Chapter 285
Chapter 285
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 285
Chapter Title: What Ma Junghyo is Aiming For
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At the entrance to the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
The great army of Won Gae-se, marching toward the Imperial Capital, halted its retreat for a moment and went into rest.
The sun would set soon, so the warriors pitched tents and sated their hunger with hardtack and jerky.
Won Gae-se discussed the events following their entry into the Imperial Capital beneath a massive command tent with his subordinate generals.
Namgung Jang-cheon and Danri Mok sat side by side at a distance, watching the scene.
Danri Mok grumbled.
“Isn’t the retreat too slow? At this pace, it’ll take days more.”
“Once we’re out of this rugged terrain, we can march at night too, so don’t be so impatient.”
“It’s not impatience. If we’re too late, it’ll be worse than not retreating at all. We could’ve just left the Imperial Capital to the Golden Army and attacked the Dark Heaven Cultists—we might’ve ended it by now. If he was that worried, he could’ve just sent the Second Prince and the Imperial Guards.”
“What’s the point of saying that now? It’ll work out somehow.”
Danri Mok looked at Namgung Jang-cheon, who lay back, with curious eyes.
“That’s not like you at all.”
“Enough. I’m tired.”
Danri Mok lay down beside him. The crescent moon had already risen.
“The Grand Commander.”
“What about him?”
“With forces several times smaller, he repelled even the Southwest King’s great army. In his eyes, what kind of man must the Grand Commander seem, letting a prize fish he’d already hooked slip away?”
“Who knows.”
Namgung Jang-cheon thought of Yi Hwan. What did he truly think of Won Gae-se?
His face suddenly burned.
Having witnessed the incompetence and narrow-mindedness of Won Gae-se—the core of the military and a real power broker—perhaps that’s how it seemed.
“Hoo…….”
“Get some sleep.”
“I don’t feel like I can.”
Namgung Jang-cheon sat up.
“I’ll go get some air.”
“Want company?”
“No. I need to think, so I’ll go alone.”
“Don’t go too far.”
“Don’t worry. You sleep first.”
Namgung Jang-cheon, heading toward the outskirts, stopped when he saw people emerging from Won Gae-se’s tent.
Baek Woo-kyeong and Baek Yeon, along with two senior experts playing key roles. Finally, Won Gae-se stepped out, and all bowed toward him.
‘Leaving first?’
Their greetings suggested as much.
Sure enough, martial artists poured out from other tents.
They too bowed toward Won Gae-se.
That was when a Namgung family warrior came running.
“You’re here?”
“What’s going on?”
“The situation in the Imperial Capital is urgent, so it’s been decided to dispatch an advance unit to hurry ahead.”
“Is the situation in the Imperial Capital that bad?”
“I don’t know the details, but it seems quite serious. And since the Grand Commander brought so many key experts here to the Hundred Thousand Mountains, there aren’t enough for suppression duties.”
“Understood.”
Namgung Jang-cheon glanced toward Danri Mok. Just then, a Danri family warrior was speaking to him.
Moments later, Danri Mok approached with a wry smile.
“Our family will travel with the Grand Commander. See you in the Imperial Capital later.”
“Go on ahead.”
* * *
Hidden in the darkness, Ma Junghyo’s eyes flashed as he stared at the Qin army beyond the dim moonlight.
“Sending an advance unit first? Things must be urgent.”
The Earthly Sword Demon chuckled coldly.
“Heaven is aiding us.”
“Still, no complacency. The ones around Won Gae-se aren’t pushovers either.”
“Complacency? I always give my all, even against the weak.”
“Then why couldn’t a guy like you kill Namgung Jang-cheon?”
A twitch.
“…….”
“Stay on standby until I give the attack order. If you act rashly even here, I won’t cover for you anymore.”
“Tonight?”
“Not tonight. Hold until they’re completely out of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.”
“…….”
“Why no answer?”
“Aren’t you being too cautious?”
“If Won Gae-se dies, the next in command will take over. If that one’s a hardliner unlike Won Gae-se, he might turn the army back to the main headquarters. We need to buy enough time for them to reorganize so there’s no issue even if they attack the headquarters again. Got it?”
“…….”
“If you understand, withdraw and rest.”
The Earthly Sword Demon left without a word toward where his subordinates waited.
‘Damn it. Just finish him quick and go, but all this hesitation. That guy and I just don’t mesh.’
He’d never meshed well with Ma Junghyo. Dissatisfaction from their clashing temperaments had been growing.
But deep down, he acknowledged Ma Junghyo. What he’d just said was something even the Earthly Sword Demon hadn’t considered.
‘If Won Gae-se’s successor is a hardliner, he really might turn back to the headquarters.’
That unique insight was why Ma Junghyo was recognized as the cult’s strategist.
‘But how far does he plan to let them go? Once they’re out of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, Qin troops will be swarming everywhere.’
* * *
Ma Junghyo’s expression remained calm and coldly rational as he stared at the Qin army in the darkness.
A close aide asked cautiously.
“How far will you let them go?”
“The farther the distance, the more complacent Won Gae-se will get. At least a hundred li, wouldn’t you say?”
“A hundred li?”
“The headquarters took more damage than you saw with your own eyes. If we don’t buy enough time to reorganize, we could lose our base entirely. No one moves until I order it. Understood?”
“Yes, Strategist.”
As Ma Junghyo said, the Dark Heaven Cult had suffered more than visible damage. Qin forces had invaded an area never breached before. The shock to the cultists must be immense.
Ma Junghyo worried about that most, so he had his own plans.
‘Our opponent isn’t a martial faction—it’s a massive nation. The cult leader and members overlook how different that is from faction wars. If we don’t awaken them now, we’ll repeat the failure in Yeon Kingdom.’
Grip.
‘For me and my ancestors’ aspirations, the Dark Heaven Cult must survive longer.’
Ma Junghyo’s eyes grew ever more resolute as he murmured inscrutably.
* * *
Yi Hwan and his group, having left the Hundred Thousand Mountains, entered the market street of a city.
Though the Dark Heaven Cult had rampaged across Qin lands, this city was fortunately peaceful. Armed warriors were still thoroughly checking passersby everywhere.
“Halt!”
Yi Hwan’s group also stopped at the market entrance.
Yi Hwan presented the badge from Commander Yeom Po. That sufficed for identification.
Yi Hwan asked the warrior at attention.
“How goes the Mad Believer unrest?”
“As zealots from other regions head to the Imperial Capital, suppression is proving difficult! Cities where it’s quelled send troops straight to the Imperial Capital!”
Yi Hwan was inwardly surprised.
Zealots from other regions flooding the Imperial Capital meant initial suppression had failed.
“Good work.”
“Yes!”
Soon, Yi Hwan and his group entered an inn. Perhaps due to the tense atmosphere, it was nearly empty.
Cheol Mu-ok said.
“If the Imperial Capital’s situation is this dire, Won Gae-se’s judgment was ultimately correct.”
“Like stepping on a rat while the ox backs up.”
Yi Hwan emptied his cup.
Thud.
“Mu-ok, Ju Tae, Yang-chan, Moon Lord, and Hwa Ryeong—come with me to the Qin Imperial Capital.”
“Yes?”
“Go help out?”
“This is our war too. If there’s anything we can do, we should find it and act.”
“I’ll go too.”
Kim Mu-gwan stepped forward.
“Go back with the others first.”
“His Majesty ordered me to aid the great army. I’ll go with you.”
“I’ll go too.”
Tae Seon stepped up. Looking firmly at Cheol Mu-ok, she continued.
“Can’t send this one alone.”
“Tears, tears. Ugh!”
Hwa Ryeong pinched the grumbling Ju Tae’s side. Then Park Seon-ha spoke up.
“I’ll go too!”
“…….”
Staring at Kim Mu-gwan, she added.
“Can’t let him go alone again—he might run.”
“Cough!”
Kim Mu-gwan coughed.
“Anyway, we’re going together, so know that.”
“If the young lady goes, I go too.”
Following Kim Suk, Park Ji-mun grinned last.
“With my precious little sister going, how could her big brother not?”
Yi Hwan subtly furrowed his brow. Go Mi’s voice transmission flowed into his ear.
[They’re not ones to back down if told no. Let’s go together.]
Yi Hwan brought the cup to his lips again.
Thud!
“We leave tomorrow morning.”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
* * *
That night.
Yi Hwan gazed at the darkening city through his room’s window.
Few people passed, but armed warriors stood vigilant with torches lit everywhere.
‘Is this all Qin amounts to?’
Qin’s situation was dire. Casualties were inevitable, but after this much time, the heartland Imperial Capital should have quelled it.
‘If Qin wavers, Zhao will get ideas. This unrest might be the perfect boon for Jo Yun.’
That was why he headed for the Qin Imperial Capital. He hadn’t decided how to help yet, but he couldn’t return to Yeon like this. To check the Blood Demon’s descendants forging a nation.
Whooosh!
A chill wind brushed Yi Hwan’s face.
Then.
Thud thud thud!
Hoofbeats echoed from the north of the market.
Yi Hwan looked north.
Moments later, a group entered the market. Pausing briefly at the checkpoint, they soon passed Yi Hwan’s front like the wind.
Thud thud thud!
‘White-Clothed Sword God.’
Yi Hwan’s eyes flashed at the lead white horse. The rider was unmistakably Baek Woo-kyeong.
‘Sending martial artists first. The Imperial Capital must be that bad?’
Thud thud thud!
The group numbered at least several hundred.
Yi Hwan’s eyes flashed again upon spotting Namgung Jang-cheon. He rode at the rear with Namgung family warriors.
Danri Mok and his family weren’t visible—likely with Won Gae-se’s main army.
‘We’ll meet again in the Imperial Capital. Don’t die till then, brat.’
Then, the window of the next room opened, and Go Mi and Hwa Ryeong poked their heads out. Hwa Ryeong asked with wide eyes.
“Who are they?”
“White-Clothed Sword God and his group.”
“Yes?”
“Won Gae-se sending them ahead means the Imperial Capital’s in bad shape.”
“Then we should hurry too.”
“We leave in the morning as planned.”
Thud!
Yi Hwan closed the window and lay on the bed. But sleep wouldn’t come.
Lately, as troubling as the Dark Heaven Cult was another figure he’d forgotten then recalled: Strategist Ma Cheon-ryang.
Yi Hwan was certain.
Ma Cheon-ryang had been involved in Daye Fortress’s fall.
‘Why on earth…….’