Chapter 73 – Defense of Hanzhong (3)

Chapter 73 – Defense of Hanzhong (3)

Clang!

With a thunderous clash, the general of the Hui Dynasty and So-mu recoiled simultaneously. Having traded their first blow, they both assumed their opening stances and steadied themselves.

The Hui general asked with an expression of surprise, “So you are the commander who led the defense in the canyon. What is your name?”

Although they had no time for idle chatter, the opponent was worthy of the courtesy.

“Commander of the Wolf Fang Squad.” So-mu pointed the tip of his sword at him. “Lieutenant Changmu, So-mu.”

The opponent nodded and revealed his identity. “I am Yelu Huan, the corps commander.”

He was a much bigger figure than expected.

The main army of the Hui Dynasty currently attacking Hanzhong was a coalition of five corps, and this man commanded one of them. That made him the vanguard commander of the entire siege.

“Let’s begin.”

With those words, the two leaped forward.

Clang!

The moment spear and sword collided, So-mu’s body slid to the side of his opponent. His blade immediately began to probe for weaknesses in Yelu Huan’s flank.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Brilliant sparks burst out in rapid succession as their fierce martial auras clashed.

Yelu Huan, forced onto the defensive from the very beginning, was deeply shocked. His hands trembled from the impact, and the opponent’s reaction speed was unbelievably fast. Such prowess was impossible for anyone below the Transformational Realm.

He had heard that the Hanzhong army possessed a fierce general, but he had never imagined the man would be at this level.

“Ugh!”

A heavy groan escaped his lips as the sheer weight of the strikes sent shockwaves through his meridians. Yelu Huan retreated a step and unleashed a technique. The tip of his spear split into eight phantom points, thrusting toward So-mu from all directions.

In that instant, So-mu’s feet shifted in a profound pattern. His body blurred like a ghost, effortlessly evading the spear thrusts.

‘How can this be…?’

Faced with such absurdly swift movements, Yelu Huan felt a chill run down his spine. Before he could even organize his thoughts, the enemy had already closed the distance, pressing right up to his nose.

The shorter the range, the more disadvantaged he was. The blinding blade-light thrusting toward his chest meant certain death if it connected.

In desperation, Yelu Huan choked up on his spear and managed to parry the strike with the shaft.

Clang!

It was a hair-raising exchange. As Yelu Huan took another step back, a single word flashed in his mind.

“Profound Realm…?”

Otherwise, this situation made no sense.

To think that the Song Dynasty possessed another master of that supreme realm besides Han Se-chung. He had to survive and report this to the main camp.

However, So-mu had no intention of letting him escape.

So-mu’s sword erupted with a brilliant sword qi as he launched a relentless flurry of strikes. Blows rained down upon Yelu Huan from head to toe. Terrified, Yelu Huan frantically swung his spear in a desperate bid to defend himself.

Clang! Clang!

The offensive was so suffocating that he could not even draw breath. A fierce wind kicked up around them, forcing the nearby soldiers to scramble backward to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Yelu Huan grew increasingly desperate as his limbs grew heavy and his vision blurred.

Suddenly, the relentless pressure vanished. The opponent had halted his attack and assumed a low stance, clutching his sheathed sword.

‘A draw technique?’

Lowering his center of gravity and gripping the sheath, the stance was unmistakable. He was intending to finish the fight with a single, lightning-fast strike.

Without hesitation, Yelu Huan thrust his spear forward, unleashing his ultimate technique.

Wrapped in a crimson shroud of internal energy, the tip of his spear whipped up a gale as it surged forward in a straight line.

So-mu waited calmly for the attack to reach him. Just as the spear-point was about to pierce his chest, his blade finally flashed.

Talhon Sword Technique, First Form: Soul-Snatching Flash.

Yelu Huan saw a blinding ray of light pierce the darkness.

Flash!

The moment the light faded, his brow furrowed. He felt no pain, but his instincts screamed that he had been struck.

A breath later, the truth revealed itself.

Rip!

With the sound of tearing flesh, a chunk of muscle was sliced from his left thigh.

“Ugh!”

‘He targeted my leg instead of a vital spot?’

It was a technique to restrict his movement. If so, the fatal blow was bound to follow immediately.

He had no time to groan in pain. The opponent was already executing his next move.

Talhon Sword Technique, Second Form: Lightning-Chasing Trace.

So-mu’s figure surged forward at a speed that resembled a bolt of lightning. It was not something Yelu Huan, with his injured leg, could possibly evade.

‘Where on earth did such a monster come from…?’

A dark shadow flashed past Yelu Huan’s eyes like a thunderbolt.

Slash!

The sound of a head being severed and tossed into the air resounded.

Although the Sword Saint’s martial arts had been displayed in quick succession, none of the ordinary soldiers could perceive his swift movements and forms. To them, the only thing that mattered was that the vanguard commander of the Hui Dynasty had been slain by the commander of the Wolf Fang Squad.

Cheers erupted from the Hanzhong soldiers nearby.

“Woaaaaah!!!”

“The enemy general is slain!!!”

“Long live Commander So-mu!!!”

The Hui soldiers atop the battlements flinched.

Who was Corps Commander Yelu Huan? He was a famous general whose name was known to everyone in the Hui Dynasty. His soldiers lost all will to fight, and their morale plummeted to the bottom.

At that moment, the Hanzhong soldiers launched their counterattack, led by the members of the Wolf Fang Squad.

“Wipe them all out!!!”

Like falling hailstones, the Hui soldiers began to fall from the walls. The enemy soldiers below did not even dare to climb, focusing only on protecting themselves. This panic quickly spread across the entire battlefield.

So-mu grabbed Yelu Huan’s head and made his way toward the command tower. Around the tower where General Jang-yang was directing the battle, more than a hundred enemy corpses lay scattered. Judging by the wounds, most of them had been slain by the King of Assassins.

“You have worked hard. Now that the enemy general has fallen, they will retreat shortly.”

So-mu bowed his head slightly to Jang-yang.

An officer nearby took the head and asked, “General, shall we hang this head on the flagstaff of the command tower?”

Jang-yang thought for a moment before replying, “The enemy is already preparing to withdraw, so it would be meaningless. Besides, provoking them will only invite retaliation. We do not need to start it. Wait for now.”

“Yes, General!”

Sure enough, a horn signaling retreat soon blew from the main camp of the Hui Dynasty.

Puuuuuu—!

As if they had been waiting for it, the enemy soldiers began to flee for their lives.

Many of them leaped from the walls toward the moat. But how many of them could swim in the deep water while wearing heavy armor? Many sank to the bottom of the moat, and the survivors were showered with arrows from the defenders.

Shouts of victory echoed from the Hanzhong soldiers.

“Woah!!!”

“The enemy is retreating!!!”

The commanders also let out sighs of relief, their expressions brightening.

However, they could not let their guard down just yet. Although they had won a great victory in this first defense, the enemy would not withdraw so easily.

It was then.

“General, look over there!!!”

A soldier rushed up to the command tower, shouting. Everyone’s eyes turned toward the lower left edge of the wall. A familiar officer was being dragged away by the enemy.

“It—It is Officer Baek Mun-hwi!”

The Hui experts had bound the Hanzhong officer and were heading toward their main camp. It seemed they were planning to use him to restore their fallen morale.

When So-mu gripped his sword, Jang-yang raised a hand to stop him.

“Stay… I cannot afford to lose you as well.”

Hundreds of Salatai warriors were already surrounding the captive, and several commanders of unknown strength were stationed nearby.

“Sigh…”

Even for So-mu, it was no easy feat to break through tens of thousands of enemies alone and rescue Officer Baek Mun-hwi. If he were to be surrounded by a formation in the enemy camp, the outcome would be unpredictable. Moreover, he would expose his full strength to the enemy.

So-mu saw that Jang-yang’s hands were trembling. Though he tried to remain calm, he was filled with intense grief.

Officer Baek Mun-hwi, covered in blood, could barely stand on his own legs.

“Officer Baek…”

“Commander…”

The joy of victory vanished, replaced by heavy sighs of grief.

Soon, the enemy stopped and formed ranks in front of their camp. Seeing Baek Mun-hwi kneeling with his head bowed, everyone felt a deep sorrow. Officer Gwak Cheol, who was close to him, spoke with a voice full of rage:

“Those bastards are going to execute him publicly.”

He was right. A soldier with a large saber stood behind Baek Mun-hwi, assuming a stance.

Watching this, So-mu spoke to a nearby archer:

“Lend me your bow for a moment.”

Grabbing the bow, So-mu drew the string without hesitation.

The distance to the enemy camp was nearly a hundred zhang. It was a distance where hitting a target, let alone reaching it, was extremely difficult. Yet, So-mu did not hesitate.

Creeeeak!

The arrowhead, filled with internal energy, vibrated and hummed. A moment later, the arrow left his hand, enveloped in a crimson sword qi, and drew a high arc through the air.

Screeech—!

Everyone’s eyes locked onto the single arrow flying from the wall. It pierced straight through the chest of the executioner who was about to behead Baek Mun-hwi.

Thud!!!

“Aargh!”

The sudden turn of events shifted the atmosphere of both camps once more. The Hanzhong soldiers shouted in satisfaction:

“That bastard got what he deserved!!!”

“Who do you think you’re trying to kill!?”

In contrast, the morale of the Hui Dynasty sank even further, and their commanders were consumed by fury. They had captured an officer to raise their spirits, but it had backfired.

Amidst the commotion, Baek Mun-hwi slowly raised his head. When his eyes met General Jang-yang’s, the general’s eyes welled with tears.

They had spent many years together. Baek Mun-hwi was someone who had always stood by his side, offering honest advice and support.

‘I am sorry for not being able to protect you…’

Baek Mun-hwi understood his general’s heart. All the memories of his time in the Hanzhong army flashed before his eyes like a revolving lantern.

—I would like Officer Baek to handle this matter. Isn’t your hometown of Suhyeon Town a fishing village? You must have the most knowledge and experience regarding fishing among us.

General Jang-yang was the only person in the army who remembered his hometown.

His final memories drifted to the canyon battle that had occurred not long ago.

—General, please leave me five hundred soldiers. I will buy time for the main force to retreat.

—I cannot allow you to die. The battle is not over, so do not give up until the end. Let us all return alive together…

He had no regrets about dying. He only regretted that he had to leave his lord early.

Baek Mun-hwi saw Jang-yang nodding to him, signaling that it was okay. That was enough. He nodded back in response.

‘General… I am sorry I cannot serve you to the end…’

A commander in silver armor approached Baek Mun-hwi from behind. Soon, his blade flashed with a cold light.

Slash!

Having executed Baek Mun-hwi, the commander hung his head on a flagpole. Holding the flagstaff, he rode his horse alone toward the wall. He approached within twenty zhang, brandishing the pole to provoke the defenders, riding back and forth at a high speed.

The scouts who served directly under Baek Mun-hwi began to weep.

“Ugh…”

“Our commander…”

The soldiers were overcome with grief.

Grit!

So-mu ground his teeth.

Foolishly, the enemy had approached the wall alone. He could not forgive this.

As the rider approached the center again, So-mu kicked off the wall. He soared into the air, resembling a hunting eagle. Everyone gasped in surprise at the Wolf Fang Squad commander’s sudden action.

A moment later, his figure drew a curve in the air and descended toward the mounted general.

The Hui commander was shocked by the sudden ambush. He spurred his horse to escape, but So-mu seemed to predict his movement, drawing closer like a magnet.

Then, So-mu’s foot, descending from the air, slammed hard into the general’s chest.

Crack!

“Gah!”

Compared to Yelu Huan, this general’s martial arts were far weaker. Knocked off his horse by the single blow, he vomited blood and groaned.

Retrieving Baek Mun-hwi’s head, So-mu hoisted the fallen general onto his left shoulder. He then pulled the spear fixed to the horse’s saddle and sprinted back toward the wall.

Swoosh—!

The spear flew from his hand, tearing through the air.

Thunk!

The tip of the spear embedded itself deeply into the middle of the wall, creating a support. So-mu used his water-skimming technique to leap across the moat, stepped on the spear shaft, and soared upward once more.

Had he wished, he could have leaped over in a single bound, but he could not reveal his full strength here.

Having captured the general in an instant, So-mu handed Baek Mun-hwi’s head to the soldiers and jumped down inside the fortress. He strode toward the area where the Grand Catapults were stationed.