Chapter 327
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 327
Chapter Title: I'm Going
Both men's faces darkened abruptly.
What business could that man possibly have at the Ice Heaven Palace?
Were he and Han Seol-bing close enough for him to rush to her aid?
They knew he was from the same Hocheon Corps, but...
Was that reason enough for him to come all the way to the North Sea alone to help her?
The two of them looked utterly incredulous.
Han Seol-bing had single-handedly annihilated the Tak Clan's Cold Wind Corps.
But if it was Ha Mu-baek?
Tak Yo-beom nodded gravely, his expression grim.
If it really was Ha Mu-baek, then these piecemeal reinforcements wouldn't cut it.
Just as Yang Jeok-san had said, they needed to overwhelm them with sheer numbers.
However.
With them holed up inside that formation, it was impossible.
"We have to lure them out of the formation."
Yang Jeok-san stated the obvious.
"No, they have no choice but to come out anyway. Their food and supplies are limited."
A fact they'd momentarily forgotten amid the siege.
Tak Yo-beom nodded.
No matter how strong Ha Mu-baek was.
Without food, he'd starve in the end.
So they'd have no choice but to break out of the formation, and that's when they'd crush them with overwhelming force.
Tak Yo-beom nodded again.
It was a solid plan.
Now they just needed to conserve their troops as much as possible and starve them out.
"Send word to Pung-geon to withdraw for now."
Yang Jeok-san stepped out to relay Tak Yo-beom's order.
Tak Yo-beom gazed at the tent flap fluttering in the wind with troubled eyes.
"Do we really have to use that...?"
A murmur laden with anguish.
They had no choice.
It was their trump card prepared for advancing into the Central Plains.
Tak Yo-beom's gaze fell on a single ancient sword hanging on the wall.
When was it?
Ten years ago.
During the heated debates about whether to join the Martial World Great War.
A mysterious sword he'd stumbled upon in some remote corner of the North Sea.
Tak Yo-beom had chanced upon its secret.
And from that moment.
He'd harbored ambitions of becoming the lord of the Ice Heaven Palace and marching into the Central Plains.
Ha Mu-baek glanced boredly at the hole in the sky above, but there was no sign of activity.
They seemed to have given up on infiltrating from up there.
Ha Mu-baek swept his gaze downward.
Confirming the spot Na Hong-ryeon had mentioned.
She'd said a group of intruders would show up there soon enough.
"Hope this one's a bit more fun."
Ha Mu-baek leaped down lightly, landing with effortless grace.
The Han and Bing Clan warriors stared at him in awe, backing away hesitantly.
'Interesting.'
The place where that kid, Im Jang-mu, had pointed out a flaw.
Even Ha Mu-baek could only sense the formation's energy; he couldn't pinpoint what was weak or wrong about it.
For that child to instinctively sense it and fix it...
Miraculous.
Tak Pung-geon was reading the formation's energy with all his focus, probing directions.
The life path had vanished.
But they weren't trapped in the death gate yet.
How long did he probe the formation?
A faint life path caught Tak Pung-geon's eye.
"This way!"
His shout spurred his subordinates to follow.
They'd survived so far by trusting his lead, so their faith in him was unshaken.
Han Seol-bing sensed their every move through her instincts.
A faint smile played on her lips.
Tak Pung-geon, who'd given her so much trouble until now.
By accurately targeting the formation's weak points.
But it didn't matter anymore.
Ha Mu-baek was already guarding that entrance.
The life path Tak Pung-geon had just found was one Han Seol-bing had deliberately left slightly visible.
To avoid arousing suspicion.
Made to resemble the ones he'd found before.
Tak Pung-geon advanced along the newly discovered life path.
Having progressed so far, the path was growing clearer.
'This time, I've really got it.'
A smug look spread across Tak Pung-geon's face.
Finally.
He'd surpassed that bitch, Han Seol-bing.
The end was in sight.
Fierce winds tried to block his steps, but to no avail.
Since they tread the life path, the formation's influence on Tak Pung-geon's group was minimal.
How much farther did they go?
Tak Pung-geon stopped abruptly.
He counted on his fingers, scanning the surroundings, lost in calculations.
Soon, a thick smile formed on his lips.
One step.
Just one more step, and he'd escape this damned formation.
"C-Corps Leader!"
At that moment.
A frantic voice called from behind.
A messenger who'd desperately followed the markers Tak Pung-geon had left along the life path as he broke through.
"Th-The clan head orders an immediate retreat."
Tak Pung-geon couldn't help but grimace.
How could he not?
He was one step away from breaking the formation.
And now they were telling him to retreat.
From here?
No way.
"One more step, and we'll be through the formation. Keep pushing forward. Relay that to the clan head."
Defiance.
Unthinkable, but.
With victory—the breaching of the Ice Heaven Myriad Forms Binding Formation—right before his eyes, Tak Pung-geon couldn't think straight.
"C-Corps Leader. Th-That's not all..."
The messenger panicked, trying to relay the follow-up order.
But Tak Pung-geon was already moving.
"Iron Wind Corps, Swift Wind Corps—follow me!"
Tak Pung-geon took that final step.
"Wh-Wh-What..."
Leaving the flustered messenger reaching out ahead.
He exited the formation.
The eerie, chilling fog vanished.
The familiar sight of the palace lord's hall unfolded before him.
The moment Tak Pung-geon emerged first from the formation.
Wuuuung.
A heavy vibration echoed, and the formation shifted.
Not only his subordinates but even the messenger who'd found him were pushed by the changing formation into the hall.
"We... we broke through! Kuhahaha!"
Tak Pung-geon burst into loud laughter, ignoring the Han and Bing Clan warriors guarding the area.
However.
The moment he spotted the dazed messenger scanning their surroundings.
His expression twisted fiercely.
"Why the hell did you follow me?"
He glanced back at the formation and froze.
If he'd truly broken through along the life path, that route should still be open.
But it was sealed perfectly, as if it had never existed.
"H-How... Then that vibration was..."
Tak Pung-geon had thought the rumble signaled the formation's collapse.
He was wrong.
It was the vibration erasing the path they'd taken.
"Yawn. Finally here? Come on in. Got tired of waiting."
A bored voice greeted them.
Tak Pung-geon whipped his head toward it.
Ha Mu-baek stood there, grinning at them.
Only then did the full situation sink in.
The Bing and Han Clan warriors spread out widely.
The sealed formation.
They were the ones surrounded.
"Wh-What is this...?"
Tak Pung-geon stammered in shock.
"You wanna come to me? Or should I come to you?"
Regardless.
Ha Mu-baek beckoned them with a finger.
The Swift Wind Corps raised shields, forming a defensive line.
The Iron Wind Corps drew swords.
Tak Pung-geon was still reeling in confusion.
"Fine then. I'm coming."
Ha Mu-baek kicked off the ground simultaneously.
He didn't even draw his sword.
Light punches and kicks flew.
Thud! Thud-thud-thud! Thud! Thud!
Krunch!
Shields shattered outright, warriors battered to the ground.
In mere moments.
All who'd broken through the formation lay defeated.
Only Tak Pung-geon stood unscathed, trembling violently.
Ha Mu-baek looked at him pitifully.
"Tch. Seol-bing sent Baek-ah in such a panic over trash like this? What a letdown..."
Thud.
With those words, a casual punch sent Tak Pung-geon crumpling unconscious.
Ha Mu-baek descended underground once more.
"Good work."
Han Seol-bing greeted him with a bright smile.
Na Hong-ryeon stood beside her, still dazed.
"Too easy. Over punks like this?"
Han Seol-bing shook her head at Ha Mu-baek's question.
"The real threats are outside the formation."
"Their setup's a mess, though."
Han Seol-bing couldn't help but chuckle at his response.
Only Ha Mu-baek could say something like that in the world.
"That's by your standards, Corps Leader."
"At your level now, it'd take time, but you could probably manage."
"What about this formation then?"
Na Hong-ryeon couldn't follow their exchange at all.
Ha Mu-baek finally nodded.
With this formation, Han Seol-bing could wage guerrilla warfare against the outsiders.
But if she was the only one who could deploy it, that option was off the table.
Ha Mu-baek's gaze turned to Im Jang-mu, still there.
"Once that kid grows a bit more, things'll change."
A smile bloomed on Han Seol-bing's lips.
She'd never dreamed the palace harbored such a genius.
"The infiltrators from above have stopped moving. Looks like they've switched to starving us out."
"Natural choice once they confirmed your prowess, Corps Leader."
"What'll we do?"
Han Seol-bing met Ha Mu-baek's eyes.
Her expression said, Why ask something so obvious?
"Haven't you already decided?"
"I'm here to help you, so your call first."
"Same as my thinking."
Han Seol-bing's reply.
At the same moment, identical smiles spread across their faces.
"Right. Time to head to Ha-u Castle."
"C-Corps Leader!"
Han Seol-bing flushed red and shrieked at Ha Mu-baek's parting words as he turned.
But Ha Mu-baek simply headed topside.
Emerging from the palace.
One section of the formation's barrier rippled faintly.
The spot the intruders had entered through moments ago.
Han Seol-bing was opening an exit for him.
Ha Mu-baek approached and stepped forward.
Spliiit.
The icy fog parted, revealing a path.
He strode along it.
Countless warriors stared tensely at the formation.
"Hey there?"
Ha Mu-baek waved casually in greeting.
No one responded.
"H-Ha... Ha Mu-baek..."
Yang Jeok-san muttered in shock.
They'd been waiting for Tak Pung-geon's return.
For this guy to pop out instead...
Yang Jeok-san ground his teeth but quickly changed his mind.
They'd planned to draw him out anyway.
And here he was, walking right into it.
"Attack! Kill him!"
Yang Jeok-san's bellow rang out.
Tak Clan warriors lunged at Ha Mu-baek.
Nearly a few hundred charging at one point.
Layer upon layer surrounding him, swords raised.
Ha Mu-baek casually swung fists and feet to counter.
His movements were feather-light.
There were no experts here who could match him to begin with.
He'd already gauged their levels with his senses.
Numbers were all they had.
Nothing to fear.
Overwhelming for Han Seol-bing, but not for him.
Punks like these.
Just beat them all down.
Thud! Thud-thud!
Thud-thud-thud!
Explosive impacts erupted.
"Argh!"
"Gah."
"Urk!"
Screams filled the air.
Ha Mu-baek spun in place, limbs whirling.
The fallen piled up around him like a wall.
Limiting attack angles.
Making it even easier for Ha Mu-baek to handle them.
"Clear the downed ones! Keep attacking!"
Yang Jeok-san bellowed furiously.
The unnatural racket drew Tak Yo-beom from his tent.
Tak Mu-jeon was already out.
They gaped at the scene.
The Tak Clan's proud warriors.
Scattered like autumn leaves.
"H-Ha... Instructor..."
Tak Mu-jeon muttered blankly.
Tak Yo-beom's gaze shifted to his son.
"You know him?"
"He... He's a Fierce Dragon Corps instructor. Ha Mu-baek..."
Tak Yo-beom's face contorted.
Because of the three words from his son's mouth.
The enemy they'd suspected.
Ha Mu-baek.
That name had slipped out.
"Fierce Dragon Corps Instructor Ha Mu-baek?"
"Yes... He was close with Han Seol-bing. I never imagined he'd show up here and put on such a display..."
Tak Mu-jeon stammered in panic.
"You fucking idiot!!"
Thwack!
Tak Yo-beom couldn't hold back and slapped his son's face.
He had no choice.
He'd omitted the most crucial detail.
The weight of those three words: Ha Mu-baek.
Yes.
This moron had no idea what that name meant.
"F-Father..."
Tak Mu-jeon looked up at Tak Yo-beom, terrified.
"Can't stand the sight of you. Get lost."
A cold voice.
Still clueless, Tak Mu-jeon backed away hesitantly.
He didn't know why, but pressing for answers might make it worse.
"Cold Wind Corps."
Tak Yo-beom called in an icy tone.
"Your orders."