Chapter 35 – The Rising Star of Hanzhong (1)

Chapter 35 – The Rising Star of Hanzhong (1)

Everyone thought the soldiers from Hanzhong had gone mad. How could they advance when even the commanders were in a state of panic?

Yet, following So-mu's command, the Wolf Fang Squad advanced thirty paces past the front line of the allied ranks and came to a halt.

Standing at the center of the formation, So-mu raised his shield and roared, "Wedge Barrier!"

The hundred squad members immediately aligned themselves in a triangular, wedge-shaped formation.

"Close ranks!"

Clang! Clang!

The edges of the shields overlapped, transforming the squad into a solid wall of iron.

So-mu stood at the apex of the wedge.

Il-gwang and Cheong-hae took their positions in the second row.

The strongest members occupied the front rows, completing a defensive wall so tight that not even an ant could slip through.

Originally, the Wedge Formation was an offensive array. General Jang-yang had modified it so it could be used for defense. This was the first time they were deploying it in an actual battle; they had only practiced the drills a few times.

Whether this formation would hold was highly uncertain, for they would have to bear the full momentum of the cavalry charge with their own bodies.

Nonetheless, seeing the squad stand tall and proud at the vanguard seemed to instill courage in the other Song soldiers. The hesitating troops gradually began to steady themselves.

Just then, a general in the ranks shouted in jubilation, "A palisade! We have a palisade!"

A palisade was a barrier made of bound logs, commonly used to stop cavalry charges. The Wolf Fang Squad had volunteered to serve as the palisade itself.

The one who had shouted was General Ugo. Having led the pillaging assignment, he was familiar with the Wolf Fang Squad.

Deeply inspired by their actions, General Ugo rode back and forth along the ranks, rallying the troops.

"Form up, everyone! Do not panic, raise your weapons!"

Spurred by his calls, several other officers began to follow suit.

Meanwhile, the distance between them and the charging cavalry narrowed to less than fifty paces. Although the officers were desperately scrambling to organize the defense, the Commander-in-Chief at the rear of the army remained completely motionless.

Yu Gwang-se seemed to be contemplating something. Finally, he leaned in and whispered something to his adjutant.

Time ticked away, and the cavalry closed in at a terrifying speed. As the distance shrank to less than thirty paces, the tension at the front of the Wolf Fang Squad reached its peak. It felt as if they were preparing to stop a landslide with their bare hands.

At that moment, So-mu yelled to encourage his men.

"We are the invincible Wolf Fang Squad! Do not yield! Hold the line!"

As the distance shrank to under twenty paces, everyone channeled their internal force into the shields they gripped with both hands, concentrating all their strength into their arms and legs.

When the gap closed to less than ten paces, the warhorses lowered their heads in a charging stance. They intended to smash through the Wolf Fang Squad's defensive wall in one clean breakthrough.

A breath later, the warhorses slammed violently against the iron wall of the Wolf Fang Squad.

Crash! Thud! Bam!

Every time a horse collided with the shields, the squad members felt a jarring shock, as if their wrists were about to snap.

"Argh!"

"Ugh!"

"Urgh!"

Groans of pain erupted from the squad.

Yet, at the same time, hundreds of warhorses crashed to the ground or were flung back. The pile of fallen mounts and riders grew larger by the second.

So-mu, standing at the very tip of the wedge, absorbed the heaviest impact.

As the second wave of cavalry collided with them, Il-gwang screamed in desperation, "Grit your teeth and hold!!!"

Crash! Thud!

"Aaagh!"

"Hold on!"

The squad members fought with everything they had.

As time passed, their feet sank deep into the churned earth.

They had no way of knowing how long the cavalry charge would last, nor did they know what was happening behind them. They could only huddle behind their shields, playing their part as a human palisade.

The cavalry unit soon realized that breaking the Wolf Fang Squad's iron wall was futile. As someone waved a flag, the enemy formation split. They began to veer left and right, attempting to bypass the wedge and strike the main Song army. The speed and precision of their equestrian maneuvers were remarkable.

While this greatly reduced the number of riders slamming directly into the Wolf Fang Squad's shields, the occasional impact still kept them from breaking their array.

So-mu peeked over the top of his shield. About thirty percent of the enemy cavalry was still charging straight toward them.

'We have to hold a little longer.'

Screams echoed endlessly from the rear. Though So-mu was curious about the state of the main army, checking was pointless right now.

Half a quarter of an hour later, no more cavalry charged them. As So-mu lowered his shield, he saw over a thousand fallen warhorses thrashing on the ground. It was time to join the melee.

Drawing his sword, So-mu turned to issue orders.

"Everyone, prepare…"

But he could not finish his sentence. Il-gwang's furious roar cut him off.

"Those bastards abandoned us and ran?!"

It was a pathetic sight.

The allied army of a hundred thousand was fleeing in all directions, completely shattered. The enemy cavalry was chasing them down, slaughtering them mercilessly. It appeared the command headquarters had issued a general retreat.

It was absurd. The members of the Wolf Fang Squad threw down their shields in sheer disbelief.

To retreat without even putting up a proper fight—every squad member felt a sudden urge to cave in the Commander-in-Chief's skull.

Even if staying to fight might not have guaranteed a victory, the casualties would have been far lower. How far could infantry run from cavalry on an open plain? This was nothing short of a massacre.

"What do we do now, Captain?"

"Do we keep fighting?"

The Wolf Fang Squad stood alone in the empty space where the allied army had just been.

None of the enemy cavalry came toward them. There were plenty of easy targets scattered across the plain; now that victory was assured, no one wanted to risk their lives fighting this elite unit.

"Since the retreat signal has been given, holding this position is meaningless," So-mu said. "It's time to return to Hanzhong. Everyone has enough strength left to run, right?"

"Yes, plenty!"

"No problem! I just want to go back to Hanzhong!"

Everyone thought of their barracks in Hanzhong. They missed the spacious, cozy log cabins and So-so's bright smile. Although they had felt constrained there, it now felt like home.

So-mu led his squad off the battlefield.

As they unleashed their light movement techniques, they ran at a pace twice as fast as galloping horses. Though they could not maintain this speed indefinitely, it was enough to quickly leave the Namso Plain behind.

Although the battle had ended in a pathetic defeat for the Song army, they had done their absolute best and fought bravely. Moreover, they had not suffered a single casualty, which was a remarkable achievement for an independent detachment.

Once they were clear of the war zone, they slowed their pace to conserve energy for the long journey ahead.

Soon, a small bamboo grove appeared before them. So-mu, who was leading the group, suddenly stopped as he spotted a familiar figure resting under the bamboo about ten paces away.

It was General Ugo. He was leaning against a bamboo trunk, breathing heavily.

So-mu quickly rushed to his side and asked, "Are you alright, General?"

"Unbelievable… To think you boys survived."

So-mu could see the general's condition at a glance.

A puncture wound ran clean through his chest. Though he was clinging to life for now, it was an injury that even a divine physician could not heal.

"What happened, General?"

"Senior General Yu Gwang-se… that absolute coward fled the field with his personal guard before the battle even began. The rest of the corps tried to hold, but who would fight when the Commander-in-Chief has already run away?"

"How could such a man be appointed Commander-in-Chief…?"

"If our Song Empire rewarded ability rather than blood and political ties, how could Great General Yue Fei have met such a tragic end? If I had the strength, I would behead the Emperor, the Prime Minister, and all of them."

Hearing this, So-mu felt a sudden urge to see for himself how corrupt the imperial court truly was. Only then did he feel he could find the answers he sought.

"If… if someone were to behead the Emperor and his corrupt officials, what would happen then?"

The thought seemed to bring Ugo comfort; forgetting his pain, he laughed softly before replying, "It would depend on who takes the throne. Will it be a wise ruler, or another beast? Even if a wise ruler ascends, who is to say a beast will not take his place later? Unless a system is established where the ruler is chosen and accepted by the people, the cycle will only repeat itself."

So-mu fell into deep thought.

'A ruler chosen by the people…'

No matter how hard he thought, he could not find an easy answer.

He could not judge this world using the simplistic standards of the martial world. In this world of commoners, he was merely another commoner. He still had so much to learn.

Deciding to discuss this with General Jang-yang later, So-mu changed the subject.

"I once met Great General Yue Fei. He was a true loyalist."

"Haha… I was his adjutant. My lack of ability failed to protect him. My only regret in this life is that I could not save him."

"I am sorry for your loss."

"But you know… the General once told me there was one person whose potential far surpassed his own. I have always wondered who that person was."

"Who was it?"

"He said it was his junior disciple. How could I have been so blind? Looking at your squad, I see the General's words were entirely true."

"You flatter us, General."

"Haha… I would like to rest now."

"If you wish, we can carry you to a nearby village."

"Just leave me be. I wish to be alone. And… do not lose your general as I did mine."

"Thank you for the advice, General."

"Go on now."

So-mu bowed his head in silence and turned away. Ugo looked up at the sunset glowing through the bamboo leaves.

"Haha… A fitting place to spend my final moments."

* * *

After entering Shaanxi, the Wolf Fang Squad passed through Shanyang and reached Xunyang County. Since the fires of war had not reached this place, the streets were bustling with life.

Sitting down at an outdoor food stall, the squad members kept swallowing their saliva, their stomachs rumbling loudly. Having run low on supplies, they hadn't had a proper meal in days.

Unable to wait any longer, Il-gwang yelled, "Innkeeper! Just bring us whatever you have that's ready! Bring it fast, we're about to collapse!"

Il-gwang, who usually ate enough for five men in a single sitting, had survived on a single meal a day. It was a miracle he hadn't fainted.

"Yes, sir! Coming right up!" The innkeeper called back.

So-mu quietly stood up, leaving the squad to their meal.

"I will be back in a bit. Take your time and eat."

"Where are you going, Captain?"

"Aren't you going to eat?"

As the squad members looked at him in confusion, Il-gwang chuckled.

"He received this month's pay in advance, so he's off to buy a gift. If he goes home empty-handed, do you think he can handle his pouting daughter?"