Chapter 178
Chapter 178
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: Show Me the Martial Arts
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A few days later.
The Silver Clan and the White Isle Sword Sect merged to form a great sect called the Silver-White Sect.
Faced with the emergence of a competitor with the strength of an Inner Fortress's Eight Halls, the Jo Clan, the Hwayang Sect, the Miryeong Flower Palace, the Bakjin Sect, and the Five Tiger Fist Sect all withdrew their bids.
It seemed they had judged there was no longer any hope.
However, our War King Sect could not give up.
‘I've already sunk ten thousand taels into this...’
If I couldn't recoup my losses, I would surely face bankruptcy.
That's why everyone in the War King Sect, myself included, worked day and night.
Run!
Uwaaah-!
We tempered the sect members as if to prove the old martial world saying that a day of training makes you that much stronger.
“...We should utilize the warhorses to their fullest, focusing on hit-and-run tactics...”
“I'm telling you, we just need to charge in and crush them.”
“Hmm, in this situation, squads one through four should form the front line, while five through nine attack from the flanks...”
“Why think so hard about it? We just need to charge and crush them...”
“...”
We ran simulations with the executives to devise strategies.
“Pain is what makes a martial artist. It's a phrase that expresses the arduous path of martial arts.”
We did our best to prepare for the tournament, even inviting Master Bukgung as a guest instructor for a day to boost the members' morale.
Ten days passed like this.
“Let's go.”
Awesome-! War King Sect-! Though there are many.
Before we knew it, the morning of "Show Me the Martial Arts" had dawned.
* * *
The tournament was held on a vast plain between Nine Dragons Fortress and the capital.
Since it was a group competition, I figured it would be held on a wide terrain.
“...Is this the right place?”
The place we arrived at, following the map, had nothing but a base surrounded by a wooden fence.
“Yes, I'm certain.”
Yu So-pyeong, having checked the map several times, nodded.
“But there's nothing here?”
Shouldn't there at least be someone to explain things?
*Thud.*
After dismounting and entering the wooden fence, I noticed a single flag in the center with the words "War King Sect" written on it.
“Looks like we found the right place.”
The problem was, there was nothing else.
No place to sleep, no water, no food.
As I was looking around.
*Thump, thump, thump.*
I saw someone kicking up a cloud of dust as they galloped from the distance.
It was a familiar face.
“Whoa!”
“Huh?”
“It's been a while.”
It was the member of the Dark Poison Corps I'd scuffled with due to a small misunderstanding when I got the Battle Lord Arrow.
“What are you doing here...?”
“I've been assigned to monitor the War King Sect during this tournament.”
“Ah...”
“I will be watching you... thor.ough.ly. so don't you worry. Ah! And if you're worried about what happened last time, you can set those fears aside.”
He continued, a smirk playing on his lips.
“After all, I've already forgotten about things like being grabbed by the collar, punched in the face, or kicked by the Sect Master.”
“...”
Yu So-pyeong, who was next to me, gave me a look that seemed to ask what on earth I'd been up to.
“Anyway, if you break the rules, you'll be disqualified immediately, so please be careful.”
“Well, about that...”
In truth, there weren't many rules to speak of.
The only one was to use wooden weapons to prevent fatalities.
They even said they'd overlook unforeseen accidents, so there was little reason to get disqualified.
Of course, I hadn't expected to be on bad terms with the referee judging those 'unforeseen accidents'.
The referee looked around and asked.
“By the way, why are there only two of you? The documents say you have seven hundred members...”
“We came ahead to scout the terrain. They should be arriving any minute now, actually...”
Just as I turned to look back.
*Th-th-th-thump-thump-thump-*
With a deafening roar that shook the ground, seven hundred iron-clad cavalrymen appeared on the hill.
“They're here.”
I extended my hand toward the stunned referee.
“I trust you'll be a fair judge.”
“O-Of course.”
“So, what's the format of the tournament?”
“Ah, that...”
The tournament format was simple.
It was a survival-style competition where you protected your own flag and captured others' until only one sect remained.
However, from the perspective of Nine Dragons Fortress, it was also a highly efficient method.
“It seems they intend to assess a sect's strength, strategy, and mobility all at once.”
Since they were selecting a PMC to defend Hanzhong, it seemed they wanted to gauge our capabilities through a mock battle.
It was an easy task for the ones setting it, but a difficult one for those solving it.
Every single detail, from allocating forces for offense and defense to methods of movement and choosing targets, was a matter of strategy and tactics.
In other words.
“This won't be easy.”
It meant we were at a disadvantage.
“Because we're relatively lacking in strength.”
We already had limited forces, and now we had to split them between offense and defense.
Of course, it wasn't an impossible fight.
“We'll have to rely on our mobility to win.”
We had the reliable warhorses, a means of transportation others lacked.
Using them, we could create plenty of variables.
“But first, we need to decide how to handle our defense.”
“Anyone have any good ideas? Ah, Chief Yuk. Please, speak.”
For reference, 'Chief' was the position held by Yuk Hak.
Since we weren't a military sect, I couldn't call him a 'General', so I just gave him the nickname I used back in the Dark Shadow Cave.
Perhaps due to his martial prowess and experience, the other elders had no complaints.
“Sect Master, I believe you're overthinking things.”
“Overthinking...”
“Why bother with defense? The very nature of iron-clad cavalry is to overwhelm the enemy with a powerful charge. We just need to go out there and wipe them out.”
“...”
I was wondering when his damn 'charge theory' would make an appearance.
Still, he was a hundred times better than the rest of those guys nodding along with 'Indeed!' expressions.
However, it was too early to be disappointed.
“I have a good idea.”
Because we had Yu So-pyeong, the son of the Grand Chancellor, said to be the reincarnation of Zhuge Liang.
As the old saying goes, a tiger father does not beget a dog son.
And my expectations were not misplaced in the slightest.
“How about we attack and defend at the same time?”
“At the same time? Is that possible?”
“Yes, in my opinion... like this... and that... in this way...”
His strategic abilities had improved to a degree that could only be described as a meteoric rise.
“...!”
Long live the So-pyeong coin.
* * *
Taemo Mountain Fortress.
A great sect with over five hundred members, nearly a hundred masters, and more than ten peak masters, it was one of the few that had firmly established its own territory in the era of the Five Hegemons.
Moreover, its master, the Iron Mountain Western Hegemon, U Gong-baek, was a supreme master belonging to the Seven Hegemons, ranked just below the Ten Great Masters.
He turned to his sect's members and gave an order.
“Our target is the War King Sect. Everyone, charge without looking back. Understand?!”
Yes, Fortress Lord!
Watching his members, each exuding an aura of being a match for a thousand, U Gong-baek gritted his teeth.
‘I will seize Hanzhong, no matter what.’
Taemo Mountain Fortress was poor. And it was destined to become even poorer.
Because their territory, the land of Guizhou, was becoming desolate.
The land was drying up, and the population was dwindling.
Nothing grew, and with no roads, even travel was difficult.
It was so bad that even the greedy Lion's Alliance treated Guizhou as abandoned land.
Then one day, an envoy from Nine Dragons Fortress arrived with very sweet news.
It was an offer to pay them ninety percent of the tax revenue from Hanzhong in exchange for handling its defense.
Of course, as the saying goes, there's no such thing as a free lunch; there was a condition.
They had to win the tournament.
For the leader of a great sect like Taemo Mountain Fortress, it was a pride-wounding offer, but U Gong-baek humbled himself.
It was to leave the increasingly desolate land of Guizhou and provide for his members.
And today.
U Gong-baek had chosen the War King Sect as the first sacrificial lamb for his plan.
The goal was to seize the base of the weakest opponent to sow confusion among the Silver-White Sect and the Hainan Sword Sect.
It was a strategy that exploited a loophole in the rules: planting a flag was all it took to change a base's ownership.
‘He may be my son, but he's brilliant.’
He looked at the son who had come up with this strategy.
He possessed outstanding talent and physique, and his martial arts achievements were exceptional, making him U Gong-baek's pride and joy.
‘Yes, I will pave the way for you. You will run upon that path and place Taemo Mountain Fortress upon a bedrock of stability.’
He nodded, making a firm resolve.
However, it wasn't long before U Gong-baek sensed that something was wrong.
*Th-th-th-thump.*
“Wh-what is that!”
Hundreds of iron-clad cavalrymen were charging toward them, kicking up a cloud of yellow dust.
* * *
Yu So-pyeong's strategy was simple yet effective.
Instead of keeping the flag at the base, we would carry it with us and engage in interception battles.
It was the only tactic that utilized our swift mobility and breakthrough power.
Furthermore, since we could acquire water and food while on the move, resupply was also easy.
And.
“Move, move, move!”
*Th-th-th-thump.*
The first target appeared.
Taemo Mountain Fortress of Guizhou.
Objectively, they were stronger than us, but we had the weapon of our warhorses.
“Kill them all!”
The War King Sect's cavalry charged spiritedly and crashed into the formation of Taemo Mountain Fortress.
*Crack. Crack. Crack!*
“Kuaaack!”
“Keuk.”
The wooden staffs we brought instead of iron spears shattered, and the warriors of Taemo Mountain Fortress fell like leaves.
‘Wow...’
Even with wooden staffs, that much physical force must have broken a bone or two.
The formation of Taemo Mountain Fortress instantly devolved into chaos.
Of course, they didn't just take it.
“Don't aim for the riders, aim for the horses!”
A rational shout came, as if they had regained their senses.
A common-sense, normal response.
However, the members of the War King Sect are not military cavalry, but martial artists of the martial world.
Even if they fall from their horses, they do not lose their strength.
“Squads One and Two, dismount and form up! Buy time for your comrades to get into formation!”
For the past half-year, I had taken second-rate warriors and put them through condensed, practical training.
Muscles that never tired even after swinging an iron spear, stamina to run all day in armor, a solid core to maintain balance, and even the outstanding Black Martial Spear Arts.
They weren't lacking in anything, were they?
*Pfft.*
‘I raised them well.’
Of course, I couldn't just stand by either.
The members had done their part up to this point, so now it was my turn.
“Mister Yuk! Take command!”
“Got it!”
I took a step toward the flag of Taemo Mountain Fortress.
*Kwoong.*
It was a choice I could make because their formation was completely shattered.
‘Twenty paces.’
The distance to where I could see the flag.
*Flick.*
In the instant I closed the distance and reached for the flag.
“Damn!”
Sensing a powerful energy flying at the back of my head, I immediately executed the War King Step.
I quickly retreated and turned to see a middle-aged man with a lean build.
‘The Lord of Taemo Mountain Fortress!’
It was the Iron Mountain Western Hegemon, U Gong-baek, who had once contended with Master Bukgung for the title of the strongest among the Seven Hegemons.
He was the opponent I was most wary of in this fight.
Still, since I was meeting a senior, it was proper to greet him.
“Junior Jin Mujeon greets Sect Master U.”
I cupped my fist and bowed my head.
“I hear you're Bukgung Baek's disciple?”
“That is correct. The Heaven and Earth Combat King is my master.”
“You're rather polite for one of his.”
“...”
“A pleasure to meet you. I am U Gong-baek.”
Seeing him speak formally, as befitting a sect master, reminded me of Master Bukgung, who would start cursing regardless of rank or status the moment things went south.
‘...Master, what in the world are you?’
Anyway, that's not what's important right now.
It's about when, how, and where to break the flag.
“As it happens, my master asked me to pass on his regards if I were to meet the Western Hegemon.”
“Oh? The Combat King sends his regards?”
“Yes, and he insisted that I deliver them.”
“A message from the Combat King, you say? Let's hear...!”
*Swiiiiiish!*
I drew his attention and fired the Battle Lord Arrow like a thunderbolt.
If I could just snap the flagpole, the victory would be ours.
However, as if to prove he wasn't called the Western Hegemon for nothing, U Gong-baek's martial arts were fast and powerful.
*Tuk.*
With a wave of his hand, the Battle Lord Arrow fell limply to the ground.
“Truly a disciple of Bukgung Baek. You're just like him—despicable, selfish, and violent.”
“No.”
My master isn't *that* bad...
*Kwaaaaaang!*
And so, the confrontation with the Iron Mountain Western Hegemon began.