Warlord Han Yegum

Chapter 9

“This bastard’s the real deal!”

Madal’s voice rang out amidst the chaos. Despite swinging his axe wildly at the enemy, he seemed to stay close to Makjeong’s side.

“We’re winning! Push them back!”

Nearby, a familiar voice of one of the U Kingdom’s commanders bellowed encouragement.

Following the commander’s cry, the officers’ shouts echoed throughout the battlefield. Whether the soldiers were inspired by these voices or genuinely turning the tide of battle, the U Kingdom forces roared with newfound vigor and launched ferocious attacks against the enemy.

—Thud! Swoosh!

Chobak and Mukjin gathered arrows from corpses and began firing again. Their thick, heavy arrowheads pierced the Shang soldiers’ armor at close range, sending them sprawling.

Elsewhere, a group of soldiers with shields formed a tight formation, pushing forward.

“Hiyah!”

With a unified shout, they shoved the enemy back using their shields. The moment the Shang soldiers stumbled, disoriented, other soldiers jabbed at them with spears. Overhead, arrows, axes, and even fist-sized stones flew through the air.

As the U Kingdom troops began moving with more coordination, Nam Pae assessed the situation and shouted.

“Squad, regroup! Everyone, gather here!”

Hearing his call, the scattered squad members rushed to his side. Madal, Makjeong, Gaesang, Yeopchi, Chobak, and Mukjin—all of them covered in a mix of blood and dirt—assembled quickly.@@@@

“Let’s push from here!”

“Yes!”

Nam Pae brought his squad together, tightening their formation. They joined forces with other nearby troops, advancing in an organized assault that pressed the enemy hard. Fighting alongside his squad, Makjeong felt a surge of courage.

These were the comrades who had saved his life more than once. Watching their skilled movements—Madal’s axe cleaving through enemies, Chobak’s precise arrows, and Yeopchi’s unrelenting strikes—filled Makjeong with admiration. Determined to match their strength, he fought with renewed ferocity.

The squad advanced steadily toward the east, the very section of the palisade that had been breached. Their progress meant only one thing—the Shang forces were being pushed back.

“Look! The enemy is breaking! Let’s drive those bastards out of the palisade!”

“Yaaaah!”

Fueled by this momentum, the U Kingdom soldiers roared in unison, trampling over the bodies of the fallen as they surged forward.

Finally, Makjeong could see the breached palisade ahead. The faster their steps, the more the enemy retreated.

Suddenly, the Shang soldiers began to flee in earnest.

Their retreat was no orderly withdrawal—it was pure chaos. Without a commanding presence to organize them, they abandoned their wounded, scrambling to save themselves as they scattered in every direction.

The U Kingdom troops gave chase, their war cries relentless. Spears were thrown, and arrows loosed at the fleeing enemies. Though spears were precious, soldiers didn’t hesitate to throw them—there were plenty of weapons scattered on the ground from the dead.

As Makjeong and Chobak returned with an empty stretcher, Makjeong wondered how effective the medical care could be in such chaos.

The sheer number of wounded overwhelmed the limited medics and supplies. It was painfully obvious that there weren’t enough hands, tools, or medicines to tend to everyone.

‘This is brutal... If I ever get injured, I’d rather die outright than end up here.’

Makjeong made a grim resolution every time he passed the tent.

Once the battlefield was cleared, the soldiers returned to their squads.

Makjeong’s squad found their previous position littered with the bodies of comrades who had fallen earlier in the day.

Nam Pae and Madal had rushed back immediately after the battle, but the injured had already succumbed to blood loss.

“Poor bastards... Maybe it’s better this way—they don’t have to suffer anymore,” Nam Pae muttered, his face twisted with conflicting emotions.

The squad had lost over half its members, yet considering the overwhelming enemy numbers, it was almost miraculous that any had survived.

“Let’s move them... I know you’re all exhausted, but let’s give them this last bit of effort, okay?”

“Yes, sir...”

Despite their exhaustion, no one complained as they carried the bodies of their fallen comrades.

These were the same people they had eaten with, laughed with, and fought alongside—not long ago.

Makjeong and Chobak hoisted one body onto a stretcher. The trail of bloodied footprints along the path inside the palisade grew thicker.

After tending to the dead, a late meal was distributed.

Though the food was as bland and meager as ever, the soldiers ate in silence, too tired to complain. The overpowering stench of blood and death made eating almost unbearable, but survival demanded they replenish their strength.

The portions were larger than usual—not because of generosity, but because fewer soldiers remained to eat.

Around the fire sat Nam Pae, Madal, Gaesang, Yeopchi, Chobak, Mukjin, and Makjeong—the only ones from their squad still alive. The empty spots where others should have been were painfully apparent.

As the meal came to an end, Nam Pae spoke.

“Before sunset, we’re to clear the enemy corpses.”

Madal groaned.

“What’s the rush? They’re not going to come back to life if we don’t move them today.”

Nam Pae sighed. “Orders are orders. And while you’re at it, scavenge anything useful—armor, weapons, supplies. You know the drill. We can’t count on proper resupply here.”

Makjeong nodded quietly.

As the others continued their grim tasks, Makjeong clenched his fist tightly, trying to remind himself he was still alive.