Chapter 199

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 199

Chapter Title: Day of the Decisive Battle (1)

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Moyong Danha swiftly departed, leaving an awkward silence in his wake.

"Uh...... um......"

While Geum Sihyeon was briefly lost in thought.

Moyong Seol's mind raced ahead.

Until now, her father had stubbornly refused permission even if dirt were shoveled into his eyes, once going so far as to scoop up soil and sprinkle it in himself.

She'd endured his refusal to even draft a marriage contract, personally preparing the document and forcing the seal onto her tightly shut-eyed father's finger to stamp it.

That was how resolute Moyong Danha had been.

She'd inwardly worried he might even show outright hostility toward Geum Sihyeon.

But after seeing them vanish together every night, Moyong Seol had secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Though he hadn't said a word aloud.

When a man of the Moyong Family opened his mouth, it never boded well.

Silence was worth its weight in gold.

Silence meant approval.

"Ahem, well then, I'll be heading out for a late stroll today──"

Before Geum Sihyeon could hastily flee.

Moyong Seol, true to her peak master prowess, swiftly read his intent, stuck right to his side, and hooked her arm through his.

"Where do you think you're going, Sihyeon?"

Father.
Your daughter will never forget your decision.

Of course, her face was still flushing faintly with embarrassment, but honestly, at this point, shame was irrelevant.

Six months.

Only half a year left.

A man at thirty stands tall, having fully established his foundations and worldview.

But a thirty-year-old maiden? There wasn't even a proper term for her.

That was how dire the situation was.

And moreover.

Intelligence reports indicated that if reinforcements from the Martial Alliance or other families didn't arrive in time, the entire Moyong Family could be in peril.

As a martial artist, she didn't fear death.

She was prepared to die for her clan.

Even so......

If she had to go.

Wouldn't it be better to be held by the one she loved at least once, rather than becoming a virgin ghost?

"You look tired. Shall we go rest?"

"Uh, uhm......"

Moyong Seol's grip on Geum Sihyeon's arm tightened fiercely.

And so.

Soon enough, Geum Sihyeon was dragged unceremoniously to Moyong Seol's chambers.

.

.

.

A short while later.

Gazing at the list of late-night snacks that had arrived via rocket delivery in a servant's hands—without even being ordered—Geum Sihyeon and Moyong Seol both fell silent for a moment.

How on earth had they procured eels up here in the north?

Along with freshly sliced beef tripe, stir-fried pork with garlic.

And walnuts stir-fried to perfection, alongside schisandra berries and rubus fruits.

And then.

"......That one's a bit."

"Y-Yeah...... haha......"

Even snake wine, delivered in a transparent glass jar.

Geum Sihyeon broke out in a cold sweat at the blatantly intentional menu.

"Ahem, they say this boosts yang energy. Here, try some?"

Moyong Seol boldly picked up a piece of grilled eel with chopsticks and held it to Geum Sihyeon's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠lips.

Like a baby bird accepting food, he reflexively swallowed it down.

Gulp──

Realizing he was starving enough that refusing food wasn't an option, Geum Sihyeon.

"You should eat some too, noona."

"Y-Yeah!"

Forgetting all about the immediate future, he crammed food into his mouth.

It was delicious.

Thus passed an excruciatingly awkward mealtime.

"I-I'll just sleep on the floor over there──"

Geum Sihyeon tried to escape again.

But Moyong Seol, resolved to emulate her father, toyed with her sword hilt, prompting him to sigh in resignation and finally abandon all resistance.

And.

Geum Sihyeon had always scrupulously upheld propriety.

But he wasn't fool enough to reject when she approached so openly first.

"Kyaa──"

Geum Sihyeon's hand gently encircled Moyong Seol's waist, lifting her effortlessly.

After that.

Moyong Seol fainted five times through the night.

And for the next two days, unable to walk properly, she fully internalized the truth that Myo Narang had once leaked to her from the secret annals: through her very body.

This.
I absolutely can't handle it alone.
At this rate, I'll die ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in every sense of the word.

Chirp chirp──

Listening peacefully to the birds chirping and flitting about in the morning light.

"Moderation, have some. Tsk."

His father-in-law shot him a scolding glance and clicked his tongue.

"I give my all to everything I do."

A strand of qi laced with killing intent flew at him, but he dodged it lightly.

Well......

I'd have to endure this much wrath.

No matter how much of a shameless flirt and attention hog Seol noona was, she was still his precious daughter.

"When will you hold the wedding?"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Hm......"

The words "after this battle ends safely" rose to his throat, but he barely held them back.

Say that in this situation?

That was a 100% death flag.

"I have many karmic ties."

"All piled up by that silver tongue of yours."

"......"

He pleaded innocence with his eyes, but his father-in-law pretended not to notice.

Well.

Since things had come to this.

Maybe be a bit more honest.

"......And many women too."

This time, three strands of qi targeted his head, chest, and gut, but he dodged them effortlessly too.

Resolving to confront the inevitable head-on.

He laid out his current situation and thoughts plainly.

"My daughter truly has no eye for people......"

Moyong Danha sighed deeply.

With nothing to say in rebuttal, he merely watched for the next qi strikes' trajectories.

But no follow-up came.

Instead.

"The moment even a hint of complaint escapes Seol's lips, you're dead. I'll kill you for sure. I'll track you down...... and kill you. Got it?"

As if possessed by Liam Neeson's vengeful spirit before he was even born, his father-in-law spat the chilling words.

"Understood."

I was the one who'd messed up.

It just happened to be last night through this morning, the moment that was bound to come someday...... No helping it.

That said.

Little Geum Sihyeon, is this really okay?

We're gonna starve to death at this rate......!

"You insolent brat."

"Ow!"

In the end, caught off-guard by the sheathed sword's pommel strike without qi, a lump sprouted on his head.

After paying dearly for his complacency toward his fully transformed body, when Moyong Seol's legs finally stopped trembling and could stand firm on the ground.

A heavy pall of war began to settle over the Moyong Family.

The silver lining amid misfortune.

"Long time no see! Brother Danha!"

"Still the same."

Reinforcements from the Northern Hebei Peng Family, led by their patriarch, and troops from the Martial Alliance stationed near Beijing had arrived.

"The Huangbo Family and Shandong Ye Family have also set out, and I've personally asked a general friend of mine, so if things go well, we might even get backup from the Imperial Guards."

"That's fortunate."

"Haha! You're as curt as ever, brother. Must be hard on those around you?"

"Hm."

In the old Central Plains, such swift response would have been impossible; the imperial army would have sat on their asses in Beijing for ages without budging.

But here, Geum Sihyeon's ingenuity shone once more.

He wasn't yelling "Charge!" and hurling invincible meteors across the vast Manchurian plains anymore.

But by causing explosions everywhere and snatching Moyong Taek's smartphone, he'd added one more ploy.

Unlike his warm demeanor toward Moyong Danha, the Peng Family patriarch had initially been hesitant too.

That was the nature of the Ten Great Families.

United in ambition to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Nine Great Sects and Eight Great Schools, yet hierarchies and rivalries still simmered within.

Debates had raged over whether to send aid—and how much.

Until the pressure mounted:

- If the martial world doesn't resolve this at the front lines, the imperial army will intervene decisively.

The longstanding martial-imperial non-interference, akin to local autonomy, was cracking.

It was obvious: settling the Mongol disturbance as "just martial artists' squabble" was the better outcome for the entire martial world.

But.

"Bigger scale than expected......"

How could one grasp it without seeing with their own eyes?

Peng Gong, the Peng patriarch who'd gone scouting to eyeball the enemy himself, let out a sigh.

Not just their numbers in the tens of thousands.

Each bore clear marks of long-term martial training, at least second-rate level.

Soldiers trained in martial arts, armored, mounted, charging forth.

How many could survive that onslaught?

But.

"A bit numerous, but nothing special."

Moyong Danha added calmly.

"Haha! Brother, you've gotten quite the joker in our time apart."

Of course, Peng Gong couldn't take it at face value.

The army exuded such overwhelming menace; how could he dismiss them as mere rabble in great numbers?

Moyong Danha read it plainly in Peng Gong's tone.

But.

"Hm."

He offered no rebuttal.

And sorted his thoughts.

From the night he'd started nocturnal outings with that insolent son-in-law to today.

He'd rarely seen his family awake in the evenings.

Now, on the eve of true battle.

Wind howled across the plains, mingled with eerie neighs.

The calm before the storm.

To those worrying for the Moyong Family's future—still worrying now—he left no words of contradiction.

Whether the Mongols were weak or we were... the result would tell.