Operation for Certain Victory - 2
"Curse it… I feel like I just barely escaped death this time," Imchung grumbled, and Mahwa gave a slight nod of agreement. "The Mongolian army's moves were really impressive, don't you think, Commander?" Mahwa asked, and Gukgwang nodded.
"That's right; their use of tactics was remarkable. But even so, it's not enough to wipe out the Black Wind Brigade. Unless they deploy martial artists on their side too, it's nearly impossible to inflict significant damage on us. Even though the Mongolian forces took a hit in this battle, that could actually be an issue for us."
"But for our alliance, the Mongolian soldiers aren't exactly critical, are they? Would a slight dip in their morale even be a problem?"
"It's not that simple. There's a big difference between fighting solely as the Black Wind Brigade and forming a joint army with them. The reality is that, as useless as they might seem, we have to cater to the whims of their chieftains. If we can't coordinate with them, we might fail at tasks we could have easily done alone. In the worst-case scenario, the chieftains could betray us, and we'd be attacked from both sides and annihilated."
"That's true. So, now that the battle's over, shouldn't you go check on Habur?"
Ack… Despite his intentions, Gukgwang's strange reaction caught Mahwa's curiosity. "What's the matter?"
Mahwa, looking puzzled, glanced over at Gukgwang, whose expression was one of pure dread. Amused, Imchung leaned in knowingly and said, "Haha, these days, just thinking of Habur seems to bring up visions of fresh horse milk wine and raw meat dripping with blood, doesn't it?"
"It's true… lately, I even see visions of raw meat dripping with blood rushing into my mouth in my dreams… What am I supposed to do about this?"
"Why don't you spend some time away from her?"
"Away from her? Easier said than done…"
"What's the problem? Did she catch you at a weak moment?"
"Weak moment?" Gukgwang forced a wry smile, thinking to himself, Perhaps so.
At first, Habur had been utterly intimidated by the imposing, silent figure of Gukgwang, clad in black armor with only his cold eyes visible, hardly daring to make a sound. But over time, she began to see through to his true self—a seemingly gentle scholar beneath the armor, someone who, though a bit brusque, was tender-hearted and easily softened, especially around women—a gentleness absent in the rugged Mongolian men hardened by survival struggles.
Once Habur sensed this, it became her world. Gukgwang's subordinates, too, found endless amusement in watching him, a once-feared warrior, now under the sway of young Habur. They teased him, saying things like, "It's the nature of men" and "A husband has to be trained this way," adding fuel to the fire, leaving Gukgwang at his wit's end.
"Who knew it'd be this exhausting just living with a young girl…" Gukgwang sighed heavily, when suddenly, welcome news arrived. A messenger came rushing in, breathless, and shouted, "Commander Gwanji has ordered everyone to prepare for deployment."
Puzzled, Gukgwang asked, "Why?"
"They're departing from the main camp as soon as they're ready. I don't know the details, though."
At this, Gukgwang nodded with a look that seemed to say, Even if the sky falls, there's always a way out.
"Really? What a timely twist… like tripping over a stone only to land on a coin. Alright, this is perfect. Mahwa!"
Mahwa gave a slight smile, seeming to find Gukgwang's words amusing. "Yes?"
"Give orders to prepare for departure. And just in case, make sure to pack enough provisions for a few days. I'll go check the command tent."
Mahwa grinned. "Going to report to Habur?"
Gukgwang, embarrassed by the accurate guess, shouted, "Don't be ridiculous! Just go already!"
"Yes, sir!"
When Gukgwang entered the command tent, Habur hurried over to embrace him.
"Is it over now?"
"Today's battle has more or less wrapped up."
"You must be exhausted. Please, take a seat. Shall I prepare some food?"
Gukgwang, with an awkward smile, replied, "No, there's no need. I have to head out again… I might be gone for a few days."
Though Habur looked a bit disappointed, she quickly pulled herself together and bustled about. Her late mother had taught her never to whine when her husband was heading to the battlefield—he should leave with peace of mind. Habur brought over a bowl brimming with mare's milk wine and offered it with a gentle smile.
"You'll at least have something before you go, won't you? There's no meat ready yet, but you should drink some mare's milk wine before heading out."
Forcing a smile, Gukgwang tried to decline. "That's alright…"
But to Habur, sending him off without making sure he was well-fed was unthinkable. If she hadn't seen him, it would have been different—but now that he'd come to see her, she felt it was her duty to ensure he was well taken care of.
"Please, have a bit more. The nights on the plains are cold, you know. A good drink of mare's milk wine will keep you warm," Habur said, smiling as she filled a bowl to the brim, urging Gukgwang with sincerity he couldn't refuse. Taking the bowl, Gukgwang gulped it down. As he finished, Habur, smiling, poured him another.
"Drink more. A strong man needs to eat and drink well."
"I'm full now…" Only after downing that bowl could Gukgwang finally escape the mare's milk wine. He gently patted Habur's head in farewell. Though he was confident he'd survive, Gukgwang, who had never experienced true battle, couldn't help but feel a tinge of doubt each time he left, wondering if this might be the last. So, he always made sure to bid her goodbye.
"Stay safe and behave. Only good children do that."
"Yes."
The endless Tenryeong Plains stretched ahead, though, in truth, it was scattered with gentle rises here and there. In one spot, the Black Wind Brigade members were busily changing clothes, while up on a knoll, black-armored men stood with large swords either strapped to their backs or at their waists, gazing out at a single point on the horizon.
"We've taken a long enough detour. They shouldn't have noticed us, right?"
"Seems so. Commander Gwanji certainly has a knack for surprise attacks."
"Haha, it's remarkable."
"What is?"
Gukgwang's tone was mocking. "The 'Great Imperial Black Wind Brigade,' known for their surprise attack tactics…"
Mahwa put on an aloof expression. "Hey, we don't have a choice. For a small, elite force, ambushes are the best strategy."
"True enough. Still, from about 25 li away (roughly 10 kilometers), the people and horses look like ants. That cannon looks like a mere toy."
Just then, Imchung came running up from below, dressed in Mongol clothing and panting. He handed Gukgwang and Mahwa each an outfit. Taking his without thinking, Mahwa asked, "What's this?"
Imchung grinned. "What else? It's a Mongol outfit. Commander Gwanji's orders are for a nighttime assault, and we're supposed to wrap this white cloth around our left arms to identify each other as allies."
Mahwa, beginning to strip off his armor to put on the Mongol clothes, grimaced. "Ugh… what's that smell?"
Without missing a beat, Imchung smiled knowingly. "Mongols barely bathe, so obviously their clothes stink. But don't worry, I picked the least smelly ones for you and the commander."
Without a hint of gratitude, Mahwa snapped back angrily, "This is what you call 'picking the best'? This?"
"Can't help it. The order came so suddenly that we could only get about 300 uniforms. Where would we find the time to wash them?" Imchung replied with a shrug.
"Now that you mention it… I should've borrowed one from Habur."
"Nice thought, but the main camp is a few dozen li in the other direction. Care to make the trip alone?"
"…"
"Stop complaining and put it on. You think the rest of us are wearing this for the smell?"
As Gukgwang silently gazed out at the Mongol camp, he turned to Imchung. "When's the ambush?"
"At the third watch," Imchung replied. "Since we only have 300 uniforms, only the top fighters within the Thousand-Man Unit will wear them, while the rest stay in armor, lying in wait here to support the ambush squad's retreat. Commander Menggak will lead the remaining ambush forces."
A New Phase of the War - 1
When the day broke, Cheoljincheon's bloodshot eyes confirmed with little sleep that the allied forces had fled overnight right before him. "Damn it..." The valiant generals surrounding him, seeing his furious expression, could do nothing but silently wait for his anger to subside. They never thought that the enemy would attempt a surprise attack with only a fraction of their forces and then make a quick escape.
Among the scattered bodies of fallen soldiers, disheveled subordinates were moving about, cleaning up the corpses. Their eyes were also bloodshot, likely from staying awake all night. Those Black Wind Brigade bastards had taken advantage of the night, weaving through their ranks and wreaking havoc for nearly an hour and a half. The Black Wind Brigade had discarded their distinctive black armor and donned Mongolian clothing, making it impossible to tell who was who. Moreover, the enemy possessed martial arts skills so exceptional that even a few Mongolian commanders would struggle against them. In such situations, the key to survival was to hide in a corner and attack anyone who appeared before them without question. This might have contributed to the heavy casualties among the Mongolian soldiers.
"Otai!"
A large, bulging-eyed general stepped forward.
"Yes."
"I will give you ten thousand to pursue the allied forces. I will follow with the main force as soon as things are settled."
"Yes."
"Those bastards... Tauga!"
Still seething with rage, Cheoljincheon called for Tauga, a commander not particularly large in stature but with a sturdy build. He always carried a long bow, showcasing his confidence in archery. He stepped forward and replied, "Yes."
"I will give you ten thousand. After you take care of the bastards who attacked us tonight, rejoin the main force. Everyone, leave now!"
"Yes."
The pursuit force of ten thousand led by Otai chased after the allied forces' retreat. Meanwhile, the other ten thousand led by the skilled archer Tauga pursued the Black Wind Brigade that had launched the surprise attack. However, by the time Tauga began the chase, the ambushing group had already made a far escape. When he pursued the group led by Gwanji, he realized the next day that they had already rejoined the main force and had no choice but to turn back.
Cheoljincheon's main force gathered the corpses and cleared the fallen soldiers, following Otai's pursuit force. Surprisingly, the allied forces had set up camp not far away. Cheoljincheon also set up camp nearby, and a standoff began between the two sides.
The fight required a direct confrontation; otherwise, attacking an enemy fully prepared for defense would only lead to enormous losses. Near the allied camp, barricades were lined up to prepare for the Mongolian cavalry's intrusion, and they had more than two hundred crossbows that the Mongolian soldiers lacked. Additionally, there were almost ten thousand infantry troops, five thousand of whom were archers, making it clear that rushing into the allied camp would result in nothing but harm.
With the enemy solely focused on defense, Cheoljincheon found himself at a loss. He gathered those who spoke Chinese and taught some loud soldiers to hurl insults at the enemy in an attempt to provoke them, but for some reason, the allied forces remained unresponsive. This was strange. Generally, prolonging a war is the forte of defenders because while the expeditionary forces depend on supplies from their home country, defenders do not. Thus, there is a significant difference in logistics; the expeditionary forces desperately needed a swift resolution, while the defenders had no such urgency. Therefore, they typically employed delay tactics when their strength varied. However, it was perplexing that the invading forces were the ones employing delay tactics, especially with the addition of a new betrayer force of eighty thousand, which would surely bolster their morale.
Are they waiting for all the lamb meat to run out on this side?
Cheoljincheon's doubts were resolved on the second day when he received reports that nearly two thousand members of the Black Wind Brigade were roaming around, slaughtering his clansmen. The more residents that died, the weaker his position became. To achieve not only victory in this war but also his grand dream of unifying Mongolia, he needed the cooperation of the clans, and the more people he had on his side, the better.
Upon hearing the news from the messenger, Cheoljincheon trembled uncontrollably. Rage... the elite of the Song's Black Wind Brigade were slaughtering children and women while the elite warriors had slipped away. Even he thought it was undoubtedly a winning strategy, and perhaps he would have employed such tactics against his enemies as well. But now, facing such an atrocity, an inexplicable rage surged within him.
Even knowing his forces were dwindling, Cheoljincheon had no choice but to split his troops in front of the enemy to prevent the annihilation of his clansmen. The men were all on the battlefield, leaving only women, children, and the elderly in the village, which he had to protect from the Chinese. If he abandoned them in a rush to the front lines, the trust his subordinates had in him would falter, and morale would plummet. In the worst-case scenario, rebellion could occur. Thus, he had no intention of spreading his forces, but he had no choice but to modify his plan with tears in his eyes.
"Summon Otai and Tauga."
"Yes."
When Otai and Tauga arrived, Cheoljincheon took a moment to steady himself before reconsidering whether what he was about to do was wrong.
It can't be helped.
"I will give each of you ten thousand. Go and rescue the villages from the clutches of the Chinese. Choose two deputy leaders to take with you. The enemy consists of Song's elite. If possible, it would be wise to engage in surprise attacks to avoid direct confrontations. If you lie in ambush near the villages that haven't been attacked yet, the enemy will surely appear."
"Yes."
"Leave now."
"Yes."
After Tauga and Otai performed their formal bows and departed, Cheoljincheon thought to himself. After all the fierce battles, I have about one hundred ten thousand soldiers left... The enemy has one hundred thousand... but if we exclude the ten thousand infantry, that makes it one hundred ten thousand to ninety thousand. I thought we had a slight advantage, but now with two thousand less, we will be evenly matched in numbers. If I send even a little less, it's clear we will be overwhelmed. What should I do? Buddha, grant me strength...