Chapter 1771
Who did you just say it was? (6)
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Two days ago.
“How did it go?”
At Yoon Jong’s question, Namgung Dowi stiffened his expression without answering.
Seeing this, Yoon Jong did not ask further and let out a short sigh.
‘Is it the same here as well?’
Cheonumaeng’s members who had set out to punish Sapaeryeon that attacked the commoners all came back empty-handed. At least Hwasan managed to chase the enemies for a while, but the others didn’t even seem to have caught a glimpse of their shadows properly.
“Damn it…”
Namgung Dowi ground his teeth in rising anger.
At that moment.
Bang!
A loud noise was heard, and everyone sharply turned their gazes in that direction. A giant towering tree was falling sideways with a cracking sound.
“What are you doing, Geol?”
“Damn it!”
Even after striking down the tree with his sheathed sword, his anger unappeased, Jo Geol began to stomp and kick the fallen tree repeatedly.
“That dog of a bastard! I’ll definitely kill him, no matter what! Aaaargh!”
“Geol-ah!”
“Ugh…”
Jo Geol’s hands trembled. The face of Ho Gamyeong, who had coldly sneered while holding a blade to the necks of commoners, seemed to linger in his mind.
It’s natural. Even Yoon Jong was clenching his teeth and suppressing his anger as that face kept popping into his mind. Considering Jo Geol’s temperament, it was fortunate he hadn’t immediately rushed into Sapaeryeon’s base. Rather, it was something that deserved praise for his self-control.
‘Ho Gamyeong.’
Yoon Jong bit his lip firmly.
He had naturally thought that they might take commoners as hostages. But he hadn’t imagined that they would treat the hostages in such a way. No, perhaps he didn’t want to imagine it.
How could a human treat another human in such a way? Is he truly a person with red blood flowing in his veins like Yoon Jong?
“What is the damage on that side?”
Yoon Jong asked, and once again, Namgung Dowi shook his head silently, indicating no survivors had been secured.
Overwhelmed by a surging anger, Yoon Jong tightly closed his eyes.
‘Sapaeryeon.’
He was complacent. Or perhaps, negligent. A moment of carelessness had caused this disaster. It was hard to even estimate how many had died in just half a day.
Who should bear the responsibility for this blood?
“Sapaeryeon…”
“Amitabha.”
In the oppressively heavy atmosphere, Hye Yeon’s clear voice rang out with a Buddhist chant.
“Do not blame yourselves too much. It is not your fault.”
“…I wish I could think that way too.”
Jo Geol responded curtly.
His reply was hardly appropriate for a consolation. However, being Jo Geol, he restrained and refined his words as much as possible, especially since the other person was Hye Yeon. Had it been someone else, harsh words might have spilled out right there.
“So what do we do now? Surely we are not just going to endure this, Sahyeong?”
“…”
“Shouldn’t we be seeking revenge immediately!”
“Calm down.”
“Sahyeong!”
“It’s not for us to decide.”
Yoon Jong glanced back briefly. At the end of his gaze stood a tent, set up temporarily.
“There are wiser people than us here.”
“The damage?”
“Realistically, it’s not that big.”
Just as Tang Gunak was about to sigh in relief, someone else spoke up.
“But the situation is the worst.”
The first to respond was Zhuge Jain, and the second was Im Sobyeong.
Tang Gunak kept his mouth shut, letting out a long breath.
There was no need to argue over who was right. Since there were no particular objections from either side, both statements were probably right.
“What do you mean?”
“The victims are the commoners. It’s hard to say there were no significant casualties, but it’s difficult to claim a major loss for the Alliance.”
The meaning was clear: the damage to the commoners, who do not impact the overall force, wasn’t considered actual damage. It was a cold statement, especially coming from the Lord of Zhuge family, one of the Five Great Families.
Yet, it was an undeniable truth.
“Still, the situation can be seen as horrific. Who knows when they will target the common people again.”
Im Sobyeong added.
Tang Gunak suddenly found the situation somewhat absurd.
The Lord of Zhuge family, who says it is a blessing in disguise that the victims were commoners, and Nokrim King, who says it is the worst since the commoners might be attacked again.
Of course, their underlying motives might differ. However, it was hard to tell who was from the Just Sect and who was from the Evil one.
“Why do you think they suddenly attacked the commoners?”
“Isn’t our presence here enough as an answer?”
Tang Gunak’s eyes darkened.
“Are you suggesting they meant to draw us out of Mount Wudang?”
“That would be the case.”
Zhuge Jain nodded.
“What are they aiming for by orchestrating such an act?”
The answer was given by Im Sobyeong.
“There’s inherent meaning to it. Whether Mount Wudang is rugged or not, just the fact that we occupy the high ground gives an advantage to the Alliance.”
“…”
“Us simply having the opponent at the base of the mountain changes the number of strategies they can employ. Whatever their aims might be, dragging Cheonumaeng down from the mountain would be beneficial for them.”
Tang Gunak’s expression grew increasingly stern.
“Merely… to gain such a small advantage, to massacre so many innocent people…”
“You still speak as if you’re dreaming.”
“What?”
“What do you think the Evil Sects are?”
“…”
As Tang Gunak fell silent, Im Sobyeong laughed coldly.
“It’s not just about that minor benefit. Even for a gain less than a tenth of that, the Evil Sects would kill without hesitation many times over if necessary. It’s not that they lacked the will, but the capability. If not for the situation as it is.”
Tang Gunak’s fingertips trembled slightly.
Overwhelmed by rising anger, he blurted out.
“Are you saying that because you know the Evil Sects well?”
“Indeed.”
Even as he spoke, Tang Gunak realized he might regret his remark. But Im Sobyeong was unperturbed, answering smoothly like a sly snake.
“I am probably the one here who knows the Evil Sects best. So let me explain why we found ourselves in the worst situation.”
Im Sobyeong’s eyes were chilling.
“In this battle, the enemy confirmed two things: if they touch the commoners, Cheonumaneg will come running. And that Cheonumaeng’s mobility isn’t enough to grab their ankles.”
“…”
“So what will they do now?”
“…..They’ll keep targeting us, continuously. Just that will be enough to throw us into complete disarray.”
“You are right.”
Im Sobyeong unfolded his fan with a swift motion and gently fanned his face.
“The problem is that even if we anticipate their movements, it’s hard to deal with them. The damned commoners are scattered all over the land, so those bastards can just strike wherever they please. And then we’ll be forced to run to wherever they choose. Do you understand what I mean?”
“Are you saying that Sapaeryon can manipulate the Alliance’s movements?”
“Exactly. From that point on, it’ll all go according to their whims. They could set traps, cut off our retreat, or even raid an empty main camp.”
The faces of those listening grew increasingly pale.
However, Tang Gunak remained calm.
“What’s the countermeasure?”
“There isn’t one. No, well, if we’re being thorough, there is one perfect countermeasure.”
“What is it?”
“It’s not moving.”
In an instant, Im Sobyeong snapped his fan shut and pointed it towards the outside of the tent.
“No matter what happens out there, no matter who dies, we don’t move. If we can manage that, we might even be able to strike at their backs while they’re busy moving all over the place. In terms of military strategy, that’s the most flawless response.”
“You mean there’s no solution.”
Im Sobyeong let out a chuckle.
“Yes, yes. I figured you’d say that. But then again, even if everyone dies, you’d still go ahead and do it anyway.”
Though his voice was masked by laughter, there was a sharp edge hidden within.
Im Sobyeong knew. No matter how perfect that strategy might be on paper, Cheonumaeng could never choose that path.
To put it in extreme terms, what if the only way for Nokrim to survive was for everyone to abandon their weapons and take up studying literature? Could Im Sobyeong ever calmly issue such an order to everyone?
No, he couldn’t. Even if he did, no one would follow. After all, if that were the case, there would be no reason for anyone to remain in Nokrim.
The same goes for Cheonumaeng. The moment they turn their backs on the commoners, Cheonumaeng will no longer be Cheonumaeng. From that moment on, they would no longer be able to prevent the members from leaving the Alliance.
“What’s the next best option?”
“Fortify our defenses, keep a reasonable distance, and set up camp while waiting to see what those bastards will do.”
“So we’re just going to take the hit?”
“It’s the best way to take the least damage.”
As Tang Gunak shifted his gaze to Zhuge Jain, he let out a deep sigh and nodded. It meant he didn’t have much of a different opinion.
“That seems to be the best course of action for now.”
“I see.”
Tang Gunak sank into thought. Normally, this wasn’t a decision he would make on his own, but they didn’t have the luxury of waiting for the Alliance Leader.
The sun would soon set.
“I’ll leave the deployment of the troops to you, Lord Zhuge. Do your utmost to ensure that we’re not shaken by any surprise attacks from the enemy.”
“And at the same time, be ready to provide reinforcements elsewhere if needed, correct? It seems like we’ll have to keep an eye on what’s in front of us and watch our backs at the same time.”
Im Sobyeong openly sneered, but Tang Gunak simply nodded without showing any sign of being affected.
“It will be difficult, but please do your best.”
“…Understood.”
Zhuge Jain gave a brief nod.
As the meeting was about to conclude, Im Sobyeong spoke up.
“There’s one thing you should know…”
Everyone turned their eyes to Im Sobyeong.
“It’s very likely that those bastards have already anticipated this discussion and our conclusion. In a way, we’re playing right into their hands by moving exactly as they’ve planned.”
“…Nokrim King.”
“Oh, don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying it’s the wrong decision. In warfare, following the enemy’s intent isn’t always a bad thing. I’m just saying… you should be aware of it.”
“…I’ll keep that in mind.”
Im Sobyeong’s words left a bitter taste in Tang Gunak’s mouth.
But there was no other choice. Neither Tang Gunak nor Cheonumaeng could do anything else. Returning to Mount Wudang was not an option while the threat of the enemy attacking civilians loomed over them.
Tang Gunak fortified his determination.
If the chain of command was maintained as perfectly as possible, they could minimize the damage, even amidst the chaos of attacks coming from all directions. This was the most reasonable decision they could make.
However, nothing has happened to the Alliance during the tense night.
The next day’s sun rose, illuminating the land, as if to mock the restless night they had spent in vain.
It was only then that Tang Gunak realized.
“…Who is it?”
“Those who were on the watch last night.”
Tang Gunak slowly clenched his fists.
About ten people were lying down. No, it was more accurate to say there were about ten corpses laid out before him.
Just by looking at the horrific stab wounds carved into their bodies, he could easily guess what had transpired during the night.
“Why didn’t anyone notice?”
“Well…”
Without waiting for an answer, Tang Gunak glared at the corpses, their eyes wide open in anguish. Around their necks, the whistles [호각(號角)] hung miserably. A single blow into those whistles could have alerted them of the attack.
But the night had been eerily silent. Among nearly ten people, not a single one had managed to perform the simple act of blowing the whistle.
‘Is this even possible?’
They had to be incredibly strong. But no matter how strong they were, could they have really eliminated over ten elite warriors from the Five Great Families without making a sound? Could they?
Goosebumps ran down Tang Gunak’s entire body.
His spine tingled with chill.
It defied logic, but it had clearly happened. In that moment, Tang Gunak came to a stark realization.
‘They’re not after the civilians.’
It was no longer time to worry about them.
The enemy’s claws were unmistakably aimed at Cheonumaeng.
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