Chapter 56 – Reaping the Harvest (1)

Chapter 56 – Reaping the Harvest (1)

It took four months for all the squad members of the Wolf Fang Squad to complete their Rebirth. Having poured out a massive amount of internal energy every day, So-mu was thoroughly exhausted.

"Sigh."

Still, his mind was at ease.

Of course, he had not wasted those four months. So-mu invested the most time in instructing his daughter in martial arts. Every night, he helped her practice breathing exercises so that she could protect herself in this harsh, chaotic world and never get hurt under any circumstances.

With a brilliant talent meeting the ultimate master, So-so's progress was nothing short of rapid.

Having finished all his work, So-mu headed toward General Jang Yang's office.

"General, it is So-mu."

"Come in."

Jang Yang's voice did not sound very good.

Opening the door and entering, So-mu saw him clutching a sheet of paper with the imperial seal, reading it intently. Judging by the seal of the imperial court, it was clearly an imperial decree.

Watching silently, So-mu wore a puzzled expression. Jang Yang was tearing the decree to pieces without the slightest hesitation.

*Rip! Tear!*

"What is that?"

"It is nothing. You do not need to shoulder this burden."

"I do not know what it is, but you do not need to shoulder it alone either, General."

After hesitating for a moment, Jang Yang sighed and spoke.

"It is an order to conscript young girls from Hanzhong for the imperial palace. I know exactly what those depraved scoundrels want. How can I forcibly tear children away from their parents' arms?"

It was an utterly absurd demand.

So-mu had witnessed the numerous young court ladies in the palace. Where had all those young girls gone?

If they were to drag So-so away to serve the Emperor, fury would consume him. Just imagining it made him want to slaughter them all.

"Since Jang Jin-sang's human trafficking business was cut off, they are openly demanding it now."

"Probably. If we participate in the Emperor's perverted games, how are we any different from Jang Jin-sang?"

"It is not even worth responding to. What happens now?"

"I have already received three such letters. Unlike here in Hanzhong, they are likely kidnapping people in other cities. It is simply tragic that we cannot stop such atrocious acts."

The pressure from the imperial court on Jang Yang would only intensify. General Yue Fei had been brought down in a similar manner.

However, Jang Yang possessed more flexibility than Yue Fei. How they would respond remained to be seen.

"But what did you summon me for?"

Jang Yang looked at the map hanging on the office wall and spoke.

"The Hui Dynasty's full-scale offensive is imminent. Their army of three hundred thousand, which conquered Western Xia and returned, is gathering in Chang'an, Kaifeng, and Luoyang."

"So their main force is moving simultaneously?"

"Indeed. And they are all martial arts elites. They are a force on a completely different level from the enemies we have faced so far."

This was serious news. If true, the real war was only beginning.

"Including the troops stationed at the front lines, their force must exceed four hundred thousand."

"That is likely the case. Judging by their movements, they have already secured their rear supply routes."

"Where do you think their target is?"

"They seem to intend to attack Hanzhong and Xiangyang, while the rest pass through Anhui Province to advance toward the capital."

"If even one of those points falls, it is over. If Hanzhong and Xiangyang are breached, the entire Central Plains will be in danger. If Anhui Province is penetrated, the capital will be vulnerable."

"Generals Han Se-chung and Liu Guangshi will likely defend the other sectors. In any case, with simultaneous attacks launching across all fronts, Hanzhong cannot expect any reinforcements."

As Jang Yang said, they were in no position to worry about others. The most vulnerable location was Hanzhong. Jang Yang's legion numbered only fifteen thousand, and nearly half of them were inexperienced recruits.

On the other hand, Han Se-chung and Liu Guangshi commanded the primary forces of the Song Empire.

"It will be a difficult battle."

"We must make the best preparations while we still have time. For the time being, focus on helping train the recruits. If the legion's hero assists these inexperienced soldiers, their morale will soar, and they will surely make rapid progress."

The regular soldiers already had combat experience and had trained in martial arts for a long time, so there was no need to worry. The problem was the massive gap in skill between the regular army and the recruits.

"Understood."

Having finished his business, So-mu was about to leave the office when he paused. Someone was approaching with light, hurried footsteps.

Soon, an administrative soldier burst in, shouting in joy.

"General, great news! The garrison farm has yielded a massive harvest!"

The gloomy atmosphere in the room instantly brightened. To achieve a bumper crop in their very first harvest was a stroke of heavenly luck.

"Haha! Is that true?"

It was the most joyful news they had heard in recent days.

"Yes, General! Even with a twenty percent tax, our grain storehouses will overflow!"

"Haha… Hahaha!"

Jang Yang could not stop laughing, tears of joy welling in his eyes.

So-mu, who had helped with the planting, felt equally proud.

***

So-mu spent busy days. In the morning, he frequented the recruit training camp, and in the afternoon, he gave So-so one-on-one training.

Today, he visited the recruit training camp in the morning.

Behind So-mu, seven thousand recruits stood lined up, clutching training swords. Facing them were a hundred members of the Wolf Fang Squad.

A battle of seven thousand against a hundred. However, the opponents were the elite members of the Wolf Fang Squad, each matchless. The outcome was unpredictable.

Standing at the front, So-mu waved the command flags. At his signal, three thousand recruits charged toward the Wolf Fang Squad. With their overwhelming numbers, they had no reason to fear.

"Aaargh!"

"Charge!"

Though facing thirty times their number, the Wolf Fang Squad did not flinch in the slightest. Il-gwang, standing at the front, grinned fiercely and shouted, "Haha! Finally, a chance to stretch my legs!"

Cheong-hae, standing beside him, spoke with concern, "They are still recruits, so go easy on them."

"Of course, I'll go easy. Just enough not to break their bones."

Still, these recruits had undergone intense training for nearly half a year. They were on the verge of transitioning to the regular army.

Clashing with the Wolf Fang Squad, the recruits roared as the training swords collided with dull impacts.

*Thud! Bam! Crack!*

"Urgh!"

"Gah!"

From the start, the recruits were the ones being pushed back. Not a single recruit could land a blow on the squad members.

So-mu waved the command flags again. One thousand recruits moved to the left, and another thousand moved to the right, tightening the squeeze from both sides.

As recruits pressed in from all directions, the Wolf Fang Squad began to grow tense. Though they held the upper hand, their space to maneuver was shrinking. Furthermore, no matter how many recruits they knocked down, the overwhelming numbers did not seem to dwindle.

"The rest, follow me!"

So-mu led the remaining one thousand recruits in a wide flank toward the rear of the Wolf Fang Squad. Focused on the battle in front, the squad members did not notice due to their blocked field of vision. Once this force joined the fray, the tide of the battle began to shift slightly.

So-mu drove straight through the rear of the Wolf Fang Squad. Every time he swung his sword, the squad members stumbled back. Spotting him, several shouted in panic.

"The Captain is here!"

"We must take him down first!"

"This way!"

Five squad members launched a fierce assault on So-mu.

Deflecting all their attacks, So-mu felt a quiet sense of admiration.

Since undergoing Rebirth, the squad members' movements were entirely different from before. With their bodies responding instantly to their minds, their reaction speeds were incredible. He even found several members who could withstand a blow from him.

But who was So-mu?

The Sword Saint began to move in earnest.

"Not so fast!"

Lowering his posture, So-mu spun like a top, cutting through the squad members like lightning.

*Thud! Bam!*

"Urgh!"

"Gah!"

Leaving the dazed squad members behind, So-mu pressed forward. The squad members, struck several times, lost their balance and stumbled. The recruits following So-mu immediately swarmed over them.

"That's unfair!"

"Stay back!"

"We're already out!"

Under the rules, touching an opponent's sword meant elimination, and the player had to lower their weapon. However, due to the noise of the training ground, the recruits could not hear the squad members clearly. The five squad members were swallowed by the wave of recruits, crying out in frustration.

Meanwhile, So-mu was splitting the center of the Wolf Fang Squad to the left and right. His goal was not to eliminate them, but to disrupt their formation and scatter their strength.

"Get the Captain first!"

"Help over here!"

A dozen squad members tried to surround So-mu, but none could keep up with his movements. He split their formation diagonally once more.

Separated from their comrades, the squad members were surrounded by recruits on all sides, forced into a defensive struggle. Unless they projected sword qi, there was no way out.

The mass drill lasted longer than expected. With their pride on the line, both sides fought desperately.

Half an hour later.

The tide of the battle had clearly turned. The recruits had all laid down their swords. On the other side, only about twenty members of the Wolf Fang Squad remained, panting heavily.

Since they hadn't eliminated So-mu yet, they had not won.

"Impressive," So-mu said.

The squad members looked at him with exasperated faces.

"Our Captain has become even more of a monster…"

"How are we supposed to win…?"

Il-gwang stepped forward and shouted, "Don't be scared! Get into the Wolf Fang Sword Formation!"

Twenty squad members surrounded So-mu in an instant, pointing their swords at him. Watching them, So-mu offered a faint smile.

"I will give you the first move. Come."

Cheong-hae and Il-gwang moved first. Two swords flew toward his upper and lower body. Balancing on one foot, So-mu twisted his torso and swung his sword to meet them.

*Clang!*

Before he could counterattack, five more swords lunged at his body. In that instant, So-mu spun like a tempest.

*Clash!*

As the five squad members stumbled back, another five rushed in. The chaotic battle continued.

With their comrades covering their defense, their attacks flowed continuously. It was an excellent sword formation. Having personally verified its effectiveness, So-mu saw no reason to drag it out. His movements began to grow faster.

*From now on, I will face you with the movements of the Flower Realm. Etch this into your bodies, for it will be your only asset to survive the coming battle.*

*Clang! Clash! Clang!*

Thunderous clashes echoed repeatedly like a raging storm. The speed of the swords clashing grew faster and faster. The squad members executing the formation moved with frantic speed. The battle showed no signs of ending easily.

However, this was exactly what So-mu had intended.

After another quarter of an hour, the squad members finally began to fall one by one as So-mu occasionally unleashed the speed of the Mysterious Realm.