Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1099

“No matter how much I think about it, I can’t understand it,” Sun Woo said, shaking his head.

Gu Yun nodded in agreement. “I feel the same way.”

The military energy emanating from beyond the right mountain range was a strange mix of calm and explosive. It was already sharp, but now a somewhat free-spirited yet tightly controlled energy had joined it. Based on the information they’d received earlier, it was clearly the Martial Alliance’s forces.

So, they were late, but…

“What the Mount Hua Sect said makes sense at first glance. Usually, first-rate martial artists can easily deal with cavalry. But…” Gu Yun trailed off, his brow furrowed.

“Even so, sticking to the plains is not the right tactic,” Sun Woo countered, his voice firm.

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Gu Yun replied, his face hardening.

No matter how many times he considered it, it just didn’t feel right.

“I need to go and see for myself,” Sun Woo declared, his eyes filled with determination.

“Sect Leader, please don’t. Send someone instead,” Gu Yun urged, concern etched on his face.

Sun Woo shook his head. “I also learned tactics, but not as much as you. The surviving elders, except for me, have experienced great battles. They’ll be much better at assessing the situation than I am right now.”

“It’s not like a battle is about to break out right now,” Gu Yun pointed out, trying to reason with him.

“To change an opinion, it’s best for the leader to go directly,” Sun Woo insisted, his mind made up.

Sun Woo looked around. Below Jongnam [a major sect in the Murim world], which was in charge of the left flank of the central Shanxi front, many martial artists had gathered. Half were from Jongnam’s affiliated families, and the other half were from sects that had long been established in the Shanxi region.

The forces on the left flank numbered four thousand, and the forces on the right flank numbered two thousand. With the addition of two thousand Martial Alliance troops, the number of troops on the left and right flanks was neatly divided.

“I’ll be back soon,” Sun Woo said, his voice resolute.

Whoosh!

Sun Woo instantly dashed towards the mountain range.

‘Absolutely not,’ he thought as he ran, his heart pounding in his chest.

‘Absolutely not, a tragedy like what happened at Jongnam Mountain must not happen again.’

Sun Woo was a man with a fiery side, so much so that he was called the Hwado Divine Sword [Hwado means ‘Fire Blade’]. However, his aggressive nature was only directed towards evil. In his daily life, he showed a kind nature that befitted the term ‘person of character,’ and so evildoers feared Sun Woo, calling him a devil with two faces.

However, Sun Woo was not simply a person who hated evil and showed a good side to ordinary people, a figure solely focused on the image of a chivalrous hero as martial artists thought. He was a sufficiently wise man, even if he was considered somewhat emotional.

That wisdom was not exercised based on rank. Sun Woo knew that his martial arts were stronger than any of Jongnam’s elders, but he also knew that the strength of martial arts did not guarantee superiority in command ability.

This was the crucial difference between Sun Woo and the Mount Hua leadership. Moreover, he had lost many disciples in the great war. He had not yet escaped the sadness of that time, but that experience was still experience, and he could not help but be more cautious than anyone else in the face of an unprecedented crisis.

Whooong!

In an instant, he crossed the mountain range, and countless troops came into his sight.

‘Strange,’ he thought, his brow furrowing.

The Martial Alliance troops were lined up in front of the Shanxi forces. It looked as if the Martial Alliance troops were going to face the enemy first.

Sun Woo couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

Thump, thump!

The bewilderment fueled his urgency. Sun Woo ran towards their front line with all his might.

“Halt! Who are you!” a soldier shouted, his hand on his sword.

“Don’t stop him! He is the Sect Leader of Jongnam!” another soldier yelled, recognizing him.

Sun Woo, who had flown over the soldiers’ heads, quickly approached where Moyong Gun was.

“Young Alliance Lord,” Sun Woo said, bowing slightly.

“Sect Leader?!” Moyong Gun exclaimed, surprised.

Sun Woo bowed again. “Sun Woo, the Sect Leader of Jongnam, greets the Young Alliance Lord.”

Moyong Gun was startled. “I was about to send someone, but what brings you here?”

Sun Woo, who was about to speak, suddenly saw Namgoong Seung standing to one side. Sun Woo bowed respectfully. However, his greeting was simpler than the one he had given to Moyong Gun, the Young Alliance Lord.

Satisfaction flickered across Namgoong Seung’s face. Indeed, Sun Woo was different from the Mount Hua leadership.

Sun Woo, having glanced at Namgoong Seung, spoke directly. “No matter how much I think about it, facing the enemy on the plains is too dangerous. So, I came directly to request a reconsideration.”

Moyong Gun’s eyes sparkled. “We were just discussing that very point.”

He told him about the conversation he had with Yongseon Jin-in [Jin-in is a title for a Taoist master].

Relief settled on Sun Woo’s face. “That’s a relief. Then, since we are divided by the central mountain range, it seems that our Jongnam and Mount Hua front lines should move forward.”

“Of course, that’s what we should do,” Moyong Gun agreed, nodding.

“Then, does that mean the Martial Alliance troops will face the enemy first?” Sun Woo asked, his gaze sharp.

“That’s right,” Moyong Gun confirmed.

Sun Woo, who had been lost in thought, looked around at the Martial Alliance troops. “Three of the six units and four outer city units. They are all veterans of field battles, so they will be good at hit-and-run tactics.”

Moyong Gun couldn’t help but be impressed. “Your insight is truly remarkable, Sect Leader.”

“If I hadn’t experienced the tragedy at our main mountain, I wouldn’t have thought to consider the characteristics or experience of the troops,” Sun Woo admitted, his voice tinged with sadness.

Even while talking about the war at Jongnam Mountain, Sun Woo did not show any bitterness. The battle was imminent. There was no need to show negative emotions.

“Since you’re here, let’s talk until information about the enemy arrives. You should move and align your front line with Mount Hua before the enemy moves,” Moyong Gun suggested.

“I will do so,” Sun Woo replied, his voice firm.

It was then.

“Young Alliance Lord! Someone is coming from the north!” a soldier shouted, his voice urgent.

Moyong Gun, Namgoong Seung, and Sun Woo all turned their heads to the north.

Namgoong Seung’s eyes deepened. He had been so focused on the conversation between Moyong Gun and Sun Woo while looking around at the troops that he hadn’t even noticed someone approaching.

“They are demonic people. But they don’t seem hostile,” the soldier reported, his voice filled with confusion.

“Demonic people?!” Sun Woo exclaimed, tension settling on his face.

“Could they be the enemy’s envoys?” he asked, his brow furrowed.

“It doesn’t seem like it. They are too unhostile. And they aren’t riding horses either,” the soldier replied, shaking his head.

Namgoong Seung frowned. “I heard that the Shinma Forest of Qinghai was destroyed and there were almost no survivors, so who are they?”

At that moment, Moyong Gun’s eyes widened. “Could it be?”

Moyong Gun, who had run out among the soldiers, widened his eyes. “Young Master Cheon!”

Shortly after, Cheon Hyo-Rak and Hwa Hyang approached Moyong Gun.

“Young Master Cheon, and Miss Hwa,” Moyong Gun said, his voice filled with surprise.

Cheon Hyo-Rak clasped his hands in greeting. “I heard from afar that you have become the Young Alliance Lord. Congratulations, though it’s late.”

“I’m ashamed. But anyway…” Moyong Gun said, his surprise still evident on his face.

“Have you regained your martial arts?” he asked, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“I was lucky,” Cheon Hyo-Rak replied, his tone modest.

To say it was just luck was an understatement, given the immense martial power he possessed. It was somewhat awkward and stiff, but surprisingly, the amount of internal energy he possessed was even greater than his own. He didn’t think he would lose if they fought, but he also didn’t think he could win easily.

Moyong Gun was genuinely impressed. “Yeon-je told me that Young Master Cheon’s talent was enough to discuss the world. You are indeed amazing.”

“I’m just embarrassed,” Cheon Hyo-Rak said, his cheeks flushing slightly.

“But how did you get here?” Moyong Gun asked, his curiosity piqued.

Cheon Hyo-Rak briefly explained what had happened.

Moyong Gun’s eyes flashed. “Supply soldiers…”

Cheon Hyo-Rak’s face was very serious. “The lands of Qinghai and Xizang are barren, but there are quite a few sects that have mastered martial arts. They are not comparable to the Central Plains, but they also fought wars between sects.”

“I’m listening,” Moyong Gun said, his attention fully focused on Cheon Hyo-Rak.

“Among them, there are sects that have adopted horse-riding tribes. They operate supply soldiers who also act as intelligence agents during wartime. Because they are martial artists, their supply needs are significantly less than those of ordinary soldiers. Their supply soldiers usually carry horse feed.”

“I heard that the horses in the north don’t get sick even if they eat common weeds,” Moyong Gun said, his brow furrowed.

“Not only that, but there are also many horses that can run all day on half the feed of ordinary horses. Still, war is war, so supply soldiers deliver horse feed,” Cheon Hyo-Rak explained.

“Are you saying that the enemies are using a similar method?” Moyong Gun asked, his eyes narrowed.

“That’s right. However, even if they have improved the breed of horses, the amount of hay that the supply soldiers we captured were carrying was far too little,” Cheon Hyo-Rak said, his voice grave.

Cheon Hyo-Rak’s eyes sparkled. “In the northern wars, supply soldiers also act as intelligence agents. They must have established bases in Shanxi in advance, and even excluding the supply units we captured, at least three thousand supply soldiers must have infiltrated Shanxi.”

Moyong Gun’s cheeks twitched slightly. If Cheon Hyo-Rak’s words were true, it meant that the enemy’s cavalry had participated in the war with the confidence that they could easily break through the Shanxi forces.

Whether that confidence was based on their superiority in strength or in strategy and tactics, it was clearly a serious problem.

“First of all… where is Senior Mak Won?” Moyong Gun asked, his voice filled with concern.

“He said he was going to check the enemy’s movements and return,” a soldier replied.

“I see,” Moyong Gun said, nodding.

The only consolation was the participation of two absolute masters, Cheon Hyo-Rak and Hwa Hyang, and Mak Won. With Namgoong Seung and Mak Won, they would be able to easily capture the enemy commander. Moyong Gun was greatly relieved by that.

“You must be tired from your long journey. Please rest for now,” Moyong Gun said, his voice filled with concern.

“No. If you could give me a map, I would like to think about where the enemy’s supply soldiers might have gone. Of course, you don’t have to listen to our opinions,” Cheon Hyo-Rak said, his voice firm.

“How could that be? Rather, Young Master Cheon is more of an expert than we are when it comes to the wars of the northern martial world. I’m counting on you,” Moyong Gun said, his voice sincere.

There were no restrictions on the exchange of opinions. It was Moyong Gun’s great strength.

Thus, the group put their heads together and began to deduce where the supply soldiers might be heading.

“They must have moved in units of five hundred. If they increased it any more, they would be easily noticeable, and if they reduced it any less, there would be a limit to the supply amount. Five hundred must be right,” Cheon Hyo-Rak said, his eyes focused on the map.

“Shanxi, like other regions, has many large mountains, but it also has many plateaus and plains. Unfortunately, considering the cities around the capital, there are many places where supply soldiers can move secretly. It’s hard to pinpoint their location,” Namgoong Seung said, his brow furrowed.

“If the supply soldiers are also in charge of intelligence, we must assume that they are all around the capital. However, there won’t be many intelligence soldiers returning while Mount Hua and Jongnam are stationed there,” Sun Woo said, his voice thoughtful.

“That would be the case now. The supply soldiers we captured were heading south, but we must assume that there are also those who are establishing positions near the capital at that time and heading north to report intelligence,” Cheon Hyo-Rak said, his eyes narrowed.

“That’s right. What were their martial arts like?” Moyong Gun asked, his gaze sharp.

“Their footwork was excellent, but their combat ability was low. They gave a strong impression that they had only been trained specifically in footwork,” a soldier replied.

“Then they won’t go south to set up camp or attack civilians. If they are a unit trained for a specific purpose, they will never try to create variables…” Cheon Hyo-Rak said, his voice filled with understanding.

It was then.

“Scouts are coming!” a soldier shouted, his voice urgent.

A total of five scouts quickly approached Moyong Gun.

“Ten thousand cavalry have moved! The distance is about forty li [a Chinese unit of distance, approximately 500 meters], and their military energy is immense!” one scout reported, his voice trembling.

“The size of the cavalry is enormous! They seem to be half again as large as ordinary cavalry! Moreover, they all exude a bizarre aura, and that energy is similar to demonic energy!” another scout exclaimed, his eyes wide with fear.

“Their speed in climbing mountains is also fast! It’s a movement that exceeds the limits of cavalry, and if they charge without rest, they will arrive here in less than half a shichen [a Chinese unit of time, approximately two hours]!” a third scout added, his voice filled with panic.

Moyong Gun, who had quickly gathered the scouts’ information, shouted to the two thousand Martial Alliance troops and the three unit and four leaders. “Prepare the ranks! Advance to the mountain and field boundary line after half a gak [a Chinese unit of time, approximately 15 minutes]!”

Sun Woo immediately returned to the left flank.

The sect forces, led by Mount Hua, also prepared for battle.

Moyong Gun mounted his horse. “We will surely take the victory in the first battle!” he declared, his voice filled with determination.