Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 118

118. Ambush Attack

Tap.

Lee Mu-shim snapped his ornate fan shut and gestured around. “Look,” he said. “This wide path narrows into a thin, long stretch. Isn’t this the perfect terrain for an ambush?”

“But, Chief,” Jang Sam-chae said, sounding distressed. “This isn’t the Jang River; it’s land.”

That was the problem.

The pirates of the Surochae were skilled in river warfare. Why abandon that advantage and come all the way out here, far from the water?

“You don’t need to worry about a thing,” Lee Mu-shim said, his gleaming face full of confidence. “The other branch leaders will handle the ambush. You just charge straight at those Namgoong brats, provoke them, and then retreat as the situation dictates.”

What made Jang Sam-chae even more uneasy was the task he had been assigned: to lead the charge.

The Chief said he just had to poke them, provoke them, and then run away, but the problem was he couldn’t trust what would happen next.

‘Damn it, what if the ambush squad just abandons me? I’ll be the only one who dies!’

The relationship between the branch leaders was terrible. It wouldn’t be surprising if they stabbed each other in the back at any moment, so who could guarantee that the other branch leaders wouldn’t take advantage of the chaos to eliminate him?

“Can the ambush squad really stop the Namgoong Clan?”

The root of all Jang Sam-chae’s anxiety lay here. They might have more men, but could they really stop the Namgoong Clan? Even with an ambush, their opponents were the elite of the Namgoong Clan.

“Ahem!” Lee Mu-shim’s expression twisted greatly. “Is it just the ambush squad? Don’t you have me, Lee Mu-shim, the master of the Heartless Arts? Besides, the Hwangcheon Unit [Yellow Sky Unit] will deal with the main force of the Namgoong Clan, so we just need to buy time!”

At Lee Mu-shim’s outburst, Jang Sam-chae quickly bowed his head, but his heart was seething.

‘Damn it, that Hwangcheon Unit again.’ Jang Sam-chae grumbled inwardly. ‘Who are those guys that we’re relying on for this…’

The Namgoong Clan’s subjugation of the Heartless Sect was no secret. Rather, the Namgoong Clan had widely spread the news. It was a perfect opportunity to show off their power and expand their influence in the Jang River region.

Because of this, the Heartless Sect was in a state of mourning. Chief Lee Mu-shim was no exception. No matter how high the Heartless Sect’s momentum had been recently, they couldn’t dare to confront the Namgoong Clan head-on.

But a few days ago, after receiving a suspicious letter, Lee Mu-shim’s attitude changed drastically. It was then that he announced a plan centered around the ‘Hwangcheon Unit,’ which no one had ever heard of.

A plan for the pirates of the Surochae to abandon the Jang River and fight on land, ambushing the Namgoong Clan. Everyone was dumbfounded.

However, Lee Mu-shim praised it as an ‘unprecedented plan that struck at the opponent’s weakness’ and a ‘great paradigm shift that overcame defeatism.’ The pirates were dubious but couldn’t disobey the Chief.

Chief Lee Mu-shim’s martial arts were outstanding, and the confidence he showed even gave them a glimmer of hope. In the end, the pirates of the Heartless Sect completed their preparations as planned.

But the ‘Hwangcheon Unit’ was nowhere to be seen, and the Chief was forcing Jang Sam-chae to lead a reckless charge against the Namgoong Clan. Jang Sam-chae couldn’t help but worry that he would end up buried here.

‘Should I have eloped already?’

As Jang Sam-chae was lost in various thoughts, a sudden idea came to him.

‘But…’

Jang Sam-chae tilted his head. ‘What happens if we win?’

If, by some chance, they really defeated the Namgoong Clan, what would happen next?

‘Eh.’ Jang Sam-chae shook his head. ‘I might die today, so what do I care about tomorrow? Crap.’

Shaking off his 잡념 [japnyum – 잡념 means idle thoughts or 잡생각 which means random thoughts], Jang Sam-chae frowned. Just thinking about what was about to happen made him want to curse, but he couldn’t say it out loud in front of the Chief.

Thus, Jang Sam-chae was stewing inside.

***

“Senior Brother!”

At the voice, Namgoong Kwan, who was riding a horse, turned his head.

Clatter, clatter.

A young man on horseback approached Namgoong Kwan. The young man, dressed smartly in the Namgoong Clan’s uniform, was Namgoong Kwan’s junior brother, Namgoong Sang-min.

“Didn’t I tell you to follow from behind?” Namgoong Kwan, a middle-aged man, spoke as if rebuking him. Namgoong Sang-min was a direct descendant of the clan and a junior brother with decent talent. However, perhaps because he was still young, he also showed impatience for achievements. Bringing him along on this subjugation expedition was also the intention of the clan elders to give Namgoong Sang-min experience.

“It’s not that… Well, Senior Brother, doesn’t the terrain ahead look a little suspicious?” Namgoong Sang-min subtly changed the subject.

“What’s wrong with the terrain?” His senior brother, Namgoong Kwan, said indifferently, but Namgoong Sang-min’s eyes lit up instead.

“It’s suspicious. Isn’t a place that suddenly narrows like that perfect for an ambush? In the book I read last time…”

“This is the Wudang Sect’s territory,” Namgoong Kwan interrupted his junior brother, Namgoong Sang-min. “There isn’t a single sect or dojang [martial arts school] that isn’t related to Wudang in this area, so how could pirates move around recklessly? Those guys built their base far from the Jang River to avoid the Wudang Sect’s gaze.”

The reason why the Namgoong Clan hadn’t been able to subjugate the Heartless Sect until now was because this area was traditionally the territory of the Wudang Sect. The Heartless Sect, well aware of this, didn’t touch a single ship related to the Wudang Sect or its affiliates.

In the end, merchant ships had no choice but to request protection from martial halls affiliated with the Wudang Sect, and the Heartless Sect cleverly avoided the Wudang Sect while collecting tolls. A strange situation arose where the Heartless Sect, a pirate group, and the Wudang Sect, a large sect, formed a kind of symbiotic relationship.

“Besides, for pirates to set up an ambush, they need to know our movements accurately,” Namgoong Kwan continued. “Do pirates have that kind of capability?”

The Namgoong Clan didn’t even consider the Heartless Sect to be a threat in the first place. The only obstacle was the Wudang Sect, and now that they had obtained tacit permission, there was nothing for the Namgoong Clan to hold back.

“But who knows what desperate pirates might do? What if…”

Namgoong Kwan laughed at Namgoong Sang-min’s protest. “They’re certainly desperate.”

The Namgoong Clan’s subjugation force numbered over one hundred and twenty. Of course, not all of them were elites of the Namgoong Clan. Only twenty-five were elites of the clan, and the rest belonged to cooperative clans under the Namgoong Clan. However, this alone was enough to subjugate a single pirate base.

No, it was even excessive.

“So, what do you want to do?” At Namgoong Kwan’s words, Namgoong Sang-min’s eyes twinkled.

“I will scout ahead.”

‘A scout…’

Namgoong Sang-min’s proposal was to act as a scout, a kind of reconnaissance unit. Namgoong Kwan thought it wasn’t bad, as a justification for giving his junior brother заслуга [zasluga – merit or credit].

“Go ahead and do it.”

“Yes!” With a bright expression, Namgoong Sang-min immediately nodded.

Whirr.

Namgoong Sang-min immediately sent a signal to the back. Several of the one hundred and twenty horsemen immediately came out of the formation and ran forward. It seemed they had been preparing for it.

“Let’s go!”

Clatter, clatter.

Namgoong Sang-min and five horsemen quickly moved ahead of the subjugation force.

‘That’s right. A member of the Namgoong Clan should have that much spirit.’ Watching his junior brother’s back, already disappearing into the distance, Namgoong Kwan smiled lightly.

The cloudless blue sky made the weather even more pleasant.

“It’s a good day to see blood,” Namgoong Kwan murmured with a smile, standing at the head of the subjugation force composed of over one hundred and twenty horsemen.

***

“They’re coming!” Jang Sam-chae, who was hiding in the bushes, swallowed hard at his subordinate’s report.

Chief Lee Mu-shim was right. The Namgoong Clan would pass through here today, and they had really appeared. He didn’t know how they had obtained this information, but at least the ambush wouldn’t be in vain.

In fact, Jang Sam-chae was secretly hoping it would be in vain.

Jang Sam-chae tightened his grip on the sword in his hand and said in a low voice to his subordinates, “Everyone, get ready.”

Even without him saying it, tension was evident in his subordinates’ eyes. Jang Sam-chae gritted his teeth. “Don’t ever charge in alone. Got it?”

The subordinates nodded. Unless they were crazy, they wouldn’t charge in alone against the Namgoong Clan.

But once the fight started and their eyes were bloodshot, some guys would lose their minds. Jang Sam-chae knew this well from his many battles. And he also knew that those guys would most likely die.

“It’s not difficult. As we said before, we just need to lure those guys in.” Jang Sam-chae looked at his subordinates’ faces once more. Some were trembling with fear, some already had bloodshot eyes from terror, and some were calm as if they had attained enlightenment.

However, the way they looked at Jang Sam-chae was all the same: as if Jang Sam-chae was their only way to survive.

“…Everyone, don’t die.”

Just as Jang Sam-chae was about to stand up with his sword in hand…

“Uh, Chief, over there,” the subordinate who had first reported spoke in a flustered voice. “They’re coming, but there are only six of them.”

“What?” Jang Sam-chae asked back in surprise. “What about the others? What happened to the main force?”

‘Could we have been discovered already?’ His voice naturally rose in panic. At Jang Sam-chae’s question, the subordinate immediately answered, “They’re still following behind.”

Jang Sam-chae became confused. If they suspected an ambush and sent out scouts, the main force should have stopped or approached slowly. What did it mean that they were just coming?

“At this rate, they’ll pass by!” At the urgent voice, Jang Sam-chae snapped out of it.

‘Damn it.’

It didn’t matter if they were scouts or not. Maybe they were messengers, or maybe they were just crazy guys running for fun. In any case, if they let them pass by, their retreat would be blocked.

“Let’s go!” Following Jang Sam-chae, who stood up, about thirty subordinates gritted their teeth and rose from their seats.

Clatter, clatter.

The Namgoong Clan’s six horsemen were running along the road. They didn’t even have the vigilance or tension that scouts should have.

“Prepare.”

Snap.

The thirty pirates simultaneously drew their bows. The sharp arrowheads gleamed on the taut bowstrings, ready to snap at any moment.

Clatter, clatter.

They didn’t have to wait long. The Namgoong Clan’s scouts were already close enough.

“Fire!”

Peep-peep-peep.

“Ugh!” Neigh.

The screams of horses and people erupted. Jang Sam-chae immediately shouted, “Charge!”

“Waaaaa!” The thirty pirates screamed and rushed towards the Namgoong Clan’s scouts. The charge of the Heartless Sect’s vanguard, branch leader Jang Sam-chae, had begun.

Namgoong Kwan, who had sent Namgoong Sang-min ahead as a scout, immediately realized that something had happened. Although he couldn’t see it because it was hidden by the bushes, he could hear the sound of weapons clashing and loud shouts.

“Hyah!” Namgoong Kwan immediately spurred his horse. As Namgoong Kwan’s horse galloped, the one hundred and twenty subjugation force members following behind also increased their speed. A cloud of dust began to rise like a cloud on the quiet road.

Clatter, clatter.

Namgoong Kwan drove his horse into the road overgrown with bushes. The first thing he saw was his junior brother wielding his sword, struck by an arrow.

“You bastards!” Namgoong Kwan roared and immediately leaped.

Thud.

He didn’t even stop his horse. Rather, using the momentum of the running horse, Namgoong Kwan flew down next to Namgoong Sang-min. And the sword of Namgoong Kwan, who had revealed himself, drew a sharp trajectory.

“Kuaaak!” “Kuhuk!”

Two pirates fell instantly. But Namgoong Kwan’s sword did not stop.

“Kuaaaak!” As Namgoong Kwan’s sword danced, three or four pirates around him retreated, bleeding.

It was then.

Clang.

A large blade blocked Namgoong Kwan’s sword. Namgoong Kwan’s eyes widened, but the opponent did not want more than to stop Namgoong Kwan’s sword for a moment.

“Retreat! Retreat!”