The Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Lu Bu is good at being filial

Chapter 29

＜ How Far is Byeongju Really? (4) Battle of Baekpagok 1/2 ＞

Baekpagok was not originally in Hanae County.

The name Baekpagok means a canyon where the Baekpa bandits are, and originally, they were in Byeongju.

They were driven out of Byeongju and fled to Saye.

The bandits who fled from Byeongju’s army settled in the canyon, thinking that Saye’s army would be reluctant to touch them, and named it Baekpagok.

When was this?

Not long ago.

Initially, bandits do not build mountain fortresses like military camps.

They test the waters with makeshift huts made of wood and leather.

If the government forces ignore their base or allow them to stay, they then build a proper mountain fortress.

They might build earthen fortifications or wooden fences to create a stronghold, in case the government forces come.

When former soldiers join the bandits, they tend to make the camp more like a military camp, and if left alone, the bandits gradually become an army based on resources and skills.

Just like the Baekpa bandits here now.

Pabababak!!

Something flew from the dark mountain ridge.

Though there were gaps, it was a volley fired on command.

A rain of arrows.

“Shields up!”

At Song Heon’s shout, the soldiers gathered and raised their shields.

They lifted their fairly wide wooden shields at an angle to block the arrows.

“The bandits are firing volleys.”

Sunyu clicked his tongue at the sight unfolding in front of him.

“Stick your shields together and advance slowly! Byeongju army, forward!!”

Thanks to Song Heon’s quick commands at the front, there were almost no casualties, but the rain of arrows pouring down the path into the canyon did not stop with one volley.

Pabababat.

Arrows fell on the shields again.

Arrows stuck into the wooden planks, but each time they hit, they made a ‘thud’ sound as if caught on something and did not penetrate the shields.

Some arrows even bounced off and fell to the ground.

Though not visible from below, the enemy might now feel like a fence of arrows is rising from their direction.

Dong, dong, dong.

The sound of drums echoes.

Since it is night after the sun has set, it is most efficient to convey signals through sound.

“That signal…?”

“It seems that part of the Byungju army’s signaling system has seeped into some of the Baekpa.”

“Do you think so too, Magistrate?”

“General, please calm down.”

Sunyu pointed forward with his command baton.

“Even if they stole our military system, they are not soldiers. They have more heads than us, but their quality is significantly lower.”

“They are trying to overcome that with geographical advantages.”

“They cannot overcome it. Not only because of the training state of the Byungju army….”

Kagagang!

“The difference in military equipment is absolute.”

Arrows falling from the sky seep through the gaps in the shields and hit the soldiers, but the soldiers only hesitate for a moment and continue to advance.

“It’s not easy to equip every soldier with iron armor.”

“It’s the part I paid the most attention to. Thank you for acknowledging it.”

For the past ten years.

I have been squeezing the budget out of the garden and squeezing it again.

To equip solid armor that can withstand the thieves’ spears and swords at least once or twice.

Even if the weapon breaks, they can fight with a spare weapon.

Thus, even if a rain of arrows pours down, they can continue to advance.

As long as they cover their faces with shields, they won’t die even if they get hit by arrows elsewhere.

Dong, dong—dong.

Another drum sound echoes.

The drums are echoing from the left and right of the battlefield, but that is not a signal from the enemy.

“General Seongryeom has arrived at the left army. General Jangryo and General Huseong have arrived at the right army. This makes it a situation where the canyon is surrounded on three sides.”

Sunyu unfolded the map.

“They would have tried to escape to another place if things went wrong….”

To the left is a river.

To the right is another mountain.

Behind them was a cliff.

“There is no escape. The Byeongju army has surrounded us on three sides.”

In front of them was the Byeongju army.

“Surround and annihilate. The reason why 5,000 can use such tactics against 9,000 is because the quality of each soldier overwhelms the enemy.”

Sunwoo tapped the breastplate he was wearing with his hand.

“No matter how much the basic principle of warfare is to prepare more numbers than the opponent, this difference can be overcome by the training state, experience, and equipment of the soldiers.”

“Governor. Then how do you think the situation will unfold?”

“Soon the enemy will retreat. Since the arrow barrage is no longer effective, they will try to hold out by closing the gates of their camp.”

As soon as Sunwoo predicted, the rain of arrows stopped.

“Advance––!!”

Songheon shouted forward as he moved.

Instead of running recklessly, he continued to push forward with a shield full of arrows, slowly climbing up the ridge.

“Impressive. There’s no need to tell them to be wary of ambushes or to keep an eye out for traps, the soldiers have already internalized it, haven’t they?”

“Reconnaissance is the basics of mountain warfare.”

Byeongju is an excellent place for mountain training.

And I was one of the people who knew better than anyone how to train in the mountains.

‘Not the body, but the soul remembers.’

Every time I recalled it, my head ached in a different way, but that pain soon subsided with some thoughts.

“Train as if in real combat.”

Ten years and a few more.

It was the time I spent making the Byeongju army the elite force that could fight while running up and down mountain slopes in armor.

“Countless real battles. The Byeongju army has already mastered mountain warfare. However, what we relatively lack is….”

“Isn’t it this?”

Sunwoo raised his hand high.

“The Byeongju army is close to perfect, but in this aspect, they lack experience.”

Soon, an arrow with a blazing flame flew towards the sky, and the sound of drums began to echo rapidly.

“I will fill that gap.”

The soldiers moved organically.

Without me having to shout where to move, the soldiers began to descend towards the canyon below, all at once, just by the sound of the drums.

“Do you see, General?”

Sunyu climbed up the ridge and pointed to the canyon where Baekpajeok was hiding.

“The Byungju army is precisely surrounding the hidden base in the middle of the canyon.”

“……Impressive.”

Below the slope, the wooden base was surrounded by the armies from three directions.

As Songheon’s central infantry advanced, the left army, which had come up the river, and the right army, which had crossed the mountain, simultaneously formed an encirclement.

“General, I haven’t often commanded an army, but I’ve seen many armies while in the court. And….”

Sunyu clenched his fist as if feeling some kind of exhilaration.

“This is the first time I’ve seen soldiers move so precisely and intentionally. Even the soldiers of Seowonpalgyowi wouldn’t be able to move like this. How did you train them to this extent?”

“I trained them until they could.”

In the Byungju way.

“Governor, after this battle, arrange positions for Songheon, Wisok, and Huseong.”

“Aren’t they your deputies?”

“They systematized and conveyed the drills and training in my head to the soldiers. Although it remains in the form of a manual relying on each other’s memories….”

“General.”

Sunyu looked at me seriously and spoke.

“When we compile it into a book, we decided to call it a ‘military strategy book.'”

“……It’s not that grand.”

I just took what was necessary from modern drills and applied it to Byungju.

Even then, I discarded what didn’t fit this era and only applied the most basic and fundamental things to the soldiers.

“I fought a lot with Jeongwon to apply this. A twenty-year-old military officer trying to overhaul the Byungju army’s system, I fought a lot with the veteran generals of Byungju.”

There were really many things over a long time.

“Governor, before that, there was only one tactic.”

“Charge?”

“Yes, only charge, charge, and charge.”

Just run and beat them to death.

“Even if the vanguard was hit by enemy arrows or fell into traps, the rear would run and kill the enemy to win.”

“……..”

“In other places, there must have been systematic tactics. But here… Jeongwon’s way seemed extremely barbaric to me.”

“I understand. However, General.”

Sunyu pointed ahead.

“How is the current state of the Byungju army?”

“What do you think? If.”

This is hypothetical, but.

“If we were to fight on flat land instead of mountains, could our soldiers fight with minimal casualties?”

There might come a time when we have to fight on the plains.

Not all of the Byungju army has experienced battles in vast lands like Luoyang.

“Hmm?”

No answer.

“Why do you ask, Magistrate?”

“…General.”

Sunyu tightly gripped the trembling command baton and clasped his hands together in front of me.

“During the moments on the battlefield, could you call me a strategist instead of a magistrate?”

“Hmm.”

A strategist.

It felt like a non-sequitur, but the atmosphere was very serious.

“If the Magistrate is to teach our Byungju army, it would be more appropriate to call you not just a strategist, but a teacher of the army.”

“…!!”

“Wouldn’t you agree? Then… should I call you a military advisor? Or a military teacher?”

“…Please call me a military advisor.”

Was it an illusion that I felt a fleeting bitterness in Sunyu’s expression?

He seemed to have said something like ‘Yeo-sang’, but I don’t know what he meant.

“General. While discussing the future of you and the Byungju army.”

Sunyu, who soon changed his expression, pointed to the Baekpa enemy camp below the ridge.

“Our proud Byungju army has already broken through the enemy’s fence and surrounded them.”

“The sound hasn’t-“

Crack!

“…Are you observing the battlefield from the sky, military advisor?”

As if he had predicted it, the sound of the wooden fence collapsing was heard as soon as Sunyu finished speaking.

“Not exactly, but we almost faced a disaster.”

“Disaster?”

“The combat power of the Byungju army is higher than I expected, moving half a step faster than the time I anticipated.”

As Sunyu hurriedly waved the command baton, the soldiers behind him beat the drums in response.

“To answer the general’s previous question.”

Dududududu.

A much faster signal than before.

“In this battlefield, the Byungju army may get injured, but they will not die recklessly.”

As soon as the drum sound echoed.

“If they die, it will not be because the enemy is too strong, but due to lack of training and negligence.”

Waaahhh!!!

“Look, General. The advance of soldiers who are confident they will not die because of their training.”

The roar of the Byungju army, louder than the drum sound, echoed through Baekpagok, and the Byungju army began to trample the collapsed fence and push towards the enemy camp.

“……Impressive.”

Indeed, he was the person needed for our Byungju.

“In the past, I would have shouted with all my might.”

“…….Pardon?”

“Like this. Ah, cover your ears.”

I pointed to my ears towards Sunyu and took a deep breath.

Breathing not with my throat but with my stomach, tightening my abdomen, and using diaphragmatic breathing.

“Lu Bu commands!! Annihilate themーーー!!!”

As if roaring like a lion, I conveyed my command through the Byungju army’s shout.

My command echoed and reverberated down the canyon, adding more heat to the sound of spears and swords clashing.

“Like this.”

“…….”

“Hoo. From now on, there will be fewer occasions to shout like this.”

Did the Byungju army gain strength from my loud cheer?

Kyaaah!!

Looking down at the enemy camp from above, the Byungju army was slowly expanding their territory towards the center of the enemy camp, like ink spreading from the edge of paper.

All that could be heard were the screams and wails of the bandits.

At this rate, our victory is certain, but….

“It seems like it’s about time for them to appear.”

I focused straight ahead, on Songheon who was advancing at the forefront, swinging his spear.

“Strategist.”

“Yes, General. Please speak.”

“The only thing you instructed me to do when planning this battle was one thing.”

I gripped my halberd.

“Is that strategy still unchanged?”

“Yes. In this battle, there is only one thing I wish from you, General.”

Sunyu pointed to the center of the enemy camp.

“Eliminate variables.”

The ‘Kongming’ had not yet appeared.

* * *

Squeak.

A man rose, tying a headband around his head.

Though he wasn’t wearing armor, the multiple layers of his martial attire were as thick as iron armor.

The tough material peeking through the fabric was tanned bear hide.

Though not iron armor, the man who had hidden leather armor beneath his martial attire grabbed a long pole hanging on the wall.

“K-Kongming!!”

A man clad in iron armor hurriedly entered the wooden barracks.

“Master. Please calm down.”

“C-Calm down? When I opened my eyes, the Bingzhou army had us surrounded on three sides!”

“…….”

“There’s no way to escape! D-Damn it…! How did they find us…!”

“Now is not the time to question how.”

The man called Kongming fiddled with the joint at the end of the pole he was gripping.

“Right now, surviving the enemy’s attack is what’s important.”

“The Bingzhou army! If this continues…!”

“Master.”

Kongming brushed his hand over the sharp blade at the end of the pole and stepped out of the barracks.

“If we win this battle, can we become the imperial army too?”

“Y-Yes! Of course! I’ve already sent a message to ‘him’!”

“…….”

“Hey, I promise you! When this battle is over, I will personally go to him and recommend you! No, I will personally take you to him!”

“Promise….”

Gongmyung’s eyes trembled.

“The lord said that if we follow him, we can feed and protect our families and the people of the village.”

“That’s right!”

“A person who betrays trust is no better than a beast. I believe you will keep your promise.”

“Of course! If I break my promise, I will cut my own throat!!”

“……Understood.”

Gongmyung lightly bowed his head towards Yangbong, who had staked even his parents, and immediately ran outside.

Kraaah!!

Screams echoed everywhere.

The sounds of slashing and stabbing filled the air.

Before the black arrows of our army could hit the shields, they were blocked by spears, and the spear tips accurately pierced the thieves’ necks and hearts.

Ka-aang!

Our army’s swords brushed past the shields and reached the enemy.

But the swords bounced off the shoulder armor, and our soldiers died at the hands of the enemies who did not let go of their spears despite their painful expressions.

Our army?

I’m not sure.

Outwardly, they seem like righteous thieves, but I heard they are actually a righteous army secretly raised by high-ranking officials.

But when I came in, they were not righteous thieves but bandits, unmistakably evil thieves.

“My martial arts… for what purpose….”

I promised.

Before the starving villagers resorted to eating corpses, I would wield my weapon in exchange for rice.

I already received the rice.

If it weren’t for the promise, maybe I would have-

“Kraaah!!”

Right in front of me, a soldier fell.

A spear was stuck in his abdomen, and he was bleeding, but Gongmyung knew that he had previously stabbed an elderly couple while looting the village.

“Help, help me…!”

Gongmyeong held his weapon to the side.

Right in front of him, the enemy commander who had pierced this man with a spear was approaching on horseback, accurately stabbing soldiers one by one with his spear.

“Is there no one who can withstand the spear of Songheon!! Until I have struck down sixty-four, no one dares to step forward!!”

Ha.

Gongmyeong laughed.

“A true strongman does not count the number of enemies he has defeated one by one.”

“What! You, where-“

Whooosh!!

Gongmyeong swung his weapon.

As he precisely deflected the spear tip, Songheon’s spear trembled violently.

“What…!!”

With eyes trembling more than the spear.

Blood gushed from the hand gripping the spear as if the palm had been torn apart.

“Jangguuun!! It’s this guy!! Absolutely!!”

Someone called out.

“Argh!! General Yeo!! General Yeopo Jangguuun!!”

So desperately.

* * *

In front of his eyes.

“Is that Gongmyeong?”

There was a warrior with a hood that made his skin tingle.

Swinging a long pole greatly, he pressured Songheon, and even though Songheon had not exchanged many blows, he was forced to retreat greatly, driven into a defensive position by the large man.

“Generalㅡ!”

Songheon shouted.

“It’s this guyㅡㅡㅡ!!”

Yes.

Even without saying, I know.

The presence of the bear-like man who alone among the bandits shouted with his whole body, ‘I am a warrior.’

My skin tingles naturally, my heart starts to beat faster, my head gradually clears, and even in the darkness, I can see his face clearly.

“Is it Kongming?”

The strongest warrior of Baekpa, as Hansum mentioned.

“This feeling, it’s been a while.”

The aura emanating from Kongming is even more menacing than when he first saw Zhang Liao—or even during their recent duel.

Vrooom!

Every time he swings his weapon towards Songheon, the wind howls.

The soldiers behind Songheon approach to thrust their spears, but the wind pressure from the weapon’s swing knocks them back.

Boom!!

A thunderous sound erupts as the weapon strikes towards the horse Songheon is riding, and dust explodes, scattering around.

Neigh!!

The horse rears up in fright.

“Deliberately.”

He could have killed the horse with a single strike, but he swung his weapon at the ground to intimidate.

“aaah!!”

Songheon almost fell off but quickly jumped back from the horse, regaining his stance, and thrust his spear forward before the opponent could retrieve his weapon.

Clang!

Songheon’s spear is flung high into the air.

As the weapon, half-embedded in the ground, is swiftly lifted, it deflects Songheon’s spear, and the nine captains beside Songheon simultaneously thrust their spears forward.

Clang!

The spear tips aimed at Kongming’s weapon.

The nine spears converge like a fan to pierce Kongming’s chest, but Kongming is already crouched much lower, supporting the nine spears with his weapon.

“Hmm!”

Kongming lowers his body even further, then flicks the nine spears upward with the tip of his weapon, spinning his body widely to the side.

Vrooom!!

With a shockwave, the captains’ spears are flung away, leaving a glowing trail even in the darkness.

Kongming, with a spin in his weapon, swings it broadly, pushing back Songheon and the captains along with their spears.

Are Songheon and the captains weak?

No.

Absolutely not.

It’s just that the opponent is an extraordinary strongman.

“General Yeoㅡㅡ!!”

As the captains collapsed, coughing up blood, Songheon stepped forward, raising his spear again, and shouted in agony.

“This b*stard, I tell you!!”

“I know.”

That he is, Kongming.

He was just momentarily flustered.

By that force that seemed like the best warrior in the world?

No.

‘I thought the greatest skill of the Zhuge family was footwork (步法), but today I see it’s axe technique (斧法).’

By that weapon.

Not a long spear, not an iron fan, not an iron brush.

Whirr!

“Next!!”

By the broad and large axe – Daebu (大斧) – that seemed capable of cutting down a giant tree in one stroke.

It looked clumsy and foolish, and rather than setting up a formation, it seemed like it would break through the formation with brute force.

‘I see. Is it a past cleansing? Even if the founder was a master of axe technique, the descendants can be different.’

Neigh!!

Riding the horse, I grasped the halberd.

Before the drum sounded, the soldiers scattered to the sides, and I quickly placed one hand on the saddle and lifted my body.

“Kongming!!”

Tonight.

“I, Yeobongseon, will face you!!

I challenge the legend of the Zhuge family.

＜ How far does the disease go (4) Battle of Baekpagok 1/2 ＞ End