The Legend of Red Cloud - Chapter 66

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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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Episode 66. Night Raid, and Ambush
The night before battle carries a tension higher than any daylight hour. Everyone fears the enemy’s night raid.
Those sleeping did so with their shoes still on, and the sentries’ eyes gleamed sharp as blades.
It was on such a night that Ryu came looking for the Heuk Ya Commander.
“What is it?”
“From the atmosphere, it seems they’re planning to settle this in direct combat tomorrow.”
Ryu was a unit commander; his counterpart was the Heuk Ya Commander, who commanded dozens of unit commanders.
Under normal circumstances, they should have maintained strict deference between their ranks—yet neither the one asking nor the one answering seemed to care about such formalities.
Then again, even the Heuk Ya Commander had sought Ryu’s counsel more than once before.
“That’s the operational order I received.”
“The casualties will be enormous.”
The Heuk Ya Commander nodded at Ryu’s words.
“You’ve already guessed as much, I’m sure, but there’s a reason for these losses.”
“Do you want the Baek Ui Ryeon to be more aggressive? Or are you trying to deliver them a shock?”
“Both, probably. They’re planning to shake them out of their complacency and deal them a harsh blow at the same time.”
“A commander cannot survive a battle like this.”
A bitter smile crossed the Heuk Ya Commander’s lips at Ryu’s words.
“Our Alliance Leader said so himself—that my name will shine brightest in death.”
“I never took you for someone who craved honor.”
There was surprise in Ryu’s question, and the Heuk Ya Commander shrugged in response.
“Money. My younger brother got into trouble. We could manage the living expenses, but he ran up a considerable debt because of it. What can I do? He’s still my brother, my blood.”
“The others…?”
“The Baek Yi Unit probably doesn’t, but most of the Heuk Ya Unit has likely figured it out. They’re not so foolish as to fail to understand why they’re being left behind and sent into this.”
His words meant that most of the Heuk Ya Unit had already accepted death.
And that meant each of them carried their own reasons for bearing that burden—just as the Heuk Ya Commander did.
He did not pity their circumstances.
On Saja Plain, no one was free from hardship.
Still.
Ryu, who had glanced briefly at the deathly quiet night encampment, posed a question to the Heuk Ya Commander.
“Are you truly resolved to die?”
“There is no other path.”
“If there were?”
At Ryu’s question, the Heuk Ya Commander studied him for a moment, then asked in return.
“What are the odds?”
“With good fortune, half of you. At worst, a quarter will survive.”
At Ryu’s answer, the Heuk Ya Commander’s gaze swept across the night encampment where the Heuk Ya Unit and Baek Yi Unit rested.
If direct combat broke out at midday tomorrow, most of them would not survive.
The forces were evenly matched in skill, but the Maeng Ui Dan was outnumbered.
Yet they would not withdraw.
The result of such a battle was predictable.
Mutual Destruction.
Both sides annihilating each other, both crumbling to dust.
The casualties on both sides would be catastrophic.
And it was clear that the Maeng Ui Dan, short on numbers, would suffer even greater losses.
Everyone knew that desertion awaited punishment worse than death, so none would flee.
At best, a few dozen would survive to be captured; at worst, they must prepare for total annihilation.
Yet Ryu claimed that even in the worst case, a quarter would live.
“Are you certain?”
……
Ryu’s only response was a silent nod, his expression utterly calm.
Reading emotion from Ryu’s face had always been difficult, even from the beginning.
So the Heuk Ya Commander had long since given up trying to discern the truth.
Still.
“Even if it succeeds, those above won’t approve.”
“I don’t care. I’ve never approved of what the higher-ups do either.”
At Ryu’s reply, the Heuk Ya Commander let out a quiet laugh and gestured to a nearby sentry.
Ryu watched him impassively as the Heuk Ya Commander explained.
“To discuss this properly, we’ll need the Baek Yi Commander present.”
At his words, Ryu silently nodded his assent.
Recognizing this agreement, the Heuk Ya Commander ordered the sentry to fetch the Baek Yi Commander.
Shortly after, the commander of the Baek Yi Unit was summoned.
“Found it…….”
The Baek Yi commander paused mid-sentence as he noticed Jeok Sa standing off to one side with his arms folded, then continued.
“…or so I heard. What’s the matter?”
In response to the question from Yong Hyeon, commander of the Baek Yi Unit, the Heuk Ya Commander explained the situation so far.
Of course, he omitted the part about intentionally sacrificing the Baek Yi Unit.
He only mentioned that if they proceeded with a direct confrontation as planned, the casualties would likely be far heavier than expected.
After hearing the Heuk Ya Commander’s full account, Yong Hyeon asked a question.
“Is it true there’s a method?”
Jeok Sa nodded to Yong Hyeon, who was looking at him.
“Done properly, yes.”
“What method?”
“Nothing fancy. A night raid.”
At Jeok Sa’s answer, Yong Hyeon’s gaze shifted toward the Heuk Ya Commander.
“Both we and they will have prepared defenses against night raids. Even so, we should continue listening to him?”
The Heuk Ya Commander met Jeok Sa’s eyes as he fielded the skeptical question from Yong Hyeon.
“It won’t be an ordinary night raid, I assume?”
“Of course not. The idea is to maximize survivors, not throw ourselves at them and die in droves from the outset.”
“Then shouldn’t you explain it in more detail?”
Jeok Sa’s answer followed the Heuk Ya Commander’s prompt.
Unusually for him, it was quite long and elaborate.
***
The night wind was cold.
The space between Hwan Do and the Hyeol Gwi Dae encampment was a desolate plain.
It hadn’t always been that way—the Hyeol Gwi Dae had burned it all down.
It was a deliberate choice to leave no cover or obstacles.
For this reason, there was nowhere to hide between Hwan Do and the Hyeol Gwi Dae encampment.
The forward unit of the Hyeol Gwi Dae, which had advanced near Hwan Do, had made their camp in the midst of that desolate plain.
Some thirty leagues to the rear lay the main encampment where the Hyeol Gwi Dae’s primary force was stationed, with a distance of about five leagues to Hwan Do, which was under the control of the Maeng Ui Dan.
A group of martial artists had the forward encampment of the Hyeol Gwi Dae in their sights.
Thirty elite warriors carefully selected from the Heuk Ya Unit and the Baek Yi Unit.
The lowest rank among them was First Class, the kind on the very cusp of the Peak Realm.
Those below that standard were not selected at all.
Moreover, those with slow Agility Technique were also excluded.
Because speed was the most crucial element of this night raid.
Completely exposed approach at high velocity, a powerful strike, and rapid withdrawal—these would determine the success or failure of the operation.
The Heuk Ya Commander and Yong Hyeon of the Baek Yi Unit stood at the vanguard.
Right after their eyes met.
At the Heuk Ya Commander’s hand signal, the thirty elite warriors burst forward at terrifying speed.
While the elite of the Heuk Ya Unit and Baek Yi Unit were launching their night raid, Jeok Sa, who had proposed the plan in the first place, was riding through Saja Pass with Jeok Sa Jo.
And doing so while taking a wide detour to the rear before entering Saja Pass and moving at high speed.
Their pace was so rapid that Joa Ryang was carrying Hui Jun on his back.
All their supplies had been hidden at the entrance to Saja Pass.
Speed was crucial for Jeok Sa Jo as well right now.
Even Jeok Sa Jo’s taboo against expending inner force during movement had been broken.
Everyone was running at the maximum speed their stamina could sustain.
Saja Pass was positioned slightly to the right side of Saja Plain.
Because of this, it lay to the right even relative to Hwan Do, which sat in the middle of Saja Plain.
At the moment when the elite of the Heuk Ya Unit and Baek Yi Unit attacked the forward encampment of the Hyeol Gwi Dae, Jeok Sa Jo penetrated through Saja Pass.
All eyes were fixed on the elite of the Heuk Ya Unit and Baek Yi Unit carrying out the night raid.
Not only the forward unit of the Hyeol Gwi Dae that was under attack, but even the Heuk Ya Unit and Baek Yi Unit waiting in their own encampment in case of emergency had no leisure to look anywhere else.
The elite of the Heuk Ya Unit and Baek Yi Unit delivered their planned strike and fled with speed matching their assault.
It was before the masters of the Hyeol Gwi Dae’s forward unit could even react.
It seemed as though they had rushed in, cut down three or four of the outer guards, and fled again.
It happened in an instant.
Yet the damage was not light.
Thirty warriors each cutting down three or four meant the death toll alone exceeded fifty by far.
Including the wounded, it approached a hundred.
Sparks of fury flew from the eyes of Dae Sal, who commanded the forward unit of the Hyeol Gwi Dae.
Under his command this time were two hundred Kill Demons, one hundred Break Demons, and all one hundred thirty Secret Demons in support.
Ja Jeon Geom Wang, the newly appointed Heuk Ya Commander, tethered Geum Mil—the leader of the Secret Demons—to his side under the guise of an honor guard, while delegating command of this forward unit to Dae Sal, who led the Kill Demons.
Since all the Secret Demons were being deployed, he excluded Geum Mil—who surpassed not only in skill but also in rank.
Ja Jeon Geom Wang had called Dae Sal aside and told him that Geum Mil was too hasty and hungry for merit.
He’d instructed him to do well.
He hadn’t forgotten to add that if Dae Sal handled this matter properly, Ja Jeon Geom Wang would have his back.
For Dae Sal, then, this was an opportunity.
A chance to prove his capabilities, to climb higher.
He burned with fury at the Maeng Ui Dan dogs trying to tear it down.
Dae Sal turned to look at Eun Mil, who stood at his side.
“An eye for an eye, I say—what’s your thinking?”
“I’ll follow your command.”
“Good. I think the Secret Demons can repay these bastards in kind, don’t you?”
Eun Mil, watching the Maeng Ui Dan masters already fleeing into the distance and nearly arriving at their encampment, nodded.
“Leave it to us.”
“Do it well. Repay them properly.”
The moment Dae Sal’s order finished, Eun Mil’s figure vanished.
From that Agility Technique alone, one could tell Eun Mil’s ability was no lesser than Dae Sal’s.
There were eight of him—eight such masters.
With eighty Secret Demons added to their number.
They could inflict a wound on the Maeng Ui Dan dogs far greater than what they themselves had just suffered.
Moments later, the Secret Demons, having prepared themselves, erupted at terrifying speed.
It was a strike timed to catch the Maeng Ui Dan, drunk on their modest victory, just as they were rotating their masters back to rest.
The speed was every bit comparable to what the elite of the Heuk Ya Unit and Baek Yi Unit had displayed.
The mere fact that eighty-odd men could move at such speed was proof enough of the Secret Demons’ prowess.
Just as they were about to reach the encampment of the Heuk Ya Unit and Baek Yi Unit, the elites they’d assumed were rotating back to rest suddenly burst forth.
Rather than retreat and rest after the raid, they’d hidden at the entrance, catching their breath and waiting for the counterattack.
The Secret Demons and the elite of the Heuk Ya Unit and Baek Yi Unit collided.
The skill was evenly matched, but the Secret Demons held the numerical advantage.
Naturally, they should have been pushing forward—but the reality was otherwise.
With a roaring shout, the entire Heuk Ya Unit and Baek Yi Unit, whom they’d thought were sleeping, swarmed out.
The Secret Demons, encircled, began to fall like hunted prey.
Even witnessing it, Dae Sal could not mount a rescue.
His forces were still in encampment state.
The number he could deploy in haste was barely over a hundred.
Sending only that many against the nearly four hundred Maeng Ui Dan dogs would be no different from pushing them to their deaths.
As a result, helpless and trapped, Dae Sal could only watch the Secret Demons fall like game, stamping his feet—when screams began to reach his ears.
And they came from the rear of the encampment.
Dae Sal spun around in shock, and his vision flooded with firelight; he saw a bloody rainbow dancing in the moonlight.
Someone had attacked the rear—where the men slept.
“Stop them! Stop them!”
At Dae Sal’s shout, the night sentries on watch rushed toward the rear.
The men roused from their slumber surged forth in panic, clashing with the guards in utter chaos that engulfed the Heuk Ya Unit’s forward encampment.
The elite of the Heuk Ya Unit and Baek Yi Unit, having crushed the Secret Demons in swift brutality, were now rushing toward the Heuk Ya Unit’s encampment, now a writhing tangle of confusion.
Leading them, drenched as though they’d bathed in blood, were Heuk Ya Commander and Yong Hyeon, racing at a terrifying pace.

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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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