The Enemy's Cunning Trap
'We could make tanks too, but given this fucking mountainous Korean Peninsula... Big Sis said large-scale tank operations are impossible in a land that's 70% mountains.'
Our enemies were armed with nothing more than stone axes, stone spears, and thick leather clothes at best, while we were decked out head to toe in gleaming bronze. My elite guard brimmed with confidence because of it. But it wasn't cheap for us either—our entire nation could only fully equip around 200 men like this. For reference, the remaining hundred or so were the 100 palace guards protecting the capital and a small detail of bodyguards for the divine clan (my family).
I myself was kitted out shiny as hell: a spear and sword with bronze blades, bronze armor and helmet, bronze shield, and limb guards. They'd made the king's gear the absolute best, and my harem girls polished and oiled it every day with utmost devotion, so my armor and helmet shone brighter than any other warrior's bronze kit.
It reminds me of that movie Troy. Even in the Bronze Age there, the heroes rocked flashy armor and fought all stylish.
"Father, what should we do? Just watch? The Total Commander said this is a strategic choke point we must defend. She warned us not to move rashly in case something like this happened."
"No. We hit them now while they haven't spotted us. Big Sis said defend this choke point, but she didn't say no attacking. We wipe these bastards out, take as many prisoners as possible, and ship 'em back home. They're just a ragtag tribal alliance. We gotta crush their momentum right from the start. Let's go!"
""Yes, sir!""
I led my elite guard in a stealthy charge, muffling our steps as much as possible. By the time the enemy noticed our approach, the battle was already decided.
The foes scrambled to grab their stone spears and shout warnings at the sight of our surprise attack, but I was already thrusting my bronze-tipped spear through the throat of a sentry warrior.
-Splat!-
"...Guhk!"
With the red blood spraying from the pierced throat of the warrior in front of me, the real fight kicked off. I kept charging ahead, not giving them a second to regroup.
"I'll lead the way!!! Follow me—!!!"
""Raaah!!! Follow Father!!! Uraaaah~!!!""
My elite guard roared in response, slicing into the enemy formation. It was 200 against 100, but I never once thought we'd lose.
"...H-Hiiik! M-Monster...!"
"Hyaaak! Run!"
"You idiots! Fight back!! ...Guk! Kheuk...."
Carving through these panicked barbarians whose lines had already crumbled was child's play. Especially once I targeted and butchered the veteran warriors—the ones barking orders to stand and fight against those trying to flee. Their morale shattered completely, and they collapsed like dominoes.
"You monster! I'll stop you here!"
"Hah. You? And block a bronze sword with that stone axe?"
-Thud!-
"...Wha—my stone axe.... Kheuk...."
"Ahh, this is what a bronze sword is, you uncivilized barbarian fuck."
A few veteran enemy warriors tried facing us with stone axes and spears, but our bronze blades and spears shattered their shitty stone weapons. Occasionally, one got lucky and jabbed a spear at our flanks, but most were blocked by bronze shields, and even the lucky hits bounced off our bronze armor harmlessly.
-Clang!-
"...My full-power spear thrust... blocked...?"
"Kuhaha, you dumb barbarian fuck. Think a puny stone spear can kill me? Die!!"
One enemy warrior slammed a stone spear into an elite guard's torso with all his might, only for it to glance off the bronze armor. He froze in shock and paid for it with an immediate counterattack.
"Guk... kheuk...."
"Kuhuhu, this is what bronze armor does."
Stone weapons versus bronze? The outcome was obvious. The tide had fully turned. There were way more fleeing enemies than those still fighting. Hell, no one was even trying to stand their ground anymore.
"Drop your weapons and surrender! Surrender and you live!!"
"Surrender! Surrender!"
"Drop your weapons!!"
"Run and we kill you!"
"We'll hunt you to the end! Drop 'em, kneel, and surrender!"
"Uwaaah! I-I surrender!"
"S-Surrender!!"
"...P-Please... spare us!"
Out of 200 enemy warriors, we killed about 60 and captured 100 as prisoners. Another 40 must've slipped away.
"Any casualties on our side?"
""None, sir!!""
"Kuhuhu. Perfect."
No losses on our end, 60 enemies dead, 100 captured. A total rout. Big Sis would be thrilled. If we kept chipping away at their forces like this, their barbarian alliance would crumble in no time.
"Father! Big trouble! ...The enemy tribal alliance! Those barbarian fucks!!"
"What're you freaking out about? We smashed 'em."
"...We got played! It's a trap! The enemy took the choke point the Total Commander ordered us to hold!!"
"What?!"
Ah, fuck. ...We're screwed.
My daydream of Big Sis praising me switched to visions of her chewing me out.
"...D-Don't panic! We just take it back! How many enemies?"
"...Around 3,000. 3,000 men."
"Huk.... 3,000...."
My elite guard was only 100 strong. No matter how good I was or how elite they were... '100 vs 3,000' was pushing it.
"Father, we can't stay here—retreat now! If we dawdle, they'll cut off our escape. They're trying to encircle us. We have to hurry!"
"...F-Fuck! ...Me, outsmarted by the enemy? By me? Fooled by those barbarian shits? No way, fuck...."
As I denied reality for a second, one of our prisoners snickered.
"Kukukuku, so the son of god's a dimwit after all. Did your god drop you headfirst on the ground after birth? Kuhaha, you're gonna die here. I'll prove to this land that demons like you aren't the gods' children!"
"You son of a bitch, you tricked me?!"
"Kuhahaha! Didn't you say the weak are wrong and the fooled are idiots? We just gave you a taste! Now we'll take all your women, kill off your seed, and make 'em kneel under us! Daughters of god, huh? Moaning under my comrades' hairy asses... kheuk...!"
"Keep talking, you dog. Oh wait, your throat's pierced—can't now."
"Father, calm down. This isn't the time. ...He was provoking you to stall. We need to break out now."
"Got it. Kill all the prisoners. No time to haul 'em. Hurry!"
""Yes, sir!""
We slaughtered the prisoners and bolted, desperately slipping the encirclement trap. But we'd fallen deep into their scheme, so escaping wasn't easy.
My mistake. Didn't think these barbarians had the brains for this... Guess they really ground their teeth for revenge, dead set on fucking us over.
After we looted their women... they must've been sharpening their knives in their hearts for payback. The bait in this trap were warriors from other tribes who sacrificed themselves like grasshoppers, banking on their allies' vengeance. Not something normal minds could pull off.
...Or maybe not? The prisoners we killed earlier claimed they didn't know... so maybe only a few key commanders were in on it. ...Anyway, we got played. Big Sis is gonna rip me a new one....
I pictured Big Sis smacking my back and head, yelling if I'd lost my fucking mind.
No choice now—at least save the elite guard. If I lose them all to a barbarian trap against Big Sis's orders and come back alone... she'll roast me alive....
I pushed my sons and descendants in the elite guard to their limits, fighting tooth and nail to break the encirclement. Can't get trapped. That single thought had me sprinting like a madman.
"Hahk... huk. Father... can we... just rest a bit?"
"No! Dig deeper! I'll get every one of you out alive!"
"Hngk, huk.... Father... then let us ditch this heavy bronze armor and shields. Too much weight... exhausting...."
"No way! Do you know how expensive that shit is?! Second Sis will chew us out! And if it falls into enemy hands... Big Sis's meltdown doesn't bear thinking about. Snap to it and push! You can do this! Push!!!"
Let one guy ditch his gear, and soon all 100 would. Then the enemy gets 100 free bronze armor sets and shields. Total disaster. I kept whipping my elite guard—my sons and bloodline—urging the retreat from the noose.
But inevitably, we ran smack into some of the enemy forces.