Chapter 8: Bandit Subjugation
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 8: Bandit Subjugation
“…Bandits, you say?”
Seol Su-hyeok’s eyes widened.
“Indeed.”
Seol Baek-ho turned his head to look at Seol Su-hyeok.
“The bandits of the Great Plains have been increasingly active lately. Those targeting the Ice Palace are becoming bolder. I’ve recently received reports that traces of a bandit pack were discovered near the southern border.”
Seol Su-hyeok fell into thought for a moment.
The bandits of the Great Plains were a lawless group situated between the North Sea and the Central Plains. They had been a persistent thorn in the Ice Palace’s side, clashing with them for ages. They constantly attempted raids, eyeing the Ice Palace’s supplies, making them a familiar yet irritating enemy to the warriors of the North Sea.
“Are you saying you intend to give Hyeok Ryeon-yeom the trial of subjugating those bandits?” Seol Su-hyeok asked, seeking confirmation.
“Exactly,” Seol Baek-ho replied firmly. “I will order him to take the Little Snow Unit to the southern border and wipe them out. If he can demonstrate martial prowess and strategic brilliance that the warriors of the North Sea can respect, no one will treat him like an outsider anymore. And…”
Seol Baek-ho’s gaze sharpened.
“I’ll be able to see if he’s truly capable of protecting Yerin’s life.”
Seol Su-hyeok hesitated before speaking.
“Palace Lord, subjugating bandits is no easy feat. Even if Hyeok Ryeon-yeom possesses the Extreme Yang Body, the Little Snow Unit has only just begun its reorganization. If the subjugation fails and we lose Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, the Young Palace Lord’s safety could be placed in even greater jeopardy.”
“That is precisely why it is a trial,” Seol Baek-ho said resolutely. “If he has resolved to be Yerin’s partner, he must overcome a trial of this magnitude. To become a son-in-law of the North Sea, he must feel the North Sea’s cold to his very bones and prove his heat within it. If Hyeok Ryeon-yeom fails, I will take full responsibility.”
Seol Su-hyeok could no longer argue. Seol Baek-ho’s decision carried the absolute authority of the Ice Palace Lord.
Seol Su-hyeok bowed his head.
“I understand, Palace Lord. I shall relay the details of the trial to Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.”
“No.” Seol Baek-ho raised a hand to stop him. “Chief Instructor, you look after Yerin. I’m curious to see how she’ll react when she finds out that fellow turned Eun-bin bald. I will deliver the news of the trial myself.”
Seol Su-hyeok looked puzzled. “You, personally, Palace Lord?”
“Yes.” Seol Baek-ho let out a short chuckle. “I want to see what kind of expression that audacious brat makes, and I want to confirm for myself if he’s prepared to risk his life for Yerin.”
Seol Su-hyeok nodded without further word. He could feel both affection for a daughter and expectation for Hyeok Ryeon-yeom in Seol Baek-ho’s eyes. He quietly withdrew and left the Palace Lord’s Hall.
Watching him leave, Seol Baek-ho gazed out the window. Beyond the endless snowfields of the North Sea lay the Great Plains.
Heh.
Seol Baek-ho was genuinely looking forward to seeing how the hot flame named Hyeok Ryeon-yeom would burn once he was thrown into the heart of those plains.
At the edge of the Great Plains, not far from the Ice Palace.
A fierce wind whipped across the desolate land. Beneath a leaden, grey sky sat the bandits’ lair. Inside a tent surrounded by roaring campfires, coarse laughter and the sharp clatter of metal rang out.
“So, you’re saying the Young Palace Lord of the North Sea Ice Palace is in critical condition?”
A massive man sitting in the center of the tent spoke. This was Gwak Do-han, the leader of the bandits, known as the “Blood Wolf,” his face marked by a deep scar.
“That’s right, Boss,” a subordinate sitting nearby nodded. “It’s news we got from a merchant who escaped the Ice Palace. They say the Ice Palace Lord brought in a matrilocal son-in-law from the Demonic Cult.”
“A matrilocal son-in-law?” Gwak Do-han’s eyebrows shot up. “The Ice Palace Lord brought in an outsider? Is it because of his daughter?”
“Yes. They say that son-in-law possesses the Extreme Yang Body. Apparently, he’s the only one who can melt the Young Palace Lord’s ice,” the subordinate added cautiously.
Gwak Do-han fell silent for a moment, rubbing the blade of his axe with his finger.
“Extreme Yang Body… interesting. Then if we just get rid of him, the Young Palace Lord with the Extreme Yin Body will freeze solid, won’t she?”
“That’s highly likely, Boss,” the subordinate said with a smirk. “If the Young Palace Lord dies, the Ice Palace will fall into chaos. If we take that opportunity to swallow the North Sea, we won’t have to worry about being attacked from behind while we move toward the Central Plains. It’ll make the invasion much easier.”
Gwak Do-han slammed his axe into the floor of the tent. Thump!
“Good! Then let’s draw up a plan. The targets are the Young Palace Lord and the son-in-law. We deal with the son-in-law first, then kidnap Seol Yerin to blackmail the Ice Palace.”
The bandits inside the tent burst into laughter simultaneously. Their eyes were filled with greed and cruelty. Gwak Do-han stood up and walked out of the tent. The cold wind brushed against his scar, adding to the ominous atmosphere.
“Get ready. We’re going to the North Sea.”
The training hall of the North Sea Ice Palace.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom stood upon the cold, snowy ground.
“Ugh.”
Eun-bin, having regained consciousness, remembered the situation just before he fainted and stroked his head.
Smooth.
It was perfectly clean. Realizing that the hair on his head had lost its function, Eun-bin had shaved it all off. His dark, stubbly scalp swayed slightly in the cold North Sea wind. Baek Mu-yong and Weizhi Young watched the scene.
“My hair…?”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom replied with a grin.
“I gave you a gift to celebrate you becoming the Deputy Squad Leader. You look much more refreshed now.”
“Don’t make me laugh.” Eun-bin gnashed his teeth and glared at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
“Are you still refusing to accept the position of Deputy Squad Leader?”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom slowly approached Eun-bin. For a split second, Eun-bin imagined himself being set on fire again.
He shouted instinctively, “Fine! I’ll do it!”
“Good choice.”
Baek Mu-yong sighed and stepped in. “Captain, stop the jokes and tell us what the plan is. A message came saying the Palace Lord is arriving soon.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s expression turned serious.
“From now on, the Little Snow Unit will be the core unit protecting the Young Palace Lord. Eun-bin will be the shield, Baek Mu-yong the spear, and Young… well, let’s make you the cook and in charge of general chores.”
“Wh-what?!” Weizhi Young’s eyes went wide in protest. “I can fight too, Young Master!”
“I know, I know. It’s just that your cooking is so good, I think we’ll need it to keep the unit’s morale up,” Hyeok Ryeon-yeom said soothingly.
Just then, a massive presence was felt at the entrance of the training hall. Everyone’s gaze shifted. The Ice Palace Lord, Seol Baek-ho, appeared alongside the Chief Instructor, Seol Su-hyeok.
“Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.”
Seol Baek-ho’s voice echoed through the training hall.
“Greetings, Palace Lord.”
“I heard you’ve become the Captain of the Little Snow Unit.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom bowed his head in greeting. “Yes, Father-in-law. I am doing my best to protect the Young Palace Lord.”
“Father-in-law, is it…?” Seol Baek-ho’s eyebrow twitched. “I’ve come to see if you’re actually qualified to use that title.”
Seol Su-hyeok stepped forward and spoke. “The Palace Lord has decided to issue a trial to the Captain of the Little Snow Unit.”
“A trial?” Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s eyes sparkled. “Please tell me what it is.”
Seol Baek-ho spoke firmly. “Subjugate the bandits. Reports have come in that the bandits of the Great Plains are moving near the southern border. Lead the Little Snow Unit and wipe them out. If you achieve a feat worthy of the North Sea warriors’ respect, only then will I truly accept you as my son-in-law.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom fell into thought for a moment.
Bandits… The outlaws running wild between the North Sea and the Central Plains. Subjugating them would not only solidify his position in the North Sea but also help in protecting Seol Yerin.
“Understood. When do we depart?”
“Tomorrow morning,” Seol Baek-ho replied. “Be prepared to be kicked out of the North Sea if you fail.”
With those words, Seol Baek-ho turned to leave. However, he stopped abruptly and looked back at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
“And one more thing. Yerin’s condition worsens when night falls, so I suggest you go and treat her quickly.”
“Why are you only telling me this now?!”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom began to sprint toward the Young Palace Lord’s Hall at incredible speed.
The Young Palace Lord’s Hall.
Standing before the door, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom took a deep breath. He could feel a frigid chill leaking through the wood.
Knock, knock, knock—
“Young Palace Lord, it’s Hyeok Ryeon-yeom. May I come in?”
“…Come in.”
Seol Yerin’s voice sounded weak. When he opened the door and entered, he saw her sitting on the bed. Thin ice crystals had formed again on her hands and neck. Her face was pale, and even her breathing seemed labored.
“You don’t look well,” Hyeok Ryeon-yeom said as he approached.
Seol Yerin turned her head to look at him. “It’s not because of you. The Extreme Yin Body naturally worsens periodically like this. It just came a bit sooner this time.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom sat beside her and reached out.
Grab—
“Wh-what are you doing?”
“I’m not holding your hand with bad intentions, so don’t misunderstand.”
Seol Yerin hesitated, then stopped trying to pull her hand away. As their hands met, steam rose with a sizzling sound. Hyeok Ryeon-yeom carefully injected his Yang Qi, melting the ice crystals. Seol Yerin’s expression relaxed slightly.
“…Thank you,” she said softly.
“No need for thanks. I’m doing this because I want to.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom savored the Yin Qi that seeped into his body. He realized once again that Extreme Yin and Extreme Yang were energies that complemented each other.
“Still… I—I had to say thank you. Even though I know this is just a temporary fix.”
The phrase ‘temporary fix’ bothered him.
“I’ll look into it more. I’ll find a solution soon,” Hyeok Ryeon-yeom said firmly. “So just wait a little. I’ll have to be away for a bit starting tomorrow.”
Seol Yerin’s eyes wavered. “Away? What do you mean?”
“I’ve been given a mission to subjugate some bandits.”
“Why you…?”
“I told you. I’m going to be recognized as the son-in-law. To do that, I need to be accepted by the people of the Ice Palace, not just my father-in-law.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom grinned as he looked back at her. Seol Yerin’s gaze began to tremble.
Leaving the Young Palace Lord’s Hall, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom returned to the training hall. Baek Mu-yong, Weizhi Young, and Eun-bin were waiting for him. Eun-bin wore a stiff expression.
“How is the Young Palace Lord?” Eun-bin asked.
“Ice crystals had formed again, so I melted them with my Yang Qi, but it looks like it might recur. We need a fundamental solution.”
“Are you going through with the bandit subjugation as planned?” Baek Mu-yong asked.
“Of course. We depart tomorrow morning. We’ll head to the southern border and first confirm if the bandits are stationed there.”
Weizhi Young raised her hand and asked, “Young Master, how many bandits do you think there are? Is it really possible for the four of us to subjugate them?”
“It doesn’t matter how many there are. I plan to set the Great Plains on fire anyway.”
At the mention of setting a fire, Eun-bin snorted.
“You’re going to burn them all? Bandits aren’t that easy to deal with. They’re bastards who endure the North Sea’s cold; do you really think your flames will work on them?”
“I’ll make them work,” Hyeok Ryeon-yeom said confidently.
Baek Mu-yong tilted his head and asked, “How?”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom snapped his fingers, conjuring a small flame.
“It’s simple. We find the lair where the bandits are hiding and set it on fire. Because of the North Sea’s cold, they’ll be huddled in tents or caves, so I’ll use that against them. We’ll start a fire and spread smoke to suffocate them or drive them out. Then, we pick them off one by one.”
Eun-bin narrowed his eyes. “If it were that simple, why hasn’t the Ice Palace been able to get rid of them until now?”
“It’s difficult to compare me to the Ice Palace warriors who primarily use ice arts.” Hyeok Ryeon-yeom looked Eun-bin straight in the eye. “Don’t you want to protect Lady Seol?”
The only reason Eun-bin had accepted the position of Deputy Squad Leader was to protect Seol Yerin. After a moment of silence, Eun-bin nodded.
“For the Young Palace Lord… I’ll follow your plan.”
Weizhi Young smiled brightly and said, “Then should I prepare some meat to roast over the fire?”
“That sounds good.”
“Alright, let’s start preparing.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom held out his hand. “Tomorrow, we go to burn down the bandits’ nest.”
Baek Mu-yong and Weizhi Young placed their hands on top, and Eun-bin reluctantly added his. The moment their four hands overlapped, a small flame flickered from Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s palm. That flame burned hot, piercing through the cold air of the North Sea.
Deep into the night at the North Sea Ice Palace, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was lost in thought as he looked out the window. Subjugating the bandits wasn’t just a trial. It was the first step toward protecting Seol Yerin and solidifying his position in the North Sea.
He was losing sleep over the thought that he had to succeed no matter what, when—
“Hm?”
Sss—
The atmosphere felt off. He sensed presences closing in on his surroundings. This feeling… he had felt it many times in his past life.
An ambush.
“Is the bandits’ influence so great that they can infiltrate the heart of the Ice Palace?”
The important thing was the fact that the target was Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
Shwooo—!
Hidden weapons came flying in. In Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s dynamic vision, the projectiles seemed to fly toward him in slow motion.
Whoosh—!
Rising flames swatted the incoming weapons away.
“Come out.”
“The Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom. I heard you were a good-for-nothing, but this is unexpected.”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s eyes flashed as the assassins revealed themselves in the darkness.
“Are you bandits?”
“Quick-witted, aren’t you?”
Shuk!
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom snatched another flying weapon out of the air and threw it back at the one who sent it. The Demonic Cult’s throwing technique, the Yin Wind Flying Dagger, unfolded from his hand.
However, it was distinctly different from the Cult’s version. It was a fusion of Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s past lives.
‘Let’s go with a curveball here.’
Adding the experience of his first life, it became a high-speed curve. On top of that, the principles of magic he had acquired in a previous life drew circuits in the air as the blade traveled.
Screeeech—!
The dagger buried itself in the bandit’s forehead, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud.
“You guys talk too much for people who came to assassinate someone.”
Whoosh—
In the pitch-black darkness, flames as sharp as daggers shot out toward the bandits.