Chapter 65 – Battle of Mount Taibai Canyon (3)

Chapter 65 – Battle of Mount Taibai Canyon (3)

The volunteer army gathered behind a hill about fifty zhang away from their target, the enemy supply base. It was a small earthen fortress surrounded by rivers and mountains on three sides.

“Looking at the scale, the amount of military supplies must be massive. It won't be easy to move it all. Do you have a good plan?”

At the words of Advisor Yang Heung, the officers fell into deep thought. Seeing it in person, the supply base was much larger than they had anticipated. Commander Song Gyeom let out a sigh and said, “Let's just carry it piece by piece using lightness skills.”

“We will never finish that way. If we linger here too long, we risk being intercepted by the enemy's defense force. Why not seize what we can and destroy the rest?”

Attempting to carry it all piece by piece was indeed a headache. None of them could think of a better solution.

Just then, a finger small as a peanut pointed forward. Everyone looked in the direction So-so was pointing. It was the river flowing around the earthen fortress. Six boats were moored there.

“Can we ride those when we're done?”

So-so had never been on a boat before. Seeing them so close, she desperately wanted to ride one.

Yang Heung slapped his knee and exclaimed, “As expected, the General already had a plan!”

So-so nodded.

“Yes, I planned to ride the boats.”

Yang Heung marveled in admiration, “To think you planned to use the boats to transport the spoils while securing our retreat at the same time… Truly a masterstroke.”

Commander Mu-hyeon nodded in agreement.

“Indeed, it is amazing. We have a few former sailors among our volunteers, so sailing them won't be difficult.”

With a brighter expression, Yang Heung surveyed the fortress and said, “Now that we have a method to secure the spoils and retreat, the only question is how to capture it. The enemy's defenses are quite formidable.”

Song Gyeom pointed to the top of the wall and replied, “The guards on the fortress walls are on high alert. Judging by their numbers, their garrison is no smaller than our force. We must be prepared to take some casualties.”

Attacking the fortress walls head-on would inevitably result in heavy losses. Yang Heung muttered regretfully, “If only we could open the gates…”

Everyone's gaze turned to So-so. Unlike them, who were full of worry, she was grinning happily.

In truth, So-so was simply excited about the prospect of riding a boat. Since they had agreed to fulfill her wish, she wanted to do something in return.

“Hehe. Do we just need to open the gates? I'll go open them!”

Without the slightest hesitation, So-so stepped forward. The officers of the volunteer army watched her, dumbfounded yet filled with admiration.

“What incredible courage.”

“No hesitation in her actions… Though she suffers from the side effects of rejuvenation, she must have been a formidable figure in her prime.”

“Indeed. Prepare the men to charge the moment the General opens the gates.”

As the volunteers braced for battle, they watched So-so's retreating figure with bated breath.

Meanwhile, the Hui soldiers guarding the fortress walls were utterly bewildered.

“What is that?”

“Why is a kid coming here?”

A young girl was walking straight toward the fortress, swinging her arms back and forth. A toy-like sword was strapped to her waist. Rather than causing alarm, the sight was comical.

“Did she lose her parents? Has she gone mad?”

“She's quite pretty. She'd make a perfect servant for our commander. To think she walked right to us.”

Listening to the soldiers' murmurs, the officer's ears perked up. It was a good opportunity to curry favor with the supply base commander. He looked down from the wall.

“Go bring that little brat in!”

Creeeeak!

The gates of the fortress slowly swung open. They did not hesitate in the slightest.

A burly soldier strode out of the gate. So-so stopped walking about ten zhang away.

Believing the child was frozen in fear, the soldier smirked. Even if she ran, he could easily catch her with lightness skills. It would just be a bit troublesome.

“Come here quietly. If you run, you'll get beaten.”

These were soldiers hardened by pillaging and looting. They showed no mercy, not even to children.

“What happens if I don't run?”

So-so blinked, asking with genuine curiosity. The soldier stepped forward, grabbed her by the collar from behind, and lifted her into the air.

“This happens.”

Dangling in the air, So-so continued to chatter.

“Mister, have you ever been on a boat? Was it fun?”

The soldier strode back toward the gate and grumbled, “Why do you talk so much? Our commander will play with you soon, so shut up until then.”

“You guys are the bad guys, right?”

“We are very good people.”

“Hmph. I'm sorry, Mister.”

“What?”

“Well… Uncle Il-gwang told me that I must beat up bad guys who tell lies.”

The soldier's scowl deepened.

“Keep chirping and I'll wring your neck—”

It was then. Having reached the gate, So-so smiled brightly and shouted, “We're here! Hehe. Now put me down!”

“Are you joking with me?”

In that instant, So-so's tiny hands gently gripped the soldier's wrist.

Then, her small hands twisted it mercilessly, as if wringing out a thick log.

“Aaagh!!!”

With his wrist and shoulder snapped in an instant, the soldier's eyes rolled back in agony. The nearby soldiers watched in horror, their mouths agape.

Struggling to remain conscious, the soldier gasped in fury, “Ugh… just kill her!”

There was no room to treat her as a child anymore. A nearby soldier lunged at the girl standing at the center of the gate.

“Don't blame me.”

The soldier's right foot swept in a sharp arc toward So-so's face. It was a kick powerful enough to snap a neck—if the target had been an ordinary person.

So-so ducked, letting the kick graze past her head. In that split second, her slender foot struck his left knee like a falling boulder.

Crack!

“Aaaaargh!!!”

The soldier collapsed, his knee bent at a grotesque angle. He shrieked in agony, foaming at the mouth.

Suddenly, a fist lunged from the side, aiming for her face. So-so thrust her own fist forward to meet it. A crimson current of qi instantly enveloped her small fist.

Third Form of the Mountain-Cleaving Fist: Lightning Strike.

It was the fastest technique among the Mountain-Cleaving Fist styles she had learned from Il-gwang.

It was a technique far too powerful to use on a mere soldier, but the child had not yet learned the concept of holding back. It looked like a tiny pebble colliding with a massive boulder.

The result was beyond belief.

Boom!

“Aaaaargh!!!”

His hand bones shattered, and his shoulder bone dislocated, ripping through the flesh of his back. It was a sight so horrific that the hundreds of onlookers could only gape in disbelief.

The soldiers realized something was terribly wrong. A few of them stammered in fear.

“W-what is that?”

“What kind of crazy situation is this?”

A commotion broke out atop the walls as well. An officer screamed in panic as if remembering something, “S-she's the Little Tiger!”

The Little Tiger. Recently, this moniker had become notorious among the Hui soldiers. They had only heard of her in rumors, but none had believed them—until now.

“W-why is that demon here…”

Meanwhile, the child had already drawn the sword from her waist.

An officer atop the wall screamed at the top of his lungs, “Shut the gates, you idiots!”

It wasn't that the soldiers didn't want to close the gates. So-so was standing squarely in the middle of the passage, leaving them no way to shut it.

And the officer's dread was quickly realized. The volunteer army emerged from the nearby hills, charging toward the gates. The officer panicked.

“She's a rejuvenated old monster! Don't let her looks fool you, swarm her all at once!”

The sight of a child with an innocent face unleashing such monstrous strength was terrifying. Two soldiers drew their sabers and lunged at So-so.

As their blades slashed toward her, So-so kicked off the ground and spun in the air like a young dragon ascending through a storm.

Fifth Form of the Leaf-Sweeping Leg: Cyclone Swirling Dragon Kick.

As the two blades cut empty air, So-so's rotating feet struck the soldiers' faces in succession.

Thwack! Thwack!

“Ugh!”

“Argh!”

Thrown ten feet away, the soldiers collapsed limply on the ground. Once again, it took only a single strike. Although hundreds of soldiers swarmed near the gate, none dared to step closer.

“Move!”

Three Centurions pushed through the crowd. Their armor was adorned with the red plumes of Centurions, and sword qi flickered from their blades.

“Your rampage ends here.”

Despite their words, the Centurions hesitated to step forward. A milky-white glow was erupting from So-so's short sword. It was sword qi, fully formed and stabilized.

As they hesitated, So-so let out a sharp cry.

“Don't come near me!”

She launched the first strike.

For someone telling them not to approach, she was the one lunging first. The Centurions hastily took defensive stances.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

As the sword qi collided, brilliant sparks erupted continuously.

The coordinated strikes of the three Centurions were flawless. However, compared to So-mu's strikes, their movements were clumsy and slow as snails. As the duel progressed, the Centurions' stances began to crumble.

Soon, their pupils trembled. The volunteer army had already reached the gate.

The five hundred volunteers charged like madmen, their morale sky-high. Song Gyeom and Mu-hyeon led the charge. Exchanging glances, they split to the left and right, supporting So-so's flanks.

Despair filled the Centurions' faces. Dealing with So-so alone was already overwhelming; they had no strength left to block the others.

Slash! Stab!

“Ugh!”

“Argh!”

Song Gyeom and Mu-hyeon's swords cut down two of the Centurions in a single strike.

Left alone, the last Centurion watched in despair as So-so's attack closed in. The blunt side of her sword, its sword qi extinguished, slammed into his face.

Thwack!

As he collapsed unconscious, the volunteers poured through the gates.

“Kill them all!”

“I am Xiahou Ji of the Xiahou family!”

“Enemy of the Hwayeong Sect, face your end today!”

The momentum of the volunteers was like a tidal wave, forcing the defending soldiers to recoil in panic.

Just then, Song Gyeom's gaze locked onto the center of the fortress. A commander clad in ornate armor strode forward, clutching a massive battleaxe. His formidable aura made it clear that he was the commander of this base.

However, So-so was already sheathing her sword, preparing to board the boats. She wanted to be the first one on board. Seeing this, Song Gyeom shouted urgently, “General, please take care of their commander!”

Mu-hyeon agreed, adding, “If we defeat him, their defense will collapse, and we can load the spoils and set sail immediately!”

So-so's eyes lit up.

“Do I have to beat that mister up to ride the boat?”

“Yes, General!”

Excited, So-so kicked off the ground and flew toward the enemy commander. In just two leaps, she landed right in front of him.

Startled by her agility, the commander instinctively swung his battleaxe.

Boom!

The blade of the axe slammed deep into the ground with immense power.

“Where did she go, that flying squirrel of a brat?!”

Right behind him, a young girl's voice called out.

“Hup! Hup!”

Two walnut-sized fists began to pummel his lower back as if playing a game.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

“Ugh!”

The strikes felt light, but they throbbed with enough force to numb his senses. Irritated, he channeled sharp axe qi and swung the weapon behind him, tearing through the air.

Whoosh!

It was a ferocious strike capable of severing limbs at the slightest graze. However, all he saw was a flash of light that quickly dissipated.

So-so was already standing ten feet away, sticking her tongue out like a cat.

“Hehe. Ugly mister, catch me if you can!”

The commander's face twisted like a demon. She hadn't even drawn her weapon yet. He had never been so humiliated in his entire life.

“You're dead when I catch you!”

Seeing his furious face, So-so gasped in mock surprise.

“Oh. I'm sorry~”

“You crazy…”

The Hui commander was seething with rage. She was completely playing with him. He was too angry to speak.

Yet, her provocations did not end there. So-so brought her hands together with a serious face, mimicking a martial arts greeting.

“I am So-so! I request a spar!”

“I will kill you!”

Though unintentional, her provocation worked flawlessly. Blinded by rage, the commander charged at her, completely abandoning his defense.

At that moment, So-so drew her short sword and stepped forward with her left foot. Sweeping her sword through the air, she began to execute a sword dance. It was the starting stance of the One Hundred and Eight Forms of the Windstorm Swift Sword.