Chapter 614: Biwoegun.

Wobble-!

Dizziness washes over me, and my body twists.

I barely managed to catch my balance, preventing myself from falling.

“Hoooh….”

My breathing grew ragged.

I had to do my best to try and regain control.

That wasn’t all.

Thump-!

I felt something in my heart.

I tensed up. I had to prepare for the recoil that would soon arrive.

Kuwuuung-!

“Gck…!”

Sure enough, I let out a groan at the vibration I felt.

I felt like I would collapse right then and there, but I endured it somehow.

I couldn’t fall here.

“Hoo… Hoo…!”

In preparation for the pain, my already tired body felt heavily pressed down.

My body felt listless, as if something significant had drained away, and I also felt a sense of emptiness.

I felt this last time too, but it’s a truly shitty feeling.

Feeling this, I checked my body’s condition in detail.

How much pain there was. If I could move after using it.

Even while exhausted, I tried hard to remember each detail.

Clenching my fist, I thought.

‘The recoil is excessive.’

It was like this last time too. The recoil after using it was no joke.

The pain itself was bearable, but.

‘It puts a strain on the body.’

Whether this was straining the soul, as Paejon said.

Or if the body simply couldn’t handle it, I didn’t know, but it was certain that using it consecutively was difficult.

Of course, regardless.

‘…Ultimately, being able to use it is what’s important.’

While catching my breath, I lifted my head and looked ahead.

Where an unknown barrier had been until just now, it was now broken and shattered, creating a huge entrance.

Fwoosh-!

Blue flames clung to the edges, flickering.

It was the aftermath created by Simgwon.

Though the destructive power was much weaker than last time when I shattered an iceberg, I could tell it was still a great power.

Propping up my upper body with difficulty, I assessed the situation.

‘At most, three times.’

If my body and mind were in perfect condition.

I felt I could use it three times if I used it at the level I just did.

If it was the level of the first time I used it… I’d probably collapse after using it once.

‘The method of using it isn’t that difficult either.’

Is it because I’ve used it once?

Or maybe there’s something else, I don’t know, but.

Fortunately, using Simgwon wasn’t that difficult.

If I want to use it, I can use it.

I just need to handle the aftermath.

“Wh-what is this….”

Yuri seemed unable to understand the situation that had just happened.

That there really was a barrier, just like I said.

And the power I fired to break it must have seemed bizarre from Yuri’s perspective.

“Let’s go.”

Naturally, I had nothing to say to her seeing this.

I just moved forward, hiding the recoil.

“Ah…! Wait…!”

As I walked towards the broken entrance, Yuri finally followed me in.

The inside wasn’t much different from the outside.

It was still clearly a snowfield.

And it was a night with a steady snowfall.

Amidst that, if there was one thing clearly different.

‘Is it a garden?’

Unlike the outside, this place seemed like an artificially created garden.

However, it looked like it hadn’t been maintained for a very long time.

Wooooong–!!

I turned my head at the energy I felt.

It’s not far.

It feels much closer than when it was beyond the barrier.

The barrier that had been surrounding this area.

Even if it couldn’t completely block the vibration, it seemed to reduce it.

It’s there.

You are there.

Reminding myself of that, just as I was about to move forward.

“…Ah…?”

At the voice that came from behind, I glanced back for a moment.

It was because Yuri, who had followed me, was looking around with a surprised expression.

“Here…”

“Why? Do you know this place?”

“Wh-why…”

Yuri kept looking around, as if she couldn’t believe it.

“It’s impossible…”

“What’s impossible?”

“This place shouldn’t still exist… I heard it disappeared long ago?”

Wondering what she meant, I looked at Yuri.

“…This is where Biwegun stayed.”

“What?”

Hearing that, I looked around.

It was a place buried in snow, unable to properly function as a garden.

It was called a garden, but its form made it difficult to call it that anymore.

That this place was where that bastard Uhyuk stayed?

“It’s already been… over ten years. I heard the Blue Wolves erased it. How on earth…”

“Maybe they just didn’t clear it out and left it.”

“That’s impossible. I’ve been here many times…”

“Hmm.”

You’ve been here many times, huh.

This means, in other words, you just couldn’t find it until now.

What could it mean that I can see this now?

Furthermore.

‘It feels uncomfortable yet familiar.’

The barrier I just broke through.

Felt somehow uncomfortable yet familiar.

Meanwhile, Yuri kept looking around, truly wondering if what she was seeing was correct.

“…Is this place then, the Blue Wolves’ main base? No, it’s not. It definitely wasn’t in that location…?”

The Blue Wolves who rebelled against the Ice Palace and started a war.

If Uhyuk’s residence was here, it would mean this area was the Blue Wolves’ main base.

Yuri reacted as if that wasn’t the case either.

‘There’s a chance I didn’t grasp the geography well because I moved solely by sensing energy.’

That wouldn’t be the only reason.

I thought so.

‘Regardless, what’s important now is that this is where Uhyuk lived.’

Never mind how a place that disappeared long ago could remain like this.

Ultimately, it means this place is related to Uhyuk.

The fact that the vibration of Noea is felt here.

‘Namgung Bi-ah’s disappearance is related to Uhyuk.’

That would be the correct judgment.

Hooook-!

I released energy.

To spread my senses widely.

As the energy brushed against my acupoints, pain arose, and my expression involuntarily furrowed.

It was the aftermath of the recoil.

‘Anyway, my body never gets a break.’

Just when I start to recover, an accident happens.

Just when I’m about to get better, something else comes up, making it a truly shitty situation.

Wooooong–!!

As the energy spread, it enveloped the surroundings.

My senses spread much shallower than usual, but this much was enough.

It meant there was no shortage for surveying the surroundings.

However.

‘What is it?’

The more my senses spread, the more doubts arose.

‘Nothing.’

I felt nothing with my senses.

‘Can something be this absent?’

I didn’t enter cautiously.

After breaking everything, I barged in openly.

If there were people inside, something should have jumped out.

I truly felt no sign of anyone.

Are there no other people here?

What I could see immediately was something that used to be a garden, and the snow piled on top of it.

A situation where not even a trace of a person could be seen.

Could Namgung Bi-ah’s trace really be here?

Just as such a doubt arose.

Tuk-!

“…!”

The end of my gradually spreading senses.

Sapak.

Something was caught far away.

Sapak.

What my senses first caught were someone’s footsteps.

They were walking towards me with calm steps.

From beyond the gap where nothing was caught.

“…Wow.”

Among the presences I’ve felt recently, I felt the presence of the most familiar person.

‘I hoped it wasn’t them, if possible.’

It was also the presence I least wanted to feel.

Sapak.

Hearing the gradually approaching footsteps, I stared straight ahead.

They were coming from beyond.

How long had I waited?

It probably wasn’t that long, but for some reason, it felt like a very long time.

So.

Sapak.

The steps that walked lightly on the snow.

Abruptly.

After taking a few more steps, they stopped moving.

I looked at the person who appeared with a blank expression.

“Oh dear.”

The other person, seeing me like that, smiled as if troubled.

“…This is quite a troublesome situation.”

The young man released his clasped hands behind his back and scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

Though I hadn’t seen him in years, he still had that handsome face. Annoyingly so.

“I thought it was strange that it had become so quiet.”

However, his appearance was clearly the same.

“Why are you here…?”

His aura was vastly different from back then.

Where had that relaxed and soft aura gone?

A coolness resembling the weather swirled around the young man.

“Am I perhaps dreaming?”

The young man, Uhyuk, said with a smile.

“Biwegun…!”

Yuri, seeing Uhyuk suddenly appear, jumped in surprise and flinched.

Then, taking a step forward, she tried to speak to him, but.

“You…!”

“It’s been a while.”

“…!”

Uhyuk didn’t even look at Yuri.

It was as if he had absolutely no interest.

“I see.”

That reaction, however, felt strange to me.

“I heard there was some incident. So that was about you.”

Sapak.

The footsteps that dug into the snow below soon trampled up onto the snow above.

“When did you arrive?”

“About two days. Or maybe three. Around that?”

I answered his question.

Uhyuk chuckled upon hearing that.

“It hasn’t been long then.”

“I came in a bit of a hurry.”

“Right.”

“…”

“…”

Silence passed between us.

We just stared at each other without speaking.

‘Hmm.’

What should I say?

I had so much I wanted to say when we met.

But now that we’ve met, I didn’t really have anything to say.

So I just.

“Why did you do it?”

I decided to ask the main question.

“…Haha?”

Uhyuk laughed upon hearing my question. He seemed to know what my question meant.

“You, who wouldn’t even have a shred of greed, why did you cause such a huge incident?”

Uhyuk, maybe when it came to appetite, was far removed from material desires.

A guy who just lives because he was born.

That was the Uhyuk I saw.

“What are you doing? Did you not eat your meat properly?”

That ascetic guy only stuffed himself with meat every day.

In the end, maybe he’d gone half-mad. I couldn’t help but think that.

Uhyuk answered my question.

“Maybe he developed a lust for power now. You never know with people.”

“What kind of bullshit are you spouting? I’m not joking. Answer me properly.”

I said the same thing to the Palace Lord.

I would hear Uhyuk’s side and judge.

I asked because I thought it was the priority.

“…”

Uhyuk wasn’t giving me an answer to my question.

Seeing that, I sighed.

“Haaah.”

Does he not want to answer?

That’s possible.

If he has his reasons, he might not want to answer.

‘Then I’ll have to beat him until he answers.’

If he’s going to keep his mouth shut tight, I was willing to help him lighten up until he could speak.

It’s just that.

“Fine, I understand.”

It’s just not now.

Because right now, I had something more urgent than Uhyuk in front of me.

“Forget about this. Now, just tell me where she is.”

“What?”

“She’s here, isn’t she? Where is she now?”

Namgung Bi-ah is somewhere here.

It was a fact that had now turned into certainty.

“Uhyuk must have taken Namgung Bi-ah.

That’s why this situation occurred.

So now, I need to get her back.

I said that with that intention.

Uhyuk didn’t answer and just stared at me.

Seeing that, I added one more thing.

“You know, I.”

Cooling down the rising emotions, I said to Uhyuk.

“Whatever you’re trying to do. Honestly, I don’t care.”

“…”

“The fact that you’re suddenly from Bukhae is absurd, but that’s not the important part.”

It’s just surprising, not particularly strange. At least for me.

“I wonder why you’re doing troublesome things like rebellion. I’ll deal with that later.”

I didn’t say I’d beat him to get the reason.

Nothing was important.

Whether it was the situation happening in Bukhae, or why Uhyuk was acting like this.

Nothing was important to me.

“So.”

What’s important to me now.

“Is where she is. Tell me.”

Namgung Bi-ah, who must be somewhere here.

That was all.

If I found Namgung Bi-ah, I wouldn’t really have any business here.

The Palace Lord declared she wouldn’t receive treatment.

Regardless of whether it was possible or not.

If she refused, then that was that.

Then I would have no business here.

If I just rescued Namgung Bi-ah, I could stop caring about matters here and return to the Central Plains.

So.

If Uhyuk just returned Namgung Bi-ah to me, it would be a simple matter.

Yes, it should have been such a simple matter.

“Sorry.”

Uhyuk didn’t give me the answer I wanted.

“I don’t think I can do that.”

“What?”

Sreung.

As he spoke his reply, Uhyuk drew his sword from his waist.

“I can’t return her. I still have some business with her.”

“…”

“So go back. This isn’t the place for you.”

Ssssseeeeee.

Tugi began to seep from Uhyuk’s body.

Even from the drawn sword, I could feel killing intent leaking out.

This means he’s serious.

The pressure was also considerable.

It seemed he hadn’t neglected his training over the past few years.

‘Has that guy reached Hwagyeong?’

Did he overcome the wall, or not? I could feel a comparable energy, but.

I couldn’t tell yet.

Due to my internal injuries, I couldn’t properly confirm.

“Haaah.”

With another sigh, I swept my hand over my forehead.

What kind of incident is happening to make the situation turn out like this?

I don’t know.

I don’t know well, but.

As I looked at the tip of the sword Uhyuk drew, many thoughts crossed my mind.

“I was going to endure up to three. I can’t anymore.”

I stopped counting the numbers I was internally keeping track of and said to Uhyuk.

“First.”

Anyway.

“Let me hit you first.”

I felt like we should talk first, as friends.