Chapter 32: Blood Tears
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 32: Blood Tears
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
“It certainly is cold.”
They were at the border of Liaoning Province.
Even though they hadn't entered the North Sea yet, the cold snap felt as if it were turning his very marrow to ice.
Moyong Geum, the son of the leader of the Moyong Merchant Group—the organization that held Liaoning in its palm—muttered as he urged his horse forward.
“Honestly, Father.”
His father had told him there was a place he needed to visit secretly, and when he asked where, the answer had been the North Sea.
‘Aren't the paths to the North Sea all blocked by bandits?’
‘A carrier pigeon arrived recently saying the way has been cleared.’
‘Is that true?’
The path to the Ice Palace was open.
That statement meant only one thing: the trade of Cold Iron could resume.
Martial artists who valued their blades above all else craved well-forged weapons. Cold Iron was the essential raw ore required to create such masterpieces.
If Cold Iron began to circulate in the Central Plains again, and if the Moyong Merchant Group could monopolize that trade...
‘Sitting on a mountain of gold wouldn't just be a dream.’
That was why his father had entrusted this task to Moyong Geum. It was a dangerous mission, but someone trustworthy had to finalize the deal with the Ice Palace.
“I believe they said they would come to the border of Liaoning to meet us.”
“Young Master, someone is approaching over there.”
Moyong Geum turned toward the direction his bodyguard, Jang Baek-rim, was pointing.
“Six people...?”
He had expected them to bring at least a carriage, but he saw a group of only six people approaching. Perhaps to avoid drawing attention, they were all dressed in black.
“Gasp.”
It was only natural that Moyong Geum’s gaze was drawn to the woman wearing a bamboo hat and a face veil. Though her face was hidden, an overwhelming beauty radiated from her every movement and the silhouette of her clothes.
“Are you from the Moyong Merchant Group?”
Just as he was losing himself in the sight of the woman, he felt a gaze so sharp it snapped him back to his senses.
“This is Young Master Moyong Geum of the Moyong Merchant Group. Show some respect.”
If Jang Baek-rim hadn't stepped in to block the pressure, it felt as if a lethal strike might have lunged at them.
‘...A bald head?’
Only then did Moyong Geum shift his gaze to find a scalp that dazzled in the sunlight. A man with a clean-shaven head and incredibly narrow, slit-like eyes was glaring at him.
With a look of utter dissatisfaction, the man eventually performed a fist salute and spoke.
“We are from the Ice Palace. I am Eun-bin, Deputy Leader of the Little Snow Unit.”
“The Little Snow Unit?”
“We are the Little Snow Unit of the Ice Palace, and we will be escorting you from now on. I am Wi Ji-young, a member of the unit.”
A cheerful woman with a small frame stepped forward.
“Tae Un-seo, the Little Snow Unit’s cook.”
A cook holding a kitchen knife, and...
“...Introduce yourself properly. I am Baek Mu-yong, Squad Leader of the Little Snow Unit.”
Even a massive, hulking man.
‘What on earth is with this group...?’
By now, he was genuinely curious about the remaining two.
“Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, Captain of the Little Snow Unit.”
Shiver.
With those few words, a chill ran down the spines of both Moyong Geum and Jang Baek-rim.
“I-it is a pleasure. I am Moyong Geum of the Moyong Merchant Group.”
“...I am his guard, Jang Baek-rim.”
Moyong Geum glanced sideways, hoping to catch the name of the veiled woman as well, but...
“Time is of the essence, so let us talk as we move.”
Sizzle—
He felt a wave of heat behind his back. It felt like a silent urge to move quickly, so Moyong Geum immediately began to employ his movement techniques. As a member of the Moyong family, he was also a martial artist trained in the arts.
Glance, glance.
On the road to the Ice Palace.
Moyong Geum, the merchant leader's son, was chattering away while being extremely mindful of Seol Yerin.
“I didn't expect the Young Palace Lord to come out personally.”
“It was the Palace Lord’s order. This is a process to strengthen our ties with the Central Plains, so do not pay it too much mind,” Seol Yerin replied in an incredibly cold tone.
It was a starkly different demeanor from how she usually treated Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
“Haha, I am simply grateful that the Palace Lord thinks so highly of us. By the way, how long will it take to reach the Ice Palace from here?”
“I expect two days.”
“Pardon?”
Moyong Geum looked shocked that they could cover such a distance in two days. Seeing this, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom spoke up.
“Young Master Moyong. We will be using lightness techniques from now on. Since you are from the Moyong family, you should naturally be able to use them, right? Can you keep up?”
“I can, but is there a reason we must run all the way to the Ice Palace...?”
“Then, we shall depart.”
He had no intention of entertaining questions from the start.
Whoosh!
The Young Palace Lord, Seol Yerin, was the first to dash forward. The members of the Little Snow Unit began to run with practiced ease.
“What shall we do, Young Master?”
At Jang Baek-rim’s question, Moyong Geum coughed awkwardly.
“Ahem, l-let’s go with them!”
He hurriedly followed suit. The problem was...
‘J-just how long are they going to keep running?!’
The warriors of the Ice Palace showed no sign of slowing down even after two hours had passed. Furthermore...
“What should I prepare for dinner tonight?”
“I’ll definitely show off my skills today!”
“It’ll get colder as we get closer to the North Sea, so how about something with a hot broth for Young Master Moyong’s sake?”
“Soup dish, noted!”
“Please, I beg you, make something a human can actually eat.”
“Squad Leader Baek!”
They looked so relaxed they were even chatting while running.
‘M-monsters.’
Just as Moyong Geum was thinking he needed to re-evaluate the level of the Ice Palace’s warriors, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom approached him.
“Is it difficult for you?”
“N-not at all!”
He could never show himself collapsing in front of the Young Palace Lord.
“That is a relief. Young Master Moyong says he can still run more. Everyone, pick up the pace!”
“Yes, Captain!”
N-no...
Just as the running torture was about to intensify...
—Be careful.
The voice of the Sword Venerable echoed in Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s mind.
In that instant...
BOOM!
An explosion erupted, sending clouds of dust into the air. Simultaneously, assassins dressed in pitch-black robes surged from the ground, thrusting their swords forward.
“Young Palace Lord!”
Eun-bin moved quickly to protect Seol Yerin.
“Young Master!”
Jang Baek-rim moved to shield Moyong Geum.
Watching this, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom looked down at the ground.
‘Slow.’
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom did not panic despite the sudden ambush. Part of it was knowing about the attack beforehand thanks to the Sword Venerable’s short warning, but the swords of the assassins—who appeared as if they had been waiting beneath the dirt—looked slow to his eyes.
‘Is this the effect of my training?’
He had continued to practice the aesthetics of emptying and filling with Seol Yerin, constantly exchanging Yang and Yin Qi. By injecting Extreme Yang Qi, he helped Seol Yerin prevent the Extreme Yin Qi from freezing her body, and by accepting her Extreme Yin Qi, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom felt his own body’s balance steadily improving.
‘The proper harmony of Yin and Yang has certainly benefited my physique.’
Whoosh!
Red flames erupted in all directions. As the intense heat covered the air, the incoming swords began to melt. The assassins were startled and tried to retreat quickly, but...
“I don’t think so.”
It wasn't just Hyeok Ryeon-yeom. The assassins were lunging with their swords, aiming for the throats of the Little Snow Unit, the Young Palace Lord, and even Moyong Geum.
“How dare you... in a place like this!”
Crack, crackle!
The assassins who lunged at Seol Yerin were frozen solid before they could even attempt a move.
“Pant, pant.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom glanced back at Moyong Geum and his guard; it seemed the guard had managed to block the assassin’s attack.
“W-what is the meaning of this sudden attack!”
“They are ambushers. I’m not sure who their target is yet, but...”
BOOM!
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom frowned as he saw another explosion on the ground. If he wasn't mistaken, the objects causing these explosions were definitely...
“Thunder Bombs!”
Is it the Thunder Demon Family again? If so, this ambush might have been targeting Hyeok Ryeon-yeom and no one else.
Slash—!
However, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom soon reconsidered. If he were the target...
‘There would be no need to attack Moyong Geum as well, right?’
Assassins specialized in ambushes who used Thunder Bombs... An organization came to mind.
Swish!
“These bastards.”
The attackers, who had briefly confused Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, began to move with systematic precision toward a clear goal.
Their target was Moyong Geum, the son of the Moyong Merchant Group’s leader.
“Everyone, protect Young Master Moyong!”
“Yes, Captain!”
“Deputy Leader, protect the Young Palace Lord. Squad Leader Baek, block the assassins approaching the Young Master. Wi Ji-young and Tae Un-seo, coordinate with me to eliminate the assassins.”
“Yes! Young Master—no, Captain!!”
Led by Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, the Little Snow Unit began to move in perfect unison.
“I want to help, too.”
“Young Palace Lord, it is dangerous.”
As Seol Yerin tried to move, Eun-bin held her back.
“Deputy Leader, aren't you frustrated?”
Slice—
Every time Hyeok Ryeon-yeom moved, an assassin fell to the ground. And every time an assassin fell, the surrounding air grew sweltering.
“In what regard, my Lady?”
Even while witnessing the scene, Eun-bin kept his senses sharp to protect Seol Yerin.
“I’m asking if the person you should be protecting right now isn't me, but Young Master Moyong.”
She was right. The Little Snow Unit was currently tasked with protecting Young Master Moyong Geum during his visit to the Ice Palace. However...
“I apologize, Young Palace Lord. The order the Captain gave me was to protect you.”
Eun-bin drew a clear line. He made it evident that he wasn't protecting Seol Yerin out of his own will, but was following the judgment and command of his Captain.
“Ah.”
Only then did Seol Yerin realize she had misunderstood many things.
‘Most people have always perceived me as someone who needs to be protected.’
—Deputy Leader, protect the Young Palace Lord.
It seemed Seol Yerin had realized the meaning behind those words a bit too late. No matter what she did, Deputy Leader Eun-bin would follow her like a shadow to protect her. In other words, her movements were not restricted. She was free to move as she pleased.
As soon as she realized that...
“Young Master, please stay back. I, Jang Baek-rim, will protect you at all costs!”
She saw more assassins being deployed toward Moyong Geum.
‘With this many people, they must have moved nearly an entire unit.’
They seemed to be far enough from the North Sea to carry out such a blatant slaughter. Seol Yerin watched Hyeok Ryeon-yeom as he moved to protect Moyong Geum while cutting down assassins.
The reason she had followed him wasn't just because she wanted an outing; the biggest reason was that she wanted to be of help to him.
‘I’ve received so much help from the Third Young Master.’
So, she wanted to make it so that he could occasionally lean on her with a peaceful mind. If so, what was the best way to help him?
—Bring the Moyong Merchant Group safely to the Ice Palace.
It was to perfectly execute the task her father, the Ice Palace Lord, had assigned. She felt she could be of help in that regard.
Having made her decision, Seol Yerin...
“H-help...!”
...landed right in front of Moyong Geum and Jang Baek-rim, who were in a desperate crisis.
C-c-crack!
Everything in the vicinity, except for the two of them, froze instantly.
Sparkle—
Watching the assassins who had been turned into ice statues, Seol Yerin muttered toward Moyong Geum.
“You’d better hold onto your life tightly. It seems there are quite a few people after your head.”
“Young Palace Lord...!”
Moyong Geum stared at Seol Yerin’s back with a moved expression.
“Sigh.”
There was someone else sighing as they watched Seol Yerin.
“...You should have left some opportunities for me to shine, Young Palace Lord.”
—Growl.
Baek Mu-yong felt certain that once the battle was over, he would be nagged by Wi Ji-young for only catching a few assassins. He stroked the head of his wolf, White Night, and looked at the faces of the frozen assassins.
There was a distinct red dot printed on their masks. It was a mask worn by a specific assassin organization.
“This is...”
“Blood Tears.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, who had finished clearing out the assassins and approached them, spoke up. Baek Mu-yong turned to him.
“Why would the Blood Tears...?”
“We’ll have to find that out from now on.”
The assassins belonged to one of the two greatest assassin organizations in the Central Plains, alongside the Killing Curtain: the Blood Tears.