Dark Sky Village
“Now, let us all head to our designated positions.”
The next morning, I received the command to lead the White Guard from Mangnyang. After spending the night reading the Art of War by Sun Tzu, I felt confident enough in the basic strategies and tactics it contained. Dressed in the attire of a Military Strategist, Mangnyang stood before the great army.
The Military Commanders gathered here wore expressions of discontent towards Mangnyang. Naturally, it was difficult for experienced generals to accept that a mere scholar suddenly had authority over tens of thousands of troops.
However, Mangnyang stood before the troops unphased and bellowed,
“Advance!”
And slowly, I felt the massive army begin to move. Riding on horseback, I began to follow the procession of the White Guard. I was aware that our forces were outnumbered compared to those stationed to defend the capital. Still, leading from the very front of tens of thousands was an immense pressure.
Was Mangnyang really not feeling any tension while leading such a massive force? Glancing at him, I saw that rather than being nervous, Mangnyang was casually engaging in strategies, drawing them out skillfully. I looked at the faces of the other Military Commanders riding alongside, but they too showed no sign of worry.
It soon became clear that General Hwang Yeon‘s presence was a source of comfort. Although Mangnyang was the one giving the orders, General Hwang Yeon’s support held significant weight. Normally, generals who would scoff at a scholar like Mangnyang now followed his commands uniformly.
Our army marched for about a day until we reached a plain thirty li away from Luoyang. There, I soon spotted the dark mass of the enemy forces, already entrenched on the horizon.
Kururur…
It seemed as if clouds were rising. It felt surreal to know that so many humans could gather in one place.
200,000 troops!
This included over 100,000 Elite Imperial Troops poised for battle. The dark cavalry was organized and ready to charge, with well over thousands in waiting.
They seemed to be taking a cautious approach, not launching an immediate attack. Just then, someone from the enemy side rode forward and shouted,
“Rebels! Why do you dare oppose the imperial decree and invite foolish death upon yourselves? Do you wish to follow the traitor, Hwang Yeon, to your demise? His Majesty does not consider you all as traitors. Lay down your spears and swords and surrender now!”
It was a form of psychological warfare, attempting to instill disarray among our ranks for an easier battle. Mangnyang, grinning wickedly, commanded the Master Archer of the Northern Dragon Troops beside him,
“Blow his head off.”
“Yes.”
Perbuck!
In an instant, the Master Archer’s arrow soared beyond double the usual range, piercing through the provocateur’s forehead. I watched in astonishment at the impressive skill.
‘What incredible marksmanship!’
The Master Archer of the Northern Dragon Troops would likely be regarded as an exceptional master in the martial realm. Under General Hwang Yeon, the Northern Dragon Troops had undergone extreme training, solidifying their prowess in military combat for decades, so the archer leading them was not to be underestimated.
Daghak
As the provocateur fell horrifically from his horse, Mangnyang stepped slightly forward, intensifying his internal energy and shouted,
“[We do not defy His Majesty! We merely seek to dispel the flatterers and puppets misleading him, forging a bright and glorious future for the Great Ming Empire! General Hwang Yeon did not make this decision without reason! The abuses of the Golden Eagle Guards and the East Factory have become so severe that it has begun to harm the ordinary populace!]”
He clenched his fist and declared,
“[This is patriotism! Can you not feel the resolute determination of General Hwang Yeon as fellow soldiers?]”
Strangely enough, I could see the enemy’s formation wavering. For one, the name General Hwang Yeon commanded absolute trust among soldiers. Moreover, Mangnyang’s oratory skills resonated with incredible appeal.
Then, the enemy commander screamed in frustration,
“Charge! Silence that fool!”
Kururur
Dust clouds began to rise. Tens of thousands rushed forth as if a tide was rolling in. In a situation like this, facing such overwhelming numbers on the plain, the smaller force would surely struggle. I was curious how Mangnyang intended to handle it.
“The enemy’s vanguard comprises cavalry. Artillery, ready one shot!”
Mangnyang raised his hand.
“Fire the Red Cannon!”
Kwahwaqwaqwang!!
That moment, it felt like fireworks exploded from the heavens. Thousands of Red Cannons positioned at the front fired simultaneously, raining hell on the charging cavalry. Hundreds and even thousands of cavalry were shredded and fell, chaos erupting on the battlefield.
“Uaaagh!”
“Aaaagh!”
The power was so intense that the enemy forces hesitated in their assault. I could hear Mangnyang muttering from his command perch,
“Though the Great Ming Empire is vast, with exceptions of a few naval units, only the Northern Dragon Troops are operationally utilizing the Red Cannon at the front line. With this, we’ve broken the enemy’s front line.”
Thumpthumpthump
Yet, enemy attacks were still pouring in. It seemed they were intent on pushing through despite the circumstances. The distance between the two armies shrank to about thirty paces.
Then Mangnyang waved a flag twice.
“Strike!”
A loud drumbeat filled the air.
Suddenly, our formations scattered like beans spilling from a bag. Mangnyang had meticulously organized our troops beforehand, with captains and leaders interpreting the flags to move with precision. I too led the White Guard, frantically dispersing to join in the chaos.
Moments later, the scattered units seemed to be attempting to engage in individual combat before converging back to the left as they began striking at the enemy’s flanks. The tactics were so curious that, from the frontlines, I could barely comprehend how events were unfolding.
Chaeeng clang –
Kwaaang
Wow! What was happening? All I knew was that I had one job:
“Charge!”
Leading the White Guard, I swung my sword and spear, cutting through the enemies. As I cleaved through armored soldiers, I realized how much more effective and powerful the spear was compared to the sword. The spear truly was an essential weapon of war. While I had more strength with a sword, the spear was so efficient that I soon found myself wielding it exclusively.
Amidst the frenzy of slaughter, I began to feel a wave of exhaustion.
‘What’s going on? There seems to be no end!’
Chuwak
Kakang!
“Oooooo!!”
I had slain nearly 200, no, around 300 enemies. My swordlight surged with immense internal energy, severing three or four at a time in each swing. Under ordinary circumstances, this level of kills would have decimated most factions in a clash. However, as I kept cutting down foes, they seemed to be arriving from all directions like an endless swarm of insects.
This was no longer just a matter of martial skill. Moreover, when facing heavily armored soldiers, it became increasingly difficult to eliminate them with a single strike without the use of sword energy or flames. I was feeling more and more detached, engaging in repeated slaughter yet gradually losing myself in the chaos of the battlefield. Luckily, my skills helped ensure the White Guard that followed me sustained minimal casualties, yet I couldn’t shake off the feeling of futility.
Is this what war truly is?
In a fleeting moment, I grasped how insignificant one’s martial skills could be in a massive battle. It felt like confronting a gargantuan, immortal entity called an [Army].
Kwa-lung!
Suddenly, part of the enemy mass crumbled, and I saw our troops surging unexpectedly into the opening like a sudden storm. After a flash of lightning, I identified Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong amongst them, and it all began to make sense.
‘They must have divided their forces to ambush from behind!’
This wasn’t a haphazard clash on the plains. From the outset, Mangnyang had planned for this, anticipating where the meeting with the enemy would occur.
That wasn’t all.
Kururur
“Move!”
With Mangnyang’s clear shout, the flag was brought to life, and within 30 seconds, that movement reached the rear of the massive force.
Even in a head-on confrontation on the plains, our troops moved synergistically under Mangnyang’s command, efficiently repelling multi-faceted attacks. The enemy, unable to perceive the advantage of their own numbers, found their focus split due to the shelling from the front. To crush elite forces in a frontal rotation on the plains clearly demonstrated Mangnyang’s incredible tactical leadership.
I couldn’t help but marvel inwardly. Even from the frontlines, I had no idea how the battle was progressing. Yet Mangnyang could visualize each troop as hundreds in his mind, orchestrating an organic flow to annihilate the enemy forces. His tactical command level was beyond imagination.
Surely only a minuscule fraction of those called generals might possess such a talent. General Hwang Yeon certainly did not overestimate Mangnyang.
Kwa-ka-kwang!
“Uoooooo!!”
“Charge! The shield troops have broken through!”
“Cavalry, advance!”
Incredibly, the rotation on the plains, despite being outnumbered three to one, was shifting increasingly in our favor as if a master martial artist was effortlessly suppressing a mere amateur. More than half the enemy forces had already dwindled, while our side, aside from the frontmost troops, had suffered little in losses.
“Ugh, ugh! I heard it was a White Scholar leading, and not General Hwang Yeon?! How can this be?!”
In the midst of my mindless fighting, I found myself close to a shrieking commander. Given the richness of his attire, I suspected he was of some high rank, so I charged forward to attack.
“No!”
“Block him!”
To my surprise, five members of the Golden Eagle Guards lunged simultaneously in defense of the commander. Each of them appeared to be top-tier skilled enough to catch me off guard. I hadn’t expected to encounter the Golden Eagle Guards in battle!
‘Against masters, the sword is better suited.’
I swiftly switched weapons. Using the Ten Thousand Victories Sword Method, I unleashed a Rolling Slash that disrupted their movements. The air quivered as their blades were effortlessly deflected, sending them bouncing off in every direction.
“Ugh?!”
“What kind of swordplay is this…?!”
The Golden Eagle Guards were left astonished by the unforeseen effects of the Rolling Slash. As they stumbled back, I swiftly swung my sword horizontally, severing the commander’s neck.
In a swish, his head flew through the air, and I caught it triumphantly, shouting,
“I’ve defeated the enemy general!”
Uoooooo!!
Cheers erupted around me. Our nearby soldiers and officers roared in delight. One commander cheered,
“My goodness!! You’ve slain their chief commander!”
“……?!”
Wait, he was the chief commander?!
Now that I think about it, no wonder the Golden Eagle Guards had been clustered around him in a protective formation. Seeing me claim the commander’s head, their faces turned grim as they began to retreat. I stood there, scratching my head in disbelief, realizing I had just achieved a monumental victory.
‘Is this enough to say I’ve done my part?’
That day’s engagement ended in a resounding victory for our forces. I either killed enemy soldiers or captured them as prisoners. Mangnyang’s orders to take prisoners of war were rooted in the need to extract information from them.
When we reviewed the battle results, nearly 120,000 of the enemy had either died or been injured, while the remainder surrendered or fled. On the other hand, our losses totaled merely 15,000 troops, most of whom were mostly injured. We had overwhelmingly triumphed in the head-on encounter on the plains.
There’s no greater victory than this, truly. It would likely be remembered throughout the annals of the Great Ming Empire‘s military history.
I couldn’t quite comprehend why our victory had been so dominating. Could such a significant difference stem solely from the commander’s capabilities? When I asked Mangnyang about it, he chuckled heartily,
“Of course, no matter how exceptional my command is, it alone cannot guarantee victory. It’s due to the qualitative difference between the Royal Bodyguards and the Northern Dragon Troops.”
“Qualitative difference?”
“Indeed.”
Mangnyang flared the Five Colored Radiance.
“The Royal Bodyguards boast excellent equipment and training, but that’s all. They have hardly encountered a ‘real’ enemy in their lifetimes. You could say their combat experience is nearly nonexistent.”
“Ah, I see.”
“On the other hand, the Northern Dragon Troops contain not only remnants of the frontline but also veterans who survived through numerous battles, with each soldier harboring tremendous combat experience. Essentially, the Northern Dragon Troops are the elite guard personally trained by General Hwang Yeon.”
With the Northern Dragon Troops as the backbone, they employed superior Red Cannons to dominate the range and swept through the battlefield. Meanwhile, Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong led separate squads that continuously assassinated enemy commanders, weaving our forces seamlessly into the enemy ranks. It would be odd if we lost!
“…..”
Surely, Mangnyang was right. All sorts of factors combined to produce our victory.
But even so, without the steadfast leadership of Mangnyang, our chances of winning would have been abysmal regardless of how powerful the Northern Dragon Troops or Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong were. I, leading the White Guard from the front, understood this better than anyone else. Every maneuver made during the engagement went without a single error.
‘A genius in war…’
An unparalleled master of strategy and tactics, that’s Mangnyang.
I made slight modifications to the descriptions.
I received three messages regarding discomfort with the heated discussions in the comments, so I have deleted the related comments for now.
I would appreciate it if we could avoid excessive debates.
Thanks to every reader as always ^^;; I hope everyone can enjoy it happily.
I will strive to present even better works in the future.
