Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1112

The Fiery Demon King (2)

Half a day later.

“Father.”

“You’ve arrived.”

Yeonwi didn’t even turn his head, his gaze fixed on the northern mountain range.

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked at Yeonwi’s profile.

Yeonwi’s face was like a sculpture carved by a master craftsman. His eyes and breathing were still. If not for the beard and hair fluttering in the wind, one might believe he was a divine statue guarding against demonic invasion.

“Is there anything unusual?”

“Yes, not yet.”

“The Murim Alliance forces are ready to engage in battle at any moment.”

Yeonwi smiled.

“Yes, I know. The quiet discipline I feel from behind is truly reliable.”

The two thousand dispatched troops were drawn from various sects across the Central Plains [the central region of China, often considered the cradle of Chinese civilization and martial arts].

It was in these aspects that Moyong Gun’s handling was thought to be outstanding.

‘He has a keen eye. And his choices are good.’

The Murim Alliance forces heading to Shanxi were all combat units belonging to the Alliance.

Conversely, the forces that came to the Imperial Palace were composed of warriors drawn from each sect.

In terms of combat power between the two groups, the two thousand troops that went to Shanxi would be somewhat superior. Moreover, they had abundant practical experience, so they would be adept at fighting cavalry.

Does that mean the two thousand troops sent to the Imperial Palace were all useless?

Absolutely not. Although there were not many warriors from major sects among them, most of them had volunteered to join the army to uphold their sect’s honor.

Then, news of the impending war broke out, and they underwent countless training sessions and several actual battles to become one. They were a unit whose morale was at its peak.

The problem was their origins.

If they had gone to Shanxi, they would not have been able to respond as well as the Three Divisions, who were experienced in cavalry warfare. Rather, some of the unified forces were from Shanxi, so there was a possibility that they would be overly excited due to personal feelings.

However, they came to the Imperial Palace, and the Imperial Palace was where the Emperor resided.

Moreover, there were many who were considered the strongest in the Central Plains. In other words, there were many people of high status and those close to the title of the strongest, so the discipline was bound to be much better than usual. The burning morale was a bonus, not to mention the discipline.

A sense of mission for the Murim [martial arts world] of the Central Plains. And a place where the best martial artists of Murim were serving as generals.

If handled well, they could show much better combat power than usual.

‘The problem is where to specify the battlefield.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked up at the sky.

It wasn’t dark yet, but night would soon come.

“Father.”

“Yes.”

“Half an hour after the sun begins to set, we should send out a separate unit.”

Yeonwi, who had been staring at the mountain range, finally looked at Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Conversely, Yeon Ho-Jeong was staring at the sky. He looked like a Taoist reading the heavens.

“Is it to observe the enemy’s movements?”

“Yes. Currently, more than eighty percent of the intelligence units sent from the Imperial Palace have returned. Since the distance to the Imperial Palace is close, it is right to leave only the minimum number of people and return.”

“Of course. That means our intelligence units are already present around the mountain range, so is there a need to operate a separate unit?”

“I think we should send a separate unit as a special force, selecting only the strong.”

“You are the Grand Strategist representing the Imperial Palace. If you say so, I will naturally follow that order.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled wryly without realizing it. Although it was a temporary position, he felt strange hearing his father say he would follow his orders.

“But won’t you tell this lacking father the reason?”

“Surely you don’t think I would issue orders without telling the general in charge of this war the reason.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes, which had been on the sky, turned towards the mountain range.

“I don’t know why those guys came within thirty li [approximately 15 kilometers] instead of a hundred li [approximately 50 kilometers].”

It was a candid admission. Yeonwi nodded.

“Anyone would feel that way. Because there is too little information about the enemy.”

“That’s right. But I know one thing.”

“That they are not fools.”

“You are correct.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled. As a martial artist, not just as his son, his father was truly a worthy opponent to talk to.

“Moreover, this is war. The process is meaningless. Winning is the only truth. In the end, both sides will do their best to win in any way, so in a case like this, we should think that the enemy’s actions are the best they can do, rather than thinking they are foolish.”

“I think so too.”

“Shall we go back to the beginning?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong drew two small circles in the air.

“The circle above is the surprise attack force beyond the mountain range, and the circle on the right is the five thousand troops we sent to Liaoning.”

“Yes.”

“The northern surprise attack force existed as I expected. Their intention is clear. If the forces gathered at the Imperial Palace go to face the five thousand troops in the east, they will take the opportunity to attack the Imperial Palace. That would have been their first plan.”

Yeonwi tilted his head.

“But that is…”

“Yes. I said ‘first’ plan. At least, that’s how the tactics would have been planned. But the reality is different. The five thousand troops I saw at the time were considerable. If they came day and night, they could arrive in five days at the earliest, or eight days at the latest.”

Considering how rugged and vast the land of Liaoning was, eight days was an incredible speed.

But they were martial artists. Their supplies were significantly less than ordinary infantry, and their movement speed, in particular, was comparable to that of warhorses.

Humans are creatures that have lost their powerful claws and fangs, and the fur that protects them from the cold, but have gained tremendous endurance. If the speed is similar, the ability to travel long distances is bound to be superior to that of warhorses.

“Even if the Imperial Palace forces leave to face them, they wouldn’t send the entire force. We know that, and they know that. That’s where their thinking would have changed.”

“Waiting.”

“That’s right. If the five thousand troops stationed in the east break through the Imperial Palace forces and approach, then they would strike together and occupy the Imperial Palace. That would have been their plan.”

“Yes, we all know that.”

“This was their basic tactic. But if the eastern forces are annihilated, what would they do?”

“You thought the five thousand troops in the east would finish the battle and enter Hebei in five days at the earliest, or eight days at the latest.”

“That’s right.”

“But battles are not that precise. If we hold the enemy for a long time with hit-and-run tactics, eight days could become ten days, or even twenty days.”

“That’s right. The enemy wouldn’t be unaware of that. In the event of an encounter with the enemy, no matter how ingenious the enemy’s tactics are, an order to break through to meet the deadline would be meaningless.”

“In other words, the northern surprise attack force must also consider the possibility that the eastern five thousand troops will be annihilated.”

“Yes. Therefore, the power of the northern surprise attack force must be enough to occupy the Imperial Palace in one battle.”

Yeonwi’s face hardened.

“…Yes, you are right. The Shin Hwa Church sent troops without notifying Gwanghyeol and Saeum. So they tried to carry out a surprise attack, but that alone is not enough.”

“That’s a great judgment. It’s highly likely that the Shin Hwa Church sent troops not just to occupy the Imperial Palace with this surprise attack, but with the intention of swallowing at least Hebei, and broadly speaking, Shandong and Shanxi, in the initial battle.”

“So, the enemy’s forces could be larger than the cavalry in Shanxi, which are presumed to have been sent by Saeum.”

More troops than ten thousand cavalry.

If you consider not only the numbers but also the destructive power of the cavalry, there is a possibility that they dispatched a large force ranging from twenty thousand to as many as fifty thousand.

Of course, it wouldn’t have reached fifty thousand. If it were that many, there would be no need to wait for the five thousand troops in the east. At least, that’s what they would have thought.

“Logically, considering the scale of the enemy, it is estimated to be around twenty to thirty thousand.”

“That’s something we won’t know unless we see it directly, but the unusual military discipline felt beyond the mountain range certainly proves that the enemy’s numbers are large.”

Yeonwi tilted his head.

“If it’s that many troops…”

Whatever it was, it was enough to fight a battle with the Imperial Palace.

“But as I said before, they are not fools either.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes sparkled.

“A large-scale battle is not just about winning. After winning, you must be able to fully control that battle. That has many meanings, but at least it means that a certain number of troops must remain to occupy the Imperial Palace.”

“Of course, that’s right.”

“One thing is clear, the distance to just behind that mountain range is the end of the front line that they are thinking of.”

“The end of the front line?”

“If it were fifty li away, it would have been difficult for us to know the enemy’s true nature. If it were forty li? We would still be unsure. But if they came within thirty li, there is no way that a Supreme Master [a very high level martial artist] wouldn’t feel that overwhelming force.”

“… !”

“Whatever their intentions, this distance of thirty li is the psychological end and starting point of the front line that the enemy is thinking of. It is a distance where they can maintain the best attack power without being too exhausted, even if they order an immediate charge.”

He had never thought that far. Yeonwi was impressed by his son’s insight.

But admiration was admiration, and reality was reality.

“Even so, the fact that they gave us time to prepare does not change.”

“That’s why I’m trying to send a separate unit. Because I don’t think those guys are kind enough to let us live as envoys.”

Yeonwi’s face lightly hardened.

“So… you mean to provoke the enemy first with that separate unit?”

It meant that it was not just a simple reconnaissance, but that they would fight and return in the worst case.

“That’s right.”

“There will be a Supreme Master on the enemy’s side as well. I’m almost certain of that.”

“That’s why we need to send a Supreme Master with the separate unit.”

“Should I go?”

It was not a joke. Yeonwi thought that there was no one better than himself to be the leader of this separate unit.

Yeon Ho-Jeong shook his head.

“Father is the general of our forces. If the separate unit is swept away and the enemy orders an attack, the command system could be a mess.”

“Then who are you going to send?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong closed his eyes.

He had many concerns, but he had made a decision in his heart.

“The separate unit must be able to conduct reconnaissance and even fight if necessary. But since it is a small unit, it cannot engage in a full-scale battle, so if a fight breaks out, it must be someone who can induce confusion in the enemy.”

“To induce confusion in the enemy, it must be a Supreme Master…”

“Among the Supreme Masters, we need to send someone who can further disrupt the enemy.”

“Then?”

Yeonwi was startled.

Yeon Ho-Jeong nodded.

“Yes. I will send Leader Gi Cheon-Woong.”