Chapter: 356
It’s a fact that the Empire was reeling and bleeding during the last extermination war. They were battered to the extent of losing their very souls to the Khan.
Thanks to that tear-jerking ordeal, the Empire’s paranoia toward the nomads hit an all-time high, and upon hearing news that the Khan had reappeared, they scrambled to mobilize a whopping 250,000 troops. Even if they managed to win the war, the journey through hell left them with a nice case of PTSD.
But if the Empire is in this state after victory, then how do you think the defeated nomads are faring?
‘In a state of bankruptcy.’
Honestly, the Empire didn’t gain anything from the war, but they managed to keep what they had. Didn’t they flaunt the awe of being the strongest nation on the continent with their steadfast thousand? Sure, they got walloped by the Khan, but in the end, a win is a win. If you’re upset, go on and return from hell.
However, the nomads lost everything: honor, hope, and practicality.
‘The higher you rise, the harder the fall.’
A 100,000-strong army gathered. A brilliant hero named Khan emerged. For the first time in history, they formed a single force. But in the end, they lost. With countless advantages, they still met defeat.
Thus, just as the Empire developed a phobia of the nomads, the nomads surely had enough reason to fear the Empire. Until now, they could have comforted themselves with thoughts of, “We’re scattered, so of course, we’re getting wiped out,” but after rallying under the Khan and still losing, it’s only normal for them to wonder, “Were we just rubbish?”
Of course, the nomads were monstrous, not garbage. The Empire, facing the Khan, was genuinely on the brink of defeat, panicking at the thought of a horrifying nation called the Khanate taking shape.
‘In the end, though, they still fell apart.’
Fortunately for the Empire, but unfortunately for the nomads—the nomads missed the boat to cash out when the Khan coin peaked.
Did they drive the Empire into a crisis? Victory was almost in their grasp? The war was a winner-takes-all game, with not even a participation trophy. No matter how glorious the process, if you end up losing, that’s just it. The nomads who couldn’t sell their Khan coins in time fell into the abyss. What was once a symbol of hope—the Khan—turned into a shared despair that exploded with them.
And in that scenario, the Khan’s bloodline declared themselves as the new Khan.
‘What a dog act.’
To put it bluntly, the Khan gathered every penny he could scrounge up and dumped it into coins before dying. Now, his bankrupt offspring comes strutting in, shouting, “This time it’s for real!”
If they were human, you’d think the appropriate response would be, “Get lost with that nonsense!” But with the Khan’s spicy punch lingering in memory, who would dare open their mouths? It’s better to bow down like a dog than to get killed over a careless word.
Sadly, all the nomads have left now is their lives.
“Maintain the standoff. There’s no need to approach first.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
As I gathered my thoughts and redirected my gaze, I noticed the Vice Captain breaking the silence, ordering the status quo.
Only then did I realize the emotions hidden behind his expressionless facade.
‘He must have caught on.’
The odd standoff and the dramatic eruption in the North—there’s no way the Vice Captain wouldn’t be aware of the peculiar situation. He must have recognized it as a sort of display rather than an actual battle, simply moving along without a care.
‘A display, huh.’
The seal in my pocket suddenly felt heavy.
Despite the Kaita tribe flaunting their insane presence, the war continued. We came here to fight the Khan, not quarrel with a mere tribe.
As time passed, the frontlines gradually widened, and the nomads began popping up here and there. Plus, tribes were starting to mobilize forces in the thousands, inevitably leading to fiercer battles.
But we weren’t engaged in scrapping with every tribe.
“The Kirghiz tribe is roaming around the Chagar front. Their numbers are around 2000, and so far, there hasn’t been a clash.”
“The Virs tribe, which had occupied the Keruta territory, has retreated. They used some spells during their withdrawal, but our casualties were minimal.”
Ever since the Kaita tribe kicked things off, several other tribes have begun to act like the second and third Kaita, only making their presence known without engaging in any real fight or just pretending to take aim while retreating. You could see they had no intention of fighting.
“The Kaita tribe has turned their heads, moving northwest past the frontlines.”
Even the reinforcements seemed to be bailing entirely. They even gave up the bare minimum of feigned intent.
One can only guess how far they were from actually engaging in combat if the reporting officer uses the term “turned their heads” instead of “retreating.” Clearly, this was not a bunch ready to rumble.
“Moreover, unlike other tribes, they are moving in a synchronized manner and at a relatively slow pace.”
Hearing that almost made me chuckle. These nomads are masters of appearing and disappearing, but their withdrawal is practically ghost-like.
They could only retreat to their territory, and if they called attention to themselves, it would endanger the elderly living within it. That’s why the fleeing tribes during the last war had hidden so persistently.
Yet the Kaita tribe moves almost brazenly. As if they’re saying, “Please notice us—this is where we live.”
‘What the hell are these guys up to…’
They’re so blatant it raises suspicion. Are they luring an envoy from the Empire, intending to ditch once they show up?
Of course, the possibility of that is extremely low. Putting their territory at stake just to handle one envoy would be madness. It’s like waging a war in the capital itself.
“…Keep a close watch. We can’t ignore the chance they might join other tribes and return to the front.”
The Vice Captain, apparently shocked by this crazy behavior, gave a delayed response.
I get it. It’s strange to still feel normal while your understanding of reality crumbles daily. The idea of joining with those other tribes might also be their last shred of hope—a sign that my understanding hasn’t completely shattered yet.
“Inspector.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“I need to step out for a bit.”
At the Vice Captain’s words, I quietly stood up. Since the report was in a lull, I had some time to sneak away, and since he suggested leaving, it must be something important he needed to discuss.
Given the timing, I had a pretty good guess about what that could be.
“We will need to move the Inspector soon.”
Once we reached a secluded spot, the Vice Captain spoke with a voice laced with all kinds of emotions. I figured my own feelings were likely not much different.
“I didn’t expect things to jump ahead this quickly.”
I suppressed that feeling as best as I could while chiming in. Though it was a segment of conversation cut short, we both knew what matters we were addressing.
The Emperor’s goal of subduing the tribes. With a tribe actively requesting to be brought under the fold, there’s no way the Inspector, tasked by the Emperor, could just sit idly by. For the Vice Captain, it’d surely be to his benefit if a tribe capable of rallying 3,000 troops surrendered easily.
‘I didn’t expect to see a tribe ready to surrender so soon.’
However, I would never have thought that the Kaita tribe would show signs of wanting to connect this early. I had anticipated only after a strong crackdown would defecting tribes pop up, yet here we are just after crossing the border with multiple defectors arising.
Maybe it’s because the tribes have high tendencies to bolt or perhaps the entire situation up North is just a mess. Or maybe it’s both? Either way, that’s pretty alarming.
“Though we haven’t pinpointed the Kaita tribe’s territory yet, we should get clarity soon.”
With a voice steeped in a strangely mixed sentiment, I couldn’t respond accordingly.
This information, learned not from our soldiers’ scouting but through the enemy’s voluntary revelations, must feel absurd and hollow for a commander leading the troops.
“Out of tribes showing a willingness to surrender, the Kaita tribe is the largest and also the first to indicate such intent. Therefore, the Empire needs to show some sincerity.”
“I’ll respond immediately once their location is determined.”
The quick response had the Vice Captain nodding in agreement.
Just as the Vice Captain said, the Kaita tribe was the first to express their intention to defect and the strongest defectors at this moment. Disregarding them to engage with other tribes first could result in unpleasant feelings and unease within the Kaita tribe.
That’s something we can’t afford. We can’t let an opportunity to gather 3,000 troops without a drop of blood be wasted.
“Ensure to take enough guards with you as necessary.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Since I was heading straight into the enemy territory, it felt wise to make the necessary arrangements for protection.
Of course, it isn’t needed. With my trusted Mukgwangdae around, any additional guards would be excessive.
*
The Kaita tribe withdrew from the front line.
“They’re quick.”
A sly smirk crept across my lips as Kesis, who was reporting on the frontline situation, lowered his head in deference. Almost as if he felt personally accountable for the Kaita tribe’s exit.
“Lift your head. This is something I expected.”
I said softly to Kesis. Who could blame a warrior who fought valiantly? And who could complain about a chieftain seeking ways to save his tribe?
If anyone’s to be blamed in this situation, it’s the guilty parties lingering around in the North who couldn’t unite for the greater good.
“How about the others?”
“As of now, the Kaita are the only ones to defect.”
“Ah, truly now? Wasn’t that the tribe lollygagging around during the last war? They’re incredibly swift.”
I cracked a light joke, but Kesis bowed his head even further.
Damn, am I getting old? My sense of humor is definitely dwindling.
‘They’ve sensed their worth and are getting enthusiastic.’
Sending off the dejected Kesis, I exhaled a sigh. Those Kaita who were quite literally moping around during the last war suddenly recognized their worth and began to charge forward wildly, as if they feared losing out on opportunities.
I did foresee this development, but I can’t help but feel a tad annoyed. If only they had shown half this enthusiasm earlier.
‘Damn them.’
But what can I say? It’s my fault for not providing them the proper incentives and trust according to their value.
It’s simply despicable to resent the seller when you fail to give the right price for your goods.
‘…I just hope they don’t get ahead of themselves.’
Then suddenly another worry pierced my mind. These guys are moving way too fast. How are they managing to withdraw before other tribes can even make a move?
At this rate, the other tribes will become frantic too, which leaves us wondering whether we can assign them a price that’s worth it.
‘We’ve gotta act tougher.’
It seems that hawkers have always had the toughest jobs, both then and now.
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.