A dark night.
“Hmm…”
Han So-young let out a faint sigh, gently rubbing the bridge of her nose before reaching out toward the light stones resting on the desk.
With a couple of soft taps, the bright glow that had illuminated the tent dimmed slightly. Darkness crept in, but the space inside felt a bit cozier.
It was late at night—too early to call it dawn.
Rustle…
After lowering the light, Han So-young turned the page of the record she had been reading. Her eyes, which had briefly softened, refocused on the text.
In truth, as the supreme commander, Han So-young didn’t need to be awake at such an hour. The southern front had already been secured, and all operations—fortress construction, patrols—were running smoothly.
So why was she still up when everyone else should be asleep?
Only she knew for sure, but perhaps it had something to do with the occasional bustling sounds drifting in from outside.
Maybe she was waiting for someone.
Ssshh!
At that moment, someone gently parted the tent’s entrance and slipped inside. Sensing the presence, Han So-young paused her reading and calmly lifted her head. A man was walking in from the front.
“So you’ve arrived at last, Mercenary Lord.”
Indeed. In the dead of night, the visitor to the supreme commander’s tent was none other than Kim Soo-hyun.
“…You knew I was coming?”
“I wasn’t certain, but I thought it likely.”
Their exchange sounded a bit odd. Han So-young spoke as if she had been expecting him, as if she already knew.
Kim Soo-hyun nodded. He stopped in front of the table where Han So-young sat and quietly spoke.
“I’ve come to ask for your permission.”
“Don’t you think it’s a bit late for that, considering you’ve already started moving forward with your plans?”
“If I offended you, I apologize. But I thought it was important to get the clan’s approval first.”
“Hmm.”
Han So-young exhaled lightly, resting her chin on one hand as she studied the man who had appeared so suddenly.
There was something undeniably magnetic about him. No matter what he said, he wasn’t arrogant nor servile. His confidence was genuine and appealing. Who else could face the Steel Mountain Range and still be so composed?
With that thought, Han So-young slowly parted her lips.
“And what if I refuse?”
Of course, she had no intention of actually refusing. It was more of a tease.
But joking wasn’t really her strong suit. When Han So-young joked, others took her seriously. Her heightened senses quickly registered Kim Soo-hyun’s momentary surprise, and she smiled wryly to herself, shaking her head.
“I’m joking.”
She rose slowly and stepped beside Kim Soo-hyun.
“But aside from the joke, I do hope you won’t go.”
“May I ask why?”
“Is there really a reason? The Steel Mountain Range is dangerous.”
“Of course. I know that.”
What Han So-young meant was clear: “I don’t want you, Mercenary Lord, to get hurt.”
Kim Soo-hyun tilted his head, as if to say, “So what?”
If she were just any woman, he might have grumbled about her lack of tact. But Han So-young didn’t think that way. She considered herself understanding and considerate, shrugging as if it was no big deal.
“If you promise me two things, I’ll grant you permission.”
“Promises?”
“Yes. First, please take care of yourself.”
“I will.”
“And second, come back alive.”
“I understand.”
A difficult promise, yet it was made with surprising ease.
A moment later.
“Really,” Han So-young murmured, wrapping her arms around her elbows as if crossing them. She flexed her arms slightly, making her surprisingly ample chest stand out against her slender frame.
“…I’m sorry.”
Then, unexpectedly, she spoke again. Confusion flickered across Kim Soo-hyun’s face.
“I want to help you too…”
“……”
“I said I want to do something for you…”
“……”
“But in the end, I can only watch and worry alone.”
“……”
Han So-young had said this before—once, by the campfire, when it was just the two of them.
Only then did Kim Soo-hyun’s eyes widen slightly.
He stared at the woman who asked for a promise and apologized for not being able to help.
No matter how he felt, Han So-young couldn’t move. She had no family ties to rally behind like Kim Soo-hyun did, and even if she tried, it would be laughable.
Knowing this, she said no more. But her jet-black eyes, shining like obsidian, slowly lowered beneath her neatly curved lashes, which fluttered shyly.
Late at night.
The hour when emotions run deepest.
A brief silence settled. Han So-young remained silent, but anyone watching her downcast eyes and the faint blush spreading across her cheeks could guess what she was thinking.
It was strange. The night air was bitterly cold, yet between Kim Soo-hyun and Han So-young, the atmosphere grew warm, radiating heat.
“Istantel Low Lord.”
Suddenly, Kim Soo-hyun leaned in close. At the same moment, the light stones’ glow seemed to vanish, plunging the tent into darkness.
No, the light was still there. Han So-young simply closed her eyes reflexively, tricked into thinking the light had gone out when his face came near.
“Um…”
Kim Soo-young’s hand brushed back the bangs from Han So-young’s smooth forehead. They were so close now she could feel his breath.
Her delicate lips trembled faintly in the dim light.
Han So-young kept her eyes tightly shut and slowly rose onto her toes, growing taller.
Then—
“Are you feeling unwell?”
Kim Soo-hyun’s voice was gentle, filled with genuine concern.
“Your face suddenly flushed…”
His kindness and care made Han So-young vanish for a moment.
She clenched her right fist tightly.
‘…Should I hit him?’
Han So-young seriously considered it.
Meanwhile, at the same time.
While Han So-young was debating whether to punch Kim Soo-hyun in the gut, Kim Yoo-hyun, who had just finished the first day of the expedition, was lost in deep thought.
The eastern expedition had encountered no monsters until the campaign’s end. The southern expedition met monsters only after three days of marching.
But the northern expedition ran into monsters just half a day after setting out—and ones they’d never seen before.
About three meters tall, covered in dark, mottled skin, sharp teeth, and a thick tail. A horn jutted from the tip of its snout, making it look like a dinosaur.
Judging by results alone, the first day of the expedition was fairly successful. Though the attacks were minor, the northern expedition had fought their first battle in the Steel Mountain Range without a single casualty.
It wasn’t that the monsters were weak, but Kim Yoo-hyun’s response was excellent. He quickly rallied the shaken users and ordered relentless attacks targeting the monsters’ weaknesses. Of course, this strategy was based on information provided by Kim Soo-hyun.
As a result, the expedition’s morale naturally soared.
No matter how few the monsters, starting off well in such a notorious region was worth celebrating.
The users praised the Brain Lord, and the Northwest Alliance nodded, calling it a masterstroke, ending the day on a high note.
Everyone except one.
“Hmm…”
Kim Yoo-hyun sighed deeply, tapping the table.
Why was he like this?
While others ended the day in good spirits, why was Kim Yoo-hyun so troubled?
The answer lay with the monsters they had encountered today.
‘By distance, we should reach the target point in six to eight days. Hmm. To enter their territory for the first time… maybe a day? At most two?’
‘Brother, I think the monsters from Area 1 are uneasy. Not the eastern ones.’
‘You know, the monsters from Area 1.’
‘Yeah. I thought they’d appear in Area 2, but they didn’t. That means we have to consider the possibility they’ll show up in Area 3. So…’
Kim Soo-hyun’s predictions, which made Kim Yoo-hyun shake his head in disbelief, were spot on. The monsters fleeing from Area 1 had passed through Area 2 and entered Area 3.
So Kim Yoo-hyun wasn’t happy. He couldn’t be.
Not only did the rulers of Area 3 and other expected monsters pose a headache, but now the monsters from Area 1 were also flooding in.
By now, Kim Yoo-hyun had no fondness left for the east. Though they had once been comrades, now that he had moved his base westward, they were practically strangers.
“Tch. Can’t be helped.”
Still, Kim Yoo-hyun wasn’t discouraged. He never expected it to be easy. He simply saw it as another trial to overcome.
A moment later, Kim Yoo-hyun shook his head to clear his thoughts and continued pondering.
“This operation… the longer it drags on, the harder it’s going to get.”
Above all, there simply weren’t any suitable users.
He wasn’t talking about combat skills, but leadership qualities.
In truth, Kim Yoo-hyun had wanted to organize the Northern Expeditionary Force just like the Southern one.
But he couldn’t. It was impossible.
The vanguard had to be led by someone with sharp situational awareness and quick judgment.
The rear guard needed a user who could keep pace with the front and respond flexibly to unexpected events.
Yet, no matter how hard he looked, no one fit the bill.
In the end, he had no choice but to structure the force like the Eastern one, with the center overseeing everything. But as time passed and monsters began to appear in earnest, that setup only became more burdensome.
Therefore…
“The intel is sufficient. Even if it means pushing ourselves a bit too hard, we have to reach the target point as quickly as possible. And then, swift and decisive action…”
Calmly gathering his thoughts, Kim Yoo-hyun began folding the map neatly on the table.
Then—
Thud…
A faint vibration suddenly echoed near his ear. It was so subtle that he could have easily ignored it.
But this was the Steel Mountain Range.
Instinctively, Kim Yoo-hyun’s gaze snapped toward the entrance. His eyes gleamed sharply.
Thud…!
The vibration came again.
Flap, flap!
Suddenly, the sound of wings fluttering filled the air as a beautiful golden bird gently landed on Kim Yoo-hyun’s shoulder.
He quickly stood and strode out of the tent.
“What… what was that sound?”
“How should I know?!”
“Inform the Commander-in-Chief!”
“Check with the sentries! Hurry!”
Murmurs spread.
It wasn’t just Kim Yoo-hyun who heard it; the entire camp was stirring as users emerged, drawn by the noise.
Shortly after, those who contacted the sentries began reporting one by one.
“This is the Eastern sentry report! No sound or signs detected at all!”
“Western sentry report! The sound is clear, and there’s a faint tremor in the ground! But no signs of movement!”
Urgent voices followed in quick succession.
Kim Yoo-hyun had already activated his magic detection to its fullest, but sensed nothing. The users guarding the western perimeter reported the same.
There was only one conclusion.
The monsters were far enough from the camp to avoid detection.
Yet the fact that vibrations were felt meant the creatures possessed immense power.
“Could it really be already?”
Kim Yoo-hyun bit his lip, preparing to issue orders as he activated his voice amplification magic.
And then—
Thud…!
A stronger vibration shook the ground.
A piercing scream, presumed to be from a monster, reverberated through the Steel Mountain Range.
Kim Yoo-hyun’s eyes widened as if they’d grown as large as lanterns.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Well, it seems yesterday’s chapter made many readers cringe with embarrassment.
Since I’m the culprit behind that, it’s only right that I help you all unwind. I’ll have to think carefully about how to soothe your hands and feet in the upcoming chapters. Ha ha ha.
P.S. The golden bird is a gift Kim Soo-hyun gave to his older brother Kim Yoo-hyun, earned during a previous operation they undertook together. It’s stunningly beautiful and its abilities complement the Thunder God magic very well. Its name is Jjorong. It chirps “jjorong jjorong.”
One interesting fact: although it belongs to Kim Yoo-hyun, it actually prefers and follows Kim Soo-hyun more closely. Since it’s a bird connected to ‘nature,’ it’s naturally drawn to the ‘Hwajeong’ within Kim Soo-hyun.