Chapter 276
Chapter 276
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 276
Chapter Title: Psychological Warfare
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“Out for a stroll and wasn’t here?”
“Yes, Grand General.”
“Then send someone again later.”
Grand General Won Gaese, revered as the greatest commander in the Qin Kingdom, leisurely tilted his teacup.
Commander Yeom Po cautiously opened his mouth.
“Wouldn’t it be better to go and pay respects first?”
“This is our territory, our camp. Even if he’s an imperial prince, for me, the Grand General, to greet him first would damage the pride of Qin!”
“But...”
“Enough.”
“......”
Yang I-cheon chimed in.
“The Grand General is right. Naturally, that one should come first to pay his respects.”
The generals in the tent nodded in agreement. With the mood like that, Yeom Po didn’t press further. Instead, he brought up something else.
“I shall brief you on the plan issued by the Great Prince.”
“No need. I’m tired today; we’ll do it tomorrow.”
“This is a pressing matter of urgency, Grand General.”
Thud!
Won Gaese set down his teacup a bit forcefully and stared straight at Yeom Po.
“You’ve grown quite talkative in the time I haven’t seen you. Do I need to repeat myself for you to back down?”
“......No, sir. Then I’ll brief you tomorrow.”
“Rest up. Everyone, withdraw.”
The generals withdrew.
But Yang I-cheon remained seated. Won Gaese asked him.
“Is camp life not difficult for you?”
“How could it be comfortable? I’m just trying to adapt.”
“His Majesty has great expectations. So on the day you next have an audience, you must take extra care not to disappoint him.”
“......Yes, sir.”
“Deputy General.”
One general stepped forward.
“Prepare hot water. I need to wash up.”
“Understood.”
Won Gaese’s expression and demeanor were solemn. But beneath it lay an air of disdain toward Yang I-cheon.
Yang I-cheon stood.
“You must be weary from your travels, Grand General. Rest well.”
“See you tomorrow.”
Leaving Won Gaese’s tent, Yang I-cheon headed to his own with the leader of the guard unit who had been waiting outside.
The leader asked.
“The Grand General seems intent on a pride contest with Yeon’s Great Prince. Isn’t that a problem?”
“Problem? Naturally, that bastard should come first and pay respects.”
“But Yeon’s Great Prince has been acknowledged by His Majesty...”
“Acknowledged? In the end, we’ll be the main force in subduing the fanatics, and once it’s done, all the credit should rightfully be ours. So from now on, we need to minimize that one’s presence. That’s what the Grand General wants.”
“What if the Grand General wants His Highness to join the battle?”
“What else? Of course he’ll join. Soon the reinforcements will arrive, making our total force one hundred thousand. What’s there to fear from mere fanatics?”
The guard leader was troubled by how completely Yang I-cheon’s thinking had changed since Won Gaese’s arrival.
‘If His Highness’s presence is revealed on the battlefield, the fanatics will target him first without fail...’
What if, by any chance, something happened to Yang I-cheon?
The mere thought made the leader grit his teeth.
Crunch.
* * *
The next day, Won Gaese sent someone again. But Yi Hwan refused, citing poor health.
Over the next four days, messengers came four times, but no meeting took place.
Both sides knew.
This was a battle of pride.
And a day later, Commander Yeom Po came to see Yi Hwan.
“Here again to relay the Grand General’s request?”
“No. I came to inquire after your health since you said you were unwell.”
“You know that’s not the reason, Commander.”
“......You’re right.”
Yi Hwan set down the book he was holding and stared straight at Yeom Po.
“Have you passed on my strategy?”
“I reported it right away on the first day, but there’s no reply yet. It’s such an important matter, he must be deliberating. Please wait a bit longer.”
“I want the Commander’s honest answer.”
“......”
Embarrassment clouded Yeom Po’s face. Then, with a quiet sigh, he spoke.
“The Grand General intends to use a different strategy. He says the Great Prince’s plan relying on the weather has too many variables and is too risky.”
“Then has he prepared one?”
“He’s currently discussing it with the generals. I’ll inform you as soon as it’s decided.”
“Understood.”
Yeom Po stood.
Yi Hwan called to him.
“Commander.”
“Yes, Great Prince.”
“If my presence here is inconvenient or deemed unnecessary, tell me anytime. I’ll leave without hesitation.”
“......I’ll relay that.”
Moments later, Yeom Po departed, and Yi Hwan’s close aides entered. Ju Tae fumed.
“Why not just go back? From their attitude, they wouldn’t even say thanks if we helped.”
“I feel the same.”
Hwa Ryeong agreed.
Yi Hwan shook his head.
“Though this is Qin territory, the war with the Dark Heaven Cult concerns the entire Central Plains. So we’ll wait a bit longer.”
“That rude bastard hasn’t even come to pay respects yet. Can we really coordinate properly with the likes of him?”
“Calm your temper and get out. Moon Lord, stay.”
“......Yes.”
Everyone left except Go Mi. She had returned late last night after gathering intel on Won Gaese.
“Find out anything?”
“Yes. Grand General Won Gaese enjoys the Qin Emperor’s deep trust and hails from Qin’s foremost noble house, which has produced generations of high ministers and grand generals. In Qin, he’s called the greatest commander of his era. But unlike his illustrious reputation, his personality is arrogant and narrow-minded, and he has many enemies even in the palace. However, there’s something odd.”
“Something odd?”
“Yes. Every year, Qin’s elite troops from each army gather for mock training, and he’s designated our Yeon Kingdom as the hypothetical enemy—every single year.”
That was certainly odd. For someone with such poor feelings toward Yeon to hold command here?
“Coordination might prove difficult.”
“The Qin Emperor wouldn’t be unaware of the Grand General’s temperament, so why send him here?”
“If the Emperor sent him expecting coordination, then that one might change his mind.”
“And if he makes unreasonable demands?”
“Nothing’s decided yet, so let’s wait and see what he says. Good work—go rest.”
“Yes.”
It was then.
Ding-dong-ding!
Suddenly, the alarm bells rang out clamorously.
“That’s the emergency bell!”
“Have the enemy attacked?”
Yi Hwan muttered as he stood. Go Mi grabbed her sword and followed behind him.
Moments later, as Yi Hwan stepped out of the tent, a general came rushing toward him.
“What’s happened?”
“The fanatics attacked the reinforcements! Mobilization orders have been issued!”
‘Attacked the reinforcements?’
It didn’t make sense at first. The Qin reinforcements numbered nearly eighty thousand. Who would dare attack such a force?
Eighty thousand strong.
“Will the Grand General deploy too?”
“Yes.”
Yi Hwan gazed toward the command tent. Just then, he saw Won Gaese and his generals emerging.
“Leave it to us and stay put.”
“I can’t do that. We’ll help too.”
Yi Hwan turned and said.
“We deploy with the Qin army.”
“Yes.”
“Got it!”
“Yang Chan, you stay and rest.”
“I’m fine.”
“It’s best you don’t fight until your heart’s fully committed.”
The words carried layers of meaning.
Yang Chan nodded promptly.
“Understood.”
* * *
Soon after, Won Gaese led twenty thousand troops out of camp. Yang I-cheon and the Imperial Guards followed behind.
Commander Yeom Po and the remaining forces stayed to guard against contingencies.
Yi Hwan and his group pursued the Qin army. Won Gaese, leading from the front, didn’t notice them.
‘Not an easy foe.’
Yi Hwan highly rated the Dark Heaven Cult’s ambush. Truth be told, even he hadn’t anticipated it.
‘Well, following the Mad Demon’s advance, anything less would be stranger.’
“Increase speed.”
“Yes!”
Whoosh!
Yi Hwan and his group soon overtook Yang I-cheon and the guards. Yang I-cheon’s eyes flashed oddly upon realizing Yi Hwan had mobilized.
‘Let’s see just how impressive you are.’
* * *
Clang!
Krak!
“Argh!”
“Gaaah!”
The Land Sword Demon’s blade knew no mercy. It was ruthless and precise.
With minimal effort, he felled Qin soldiers left and right. This was his desperate bid to wash away the shame of a single failure.
The battlefield stretched endlessly. The Qin reinforcements, climbing a narrow, steep path through rugged mountains, couldn’t leverage their overwhelming numbers in the ambush.
“You bastards! Kill them all!”
“Charge!”
Clang!
“Grah!”
“Gaaah!”
The Dark Heaven Cult targeted the army’s midsection relentlessly. High experts like the Land Sword Demon were concentrated there.
The Qin forces, having placed most experts at front and rear, suffered devastating losses, their formation severed at the waist. Flames sparked in the Land Sword Demon’s eyes.
“You lot, block the rear!”
“Yes!”
Hundreds of Dark Heaven Cultists leaped to the back. Despite the dozens-fold numerical disparity, the narrow terrain allowed them to hold sufficiently.
Swoosh!
Someone lunged at the Land Sword Demon.
Many cultists had already fallen to him. He was a Qin expert positioned in the reinforcements’ central midsection.
Boom!
Three clashes followed in succession.
But on the fourth, the Land Sword Demon’s sword severed his throat.
Splurt!
“Argh!”
The severed head soared high, landing beyond the woods.
“Ugh...”
“He’s beyond us!”
Nearby Qin soldiers trembled and retreated. But there was nowhere to go.
“Charge!”
The cultists surged ferociously.
In hasty retreat, Qin soldiers plummeted off cliffs one after another.
“Aaaah!”
The Land Sword Demon caught his breath quietly and surveyed the field. Bloody battles raged everywhere. But in the center where he fought, they already dominated.
No matter what, sever the enemy’s waist first. Understood?
Military Strategist Ma Jung-hyo’s exhortation came to mind.
‘Can’t deny it.’
He had been skeptical when Ma first decided on the ambush, given the vast numbers.
Yet the operation raced toward perfect success. Though loath to admit it, he couldn’t deny Ma’s brilliant strategy.
“Left Vanguard Lord!”
A young man approached from behind. Gu Ja-cheon, disciple of Cult Leader Jang Cheon-hwa. Ghost-masked figures guarded him.
The Land Sword Demon scanned Gu Ja-cheon head to toe.
“I’m fine.”
“Be careful, Young Cult Leader. Enemy martial artists could be anywhere.”
“Got it.”
Gu Ja-cheon scanned the battlefield and smiled.
“The strategist’s plan worked perfectly. One solid hit like this, and they won’t dare press the attack lightly.”
The Land Sword Demon, reluctant to credit Ma, merely nodded silently.
It was then.
“Young Cult Leader!”
A ghost-masked figure approached.
“Won Gaese is descending with the vanguard!”