Chapter 1694
That’s enough for me. (4)
Thud.
The fingers hidden in the sleeve rubbed against each other, making a loud sound.
Ho Gamyeong’s gaze calmed.
“Commander! Just now…”
“Don’t make a fuss.”
It was a calm voice.
There must have been an accident during the process of crossing the flames. As a result, the original plan was slightly altered, but…
“We still have plenty of troops and explosives ready. We can easily make up for that level of loss.”
“Yes!”
Ho Gamyeong watched the situation with a stern face.
The vibration of the cliff subsided, and soon the elite forces of the Sun Palace began to move again. Ho Gamyeong nodded slightly.
‘The power of the explosives is greater than expected.’
He considered it nothing more than an inconvenience. He had thought, how great could the border barbarians’ explosives be? Surprisingly, the quality of the explosives they had brought was quite good.
In that case, even with the remaining explosives, they could easily bring down that cliff.
‘And the loyalty of the Sun Palace members is also unexpected.’
Even though their comrades had been blown to pieces, they still intended to carry out their mission.
‘Is it because they are royalty, after all?’
Ho Gamyeong slightly adjusted his assessment of the Palace Lord of the Sun Palace. Regardless of what kind of person he was, it was clear that he commanded absolute loyalty from his subordinates.
“Commander, couldn’t they realize the situation?”
“Probably.”
“Then, if they do?”
“It won’t change anything.”
“Couldn’t they climb the mountain instead?”
Ho Gamyeong spoke coldly.
“I have already deployed troops behind the mountain. Those who haven’t entered the cliff will prevent their escape.”
The subordinate looked at Ho Gamyeong with a pale face.
So, the strategy of diverting forces to surround the mountain peak wasn’t to encircle Wudang, but ultimately to block the escape route of the enemy forces that would reach the peak?
‘Descending the cliff is even more impossible.’
The collapse of the cliff was already a given. Heading down would only be digging their own grave.
In other words, there is no escape route for them.
The subordinate couldn’t help but be impressed.
“But to think they would fall into the trap so easily… Indeed, no one can match Commander’s brilliant strategy.”
“Is that so?”
“…Yes?”
The subordinate sent a questioning look, but Ho Gamyeong didn’t feel the need to dispel his doubts.
‘A brilliant strategy…’
Ho Gamyeong scoffed.
‘It’s just that Maehwa Geomgwi isn’t there.’
If he were there, he would have seen through this scheme at a glance. He’s more than capable of that.
Military strategy?
It’s not about that. In terms of pure strategy, Im Sobyeong, Nokrim King, would be far superior.
However, Maehwa Geomgwi has the ability to perceive things that neither Im Sobyeong nor Ho Gamyeong could decipher. That much is certain.
‘But not Hwasan.’
Ho Gamyeong doesn’t deny that Hwasan is exceptional.
However, they are merely followers.
Followers take pride in their hard-won achievements and strive to replicate that glory.
It’s too easy to lure such people. It’s not effortless, but it can be done by showing them the paths where they’ve succeeded before.
Then, they have no choice but to rush in. You simply need to evoke a sense of moderate danger, a sense of mission, and overconfidence in what they have accomplished.
Therefore.
‘Hwasan without Maehwa Geomgwi is nothing.’
Of course, a favorable outcome would require significant sacrifices on this side as well…
‘To remove the symbol of Hwasan from Cheonumaeng and to sever the limbs of Maehwa Geomgwi, such a sacrifice is worth bearing.’
Ho Gamyeong’s eyes glinted like ice.
It wasn’t difficult.
All he had to do was admit it. Admit that he couldn’t match Maehwa Geomgwi.
It wasn’t easy for someone who had spent his life honing military strategy to acknowledge being outdone by a swordsman, but once he accepted that, there were plenty of solutions.
“However… Commander, since our strategy has been exposed sooner than expected, will Cheonumaeng remain idle?”
“Do you mean they’ll climb up the collapsing cliff to fight back? To be buried alongside Hwasan in their grave?”
“Of course, that’s not…”
“That would be preferable. But unfortunately, they don’t seem that foolish.”
Ho Gamyeong’s gaze shifted down towards the base of the cliff.
“I don’t entirely believe that the righteousness they were boasting about is a complete fabrication. Even if it’s something absurd, if they believe and follow it, there must be some substance to it.”
“I think so, too.”
“But we need to consider whether this is really the time to discuss righteousness. Can a meaningless death be called a righteous deed?”
“Ah…”
The subordinate let out a small exclamation and looked back at the cliff.
Indeed, as Ho Gamyeong said, climbing that cliff now would be akin to throwing one’s life away for a hopeless cause. That isn’t about righteousness or loyalty – it’s in the realm of ‘madness’.
If they weren’t such reckless people, they wouldn’t have become the leaders of renowned martial arts sects in Gangho.
“You trusted your Sahyeongs too much, Maehwa Geomgwi.”
Ho Gamyeong’s lips twitched slightly.
Cheonumaeng without Maehwa Geomgwi is nothing but a gathering of fools, and Sapaeryeon without Jang Ilsol is merely a ragtag group. Sapaeryeon is slightly better, but that small difference decided the fate of this place.
“Now…”
Ho Gamyeong was about to issue another command.
“Commander! Over there!”
Startled by the sudden shout, Ho Gamyeong broke his train of thought and looked towards the cliff.
It started from the lower part of the cliff. A red-stained cliff, with a stark white line visible even in the darkness. It was very thin, but it shone brightly.
Ho Gamyeong’s face hardened slightly.
“Commander, that is…”
“Ha, human madness is unpredictable.”
Ho Gamyeong scoffed.
“Leave it be. There’s nothing one can do alone.”
Yet, his gaze remained fixed on the precarious white line.
Thud!
Namgung Dowi’s feet continuously struck the cliff.
“Dowi-yaaaaaaaaa!”
Cries from Namgung Myeong and Namgung clan’s swordsmen echoed from behind, but Namgung Dowi didn’t even turn his head. His bloodshot eyes focused only on the sun warriors of the Southern Sea Sun Palace rushing across the cliff.
Though the recent explosion seemed to have caught them off guard and caused some disarray, they quickly regrouped and began moving towards the center of the cliff again.
‘Damn…!’
Namgung Dowi gritted his teeth so hard that his jaw muscles bulged as he gathered all his inner strength.
His body became a streak of light as he climbed up the cliff.
While he was advancing by crashing into the cliff, a rock jutting out due to the explosion crumbled, causing his foot to slip. The body, which had been moving at full speed, suddenly plummeted down.
“Young Looooooord!”
The cliff was more than vertical – it was an overhang. A single misstep could cost him his life.
Thud!
Namgung Dowi thrust his hand into the cliff with all his might. A rush of pain flooded in as he couldn’t properly channel his inner strength in his haste, and it felt like his fingers might have broken.
However, Namgung Dowi pulled himself up and surged up without a moment’s hesitation.
Boom!
He crashed into the cliff again. With a face twisted like a demon’s, Namgung Dowi climbed the cliff.
The swordsmanship of Namgung clan is renowned across the world. However, their lightness techniques doesn’t live up to that high reputation. Namgung Dowi was well aware of this fact.
With his inadequate lightness technique, climbing the steep cliff at full speed was literally an act of giving up his life. Considering that the cliff could collapse at any moment, it was no exaggeration to call it a suicidal act.
But such thoughts did not exist in Namgung Dowi’s mind.
As the heir to Namgung clan, he emptied his mind of everything he needed to protect, his own safety, and even the consequences that would result from throwing himself into danger.
‘Did they ever think of such things?’
Swish!
Namgung Dowi’s foot struck the cliff as swiftly as a flying tiger.
Whenever his body wavered, he would stab his sword into the cliff and push off again. With increasing speed, his body shot forward like an arrow that couldn’t return.
“Hyah!”
A scream filled with fury burst from Namgung Dowi’s mouth as he gathered all his inner strength, as if there was no turning back.
Rumble. Rumble.
The shaking, as if the ground were collapsing and the world was turning upside down, gradually subsided.
A hellish silence followed.
Moments later, someone barely broke the silence, murmuring in a bewildered voice.
“W-what happened?”
“Was it an earthquake?”
Confusion spread quickly, without distinguishing between friend and foe.
Those who had been charging at each other like angry beasts stopped attacking and began looking around.
In the strange atmosphere, Tang Gunak bit his lip and stood up.
‘No way…’
His eyes turned to the edge of the cliff.
From the tremors and the loud noise alone, it wasn’t hard to guess what was happening below. He didn’t know how this was possible, but now was not the time to question it.
“What was that just now…?”
“What, what happened?”
Even they didn’t know.
They appeared greatly confused, not knowing what to do. Even those who bore the name of Sapaeryeon and were fighting here, risking their lives, didn’t know what was happening.
But Tang Gunak could perfectly grasp the situation.
“Are they willing to sacrifice everyone here just to kill us?”
The question wasn’t directed at himself but at the person standing in front of him.
Cheon Myeon Susa Dam Yeohae.
He was the leader of Haomun and contested as the second-in-command of Sapaeryeon. Considering his reputation and skills, it wouldn’t be wrong to say he was above Ho Gamyeong.
But now he was here, right in the middle of this hell.
“No matter how unmatched you are in terms of your movement techniques, can you be certain you will survive this place? To think you would accept such a reckless act.”
Tang Gunak continued speaking, his attention fully focused on every movement of Cheon Myeon Susa. He held a sliver of hope in Cheon Myeon Susa’s reaction.
If the explosion was a one-time event and they had a means of escape, there would be some composure in Dam Yeohae’s demeanor.
If that were the case, it would mean there was a ray of hope in this place, which could turn into a hellish path at any moment.
“Your loyalty to Jang Ilso is beyond my imagination…”
However, Tang Gunak’s words were cut short.
Cheon Myeon Susa Dam Yeohae, who had been staring intently at the edge of the cliff, turned his head to look at him. He had worn the worst expression imaginable.
“Ho… Gamyeong.”
His face, twisted like a demon’s, was filled with fear, anger, and despair all at once.
“This… this rat-like bastard!”
A terrifying murderous aura erupted from Cheon Myeon Susa.
‘Even Cheon Myeon Susa didn’t know.’
It wasn’t a sacrifice. It was a bait. It meant that even the leader of Haomun, akin to the second-in-command of Sapaeryeon, was used simply as bait.
“…This was inevitable.”
It was a trap that couldn’t even be called a trap. How could one avoid an act of severing one’s arm to cut off the enemy’s finger?
“Ho Gamyeoooooong! Jang Ilsoooooooo!”
At that moment, a scream filled with rage erupted from Cheon Myeon Susa’s mouth.
“You damn bastards! How dare you! Aaaaaaah!”
His scream, a beacon of despair, poured out towards the top of the cliff.
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