Martial God of the Sun and Moon - Chapter 426

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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 426
“This way! Hurry! We’re heading through the west gate!”
“You’re squad three! You need to go over there!”
The courtyard before the Jeonmu Army barracks was in disarray.
Disguised soldiers formed small units and departed from Maengseong.
Moryong Sohgyo controlled the troops with a voice so loud her neck veins bulged.
“Don’t forget! Three days from now, at the beginning of the Chuk hour! We depart before sunrise! Squad three, please prepare to move out now!”
It was just as Dokgo Myeong was finishing his preparations.
“Captain of the Jeonmu Army! Or should I say, younger brother!”
“Isn’t this the Intelligence Director of the Murim Alliance? Have you come to see me off?”
Ju Won-gwang, the Intelligence Director of the Murim Alliance, hesitated before speaking.
“Are you certain about this?”
“Certain about what?”
“You’re really confident about this, aren’t you?”
Worry dripped from Ju Won-gwang’s eyes.
Dokgo Myeong chuckled softly.
“Why are you suddenly saying this?”
“Don’t brush this off as a joke!”
Ju Won-gwang’s sudden outburst made Dokgo Myeong pause.
“What’s wrong? I’m Dokgo Myeong. Do I look like someone who would throw himself into a battle without odds of victory?”
“That’s exactly what you are—someone who throws himself in even without odds of victory.”
“…?”
“Because the moment you realize it’s something that must be done, you do it regardless of uncertainty.”
“What are you trying to say?”
Ju Won-gwang fumbled in his robes and pulled out several sheets of paper.
“Intelligence that came in from the Gansu and Qinghai regions.”
“There’s less than I expected.”
“Most communications have been cut off.”
“…!”
Ju Won-gwang’s face darkened.
“I have a bad feeling about this. Even the information we’ve received is murky, and I can’t see what’s happened to Qinghai and Gansu.”
“…”
“More than seventy percent of the Gaebangdo we dispatched have lost contact. The government offices and public sentiment in Gansu seem to be in an unusual state.”
“…”
“In other words, we don’t know what will happen. That region is remote to begin with, so it won’t be easy to provide rear support. Honestly, I opposed this operation from the start. Everything is too unclear.”
“Come now, calm yourself. Anyone listening would think you were the one going into battle.”
“You brat! Still, really…!”
“Ju Hyeong.”
Dokgo Myeong gently changed the subject.
“Doesn’t this feel like something from the past?”
“What old affair are you talking about?”
“Back in Shanxi. You came rushing over then too, trying to warn me.”
“…The hidden assassins of the Moyong Family?”
“Yeah, I really thought I was going to die back then.”
“How could I forget that? Thanks to them, we captured Am Seong-ju and dragged out those Jeongheol Sect bastards….”
Ju Won-gwang’s gaze drifted to a distant place, as if recalling those days.
A brief silence settled between them.
As Dokgo Myeong opened his mouth again, a blue radiance flickered in his eyes.
“It’s no different from back then.”
“….”
“If the entire alliance moves, that cockroach-like Jeongheol Sect Leader and the Grand General will just hide again. And somewhere else, they’ll lay eggs and breed more.”
“How is it the same as back then? What you’re facing isn’t some assassin of the Moyong Family—it’s a monster who’s reached the realm of Wuji!”
That absolute realm fewer than ten people in the current martial world had ever ascended to.
The Grand General, Cheonma Army, was a master who had reached the Wuji realm.
Setting aside pure martial skill alone, he was all the more dangerous precisely because his weapons weren’t limited to martial arts.
“It’s still the same. Because unlike back then, I’ve made extensive preparations. And it’s not just me. We’ve all grown.”
Ju Won-gwang’s expression turned serious.
An unusually cold voice followed.
“So you’re going to wager again? Your own life, no less?”
“I’ve never once in my life wagered anything without putting my life on the line.”
“…!”
“Because among all the stakes I can wager, this one has the best returns. It’s something I can stake freely, and at the same time, it’s the most valuable thing I possess.”
Dokgo Myeong tapped his own neck lightly with the edge of his hand and smiled.
Ju Won-gwang’s eyes wavered.
“It’s precisely because you wager your life so unhesitatingly that I worry about you.”
Dokgo Myeong suddenly turned his head.
The bustling air around them had grown quiet.
Those gathered at the entrance of the hall gestured to Dokgo Myeong. This was the last group he would lead away.
Dokgo Myeong spoke one last time, looking at Ju Won-gwang.
“I should be going now.”
“…Brother.”
“If you’re so worried, prepare a bottle of wine.”
As Ju Won-gwang’s eyes widened, Dokgo Myeong continued.
“No matter how things turn out, we’ll need at least a bottle of wine anyway.”
As Dokgo Myeong walked forward, Ju Won-gwang clasped his fists in salute.
“I wish you fortune in battle.”
* * *
A total of forty properly divided Jeonmu Army soldiers dispersed in all directions.
The effect of having the support of the entire martial world behind Baek was immediate.
“We’ve prepared swift runners.”
“Ah, you’ve arrived. This is a fast boat. It’s a monster of a vessel that tears through even narrow waterways, so rest assured.”
“Yesterday’s rain damaged the canal, but we’ve cleared it as best we could! It’s still passable by boat!”
Transportation, provisions, lodging, road conditions—everything was prepared.
Moryong Sohgyo had arranged the plan in advance through me, the military department had secured cooperation under Myeong-i’s name to eliminate variables, and the intelligence division had managed communications to ensure no mistakes.
All the Jeonmu Army needed to do was preserve their internal energy and stamina while moving day and night.
‘Fortunately, we’ve passed through Zhongjing. I thought there might be interference from the Paedobyeon, but there’s been nothing.’
The route I chose was the shortest distance regardless of terrain.
By boat, traveling upstream along the Yangtze River, passing through Zhongjing and Sichuan before entering Gansu.
Though we passed through regions where the Paedobyeon and Jecheonhoe were locked in war, fortunately there was no significant interference.
“From here on, we must travel by land. There should definitely be horses prepared around this point… Ah, there they are!”
Neigh!
Horses were waiting at the designated location, exactly as planned.
I leaped onto a horse while deploying my lightness technique and shouted.
“Everyone, move out on horseback immediately.”
“Yes, yes! Huff, huff!”
“C-Captain! Just a moment to catch our breath…”
“Rest while riding! Move out now! Hyah!”
My team members raced forward with grim expressions on their faces.
Though all the Cheonma Sect members were confident in their stamina and lightness technique, even they found this forced march nearly unbearable.
“Stay sharp, everyone. Don’t fall behind.”
“Huff, gasp! Yes! Understood!”
Jang Han-chung, one of the five elite Cheonma members assisting me, urged the regular disciples forward as he ran.
Moments later, he caught up to my side at the front of the column.
“Captain!”
“What is it?”
“Has something gone wrong? You’re pushing us awfully hard!”
“I told you! Time is life in this operation!”
“Even accounting for that, this is too fast! Everyone’s at their limit!”
At those words, I glanced back. I could see the disciples with pale faces urging their horses forward.
“We’re almost there. We’ll arrive half a day earlier than the expected assembly time, so couldn’t we slow down just a bit? Or… is there actually some problem?”
I clicked my tongue and slowed the pace slightly.
“Just a bad feeling.”
At those words, Jang Han-chung made a bitter expression.
This wasn’t just anyone’s intuition—it was mine. That never boded well.
“What exactly do you mean, Captain?”
“It’s been too smooth.”
“Sir?”
“Not a single obstacle. Not even a trivial variable to speak of.”
“Isn’t that a good thing!?”
Jang Han-chung desperately hoped I would say, “Perhaps it’s just my imagination.”
However, I furrowed my brow deeply.
“The Meng faction agreed to lay down a smokescreen, but that will be discovered within a day. That’s more than enough time for those Jeongheol Sect bastards to notice our Jeonmu Army has vanished.”
So what should we do?
They’ll definitely pursue us. Or at the very least, we need to create some obstruction.
If someone were to ask why we moved so complicatedly when we’d be caught anyway, it was to buy even that single moment of time.
The deliberate splitting of our forces was also to minimize the binding of our troops’ movement due to their interference.
“That’s why we’re hurrying now. If there are no major problems during the movement….”
“…then there might be a problem at the rendezvous point or the local base, is that what you’re saying, sir?”
“Yes.”
Jang Han-chung’s expression hardened.
“Captain. Then let’s go by lightness skill.”
“Will you be alright?”
“Lightness skill is faster than horseback. If I fall behind, you can go ahead first. I’ll catch up soon.”
Jang Han-chung turned around without even waiting for a response and shouted.
“Everyone, hurry!”
“How can we go any faster than this, sir!?”
“The Captain has a bad feeling about this!”
In that instant, the disciples’ mouths fell open.
“What!?”
“Damn it! Ugh! Another bad feeling!?”
“Curse it!”
“Dismount and move by lightness skill!”
“Yes!”
Though they grumbled, the moment the order came down, everyone sprang from their horses.
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!
Seven members of the Jeonmu Army, including myself, stamped the ground at a terrifying speed.
* * *
A mountain path crossing from Shaanxi into Gansu.
Yun Cheong, a disciple of the Gonggong Sect belonging to the Meorak Sect, handed over a water bottle after taking a brief rest and spoke.
“Huff, huff. From here on, we can reveal our weapons! Everyone, lighten your loads!”
“Phew, how much longer?”
“Soon! So let’s hurry just a bit more! Once we cross this mountain, there’s a relay station, and if we borrow horses and cross into Gansu, we’re done!”
Yun Cheong continued speaking while encouraging his companions.
“Once we reach Gansu, there’s the territory of my sect, the Gonggong Sect. We can rest comfortably by taking the water route to Qinghai, so everyone, let’s give it our all!”
“Understood!”
“Let’s go! Forward!”
Everyone stamped the ground at maximum speed.
Thud!
Yun Cheong led his companions at the front.
Not long after, a relay station appeared in the distance.
‘I had heard there might be an ambush. Yet surprisingly, there was none.’
Was it because we rushed? Or had they disguised their tracks so thoroughly?
Either way, no attack came.
But soon an unexpected obstacle appeared before us.
“Halt! Stop! Who are you people? Where did you come from?”
“We are not suspicious individuals! We are merely….”
“Show your credentials! There have been reports of bandit gangs causing unrest in this region!”
Guards in uniform were blocking the relay station that the Murim Alliance had requisitioned.
‘Why are the guards here at all?’
Yun Cheong’s expression twisted sharply.
“Please wait. We are martial artists traveling on martial world business. The government has no authority to….”
“Are you saying martial artists can defy the Imperial decree? We received a report that those who caused the disturbance were martial artists!”
“No, wait, what….”
Yun Cheong sensed something had gone wrong.
And at that very moment, a similar situation was unfolding among the Jeonmu Army soldiers.
“You won’t launch the boat? The wind is perfect—what’s the reason!”
“Ah, well. I don’t know, so ask someone else.”
The group found their feet bound at the harbor they had requisitioned in advance.
“Those are definitely them! The Black Blade gang that committed the massacre in this area!”
“We are not them! How could we possibly…!”
“Then declare your identities boldly!”
The group, caught in a misunderstanding while fleeing in panic, found themselves pursued by local martial artists.
The moment they approached Gansu, the Jeonmu Army’s movements began to be restricted.
In ways far too coincidental to be mere bad luck.
* * *
From Wuhan to Gansu.
A distance that would take two days even if a rare thoroughbred horse ran without slowing its pace day and night.
Yet Dokgo Myeong and his group covered that distance in less than two days.
“Huff! Huff! Gasp!”
“I… I cannot continue anymore.”
The manor, their designated meeting point, was visible to the naked eye.
The group members, who had arrived nearly a day earlier than the scheduled meeting time, each caught their breath heavily.
“This is definitely the right manor, isn’t it? The Gonggong Sect was supposed to meet the soldiers here and cross to the Blue Sea using the requisitioned ferry.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“But why….”
My eyes narrowed as I gazed at the manor.
“Those searching the manor aren’t Gonggong Sect members—they’re government officials, aren’t they?”
Soldiers in identical uniforms, emanating a stern presence, surrounded the manor.
“Search every corner!”
“Find every trace the traitors left behind!”
Crash! Clang clang clang!
The sounds of shattering and scattering filled the air.
This was supposed to be the storage location for all the equipment and supplies used by the Jeonmu Army. Yet now it was being ransacked in complete chaos by the guards.
“These aren’t local constabulary guards managing district security. These are properly trained elite soldiers.”
“Look at that military flag! These forces definitely came from the Provincial Commander’s office!”
The highest echelon of the regional military under the command of the Provincial Governor’s office—the supreme military authority of Ilseong—had mobilized troops.
“Captain, what should we do?”
I fell into deep thought.
‘I knew this would happen.’
I had anticipated such variables and rushed accordingly, but even a moment’s delay seemed to have cost me considerable time. I needed to handle this quickly now.
‘But is it even possible?’
I didn’t know. This wasn’t the time to waste time deliberating.
“First, I need to go assess the situation.”
I turned to face my disciples.
“Tae-ha.”
“Yes.”
“Go immediately and gather information, then contact the Gonggong Sect. Gansu is their territory, so they’ll definitely know the reason. Send word through Gaebangdo.”
“Yes, I’ll move right away.”
Im Tae-ha, a member of the first unit of the Cheonma Sect, immediately rushed off.
“Han Chung.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Scout the surrounding areas for information.”
“Jeon Myeong.”
“The rest of you check the nearby docks. It’s possible the waterways are also blocked. First, we assess the situation.”
“Yes!”
“Move out immediately.”
I headed straight toward the manor house.
I had been contemplating what to do, but when time was running short, there was ultimately only one answer.
“Stop! Who are you!”
“Dokgo Myeong.”
“…?”
“I am Myeong of the Dokgo Family of Honam. This is the manor I arranged to stay in. Isn’t there some misunderstanding here?”
“…!!”
The guards were visibly startled.
“Y-you mean this is your manor, sir?”
The Senior General’s face was clearly flustered.
Had they charged in without understanding the situation? His expression showed tension at why such an important figure had appeared.
“You’re saying this is your manor?”
Then, someone walked out from inside the building.
Clank! Click!
The harsh clang of iron armor used by the military echoed through the air.
A commanding general with an imposing frame emerged and fixed his gaze upon Dokgo Myeong.
He spoke.
“Seize this man immediately.”
“…?”
“I will escort the traitor.”

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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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