Chapter 390: The Snow Wind Palace Did Not Perish (2)
I chuckled and praised it.
"Well done."
"Kuwi?"
"Really well done? Yeah. You did really well."
"Kuwi. Ku!"
"Not just words—give me silver? You know how tough it was?"
"Kuwi!"
Ah, right. As expected of Gold Spirit.
I handed Gold Spirit a piece of silver, but it shook its head and scratched a number into the snow on the ground.
Ah, there were so many White Blood Packs, so it's asking for three?
Fine, fair enough.
I let Gold Spirit take the silver pieces in its mouth and looked up at Bing Hae-rin, the young palace lord.
"Their growth is faster than I expected."
Her embarrassment was plain as day.
She's better at everything else, but not so great at managing her expressions.
"Indeed. Still, it's a relief. Otherwise, the damage could've been much worse."
Fortunately, no one had died.
"This area's too bloody. Better to move a bit and treat them there."
"I agree."
So, after relocating about half a shichen, we settled in a suitable spot and began properly treating the wounded.
In the meantime, I had business to attend to.
Tracking down that mysterious black道 man who'd been watching us earlier.
"I'll step away for a bit to handle something."
"Here in the North Sea?"
Jin-ho hyung tilted his head.
He's a bit straightforward, but his instincts are sharp.
"What? Spill it."
He was grilling me like he'd caught a whiff of something suspicious.
"What else? Going to train my martial arts."
I continued.
"My style's ice arts, and in terrain like the North Sea, its power changes. Just checking how much."
I added,
"Couldn't test it properly earlier, and that's why it was tough."
Bing Hae-rin, the young palace lord, nodded at my words.
"I see. That makes sense."
With her backing me up, Jin-ho hyung reluctantly nodded.
"Fine then. Be safe."
"Yeah."
With that, I parted from the group and summoned Gold Spirit.
"Gold Spirit. Come out."
"Kuwi!"
At my call, Gold Spirit poked out from my sleeve.
"You ate the silver I gave you earlier, right?"
"Kuwi!"
"All good? Want more silver?"
Gold Spirit's eyes sparkled at my words.
"Remember that scent I told you to track? Lead me to him."
He had no name.
He was already considered dead by the world.
For convenience, his superiors called him Loach, because he resembled one.
Not just the looks—the way he slipped away like a loach after handling jobs was masterful.
That's why his superiors had faked his death, promising vast wealth and martial arts secrets to keep him on.
He'd handled dozens of missions without a single failure.
Which earned him this critical task.
Making the North Sea Ice Palace's food situation dire.
"Sure, starving them out completely is tough. But what if we tip off the palace lord—who's already lost precious disciples—about the culprit?"
In other words, use the North Sea Ice Palace for their goals.
Couldn't destroy it outright, but make food scarce and stoke resentment.
"The palace lord will surely break her silence then. And the jianghu becoming a sea of blood? Just a matter of time."
No one knew why, but his superiors wanted chaos in the martial world. Clear as day.
What they gained from it? Not his concern.
I just complete the mission and claim the reward.
He first approached a man named Foundation Stone.
Lured him with promises of revenge.
As expected, Foundation Stone hired ronin and headed to Yoneung.
To slip away loach-like, he needed a front man.
Pin all blame on him and vanish.
Foundation Stone used the fake elixirs he'd supplied to worsen the Ice Palace's famine.
Everything seemed on track.
But... problems arose.
He'd planned to auction the real elixirs to erase evidence.
"What? You passed fakes at the Ghost Tomb Market's auction?"
"Yes. They're furious over there now."
"......"
His contact at the market brought the news, and he knew: things had gone seriously sideways.
If Foundation Stone talked, he was done. No slipping away then.
No matter the rewards, personal safety came first.
He bolted from Yoneung without hesitation and learned of a merchant group aiding the Ice Palace.
If their food reached, mission failed.
No time to report superiors—he rushed the backup plan.
Mobilize the White Blood Packs.
Fierce, pack-hunting beasts, tough opponents. And gluttonous enough to devour supplies.
Pity about the food, but no choice.
He stole a White Blood Pack cub, used its blood to lure the pack into the merchants.
Packs never retreat from cub threats—only grow fiercer.
Merchants clashed with the pack. Battle ensued.
He watched gleefully... until the fight edged too close.
Had to flee.
"Need to check the outcome..."
He muttered, frustrated.
"It's you."
"......!"
A sudden voice beside him—he whipped around, startled.
A man in a smiling mask stared at him. The mask unnerved him near to wetting himself.
"Wh-who are you? Human or ghost—back off!"
"Startled by guilt? Or my looks?"
"......"
Instinctively, he drew and swung his sword.
Whoosh—!
But the masked man dodged effortlessly and counterattacked.
"Ugh!"
The power behind it exceeded expectations.
His martial skill outclasses mine! More risk than gain!
One choice: the Thirty-Six Stratagems—flee.
'Of the thirty-six, running is best! Live to fight another day!'
Bang—!
He detonated his smoke bomb.
Custom-made, it blinded within three zhang.
But he didn't know.
There was more than one masked man. And the smoke didn't hinder them.
Thwack—!
"Ugh!"
A blow to the back of his head, and he blacked out.
I circulated my energy to dispel the smoke.
Approached Seo-u Warrior, who'd subdued him.
"Good work."
"Just doing my duty."
Of course Jin-ho hyung wouldn't let me go alone. I'd preempted his objection by asking Seo-u and Jin Yu Warriors to join.
Two were plenty.
And thanks to them, we'd nabbed the mastermind quick.
"Bind him."
"Yes."
"Understood."
At my order, the warriors trussed him tight. Removed his poison pill, stripped all weapons.
Then dug out his eyes—left only his head buried in snow.
Plenty deep enough.
And,
Slap—!
Smacked his cheek to rouse him.
"Gasp!"
"Feeling better?"
He grasped the situation and spat curses.
"Damn it all..."
"So, where's your 'upper echelon'?"
"I don't know what you want, but I won't say a word!"
"Suit yourself."
"What?"
"Curious who's pulling strings, sure... but they have their own bosses anyway."
"......"
His face confirmed it.
No need to dig deeper.
They'd show up if I got in the way.
Catching him was to prevent future disruptions.
"Asked about your bosses just to set the mood. Heh, cold."
Not cold at all, but whatever.
"Bye then."
"Wh-what? Where you going?"
"Our way."
"Wh-what about me?"
His voice trailed desperately.
"Won't talk? No reason to dig you out. Was gonna if you spilled. Relax—no beasts here. No scalp-ripping."
I continued.
"No people either."
"Starve or freeze to death?!"
"You cultivate. Starvation first, right?"
"Ah. No..."
"Why?"
I chuckled.
"Mad it's your own medicine for the Ice Palace?"
"......!"
His eyes filled with shock.
I ignored it, waved.
"Anyway, that's it. We're out."
As we turned to leave, he yelled frantically.
"Sp-spare me! I'll talk! Answer everything—just save me! I can't die like this!"
No need for bloody torture.
Smart ones know their spot.
"Alright. Where's the upper echelon?"
"Th-that's..."
"Don't waste time if you won't."
I turned away decisively.
"Argh! I'll talk! They wear masks when meeting me—I don't know! But I saw... they have... red tree-leaf tattoos inside their arms!"
Red tree-leaf tattoo...
These were big players plotting against North Sea Ice Palace.
A lead.
"And?"
"They aim to make the Ice Palace stir jianghu chaos. Don't know their gain..."
"And?"
"N-nothing else..."
"Sure? We're gone then."
"N-no! Sorry! I know more!"
After a few feints, he spilled every detail, down to trivia.
Seemed genuine.
"Good. Dig him out."
Seo-u and Jin Yu shoveled him free.
Thud!
"Argh!"
"Oops, sorry."
Minor mishap with the shovel. Barely, he emerged.
"U-ugh..."
Shivering—snow's warmer inside, blocks wind.
But stiff from burial, couldn't move well.
"Let's go."
"Wh-where?"
"North Sea Ice Palace."
"Hey, that's not the deal! You said you'd free me!"
"When? I said dig you out, not release. Come on—the disciples await."
His face paled; suddenly, he bolted.
Pfft, seriously?
Thud!
Down in seconds—not by us.
"So, who's this punk?"
Uh...
Jin-ho hyung.
"How'd you...?"
"How? I know when you're scheming—just look at your face."
"Hahaha."
"Who's this punk?"
"The one who starved North Sea Ice Palace—your in-laws too."
"What?"
Jin-ho hyung's face darkened.
"Say that again. Who’s this tear-apart bastard?"
Not mishearing—his rage was real.
But as the good little brother, I repeated slowly.
"The mastermind behind starving North Sea Ice Palace folks, your sister-in-law's family. I caught him, got his confession."
Crack!
No sooner said, Jin-ho hyung's fist flew.
Crack! Bam!
Before reaching the palace, the furious Jin-ho hyung beat him senseless in the snow.
"Hyung! Don't kill him, yeah?"
"Don't worry. Huh, now I get why you told me to use my head, ration strength. Means torment scum like this slowly."
Uh... not quite what I meant.