Chapter 16: The Great Plains
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 16: The Great Plains
“Was it really that delicious?”
We left the Ice Palace after finishing our meal.
Taking the Young Palace Lord with me wasn't difficult. It seemed the Ice Palace Lord had decided that staying with Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was the fastest way to ensure her safety.
“Yes. Did you not find it to your taste?”
“It wasn't exactly... bad, but...”
If it hadn't been for the food Wi Ji-young prepared afterward, I might not have been able to fill my stomach.
Glance—
Looking back, I saw Tae Un-seo chatting away with Wi Ji-young. He seemed deeply impressed by her culinary skills. It made sense now why the Snow Tiger Unit had employed him as a swordsman rather than a cook.
“Captain, do we have a plan or a strategy?”
Eun-bin asked, moving behind Seol Yerin as if to shield her.
“Strategy? What’s that?”
“How do you intend to wipe out the bandits without a strategy...?”
“We can just freeze them all,” Seol Yerin interjected.
“Or just burn them all,” I added.
At our words, Baek Mu-yong shook his head. Hyeok Ryeon-yeom had been like this since they first met, but it seemed the Young Palace Lord was increasingly taking after him.
“The bandits have become bold enough to target the Young Palace Lord’s residence. They might be watching us from somewhere even now.”
“Then they’re more than welcome. Tae Un-seo!”
“Yes, Captain!”
Tae Un-seo had become my loyal subordinate the moment I enjoyed his soup.
“If you want to keep cooking, I think we’ll need to catch some bandits.”
“I will do my absolute best!”
We began our descent toward the south.
—Keke, this place has changed a lot.
The Sword Venerable, who had been quiet, muttered as he looked at the scenery south of the Ice Palace.
‘Three hundred years have passed, so of course it has.’
—Keke, stop treating me like a man of the past. I intend to live a new life through you.
Live? Can existing as a ghost really be called living?
With that question in mind, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom looked around and asked the Sword Venerable.
‘Do you feel anything?’
There were four Martial Gods of the North Sea. I asked because I thought the Sword Venerable might be able to sense the others.
—Feel anything? I feel the cold.
I didn't know ghosts could feel the cold.
‘Anything else?’
—Keke, if there’s something you want, just say it.
In the end, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom gained nothing and continued walking for a long time.
“It’s the plains.”
“You must be careful from here on out.”
As we walked and talked, we eventually arrived at the Great Plains. Hyeok Ryeon-yeom looked at the overgrown weeds and thought to himself.
“They’ll burn well.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s nothing.”
The Ice Palace Lord’s order was to wipe out the bandits of the Great Plains. Common sense dictated that six people clearing out the bandits of the vast plains wouldn't be easy. Yet, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was confident.
‘It’s quite a coincidence that the bandits live on the Great Plains.’
To wipe them out, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom simply had to do what he did best.
‘Arson.’
They would likely burn quite beautifully.
*
The bandits of the Great Plains.
Jang Young-heuk thought of his leader, the Blood Wolf Gwak Do-han, and the Black Wind Jang Roe, who had yet to return.
“So, they failed.”
“We received word that they attacked the Young Palace Lord’s residence, but we have no idea what happened after that.”
At his subordinate's report, Jang Young-heuk pondered how to explain this to the deputy leader. Most likely, the deputy leader, Sa Ma-geon, would welcome the news. He had always wanted to become the chief himself.
The important thing was...
‘Will the Ice Palace stay quiet after finding out?’
They had targeted the Young Palace Lord, the Ice Palace Lord’s precious only daughter. Given the Ice Palace Lord’s reputation for doting on his daughter, he would surely move heaven and earth to eliminate the bandits.
“New report, sir. A special task force from the Ice Palace, including the Young Palace Lord, is heading south.”
“A special task force? How many?”
“Six!”
“Six? Is it a decoy? Are there really no other troops?”
“Yes, that is correct!”
It could be a trap. However, in this situation, he felt it was better to launch a counterattack rather than wait for the Ice Palace to strike.
“I must report this to the deputy leader.”
“Understood.”
Jang Young-heuk headed toward the deputy leader’s quarters with his subordinate.
“Oh, look who it is! If it isn't our vanguard leader, Jang Young-heuk!”
A muscular man with long black hair tied back greeted him. It was the deputy leader, the Black Panther Sa Ma-geon.
‘Looking at his face, he already knows.’
There was a reason Sa Ma-geon hadn't stopped the chief from attacking the North Sea Ice Palace and had instead encouraged him.
“Greetings, Deputy Leader.”
“Right. What is it?”
“The chief has not returned. We’ve also lost contact with Jang Roe. Something has definitely happened.”
“If the chief is dead, then I’ll just become the chief. He was the one talking big, wasn't he? He failed to capture the Young Palace Lord, so he’s paying the price.”
Sa Ma-geon seemed to be in a very good mood at the prospect of becoming the leader.
“The problem is... if the chief was caught, the Ice Palace won't stay still.”
“Hahaha! And what will they do? Will they actually cross into the plains?”
“Actually, we have a report that a special task force from the Ice Palace has moved.”
“A special task force? You mean the Ice Palace sent a small elite force to deal with us?”
“Yes.”
“Hahahahahaha!”
The room erupted in laughter. It was only natural.
“Haha, right. And how many did you say there were?”
“Six... people, apparently.”
“Hahahahaha! Did you hear that? Six people!”
What could a mere six people do? Jang Young-heuk must have thought the same. And yet...
‘Why do I feel this unease?’
The fact that the Young Palace Lord, who had been confined to the palace for so long, had finally come out weighed on his mind.
“Jang Young-heuk.”
“Yes, Deputy... no, Chief.”
“Hahahaha! Right. Don't worry so much and let’s have a drink! Bring out the wine!”
Sa Ma-geon seemed to quite like being addressed as "Chief."
“Yes, Chief!!”
Jang Young-heuk watched in silence as the bandits scrambled to prepare the drinks.
*
Early evening.
We began our first night of camping on the plains. Since we had spent a lot of energy traveling, we decided to postpone finding and wiping out the bandit stronghold until tomorrow.
After hearing Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s strategy for the bandits, the members of the Little Snow Unit judged it to be a viable plan and decided to focus on resting for the night.
Whoosh.
Using Extreme Yang Qi, starting a fire was no trouble at all.
“I’ll handle the food!”
The moment Tae Un-seo shouted that he would cook, Wi Ji-young grabbed him.
“Hoho, Warrior Tae! Why don't you do it with me?”
Wi Ji-young prevented everyone’s expressions from crumpling. Baek Mu-yong and Eun-bin began preparing the campsite. Since everyone was busy with their tasks, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was left alone with Seol Yerin.
Seol Yerin was admiring the vast plains.
“It’s beautiful.”
“...Is this your first time seeing the plains?”
“Yes. It’s my first time coming this far from the Ice Palace.”
Considering she possessed the Extreme Yin Body, which could freeze the entire world, it was likely she hadn't been allowed to wander outside easily.
‘It’s surprising my father-in-law allowed the Young Palace Lord to travel.’
I suspected the Chief Officer played a significant role in that. Hyeok Ryeon-yeom quietly approached Seol Yerin and took her hand.
“......?!”
“Receiving an infusion of Extreme Yang Qi once a day will help treat your Extreme Yin Body.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom began to channel Extreme Yang Qi into Seol Yerin through their joined hands. Her hand, which had been as cold as a block of ice, grew warm.
“Thank you.”
Seol Yerin spoke softly, feeling the warmth.
“No need to thank me. It’s only natural.”
The faster Seol Yerin recovered, the more of an asset she would be to Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s strength.
“Even so...”
“Dinner is ready!”
“Warrior Tae! They were having a moment! Why did you have to interrupt?!”
Wi Ji-young’s voice scolding Tae Un-seo drifted from behind. Surprised by how quickly the food was ready, I turned around.
I saw somyeon (thin wheat noodles) boiling vigorously. Since we were camping, it seemed Wi Ji-young had prepared something easy to eat outdoors.
“That was fast.”
“Ji-young is quick with these things. Let’s go eat.”
“Okay.”
We huddled around the campfire. Baek Mu-yong and Eun-bin, having finished the camp preparations, approached the fire and were handed bowls of noodles.
“Is this... actually edible?”
“Ji-young helped cook. It’ll be fine.”
“That’s a relief.”
Knowing Tae Un-seo’s usual cooking skills, Baek Mu-yong and Eun-bin seemed incredibly anxious.
Slurp.
Thinking someone had to taste it first for the others to feel safe, I took a brave bite.
“Hmm? It’s not bad. It’s good. Everyone, try some.”
Slurp.
Seeing Hyeok Ryeon-yeom eat, Seol Yerin and the others began their meal as well.
“It is good.”
“Mmm, it’s nice because it’s warm.”
“Th-thank you!”
“Did Tae Un-seo cook this?”
“Lady Weizhi gave me a lot of help!”
Somyeon is a dish that’s hard to mess up. Judging by Baek Mu-yong and Eun-bin’s reactions, it seemed Tae Un-seo couldn't even boil noodles properly on his own.
‘How do you even make somyeon taste bad?’
Looking at the steaming noodles, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom suddenly turned to Seol Yerin.
“Lady Seol.”
“Yes?”
“Could you perhaps make this cold?”
“I can.”
“Don't freeze it, just get it right to the point before it turns to ice.”
“I’ll try.”
Cr-crack.
As Seol Yerin used her Extreme Yin Qi to lower the temperature of the bowl, the noodles chilled instantly, and thin shards of ice began to float in the broth.
“That’s enough.”
Stop.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom took the ice-cold noodles.
Slurp.
They were chewy. The broth left a little to be desired, but it was edible. Since hot food didn't agree with him, this was much better.
“It’s chewy enough to feel like cold soba.”
“What... kind of taste is that?”
“To think you’d freeze the noodles.”
“Ah, want a taste?”
Just as I was about to pass the cold noodles over—
Rustle.
The bushes shook. Just as everyone was about to put down their noodles and stand up—
Flash!
Tae Un-seo was the first to react, charging toward the bushes with his kitchen knife in hand.
‘What... that reaction speed...’
Squelch— Squelch— Squelch—
The sound of something being sliced followed.
“Aaaaagh!”
A scream echoed through the woods.
“Damn it.”
Thinking the commotion might alert the bandits, we quickly ran to where Tae Un-seo had gone.
“P-please, spare me...”
When we arrived, we saw a bandit with one ankle severed, begging Tae Un-seo for his life.
“I told you, didn't I? I’m better at slicing people.”
At Baek Mu-yong’s words, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom nodded. The cut was so clean it was hard to believe it had been done with a kitchen knife.
Snap!
As blood continued to pour from the ankle, Seol Yerin froze the wound shut. Everyone turned to look at her.
“We can't let him bleed to death,” she said.
She was right. Everyone was performing their roles well.
“Who are you?”
Now, it was Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s turn to interrogate the bandit.