Chapter 2

It is taught that humans are animals that walk forward. If so, what is the moment of death? Could it be walking backward? Just like right now.

I accepted it naturally, without resistance. And yet. Why… Can I open my eyes?

My mouth fell wide open. An unbelievable sight was unfolding before my eyes.

The wind chimes hanging from the familiar eaves swayed softly in the breeze. And beyond them stood the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Mountain, completely intact.

I was certain I had used every ounce of my strength to split it in half, so why was it so perfectly whole?

I immediately sat up. And then, I was thoroughly thrown into confusion. I was the one who sat up.

I at once raised both of my arms to look. Throughout my life, I had undergone the Transformation of the Marrow—a complete rebirth of the flesh—a total of three times, yet scars had continuously formed over my body. However, not a single one of those scars was in sight.

They were impeccably clean. No, “clean” wasn’t the right word. These were simply the hands of someone around sixteen or seventeen years old.

I turned my head. The door clicked open, and a man stepped inside. His face was all too familiar.

“Heheh… Branch Manager, you’ll need to sign off on these today as well.”

That face smirked slyly. My eyes narrowed.

Before I fled from the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace, my position was the Branch Manager of the Snow Pressure Branch. And ever since I first took office, the person serving as the Deputy Branch Manager was the bastard in front of me.

His name was Ya Woon-sang (野隕常).

He bowed his waist subserviently and held out a stack of documents. The insidious smile spreading across his face was clear to see only now. No, I had seen it in my past life too. I was just too busy turning a blind eye and running away from it back then.

I surveyed my surroundings. The structure of the walls, the table and desk, the sleeping quarters. Taking all of these together, this exact moment was undeniably when I was seventeen years old.

Whether this was a dream or not… At this very moment, there was something I absolutely had to do.

I reached out and took the documents handed over by Ya Woon-sang.

“You just need to place your thumbprint right there.”

I quietly scanned through the documents.

“Northern Ice Wall Supply Route Opening Plan?”

“Yes, that’s correct. There were many opinions stating that a new transport route was necessary. It shortens the time compared to the existing route, and…”

“Shortening the time, is it…?”

A bitter smile spread across my lips as I turned the pages.

“You signed an insurance contract with the Blue Cloud Merchant Group.”

“Yes, Branch Manager. The Blue Cloud Merchant Group is the most trustworthy merchant outfit in the Snow Pressure region…”

“However, are you aware that this transport route passes right through an avalanche danger zone?”

Perhaps because it was his first time being cut off mid-sentence, Ya Woon-sang’s expression hardened noticeably. Even coming from me, it probably was the first time at this point in time.

Ya Woon-sang forced a smile and spoke up.

“Ah, you don’t need to worry too much about that…”

“I am worried. The existing route is safe but takes longer, while the new route is dangerous but fast. And besides that, there are many other strange points.”

“Wh-What might those be?”

“First, in the transport cost calculation, the budget for safety measures is far too low. No matter how martial artists can fly through the sky and crush mountains, there are no such powerhouses here in the Snow Pressure region. In particular, most of the merchant convoy consists of ordinary people and low-tier martial artists… Mm, well, there is a much bigger issue, so I’ll let this one pass for now.”

Faced with this strange situation, Ya Woon-sang swallowed hard. I ignored him.

“Second, while the contract party is listed as me, the insurance beneficiary is listed as you.”

“Well, that’s… since you are the person in charge of transport, Branch Manager…”

“If I am the person in charge, shouldn’t I naturally be the beneficiary as well?”

“Ayy… Branch Manager, haven’t I usually taken full charge of leading the merchant convoys? If an avalanche were to occur, we could use the payout to quickly clean up the aftermath…”

An excuse. I cut off his words once again. There was no reason to listen to such drivel.

“Third, the price of this Cold Ridge Jade Crystal is set at 20 silver coins…”

Ya Woon-sang’s face turned pale.

“As far as I know, the market price for a Cold Ridge Jade Crystal is around 10 silver coins. But if you inflate it like this, the insurance payout you receive when an accident occurs will double.”

“Th-That is…”

The situation was simple. It was common to sign insurance contracts with merchant groups. However, why were merchant groups what they were? The Blue Cloud Merchant Group was no fool; there was no way they didn’t know 10 silver coins were more than enough for a Cold Ridge Jade Crystal, so why did they contract it at 20?

It was obvious.

“Have you ever heard that saying?”

“…What… saying…?”

“That it is proper principle to tear limb from limb any servant who dares to stand above his master’s head.”

“…Pardon…?”

“Did you take that much of a liking to the second daughter of the Blue Cloud Merchant Group?”

“…Th-That…”

“Playing the figurehead of the Snow Pressure Branch seems to have gotten your head quite big. And now that your head has grown, I suppose you’ve developed a lust for women as well?”

Whether this situation was far too unrealistic, Ya Woon-sang seemed unable to pull himself together.

“Why… why are you saying such things…?”

His foolish expression wasn’t half bad to look at. I continued calmly.

“I don’t know if you did this knowingly or not, but roughly ten days after I sign this document, an avalanche will occur.”

“…Huh? What on earth are you talking about…”

“Due to the heavy snow that fell the day before, the ground will weaken, triggering an avalanche in that area. About four people, including you, will survive, and through that incident, you will end up taking everything from the Blue Cloud Merchant Group.”

“…”

“You took both the second daughter and the eldest daughter into your arms. If I recall correctly, you were the one who took the head of the Blue Cloud Merchant Group’s Master… Ah, yes. That’s right.”

Ya Woon-sang began to stare at me with bizarre eyes. Yet, I could feel the subtle trace of terror embedded in those eyes.

“You pocketed the money, while I took the blame… It is still vivid in my memory.”

I slammed the documents shut with a sharp clack.

“Ya Woon-sang, did I fail to see this back then?”

“Yes…?”

“Or did I choose not to see it even if I did?”

“Br… Branch Manager…”

“Even if an accident occurs like this, the responsibility I bear is negligible. Why? Because even if I am a bastard child, I still carry the bloodline of the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Palace. To a bundle of inferiority complexes like me who believes running away is natural, I must have been the most convenient tool for you to lord power over others. If such an idiot sits above you, it is only natural for someone like you to act this way. After all, this world is one where the victim ends up being the fool. A world where stepping on others to climb up is how one proves oneself.”

“Th-That… that’s not… not it at all.”

“For claiming it’s not it at all, isn’t it true that similar incidents didn’t just happen once or twice?”

I slowly rose from my seat.

This is the Martial World. In the Martial World, if you lack strength, it is only natural to be eaten alive. I could not deny that. Because that is the world martial artists live in.

“However… if you sacrificed everything to gain something, you must naturally be prepared to lose everything when you fail to gain it. Are you fully prepared for that?”

“…That is…”

“Never mind. My mouth hurts just trying to say any more.”

I swung the stack of documents just as it was.

Thwack—!

Ya Woon-sang’s head snapped back.

I circulated the Snow Mountain Mind-Impression Technique (雪山心法) that still remained in my memory. Though faint, a clear and distinct Internal Energy blossomed within my meridians.

It immediately surged into the stack of documents, and before long, a very faint trace of something akin to Sword Qi burst forth at the tip.

I adjusted my grip into a reverse hold and slammed it downward.

Thud—!

It was blocked by Ya Woon-sang’s hand.

“Bra… Branch Manager!! What on earth are you doing right now…!”

I immediately swung my leg.

CRACK—!

Taking a direct hit to the jaw, Ya Woon-sang tumbled backward before rolling over and springing up from the spot. Anger welled up on his face, along with a surging killing intent.

As I slowly walked toward him, Ya Woon-sang shouted:

“Stop! Please stop…!”

Ignoring him, I drove my foot forward, planting it right into Ya Woon-sang’s abdomen.

Thump!

He was pushed back continuously. Seeing how the bastard channeled his Internal Energy into his abdomen mid-way to mitigate the impact brought a scoff to my lips.

“…Branch Manager… can’t you hear me telling you to cut it out?”

Ya Woon-sang’s tone shifted, but it didn’t matter. No matter how much anger he erupted with or how much killing intent he sprayed around, the ‘hesitation’ remaining within him was as present as ever.

“Hesitation blunts the blade, while resolve sharpens it.”

“…”

“Even when I clearly intend to kill you, you are still hesitating. Whether you are a phantom or a reality—such things do not matter.”

I let the stack of documents dangle downward.

“For your final moment at least, come at me as a human, not a frightened dog.”

“…Fine then. No matter if you are the Branch Manager, it is wrong for you to attack me, the Deputy Branch Manager, ‘without cause’ like this. Therefore, I will subdue you first.”

Saying so, Ya Woon-sang drew his sword and kicked off the ground. His sword wove patterns in the air.

Above, side, below. It was excessively flashy.

An illusory sword is dazzling, while a true blade is quiet.

I lightly took a step forward. Ya Woon-sang’s sword brushed through empty air, and I slipped right into his embrace.

Astonishment filled his face.

“H-How…!”

Quietly, I thrust the internal-energy-infused stack of documents forward.

Stab—!

“Ghk… Gah…”

It drove right into his abdomen, but I was dissatisfied. After casually throwing it aside, I drew the dagger strapped to my waist.

I looked at Ya Woon-sang, who was stumbling backward while clutching his belly.

“…P-Please… spare me…”

A smile formed at the corners of my mouth at his pathetic voice.

He was nothing more than a bastard of this tiny stature. Back in the past, I was exploited by a fellow of merely this level. Pointed at as a puppet, used and manipulated.

It all happened because I lacked strength. Back in my naive childhood days when I thought avoiding situations was the best option—that was my greatest mistake and my deepest regret.

Everything began right here. It was about time to cast it off.

Walking up to him slowly, I spoke.

“If there is a next life, be sure to live according to your station. Don’t crawl above your place.”

I drove the dagger down without hesitation.

Stab—!

It plunged directly into his heart. Pulling it out immediately, I drove it straight into Ya Woon-sang’s neck.

Thwack.

“Gargle… Kahak…”

I quietly watched his dying eyes. Before long, the light in those eyes faded away.

At this very moment, I felt it with absolute certainty. That all of this was not a dream, but reality.

It was just as I was slowly standing up from the spot. The door burst open, and three men barged inside.

“What is going on… Gasp…”

Wiping away the blood splattered on my face, I said briefly:

“Clean this up.”

“…Pardon…?”

That was not the answer I wanted. I turned my head.

“The discipline of the Snow Pressure Branch is an absolute mess.”

“…Th-That…”

“Don’t make me say it twice. Clean this up and gather all members of the Snow Pressure Branch.”

“U-Understood…!”

It truly was… A refreshing morning.

Even after confirming it internally, I couldn’t help but continuously harbor doubts. Traveling back in time was far too unrealistic an event.

However, no matter how vague a dream could be or how real it might feel, it could never be this real. This was an indisputable reality.

I have returned through time. And by a whole 40 years, no less.

I cupped my face in my hands.