Chapter 339
Chapter 339
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 339
Chapter Title: The Command Given to Yi Tae-ji
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Four days later, at the Golden Army headquarters in the Yeon Kingdom.
Wind blowing through the window shook the candle flames this way and that. Yang Chan, his mouth and nose covered with cloth as he worked intently on something, stretched his back and let out a deep breath.
“Hoo…….”
Thud!
“Finally complete?”
On the table sat a small porcelain jar filled with a blue liquid. Yang Chan’s eyes gleamed with ecstasy and anticipation as he gazed down at it.
“With this, I should be able to extract the information my lord desires.”
His expectation turned into certainty. It was confidence in his own abilities.
“First, the records.”
Yang Chan carefully wrapped the jar in oiled paper and began scribbling diligently on it. He was detailing the medicine’s preparation process.
All that remained was to test it on Cha Ryong using the medicine he had made.
‘Three drops would guarantee the effect… but there’s a high chance of losing his mind.’
To suppress Cha Ryong’s level of internal energy and make the drug work reliably, three drops were necessary. However, doing so might spare his life but could leave him mindless and crippled.
That wouldn’t count as perfectly carrying out Yi Hwan’s orders.
And even Yang Chan, no matter how much of an enemy the man was, didn’t want to go that far. For a martial artist, losing one’s mind was far more horrific than death.
‘I’ll start with two drops.’
Finishing the records, Yang Chan picked up the jar and stepped outside. Having been cooped up indoors for days, the sunlight stung his eyes, but he stood there for a moment, basking in it.
Just then, a warrior approached, carrying a bowl of food.
“I’ve brought your meal.”
Gurgle.
Hunger suddenly surged.
Yang Chan glanced back and forth between the severe dungeon where Cha Ryong was imprisoned and the bowl in the warrior’s hands.
‘Well, no rush.’
“Thank you.”
“The sunlight’s nice. Shall I bring it outside?”
“Yes. Oh, any news regarding the Great Prince?”
“No, sir. Nothing yet.”
“Understood.”
Moments later, Yang Chan sat on a bench in the courtyard and picked up his chopsticks. As he ate a few bites, another warrior came rushing up.
Wondering what it could be, Yang Chan looked at him. The warrior reached him and held out something from his sleeve.
“An express letter from Ju Tae, sir!”
“Is that so?”
Yang Chan unfolded the letter the warrior handed him.
The contents were extremely brief.
*Do not use the drug under any circumstances until I return to headquarters. That is the Great Prince’s command.*
‘What’s going on?’
As Yang Chan furrowed his brow, yet another warrior came running.
“An express letter from Ju Tae, sir!”
“…….”
Yang Chan unfolded the letter again. But the contents were identical to the previous one.
‘Worried the messenger pigeons might fail, he sent two identical letters from the same place… that means it’s that important…….’
Yang Chan stared at the severe dungeon where Cha Ryong was held and let out a wry chuckle.
‘If the letter had been even a little later, or if I hadn’t felt hungry, what then? Should I call that guy lucky? Or is a more vicious fate awaiting him?’
* * *
With the crown princes of both nations joining the battlefield, the war briefly entered a stalemate.
But both sides were gripped by an even greater tension, on the verge of explosion.
The awareness that this would be a contest between future emperors spread, and the generals on both sides waited at their posts for orders that could come at any moment.
Three days passed like that.
Skirmishes between scouting forces continued unabated across the battlefield, with results evenly matched. If the Zhao Kingdom suffered a rout there, the Qin Kingdom did here.
The fact that the Qin Kingdom, once at a disadvantage, had reached such parity stemmed entirely from Yi Hwan.
“Gurgle…….”
A Zhao Kingdom warrior, his chest pierced by a sword, gurgled as he slowly died.
Yi Hwan stood before him.
Clang!
“Argh!”
“Kaaak!”
Fierce combat raged around them.
But the tide had clearly turned toward the Qin side. As always, in battles where Yi Hwan fought, the Qin Kingdom knew no defeat.
This was already the third time today.
In those three engagements, Yi Hwan had methodically targeted only the strongest enemies. Without knowing who the Blood Demon’s followers were, that was the only way.
Thanks to him taking out the elites, the Qin warriors could fight with much greater ease.
And Kim Mu-gwan and Park Ji-mun produced overwhelming results rivaling Yi Hwan’s. They too had picked off only the strongest foes, claiming four today.
Whoosh!
Kim Mu-gwan and Park Ji-mun landed beside Yi Hwan. Both were drenched in blood from head to toe, but it was all the enemy’s.
“It’s almost over.”
“Good work.”
Yi Hwan surveyed the battlefield.
The Zhao warriors, who had fought so bravely, were now scattering in flight. Their numbers, once over a hundred, had dwindled to barely more than twenty.
“Waaah!”
The Qin warriors cheered. Though not a few had fallen, it was negligible compared to the Zhao losses.
A Qin warrior approached.
“Thanks to you, we’ve claimed another victory today, Great Prince.”
“Gather the wounded and let’s head back.”
“Understood.”
Yi Hwan quenched his thirst with the liquor Kim Mu-gwan offered. Kim Mu-gwan and Park Ji-mun shared the rest.
Park Ji-mun spoke.
“Judging by the mood on the way back, it feels like a big clash is coming soon.”
“With both crown princes here, that’s to be expected.”
“Will you stay until then?”
“I’ll decide based on the situation.”
“Understood.”
Yi Hwan turned first.
He wanted to push closer to the Zhao camp, but saw no need to overextend.
At the same time, a battle was unfolding on the western Jeoksou battlefield.
* * *
Boom!
“Ugh!”
A Qin warrior clashing with Yi Tae-ji groaned and staggered.
“Not bad courage.”
Slash!
The severed head fell at Yi Tae-ji’s feet.
Without even closing his eyes in death, Yi Tae-ji mercilessly crushed the head and moved on to the next foe.
Where he had fought, more corpses littered the ground than elsewhere, most in gruesome states like the one just felled.
Yi Tae-ji on the battlefield was as mad with bloodlust as Ban Go. Even the Qin warriors feared facing him.
“Your Highness! Rest now!”
A retainer approached and urged him.
Of those who had come with him from the Yeon Kingdom, fewer than twenty remained. Five more had died since arriving here.
Perhaps because of that, Yi Tae-ji tended to heed his retainers’ words.
Except on the battlefield.
“You lot rest.”
“Your Highness!”
“The more I kill, the easier it is for you.”
“No, sir! Then we’ll fight alongside you!”
Yi Tae-ji kicked off the ground and leaped.
His retainers exchanged glances and quickly followed, launching themselves after him.
Soon after, as the Qin warriors and soldiers fled, the battle ended.
Yi Tae-ji tossed the last captured Qin warrior to a Zhao general like discarding trash and turned first.
“I’ll go ahead. See you at camp.”
Watching Yi Tae-ji and his retainers depart the field immediately, a young general vented his frustration.
“That bastard’s arrogance grows by the day. We’re racking up easy victories thanks to him, but I worry he’ll disrupt the chain of command at this rate.”
“Exactly! He’s already ignoring what our elite warriors say!”
“I’ll keep it in mind.”
The commander nodded silently at his subordinates’ complaints. Then, surveying the battlefield, he wore a satisfied expression.
“Another crushing victory today.”
“With our string of wins, the other units envy us. His Highness the Crown Prince surely knows, so your promotion can’t be far off, General.”
“Promotion…….”
The commander trailed off, gazing at Yi Tae-ji striding far ahead.
‘Arrogant as he is, we owe our victories to him. Maybe it’s better to tolerate him and keep him close?’
Generals needed ever more merits to rise higher. For that, Yi Tae-ji’s formidable prowess was indispensable.
‘If he were reassigned to another unit… that must never happen.’
In the end, the commander decided to overlook Yi Tae-ji’s arrogance. For his own advancement.
* * *
Yi Tae-ji heading to camp. Despite the overwhelming victory, his eyes were darkly sunken.
A retainer asked.
“Any worries, Your Highness?”
“Yi Hwan—that bastard is here. Knowing that, yet forced to fight in irrelevant places… that’s why I’m like this.”
“I hear not only guards but many Qin elites surround him. Wouldn’t it be tough for us alone?”
“That sounds like you’re underestimating me.”
“How dare I…… In my view, focus on earning the Crown Prince’s trust first. Then request warriors from him and move then.”
Snicker.
‘That’s exactly why I’ve been fighting like a madman.’
Ever since learning Yi Hwan was at Jeoksou, Yi Tae-ji hadn’t gone a single day without thinking of him. It was as if heaven had granted the perfect chance for revenge.
But conditions weren’t right.
Even if his retainers alone could eliminate Yi Hwan, he couldn’t just leave camp at will. Falling out of favor with the Crown Prince or Commander would make life in Zhao anything but smooth.
So there was only one way: as the retainer said, rack up merits to gain the Crown Prince’s trust, then secure Zhao warriors’ aid.
That was it.
Fighting even more ferociously since the Crown Prince joined was for that very purpose.
“By the way, the generals’ looks aren’t good. They seem worried your growing merits threaten their positions. I fear they might find some petty excuse.”
“Ignore those bastards.”
“…Pardon?”
“Their superiors can’t cast me aside. Who do they think is giving us these wins? For their promotions, they’ll want to keep me close.”
“That’s true, but…….”
“Enough.”
“…Yes.”
How long had they walked?
The forest ended, revealing a narrow river—a tributary from the Jeoksou.
“Need to wash up.”
Yi Tae-ji plunged into the river still clad in his armor.
Splash!
Blood from the armor dyed the surroundings red.
Yi Tae-ji lay back, gazing at the sky. Amid the overcast clouds, one face floated up.
Yi Hwan.
‘Did you come knowing I’m here, to kill me? Even if not, stay a long, long time. Until I come for you.’
Bubble bubble.
Yi Tae-ji slowly sank to the riverbed. Lying spread-eagled, he absorbed the cold water through his body.
How much time passed?
He saw ripples on the surface. Someone was approaching.
Yi Tae-ji slowly rose to the surface. It was a retainer.
“Your Highness!”
“What is it?”
“Someone’s here to see you.”
Yi Tae-ji looked to the riverbank where the retainer pointed.
Two men stood there: Do Geom and a man in blue robes.
“They say they’re from His Highness the Crown Prince.”
‘Jo Gwang?’
Yi Tae-ji headed to the bank.
Do Geom and the blue-robed man offered fist salutes and bowed slightly toward him.
“Why seek me?”
“To relay His Highness the Crown Prince’s command.”
At those words, Yi Tae-ji straightened his posture. Even without the Crown Prince present, one must show respect when receiving his orders.
Do Geom proffered a message tube.
Yi Tae-ji extracted the rolled scroll inside and unfurled it.
*Eliminate Yeon’s Great Prince Yi Hwan, who possesses exceptional skill and is inflicting massive damage on our allied forces. Do so with these men.*
A faint smile crept across Yi Tae-ji’s lips. The moment he had so desperately desired had arrived far sooner than expected.
Snicker.
A bitter laugh suddenly rose.
‘Ordering kin to slay kin. Blood truly can’t lie, can it?’