Inferno Riding (2)
"Hahaha!!! Look at that pretty boy over there!!"
"Oh man, check out that thick-headed cutie!! I like guys who don't tie their hair up!!"
"Look at that hair swaying!! Aww, so cute!!"
The Qiang tribe barbarians weren't after anything else—they were gunning for me.
I could feel the sticky lust in their eyes.
Fuck...
A strange terror gripped me, my asshole clenching tight.
What terrified me even more was that they completely ignored the beauties around me.
And the most horrifying part? They were all men.
"Don't kill him!!!"
"Got it."
"But he looks full of energy. We gotta chop off his arms and legs!!"
The moment I spotted a Qiang rider yanking out his bow while charging like a madman, I barked an order.
"Everyone!!! Protect the wagon!!!"
I shouted at the Kim Squad, gripping my sword and bracing myself.
Whoooosh!Whoosh!!
The Qiang bastards fired blunt arrows meant for capture.
Ting!! Clang!!
I deflected the ones I could while galloping, closing the distance in a circular sweep.
"Haha!! Up close, he's even hotter!!"
"Wanna have some fun with your big bros?!"
The Qiang scum drew their swords and swung at me.
Losing here meant suffering something worse than death. Gritting my teeth harder than usual, I fought back.
"KIIIYAAAAK!!!"
I blasted away my fear of losing my purity and dread of the enemy with a battle cry!!
Whoooosh!!
Riding the momentum, I swung my sword wide.
Spluuuurt!!!!
Gentleman Wind
It was a crowd-control skill that unleashed area attacks on regular foes—a signature move of the Mount Tai Secret Sword, practically its ultimate technique.
You could unlock something called Immortal Slash at the final tech tree, but this one saw way more action.
Spluuuurt!!!
My clean sword stroke cleaved through the Qiang warrior on horseback and his mount in a wide arc.
The horse's body and the rider atop it split in two, scattering everywhere.
"What kinda power is that..."
The Qiang warriors' lust-glazed eyes hardened.
"Urgh!!!"
I slashed down a panicking one, unhorsing him, then whipped my sword the opposite way.
Spluuuurt!!
Thanks to Gentleman Wind, several warhorses and Qiang warriors ahead were shredded at once.
"Over there!! Target the wagon!!"
"Grab hostages!!"
The Qiang raiders, pros at plundering, zeroed in on exactly what I feared and charged our wagon.
"Don't chicken out—target their horses!!"
I yelled at the Kim Squad.
Clank.
Guan He voluntarily gripped his polearm and took position. The others followed suit. After solid training, they weren't panicking as much against cavalry anymore.
Clop clop!!
Timing it as a few Qiang riders closed in, Guan He swung his polearm from the front.
Splurt!!
His strike smashed into the horse's leg like an axe into a tree trunk.
"Gah!!"
The Qiang soldier tumbled spectacularly to the ground.
Stab!!
Chun Seol exploited the fall, thrusting her spear into his vitals.
"Hup!!"
Guryeokgu hacked away with his axe, chasing enemies, while Mok Lan picked off incoming Qiang soldiers from afar with her composite bow.
Flash.
And Gwang Yeom's bald head gleamed as always.
"Hiihiihiiing!!!"
The horse reared back, blinded by the shiny dome, and Gwang Yeom bashed its head with his heavy club.
The old northerner covered gaps in the formation, steadily defending the wagon.
We repelled the Qiang warriors' first wave successfully.
These jingling freaks.
If you spotted about ten western nomads from Xiliang, it meant thirty more lurked nearby.
"Speed up the wagon a bit!! Let's get outta here first!!"
In this vast plain, standing our ground meant getting swarmed and slaughtered. Better to find some terrain to our back and reposition.
Right then.
"There they are!!"
"Grab 'em!!"
Dust clouds rose from all sides as more Qiang pursuit squads closed in.
This is why Xiliang's such a hellhole... Living in places like this must twist people's tempers. Gripping the reins, I wondered if we could break through. That's when I scanned ahead.
Clop clop!!
A single warhorse charged like a comet.
A golden-haired warrior elegantly mounted on a white steed gripped a spear and galloped forward.
Pretty. My beauty radar pinged instantly. She wore a helmet, but it couldn't hide her looks. Golden hair, piercing blue eyes visible from afar. Kinda like Bu Yong-hwa, but if she'd killed a few more people.
Spluuuurt!!!!
Her spear shot forward like a comet, skewering the Qiang formation in one go.
"Urk..."
The Qiang warriors' mood shifted instantly.
"Th-that's the Golden Horse Tenderfoot..!!"
"Why's the Golden Horse Tenderfoot here...!"
From their near-screams, I knew who she was.
Golden Horse Tenderfoot...! Ma Chao. No clue I'd run into a named character here.
------
Not long before this.
"Ma Chao. Where you off to?"
Ma Chao's father, Ma Teng, eyed her and asked.
"Huh?"
Ma Chao glanced at him, sword at her hip, spear tucked under her arm.
"The nomads have been acting up lately 'cause of the turmoil. Thought I'd go patrol."
"Hm. Is that right."
Ma Teng smirked.
"Or are you just bored? No battles lately."
He saw right through his daughter's true motives.
"...Heh. Yeah, kinda."
Ma Chao grinned and left without another word.
"Full of vim and vigor."
Ma Teng chuckled at her retreating back, crossing his legs.
Ma Chao's routine was this: regularly riding the plains, hunting nomads who preyed on the border folk.
A pretty happy daily life. She had her beloved father Ma Teng and the whole Ma clan, including Ma Dai.
Most, including her father, talked about pushing into the central plains to prove their strength, but Ma Chao didn't care. Honestly, she was content right now.
Savoring the joy of her steady, repeating routine—
Ching. Clang.
Weapons clashed in the distance.
Ma Chao turned her horse toward the noise.
"KIIIYAAAAK!!"
A lone man was slashing through Qiang raiders, screaming like a maniac. Looked like he'd been surrounded by them.
Fights clean. No wasted moves in his swordplay. Simple, but every strike packed spirit and power.
The central plains are vast... Everyone in Xiliang said the中原 folk were weak, and no one here matched her, but the world was bigger than that. It thrilled her.
The small squad he led was defending a wagon fiercely.
They wore proper uniforms, so some army unit. If it was Han Sui's enemy forces, no duty to help... but didn't look like it.
Clop clop!!!
Knights-errant save those in distress. With that thought, Ma Chao drew her spear and dove in.
-------
Ma Chao the Fierce—a Xiliang killing machine with insane specs in the game.
Seeing her in person, her overwhelming martial prowess hit like Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, or Zhang Fei in the flesh.
Spluuuurt!!
Using her spear like an extension of her body, Ma Chao carved through enemies, scattering the Qiang horde.
If Ma Chao was helping me, time to pitch in.
"Everyone!! Charge!!"
Leading the Kim Squad, I ordered the advance.
Thanks to Ma Chao's intervention, we drove off the Qiang vanguard unscathed.
-------
Once things settled, Ma Chao stayed mounted and asked me,
"Who are you? Don't look like you're from Xiliang."
She stared straight at me.
"Ah..."
Introductions. Crucial.
"I'm Kim."
I introduced myself. With her guidance, straight free pass to Ma Teng, right?
"Kim... Weird name. Foreigner?"
Ma Chao eyed me.
"Makes sense—no topknot."
She nodded to herself.
"I'm with Lord Liu Bei's army—Liu Xuande. He's on an important mission from His Imperial Majesty's secret decree to Lord Ma Teng."
I dropped the emperor's edict cheat code. Works every time.
"His Imperial Majesty..."
Ma Chao's expression changed. Cheat confirmed.
"Oh. Forgot to introduce myself."
After a brief silence, she spoke.
"I'm Ma Chao, style name Fierce. Ma Teng's daughter—the one you wanna meet."
Yup, girl... Par for the course now. No point nitpicking.
"Xuande's ahead. Mind if we join up?"
"Yeah, was gonna suggest that. This area's Qiang territory—the most belligerent Maken tribe. Lucky you."
Ma Chao glanced at me, cheeks faintly flushing.
"...The Maken have this custom: rape a man, absorb his strength. Started as superstition, but now they're legit perverts. You'd have had it rough if caught."
She shared a Xiliang horror story.
Screeech!!
"Let's go. You lead."
Ma Chao joined our group right away.
--------
We raced the plains, following Liu Bei's vanguard trail.
Halfway, I realized it wouldn't be easy.
"Trail's broken. Must've hit the Qiang main force."
Ma Chao sighed.
Chaotic hoofprints and footprints everywhere, Qiang corpses strewn about.
Thankfully, no Liu Bei bodies.
Enemy numbers were higher than expected; turned into a melee, and they broke through to escape.
Lu Bu's group is even further ahead... But they're Xiliang locals—probably found their way fine.
"What if your comrades got captured..."
Ma Chao fretted.
"Nah, doubt it."
Liu Bei's forces were top-notch manpower. Battle-hardened from scraps—wouldn't die pointless deaths. Record's just shit.
"They're strong. They'll survive fine."
They'd probably make it to Ma Teng on their own. That's what I figured.
"Hm?"
Ma Chao looked intrigued.
"Stronger than you?"
"...Yeah. I'm the weakest."
Liu Bei was about my level; Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, Zhao Yun were another tier.
We needed to prove our worth to Ma Teng anyway. Better look strong.
"Hm... Really?"
Ma Chao perked up, interested.
"Guess no worries then. I'll guide you to my father."
She eyed the horizon.
"Plus, our guys are hot-blooded like me. Probably patrolling—er, strolling—the area, so they might've found your comrades already."
Gazing across the plains, Ma Chao naturally turned her horse, changing course.