Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 334

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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 334
Beyond the horizon, the last light of day vanished from view.
Ji-myeol Magoon stood motionless, his gaze fixed upon the encampment of the North Black Sky Sect.
“….”
Crack! Crackle!
Were there still embers smoldering?
From the charred remains of the barracks, crimson sparks erupted and scattered at his feet.
Ji-myeol Magoon, his face shadowed, finally spoke.
“So that was their greeting.”
“….”
“The Cheonma Sect again, always the Cheonma Sect. To inflict such damage in so brief a span—truly, they have a talent for making a raucous introduction.”
A harsh laugh, like phlegm rattling in a throat, escaped him.
Ji-myeol Magoon turned to regard the Northern Sky King standing behind him.
“What are the casualties?”
“There is no need to concern yourself. The damage is less severe than it appears.”
“Then why do you refuse to answer my question?”
“I said there is no need to concern yourself.”
“Would you prefer I have no need to concern myself… permanently?”
“….”
The Northern Sky King, who had fallen silent, gestured with his chin to the man standing beside him.
Only then did a soldier step forward and speak.
“Approximately thirty percent of the barracks have been burned. Various documents, strategic overviews, and deployment maps belonging to the Northern Sky Army, along with correspondence, have either been destroyed or fallen into enemy hands.”
“The martial masters?”
“Four from the Na-chal division have fallen, and eight captains from the smaller units. Additionally, the Na-chal King himself….”
“They selected only the strongest to kill.”
“My apologies. No one anticipated that the enemy would be lying in ambush to launch such a surprise attack.”
The soldier of the North Black Sky Sect reported in a voice that seemed to crawl.
“Even so, we got off lightly.”
At Ji-myeol Magoon’s murmur, the Northern Sky King’s brow twitched.
“Is that mockery?”
“It is sincere.”
“…?”
“They say demons carry with them eighty-four thousand vexations. That we endured this much is fortune indeed, is it not?”
Ji-myeol Magoon released a hollow laugh.
Yet from his eyes, a blood-red radiance flashed like lightning.
“That one always operates this way. Deception and bluster, temptation and illusion…. Remember well—the atmosphere of the battlefield will grow far more chaotic from this point forward.”
“There is no need. When we meet again, I shall personally tear that rat-like wretch to shreds. Today, he merely got lucky. Nothing more.”
“Hehehehe.”
“Why do you laugh?”
Ji-myeol Magoon simply shook his head in silence. Whether the Northern Sky King’s eyes narrowed or not, he was turning over the words he had just heard.
‘Luck. It’s all about luck.’
Not an entirely wrong assessment, I suppose.
But isn’t it strange? Not once or twice, but why does fortune flow toward that man every single time?
‘Dokgo Myeong. So this is the battlefield you chose. Just as the Bloodfiend said.’
Ji-myeol Magoon recalled the words the Black Bloodfiend had spoken about Dokgo Myeong.
-That one will definitely come west. He doesn’t even consider the possibility of his clan’s main force being pushed back. Once he shakes the eastern and southern fronts, he’ll immediately think to deal with Pacheonggun.
-If that one appears, discard all plans. Forget about contests of strategy and approach it with the mindset of stepping into a gambling den. That’s the only way to have a chance of winning.
Was there ever a schemer so meticulous and vicious? Even the Bloodfiend, who had contended with the Central Plains through intellect alone, had been toyed with repeatedly before meeting his end.
Yet the actions of one so meticulous were always incomprehensible eccentricities and irrational gambles.
‘But all of that ends here.’
Ching!
Ji-myeol Magoon turned his body, leaning on his stone staff.
“You should hurry to clean this up. The enemies will come rushing to see the end now.”
“Don’t give me orders. I shall handle it myself!”
Ji-myeol Magoon suppressed the ridicule threatening to escape his lips.
It was truly amusing. To willingly obtain an incomplete divine technique for a moment of martial power and strut about as if something had changed.
The arrogance of one who didn’t know what fate awaited him. What expression would that one wear if he learned what I had mastered?
‘It matters not. I’ve already gone through sufficient preparation.’
In any case.
Pacheonggun is strong and useful right now.
There is only one thing to focus on now.
‘Use Pacheonggun as a sacrifice to topple the Left Army, and capture that demon—Dokgo Myeong—who struts about as if he knows everything.’
The Divine One desires this.
My doubts about the righteousness of this war remain unresolved, yet Ji-myeol Magoon fixed his gaze on that single goal.
“I shall return.”
As he exited the camp, leaning on his stone staff, he opened his mouth.
“Inform the Grand General and the Moyong Gaju immediately.”
“What shall I tell them?”
The Black-Robed Man who had fallen into step behind him asked.
“That Dokgo Myeong has appeared here. That it is time to begin.”
* * *
Indeed, watching fires burn is just as entertaining as watching battles in this world.
‘Look at that smoke.’
But why does it smell so savory? What exactly are they burning?
“Captain!”
“Present!”
As the flames consuming the enemy camp were finally brought under control, the Cheonma Sect also gathered at the designated assembly point.
As if they had agreed beforehand, the managers reported casualties in turn.
“No deaths, sir!”
“None on our end either!”
“In the three squads, there are a few wounded, but nothing serious.”
Zero casualties, minimal injuries.
We sent the enemies fleeing without a single grave wound among our ranks.
“Here are the dispatches and maps. I gathered everything that seemed remotely important.”
Geum Seok-du’s unit each carried a bundle. They looked less like martial artists and more like a band of bandits.
Geum Seok-du spoke with a smirk.
“Those bastards will spend tonight drenched in dew, and they’ll go hungry until lunch tomorrow.”
“What are you talking about?”
“We torched the supply depot where they kept their bedrolls and rations. Didn’t you catch that charred smell? Dried provisions burn remarkably well.”
At those words, Dokgo Myeong laughed with satisfaction, gazing at the black smoke billowing upward.
“Now I see that fire wasn’t just any fire.”
It’s burning in the chests of those so-called Heavenly Kings and Na-chal Kings and Jimeol Magoon—not some late-blooming adolescent child, but a raging inferno of rage.
Thinking of it that way, my chest feels completely refreshed. Is this what they call fighting fire with fire?
“Indeed, people must observe propriety. Look, the old saying has no faults.”
“But that was stabbing them in the back while pretending to pay respects. Is that written in the old sayings too?”
“Isn’t stabbing people in the back while feigning propriety one of our Central Plains’ time-honored traditions?”
Geum Seok-du stared at Dokgo Myeong with eyes that said, ‘The commander is spouting nonsense again.’
In any case, the banter had to end.
Moryong Sohgyo cut in urgently.
“This is no time for idle talk. We’re being pursued.”
“Good. Everyone, let’s move out. There could be pursuit, so we’ll take a wide detour! Let’s see what the Left Army is made of!”
“Yes!”
The Cheonma Sect moved in perfect unison, kicking off the ground and beginning their advance.
It was around then that Cheolmu-baek approached.
“I have something to tell the commander.”
Cheolmu-baek’s eyes gleamed.
“I’ve found an opponent worth fighting. Keep your promise and give me the opportunity.”
“Strange. Why do I feel like I already know who it is?”
Dokgo Myeong let out a hollow laugh, then grew serious.
“The Northern Sky King?”
Cheolmu-baek nodded.
“I desperately want to test myself against him.”
Dokgo Myeong sighed.
“I’ve only crossed blades with him once, but he was no easy opponent. I was overpowered in raw strength.”
“So he was that formidable. I also fought the Na-chal King, and he seemed to be a martial artist specialized in that particular domain.”
“And?”
“That’s my specialty.”
“….”
“If we’re going to fight anyway, shouldn’t we challenge the leader?”
Cheolmu-baek’s blue eyes remained composed.
It was not the appearance of competitive spirit burning brightly. Rather, it was a gaze that coldly and endlessly assessed the one who would become my opponent.
Dokgo Myeong grew equally more serious.
“Even I found him difficult to face easily. It seemed he was already a considerable master before learning the martial arts they call divine techniques.”
“To that extent?”
“Yes.”
Cheolmu-baek bared his teeth and grinned wickedly.
“Excellent.”
It was a smile that even conveyed joy.
Dokgo Myeong, who had been staring at that face, suddenly felt a strange thought.
Perhaps he had been keeping this beast called Cheolmu-baek locked in a cage all this time.
“Tch, you really could get completely stripped bare by that guy if you’re not careful, you know?”
“Do you distrust me so much?”
“Then what?”
“I would feel hurt.”
“You bastard! If you say it like that, how can I say no! Is it too much to ask you to choose your opponents carefully one step at a time?”
Dokgo Myeong flared up in anger.
But now that such thoughts had crossed his mind, he could not stop this man.
“Very well. I shall create that opportunity for you.”
“I trust you, my Commander.”
* * *
Despite taking a roundabout route, the Cheonma Sect arrived at the Left Army encampment in no time. The two camps were positioned that close to one another.
“Welcome.”
“You’ve even spread out seats to watch. How was it—did you enjoy the spectacle?”
“The distance was too great to see well. Still, it was an impressive duel.”
Left Army Captain Dokgo Gun.
Deputy Captain Dokgo Hye.
These two people, whose presence made my breath catch each time our eyes met, welcomed Dokgo Myeong.
“Welcome. I am glad to see you.”
“I pay my respects to you, Aunt.”
“I have heard of your recent achievements. I am greatly relieved that you will be joining the Left Army.”
Dokgo Hye had not lost her elegant and dignified bearing even on the battlefield.
Which made her all the more incongruous. I had heard she faced the Four Heavenly Kings alongside Dokgo Gun, yet while everyone else was covered in blood and dust, disheveled and filthy, she alone remained unruffled.
“Our brilliant older brother—am I invisible?”
“Yes, and I am glad to see you looking well too, Yeon.”
Dokgo Yeon had joined them before I knew it.
My face grew heavy.
‘Look here and it’s Dokgo, look there and it’s Dokgo. This is truly a Dokgo hell unto itself.’
It was already overwhelming with just Ak-i and Sister Yeon in the Cheonma Sect, but now these two as well?
Whenever this cursed family gathered in groups of three or more, problems arose—was this truly acceptable?
Dokgo Gun, unaware of such thoughts, smiled and spoke.
“I’ve already prepared accommodations for the Cheonma Sect. You’ll find them inside.”
“Thank you.”
“Will you rest today?”
“No need. There’s much to discuss. We’ve brought considerable materials.”
Dokgo Myeong gave a cursory nod before rising and leading Moryong Sohgyo away to find a place to work.
“These are the military documents we seized from the North Black Sky Sect’s barracks. We haven’t reviewed everything, but there are important ones I wanted to show you first.”
Moryong Sohgyo selected several documents and spread them across the table.
“What do they contain?”
Moryong Sohgyo pointed to the document at the top and spoke.
“If you look here, it concerns troop deployments. Reading this section….”
“Our strategist. Could you skip the preamble and get to the point?”
At Dokgo Myeong’s words, Moryong Sohgyo nodded.
“The Jeongheol Disciples have withdrawn from the encampment. Now Pacheonggun is the only enemy force in this sector.”
“They’ve moved toward the center? Is that why you’ve been so diligent in eliminating scouts?”
“Yes. Repositioning troops means their calculations are largely complete. Looking at this….”
The explanation was quite lengthy, but the conclusion was simple.
The calculations were done.
All that remained was one final battle.
They too had abandoned any thought of defense and were aiming for one last decisive clash.
“Moreover, though not certain, their supplies also appear limited.”
“They’re not planning for a prolonged conflict. I’d already grasped that much. It also means the Moyong Family’s resources have reached their limit.”
Dokgo Myeong opened his mouth slightly.
“Do you have any intelligence on Ji-myeol Magoon besides the Grand General, the Black Bloodfiend, and the Moyong Gaju’s movements?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Because we won’t truly end this war until we’ve properly eliminated them.”
“Unfortunately, we have no intelligence on that from this sector.”
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes narrowed.
They’d definitely appeared on the front lines, but their movements were sparse.
This very place, where the Left Army faced Pacheonggun, was the main battleground, yet they hadn’t shown themselves. What kind of battle were those two plotting?
“We’ve already infiltrated multiple scouts toward Hangzhou. Once we determine their whereabouts, we can solidify our strategy.”
“Yes, well. There’s no helping it.”
Dokgo Myeong continued calmly.
“If they don’t appear, we’ll simply draw them out.”
“….”
After that, various minor details were discussed.
As the conversation neared its conclusion, Dokgo Hye, who had been listening quietly, asked calmly.
“If you don’t mind, may I ask one thing?”
Dokgo Myeong turned his head.
“Please, speak.”
“You spoke as though you had no intention of joining the Left Army. What exactly did you mean by that?”
“Exactly as I said. Just like this time, we’ll move like the Left Army without orders from above.”
“Is there a particular reason you insist on doing it that way?”
“It’s simply because I’ve never been fond of moving according to someone else’s instructions.”
Dokgo Gun, who had been studying Dokgo Myeong for a while, nodded his head.
“Do as you wish. I had no intention of giving orders anyway.”
“Then shall we get to the main point?”
At that moment, Moryong Sohgyo suddenly interjected.
“Before that, there’s one more important matter we need to address.”
“Hmm?”
“It appears there’s a traitor within the Moyong Family.”
“What?”
“Unless Pacheonggun anticipated that we would steal the communication records and deliberately mixed in false information beforehand, something seems off about the Moyong Family’s situation.”
What in the world is she talking about now?

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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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