Episode 7
The blade was embedded almost to the handle.
I left it as it was and turned my head.
The beggars were staring at me with fearful eyes. I ignored them.
“Who’s the deputy manager here?”
A man slowly raised a trembling hand.
“I… I’m the acting deputy…”
“Name.”
“Jang… Jang Seok.”
“Jang Jang Seok?”
“No, just Jang Seok.”
“Jang Seok… starting today, you’re the new branch manager.”
“…Me…?”
“The former branch manager is dead. Wouldn’t it make sense for the deputy to take over?”
“Y-yes, you’re right.”
As I stepped toward him, Jang Seok stumbled backward, bumping into the bookshelf behind him. Cornered, his face twisted in despair.
I smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“You’ve hit the jackpot.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Congratulations on your promotion. Now, I have a question—who do you think owns this Seol-ap (Snow Pressure)?”
“…Do you want the honest truth?”
I nodded. Jang Seok spoke words that everyone knew but no one dared to say.
“…It’s officially the Great Lord Seoljungcheon of the Eternal Snow Palace.”
My father. And the princess of Seolgung Palace.
The Lord of Ice Heaven. The Heaven in the Snow.
“…While technically the Great Lord Seoljungcheon owns it, I think the one who truly holds power over the Seol-ap Branch is its acting Branch Leader.”
He was right.
The rightful owner wasn’t me, but my father.
I was merely entrusted with its management.
So you could say I was the owner—or not. Somewhere in between.
Still, no one would stop me from claiming ownership.
This place was under my management. The commander and the executor should never be the same person.
“That’s a good answer.”
“…Thank you.”
“At least you’re smarter than that dead bastard over there.”
“…Thank you for that as well.”
“Now, what are you going to do about the money that’s owed to me?”
Jang Seok swallowed nervously, as though he’d already prepared an answer.
“First… we’ll raid the living quarters of that mangy mutt.”
“But you think the money will still be there?”
“…Most likely not. Everyone knows he was funneling it to the higher-ups. Even if anything’s left, it’ll only be a small amount.”
“Then what will you do about the rest?”
Jang Seok was a clever man.
It’s not easy to turn a crisis into an opportunity—but some try anyway.
Jang Seok was one of them.
“We’ll open our information network. We’ll grant access to our intelligence services… for the ‘Great One’.”
“The Great One, huh…”
“…If the title offends you—”
“No, it doesn’t. So, you’re proposing to make up the deficit with information?”
“…Yes. Normally, we’d charge a fee for intel, but in this case, we’ll waive that. You’ll get a 30 to 50 percent discount, and we’ll deduct the value of that from the debt.”
I liked that answer.
I patted his shoulder and said,
“Let me give you a present to celebrate your new post.”
“…Whatever it is, I accept it gratefully.”
“Write down everything that happened here today. In full detail. And report it to the higher-ups.”
“…Pardon?”
“Don’t twist the story to fit the narrative. No excuses.”
“…Understood.”
“I broke Ilgyeolgae’s bones, killed a nameless beggar, and took out the Chui-ui-gae. They’ll definitely send someone from Gae-ri to investigate. When they come, give them the full report. Then send a copy to me.”
“Yes… I understand.”
I turned and walked away. The beggars standing around moved aside without a word.
At the entrance, I paused and looked back.
“When you bring the prepared money to the Seol-ap Branch, make sure to bring some useful intel along with it.”
“…I’ll see to it.”
As I was about to leave, Jang Seok bowed deeply.
“Take care.”
How polite.
Since ancient times, those who take others’ money should at least be that courteous.
And so, I left.
Seol Woon-hwi, bloodied and wrapped in rags, returned to the Seol-ap Branch.
He entered without a word and looked around—Cheonpung, seated and injured. Four of his men. General Seong, gasping as though drained of life. And the items laid out before them.
As if he’d anticipated this exact moment.
As if this was always the outcome he had planned for.
Without hesitation, Seol Woon-hwi moved.
“Chief of the Castle.”
“…Yes, Young Master.”
“Are the items sorted?”
“…That’s not the issue right now—”
“It is the issue. For me.”
“…Understood.”
“They’re sorted?”
“…Yes. They are.”
He handed Seol Woon-hwi a clean stack of documents. Without another word, Seol Woon-hwi began comparing the items with what was listed.
No one dared speak. He simply went about his work, inspecting the soldiers’ conditions near the supplies, then asked,
“What about the English scrolls I mentioned earlier?”
“…I moved them to the residence.”
“I see.”
He then picked up two weapons: a dagger and a sword.
The Cold Ice Flying Water and the Snow White Sword.
The Cold Ice Dagger was infused with chilling energy. Wounds inflicted by it froze from the inside. A mid-tier weapon on the market.
A bit disappointing there was only one, but acceptable.
The Snow White Sword was forged from rare Hanreung Jade Essence. Not quite a legendary blade—but far from ordinary. For a martial artist at the Yeonkisa-gyeong level, it was more than suitable.
Seol Woon-hwi gently placed the sword on the ground and turned to Cheonpung.
“Cheonpung.”
“…Yes, Lord.”
“There seem to be a lot of people missing.”
The hall was empty.
They had all fled.
For six long years, Seol Woon-hwi had been a puppet.
That was enough time for the name of Openness to become a joke.
Only two of those who had sided with Yaun Sang—the man who had used Seol Woon-hwi like a puppet—were dead. The rest were still out there.
Of the eighteen division members (excluding Yaun Sang), only five remained here now. The rest had served under Yaun Sang—and embezzled funds for personal gain.
No wonder their faces turned pale when Seol Woon-hwi got hold of the ledger.
Cheonpung replied quietly.
“…They ran.”
“I figured.”
“You knew?”
Seol Woon-hwi gave a bright smile and sat beneath the eaves.
“We’re starting a new game. I’d be a fool to entrust it to untested rats.”
Eleven had escaped.
“Looks like some items are missing.”
“…I tried to stop them, but I couldn’t stop everyone.”
“I see.”
He crossed his legs.
“Stop hovering. Come here.”
Cheonpung stepped forward, followed by the other four.
Seol Woon-hwi asked,
“Why are you wasting your lives in this desert like snails?”
Each had their reasons.
The decent pay.
The chance to learn martial arts from the Seolgung, even at the lowest level.
In the end, they were all warriors.
And warriors should always chase after strength.
“The world is vast. Finding an opportunity is like picking stars from the sky.”
“…”
“I want to give you one.”
Everyone looked at him—Cheonpung, the division members, even General Seong.
“Two hundred years ago, there was a rogue warrior who shook the martial world.”
His voice was calm, yet commanding.
“His name was Han Cheol. A man like a wolf. His martial art, too, was that of a wolf.”
He paused—then recited in a quiet, measured tone:
Gyo-wol-man-seong Han Gwang-hyeon
The bright moon and ten thousand stars shine cold and clear.
A pack of wolves soars across the heavens, endlessly cutting the skies.
All is silent, and then the wind begins to blow.
All returns to silence, and the wind’s sound follows.
One sword seals the heavens—never to return.
The warriors’ eyes widened.
Five of them had martial training. They could tell—
This wasn’t ordinary martial art.
It spoke of ascension. A fearsome, aggressive style.
But the most surprising reaction came from General Seong, the so-called “common man.”
His jaw dropped.
As if he recognized the technique.
As if he understood it.
Seol Woon-hwi didn’t care.
He continued, unfazed.
“The gap between victory and defeat is like a kalpa. Heaven and earth have passed countless kalpas to arrive here. A lone wolf howls under the moonlight, and frost falls from the heavens. This is the Cheon-sal-nang-seong-gyeol—Heaven-Slaying Wolf Star Art. It begins with three introductory stages.”
He looked each of them in the eye.
“I want to test you. To see if you can obey me completely. To see if you can raise your sword against those who once stood beside you—but are now traitors.”
They all understood.
“Kill the ones who ran.”
“…Lord!”
“I don’t want sever
ed limbs. Bring me their heads—or bring them alive. And recover everything they stole.”
Cheonpung understood immediately.
His eyes were resolute. The other four wavered—but the chance was too great to pass up.
“If you succeed, I’ll teach you the full Heaven-Slaying Wolf Star Art. And yes—you’ll need the Yeong Dan.”
He pointed to the pile of items.
“There are spiritual materials and cultivation treasures there. Please me, and they’re yours. Understood?”
“Yes!”
“I like your eyes. Off you go.”
“We accept our mission!”
All five shot out the door like wolves chasing prey.
The hall grew quiet again.
Seol Woon-hwi said,
“Chief of the Castle.”
“…Y-Yes, my Lord.”
“How long are you going to sit there trembling?”
“Ah… I’m sorry.”
General Seong rose and approached.
Seol Woon-hwi looked at him—
And the game began anew.
