Chapter 520
Chapter 520
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 520
Chapter Title: The First Clash
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Bu Eun-seol respectfully cupped his hands toward Gongson Dan-gyeong.
“I understand.”
He then said in a calm voice.
“I will do my best.”
“I know you will.”
Gongson Dan-gyeong offered a slight smile, then immediately turned and left the tent.
Once she was gone, a chilling silence fell over the tent.
Gazing at Gongson Dan-gyeong’s command token on the table, Bu Eun-seol let out a sigh.
‘This time, it’s the opposite.’
In the past, when he participated in large-scale battles to become the heir of the Demonic Sanctum.
Because of the Blood Dance Brigade Leader who had been bribed by Do Cheon-rin, he was all but neglected, never given a proper mission.
But this time, in the Martial Alliance.
It was the reverse; he had been given a great responsibility, one far beyond his current rank.
“Captain Seon-u.”
Just then, Seong Jo-yeong looked at Bu Eun-seol.
“You are now the strategist in command of two divisions. Give your orders. We can’t just stand around here forever.”
He then added with a faint smile.
“For your information, I will not accept any order to remain stationed here for ten days. The Commander-in-Chief herself said we must break through their defensive line within that time.”
As he finished speaking, the corners of Seong Jo-yeong’s mouth curled up coldly.
‘Let’s see if you can even do it.’
When would a mere second-class captain like him have ever commanded forces of this scale?
Seong Jo-yeong was certain Bu Eun-seol would be at a loss, completely flustered.
However, Bu Eun-seol had led battles in the Demonic Sanctum commanding even larger forces as if they were his own limbs.
He had even commanded the forces of the Nangya Pavilion, the Muhasuyu Pavilion, and the Jeolcheonmyeolji—all part of the Ten Demonic Sects—at the same time.
Thus, far from being flustered, he spoke with a relaxed, almost leisurely expression.
“First, Vice-Commander Seong, you will attack the Celestial Being Cult’s main base through Jangsan Gorge.”
Seeing Bu Eun-seol show no signs of tension, Seong Jo-yeong’s eyebrow twitched.
‘So he has some nerve.’
“Hmm, are you ordering an immediate attack?”
“That is correct. However, it is almost certain that an ambush will be waiting near this gorge.”
As Bu Eun-seol pointed to the map and explained, Seong Jo-yeong snorted.
“All they can do is rain down arrows or rocks from the top of the gorge.”
He then declared in a confident voice.
“I will deploy the Golden Shield Unit under my command to first defend against their attacks, then immediately deal with the ambushers in the gorge.”
Bu Eun-seol thought deeply for a moment before nodding.
“Very well. Then, Vice-Commander Muk, you will lead your forces through Yangmun Mountain to attack the Celestial Being Cult.”
“I will.”
Despite receiving their orders, the two commanders’ expressions were indifferent.
They were vice-commanders who had already been promised the position of the next commander.
Among the experts of the younger generation, they had risen to the highest positions and achieved all the glory one could hope for.
Moreover, this campaign was Commander-in-Chief Gongson Dan-gyeong’s own initiative, unrelated to their own will.
They had nothing to gain from dealing with the Celestial Being Cult.
“Let me tell you one thing in advance.”
Seong Jo-yeong, who was about to leave the tent, turned and said.
“If my division breaks through the defensive line in one fell swoop, we will have no choice but to immediately advance into the Celestial Being Cult’s main base. Keep that in mind.”
He said with a sly smile.
“I know the Commander-in-Chief has her position, but we can’t just seize the momentum of victory and then foolishly retreat.”
“Of course.”
‘He’s trying hard to pretend he’s not flustered.’
At the unexpected reply, Seong Jo-yeong’s expression turned firm.
“Let me be clear, I have no personal grievances with the Commander-in-Chief. But in war, victory comes first, and my warriors come first.”
“Since you’ve put it that way, Vice-Commander, I will also speak frankly.”
Bu Eun-seol replied just as firmly.
“Even if both divisions advance from two sides right now, it is absolutely impossible to reach the Celestial Being Cult’s main base.”
“What did you say?”
Seong Jo-yeong tilted his head.
“If it’s impossible, then why are you sending the divisions in?”
“Think of this advance as a reconnaissance mission to gauge the enemy’s situation.”
It was a rather absurd answer.
Just then, Muk In-hyeok’s thick eyebrows twitched as he asked.
“I’d like to hear your reason for thinking it’s impossible.”
“Victory on the battlefield is usually decided by who defends better.”
He continued to speak calmly.
“Moreover, this is the Celestial Being Cult’s home turf. They will have fortified their defenses using not only the geographical advantages but also various other means.”
“Hmm.”
“They will never allow the two divisions to reach their main base.”
“Isn’t that obvious? Of course there will be resistance, and they will defend.”
Muk In-hyeok’s lips curled.
“That kind of insight seems insufficient to act as a strategist in the Commander-in-Chief’s stead.”
“There is another reason.”
Bu Eun-seol continued his explanation.
“According to intelligence from the main force, the Celestial Being Cult has been preparing for battle for a long time.”
“……”
“As proof, they had already established a perfect defensive line before our Alliance even entered the Yellow River area, and they show no signs of wavering.”
“And so?”
“First, in the Jangsan Gorge where you will be advancing, Vice-Commander, there will be a trap that even a large army would find difficult to defend against.”
Bu Eun-seol wore a faint smile.
“To increase the chances of success even slightly, we must send in a reconnaissance team and approach with caution.”
“So it was just some obvious talk after all.”
Muk In-hyeok sneered.
“Captain Seon-u. You haven’t been in the Alliance long, so you may not know.”
He said, the corners of his mouth rising.
“My division is composed of elite warriors who can annihilate the enemy under any adverse conditions. Do you understand what that means?”
The Divine Might Division and the Heavenly Martial Division.
True to their names, they were divisions composed of elite warriors capable of displaying divine might and martial prowess on the battlefield to annihilate their foes.
And their opponents were a heretical cult mixed with common folk.
To approach cautiously out of fear of their traps, then wait for a reconnaissance team to return before attacking—to him, that was nothing short of an insult.
Muk In-hyeok frowned and said.
“So you’re saying that not only Vice-Commander Seong’s division but mine as well will fail.”
“That is correct.”
“Then you’re saying you can predict what the trap is?”
“That is correct.”
“I’d like to hear it.”
“The Celestial Being Cult has been established in this Yellow River region for a long time, so it is a familiar presence to the common people. The people near Yangmun Mountain, in particular, trust them deeply, as they have received much help from the cult during times of famine.”
Bu Eun-seol explained without hesitation, as if he had already grasped the entire situation in the area.
“The common people should not be sacrificed in the battles of martial artists. However, the Celestial Being Cult could easily entice the people and use them in this battle.”
“I see, you’ve analyzed it that far.”
Muk In-hyeok was not particularly surprised.
The information Bu Eun-seol had mentioned was something he had already heard from his own subordinates.
“But no matter what scheme they devise, nothing changes.”
Muk In-hyeok said in a resolute voice.
“Whatever method they use, even if the Celestial Being Cult mobilizes its entire military force, they cannot defeat my division.”
The Celestial Being Cult possessed a considerable force, but it consisted mostly of a few martial artists hired with their vast wealth.
The majority were likely unremarkable wanderers or individuals who practiced bizarre dark arts.
They could never hope to match the formally trained warriors of the Martial Alliance.
And even if they used the common people to set a trap, he could simply ignore them and avoid a confrontation.
“Captain Seon-u. Let me give you a piece of advice.”
“I am listening intently.”
“Considering too many things can often complicate the battlefield.”
Muk In-hyeok said with a gentle smile.
“Sometimes, dealing with things as quickly and simply as possible is the best course of action.”
In the end, he was just like Seong Jo-yeong.
Whether Gongson Dan-gyeong was punished or not.
He had no intention of waiting ten days. If the opportunity arose, he planned to annihilate the Celestial Being Cult immediately.
“I will take your words to heart.”
As Muk In-hyeok and Seong Jo-yeong turned to leave, Bu Eun-seol once again cupped his hands.
“I wish you the fortune of war.”
As the two commanders left, all the hall masters and captains under them also turned coldly and exited.
“This is worrisome.”
Bu Eun-seol let out a deep breath.
He wasn't worried about commanding the divisions, or about failing his mission.
As the Lord of the Martial Soul Order, he had countless times devised strategies to annihilate his enemies, leading and commanding great armies.
What he was truly worried about was Gongson Dan-gyeong’s hidden motive.
‘What is her true objective?’
Bu Eun-seol had spent a long time in a secret chamber in the Silver Moon Pavilion with Gongson Dan-gyeong, discussing the strategy to strike the Celestial Being Cult.
And he could surmise that she had been observing the Celestial Being Cult’s movements for a long time and had been working to bring them down.
Did that mean the Celestial Being Cult was also connected to the Mugunggye in some way?
Or was she aiming to gain something else through the collapse of the Celestial Being Cult?
—Why exactly are you trying to bring down the Celestial Being Cult?
An ordinary person would have asked this question back in the secret chamber.
Especially since it was when she had proposed they join forces, she would not have avoided the answer.
But Bu Eun-seol didn’t ask.
She was not a friend.
They were merely in a relationship born of a transaction, their interests aligned.
In that case, it was not good to pry into each other’s affairs. A certain distance had to be maintained, and what was not willingly spoken of should not be asked.
Only then could trust be built in a transactional relationship.
“If this were the past, I would have thought this was all another test for me.”
But she had revealed her goal of annihilating the Mugunggye, and said it didn't matter even if Bu Eun-seol was a spy from the Three Realms.
That meant she genuinely intended to use Bu Eun-seol’s abilities.
She would never create such a troublesome test.
Besides, hadn’t she already predicted that the Celestial Being Cult would move the imperial court to buy time?
Bu Eun-seol recalled the conversation he had with her a few days ago.
* * *
“But if we end up striking the Celestial Being Cult, the Imperial Family will oppose it.”
Gongson Dan-gyeong, after formulating the entire plan with Bu Eun-seol, suddenly made a shocking statement.
“The Celestial Being Cult is under the powerful protection of the Empress Dowager.”
Bu Eun-seol’s eyes widened.
In the current Imperial Court, no one was unaware that the Empress Dowager’s power surpassed the Emperor’s.
It was a publicly known fact that the Empress Dowager had seized power by collecting the secrets and weaknesses of the imperial relatives and officials.
Because of this, no one in the court dared to go against the Empress Dowager’s word.
And now, the Celestial Being Cult was under the protection of that same Empress Dowager?
“The Celestial Being Cult is one of the Empress Dowager’s major sources of funding. So if our Alliance plans to strike them, she would never stand by and watch.”
Gongson Dan-gyeong wore a faint smile.
“Especially since it’s known that our Alliance doesn’t have solid evidence.”
“Even if we did have evidence, as long as the Empress Dowager opposes it, wouldn’t it be impossible to strike the Celestial Being Cult?”
“Not necessarily.”
Gongson Dan-gyeong smiled faintly.
“Because there’s no way the Emperor doesn’t know that the Celestial Being Cult is one of the Empress Dowager’s sources of funds.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“The Empress Dowager will surely demand that the Emperor stop our Alliance’s attack. Unable to refuse her nagging, the Emperor will issue a decree demanding clear evidence.”
Gongson Dan-gyeong smiled playfully.
“But what if, contrary to expectations, I present solid evidence in front of all the court officials? Then the Emperor, without having to worry about the Empress Dowager, could issue an order to wipe out the Celestial Being Cult.”
“I see… so that’s how it is.”
Bu Eun-seol couldn't help but admire Gongson Dan-gyeong’s brilliant stratagem.
She had anticipated her opponent’s move and used it against them, creating a snare from which there was no escape.
‘So in the end, the affairs of the martial world are inevitably linked to the imperial court.’
His intelligence network had always been focused on the martial world.
His ultimate goal was to find the culprit who killed his grandfather, and also those who harmed his parents.
He had never paid much attention to the movements of the Imperial Family, nor did he know anything about the situation there.
But Gongson Dan-gyeong, befitting the Commander-in-Chief of the Martial Alliance, understood the situation in the Imperial Court as clearly as if she were reading her own palm.
It wasn't because she was interested in the court’s affairs.
It was because the affairs of the martial world were, in the end, inextricably linked to the court.
“So, in the end, the evidence against the Celestial Being Cult could not be fully revealed.”
By not revealing all the evidence,
Gongson Dan-gyeong was giving Bu Eun-seol a chance to earn merit while simultaneously blocking the Celestial Being Cult’s interference.
“That’s right. Soon, the Empress Dowager will have the Emperor summon me to the capital. And she’ll time it for just before the battle begins, to create the most difficult situation possible.”
“Then you must have a countermeasure prepared for that.”
At Bu Eun-seol’s question, Gongson Dan-gyeong revealed her white teeth in a bright smile.
“Of course.”
* * *
Returning from his recollection, Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brow.
From the very beginning, all of these circumstances were within Gongson Dan-gyeong’s predictions.
But what hadn’t been discussed.
Was that Bu Eun-seol would become the acting Commander-in-Chief and lead the forces.
‘So her countermeasure was to entrust everything to me.’
Bu Eun-seol gave a bitter smile.
She had said she had all the countermeasures in place, so he hadn't asked for details, but…
To think that her brilliant plan was to hand over all command authority to him.
‘Well, I suppose it means that if I don’t have the ability to resolve a situation like this, I shouldn't even dare to dream of becoming a division commander.’
Perhaps this was.
Gongson Dan-gyeong’s way of verifying whether Bu Eun-seol had the makings of a division commander.
‘Becoming a division commander...’
The Seven Division Commanders rarely show themselves within the Alliance or even in the martial world.
At a glance, it might seem like they are in closed-door training, but in reality, they are likely handling endless tasks.
They are the candidates for the next leader of the Martial Alliance. They wouldn't waste even a single day.
However, the identity of Seon-u Jin was given to him by the Divine Calculator. The question remained: could he really rise to the rank of division commander with this identity?
‘No, he’s probably hoping for it.’
The Divine Calculator likely wants me to stir things up in the Martial Alliance.
Otherwise, he would never have told me that one of the Seven Division Commanders was my grandfather’s murderer.
‘I have to see this through to the end.’
With the current identity of Seon-u Jin, there is nothing he can do.
He had to rise through the ranks as quickly as possible to find the murderer, and beyond that, to grasp the situation of the Three Realms and destroy it.
Taking a deep breath, Bu Eun-seol turned and looked at the map spread out in the tent.
To do that, he had to handle this mission perfectly.
* * *
Seong Jo-yeong led the Divine Might Division’s forces and arrived at Jangsan Gorge.
Cliffs rose steeply on both sides, forming a narrow path just wide enough for a single carriage to pass.
The length of Jangsan Gorge alone was about forty li. With cliffs on both sides, it was obvious that an ambush party would be waiting to strike.
Furthermore, even light stones could have lethal power when thrown from such a height...
It was the optimal terrain for a small number of people to defend against the advance of a large army.
“Not a chance.”
But Seong Jo-yeong merely smiled.
There is a stark difference between a battle of ordinary soldiers and a battle of martial artists.
Martial artists can easily leap a dozen feet and shatter stones and boulders with their bare fists.
No matter how much they utilized the terrain, no matter how brilliant their strategy.
In the end, battles between martial artists are decided by the difference in their martial power.
Gazing at the gorge, Seong Jo-yeong said in a loud voice.
“The Golden Shield Unit will investigate what traps lie ahead.”
At his command, warriors wearing sturdy armor and carrying shields of a mysterious hue stepped forward.
Clatter, clatter.
Without hesitation, they executed their movement techniques and charged into the gorge.
The sight of them running in formation with their gleaming shields was like watching golden statues come to life.
But then, something strange happened.
The speed of the Golden Shield Unit, which had been charging forward relentlessly, began to noticeably decrease.
Splaash!
At the same time, something unexpected poured down from the top of the gorge.
They had expected heavy rocks or perhaps hidden weapons, but it was none other than a watery liquid.
Splat.
The Golden Shield Unit held their shields firm, but the thin liquid seeped through the gaps.
“Ugh.”
The charging members of the Golden Shield Unit all began to retch.
The liquid pouring down emitted a stench so foul it was beyond description.
Not only that, but wherever the liquid touched, their skin began to itch terribly and turn red.
“This is.”
The Golden Shield Unit’s captain, Mo Ak, gritted his teeth as he recognized the smell.
“It’s water mixed with diluted Nine-Nirvana Miasmic Poison!”
The Nine-Nirvana Miasmic Poison was a miasma created by mixing excrement with various poisonous herbs.
Because it was extremely cheap and easy to make, it was a poison commonly traded in the black market.
The Celestial Being Cult had anticipated that the forces passing through this gorge would be prepared for attacks with hidden weapons or rocks.
And so, they had prepared a large amount of this cheap, diluted Nine-Nirvana Miasmic Poison.
There was no better poison for flustering the enemy and breaking their morale.
“Retreat!”
In the end, the Golden Shield Unit retreated without having passed even halfway through the gorge.
The gorge was over forty li long. It was impossible to pass through it in one go.
Moreover, the Nine-Nirvana Miasmic Poison that had seeped through their armor made their entire bodies itch, and rashes broke out on their skin.
If they tried to force their way through, they could be rendered combat-ineffective by the poison.
“They have plenty of manpower, so they’ve resorted to such a peculiar tactic.”
Watching the scene, Seong Jo-yeong shouted loudly.
“Swift Sky Unit, wipe out the remnants in that gorge!”
Ordinary soldiers would find it impossible to deal with the enemies ambushing them from the top of the gorge.
But these were all elite warriors of the Martial Alliance. The Swift Sky Unit, in particular, was composed of warriors from the Divine Might Division with the most outstanding movement techniques.
Whoosh! Thwack!
In an instant, they began to leap up the cliff face, using protruding rocks as footholds.
They each carried a shield borrowed from the Golden Shield Unit in one hand.
It was obvious that their enemies would throw rocks or arrows at them as they climbed.
But nothing fell from the top of the cliff.
Thanks to that, the Swift Sky Unit was able to reach the top of the precipice in a single breath.
“...?”
But then, something strange happened.
Even though they had clearly almost reached the top of the rock face, the cliff seemed to be getting higher.