“⋯⋯.”
It was a contrast.
While the huge mountain was on fire, spewing out black smoke and heat that seemed to melt the world, the two eyes looking at the scene were extremely cold, as if they were looking at a snow field in the North Sea.
No, as the huge mountain range in front of me burned bigger and bigger, my eyes looking at it became colder and colder.
“Not enough oil in the center!”
“Refill immediately! “Why are those who went to the village to requisition oil late?”
“There’s a big village nearby…”
“Move while you’re at the point where you’re making obvious excuses! right now!”
A series of commotions and urgent cries were heard from behind, but the man, who was as stiff as a stone statue, did not move.
“The West’s sacrifice is great!”
“Push the remnants of the ditch in that direction!”
“They headed to the center!”
“Why don’t you just change direction? Write a message and send a messenger right now! hurry!”
“yes!”
Simply setting fire and sending troops will not do anything. The important thing is to maintain that blazing line of fire and push the enemies upward all at once. Thus, they were not given space to escape.
But everyone could see that it was not an easy task.
The topography of the mountain is extremely irregular, and fire is a monster that twists into its own will just by changing the direction of the blowing wind for a moment. How many people in the world can control a burning fire by carefully considering all the variables?
One of those few. Hu Jia-myeong’s mouth opened mercilessly.
“It’s late in the southeast.”
“yes! Military!”
“Go…”
“yes.”
A low-pitched voice flowed from his mouth.
“As an example, cut off Duot’s limbs and throw him alive into the fire. And if he procrastinates again, tell him that he will make everyone there do the same.”
“⋯⋯.”
“What is the answer?”
“Yes, old! Military!”
“good.”
“yes!”
Those waiting around move like a flash war. A movement that goes beyond urgency and even shows fear. There was a clear sense of crisis that if they delayed even a little, they would be thrown into the fire alive.
However, Hu Jiaming did not care about the reaction to the order already given and fixed his gaze on the burning mountain.
It is handed down.
I knew there was no way the heat could reach this far, but just looking at that blazing fire made my face feel hot and my heart race.
Therefore, Hu Jiaming suppressed himself even more calmly.
What you need to start something is courage and passion. But what is needed to complete something is cool-headed reason.
The family name was faithful to that principle. He felt his blood run cold and tried not to miss a single movement taking place here.
“I’m a painter…”
A voice is heard in Hu Ga-myeong’s ears. Unlike Hu Ga-myeong’s voice, which was heavily suppressed, it was a voice that seemed twisted and did not hide its emotions.
“It’s classic.”
“The word classic means standard.”
“hmm?”
Hu Jiaming answered without looking back.
“And standard refers to something that has been proven through countless trials.”
It may be rude, but he can’t take his eyes off the movement taking place on that mountain. Fortunately, the person speaking to him now was someone who didn’t care about such trivial rudeness.
“But even those who discuss the art of war sometimes forget that fact.”
“Hmm…”
Jang Il-so, who heard Hu Ji-myeong’s words, let out a light nasal voice.
“You mean it’s effective. yes?”
“If you burn in a fire, dying is no different from a warrior or civilian. There may be some among the shamans who have the strength to withstand the blazing fire, but at most, there will be no more than a few.”
“I guess so.”
Hu Jiaming’s eyes sank a little more.
“Nevertheless, there is one reason why warriors are not particularly afraid of fire. “Because it can move faster than the fire can spread.”
“Hmm.”
“But what if you can’t?”
“⋯⋯.”
Hu Jiaming said with confidence in his voice.
“Their situation will be no different from an ordinary army surrounded by fire. “After that, it’s easy.”
Jang Il-so chuckled and laughed.
“It won’t be easy to catch that ankle, right?”
“If you don’t choose to minimize sacrifice, you have no choice but to make sacrifices.”
At that moment, Ho Ji-myeong turns his head and looks at Jang Il-so.
“Or… do you want to make fewer sacrifices?”
“Tsk tsk. “You have a bad personality.”
“sorry.”
Jang Il-so burst out laughing as he saw Ho Ga-myeong lowering his head.
Jeongseok is scary. Jang Il-so tended to agree with that statement.
Rather than using obvious numbers, he prefers numbers that create as many variables as possible that are beyond human prediction. But he knew it well. How scary is a simple method that does not work with variables?
The shaman inspectors are probably keenly aware of that fact right now.
Of course, in the process, things like that will burn to death, but that doesn’t matter. It’s a profitable business just to exchange the shaman swordsmen with those guys.
“But if they back out, wouldn’t it be pointless complaining? “Then it’s no fun at all.”
“They can never get off their feet. “It’s even more so now that the situation is like this.”
“Hmm?”
Jang Il-so let out a short exclamation as if he was amused.
“why?”
“Because they are in shackles.”
“shackles?”
“yes.”
Hu Jiaming’s eyes turn to the upper part of Wudang Mountain.
The towering Cheonjubong Peak. To the place where the shaman’s palaces are located.
“They may think that what is tying their feet is the fire and those who attack them without caring for their lives, but what is actually shackling their ankles is the ‘resolution’ they are so proud of.”
“Be prepared…”
“The reason they can’t back down is because they have already decided to fight and risk their lives. Words once spoken cannot be taken back. “It is difficult for them to quietly back away when the situation becomes difficult.”
It was funny.
What would you do if Ho Ga-myeong or Jang Il-so were in such a situation?
‘I’ll take it out without even a moment’s hesitation.’
There is no need to do whatever the enemy wants. There was absolutely no need to make unnecessary sacrifices. It was clear that seeing the burning flames with my own eyes and turning my body would happen almost simultaneously.
But they can’t do that.
This difference. Yes, this difference separates right from evil. The justification and reputation that is worse than fertilizer for the Sapa becomes a heavy shackle for them.
If he had realized this difference a long time ago and planned a strategy, Sapaeryon would have prospered even more than it is now. Until now, I had not properly understood this difference because I had only dealt with Safas.
“Hahaha.”
At that moment, Jang Il-so laughed lowly.
“Oh dear. “If this happens, I will have to say thank you to someone who is so insignificant.”
“⋯⋯.”
Those were painful words.
I know the family name and Jang Il-so. How was Hu Ga-myeong able to predict their response?
It’s all thanks to one person.
Obsession with causes and principles. Thanks to just one person, Ho Jia-myeong became painfully aware of how harsh things can be when you do not understand the ‘consultation’ packaged in the name of extreme practicality.
As I worked hard to understand those in an incomprehensible realm, I was able to roughly predict the choices in their minds.
“There is a price to pay for paying expensive tuition.”
“I think so too.”
Hu Jiaming’s eyes, which had briefly become excited as he remembered one person, calmly calm down again.
“Good.”
Jinglang.
The items on Jang Il-so’s wrist rang with a clear sound.
“But it’s an alias. “I guess they won’t just tolerate it so gently, right?”
“of course.”
Hu Jiaming’s eyes were focused on one place.
The slope leading to Cheonjubong Peak. A long white cliff.
If there is anything to burn, the fire moves forward, burning everything, but when there is nothing to burn, it cannot advance any further. Anyone with even the slightest sense would try to occupy that cliff and fight against the advancing fire.
“But that’s what I hoped for.”
“You hoped?”
At that moment, the corner of Hu Jiaming’s mouth twitched slightly. Just like the smile Jang Il-so makes.
“People who need to be caught and killed are gathered in one place. Is there any reason not to be happy?”
Hu Jiaming slightly clenches and unclenches his fist.
The opponent is a shaman.
In the past, he may have been a shaman, but today, Ho Ga-myeong is a shaman at best.
They were not the only ones who trained themselves through the fierce battle that shook the world. Jang Il-so is also different from the past. Things that were difficult for him before experiencing the Yangtze River are very easy for him now.
Although they made a loud fire, the main unit of the Sapae-ryeon they were with had not yet been deployed into the battlefield. If you create a suitable stage and deploy these people, trampling on a shaman is easier than twisting the wrists of a child.
If there is a variable, rather…
“Just…”
“I know.”
Before Hu Jiaming can speak, Jang Ilso nods.
“They must be coming.”
“yes.”
“What do you think? “Where are they now?”
Hu Jiaming swallowed slightly.
Although it is a pseudonym that makes fun of shamans, discussing them still makes me nervous. Especially discussing them with ‘he’ included.
If this was Gangnam, I would have been able to clearly see their movements, but this is Gangbuk. This is not where their information network operates. That is why fighting in enemy territory was dangerous.
Without information, all that was left were predictions and principles.
“We may not be close enough yet.”
“Is that so?”
Jang Il-so smiled knowingly.
I may not have known it in the past, but my current household name knows the meaning of that smile. And I have already prepared the answer to that smile.
“yes. “If they have any ideas, they will think of this situation as a trap.”
“Maybe the shaman is bait?”
“So, of course, they will try to slow down the advance out of concern about an unexpected attack. “If we rush and get attacked, the consequences will be worse than if we didn’t bring reinforcements.”
“Hmm. Yes, of course it is.”
It was an extremely common sense prediction. So much so that no one can offer a counterargument.
“So they’re probably definitely…”
At that moment, Hu Jiaming’s gaze turned to the west. His eyes had become sharper than before.
“We are probably already very close.”
“⋯⋯Hmm?”
Hu Jiaming’s two eyes flashed an eerie light.
“If it were the Plum Blossom Sword Demon I know, it would never move as I predicted.”
Read and admire. And jealousy and fear.
The all-encompassing gaze turns towards the west. Toward the as-yet-unseen blade that is currently flying towards their necks.
