Bu Eunseol respectfully clasped his hands toward Gongsun Dankyung.
“Understood.”
He spoke in a calm voice.
“I will do my utmost best.”
“Very well.” Gongsun Dankyung wore a faint smile, then immediately turned and left the command tent.
With her departure, an icy silence settled inside.
Bu Eunseol sighed as he gazed at her commander’s seal on the table.
‘This time, it’s the opposite.’
In the past, when he had joined large-scale battles to become the Majeon heir, he had been left idle, unable to receive proper assignments due to the Bloodless Unit Leader bribed by Do Cheonlin.
Yet now, in the Martial Alliance, contrary to that, he had been given a responsibility far beyond his station.
“Captain Seon.”
Seong Joyeong looked at him.
“You’ve become the strategist commanding two divisions, so issue your orders. We can’t just stand here forever.”
He added with a faint smile, “For reference, I won’t accept any order to encamp here for ten days. The Commander said the defensive lines must be breached within ten days.”
Seong Joyeong’s lips curled coldly upward.
‘Let’s see if you can actually do it.’
When had a second-grade captain like him ever moved or commanded forces of this scale?
Seong Joyeong was certain Bu Eunseol would flounder in confusion.
But Bu Eunseol had led even larger armies in the Majeon, wielding them like his own limbs.
He had even simultaneously commanded the forces of Nangyang Pavilion—one of the Ten Demonic Sects—Affectionate Blossom Sect, and Heaven and Earth Severing Sect.
Far from panicking, he spoke with leisurely ease.
“First, Vice Lord Seong, attack the Heaven-Human Cult’s main camp through Jang Mountain Gorge.”
Seeing Bu Eunseol show no tension, Seong Joyeong’s eyebrow twitched.
‘He’s got guts, at least.’
“Hmm. Immediate attack, then?”
“Yes. However, ambushes are almost certainly waiting near this gorge.” As Bu Eunseol pointed to the map and explained, Seong Joyeong snorted.
“From the cliffs above, they’ll only rain down arrows or boulders anyway.”
He declared confidently, “I’ll deploy the Golden Shield Corps under my command to first block their attacks, then immediately eliminate the ambushers in the gorge.”
Bu Eunseol pondered deeply for a moment, then nodded.
“Very well. Then Vice Lord Muk, lead your forces through Yangmun Mountain and attack the Heaven-Human Cult.”
“Will do.” Even after receiving orders, both vice lords looked indifferent.
They were vice lords already promised the next Commander positions.
Among the younger generation’s experts, they held the highest status and had attained all possible glory. Moreover, this expedition was Gongsun Dankyung’s unilateral action, unrelated to their will.
Destroying the Heaven-Human Cult would gain them nothing.
“One thing in advance.” Seong Joyeong turned as he was about to leave. “If my unit breaches the defensive line in one fell swoop, we’ll have no choice but to enter the Heaven-Human Cult’s main camp immediately. Keep that in mind.”
He smirked slyly.
“No matter the Commander’s position, once we seize victory, we can’t just stupidly retreat.”
“Of course.”
‘He’s pretending not to panic.’
Seong Joyeong’s expression hardened at the unexpected reply.
“Let me be clear: I bear no grudge against the Strategist. But in war, victory comes first, and my subordinates come first.”
“Since you speak so frankly, allow me to be honest as well.” Bu Eunseol replied firmly. “Even if both divisions advance from both sides now, entering the Heaven-Human Cult is absolutely impossible.”
“What?” Seong Joyeong tilted his head. “If it’s impossible, why send the divisions at all?”
“This advance is merely reconnaissance to gauge enemy strength.”
A rather absurd answer.
Muk Inhyeok’s thick eyebrows twitched as he asked, “I’d like to know why you think it’s impossible.”
“Victory on the battlefield usually depends on who defends better.” He continued calmly. “Moreover, this is the Heaven-Human Cult’s home ground. They will have fortified defenses using not only terrain advantages but various other means.”
“Hmm.”
“They will never allow both divisions to reach their main camp.”
“That’s obvious. Of course there will be resistance and defense.” Muk Inhyeok’s lips curled. “That level of reasoning seems insufficient to act as strategist in the Commander’s place.”
“There’s another reason.”
Bu Eunseol continued.
“According to our main force’s intelligence network, the Heaven-Human Cult has been preparing for battle for a long time.”
“…”
“As proof, they had already completed perfect defensive lines before the Alliance even entered the Yellow River region, showing no signs of agitation.”
“So?”
“First, in the Jang Mountain Gorge that Vice Lord Seong will enter, traps that even a large army cannot easily counter will be installed.” Bu Eunseol wore a faint smile. “To increase success even slightly, we must send scout teams and approach cautiously.”
“So it was just that obvious story after all.”
Muk Inhyeok sneered.
“Captain Seon, you haven’t been in the Alliance long, so you may not know, but our unit consists of elite martial artists capable of annihilating enemies under any adverse conditions. Do you understand?”
The Divine Might Corps and Flame Wing Sword Corps.
As their names implied, they were divisions of outstanding martial artists who could display divine might and unparalleled prowess to crush enemies.
Their opponents were a heretical sect mixed with commoners.
Cautiously approaching out of fear of traps they set, then waiting for scout teams to return before attacking—it was nothing less than an insult to him.
Muk Inhyeok frowned.
“Then you’re saying not only Vice Lord Seong but my unit will fail as well.”
“Yes.”
“And you can predict what the traps are?”
“Yes.”
“I’d like to hear it.”
“The Heaven-Human Cult has long been established in this Yellow River region, making them familiar to the commoners. Especially around Yangmun Mountain, the locals have received much aid from the sect during famines, so they trust them deeply.”
Bu Eunseol explained fluently, as if he had already grasped every detail of the area.
“Commoners must not be sacrificed in martial artists’ battles. But the Heaven-Human Cult can easily manipulate commoners into this fight.”
“Indeed, you analyzed that far.”
Muk Inhyeok was not particularly surprised.
The information Bu Eunseol mentioned had already been reported to him by his subordinates.
“But no matter what schemes they devise, nothing changes.”
Muk Inhyeok declared firmly.
“No matter the method, even if the Heaven-Human Cult mobilizes all their forces, they cannot defeat my unit.”
The Heaven-Human Cult boasted impressive numbers, but that was only a handful of martial artists recruited with vast wealth.
Most were worthless wanderers or practitioners of bizarre sorcery.
They could never match the rigorously trained martial artists of the Martial Alliance.
Even if they used commoners to set traps, they could simply ignore and bypass them.
“Captain Seon, let me give you one piece of advice.”
“I’m all ears.”
“Considering too many factors can sometimes complicate the battlefield.” Muk Inhyeok smiled. “Sometimes, handling it as quickly and simply as possible is the best strategy.”
In the end, he was no different from Seong Joyeong.
Whether Gongsun Dankyung faced punishment or not, if the chance arose, he intended to annihilate the Heaven-Human Cult immediately—ten days be damned.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” As Muk Inhyeok and Seong Joyeong turned to leave, Bu Eunseol clasped his hands once more.
“May fortune favor you in battle.”
With the two vice lords gone, every subordinate lord and captain coldly turned and filed out.
“This is troubling.” Bu Eunseol exhaled deeply.
He was not worried about commanding the divisions or failing his mission.
As the Martial Soul Command Lord, devising strategies to annihilate enemies and leading large armies was something he had done countless times.
What truly concerned him was Gongsun Dankyung’s true intentions.
‘What is her real goal?’
Bu Eunseol had spent long hours in the secret chamber of Silver Moon Pavilion discussing plans to strike the Heaven-Human Cult.
He could infer that she had been monitoring the sect’s movements for a long time and working to bring them down.
Did that mean the Heaven-Human Cult was somehow connected to the Infinite Realm?
Or was she using their collapse to gain something else?
—Why exactly do you want to destroy the Heaven-Human Cult?
An ordinary person would have asked this in the secret chamber.
Especially since she had proposed they join forces, she would not have evaded the answer.
But Bu Eunseol did not ask.
She was not a close friend.
Their relationship was merely a transaction based on mutual benefit.
Prying into each other’s affairs was unwise. They needed appropriate distance, and what was left unsaid should remain unasked.
Only then could trust be built in a transactional relationship.
“If this were the past, I would have thought this was another test for me.”
But she had declared her intent to destroy the Infinite Realm and said it didn’t matter if Bu Eunseol was a spy for the Three Realms.
That meant she genuinely intended to use his abilities.
She would never create such a troublesome test.
Moreover, hadn’t she already predicted the Heaven-Human Cult would use the court to buy time?
Bu Eunseol recalled their conversation from a few days ago.
***
“But if we end up striking the Heaven-Human Cult, the imperial family will oppose it.”
After finalizing all plans with Bu Eunseol, Gongsun Dankyung suddenly dropped a shocking statement.
“The Heaven-Human Cult is under the Empress Dowager’s powerful protection.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened.
No one was unaware that in the current imperial family, the Empress Dowager’s influence surpassed the Emperor’s.
It was an open secret that she had seized power by collecting secrets and weaknesses of the imperial clan and officials.
Thus, no one in the court dared defy her.
Yet the Heaven-Human Cult was under her protection?
“The Heaven-Human Cult is one of the major sources funding the Empress Dowager. If the Alliance attacks them, she absolutely won’t sit idly by.” Gongsun Dankyung wore a faint smile. “Especially since it’s known the Alliance lacks solid evidence.”
“Even with evidence, if the Empress Dowager opposes it, striking the Heaven-Human Cult becomes impossible, doesn’t it?”
“Not necessarily.”
Gongsun Dankyung smiled faintly.
“The Emperor cannot be unaware that the Heaven-Human Cult is one of the Empress Dowager’s funding sources.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“The Empress Dowager will surely demand the Emperor stop the Alliance’s attack. Unable to resist her pressure, he will issue an imperial edict demanding clear evidence.”
Gongsun Dankyung grinned mischievously.
“But if, contrary to expectations, this Commander presents irrefutable evidence before the entire court? The Emperor could ignore the Empress Dowager’s pressure and order the Heaven-Human Cult swept away.”
“Indeed… I see.” Bu Eunseol could not help but admire Gongsun Dankyung’s cunning.
She had anticipated the opponent’s tactics and turned them against them, creating an inescapable noose.
‘So even martial world affairs are inevitably tied to the court.’
His intelligence network had always been fixed on the martial world. His ultimate goal was to find the culprit who killed his grandfather and those who harmed his parents.
He paid little attention to imperial movements and knew nothing of the court’s situation.
But Gongsun Dankyung, as befitted the Martial Alliance Commander, understood the court’s dynamics like the back of her hand.
This was not because she was interested in the court, but because martial world affairs were ultimately inseparable from the imperial court.
“So the evidence against the Heaven-Human Cult must not be fully revealed.”
By withholding all evidence, she gave Bu Eunseol a chance to earn merit while blocking the Heaven-Human Cult’s interference.
“Exactly. Soon, the Empress Dowager will have the Emperor summon this Commander to the capital. And at the most inconvenient moment—right before battle begins.”
“Then you must have countermeasures prepared.”
At Bu Eunseol’s question, Gongsun Dankyung flashed a bright smile, revealing white teeth.
“Of course.”
***
Snapping out of the memory, Bu Eunseol frowned.
From the start, all these developments had been within Gongsun Dankyung’s predictions.
But what had not been discussed was Bu Eunseol acting as proxy Commander and commanding the forces.
‘So the countermeasure was entrusting everything to me.’ Bu Eunseol gave a wry smile.
She had said she prepared every countermeasure, so he hadn’t asked for details.
Yet the “perfect solution” was handing him full command.
‘Well, if I can’t handle a situation like this, I shouldn’t even dream of becoming a Commander.’
Perhaps this was Gongsun Dankyung’s way of verifying whether Bu Eunseol was fit to be a Commander.
‘Becoming a Commander…’
The Seven Commanders rarely showed themselves, even within the Alliance or the martial world. It seemed like secluded training, but in reality, they were constantly handling affairs.
They were candidates to manage the Martial Alliance as the next Alliance Leader. They would not waste a single day.
However, the identity of Seon Woojin was given by the Divine Mountain Sage. Could he truly rise to Commander with this identity?
‘No, he must be hoping for it.’
The Divine Sage wanted him to shake the Martial Alliance.
Otherwise, he would never have said one of the Seven Commanders was his grandfather’s killer.
‘I’ll see it through to the end.’
With the identity of Seon Woojin, he could do nothing now. He had to rise quickly to find the culprit, grasp the Three Realms’ situation, and destroy them.
Taking a deep breath, Bu Eunseol turned to the map spread across the tent.
To do that, he had to perfectly complete this mission.
***
Seong Joyeong led the Divine Might Corps’s forces to Jang Mountain Gorge.
Cliffs on both sides converged into a steep incline, with a narrow path barely wide enough for one carriage.
The gorge stretched forty li, and with cliffs on both sides, ambushes waiting to strike were obvious.
Even light stones thrown from above could inflict lethal damage…
It was the perfect terrain for a small force to block a large army.
“Child’s play.”
Yet Seong Joyeong smiled.
The combat of ordinary soldiers and martial artists differed starkly. Martial artists could leap a zhang lightly and shatter boulders with bare fists.
No matter the terrain or clever strategy, martial battles were ultimately decided by raw power.
Looking at the gorge, Seong Joyeong shouted, “Have the Golden Shield Corps scout for traps.”
Martial artists clad in sturdy armor and bearing shields of mysterious sheen stepped forward.
Thud thud thud.
Without hesitation, they unleashed their movement arts and charged into the gorge. Maintaining formation while holding gleaming shields, they looked like golden statues come to life.
But then something strange happened.
The Golden Shield Corps, racing forward without pause, was visibly slowing?
Splatter!
At the same moment, something unexpected poured from the cliffs above.
They had expected heavy boulders or hidden weapons, but it was nothing more than a thin liquid.
Splat.
The Golden Shield Corps held their shields firmly, but the dilute liquid seeped through the gaps.
“Ugh.” The charging Golden Shield members began retching.
The pouring liquid carried an indescribably foul stench.
Not only that—the liquid caused intense itching, and their skin flushed red.
“This is…” Golden Shield Captain Mo Ak, who had sniffed it, gritted his teeth.
“Diluted Nine Hells Poison!”
Nine Hells Poison was made by mixing excrement with various poisonous herbs. Cheap and easy to produce, it was commonly traded in the black market.
The Heaven-Human Cult, anticipating forces passing the gorge would prepare for hidden weapons or boulders, had prepared massive quantities of diluted Nine Hells Poison.
Nothing better existed to confuse enemies and crush morale.
“Retreat!”
In the end, the Golden Shield Corps retreated without crossing even half the gorge.
The gorge was over forty li long. Passing it in one go was impossible.
Moreover, the poison seeping through armor caused full-body itching and rashes. Forcing passage could render them combat-incapable from the poison alone.
“They’ve got manpower to spare, so they used a peculiar method.”
Watching this, Seong Joyeong shouted, “Cheonsin Corps, sweep away the remnants in that gorge!”
Ordinary soldiers could not deal with enemies ambushed atop the cliffs.
But these were the Martial Alliance’s elite martial artists. Especially the Cheonsin Corps—gathered from the Divine Might Corps, they were the best in movement arts.
Whoosh! Tap!
They leaped onto protruding rocks and bounded up the cliff in an instant.
Each held a shield borrowed from the Golden Shield Corps in one hand.
Climbing the cliff, they expected stones or arrows to rain down.
But nothing fell from above.
Thanks to that, the Cheonsin Corps nearly reached the cliff top in one go.
“…?”
Then something strange happened.
They had almost reached the cliff edge, yet the cliff kept rising higher?
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