Chapter 328

Chapter 328

Several days before Sangwi arrived at Uichang.

“Before establishing an operation, the first thing we must prioritize is one thing.”

“What is it?”

“We must be able to properly project our strength.”

“Mm.”

Everyone nodded as if agreeing with Murim Alliance First Strategist Guyang Jeok’s words and looked at the picture of Sangwi drawn by the painter. At first glance it looks like just a mud-covered turtle, but the appearance of Sangwi would be tremendously massive upon examining the reality.

“If Sangwi really looks like this and its size is truly so massive that it can cross several li in a single bound, then those who can climb onto Sangwi’s back will be limited. Isn’t that so?”

“That would be so. Climbing a cliff hundreds of zhang high without a single foothold is impossible at an ordinary level.”

“Thank you for your addition.”

Guyang Jeok, who briefly expressed gratitude for Wudang Sect Leader Yeongsajinin’s agreement, continued speaking.

“No matter how much a battle is said to be determined by a small number of masters, you still can’t wage the battle itself with only masters. If there’s no way to climb onto Sangwi’s back, wouldn’t only a few hundred of the tens of thousands gathered here be able to participate in the battle?”

“We all know that without you explaining! So what are you saying we should do in the end?”

“I was just about to explain. Tang Family Head.”

Guyang Jeok, who answered expressionlessly at the impatient Tang Cheol’s interruption, drew Sangwi’s route on the map.

“As a result of examining the terrain in this vicinity, the routes Sangwi can take are limited like this.”

“A gorge……?”

“It’s too wide to be a gorge. But if Sangwi enters it, it will look like a gorge. It’s true that it’s flanked by two mountain cliffs.”

The route Sangwi can take is a route crawling between two mountains.

If it tries to pass over the mountain range, the elevation difference between the mountains is severe so it won’t be able to cross with Sangwi’s body, and other places are too narrow for Sangwi to cross. Meaning there’s only this one route it can take.

“Here, we’ll make Sangwi collapse.”

“Collapse? It’s that massive. Even if we pound it with thunder bombs, would that be possible?”

“If it’s collapsing from shock, it will be temporarily possible. As long as Sangwi is also a living creature, it will be vulnerable to shocks at the joints.”

“Joints……”

“First, as soon as Sangwi arrives at this location, we’ll detonate the thunder bombs.”

The total weight of thunder bombs procured by mobilizing the Imperial Palace’s full strength is one hundred thousand gwan.

Even so, toppling that massive body is impossible. Even with one hundred thousand gwan of gunpowder, it’s not easy to blow away even a single small hill entirely, and Sangwi’s size is so large that it can’t be approached with something like a hill.

“What’s needed there is a formation array that guides the shock of the thunder bombs.”

“Is that…… possible?”

“If just once, it’s possible. Through this formation array, we’ll strike Sangwi’s foreleg. If that happens……”

What happens when one foreleg collapses?

If it were a normal-sized turtle, even if one foreleg became unusable, it could somehow move with three legs, but Sangwi isn’t an ordinary massive body. It will clearly fall over immediately, and due to the characteristic of its sluggish movement, it will take quite a while to stand up.

“In the meantime, if we can lay bridges from the cliff and cross, the majority of warriors will be able to enter above.”

“Will it be possible?”

“Fifty-fifty.”

There are many variables.

Unexpectedly, Sangwi might be sturdy and not fall over, and even if it falls, it might stand up quickly.

Even if it doesn’t stand up quickly, if the distance between the cliff and Sangwi is too far, laying bridges won’t be easy.

Normally, he would never use such an uncertain operation. Eliminating variables of defeat first, then increasing variables of victory—that was a strategist’s virtue and Guyang Jeok’s method. However.

“There’s no other way besides this.”

Countless methods have already fallen through. There’s only one method left.

“We must succeed.”

There’s no going back. Guyang Jeok, who declared so, established the strategy on the premise that this plan must succeed. And.

***

“It’s collapsed──!”

It comes to now.

“Waaaaaaah!”

“Calm down! We haven’t succeeded yet!”

At the sight of the staff cheering upon seeing Sangwi collapse, Guyang Jeok shouted loudly and raised a red flag to send a signal to those waiting on the mountain first. And not long after, massive spears slicing through the air.

Swaeaeaek! Kwang!

Spears with thick ropes attached tear through the air.

The spear tips made in arrow shapes dug into Sangwi’s back and became firmly caught and fixed as soon as they were embedded. Simultaneously, ropes pulled taut to form a bridge made of lines in the air.

‘Will they break?’

The ropes aren’t Heavenly Silkworm Thread, and since they’re not Heavenly Silkworm Thread, there’s a limit to how much they can stretch.

If Sangwi moves its body even slightly, the ropes hanging on Sangwi will break one after another and lose their function as bridges.

At least if they break before crossing, they could try again, but what if they break while warriors are crossing the bridges?

‘A great disaster would occur.’

Guyang Jeok, whose palms were sweating in the rapidly passing time, timed it. And.

‘Done.’

The moment Guyang Jeok, who gauged the time during a brief silence, confirmed that Sangwi wasn’t moving.

“Advance──!!!”

The advance order was given.

Warriors of the three forces began advancing simultaneously.

“Murim Alliance members, Area A!”

“Sado Alliance members, Area B!”

“Divine Cult members, occupy Area C!”

Masters selected under the guidance of each military corps and sect leaders quickly climb onto Sangwi’s back. By treading on precarious lines laid in the air hundreds of zhang above.

Countless warriors fill the lines, and those who gathered on Sangwi’s back through them formed formations again. Perhaps this is what it would feel like if well-trained ants swarmed to hunt humans.

“Huashan Sect bridge crossing complete!”

“Zhongnan Sect bridge crossing complete.”

“Amitabha. Yeomwangjeon has also completed bridge crossing.”

“Wudang Sect bridge crossing complete!”

“Tang Family bridge crossing complete.”

One by one.

The Nine Sects and One League, Five Great Families worthy of being called prestigious, and the Seven Gates of the Evil Path cross the sky bridges in groups. Those with superior lightness techniques instantly surge ahead, and those remaining are now those whose lightness techniques are relatively inferior.

“D-do we have to cross?”

“We have to…… I guess.”

Gulp.

A warrior who swallowed hard at the sight of the unstable sky bridge placed his foot on the rope with countless footings and smiled awkwardly.

“Haha…… O-once you’re up here, it’s nothing much. Come up. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“I-is it sturdy?”

“I’m telling you it’s sturdy. Even if I bounce in place like this, doesn’t it hardly shake?”

“I-if that’s the case.”

At the sight of the bridge maintaining its form even as the warrior bounced his body to prove his words, reassured warriors placed their feet on the bridge. And at that moment, a voice ringing out from the mountain peak.

—Well, do you really think it’s sturdy?

Swaeaeaek! Daenggyeong!

“Uh……?”

Part of the rope is cut by a swift strike.

“Uaaaaaaaah──!!!”

—Kieeeeeek—!!! Kirururuk!

While confirming the warriors who were stepping on the cut rope falling, flying-type monster beasts that flew in like a swarm of bees let out joyful cries as if amused. Warriors terrified at that sight.

“They’re cutting the bridges!”

“H-how can we deal with those things! I can’t cross!”

“What are you saying! With monsters right before your eyes, are you saying you’ll retreat as a warrior!”

“If I die fighting, at least I won’t feel wronged, but if I fall and die while crossing a bridge, isn’t that a dog’s death!”

—Kiruruk.

While watching the warriors fallen into chaos, the monsters that let out cries like sneers finally approached the ropes to cut all the hanging ropes. And.

—Kiruk. Kiruruk.

Finally, the moment the monsters almost approached the ropes and were about to swing their claws again.

Pokryugongsul

Starlight.

Jojeok

Exploded.

Kwareureureureuk──!!!

Noise like a flood rushing in.

Simultaneously, seeing dozens of light arrows embroidering the air, warriors gaped. Arrows that, despite shooting dozens at once, didn’t fall short in speed or accuracy.

“It’s Gunggwi! Gunggwi is providing cover!”

“Lowly creatures dare to lay hands on what belongs to His Majesty.”

Jiiiik!

Gunggwi, who pulled the bowstring then slowly returned it to its place while checking the bow’s durability, nocked an arrow on the string again and continued speaking quietly.

“You who hope for inviolability despite being subjects of the Great Ming. The time has come to fulfill your duty.”

“…….”

“The Imperial Family respects warriors and the martial world only because you are those who rose up to protect the common people.”

The appearance of monsters unprecedented in history.

If they flee from here, there’s no knowing how many will die. If warriors truly know righteousness and chivalry, it means they must not flee from here.

“I won’t oppress the martial world just because one or two flee from here. However.”

“…….”

“Fleeing from here means you’ll only enjoy rights without fulfilling duties.”

It’s an imperial command.

“The moment you flee from here, you’ll be considered a traitor and your nine familial relations will be exterminated.”

“……Damn it.”

At Gunggwi’s declaration, warriors who swallowed hard gritted their teeth, then began selecting still-intact ropes and crossing over them. And while watching that sight, Gunggwi narrowed his eyes.

‘I was assuming Heukya herself would intervene.’

The voice heard at first.

That was definitely Heukya’s voice. All the flying-type monster beasts were of insignificant level, and even the one that seemed relatively intelligent didn’t particularly open its mouth.

Heukya noticed this sky bridge.

The moment he intuited that, Gunggwi prepared for the attack Heukya would pour out. No matter how confident one might be, it’s true that if these numerous people can board Sangwi’s back, Heukya will become slightly more disadvantaged than now. He thought she wouldn’t bear such a risk.

But what about now?

‘She’s not interfering. Why?’

She’s not sending additional responses, nor is Heukya herself reacting.

At that appearance as if completely cutting off attention from the sky bridge, Gunggwi briefly frowned then shook his head. Probably others took some measures in a place he doesn’t know.

‘My mission is to protect the sky bridge.’

There’s no leisure to worry about other places.

Gunggwi’s eyes, which coldly refined his mental clarity and drew the bowstring, captured a flying-type monster beast.

The next moment, the bowstring began dancing again.

***

Atop Sangwi’s head.

—Is this enough?

—…….

—I’m surprised. You still had such capacity remaining.

While watching the humans who swarmed like a swarm of bees crossing the sky bridge, Heukya, who exhaled deeply, looked at the man before her with deep eyes. The appearance of a man whose entire body is wrapped in old, worn blood-stained robes.

—I wondered where you disappeared to right after the battle ended…… were you hiding on Sangwi’s back, evading my eyes?

Moving to buy time while even prepared for his own extinction. A concept unimaginable to monsters.

That too is possible because he was once human.

—Nakcheon.

A man who, despite becoming a monster, is more human than anyone.

—Come.

Heukya, who called the name of her former worthy opponent, slowly gestured toward Nakcheon.

Cheonma Divine Technique

Simultaneously, Nakcheon’s sword began slicing the sky.