READ NOVEL ONLINE chapter 28
Chapter 28
＜ Where Does Byeongju End (3) ＞
Gongmyeong.
For those who read martial arts novels, another word might be more familiar than this name.
Zhuge Liang.
That’s right.
‘Zhuge’ Liang.
‘The founder of the Zhuge family, one of the Five Great Families!’
No martial arts novel is complete without the Zhuge family.
‘Whenever you go to the Martial Arts Alliance, a master from the Zhuge family is bound to appear.’
It’s common sense that the Zhuge family appears as the strategist, the second-in-command, and the brain of the Martial Arts Alliance.
They wear a white headband and carry a white feather fan, and when they fight, they use illusions and tactics to draw in their enemies.
And the strategist of the Martial Arts Alliance, where the Nine Great Schools and the Five Great Families gather, is always from the Zhuge family.
A strategist of the Martial Arts Alliance who is not from the Zhuge family?
‘That’s a foreshadowing.’
It usually means there’s some special setting hidden behind it.
After the fall of the Jegal family, the protagonist reincarnated as a descendant of the Jegal family.
Or a Hyungyeong master with a mind and talent superior to the Jegal family took the position of a military strategist.
Or the Demonic Cult massacred all the brilliant Jegal family members to invade the Central Plains, and someone else stepped up as a military strategist.
When explaining about the Jegal family, some authors always say this:
– The founder of the Jegal family is Zhuge Liang….
“……Hoo.”
Pressing my slightly aching head with my hand, I took a deep breath.
‘Get a grip.’
The battle is still ongoing.
‘The soldiers are risking their lives to chase after potential assassins, and I can’t afford to be distracted.’
The cavalry went out to pursue the assassins, but I must not let my guard down.
‘This damn head.’
Even trying to recall a bit of old memories brings on a headache.
It’s not like the feeling of eating something cold, but more like the blood flowing through my head suddenly surges and pounds my brain from the inside.
A headache that’s hard to describe.
But it’s better this way.
Rather than getting caught up in complicated thoughts, it’s always right to focus on the situation at hand.
“Haㅡㅡ!”
With a shout, I can momentarily suppress the pain.
If the blood flows quickly, I can suppress the blood flow by controlling the energy throughout my body.
“Hooㅡ. Hooㅡ.”
Taking long deep breaths, I grasp my spear.
As my hand cools along the cold spear, the chill penetrates my body.
“He, heek…!”
Hanseom is startled.
Whether he was waiting for me to say something, fortunately, he didn’t run away and just watched me.
Thank goodness.
He didn’t run away.
‘If he had run, it would have been a hassle to chase him.’
It’s not that I can’t catch him, but if he’s armed and commanding at least a hundred subordinates below, he can easily climb a mountain.
Despite that, you didn’t run away?
You must realize that being next to me is like holding your lifeline.
“Hanseom. What weapon does the one called Gongmyeong usually use? Is it Gakbeop? Bichim? Or is it….”
“Th-that is….”
“……Wait.”
Oops.
I did it without realizing.
“That’s not important. Hmm, right.”
What kind of martial arts does he use?
That’s something you can only know by facing him directly.
“What does defeating Gongmyeong have to do with you revealing information?”
“Th-that is….”
“As if Gongmyeong is your comrade.”
“…Isn’t that obvious?”
Hanseom cautiously stands up, brushing off the blood and dust on his clothes.
“Gongmyeong is someone who boasts of being a one-man army in our Baekpajeok.”
“……Gongmyeong?”
Wait a minute.
This is a problem that requires some serious thinking, even if it gives me a headache.
“Gongmyeong, in Baekpajeok?”
“Yes. If Gongmyeong were here, even the general wouldn’t have….”
“Why him?”
Strange.
Why would a warrior from the Jegalsega be involved in banditry?
‘Could it be a mistake?’
Suddenly, a cold waterfall seems to pour over my head.
‘The founder of Jegalsega, a bandit?’
The warriors of Jegalsega that I know are mostly wise and virtuous, or they use their brilliant minds for scheming.
‘That, Jegal Gongmyeong of Jegalsega?’
In any martial arts story, Jegalsega has never been depicted as ‘bandits’ like the Green Forest bandits.
There might be times when I get involved with someone as extraordinary as a heavenly being and disguise myself as a bandit, but-
‘The White Wave Bandits are allied with the Black Mountain Bandits. And someone who associates with people like the Black Mountain Bandits is the ancestor of the Zhuge family?’
I can’t believe that someone who associates with the bandits I am supposed to kill is the ancestor of the Zhuge family.
“…I feel less burdened in my heart.”
As expected.
“I need to see for myself.”
One cannot judge a person solely based on the information in their head.
“I will fight this person named Kongming myself.”
Whether Kongming, while plundering here, falls off a cliff by the Yellow River and transforms into a new being.
Or if I am just overly immersed in someone with the same name as Kongming.
“That this Ye Bongseon, who cannot be easily defeated, is engaging in banditry. I cannot forgive this.”
As a person living in this era, as a soldier of Bingzhou, this is a matter of utmost importance that cannot be overlooked.
Even if.
This is really a worst-case scenario.
Even if this person named Kongming is truly the ancestor of the Zhuge family.
‘I apologize. To the martial arts writers who have entertained me for a while.’
Even if in the distant future, the Zhuge family is no longer one of the Five Great Families.
“How can someone with such martial prowess engage in banditry?”
Rumble.
Dust is approaching from afar.
Just in case, I gripped my spear again-
“General Ye!!”
“…Isn’t that Seongnyeom?”
The person who appeared with dozens of cavalry was a warrior I was well acquainted with.
Not an enemy.
“It’s been a long time since we last met!”
“I’m glad to see you.”
Sincerely.
“Did the general take care of the bandits?”
“Yes. Sorry, but I need your help again this time.”
I pointed to the numerous corpses scattered around.
“I should be the one thanking you.”
Seongryeom dismounted from his horse and saluted me.
“But General, who is that?”
“One of the leaders of the Baekpa bandits, Hanseom.”
“…Did you say a leader?”
“Yes. And just in time….”
I hesitated for a moment.
Would it be a burden to Seongryeom and his men?
“Captain!!”
“Yes, General.”
One of the cavalrymen from Byeongju approached me.
“Report to the magistrate of Byeongju that we have captured the leader of the Baekpa bandits. After collecting the corpses here, follow the magistrate’s orders.”
The soldiers, Seongryeom, and everyone around were surprised.
“Move discreetly. We must act swiftly so that none of the bandits in Baekpa Valley notice.”
It wasn’t because I was holding Hanseom by the collar to prevent his escape.
“From now on, it’s a race against time.”
“…Are we going to eradicate them?”
Finally, the time had come.
“Yes. General Seongryeom, you-“
“Appoint me as your captain and treat me as such.”
Seongryeom and his men all bowed to me in unison.
“We will join you, General.”
“Isn’t it necessary to report?”
“Unlike Byeongju, if we report here, the black sparrows might relay the news to the bandits’ hideout.”
“Hmm.”
This is also a case of taking action first and reporting later.
A proper act of overstepping authority.
“In that case, we must thoroughly control the situation so that not a single rat can relay the news.”
However, if some officials or others in Haneul County could relay the news to the bandits, that would be a different story.
“Rest assured. If you happen to be dismissed because of this issue, I will definitely arrange a position for you.”
If I ask Sunyu, he will come up with a good solution.
“It just so happens that we need a lot of people.”
“A lot…?”
“Yes.”
Perhaps.
“Since I might be engaged in single combat, I might not be able to help the other soldiers.”
Because I might challenge the founder of the Zhuge family.
* * *
[About two hours later, at the border of Bingzhou and Saeye.]
After collecting the corpses and setting up a temporary camp with Seongryeom’s help.
‘Were there no watchers?’
Unfortunately, the assassin who tried to shoot Hanseom did not appear again.
‘The one I killed was all there was.’
There were no traces of anyone fleeing immediately after one person died, so probably only one person was watching Hanseom closely.
‘Instead, the information that the guy died will reach the Heuksan bandits, and the Baekpa bandits will also get the information.’
The assassin watching Hanseom died.
‘With their level of organization, they will react sensitively to the fact that regular reports have stopped.’
Since he didn’t return alive, just hearing that he was chased by Lu Bu would make them think he was dead.
So, what is the current state of the Baekpa bandits?
“Emergency.”
There would be chaos.
If they heard that Hanseom was dead, they might feel relieved, but if there is a possibility that he was captured alive, they would be in a state of panic.
Should they abandon the mountain stronghold?
Should they move their base?
The enemy will surely come.
‘I can’t be sure, but the worst-case scenario is literally the worst.’
What would I be thinking if I were the Baekpa bandits?
-No, I’m telling you, we lost contact with Officer Hanseom!
-He must be out drinking somewhere.
– “Hundreds of people haven’t returned, does that make sense!”
– “Did they raid a village and have a feast together?”
– “They were all cut down by Lü Bu, what if Lü Bu blew up our base!”
– “…Why are you spouting such nonsense while drinking? Huh?!”
It’s hard to respond immediately because they are bandits.
‘If you think of a typical bandit group, it’s about 300 people.’
If it’s just around 300 people, either I, Zhang Liao, or the infantry commander could handle it alone-
“Nine thousand.”
There are more than I thought.
“The number of bandits hiding in Baekpagok is about nine thousand. And they are not mixed with women and children, but nine thousand adult men, similar to elite soldiers.”
Can I handle it alone?
“…If it’s three thousand, I might be able to manage.”
…Assuming that about three thousand people are prepared to die and keep charging, it might be possible if I keep swinging my halberd for half a day, with the determination to collapse for about a week.
But nine thousand, nearly ten thousand, is impossible.
I’ve never tried it, but no matter how, ten thousand is close to impossible.
“This is troublesome.”
“What is troublesome? Haha. Is it the number?”
The man with a fan tied with black feathers approached and said.
“Even if you are a match for a thousand, three thousand would be a bit difficult, but nine thousand, is that okay?”
“Sir. How did you get in?”
Sir – Jia Xu appeared.
As always, accompanied by his guard and subordinate, Hu Gea.
“Ah, oh no….”
“We’re dead….”
And behind him were several troubled soldiers.
“…It’s okay, deputy. Sir is practically an official.”
“Didn’t General Ye say it’s okay? You shouldn’t distrust people like that.”
It seems that Sir Jia Xu used me as an excuse to push his way in.
It’s right to control intruders, but Sir Jia Xu is at least familiar to the soldiers.
“Sir Jia Xu. Just in case, you shouldn’t come in so recklessly. If it were that infantry commander friend, you might have a sword at your neck by now.”
“Haha, General Yeo. I knew that friend wasn’t here, so I didn’t use this.”
Gahu slyly took out a jade token from his bosom and then put it back.
“If I had followed the procedure, I would have taken this out and passed.”
“You have a bad taste. Do you live for the fun of teasing soldiers?”
“Just being a guest of General Yeo allows me to enter the military camp and meet the general like this, so I live with the feeling of being a fox borrowing the general’s prestige. Hmm hmm.”
Gahu approached me and lowered his voice.
“In fact, I heard that a famous elder had returned to Hane County, so I was about to go down to pay my respects.”
“A famous elder?”
It seems like someone very high-ranking has come down, but is this something to talk about so seriously right now?
“He is one of the senior ministers. He was a governor in another region, so he wasn’t in the court, but he was promoted in his later years. He is close to seventy years old.”
“My goodness. That’s impressive.”
“According to rumors, he is said to be even older than seventy. Well, but that doesn’t seem to be something to worry about right now.”
“Isn’t this an important matter?”
“Seeing that the general is not focusing on my story, it seems that what the general is controlling here is more important. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of that side.”
Gahu teacher smiled meaningfully, but it seemed like he was going to have a political conversation with a high-ranking person.
That’s fine.
Gahu teacher is not someone who would harm Bingzhou.
“So who are those soldiers over there cleaning up the corpses? And who is the one the general has captured and locked up like a beast?”
“That is-“
“I will report!!”
A general approached with a resounding voice.
“That person is….”
“Seongryeom, to General Yeo… Huh!”
Seongryeom came to report and immediately showed respect upon seeing Gahu.
“To the Governor of Bingzhou…!”
“I’m not the Governor of Bingzhou.”
“……?”
“I’m a guest of General Yeo. Well, I could become one if I wanted to.”
“Teacher.”
“Haha, just kidding, just kidding.”
Halfway.
Mr. Lee, if he wanted to, could send Sunyu elsewhere and become the governor of Byungju himself.
“That’s fine. Seongryeom. What are you trying to say?”
“Based on Hanseom’s information, we have completed reconnaissance with the general’s cavalry. We found the entrance to Baekpagok.”
Seongryeom hesitated as he took out the map, mindful of Gahu.
“This is troublesome. Should I get an official position too?”
Gahu hesitated as if it was difficult.
“Sir. Perhaps-“
“No matter how much it’s me, I shouldn’t carelessly look at maps of other regions that don’t belong to Byungju. Do you want to cause a big problem later?”
“Still.”
“No maps, no maps.”
I understand.
Maps are military confidential information in this era.
“But….”
“What if the governor of Byungju sees it?”
“Huh?”
With a familiar voice, someone approached on horseback.
“How did the governor get here…?”
“I realized that organizing bamboo slips doesn’t suit my temperament, so I rushed here with the soldiers.”
Sunyu dismounted and approached.
“General Yeo. I heard from the messenger that the scale of Baekpajeok is close to 9,000, and one of them is strong enough that the general must be prepared for a duel. Is that correct?”
“Yes.”
I might have to fight the ancestor of the Jegal family.
“Can you win?”
“I can’t guarantee it. You only know once you face them.”
“…….”
“But I will definitely win. If I lose, no one in Byungju will be able to defeat the existence called Gongmyeong.”
Just as I sweep away the bandits, that person called Gongmyeong will also try to sweep away our army.
‘Will the long needles fall like ten thousand flowers, or will they raise a storm and blow everyone away?’
What kind of enemy is Gongmyeong?
I want to get more information somehow, but unfortunately, the informant has fainted.
“Is there any updated information while I was on my way here, General?”
“The enemy commander is someone called ‘Yang Bong’. Other than that… not much.”
I just touched Baekpagok a little to get more information, but he complained of pain and eventually fainted.
“Yang Bong… Yang Bong….”
“Ten years ago, the name of the person who became the Black Mountain Sect’s commander was Yang Bong.”
“Ah, thank you. It must not be the same person, so it must be someone who inherited the name.”
Sunyu and Gahu exchanged quick glances and talked to each other.
There seem to be some unknown stories in between, but it doesn’t seem to be information worth paying attention to.
“General Ye.”
Sunyu approached me and clasped his hands together.
“Do you want overwhelming annihilation, or a stable suppression that cannot kill everyone?”
Gahu raised his hand and smiled at the word ‘annihilation’, while Sunyu bowed his head at the word ‘suppression’.
“Governor. The soldiers of Bingzhou, no, the soldiers I trained always have the same mindset.”
I pounded my chest.
“We will definitely return alive.”
“In that case….”
“Leave the annihilation of the enemy to this Lu Bu.”
“……It seems like the most difficult condition in the world.”
Sunyu smiled faintly as if he expected it.
“It’s okay. I’ve already organized the strategy while on the way here.”
“Huh?”
“General. It might sound a bit presumptuous, but I’m not inferior to others in this area.”
“Not just not inferior, but better than me. Hehe. In military strategy.”
Gahu followed behind Sunyu, pointing at him with confidence.
“Trust him. At least it will be a path with less bloodshed than mine.”
“…….”
“It’s not that there won’t be any bloodshed, but you know, General?”
“The path where no one sheds blood is ideal.”
It’s just ideal.
“Master Sunyu.”
“…Yes?”
“At the very least, could you devise a plan with higher hopes? One where someone’s sacrifice is not a necessity, and everyone can return alive.”
Even knowing that reality is not so, we must not let go of ideals.
The moment we give up on ideals, it won’t be our clothes but our bodies that get soaked in blood, and sacrifices will become taken for granted.
“General. I promise.”
Sunyu answered with a bright smile.
“For the ‘Victory of Byungju’ that the General desires.”
“Thank you.”
“In that case, General Ye, let’s move together. I will lightly discuss the strategy on the way. Then….”
Sunyu waved his hand backward.
“Generals Songheon, Wisok, Huseong, and Jangryo, lead your soldiers to their positions.”
“…How many did you bring?”
Sunyu spread five fingers.
“General.”
And then he twirled his other hand, pointing at me with his hand open.
“No matter how many bandits there are, how could they defeat the elite Byungju army and the undefeated warrior god?”
* * *
Baekpajeok. 9,000.
Commander-in-chief. Yangbong.
General. Gongmyeong (?).
Reinforcements. ??.
Byungju army. 5,000.
Commander-in-chief. Sunyu.
Generals. Yeopo, Songheon, Wisok, Huseong, Jangryo.
Reinforcements. Seongryeom.
Advisor. Gahu.
Baekpajeok Suppression Battle.
Commence.
＜ How far does Byungju extend (3) ＞ End