Chapter 3
Chapter 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Capture Alive
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The weather in the mountains was ever-changing.
When clouds were blocked by the high peaks, rain inevitably poured down without fail, and if fierce winds joined in, they had to halt their advance and remain huddled indefinitely in the forest.
Shwaaa!
Whiiiing!
Yi Hwan stared at the raging downpour while outlining his next steps in his mind.
There was no need for deep deliberation.
‘First, find the Sword King’s descendant.’
Yi Hwan believed the Black Tiger Squad that had attacked him were the Sword King’s descendants.
He fixed his gaze on Jeong Cheon, who was conversing with the deputy generals a short distance ahead.
A renowned general acknowledged by all, yet in his eyes, he appeared no more than a pup.
At that moment, one of the escorts approached.
“Would you like something to eat?”
What he proffered was a chunk of jerky.
“No thanks.”
“Soon we’ll enter enemy territory, and then you won’t be able to eat anything for quite some time.”
At the escort’s words, Yi Hwan bit into the jerky.
‘Once the clash begins and the Black Tiger Squad appears, that’s when I’ll move alone.’
Rumble!
Crackle!
Lightning wove like a spiderweb and struck not far away.
“Damn it. This place is always a hellhole no matter when you come.”
“It suits those musty Zhao bastards perfectly. Heh heh heh.”
Even with the enemy camp right before them, the warriors showed no tension whatsoever.
Moments later, the rain and wind subsided, and the march resumed.
It took far more time than anticipated. Though it seemed they would arrive soon, only as dusk fell did the Yeon Kingdom army reach their primary destination.
‘Jeong Cheon favors night raids, doesn’t he?’
Indeed. Jeong Cheon had amassed brilliant achievements through repeated night raids.
And by incurring far fewer losses than other units in the process, he had earned his status as a great general.
Likely, this was why Commander Hwang Ho had attached Yi Hwan to Jeong Cheon’s unit.
‘So that’s why he only brought about five thousand troops.’
Mobility was the key to night raids. The larger the force, the slower the movement inevitably became, making minimal troops far more efficient.
Jeong Cheon excelled in such aspects with specialized strategies and tactics, having racked up substantial merits thus far.
‘That means we need to wait about one hour longer...’
That much more time was required for true nightfall.
It was then.
‘Fortunately, I won’t have to endure a dull wait.’
Having spotted something, Yi Hwan wore a faint smile.
Swoosh!
Thud thud!
“Argh!”
“Ugh!”
Screams burst from various spots following the whooshes of air.
“Enemy ambush!”
“Switch to battle formation!”
“Battle formation!”
Yi Hwan’s eyes gleamed. He had glimpsed shadows charging from beyond the darkness.
They were precisely what he had noticed moments earlier.
‘After suffering several night raids, it’s only natural they’d prepare countermeasures. I don’t know who the commander is, but he’s no complete fool.’
The Zhao Kingdom had already been badly burned by Jeong Cheon’s unit multiple times via night raids.
With Jeong Cheon’s fame widespread even in Zhao, preparing for it was only to be expected.
Of course, Jeong Cheon had advanced cautiously with that in mind, but evidently, the Zhao commander held the edge.
Jeong Cheon gritted his teeth.
“Our position’s exposed! Withdraw from here at once! Hurry!”
“Yes!”
Amid the chaos, Jeong Cheon’s unit slowly began pulling their troops back.
Yet Yi Hwan moved with perfect composure even in the turmoil.
Clang!
Crack!
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
The first clash erupted on the left flank.
It was fairly close to Yi Hwan’s position. The escorts encircled him like an iron bastion.
“Great Prince! Don’t stray from our side!”
“Got it. Stay focused.”
Yi Hwan leisurely awaited the Black Tiger Squad’s appearance.
At that moment, a group of Zhao soldiers charged toward his location. The escorts stepped forward, forming a defensive line.
Clang!
“Argh!”
“Argh!”
A brutal melee of blood and flesh spraying erupted right beside them, but Yi Hwan’s eyes darted swiftly across the battlefield. Yet nowhere was the Black Tiger Squad.
“Ugh!”
One escort groaned and staggered.
An enemy lunged at the faltering escort. With the others unable to assist, the escort’s head seemed doomed to fly.
That was when Yi Hwan moved.
With merely a single step forward and a casual sword swing, the enemy’s head split vertically, gushing blood and brains.
“Argh!”
The escort turned to Yi Hwan with wide-eyed shock.
“If you’re grateful, fight harder.”
“......!”
“Charge!”
“You fearless bastards!”
The Zhao soldiers surged even more ferociously toward the escorts.
* * *
“Don’t fall back!”
“Push them harder!”
Jeong Cheon’s unit truly lived up to its reputation. The handpicked five thousand elites, bent on reclaiming their lost position, overcame the initial chaos and gradually bore down on the Zhao army.
Reinforcements from another direction joined swiftly, cornering the Zhao forces further. Since the battle had broken out before penetrating deep into enemy territory, the merger was rapid.
Waaah!
“Charge!”
“You stinking Zhao bastards! Smash their skulls to pieces!”
It was then.
Crack!
“Argh!”
“Uwaaak!”
“It’s the Black Tiger Squad! The Black Tiger Squad has appeared!”
Uproar erupted on the battlefield’s right flank. Yi Hwan’s eyes flashed brightly.
‘They’ve finally shown up.’
The right flank where the Black Tiger Squad appeared buckled rapidly. As expected, they were formidable.
“Everyone, to that spot.”
“Great Prince! That place is far too dangerous!”
“Is there anywhere safe on a battlefield? Follow me.”
Yi Hwan dashed forward first. Startled, the escorts hurriedly trailed him.
“Hurry! We can’t lose the Great Prince!”
Yi Hwan cleaved through the battlefield’s center, keenly scanning his surroundings for traces of the Soul Separation Technique.
Upon reaching a certain point, his eyes gleamed.
‘Found it!’
Three streaks of bloodlight flashing across the battlefield.
They stood out all the more vividly in the pitch-black darkness.
* * *
A general approached Jeong Cheon and shouted.
“The enemy numbers aren’t overwhelming, so we’ll bypass and head to the camp!”
“Take care, General.”
“Then we’ll meet at the camp!”
A portion of the Yeon Kingdom army exited the battlefield.
Jeong Cheon watched them briefly before shifting his gaze to the right flank where the Black Tiger Squad had emerged.
His eyes bulged when he spotted Yi Hwan traversing the battlefield.
“No!”
Jeong Cheon doubted his own eyes.
Yi Hwan was not the sort with such courage. He had assumed the boldness at the strategy meeting was a fleeting surge from cheating death, and that on the battlefield, he would revert to his true colors.
Yet astonishingly, while even his seasoned elites floundered in panic, barely holding the line, Yi Hwan charged solo into the fray.
Jeong Cheon turned rearward and bellowed.
“Everyone to the right! Hurry!”
“Yes!”
* * *
‘Too fast!’
The escorts pursuing Yi Hwan were aghast.
Yi Hwan was impossibly swift. In moments, even with leaps, the gap stretched beyond catching.
‘Was he always like this?’
‘What in the world is happening? Why is he so fast!’
As all reeled in shock, one escort cried out urgently.
“Great Prince! Look left!”
He had seen a Black Tiger Squad member lunging from Yi Hwan’s left. The foe’s blinding speed made Yi Hwan’s peril plain as day.
“Uh!”
A sharp yelp escaped the escort.
His eyes widened impossibly further.
The dreaded Black Tiger Squad member’s head was sheared clean off in one stroke.
“No way...”
“What are you doing! The Great Prince is in danger!”
“We must catch up now!”
As the escorts desperately gave chase, Yi Hwan beelined for the Black Tiger Squad member deploying the Soul Separation Technique. En route, several more assailants lost their heads to his blade.
“Argh!”
“Argh!”
It was as if autumn leaves scattered before the wind.
Waaah!
Jeong Cheon’s troops crashed in. Sensing their numerical disadvantage, the rampaging Black Tiger Squad began withdrawing.
“Great Prince! Fall back to the rear at once!”
Jeong Cheon’s roar thundered across the battlefield.
But Yi Hwan had no such intention.
Then, he spotted the Soul Separation Technique user retreating. Coincidentally—or fortunately—he was well-separated from his comrades.
‘Perfect for me.’
“Die!”
Two swords hurtled at him simultaneously. Yi Hwan leaned his torso sideways while thrusting both hands out.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
Felling the foes with minimal motion, Yi Hwan bolted toward his target.
In that instant, their gazes locked, piercing the darkness.
Had he recognized Yi Hwan? Or been awed by his aura?
The Black Tiger Squad member bolted straight into the forest.
‘Yes. Flee deeper in.’
Yi Hwan pursued into the woods.
In the chaotic melee, both Jeong Cheon and the escorts lost sight of him.
Jeong Cheon’s face hardened like stone as he searched for Yi Hwan.
“What the hell are we to do about this!”
The death of an imperial prince and Great Prince.
Jeong Cheon could not ignore the storm of repercussions it would unleash.
“Find the Great Prince! Now!”
“Yes!”
* * *
Snap snap!
Broken branches lashed at Yi Hwan’s face.
But repelled by his protective aura, they flew off in all directions.
“I’m not trying to kill you, so just stop already?”
Who in this situation would believe such words? The Black Tiger Squad member fled even more desperately.
Yet the distance shrank to within ten zhang in a flash.
After a few breaths, a sheer cliff loomed before the Black Tiger Squad member.
“Damn it!”
With no path forward even after glancing left and right, he whirled toward Yi Hwan and assumed a stance.
“Come on! Fuck!”
Yi Hwan dropped down before him.
Swish!
Yi Hwan sheathed his sword.
Click.
“I won’t kill you, so drop your sword.”
“Shut up! If you weren’t gonna kill me, why chase me all this way!”
“I have questions. Trust me.”
“Quit your bullshit and come at me, you bastard!”
Yi Hwan sighed, knitting his brows.
“Fine. Here I come.”