Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 299

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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 299
Past midnight.
The Commander of the Myeongjeongjang, the elite force directly under the Elder Council of the Dokgo Family’s allied forces, received a guest.
“You said you came from where?”
“Gae-bang, from the Hu-gu faction.”
“There should have been an encirclement.”
“Don’t even mention it. I nearly died out there. I’m seriously thinking of quitting Gae-bang altogether at this point.”
A beggar who had truly become the picture of destitution grumbled on.
I couldn’t fathom what a beggar would do if he quit being a beggar, but the Commander of the Myeongjeongjang first unfolded the letter the man had brought.
“The Cheonma Sect… Dokgo Myeong, Commander?”
That name written on the first line.
The Commander of the Myeongjeongjang, who had begun reading the letter in haste out of surprise, quickly furrowed his brow.
‘A cipher?’
It was a natural precaution in case the messenger was captured. The problem was…
“The decryption key isn’t working. Speak plainly. Are you truly Dan-wi from Gae-bang?”
The Commander of the Myeongjeongjang glared at the beggar with suspicious eyes.
Dan-wi cried out in alarm.
“I told you I am! From what I heard, a phrase well-known to your family members is the key to decryption.”
“A phrase well-known to the main family?”
“How would I know? I only heard that the Cheonma Commander had a saying he used frequently…”
“A saying he used frequently? How would I possibly know such a thing…”
The Commander of the Myeongjeongjang paused for a moment.
There was exactly one, wasn’t there?
‘Surely not… that Jeongheol Sect Master’s…”
The Commander of the Myeongjeongjang shook his head vigorously.
It was no joke—there was no way he would use that in such a situation.
But the other party was Dokgo Myeong. The Commander of the Myeongjeongjang decided to test it by applying ‘that phrase’ to the letter.
Then, as if by magic, the text began to decrypt.
“Well, I’ll be.”
A hollow laugh escaped the Commander of the Myeongjeongjang’s lips. It was his first smile since being surrounded.
But the moment he finished reading the letter, that smile vanished in an instant.
‘The main force has no choice but to abandon us. A massive army called Pacheonggun approaches from enemy territory. Once Pacheonggun completes its deployment by unit, there will be no possibility of survival?’
If this was true, it was as good as a death notice.
But the letter’s contents did not end there.
‘At the beginning of the Mao hour today, we will launch a simultaneous breakthrough… and come to rescue you?!’
Watching the Commander of the Myeongjeongjang’s eyes widen, Dan-wi nodded.
“You’ve deciphered it? Then could you untie these ropes for me?”
The Commander of the Myeongjeongjang, who had been deliberating for a moment, folded the letter in half and spoke.
“Unfortunately, that won’t be possible.”
“What? Why not?”
“You expect me to trust nothing but this flimsy cipher?”
“…!”
“If you truly are Gaebangdo, remain detained for now. You won’t be able to break through the encirclement and escape anyway.”
The Dokgo Family warriors, already toyed with by the Jeongheol Sect, could not easily grasp at the unexpected lifeline that had descended.
Such scenes repeated across every battlefield.
By the time word had spread to all the battlefields, it was already deep into the night.
Late in the Hour of the Rat—roughly two hours remained until the promised Hour of the Rabbit.
Whether the scattered Dokgo Family forces throughout Gangseong Province would stake their lives on a letter remained unknown.
* * *
“Damn, there are so many of them.”
Dokgo Myeong stood atop a still-dark mountain peak, gazing down at the terrain below.
I could see Jeongheol disciples and Moyong Family forces coiled at every strategic chokepoint.
One misstep and I’d be like a fish caught in a net. They’d even gone so far as to erect makeshift wooden palisades and obstacles—clearly they’d planned this meticulously.
‘Do these bastards think they’re imperial soldiers? Petty wretches, the lot of them.’
I clicked my tongue and turned my body.
In the distance, I could see the managers and Cheonma Sect disciples looking up at me intently.
‘Still… they’ve grown well. They’ve become remarkably strong in such a short span.’
Real combat forges martial artists into strength.
Especially since Jincheonmu is a martial art born on the battlefield, all the disciples showed marked growth. I no longer worried about them.
Rather, what concerned me was….
‘Those troublesome relatives of mine. They’re the ones I’d worry about no matter where they went. Ugh, really.’
Either they’re arrogant or capable—but not both. I’m worried those unlucky main family warriors might doubt the authenticity of the letter and ignore it.
‘Truth be told, even I think the contents seem a bit unreliable.’
What if they think it’s an enemy deception and don’t attempt to join us?
Then I’d have to pull off the greatest blunder and flee with my tail between my legs?
‘Even if I somehow break through the encirclement and rescue them, expanding our forces won’t matter. If the main family’s movements lag behind the enemy’s, it’s all over.’
Of all places, I have to rely on the Dokgo Household….
Tsk, when there’s nothing else to trust in this world, I’m forced to trust my own family.
Then, Geum Seok-du looked up at the sky and spoke.
“It’s time. The Hour of the Rabbit approaches.”
Regardless, the die had already been cast, and all the stakes were in.
Now only remained to reveal the cards.
Dokgo Myeong nodded.
“Good. Moyong strategist, recite the plan one final time.”
Moryong Sohgyo spoke in a composed tone.
“We begin with Unit Four, Gwak Ye-hwa’s contingent. Create chaos under cover of darkness. After that, Cheolmu-baek’s unit strikes the outer perimeter.”
“Understood.”
“Understood.”
“Unit One, Namgung Sohwa’s contingent, creates an escape route and begins the advance. Once our forces finish joining, we transition into an awl formation….”
Moryong Sohgyo’s explanation continued.
The plan was actually quite simple.
Rush in, destroy, escape alive, and flee.
“After that, you just need to run. Circle widely around the enemy lines in a straight path and return alive—that’s it.”
Even Moryong Sohgyo had to pause her words several times at this crude, improvised strategy.
Beneath the waning moonlight.
The eyes of the Cheonma Sect disciples all converged on one point.
Their captain stood there.
“Good. Let’s go.”
“….”
“Let’s take one proper gamble.”
The moment Dokgo Myeong’s words fell away.
Whoosh!
The Cheonma Sect disciples began moving in unison.
* * *
In the deep of night, the surroundings remained shrouded in darkness.
While a soldier of the Jeongheol Sect stared into the impenetrable gloom, someone beside him spoke through chewing dried meat.
“Hey, brother. The enemy won’t even come, so take it easy.”
He was a warrior of the Moyong Family.
The soldier smiled readily and replied in a gentle voice.
“Thank you for your concern.”
“Anyway, you lot are so diligent. The enemy won’t come anyway.”
“Why do you think that?”
“From what I’ve heard, they’ve set up a net of heaven and earth. The moment any single point is attacked, they’ll surround and trap the enemy like a rat in a jar.”
The Moyong Family warrior leaned his back against the wooden palisade and continued.
“They’ve done it openly, so if the enemy has any sense, they’d know it’s a trap and wouldn’t come at all, right?”
“You’re quite knowledgeable about such things. Impressive.”
“It’s nothing much.”
The soldier answered thus, then turned his gaze back to the darkness.
“Hmm.”
The man shook his head repeatedly.
The fellow seemed decent enough at first, but sometimes there was something off about him.
Sleeping moderately and slacking off a bit—no one would know….
Sss—.
At that moment, a strange sound echoed from the distance.
“I heard a strange noise.”
“R-relax, will you? It’s probably just a wild beast at most?”
Though he spoke as if it were nothing, the man quietly lifted his back from the palisade.
If it were a wild beast, the sound should have stopped.
But soon the sound came again.
Rustle!
Something rattled and shifted.
Crack!
A faint sound of something crumbling.
Snap!
A sound like something scraping against something else.
The man stood dazed in thought.
‘Huh? This is… something odd.’
Wasn’t this strange?
Why on earth…
“The sounds are coming from our own encampment, aren’t they?”
The moment the man turned around.
Whoooosh!
Flames erupted, driving back the darkness.
Figures clad in black robes burst forth from the commander’s tent.
Above them, countless flaming arrows streaked across the dawn sky.
“Gasp! An enemy attack! It’s a real attack!”
“Sound the alarm! Ring the alarm bell!”
“Yes, understood!”
Dong! Dong dong dong dong!
The silence shattered in an instant.
“What, what is this?”
“Fire! The camp is burning!”
“What, what is happening! What’s going on!”
“Squad leader! Squad leader, there’s an arrow in your chest!”
The encampment descended into chaos.
The Jeongheol disciples and Moyong Family soldiers panicked and stumbled about.
No one controlled them. Rather, no one could.
The commanders had already breathed their last.
And a long dawn began.
“There, there! Something is coming over there!”
Boom boom boom boom! Crash!
A contingent of soldiers charged forward at a terrifying speed from the distance.
Muscular giants with towering frames, blue eyes, and iron axes the size of a man.
“The Blue-eyed Demons!”
“If they’re the Blue-eyed Demons… it’s the Cheonma Sect!”
Boom!
The makeshift wooden palisade could not withstand even a moment of that tremendous charge.
Obstacles shattered instantly. The world seemed to scream.
“Hold them back! Hold them!”
Someone with admirable courage shouted.
Even knowing that if I gave the command, he would die from arrows that flew silently through the air.
One, two, and just before counting three.
Screech! Boom!
An arrow from somewhere sent the man’s body flying backward, crashing into the wall.
Where in the world had that arrow come from, and how could it possess such force to hurl a man through the air?
There was no time to be surprised.
Thud, thud.
A martial artist walked through the chaos, and someone recognized him, crying out.
“D-Dokgo Myeong!”
“The Sect Leader!”
“It’s the Cheonma Sect Master! The S-Sect Master has arrived!”
Crash!
The entire encampment collapsed in an instant.
Three-colored vital energy shimmering brilliantly even through the darkness.
The arrival of a martial artist whose name had become synonymous with terror on the battlefield.
“Run! Flee!!”
“Aaahhh!”
Even martial artists could not remain composed before the terror of death.
Soon, a chaotic retreat began.
“Stop! Don’t pursue! We don’t have time for that! Just scatter some torches and move out immediately!”
“Yes!”
The Cheonma Sect vanished in an instant.
Beacon fires rose into the sky.
Now all that remained was for the enemy’s trap to spring.
* * *
The Moyong Family’s front lines erupted into chaos.
“What? They really came through!?”
“Are you certain it’s the Cheonma Sect?”
“Yes! Confirmed! The left flank’s thirteen units have been annihilated, and they’re breaking through the formation, moving rapidly.”
The commanders of the Moyong Family and Jeongheol Sect let out hollow laughs.
They were actually charging to their deaths like this?
Not in the decisive battle against Pacheonggun, not to breach the strategic stronghold of Namchang, not in the clash at Zhejiang—but in what was merely a preliminary skirmish, they would make such a foolish choice?
“What could they possibly be scheming?”
“It doesn’t matter. Let’s begin.”
“Send a messenger to the commanders at Namchang! Tell them the rats have fallen into the trap!”
“Deploy the Heaven and Earth Net!”
And so the battlefield transformed once more.
The Heaven and Earth Net surrounded the Cheonma Sect.
The retreat was already cut off long ago; all that remained for the Cheonma Sect was to advance.
“Destroy everything!”
“This way! Break through from here!”
A deluge of arrows and a tidal wave of steel.
The densely packed weapons of the enemy forces blocked my advance at the front line.
“Sohwa! Stay to the rear! Mu-baek’s unit is falling behind!”
“Yes!”
Forward, ever forward.
I screamed silently within.
‘Hurry! Please, move faster, you cursed household enemies!’
Once they realize this chaos is a deception, I’ll kick their behinds into motion!
Come! Hurry and come!
I’ve carved a path through here for you and us to escape!
That was when it happened.
“Captain! Over there!”
“…!”
“Something is approaching! The, the flags! It’s the Myeongjeongjang! Our allies have responded!”
Kwaaaang!
Reinforcements poured in chaotically from beyond the enemy’s outer flank.
A man who burst through the enemy’s outer defenses and charged toward me in an instant.
A haggard-looking swordsman took a sword salute and shouted with joy in his voice.
“Ally forces, Myeongjeongjang Commander Dan Ri-pyeong! I have arrived!”
“Shouldn’t you be moving faster? I almost left without you!”
“Hahaha! I never thought that insane plan would actually work! My apologies!”
This bastard, a mere martial artist commander, spouting nonsense about tactics? I’ll remember your face. When we return, I’ll set your mouth straight!
“Even if I die here, I will kill at least one more enemy before I go!”
“Just go ahead and die then! Shut your mouth and swing your blade! We’re all getting out of here alive, no matter what!”
“Jeon Myeong!”
From behind, I heard Dan Ri-pyeong’s voice shouting, “Ah! And it’s Dan Ri, not Dan!”
‘That bastard is definitely a nuisance!’
Regardless, he came at the right time!
I shouted.
“Break through immediately! Full speed ahead!”
Kwaaaang!
Explosions hammered at our eardrums relentlessly.
Still, we couldn’t stop. Now enemies surrounded us on all sides.
We had to run and run again.
“We’ve broken through! No, wait! There are more enemies on the side ridge!”
“Everyone take the internal injury medicine now! Hurry!”
“Yes!”
“If there’s any jerky or rations left, eat whenever you get a chance! Even if you feel like vomiting, just force it down!”
We ran while consuming the internal injury medicine, swallowing food, and gulping down water.
Everything tasted like blood. At this point, I couldn’t tell if it was my blood or the enemy’s.
Crash!
“Right flank! Arrows from the right…!”
“Dokgo Ak!”
“Understood!”
The back of my head felt hot and sticky.
I glanced back and saw an overwhelming number of enemies surging forward.
But this place wasn’t filled with enemies alone.
Flutter!
The world had greeted the break of dawn.
Instead of pitch-black darkness, a pale sky stretched out, and banners began to flutter across it.
If those weren’t flags the enemy had seized….
“We greet the Dragon Blood! I am Jeong, Commander of the Sword Division! I have answered your call!”
One.
“You truly came! We have many wounded, Young Master!”
Another.
“Kahahaha! I thought I’d die of thirst, but I’ll quench it with the enemy’s blood! I am Bang-cheon of the Northern Heaven Division!”
Yet another.
The number of following banners increased.
“The wounded and the dead—Geum Seok-du’s unit will handle them! Positioning as you see fit! I’ll hold the front line, so everyone follow me! Hurry!”
“Leave us behind! We can’t hold you back! The dead can wait…!”
“Shut that bastard’s mouth! Do as I say, you fool! Stop acting like you’re the only one bearing the weight of the world!”
Our forces grew, and even more enemies filled the surroundings.
My entire body was soaked in blood.
Was this the enemy’s blood, or our own?
Flash!
The sun cresting the ridge of some nameless mountain I’d rushed to in the chaos finally pushed back the darkness completely.
And stretching endlessly along the ridge was a vast formation of soldiers.
Dokgo Myeong ground his teeth and roared.
“Cheonma…!”
He paused, about to cry out the Cheonma Sect’s name by habit.
No.
It wasn’t just the Cheonma Sect anymore, was it?
“Dokgo Household!”
“…!”
“Don’t fall behind! Show the power of the greatest clan under heaven!”
“Yes!”
“We break through the Heavenly Net!”
Do you know?
That the Heavenly Net exists precisely to be broken through.

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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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