Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 344

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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 344
“Captain! Never mind my life—the moment that beast charges, strike it down!”
“Don’t worry! If it comes to that, I’ll abandon you without hesitation!”
“Y-you’re serious? You said that for its benefit, didn’t you? Right?”
“No, so stop fretting! I’ll never forget your sacrifice!”
“Captain!”
At this point, my head was starting to spin.
Dokgo Myeong could maintain silence even before a beast’s gaping maw, but facing this absurd situation without warning made my skull feel like it was creaking.
‘Why in the world is that creature spewing Black Bloodfiend energy?’
Now that I thought about it, the Black Bloodfiend Lord had never been tracked down, and Jimeol Magoon’s martial arts possessed the nature of life-draining absorption…
Damn it, my thoughts kept wandering down side paths.
Even if I could ponder things, this wasn’t what mattered right now.
“I’ll capture one Bloodfiend here. One step closer to victory.”
“I assure you, you will not overcome me.”
“Among those who’ve said that to me, not a single one has ever won.”
Why does my tongue move so freely precisely when the situation is most awkward, even as my mind grows rigid?
Jimeol Magoon was the opposite. He was assessing the situation with cold clarity.
‘Simply accept the loss and kill him.’
It was a divine decree delivered through the Grand General’s mouth from the Sect Leader of Jeongheol Singyeong, the incarnation of Musaeng Nomo. It had to be fulfilled without fail.
Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk!
Murderous intent swirled in Jimeol Magoon’s eyes, and his dark brown Ji-myeol energy began to blend with his deep crimson Black Bloodfiend energy.
But with that came doubt as well.
‘Will his death carry weight equal to my own? Truly?’
Why had their god and the Grand General, who had spilled their disciples’ blood recklessly to capture him alive, now ordered his death?
A god does not change his words. Musaeng Nomo and Hyeolbul, who perceive the world across eternal eons, why would they…
That was when it happened.
Dokgo Myeong suddenly opened his mouth.
“Jimeol Magoon. Your eyes show you mean it… are you certain?”
“Your arrogance, having achieved some merit…”
“That stone staff you treasured—I don’t see it anywhere.”
Jimeol Magoon faltered.
“It’s rather loud, unsuitable for a night stroll, I’ll admit. But are you truly comfortable wandering dark paths without a staff? Want to borrow mine?”
Dokgo Myeong casually lifted his steel-bright heavy sword and waggled it.
Jimeol Magoon replied with a hardened face.
“Your tongue spews only delusion. How do you so disturb a practitioner’s mind?”
“Drop the empty courtesies. We’re hardly in a position for such things, are we?”
“Indeed… as you wish, Dokgo Myeong. As you say, we are not ones for philosophical discourse, are we?”
“Impressive—that shift in stance was swift. Truly a master. But here’s the thing…”
Honestly, I don’t even know what I’m saying anymore.
But in moments like these, I simply let my tongue move of its own accord.
“You must be curious why I suddenly appeared here, right?”
“….”
“On the other hand, I already know why you’re here.”
Dokgo Myeong grinned wickedly.
And in his mind, he thought:
‘I have no idea. Why is that bastard wandering around here?’
Fine. Still, my mind is starting to clear up nicely.
So what should I do now?
‘Come to think of it… isn’t this an opportunity?’
A perfect chance to deceive him and strip him of everything.
Dokgo Myeong suddenly felt blood coursing rapidly through his entire body. His confused mind cleared, and brilliant ideas bubbled up like a spring.
“…Good.”
At that moment, Jimeol Magoon’s eyes gleamed with bestial cunning.
“Tell me. Why did you appear here?”
“No different from you.”
“Pathetic wordplay and obvious stalling. There’s nothing more to hear.”
“If you want to hear more, come at me. I have nothing to lose, but you do, don’t you?”
“Nothing to lose?”
“However this fight unfolds, you won’t come out unscathed either…”
Dokgo Myeong continued with his characteristic smirk.
“You’ll be unable to participate in tomorrow’s battle. Then there’ll be no one to command that brilliant strategy Pacheonggun is preparing.”
“…!!”
“Or do you think those puppet-like soldiers will execute the plan on their own without you?”
Jimeol Magoon’s eyes wavered, and Dokgo Myeong spoke with a sneer.
“No matter how I think about it, fighting here seems to benefit me, doesn’t it?”
“You… surely you didn’t come here on a reconnaissance mission?”
“Can you tell? Well, you’re doing the same thing, so why couldn’t I?”
“Gasp!”
In that instant, Geum Seok-du inhaled sharply. His expression showed alarm—’What do we do now that he knows we were reconnoitering!’
‘Heh, just wait a moment.’
Dokgo Myeong’s eyes gleamed as he suppressed his laughter.
The fact that he came out on reconnaissance and discovered something couldn’t be hidden. One only had to think about where they met and the direction he came from to figure it out.
‘Since the hand is already revealed, it’s better to expose it first myself.’
Now this becomes a real game of reading the situation.
Simply escaping this situation and retreating would be third-rate. In a game like this, you can’t afford to lose and walk away.
Bluffing and winning with a weak hand is second-rate. Even then, you can’t rake in all the stakes.
‘Reveal my hand and make him believe his hand is stronger. Make him bet everything. That’s the key.’
Then switch my hand and rake in all the stakes. Now that’s first-rate, isn’t it?
“Strategy? What are you talking about?”
His tension was obvious, yet he tried to deny it.
Jimeol Magoon, you’re clearly third-rate.
Dokgo Myeong opened his mouth.
“Sohxing.”
“…!!”
“You’re doing something interesting, aren’t you?”
Jimeol Magoon’s eyes widened.
‘Did he really see through it?’
Surrendering Seoho and feigning movement toward Sohxing, then encircling and annihilating the enemy’s left army when they pursue. That was Pacheonggun’s plan.
But Dokgo Myeong’s next words seemed off somehow.
“You’re thinking of quietly joining Sohxing where the Moyong Family head is, using the darkness. To completely block our main force. Were you really so afraid of our family’s Geom Wang?”
“…?”
“Nonsense. You can’t escape our eyes. You won’t be able to leave Seoho.”
In that instant, an unbearable light of exhilaration flashed in Jimeol Magoon’s eyes.
‘He’s made a miscalculation!’
He’d seen Pacheonggun’s movements, but only half of them, it seemed.
He’d clearly interpreted the situation in an entirely different way!
‘Perfect. An unexpected gain.’
But something was strange.
Why was he saying this now?
“Are you spouting words even you don’t believe to escape the situation? What are you after, Dokgo Myeong?”
“Your panic is quite obvious. Well, it’s not like you can change your strategy now anyway… You’re trying to buy time through conversation.”
“Buy time?”
“Now! Hoa!”
That was when it happened.
Kweeeeeeoooong!
From the brush behind where Geum Seok-du stood in the distance, a bone-chilling beast’s cry erupted.
“Bite and run! Hurry!”
“Grrrrrrr!”
“Ugh, aaaah!”
Crack!
Hoa burst forth like lightning, crashed into Geum Seok-du, and bounded away.
“You bastard!”
Jimeol Magoon didn’t panic at the sudden change and immediately struck his seal, extending his palm.
A technique of the Black Bloodfiend, the Hyeolbul Great Master’s first move.
Crack-crack-crack-crack-crack!
A violent explosion erupted as the tension swept across the front.
Just as Jimeol Magoon’s eyes flashed and he prepared a follow-up attack.
Thud!
“…?!”
Dokgo Myeong had already become a speck in the distance, fleeing. The golden beast clung close behind, escaping as well.
Dokgo Myeong glanced back at the Jimeol Magoon who was not pursuing, his eyes gleaming with light.
“Hehehehe! That worked?”
“Captain! Did I do well?”
“Huh? What?”
“The smoke, sir!”
“You mean that breath you took earlier was actually smoke?”
“Actually, the whole thing about spreading poison was an act from the start. When I saw you sparkling your eyes like you’d caught a fool, I thought you must have some scheme!”
“Haha! That’s our Seok-du for you!”
Now it was a race against time.
I had to discern Pacheonggun’s strategy that I hadn’t yet fully uncovered, and devise a plan for a counterattack.
Dokgo Myeong unleashed the Cheonwae Yeongdan at full power and stamped the ground.
* * *
Cheonmok Mountain, Left Army Commander’s quarters.
“We will divide into a total of twelve armies and execute the advance. Since we won’t have time to discuss this from tomorrow onward, let me make one final inspection….”
“Left Army Commander. Rather than that, please retire to your quarters.”
“That’s right. We’ve already verified it two or three times. Please get some rest.”
“No amount of verification is ever enough. And I’m fine, so don’t worry.”
Dokgo Gun continued his conference with his staff officers deep into the night.
Everyone gazed at him with admiring eyes.
Even those who didn’t go to the front lines seemed crushed by the tension, yet here was someone who had to take the field himself, showing such dedication.
“Furthermore, there is something peculiar in the enemy movements reported by our scouts, so I believe we should discuss this matter.”
How could those serving under such a devoted leader rest easy?
Despite their exhaustion, they raised their voices again with gleaming eyes.
“It appears the enemy’s small units are breaking away.”
“Forces are being scattered near Seoho….”
“If they were gathering forces, that would be one thing, but scattering them is rather strange.”
The staff officers continued their reports.
It was possible that what seemed strange was strange because they thought it so. Still, if only they had known a bit earlier, they could have reviewed the offensive plan, but now they were in no position to do so….
“Speak your opinions freely.”
“Isn’t it possible the enemy didn’t know of our offensive?”
“Zhejiang is their own backyard, so they should see our situation clearly.”
“Might they have misjudged the main family’s intentions? Perhaps they thought we would avoid direct combat and that some forces would infiltrate….”
“If so, their guard would be even more vigilant. Does anyone have another opinion?”
“Perhaps simply that Pacheonggun’s control isn’t functioning properly….”
“While they are those who follow orders blindly, precisely because of that, they are more likely to move perfectly according to their commander’s will.”
Silence descended.
After contemplating the map for a moment, Dokgo Gun suddenly raised his head.
“Wait. Now that I think about it.”
“…?”
“No one from the Cheonma Sect has come. Not the Sect Leader… nor even a soldier or officer?”
Now that I thought about it, I didn’t see anyone from the Cheonma Sect.
The Cheonma Sect was a small unit with fewer members than the Dokgo Family’s regular martial forces, but the individual combat prowess of each member was truly remarkable. Their very presence had the power to influence the tide of battle, so their participation was essential.
“I’ll send someone to check on them. Perhaps they’re holding their own meeting.”
A moment later.
Clatter! Whoosh!
A woman rushed into the tent without even bothering with proper courtesy.
“Huff, gasp! My apologies. I am Moryong Sohgyo, a soldier of the Cheonma Sect!”
“Soldier Moryong, there’s no need to hurry so. However…”
A bright red bump was visible on Moryong Sohgyo’s fair brow. It seemed as though she’d been struck by something, though that hardly seemed possible.
“I have urgent news for the Captain.”
“I’ll hear it later. I’m conducting final preparations now.”
“It’s truly urgent.”
“…?”
“Our Sect Leader, the Cheonma Sect Leader… departed for direct reconnaissance of the enemy position about an hour ago. But his return is taking far longer than expected.”
“Direct reconnaissance?”
He judged there was a possibility the enemy might make unexpected movements, so he charged toward the enemy lines with one of our unit’s captains!”
“…!”
The command staff stirred with agitation.
‘How irresponsible…! And such recklessness again!’
‘Couldn’t he just stay put?’
‘No matter how urgent, this is too much!’
The faces of the staff officers darkened.
Dokgo Myeong was the sharpest blade the Left Army possessed. But that blade wasn’t just a blade—it was more like a demon sword. Always running wild on a whim!
“The Cheonma Sect Leader must have had his reasons. Perhaps his reason aligns with the strange feeling I’ve been sensing.”
“What will you do?”
“I’ll move personally.”
“That won’t do, Left General!”
The staff officers raised their voices in unison.
“It’s fine. I’ll bring some of my direct guard unit with me.”
Dokgo Gun calmly stepped out of the tent.
Boom!
But at that very moment, a piercing sound erupted from the outer perimeter of the camp.
All eyes turned toward it.
“Intruder! An intruder has appeared!!”
Chaos erupted in the camp.
A Black-Robed Man with the moon at his back was moving at a frenzied speed across the camp, charging in a straight line toward the command tent.
“Stop him! Stop him!”
“Don’t let him reach the center!”
Soldiers rushed from all directions to intercept the Black-Robed Man, but his speed was far too great.
It was a critical moment on the verge of explosion.
“Captain of the Left Army! Please evade!”
Yet Dokgo Gun simply released his grip on the sword hilt and clasped his hands behind his back instead.
In the next instant, the black-robed figure that had been charging came to an abrupt halt mere inches from Dokgo Gun’s face.
Boom! Fwoooosh!
An explosion of force erupted outward.
One of the guards hastily unleashed a gust of wind to disperse the sand and smoke.
“I have arrived. I caused quite a commotion due to urgent matters.”
There, the figure of Dokgo Myeong emerged, his dragon-scale robe billowing.
“What has transpired?”
“I conducted some reconnaissance and infiltrated enemy lines as well. On my return, I encountered Jimeol Magoon.”
Silence and stillness—eyes and mouths widening in unison.
Soon, cries of shock burst forth from those gaping mouths.
“Jimeol Magoon?!”
“Are you injured?! Physician! Summon a physician!”
“What in blazes! How did this happen! Infiltrate enemy lines?!”
As Dokgo Myeong raised one hand, his eyes gleaming with sharp brilliance, the commotion was instantly suppressed.
Dokgo Myeong turned his gaze toward Dokgo Gun and spoke.
“We must revise our strategy immediately—with utmost haste. If we execute this well, we can bury those Pacheonggun dogs with remarkable ease.”

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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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