322. The War of Puppets (19)
The Great Wilderness no longer resembles its past self. Since the Great Demon Mumto became the embodiment of death and unleashed the life force he had devoured over a thousand years in an instant, the Great Wilderness has transformed into something that can no longer be called a wasteland.
Every area within sight was covered in lush grass. Unnamed shrubs, growing waist-high, spread out like a vast prairie, occasionally giving way to jungles, waterfalls, lakes, and even canyons and valleys.
The land itself seemed to breathe with overflowing vitality, as if taking revenge for the long suppression of its demise.
– The sky is restless. It’s going to rain.
Faijashi grumbled. Fernandez broke through the shrubs, clearing a path as he walked. He kept his gaze fixed on the budding path ahead, his thoughts wandering to the starry night sky.
‘We’ll arrive by tomorrow evening at the latest.’
– The core of your plan now is the assassination of Karadskar. Fernandez, Karadskar is impossible to assassinate. Why not reconsider the plan even now?
‘It was impossible before I came.’
– Even Daryan Schryke failed to assassinate him. How do you expect us to defeat such a being?
‘Faijashi, there’s a saying. If a mage says something is possible, it’s almost certainly possible. But if a mage declares something impossible…’
– The mage’s words are likely false? Hey, this isn’t a magic theory class. We’re not in an academy. Realistically, have we ever faced Daryan and won?
‘Our primes were just at different times.’
Fernandez muttered. Faijashi couldn’t entirely dismiss it as an excuse. It was a matter of pride.
Faijashi’s prime came late, coinciding with the early stages of the Great War. Decades of fleeing and wandering had honed his experience and talent, which blossomed in his later years.
But Daryan was a warrior. His prime aligned with his physical peak, around his mid-thirties to early forties, when his body began to decline. Thus, in his youth, Faijashi had no choice but to flee whenever he encountered Daryan.
And in his later years, when Faijashi finally felt ready to fight, Daryan had already retired to train the next generation. To Faijashi, it felt like a cowardly escape.
– Right, if he had faced us back then, he wouldn’t have lost.
‘Hmm… Well, maybe. And Karadskar in the main world rose to power just before Daryan retired. Meaning, Daryan didn’t attempt the assassination at his peak.’
Thus, a simple logic emerged.
Daryan in his prime and Faijashi in his prime never coexisted, but if they had, the outcome would have been uncertain.
Karadskar is stronger than Daryan in his retirement. Assuming Karadskar still possesses that level of strength now.
Could Fernandez, who can now tap into fragments of his prime, stand against Karadskar?
‘And honestly, my current conditions are better in some ways than they were in the main world.’
– Huh? If I were in my prime, you think you could stand against me? With what? Arm wrestling?
Faijashi chuckled, sparking a night-long debate between the two prideful old mages.
* * *
“General, shouldn’t we return to the Kagan? How many days have we wasted like this?”
“The Kagan desires the heads of our enemies.”
“The soldiers are starving. Even with rationing, we can’t last more than three days!”
“The Kagan hungers for the neck of the bastard who started this mess. If we return empty-handed, he’ll sate his hunger with our necks.”
Bayan stared blankly at the horizon, where torches flickered in the distance. Soldiers were searching for any trace of the enemy.
The deputy frowned at the sight. Days ago, the supply wagons they were escorting had mysteriously caught fire in the night. As always, it was the work of the wasteland wraiths, who appeared silently, set fires, and vanished without a trace.
The Kagan demanded heads—whether from enemy commanders, wraiths, or even their own kin. Upon hearing the order, Bayan immediately began analyzing the routes of all attacked supply lines to track the enemy.
That was days ago. And now, similar incidents were happening simultaneously across the plains.
Morale had hit rock bottom. These meaningless days of chasing a formless enemy were more damaging than any battlefield defeat. Desertions were rampant, and the damaged supply wagons had led to food shortages.
“This was a mistake from the start! It’s been at least five days since they last appeared!”
“They’re waiting for us to let our guard down. If we abandon the pursuit and return, the next attack could be even more devastating.”
“General… Shouldn’t we follow General Turbi’s lead?”
Bayan stared intently at his deputy. The conversation paused, but the deputy, sensing the murderous intent beneath those glassy eyes, stepped back uneasily.
“If you desert, I’ll personally cut off your head.”
“We’re brothers. We’ve shared the same blood! General… no, damn it, brother! This is madness, the Kagan is insane, and we’re either going to starve to death, be killed by starving soldiers, or die at the hands of the Kagan you so loyally follow!”
“If you weren’t my brother, I’d have killed you already.”
Bayan growled lowly. The deputy shook his head and gripped the hilt of his sword.
“If our father hadn’t insisted on bringing you back safely no matter what, I’d have cut your head off too.”
“…You?”
“Brother. Snap out of it. That man’s promises of a great war, glorious plunder, or some grand scar on the world—it’s all an illusion.”
“Isn’t it? He just wants revenge for his dead son. Where is that great war he talked about?”
“Everything has its own logic…”
-Peeeeeng!!
At that moment, a sound of wind tearing through the horizon was heard. Bayan quickly turned his head, hanging onto the stirrup like an acrobat, and grabbed the sword hilt from the saddle, drawing it out.
“Brother, big brother?!”
“Enemy attack!! They’re here!!”
Bayan’s eyes lit up with energy. There was a result. This area must have been their camp or base! He looked at his younger brother and shouted.
“Call the soldiers! We attack them now!”
“Something, something’s wrong. Big brother! The wraiths have never shot arrows before!”
-Thud!!
The deputy frowned and raised his shield. Soon, a sharp arrow pierced through the air and stuck into the deputy’s shield, ringing with a ‘ping.’
At his words, Bayan hurriedly looked around. Torches were spread wide beyond the horizon. There was chaos. A commotion was coming from the east.
“Big brother, that direction… Isn’t that the ‘city’…?”
“Damn it. They’re not wraiths…!”
Bayan finally looked at the chaotic front. They were searching the ground. Most of their soldiers had tied their horses at the camp and were searching the area on foot.
They hadn’t expected to face the enemy. It could be called carelessness or a strategic misjudgment, but for Bayan, it was just unfair.
The wraiths hadn’t appeared for over five days, and all living resistance forces were blocked by the city far to the east. The city called ‘Bülrang,’ belonging to the Empire, was already their forward base.
In other words, the vast plains connecting Bülrang to the wilderness should have been a perfectly safe zone for our side. There were no enemies bold enough to engage in a frontal confrontation, and at most, there were only passive attacks targeting supply carts.
“The wraiths have never directly attacked us. This is…”
“It means they’re not wraiths! I know, I know!”
“No! Fool! Their identity isn’t important! The bigger problem is that they’re not paying attention to our rear!”
“…Huh?”
“You go to Kagan right now and inform him of this! Tell him they’ve occupied the city!”
With the plains’ cavalry at our rear, we can’t afford this chaos. If you think about the might of the White Horse Tribe’s cavalry visible on the plains, we can’t ignore the threat of encirclement and annihilation.
In other words, their bold offensive means only one thing. Their forward base, Bülrang, has fallen. And if the force that could destroy Bülrang has started an offensive in the west, then this is…
“It’s their counterattack! Inform Kagan!”
“Damn it! What about you, big brother?!”
“I’ll gather the fools fighting over there and follow! You go first!”
“You must come back alive! I’ll die if you don’t!”
“Ratraya, when did this kid start worrying about me so much? Go first! I don’t want to die here either!”
The deputy gritted his teeth and spurred his horse. Soon, the cavalry hurriedly galloped towards the camp. Bayan raised his sword and ran straight towards the opposite direction.
Torches were visible. Beyond the horizon. And between them, black-painted arrows were faintly seen flying.
-Peeeeeng!
“Kyaaak!”
Screams echoed from all directions. Judging by the number, direction, and skill of the arrows flying in at once, the enemies were not few. He was convinced once again. They had occupied Bülrang and started a counterattack.
“I am Bayan Tatara of the Yeke Tetei Ulus’ Keshik! Who will face my sword?!”
He didn’t stop his charge, shouting loudly in clumsy Imperial language. At that moment, the arrows ravaging his soldiers stopped as if by magic. The commotion of soldiers groaning from injuries was heard, but to Bayan’s ears, it felt like a tense silence.
Soon, the sound of a horse walking from afar was heard. His subordinates weren’t on their horses now. Meaning, the horse was an enemy…!
“Impressive spirit.”
“Daring to step forward after sneaking up on defenseless cowards! I will kill you and exact the price for your sins! Reveal your name!”
He needed to buy time. At least enough for his brother to escape. If Kagan hears this news, he can quell internal unrest and prepare for a full-scale battle.
Bayan’s sharp eyes finally saw the enemy cavalry clearly. A slender silhouette on a massive black horse. Willow-like limbs, a dazzling mask, and two ears sticking out from behind.
‘Beastmen… a woman…?’
-Clop, clop.
The enemy approached leisurely, as if wanting everyone to see this scene. Soon, the sharp sound of a blade leaving its scabbard was heard.
-Clop, clop… thud thud thud!
The cavalry charged. It was a swift movement, but Bayan smirked and raised his sword and shield. Even if the beastmen were skilled on horseback, daring to challenge the White Horse Tribe’s Keshik to a mounted duel?
Mounted combat was his specialty, and among the Keshik, he was particularly robust. In all kinds of combat, strength was naturally more important than skill.
That small, fragile beastwoman dared to draw her sword and charge? Bayan laughed fiercely and charged towards the incoming cavalry.
-Swish!
Soon, the blade flashed, cutting through the air. Bayan’s eyes widened as he saw the beastwoman passing by.
The trajectory from the draw to the strike was completely invisible.
“Hearttaker.”
Swish, he heard the sound of the blade spinning and sheathing behind him. Soon, blood spurted from his right neck to his chest, and his massive body collapsed under the horse.
* * *
“The one who escaped?”
“Caught. Shall we interrogate?”
“Does a hunter interrogate a deer?”
“Haha, then what shall we do?”
“How did these bastards treat our families they captured during the last retreat?”
At her words, Golden Tooth bared his teeth and said.
“They tied them to wagon wheels and rolled them.”
“Kadan desires the same retribution for the same crime. Weigh their hearts on his scales.”
“Yes, Chieftain!”
He immediately turned his horse and headed towards the military camp. Soon, screams were heard from afar. Kirhas twitched her ears slightly and looked up at the night sky. The smell of rain was in the air.
“It’s going to rain.”
[Hunting in the rain has its own charm.]
“Kadan. Do you think we will win this war?”
[The moment you are certain of victory, it’s no longer a hunt but a massacre. Not my field.]
“Useless.”
[You use my authority to command your subordinates, yet you say such hurtful things.]
Kirhas took off the noisy golden mask and hung it on the saddle, then opened a canteen and took a sip of water.
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