A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 143

143. Military Force (2)

Clatter, clatter.

“Whoa.”

At the low command, the horses running through the darkness came to a halt.

Gun-Tumur of the South, one of the Four Direction Generals of the Northern Sea, glared into the darkness. Soon, he grumbled,

“What, was it you?”

Clack.

Several people on horseback emerged from the darkness.

Five young warriors, each with a fierce glint in their eyes. At their head was an old general with a dignified charm. His gray hair only added to his appeal. He was none other than Bayama of the East.

Not only was he a member of the Four Direction Generals, whom even the Ice Empress couldn’t treat lightly, but he also possessed an outstanding appearance that garnered favor from everyone. It was said that even more women admired him now in his old age than when he was young. He was truly a handsome man.

Of course, the other Four Direction Generals, including Gun-Tumur, regarded him with disdain.

“I knew you’d come.”

A pleasant baritone voice flowed from Bayama.

“Know what?”

Gun-Tumur retorted.

“Someone of the Four Direction Generals should be able to see the situation from a broad perspective. If you come here, who will command the Eastern forces that will arrive in three days? Are you even aware that you are the supreme commander?”

Gun-Tumur’s criticism was scathing. However, Bayama smiled.

“This place is more important than the Eastern forces right now. And I don’t think you’re in a position to say that, considering you’re here as well?”

“Hmph. I have my son, Guyuk. I’ve entrusted the command of the Southern forces to him, so it’s fine for me to be here.”

“I may not have a son, but I have subordinates capable enough to entrust with the command of the Eastern forces. Subordinates I’ve been grooming quite early for a comfortable retirement.”

“Comfortable, my foot.”

Gun-Tumur grumbled.

“What kind of guy who talks about a comfortable retirement willingly walks into a death trap?”

At his words, Bayama laughed.

“A death trap… That’s not wrong.”

Bayama turned his head towards the direction of the Hall of Past Ice Emperors.

“But precisely because of that, we can’t leave Her Majesty’s bloodline alone in that place, can we?”

“Hmph.”

Gun-Tumur snorted but didn’t say anything. He had the same thought as Bayama. That’s why he rushed here with his escort warriors as soon as he heard the maid Namira’s words.

Clatter, clatter.

“What? Why are you all gathered here?”

A thick voice came from behind. Gun-Tumur turned his head and frowned again.

“The Hall of Past Ice Emperors is further ahead, isn’t it? Or are you trying to have some old-fashioned meeting here?”

A general with a rugged look appeared with his young escort warriors. With a tiger-like aura, he was none other than Altan of the North.

“You came too?”

Gun-Tumur said with a sigh.

“Of course, I had to come. If the Ice Empress has drawn her sword, then the one who will determine the future of the nation is none other than the Young Palace Lord.”

“What? The nation?”

Gun-Tumur questioned. Altan spoke without hesitation.

“If the Ice Empress seizes the Ice Palace and declares the enthronement of a new Ice Emperor, it will only be a civil war situation even if the Four Direction Armies arrive late.”

The meaning and authority of the Ice Palace in the Northern Sea are immense. If the Ice Empress, who has seized the Ice Palace, declares another Young Palace Lord as the new Ice Emperor, even the current Ice Emperor cannot ignore that declaration.

“In that case, the most important person who will determine the future of the Northern Sea is not the Ice Emperor, but rather the Young Palace Lord.”

In a civil war situation, powerful tribes will face a crossroads.

It is clear which side they will flock to: the aging Ice Emperor who has lost the Ice Palace, or the young and ambitious new Ice Emperor. That will surely happen if Young Palace Lord Sa Soo-yeon is not there.

“Huh, you even know that now… You’ve gotten a lot smarter since I last saw you?”

Gun-Tumur’s admiration was genuine. What Altan had just said was a high-level political analysis that went beyond military judgment.

Altan puffed out his chest with a proud expression.

“Hahaha. That’s nothing. Actually, my son told me. He takes after his mother and is quite clever. He’s been learning a lot lately. Heh heh.”

“The guy who’s been learning a lot is coming here?”

Altan shrugged his shoulders.

“My son was complaining about it. He said something about it being a death trap? He was making such a fuss that I knocked him out. He went down with one hit. Well, if anything happens, he’ll command the Northern forces later.”

Gun-Tumur was dumbfounded. Altan, who had been grumbling, said,

“Protecting the Ice Palace comes later. First and foremost, we must evacuate the Young Palace Lord. I, Altan of the North, cannot back down in fear of a mere thousand or so.”

Altan’s large eyes were shining brightly. The eyes of the escort warriors following him were the same.

Knowing that they were sincere, Gun-Tumur could only mutter quietly.

“Everyone’s just a bunch of fools. The Four Direction Generals of the Northern Sea…”

“What? You’re one to talk, coming here with only five, no, four escorts in tow.”

In fact, Gun-Tumur was not in a position to talk about others. He had also defied his son Guyuk’s dissuasion and rushed here.

Altan, who had been grumbling, suddenly looked around.

“Where’s Nergui? Didn’t he come?”

“Nergui…”

Gun-Tumur sighed deeply.

“He left earlier. He ran out as soon as he heard the news. He’s still the same when he gets angry, not thinking about the consequences.”

Altan and Bayama both had expressions as if they expected it.

“Then there’s no need for us to be standing here like this? Quickly…”

Kugurrr.

A rumble cut off Altan’s words. The horses became uneasy at the sudden tremor, and the three generals each pulled on their reins or patted their horses’ necks to calm them down.

“Ominous.”

Bayama said, looking in the direction of the Hall of Past Ice Emperors. It was a common tremor, but Gun-Tumur also felt uneasy for some reason. Gun-Tumur said briefly,

“Let’s go.”

Doo doo doo.

As soon as Gun-Tumur’s words fell, several horses began to gallop at once. It was not far to the Hall of Past Ice Emperors where the Young Palace Lord was.

* * *

The three Four Direction Generals soon arrived at the entrance of the Hall of Past Ice Emperors. And they saw a strange sight that they had not expected at all.

“What are all those things?”

Altan, who got off his horse, muttered.

They had already expected that the former elders who guarded this place, Sumoksu Orhan and the Twelve Northern Sea Beasts, as well as the gaunt Nergui and his escort warriors, would be there.

But three strangers they had never seen before were blocking the path to the Hall of Past Ice Emperors.

“The atmosphere is strange.”

Gun-Tumur frowned. The fact that strangers were here was a situation to be greatly wary of.

But what was even stranger was that the attitude of Orhan and the Twelve Northern Sea Beasts towards the strangers did not seem very hostile.

Step, step.

The three Four Direction Generals walked towards them. As if they had already noticed their approach, few people were surprised. The faces of the former elders brightened as they confirmed them.

Gun-Tumur briefly paid his respects to the former elders. And he immediately asked Nergui.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know either.”

Nergui replied with an unpleasant expression. His gaunt and wrinkled face was becoming even more distorted.

“But they are not enemies.”

“Where is the Young Palace Lord?”

“Orhan says that the Young Palace Lord has no intention of coming out. A young scholar brought by Sareune has gone in to serve her, but they are blocking the way.”

“Strangers went in? And they’re blocking the way? But they’re not enemies?”

Altan said as if he was dumbfounded.

“What kind of nonsense is that? Shouldn’t we be evacuating the Young Palace Lord right away?”

“It’s not that they’re not enemies…”

Bayama said. His gaze was directed at the three strangers. A grumpy-looking old man, a frail young lady wearing a veil, and a cute pretty boy.

“It means they are opponents that we cannot afford to become enemies with.”

The true nature of those people is different from what it seems. The Four Direction Generals, who had spent their entire lives on the battlefield, could clearly tell. Nergui and his four escort warriors would not have even dared to break through.

“No, they don’t really seem to have any hostility.”

Nergui said.

“They’re only being wary because of the tremor. When I arrived, everyone was just resting or playing around…”

Nergui trailed off and clicked his tongue. He seemed very displeased with this situation.

“So the Young Palace Lord is still in the Hall of Past Ice Emperors?”

“Yes.”

Gun-Tumur looked towards the entrance of the Hall of Past Ice Emperors. Immediately, the gazes of the three strangers turned to him at once.

‘Hmm.’

In that instant, Gun-Tumur’s spine tingled and his instinctive senses sent a warning. Just making eye contact was enough to feel this way, so it was easy to guess what their level was like.

‘Can we get through?’

Gun-Tumur weighed their own strength against the superiority of the three of them. The conclusion was simple. Even with the addition of the four Four Direction Generals and eighteen escort warriors, it would not be easy to break through.

“Who are you?”

Gun-Tumur asked the old man. It was fluent Southern language.

“Why are you here…”

Gun-Tumur’s words were not even finished. The urgent sound of hooves came from the darkness.

Clatter, clatter.

A horse galloped recklessly. The former elders frowned at the rude behavior, but the horse stopped right in front of the people.

“General Nergui!”

The young warrior, who rolled off the horse, knelt in front of Nergui and said in a hurried voice.

“The enemy’s forces are nearly three thousand!”

Nergui’s face hardened. The expressions of the others also became serious.

“Three thousand… The Ice Empress is determined.”

Bayama said with a dark face. Considering that the Four Direction Generals’ forces that could be mobilized were limited, they could even be defeated individually by the Ice Empress.

The Ice Empress had decided. She would end everything with this one move and sweep away the resistance forces. She was not aiming for a civil war situation, but rather not allowing any resistance itself.

“The enemies are rushing here from three directions in a Chuhyung formation [a specific military formation]. We must leave this place immediately as they are already close at hand.”

“Understood.”

Nergui’s answer was simple. But what that answer meant was clear. He was not leaving.

The young warrior bit his lip. He bowed his head once more and immediately got up to join the other escort warriors. The eyes of the young escort warriors, including him, were gleaming with a resolution to face even death.

“What are they saying?”

The old man frowned and muttered.

“They say the enemy’s numbers are three thousand.”

Dang Wola softly said.

“They’re coming soon. They said we have to evacuate.”

“When did you learn the Northern Sea language?”

The old man asked with a frown.

“I didn’t learn it. I just heard it a few times after coming here.”

It was the same answer as Seo-rin. The old man muttered, ‘What, does that make me the only fool?’ Then, he said to Orhan.

“You guys heard it too, right? If you’re going to leave, leave quickly. You’re in the way.”

The old man said, even waving his hand. He didn’t seem to have any intention of evacuating in the first place.

Orhan asked.

“Are you going to face three thousand warriors? They are all warriors. They are definitely not a disorganized rabble.”

“Even so, it’ll just take three thousand sword swings, right?”

The old man said in a calm voice. As if it was nothing.

“No, it’ll probably take a thousand swings. Since these guys are here.”

The old man’s eyes were eerie. He really intended to face the Ice Empress’s three thousand warriors.

“Ha!”

Orhan let out a hollow laugh as if she was dumbfounded. But the old man’s eyes rather made Orhan boil.

“It’ll take seven hundred swings.”

Orhan said.

“I won’t back down either.”

The old man smirked at her words.

“Do whatever you want.”

“Um, then the calculation doesn’t add up?”

Seo-rin chattered from behind.

“Brother Bin taught me arithmetic. But the calculation doesn’t add up. Seven hundred times four doesn’t equal three thousand?”

Seo-rin tilted her head, counting on her fingers, and Dang Wola said.

“Seven hundred and fifty. If you know the Guguhapsu [multiplication tables], sometimes addition is faster than multiplication when calculating the remainder of the Sangje [a high-level mathematical concept].”

“Oh, that’s right.”

The Four Direction Generals, who were listening to their conversation, were dumbfounded. They looked as if they had come out for a picnic, and they felt like fools for being so nervous.

“Three thousand…”

Gun-Tumur raised his head and looked at the sky. The darkness was gradually fading, and the morning stars were beginning to twinkle. The dark night sky would soon brighten.

“Everyone, please evacuate.”

Gun-Tumur said to the former elders. But the former elders silently shook their heads. Gun-Tumur, realizing that there was no use in saying more, sighed.

“In a barren field without a single dirt wall, about forty people against three thousand forces.”

Of course, four of them were incredibly skilled. Skilled enough to make Gun-Tumur’s spine tingle just by making eye contact.

But could they withstand the Ice Empress’s three thousand warriors, who were known for their bravery?

Three thousand forces were not just a matter of numbers. The cavalry forces with pouring arrows and countless sharp spear tips were already like living beasts.

A mass of terror and madness that seemed to devour even the land and sea, where people were no longer people.

More than anyone else here, the Four Direction Generals knew that fear well.

Gun-Tumur clenched and unclenched his hands.

“If there are three thousand, if we kill about two thousand, the rest will run away.”

Altan said, sneering. Bayama took his words.

“It’s the Ice Empress’s tribe. They’re all tough guys, so we’ll have to kill about two thousand nine hundred, right?”

“Two thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine. We have to kill everyone except the Ice Empress. This is a rebellion.”

Nergui said with a cold expression. Gun-Tumur shook his head.

“Are you all crazy? What are you going to do by counting numbers like that? We’re just going to kill them all.”

It was light as if they were exchanging jokes, but their hands were trembling slightly.

With the experience of the battlefield they had built up over a lifetime, they were anticipating the bloody battle that would soon unfold. Gun-Tumur clenched and unclenched his hands.

“What are those guys saying?”

The old man said, looking at them exchanging words. Dang Wola replied.

“They say they’re just going to kill them all.”

“They said so much, and that’s all they said?”

“Yes.”

The old man looked at Dang Wola with suspicious eyes. But there was no way to confirm the truth anyway.

“They’re guys who have a knack for saying simple things in a long way. Looking at them, they’re all nervous, but what…”

The old man’s words were cut off. And everyone’s faces hardened at once.

Because a faint vibration began to be felt under their feet. It was not a simple tremor. It was definitely not a mistake.

“They’re coming.”

The old man muttered. And as if to confirm those words, a strange sound began to be heard from afar.

Urrrrrr.

It was like the sound of dry thunder heard from afar. Or it sounded like countless people shouting from afar, or like the sound of a sudden downpour approaching.

But the moment that sound was heard, the Four Direction Generals, the escort warriors, and Orhan and the Twelve Northern Sea Beasts all felt a chill running down their spines.

Kugugugugu.

The ominous sound coming through the darkness was getting louder and louder, and with it, the vibration under their feet was also getting stronger.

Ppuuuuuu…

A low horn sound like the cry of a beast pierced through the twilight. Then, another horn sound began to ring in response.

Ppuu, ppuuuu, ppuuuuu.

Low and eerie cries. The sounds, like the cries of several beasts, began to cover the sky in an instant. The darkness was disappearing as if being chased away by that eerie cry.

Ppuuuuuu…

Doo doo doo doo.

The sound of hooves and the sound of horns covered all directions.

“They’ve come.”

Orhan said softly. But her words were unnecessary. Everyone’s eyes were already directed towards the other side of the dimly brightening horizon.

Kuurrrr.

The black wave covering the prairie was wriggling and rushing towards them. The rising dust cloud was obscuring the horizon, and the countless horn sounds and hoof sounds were ringing out strangely like the cries of beasts.

Ppuuuuuu―.

The Ice Empress’s three thousand forces revealed their appearance. That appearance, as if it would devour anything in the world at once, was like a huge and greedy monster.