Chapter 142
Chapter 142
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 142
Chapter Title: Crisis (3)
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Yi Hwan returned to the army camp and immediately sought out Gwak Chung-mu. Gwak Chung-mu, who had climbed the watchtower, hurried down.
“It's a relief you're safe, Great Prince!”
“What's the situation?”
“As you predicted, the enemy's main force is advancing. We were just about to send reinforcements to support the vanguard when you sent word—truly fortunate.”
“Have you assessed the enemy's numbers?”
Gwak Chung-mu replied with a grave expression to Yi Hwan's question.
“The Southwest King himself is commanding an army of two hundred thousand.”
Yi Hwan was inwardly surprised.
The Southwest King had come here himself.
‘Was Crown Prince Jo Gwang that important?’
Otherwise, there'd be no reason for the Southwest King to come in person.
“How much time do we have?”
“With the dense mountainous terrain blocking the way, it'll take at least half a day at minimum. Thanks to you, we've prevented our forces from being scattered, but the enemy's numbers overwhelm ours, so the outcome afterward is...”
Even Gwak Chung-mu, who wouldn't blink before a million-strong army, couldn't finish his sentence.
Yi Hwan spoke with resolve.
“With the geographical advantage on our side, if we focus entirely on defense, we can hold off even two hundred thousand. Let's look at the map first.”
“Understood.”
It was then, as Yi Hwan and Gwak Chung-mu headed toward the command tent.
A general came running.
“An envoy from the Zhao Kingdom has arrived!”
* * *
Yi Hwan received the envoy in the command tent.
Gwak Chung-mu sat beside him.
The envoy, not recognizing Yi Hwan, addressed Gwak Chung-mu in an arrogant tone.
“His Majesty the Southwest King of our kingdom says this: Hand over Crown Prince Jo Gwang, and we shall bestow our grace upon you.”
“Tell it to the Great Prince again.”
“......”
Only then did the Zhao envoy look at Yi Hwan. He had taken Yi Hwan for some mere aide to Gwak Chung-mu.
“No need to repeat.”
Yi Hwan indifferently brought his teacup to his lips.
Clink.
“Go back and relay this clearly: Crown Prince Jo Gwang is not here. And add that we're not intimidated by a single soul dancing to the tune of some power-blind old vixen.”
“How insolent! He is the future emperor of our kingdom—mind your words!”
“If you don't want to come back as a ghost, lower your voice.”
“......!”
“Fix that glare and expression too.”
“......!”
Overpowered by the aura? The envoy unwittingly straightened his posture and averted his gaze downward.
Yi Hwan took another sip of tea.
Clink.
“Leave before I change my mind.”
“......!”
The flustered envoy turned to Gwak Chung-mu.
Gwak Chung-mu spoke in a stern tone.
“Are you deaf? Our Great Prince told you to get lost.”
“There is no precedent in history for treating an envoy like this! You will regret this... Urk!”
Slap!
The envoy's head snapped back as if broken.
Yi Hwan had struck his cheek with palm force. Blood poured from the split lip.
“I told you to lower your voice.”
“Y-You...”
“That glare doesn't sit well either.”
Swoosh.
As Yi Hwan raised his hand, the envoy frantically turned his head and huddled his body.
“You'd best leave before I empty this teacup. I'm only holding back for our commander's sake.”
Crash!
The envoy shot to his feet, toppling his chair. He hastily righted it and fled the command tent like a fugitive.
Gwak Chung-mu smiled faintly.
“I wonder how the Zhao Southwest King's face will twist. Well done, Great Prince.”
“Let's look at the map.”
“Yes.”
Gwak Chung-mu's deputy spread the map on the table.
Yi Hwan scrutinized it closely, devising troop deployments. Gwak Chung-mu waited silently.
He already had countermeasures against the enemy in mind. But he couldn't decide unilaterally, ignoring Yi Hwan. And he was deeply curious what stratagem Yi Hwan would propose.
Moments later, Yi Hwan straightened and turned to Gwak Chung-mu.
“First, tell me the countermeasures you've devised.”
“In my view...”
Gwak Chung-mu explained his plan. It took only about an hourglass to detail.
Yi Hwan nodded silently.
It aligned closely with his own conception. But he pointed to one spot.
“I'll take this position.”
“That area may face the heaviest enemy assault.”
“That's why I'm taking it. In exchange, assign General Jeong Cheon's unit to me.”
Gwak Chung-mu saw the resolve in Yi Hwan's eyes. He had no choice but to yield.
“Understood. I'll assign more martial artists as well.”
Yi Hwan shook his head.
“The enemy will target you first and foremost, Commander. If you fall, the Northern Legion crumbles—so keep the bulk of the martial artists around you.”
“......Understood.”
With deliberations concluded, Yi Hwan finally drank some cold water. Watching, Gwak Chung-mu smiled again.
“We should have had you here from the start. With you beside us, my heart is at ease like never before. Your subordinate generals must feel the same.”
“Hearing that reassures me I haven't been a burden. Now, let's get to it.”
“Yes, Great Prince.”
Yi Hwan stepped outside.
The generals had gathered outside the command tent.
Yi Hwan addressed them briefly.
“Focus solely on defense. No attacks without direct orders—keep that in mind.”
“Yes, Great Prince!”
Yi Hwan gazed at one general with a faint smile. It was Jeong Cheon, who had arrived with ten thousand elites from the Southern Legion. Jeong Cheon smiled back.
* * *
Yi Hwan stood side by side with Jeong Cheon.
“How's the commander?”
“He's been sleepless with worry for you, Great Prince. If anything happened to you, he was ready to storm the Imperial Palace.”
Yi Hwan chuckled, picturing Paeng Mu-wi's burly face.
“Must be distant with the Third Prince, then.”
“They keep a polite distance. He's just so taciturn that even the commander and everyone treads carefully around him.”
Jeong Cheon continued.
“My apologies. I should have brought more troops if possible...”
“Pulling too many would provoke the Zhao forces into action. This is more than enough.”
Yi Hwan placed a hand on Jeong Cheon's shoulder.
“Stay cautious.”
“You too, Great Prince. I'll head to my post first.”
Jeong Cheon departed for his position. Yi Hwan watched his retreating figure, thinking again of Paeng Mu-wi.
‘Extracting ten thousand elites with the Third Prince there couldn't have been easy.’
Gratitude welled up.
Troops sent purely for his sake.
“Whew.”
Yi Hwan exhaled softly and turned.
Ahead stood Cheol Mu-ok and the others. But Hwa Ryeong was absent.
“Where is she?”
“Meditating to circulate her qi. Fighting in an imperfect state upset her internals. She knows the position—she'll join once recovered.”
Yi Hwan nodded silently and looked at Song Cheon-mu and Cha Jung-kyeong.
Both showed clear tension.
Of course—with enemies on a scale worlds apart from the Southern Legion, tension was only natural.
“Once combat begins, I may not be able to protect you. So never let your focus lapse—watch our movements closely.”
“Yes, Great Prince. We will.”
“Understood.”
Yi Hwan walked ahead.
His assigned position was the Northern Legion's westernmost defensive line: high ground with steep slopes, but relatively open terrain ahead, predicted as the enemy's main assault route.
Depending on circumstances, he might clash head-on with the Southwest King.
Whoosh!
The rain intensified.
‘This much rain will actually favor us.’
Upon reaching the line, Yi Hwan ordered Jeong Cheon to uproot all grass on the steep slopes.
To make it as slippery as possible when the enemy attacked.
He also commanded gathering as many rollable rocks and logs as feasible.
Rumble!
Crack!
Thunder and lightning raged fiercer.
With each flash, Yi Hwan's face paled white before returning to normal.
How much time passed?
Drums echoed faintly. The forest ahead stirred.
“Whew.”
Song Cheon-mu exhaled deeply.
Cha Jung-kyeong stared piercingly at the shaking front with a tense face. Song Cheon-mu turned to him.
“Aren't you afraid?”
“Terrified out of my mind.”
Cha Jung-kyeong hid no emotion. From his Black Tiger Squad days in Zhao, he'd fought Yeon countless times, but never a battle this massive.
Especially led by the Zhao's de facto ruler, the Southwest King.
Song Cheon-mu asked again.
“What kind of man is the Zhao Southwest King?”
“Think mad tiger. From youth, once his temper flared, no one could stop him. The emperor essentially exiled him to the western kingship to protect the crown prince.”
“So the martial artists with him must be top-tier masters, no doubt.”
“Of course.”
Song Cheon-mu glanced at Yi Hwan.
The aura of Yi Hwan gazing ahead from under the tree felt utterly transformed.
Until now, Yi Hwan had never lost his characteristic nonchalance, whatever the situation. But today, even his eyes were different.
Seeing that made Song Cheon-mu more tense.
Slap! Slap!
Song Cheon-mu slapped his cheeks, hypnotizing himself.
‘I'm not afraid. Not afraid. Not afraid.’
* * *
Southwest King Jo Yun eyed the Northern Legion's defensive line with flickering, fiery eyes.
“They've cleared all the grass? Quite the classic tactic.”
Cut branches piled mountain-like along the high ground path.
“In this terrain, logs will pack quite a punch.”
“We should watch for rocks too.”
Jo Yun nodded silently and continued.
“With the widest approach, naturally Commander Gwak Chung-mu guards it.”
“That is my assessment as well.”
“I wonder just how skilled this famed Gwak Chung-mu of Yeon truly is.”
“Who shall lead the vanguard?”
“Entrust it to me!”
From behind came a gravelly roar like a bear's bellow, and a hulking general stepped forward.
A veteran who'd spent his life with Jo Yun: one of Zhao's top fierce generals, Han Seom.
Jo Yun said,
“Never underestimate Gwak Chung-mu. Fight as if he's stronger than you—give it your all, no arrogance.”
“Leave it to me!”
“Good. Go.”
“Yes!”
“Once the enemy line weakens, the main army supports the vanguard!”
“Yes!”
Moments later, Han Seom led forty thousand elites forward.
Jo Yun found a high vantage, unfurled a massive umbrella, and watched the soon-to-be battlefield.
Aides flanked him. Among them, the envoy slapped by Yi Hwan earlier.
Jo Yun, sharply scanning Yeon's lines, narrowed his brow upon spotting Yi Hwan and his aides under a great tree.
Jo Yun's eyes fixed on Yi Hwan's face.
‘Gwak Chung-mu can't be that young.’
He asked behind him.
“Is the one who struck your cheek among them?”
“That one!”
The envoy who'd visited the Northern Legion pointed precisely at Yi Hwan. Though distant, having cultivated inner arts, he identified the face clearly.
“So that's Yeon's puppet Great Prince?”
“Yes.”
“I took him for a mere brute who dared slap an envoy, but he's got spine. He must know this is the most dangerous spot, yet steps up himself. Makes sense—he led that raid personally too.”
Jo Yun knew from reports that Yi Hwan had annihilated one enemy line in the raid.
But one thing he didn't know.
What Yi Hwan had said to the envoy.
*We're not intimidated by a single soul dancing to the tune of some power-blind old vixen.*
The envoy hadn't dared relay it.
“Still no word from the Second Prince?”
“The messenger was sent—he'll bring news soon!”
For the first time, Jo Yun's eyes cooled.
By plan, Jo Jeong-mu should have descended on the Northern Legion's northwest by now.
‘No issues, I hope.’
Jo Yun, with a beast's heart.
Even he was a normal father before his sons. None simply knew it.
“General Han seems about to launch the assault.”
“Bring wine.”
A table of liquor was set before Jo Yun.
He raised a cup to his lips, awaiting the battle's onset.