seemed to have changed somehow after treating her. If the two of them complemented each other the more they were together...
‘Perhaps the Palace Lord’s choice was brilliant.’
Seol Su-hyeok asked his subordinate, "What is Elder Gwak’s condition?"
"I’m told neither was injured."
"Is that so?"
That was strange. Considering Elder Gwak’s spear techniques, the duel should have ended with at least one of them injured.
"And after that?"
"It seems the Young Palace Lord mediated. Elder Gwak returned to the Council of Elders, and Young Master Hyeok Ryeon intends to head out of the Ice Palace again tomorrow."
"He went north today, didn't he?"
"Yes, that is correct."
It was a mystery why he had gone north to subjugate bandits.
"I wonder when he plans to actually clear them out."
"For now, the Little Snow Unit only has four members, including the maid he brought with him."
He couldn't possibly move to wipe out bandits with only four people.
"Should I provide him with more personnel?"
The Ice Palace Lord hadn't said it explicitly, but he viewed Hyeok Ryeon-yeom very favorably for treating his daughter. Though he wouldn't admit it, the order to subjugate the bandits was likely given with the expectation that Ryeon-yeom’s standing in the North Sea would rise if he succeeded.
‘He’ll need some achievements if he’s to be recognized as the son-in-law.’
There were still many factions in the North Sea just watching Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s movements.
"I just hope this doesn't cause friction with the Snow Tiger Unit."
"Um... Chief Officer. How about this method?"
"What method?"
"Sending the troublemakers of the Snow Tiger Unit to Young Master Hyeok Ryeon."
The Snow Tiger Unit was a problematic group. Its leader, Dan Mok-ho, only looked after his own people and ostracized those he deemed unnecessary. People called those outcasts the "troublemakers of the Snow Tiger Unit."
"Do you think Hyeok Ryeon-yeom can handle those rascals?"
"I don't know. But if he can, it would solve the Snow Tiger Unit’s problem and bolster the Little Snow Unit’s manpower—killing two birds with one stone. Besides, Deputy Squad Leader Eun-bin and Squad Leader Baek will need people to command, won't they?"
His subordinate was certainly right.
"Tomorrow morning, before Young Master Hyeok Ryeon leaves, convey this to both Leader Dan Mok-ho and the Young Master."
"Yes, Chief Officer!"
Watching his adjutant rush out, Seol Su-hyeok once again realized the necessity of a capable assistant who could act as his hands and feet.
*
The next day.
Baek Mu-yong looked back and forth between Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, Snow Tiger Leader Dan Mok-ho, and Elder Gwak Tae-san with a look of utter confusion.
"Squad Leader Baek, what on earth happened yesterday?"
Beside him, Eun-bin also asked, seemingly unable to grasp the situation.
"Weren't we supposed to leave early this morning?"
Even Weizhi Young, who had packed a heavy bundle as if she’d prepared all the meals, added a word. Furthermore...
"What is going on?"
Seol Yerin had appeared as well, wearing an expression that said she was absolutely coming along today. Amidst the chaos...
"So, you’re saying the higher-ups have transferred members of the Snow Tiger Unit to the Little Snow Unit?"
"It’s the Chief Officer’s order."
Dan Mok-ho spoke while glancing nervously at Gwak Tae-san. His unusual attitude seemed to be entirely due to the Elder’s presence.
"I get why Leader Dan Mok-ho is here, but what brings you here, Elder?"
"It’s my freedom where an old man like me goes."
"...That sounds like you’re intending to follow me?"
"Why? Is that not allowed?"
Did this old man eat something wrong?
—Kwahaha! I remember now. That brat is a descendant of the Gwak family.
Just then, the Sword Venerable’s laughter rang out.
‘Who is the Gwak family?’
—He was a fellow who kept insisting the spear was superior to the sword. I crushed him once, and after that, he followed me around being a nuisance. This one is the spitting image of him.
Wait, aren't you from three hundred years ago?
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom looked at Gwak Tae-san again. If the family had survived in the Ice Palace for three hundred years on the strength of the spear alone, that was impressive in its own right.
"We keep getting sidetracked. So, are you going to accept them or not?"
"And if I don't?"
"Well, since they’ve been stripped of their status in the Snow Tiger Unit, they’ll be kicked out of the Ice Palace."
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom found it strange that Dan Mok-ho was so nonchalant about his subordinates potentially being exiled.
"You don't seem to care much, Leader Dan?"
"You won't be saying that once you meet those rascals."
"......?"
From Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s perspective, reinforcing his troops was a welcome development.
"Deputy Squad Leader, Squad Leader Baek. What do you think?"
Eun-bin and Baek Mu-yong pondered for a moment. They could roughly guess who the members being transferred from the Snow Tiger Unit were. Their eyes met for a brief second.
"We agree!!"
It was decided.
"So it seems. Where are they?"
Following Dan Mok-ho’s lead, they arrived at the Snow Tiger Unit’s quarters.
"Transferred... you say?"
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom came face to face with a fierce-looking man holding a kitchen knife.