Shadow War (1)
Piiiing! Kwaang! The iron cannonball arcing through the air slammed straight into the ground. A complete misfire.
The group dodged the cannon blast by a hair's breadth. Gang Ryang spat a double curse.
"What the fuck! Where the hell did that cannon even come from?!"
At that moment, Moyong Woo shouted.
"Don't worry about the cannons— just run for now!"
"What? How the hell are we supposed to not worry about that? One hit from those and even the Thirteen Seats of Heaven and Earth would drop dead on the spot!"
"Yeon Commander will handle it!"
"Huh?"
In that instant, a streak of crimson light pierced straight through the air, hurtling toward the massive cannon.
Kwaaaang!
The crumpled cannon barrel flew into the sky. It was a strike infused with monstrous strength and extreme destructive power. Channeling White Tiger Qi into his enormous Gwangryongbu, Yeon Hojeong had turned a hunk of metal weighing over a thousand geun into so much scrap.
Gang Ryang's jaw dropped.
Is that even human?!
Then Yeon Hojeong yelled.
"Run faster! There's still a ton of those cannons left!"
Paaang! Moyong Woo and Gang Ryang picked up the pace.
Gang Ryang shouted.
"Damn it! We just run straight ahead?!"
"Just run! If Yeon Commander says so, there's a reason for it!"
"F-Fuck!"
That's when Gi U-hui spoke up.
"It's fine to run."
"Pardon?"
"I don't feel anxious. It'll be okay to run."
What the hell did that mean? Not anxious?
Pipipiping! Muk Bi, who had been unleashing a barrage of arrows, called out to Yeon Hojeong.
"Yeon Gongja! Maybe we should change direction...!"
Kwaaaaaang!
A massive explosion rocked the distance, and flames erupted from the snow-covered forest far ahead. Muk Bi's eyes widened in shock.
"Yeon Gongja!!"
Chwarururuk!
At that moment, the Gyo Ryong Swai burst through the flames, writhing wildly on its own. Peok! Pububuk!
"Kaaak!"
"Aaaak!"
Chilling screams echoed as red blood droplets splattered onto the pristine white snow.
Kwang! Kwaaang!
Explosions boomed one after another from the forest, right along the group's path. Gang Ryang's eyes shook.
What the...?
Kwaaang! Kwaaaang! Peueong!
Earth-shattering blasts split and crumpled the cannons, sending them tumbling everywhere. But that was just the start. Misfired gunpowder turned the area into a scorched wasteland, while shattered corpses flew high into the air, raining down blood.
What the hell is going on?!
It was as if a massive siege weapon was smashing every cannon in the group's path without mercy. In truth, that's exactly what Yeon Hojeong's martial arts were doing. Abandoning the frenzied forward charge of Blood Wing Swing Heaven, he relied on the extreme advancing power of White Tiger Army March Step and Black Tortoise Gong, pulverizing the cannons with sheer brute force.
"Wh-What?!"
"Kill him!"
Those hiding in the snowfields, clad in white robes for camouflage, frantically swiveled their cannons. Murderous intent blazed in Yeon Hojeong's eyes. He swung his Gwangryongbu at a boulder embedded in the ground.
Kwaaaaang!
It wasn't human strength. The sizable rock shattered into thumb-sized chunks, which he unleashed indiscriminately toward the cannons and hiders.
Pubububuk! Tadatadang! Kwaaang!
Not even a scream. Those who couldn't evade the high-speed stone barrage died on the spot. The cannons cratered deeply, detonating their powder in massive blasts.
Hoo.
Yeon Hojeong drew a deep breath. Weeeeng! The Four Gods Qi, empowered by Bi-ra Jin-gyeol, surged through his muscles and bones, infusing him with tremendous power.
Cannons, of all things. Never saw that coming.
He had already demolished over seven with his mad forward assaults. About five remained. Smash those, and they'd be home free—just running from here on out.
Why cannons here? Who these guys are? I'll figure that out later.
Resolve hardened in Yeon Hojeong's eyes.
And about the Western Divine Maiden, too.
Paaaang! From White Tiger Army March Step to Heavenly Apex Cloud Step. With light, almost graceful footwork, he closed in on a distant cannon and stomped another White Tiger Army March step.
Kwang! Kwaaaang!
Two more cannons crumpled in an instant.
Damn it.
No matter how strong Yeon Hojeong was, wrecking this many cannons with just an axe and chain was grueling. Force-based martial arts like his unleashed devastating power at the cost of massive stamina and inner energy drain. The principle applied to him too. Without his rigorously trained lungs, muscles, and stable Bi-ra Jin-gyeol, he'd be gasping and immobile by now.
Jjeeoooong!
His downward strike split a cannon barrel at an angle.
Four left.
Kwaaang!
The cannon flipped with a chunk of earth and flew sideways, smashing a boulder before embedding itself.
Three.
Then it happened.
Kururung!
Yeon Hojeong's eyes flickered. The remaining three cannons all swiveled toward him. They weren't aiming for the Western Divine Maiden—they wanted him dead first.
Chiiiiiik!
Short fuses ignited. Wuuuuung!
The White Tiger Qi enveloping Yeon Hojeong vanished, replaced by an auspicious cyan glow. Azure Dragon Qi.
Kwang! Kwang! Kwaaang!
Three blasts poured down on him in succession.
Kwarururung!
The forest was devastated in seconds. Unmelted snow and tangled dirt exploded outward; several trees uprooted and toppled.
"He's dead?!"
"Gotta be! Swing the cannons back! Reload! Target's already at the fifth line!"
"Got it!"
Kikikigik!
The cannon muzzles shifted with surprising speed. Made of steel, their weight was immense, yet they moved fluidly. Expert engineering.
That kind of thing.
Yeon Hojeong, now perched atop a tree, frowned down at them.
Official armaments. Military issue—no way around it.
His eyes twitched.
I knew they were tied to the government, but this deep?
Military cannons couldn't be removed privately. Without direct orders from the top brass, no high official could touch them. Sure, some had smuggled them out for emergencies, but not to hunt one person like this.
Fancy turning.
Yeon Hojeong inhaled deeply. Wuuuuuung. The frigid air soothed his tense organs.
Flash!
His eyes gleamed brilliantly. Teoooong! Shooting straight downward, he maxed out his Black Tortoise Qi. Not for defense. He was turning absolute defense into offense via extreme rebound force.
Black Tortoise Gong, ultimate technique of North Heaven Twelve Walls: True Martial Emperor Heavy Wall, manifested at full power through Bi-ra Jin-gyeol's bolstered Black Tortoise Qi.
Yeon Hojeong swung his Gwangryongbu at the central point of the three cannons.
Peueook!
A bizarrely curved invisible bullet pierced an assassin's thigh. As the body staggered, Muk Bi followed with a formless shot that blew off his head.
Peueok!
With that, every assassin was dead.
Gang Ryang yelled.
"Noona! You okay?!"
"I'm fine."
Her words said fine, but she wasn't. Reckless inner energy use had left her with severe internal injuries; she could barely cling to Gang Ryang's shoulder anymore.
Then a massive shockwave swept the area.
Kwarururung!
"Gasp!"
"W-Watch out!"
Moyong Woo shielded Gi U-hui; Gang Ryang caught the falling Muk Bi and turned his back.
Hwiiiiing! Kugugung!
The shockwave from the cannon-riddled forest triggered a local quake. No gunpowder this time. Pure explosive force from peak true energy.
Muk Bi cried out.
"Yeon Gongja!"
Kugugung! Kwang!
Metal cannons clanged as they flew; flames surged again. Gunpowder this time.
All eyes turned to the forest. Hwarururuk. The blaze roared skyward with terrifying momentum.
Gang Ryang paled.
"H-Hyungnim!!"
Then, as if awaiting his voice, a young man emerged, parting the crimson inferno.
Huk. Huk.
White vapor trailed his breaths, like the ragged panting of a blood-soaked beast after battle.
Moyong Woo's face lit up.
"Yeon Commander!"
"Huu. Huu."
Yeon Hojeong finally appeared. The group, ready to greet him with smiles, fell silent.
His state was gruesome. The Tang Clan armored suit held, but his body was drenched in blood, clothes torn and burst in places, burns everywhere. They'd never seen him this battered.
At the same time, awe overwhelmed them. He'd demolished over ten cannons amid endless blasts and survived. Tongue-biting prowess.
"Yeon Commander! You alright?"
"Not alright. Feels like every joint's out of place."
"You did great. Truly."
"Nah. Everyone suffered."
Yeon Hojeong looked at Muk Bi.
"You especially. Without you, we'd have been in deep shit."
A confident smile bloomed on her worried face.
"See? Told you I'd be useful."
"Gonna listen to you from now on."
"Damn right."
Yeon Hojeong pulled a small pill from his bosom.
"Brought it just in case. Take it."
"What's this?"
"Internal injury medicine."
"No. You need it more than—"
"I recover fast without it. And ahead, your archery matters more than me. Heal up first."
"But..."
"Order from the Myeol Sa Army Commander. Take it."
No arguing that. Muk Bi swallowed the pill.
Yeon Hojeong grinned at Gang Ryang.
"Kept up nice."
"...Hyungnim smashed nice."
"Smashing and killing's my job. This much is nothing."
Gang Ryang shuddered.
"Gonna train like hell. Can't catch your heel with normal practice."
"Good you get it now. Anyway, good work."
"Yes, you too, Hyungnim."
Yeon Hojeong turned to Moyong Woo. No words—just nods and smiles.
Finally, Gi U-hui. She flinched involuntarily, inhaling sharply. Moyong Woo soothed her.
"Yeon Commander's looks startled you. But don't worry. We're all here as your guards."
"...Yes."
Gi U-hui wasn't scared of the blood. Physicians saw worse. It was his eyes—piercing, transparent, seeing straight through her.
Yeon Hojeong met her gaze steadily, then bowed his head.
"We'll keep you safe. Let's move."
"Ah, y-yes! B-But your body... are you okay?"
His lowered eyes flashed coldly.
"Fine. Perfectly."