Shark Hunt (4)
“There aren’t enough sentries,”
“They must have concentrated their forces on the east or west side.”
With only his head above the water, Geum Cheon-gang muttered to himself as his fingers idly traced the Thunder Bomb sealed inside its case.
I hope I don’t have to use this until the job is done.
Each one was worth a king’s ransom. Hoping the matter could be resolved without them, he gathered inner energy into his fingertips.
It’s about time to move.
He flicked his finger underwater. Normally it would have produced nothing more than a few bubbles, but infused with internal power, a thin wave of qi rode the current and spread toward the Black Shark Squad members behind him.
We’ll have to split into two groups.
Recalling the Art of War he had once studied, Geum Cheon-gang sent three distinct signals.
The order was to divide and infiltrate from both flanks. The Black Shark Squad split cleanly in half around the third squad leader and their commander Geum Cheon-gang, then began to move.
It’s too quiet.
A natural question rose in his mind. They were now less than half a mile from shore. A short swim would bring them to the docks, yet there was no reaction at all?
Did they really funnel all their troops to the east and west?
Geum Cheon-gang slowed his movements.
It was hesitation.
The creeping fear that this might be an enemy trap. But he quickly shook the doubt from his mind.
Having already begun, retreat was no longer an option.
Kill, or be killed.
There were only two choices left.
Whether it became rice or soup, the time had come to draw their weapons.
Geum Cheon-gang reached the wooden barricade and paused to catch his breath. One by one, the Black Shark Squad members clung to the barrier and held perfectly still. The same scene played out on the opposite side.
He turned his gaze toward his loyal subordinate, the third squad leader. The faithful man was waiting for his commander’s order.
At last, Geum Cheon-gang gave a slight nod. Though the distance was considerable, the third squad leader—who had been watching closely—immediately recognized the signal. He began slowly drawing inner energy from his dantian.
One.
Two.
Three.
As if they were a single body, the two men burst from the water at the exact same moment and vaulted over the barricade. Hundreds of black-clad warriors followed silently behind them, landing on the other side.
“...It’s quiet.”
The southern harbor was deathly still, like a graveyard. It looked as though they had known the attackers were coming and had hidden themselves in advance. Geum Cheon-gang closed his eyes for a moment, lost in thought, then opened them and spoke.
“Stay alert and approach the Hainan Sword Gate as stealthily as possible.”
The Black Shark Squad began moving like cats slinking through alleyways at midnight.
One cautious step while scanning the surroundings.
Another step, growing suspicious at the complete absence of any human presence.
Another step, nerves stretched taut.
“Commander. Everywhere is empty.”
“It looks like the entire village has evacuated.”
So the villagers have all fled. In that case…
Geum Cheon-gang absently touched the case tucked against his chest.
Two bombs remained, after giving one to the sixteenth squad leader. If used at the right moment, they could annihilate the enemy in one strike. But he knew it wouldn’t be that easy.
Since a Thunder Bomb was used in the north, there’s a high chance the Hainan Sword Gate has already learned of their existence.
They might not know, but that was nothing more than wishful thinking.
Confirming that his subordinates were following closely, Geum Cheon-gang moved along the outskirts of the village. Normally one would follow the main road straight from the village to reach the Hainan Sword Gate, but the Black Shark Squad was an infiltration unit.
They could hardly stroll down the main path as if they were guests.
Even though this was their first real battle, they at least had the brains to realize that much.
They must all be gathered at the Hainan Sword Gate.
Geum Cheon-gang took the contents out of the case and slipped them into his robes, then carefully set the empty container on the ground.
“To have to stick our faces into the tiger’s maw. How depressing.”
“Commander Geum, but this is a sacred duty for the greater cause.”
“I know that. Which is why… we must risk our lives.”
Was this what it felt like to enter a dragon’s lair or a tiger’s den? Geum Cheon-gang let out a bitter laugh at the unfamiliar emotion. Thinking this might be his last, he straightened his bent knees.
“All units, infiltrate as quickly as possible. Anyone who stands in our way… cut them all down.”
In place of a reply, the black-clad warriors simply nodded.
I will take the lead.
If things went wrong, he would hurl the Thunder Bomb into the heart of the enemy formation.
Gathering energy at the tips of his toes, Geum Cheon-gang murmured in a low voice.
“The Heavenly Demon will be with us.”
A phrase he had heard his entire life.
Now the time had truly come to pray that it was true.
The inner energy at Geum Cheon-gang’s feet exploded outward, launching his body forward like an arrow.
The black-clad warriors surged after him, charging toward the Hainan Sword Gate.
What greeted them was…
“Arrows! Everyone deploy sword screens!”
At his command, the black-clad warriors drew their blades in unison and raised sword screens. The sight of hundreds of martial artists forming a sword screen at once was truly spectacular. And the hundreds of arrows flying toward them painted an equally striking picture.
If a painter had been present, he would have captured this scene on canvas.
Had they lived long enough to do so.
The dark night sky was filled with the sound of arrows bouncing off swords.
“Ugh…”
“Ugh… this is shit!”
“Fuck…”
Those whose sword arts were still immature and couldn’t properly form a sword screen were struck by arrows and tumbled across the ground. Their comrades who had successfully raised their screens glanced at the fallen with sidelong looks, then turned their hardened gazes forward once more.
There’s no time to save them.
It was only natural. The moment they showed their backs, they would become porcupines. The black-clad warriors abandoned the growing number of stragglers and charged toward the archers firing from the main road leading to the Hainan Sword Gate.
“Kill them all!”
“Retreat!”
But who would allow them to fight as they pleased? The Hainan Sword Gate warriors swiftly withdrew, leaving the charging black-clad warriors staring up at the roof like dogs chasing chickens.
The distance was considerable, and the moment they reached the foot of the mountain, the ground gave way beneath them.
“Commander! It’s a trap!”
“Squad Forty-Two! Are you alright?!”
“...He seems to be dead!”
“...Poison? Could it be the Tang Clan…”
“It doesn’t appear to be the Tang Clan.”
Trapped arrows, huh.
Geum Cheon-gang instinctively realized that continuing forward like this would result in massive casualties. It was obvious the Hainan Sword Gate warriors had left traps behind in their wake. No matter how rigorously trained the Black Shark Squad was, fighting the Hainan Sword Gate while dodging traps would be too much to handle.
I never imagined they would fight like this.
Most martial artists tended to look down on archery, after all. The orthodox sects were even more so. He had never expected the Hainan Sword Gate to defend themselves entirely with bows.
While their advance was stalled, William, who had been watching the scene, clicked his tongue.
“What a shame. If they had charged blindly, we could have dealt with them easily.”
With a face full of regret, William looked down at the Black Shark Squad halted at the mountain’s entrance.
As long as the southern harbor village lay behind them, poison arrows and traps alone could not end the fight.
Still, it looks like we inflicted quite a meaningful blow.
What gets in the way on the battlefield isn’t corpses.
What truly hinders you are injured comrades. If these men were corpse puppets it might be different, but since they were living people, it was impossible not to be distracted.
Was there anything more distracting than wounded allies?
William recalled his days of active duty on the battlefield and gave a bitter smile.
To think I’m now using the tactics that once nearly killed me.
“It seems they’re pulling back.”
At the sect leader’s words, he snapped back to attention and looked ahead. Just as the sect leader said, the enemy could not easily advance toward the path leading to the Hainan Sword Gate.
They must have realized the traps were there.
Normally one would consider retreating… but the warriors of the Hainan Sword Gate knew full well that Demonic Cult martial artists could not afford to do so.
After all, they had abandoned their ship and entered the harbor.
Therefore, only two choices remained for them.
Return to the empty southern harbor to regroup and fight again, or charge forward despite the danger.
Going back or hiding would be tantamount to suicide, so in reality there is only one choice.
William planted his pollaxe into the ground and raised his hand. It was the signal prearranged with the Hainan Sword Gate warriors. The archers who had lowered their bows immediately nocked arrows and drew their bowstrings.
Tension flooded the faces of the black-clad warriors who saw it. If things continued this way, they would be slaughtered one-sidedly. Even if they tried to flee backward, only the empty southern harbor awaited them.
The ship was floating in the middle of the sea, so escaping by boat was practically impossible. And if they hid and tried to hold out, they would slowly starve to death.
Geum Cheon-gang instinctively realized there was only one way to break the current situation.
Whether they planned this or it was coincidence…
Either way, he had no choice but to play the card in his hand. Geum Cheon-gang sensed that the time had come to use the Thunder Bomb he had been safeguarding.
“We must close the distance somehow.”
“We will take the lead.”
One by one, the Black Shark Squad members stepped in front of him and formed a protective circle. If they could just get close enough, the Thunder Bomb could inflict devastating damage. It was worth attempting.
Geum Cheon-gang squeezed his eyes shut, then slowly opened them and muttered.
“I’ll buy the drinks in the afterlife.”
The black-clad warriors spread out wide and kicked off the ground.
“So they chose to charge after all.”
With a calm expression, William lowered the hand he had been holding up.
Arrows sliced through the cool night breeze and flew toward the enemy.
The archery skills of warriors who had never drawn a bow before were abysmal. Unless the distance was extremely close, accuracy was not something one could expect.
At that level, they could have simply ignored the arrows and charged straight in.
But when there were hundreds of such arrows, combined with traps… even those flying in the wrong direction became threatening.
“There are traps on the ground!”
“Watch out for snares!”
“It’s a net!”
“Damn it!”
Horrible screams rang out from all directions. Geum Cheon-gang ran forward while looking only straight ahead. If he could just throw the Thunder Bomb, he could turn the situation around.
Because he still had clear hope, his eyes burned with fighting spirit.
And William, seeing that fighting spirit, pulled his pollaxe free from the ground.
“That one appears to be their leader.”
“Are you planning to step forward yourself?”
“Yes. There’s a high chance he’s carrying the Thunder Bomb, so I’ll make sure he doesn’t get anywhere near here.”
“You might get hurt.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve already prepared countermeasures against the Thunder Bomb.”
William took out the small gourd hanging at his waist. He opened its lid, looked at the sect leader, spread his hand wide, and declared.
“I will make sure they cannot even use the Thunder Bomb.”
It’s been a long time since I’ve done this.
Feeling old memories from his knightly days resurface, William stepped forward.
His target was obvious to anyone—Geum Cheon-gang, the man radiating the aura of “I am the commander.”
With light movements, William landed between the Hainan Sword Gate and the Demonic Cult forces, blocking Geum Cheon-gang’s path.
“A colored-eye foreigner…?”
“Are you their leader?”
“...Move aside, colored-eye.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that. I can’t let you climb up there carrying a Thunder Bomb.”
William slowly raised his pollaxe. He aimed the butt of the shaft toward Geum Cheon-gang. Recognizing it as a ready stance, Geum Cheon-gang glanced upward warily and drew his sword.
If he couldn’t deal with the colored-eye warrior before him, advancing would be difficult.
I’ll finish him quickly and push forward.
He could not afford to be held up here.
“...You will regret stepping forward.”
“That’s my line.”
The colored-eye warrior and the martial artist of the Demonic Cult began their clash.