Surviving as the Terminally Ill Young Lady of the North Sea Ice Palace - Chapter 89

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 89
Maeng Ryeong Ji made no effort to conceal her presence after the Hunting Tournament began, so I spotted her several times yesterday as I moved about the island.
But even watching her hunt, I chose not to engage her.
In terms of groups, Paeng Ho’s faction from Cheonmu Academy made the most noise, but as individuals, Maeng Ryeong Ji’s voice surpassed both Paeng Ho and Paeng Jin Cheol.
I didn’t want to draw the attention of other students by fighting her loudly from the start.
I wanted to avoid the situation where, exhausted from an early clash, I’d be ambushed by other strong contenders.
Yet that was precisely what was happening to Nangung Min right now.
“How much further will you run? Ha, the Sword-Breaking Nangung Family? All you do is scurry away like rats!”
Whoosh!
Maeng Ryeong Ji charged forward with the ferocity of a wild boar, swinging her Twin Axes at Nangung Min.
Naturally, Nangung Min didn’t meet the attack head-on.
He stepped back half a pace and deflected the axe’s arc with the flat of his blade.
“I’m not an idiot. Why would I take such a crude attack straight on?”
Boom!
Maeng Ryeong Ji’s axe bit into the ground.
And in that moment.
Nangung Min said nothing, but Nangung Ah Young standing behind him pointed and shouted.
‘Ah, so her followers were nearby after all.’
It wasn’t a three-on-one rush against Maeng Ryeong Ji.
But Im So Jeong and Nangung Ah Young stood roughly ten paces away on either side.
Nangung Ah Young watched the duel while cheering on Nangung Min, while Im So Jeong kept a sharp watch on the surroundings.
With subordinates keeping watch like that, at least I didn’t have to worry about being caught in a pincer move.
‘Hmm…….’
If I’d known how to use a ranged weapon like Gu Won did, I could throw something to attack Nangung Min.
But if I rushed in now, Im So Jeong would almost certainly block me.
‘Even if not now, she’ll stay attached to him anyway, won’t she?’
But even if I waited for this duel to end and looked for an opening, Nangung Min would never find himself alone.
If I ambushed him from hiding, both his left and right arms would come at me with combined strikes.
If I formally challenged him to a duel, he might fight me separately as he was doing with Maeng Ryeong Ji now.
But even if I won, the moment the match ended, they’d attack before I could take his Jade Token.
‘This is the moment! Tire him out as much as possible!’
I cheered for Maeng Ryeong Ji.
Of course, it would be better if she won, but honestly, her chances of victory against Nangung Min were slim.
Maeng Ryeong Ji had burned with competitive fire from the start.
Yet in every Life-and-Death Combat Practice, Nangung Min had beaten her.
Actually, when I won the first time, it was only because Nangung Min stubbornly clung to the Infinite Spear-Palace Sword Technique, which he wasn’t used to, draining his Internal Force excessively.
If he’d fought with the Grand Flame Sword Technique back then, wouldn’t I have struggled to win without my Ice Technique?
Now Nangung Min had taken my advice and abandoned the Infinite Spear-Palace Sword Technique for a time, and since then, he hadn’t lost a single duel.
Crash! Bang!
As I expected, the two of them clashed ferociously through dozens of exchanges.
Whirrrrack!
Nangung Min condensed his Internal Force at the sword’s tip and thrust toward Maeng Ryeong Ji’s shoulder with speed and power.
Boom-whoosh!
Maeng Ryeong Ji didn’t dodge.
She sacrificed her left shoulder, swinging her axe at Nangung Min’s head.
A strategy of trading flesh for bone.
‘Tch, brutal. Nothing like the people I faced yesterday.’
But unfortunately, she failed.
Nangung Min yanked his sword up desperately, deflecting Maeng Ryeong Ji’s axe as it came down like it would split his skull.
Thunk!
Then Nangung Min stabbed Maeng Ryeong Ji’s ribs once.
He pulled his body back with explosive speed.
The optimal distance for Nangung Min opened up.
And from there, he was about to drive a devastating sword strike into Maeng Ryeong Ji.
‘If she takes that, it’s over.’
From the moment Nangung Min dodged Maeng Ryeong Ji’s axe, I’d already drawn my blade and lowered my stance, ready to charge in.
The moment Nangung Min’s sword poured down toward Maeng Ryeong Ji.
Whoosh!
I kicked off the ground and shot forward.
“That’s cowardly!”
She charged at Im So Jeong with a loud shout.
Hehe, I figured it’d be best to lop off the left arm and right arm first.
“……?!”
Im So Jeong had been watching her carefully, guarding against an attack on Nangung Min.
She clearly hadn’t anticipated being ambushed herself.
“Wh-what? Where did you come from?”
Clang!
Im So Jeong had no time to speak; she spun her sword horizontally in a panic to block my blow.
Nangung Ah Young, who had been celebrating victory, suddenly shrieked in shock.
Boom!
At that same moment, Maeng Ryeong Ji crashed to the ground.
By the time I’d burst forward, Nangung Min’s attack was already too far committed to stop.
“Oh, Seol!”
“So Jeong! Were you trying to interfere?”
Even as Maeng Ryeong Ji tumbled across the floor, she spotted me and beamed.
Nangung Min, the moment he clinched victory, irritably tore off his Jade Token, then wheeled on Im So Jeong in anger.
“N-no, miss. I was only watching our surroundings…… Ungh!”
“She just burst out of nowhere!”
Ching! Schink! Ching! Schink!
Seizing the moment, I deployed the Quick Sword technique Gwak Do Cheon had taught me, pressing Im So Jeong hard.
Finding an opening in her panicked defense, I thrust sharply at her torso.
“Gack!”
Im So Jeong twisted her body to evade, but—
I had never meant to run her through. My target was her Jade Token.
The cord binding it snapped clean away.
The two Jade Tokens Im So Jeong had worn at her belt tumbled to the ground.
“Ah…….”
When Nangung Min, standing stiffly beside Maeng Ryeong Ji, finally grasped what had happened—
Im So Jeong had already lost her life in the Hunting Tournament.
“So it was you stopping their ambush!”
“No! That can’t be it!”
Hmm…… and Maeng Ryeong Ji still hadn’t caught on that I’d feinted.
“Well, Im So Jeong? You’re eliminated. The dead can’t fight the living, so off to the Safety Zone with you.”
In any case, I gave the bewildered Im So Jeong a pat on the back.
Nangung Ah Young was fun to tease.
But this one carried herself with such adult composure that calling her by name felt awkward somehow.
“……I apologize, miss. I was careless.”
Im So Jeong accepted her defeat gracefully, but—
“Attacking So Jeong while I was fighting…….”
Nangung Min approached me with an utterly bewildered expression.
I raised my sword high, intending to drop him next.
Schink!
But Nangung Ah Young stepped into my path.
“Min, don’t come here—run!”
“What?”
“Your arm’s already wounded from Maeng Ryeong Ji! You’ll be at a disadvantage if you fight now! I’ll buy time—fall back and take a Recovery Pill!”
Huh, what? She’s sharp.
So Nangung Ah Young was the strategist of the trio?
I’d been planning to drop her quickly anyway, then face the exhausted and injured Nangung Min.
But Nangung Ah Young had clearly recognized the danger—if they didn’t coordinate, they’d be picked off one by one.
“Ah…….”
“Go, now!”
I shoved Nangung Ah Young aside and lunged for Nangung Min, but—
Schink! Ching!
With her Internal Energy restored, Nangung Ah Young was no pushover.
“Hey, don’t go—fight with me instead! You might actually beat me!”
I tried to provoke Nangung Min, but—
She wouldn’t bite. With a frustrated expression, she slipped away deftly using Lightness Martial Art.
“What, so you’ve got some skill after all, Ah Young?”
“Ugh, seriously! Seol Su Ryeo, do you really have to go this far?”
“Of course.”
Im So Jeong had been a threat to watch, but honestly, after a month without Internal Energy, Nangung Ah Young was so weakened that I’d expected to subdue her easily—yet here we were.
Branch family or not, the Nangung Family was still the Nangung Family.
She’d put up a far better fight than Im So Jeong, who’d been ambushed from behind and eliminated just like that.
Though I won in the end, naturally.
“Ugh… Min will avenge me! If we fought properly, he’d beat you for sure!”
“Really? I can’t wait! I’ll be sure to take your badges.”
“No!”
I suggested to Im So Jeong that she help the trembling Nangung Ah Young, who had collapsed to her knees.
Im So Jeong’s mouth opened and closed a few times before she silently draped Nangung Ah Young’s arm over her shoulder.
The two of them limped off the Hunting Tournament stage.
It would have been a prettier scene if the sun were setting about now.
Far too early in the day.
‘Two hundred thirty points.’
In any case, my badges had accumulated most satisfyingly.
I stretched contentedly.
Two opponents down, four badges gained—even better than I’d hoped.
The Nangung Family trio must have taken down at least three people yesterday and divided the badges among themselves.
“Just as I thought—it really is you, Seol! Figuring out the Nangung Family’s scheme like that.”
“Haha, can you get up?”
“Without a scratch!”
With all the spoils secured, I owed it to my fallen comrade to pay my respects.
I consoled Maeng Ryeong Ji, saying that the fight with Nangung Min had been grueling and truly regrettable.
“Ugh… You’re right, I’m eliminated, but I believe in you—you’ll beat Nangung Min! I’m leaving the rest to you!”
“Don’t worry. Ryeong Ji, don’t hold back—go to the Safety Zone and ask for a Recovery Pill.”
“I will.”
Thump.
We bumped our fists together in a gesture of mutual encouragement.
And shortly after.
Since there seemed to be no trouble in her walk to the Safety Zone.
I escorted Maeng Ryeong Ji and headed back into the mountains to hunt for new prey.
‘So Ryeong Ji’s been eliminated. Nangung Min’s fighting strength is now halved… The remaining competitors would be Myeong Seong, Un Cheon, and Eun Hyun, I suppose?’
Surviving as the Buk Hae Ice Palace’s Doomed Young Lady (Serialized)
Author │ Musk Deer
Publisher │ Kim Ju Hyung
Published by │ J-Plus Media Co., Ltd.
Marketing │ Han Jae Hyuk
Address │ 401, Ace Techno Tower 8th, 33 Digital-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul (Guro-dong)
Email │ [email protected]
Website │ www.jayplemedia.com
ⓒ Musk Deer 2026
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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