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Translator: uly
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Martial God (2)
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Martial God Tower
The first to charge into the enemy lines was Black Wind. The Blood Wolf Clan swung their weapons down at Black Wind as if they had been waiting for him.
Black Wind swiftly raised his demon hook.
Clang!
As the demon hook clashed with the enemy's weapon, he pushed it upward with tremendous force. His muscles bulged as if they might burst, forcing the Blood Wolf Clansman's arm up.
This exposed the Blood Wolf Clansman's face beneath the demon hook. Red paint smeared his cheeks, forehead, and under his eyes. Poisonous fury burned in the eyes of the Blood Wolf Clansman, who was breathing raggedly. Black Wind glared into those eyes and swung his halberd at the man's neck.
Thud!
The halberd severed the Blood Wolf Clansman's neck in a single strike. When not in battle, Black Wind honed the edges of his halberd and demon hook. Those two weapons were what saved his life on the battlefield.
A quick decapitation bought him a moment's respite to guard against other enemies' attacks.
Block with power! Cut with speed!
That was Black Wind's rule of war.
While Black Wind dispatched his foe, the others each took out one enemy.
Clang!
This time, he blocked the enemy's weapon with his halberd.
The enemy's blade and his halberd crossed in an X.
Black Wind pressed forward with the halberd without easing his strength. As the enemy resisted to avoid being pushed back, his arm rose upward. Their faces were now close enough to hear each other's breaths. Black Wind mercilessly slammed down the demon hook he had raised.
The demon hook that sliced through the empty air on the left plunged into the Blood Wolf Clansman's right neck.
"Kugh!"
The Blood Wolf Clansman's mouth gaped open.
In that state, Black Wind twisted his wrist inward and pulled. The Blood Wolf Clansman was dragged into Black Wind's embrace.
Stab!
A chilling sound leaked from the back of the embraced Blood Wolf Clansman. It came from another Blood Wolf Clansman's weapon piercing the dead comrade's back.
It had been an attack aimed at Black Wind, but he had used the pulled-in Blood Wolf Clansman as a shield to block it.
Black Wind swung his halberd over his shoulder.
His immense height made swinging the halberd over his shoulder feel effortless.
Thud!
The halberd dug into the Blood Wolf Clansman's head.
Brains and blood splattered everywhere.
He shoved the corpse in his arms aside to the left and kicked up with his right foot.
Stab!
The blade protruding from his shoe tip plunged into another Blood Wolf Clansman's jaw. As he continued kicking upward, the Blood Wolf Clansman's face split wide open.
"Kuh!"
A wretched scream burst from the Blood Wolf Clansman's mouth. Black Wind's leg pierced through the forehead and extended straight out.
One Blood Wolf Clansman charged from the right.
Black Wind spun to the right while keeping his leg raised. Then he slammed the raised leg down with all his might. The blade jutting from his heel dug into the enemy's head. The blade that entered the head sliced downward through the nose, mouth, and torso.
"Kraaaagh!"
Splat!
Blood poured over Black Wind's entire body.
He kicked off the ground with the foot he had brought down.
His massive frame leaped into the air. His knee bent, and the sharp blade protruding from his knee exuded sticky killing intent.
Stab!
Black Wind's right knee smashed into the enemy's jaw.
"Kek!"
The screaming enemy's eyes bulged as if they might tear. He hadn't expected Black Wind to leap that distance. In that instant, Black Wind's left arm moved, and the demon hook plunged into the head.
Using the momentum from pulling the demon hook, he leaped a second time. Soaring three zhang high, he flipped in midair. As he fell, he thrust out his right leg. The target of his right foot was the Blood Wolf Clansman's crown.
Thud!
The blade dug into the enemy's head.
"Kraugh!"
Clack!
He landed on the ground.
The blade attached to his shoe fulfilled its purpose and fell away. The members of the 180-man unit gathered around Black Wind and reformed their formation.
Though they had started last, the 180-man unit led by Black Wind had now become the vanguard.
In truth, Black Wind wasn't personally close with the unit members and rarely spoke with them. He never advocated for the weak either. He firmly believed everyone should handle their own affairs.
Yet the Wind Squad members acknowledged Black Wind as their Thousand Commander and obeyed him absolutely because of this. Unlike typical generals who commanded from the rear, Black Wind never did that.
He always fought at the front and cleared the path.
"Any casualties?"
Black Wind asked as they advanced.
"Iljo is missing."
Great Wind said.
"Where did you lose Iljo?"
Black Wind asked.
"Ten zhang to the rear."
"Call for him!"
"Iljo!"
Black Wind bellowed.
"Iljo!"
The rest of the unit members shouted after him.
"Over here!"
Someone ahead raised a halberd high.
"Watch your back!"
Black Wind yelled.
"Got it!"
Iljo thrust his halberd backward.
"Kugh!"
The one charging at him screamed and collapsed.
"Come this way!"
"Right."
Iljo headed toward the 180-man unit, and the 180-man unit moved toward Iljo.
Bwoooo! Bwoooo!
At that moment, horn blasts echoed, and the Blood Wolf Clan retreated like an ebbing tide. The battlefield was left with only corpses and Wind Squad members.
"Is it over?"
Iljo said as he reached the front of the 180-man unit.
"For now."
Black Wind looked around.
"First Hundred: five dead, ten wounded."
"Second Hundred: two dead, fifteen wounded."
"Third Hundred..."
Each Hundred Commander reported their casualties.
"Bury the dead with honors. Treat the wounded, and send the severely injured to the rear! The rest, rest and eat."
"Yes, sir!"
The Hundred Commanders responded.
Black Wind sat down right there.
As he sat, the 180-man unit members sat around him.
The group each pulled a long pouch from their bosoms. They were food pouches filled with grain powder. Next, they took out bowls with handles from their waists. They poured water into the bowls, added grain powder, and stirred it with their fingers. Soon the grain powder swelled and thickened. They scooped it with their fingers and shoved it into their mouths.
"They'll come again, right?"
Little Wind asked, chewing with his mouth full.
"Tonight."
Black Wind glanced up at the sky.
"We got some sleep at least."
Iljo grimaced.
"Give me more water."
Black Wind held out his bowl.
"Isn't the rule one serving only?"
Gentle Wind asked.
"If a storm hits, we'll be eating sand instead of grain powder."
"A storm tonight?"
The group all looked up at the sky. The sky was high and cloudless.
"Yeah."
Black Wind poured water and mixed his grain powder. The others followed suit, mixing their grain and eating. After finishing his meal, Black Wind dusted off his rear, stood, and surveyed the Wind Squad.
The first place he went was the First Hundred. The members lay sprawled with exhausted faces.
"Don't die. If you die, your pay goes with you."
"How many years have we gone without pay now?"
One member asked.
"Ten."
Black Wind answered.
"Why don't you take yours, Commander?"
"If I survive, it'll be ten times more. No reason to take it early."
"Heh! True."
The member chuckled.
"Anyway, dying just helps others, so don't die."
"We'll try our best to cling to life."
"Rumors say the war might end. Heard anything?"
Another member asked.
"They don't tell us."
"But you're the Thousand Commander."
"My pay's the same as yours."
"Then why do it?"
"Thought it'd be more. Bah! It's the same. No merit pay either."
"Kuh! Kuhahaha!"
"Heh heh heh!"
Laughter erupted around them.
"How's the food?"
"Just this one pouch for me too."
Black Wind tapped the spot with his food pouch.
"Hope it's over soon."
"Eat an extra bowl when you have time."
"Why?"
"A storm might come."
"Ugh!"
The members each pulled out their pouches and mixed more grain. Black Wind slowly made rounds to the other hundreds before climbing the tallest nearby sand dune. The dune was a hundred zhang high (300 meters).
Five men were already atop the dune. These five were called East Wind, West Wind, North Wind, South Wind, and Central Wind—Stagnant Water members like Black Wind, and also Hundred Commanders. East Wind was bald and wielded a massive blade. His martial prowess was super peak level by Black Wind's standards. Of course, that was Black Wind's gauge.
West Wind wore a face veil and was a woman. Black Wind had always been curious about what lay beneath but had never seen her face. He didn't even know what weapon she used. She was a master like East Wind.
South Wind was bear-like.
Black Wind wasn't small, but he felt dwarfed next to East Wind. Super peak level, and his whole body was a weapon.
North Wind was so cold that just approaching him made one worry about frostbite. Especially his eyes—Black Wind called him Cold Eyes.
Central Wind was the kind that made one's heart feel warm just looking at him. Of course, that was just appearance. In reality, Central Wind was brutally savage enough to guzzle enemy blood.
Black Wind gazed toward where the Blood Wolf Clan had retreated. Their camp was visible in the distance.
"Rumors say the war's ending. Know anything?"
East Wind scratched his bald head and asked.
Black Wind fixed his gaze on East Wind's head.
There was a round spot with a couple of hairs sprouting.
"You grow that on purpose?"
"What?"
East Wind asked back.
"The hair!"
"This isn't hair, it's head hair, you punk."
"You don't call it hair if it grows from a mole?"
"It grew from my head, so it's head hair."
"Hands up if you think it's hair."
Black Wind said, raising his hand.
Then West Wind, South Wind, East Wind, and Central Wind all raised their hands at once.
"It's hair."
"That's 'cause you're jealous."
"Jealous?"
"Jealous that I have head hair."
"..."
The group stared at East Wind with baffled faces.
"Not saying anything?"
This time West Wind asked.
"They don't tell us about strategy."
Black Wind replied.
"You think they're using us as sacrifices?"
Good-natured Central Wind said.
"After ten years of fighting for them, they wouldn't sacrifice us even if they skimp on rewards, right?"
South Wind said with a simple smile.
"What's that over there?"
Black Wind pointed east.
"Empire army camp."
North Wind said.
"Behind the Empire army."
"What's there?"
"Look up."
"Up where..."
The group all looked upward.
"No idea. What do you see?"
East Wind tilted his head and said.
"The air's murkier there than elsewhere."
"Someone moving stealthily?"
West Wind asked.
"That's what my experience says."
"What if it's the enemy?"
West Wind asked again.
"The rear guards would handle a few Blood Wolf Clansmen, no problem. But a horde? That'd be serious."
South Wind answered.
"We'd better prepare thoroughly."
West Wind said.
"If that dust cloud is from a Blood Wolf horde, we don't need to worry."
Black Wind said.
"Why?"
"A full-bellied Blood Wolf has crap attack power."
"..."
The five stared at Black Wind with baffled faces.
"Anyway, with rumors popping up everywhere, the war probably is ending. What're you all gonna do after?"
"Why ask?"
West Wind said.
"Most Wind Squad guys joined for money or a new identity, but not you."
"So what do you think we're here for?"
"No idea."
Black Wind shook his head.
"When the war ends, we're challenging the Martial God Tower."
South Wind said, fiddling with his sword hilt. His weapon wasn't a halberd but a true sword for martial artists.
"What's the Martial God Tower?"
Black Wind looked at South Wind with puzzlement.
"You don't know?"
"Should I?"
"Every martial artist knows. Hell, anyone living in the Central Plains does."
"Then guess I'm not from the Central Plains."
Black Wind shrugged.
"Ever heard of the Great Golden Citadel?"
This time West Wind asked.
"Yeah. A fortress made of gold. Its owner is said to be the richest in the Central Plains."
"That golden citadel is supposedly at the top of the Martial God Tower."
"The Martial God Tower lord must be filthy rich."
"The Martial God Tower has no lord."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Wait! You just said 'supposedly at the top.'"
"Yeah."
"So no one knows if it's actually there?"
"Of course not."
"Why?"
"No one's reached the top floor in fifteen hundred years."
"..."
Black Wind stared at West Wind with a baffled face.