Goddess of Fortune - 4
At that moment, Gukgwang glanced around and pointed to a shield about one cheok (roughly 30 cm) in diameter.
"What is that?"
"That is a small shield called a 'Chakwansun,' meant to be worn on the arm. Would you like to try it?"
Okyeongjin personally fastened the Chakwansun to Gukgwang's left arm. Unlike a regular shield, this one was securely attached to the arm with wide leather straps. The Chakwansun covered from the wrist to slightly beyond the elbow, designed to allow free movement of the wrist.
Though it allowed the user to shoot a bow or wield a sword while wearing it, the small size limited its defensive range. Therefore, it wasn't used by regular soldiers but was a specialized defensive weapon reserved for the highly skilled warriors of the Black Wind Brigade. Even if arrows rained down in numbers too great for the Chakwansun to block, its design allowed the user to grasp a larger shield strapped to their horse, making it one of the few pieces of equipment highly praised by warriors.
Gukgwang tapped the Chakwansun with his left hand.
"The soft lining inside reduces the impact."
He then picked up a five-cheok (approximately 150 cm) long war blade designed for horseback combat with both hands and swung it around.
"The Chakwansun barely interferes when using a blade. It's a well-made shield."
"Indeed. However, because we couldn't make it any larger, it's not suitable for regular soldiers who lack agility. Do you like that war blade? Okhang uses a spear, but since you only use swords, I brought this war blade for you."
"It's excellent. The weight is just right."
Gukgwang then noticed something unusual in a corner. It resembled the Chakwansun, designed to be worn on the arm, but instead of a round shield, it had a long triangular metal rod attached. Judging by its appearance, it was also meant to be used on the arm. The lengths varied; some were about half a cheok, others around one cheok, and one, about 1 cheok 3 chon long, had a curved end. Gukgwang picked one up.
"What is this?"
"That's called a 'Geomjipan.' Let me show you how it works."
Okyeongjin wrapped it around his right arm.
"The Chakwansun is worn on the left arm, but because it's broad, it slows down sword movements. The Geomjipan was made to solve that problem. You wear it on your right arm to block an opponent's sword or spear."
As Gukgwang examined the Geomjipan, Okyeongjin added,
"The ridges on the Geomjipan prevent the opponent's sword from slipping off the side."
"Ah, I see..."
Upon returning home, Okyeongjin called for Gukgwang and Okhang. He led them to his study, which, as always, was simply adorned, with various weapons and armor scattered about. In one corner, there were a few newly added items: two sets of armor, various related equipment, and some new weapons. Okyeongjin guided them forward.
"A war with the Mongols will soon break out. When it does, I plan to take both of you with me. It will be your first time on the battlefield... so I've prepared some things. Choose what suits you."
Okhang couldn't contain his excitement as he gingerly touched the new black armor. Seeing this, Okyeongjin shook his head.
"That armor is for Gukgwang. Yours is over there."
The armor Okyeongjin pointed to was made of a much thicker steel than Gukgwang's. Okhang touched it lightly and protested.
"This is too heavy. How am I supposed to fight wearing this?"
"I already asked Gukgwang, and he doesn't really need armor because of his high martial prowess. But you're different. Without something this heavy, it would be hard for you to survive a rain of arrows."
At that moment, Gukgwang pointed to a round shield, about one cheok (approximately 30 cm) in diameter.
"What's this?"
"That's a small shield called a 'Chakwansun,' designed to be strapped to your arm. Want to give it a try?"
Okyeongjin personally affixed the Chakwansun to Gukgwang's left arm. Unlike regular shields, this one was firmly strapped to the forearm with wide leather straps. It extended from the wrist to just beyond the elbow, designed to allow free movement of the wrist.
The Chakwansun had the advantage of allowing the user to shoot arrows or wield a sword while wearing it. However, due to its small size, the area it could defend was limited, which is why it wasn't used by regular soldiers. It was a unique defensive weapon reserved for the elite warriors of the Black Wind Brigade. If too many arrows rained down to block with the Chakwansun, the warrior could easily grab a larger shield attached to their horse due to the free movement of their wrist. This made it one of the most praised pieces of equipment among warriors.
Gukgwang knocked on the Chakwansun with his left hand.
"It's cushioned on the inside, so it absorbs impact well."
He then grabbed a five-cheok-long cavalry longsword with both hands and swung it.
"It doesn't interfere with using the sword much either. It's a well-made shield."
"Indeed. Unfortunately, because we can't make it any larger, regular soldiers with slower movements can't use it. Do you like that longsword? While Hang uses a spear, you only use swords, so I brought this cavalry longsword for you."
"I like it. The weight is just right."
Gukgwang glanced around and noticed a strange object in the corner. Like the Chakwansun, it was designed to be worn on the arm, but instead of a round shield, it had a long triangular metal bar attached to it. Judging by its shape, it was clearly meant to be mounted on the arm. The lengths varied—some were half a cheok long, others were a full cheok. There was even a one-cheok-and-three-chon-long one with a flexible, curved tip. Gukgwang picked one up.
"What's this?"
"That's called a 'Geomjipan.' Here, I'll show you how to use it."
Okyeongjin strapped it onto his right arm.
"While the Chakwansun is worn on the left arm, its width can slow down sword movements. That's why we made the Geomjipan. It's worn on the sword arm to block an opponent's sword or spear."
As Gukgwang examined the Geomjipan, Okyeongjin added more detail.
"To prevent an opponent's sword from slipping off to the side, we added a ridged pattern on the surface of the Geomjipan."
"I see..."
Gukgwang realized the logic behind it immediately after trying it on.
"I understand now…"
The Geomjipan was designed to curve gently upward from where the wrist began, allowing for free wrist movement despite its long size. In addition to the ridged pattern to prevent an opponent's sword from slipping, the triangular metal bar was adorned with elegant yin-yang engravings, enhancing its refined appearance.
"This Geomjipan saved my life once. Both the Geomjipan and the Chakwansun are defensive tools unique to the Black Wind Brigade, developed through countless battles. When we engage foreign enemies, don't expect to face them one-on-one. Most of the time, we'll be fighting three or four times as many enemies, so we had to develop equipment for chaotic battles. Prepare whatever you like. We'll probably be deployed within five days."
Gukgwang responded with a hint of reluctance.
"Do we really have to do all this?"
"You don't have to, but if everyone else is armed and you show up without gear, it'll look strange."
After some thought, Gukgwang picked up two short Geomjipans, each about one cheok in length.
"Alright, I'll just take these two. They don't seem to get in the way too much."
"Do as you please. As for you, Hang, wear all of this. That's an order from your grandfather."
Four days later, the emperor granted permission for a military expedition. The main forces of Song rapidly moved to the border with the Liao Dynasty, while the Imperial Black Wind Brigade began marching north with the mission of subduing any potential Mongol uprisings during the war with Liao. To avoid provoking Liao, the Black Wind Brigade was ordered to strike the Mongols only after the war with Liao had begun, so their march was slow. Although the distance from Zhongjing to Mongolia wasn't far, it took much longer for the key commanders to reach their troops stationed near the border with Liao.
Every soldier in the Imperial Black Wind Brigade wore black armor. The shields, the horse armor, and even the banners were all black. True to the brigade's name, they were dressed entirely in black. Even their military flags were black, with the character 'Hwang' (皇, meaning 'Emperor') embroidered in gold thread being the only splash of color. The brigade was divided into ten units, each with about 1,000 soldiers. Each 1,000-man unit was further divided into ten 100-man units, and each 100-man unit was subdivided into ten 10-man squads.
Each unit had a commander who relayed orders from their superior to their subordinates, enabling swift execution of commands, giving the Black Wind Brigade unparalleled agility. This system was unique to the Imperial Black Wind Brigade, designed to ensure the rapid transmission of orders to all levels of the hierarchy. For such an elite and compact force to be effective, it was crucial for the lower ranks to move quickly in response to commands from above.
The ten 1,000-man units were divided into four vanguards, four central units, and two rear units. The rear units were also responsible for escorting the 10,000 auxiliary soldiers and transporting various supplies, including 20,000 horses. Since the Black Wind Brigade was a cavalry unit, each soldier was assigned three warhorses in case of emergency, making it essential to protect the horses.
The vanguard divided one of its Cheonin units into a hundred Ten-Man units, spreading them out in a fan-shaped formation for reconnaissance while training to defend against surprise attacks. As General Ok Yeongjin mentioned, the Imperial Black Wind Brigade was not a unit that could easily be defeated unless caught by surprise, so the commanders made every effort to prevent such an event. Since there was ample time, General Ok Yeongjin combined the movement with a sort of mobile training. However, during this time, a troublesome unit for Ok Yeongjin was the "Saryuk" Hundred-Man Unit.
In the Black Wind Brigade, units are referred to by numbers. The units are divided according to certain rules, and numbers are assigned from the top down to form the name of each unit. For example, "Chilchil" Hundred-Man Unit refers to the 7th Hundred-Man Unit under the 7th Cheonin Unit. If you want to refer to the 8th Ten-Man Unit within that, you'd say "Chilchilpal" Ten-Man Unit. This abbreviated naming method was popular because it made it easy to specifically refer to smaller units even during battles.
The Saryuk Hundred-Man Unit, which was a headache for General Ok Yeongjin, consisted of highly skilled individuals. However, most were sons of high-ranking officials or people who had gained some fame in the martial world, causing them to be unruly and difficult to control. Additionally, there were 25 troublesome women in the unit. The Black Wind Brigade recruits members based on martial talent, so they couldn't refuse skilled women. However, upon accepting them, they realized there were a few unruly women, causing no small amount of regret. Hoping for the best, Ok Yeongjin left the captain position vacant and assigned Gukgwang to lead them, but as expected, they remained uncontrollable—perhaps because Gukgwang himself was uncontrollable.
After the first mobile training, ten Ten-Man unit captains, including three women, gathered around Gukgwang. The armor made them all look bulky, so it was impossible to tell if they were men or women. Their scale armor slightly expanded and contracted with each breath, making them all look as large as pigs. The women, being women, made a slight effort to appear different, using more elaborate threads to decorate their swords or having intricate patterns on their sword guards and wristguards. However, everything was still in black, with only minor differences in yin-yang patterns, and there were many men who enjoyed such decorative features, making it hard to distinguish.
The only way to identify them was through the numbers engraved on their armor, indicating their Cheonin, Hundred-Man, and Ten-Man units. Gukgwang belonged to the 4th Cheonin Unit and the 6th Hundred-Man Unit, so his armor was marked with "Saryuk" (四六). In the Black Wind Brigade, the fewer markings or numbers on someone's armor, the higher their rank. The squad leader and vice leader wore armor with no markings, while Cheonin leaders wore armor marked with single-digit numbers, Hundred-Man captains had two-digit numbers, and the lowest-ranking Ten-Man soldiers bore four-digit numbers.
It was clear that those under Gukgwang didn't hold him in high regard. He was neither well-versed in tactical maneuvers nor did he seem to possess particularly high martial skills. In Song, soldiers wore their swords near the dantian—slightly to the side, but not directly at the waist or fully in front. However, Gukgwang wore his sword so far back that it nearly hit his hip, like a barbarian. Moreover, the wristguards everyone else wore were nowhere to be seen on him; he only wore two sword guards loosely, and his armor looked flimsy, as though he had only worn it for appearances. For those weighed down by heavy iron armor, seeing this sight was enough to turn their stomachs. They assumed he had only gotten his position due to General Ok Yeongjin's influence, but they weren't the type to be intimidated by such things, so they had come for a confrontation.
The one leading them spoke up. Judging by the "Saryuk Three" (四六三) marking, it was clear that this was the captain of the 3rd Ten-Man Unit, the Cold Flower of War, Ma Hwa. The thin, feminine voice from within the helmet confirmed Gukgwang's guess. Ma Hwa was the granddaughter of Grand General Ma Ryong, the Deputy Commander of the Northeast Army, and was a heroine with great martial prowess. Despite her impressive title, she was known for her quick temper and bold personality. If Gukgwang hadn't appeared, it was certain that Ma Hwa would have become the captain of the Saryuk Hundred-Man Unit. However, when Gukgwang, who seemed like a helpless scholar, took the position, her anger reached its peak, and she came with her Ten-Man unit captains to protest.
"Hey, rookie! Have you even read the combat manual? You clearly don't know anything about the Black Death Thousand Horse Formation!"
"Hmm... I plan to read it soon. So drop the nagging and disperse."
"What did you say? Are you acting like this because you're relying on the commander's favor?"
Mahwa drew her sword from her waist. A red tassel was tied to the hilt, with a small jade flower hanging from it, revealing the origin of her nickname. The sword was a remarkable treasure, and as she unsheathed it, a cold aura emanated from the blade. Though everyone flinched at the sight, Gukgwang remained expressionless, simply staring at Mahwa.
"You think I won't stab you, don't you…?"
"Whether you stab me or not doesn't matter. Even if all of you attack me, you won't be able to do anything. Now, shut up and go back!"
As Gukgwang turned his back with a cold reply, Mahwa, infuriated, lunged with her sword. Hearing Gukgwang's mocking and dismissive words, the other squad leaders, who had thought highly of themselves, also felt their anger rising and decided not to stop the duel, opting to watch instead.
Gukgwang twisted his body to the left, barely dodging Mahwa's thrust, and with her being too hasty, he struck the back of her helmet with the sword guard on his left hand.
Thud!
With a tremendous sound, Mahwa was sent flying about 10 meters before crashing onto the ground. However, she quickly sprang back up. Even though it was a hit using the sword guard, it had struck her helmet, so the impact wasn't significant. But the blow had dented the back of her helmet, causing it to fly off, revealing her sharp nose, fierce eyes, and long, flowing hair over her now-exposed face.
"Hmph! Taiji Fist? You have some skill. Draw your sword!"
Though her voice was filled with suppressed rage, the response that came back was dry.
"I'll draw it when I feel like it. Do as you wish."
"Don't expect any mercy just because you're fighting barehanded."
Before she could finish speaking, Mahwa launched a lightning-fast thrust toward Gukgwang's left chest. As Gukgwang blocked with the sword guard on his left hand, her sword curved, sweeping toward his lower waist in a circular motion.
"Not bad at all."
Lowering his left hand, Gukgwang blocked her sword with the guard and swiftly kicked his right foot toward Mahwa's abdomen. Mahwa quickly twisted her body to the left, but Gukgwang followed with a second kick aimed at her.
Thud!
Mahwa felt a tremendous shock to her core as her body soared into the air, flying another 10 meters before crashing to the ground again. Although the impact of the kick wasn't too severe due to her thick armor, the combined weight of her armor amplified the shock from the fall. However, what hurt Mahwa more than the physical impact was her shattered pride. As she stood up again, a thick murderous aura began to emanate from her body.
As Mahwa gripped her sword tightly and adjusted her stance, Gukgwang's demeanor shifted. Slowly, he unsheathed his blade. It was a peculiar sword, dark as ink, with a plain, undecorated scabbard that made it seem like a cheap, worthless weapon. No one had paid much attention to it, but even a quick glance revealed that it was a remarkable treasure. Gukgwang held the sword forward, assuming a simple defensive posture, yet the aura he exuded was entirely different from when he was unarmed. Though his stance appeared sloppy, there wasn't a single opening to be found. In fact, Mahwa realized that even if she could see an opening, she lacked the confidence to exploit it, as if overwhelmed.
"If you intend to harbor murderous intent, then I have no choice…."
The dark glow of the sword intensified as he held it forward. Among the squad leaders watching, one of them muttered in a weakened voice.
"Oegi Chonggeom…."
Mahwa, who had been radiating killing intent and preparing to unleash a deadly sword technique, found her blade slowly lowering. She instinctively understood that facing someone of this caliber was beyond her ability—no, it was impossible. The Oegi Chonggeom was a technique used by masters who had passed the stage of sword unity and were nearing the peak of the art of sword control. It was a high-level swordsmanship that only those approaching the transformation realm could wield.
As Mahwa's killing intent dissipated, Gukgwang sheathed his sword, as though nothing had happened.
"If you don't intend to fight, disperse."
He turned and began walking back to his barracks. Mahwa, watching him in shock, murmured weakly as she stared at his retreating figure.
"Who… are you…?"
As Gukgwang continued to walk away in silence, Mahwa screamed, her voice cracking.
"Who are you, I said!"
But Gukgwang was already gone, and the other squad leaders gathered around the dumbfounded Mahwa, patting her on the shoulder to console her.
"There's no shame in losing to a master of that caliber."
"Exactly. It's rare to meet someone like that even if you wandered the martial world for ten years. Just facing him in combat is an honor."
"Don't feel discouraged."
As their words washed over her, Mahwa's thoughts drifted elsewhere.
'What on earth is someone of his skill doing in the Black Wind Brigade? Just to gain the title of general? If he entered the martial world, he'd achieve both wealth and fame. And yet he's just a centurion here… I can't believe it.'
Finally, Mahwa spoke up.
"No… I can't believe it. I have to ask the commander who he really is."
One of the other squad leaders spoke up.
"Are you insane? Do you think the Grand General has nothing better to do than to meet with you?"
"I don't care if it goes against my personality. I'll even use my grandfather's name to get the answer if I have to."
"Sigh… there's no stopping you. Fine, let's all go together. That way, he'll be more likely to meet us."
The Grand General, Ok Yeongjin, wanted to refuse their request, but with so many influential people behind them, he couldn't deny the audience. He looked around at the squad leaders, offering their military salutes, with a hint of disdain before he spoke.
"What brings you here?"
Mahwa stepped forward.
"Who exactly is the centurion of the Saryuk unit?"
Grand General Ok Yeongjin glanced over Mahwa's armor, covered in dust, and replied in a low voice, his expression one of understanding.
"You've already fought him. Why ask?"
"But I must know. Why is someone of such skill here?"
Ok Yeongjin gave a slight smile.
"Would you believe me if I said he owes me a debt?"
"A debt?"
"That's right. As you saw, he is a martial artist. However, while his individual skills are exceptional, he seems to lack experience in group warfare. That's why you all should guide him well."
Mahwa stood there, stunned, still unable to fully believe what she was hearing.
"But it's hard to believe that someone of his caliber owes a debt to the Grand General."
"Well, if you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do…"
At that moment, a telepathic message entered Mahwa's mind.
Mahwa was shocked.
"What?"
Just how strong is he, then?
Mahwa, still in disbelief, responded telepathically.
Mahwa responded with a formal bow, speaking telepathically.
After leaving Ok Yeongjin's tent, the others showed great curiosity about the telepathic conversation between Mahwa and the Grand General.
"Did you get the answer you wanted, sister?"
"Yes…"
"So, what did the General say?"
"I can't tell you. If I could, we wouldn't have spoken telepathically. But I can say one thing for certain: the commander we met is an extraordinary person."
"So, does that mean our chances of surviving this expedition are much higher?"
"Maybe. It seems like Lady Luck might have smiled on us this time."