Chương 41: Focus on the Battle

It was then. Youngwoo, who had been scanning the front, turned his head without thinking. For a moment, he thought— they might be there. Dark figures stood along the walls. Not on the gate tower, but on the rough, exposed stone. They stood in silence. No one commanded them. They had come down of their own accord. Just as he searched for Baek In-gyeom— A voice struck inside his ear.

"What are you doing. Focus on the battle."

"…!" Youngwoo flinched. It came from far away. Somewhere along the wall. No sound, only meaning. Distance did not matter. Before he knew it, he shouted.

"Focus on the battle!" It was his master's voice. The words came out exactly as he had heard them.

"Focus on the battle. Don't look elsewhere."

"Focus on the battle."

"Focus on the battle."

"Focus on the battle." The twenty-five men of the Fifth Unit lowered behind their shields, only their eyes visible between shield and helmet. This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. All of them fixed their gaze forward. They were men who had already returned from death. Battle was still frightening. But now— Their bodies knew how to endure. The Fifth Unit Holds The sound of hooves grew. Thud. Thud-thud. Thud-thud-thud-thud. Dust rose like a wall.

The Jurchen cavalry surged forward. Spears tilted low. Behind the shields, the soldiers' breathing grew harsh.

"They're coming." Youngwoo's voice was low. The sound closed in. Now the spear tips were visible. Now the riders' faces. Youngwoo raised his hand.

"Hold. Hold position." The cavalry quickened. Manes scattered. Hooves hammered the earth. Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud. It felt as if they would crash straight into the gate. Then— The riders rose in their saddles. Spears dropped back. Bows came up.

"They're firing!" Youngwoo shouted. Dozens—no, hundreds—of bows bent at once. Arrows climbed into the sky. A long, tearing whistle. The rain fell.

"Shields!" Behind the chevaux-de-frise, shields were already raised. The defense held. A heavy, splintering impact. Arrows struck shields and stone. The wall bristled with shafts. Youngwoo ground his teeth.

"Bastards." The cavalry did not stop. But they did not reach the gate. They knew. The ground ahead was trapped. The horses turned together. The riders twisted their bodies. And withdrew, leaving only dust.

"They're pretending to charge," Kyung-taek muttered.

"A feint." So Cheol-ryong spat.

"That's just the beginning." For a moment, there was silence. Another line appeared through the dust. Closer this time. The hooves struck harder. Youngwoo measured the distance. They were closing. Again, bows rose. Again, the sky filled. Again, the arrows fell. This time they struck not only shields but the ground before the gate. Closer. The cavalry wheeled away again. Closer than before. Approach fire.

"They're shortening the distance."

"I know." Another line emerged. Closer still. Faces clear. Breath visible.

"Soon." Youngwoo spoke quietly. Behind the shields, hands tightened. They repeated it. A feigned charge. A rain of arrows. A turn away. Again. And again. Closer each time. A little more. A little more. One moment— the shield wall would falter. When it did— They would come for real. Youngwoo raised his eyes over the shield.

"Hold." It began with feints. Then approach fire. Rotating volleys. Lines taking turns. When the formation broke— The real charge came. They fired from horseback, yet their endurance was beyond expectation. Ordinary arrows did not bring them down. Only a dense, focused barrage— one point, pressed again and again— would finally break them. Against that, the Goryeo line stood firm. Traps. Barricades. Shields. Bladed carts. The front was sealed. Those who broke through were taken by long spears.

And above all— Most of them were archers. Six parts, seven parts— bowmen. Even those who were not still carried bows. It was overwhelming fire. If one advanced thinking the enemy had withdrawn, it was ruin. Better to send heavy cavalry, engage, withdraw, draw them out. But they did not take the bait easily. Park Cheol-gu had not acted without thought. Since the aggressive campaigns of Chief State Councillor Yoon Gwan, the Goryeo army had grown stronger. There had been real victories in the open field.

But sending troops out without securing mobility— That had been a mistake. The losses had reached nearly five thousand. And still— He believed he had done nothing wrong.