Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 297

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 297
Geum Seok-du, who had been rushing forward with fierce lightness technique, opened his mouth.
“Everyone, conceal your presence. Focus by recalling the lightness training we did back at the main house.”
“Yes.”
“Deung-pyeong. Are you ready?”
“Of course.”
“Let’s start right now. This spot should work.”
“Yes, I think we’ll be able to see everything from here.”
The man named Deung-pyeong, whom Geum Seok-du had called, set down the bundle he had been carrying.
Various pigments and writing materials emerged, and when he spread out the paper, a map unfolded.
“See that passage over there? Those are definitely Jeongheol Disciples. There are roughly one hundred fifty of them. Mark it down in advance.”
“Yes. The actual terrain differs from the map. Could there really still be Jeongheol Disciples remaining within the Dokgo Family?”
“Who knows. Work quickly. We need to slip away before we’re discovered.”
Deung-pyeong nodded and moved his brush with practiced speed.
The other unit members pulled out various instruments to assist with surveying and recorded any unusual details separately.
Soon a meticulously detailed map was completed.
Geum Seok-du’s unit was filled with all manner of skilled craftsmen. Drawing a single map was hardly difficult for them.
“Once you’re finished, we move again. We’re going deeper.”
“Deeper from here? If we go further, we might be in danger ourselves.”
“Then we just run away.”
“What if we get caught?”
“We escape without getting caught.”
“….”
Deung-pyeong thought that their manager resembled the Captain more than any other manager did.
“Move out now.”
Geum Seok-du’s unit moved with the speed of wild beasts. Their lightness technique surpassed that of any unit in the Cheonma Sect.
Geum Seok-du spoke in a low voice.
“I need to grasp more precisely how our forces are being surrounded in this area. The map we received from the military division is too vague.”
“That makes sense—there wouldn’t normally be anyone to scout from such close range.”
The enemy’s troop positions and numbers were also marked on the map.
In ordinary military battlefields, one calculates approximate troop numbers by determining land area, formation, and how many people could fit within it.
But this was a battlefield of martial artists. People could be in trees, hidden beneath water or underground. Troop numbers depended entirely on sensing qi.
And….
“Roughly one hundred twenty people. But there’s an odd qi mixed in. That unit appears to belong to the Moyong Family.”
“They’re moving in groups of three. They’re definitely scouts. The ridgeline is dangerous—we should avoid it.”
“That’s our forces. They’re being surrounded but still pushing forward. Around eighty people or so?”
What distinguished the Cheonma Sect members, especially the managers, was precisely that qi sensing. Dokgo Myeong’s training method, which emphasized perception, had remarkably developed the managers’ ability to sense qi.
That was when it happened.
Geum Seok-du blinked his eyes.
“Huh? I think we’ve been spotted. Why are they heading this way?”
“Aaahhh! I knew this would happen!”
“Retreat! Fall back! Fall back now!”
* * *
“He’s returned, Captain!”
“Understood. Managers! Gather here for a moment!”
At Dokgo Myeong’s call, the managers who had been inspecting disciples throughout the area assembled without exception.
“Our forces were indeed scattered across various positions, but fortunately, they’ve all held their ground well. It seems we managed to prepare adequately after seeing the Captain’s strategy.”
Geum Seok-du quickly finished his report and unfolded a map.
The Dokgo Family’s forces were surrounded, scattered across a wide area.
What did that mean?
“It means the enemy forces are equally scattered.”
Moryong Sohgyo opened her mouth.
Though she held the title of military strategist, she was no mere scholar confined to her desk—she was a woman of martial prowess. She had taken to the battlefield alongside the Cheonma Sect and added substance to the tactical framework Dokgo Myeong had established.
“Looking at the map, I’m certain of it. At most, they number in the hundreds. Moreover, the Jeongheol Sect’s forces lack martial artists.”
Moryong Sohgyo continued speaking, her eyes fixed intently on the map.
“The enemy’s strategy is ultimately this: First, they’ve pushed the Six Thousand Unit into Namchang, a critical chokepoint, to block the main Dokgo force from entering Jeol Province.”
“Next, since we’re positioned widely, the Jeongheol disciples who’ve prepared traps beforehand exploit their numbers and bizarre tactics to tear through our lines and stalemate the situation.”
Dokgo Myeong picked up the thread, and Moryong Sohgyo nodded, bringing it to a close.
“Finally, the Pacheondae intervenes, crushing us piecemeal and forcing us into a defensive position for a decisive battle. The Jeongheol Sect’s main forces will likely move at that moment.”
“So? What’s your assessment, our strategist?”
“Though the strategy is already half-executed, if we reverse our thinking, it’s not difficult to overcome.”
The Jeongheol disciples and the Moyong Family’s existing forces had solidified the encirclement, but their forces were equally dispersed.
The Six Thousand Unit held the vital position, but simultaneously, they would only defend Namchang.
The Pacheondae was coming, but if the Dokgo Se forces reorganized before their arrival, they could avoid being crushed individually.
“Moreover, our forces possess two absolute advantages.”
“The first would be martial might.”
“Yes, the very power that makes us the greatest household under heaven.”
Though the Jeongheol Sect’s cunning had caught us once, the absolute martial strength that maintained the situation regardless remained.
“Second, the existence of our allies. Gae-bang serves as our eyes and ears, and the Three Great Households are blocking other routes into Jeol Province.”
“Before the Pacheondae can be deployed…”
“We can launch a counteroffensive instead.”
Moryong Sohgyo received Dokgo Myeong’s words.
“Excellent.”
No sooner said than done.
Dokgo Myeong sprang to his feet and issued his orders.
“Let’s turn the tables and crush them piecemeal instead.”
A plan to revitalize the front lines.
The Cheonma Sect began moving in earnest.
* * *
Agent 17 of the Moyong Family’s intelligence organization, Amseong,’s eyes gleamed with light.
‘Found them. Are these the ones?’
I spotted enemies moving at a considerable distance away.
They had been dispatched because messengers and scouts had recently failed to return.
‘They’re fast. Incredibly fast.’
They moved like a pack of beasts rather than a group of people.
I couldn’t fathom how they traversed so unobstructed. This terrain was unfamiliar to them as well, and they were running through mountain paths without hesitation despite being on a battlefield where enemies could emerge from anywhere.
‘Where did these troops come from? Armor, no less. Could they be from the Jeongheol Sect?’
The armor, the varied equipment, the way they moved together as one.
Communication with the Jeongheol Sect had always been difficult. Looking at them, they seemed like disciples, yet they also didn’t.
‘Enough. I’ll set aside personal thoughts. An agent of Amseong simply executes the orders given.’
Agent 17 turned his body and conveyed the situation to Agent 16 and Agent 15 through hand signals.
[Discovery. Moving due north directly toward the encirclement. Approximately ninety in number. Unable to identify friend or foe.]
Since they were separated by more than fifty paces, verbal communication would have sufficed, but I deliberately avoided creating unnecessary risk.
[Then dispersal….]
It was the moment I opened both clenched fists.
Flash!
Something gleamed in the shadows of the undergrowth behind Agent 16.
All three of us flinched in surprise.
“Screech!”
What burst forth was a peculiar creature resembling a tiger cub.
Agent 17 was about to release a sigh of relief when he suddenly sensed something odd.
A tiger, especially a cub, should have been wary—so why?
That was the moment.
Splurt!
Agent 16 across from us sprayed blood like a fountain from his neck and collapsed to the ground with a thud.
There had been no warning.
My eyes widened.
“Retreat…!”
Whoosh! Slash!
Before I could finish speaking, two streaks of sword light flashed past, and Agent 15 and I collapsed as well.
“Cough. Hack….”
Before my eyes as I coughed up blood, I saw feet.
A Jin-sa belonging to Ye-hwa’s unit.
“Rather than Jeongheol disciples, they smell like ours. Are they from Amseong?”
“…!”
Agent 17 died with his eyes wide open.
Jin-sa turned his body.
“Scatter bone-dissolving powder and bury them in the ground. No one must know we passed through here.”
Several other unit members silently began disposing of the bodies.
Jin-sa glanced down at the ground.
“Grrrowl!”
The Captain’s pet emerged from nowhere, baring its fangs in greeting.
Jin-sa felt a slight unease.
‘Did this creature spot them before I did?’
Jin-sa carefully stroked the beast’s mane and spoke.
“Let’s go.”
“Yelp!”
Jin-sa pushed off the ground.
I had severed the enemy’s eyes and ears.
Using the Captain’s words, the enemy would be terrified by now.
Nothing was more frightening than an unseen threat approaching slowly.
* * *
“Something’s moving! Strengthen the perimeter! It could be heading this way!”
The Moyong forces and Jeongheol disciples were moving frantically. Their surrounding units had suddenly lost contact.
It was eerie—downright terrifying.
The loss of communication with their own forces meant blades would soon be at their throats.
“Hurry! Either enemies have broken through the encirclement or reinforcements are coming! Prepare for battle and fortify the defenses!”
“Lord Moyong! Over there…!”
Someone was charging fiercely from the distance, covered in blood and wearing the martial robes of the Moyong Family.
It appeared to be a scout who had survived.
“The enemy! The enemy is coming…! Cough!”
Before they could confirm his identity, the scout collapsed in front of the fortifications.
A master of the Moyong Family watching from afar’s eyes gleamed.
“Bring that scout here at once!”
So there really were enemies!
The scout was brought before him.
“Fortunately, he still has breath! Call the physician! Call…!”
“Cough! Cough!”
“Can you hear me?!”
The Moyong master seized the scout’s shoulders urgently.
“Tell me their exact location and numbers. Where did these forces come from? Speak!”
“That is… the enemy…”
The moment the Moyong master leaned in to hear the faint whisper.
Splurt!
A burning sensation spread across his neck, and he felt as though all the blood in his body was draining away.
He stared wide-eyed at the scout.
The scout—no, Dokgo Ak—smiled wickedly and spoke.
“Why so surprised? You’ve done this often enough yourselves.”
A blood-stained dagger clattered to the ground.
Dokgo Ak drew a sword from the falling Moyong master’s waist and rose to his feet.
“M-My lord!”
“You! What is your identity!”
Dokgo Ak clicked his tongue.
“Ah, these people always ask the same thing. Can’t you tell just by looking? A disguised enemy with their head severed from their shoulders.”
“…!”
“You should have said something like ‘Did you really think you could infiltrate and escape alive!’ instead!”
Dokgo Ak spoke while casually flicking his sword tip.
“Then I’d respond with ‘Oh, of course. I am Dokgo Ak!’ I’ve practiced this so much, but… sigh.”
I tried to do it like my older brother, but it just doesn’t work out. This is why mere assassins who charge in without strategy are so unreliable.
“What nonsense!”
“Kill him! It’s an assassin!”
Dokgo Ak’s expression turned serious in an instant.
Soon, the Eight Trigrams Divine Force gathered upon his blade.
Whoooosh!
The sword light cleaved through the barracks.
* * *
Around the time Dokgo Ak entered enemy territory, Dokgo Myeong moved as well.
“Mu-baek. Go in first and cause chaos. That fool Ak must have deceived them completely.”
“Yes.”
“Dan-a, take the other unit members and rendezvous with Ak. Sohwa, head west and eliminate their cannons. Ye-hwa and Seok-du, capture anyone trying to flee and deal with the poison users.”
“Yes!”
“Then move out immediately!”
Thud!
Dokgo Myeong stomped the ground.
As always, he charged forward at the very front.
“Wh-What! That is!”
“An enemy! An enem—!”
Dokgo Myeong swung his Hyeonchul sword at the enemies with his full charging momentum.
Boom!
Soldiers went flying skyward.
The enemy forces didn’t even dare to resist. Who in this world would think to stand against a typhoon?
Crash! Screech!
Each time the Hyeonchul greatsword traced a black arc through the air, enemies scattered like dried rice stalks in the wind.
Then, a shout erupted from a corner.
“So it’s you! Dokgo Myeong! The great enemy of our sect!”
A man adjusted his twin blades and his eyes gleamed.
‘Interesting, you know of me?’
He seemed a bit lacking to be a military commander, so perhaps a First General?
Either way, he didn’t seem like an easy opponent for the disciples to handle.
In chaotic battles like this, it was common sense for masters to face masters. Having subordinates engage would only increase casualties.
Whoosh!
The opponent charged straight ahead, apparently prepared to die.
But Dokgo Myeong simply passed right through him.
“…What!?”
Thud! Crash!
Dokgo Myeong slaughtered the Jeongheol disciples behind instead.
The First General’s eyes widened as if they might tear apart.
“Wh-what…!”
“Krraaagh!”
The entire formation collapsed with a single blow.
Now that the troops were consolidated, it was time to destroy the enemy’s weapons.
Crunch!
The crossbows, shields, and wooden palisades the Jeongheol Sect had prepared were crushed and scattered in all directions by his sweeping attack.
Dokgo Myeong laughed coldly.
‘Your pure martial prowess falls far short.’
The Jeongheol Sect had been able to drive the Dokgo Family into a corner purely through cunning and meticulous planning. Among the higher ranks, things were different, but ultimately those below were substandard.
Hardly worthy of being called martial artists.
It was admirable that they’d managed to corner the Dokgo Family with such mediocre strength, but they were undoubtedly the weaker side. Once their prepared schemes were preemptively blocked, what remained was merely a rabble of insufficient martial power.
“You! Are you mocking me!?”
Thinking himself disrespected, the First General charged again.
But Dokgo Myeong didn’t even glance at him, instead seeking his next prey.
The moment the First General, consumed with rage, charged at his back—
“Not so fast!”
“Captain! We’ll handle this!”
Hang San-gwi and Bang Dan-a rushed in and ambushed the First General.
This was no martial arena. There was no reason to observe one-on-one honorable duels when the enemy didn’t.
“Krraaagh!”
“No! Protect the cannons!”
Boom!
A massive explosion sounded from the west.
It was Namgung Sohwa’s unit. They’d succeeded in destroying the cannons.
If the Jeongheol Sect had made thorough preparations to capture martial artists, the Cheonma Sect had prepared endlessly to capture Jeongheol disciples.
With everything blocked, all they could do was utter futile cries.
“Hold the line! Fear not death! Salvation comes only through blood!”
Slash! Thud!
“Form ranks! Retreat to the rear…!”
Crack!
“Ugh!”
Even the commanders who could issue retreat orders were all dead.
“Flee! Aaahhh!”
In the end, the Moyong forces fled, while the Jeongheol disciples remained at their posts to the bitter end, bleeding out as death claimed them.
It took merely two hours for the situation to be fully resolved.
“That’s enough. No need to pursue them.”
As Dokgo Myeong spoke in a composed voice, every gaze among the Cheonma Sect disciples turned toward him.
“Next is the west. Let’s move!”
Wherever the Cheonma Sect advanced, a path opened before them.
It was a blood-soaked corridor carved out by the very sacrifice the Jeongheol disciples had yearned for, making it seem nearly impossible to impede Dokgo Myeong’s advance.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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