The Supreme Who Rules the Boundless Sky - Chapter 103

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Spear Heaven Martial Emperor Episode 103

When do the most casualties occur on a battlefield?

The answer is simple.

During retreat.

Especially when fleeing scattered like a ragtag mob without any order.

Makri Jesin felt that time was right now.

“Damn it! Maintain order! Front troops, buy us time!”

But no matter how much he shouted, no one listened.

Telling the front to protect the rear meant waiting until they retreated.

That would make the troops left at the front nothing but sacrificial lambs.

Simply put, it meant to just wait quietly to die.

And no one here wanted to die.

“Aaaahhhhh!”

“Move! Everyone get out of the way!”

“They’re coming!”

“Kugh!”

The battlefield was truly pandemonium.

Those struggling to flee even a little faster.

Those deliberately kicking down nearby allies to buy time.

And even those trying to cut down allies in front to make a path.

And they all became prey equally.

Because the flames of Seonghwa Sect engulfed them all.

Whoosh!

“Kyaaahhhhh!”

Someone screamed.

Their chest had been slashed by a sword thrust by a Seonghwa Sect member.

“Don’t let them escape.”

The elites of Seonghwa Sect formed a pursuit formation and chased those fleeing.

At their head was Namgung Hyeok, the sect master of Seonghwa Sect. He swung his brightly burning sword and ravaged the enemy camp.

With cavalry who had undergone rigorous training cutting off the enemies’ escape routes intermittently…

More people died while fleeing than those who died fighting.

In the end, Makriseoga and their allies could barely escape without preserving even half their forces.

It was an overwhelming victory for Seonghwa Sect.

* * *

“Waaaahhhhh!”

The morale of their allies was higher than ever.

Not only had they achieved a great victory, but despite the fierce battle, they had suffered almost no casualties.

The deployment of shield soldiers had been tremendously helpful.

The skilled shield soldiers formed ranks and saved not only themselves but the lives of countless allies as well.

Moreover, elites with first-rate or higher skills followed their respective leaders and supported both flanks…

It was understandable that their allies’ casualties were remarkably low.

“Jeon Wook. How many prisoners have we captured so far?”

“Over three hundred. Lord, what shall we do with them?”

“For now, destroy all their dantians and lock them up. Even if they’re released, they won’t be able to return as enemy forces.”

“Yes.”

Namgung Hyeok gave a cruel order.

It was an order to destroy the dantians of all those captured.

For a martial artist, the dantian was like another heart.

But destroying such a place was tantamount to erasing all the martial arts they had built up over their lifetime.

So among martial artists, many would rather be killed than have their dantian destroyed.

But Namgung Hyeok didn’t care.

After all, the defeated had no right to make various complaints.

Besides, weren’t these the ones who came to kill them all?

There was no need to show mercy to such people.

Even if the situation were reversed, they wouldn’t have shown mercy.

“What about the movements of the enemies who fled?”

“Three forces are moving separately. Makriseoga, Yangtze Waterway Gang, and Sado Region are all retreating to their respective main camps.”

“For now, we’ll ignore the movements of Yangtze Waterway Gang and Sado Region. Our only target is Makriseoga. Select elites and occupy Makriseoga’s main camp.”

“The main camp? Not pursuing the ones who fled?”

“They’ll have no choice but to flee to their main camp anyway. Besides, even if that’s not the case…”

Namgung Hyeok smiled faintly.

“By now, the cavalry unit led by So Baek should be ahead of us searching the surroundings. I contacted them a few days ago to catch all the fleeing bastards.”

“Indeed, how thorough of you.”

Jeon Wook admired as if he hadn’t thought of it.

“So instead of worrying about those fleeing, we’ll strike their main camp directly. Prepare.”

“I receive your command.”

Jeon Wook immediately selected about three hundred volunteers.

Excluding the wounded, exhausted, and those slightly lacking in martial power, a separate unit of about three hundred was formed.

“So Geomlip. So Yeon, you two and the two unit leaders return to Seonghwa Sect with the remaining troops and prisoners. The Blood Heaven Cult or Yangtze Waterway Gang might target our main camp while we’re away.”

“Yes!”

“The rest will move to Suzhou with me. Since everyone’s stamina has been depleted from battle, we’ll rest for half a day before moving.”

Namgung Hyeok said this and ordered preparation of a simple meal. After finishing their meal, they rested briefly and then began moving again.

“Then let’s go.”

With Namgung Hyeok’s words, about three hundred troops began moving toward Makriseoga.

* * *

Makri Jesin ground his teeth seeing the pitifully reduced number of allies.

“Damn it all!”

Even excluding support from Yangtze Waterway Gang and Sado Region, their forces that had numbered in the hundreds were now reduced to barely over a hundred.

The rest had all died, been captured, or deserted.

The proportion of deserters was particularly high.

They had all fled, judging that Makriseoga was finished.

“Makri Hwang! What is the meaning of this! You! Didn’t you say we could win!”

“Th-that is…”

Makri Jesin began venting his anger at the senior member who had previously strongly advocated for fighting.

But the senior member only showed a reaction of feeling wronged.

After all, it was Makri Jesin himself who had ultimately approved and prepared for war, so who was he to blame?

But even while harboring such complaints, he couldn’t reveal them. After all, Makri Jesin’s martial power was the strongest here.

“When you return to the family estate, you will be severely punished. Magli Won!”

“Y-yes! Family Head.”

“Immediately go around the nearby branch offices and gather troops! Given how things have turned out, the main family house is likely in danger!”

The probability that the enemies who had achieved great victory wouldn’t pursue them and target the main family house was infinitely close to zero.

Hadn’t Makri Jesin himself been determined to sweep away Seonghwa Sect itself if he won?

It was obvious that the enemy would be thinking the same thing.

So this current situation was tantamount to a real crisis befalling the family.

“Sang! You take this road and go to Jiangsu Flame Association. Request support from them and bring back troops!”

“B-but isn’t Jiangsu Flame Association our enemy? Will they really provide support?”

“You fool! No matter how much we’ve been growling at each other, they’ll also be wary of the Sacred Fire Gate’s power growing beyond necessity. To prevent that, they’ll think our Makrise Family is needed. So there’s a high chance they’ll prevent our family from being completely destroyed.”

Makri Jesin looked at his son with burning determination in his eyes.

“So move right now! If you’re even a little late, our family might be ruined! Whatever they propose, I permit you to accept it for now! The family’s safety comes before profit…”

“F-Family Head! This is terrible!”

That’s when it happened.

Someone interrupted Makri Jesin’s words with an urgent voice.

Makri Jesin turned to look at him with a fierce expression like an evil spirit, but came to understand the gravity of the situation.

“About a hundred cavalry are approaching this way! What should we do…”

“Cavalry?!”

Makri Jesin heightened his eye power to look at the cavalry unit that still appeared as dots in the distance.

They weren’t the Sacred Fire Gate forces they had just fought.

The Sacred Fire Gate had a mix of cavalry and infantry.

Then who were they?

‘Could it be reinforcements sent by the Blood Heaven Sect…’

Makri Jesin’s face, which had been filled with anticipation, suddenly hardened.

Because he witnessed the flag with “Flame Fire” fluttering at the front of the cavalry unit.

“Damn it! It’s the Yeomhwa Trading Company! Those hunting dogs that Namgung Hyeok keeps!”

He couldn’t help but be shocked.

When investigating the Sacred Fire Gate, he had already gathered information about the Yeomhwa Trading Company.

The Yeomhwa Trading Company was a force created by comrades who had been with Namgung Hyeok since his time on the northern battlefields.

Naturally, their strength was more than sufficient to claim to be a faction of the Sacred Fire Gate.

It meant they were opponents too difficult for the current defeated soldiers to handle.

“Run! We can’t let those bastards catch us!”

Makri Jesin shouted urgently and was the first to flee.

He and about thirty mounted guards abandoned the infantry and fled.

The abandoned Makrise Family warriors were confused but soon realized their situation and scattered in all directions.

“Aaaahhhhh!”

“Run!”

They threw away even their swords and ran, fearing they might be caught and killed.

Seeing this from afar, So Baek, the leader of the Yeomhwa Trading Company, let out a snicker.

“There’s no need to bother catching them.”

“What should we do about them?”

“Ignore them. What our lord needs isn’t those small fry, but the enemy leaders. We chase Makri Jesin.”

“Yes!”

The hundred-strong cavalry led by So Baek pursued Makri Jesin.

“Damn it!”

Makri Jesin could only look back and curse.

Somehow, even though they were all on horseback, the distance between them was gradually closing.

It was actually natural.

So Baek and the members of the Yeomhwa Trading Company were veteran warriors who had faced foreign cavalry on the northern battlefields.

Naturally, their horsemanship had to be far superior to someone like Makri Jesin.

So Baek and his comrades were eventually able to catch up to Makri Jesin and his guards after the pursuit.

“Block them somehow! Scatter in all directions and confuse them!”

At Makri Jesin’s command, the guards either scattered or threw themselves at the pursuing enemies to block them.

“Kugh!”

But they couldn’t even properly buy time.

Even when they tried to sacrifice themselves to buy time, they died in a single strike and couldn’t even block the path.

A moment later.

“T-this…”

Makri Jesin let out a lament seeing the cavalry that had surrounded him.

So Baek, who blocked Makri Jesin’s path, pointed his sword at him and said.

“You’re Makri Jesin, the head of the Makrise Family, right?”

“That’s right! I am Makri Jesin!”

Makri Jesin screamed while grinding his teeth.

Venom flowed from his eyes. He seemed full of determination to somehow break through this situation.

“You hunting dogs of Namgung Hyeok. Do you think the likes of you, who aren’t even your master, can do anything to me? If you think you can, come at me! I’ll kill whoever comes first!”

He shouted while releasing killing intent in all directions.

It was terrifying killing intent that would make not only ordinary civilians but even decent martial artists flinch.

But none of the Yeomhwa Trading Company members flinched at that killing intent. They only snorted and received the killing intent.

“Merchant Leader. What should we do?”

“He seems to have some spirit at least, so we should treat him properly. I’ll step forward myself.”

So Baek said this and dismounted from his horse.

Makri Jesin also dismounted with flashing eyes. His mind was racing.

‘From the atmosphere, that guy is the leader. If I can just capture him as a hostage…’

“I can clearly see you’re having worthless thoughts.”

So Baek said this and gestured with his hand. A signal to come and try.

“Haaaah!”

Makri Jesin didn’t refuse.

Though the situation was unfavorable, he was the leader of the Makrise Family, one of the Jiangsu Three Powers.

He had no intention of losing to Namgung Hyeok’s underlings, unless it was Namgung Hyeok himself, the Sacred Fire Gate leader.

Rather, he was thinking of somehow escaping this situation and planning a counterattack.

However.

“Do you know why our lord entrusted me with the important position of commanding other comrades?”

Clang!

“…!”

“The answer is simple.”

So Baek, who lightly blocked the attack, aimed for Makri Jesin’s neck with snake-like swordsmanship.

Slash!

“Because I’m the strongest among those who remain.”

Thud!

Makri Jesin’s headless body collapsed forward.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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