C1684: I Don’t Care! (4)
Kuuung!
A direct hit struck the opponent’s chest. The body of the person who received the blow was thrown back like a leaf swept by the wind.
Tung!
The movement exemplified the word "control." It was the essence of Shaolin's Arhat Fist, a technique rivaling the Taiji of Mount Wudang, executed to perfection by Hye Yeon.
‘Impressive.’
Namgung Dowi couldn’t help but follow Hye Yeon with his eyes. Sometimes he forgot just how overwhelmingly powerful Hye Yeon was due to his brute strength. When Hye Yeon charged between the enemy's flying weapons, they were repelled with even greater speed than they had advanced.
Namgung Dowi held his breath. For a brief moment, he lost sight of Hye Yeon's movements.
‘I can't lose.’
Namgung Dowi gritted his teeth and shouted.
“Haaap!”
He lunged forward and swung his sword.
No matter how great a swordsman is, they always start with simple movements. The foundation of the Namgung Family was the Twelve Iron Sword Techniques, and Namgung Dowi deployed it with all his might.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
A practical and efficient sword technique that minimized energy expenditure. The enemies who rushed forward were immediately cut down. Although some managed to dodge the cuts, it didn’t matter. They were not alone on the battlefield.
“Don’t let anyone pass!”
“Kill them all!”
“Fall back slowly while advancing! Very slowly!”
Inspired by the prowess of Hye Yeon and Namgung Dowi, the alliance members blocked the advancing enemies like a wall of steel, with their backs against the mountain.
Encouraged by their courage, Namgung Dowi swung his sword with more force.
“How far is the front?”
“It has widened a bit, Budangju!”
“We can’t fall behind! Increase the speed!”
“Yes!”
Namgung Dowi turned to see what was happening behind without losing focus.
“With the mountain burning like this, if the formation disperses, we’ll be attacked one by one… What is that?”
Namgung Dowi didn’t finish speaking and opened his eyes in astonishment.
In the midst of the burning Mount Wudang, a clear path was forming. A visible path through the fire.
“Cutting down trees? In this situation?”
How could that be possible…?
“It’s good that the path is clear.”
“Pardon?”
Namgung Dowi was startled by Hye Yeon's calm reaction.
Upon reflection, it made sense. By cutting down the trees, there would be no confusion for those following. They would simply follow the path. In a way, it was a practical solution.
But in such an urgent moment, why cut down the trees? Or perhaps it was faster?
‘Damn it, I don’t know.’
Namgung Dowi laughed to himself. They must have a plan. After all, it's them.
“Greater speed is good, but if we’re not careful, the formation might break.”
“Then we must keep pace with them.”
“Right. You’re correct, Siju.”
Hye Yeon smiled and Namgung Dowi let out a chuckle.
‘They always complicate things.’
Defending against those pursuing them and following those advancing is not easy. Besides, they had to be alert for enemies that might attack them from the flanks.
But Namgung Dowi didn’t complain.
He could clearly imagine the response if he did.
-Can’t you? Why? How hard can it be? That’s why spoiled ones who grew up in greenhouses are like this...
“It’s no lie.”
“Pardon?”
“Nothing, forget it.”
Namgung Dowi put on a bitter smile.
It’s normal for things to be difficult. There’s no easy task in this world. If something seems easy, it's because you’re not giving your all.
Now he knew. If he didn’t push himself to the limit, he would never get the results he desired.
Wasting time pretending to be superior was the most useless thing.
If he had understood this simple truth a bit earlier...
“They're coming, Siju!”
“Yes!”
Namgung Dowi cleared his mind and gripped his sword firmly.
“I won’t let a single one pass!”
His sword shone with a radiant white glow.
--------------
‘What’s the situation?’
Baek Cheon’s gaze quickly turned back. The enemies swarmed like ants, but Namgung Dowi and Hye Yeon blocked them perfectly.
He felt unshakable security with those two defending the rear. Those shields would not easily move.
Baek Cheon looked forward again.
“If you want to die, try it, bastards!”
Although his language was not the best, Jo Gul was like a spear piercing through the enemies. And Yoon Jong was ready to support him at any moment.
Baek Cheon observed his surroundings carefully before giving an order.
“Yoon Jong! To the left! The enemies are approaching from the front!”
“Yes, Sasuk!”
Yoon Jong led his men and lunged forward. They positioned themselves between the enemies trying to attack Jo Gul. They wouldn’t let anyone bother him.
“Samae! To the right! Take your men and support them!”
“Yes.”
Before Baek Cheon finished speaking, Yoo Iseol leaped into the air. Like a hawk, she positioned herself in the space before the enemies arrived. Her presence was overwhelming.
The enemies arrived a bit late to the positions of Yoon Jong and Yoo Iseol.
Half a second. No, one second of anticipatory reaction.
“You?”
Jin Geumryong, surprised, looked at Baek Cheon with new admiration.
Baek Cheon clenched his fist slightly.
'I see it.'
It might sound strange, but it was as if he could see the enemies’ movements from high up on the mountain, as if observing from the sky.
Clearly, this was a sensation he had never experienced before.
'It's absurd.'
Baek Cheon knew where this new perception came from.
In the past, he didn’t need to observe the entire battlefield. If someone attacked the vanguard, he would block it himself, and if they attacked the rear, he would rush in with his sword.
He did everything he could by himself.
That was Baek Cheon’s style and the style of the Mount Hua Sect.
But ironically, it was when Baek Cheon could no longer follow that style that he started seeing things he couldn’t before. For example...
"The distance to the rear is widening! Support the rear and maintain the formation!"
"Are you talking to me?"
"Move, right now!"
"Damn it."
With a look of disgust, Jin Geumryong rushed to the back. Baek Cheon glanced at him before fixing his gaze forward again.
'Is this the vision that crazy man had of the battlefield?'
A bitter smile formed on his lips.
So, that crazy man saw the battlefield like this while wielding his sword ahead of Baek Cheon? With a broader and more detailed vision?
'The more I know about him...'
Baek Cheon gritted his teeth.
The people who best understand the height of a mountain are not those who observe it from below but those who climb it.
Baek Cheon, now climbing the position that Chung Myung once held, was the one who best understood how monstrous that man was.
But there was no time to marvel or despair.
A black path opened through the flames.
And now Baek Cheon could perceive even the smallest movements beyond the fire.
'They’re coming.'
They were surrounding them.
Not only from the front but also from the sides and the rear. The enemies approached from three directions. For now, the speed of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance was enough to avoid the encirclement, but they couldn’t maintain that advantage indefinitely.
'What to do?'
In the past, he would have opted for the simplest solution: breaking through by force, advancing faster than Jo Gul. That was the safest way to break the encirclement.
But not now.
"Haap!"
Baek Cheon rushed towards where Yoon Jong was. The other group members followed, gritting their teeth.
"Sasuk?"
"We will join, Yoon Jong!"
Baek Cheon joined Yoon Jong, wielding his sword immediately.
Swish!
The sensation of cutting human flesh was intensely vivid.
"Keurgh!"
A member of the Evil Tyrant Alliance collapsed, spraying blood, unable to react to Baek Cheon’s sudden intervention.
"Sasuk, I'll take care of this."
"No, we will advance together."
"What?"
Instead of giving more instructions, Baek Cheon advanced, swinging his sword.
Commanders are not always perfect. No one is.
Even in the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, with its simple command structure, orders in this situation were limited. And for the Evil Tyrant Alliance, it was even more difficult to give detailed orders to all the combatants scattered on the mountain.
That meant if they managed to disorganize the enemy once, they would be forced to waste time reorganizing.
"Destroy them all!"
"Damn it! Understood!"
Yoon Jong didn’t fully understand the purpose behind Baek Cheon’s order, but he didn’t hesitate to obey it.
That was enough for now.
"Haaap!"
Yoon Jong’s sword emitted a series of plum blossoms that scattered in the air, forming countless petals that enveloped the enemies.
"Ugh, aaah!"
"Retreat!"
The Plum Blossom Sword Technique, which bloomed magnificently on Mount Wudang, swept through the enemies. Baek Cheon’s gaze briefly lingered on the brilliant technique.
The flowers that had bloomed so splendidly began to fade. Their splendor lasted only a moment, but it was that brevity that made them more beautiful.
"Sasuk?"
Thud.
Baek Cheon advanced. Yoon Jong's voice… or rather, before his voice reached his mind.
"Take the lead, Yoon Jong! I'll support you!"
"Yes!"
As Yoon Jong moved forward, Baek Cheon felt a strange sensation. He briefly paused and looked around.
Jo Gul continued to push through the vanguard, Yoon Jong and Yoo Iseol flanked the enemies according to orders, and Hye Yeon and Namgung Dowi perfectly blocked the rear.
The entire scene seemed like a painting on a giant canvas. Or perhaps just a dream.
At that moment, a harsh voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Jin Geumryong!"
Baek Cheon turned to see Jin Geumryong rushing towards him at full speed.
"What are you doing, you idiot? Give the orders!"
Baek Cheon snapped back to reality and looked forward. Jo Gul was almost reaching the White Cliff.
Grr!
Baek Cheon clenched his sword tightly.
"Regroup! Join the vanguard!"
"Yes!"
Baek Cheon gritted his teeth.
'It's not over yet!'
Even if defeat was inevitable, it was not the time.
He had not finished.
Baek Cheon rushed forward, following Jo Gul's back instead of Chung Myung's.
"Break through, Gul-ah!"
"Hyaaaa!"
Jo Gul's sword mercilessly tore through the enemies blocking his path. His cheek was cut, and blood oozed out, forming bright red drops.
Slash! Slash! Slash! Clang!
Jo Gul's gaze was fixed forward. His sword pierced through the enemies and reached the cliff.
A white cliff, stained with blood, blocked his path like a fortress.
"Damn it! We've made it, Sasuk!"
A cry of joy echoed everywhere.
The White Cliff, now stained red, had finally been reached by the Heavenly Comrade Alliance.