Chapter 195
Chapter 195
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 195
Chapter Title: Great King Namsaeng
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After hearing that, I looked up at the sky. The darkness was gradually receding as dawn began to break.
"They'll come here as soon as day breaks."
"Some of them will move at least. They'll hear the sounds of battle from there too. It's time for us to withdraw now."
Listening to Geom Mojam, I gazed at the ruined castle where thick smoke billowed endlessly. We'd killed a considerable number of the Cheolluk tribesmen, but quite a few still seemed to be hiding inside, waiting for the sun to rise. They'd piled up corpses and horse saddles again at the south gate to block entry. The section of the wall they'd demolished to escape had also been barricaded with something, making it hard to get in easily. After watching for a while, I asked Geulgeul Jungsang.
"How many do you think are left?"
Geulgeul Jungsang, who had been quietly staring into the castle walls flickering with flames, finally spoke.
"About half."
"More than I expected."
"They're like rats."
"It feels uneasy just to turn back like this."
"We took out a lot of their horses, but they'll scrounge up more wherever they can and ride again."
Even so, we couldn't just drag out the time recklessly. As I pondered briefly, an idea struck me. My eyes lit up, and Geom Mojam asked.
"Do you have a good plan, my lord?"
"We'll pretend a relief force from Gaemo Fortress is arriving and charge into the ruined castle."
"Disguise ourselves as reinforcements?"
Glancing up at the slowly brightening sky in response to Geulgeul Jungsang's question,
"Once the sun rises, the light will be so strong they won't see well around them. We'll use that. Some of us ride in on horses toward the south gate, and the others pretend to block them. The Cheolluk inside will fall for it."
Geulgeul Jungsang looked at me with admiring eyes and replied.
"How did you think of that?"
The plan I'd come up with was an operation a special forces unit in Iraq had pulled off back in modern times. They'd disguised themselves as a relief force to infiltrate a besieged militant base and then attacked. But Geulgeul Jungsang, who had no way of knowing that, couldn't hide his astonishment.
"Save the admiration for later and hurry. The sun will rise soon, and the enemies besieging Gaemo Fortress will move."
"Understood."
Geulgeul Jungsang returned to the resting Malgal tribesmen and gave orders. Some mounted horses and headed far south, while others pitched camp around the south gate with spears at the ready. I signaled to start and climbed onto my horse. Geom Mojam followed suit and mounted up as well.
The Malgal tribesmen who'd gone south came charging back, kicking up a massive cloud of dust. Seeing that, the Malgal around the south gate shouted as if Tang forces were invading, pretending to be in chaos. Some feigned throwing spears and shooting arrows to block them. I'd been worried, but they weren't half-heartedly acting—they were putting real effort into it. Even so, I fretted if it would work, but it did: the corpses and horse saddles at the south gate were being cleared away. Geulgeul Jungsang, racing beside me, shouted.
"They've fallen for it!"
"Hurry. We need to break through before they catch on."
Geulgeul Jungsang's acknowledgment cut through the wind. I hid my hwandu greatsword under the saddle to keep it out of sight and urged my horse faster to catch up. Geom Mojam yelled for me not to, following close behind, but I wasn't about to miss this moment.
The wind whistled past my ears as I galloped toward the south gate of the ruined castle. Sensing something off, the Cheolluk tribesmen tried to block it again with horse saddles. But Geulgeul Jungsang at the lead leaped over them effortlessly. He then swung his sword wildly at the enemies around him. Gripping the reins in his teeth and wielding a sword in each hand, he felled one after another, spraying blood with every strike. The Malgal tribesmen pushed through the south gate, successfully breaking in for now. I too drew my hwandu greatsword and made it inside the south gate.
"Yes!"
In the thrill of success, I couldn't help but shout. I brought my hwandu greatsword down on the Cheolluk tribesmen to my left and right. The exhausted foes had mostly given up resisting and were focused on hiding. The Malgal who'd entered the ruined castle chased them down and slaughtered them. Occasionally one would resist, but several would surround it, stabbing with spears or trampling under hooves. The gruesome sounds of bones cracking and flesh bursting were drowned out by screams.
Geulgeul Jungsang at the front severed both arms of a Cheolluk blocking his path and shoulder-charged it. The armless tribesman sprayed blood from both sides and vanished under the horse.
"Incredible courage and skill."
"Be careful, my lord."
Geom Mojam, following behind, stabbed the back of a Cheolluk who had been playing dead and suddenly leaped up, shouting as he did. The stabbed tribesman spewed blood from its back like a whale blowing water from its spout, then collapsed. The indiscriminate slaughter ended only when we reached the north gate. The Cheolluk guarding it panicked at the sight of Geulgeul Jungsang and the Malgal charging from behind and scattered in all directions. Geulgeul Jungsang dismounted, shoved aside the horse saddles blocking the north gate, and cleared a path. The Malgal who'd entered from the south gate poured out through it. As I stopped beside him, Geulgeul Jungsang grinned broadly.
"We must have killed or crippled at least five hundred."
"Practically wiped out."
"Yes. The remaining Cheolluk will flee back to their lands without looking back."
"I hope so."
"Let's hurry. Day has broken, and the Tang forces will show up soon."
As Geulgeul Jungsang said, as soon as the sun rose, Tang troops appeared from the direction of Gaemo Fortress to the south. There looked to be about five thousand infantry and cavalry combined. But seeing the momentum of the Malgal led by Geulgeul Jungsang, they didn't dare approach easily. The Malgal emerging from the north gate leisurely led away their spoils—enemy horses—toward Baekam Fortress. Geulgeul Jungsang, lingering at the rear to watch the Tang army, was joined by Geom Mojam dragging a prisoner.
"My lord, the captive confessed. The Cheolluk led by Gaepilhaleok are heading to Baekam Fortress."
"When?"
"Around sunset, well before we attacked."
"They planned a surprise attack like us. Numbers?"
"About eight hundred cavalry."
"Got it."
I replied calmly, but chills ran down my spine inside.
In actual history, Gaepilhaleok had marched out as the vanguard commander of the Liaodong campaign, fought Godolbal at Gaemo Fortress, and been wounded by a spear. The cavalry he led numbered eight hundred then. I quickly asked Geulgeul Jungsang.
"If they left at sunset, they'd arrive near Baekam Fortress around the same time as us."
"Probably. Eight hundred isn't enough to attack Baekam directly."
"Godolbal must be waiting for them."
"Still, we should hurry."
"The men are tired, and there are wounded. If we all move, it'll be slow."
"I'll select five hundred who can move fast."
"Do that."
After giving orders to Geulgeul Jungsang, I turned to Geom Mojam.
"Send scouts to check on Baekam Fortress, and contact General Yusin too—tell him to pressure the Tang besieging Gaemo Fortress."
"I'll relay the message."
Relieved as I watched the two move with crisp efficiency. We'd at least succeeded in eliminating the Cheolluk blocking Gaemo Fortress. Nak Sang-gwan and Asilbul heading to Hyeondo Fortress would complete their missions without issue too.
"All that's left is Baekam Fortress."
Once Baekam was safe, we could face off directly against the Tang Liaodong army besieging Gaemo. That would ease the pressure on Liaodong Fortress, attacked by Emperor Li Shimin's imperial guards. Moments later, some of the reorganized Malgal moved out swiftly. Seeing the messengers Geom Mojam sent galloping in different directions, I hurried after Geulgeul Jungsang.
The scout sent ahead to Baekam returned when the sun was well up, panting as he reined in his horse and shouted.
"Cheolluk forces have camped north of Baekam Fortress. They've burned the camp we were using."
"What about Baekam?"
"The gates are shut tight, and they're holding firm."
Hearing the report, I breathed a sigh of relief. Geulgeul Jungsang looked relieved too.
"Godolbal didn't move rashly."
"The enemy doesn't know their home base is in ruins yet, do they?"
"No, they don't."
"We'll move as fast as possible, hit them from behind, and signal. Then Godolbal will charge out."
"Even the mighty Cheolluk won't withstand that. Let's hurry."
Geulgeul Jungsang urged the Malgal on, and I gripped my reins tight. Geom Mojam watched with a worried expression. He probably wanted to stop me, but I pretended not to notice and focused ahead as we rode.
About thirty ri further, Baekam Fortress came into view atop a distant hill. Smoke still rose from the riverside. I slowed briefly and sent out scouts. As expected, Gaepilhaleok's eight hundred Cheolluk cavalry had camped on the open field north of Baekam. Likely to block any Goguryeo reinforcements. After questioning the scout in detail, Geulgeul Jungsang approached me.
"The scout says they've split into three camps."
"How should we push them?"
To my question, Geulgeul Jungsang spread his arms wide then brought them together like an embrace.
"Like an eagle spreading its wings to snatch a rabbit."
"Won't spreading too thin let them break through?"
"They're backed by the forest. If we burst from there, they won't gauge our numbers. We'll drive them toward Baekam before they recover."
"Good plan. You take command."
"Thank you."
Geulgeul Jungsang bellowed orders, reorganizing the ranks. The Malgal, lined up in a wide single file, charged forward at his signal. I joined the center with Geom Mojam.
Soon, a low forest of sparse trees appeared. Branches stuck out hazardously here and there, but we ignored them and rode on. Midway through, Cheolluk sentries left to watch the rear stood bewildered. Before they could react, Geulgeul Jungsang's blade flashed. A short gurgle escaped as the headless body tumbled to the ground. Another Cheolluk barely dodged and crouched low, spurring his horse desperately. Blocked by Malgal, he bolted toward me. I blocked Geom Mojam from stepping forward and charged with my hwandu greatsword swinging. Seeing that, the Cheolluk raised his curved sword overhead and came at me. I locked eyes until the last moment, then tilted my head aside. The blade whooshed past with a whoosh. As I straightened, I swung at the passing foe.
"Urk!"
Struck in the back of the head, the Cheolluk flung his arms skyward and slumped lifelessly from his horse. Seeing it, the Malgal soldiers let out wolf-like howls. Geulgeul Jungsang pointed his bloodied sword toward Baekam Fortress.
"Charge! Hit them from behind. Don't let a single one escape!"
With his shout, the Malgal roared ferociously and surged out of the forest all at once.