Chapter 226: Did You Have to Do That (3)
“We would have suffered a setback if we had charged blindly,” Ma Xu muttered mockingly.
Hearing this, the Allied commanders seethed with anger. The enemy had noticed the traps they had prepared.
Il-gwang, who had the loudest voice, stepped forward and shouted, “Stop barking and get over here! Are you scared?”
Ma Xu sneered as he gripped his reins.
“Since when does a beast address a human? Know your place and back off.”
“What did you say? You son of a…”
So-mu stepped forward, grabbing Il-gwang’s shoulder to stop him.
“There is no need to engage him. Fall back.”
If a commander lost his composure and grew agitated in front of the soldiers, it would inevitably damage morale. Commanders had to remain calm at all times to instill confidence in their troops.
His face flushed, Il-gwang turned away, but not without leaving a parting word.
“I’ll be the one to kill that guy. Don’t touch him, Commander.”
“I promise.”
Leaving Il-gwang behind, So-mu and Ma Xu stared at each other.
Both knew that provocations would not work on them. Perhaps because of this, Ma Xu’s tone changed slightly.
“Ditches to stop the cavalry charge, straw piles for fire attacks to startle the horses, and wooden fences with hidden ropes on the ground. A very impressive setup. Had I not been here, we would have walked right into it.”
His observational skills were uncanny.
Although their traps had been exposed, So-mu’s expression did not change. He merely drew his sword slowly.
“Are you finished speaking?”
He looked ready to strike and decapitate him at the slightest opening. Although the chance of success was slim, it was enough to intimidate his cautious opponent.
Ma Xu turned his horse around, leaving one last question.
“I am curious. What will you do now?”
Without waiting for an answer, Ma Xu rode away.
It was a simple question, but it carried significant weight. It meant the enemy would not charge into their obvious traps.
‘This makes things difficult.’
Returning to the formation, So-mu spoke to the commanders.
“Order the soldiers to fill in the ditches.”
Commander Yang Jiang asked in confusion, “Fill in the ditches we worked so hard to dig?”
“A trap that has been discovered loses its value. If we leave the ditches as they are, the enemy won’t attack, but we won’t be able to move either.”
Yang Jiang still looked puzzled.
“But… isn’t dragging things out more advantageous for us? Until Admiral Ze Yun and the Martial Alliance capture Luoyang Fortress, that is.”
“Do not forget that we are the attackers and they are the defenders. If we drag things out, Ma Xu will realize we are planning a diversion.”
Looking at the enemy forces gathered here, it was clear they had not yet noticed the diversion.
This was only possible because they had prepared in secrecy and departed a bit later.
If the enemy noticed, the defenses of Luoyang would be reinforced, making it much harder to capture.
Understanding the reasoning, Yang Jiang did not argue further. He turned and shouted to the soldiers.
“Fill in the ditches! Send the Commander’s orders to the left and right wings!”
So-mu headed back to the command tent, falling into deep thought. He was planning his next move.
After fifteen minutes, a guest arrived.
It was General Yue Fei, who commanded the right wing.
“That man just now does not seem like an easy opponent.”
“He is a cautious and cunning tactician. Please, sit.”
Since there would be no immediate attack, Yue Fei was not in a hurry either.
“I agree with you. We must fill in the ditches and advance slowly. Although the traps are useless now, we still have a chance if we maintain our formation.”
So-mu picked up the teapot and filled Yue Fei’s cup, then his own.
“However, no matter the outcome, our casualties will be heavy. We must avoid a pyrrhic victory, shouldn’t we?”
Yue Fei studied So-mu and said with curiosity, “Looking at your expression, it seems you have a backup plan.”
“Of course I do. I didn’t want to use it in this battle, but I have no choice.”
Yue Fei’s face brightened, eager to hear the plan.
“Now I see why my junior disciple trusts you blindly. What is it?”
After taking a sip of tea, So-mu set his cup down and murmured, “My wife.”
“…? What do you mean by that?”
Yue Fei wondered if he had misheard.
He had heard rumors that So-mu was married, but he knew nothing about his wife.
So-mu hesitated, wondering how to explain, before summarizing briefly.
“It might be hard to believe, but my wife is quite good at fighting.”
Yue Fei took it as a joke. He merely sensed that there was some other secret.
“Well, you must have your reasons. But how will you bring her here from Chang’an Fortress?”
For an ordinary person, the journey would take at least ten days. However, that was by ordinary standards.
“Is anyone outside?”
A guard standing outside the tent rushed in and saluted.
“Go to the Wolf Fang Squad and summon Qing Hai.”
“Yes, General!”
Excluding Il-gwang, Qing Hai and Xuan Jing were the fastest members of the squad.
In less than fifteen minutes, the squad officer clad in centurion armor appeared.
“Did you summon me, Commander?”
“How long will it take to run to Mount Yangju?”
Confused, Qing Hai replied, “If I run at full speed, I can probably arrive in half a day.”
“Then go now and summon my wife.”
“Excuse me…?”
“As you know, our traps have been discovered, and things have become difficult. So, you must hurry. The fate of all of us rests on your shoulders.”
Prompted by So-mu’s final words, a sense of duty flared within Qing Hai.
Since he had been to Mount Yangju once, he knew the way well.
Bowing, he shouted his final salute with a solemn look.
“Loyalty!”
After he left, So-mu looked at the ceiling and murmured, “Half a day to get there… and since it will take her less than an hour to return, she should arrive by tomorrow morning.”
Yue Fei’s confusion only grew.
“Mount Yangju is near Chang’an, is it not? An hour to get here? Unless she is in the Realm of Revelation, traveling at such speed is impossible.”
“You might be disappointed, but she is not in the Realm of Revelation.”
She was in the state of shedding demonic energy, which was equivalent to the Realm of Revelation.
So-mu was about to explain further, but Yue Fei nodded.
“We will find out tomorrow, so there is no rush. Shall we go out and inspect the formation?”
“Let’s do that.”
The two spent the night checking their formation and observing the enemy camp.
As expected, the enemy merely watched them from a distance without making a move. They were likely waiting for the Allies to fill in the ditches and begin their march, which would inevitably create openings.
The following morning.
So-mu stood outside the tent, gazing at the rising sun.
“I thought you said you didn’t need help?”
A melodious, jade-like voice echoed.
So-mu turned to see Yeon Seo-hwa standing there with her arms crossed. A seven-string zither was slung across her back.
Dressed in her Phoenix Robe, she looked elegant and enchanting, completely out of place on a battlefield.
“Welcome. You look exceptionally beautiful today.”
“Flattering me the moment we meet? I wonder what my husband wants me to do for him now.”
So-mu raised his hands in defense.
“Flattery? What are you talking about? Don’t you know you’re called the Number One Beauty of Shaanxi?”
Peerless beauties often received such nicknames.
Although So-mu had just made it up, she had no way of knowing.
No woman disliked being called a peerless beauty. Although she tried not to show it, her joy was obvious.
“Well, I suppose I might have heard that. What do you need me to do?”
“It’s a simple matter.”
As So-mu began to explain, his face suddenly stiffened. He felt something approaching at an immense speed.
Knowing what it was, Yeon Seo-hwa spoke expressionlessly.
“Our daughter came along too. She cried, saying she missed her father. She said she’d return after just seeing your face, so I couldn’t stop her.”
The girl was more than capable of protecting herself.
After all, she had reached the Realm of Transcendence, a realm only attained by the top ten masters of the Jianghu.
Judging by the speed, she was riding the Mountain Lord.
‘Well, seeing her for a moment should be fine.’
Soon, a gust of wind swept through the rear of the Allied formation.
An unrecognizable shape approached at the speed of light.
The soldiers stood frozen, not daring to block it.
“Father!” So-so cried out happily.
As So-mu opened his arms, So-so leaped from the Mountain Lord’s back.
Flying like a sparrow, she crossed a hundred feet and landed in So-mu’s arms.
“Oh my, daughter. How did you get here?”
So-so buried her face in her father’s chest, her eyes welling with tears.
“I came because I missed you, Father. Sniff.”
“My sweet girl. You’re not hurt anywhere, right?”
Reaching the Realm of Transcendence granted Myriad Poison Immunity and a body sturdier than Diamond Invulnerability. She couldn’t possibly be hurt.
“…Yes. Father, when can you come home?”
“It won’t take long. I’ll return in ten days.”
“Really?”
“Of course. When this is over, shall we catch some fish with your mother and roast them?”
“Hehe. I’d love that.”
So-mu patted his daughter’s back gently.
After their reunion, So-so approached the Mountain Lord and looked up into his eyes.
“Let’s go home now, Dalong. I promised Mother.”
As if understanding her words, the Mountain Lord lay down.
So-mu and Yeon Seo-hwa watched with proud smiles as the girl prepared to return. They were pleased to see how well she behaved.
“Our So-so has grown up.”
“Hehe. I’m leaving now, Father!”
Just as she was about to wave goodbye, So-mu turned to his wife and asked, “Wait. You said So-so’s Dragon-Striking Lion’s Shout has reached complete mastery, right? How powerful is it?”
Yeon Seo-hwa replied flatly, “Compared to when it was at ninety percent mastery, it is about five times more powerful. The last time she used it, a portion of Mount Yangju collapsed.”
“A portion of the mountain collapsed?”
“Go see for yourself when you return. It was unbelievable. That’s why I’ve told her never to use it again. But why do you ask?”
The Dragon-Striking Lion’s Shout required a long preparation time and left the user exhausted afterward. However, its power was unmatched as the ultimate area-of-effect martial art.
Perhaps this shout could replace the disabled traps.
After a moment of thought, So-mu murmured, “Since she’s here, wouldn’t it be nice if she unleashed one shout before leaving?”
There was no danger. After shouting, she could simply ride the Mountain Lord back home.
Yeon Seo-hwa muttered in disbelief, “So I didn’t even need to come.”
“That’s not true. Without you, we can’t guarantee victory in this battle.”
“Hmph. We’ll see.”
Nodding, So-mu knelt down and gestured to his daughter.
“So-so, come here for a moment.”