Namgung Hwang's eyelids twitched. He was doing his best to conceal his emotions, but the news he had just heard was unbearable.
"No food?"
"Yes, My Lord."
In that moment, Namgung Hwang let out a bitter laugh. He was not as angry as he was disappointed.
"This place used to be frequented by merchants traveling on the Yangtze River. Naturally, there should have been stored grain."
"…It appears that they took everything away when they retreated."
"…And it seems that when Su Lo Chae reoccupied this place, they didn't bring much food with them."
Namgung Myung closed his eyes for a moment and then spoke again.
"I apologize, My Lord. I should have paid attention to these details as well."
"The order to occupy Plum Blossom Island was mine. If there's a mistake, it's on me. It's not your job to lower your head!"
Namgung Hwang cut him off and leaned back in his chair.
"Food..."
Viewed in isolation, it might not seem like a significant issue. Running out of food would be a crucial matter in determining the outcome of a war for ordinary soldiers. However, these people were not ordinary. They could endure for about a fortnight even without food.
"But that's under normal circumstances."
They were already exhausted, and the continuous assaults by the Su Lo Chae were relentlessly wearing down their mental strength.
While facing these challenges, not having proper meals was just another burden.
'It's going to get even tougher.'
Each of these problems may have seemed minor in isolation: the continuous attacks, distant cannon fire, the lack of food, the pressure of being stranded on the island, and the anxiety of potentially having to fight for their lives if the enemy's reinforcements arrived faster. But when all of these elements converged, it felt like carrying tons of iron bars on their shoulders.
"Swamp. This place is a swamp. It's like quicksand, where the more you struggle to escape, the deeper you sink, just like a swamp.
Namgung Hwang furrowed his brows.
There were not many people who could perform as remarkably on the battlefield as Namgung Hwang. This is a fact recognized by everyone, not just within Namgung Family.
However, even the exceptional skills of piercing the heavens with one's sword or splitting a river in half hold no meaning in this situation.
"Isn't this a river? If we lack food, we should resupply."
"I've already checked. However, it seems that the enemy has done something, as there are no fish around the island."
At that moment, Namgung Dowi, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, spoke up.
"Even if we can catch fish, I believe it's not a good idea to eat them."
"Why is that?"
"They are the enemy, more familiar with the river than us. We don't know what they might have done to the fish. We should be cautious."
Namgung Hwang nodded heavily. It might be excessive caution, but the Namgung Family was in this situation precisely because he had not been excessively cautious.
"What about water? Is there a problem with our water supply?"
Namgung Myeong nodded.
"It's impossible to contaminate the water from the flowing Yangtze River, even with the enemy's presence. So, there's no need to worry about that."
"Fortune in the midst of misfortune."
Namgung Hwang muttered to himself as he washed his face. He exuded a fatigue that had not been seen in him for a long time.
'It's still manageable for now.'
It felt like trying to sew a wound with a needle, but they could still endure it for a while longer.
"Is the reinforcement still far away?"
"They must be hurrying."
"That's the way it should be."
Namgung Hwang leaned back in his chair, gazing at the ceiling.
'Disgraceful.'
Namgung Dowi let out a deep sigh.
'Is this the right approach?'
A doubt began to form in Namgung Dowi's mind. It wasn't about questioning Namgung Myung and Namgung Hwang's judgment, but considering the situation, they were losing the strength to resist gradually.
In a few more days, there would be nothing left but to endure.
"In that case, what could we have done differently?"
At that moment, Namgung Dowi's mind was filled with thoughts of Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword, Chung Myung.
Rationally, he accepted that there was no other way than to endure and persevere. But in his heart, he kept thinking that if the people here were the Mount Hua Sect and not the Namgung Family, things would be different.
'If it were Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword...'
Right at that moment, Namgung Hwang suddenly sprang to his feet.
Swish!
He drew his sword in one swift motion.
"Here!"
Without hesitation, he swung his sword. A white sword energy burst forth, smashing the entire roof.
Kwaaaah!
The deafening roar reverberated, and the thatched roof turned into debris.
Kwah! Kwaah!
Kwaaaah!
Consecutive explosions resounded. The initial explosion was caused by Namgung Hwang's sword energy, but the subsequent ones were unrelated to his sword energy.
It was artillery fire. The artillery fire began to rain down on their location on the island.
Kwaaaah! Kwaaaaaah!
One by one, the buildings were destroyed, and debris scattered in all directions.
"Aaaaargh!"
"What, what's going on? Why is there artillery here?"
Kwaaaah!
The cries of confusion mixed with the detonation sounds, resonating through the air.
"Defend yourselves! Shoot down the projectiles!"
Namgung Hwang loudly exclaimed and leaped into the air. The projectiles flying overhead were swiftly sliced apart by him.
The elders quickly followed Namgung Hwang's lead and intercepted the artillery fire as well. With the lord and the elders taking the front, it wasn't particularly challenging to fend off the artillery fire.
However, after blocking all the incoming artillery fire, they faced a scene that could only be described as a massacre.
Ruined buildings and injured people groaning in pain.
People who had barely crawled out from under the collapsed structures were furious, some wailing. In the midst of this chaos, those treating the wounded were urgently searching for necessary supplies.
Thunk.
It felt as though Namgung Hwang's teeth were grinding against each other.
"What have those in charge of guarding been doing, allowing enemy ships to approach the island so closely!"
"No, my lord."
"What?"
Namgung Myeong spoke with a contemplative expression.
"The ships have remained in their positions, my lord."
In his view, even from the darkness over the river, the ships that seemed to be stationed there had not moved any closer.
"Then what on earth is this artillery fire?"
"It's similar to the White Thunder Cannon, my lord."
"White Thunder Cannon?"
Namgung Myeong bit his lip and nodded.
"The range of the White Thunder Cannon is three times that of a regular cannon. It seems they've started using the White Thunder Cannons they plundered from the island."
Thunk.
Namgung Hwang clenched his fist until it seemed it would explode.
"Black Dragon King! This wretched scoundrel!"
Blood was rushing to his head, and he felt like he might pass out. He couldn't control the raging fury. It wasn't the fact that they were being attacked that angered him; it was the helplessness of being unable to do anything despite being under attack.
"So then..."
With a calm voice, Namgung Dowi opened his mouth.
"Now, they can fire the cannons relentlessly even at this range."
"...Cannons and gunpowder have their limits, so they won't be able to keep firing continuously."
"Why not resupply them?"
"..."
Namgung Myeong couldn't bring himself to respond to this. No matter how hard he tried to see the situation positively, there was no room for a favorable interpretation.
"My lord."
Namgung Dowi looked at Namgung Hwang as if he had made up his mind.
"At this rate, we're going to be annihilated."
"Dowi."
"We can't just wait endlessly for the reinforcements that may or may not come. We've lost our defenses, and the artillery fire won't stop. If we keep tensing up to prepare for the incoming bombardment, our strength will run out in no time."
Namgung Myung countered, "Three days is enough time for Shaolin to arrive!"
"Yes, that's true. But what will you do if the Su Lo Chae launches an attack before that?"
Namgung Myung fell silent. The idea that they could hold out for three days didn't necessarily mean they could maintain their current level of strength for that long. Moreover, the guarantee that Shaolin would arrive in three days was quite uncertain.
"My lord, this can't go on."
Namgung Hwang glared at Namgung Dowi, his fiery gaze.
"Then what? What are you suggesting?"
"It's what you mentioned before."
"What?"
Namgung Dowi turned his head to look at the river.
"My lord, you said that you could break through this siege alone and reach the river, didn't you?"
Namgung Hwang's face contorted.
"Of course, it's possible. But didn't I already say it? Even if I break through the siege and reach the riverbank, it won't change anything. In fact, this place will become even more dangerous..."
"It's not the riverbank."
"Hmm?"
Namgung Dowi turned to look at the river.
"My lord, the riverbank isn't the destination you're looking for."
Namgung Hwang's face twisted in confusion.
"Then, where are you talking about?"
Namgung Hwang initially furrowed his brow in confusion, not fully grasping Namgung Dowi's words. However, Namgung Myung seemed to instantly understand what Namgung Dowi was getting at and widened his eyes.
"Th-that's..."
"Yes."
In response to Namgung Myung's reaction, Namgung Dowi turned his head. At the edge of his gaze was a massive ship, half shrouded in darkness, drifting on the dark waters of the river.
A formidable, pitch-black ship.
"Black Dragon Ship..."
A mournful sound escaped Namgung Myung's lips. Namgung Dowi firmly stated, "If my lord leaves the island, there will be no one to oppose the Black Dragon King."
"..."
"In that case, there's only one way."
His voice carried a sense of inevitability.
"We will have to go on the offensive against the Black Dragon King. If we can cross the river and attack the Black Dragon Ship and, by some miracle, cut down the Black Dragon King, there won't be any issue with the siege."
Namgung Hwang's eyes widened immensely.
"Heaven's Friend doesn't know fear, and we won't cower. It's better to fight back at all costs than to be beaten down without a fight."
"Dowi..."
Namgung Dowi's sharp gaze turned toward the Heukryong Ship.
"Then, surely it must be done like this."
During the Yangtze River Disaster, the members of the Moun Hua Sect, including Chung Myung, abandoned everything and went straight for Jang Ilso's throat, the center of all the enemy's plans. Because they believed that the solution to their unfavorable situation was to eliminate Jang Ilso, the linchpin of all their stratagems.
It's the same this time as well. If the ones they are facing are the Su Lo Chae, the only solution is to remove the core of the Su Lo Chae.
"I will assist my lord. To save everyone here, there is no other way but this. My lord, decide!"
Namgung Dowi lowered his head toward Namgung Hwang.
Namgung Hwang, who had been intently gazing at him, bit his lip.
"...Impossible."
"My lord!"
Namgung Dowi looked at Namgung Hwang with an astonished expression. He never imagined that his lord would reject this proposal.
"I am just one person. But before that, I am the head of the Namgung Family."
"..."
"We cannot execute a plan that is certain to end in failure, where everyone's lives are at stake."
"But if we continue like this..."
"Hold out!"
"..."
"Shaolin will undoubtedly come. When Shaolin arrives, they will tear these pest-like Su Lo Chae to shreds and consume their flesh! Until then..."
Thud!
As if his mouth had been sliced open, Namgung Hwang's lips split and crimson blood trickled down.
"Until then, we will endure by any means necessary!"
"Understood."
Namgung Dowi responded with a dark tone. The lord's command is an absolute law. Once a decision is made, there is no room for further dissent.
But...
'He would have thought of the same thing as I did.'
A deep sigh escaped his lips.