Chapter 016 : Great Grasslands
"Was it really that delicious?"
I came out of the Ice Palace after eating a meal.
There were no difficulties in bringing the Young Palace Head out.
It seemed the Ice Palace Head also judged that staying with me was the safest shortcut for the Young Palace Head.
"Yes. Didn't it taste good?"
"It wasn't exactly… bad, but."
If it weren't for the food Wi Ji-yeong made afterwards, I would have almost failed to fill my stomach.
Glance-
As I looked back, I saw Tae Un-seo chatting amicably with Wi Ji-yeong.
It seemed he was deeply impressed after seeing Wi Ji-yeong, who is good at cooking.
I understood why the Snow Tiger Squad employed Tae Un-seo as a swordsman instead of a chef.
"Captain, by the way, is there no operation or strategy?"
At the question from Eun Bin, who was moving behind Seol Ye-rin as if to protect her.
"Strategy, what is that?"
"How do you intend to sweep the horse bandits without a strategy……."
"We can just freeze them all."
"We can just burn them all."
Baek Mu-yong shook his head side to side at our words.
As for me, I had been like this since we first met, but it seemed the Young Palace Head was increasingly taking after me.
"The horse bandit swarm has become bold enough to target the Young Palace Head’s Hall. They might be watching us from somewhere even now."
"Then that is actually welcome. Tae Un-seo."
"Yes! Captain!"
Tae Un-seo had become my loyal subordinate from the moment I deliciously ate his Tanggaeng.
"If you want to continue cooking, I think you need to catch some horse bandits."
"I will do my best!"
We began to head south.
-Heh heh, this place has changed a lot too.
The Sword Venerable, who had been quiet, muttered as he looked at the scenery south of the Ice Palace.
‘Since three hundred years have passed, it is natural.’
-Heh heh, stop constantly denouncing me as a person from three hundred years ago. I intend to live a new life through you.
Live?
Can living as a ghost be called living?
While harboring such doubts, I looked around and asked the Sword Venerable.
‘Do you happen to feel anything?’
There are four Martial Gods of the North Sea.
I asked with the thought that perhaps the Sword Venerable from three hundred years ago might be able to find the other Martial Gods of the North Sea.
-Feel anything? I feel the cold.
I didn't know ghosts felt the cold.
‘Is there nothing else?’
-Heh heh, if there is something you want, speak up.
In the end, I moved my steps for a long time without gaining any results.
"It is the grasslands."
"We must be careful from here."
As we walked while talking with the party, we arrived at the Great Grasslands before we knew it.
I thought as I looked at the thickly grown weeds.
"They will burn well."
"Yes?"
"It is nothing."
The Ice Palace Head’s command was to sweep the horse bandit swarm of the Great Grasslands.
Commonly, there was no way it would be easy for six people to sweep the horse bandit swarm of the Great Grasslands.
Even so, I was confident.
‘It is truly coincidental that the place where the horse bandits inhabit is the Great Grasslands.’
To sweep the horse bandit swarm, I eventually had to do what I could do very well.
‘Arson.’
They would probably burn very well.
***
Horse bandits of the Great Grasslands.
Jang Yeong-heuk thought of the Boss who did not return, Blood Wolf Gwak Do-han and Black Wind Jang Roe.
"So they failed."
"We obtained information that they raided the Young Palace Head’s Hall, but we could not find out at all what happened after that."
At the subordinate's report, Jang Yeong-heuk pondered how to explain this fact to the Vice Boss.
Perhaps, Vice Boss Sa Ma-geon would greatly welcome this fact.
Since he had wanted to become the Boss.
The important thing was.
‘Will the Ice Palace really stay still knowing this fact?’
They targeted the one and only precious daughter of the Ice Palace Head, the Young Palace Head.
Given the personality of the Ice Palace Head, who was known to be a fool for his daughter, he would strive to deal with the horse bandits by any means.
"News has just come in. They say a special squad including the Young Palace Head is coming down south from the Ice Palace."
"A special squad? How many are they?"
"Six!"
"Six? Is it a lure? Are other personnel really not visible?"
"Yes, that is correct!"
It might be a trap.
However, in the current situation, the thought occurred that it would be better to take the counteroffensive first rather than waiting for the Ice Palace's attack.
"I must report to the Vice Boss."
"I will follow."
Jang Yeong-heuk took his subordinate and headed to where the Vice Boss was.
"Oh, who is this? Isn't it our horse bandits' stormtrooper captain, Jang Yeong-heuk!"
A muscular man with long black hair tied up.
The Vice Boss Black Leopard, Sa Ma-geon, welcomed Jang Yeong-heuk.
‘Looking at his expression, he knows.’
There was a reason he didn't stop the Boss from personally raiding the North Sea Ice Palace and instead incited it.
"I greet the Vice Boss."
"Right, what is the matter?"
"The Boss is not returning. Contact with Jang Roe has also been cut off. It is certain that something has definitely happened."
"If the Boss died, then it would be fine if I became the Boss. He was the one shouting loudly and bragging. Since he failed to capture the Young Palace Head, he paid the price for it."
Sa Ma-geon looked to be in a very good mood at the thought of becoming the Boss.
"The problem is... if the Boss was caught, the Ice Palace will not stay still."
"Kuhaha! If they don't stay still, what will the Ice Palace do! Will they cross over into the grasslands or something!"
"Actually, a report has come in that a special squad from the Ice Palace side has moved."
"A special squad? Are you saying the Ice Palace side's forces moved to deal with us with a few elites?"
"That is correct."
"Kuhahahahahaha!"
The hall turned into a sea of laughter.
It was inevitable.
"Haha, right, how many did they say they were?"
"Six people... they say."
"Hahahahaha! Did you hear? They say six people!"
What could merely six people do?
Surely Jang Yeong-heuk must have thought so too.
However.
‘What is this anxiety due to?’
The fact that the Young Palace Head, who had confined herself indoors all this time, came out of the Ice Palace weighed on his mind.
"Jang Yeong-heuk."
"Yes, Vice Bo... no, Boss."
"Kuhahahaha! Right, don't worry too much and let's throw a drinking party! Bring the drinking table immediately!"
It seemed Sa Ma-geon quite liked the title of Boss that Jang Yeong-heuk spoke about.
"Yes, Boss!!"
Jang Yeong-heuk began to silently watch the figures of the horse bandits who started to quickly set the drinking table.
***
Early evening.
We started our first bivouac in the grasslands.
Since we consumed stamina while moving, we decided to postpone finding and sweeping the horse bandits' base until tomorrow.
The members of the Small Snow Squad, having heard my horse bandit sweeping strategy, judged it to be a strategy with sufficient possibility and decided to focus on resting fully today.
Whoosh.
Utilizing Extreme Yang Qi, lighting a fire was not that difficult.
"I will do the rice!"
As soon as Tae Un-seo shouted that he would cook the rice, Wi Ji-yeong grabbed and pulled Tae Un-seo.
"Hoho, Warrior Tae! Do it with me!"
Wi Ji-yeong prevented everyone's expressions from almost becoming distorted.
Baek Mu-yong and Eun Bin began to move to prepare for the bivouac.
Since everyone moved to do their own tasks, I came to remain alone with Seol Ye-rin.
Seol Ye-rin was admiring the vast grasslands.
"It is beautiful."
"…Is it your first time seeing the grasslands?"
"Yes. It is the first time I have come out this far from the Ice Palace."
Indeed, considering Seol Ye-rin possesses the Extreme Yin Body capable of freezing the whole world.
Roaming outside would not have been easily permitted either.
‘It is fascinating that my father-in-law permitted the Young Palace Head’s outing.’
Perhaps, the General Manager played a large role.
I quietly approached Seol Ye-rin's side and held her hand.
"……?!"
"Receiving an infusion of Extreme Yang Qi once a day will be helpful in treating the Extreme Yin Body."
I began to infuse Extreme Yang Qi into Seol Ye-rin through our clasped hands.
Seol Ye-rin's hand, which had been cold like a sheet of ice, became warm.
"Thank you."
Receiving that warmth, Seol Ye-rin spoke quietly.
"No need to be thankful. It is naturally something I must do."
The faster Seol Ye-rin recovered, the more she would become a part of my combat power.
"Still……."
" The meal is ready!"
"Warrior Tae! It was just when the atmosphere was good, what do we do if you interrupt?!"
From behind, the sound of Wi Ji-yeong scolding Tae Un-seo could be heard.
At the feeling that the cooking was prepared very quickly, I looked back.
I saw wheat noodles boiling vigorously.
Since we had to bivouac, it seemed Wi Ji-yeong prepared a dish that was good to eat while camping.
"You prepared it quite quickly?"
"Ji-yeong is on the fast side with these things. Let's go eat quickly."
"Yes."
We sat huddled together around the place where the bonfire rose.
Baek Mu-yong and Eun Bin also seemed to have finished preparing for the bivouac appropriately as they approached the bonfire and received the Wheat Noodles.
"Is this really edible?"
"Ji-yeong cooked together with him. It will be fine."
"That is a relief."
Baek Mu-yong and Eun Bin seemed to be very anxious as they knew Tae Un-seo's cooking skills from the start.
Slurp.
Thinking everyone would eat only if I tasted it first, I courageously took a bite of the Wheat Noodles.
"Mm? It's decent. It's delicious. Try it, everyone."
Slurp.
Seeing me eating, Seol Ye-rin and the other people also began their meal.
"It's delicious."
"Mm, it is good because it is warm."
"Th-thank you!"
"Did Tae Un-seo cook this?"
"Miss Wi Ji gave a lot of help!"
Wheat Noodles is actually a dish that is hard to make taste bad.
Looking at the reactions of Baek Mu-yong or Eun Bin, it seemed he couldn't even boil wheat noodles properly.
‘Just how do you have to make it for Wheat Noodles to be tasteless?’
Suddenly looking at the vigorously boiling Wheat Noodles, I looked back at Seol Ye-rin.
"Miss Seol."
"What is it?"
"By any chance, could you make this cold?"
"It is possible."
"Don't freeze it, just until right before it freezes."
"I will try to pay attention."
Crack.
As Seol Ye-rin began to lower the temperature of the bowl with Extreme Yin Qi.
The Wheat Noodles froze coldly and thin ice began to float.
"Stop."
Clack-
I accepted the Wheat Noodles that were freezing cold.
Slurp.
It is chewy.
The broth was a little lacking, but it was edible.
Hot food didn't suit me, so this actually felt better.
"Still, being chewy, it gives off a cold buckwheat noodle feeling."
"That... what does it taste like?"
"To think you would freeze Wheat Noodles."
"Ah, want to try?"
Just as I was about to swallow the coldly frozen Wheat Noodles.
Rustle.
The bushes shook.
When everyone put down the Wheat Noodles they were eating and tried to stand up.
Dash-!
Tae Un-seo ran towards the bushes holding a kitchen knife first.
‘What kind of reaction speed…….’
Slice- Slice- Slice-
Sounds of something being sliced followed.
"Kuaaagh!"
A scream began to echo through the forest.
"Oh dear."
Thinking that horse bandits might notice and come running if a disturbance occurred, we also quickly ran towards the place Tae Un-seo headed.
"S-spare……."
When we arrived in the forest.
Drip- Drip-
I saw a horse bandit with one ankle severed begging earnestly to Tae Un-seo.
"I told you, didn't I? That he slices people better."
At Baek Mu-yong's words, I nodded my head.
The cut section was so clean that I wondered if it was really cut with a kitchen knife.
Crack!
As blood continued to flow from the ankle,
Seol Ye-rin froze the ankle away.
At that appearance, everyone looked back at Seol Ye-rin.
"We can't let him die from excessive bleeding."
It was a correct statement.
Since everyone performed their roles well.
"You, who are you?"
Now it was my turn to interrogate the horse bandit.