Why does the Northern Sea Ice Palace attack the Central Plains?Why?To escape a barren land?If that were the reason, there would be no need to attack the entire Central Plains.Anywhere in the Central Plains is easier to live than the Northern Sea.And it’s easier ground to fight on.But no.People of the Northern Sea Ice Palace are, from the start, made for the cold.If they go to the Central Plains, the heat cooks them alive.Their martial arts are rooted in cold itself; in seasons other than winter, they cannot exert full strength.That is why, whenever the Northern Sea Ice Palace marched on the Central Plains, it was always in winter.Even then, the southern reaches of the Central Plains were too warm to properly conquer.Then what was the reason?It goes back to the era of the Palace Lord two generations ago.When that Lord was young and wandered to taste the wider world.Any martial artist worth the name must experience the Central Plains, they said; so he set foot there.He crossed blades with Central Plains folk—and was utterly defeated.Losing, in itself, is fine.A warrior can lose in battle.You grow by it.But the ridicule that followed sank deep into the young Lord’s heart and hardened into a scar.—So the Northern Sea Ice Palace is “strong,” huh? All hot air. You can’t trust rumors.—Frontier scum swagger around thinking they’re strong. “Barbarians” playing at martial arts.—Don’t you ever set foot in the Central Plains again.In that moment when the entire Northern Sea was insulted, he made a vow.To show them the Northern Sea’s true might.The Lord returned straight home.And devoted himself to nothing but training.To make the Central Plains taste the Northern Sea’s bite.That was the start——of the Northern Sea Ice Palace’s periodic assaults on the Central Plains.At first, he thought it enough merely to show the Northern Sea’s strength.But the Central Plains proved stronger than expected.To show them clearly, ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) he needed greater power.He forged himself harder, struck again, and again—until it became tradition.Progress upon progress, until at last they could attack bearing Ice Cores within their bodies and exert full power regardless of season.But of all places, the Central Plains had Martial Deity Heaven.“So you’re saying the reason you started invading the Central Plains was the insult that Palace Lord two generations back suffered?”“That is correct.”“Hm. I can well understand it. I would have done the same.”“Thank you for understanding.”“Will you keep coming?”“No.”“Keep coming.”“…What?”What was that supposed to mean?“Without prods like you, the Central Plains will grow complacent.”“Ah…”“And my people won’t get bored.”“Ah…”Buk Mu Gyeol thought this:Never again will I so much as look toward the Central Plains. ****Desert Gale.A power formed by the nomads of the Great Desert.Because their stage is a sea of sand with no end in sight, they ride horses instead of skimming on lightness skills.Naturally, horse-borne martial arts evolved.Unlike the Central Plains, the force that fights from horseback is the Desert Gale.The martial arts unleashed from bodies as massive as horses are devastating.And in the vast desert, mounted tactics are near-invincible; in the sands, none can match them.Which is why, to merchant caravans forced to cross the Great Desert for trade, they are a terror.So most caravans prepare tribute specifically for the Desert Gale when crossing.For the most part, the Desert Gale takes that tribute and withdraws, and disaster is averted.It isn’t only caravans that pay.Anyone crossing the desert is subject to it.If you slip by unseen, you’re lucky; if they catch you, you pay—no exceptions.Otherwise, you end up buried somewhere in the sands, your corpse lost forever.The Desert Gale had another revenue stream: the rogue market.The Great Desert’s rogue market is famous.No matter who you were or what crimes you committed, it takes you in.Those who need drifters come to the desert, find the hand they want, and contract them.Lately, though, rogues have been drying up, and that income is gone.Thanks to that, those who had nothing to do in the rogue market are roaming the sands too, and the Desert Gale appears even more often than before.The ones who suffer are the caravans.But what can they do?You have to cross the Great Desert to reach the Western Regions, so you grit your teeth and go.One caravan was crossing the desert toward the Central Plains.“Haah… this trade run is a failure.”“We lost more than we gained this trip.”“You can’t succeed every time. Take it as experience and make sure we don’t repeat our mistakes next time.”“Yes, understood.”“What worries me is the Desert Gale. They’ve been showing up more often.”“That’s why we set aside goods to give them.”“Honestly, it’s a waste. If we keep even that, we might patch some of our losses.”“No matter how wasteful, nothing is worth more than our lives. Don’t talk like that.”“I wish someone would wipe those bastards out.”“Agreed. Who knows what the Emperor is doing—or the martial world of the Central Plains.”“They don’t move unless there’s profit in it.”“Hah… we can only blame our lack of power.”They were lamenting their lot when they spotted a group of people far ahead.“Someone’s crossing the desert like that…”“They’ve decided to die.”To cross the Great Desert, you need serious preparation.Above all: water.But the group in sight had nothing that looked like water at all.At that rate they would collapse before long.“Stop in front of them.”“Caravan Master?”“They must have blundered in without a clue. Leave them and they may die; how can we just pass by?”“What if they’re the wrong sort? What if they’re baiting us to rob us?”“How would they know when and where a caravan would pass in this vast desert to set that up?”That was fair.“Just look at their clothes—you can tell how lightly they’re taking the desert.”“True. They’re dressed to die.”The caravan halted near the three walking across the sands.The three turned their heads toward the caravan.They were Yeon Cheon Baek’s party, on their way to the Desert Gale in the Great Desert.Gwangpung Shinga asked:“What business?”The Caravan Master said,“Are you by chance headed for the Central Plains?”“Well, something like that.”“Then come with us. It’s a long way, and at that pace you’ll die.”At the man’s words, Gwangpung Shinga turned to Yeon Cheon Baek and sent a Voice Transmission.—What shall we do? Let them go?—Yes. We’re not headed to the Central Plains anyway.—Understood.Gwangpung Shinga told the Caravan Master,“We appreciate your concern, but we have our own errand. Best we go as we are.”“You’re taking the desert too lightly. Looks like you don’t even have water.”“Water… We have a little.”Slosh.From the leather pouch Gwangpung Shinga pulled from his belt came the sound of water.The Caravan Master stared, speechless.“That much won’t last a day.”He gestured to the aide beside him.“Fetch water and give it to these gentlemen.”“Yes, sir.”The aide returned with three leather water pouches.“Take these. You’ll at least hold out with this much.”Gwangpung Shinga looked at the offered pouches, then looked back at Yeon Cheon Baek.Yeon Cheon Baek was watching the Caravan Master.Then he chuckled and said to Gwangpung Shinga,“Take them.”“Yes.”Gwangpung Shinga accepted the pouches and bowed his thanks.“Your kindness is appreciated. Tell us your caravan’s name; when we return to the Central Plains we will repay you.”“No. We didn’t do it for repayment. Just… be careful. The desert is unforgiving.”“Thank you for your concern. May you reach the Central Plains safely.”“Much obliged. If fate wills it, we’ll meet again.”Yeon Cheon Baek watched from behind as the caravan set back out after sharing the water.“A good man.”“Indeed.”Yeon Cheon Baek smiled and started to walk—and stopped.He turned his head toward the direction the caravan had gone.“Let’s catch up to that caravan.”“…Sir?”“I was going to let it be, but someone’s sprinting toward them from that direction. Fairly strong ones.”In this desert, there’s only one force that moves fast and strong.The Desert Gale.“Sound right to you?”“That’s my thought as well.”“Move.” ****After giving Yeon Cheon Baek’s party water and heading for the Central Plains, the caravan was seized by riders of the Desert Gale.“This is all you brought?”“Y-yes.”“Ha! You’re joking. You take us for fools.”“What do you mean? It’s about what we usually pay.”“No. You made money in the Western Regions, so you pay more.”“We didn’t make any.”“Everyone says that. Hand over more.”“We have nothing.”“Nothing? If we search you and find anything, you die.”“P-please don’t do this. You can’t just change the tribute without warning.”“That’s our prerogative.”The Caravan Master looked at them with a face on the verge of tears.A voice cut in.“Tsk, tsk. Bandits by any other name.”“Who goes there!”The Desert Gale snapped their heads toward the sound.Yeon Cheon Baek’s party stood there.Yeon Cheon Baek said,“Let them go. Do that, and I won’t kill you.”“Ha! Crossing the desert dressed like that? You madmen really do have a death wish.”“Boss, ignore them. Leave them alone and they’ll die anyway.”“No, they want to die—let’s help. Cut off their arms and legs and leave them here. How’s that?”“A bit too helpful, isn’t it? Let’s just take the legs.”“Kh-kh-kh. People shouldn’t be like this. We’re meddling too much, aren’t we?”“That we are.”“Kh-kh-kh. Fine. Take the legs.”“Got it! Move!”Dudududu—At the order, several Desert Gale riders spurred toward Yeon Cheon Baek’s group.As they thundered at Yeon Cheon Baek—Crack—A killing frost burst across the sweltering desert.Crrrack—The riders charging him froze solid in their saddles.One man walked past the statues of men on horseback.Buk Mu Gyeol, Lord of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.“I’ll handle it.”“You have a fine sense of timing.”Yeon Cheon Baek stepped back with a satisfied look.Buk Mu Gyeol flicked a finger toward the frozen riders.Tong—Kwachachang—The Projected Finger-Force he loosed shattered them where they sat; the icy men exploded into pieces and rained onto the sand.Stepping through the slush of melting ice and blood, Buk Mu Gyeol said,“I’ll leave one alive.”The Desert Gale captain, aghast, managed to find his voice.“W-who are you?”“Me? Buk Mu Gyeol, Lord of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.”“Th-the Lord of the Northern Sea Ice Palace? The Frozen North Demon Emperor!”“Yes. I am that Frozen North Demon Emperor.”“H-how are y-you here?”“I have business with you.”“Then l-let’s talk. We are not your enemies.”Buk Mu Gyeol smiled, showing his teeth.“No. From this moment, you are.”“W-what are you saying?”“The gentleman here has decided to erase you all. Unlucky, aren’t you—being marked by the Lord of Martial Deity Heaven.”“L-Lord of Martial Deity Heaven!”

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