Chapter 16 – Anger Swallows Fear (1)

Chapter 16 – Anger Swallows Fear (1)

The powerful sound of drums echoed throughout Hanzhong Province. The corps led by General Zhang Yang began its first march.

Many people came out onto the streets to see them. This was because winning or losing this fight will determine their fate. The people desperately cheered for them as if they were fighting on the battlefield.

“General! Cheer up!”

“Be sure to defeat the bad guys from Hui Dynasty!”

“You must come back safely!”

General Zhang Yang and over a hundred cavalry took the lead, followed by his adjutant Yang Yeon-jeong with a spear unit. Next, the sword corps, which had the largest number of soldiers, appeared, taking the center of the corps.

The swordsmen from the first to the fifth divisions were holding shields. These were the soldiers guarding the lines.

Officer-level soldiers were assigned to each of the twenty-five groups, but only sixteen groups were made up entirely of new soldiers. This was because Director Wi Kind-jeol insisted on directing the Sixteenth Army himself. It's like your own personal guard.

As the march began in earnest, the soldiers' faces were flushed with inexplicable anxiety. Unless you were an officer, there was no way you could know how the war was going. I was very curious about the size of the enemy army and whether they were going to their death or fighting a fight they had a chance of winning. Although I was very scared, I was encouraged by the sight of people coming out to the streets and cheering me on.

The sixteenth corps of the sword corps, to which So-mu belonged, was located in the middle of the procession. So-mu's gaze, which was scanning the street with an expressionless face, was fixed on a nearby citizen. This was because a person who appeared to be a merchant was approaching with a bundle full of fruit and was distributing it to the soldiers.

“Thank you, gentlemen. Thank you….”

The people all knew that many generals of the Song Dynasty had withdrawn from the Shaanxi region, including Hanzhong. It was also true that General Zhang Yang was left here alone, fighting to protect himself.

So-mu, who was handed an apple unexpectedly, stared at the merchant.

‘If we were defeated, this merchant will lose everything and suffer disaster. All the people on this street will suffer the same fate. Still, how can Kangho dare to say that it was a scarier place than their world?’

So-mu's gaze turned to the opposite street on the left. Nearby, an elderly man can be seen wandering around, staring in this direction. The white-haired old man, with his back bent, was holding a bundle in his hand and looking around as if he was looking for someone. It was clear that he was suffering from a disease, as his complexion was dark and his pulse felt weak. So-mu wondered why this old man came all the way here with his sick body.

It was then. Suddenly, the old man's face turned bright red, and he walked towards the soldiers with a limp.

“Cheoldu!”

He was a member of the Sixteenth Patriarch who said this was their hometown.

So-mu remembered the story shared among the group members in the barracks. He said he lived with his grandmother.

Cheoldu's eyes immediately turned red when he saw the old man.

“Why is grandma here?”

“Oh my, you idiot. Are you in any pain?”

“Ugh. I told you not to come out to places like this!”

The grandmother said as she put the bundle in her hand into Cheoldu’s hand.

“Don’t skip meals. Eat when you’re hungry.”

Cheoldu seemed to be holding back the tore that were pouring out.

“Don’t worry about me, come back quickly!”

Since Cheoldu could not stop his march, he had no choice but to keep moving forward. Her mother limped around, forgetting about the pain, and did not let go of Cheoldu's hand that she was holding tightly.

“Oh my, Cheoldu… If you get sick, tell our general. He will send you home.”

“Wow! Do you know that the general is such a leisurely person?”

“Don’t worry about grandma. Did you understand what she said?”

Finally, Cheoldu could not hold back and began to shed tears.

“And… I heard that my salary would start from next month… so I told them to send me home. From now on, my grandmother can also attend the clinic.”

Cheoldu volunteered as a soldier to raise funds to treat his grandmother's condition.

“Our magnificent grandson… we must protect the general…”

The grandmother had to make eye contact with Cheoldu and then walk away. This was because I could not keep up with their marching speed due to my discomfort.

This sight wasn't limited to just Cheoldu. There were soldiers everywhere shedding tore as they reunited with their families. So-mu, looking at them, felt confused.

‘I cannot kill all the soldiers of the State of Hui alone. I cannot save all the Song Dynasty soldiers by myself. It was the way of the world that when a war ends, another war broke out. As a soldier, you must remain an observer as the water flowed. But can I just watch as our troops were defeated and this place was trampled?’

I wasn't confident. Contrary to his original purpose for coming here, his mind was clearly flowing in a different direction. So-mu's eyes, revealed through disheveled hair, looked at the sky.

‘Why was there no world where everyone can laugh and have fun together under the same sky? Is there really no way to put an end to war so that it never happens again?’

A cool breeze blew from somewhere, soothing his troubled mind. The wind mixed with So-mu's sigh moved again and comforted the others.

While he was lost in his own thoughts, the leader of the procession began to pass through the castle gate. Several soldiers were standing guard on the castle wall. Changyang's total army, including trainees and regular troops, was about 5,300, of which 300 were left behind to maintain public ordered.

After leaving the gate, the pace of the leaders quickened and the march began to pick up speed. After a day, they were able to reached their target location.

A wide field along the foot of Jeonggunsan Mountain. On the side, you can see the rapids that lead to the upper reached of the Yangtze River in the distance. This was a place that enemies must pass through to attack Hanzhong.

When the soldiers were taking a break, Zhang Yang and all the commanders gathered in one place. Director Baek Moon-hwi, who commanded the advance guard, spoke with a dark complexion.

“General, fortunately we arrived just in time. The enemy will arrive in an hour.”

“Thank you for your hard work. Just before the battle begins, please have all the soldiers from the advance guard join the sword corps. We need at least one more soldier.”

“Yes, I will.”

Yang Yang nodded, turned his back and silently examined the surrounding terrain. After the half-awake time had passed, his eyes turned to Yang Yeon-jeong.

“Although they may be conceited, if we were to wait here, they might suspect an ambush. How can we not be discovered by the enemy’s advance guard?”

“Don’t worry. This is our home, the hometown we grew up in. We can find any place we can hide without being detected. Even if they search this area, they will never be able to find us with this many people.”

Zhang Yang nodded and said as if he was satisfied.

“Adjutant, please leave immediately. Jeonggun Mountain is high in the mountains, so the location here will be clearly visible. Wait until the most opportune moment and then attack their rear. You are the best commander of our corps, so I believe you will do it.”

“Please leave it to me.”

Yang Yeon-jeong put her hand on her heart, bowed her head, and immediately left. It would be to summon a spear unit and depart for Mt. Jeonggun.

After he disappeared, Zhang Yang pointed out Jin Lip, the commander of the archers.

“I know very well that the archers are not good at close combat, but there is no way for now. When the enemy enters the range, fire three salvoes and then protect the rear of the sword troops.”

“Yes, General.”

Zhang Yang's gaze this time turned to Han Baek of the cavalry unit. A sword mark was clearly visible on his face, which was not even covered by the helmet. Han Baek was the second most experienced general after Yang Yang, and was usually a quiet and serious person who rarely spoke.

“Although our cavalry number is only a hundred, I believe that under your command, we will be able to display the might of a hundred per man. When the spear cavalry begins an ambush, break through the enemy’s flank and shake them from the inside.”

"All right."

Even after delivering the ordered, Zhang Yang still did not take his eyes off Han Baek.

“Commander Han Baek.”

Hanbaek looked puzzled when he pointed to him again.

“Please speak.”

“Most of the cavalry probably won’t come back alive today.”

“I know.”

Seeing Han Baek answer without a single hesitation, Zhang Yang felt her heart tingle. He spoke in a strained voice, as if he was choking.

“I’m sorry.”

“It was an honor to be able to serve you all this time.”

Operations for all classes except the swordsman unit were completed. Wei Jin-cheol had a solemn expression on his face and silently waited for Zhang Yang's ordered.

“I have entrusted you with the advance guard and archers, but the number is still less than 3,500. It would be reckless to fight head-on against an enemy force of 20,000 with only these.”

“I won’t take a single step back until my head falls off.”

“No, that’s not what I want.”

“I have given up on living today, so please give me any orders.”

Yang Yang took a deep breath and her eyes calmed down.

“It is with a heavy heart that I must entrust you with the most difficult mission.”

“I am prepared for anything.”

"There is a special force in the sword unit that you trained with great effort. I know that their skills are extraordinary. When Yang Yeon-jeong and Han Baek start attacking the rear and flanks, a gap will appear in the enemy's formation. At that time, you will have to lead the special force to break through the enemy lines and cut off the enemy's head. It will not be easy, but this is our only hope for victory."

With only a hundred men, he broke through the great army of the Hui Dynasty numbering 20,000 and cut off the head of the enemy general. Moreover, how many generals at the level of adjutant general were there around the enemy commander? Even if he miraculously succeeds in decapitating the enemy, it would be difficult for him to survive. To put it nicely, it was a mission no different from being a special forces unit, but in reality it was a mission that was no different from being a death squad.

Nevertheless, it was definitely the most likely operation at the moment.

Wei Jin-cheol said with a solemn face.

“Whoever the enemy is, he will die by my hand.”

Seeing Wi Jin-cheol's determination, Jang Yang repeatedly nodded and asked.

“But, how did you predict this situation and arrange a special force?”

Wi Jin-cheol thought for a moment and then answered. It was a funny situation for them to say that they had become stronger on their own because they had already committed a crime.

“I thought this was the only way to overcome numerical inferiority.”

“You worked hard, Manager Wi Jin-cheol. Thanks to your arrangements, we were able to have a little hope. You worked very hard….”

As Jang Yang comforted his shoulders, Wi Jin-cheol unconsciously became filled with passion and strengthened his resolve.

When all operations were completed, Zhang Yang felt relieved. There was nothing more I could do now except do my best. After a while, Zhang Yang looked at the officers one by one and spoke.

“Wherever you are and wherever you go, I will go with you, even if it is hell.”