Chapter 017 : Arson
Horse bandit Choi Cheol-hyeol screamed upon seeing his severed ankle.
‘I never thought the Ice Palace would actually send a special squad down.’
When he heard the order to search for the special squad, he wondered why such a bothersome mission was given for only six people.
Choi Cheol-hyeol prided himself on being able to wipe out about six people alone.
However.
‘He, he is a crazy bastard.’
He couldn't dodge the attack of the guy rushing at him holding a kitchen knife, not even a sword.
The first thought that came to mind as soon as he saw the guy's eyes was to run away.
That thought remained unchanged even after his ankle was severed.
"You, who are you?"
Until he faced the four figures who appeared to be companions of the crazy bastard holding the kitchen knife.
"I-if you just spare me, I will answer anything."
Living by any means necessary was Choi Cheol-hyeol's way of life.
He lost an ankle, but he thought he could do something as long as he was alive.
"Name."
"It is... Choi Cheol-hyeol."
"Why were you lurking around here?"
"I heard the news that the Ice Palace dispatched a special squad, so I was searching for the special squad."
Though he never imagined he would be defeated like this as soon as he met the special squad.
As Choi Cheol-hyeol said, he examined the man holding the kitchen knife.
"Did they instruct you to find and kill the special squad?"
The man currently speaking to Choi Cheol-hyeol seemed to be the captain of this special squad.
Glancing slightly to the side, he saw a woman with pure white hair.
A woman exuding an atmosphere cold as a sheet of ice.
Choi Cheol-hyeol could intuitively sense that this woman was indeed the Ice Palace's Young Palace Head.
Then who is this man currently speaking to Choi Cheol-hyeol?
"Yes, I received instructions."
"But why are you alone?"
Flinch.
Choi Cheol-hyeol's expression stiffened.
Horse bandits do not move alone.
Soon, they would realize Choi Cheol-hyeol was missing and a search would begin.
Choi Cheol-hyeol was waiting for that.
‘I, I need to buy a little more time…….’
As Choi Cheol-hyeol's pupils began to roll around.
"Rolling your eyes sounds like you have some other ulterior motive."
Whoosh-
"Kuaaagh!"
The man who was conversing with Choi Cheol-hyeol tapped him lightly.
Then, Choi Cheol-hyeol's whole body caught fire.
"…Is it okay not to extract more information?"
At Seol Ye-rin's question, I nodded my head.
"Because it seems there are more guys who can tell us besides this one."
Clip-clop, clip-clop!
The presence of cavalry moving on horseback began to be felt.
"Shall we deal with them?"
At Baek Mu-yong's question, I let out a sigh.
They say even the Diamond Mountains are best seen after a meal, but it looks like we have to deal with horse bandits without having eaten properly or slept properly.
"Small Snow Squad, this is the first deployment."
This battle would become the starting point to be recognized by the Ice Palace Head.
***
Small Snow Squad's Vice Captain, Eun Bin, swallowed dry saliva seeing Hyeokryeon Yeom incinerating the horse bandit without hesitation.
‘As expected, he is an infinitely harsh person to enemies.’
Those flames burning a person were mysterious every time he saw them.
"Vice Captain, I think we should concentrate on attacks on the horses."
While looking at the horse bandit being burned at the stake alive, Baek Mu-yong spoke to him.
"Horses?"
"The enemies are cavalry!"
-Neigh!
The voices of horses charging through the forest echoed.
"What should I do?"
Even Tae Un-seo asked Eun Bin.
Eun Bin, the Vice Captain, realized that this deployment was the first deployment of the Small Snow Squad, the unit protecting the Young Palace Head.
Captain Hyeokryeon Yeom seemed to have absolutely no interest in unit operations.
"…Tae Un-seo, cut the horses' legs. Squad Leader Baek, deal with the horse bandits that fall from the horses."
"What should I do, Vice Captain!"
"Non-combat personnel stay back."
At those words, Wi Ji-yeong pouted.
"I will just attend the Young Palace Head."
Dash.
Seeing Wi Ji-yeong heading towards Seol Ye-rin, who was looking around the war situation from the very back, Eun Bin moved.
Slice- Slice- Slice-
Tae Un-seo, who had already received orders, began to slice the horses' legs.
-Neigh!
"E-enemy!"
As the horse running at the very front fell, pandemonium unfolded.
Eun Bin slightly opened his narrow eyes and began to deal with the horse bandits while smiling.
At Eun Bin's fast sword, the enemies fell without even shedding blood.
Baek Mu-yong shook his head side to side watching that scene.
Because the story came to mind that before being called the Ice Clean Killing Star, when Snow Shadow Sword Eun Bin began to operate, not even a drop of blood remained on the battlefield.
"Haaap!"
If Eun Bin's sword was swordsmanship based on a fast sword.
Baek Mu-yong's sword was a heavy sword.
Every time he swung the sword once, a blizzard raged.
Baek Mu-yong was performing the role of finishing off the fallen enemies well.
"Even though they haven't coordinated together, they are top-class."
I admired seeing the three people fighting the battle.
Especially Eun Bin was conducting the battle easier than expected by placing personnel in the right places.
"It seems we can deal with all the horse bandits without stepping in."
At Seol Ye-rin's words, I nodded my head.
"But since a disturbance has occurred, the horse bandits will move. We must raid before that."
They would absolutely not anticipate that merely six people would raid the horse bandits' base.
"I think they are all dealt with."
The members who were hunting down the fallen horse bandits stopped their movements.
"Shall I torture the living ones?"
Tae Un-seo, holding a kitchen knife, spat out vicious words.
"Forget it, let's move."
The target is the horse bandits' base.
"I will go check and come back!"
At the sight of Wi Ji-yeong moving first, I gave a signal with my eyes to Eun Bin.
"Why are you looking at me?"
"Didn't you say non-combat personnel should stay back?"
And it's okay to entrust reconnaissance to her?
"Vice Captain Eun, please move together with Miss Wi Ji quickly."
When Seol Ye-rin, unable to watch any longer, gave the instruction,
Whoosh-
Eun Bin, who unfolded his movement technique in an instant, chased after Wi Ji-yeong.
"What should I do?"
I gave instructions to move together with Baek Mu-yong.
Somehow, we ended up dividing into two-person teams.
‘Reconnaissance Team - Provocation Team - Arson Team.’
Once Eun Bin and Wi Ji-yeong return from reconnoitering the horse bandits' base,
Baek Mu-yong and Tae Un-seo will go in first and cause a disturbance.
And taking advantage of the reduced surveillance, I will commit arson.
In other words, it is a diversionary tactic.
I intended to burn the horse bandits' base built in the Great Grasslands fiercely.
"When we arrive, I will freeze everything."
At that moment, Seol Ye-rin declared, burning with enthusiasm.
I made a troubled expression and began to ponder how to persuade Seol Ye-rin.
***
At that time.
Wi Ji-yeong frowned seeing Vice Captain Eun Bin running past and overtaking her at some point.
‘Although I followed to the Ice Palace as the Young Master’s maid.’
Since the Young Master recognized her as a member of the Small Snow Squad.
She thought she had to do her fair share.
But the Vice Captain, considered the number two of the Small Snow Squad, assigned Wi Ji-yeong as non-combat personnel.
‘Frustrating.’
Wi Ji-yeong knew well that if one is called a maid, most would disregard them.
However, that stereotype did not work in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
The maid of the Heavenly Demon's son, the Third Young Master, was not something anyone could become.
Wi Ji-yeong was a maid directly selected by the Cult Leader.
Just for the reason of being the Third Young Master’s maid, the demonic practitioners of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult respected Wi Ji-yeong.
However.
‘In the Ice Palace, I have to be recognized on my own.’
The situation is that the Young Master is also being disregarded in the Ice Palace.
Every time that happened, the Young Master was proving himself.
Subduing Eun Bin, saving the Young Palace Head, winning in the duel with Elder Gwak Tae-san, and recruiting Tae Un-seo as a Small Snow Squad member.
Every time the people following the Young Master increased one by one, two by two, Wi Ji-yeong was satisfied.
Wi Ji-yeong liked the Young Master’s clearly changed appearance.
‘The Young Palace Head too…….’
She matched incredibly well with the Young Master.
To the extent that a smile emerged at the sight of the handsome man and beautiful woman together.
In a way, it felt like one more person to serve had increased, but.
In the quick-witted Wi Ji-yeong's view, the Young Palace Head seemed to possess a personality that appeared cold on the outside but was warm on the inside.
In short.
Now it seemed only Wi Ji-yeong needed to be recognized by people.
Fortunately, the newly joined Tae Un-seo was following Wi Ji-yeong well.
Baek Mu-yong was also in a state where they had become quite close while coming over to the Ice Palace together from Our Cult.
The problem was.
‘Vice Captain Eun.’
She heard he was a man who lived as the Young Palace Head's escort.
The man who seemed like he would even risk death at a single word from Seol Ye-rin was treating Wi Ji-yeong as a maid.
"I believe I told non-combat personnel to stay back."
"The current situation isn't a combat situation, is it?"
"That is true, but."
Suddenly, Eun Bin touched his hair at the thought that Wi Ji-yeong was not tired at all.
"The work the Reconnaissance Team has to do?"
"Grasping the horse bandits' numbers. It would be about investigating and reporting areas vulnerable to infiltration."
"You are indeed not an ordinary maid."
"I am practicing martial arts in my own way too."
"I acknowledge it."
Although she was overtaken by Eun Bin, Eun Bin began to see Wi Ji-yeong differently in that she was not tired.
Wi Ji-yeong, who smiled satisfactorily at that answer, asked with a bright expression.
"What should I do!"
An appearance imitating Tae Un-seo.
It seemed she also had a bit of a cute corner.
‘What am I thinking…….’
How long has it been since he conversed with a member of the opposite sex other than the Young Palace Head.
‘Doing my best to protect the Young Palace Head is the priority.’
"Stay still."
In front of the horse bandits' base, Eun Bin and Wi Ji-yeong killed their presence and began to examine the horse bandits standing guard.
-It seems there aren't many guards?
-Yes, it looks like that.
Eun Bin knew that Baek Mu-yong and Tae Un-seo were chasing behind Eun Bin and Wi Ji-yeong.
Captain Hyeokryeon Yeom said so.
That for sweeping horse bandits, burning them all is enough.
In other words, the future plan is.
‘Diversionary tactic.’
It would be their mission to grasp the space where Baek Mu-yong and Tae Un-seo will cause a disturbance.
And.
-Over there, I think it would be best to send Warrior Baek and Warrior Tae to that side!
Wi Ji-yeong was talking via telepathy exactly what Eun Bin wanted.
***
Around the time I and Seol Ye-rin arrived at the horse bandits' base.
"Young Master! I told Warrior Baek and Warrior Tae to enter immediately if I send a signal!"
The Reconnaissance Team returned.
The two were in a state where they had grasped exactly what I wanted.
"Knowing where I would set fire?"
"You said you would burn everything?"
Correct.
"I prepared a place that looks like it will burn very well!"
Checking the place, Wi Ji-yeong informed me that weeds were growing very thickly.
"I think freezing isn't bad either……."
Seol Ye-rin was continuously saying that freezing would be better than burning.
When I asked her to use Extreme Yin Qi just in case the flames spread wrongly, I was fortunately able to receive Seol Ye-rin's acceptance.
"Send the signal."
"Understood!"
When Wi Ji-yeong sent the signal.
Boom!
"Enemy!"
"Intruder!"
Baek Mu-yong and Tae Un-seo intruded among the horse bandits and began to cause a disturbance.
Checking that scene, I raised my body.
Slowly moving unbeknownst to the horse bandits.
Whoosh!
The horse bandits' base.
Set fire to the Great Grasslands.