Chapter 325
Chapter 325
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 325
Chapter Title: Chase
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Southern Legion.
Though the Southern Legion had been enjoying peaceful days since the Zhao Kingdom halted its military activities following the great earthquake, Song Cheon-mu and Cha Jung-kyeong were as busy as ever, every single day.
Ever since arriving here without Yi Hwan, the two had been pushing themselves through grueling training harder than anyone else. Even today, after all their drills were done, they were sweating buckets in a forest training ground, honing their swordsmanship.
“Hua!”
Thud!
Cha Jung-kyeong was the first to stab his sword into the ground and flop onto his back.
Song Cheon-mu glanced at him but didn’t stop his practice. Even so, he couldn’t last more than half a shichen longer before sprawling out flat.
“Heok heok heok!”
“Nothing beats real combat for training, but how long do we have to keep grinding like this? Damn it!”
“Tell me about it! Heok heok heok!”
The two lay there, panting as they stared up at the unusually blue and vast sky for a good while.
After about an incense stick’s time, the bushes rustled, and a warrior stepped in.
Cha Jung-kyeong snapped irritably.
“What now?”
“We’re about to deploy, so hurry back.”
“……!”
The two shot to their feet in unison.
“Did you just say deploy?”
“Yes.”
“Did the Zhao Kingdom invade or something?”
“Not that, but you’d better get there quick anyway.”
Wondering what was going on, Song Cheon-mu and Cha Jung-kyeong exchanged looks and rushed toward the camp.
By the time they arrived, the Dragon-Tiger Army had already assembled.
Song Hoe bellowed at them.
“What are you dawdling for? Get over here!”
“Yes!”
Drenched in sweat, the two hastily fell into line.
Song Cheon-mu whispered to the warrior beside him.
“What’s happening?”
“No idea. Just heard we’re heading toward Zhao Kingdom territory.”
“……!”
Song Cheon-ho and Cha Jung-kyeong stared at each other in shock.
Cha Jung-kyeong muttered.
“Heading into Zhao territory? Does that mean we’re launching a preemptive strike?”
Just then, the lead unit began to move out.
Cha Jung-kyeong fixed his gaze on Song Hoe. He wanted to run up and demand answers, but given the situation, he held back.
A general passed right by him then.
Cha Jung-kyeong couldn’t hold it in.
“What’s going on, General?”
“The Great Prince is on his way. We might clash with the Zhao forces, so steel yourselves.”
“Is the Great Prince being chased by the Zhao army?”
“You fool! Do you think the Great Prince is someone who’d be pursued by mere Zhao rabble? It’s none of your concern—just follow orders.”
“…….”
The general strode ahead.
Song Cheon-ho narrowed his eyes and muttered.
“Why is the Great Prince coming here from Zhao territory?”
“Must be returning from a mission. Anyway, this is great. Let’s show him how much we’ve grown right in front of his eyes.”
“Of course.”
The two felt no tension whatsoever.
The other Dragon-Tiger Army warriors felt the same. Like them, all they wanted was to prove the results of their brutal training in real battle.
But the one most excited about this situation was someone else entirely—Song Hoe.
He would soon meet Yi Hwan again.
That was everything to him.
‘I’ll see you soon, Great Prince.’
* * *
Half a day had passed since the full-scale chase began.
The enemy couldn’t ride horses through the rugged terrain any better than they could, which allowed them to widen the gap considerably.
But the experts were the exception. The top martial artists from Gwak Chi’s unit were still hot on their tails, keeping within about a hundred zhang.
It wasn’t just their superior lightness skills; the bigger issue was Jo Seok’s wife, who hadn’t trained in martial arts.
The female warriors carried her on their backs, but it inevitably slowed them down.
They couldn’t leave her behind, though. Yi Hwan and his group brought up the rear, staying vigilant for pursuers.
Go Mi shouted.
“Just one more shichen of running, and we’ll be in our territory—everyone, hang in there!”
Jo Seok never let go of his wife’s hand as she rode on the female warrior’s back. Fearing they’d be caught because of her, his wife wept nonstop.
“Please leave this lowly concubine behind, Your Highness!”
“How could I live without you? We’ll make it together no matter what—don’t say that again!”
Hwa Ryeong returned then.
“Get on my back!”
“We’ve got her!”
When the female warrior refused, Hwa Ryeong’s eyebrows shot up sharply.
“Want to live? Then listen!”
“……!”
“Please, Miss. I beg you.”
Only after Jo Seok intervened could Hwa Ryeong take his wife on her back.
The difference in speed was night and day. As Go Mi and Hwa Ryeong pulled ahead in a flash, Jo Seok felt more relief than surprise.
How long had they run like that?
Boom boom!
Two signal flares burst in the sky. Soon after, fighting broke out at the rear.
Jo Seok’s men, whose lightness skills lagged behind, had finally been caught.
Clang!
“Argh!”
“Urk!”
They were no match for the pursuing warriors, and in an instant, six of them fell, spraying blood.
But the killers didn’t escape unscathed either.
“Kraa!”
Ju Tae, Park Ji-mun, and Kim Mu-gwan leaped in, giving Jo Seok’s men a breather.
Park Ji-mun’s greatsword and Ju Tae’s fist strength were unstoppable even if you knew they were coming. Five heads flew in the blink of an eye, forcing the rest to fall back in haste.
Ju Tae yelled toward Yi Hwan.
“We’ll turn back and take out the ones closing in!”
“Just keep running.”
“We’ll be caught at this rate!”
“Anything can happen before we reach our territory, so we stay together. Do as I say.”
Though they were almost in Yeon Kingdom territory, Yi Hwan judged they needed to prepare for the worst until the end.
Two signal flares from the enemy.
Until he knew what they meant, scattering and splitting their forces would only invite more danger.
Meanwhile, Jo Seok’s middle-aged retainer couldn’t stop marveling at Ju Tae and the others’ prowess.
He’d heard rumors that Yi Hwan’s guards were peerless experts who could dominate a region, but witnessing it firsthand was even more shocking.
‘Truly living up to their reputation. How can any expert stay so composed in a situation like this?’
At the same time, he gave thanks to the heavens.
Without Yi Hwan’s group, what would have become of Jo Seok and him by now?
The thought alone made his heart quake.
* * *
Yi Hwan’s concerns soon became reality.
Go Mi, who’d been running ahead, looked back and shouted.
“Zhao troops ahead!”
Boom!
Yi Hwan kicked off the ground, accelerating to Go Mi’s side in a flash.
“That way!”
Go Mi pointed to the front left.
Sure enough, an uncountable number of Zhao soldiers were charging through the forest.
“Those flares from earlier must’ve been to call them!”
Yi Hwan scanned ahead, then veered sharply right.
The direction he chose featured a vast expanse of forest with exceptionally dense foliage.
Go Mi cried out.
“That’ll take us farther from the Southern Legion!”
“No choice right now.”
“…….”
Everyone following turned to pursue Yi Hwan.
Go Mi stared at his back for a moment, then turned to Hwa Ryeong and shouted.
“Switch with me!”
“Thanks!”
Go Mi took Jo Seok’s wife on her back.
Hwa Ryeong, who’d been carrying her alone for a while, was already at her limit.
“Over there!”
“Grab them!”
The Zhao troops pursued Yi Hwan and the others ferociously.
After running a good distance, a massive canyon entrance came into Yi Hwan’s view.
Sheer cliffs flanked both sides, and the interior was choked with thick undergrowth, obscuring vision.
A narrow canyon would be much easier to defend against pursuers with a small force.
Yi Hwan decided swiftly and yelled.
“Head inside!”
Everyone entered the canyon, and Yi Hwan held position until they passed. Ju Tae and the others dropped beside him.
“Block the entrance?”
“No need to take unnecessary risks—let’s go in.”
“Understood.”
* * *
Gwak Chi’s face burned red with fury.
He glared at the troops gathered at the canyon mouth as he raced forward.
Upon arrival moments later, he bellowed.
“Why haven’t you gone in? Why stop?”
“This canyon ends in a sheer cliff. We’re holding for your next orders, General.”
“You’re certain it’s blocked on that end?”
“Yes. I’ve scouted it dozens of times—definitely.”
Gwak Chi sneered coldly.
“Idiots. They’ve dug their own graves.”
He spat roughly and eyed the canyon. More troops arrived steadily.
“Despite being enfeoffed as an imperial prince by His Majesty’s grace, he dares betray the emperor and flees with gold meant for military funds….”
Having lost countless men unexpectedly in the pursuit of Jo Seok, he couldn’t hide his rage.
“We’re going in!”
“Yes, General!”
* * *
From above, the canyon resembled a horseshoe. Three sides were walled off by cliffs, save the entrance.
Suddenly trapped inside, everyone was gripped by anxiety.
“Your Highness!”
Jo Seok’s wife hurried to his side. He gripped her hand tight and soothed her.
After calming her somewhat, Jo Seok approached Yi Hwan, who stood gazing at the entrance.
“Because of us, even you and your group are in mortal danger. I’m sorry, Great Prince.”
Yi Hwan countered.
“Why choose Yeon?”
“…….”
Jo Seok hesitated, then spoke.
“…If I’d stayed in Zhao, sooner or later I’d have lost my life—to Jo Gwang-mu or his followers.”
Shunned as a bastard son, he’d only recently been recognized as an imperial prince. Others called him lucky.
But Jo Seok himself had trembled in fear ever since.
Jo Gwang-mu seemed disinterested in the throne, but his supporters might scheme against Jo Seok as a future threat, regardless.
This wasn’t baseless cowardice.
In truth, Jo Seok’s mother had long ago been framed by Jo Gwang-mu and Jo Jeong-mu’s backers. His powerful maternal clan had crumbled overnight.
Jo Yun hadn’t been emperor then, nor Jo Seok recognized as a son.
Yet they’d uprooted his clan— one of Zhao’s great houses—fearing potential trouble.
Now, as a prince, he lived in daily dread.
Then Jo Yun assigned him to transport gold for military use, promising great favor if he earned merits at the front.
Jo Seok saw his chance.
Fleeing with vast gold would ensure good treatment.
He’d planned with loyal retainers from his mother’s surviving clan, leading to this moment.
“And I heard you’re a bastard too, Great Prince. Yet Yeon’s emperor trusts you with heavy duties. I thought his kingdom would be better than Qin’s.”
Yi Hwan shifted his gaze from the front to Jo Seok.
For a fleeting moment, the original owner of this body flickered across Jo Seok’s forlorn face.
Hadn’t that guy lived the same life until Yi Hwan took over?
“No children?”
“None. My family is just my wife and these men who followed us.”
Yi Hwan glanced at Jo Seok’s wife, then the warriors lined beside her.
‘I’ll have a lot to ask later.’
Though circumstances differed, Jo Seok was the second Zhao royal to defect after Jo Gwang.
He might know even more than Jo Gwang, having lived in Zhao’s Imperial Palace even after Jo Yun’s ascension.
“There’s Crown Prince Jo Gwang in the capital.”
“……!”
“Ever met the crown prince?”
“No. While he was in the Crown Prince’s Palace, I lived worse than a commoner.”
“I’ll arrange a meeting soon. But apologize first. He’s still Jo Yun’s blood, after all.”
“Understood. I’ll grovel for forgiveness.”
Just then, Ju Tae called out lowly.
“They’re approaching.”