Heuk San Jeok (2)
After hastily fleeing, Jang Yeon rallied his soldiers and gritted his teeth upon learning that the pursuit army was coming.
“Right. They intend to completely wipe us out this time.”
It was good to have raised an army during the turmoil of the Huang Chao Rebellion, but the irony of fleeing after losing the most crucial battle was not lost on him.
Instead, facing a counterattack, the very name of Heuk San Jeok seemed at risk of being erased in the Central Plains.
“Is this the end for us?”
“If we surrender now, they might spare us.”
“Quiet!”
Jang Yeon yelled at the bandits, already in disarray upon hearing the news of the pursuing army.
“We are Heuk San Jeok, and this is the mountain range! Remember, there is no one who can beat the Heuk San Jeok in the mountains!”
The terrain was difficult even for climbing.
But for elite Heuk San Jeok like himself, who had been bandits for a long time, these mountains were like their own home.
The barbarians fear the invincible, but they are just youngsters relying on strength.
Shooting arrows from unseen places and slightly provoking them, they would undoubtedly come out, unable to control their temper.
By keeping a distance and avoiding capture, Lü Bu would eventually tire.
Even the invincible are human and don’t have infinite stamina.
At that moment, the mountain range would become the grave of the renowned invincible.
As the murmurs of the bandits ceased at Jang Yeon’s words, a big man next to him sneered wickedly.
“Boss. Lü Bu is just my type. What about her?”
“What nonsense are you spouting?”
“Don’t look like that. Of course, you should have the first turn, boss? I’m just asking for a chance later.”
“Tsk tsk. Thinking with the lower half of your body instead of the head on your shoulders.”
The scolded man’s eyes widened.
“Why not? You’re the one who said you like feisty and pretty women, boss.”
It’s common knowledge on this continent that the more capable a woman is, the more beautiful she is.
Especially in these times, it’s natural for men to force themselves on beautiful women.
Jang Yeon himself had seen a few of those men…
“A woman who can smash chains with her strength and crush my throat? Don’t talk nonsense.”
Those men all died.
You should live up to your position.
What if a capable man does the same?
Unless he’s a madman, wouldn’t he just use his abilities to woo?
Jang Yeon shook his head and firmly said,
“There will be no capture. Lü Bu dies in this mountain range today.”
──────────
After defeating Jang Yeon, I took a day’s rest and entered the Taihang Mountains in pursuit of Jang Yeon.
As soon as we entered the mountain range, we were greeted by overwhelming slopes.
It’s impressive that they chose such a place as their stronghold.
The Taihang Mountains, with multiple mountains overlapping and stretching long, could indeed accommodate a number like 100,000.
Now, it would be less than 10,000.
“Do we have to search all these mountains?”
Even Lü Bu frowned at the scale of the mountain range and muttered in dissatisfaction.
“It seems they will come to us first, so it might not take long.”
“Haa…”
Lü Bu sighed and swung her Fangtian Huaji in the air.
At first, I wondered what she was doing, but then I saw insects caught on the edge of the Fangtian Huaji being split in half and falling to the ground.
“…….”
What an incredible skill.
It was like something out of a martial arts novel.
As I admired Lü Bu swinging her weapon, larger than herself, effortlessly, an incident occurred.
Swoosh─!
An arrow flew through the trees, targeting Lü Bu.
Clang!
The attack came from an unseen angle to Lü Bu, but she casually deflected the arrow and sharply gazed in the direction it came from.
Swoosh─!
Regardless, another arrow flew from the direction Lü Bu was looking at.
Clang!
Lü Bu slightly frowned at the provocation.
“It seems like a blatant lure.”
“They must be waiting for you to rush out alone.”
Swoosh─!
Another arrow flew as they spoke.
This time, slightly changing direction, the arrow headed towards me nearby.
“Huh?”
Clang!
Without a shield, how could an ordinary person block an incoming arrow?
As I dumbly looked at the arrow, a sword protected me.
“…….”
Without me noticing, Seo Ye, with a chilly gaze, had approached and was now looking into the forest.
“I was almost killed, right?”
“Yes. It was dangerous.”
Lü Bu’s voice wasn’t there?
I turned my head to look at the woman who answered my question.
Jang Ryong, with darker brown hair tied in a ponytail than Seo Ye, was looking at me.
Staring into her brown eyes, I asked,
“Where did Lü Bu go?”
“As soon as the arrow flew towards you, she rushed into the forest.”
Lü Bu could have blocked the arrow aimed at me too.
Perhaps she trusted Seo Ye, who would have protected me, and went to catch the archer.
Jang Ryong, looking at me, then turned her head towards the direction Lü Bu ran off to.
“He probably won’t die easily if caught.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ll understand if you see Seo Ye.”
Jang Ryong, smiling like a puppy, made me look at Seo Ye.
“…….”
Without saying a word, Seo Ye kept her terrifying gaze fixed in the direction the arrow came from.
She always had that look when facing those who tried to harm me.
I sighed.
“What’s the plan, rushing into a trap without a word?”
“Well…. it was aimed at you.”
Jang Ryong smiled slightly and then spoke,
“Sometimes, it seems like you don’t realize how important you are to us.”
“I thought I knew well enough…”
“Do you know how many people of Bing Province were saved by you?”
Of course, I don’t. How could I possibly know that?
“It’s a bit awkward to say this in front of you, but Lord Jeong Won wasn’t such a good person.”
“…He did like wealth.”
One reason we could reduce taxes and still afford military expenses was that my mother had accumulated considerable wealth up until now.
Where else could such wealth come from, if not from the people?
Although she doesn’t seem so now, in the original history, when the conflict between Ha Jin and the Ten Attendants worsened, Jeong Won had records of disguising soldiers as Heuk San Jeok for military operations.
What could be the military activities of disguised soldiers as Heuk San Jeok? Burning villages and looting, what else?
If the most precious thing hadn’t changed to me, she might have gone astray.
On the other hand, it also meant she loved me enough to easily give up the wealth she had accumulated all her life.
I felt once again the greatness of maternal love.
“It was you who persuaded Lord Jeong Won to open the long-closed granaries and reduce taxes to lessen the burden on the people.”
“There wasn
‘t much persuasion needed.”
I just mentioned opening the granaries a bit because many were starving, and she agreed without hesitation.
“Would Lord Jeong Won have accepted if someone else had suggested it?”
“Hmm…”
Thinking about it, it made sense.
The second most beloved thing, after me, was wealth.
“So, please value yourself more.”
I could feel it as Jang Ryong spoke calmly.
She doesn’t express it, but she’s angry right now.
“But I’m still worried about her rushing into the trap alone…”
“She’ll be fine.”
Jang Ryong said with a voice full of faith.
“If alone, she’s the best at surviving.”
──────────
“Come out, you bastard!”
Crack!
As a large tree shattered and fell, Jang Yeon hurried with cold sweat.
“Damn. Seems like I’ve really angered her.”
If caught now, it’s certain death.
Luring Lü Bu was good, but it seemed she was angered more than expected.
It was also a sign that she was so enraged that she was using her strength in the wrong way. Perhaps that’s good?
Jang Yeon had to wait until the mad beast exhausted as much strength as possible.
While running, Jang Yeon ducked down with a chilling sensation.
Boom!
“Huff!”
Seeing the arrow lodged in the rock with a savage sound, Jang Yeon swallowed.
If he had dodged a bit later, the arrow would have pierced his heart.
Looking back, he saw Lü Bu in the distance, aiming with her bow on horseback.
“Oh? Dodged this? You really are as fast as they say.”
Lü Bu sneered chillingly and notched another arrow.
“I usually refrain, but there are those I shoot and those I don’t.”
As Lü Bu fired another arrow, Jang Yeon rolled, desperately avoiding it.
Boom─!
How does an arrow make such a sound when it hits?
Jang Yeon, with his agile movements, climbed trees, putting as much distance as possible between himself and Lü Bu.
“Huff!”
“How long will you run like a coward?”
Boom─! Boom─! Boom─!
Lü Bu effortlessly chased after Jang Yeon, firing arrows.
Jang Yeon felt his limits as Lü Bu increasingly predicted his path and shot arrows.
“Let’s see how long you can dodge.”
This is the end.
If he tries to lure her any further, he’ll die first.
Realizing that trying to exhaust Lü Bu was a foolish idea, Jang Yeon quickly called out.
“Everyone, come out!”
Boom─!
As Jang Yeon finished speaking, he rolled to dodge the arrow.
“Tsk. Missed again.”
Just as Lü Bu clicked her tongue and was about to notch another arrow, numerous arrows were shot at her.
“Huh? What’s this?”
Lü Bu quickly put away her bow and drew her Fangtian Huaji.
She easily brushed off the barrage of arrows and grinned.
“Thought you were luring me for something big, and this is it?”
Catching his breath, Jang Yeon clenched his teeth at Lü Bu’s confident demeanor.
“Do you really think, even as the invincible, you can take on over a thousand alone?”
“You might be able to.”
Jang Yeon’s face reddened with anger at her continued disregard.
“This is where you die today! Charge!”
“Tsk tsk.”
Lü Bu gripped her Fangtian Huaji and clicked her tongue.
“It won’t work.”
In the forest, surrounded by vast trees, a whirlwind of bloodshed began.
