Chapter 600
Chapter 601: North Sea
Tap-tap!
I could hear the sound of embers crackling.
Something that was once human was burning.
The form had long been lost.
Ashes. That was all that remained.
Looking at it, I stood up.
Drip…
Drip…
Blood flowed from my fingertips.
Of course, it wasn’t my blood. It was solely the aftermath of torture.
The two corpses that had died long ago were engulfed in flames, and my gaze, however, chillily settled instead.
Surprisingly cold.
That’s precisely how my emotional state felt right now.
I turned my head.
At the end was Yuri.
She gazed at me with trembling eyes, unable to utter a word.
Her eyes were filled with deep fear and shallow confusion.
Drip!
I swung my hand to flick off the blood.
Simultaneously, I burned the remnants stacked on the floor.
The smell of burning filled the air in an instant.
In this place of silence, I questioned Yuri,
“I’ll ask again.”
“…Yes…?”
“Is there anyone you suspect?”
“…”
There were many meanings wrapped up in my words.
“Do you still think it’s not them?”
A smile forced its way onto my face.
Fortunately, I managed to smile.
I had extracted quite a bit of information during the torture.
Just as I expected, the one I interrogated was clinging desperately to life.
Such individuals become infinitely weak in the face of death.
Their tenacity.
Their courage.
Even the loyalty that barely clings on.
“Or, is it that I need to confirm a bit further.”
“…No.”
Yuri shook her head, biting her lip at my words.
“I can’t fully believe it yet… but I know this situation can’t be denied.”
“Just knowing is enough.”
Nodding after her response, I intended for her to speak further.
The gist of the information obtained was as follows.
The betrayal stemmed from one of the tribes from the North Sea called ‘Blue Wolf.’
The man’s orders were to wait here and lure Yuri to her destination upon her arrival.
‘So far, as I expected.’
As I had just considered.
They aimed to lure us.
To ambush us at the destination they led us to.
If there’s a question here,
‘How did they know when we’d arrive?’
Even calculating the distance from Central Plains to the North Sea, riding on Tolly would only have gotten us so far.
If it weren’t for that, we would have arrived much later.
Surely, they didn’t anticipate us flying through the sky.
Yet for them to have taken such measures implies.
‘They had a way of knowing when we would arrive.’
At the moment we reached the North Sea.
They had either prepared back then.
Or,
‘They anticipated all possible routes and prepared accordingly.’
Objectively speaking, the latter seems more probable.
Moreover.
‘It has to be that way.’
It should be the latter given the current circumstances.
In the case of the former, then the situation would have gone terribly wrong.
Especially considering what was said afterward.
The man stated that the reason the blood storm began raging in the Ice Palace now involved the betrayal’s upper ranks.
‘The Bloodline of the Ice Palace is involved.’
It meant a direct bloodline of the Demon Lord was implicated.
It directly contradicted Yuri’s claim that those within the bloodline can never betray each other.
‘Could it truly be a lie?’
The man’s words carried weight.
Under the assumption that Seongyul hadn’t lied.
Does that mean Yuri spoke falsely?
‘That’s unlikely as well.’
From an objective view, it was highly unlikely that Yuri would do such a thing.
Of course, while it’s “highly” unlikely, that doesn’t mean it’s absolute.
It merely excludes her from my priority suspicion list.
I turned back to Yuri.
“What should we do?”
Yuri gulped dryly at the question.
Perhaps she couldn’t fully believe what was happening, her expression darkened.
‘What should we do?’
This wasn’t a question directed at Yuri.
It was more a question I was asking myself.
‘The routes Yuri mentioned should be considered blocked.’
If the first hideout she was most confident about had ended up like this.
Then any path leading to the Ice Palace must be blocked off as well.
So, what now?
Swipe.
I swept my hair back with my hand.
The cold glare brushed through the void.
Ever since the torture concluded, the answer had been set.
“If there are no safe paths left…”
We should take a different route.
The information the man provided included.
The location where they attempted to ambush us.
In that case, the answer was simple.
I asked Yuri directly.
“Do you know the location you mentioned earlier?”
“The location…?”
“The one that guy mentioned. Was it called ‘Seorak Canyon’?”
“…!”
Yawning in response to my words, Yuri’s eyes widened in shock.
“Th-that’s where the enemy is lying in wait!”
“Exactly.”
Despite not understanding my intentions, Yuri was startled.
Seeing her reaction, I said casually.
“They’re waiting for us, so we should go visit. If you know the way, guide us.”
“What do you mean…!”
Surprised by my words, Yuri raised her voice unconsciously.
“You’re willingly going to enter a place where the enemy is lying in wait?”
“That’s the quickest way.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to go straight to the Ice Palace instead…? Riding that demon beast from earlier would keep us safe…!”
“I can’t ride it.”
“Wh-what?”
“That beast is at its limit right now.”
Why hadn’t I thought of that?
It was, of course, the first thought I had.
“Currently, it cannot fly.”
There was a reason I had sent Tolly away to rest.
That beast was exhausted to the point of being unable to carry me.
‘How many days have we flown while bearing this weight?’
It was a selected personnel intended to assist in the garden.
But I exceeded that while carrying Pejon and flew at full speed.
Though I had allowed it to rest every few days, even considering that, making it here on time was thanks to Tolly enduring through its limits.
Moreover, there was also the matter of.
“There’s no guarantee that the Ice Palace is safe.”
“…!”
“Given the chaos we’ve already encountered, you think your home would be safe?”
In a situation where betrayal has occurred, and the hideout prepared has been infiltrated by the enemy.
Could we truly say the Ice Palace was secure?
What if the Demon Lord had already been captured, and the Ice Palace was under siege?
There were numerous issues intertwined in making a decision.
‘There’s no perfect method here.’
It wasn’t about there being a better choice.
It was time to choose the least-bad option.
“So guide us.”
“But…”
Yuri, perhaps hesitant about my opinion, was about to add more.
Sighing, I interjected.
“I told you last time.”
It seemed she was still mistaken.
“Does this seem like a request to you?”
A cold tone laced with a hint of killing intent wrapped around my words.
Yuri shivered slightly at my utterance.
I was already at my limit.
I wanted to burn everything down at once.
Holding that in had been pushing me to my breaking point.
The heat blazing inside felt oddly cold at this moment.
That was exactly how I felt now.
So,
“Guide me, now.”
Before I burn ‘something.’
I needed to find ‘something’ to cool myself down.
Whomph-!
The pouring snow made it difficult to see even a foot ahead.
That’s how fierce the blizzard was raging.
Though the path to the canyon wasn’t steep, it was still quite the arduous trek.
While climbing that road, Yuri showed visible signs of vigilance.
The biting cold was not an issue.
To her, cold was something she’d grown accustomed to more than anything.
What truly troubled her now were.
The pounding of her heart and the overwhelming anxiety rising within her.
As they ascended, Yuri bit her trembling lips repeatedly.
‘What’s… happening?’
She couldn’t wrap her head around the unfolding situation.
The enemy hiding in a pre-planned hideout and the Blood Calamity occurring in the Ice Palace related to her bloodline.
Just those two facts alone inflicted a devastating blow to Yuri’s emotions.
‘How can this be…?’
It felt utterly unbelievable.
Those cursed by the Ice Spirit could never betray each other.
That had been embedded deeply within the identity of the Bloodline of the Ice Palace over countless years.
But the information gleaned from torturing the enemy was shocking even to Yuri herself.
Torture.
The memories flooded back, and nausea surged within her.
Yuri forced herself to endure.
The scene had been too severely shocking.
Crack.
A body punctured, bones snapping.
[Ahhhhhhhh!!!]
Whoosh-!
Screams erupted, and blood splattered everywhere.
She caught the dreadful odor of flesh burning for the first time in her life.
The scent of human flesh roasting was unbearably bitter.
In but a few minutes, the desperate cries of a man pleading for his life transformed into a heartfelt plea begging for death.
‘So terrifying.’
Just recalling it brought a wave of fear.
This was the moment Yuri was certain something was deeply wrong.
Before such wails, the eyes of the torturer remained detached.
The screams didn’t seem to affect him at all.
Neither the blood flowing from him nor the burning flesh.
The only thing he focused on was the words that flowed from the man’s mouth.
In the midst of such brutality, Yuri couldn’t even breathe.
What on earth had she brought with her?
Was it right to bring him to the North Sea?
Such thoughts crossed her mind belatedly.
The fear and dread wrapped around her neck.
Squish.
While filled with such emotions, she continued stepping forward.
Amongst it all, a lingering question remained.
Despite all the negativity swirling within her, Yuri still followed his words.
Was it because she was powerless against threats and fear?
That might be so.
None of it felt certain.
What mattered, in the end, was that she was following his orders.
Look, even now.
Despite the uncertainty of the situation with the enemy possibly lying in wait, she was leading them as she followed his orders.
We were on the verge of not knowing what would happen in the Ice Palace.
Even though he had suggested a rational and reasonable path, it was ultimately Yuri who chose to follow it.
She had to bear the responsibility for that choice.
“Whoo… hu…”
Knowing that, Yuri didn’t stop her steps.
Seorak Canyon.
It wasn’t very steep, but the deep paths were simply treacherous, with sheer cliffs around it.
It was originally one of the paths leading to the Ice Palace, but due to its dangers, it was a route rarely taken.
‘Leading to the Ice Palace.’
He suggested luring towards the place where they would be ambushed.
Had he said they were going through the canyon for safety, Yuri might have agreed.
The area was seldom visited and hardly trafficked.
‘…Could it really be as he said?’
It was a truth she was reluctant to accept.
That her assumptions and thoughts could be wrong.
Whushhhh.
The winds continued to howl.
The blizzard made visibility close to nil.
Should they continue deeper?
She had heard of an ambush ahead.
Yuri glanced back.
Her companions were quietly following her.
The cold didn’t seem to bother them at all.
How could they possibly be so composed in even this chilling weather?
Looking at them made Yuri think.
‘I’ve heard this before.’
It was said that particularly excellent warriors won’t be shaken by the cold.
Could they hold such an essence themselves?
It was a pointless thought at this moment.
Slightly shaking her head, Yuri turned to her companions and said.
“…the situation is dire.”
Time had already turned to night.
The raging snowfall was now a concern too.
Even the finest warriors from the Ice Palace would hesitate to continue under such circumstances.
Even if they came from the Central Plains, they would find it far more difficult to move in such conditions.
As Yuri deliberated and spoke, Gu Yangcheong glanced around.
Was it a misconception?
In that moment, it appeared as if a blue light danced in Gu Yangcheong’s eyes.
“Yeah, there’s no need to go further.”
“See…?”
This time it seemed like she was right.
Funny how relief coursed through her at that realization.
“Considering the risk of ambush, let’s stop and—”
“No, that’s not it.”
“What?”
Wasn’t it suggested to wait until daylight, given the high likelihood of an enemy appearing?
Yuri’s confusion deepened.
Suddenly, Woosh!
Gu Yangcheong began gathering flames on his palm.
Instantaneously, Yuri felt the ambient temperature change.
It was warm.
In the midst of that knife-like chill.
Whoosh-!
The warmth thickened in a cluster.
That sight resembled a small sun.
Just as Yuri’s gaze was entranced by the mystical sight.
Whizz-!
Gu Yangcheong tossed a sparkling orb into the air.
Then,
Blink-!
The rising orb emitted light, illuminating the surroundings.
As the orb lit up, the blizzard began to quiet.
The darkness receded, and the emitted light brightened their view.
And so the surroundings came into focus.
“Wha—!”
Upon seeing the revealed vicinity, Yuri swallowed dryly.
“What… what on earth is this…?”
There was something lying in the snow.
It was almost buried thanks to the continuous snowfall.
Yet, Yuri felt she knew what it was.
Thud-thud-!
Gu Yangcheong walked over and lifted something from the ground.
What had been buried under the snow finally revealed itself.
To her shock, it was a human corpse.
Casually lifted by Gu Yangcheong, he inspected the corpse back and forth.
“It’s only been dead for a while.”
While its condition wasn’t good enough to see, that seemed to be the case.
It likely had only been dead for a day, or at most two.
The corpse’s condition indicated as much.
And it wasn’t just this one.
‘There are many around.’
Corpses were intermittently visible beneath the snow.
Even doing a rough count, there seemed to be at least two dozen.
“Were these the ones lying in wait?”
If that’s true, then why were they all dead?
They could very well be of the Ice Palace, for it was strange for the ambushers to be dead.
In that moment.
“Wait…!”
Yuri approached, startled by the corpse Gu Yangcheong was holding.
“…A general?”
Upon seeing her reaction, Gu Yangcheong asked.
“Do you know him?”
“Ah…”
Yuri frowned and replied.
“He’s a general from the Blue Wolf family…”
“Blue Wolf, huh.”
That was the name of one of the four great clans or tribes involved in the betrayal he’d mentioned while being tortured.
That meant.
‘He was one of the ambushers.’
Moreover, the title of general was well-known in the North Sea.
‘They were planning to secure them for certain.’
It meant they intended to lure and capture here.
The question remained.
‘Why is he dead?’
Why were such powerful individuals lying dead?
“Hmmm….”
This was an unexplainable situation.
Not sensing any traces of life around only heightened the mystery.
Had there been a confrontation with those from the Ice Palace who had sensed the ambush?
As she pondered if she needed to investigate further.
Suddenly, Gu Yangcheong halted!
He directed his gaze westward, causing everyone except Yuri to do the same.
“They’re coming.”
“Yes.”
Gu Yangcheong nodded at Pejon’s words.
Auras were sensed in the vicinity of the west.
There were approximately thirty Presences.
They would arrive in no more than half a moment.
‘Is this the cause?’
Raising his gaze.
The compressed Flame Wheel Sun must have attracted them over here.
“Prince, what should we do?”
“Let’s hide for now. We need to see what they’re doing.”
Are they enemies or allies?
Confirming that should be the priority.
Thinking that, Gu Yangcheong dismissed the Flame Wheel Sun.
The light swiftly diminished, and darkness returned.
The blizzard picked up once more.
“Just erase our presences and gauge the situation.”
Once that plan was established, he attempted to move immediately.
Then, a flicker.
Suddenly, a strange sensation passed through Gu Yangcheong’s eyes.
He spotted something glimmering in the snow.
Under ordinary circumstances, he would have assumed it was just discarded military gear.
“…”
“Prince? Where are you going—”
For some reason, Gu Yangcheong was drawn toward it.
He felt an undeniable urge to investigate.
His footsteps, which left no track, pressed deeply into the snow.
The winnings he had tied to his ankles vanished with every step.
He walked.
No, he ran. Why was he in such a hurry?
Even amidst his unease, he couldn’t comprehend.
When he finally reached the destination, it was strangely void of any light.
Despite the light shining from afar, upon arrival, nothing was visible.
Just the white snow.
In that snow,
Plop-!
Gu Yangcheong promptly shoved his hand in.
A cold sensation brushed against the back of his hand.
Ignoring it, he pushed deeper, and something caught his fingertips.
It wasn’t the ground beneath his touch.
Snatching it and pulling it out with his hand.
As soon as he recognized the object in his palm.
“…”
Gu Yangcheong’s entire body froze stiff.
It was a familiar item.
An item a woman had carried around with terrifying frequency.
It was something he had bought for her.
A cheap trinket he had hastily purchased.
He had seen it by chance and thus bought it for her.
It had seemed a tad rusty, ideal for replacement, and had urged her to get a new one.
Yet she’d refused to part with it, given it echoed her essence, reminiscent of her.
Its crescent-shaped ornament was now.
Discovered in a place it should never be.
The moment he confirmed that.
Drip-!
Something snapped inside Gu Yangcheong.
Flame Burst—!!
From his feet, heat surged outward, enveloping everything.
