A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 388

388. The Empire’s Battle

The forest, now empty of the Water Demon and magical beasts, was silent. After a moment, as the sounds of night returned and the wind rustled through the trees, No-gun quietly said,

“Let’s go.”

Sun-bin, who had been standing silently, nodded. But Hwang Bang-ju’s worried voice followed.

“That might be difficult. The horses have all run off.”

Hwang Bang-ju sighed. As he said, not a single horse remained. They couldn’t have withstood the presence of those magical beasts and the Water Demon.

“It doesn’t matter. We can walk.”

No-gun said nonchalantly, but Hwang Bang-ju sighed again.

“All our luggage was on those horses, too.”

“Cough.”

No-gun’s brow furrowed. No luggage meant no money, no food, and no change of clothes.

In this distant land, being penniless was a serious problem. No-gun, realizing the gravity of the situation, turned to Seorin.

“Let’s find them. They probably didn’t go far.”

“Yes!”

Seorin answered energetically.

“Don’t wander off, stay here. If anything happens, shout. Got it?”

No-gun instructed Sun-bin as if speaking to a child. Then, No-gun and Seorin darted off in different directions.

Thud, thud.

After they left, Hwang Bang-ju and Sun-bin sat on a fallen tree. Hwang Bang-ju realized his legs were still trembling.

‘Oh my.’

Thinking about what he’d just experienced, Hwang Bang-ju clicked his tongue in amazement. It felt like a dream that he had survived unscathed.

Swish.

Hwang Bang-ju looked puzzled as Sun-bin, who had been sitting beside him, stood up. Sun-bin approached the wreckage of Shekh and began scooping up soil to sprinkle over it.

‘Ah.’

Hwang Bang-ju understood. Sun-bin was holding a makeshift funeral.

‘…What can I say? He really is a Confucian scholar.’ [Confucian scholars were known for their strict adherence to rituals and moral principles.]

In fact, “Confucian scholar” was often used to mock inflexible scholars. But Sun-bin’s unwavering demeanor somehow put him at ease.

After sighing, Hwang Bang-ju stood up and helped Sun-bin sprinkle soil on the remains of the other subordinates.

He didn’t know if the dead Shekh or his men would appreciate it, but he felt better doing this than doing nothing.

“Hwang Bang-ju, what does ‘Raja’ mean?”

Sun-bin, who had finished and was sitting on the fallen tree, asked.

“It’s a title referring to a regional lord. But originally, it meant ‘king,’ I believe.”

Hwang Bang-ju knew why Sun-bin was asking.

“Is it because of what the Water Demon said?”

The Water Demon called Sun-bin ‘Raja’ as he disappeared. He wouldn’t have called him a lord, so he meant ‘king.’

“Don’t worry about it. India is vast, with diverse people and customs. It might have been a greeting. I think that guy mistook us for someone else. We’ve never seen him before, and we aren’t exactly famous.”

The Water Demon hadn’t asked for their names or identities, acting as if he already knew them.

But they had never met the Water Demon, or anyone like him. They didn’t have a reputation that would be known throughout India.

“No. That’s not what I’m worried about…”

“It’s about Lord Sa, isn’t it?”

Sun-bin was startled. ‘Lord Sa’ referred to Emperor Mu, Sa Ja-hyeok.

“I suspected it when you asked about the Heavenly Demon. You’re not curious about the Heavenly Demon, but about Lord Sa, who went to see him.”

Hwang Bang-ju smiled, and Sun-bin was surprised. He was right.

“Yes, that’s right.”

Sun-bin nodded. The merchant’s intuition was truly amazing, or perhaps it was just Hwang Bang-ju’s talent.

“Actually, I’m a little worried.”

The moment he saw the Water Demon, Sun-bin felt anxiety, not surprise or fear.

Sa Ja-hyeok and Ok-ryong must have passed through this area. Why would the Water Demon be here?

“It’s strange that the Water Demon knew about us but didn’t mention Emperor Mu.”

If Sa Ja-hyeok and Ok-ryong had been here, they would have left a significant impact. But the Water Demon hadn’t mentioned them.

“Maybe they took another route, or avoided unnecessary fights.”

Hwang Bang-ju shrugged, but it wasn’t comforting.

“They might have gone another way, but I doubt they would have avoided it…”

Sun-bin suddenly considered another possibility.

“Maybe they deliberately left him behind.”

Ok-ryong was capable of that. He was unpredictable.

“Hey, no way.”

Hwang Bang-ju dismissed it. Even he thought Ok-ryong was unpredictable, but he doubted he would go that far.

“Well, you don’t have to worry. It’s Lord Sa, after all.”

Sun-bin agreed and nodded.

Even the Six Great Demons, to which the Water Demon belonged, or the Heavenly Demon, couldn’t harm Sa Ja-hyeok. Sun-bin couldn’t even imagine it. Sa Ja-hyeok was an absolute being.

But Sun-bin felt an unknown anxiety rising.

Clatter.

At the sound of hooves, Sun-bin and Hwang Bang-ju turned. Seorin was smiling brightly as she led the horses. No-gun puffed out his chest triumphantly.

“Okay, now that we’ve found the horses, let’s go to the Empire’s camp.”

“Yes?”

Hwang Bang-ju retorted incredulously.

“Why are we going there? Didn’t the Water Demon say it would be a battlefield tonight?”

“That’s why we have to go.”

No-gun smirked.

“They say nothing beats watching a fire or a fight, right?”

Hwang Bang-ju was dumbfounded. Sun-bin’s reaction made him even more embarrassed.

“I think so too.”

Sun-bin nodded, but not about which spectacle was more fun.

“We need to assess the monsters and magical beasts, and how the Empire is handling it. The situation here seems different from Tibet.”

In Tibet, monsters were a disaster. But here, it felt like a rebellion or civil war. The rumors and General Bahadur’s reaction suggested that.

“Okay, let’s go quickly.”

Sun-bin and Hwang Bang-ju mounted their horses and rode out of the forest.

Clatter, clatter.

‘Are we going to get caught up in a fight like this?’

Hwang Bang-ju worried. Considering their actions so far, it was likely.

But what Hwang Bang-ju feared didn’t happen, or couldn’t happen.

Bang.

A cannon fired from the walls with an explosion.

Bang, bang, bang.

Other cannons fired in succession. The shelling, illuminating the night, was visible from a distance.

Neigh.

Though far from the camp, the horses were frightened by each explosion. They had to pull on the reins and calm them.

“That general is always singing about the Empire.”

No-gun frowned.

“He had a point.”

Bang, boom.

The explosions drowned out No-gun’s voice. The firepower from the Imperial army’s camp was terrifying.

Cannons existed in the Central Plains, and the Imperial Army used them as their main weapon. However, the government strictly controlled them, and they were rarely used against civilians.

Therefore, Sun-bin’s group was overwhelmed by the power of the cannons they encountered for the first time.

Bang, bang, boom.

The cannons on the walls fired constantly. The Empire’s precise, long-range cannons tore apart the approaching monsters and magical beasts.

“The Empire’s main force is artillery. And to use those expensive cannons like that…”

Hwang Bang-ju clicked his tongue, looking at the firing cannons.

“Well, the Empire’s biggest exports are spices and saltpeter [potassium nitrate, a key ingredient in gunpowder], so what can I say?”

While Hwang Bang-ju assessed the Empire’s military power from a merchant’s perspective, Sun-bin looked at the “enemy.”

“But.”

Sun-bin said, watching the monsters and magical beasts swarming towards the camp.

“I don’t think the opponent is weak.”

Cannons were siege weapons. In a swarm, their effectiveness was reduced. It was only a matter of time before the monsters reached the walls.

Rumble.

The cannons paused, and the heavy gate of the camp opened.

“What is that? An elephant?”

No-gun’s eyes widened. Huge elephants emerged, war elephants wearing full body armor.

Thud, thud, thud.

Armored cavalry charged out, escorting the war elephants. Their armor, shields, and spears gleamed coldly in the moonlight.

“Wow, amazing.”

Hwang Bang-ju admired.

“That’s very, very expensive.”

“Are you talking about the elephants or the cavalry?”

“No. The elephant armor.”

No-gun frowned, but Hwang Bang-ju couldn’t take his eyes off the elephants’ armor.

“It’s all handmade. About 100,000 iron rings and 10,000 iron plates? The price is enormous. To have three fully armed war elephants, this camp must be more important than I thought.”

Roar.

The armor wasn’t the only surprise. The war elephants’ tusks had sharp blades. The three or four Imperial soldiers on their backs guarded them with large shields and long spears.

Thump, thump, thump.

The armored war elephants marched fearlessly towards the monsters, trampling them. When an elephant swung its trunk, it swept away the monsters in front of it.

“Wow.”

Seorin admired it. The magical beasts rushed at the elephants, but their teeth couldn’t penetrate the armor.

The three war elephants rampaged through the monsters under the cavalry’s protection. Only a cannon could stop that charge.

“…It’s a good thing.”

No-gun said sullenly.

“It’s a good thing there are the Great Snow Mountains [Himalayas] and the Tibetan Plateau. If we bordered these Empire guys, there would be endless wars.”

Sun-bin agreed. He realized how great the military power of the Empire, which had unified India, was.

The Central Plains Imperial Family was powerful, but without the Great Snow Mountains blocking India and Tibet, a collision would have been unavoidable.

Countless people would have died in that collision.

Roar.

The war elephant cried out desperately, unlike before.

“Tsk.”

No-gun frowned. A huge black tiger-shaped magical beast had jumped onto the war elephant and swept away the soldiers riding it.

Once it lost control, the armored war elephant was just a beast.

Crack.

The armor on the elephant was torn off, and the black magical beast’s teeth dug into its skin.

Roar.

The war elephant cried out and raised its front feet, slamming them down to shake off the beast.

Crack.

The monsters trampled by the elephant were crushed beyond recognition.

However, the black magical beast twisted its body and didn’t fall. The potent poison in its teeth spread throughout the elephant’s body.

The war elephant, staggering and poisoned, lost its balance and collapsed.

Thump.

The monsters swarmed towards the fallen elephant. The black tiger roared, showing off its victory.

Kuaaaang.

“That guy, that’s the guy from before.”

Everyone recognized the magical beast. It was one of the three with the Water Demon.

“Those guys too.”

Seorin said. Before she finished, another war elephant fell.

Thump.

The roaring magical beast was a red tiger with blood-red fur. The white tiger was also sinking its teeth into another war elephant.

The magical beasts, who had been docile to the Water Demon, neutralized three war elephants instantly.

The cavalry was being torn apart by the swarming monsters.

Bang, bang, bang.

As the war elephants fell and the cavalry was annihilated, the cannons fired again. But the monsters had reached the camp’s walls.

Swish, swish, swish.

As the monsters approached, a rain of arrows poured down. However, they rushed towards the walls, ignoring them. And they weren’t just being hit by arrows.

Squawk.

The monsters leaped towards the camp walls, kicking off and jumping onto them.

“Oh dear.”

Hwang Bang-ju said with pity.

“They must have built the walls low to avoid cannon fire, but now it’s a disadvantage.”

As Sun-bin had said, the opponent was strong. The Empire’s camp was for foreign armies, not monsters.

“Tsk.”

No-gun clicked his tongue. The soldiers desperately stabbed the monsters jumping onto the walls with spears.

The cannons fired non-stop, and arrows rained down, but it was only a matter of time before the camp was captured.

“…That guy!”

Suddenly, No-gun shouted. Sun-bin also saw him.

“Water Demon.”

Sun-bin said quietly. The Water Demon, with his huge physique, walked through the monsters, his white eyes shining.

Even if he was twice the size of an ordinary person, he wouldn’t be that noticeable from this distance, but his overwhelming presence made him stand out.

Bang, bang.

Shells exploded around the Water Demon, tearing apart monsters. But he didn’t stop or avoid them.

Swish, swish.

As he approached the walls, arrows poured down, but he still didn’t avoid them.

Clang, ting.

Surprisingly, the arrows couldn’t penetrate his skin. His muscles, with red and black lines, no longer looked like skin.

Step.

The Water Demon lowered his stance and gripped his large, axe-shaped spear with both hands. He was a short distance from the camp gate.

“What is he doing? He’s not trying to jump over the walls…”

Before No-gun could finish.

Wham.

The ground under the Water Demon’s feet exploded, and his huge body disappeared. Everyone except Hwang Bang-ju saw it: the moment the Water Demon charged like a cannonball towards the camp gate.

Clang.

There would have been no sound, but everyone seemed to hear it: the moment the Water Demon’s axe cut the camp gate in half.

Squeak.

A diagonal gap appeared in the huge gate, and it collapsed under its own weight.

Thud.

The collapsed gate was useless. Monsters poured into the camp, and it was quickly filled with blood and screams.

Step.

The Water Demon, who had split the gate, didn’t move further. He stood arrogantly with his axe stuck in the ground, looking towards Sun-bin’s group.

“What are you looking at?”

No-gun spat out, even though he couldn’t hear him. He knew it was no coincidence that the Water Demon was looking this way.

But Hwang Bang-ju couldn’t hide his anxiety, as if the magical beasts would pounce on him.

“L, let’s go quickly?”

Listening to him, Sun-bin stared at the Water Demon’s white eyes. As if he was being challenged to attack, Sun-bin said quietly.

“Let’s go.”

There was no more business here. Unlike Tibet, there was no reason for them to intervene.

Clatter.

Sun-bin turned his horse’s head.

“I told you, all you have to do is break the lock…”

Listening to Seorin’s grumbling, the group left.

Along with the occasional explosions, the flames rising from the Empire’s camp painted the night sky red.

(Author’s words)

No-gun went to watch a fight, but ended up watching a fire and cannons exploding.