Chapter 194
Chapter 194
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 194
Chapter Title: Great King Namsaeng 194
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Looking toward the castle gate, a band of Cheolruk tribesmen burst through the flames. They had draped what looked like animal hides over their bodies to shield themselves from the fire. Horses with their manes and tail hairs ablaze were writhing in agony. Geom Mojam muttered upon seeing them.
"Crazy bastards!"
But most of the horses collapsed or fell after barely making it through the flames. Caltrops had pierced their hooves. The Cheolruk tribesmen who tumbled from their mounts drew their swords and charged. Yet they barely took a few steps before a hail of arrows from the Yeon clan's repeating crossbows felled them. The last one clinging to his horse until the end rolled off, his body riddled with arrows. With their desperate breakout attempt failed, no more Cheolruk tribesmen emerged from the ruined fortress. I shouted to Geom Mojam.
"Keep hurling Goguryeo Fire!"
"Yes, sir!"
At Geom Mojam's urging, jars filled with Goguryeo Fire continued sailing into the fortress. Unlike ordinary flames that die out after consuming fuel or time, Goguryeo Fire didn't extinguish easily.
The small ruined fortress turned into a sea of fire in an instant. The maddened neighs of tethered horses rang out especially loud. Eerie screams from the burning Cheolruk tribesmen pierced the darkness, vivid and raw. Then Geom Mojam shouted.
"The right wall is collapsing!"
"Where?"
Geom Mojam pointed to the right of the gate. A particularly low section of the wall was buckling forward. I mounted my horse in haste and yelled.
"Bring caltrops and stakes!"
"I'll handle it, Master."
Ignoring Geom Mojam's shout, I galloped toward the crumbling wall. They were probably trying to breach it and escape on horseback.
"Can't let them slip away."
If they fled on horses from there, not only would they be hard to catch, but we could also be ambushed from behind. I gripped the flail thrust into my saddle and charged.
I arrived just as the wall collapsed. I spotted Cheolruk tribesmen shoving thick logs to topple it. Then I came face-to-face with one riding over the rubble. His dark face sported a thin mustache; the moment he saw me, he thrust the spear at his side.
"Not a chance!"
I deflected the spear with my flail. Dodging the one in his right hand, I closed in from the left. I narrowed the gap in a flash and struck.
"Take this!"
Like casting a fishing rod, I swung the flail overhead and brought it down with all my might. He raised his spear with both hands to block. But the flail's chain whipped around, smashing into his head. With a dull thud, the unexpected blow made him drop his spear. My second swing crushed his side. Even through his leather armor, the impact transmitted fully. Amid the crack of breaking bones and his scream, he tumbled beneath the horse—and was crushed under its hoof, his face smashed.
Geom Mojam arrived right behind and swung his flail, smashing the shoulder of the next one trying to cross. I glimpsed the pained expression on the sword-dropping tribesman's face. A third was attempting to vault the breach. Too far for accuracy, I hurled Jumong's spearhead and shouted.
"Vital spot!"
Cleaving the darkness, Jumong's spearhead pierced the armorless armpit of the spear-wielding Cheolruk. He convulsed, blood spurting from his pit as he slumped limply against his horse's neck. With the returning spearhead secured at my wrist, I spurred toward the breach. The log-pushers blocked my path, swords drawn.
"Take this!"
I swung at them. Even blocking with sword or spear, the chain's backlash struck head or shoulder, making defense tough. They staggered without fully blocking. I struck each once more. This time, blood sprayed from their skulls. As they fell, Geom Mojam yelled from behind.
"Fall back, sir! We're throwing Goguryeo Fire!"
I yanked the reins and retreated from the breach. Geom Mojam personally hurled a blazing jar. It shattered on the wall, flames spreading everywhere. Just then, a Cheolruk trying to flee was engulfed alongside his horse. The horrific sight of horse and rider as fireballs charging made me shudder briefly. But they melted away like snow after a few steps. Late-arriving soldiers drove stakes before the breach and scattered caltrops. Leaving some troops there, I galloped along the wall. I shouted to Geom Mojam following.
"We have to make sure they can't break out."
"I've sent mounted Malgal tribesmen around the walls."
As I circled the wall, hoofbeats echoed from ahead. Startled, I relaxed at the familiar voice.
"Master!"
The blood-drenched Geolgeol grinned brightly as he approached.
"How's the north gate?"
"Holding strong. They seem to be trying to breach the wall there, so I came to check."
"Same here."
Mid-conversation, cries of another collapse rang out. Turning, I saw a wider section of wall down—about ten meters. A horde of Cheolruk tribesmen poured through. I flung Jumong's spearhead at once.
"Throat!"
It pierced the first rider's neck, emerged cleanly, slashed another's, and returned. The decapitated one clutched futilely at gushing blood. He didn't last long before tumbling off. His spilled blood formed a small pond where he floundered and drowned atop it.
While Geom Mojam crushed one's skull with his flail, Geolgeol knocked another down with a short Malgal spear. But the Cheolruk were determined, surging out. I re-sheathed the returning spearhead, gripped my flail, and plunged in.
"Die!"
My first swing at the nearest barely missed. The glancing shoulder blow let him duck away. Beside him, another swung an axe. I parried with the flail and spun behind. But he wheeled his horse expertly.
"Not bad!"
He attacked first again. The axe's different weight made flail-blocking tricky. I backed off seeking another foe. Behind the mounted Cheolruk, dismounted ones charged. I blocked their front, smashing indiscriminately. Heads and shoulders caved under the flail; they screamed, collapsing amid cracking bones and spraying blood over the rubble. In the frenzy, several clung to me, dragging me from my horse.
"Damn it!"
A sword slashed down, but my armor saved me from serious harm. Rising, I drew Jumong's spearhead.
"Enemies' vitals!"
Whirling around, it pierced and slashed throats of charging sword-wielders. Over a dozen clutched necks and fell in seconds.
Catching my breath, I gripped the flail two-handed and climbed the rubble. I shoved back emerging Cheolruk with mighty thrusts, then hammered the tumbling mass madly. Geom Mojam joined, slashing rising foes. One nearly bisected folded like paper. Kicking him aside, Geom Mojam roared at the approaching.
"Come on, all of you! I'll cut you down in one stroke!"
His fearsome swordsmanship made the Cheolruk hesitate. Meanwhile, men poured Goguryeo Fire on the breach, ignited it, and added caltrops. Watching, Geolgeol laughed heartily.
"Truly wondrous swordplay. That blade dances like it's alive."
I held back from saying it practically was. A few Cheolruk leaped the fiery breach. Geolgeol met them. Wielding two short swords like a dancer, he cut them down. The last fled past him into the flames and burned instantly. Wiping blood from his mouth with his hand, Geolgeol boomed a laugh.
"Without horses, they're easy pickings."
"Exactly. Cavalry stripped of speed is nothing."
"Keep them pinned inside all night, beat them down, and by morning, it'll be corpses only."
"No respite—press hard. Just like you said, dawn brings only bodies."
Geolgeol assented and bellowed to his men.
"No rest—drive them! Don't let a single one escape!"
The Malgal tribesmen howled like wolves in response. Watching, a thought struck me.
"You there."
"Yes."
Geolgeol tensed, expecting orders. I said,
"Your castle's Dae clan, right?"
"How did you know without me saying?"
His eyes widened round. I told him,
"Name your son Jo-yeong if it's a boy. Dae Jo-yeong. Jo as in fortune, Yeong as in glory."
Geolgeol started at my words.
"Whoa, that's too grand a name."
"No arguments—do it. I'll put him to great use then."
Thinking it a jest, Geolgeol bared his teeth in a grin. In truth, records of Balhae's founder Dae Jo-yeong are sparse. But building Balhae atop his father and comrades' deaths proved immense talent.
"For an unborn child to earn such favor—I'm deeply honored."
"Raise him well."
As we bantered smiling, Geom Mojam looked exasperated. Undeterred, I felt good about gaining a new subordinate named Dae Jo-yeong. Meanwhile, Malgal tribesmen lobbed Goguryeo Fire and arrows into the fortress. It roiled with searing heat and death. Numb to it all, I too, drunk on victory, yelled encouragement to the troops.
As dawn crept in, the fighting ebbed. Abandoning escape, the fortress's Cheolruk hid, holding their breath. Rare furtive escapees couldn't pierce the encirclement. Exhausted Malgals dispersed, panting or dozing. Resting on a rock, Geom Mojam approached. His expression spelled trouble.
"What is it?"
"Signs the Tang army besieging Gaemo Fortress is on the move."