359. Deterioration
The sound of a thousand cavalry hooves echoed across the Seojang Plateau. The charge of the cavalry, clad in armor and their horses similarly protected, was a force to be reckoned with, crushing everything in its path.
Even the grotesque monsters that shouldn’t exist in this world were not exempt from their onslaught.
Thwack, thwack, thwack.
The cavalry, split into two groups, flanked the monsters from the left and right. Long, sharp Seojang spears flashed, tearing the monsters apart from all directions.
The bizarre-looking monsters screamed in agony beneath the cavalry’s hooves, finding no escape.
“Kuaaaa!”
However, the monsters weren’t simply being routed. A bear-shaped monster, far larger than any normal bear due to its monstrous transformation, rose up and swung its massive arm.
Whoosh.
The crimson claws, extending well beyond the length of a hand, tore through the air. The cavalry skillfully maneuvered to avoid the blow, but one unfortunate Seung soldier, his vision obscured by monster blood, found himself directly in the path of the bear monster’s attack.
“Huk.”
The Seung soldier hastily raised his spear, but it was futile against the bear monster’s onrushing paw.
Crack.
The bear monster’s paw shattered the spear shaft and slammed into the Seung soldier’s chest. The chest protector, designed to guard him, instantly caved in, and the armor, made of closely linked iron pieces, splintered and scattered.
“Keuk.”
The Seung soldier fell from his horse with a stifled groan. Immediately, the remaining wolf monsters, already grievously wounded, leaped upon him.
Trapped within his half-removed helmet, the Seung soldier’s eyes reflected pure despair.
Swoosh.
A spear whistled through the air.
Thud.
The spear pierced the head of the wolf monster as it pounced on the Seung soldier. But it didn’t stop there.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.
Several more spears followed in rapid succession, smashing into the remaining monsters. While the wolf monsters hesitated, another cavalry Seung soldier rushed in and helped the injured soldier onto his horse.
“Are you alright?”
A clear, feminine voice echoed. Aeyeonmyeongwang, a fully armored woman mounted on a large horse, spoke with sharp eyes.
“I told you not to let your guard down, didn’t I? These aren’t just beasts; they’re monsters.”
Aeyeonmyeongwang’s appearance in full armor exuded authority. The carefree demeanor of a celestial dancer was nowhere to be seen, replaced by the commanding presence of a general leading a large army.
The spear that had saved the Seung soldier was also thrown by her.
“Be careful!”
Aeyeonmyeongwang turned her head at the Seung soldier’s warning. The giant bear monster that had knocked the Seung soldier off his horse was charging towards them, shaking the ground with each step.
“Kuaaaang.”
Thump, thump.
The bear monster rushed madly towards Aeyeonmyeongwang, its red eyes blazing. But Aeyeonmyeongwang remained calm and unfazed.
“Hmph.”
Aeyeonmyeongwang snorted softly and picked up a spear that was stuck in the ground. The long spear, of which every cavalry Seung soldier carried three or four, gleamed sharply in her hand.
Swish.
Aeyeonmyeongwang, bracing herself on her horse, drew back the arm holding the spear. Even as the bear monster charged with a force that seemed capable of crushing her, she didn’t even blink.
“Huuuuh.”
As Aeyeonmyeongwang inhaled, her chest swelled beneath her armor, and her arm holding the spear trembled with power. Her large warhorse also tensed, preparing for the impending impact.
“Hah!”
With a shout, Aeyeonmyeongwang unleashed the spear with all her might.
Thwaaang.
With a sound like a drum bursting, the spear tore through the air. The large warhorse beneath her flinched, its hooves digging deep into the ground.
Crack.
The spear, carrying tremendous force, struck the bear monster’s head directly. The head of the roaring bear monster was instantly gone.
Thump.
The giant body of the charging bear monster collapsed and tumbled to the ground. Aeyeonmyeongwang turned her head as if she had lost interest.
“Check the damage and treat the wounded.”
Aeyeonmyeongwang’s expression, visible beneath her helmet, was grim.
There were more casualties than expected, and the situation was more serious than anticipated.
These cursed monsters do not cease their hostility even as they die. The poison in their claws and teeth can make even minor injuries fatal.
But that wasn’t the only reason for Aeyeonmyeongwang’s dark mood.
‘Wolves and bears together? That’s impossible.’
Wolves and bears are natural enemies and competitors for food. No matter how monstrous they become, or rather, precisely because they are monstrous, they shouldn’t be able to form such an organized cooperative relationship.
This phenomenon, defying common sense, had never been reported before.
‘The Demonic Sect…’
Only one hypothesis could explain this change: the Demonic Sect [a cult known for dark magic and manipulation], as Grand General Sonbin suggested, is manipulating all of this from behind.
“Return to the main camp. Prepare to return,” Aeyeonmyeongwang said, pulling on the reins. The Seung soldiers immediately obeyed her command.
“Well, shall I go report to the Grand General? Hehe.”
Aeyeonmyeongwang said in a rather seductive voice, sounding genuinely cheerful.
* * *
The main force of the Potala Seung soldiers was the cavalry. Given the vastness of the Seojang Plateau, this was a logical choice. Even the infantry wore armor and rode horses, making virtually all units cavalry.
The Seung soldiers were all equipped with armor and helmets made of closely linked iron pieces. The round chest protectors and the high-rising decorative feathers on the cavalry’s helmets were particularly distinctive.
“Is that to make them more visible?” Sonbin asked, observing the decorative feathers of the cavalry before him. The feathers swayed in the wind, seemingly teasing each other.
“That might be part of it,” Nogun, sitting next to him, replied.
“To me, it just looks like a bunch of idiots showing off how great they are,” Nogun said, seemingly unconcerned about who might be listening. Always outspoken, Nogun had become even more blunt in Seojang, freely voicing his thoughts, figuring that only the group would understand him anyway.
Sonbin smiled wryly and shifted his gaze. The numerous spear tips pointing towards the sky sparkled sharply in the sunlight.
The main weapon of the Potala Seung soldiers was the long, thin spear unique to this region. Many had slightly curved ends, and the cavalry always carried three or four or more spears.
“They have bows too, but don’t they use them?”
“I’ve seen them, but they’re not very good at shooting. Here, it’s just charge and attack.”
The cavalry also carried bows and arrows, but the sight of the armored horses made it clear that their primary tactic was charging.
“That’s how they earn recognition for their bravery,” Hwang Bangju added to Nogun’s observation.
“Now they’re all kind because they’ve converted to Buddhism, but in the very old days, they were very… well, how should I put it, they were quite reckless people,” Hwang Bangju mumbled, his expression suggesting the past was indeed serious. He generally avoided speaking ill of the region if he could help it.
Sonbin didn’t press further. Dark history exists everywhere.
Clatter, clatter.
A horse galloped towards the carriage where Sonbin was. It was Seorin on horseback.
“Hyung! No, Grand General!”
The Seung soldiers guarding the carriage immediately cleared the way, and Sonbin greeted Seorin with a smile.
“Yes, what’s the situation?”
“We’ve cleared out the monsters in the north and are roughly cleaning up the south.”
“How are Suyeon Sojeo [a respectful title for a young woman] and Wora Sojeo? Are they alright?”
“Of course,” Seorin said with a bright smile. She wore armor protecting her shoulders and chest, having risen to the position of commanding three hundred Seung soldiers.
It wasn’t just Sonbin who had come to command the Potala Seung soldiers. Sasuyeon and Dang Wora had also taken on the responsibility of commanding three hundred Seung soldiers each, at Aeyeonmyeongwang’s suggestion.
—Why don’t you try leading the Seung soldiers? Not many, just about three hundred.
Three hundred was a significant number. To suddenly lead so many Seung soldiers seemed absurd to Sonbin. Being a master of martial arts and leading an army were entirely different things.
Moreover, Sasuyeon and Dang Wora had no military experience, making Sonbin’s reaction perfectly normal.
But Aeyeonmyeongwang smiled softly and said, “It’s okay. Think of it as protecting them, like taking the Seowon kids [students of a traditional Korean academy] on a picnic. And showing a new side is very important for women.”
This was by no means a picnic, and the three hundred Seung soldiers were not children. Sonbin expected Sasuyeon and Dang Wora to refuse, especially Dang Wora.
But surprisingly, they both accepted Aeyeonmyeongwang’s suggestion. And with Seorin showing interest, the three of them ended up leading three hundred Seung soldiers each.
“Suyeon Noona [term for older sister or female friend] always charges first at the very front,” Seorin said excitedly.
“She rides a horse really well too, so the Seung soldiers are all busy following her.”
Sasuyeon never gave orders on how to do things. She simply rode her horse and charged into the most dangerous place before anyone else.
“But that’s why everyone respects Suyeon Noona. They say there’s nothing to fear if you follow Suyeon Noona.”
Perhaps because the blood of the northern nomadic people flowed in her veins, Sasuyeon’s command style gained the absolute support of the Potala Seung soldiers.
The story was that Sasuyeon drawing her sword, Myeong, and charging was like a celestial being descending from the sky.
At least to the Seung soldiers under her command, her popularity was much higher than that of Grand General Sonbin or Aeyeonmyeongwang.
“What about Wora Sojeo?”
“Wora Noona still doesn’t say anything,” Seorin shrugged as if it were natural.
“At first, she just says one word, ‘There.’ Then the Seung soldiers rack their brains to subjugate that side. She doesn’t teach them anything else.”
Dang Wora was extremely sparing with her words, only indicating the target, leaving the Seung soldiers to figure out the specific methods or tactics on their own.
Even if something unexpected happened, Dang Wora would just stare silently, they said.
That gaze felt as if she was saying, ‘Can’t you even handle that much?’ So the Seung soldiers had to come up with all sorts of tactics to subjugate the monsters.
Because Dang Wora never withdrew the target she initially indicated.
“But she always saves them when they’re really in danger, so the Seung soldiers really trust her.”
At first, Dang Wora’s method caused resentment. No matter how high the loyalty of the Potala Seung soldiers was, such a unilateral approach couldn’t last long.
However, when the Seung soldiers were in danger, Dang Wora appeared before them and swept away the monsters with overwhelming power.
There was no encouragement or scolding, but the Seung soldiers could clearly see that not a single one under Dang Wora’s command had died so far.
The tradition of worshiping the strong, combined with her direct intervention to save her subordinates in moments of crisis, allowed Dang Wora to quickly gain the trust of the Seung soldiers. Since then, they regarded her every word as an absolute mission.
“Are you okay? Is it hard or difficult?”
When Sonbin asked, Seorin smiled shyly. She was also wearing armor protecting her shoulders and chest.
Originally, she had to be fully armed, but Seorin hated troublesome things, so she compromised to this extent. She would never have worn it if it weren’t for the responsibility of leading three hundred Seung soldiers.
It was the same with Sasuyeon, and her appearance in armor was quite different and really cool, so it stole Sonbin’s gaze for a while.
Of course, Dang Wora was still the same as always.
“I’m okay. And the Seung soldiers are now somewhat organized. Well, they need to practice their archery a bit more, though.”
Seorin divided the three hundred Seung soldiers and trained them in formations. In reality, even if it was called a formation, there was nothing particularly complex about it. Basically, it involved surrounding the monsters and spinning around while shooting arrows.
But the cavalry, maintaining their distance, flashed their spear tips the moment they saw a gap in the monsters and fearlessly charged through them.
The sight of three hundred cavalry moving in unison at Seorin’s command, ravaging the monsters, was truly spectacular.
“Once you get used to it, it’s not difficult. Wolves do it all instinctively anyway.”
The tactic, which harmonized the hunting methods learned as a wolf with the principles of the shaman’s Chilseong Sword Formation [a traditional Korean sword dance and martial art], seemed simple but exerted a deadly power.
Moreover, Seorin herself flashed from east to west, stirring up the monsters, so once her Seung soldiers surrounded them, any monster horde had no choice but to be annihilated.
As Sasuyeon, Dang Wora, and Seorin’s Seung soldiers continued to win, the other Seung soldiers were also motivated. Thanks to this, Sonbin’s Western Army (西軍) was subjugating the monsters around the main roads very quickly and efficiently.
“No one is seriously injured or dead. Suyeon Noona said she’s going to go a little further north, and Wora Noona is looking at the south. I’m going to go west.”
The reason Seorin came was to inform them of the monster subjugation situation. She could have sent a messenger, but she probably came in person because she knew Sonbin was worried.
“Okay. Be careful, and don’t go too far,” Sonbin said with a serious expression.
“Never let your guard down. Got it?”
“Yes!” Seorin puffed out her chest and answered in a deliberately loud voice before smiling and riding away.
Clatter, clatter.
Sonbin couldn’t take his eyes off Seorin’s back. Sensing his gaze, she waved her hand greatly once before skillfully steering her horse into the distance.
“Tsk, tsk, like putting kids out by the water?” Nogun, who was sitting next to him, clicked his tongue.
“You don’t have to worry so much. They all do well on their own, you know?”
Sonbin smiled awkwardly. Nogun’s words were true, but he couldn’t help but worry.
“Are you alright, Elder?”
Nogun blinked, realizing Sonbin was asking if he was alright not commanding the Seung soldiers, and chuckled.
“I don’t like it. I don’t like being above anyone, or below anyone.”
Those words were typical of Nogun. He shrugged and continued, “And at this age, should I be running around with kids and fighting?”
Commanding a thousand Seung soldiers was by no means running around and fighting, but it was all the same to Nogun anyway.
He didn’t know that Hwang Bangju was thinking, ‘Running around with kids and fighting is no different from now…’
Clatter, clatter.
“Oh, what? Did Seorin just come?” Aeyeonmyeongwang, fully armed, was galloping towards Sonbin.
“I should have come a little earlier. Then I could have seen our cute Seorin.”
Sonbin smiled wryly as he listened to Hwang Bangju’s translation, wondering if Seorin had left early to avoid Aeyeonmyeongwang, whom she found very annoying.
Rustle.
Aeyeonmyeongwang stopped her horse with practiced skill and removed her helmet, her long black hair cascading down like a waterfall.
“Ah, it’s hot.”
Although the cold weather hadn’t yet subsided, Aeyeonmyeongwang’s brown face was slightly flushed.
Even in full armor, her seductive charm remained, likely due to her eyes, voice, and unique aura.
“How was it?” Sonbin asked. Aeyeonmyeongwang smiled and said, “The monsters were subjugated. Minor injuries, a few. Oh, and one serious injury too.”
Sonbin, who was already taking notes, frowned.
“A few minor injuries, how many exactly…?”
“My lieutenant will come and tell you that.”
Sonbin’s expression became even more distorted as he listened to Hwang Bangju’s translation, but Aeyeonmyeongwang didn’t seem to notice.
“But the monsters’ movements are quite different from before,” she said with a serious expression.
Originally, monsters formed groups, but there was almost no unified movement. They even ate each other frequently.
But the monsters the subjugation force encountered were different. The size of the groups was gradually increasing, and the fact that bear monsters and wolf monsters were moving together clearly indicated a change.
“Hmm.”
Sonbin, listening to Aeyeonmyeongwang’s explanation, fell into thought.
“Not only is the mutation expanding, but it’s also gradually becoming more organized.”
“That’s right. At this rate, it will become increasingly difficult in the future, not only for us but also for the Northern and Eastern Armies, right?”
Aeyeonmyeongwang’s assessment, based on her direct encounters with the monsters, was accurate. News from Lhasa indicated that the damage to the monster subjugation force was becoming greater than expected.
“Then I’ll go. There might be some monsters left behind in the back.” Aeyeonmyeongwang, about to put on her helmet, suddenly looked at Sonbin, who returned her gaze, wondering what was happening. A gentle smile appeared on her lips.
If Sonbin hadn’t warned about the monsters’ background, even if the subjugation plan had been carried out, they would have suffered enormous losses. It was natural that Sonbin looked pretty good in Aeyeonmyeongwang’s eyes.
“Um, why…?” Sonbin asked as an awkward silence lingered. Aeyeonmyeongwang winked seductively.
“Don’t be lonely without me, and stay put. Suyeon or Wora will be here soon.”
Sonbin frowned, wanting to say, ‘I’m not lonely,’ but knowing that reacting would only draw him further into Aeyeonmyeongwang’s game.
Aeyeonmyeongwang straightened her hair and put on her helmet, hiding her seductive face.
“Be careful,” Sonbin said in a businesslike but sincere tone. Aeyeonmyeongwang’s eyes smiled under her helmet.
“Thank you. Oh, and…” Aeyeonmyeongwang, about to leave, winked at Sonbin again.
“That night was very nice.”
Sonbin’s expression hardened at her sudden remark. He couldn’t understand the words, but he clearly understood the implication.
Before Hwang Bangju could even translate, Aeyeonmyeongwang stomped her feet loudly.
“Giddy up!”
Clatter, clatter.
The sturdy Seojang warhorse immediately ran forward, leaving Sonbin staring blankly at Aeyeonmyeongwang and the thousand Seung soldiers following her.
“What did she say?” Nogun asked, and Hwang Bangju translated.
“She said that night was very nice.”
Every man present knew what ‘that night’ implied.
“What did you do? On that night,” Nogun asked with a frown.
Sonbin replaced Nogun’s words with a bitter smile, knowing that any response would only sink him deeper into the swamp.
‘The monsters’ changes…’
Those changes were by no means good for Sonbin’s group. The situation was deteriorating more than he thought.
Surrounded by a thousand cavalry Seung soldiers guarding the Grand General, Sonbin sighed softly, desperately wanting to end this difficult situation quickly and join Saja Hyuk.
(Author’s words)
Sonbin, who became the Grand General but has nothing to do.
Sonbin: (I want to go home) ㅠㅠ