Chapter 33 – Famous General and Incompetent General (4)

Chapter 33 – Famous General and Incompetent General (4)

The time remaining was only two hours. However, less than half of the evacuation procession had made it out of the town. Before long, the main army would arrive, and the pillaging would begin in earnest.

Watching the scene from the high ground at the entrance of the town, the members of the Wolf Fang Squad grew anxious.

The biggest bottleneck was the wagons scattered throughout the procession. Most were heavy supply carts designed to be pulled by horses or oxen. However, the livestock had been stolen long ago, and with humans pulling them, they could not build any decent speed. To make matters worse, the recent rain had turned the ground into a muddy quagmire.

Unable to watch this struggle any longer, So-mu turned to his squad.

"Everyone, strip off your uniforms."

As So-mu unbuckled his armor and stripped off his Hui military uniform, the squad members silently followed suit. Half-naked, the Wolf Fang Squad followed So-mu as he sprinted toward a cluster of abandoned houses.

"Find a change of clothes, throw them on, and gather back here!"

There was no way fleeing villagers would pack their belongings perfectly, and faded, tattered clothes were strewn about the empty homes. In less than half a quarter of an hour, the squad members had successfully disguised themselves as common peasants.

So-mu nodded to them and said, "Everyone knows their task, right? We gather back at the assembly point in an hour."

"Yes, Captain!"

"Understood!"

The squad members split into groups of four or five and dispersed. Il-gwang and Cheong-hae remained by So-mu's side.

About twenty paces ahead, a dozen men were groaning as they struggled to pull a heavy wagon.

"Everyone, pull harder!"

"We're running out of time!"

So-mu quietly slipped into the group and grabbed hold of the wagon. Suddenly, an astonishing thing happened.

Creak!

As if it had grown wings, the wagon suddenly surged forward. The peasants gaped in bewilderment as the cart began moving faster than a brisk walk.

"W-What's going on?"

"Why is it suddenly so light?"

With over ten people crowded around the wagon, no one could pinpoint the cause of the sudden burst of speed.

As the wagon rolled forward at a rapid pace, the infirm became the next issue. The elderly, pregnant women, and young children who walked slowly were gradually falling behind.

Seeing this, Il-gwang and Cheong-hae exchanged glances.

"Up we go!"

"Come on, hop on!"

They quickly began lifting the elderly and the weak onto the wagon one by one. Although the cart was now piled high with passengers, its speed did not decrease in the slightest.

Similar scenes were unfolding all over the town.

With the squad's help, the evacuation procession moved twice as fast. Encouraged by this inexplicable miracle, the villagers found renewed strength.

"Heaven must be watching over us!"

"Thank you, thank you!"

Villagers wept as they offered prayers of gratitude to whatever deity had aided them. Whether it was the Buddha or the village guardian spirit, it was clear they had received divine help.

One quarter of an hour later, the last of the refugees finally crossed the boundary of Huihuan Town.

Slipping away from the crowd, the squad members changed back into their military uniforms and gathered at the assembly point.

Resting near the entrance of Huihuan Town, the Wolf Fang Squad members looked exhausted from all the running, but their faces were bright. They had successfully evacuated the entire town in just four hours.

Cheong-hae muttered with a satisfied smile, "We won't get any reward for this, but it certainly feels rewarding."

A faint smile touched So-mu's lips. "A satisfied mind is the greatest reward of all."

Just then, a cloud of dust rose about a hundred paces away as the army's vanguard came into view. The force numbered close to five thousand men.

The Wolf Fang Squad stood up and faced them, acting as if nothing had happened.

The man leading the raiding unit was General Ugo, whom they had met in the command tent. Sitting astride his warhorse, he rode up to So-mu and asked, "Why have you not entered the town?"

"It seems we arrived a step too late, General. The Hui army must have raided the place again; the town is entirely deserted."

A subtle expression crossed Ugo's face. It was a situation that should have angered him, but he merely nodded calmly.

"I see."

Without another word, Ugo turned his horse around.

So-mu could not help but ask, "Are you not going to verify it, General?"

"Your men have already checked. Even from here, it is clear the town is empty. Since not a single soul is in sight, there is no need to waste time."

It was not hard to read Ugo's mind. He was pleased with the outcome, though he could not show it openly.

Ugo shouted to his waiting troops, "The town is empty, so our mission here is a failure! We will rejoin the main army!"

* * *

At the military headquarters of Hanzhong.

A rare sense of vitality filled General Jang-yang's office, a spacious room that usually felt cold and empty, thanks to two guests.

One of them was So-so. During the day, she would wander around the camp in her training robes, but at sunset, she always came to sleep in the office. Part of the draw was the snacks General Jang-yang provided, but recently, she had also taken a liking to playing with the man sitting across from her.

Sitting opposite So-so was Adjutant Yang Yeon-jeong. Ever since the warning about assassins had reached the camp, she had been personally guarding Jang-yang.

To Jang-yang, she was a figure akin to Zhao Zilong. However, standing guard all day was a tedious task for the veteran warrior. To pass the time, she had taught So-so how to play Xiangqi. Since then, So-so had become completely obsessed with the game, constantly chasing Yang Yeon-jeong down to challenge her.

While Jang-yang quietly worked at his desk, the two of them were playing Xiangqi in the corner of the room.

"Check."

Yang Yeon-jeong used her horse and elephant to trap So-so's king. So-so clutched her head with her small hands, rocking back and forth.

"Oh no… What do I do…?"

She whimpered, completely cornered.

"I win again. Hand it over," Yang Yeon-jeong said with a grin.

"Sigh…"

With a heavy sigh, So-so reached into her robe with a trembling hand. A moment later, she pulled out a well-worn mooncake—her last emergency snack. As she reluctantly handed it over, a tiny tear welled in her eye.

Just then, Jang-yang spoke up.

"It seems our So-so is surrounded by the enemy. Even if the palace is breached, a brave general can sacrifice themselves to save the king."

Jang-yang had offered a subtle hint. Instantly tucking the mooncake back into her robe, So-so stared at the board with burning focus.

A moment later, she grabbed her chariot.

"Hehe. Counter-check!"

Thud!

Her chariot took the elephant, and though the horse quickly reclaimed the piece, the shift in the battle allowed her king to escape danger.

"Impressive," Yang Yeon-jeong remarked.

"This is only the beginning!" So-so declared.

Her counterattack began in earnest.

Since Yang Yeon-jeong had played with a handicap by giving up one of her chariots at the start, it was difficult for her to maintain the offensive. Ten moves later, So-so's cannon and elephant successfully cornered Yang Yeon-jeong's king.

"Checkmate!"

"Aha… I lose this round."

Yang Yeon-jeong finally admitted defeat. So-so cheered, jumping around the office in joy. She ran over to Jang-yang and threw her arms around his neck.

"Grandpa, I finally won!"

"Haha. Your skills have indeed improved."

A moment later, a small hand was thrust in front of Yang Yeon-jeong's face.

"Hand it over!" So-so demanded.

"Phew…"

Yang Yeon-jeong sighed, reaching into her pocket. But suddenly, her eyes turned razor-sharp. Her hand darted away from her pocket and snatched the spear leaning against the wall.

The temperature in the room plummeted. Before Jang-yang could even speak, Yang Yeon-jeong thrust her spear toward the office door.

Splinter!

As she pulled the spear back through the shattered wood, fresh blood dripped from the spearhead.

"General, do not step outside under any circumstances!"

With that warning, Yang Yeon-jeong kicked the door open.

Crash!

As the door splintered apart, figures clad in black revealed themselves.

Assassins. And not just one or two. It was clear this was a coordinated hit.

Yang Yeon-jeong took two steps past the threshold. Fighting with a long spear inside the cramped office was disadvantageous.

"None of you shall pass."

A chilly spear energy gathered around the tip of the spear she thrust straight forward.

Sensing her formidable aura, the assassins did not rush in. Instead, they took up positions, waiting for an opportunity to strike together.

Drawing his sword, Jang-yang turned to So-so. "Hide behind me, child."

So-so had seen assassins once before on Mount Hua, and she had no pleasant memories of them.

"They're bad guys!"

Jang-yang repeatedly gestured for her to step back. To his disbelief, So-so had drawn a toy-like sword from her waist.

Clashing sounds erupted outside the door as Yang Yeon-jeong engaged the assassins.

Although a suffocating tension filled the office, there was not a trace of fear on So-so's face.

"Grandpa, the bad guys are on the roof!"

Jang-yang looked up. Just as she said, someone was moving on the roof. How had So-so sensed a presence that even he had missed?

But there was no time to ponder.

Crash!

The roof caved in, and three assassins dropped into the room simultaneously.

Frowning, Jang-yang swung his sword to meet them. As he fought off their frantic strikes, he yelled at So-so, "Run! Get out of here!"

But they were trapped inside the office; there was nowhere to run. Still, he wanted her to try anything, for he was slowly being pushed back. The skills of these assassins were exceptional.

'Where on earth did these monsters come from…?'

Despair crept into his heart.

As he was driven into a corner, Jang-yang's movements grew sluggish, exposing several openings. Seizing the opportunity, an assassin's blade lunged toward his flank. He had no way to dodge.

As Jang-yang grit his teeth, preparing for the blow, the unexpected occurred.

Clang!

With a sharp ring of metal, the assassin was forced back several paces.

The assassin stared down in disbelief. A young girl, barely seven years old, was pointing a sword at him. It was absurd. He hadn't even paid attention to her existence.

"When protecting the people you love, you must never hesitate!" So-so yelled, repeating So-mu's teachings as she charged the assassin.

The masked assassin's expression was hidden, but he was utterly dumbfounded.

Even though his opponent was a child, the assassin showed no mercy. He swung his sword with lethal intent to cut her down. The two blades clashed with a heavy thud.

Clang!

The sheer force of the impact nearly knocked the sword from the assassin's grip.

'Where does this child get such strength…?'

He could not believe it. She barely reached his waist. What was even more humiliating was that he was immediately pushed onto the defensive.

The assassin was forced to retreat step by step as the speed of her strikes increased.

Seeing this, one of the assassins fighting Jang-yang yelled, "What are you doing?! Kill the kid first!"

But it was easier said than done. In the blink of an eye, the assassin's back hit the wall.

His retreat was cut off. Despair filled his eyes.

So-so's sword was blunt, but her blows, infused with internal force, were heavy enough to shatter solid wood.

"Oh… I'm sorry!"

Steeling her resolve, So-so swung her sword and struck the assassin's leg.

Crack!

The assassin's leg snapped, sending him crashing to the floor as he screamed in agony.

"Aaagh!"

It would have been better to be sliced. His bone was completely shattered, bent at a grotesque angle.

"Mister, are you okay?" So-so asked.

"Damn you, brat! I'll kill you!" The assassin shrieked, writhing on the floor. But he had completely lost the ability to fight.

Blinking her eyes, So-so shrugged her shoulders and looked around for her next target.