Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: The Empty Fortress Strategy
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The deal was struck.
In the end, I agreed to grant one more request. Of course, this one also came with the condition ‘once I become the Cult Leader,’ a clause that followed me like thread follows a needle.
Damn it, it’s not like I died and was reincarnated because I couldn't grant enough requests in my past life…
But what does it matter?
Just let me get through this.
I swear I’ll find a way to escape while traveling to the next inspection site.
Requests, my ass. There has to be someone around to grant them in the first place.
And there’s no time to hesitate.
If a letter has come from the Demonic Cult, then a letter from the Orthodox Murim Alliance must have also reached the Heavenly Pillar Gate.
If they refuse to provide support, the Heavenly Pillar Gate has only one option.
A surprise attack.
“My chief administrator!”
“Yes, my Lord!”
“Aish! I told you, why am I your lord?!”
“My apologies, my Lord.”
“Damn it all!”
He keeps doing it even though I told him not to. Despite having learned the proper decorum between elders and juniors through the Three Bonds and Five Relationships, I couldn't stop the curses from spilling out.
Meanwhile, Wang Cheon and that Ju Seung fellow were grinning as if they found it all amusing.
Ugh, I should just save my breath.
Fine, call me whatever you want. What does a title matter anyway?
“Ahem! You, you have a layout of the Heavenly Pillar Gate, don’t you?”
“Ah, of course…”
At Takbal Lyeo’s gesture, the Patrol Hall Master, Yi Do-seong, nodded with a stiff expression and swiftly left the meeting hall.
“Why do you need the layout of the Heavenly Pillar Gate?”
“To attack.”
“Attack?”
“Yes.”
“...?”
As Neung Un-bi answered his question with a look that said it was obvious, Wang Cheon sighed deeply and shook his head.
“My, my, this is why I say you’re so ignorant of tactics.”
“...Ig-ignorant?”
“Of course. Just think about it. It was written in the letter sent by the Cult Leader, wasn't it? That a deal has already been struck for the Orthodox Murim Alliance not to interfere.”
“So?”
“You think they don’t know that? They’ll already be preparing countermeasures.”
“...”
“What kind of plan would they be making? They’ll launch a surprise attack. A surprise attack.”
Wang Cheon said, his face a mask of frustration and annoyance.
“Hmm, I also believe Guard Captain Wang is correct. They will surely deploy their superior forces all at once to wipe out the Dancheon Gate.”
“...”
Even Ju Seung nodded in agreement with Wang Cheon.
“What’s this about a preemptive strike when we’re already short on forces…”
“My point exactly. In times like these, the most rational strategy is to set traps in preparation for the enemy’s surprise attack.”
They went back and forth.
As the two of them leaned in from either side, devising their strategy, even the warriors of the Dancheon Gate nodded as if in agreement.
…As if Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong themselves had been reborn.
What was that? Set traps?
How utterly pathetic.
I have no idea why these guys even bother having heads on their shoulders.
Setting traps to lure and annihilate the enemy is only possible when one is sufficiently prepared.
Furthermore, those traps must be equipped with a net so sturdy that the enemy cannot possibly escape. If one lacks such military strength, they must rely on the help of mechanisms and formations.
But if you have eyes, then look.
Where here do we have such strength, or a strategist capable of deploying such mechanisms and formations?
Honestly, what a bunch of fools.
“Our lord really needs to study strategy a bit more.”
“I agree on that point. A truly outstanding warrior must be well-versed in both martial and literary arts.”
As Ju Seung nodded at Wang Cheon’s words, Neung Un-bi let out a deep sigh.
Ah, Chung Seung.
How did you end up like this?
No matter how much you’ve stuck together, why did you have to be influenced by that power-hungry maniac Wang Cheon?
I suddenly missed the old Chung Seung, who would have pretended to die if I had asked it of him.
“Hey, you two.”
“Ah, please be quiet for a moment. We’re devising a strategy right now.”
“...”
Ignoring the call of their lord, the two engaged in a heated debate about the Thirty-Six Stratagems and the Art of War. A dark smile crept onto Neung Un-bi’s lips.
To hell with it!
Neung Un-bi benevolently grabbed both of their heads and swiftly smashed them together.
*Thwack!*
“Ack!”
“Kuk!”
Of course, they collided.
And since their heads were as thick as rocks, the sound wasn’t even clear.
“Ah, what are you doing?!”
“My Lord!”
Having been suddenly forced to headbutt each other, Wang Cheon and Ju Seung whipped their heads around to glare at Neung Un-bi.
“Would you two please shut up?”
“...”
“What do you know about strategy to be running your mouths?”
“More than our lord…”
“Hah!”
As Neung Un-bi raised his fist, Wang Cheon retracted his neck like a turtle and pouted.
Hah, how long do I have to explain every little thing to these guys?
I may not have received formal training in military tactics, so my knowledge of the Thirty-Six Stratagems is only at a surface level, but I’m still better than you two.
“You guys, please try to use your brains for once. Traps? Where do we have the time to set something like that? And what about the manpower to prepare them? Do you even know how many warriors are in this branch?”
“Well…”
“You don’t even know your enemy or yourself, so what’s all this nonsense about traps? You think the Heavenly Pillar Gate Master doesn't know our situation? He’s been in cahoots with Jong Se-in for years. That bastard knows more about the Dancheon Gate than we do!”
“...”
Having silenced the two with his irritated outburst, Neung Un-bi took a deep breath to calm himself and slowly began to explain.
“From now on, what we should be aiming for is a surprise attack on their surprise attack.”
“...Pardon?”
“We’re going to use their strategy against them.”
“...What do you mean by that? Using it against them?”
“I doubt you’ll understand, but I’ll give you a brief explanation. The strategy commonly known as the Thirty-Six Stratagems is broadly divided into six categories: Winning Stratagems, Enemy-Dealing Stratagems, Attacking Stratagems, Chaos Stratagems, Proximate Stratagems, and Losing Stratagems. Among them, the one we should use when we are losing a war or when our forces are inferior, like now, is the Losing Stratagem.”
Was it because I used difficult words?
Everyone stared at Neung Un-bi with wide, surprised eyes.
It was a look one might give an expert.
I’d rather die than suffer through this…
But thanks to that, Wang Cheon and Ju Seung couldn't voice their opinions anymore. It was obvious to anyone that I seemed smarter than them.
“Um, but why a losing stratagem?”
“Hmm?”
“The idea of pretending to lose troubles me. Why should our Demonic Cult devise such a strategy? What do we have to fear?”
“...”
Wang Cheon’s expression turned sullen, but Neung Un-bi just clicked his tongue.
This fool talks about the Thirty-Six Stratagems but doesn't even know the true meaning of a Losing Stratagem.
And you’re supposed to be my guard captain.
Yet he spoke so confidently about setting traps, didn't he? What does the Demonic Cult have to fear, indeed.
“Hah, a Losing Stratagem isn't like that; it's a proper strategy. The one we need to use is the Empty Fortress Strategy. We empty our main base and attack the enemy from behind. In other words, a backstab.”
“A b-backstab?”
“That’s right. If the Heavenly Pillar Gate is planning a surprise attack, they will surely divide their forces into two. One to defend their main base and one to raid the Dancheon Gate.”
“...”
“That means the enemy’s forces will be split in two, and we’ll use this opportunity to defeat them one by one.”
There were no objections.
You need to know something to object.
They just stared at Neung Un-bi’s face with expressions of reverence.
Their eyes were so bright that if this continued, a non-existent sense of respect might start to grow.
“First, light up the entire Dancheon Gate brightly. Make it look to the enemy as if we are still here.”
“So we’ll slip out secretly in the meantime?”
Ju Seung asked, his mind finally starting to work, and Neung Un-bi nodded.
“Exactly. We’ll pull out all our main forces and strike the Heavenly Pillar Gate.”
“Hmm, but even so, that won’t offset our numerical disadvantage, will it?”
“True. So there, we’ll use the stratagem of creating a diversion in the east to attack in the west.”
“...”
“While the entire force of the Dancheon Gate and the New Moon Squad attacks the Heavenly Pillar Gate, I will capture their Gate Master and crush the enemy’s morale in one fell swoop.”
“Hmm… an ingenious strategy.”
At Wang Cheon’s admiration, Neung Un-bi laughed resignedly, as if he expected nothing more.
Ingenious, my foot. Even a child from the Zhuge clan would know this much.
“Um, but there is a problem.”
“A problem?”
Takbal Lyeo, who had been silent for a while, cautiously voiced his opinion.
“Speak.”
“First, what if the Heavenly Pillar Gate Master isn’t at the main base? And the moment the enemy confirms that the Dancheon Gate is empty, they will immediately pursue us, won’t they?”
Well, it seems he hasn’t aged for nothing.
Living while watching the movements of the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions in the Central Plains has made him quite sharp.
At Takbal Lyeo’s words, the dispirited Wang Cheon and Ju Seung quickly regained their energy and stared at Neung Un-bi, as if pressuring him.
As if to say, *let’s see you answer that.*
But did they really think I would have devised such a strategy without thinking it through?
“The Heavenly Pillar Gate Master will definitely be defending the main base.”
“Pardon? How can you be so certain? What if he’s not? What will you do then? Huh? Huh?!”
Wang Cheon jutted out his chin and questioned him repeatedly.
His attitude was as if he’d caught me in a trap. Honestly, acting like a child…
“Because that’s what bastards like him usually do.”
“Pardon?”
“He’s a despicable coward who looks out for himself first. He’s the type to abandon his subordinates to secure his own future. There’s no way he’d put himself in a dangerous place.”
“What kind of conjecture is that?”
“I’m absolutely certain! So trust me!”
At times like this, being part of the Demonic Cult was truly wonderful.
It might not have worked on Wang Cheon, but it worked immediately on the others.
Was it because my display of expertise had ignited their reverence? They all looked at me with blind trust.
“And who said the Dancheon Gate would be empty?”
“...It won’t be?”
“Of course not!”
I had already thought about that part.
If they saw the inside was deserted, the Heavenly Pillar Gate bastards would think it was an empty house.
But I had already prepared a monster lurking within.
Our dependable… pair!
In truth, this fight could have been left entirely to him.
If I had just asked him to take the Heavenly Pillar Gate Master’s head, that man would have gone right over, gently twisted it off, and returned with it.
But… I couldn’t do that.
That son of a bitch, the Heavenly Pillar Gate Master—I felt I wouldn’t be satisfied unless I crushed him myself.
I planned to capture him with my own hands, make him confess all his sins before the people, and then behead him myself.
And as a bonus, I would seize the wealth the Heavenly Pillar Gate had amassed through their dirty deeds.
I’ll use it as compensation for those who suffered, and a portion… well, I’ll have to take a little something for my trouble.
“Kekeke… Bae Hyo-gang of the Heavenly Pillar Gate. I will show you hell.”
As the final moments of the Heavenly Pillar Gate played out in his mind, Neung Un-bi let out a sinister laugh.
Just then, Yi Do-seong rushed back into the meeting hall, panting, with the layout of the Heavenly Pillar Gate.
Now, it was time to formulate a detailed plan.
A plan to end the fight overwhelmingly, as befits the name of the Demonic Cult.
Neung Un-bi explained in detail what each person gathered in the meeting hall had to do, and those who received his orders couldn't help but be amazed.
Hah, a bunch of idiots who know nothing but how to swing a sword.
I just hope they do exactly as they’re told.
* * *
On a dark night.
The Dancheon Gate was lit up brighter than usual, its gates shut tight.
*Swish.*
At that moment, a mass of darkness detached itself from the shadows outside the Dancheon Gate, roamed around its perimeter, and then merged back into its original spot.
“How is it?”
“There are no particular movements on the outskirts. However, the inside is too bright, leaving no shadows, so it will be difficult to approach easily.”
“Still, that’s a relief. It seems they haven’t made a move yet.”
“Yes. Judging by how much brighter it is than usual, it seems they have prepared thoroughly inside, fearing our attack.”
“That would be so.”
“They are bastards who deserve to be torn to shreds. It wasn’t enough for them to destroy the Thunder Prison; they even ambushed our Gate Master during his patrol.”
At the warrior’s words, the expression of Gwak Chung, the External Chief Administrator leading the assault team, hardened.
Unlike the others, he knew the inside story.
It had been a long time since the Gate Master had colluded with the Demonic Cult’s branch for the sake of his family.
When the order to attack was given, he hadn’t received a detailed explanation, but he had been able to deduce some things.
The fact that Bae Hyo-gang was attacked by the Demonic Cult’s branch meant their relationship had soured, and this order was likely given out of fear that matters related to them might be leaked.
To erase everything.
That must be why they had dispatched a full sixty percent of the Heavenly Pillar Gate’s forces.
He had heard that the Demonic Cult’s branch master and his twelve elite warriors had met their demise at the Gate Master’s sword.
If so…
Gwak Chung glanced behind him.
Two hundred warriors of the Heavenly Pillar Gate, clad in night gear and hidden in the darkness.
Since all of them were warriors from the main family, their strength was considerable.
The Dancheon Gate, no, a mere branch of the Demonic Cult.
It wouldn’t take a whole night, but merely an hour.
“Ik-seong!”
“Yes, External Chief Administrator!”
“Cross the wall! We will annihilate the Demonic Cult branch disguised as the Dancheon Gate.”
“Yes!”
The order was given, and as soon as a torch was raised and drew a circle in the air, the darkness surged towards the Dancheon Gate from all sides.
Several warriors broke down the wall and threw the gates wide open.
“Kill them! Wipe out every last one of these Demonic Cult bastards!”
The warriors who poured through the gate shouted heroically… and then stopped, their faces blank.
There was nothing.
Not even an ant could be seen, let alone a warrior.
*Crackle, crackle.*
The only thing that greeted them was the sound of wood burning in the braziers scattered all around.
“Wh-what in the…”
The External Chief Administrator Gwak Chung’s eyes trembled in confusion.
They had abandoned the Dancheon Gate?
N-no way. A trap, or some other scheme?
“Damn it! Retreat, quickly—!”
The moment Gwak Chung ordered the retreat.
*Creeak, thud!*
The gates slammed shut.
And in front of them stood a single girl with a petite frame, looking thoroughly annoyed.
As Gwak Chung and the Heavenly Pillar Gate warriors stared, dumbfounded, she scratched her head.
“Damn, there are more of you than I thought. If I knew this, I would have made two requests. But hey, you’re all inside, right?”
“...”
Who?
They couldn’t help but be bewildered. The warriors who should have been here were gone, and only some brat was left standing there.
But then, that brat suddenly broke into a wide grin and spoke.
“Ready to die? You thieves who climbed over someone else’s wall.”
“...”
In her hands, now hanging at her sides, were two sharp daggers.