Chapter 208
Chapter 208
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 208
Chapter Title: The Demon Subjugation War
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Under the brilliant full moon, seven hundred warriors rested, sprawled out haphazardly.
*Whoosh.*
A cold autumn wind swept over them, but not a single campfire could be seen.
This was enemy territory, where foes could strike at any moment.
*Crunch, crunch.*
So, naturally, I couldn't light a fire either.
I chewed on cold dry rations while gazing at the moon and stars.
*'Should I have used the Samadhi Flame to heat them up?'*
I felt a moment of regret at the rubbery texture against my molars, but I soon shook my head.
A true commander sleeps and eats just like his soldiers.
I couldn't be the only one eating a warm meal, could I?
Especially not me, the peerless commander born of this era.
*Fwoosh.*
In that sense, old man Yuk Hak, who was currently conjuring a Samadhi Flame to warm his rations, was disqualified as a commander.
"Hey, how can you enjoy a tasty meal by yourself when your subordinates are suffering like this?"
"Ahem, a man has to have the simple pleasure of eating..."
"I don't want to hear it. I'm confiscating that. Hand it over."
"Ah, no."
With the heart of a teacher confiscating a cell phone, I seized Yuk Hak's rations and headed toward the edge of the camp.
Since I was already up, I figured I'd check on my sleeping subordinates.
*Snore. Zzzz.*
Except for a few on watch, everyone was dead asleep, oblivious to the biting wind.
Every one of them had a weary face.
*'They must be exhausted after riding so hard.'*
It was only natural, after all the chaos we'd caused.
To put it simply, we had achieved far more than our initial objective.
It was the result of combining our superior mobility and combat strength with the Hao Gate's intelligence network.
After successfully burning down Mudo County, our first target, we divided our forces into ten units and advanced along ten separate routes as planned.
We also received help from the Hao Gate, which had planted its members throughout Gansu.
The Hao Gate not only provided us with guides but also supplied detailed information on each region's weaknesses, military strength, and more.
The leaders of each unit formulated detailed strategies based on this intelligence.
If the enemy was strong, they would launch a joint attack with other units. If the enemy was weak or had clear vulnerabilities, they would strike with maximum speed.
Now, twenty days later, we had laid waste to most of the area south of Gansu Province.
Of course, we didn't escape unscathed.
Of the seven hundred warriors of the War King's Gate, thirty had died and twenty were seriously injured.
This was because, true to it being demonic territory, incomprehensible demonic beings often appeared.
We had asked the Hao Gate to urgently transport the severely wounded to a medical facility, but we didn't know how many would survive.
I was well aware that there was no such thing as a war without death, but every time I heard news of someone who followed me dying, flames of anger surged within me.
And we weren't the only ones who had suffered losses.
The Hao Gate lost most of its intelligence network, which it had spread throughout Gansu Province.
Yong Ma-san had anticipated this loss, yet he had readily agreed to my request for assistance.
His aim was to use us to settle the Hao Gate's long-standing grudge.
*'Who exactly are they fighting against?'*
Of course, that wasn't what was important right now.
The Gansu Branch of the Ten Demon Alliance.
Because the final objective of this operation still remained.
Whether we could raze this place to the ground or not would determine if this operation was a fifty-percent success or a one-hundred-percent success.
Because we weren't the only ones preparing for war.
The Hao Gate had informed us that the Gansu branch had stockpiled enough supplies for several thousand people for three months.
In other words, if we burned that place down, the demonic bastards of the Ten Demon Alliance would have to pull a Shawshank Redemption and fend for themselves until they could establish new supply lines.
The problem was.
*'That old geezer has lived for a long time.'*
Not only was the enemy force gathered at the branch stronger than expected, but their commander was also a formidable foe.
The Twin Axe Killing Demon, Jo Gwang.
He was the master of Yang Han-baek, who died by my hand when I rescued Cheong So-so, and the one who led the attack on the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion, leading dozens of talented youths to their deaths.
Back then, he was a powerhouse so strong that it took a combined attack from Yang Gang, Ha Jin-hyeong, and Lee Dang-pal just to defeat him.
I don't know if he chose the right side or just surrendered quickly, but despite being an elder of the Killing Sect who had rebelled against the Alliance Leader, he had survived and was now in charge of the Gansu branch.
However.
*'This will be the end of our long, ill-fated connection.'*
Being afraid won't change anything.
The only answer is to fight and win.
I gazed north, toward our final objective, and opened my mouth.
*Crunch, crunch.*
"It's a bit better when it's warm."
* * *
*Thudududu.*
The entire Iron-Blooded Ninth Route, now six hundred and forty strong, galloped on their warhorses.
After riding for about two hours, the city of Lanzhou, where the Ten Demon Alliance's Gansu branch was located, came into view.
It looked slightly different from when I rescued Cheong So-so.
Perhaps because it hadn't been long since the Black Mountain Tigers' attack, its defenses seemed a bit lax.
*Flap. Flap.*
A blue flag fluttered up from the scouting party ahead.
It meant there was no ambush.
In other words, the enemy had chosen to defend their fortress rather than intercept us.
"Charge!"
*Roar!*
We were in a situation where we couldn't utilize our specialty: large-scale cavalry warfare.
But that was fine.
Because we had a secret weapon from the Green Dragon Hall: Yeonhwagisan.
Yeonhwagisan.
It was a type of energy-scattering poison, called both a masterpiece and a failure of the Green Dragon Hall.
However, what set it apart from other such poisons was that the liquid toxin would spread wide like a mist upon contact with air.
Not to mention its surefire effect: inhaling even a single breath would seal one's internal energy for at least an hour.
The reason it was called a failure, despite this, was simple.
*'It didn't distinguish between friend and foe.'*
Thanks to that, the Green Dragon Hall had stored it deep underground.
It was only recently brought out into the world by the Grand Chancellor after he was briefed on our operation.
Of course, neither the Green Dragon Hall nor the Grand Chancellor could have predicted we would use it like this.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have labeled the box containing the Yeonhwagisan 'For Annihilation'.
However, the devil's strategist, Yu So-pyeong, interpreted it differently and decided to use it for the enemy's annihilation.
As we advanced a little further.
*Swish!*
Hundreds of iron arrows filled the sky.
*Clang. Clang.*
Our men were no slouches now; they calmly raised the small shields strapped to their left arms and blocked the enemy's iron arrows.
At the same time, the shout of the First Unit Leader, Jong Geuk-rin, rang out.
"Throw!"
*Hwing!*
Small gourds flew over the fortress walls.
He didn't stop there.
"Ride faster!"
Our goal was to spread this cursed energy-scattering poison throughout the entire Gansu branch.
*Thudududu.*
We split into two groups, circling Lanzhou from both sides and relentlessly throwing the Yeonhwagisan.
*Crash.*
After throwing some three hundred gourds, the area inside the walls was blanketed in a silver mist.
We started throwing from the south gate and dismounted as soon as we reached the north gate.
It was time to engage in urban warfare.
Since I hadn't yet inhaled the Yeonhwagisan mist, I channeled my ample internal energy into a Battle Lord Arrow and fired it.
*BOOM!*
With a tremendous noise, the thick wooden gate shattered into pieces.
"Let's go."
The six hundred and forty warriors of the War King's Gate ran after me, detaching the shafts of their iron spears to wield them as short spears.
*Thump, thump, thump.*
The heavy sound of hundreds of footsteps.
As expected of an energy-scattering poison from the Green Dragon Hall, the greatest chemical corporation of this era, my body grew heavier the closer I got to the target.
By the time we reached the shattered gate.
"#####!"
I could hear the enemy commander shouting something.
My senses were dulling, so I couldn't hear clearly, but it didn't matter.
After all.
*Thwack! Crack.*
All I had to do was beat everyone in front of me to death.
You ask if that's possible without internal energy?
Of course, it is.
Because what I've built up in martial arts wasn't just internal energy.
The forms I've practiced tens of thousands of times.
The duels I've fought thousands of times.
The real battles I've experienced hundreds of times.
Even without being able to use internal energy, as long as all this is ingrained in my body, I am strong.
*Stab.*
I sidestepped the trajectory of an incoming saber, and its wavering blade struck the ground.
A Battle Lord Arrow, held between my index and middle fingers, pierced the enemy's throat.
"Khaa..."
The enemy clutched his neck, making a sound like air leaking from a balloon.
And then, I unleashed the Dragon-Slaying Thirteen Strikes.
*Crack.*
"Krk."
A wide elbow strike snapped an enemy's neck.
*Crack.*
"Gaaah!"
A lightning-fast kick shattered another man's knee.
*Squish!*
A sharp finger jab burst an enemy's eyeball.
It was a brutal sight that should have made them flinch, but the remaining enemies were well-trained and immediately swung their weapons.
"Kill him!"
But I wasn't afraid.
"Thrust!"
Because I had countless subordinates behind me.
*Stab, stab, stab, stab.*
More than ten enemies were impaled by spear thrusts.
"Don't break formation!"
As Jong Geuk-rin's voice echoed, a wall of steel advanced.
A battle of pure physical strength, without internal energy, had begun.
The warriors of the War King's Gate, trained in group combat, pushed back the enemies relentlessly.
*Thud. Crack.*
Because most of the enemy's attacks couldn't penetrate their steel armor.
*Stab, stab, stab.*
If an enemy hesitated even for a moment after their attack was blocked, five or six spear thrusts would fly in and pierce their body.
Of course, our side wasn't without casualties.
*Slice! Stab!*
"Keuk."
The enemy also had masters capable of cutting through steel without internal energy.
And there were surely some who possessed famous swords or sabers.
Whenever that happened, the rear line would pull the injured back while quickly filling the empty spot.
This continued for about half an hour.
By the time over fifty of our members had been taken out due to injuries, we could no longer push the enemy back.
The masters from the Ten Demon Alliance, unable to watch any longer, had joined the fray.
*'If this drags on, we'll be at a disadvantage...'*
A rough glance showed about five hundred enemies remaining.
If we stall for time like this and the effect of the Yeonhwagisan wears off, we'll be in trouble.
Because without drawing them into a cavalry battle, we had no way to stop their masters.
Moreover, the Twin Axe Killing Demon, Jo Gwang, hadn't even shown himself.
There was no other choice.
I had to punch a hole in the path blocked by the enemy.
"Hup!"
I took a deep breath and quickly plunged into the enemy ranks.
Unleashing the War King's Heart-Piercing Strike without internal energy.
*BAM. Crack.*
A lightning-fast front kick slammed into an enemy's chest.
*Smack! Smack!*
I struck another man's jaw with both hands, knocking him down.
"Kill that bastard!"
Dozens of weapons flew at me as the enemy's attention focused on me.
"Tch!"
I quickly ducked and took the blows on my back.
*Clang, clang, clang, clang.*
I felt dozens of strikes landing on my Dragon Scale Armor.
It felt like I was being mobbed, which was almost a welcome feeling.
*Grin.*
I'd been through this kind of thing often during my time at the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion.
*Stab, stab, stab, stab.*
I drew my Battle Lord Arrows and stabbed the enemies' feet.
"Aaargh!"
"Th-this crazy bastard!"
And then.
*Thwack, thwack, thwack.*
Taking those screams as a signal, our warriors began to advance again.
They had perfectly exploited the opening created when the enemy formation broke to deal with me.
"Sect Leader! Are you alright?"
Jong Geuk-rin came over and helped me up.
"Do I look alright to you? You should have come sooner. Damn it, I almost died."
"..."
Leaving the awkward Jong Geuk-rin behind, I charged forward again.
It was to help our allies, who were advancing with momentum.
"Break through!"
"Block them!"
Finally, when we had pushed the enemy back near their main base, I shouted with all my might.
"Now!"
At my signal, the members in the rear began hurling fireballs in all directions.
They were stones wrapped in oil-soaked paper and set ablaze.
The buildings of this era, lacking any fire-retardant materials and built only with woodworking techniques, were extremely vulnerable to fire.
And that was also true for the Gansu branch, which had already burned down once before.
They had spaced the pavilions further apart than before, but it was uncertain if they could withstand a larger fire.
"Put out the fire immediately!"
"We can't break through them!"
"Gah!"
Naturally, the enemies were in an uproar.
"I've been watching and watching, and you're really raising all kinds of hell!"
Unable to bear it any longer, the Twin Axe Killing Demon appeared.