Chapter 29
Bloody Battle
Lee Hwan surveyed the battlefield.
Fierce fighting was erupting all along the defensive line, which had been built using the canyon as a natural barrier. One section was already on the verge of being breached.
‘Those bastards.’
He spotted the Hyeolpo warriors launching a savage assault, each one overwhelming the swordsmen of the Yan army.
At that moment, he saw warriors from the Hebuk Peng Clan and the Yeongho Se Clan rushing down to reinforce that area.
‘For now, all we can do is support them.’
Song Hoe approached him.
“Give the order, my lord!”
“We’re moving to where General Hwang is.”
“Understood!”
“Move out!”
Leading the Yongho Troops, Lee Hwan headed for the central defensive line. Their role was to support the left and right flanks while holding back the enemy’s main force at the heart of the battlefield.
Clang! Clang!
“Argh!”
“Uraaagh!”
It was a bloodbath.
Especially in the areas where friend and foe were entangled in close combat—it was nothing short of hell. Amidst the chaos, warriors were even falling to the swords of their own allies.
“You sons of bitches!”
Song Cheonmu’s coarse voice rang in Lee Hwan’s ears.
Lee Hwan let out a faint smile.
‘Still feeling rage in a situation like this? If he hones his skills and gains more experience, he’ll be quite useful.’
Soon, Lee Hwan reached Hwang Ho’s side. The general wasn’t charging into the fray himself but was instead commanding his troops from behind the lines.
“They’ve come fully prepared.”
“The Zhao bastards are always like this. But yes, today they do seem different. Please be careful, my lord.”
Just then, a group of enemies changed direction and charged toward Hwang Ho. They had recognized him.
“There’s Hwang Ho!”
“Kill him!”
“Protect the general!”
Warriors rushed forward to shield Hwang Ho.
Clang!
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
Blood and flesh flew right before his eyes, but Hwang Ho remained calm.
Lee Hwan silently admired him.
‘The crown prince is reliable.’
Whizz!
A chilling energy surged toward them.
At the same time, Hwang Ho’s sword raised a protective barrier.
Tatatang!
Flaming shurikens bounced off and rained down on the surrounding warriors.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
“Gah!”
Several flew toward Lee Hwan as well, but with a light flick of his hand, he deflected them all.
He didn’t jump into the fight yet. For now, reading the overall flow of the battle took priority.
Just then, the Hebuk Peng Clan and Yeongho Se Clan plunged into the fray. It was the most intriguing development from Lee Hwan’s perspective.
Boom!
Crash!
The Peng Clan’s great blades roared with fire, while the Se Clan’s swift swords sliced dozens of enemies in half in an instant.
“Uraaagh!”
“Kyahh!”
Lee Hwan then saw it—the Hyeolpo warriors were retreating.
‘They didn’t have intel on the Se Clan, it seems. But even so, retreating like that is strange.’
At first, he assumed they were falling back due to being outnumbered. But looking at the terrain, he sensed that wasn’t the case.
He turned his gaze to the rear.
And his brow furrowed.
‘They were stalling for time.’
Behind them, Zhao’s reinforcements were flooding in, a solid wave of black-clad troops.
Lee Hwan turned to Hwang Ho.
“It may be best to pull the line back.”
“No, we must hold here. The terrain behind us is unfavorable to our forces.”
“Look there.”
Lee Hwan lifted his chin, pointing toward the approaching horde. Hwang Ho’s face stiffened as he saw them.
“Pull back to the northern ridge of the canyon. It’s narrow and steep—perfect for a small force to hold off a larger one.”
“That spot would leave us completely isolated if the enemy surrounds us! It’d be better to make a last stand here!”
“So you’d rather die heroically here? Do you really believe that’s a meaningful fight?”
“…!”
“You have to live if you want to make plans for the future. Hold out for now. I’ll find us a way out.”
“…!”
Hwang Ho realized something in that moment—Lee Hwan’s eyes were colder than ice and as deep and still as a lake.
‘To stay this calm in such a situation…’
“If we delay, we’ll be left with eternal regret, General.”
Grit!
Hwang Ho bit his lip. Blood seeped from where his teeth dug in.
“Sound the retreat! Pull back to the northern ridge!”
“Sound the retreat!”
Pwooo!
Part 2
“They’re retreating?”
The leader of the Hyeolgui (Blood Ghosts) frowned as he watched the Yan army fall back.
“If we had stalled them just a bit longer, we could’ve wiped them out easily…”
“That Hwang Ho isn’t ordinary. His perfectly timed retreat ruined our plan.”
The leader glanced toward where the Peng Clan and Se Clan were retreating as well.
Twitch.
His brows sharpened like blades, and a frosty voice leaked from his lips.
“I didn’t know the Yeongho Se Clan had joined. How are our scouts so useless?”
At that moment—
Whoosh!
A general landed beside him. One of Zhao’s most trusted and capable warriors.
He shouted furiously.
“Weren’t you supposed to pin down the enemy!”
“What could I do? Whether they noticed or guessed, they’re retreating in broad daylight. How was I supposed to stop them?”
“You were so confident taking the vanguard—then you should’ve done it right!”
As the general kept yelling, the Blood Ghost leader replied coldly,
“This isn’t the time to argue. Just get on with the pursuit. And let’s get the facts straight—you should’ve volunteered for the vanguard if you were so confident. You stood aside earlier, so why complain now?”
“What did you say?!”
“We’ll talk at camp. Let’s go.”
Boom!
The Blood Ghost leader kicked off the ground, and thousands of warriors followed him.
The general ground his teeth as he watched them disappear into the distance.
“Insolent bastard. Backed by the Emperor’s favor, and now he fears no one!”
“General! Please give the order!”
“Chase them! Wipe them all out—leave no one alive!”
“Yes, sir!”
Waaaaa!
Part 3
Peng Muwi and Yeongho Chung ran side by side.
Looking back at the pursuing enemy, they both sighed with relief.
“I didn’t expect more enemies to arrive!”
“If we’d kept charging recklessly, we would’ve been trapped! General Hwang really is seasoned!”
“He’s the one I must surpass.”
“…”
Peng Muwi suddenly felt a heavy weight on his chest.
They had escaped disaster thanks to Hwang Ho’s sharp judgment. If he had delayed that retreat even slightly, they might have faced annihilation.
‘Can I really replace him and become the South Corps’ commander?’
It was the first time he’d felt such doubt since arriving.
“Move to the northern ridge!”
“To the northern ridge!”
Shouts rang out from all sides.
‘Northern ridge?’
Peng Muwi’s face twisted.
“That’ll only lead to isolation—why are we retreating there?”
“Is that true?”
“From what I’ve seen, yes!”
Peng Muwi grabbed a retreating warrior and pressed him.
“Are you sure the order was to fall back to the northern ridge?!”
“Yes, sir. That was the command!”
“Damn it…”
Peng Muwi couldn’t understand it. Why abandon a wide defensive line to fall back to an isolated spot?
Yeongho Chung spoke up.
“If things go wrong, General Hwang will take the blame. No loss for us.”
“If we’re isolated, we might all die too!”
“You must take risks to gain much. And with your and your men’s strength, you can escape even if surrounded.”
“…”
Peng Muwi didn’t like it.
But he had no choice. A command from the commander-in-chief was law. Disobedience meant punishment—possibly even immediate execution.
‘The timing of the retreat was perfect, but the location… completely off.’
Then—
“The enemy’s coming!”
A warrior shouted in alarm.
Looking back, they saw Hyeolpo warriors climbing the ridge.
Twitch.
Peng Muwi’s brows curved into an angry V.
“How dare these pests…”
“If we fight here, we’ll lose. Let’s just retreat, General.”
Grit.
Grinding his teeth, Peng Muwi followed Yeongho Chung’s advice.
Part 4
The Blood Ghost leader slashed down everyone in his path as he chased the Yan army. He showed no mercy, killing even those who surrendered.
Many Yan warriors, slower in light-step techniques, were slaughtered by him and his troops.
How long did it go on?
“Lord! It’s the Peng Clan!”
At his subordinate’s cry, the leader looked up the ridge.
His eyes met Peng Muwi’s.
Smirk.
“We didn’t retreat out of fear earlier, brutes. Heh…”
Shing.
His blade surged with aura.
“Kill every last member of the Peng and Se Clans! The more we kill here, the easier retaking the camp will be!”
“Yes, sir!”
The Blood Ghost leader leapt first toward the Peng and Se Clans. But when they didn’t engage and crossed the ridge, he sneered.
“Cowards.”
Then he gave a new order.
“Scatter! Kill everyone you find!”
Part 5
The Blood Ghosts were strong. Even multiple Yan warriors couldn’t take down one.
They scattered in all directions, chasing down their prey like reapers from hell.
“Argh!”
“Ugh!”
One Blood Ghost who had just decapitated two men suddenly glared toward a retreating pair—Lee Hwan and Hwang Ho.
With most of the troops sent ahead, only a few guards remained near them.
“There’s Hwang Ho! After him—take his head!”
“Yes!”
Five Blood Ghosts burst through the forest.
The warriors guarding the path were quickly cut down, and the gap between them narrowed to less than thirty paces.
Shing.
Their blades glowed crimson with aura.
Until now, they hadn’t even needed to use their energy. Confident, they believed they could easily behead Hwang Ho.
But they didn’t recognize Lee Hwan—they had joined the Zhao camp too late to know his face.
‘Once we kill Hwang Ho, this battle’s as good as over. Heh heh…’
One Blood Ghost sprang forward—
Flash!
A streak of blue light burst from the forest, slicing toward his waist.
“Wha?!”
The airborne Blood Ghost twisted his body midair in shock.
Thwack!
“Gah!”
He was cleaved in two and crashed to the ground.
Figures emerged behind the light—Cheol Muok and Gongsun Tae.
“Bastards. Who do you think you’re targeting?”
“Kill every last one.”
“Yes, sir!”
Without hesitation, they charged the remaining Blood Ghosts.
One screamed in fury at the unexpected appearance of enemies who had just slain his comrades.
“They’re experts! Be careful!”
Clang!
Their first strike was blocked. The second failed.
But on the third attack, two Blood Ghosts fell bleeding. On the fourth, two more dropped.
Cheol Muok looked down at one of the dying Blood Ghosts, eyes cold.
“So you’re the source of the dark energy we saw on the corpses.”
“Seriously? They don’t seem that strong.”
“They may not be to us—but to the other warriors, they’re like grim reapers.”
“Ah… true.”
Cheol Muok looked down the ridge.
The Zhao army was swarming up. At the front were more Blood Ghosts in the same garb as the ones they’d slain.
His eyes locked onto one man leading them.
‘That must be their leader.’
“There are too many. Let’s go.”
“…”
“Just the two of us can’t handle this!”
Cheol Muok turned toward the top of the ridge—Lee Hwan had just crossed over and vanished from sight.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, sir!”
