“The way the plants of the Seocheon Flower Garden and the stars in the sky face each other—it’s like a staged performance, you know!”
It seemed the channel manager of the Northern Ice Hell was very fond of Zack’s promotional video for the Farming Team.
“I cried watching that scene, you know. And I thought, the person who made this must truly love the Seocheon Flower Garden! Otherwise, how could anyone create something like that!”
“Really, Zack…?”
Naturally, all eyes turned to Zack. Embarrassed, Zack scratched his head and shrank away.
‘No, it’s not quite that much…’
“Is this the person who made that video?! He’s using sign language!”
Seeing Zack’s hand gestures, Seolpyo approached with an excited face.
Watching him, Hallakgoong and Mujae thought of the same person.
Not long ago, when the Facilities Team leader first met Zack, it was exactly like this. Hallakgoong whispered quietly to Mujae.
“Looks like Zack has star quality, he keeps gaining fans.”
“Is that why such emotions came out in the video? No words needed! A video that explains the beginning and end of life with only visual elements! Truly amazing!”
“The beginning and end of life?”
No plant actually died in the Farming Team’s video.
The last scene was the ripe corn seeming to touch the stars in the sky.
Mujae’s question was answered by Seolpyo.
“Oh, in Northern Ice Hell, stars mean ‘the end.’ I gave you materials but I forgot to explain that!”
Only then did the excited Seolpyo turn the cover of the materials he’d handed out. Inside was a rough map and description of the areas of Northern Ice Hell.
But….
“Seolpyo, the map keeps moving.”
Mujae was right.
The glaciers and place names on the map were constantly shifting.
Gently floating, as if the glaciers themselves were drifting. With a bright smile, Seolpyo replied.
“Of course! This is Northern Ice Hell, after all.”
Is that so.
Well, then.
The Promotion Team’s long journey had only just begun.
Brimming with excitement, Seolpyo began his explanation, marking the map with his pen.
“This is Soul Ice Ford, where you all arrived. Everyone who comes to Northern Ice Hell must pass through here, but you have to be careful not to run into any of the many glaciers….”
‘We already ran into them….’
Having almost frozen to death after crashing into a glacier, Zack waved his hands in protest, but Seolpyo didn’t pay him any mind.
“Up here is Glacier Waterfall, and the Perennial Snowfield… Ah, you must visit Black Tortoise Lake. The black ice there is truly a magnificent sight!”
Seolpyo’s brush darted quickly over the map, circling locations.
“And whatever you do, don’t go to the Glacier Labyrinth. Even I have trouble finding my way there.”
X marks instantly appeared on everyone’s maps.
It looked like ordinary paper, but somehow all the maps seemed to be linked.
“Here! Here, the Aurora Terrace, even if it’s hard, you absolutely must go. The stars are best seen from there.”
“Aurora Terrace?”
Just the name gave the impression that the place would be extremely difficult to reach. Seolpyo nodded vigorously.
“It’s the highest place in Northern Ice Hell. The aurora is always dancing there… That’s where Songje Great King resides! There’s almost no movement there. You could say it’s the North Star of Northern Ice Hell.”
‘Come to think of it, isn’t Songje Great King coming out?’
Supreme King Cho-gang from Boiling Hell had shown up from day one.
Of course, it seemed more for security and to check out outsiders than for a welcome.
When Zack asked, Seolpyo, who had been so lively, suddenly looked flustered.
“Songje Great King hardly ever leaves his base. From Aurora Terrace, he can see all of Northern Ice Hell, so there’s no need for him to leave!”
“Is that so…?”
Hallakgoong’s suspicious tone made Seolpyo falter. With a bright but hurried smile, he quickly changed the subject.
“Of course! And the stars seen from Aurora Terrace are the ‘real’ thing. You must! You absolutely must see them!”
Seolpyo’s earnest eyes sparkled.
The Promotion Team’s lodgings were also entirely made of ice.
From the walls to the floor and even the furniture, everything was sleek, polished ice, but there were plenty of fur fabrics all around.
Zack leapt swiftly into the pile of fur bedding. Watching tufts of fur fly up into the air, Hallakgoong shook his head.
“He’s really not like a person today.”
“That’s too much to say to a friend. Just say he’s like a big dog.”
“That’s right.”
Zack, buried under the blankets, frowned as he listened to Mujae and Hallakgoong’s conversation.
Only his hand popped out from the covers, protesting fiercely.
‘It’s because it’s cold! What else could I do!’
But Mujae and Hallakgoong’s minds were full of other things.
The Northern Ice Hell collaboration was turning out to be much bigger than expected.
The two of them sat at an intricately carved ice table and spread out the map of Northern Ice Hell that Seolpyo had given them.
“This is where we are.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“The places Seolpyo wanted us to film for the documentary start from here and go around this way.”
Mujae pointed out the locations, counterclockwise from the center.
In between, the areas marked with a huge X by Seolpyo—the labyrinth—seemed to loom threateningly.
With his head lowered, Hallakgoong spoke up.
“…Should I just sit this one out?”
“What?!”
Mujae’s eyes, nose, and mouth all widened at Hallakgoong’s unexpected words. Hallakgoong waved his hand.
“Hahaha, no, I was just saying.”
“Why? Is it because it’s too cold? Or are you afraid we’ll get lost?”
“…Well, that too, honestly.”
Hallakgoong glanced back over his shoulder. Even the large dog who could handle any heat had his eyes round and drooping with worry.
Hallakgoong sighed and finally spoke again.
“Actually… Mujae, do you know what kind of people end up as sinners in Northern Ice Hell?”
“Huh? That….”
Mujae recalled the time he had stood on the Judgment Platform in Northern Ice Hell.
Songje Great King of Northern Ice Hell was one of the most silent of the Kings of the Underworld.
He’d been surprised that even he could not see Mujae’s past life, but instead of blaming Mujae, he simply checked again, silently.
And he’d only asked Mujae two questions.
-Have you ever lived together with others?
-Or, does your hole run too deep?
Even remembering it now, Mujae couldn’t make sense of the questions.
After that, Northern Ice Hell had given Mujae a strange sort of free time.
Like the other hells, he was summoned multiple times, but he was left alone, never judged for his sins again.
“…No, I don’t know.”
Mujae scratched his head as if it was giving him a headache. Seeing this, Hallakgoong sighed again.
“I just feel like I might be one of them.”
“But you’re not a sinner, are you?”
Mujae couldn’t hide his exasperation.
“You’re the only son of the Ggotgam Officer! You’re not even a dead soul, you’re a god!”
“Well, that’s true.”
Hallakgoong’s lips twitched, but he fell silent again. It felt like there was more he wanted to say but swallowed it back. To ease Hallakgoong’s worries, Mujae rambled on.
“Don’t worry too much. We’ve got the compass Seolpyo gave us, and the map. Even if we get lost in the labyrinth, Seolpyo will come rescue us. It might be different if it was just some insignificant departed soul like me, but we have the Ggotgam Officer’s son and an international student from afar! If we disappear, it’ll be a huge diplomatic incident! Right, Zack?”
Nod, nod, nod!
Zack, bundled up in blankets, nodded fiercely. Mujae, hands on his hips, declared confidently.
“And if push comes to shove, we have that too! The Lucky Pouch the Ggotgam Officer gave us….”
“Oh, that.”
Hallakgoong’s face, which had started to relax at his friends’ antics, suddenly turned grim. Very grim.
“I’m never using that.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve got a bad feeling. Really bad.”
Hallakgoong warned his friends once again.
“Even if I die, don’t ever use that.”
He pointed at the colorful Lucky Pouch tied to his camera. Sara had tied it on before they left the Seocheon Flower Garden for Boiling Hell. Mujae, unable to answer right away, watched as Hallakgoong repeated his warning.
“Never. Absolutely never use it. I’m sure there’s something about it.”
Later, Mujae would regret not taking Hallakgoong’s words to heart that day.
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