Chapter 187
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Lightning Flash (7)
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So Myeong-rang's leg hurt so badly it felt like it had been torn clean off, leaving him unable even to think of standing. But he didn't scream in pain or bother checking the state of his wounds out of curiosity. The moment he let his guard down like that, his head—the one part of him still intact—would go flying.
And so, even as he rolled, So Myeong-rang discarded his Stabilizing Heavy Blade and drew his dagger instead. He rolled straight toward the pursuing elite squad member, slamming his heel down on the man's instep before wrenching his upper body upright with every ounce of strength left and thrusting the dagger into his gut.
Pu-k. Pu-k.
So Myeong-rang managed to deal with that one attacker squeezing out his last reserves of energy, but there was nothing he could do about the other elite squad member closing in from behind. His stance was already awkward, and he had no strength left to act.
Damn it all.
So Myeong-rang muttered under his breath as he glanced back. At least he'd get a look at the face of whoever was about to kill him.
But the elite squad member who had just been about to stab him locked eyes with So Myeong-rang and, bizarrely, dipped his head low in a greeting.
What the hell?
As So Myeong-rang stared, something heavy struck the back of the man's head, exploding it open. That's why his head had jerked like that.
Right on his heels came Hyeong U-saeng, the one who'd thrown the stone, charging in like a madman.
"You okay?"
"Do I look okay, damn it?"
So Myeong-rang gave a bitter smile, but a chunk of flesh had been torn from his thigh, blood pouring out in streams.
For reference, the javelin Gong Son-hwang had hurled packed so much force that it was still quivering where it had plunged into the ground over there.
"You're chattering away just fine, so you must still have plenty of fight left. Come on, let's get moving."
Hyeong U-saeng hoisted So Myeong-rang up as if it were no big deal and hurried off. So Myeong-rang knew how dire the situation was, so without a word of protest, he leaned on Hyeong U-saeng and bolted like a rabbit.
Thud thud thud.
Only then did the seven or so warriors loosely encircling them come charging after. Hyeong U-saeng matched their pace before suddenly spinning around and hurling a stone. The pursuers scattered in surprise. But the casually tossed stone merely plopped harmlessly to the ground—a classic case of overreacting to a toad only to freak out even more at the sight of a pot lid.
The elite squad wasn't usually this sloppy. But over half their number lay dead or wounded, including their squad leaders. Morale was in the gutter, turning them into a ragtag mob.
Hyeong U-saeng cackled with amusement. Yet he didn't let up, pressing on with So Myeong-rang until they slipped into a large cave halfway up the rocky slope—the very passage they'd used earlier, linking the canyon path to the trail on the other side.
Infuriated, two squad members leaped forward. From deep inside the passage shot a stone like an arrow.
Thwack.
One of the two froze as the head of the man ahead of him burst open like a watermelon.
Thud thud thud thud—
From afar arrived Gong Son-hwang astride his horse, nine squad members in tow—the ones who'd thrown the spear earlier.
......
"Have you ever seen such idiots?"
Gong Son-hwang exploded in rage, summoning the surviving squad members and swiftly reorganizing their ranks.
And so the standoff began.
Hyeong U-saeng had started hurling stones from the elevated passage, holding the high ground.
The passage was short but narrow. To catch Hyeong U-saeng and So Myeong-rang, they had to enter it, but his stone barrage didn't miss a beat. Even pushing in with shields, the shattering impacts left the elite squad at a loss, no clever tactics coming to mind.
On their side, abandoning the position meant no way to hold off the enemy any longer, so they couldn't leave either. So Myeong-rang could barely walk, and Gong Son-hwang's earlier display had left too deep an impression.
But time favored Gong Son-hwang's elite squad. They probed for ways around, while Hyeong U-saeng, unable to relax for even a moment, tired quickly. His stones were running low too. The mountains were littered with them, sure, but not every rock made a good projectile.
About half a gak had passed since the standoff began.
It might feel short to some, but not to Hyeong U-saeng and So Myeong-rang, who had to hold out with no end in sight. Nor to the elite squad burning to capture them—it was an eternity.
"Uncle Hyung, you go first. I'll stay and play with them."
So Myeong-rang had done some emergency treatment in the meantime, tearing his outer robe long to bind his thigh tightly. Leaning on his Stabilizing Heavy Blade like a crutch, he'd stood to say this. He limped badly—even that was a strain, judging by his twisted grimace.
Hyeong U-saeng snorted derisively. As if that sorry state could hold out worth a damn.
So Myeong-rang protested.
"Hey, didn't you just say I looked full of energy?"
"I didn't realize my little brother was such a weakling back then."
"What?"
So Myeong-rang feigned offense, and Hyeong U-saeng chuckled. Then, sobering, he asked.
"How long can you hold?"
"One gak... no, two."
"You sure you can keep that promise?"
"Well......"
It was obviously a lie.
How could So Myeong-rang, barely in one piece, hold off enemies swarming with numbers?
Yet Hyeong U-saeng took it at face value.
"Fine. I'll give you two gak. Grit your teeth and hold just that long. In that time, I'll figure something out."
"What're you saying? You're telling me to hold while you take off?"
"It'll suck for two gak, but tough it out and run. You still have the strength to fight, so running shouldn't be impossible, right?"
"Uncle, with this leg, I wouldn't last two gak even if you gave me half a shichen. Let me stay instead."
"No, you can do it. Head down to where the horses are and ride out, or if that's too much, fake leaving and hide somewhere."
"But......"
"No buts! If you really want to save me, do it. In return, I won't look out for you anymore. No time for that. Then I can run free without worrying about dragging you down, right?"
"......"
"Get cold-blooded. Admit it. It's not easy, but this is the only shot for both of us to survive."
"Damn it all."
So Myeong-rang cursed as he turned and limped out toward the mountain path beyond the waterfall. He'd accepted Hyeong U-saeng's proposal, and delaying even a moment wouldn't help either of them. As he hobbled along, unable to hold back, he glanced back.
"Uncle Hyung, I've got a confession."
"If it's a love confession, I'm turning you down."
"Nothing like that, so quit worrying."
"Then what?"
"One gak. That was a lie earlier. One gak's my limit. So hold out just that long and move. I'll handle myself in the meantime."
"Heh heh heh, just one gak? Weakling confirmed. Admitting it?"
"Hmph, hurts my pride, but yeah. So let's live and meet again. Promise!"
"Deal. I'll play smart and bail at the right time, so don't worry about me—focus on you. Promise!"
So Myeong-rang left. The mirth drained from Hyeong U-saeng's face, tension filling the spot instead. He knew full well how hard that "smart play" would be. But this time, he had to make it work!
There was one major crisis.
Gong Son-hwang hurled another javelin into the passage from afar.
Whooosh—
But Hyeong U-saeng had anticipated it. He'd kept watch and rolled aside the instant his instincts screamed danger. Springing up, he scooped the stones he'd been piling one by one and unleashed a barrage at the elite squad rushing the passage.
Thwack. Thwack. Thwack. Thwack......
Nine shots in rapid succession. He turned two into pulp and shattered bones in two more. In the narrow passage, the frontliners had served as meat shields, limiting casualties to that; otherwise, it would've been near annihilation from the sheer power.
The enemy fell back.
But Hyeong U-saeng had burned over half his internal energy in that assault, and his remaining stones were in similar straits. He'd gathered usable ones during the standoff, but now there were none left nearby.
The elite squad changed tactics.
They darted in and out of the passage opening endlessly, forcing Hyeong U-saeng to keep expending stones and energy without rest.
A little over one gak had passed.
Hyeong U-saeng had planned to hold at least two more for So Myeong-rang's escape. But it was clear now he couldn't make it.
Time for a smart compromise!
"So what now?"
Hyeong U-saeng sighed, glaring across the passage. He cradled the last two stones, one in each hand.
"Time to get ready."
"Yes, sir."
At Gong Son-hwang's order, the seven squad members holding position replied in low, disciplined unison and readjusted their weapons. Gong Son-hwang drew a javelin of his own.
At some point, the stones flying from the passage had dwindled sharply, their force much weaker.
Not only that—Gong Son-hwang had long since sent two agile squad members climbing the cliff to circle behind the passage, and he'd just gotten the signal they were in position. So this whole assault had partly been a feint to mask their moves.
All signs pointed to the endgame ripening.
That was the moment.
Hyeong U-saeng burst from the passage into the canyon, hurling a stone.
Thwack.
One squad member's head exploded. The rest recoiled in shock, scattering.
Hyeong U-saeng leaped high, scanning around, and locked eyes with Gong Son-hwang, who was falling back. He spotted the javelin in Gong Son-hwang's hand; Gong Son-hwang saw the hefty stone in Hyeong U-saeng's.
The next instant, Gong Son-hwang twisted backward, raising the javelin over his shoulder to throw, and bellowed.
"Close in!"
No sooner had the order left his lips than three squad members reversed course mid-retreat. They charged the descending Hyeong U-saeng with ferocious speed—worlds apart from their earlier sloppiness.
Hyeong U-saeng knew landing on the ground meant getting surrounded and pummeled, so instead of sticking the landing, he curled his small frame like a shrimp and rolled out with a tumbling technique, slipping outside the encircling net.
Whooosh—whooosh—
The next moment, stone and javelin flew simultaneously.
Gong Son-hwang, stance set first, unleashed his javelin. A hair's breadth later, Hyeong U-saeng—rolling like a flailing fish out of water—sprang up and hurled his stone.