Chapter 24: A Godsend
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 24: A Godsend
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom stared at Seol Jin-ho, the Leader of the Ice Wolf Unit.
For a Unit Leader, Seol Jin-ho’s martial prowess seemed roughly on par with Baek Mu-yong, who had only been the leader of the Ice Wolf Unit's second squad.
"Baek Mu-yong. You go, too."
"Pardon?"
"There’s no need for three of us to be here. Hurry up and find your family and bring them back."
He had already sent Tae Un-seo and Weizhi Young, but Baek Mu-yong would be more of an expert at tracking a Snow Wolf.
"Please... don't kill him."
Baek Mu-yong seemed to be worried about Seol Jin-ho, not Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
Seol Jin-ho looked back at Baek Mu-yong as if the request was absurd.
Without looking back, Baek Mu-yong began to run.
"They’ve all left."
"Is that so?"
Eun-bin slowly backed away.
Having already experienced Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s flames once before, Eun-bin knew all too well.
Whoosh!
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, wreathed in soaring flames, was a terrifying sight.
"I’ll make sure you pay dearly for touching my family."
Flame Butterfly.
Seol Jin-ho flinched at the sight of the fluttering butterflies flying toward him.
Tack.
Fwoosh!
Seol Jin-ho swung his sword at the butterflies, which were cloaked in flames that incinerated everything they touched.
However...
"Urgh."
Seol Jin-ho had never practiced a sword technique meant to cut through flames.
"Ice Wolf Sword—First Form."
Snow Wolf’s Roar.
Grrrr!
A roar echoed from behind.
"Great Snow Wolf, devour him!"
It was Seol Jin-ho’s Snow Wolf, which he had thought was moving to chase after Baek Mu-yong’s wolf.
The massive Snow Wolf roared and lunged at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
Clang! Screeech!
The Snow Wolf’s teeth began to gnaw at his sword.
"I didn't intend to beat up a wolf, too."
"Then I shall handle this side."
Eun-bin intervened in the battle.
It wasn't so much that he was worried about Hyeok Ryeon-yeom. Rather, he seemed intent on creating a situation where Hyeok Ryeon-yeom and Seol Jin-ho could face each other in a proper one-on-one duel.
"What now? My Deputy Squad Leader says he’ll take care of your Snow Wolf for you."
"Tch."
Seol Jin-ho smacked his lips in disappointment and raised his sword.
Knowing that Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s specialty was fire, Seol Jin-ho seemed to believe that as long as he avoided the flames, he could easily emerge victorious in this duel.
—Chuckles. It seems there are still many who don't know.
The Sword Venerable let out a hollow laugh upon seeing Seol Jin-ho’s starting stance.
—It certainly seems that way. Tsk, tsk.
The Demon Empress also clicked her tongue.
Why?
‘Because no one would expect me to have mastered the Snow Wind Sword, which is essentially the source of all the Ice Palace’s martial arts.’
The technique Seol Jin-ho was preparing was the Ice Wolf Sword.
And the Ice Wolf Sword was a martial art derived from the Snow Wind Sword.
Naturally...
‘When he takes that starting stance, I can guess—if not exactly, then at least roughly—which form he’s about to unleash.’
In other words, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom could recognize the form Seol Jin-ho was about to use just by looking at his stance.
Knowing the opponent's move in advance meant...
‘I have an overwhelming advantage.’
Whoosh—
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s sword began to burn once more.
"Stop with the parlor tricks!"
Dash—
Sword qi erupted from Seol Jin-ho’s blade as he charged.
"I am strong enough even without my Ice Wolf!"
Who was it that said the warriors of the North Sea Ice Palace were fools who relied only on brute strength?
He had never thought that while looking at the Young Palace Lady, Seol Yerin, or the Ice Palace Lord, Seol Baek-ho.
But looking at Seol Jin-ho, he felt he understood why people said that.
"Fire Control Sword, Flame Wind—"
The moment the wind of flames swept over Seol Jin-ho.
‘It’s a sword technique derived from the fifth form of the Snow Wind style, the Snow Wind Linked Dance.’
"Ice Wolf Sword—Fifth Form."
Ice Wolf Linked Dance.
Just as he thought.
He had recognized it immediately because the starting stance was similar to the fifth form of the Snow Wind Sword, the Snow Wind Linked Dance.
Therefore...
"What?"
He unleashed a sword form perfectly suited to counter it.
"Linked Dance."
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As all his sword forms were neutralized, Seol Jin-ho began to spray blood from his entire body.
Awoooo!
Upon seeing Seol Jin-ho coughing up blood, the Snow Wolf that had been fighting Eun-bin lunged toward Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
"...Did you kill him?"
"Of course not."
It wouldn't be good for the Ice Palace if word spread that the Captain of the Little Snow Unit had killed the Leader of the Ice Wolf Unit.
"This is enough for now."
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom looked at the Great Snow Wolf that had stepped forward to protect the fallen Seol Jin-ho and asked, "If you tell me where Baek Mu-yong’s Snow Wolf is, I’ll spare your master."
Grrr—
As if it understood Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s words, the Great Snow Wolf placed Seol Jin-ho on its back and began to move.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom didn't forget to seal Seol Jin-ho's acupoints to stop the bleeding, as blood was still gushing out.
Following the Great Snow Wolf, they moved until...
"Huff, huff."
They found Baek Mu-yong and his Snow Wolf, both covered in blood, on a mountain ridge.
Baek Mu-yong looked exhausted, as if he had been in a fierce battle.
—Grrrr.
"So that’s Baek Mu-yong’s Snow Wolf."
A pure white wolf was baring its teeth in front of Baek Mu-yong.
It seemed to be the Snow Wolf that had been with Baek Mu-yong all along.
In front of the Snow Wolf, other fallen Snow Wolves and men in black were facing off.
It appeared that Baek Mu-yong’s Snow Wolf was stronger than the others.
"......Unit Leader?"
"You’ve just confessed to being members of the Ice Wolf Unit."
The men, seeing the Great Snow Wolf carrying Seol Jin-ho, called out to him instinctively.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom thought the warriors of the North Sea were indeed foolish as he examined the Snow Wolf.
"I am Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, Captain of the Little Snow Unit. If you want to save Seol Jin-ho, you’d better back off now."
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom pointed his sword at Seol Jin-ho, who was slumped over the Great Snow Wolf’s back.
"What will it be?"
The men in black seemed to hesitate for a moment, then threw off their masks and prostrated themselves.
"We apologize. Please, just spare our Unit Leader."
They had made a very wise choice.
If they had lunged forward to save Seol Jin-ho, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom would have killed them.
"You should have done this from the start."
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom looked at Baek Mu-yong and his Snow Wolf leaning on each other, then spoke to the prostrate men in black.
"Stand up."
Since they were the ones who had tried to kill Baek Mu-yong, he had initially thought about setting them on fire, just as he had done to Eun-bin.
But then Hyeok Ryeon-yeom remembered that subordinates only move as they are ordered.
‘The mages the Master of the Demon Tower used weren't guilty either.’
They had simply moved as they were told.
—Chuckles. Well done. Sometimes you must know how to show mercy.
—What are you talking about, Master? People like that need to be taught a lesson!
Listening to the conversation between the Sword Venerable and the Demon Empress, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom gestured to the Great Snow Wolf.
"Take him away."
—Grrrr.
The Great Snow Wolf began to move, carrying Seol Jin-ho.
The members of the Ice Wolf Unit also began to move, glancing warily at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom watched the retreating Ice Wolf Unit before turning around.
"Is this the friend who was with you during your time in the Ice Wolf Unit?"
"Yes, his name is White Night."
"That’s a fitting name."
"Thank you."
"Aaaaah, Young Master! You should have asked if he was okay first!"
Weizhi Young, whom he had sent with Tae Un-seo to find Baek Mu-yong’s Snow Wolf, seemed to have arrived later than them.
Weizhi Young rushed over and began to examine Baek Mu-yong’s entire body.
The way she treated his wounds was very natural.
‘Well, whenever I used to come back after getting beaten up, Young was the one who treated me.’
Back in the days when he lived like a scoundrel.
There was a time when he lived with constant injuries.
Since then, Weizhi Young had always been the one to treat Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
"I’ll boil some soup to warm your bodies."
Seeing Tae Un-seo take out his cooking utensils, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom took on a serious expression.
"Let’s treat him quickly and head back. We already have a lot of work to do."
"I’m sorry."
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom shook his head.
"It’s a matter concerning a member of the Little Snow Unit, so of course I should do it. Isn't that right, Deputy Squad Leader?"
"I will concede on this matter."
Even Eun-bin’s expressionless face seemed to soften as he watched the Snow Wolf, White Night, licking Baek Mu-yong.
As he watched the members of the Little Snow Unit, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom suddenly stopped moving.
Tingle— Tingle—
It was because Extreme Yin Qi was surging from somewhere.
"This is..."
It was an energy he had felt not too long ago.
As he turned his head to find the source...
—Oh, you noticed just now?
He saw the Demon Empress digging in the ground a short distance away.
‘No way...’
—Yeah, coincidentally, it seems this is the place.
—Chuckles. Seeing as the Extreme Yin Qi from two hundred years ago still remains, there’s a high probability that something my disciple stashed away is still there.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom approached the source of the energy.
*
Han Seol the Demon Empress, Jang So-ryeong, reminisced about the past.
Two hundred years ago.
Jang So-ryeong was not actually of the Ice Palace’s direct bloodline.
She had merely been treated almost like the Young Palace Lady because her master, Baek Un-han, was revered as the Martial God of the North Sea at the time.
Because of this situation, many people naturally approached the Demon Empress.
And of course, they came with bribes.
Normally, one would refuse such bribes out of respect for their master’s honor.
But the Demon Empress, Jang So-ryeong, took every single bribe offered to her.
Of course, if this had reached Baek Un-han’s ears, she would have been in deep trouble, so she had to hide the bribes she received.
She decided to bury them in a place that was neither too close nor too far.
—I buried them here and set up a formation.
‘You had knowledge of formations as well?’
—Not just anyone can become a Martial God.
"Third Young Master, is there something here?"
As Hyeok Ryeon-yeom stood staring at the ground, Weizhi Young approached him.
Looking at her, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom glanced back at the others.
"You all should head back first."
"Pardon?"
"I think I have a place I need to stop by for a moment."
At Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s words, Weizhi Young quickly turned her head.
"Come on, Deputy Squad Leader, Warrior Baek! Chef Tae! Let’s head back!"
"......? What about the Captain?"
"He says he’s busy!"
Watching Weizhi Young quickly lead the members of the Little Snow Unit away, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom checked the hole Jang So-ryeong had dug.
It was hard to believe that no one had noticed it for two hundred years.
"Is this really the place?"
—Chuckles. You must have lived a life full of deception.
—Step back.
Wroooo—
As Jang So-ryeong injected Extreme Yin Qi, the formation began to open.
It wasn't just an ordinary hole.
Flash!
"It’s not as deep as I thought."
The hole was filled with black jars.
He had expected them to be covered in dust, but perhaps because they were buried in the bitter cold of the North Sea, they were simply frozen solid.
They didn't seem particularly damaged.
"Can I have these?"
He could feel the energy of gold from within.
Jang So-ryeong’s legacy seemed like it could be very useful later on.
—Since I’ve ended up in this state, I have no use for them. But could you make me one promise instead?
"Please, tell me."
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom listened to the Demon Empress's request.
"...You want me to find your descendants?"
She nodded.
—I have no intention of arguing about my death. But if my flesh and blood are still alive, I really want to see them.
"I will do my best."
It was a request from the Martial Gods who were a great help to him.
He wanted to fulfill it, and Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was also curious about the descendants of a Martial God.
—Thank you.
"Then I’ll put these to good use."
He took out one of the jars from the hole and opened it.
Flash!
An immense golden light momentarily blinded him.
*
Knock, knock, knock.
"Chief Officer."
In the Chief Officer’s office at the North Sea Ice Palace.
Someone knocked on the door of Seol Su-hyeok, the Chief Officer, who was currently agonizing over the Palace’s financial problems.
"Who is it?"
"It’s Baek Mu-yong of the Little Snow Unit."
"Squad Leader Baek? Come in."
Seol Su-hyeok was puzzled by Baek Mu-yong’s sudden visit, but the man entered the office nonetheless.
"What is it?"
"I’ve come to deliver this to you on the Captain’s orders."
Baek Mu-yong set the jar he was carrying down in front of Seol Su-hyeok.
"And this is?"
"Captain Hyeok Ryeon-yeom said that with this, we should be able to hold out for at least this year."
"What on earth do you mean..."
Seol Su-hyeok opened the lid of the jar Baek Mu-yong had brought.
"Hahahaha!"
The heavy burden that had been weighing on his chest until a moment ago seemed to vanish instantly.
"Well then, I shall take my leave."
"Tell him thank you! Make sure you tell him I’m truly grateful!"
"Yes, Chief Officer."
As Baek Mu-yong stepped outside the office, a voice reached his ears.
"A godsend! A godsend has rolled right into our laps!"
The laughter of the Chief Officer, Seol Su-hyeok, erupted through the door.
Baek Mu-yong had lived in the Ice Palace for decades, but he had never seen Seol Su-hyeok so overjoyed.
Then again...
‘It’s a first for me, too.’
Feeling a genuine desire to follow someone’s orders.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was melting the frozen North Sea.