His Highness Eun’s piercing gaze seemed to delve past flesh and bone, seeking the very essence of the soul beneath.
“Am I your Ruyi Jingu Bang?”
“Yes. You will be my Ruyi Jingu Bang.”
Woof!
Hwanggu wagged his tail vigorously. Jin Cheon-hee placed a firm hand on the dog’s broad forehead, calming him, before meeting the Emperor’s eyes.
“I have one final question.”
“Permitted.”
“Where is the Golden Headband? The smallest prison in the world?”
His Highness Eun chuckled softly, as if the absurdity of the question amused him.
“Isn’t it right here?”
“Pardon?”
He pressed a long index finger against his own chest.
“This wretched, frail body. This is the Golden Headband.”
“…”
Then, humming a faint melody, His Highness Eun tilted his head.
“Now, listen closely, child who failed to become a son of the Zhuge Clan. Are We truly the Great Sage Equal to Heaven? We possess the smallest prison in the world, the Cloud Somersault, and the Ruyi Jingu Bang. Now, We must embark on a journey to the ends of the earth to obtain the scriptures. Can you undertake this arduous task?”
To that, Jin Cheon-hee responded with unwavering determination.
“You will be able to go.”
“And the scriptures?”
“You will be able to obtain them.”
“Hahahaha.”
His Highness Eun laughed heartily, genuinely delighted by the prospect.
“I ask you, then, what should be the name of these scriptures? Would The Art of War be suitable? Or perhaps The Six Secret Teachings or Three Strategies? The Methods of the Sima wouldn’t be a bad choice either.”
Jin Cheon-hee gave his answer without hesitation.
“The name of the scriptures should be Legalism.”
“How cruel. This little physician.”
His Highness Eun chuckled again, savoring the ruthlessness of the answer. And then, the drumbeat stopped abruptly.
Boom!
***
Where is Master?
In a world devoid of cell phones and drones, strategists typically followed the march. Considering this, Jin Cheon-hee’s master was likely positioned somewhere in the rear formation. Would the man be relieved to see his disciple within sight, or would it only deepen his anxiety?
Jin Cheon-hee couldn’t say. What was certain was that the two great forces had finally collided, birthing a grand destruction.
The Imperial Army deployed the Eight Trigrams Formation, comprising three corps moving as one. When executed flawlessly, the Eight Trigrams Formation was unparalleled in its solidity; average cavalry charges failed to penetrate it, or worse, were intentionally allowed inside only for the formation to shift, cutting off their retreat and devouring them whole.
In Go, this formation was akin to a ‘Palace Shape’—a structure resembling stones forming eyes. Depending on the opponent’s placement, it could shift into a Flower Four or Plum Six, trapping the enemy within a few decisive moves.
Jin Cheon-hee observed the human-made Palace Shape created by his master. The Imperial white stones moved, advancing with methodical grace, while the Suksin Tribe’s moves were swift and aggressive.
If the Suksin cavalry were masters of Rapid Go, then his master was a master of the Short-Life Game.
The higher the level of the master, the more profound the significance of a single move. Why place a stone there? Even a seemingly trivial placement held layers of calculation for a professional. His master, in particular, had a tendency to condense more lethal intent into a single move than anyone else.
In this world where Go reigned supreme as the ultimate form of entertainment, his master would effortlessly defeat renowned Sect Leaders with minimal moves. Consequently, a saying circulated among the clan elders: “If you encounter the White Qilin Divine Physician, there is no escaping a Short-Life Game.”
Rapid Go and the Short-Life Game were two specialties that differed in approach, yet players had no choice but to play the board set before them. Once seated, they were bound to witness the end.
The peculiar aspect of this battle was that it was a test of wits played with human lives, not stones. There was no waiting for the opponent’s turn. Speed held the advantage, and the white stones of the Hua Empire were significantly slower compared to the black stones of the Suksin.
As a disciple, Jin Cheon-hee felt a heavy sense of duty to witness this extraordinary game.
Puff.
“A smoking pipe on a battlefield. Quite picturesque.”
What a peculiar thing to say, this Emperor. His Highness Eun didn’t know what was inside the smoker.
I’m smoking this just to prevent myself from going crazy.
Simultaneously, the Profound Primordial Complete Foundation Divine Art and the medicine his master had given him circulated through his body, numbing the fear and pain. This was merely a minimum safety device to prevent madness, while the Sacred Jewel further enhanced his comprehension, fortifying his mind and allowing him to dissociate from the carnage.
“Don’t resent this Ruyi Jingu Bang for being flimsy.”
To Jin Cheon-hee’s self-deprecation, His Highness Eun countered, “The Blue-Eyed Mad Physician underestimates himself too much.”
Voooooo—
The first move commenced. As always, Black initiated the game.
A volley of Suksin arrows rained down upon the battlefield. The Zhuge Clan’s meticulously crafted Eight Trigrams Formation, usually a testament to their cavalry prowess, was rendered futile by the sheer volume of fire.
The Strategist’s response was swift and decisive.
He unleashed arrows with an astonishingly extended range and unparalleled penetration, surpassing even the formidable capabilities of the Imperial Army. These arrows, imbued with Qi, pierced shields like tofu and shattered bone with ease.
Crack!
Skulls shattered and bodies tumbled to the ground, a gruesome spectacle.
“Can I save them?”
Jin Cheon-hee’s voice trembled, a plea echoing through the chaos. The physician’s reason whispered in his ear, urging him to act, but he understood the weight of the leash on his neck. To be precise, his master held the chain. As His Imperial Highness’s escort, Jin Cheon-hee was bound to renounce his medical profession and embrace the path of a soldier. His compassion crashed against the cold iron of his resolve.
His master’s next move unfolded.
“Flying Chariot Crossbows, forward!”
Archers needed to be countered with archers. But what could bridge the gap in range?
Armored Flying Chariot Crossbows.
Arrows propelled by the pinnacle of mechanical engineering began to fly. His master’s objective wasn’t to soar in a parabolic arc to block the sun, as the Suksin did, nor to shower helmets with falling steel.
The target was the warhorses.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Arrows flying in flat, straight trajectories began striking the enemy mounts. The Eight Trigrams Formation rippled once and advanced, a tidal wave of steel and flesh. Horses panicked, and the Suksin battle lines began to fray.
“With Armored Flying Chariot Crossbows, we don’t lag much in range. If the wind favors us, we can pierce the front line and smash the rear. The modifications I commissioned two years ago are proving their worth.”
His Highness Eun spoke as if addressing a third party, detached, even though he stood in the firing line with his life hanging in the balance. He seemed to revel in the power of the weapons he had improved.
“This will turn the tide in our favor. There was a reason for placing Armored Flying Chariot Crossbows in the second line of the Eight Trigrams Formation.”
As technology advanced, formations underwent transformations. Consequently, his master’s Eight Trigrams Formation diverged from the traditional teachings within the clan. Human warfare technology had progressed since the Three Kingdoms period; with the evolution of war, formations had to adapt.
Jin Cheon-hee inhaled the smoke deeply, silently praying for an end to the conflict. However, his companion dismissed the notion before it could even be voiced.
Suddenly, horns and drums sounded simultaneously, causing the Suksin formation to ripple rapidly. Arrows started flying toward the Armored Flying Chariot Crossbows, followed by tails of fire.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
“We must be able to switch arrows this swiftly! These individuals are capable of unifying the entire army—not just individuals—to designate targets and adjust range instantly. They are formidable enemies.”
Simultaneously with the fire attack, the Suksin army split into five or six groups.
Fire attack followed by a cavalry charge?
Black executed two moves at once, cheating on the board but demonstrating remarkable mobility in reality. He was inducing the collapse of the formation.
Kaboom!
Armored warhorses dug in with extreme penetrating power, making it impossible for even martial arts masters to confront the Suksin, who were masters of the Horse Spirit Art—especially after the chaos of a fire attack. The cavalry, split into packs, circled the Imperial formation like hyenas, charging into the gaps.
His Highness Eun observed the Suksin tactics with clinical interest.
“A method of herding sheep to hunt. The way of wolves.”
What were this man’s eyes witnessing? If he survived this ordeal, that vision would undoubtedly become a valuable asset to the Empire. But could he endure such a harrowing experience? Did he possess an unwavering sense of fearlessness, as he had claimed?
He did say that he was the ‘Golden Headband.’
“My hands are trembling.”
“…”
“Inhaling the smoke alleviates the pain.”
Humans engaging in a brutal slaughter, not just a duel between martial artists. Was a bloodbath for a secret manual truly preferable to this?
A short distance away, a soldier met his demise at the tip of a cavalry spear. His final word was a simple ‘Mom.’
Surprisingly, people spoke desperate thoughts rather than cool last words. If the final word on a dying man’s lips is ‘Mother,’ then it is surely the most desperate prayer in existence.
“You don’t look away, even though it is excruciating.”
“Thirty critically injured patients were rushed into the tent simultaneously. The resources, manpower, and time available are limited. That is the nature of a field hospital.”
Hospital.
Jin Cheon-hee spat out a word from his home planet, but His Highness Eun didn’t inquire. Zhuge Clan individuals were like that; they accepted the strange without question.
“What should I do then, Your Highness?”
“Typically, you prioritize treating patients with higher survival rates, don’t you? That’s the way of warfare.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Puff.
Inhaling smoke once more, Jin Cheon-hee asked, “Then Your Highness, if we were to compare this war to a field hospital, which side should be saved first?”
“That, too, would be the side with the higher chance of survival.”
“…Yes, that’s right. I should do the same.”
Amidst the boiling Inner Demons, the physician made a decision. He hadn’t reached the breaking point yet; he could endure more.
Does blood vaporize?
Does a Inner Demon vaporize?
Where do humans go after killing humans?
Tap, tap.
Jin Cheon-hee bit the pipe stem, knocking off the ash. This pipe, given by Ha-ryoon, must have witnessed much blood. Could an object belonging to the Junior Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult be clean? But it was fine. That was why it helped.
At that moment, Noe-jin dropped a bamboo tube on His Highness Eun’s head and flew back toward the strategist.
Click.
His Highness Eun opened the tube, read the contents, and declared, “Let us move, too.”
“Did a message come from the Great General?”
“Yes. He said now is the time.”
“Then let’s move.”
Just as Jin Cheon-hee was about to grab the reins, His Highness Eun spoke up.
“By the way.”
“Asking a question in this urgent situation?”
“No, just curious. I couldn’t hold back in the end.”
Jin Cheon-hee couldn’t guess the reason for His Highness Eun stalling in such a crisis. Then, the Emperor’s voice pierced his solar plexus.
“Descendants of Fuxi often blossom in ability and ascend a step amidst war. As a result, even if one is incompetent, thrusting them into the middle of a war often awakens their true potential.”
“I see.”
“Don’t you feel anything strange?”
“Pardon? I don’t quite understand what you mean.”
Without listening to Jin Cheon-hee further, His Highness Eun signaled the Eastern Depot guards on his left and right with his eyes. The guards quickly positioned themselves to escort him. Amidst the moving wave of people, His Highness Eun cut through the current toward the place Jin Cheon-hee’s master had mentioned.