Traces
Among the continent, the number of soldiers who can handle the Gi I named Tugi is not many. The reason is that to obtain this power, one must fight demonic beasts for a long time and acquire it through the body.
Therefore, since the founding of the empire by the first emperor, demonic beasts have been rampant in various places, and their scale and damage have been increasing day by day. However, even for frontline commanders, seeing talking crows is very rare.
But Gu Sam was too busy demanding to have the Seokhwasa in his own pass processed, without doubting the crow's existence or understanding the source of its power. It was a part that showed how incompetent his military command was.
'Come quickly and exterminate this demonic beast! If this continues, the outer gate will be breached!'
"Why are you asking for cooperation from the crows to deal with a demonic beast that is not even an orc? Are there no talents in Galdaechon?"
'What nonsense! One of the convicts from your pass brought it!'
"Ah~ Is Park Gyu there?"
I had no intention of hiding it. I had instructed Park Gyu and other subordinates to rest in their camps, using injuries from the demonic beasts as an excuse.
If they were to use civilians as meat shields or drive the convicts into the meat grinder, I would deal with them immediately. They seem to be doing well.
'Right now, he's causing a ruckus in the pass because his wife is cheating with a man! Quickly issue orders to exterminate the demonic beast!'
This was not part of the plan. However, it seemed like he was trying to confuse them while assessing their situation, so I would deal with him later.
I whispered to Yeonri. It was to warn Gu Sam, but her ears turned red instantly with my cold, low voice.
"Your Excellency, because of the wind that ruined our pass's fields that day, many people had to suffer from hunger."
'Is that your revenge for the grudge back then!? If so, you chose the wrong method.'
"What do you mean?"
'The way to revive the dying Pamagok is on our side too, why don't you understand that?'
Gu Sam was narrow-minded and incompetent in military affairs, but his greed overflowed. So his wits worked quickly. He was the commander of the pass governing the border.
As the hub for those who judge me, he tried to seize the initiative in conversation from me cunningly.
'If the snake coiled in Galdaechon turns the imperial capital into a wasteland and the pass gates collapse, General Yuhyeon, your mood may be satisfied, but the situation will not be easy.'
"That part is..."
'Now, even if you request supplies from the Military Supplies Ministry, it's useless. They will prioritize supplying the materials you requested, so they won't have even one stone of grain for your side.'
"Why?"
Hehe. A characteristic lewd laugh. The eyes of Yeonri, who relayed the words, momentarily showed a look of concern. But after reading my expression, she quickly erased the anxiety and focused again on the connection with the crow.
Following my leisurely gaze, I looked around and realized.
'They pretend to be smart, but being former convicts, their knowledge is too narrow. However, this headquarters is already looking at the big picture. Precisely, I have already read the first chapter of the grand plan of what the Emperor will bestow upon us in the future.'
"What is that?"
'You won't change your mind just because you know, and since you can't change your mind before believing, I'll tell you to help your understanding. It's the extermination of the orcs.'
From Yeodong, where Pass 1 is installed, to Heukseo, where Pass 13 is located.
It was an expression referring to the barbaric tribes outside the Central Plains called the Outer Lands. Since there were many to discuss, in the empire, "orc" usually meant nomadic tribes led by chieftains who start wars, like Yashin.
Gu Sam had predicted that the Emperor would command an expedition to the Outer Lands and prepared for war one step ahead.
'This is something that the Generals who went with me to Pamagok last time will proceed with one mind and one heart. Now you understand? The meaning of no supplies going to that side.'
"I understand that, but there is one thing I am curious about."
"What is it?"
'Exactly which orcs does the Emperor want to exterminate?'
"Hey! How can the General not even know that!"
Gu Sam shouted in frustration at my question. Seeing Yeonri frown, she seemed to be shouting into the crow's ear.
'Yashin, Siseom, Togwol... Ignoring the Emperor's blessing that allows us to live peacefully under the sky by avoiding rain and drinking, the name of barbaric tribes that trample the imperial capital beyond that, has General Yuhyeon never heard of it?'
"Siseom... So Siseom is included."
'Of course.'
Siseom was the nomadic group most feared by the empire, along with Yashin and Togwol. Skilled in concealment and stealth, they disguise as animals or terrain objects and ambush soldiers patrolling near the borders, causing great damage.
A few years ago, the chieftain of Siseom, who had expanded their power by subjugating other tribes on the prairie, appeared. They burned three villages under Pass 8 and made the surrounding civilians terrified.
Unlike the cold-blooded Yashin, their temperament is fierce and they don't hesitate to eat people sometimes, so even seasoned soldiers couldn't hide their fear in front of their spears with heads on them.
'Anyway, it's not too late. Order your subordinates or send troops to directly deal with that beast. And if you stay quiet like before, perhaps I don't know? If I organize an expeditionary force, maybe I'll include you too...'
That should be enough. I had heard all the necessary information. I took a breath and said to Gu Sam.
"I don't think it's necessary to wage war against the orcs."
"Hm?"
"I already did."
"What...?"
I rolled the head of the Siseom chieftain, Kuchar, at my feet.
My subordinates were gathering and burning the corpses. Since it was something done countless times over the past few years, they were familiar.
I wasn't knowledgeable in farming or trade, so there was no immediate way to produce the lacking food. But after finishing the subordinates' training, one method came to mind.
If there's not enough to eat, just take it from elsewhere? And while at it, deal with the annoying orcs as well.
Especially Siseom, who are bloodthirsty, unlike the cautious Yashin. They weren't the type to be scared away by threats.
What do they want on barren land where there's nothing to eat, invading every day?
Even if food wasn't needed, I would have come to handle these primitive tribes just like now. The fact that the timing was one step ahead of the expedition, eliminating the need for the army to move, was unexpected, but...
"Currently, we were about to return with the chieftain's head and supplies."
"..."
"The seized food and donkeys will be loaded on donkeys and sent to the pass, thinking of me. There's no need to divide it. So, if you don't quickly exterminate the beast, won't your subordinates starve next year?"
"..."
"Gu Sam, Pass 5 Commander?"
Only silence followed. I called Gu Sam several more times after that. But no answer came from him.
Since Yeonri had only recently awakened her Tugi, maintaining the connection for long was difficult.
'Should I go myself?'
A few days later. After sending the food to Pamagok, I went to Pass 4 in Galdaechon. The gate was half-destroyed and open.
Park Gyu was the first to come out and bow his head.
"Sorry, General."
"Did I tell you not to mess with people from other places? At the point when there are over 20 adulterers, the real criminal is your wife, right...?"
"That is not what I meant."
What Park Gyu brought was Gu Sam's head.
"We couldn't handle the Seokhwasa properly."
"How did this happen?"
"After the conversation with the General, they were scared and tried to flee, but nearby convicts caught them."
The beast was rampaging outside, trying to enter the pass, and soldiers were in chaos. When trying to use the convicts as meat shields, they were killed by the angry soldiers, it is said.
"If they had just stayed put, they would have survived."
"The General will become the next Grand Marshal, so he thought he was done, no matter late or early."
Apologize vs suicide. Who would choose the latter.
Since I didn't bring troops either, and only Park Gyu came, it was impossible to control the convicts who lost reason fighting the beast. So I had no intention of punishing him.
"No Chil, the Pass 5 Commander, seems to have left this place quickly as well. He might still be nearby. Shall I send soldiers to search the surroundings?"
"No, leave it."
No Chil was not in the same group that came to Pamagok before.
He was just with Gu Sam when the snake was unleashed in Galdaechon. Even if he bit me a little at the drinking party, it wasn't enough to make him angry enough to say "his neck would fly off".
'Anyway, he can't abandon the pass.'
Convict conscription. Lax operation. A border that is a heaven for corrupt commanders, but one thing is strict: escaping the assigned area is severely punished.
As a Pass 5 commander, immediately leaving the 5 pass area would mean his neck flying off.
'Later, I'll drop by to see his face.'
So, in the abandoned Galdaechon, I was about to take a break and return to Pamagok. On the way to prepare to depart, I saw my soldiers scolding the convicts here.
"Ugh, the smell..."
"Aigoo, you bastard! Don't touch the intestines!"
"S-Sorry!"
They seemed to have misprocessed the corpse because they lacked experience in hunting beasts. One of the Seokhwasa's disguise split, and the contents spilled all over the reed field, ruining the surroundings.
Dangerous due to poison, but the nearby residents were curious if there's something useful in the beast's stomach. Most dissolve in strong acid and disappear without trace, but sometimes parts that don't dissolve well come out. In fact, one soldier found something.
"What is this? Looks like an iron plate."
"Pretty big. Rough, but can use as a shield."
"What's going on?"
"Clang!"
When I approached, the soldier showed the item he pulled from the disguise.
"Probably swallowed some orc guys before coming here."
"Yeah?"
"Here, no dye seen around, corroded but some ritual patterns. Creepy thing, don't touch, General..."
"Wait, stand there."
Even though it was half-torn from the bent iron plate, it was large enough to cover the upper body. The combination of dark blue and white characters looked familiar.
I made the soldier turn it 90 degrees. He moved the plate dripping with digestive fluid carefully as I instructed, not knowing English.
I read the blurry memory, naturally reading the familiar letters.
"Gang, Nam... what station?"
After some time passed.
"[Gangnam-daero 432->478. Sinnon... / ———]"
The moment I realized it was part of a road traffic sign that one sees when driving...
"What the fuck?"
The first curse word that came out after being reincarnated.