Chapter 363

Chapter 363

Back straight and head high, Du Min Gyu flicked his sleeves and placed his hands behind his back as he offered the guards a chance to live. Lay down your weapons, he commanded, while Jun Bao held his Imperial Token of Authority high. I, Lieutenant General Du Min Gyu, am here to carry out the Emperors will, to inspect this property and everything within it. Stand aside or be held in contempt of Imperial Edict, for which the sentence is death.

From behind their sturdy stone barricades, the heavily-armed guards stared back in silent defiance. Studying their expressions, Min Gyu found no grim determination or fanatic opposition, but fear and dissatisfaction a plenty. Slaves then, Oath-sworn and compelled to defend the base against all intruders regardless of identity. Willful rebellion against Imperial Authority or a simple lapse in judgment by the person who gave their orders? Considering the objective for this mission, likely the former, but after his near disastrous exchange with Akanai, he was loathe to rush to conclusions.

What a fool hed been, assaulting a commanding general during wartime with a Justicar waiting nearby. A Justicar hed brought with him no less. Were it not for her benevolence, Akanai could have had Du Min Gyu executed forthwith, though some solace could be found as he would have died in ignorance of how ungrateful his family truly was...

Putting aside past regrets, he waited for a response from the Canston Guards and prayed their master would hear his words and yield. He abhorred this waste of competent warriors, of both Death Corps and Canston Guards alike. In battle, oftentimes the difference between victory and defeat lay not in a single individuals strength, but in how well each individual works with the warrior beside them. Take a hundred unaffiliated Captain-level talents and pit them against a commander with his retinue of ninety-nine basic soldiers who trained together, and Min Gyu would put his money on the retinue every time.

Well-trained and well-equipped, the Canston Guards were a disciplined, orderly force, armoured in heavy plate while brandishing fierce polearms and no small number of Spiritual Weapons. Although he had yet to come across any warriors of overwhelming talent, he was impressed by their teamwork, organization, and speedy response to the attack. After his initial assault showed them how outclassed they were, a small rear guard remained in place to slow his advance while their main force fell back in orderly fashion, concentrating their soldiers at the fortified positions around the central buildings. Given Siyars shockingly detailed map, Min Gyu had foreseen this as a possibility and even allowed it to happen since it made things easier for him, but the speed and efficiency with which the Canston Guards carried out their retreat was most impressive.

Even more impressive was how he heard no horns sounded or orders Spoken after his forces breached the gate. The Canston Guards had practised and prepared for this eventuality, and each guard knew precisely what to do and where to go without direction. Even allowing for their Oath-sworn status, it took considerable dedication and training to reach this level of competence, which made Min Gyu reluctant to slaughter them out of hand. Scanning the crowd, he hoped to find whoever held the leash of these fine soldiers and force them to cede control with minimal casualties, but sadly, whoever it was had hidden himself well.

A damn shame to lose so many fine soldiers, especially since Yan needed soldiers for her retinue, but needs must. Impressive though the Canston Guards might be, they were no match for the cold fury of Imperial Death Corps, nor were their numbers sufficient to make up for the difference in strength. Still, something was off, and even as he prepared to order the final charge, Min Gyu surveyed his surroundings one last time. Thankful he did, he discovered what unsettled him so as gazed at the cloth-covered ground. Strange, too strange.

Lips pursed in a frown, Jun Bao picked up on his meaning almost immediately. How long do you suppose we took to get here? A half-hour, if that?

Nodding in agreement, Min Gyu replied, Hardly enough time for... this. Around them, ragged tents fluttered in the wind while others lay crumpled in the dirt, trampled underfoot by the Death Corps as they moved to encircle the Canston Guards. Aside from the tents, there was nothing else. No bedding or blankets, no discarded clothes or lost shoes, neither hair nor hide of the worker slaves to be found. For trained guards to move so quickly and efficiently was one thing, but to remove almost all evidence of an enslaved workforce without sound or struggle in so short a time? Impossible.

Directing his gaze at the two borrowed scouts, Min Gyu asked, You said you were here less than a week ago. Youre certain there were thousands of slaves here?

Yes sir, Siyar responded, while his superior officer, Jorani, stood silent, nervously fiddling with the weapon hidden in his sleeve. A small mace or thin dagger of some sort perhaps, but the movements revealed his cowardice. Sure as sure. Eight days give or take a few hours. Saw em with these two eyes, Mothers truth. A right sorry lot, whole crowd of battered and bruised souls all huddled up around these here tents.

Most concerning. By your own account, you arrived under the cover of darkness. Could you have been mistaken regarding the numbers?

Mayhaps, Siyar responded with a shrug. But not by much. Last I was here, I had to pick my way real careful around em, strewn across the dirt and whatnot. More slaves than tents to cover em, and as you can see, they had plenty of tents.

What about the central buildings?

Only checked the one, but twas packed to the rafters with boxes. Nicked a pair of vessels from an open one, then buggered off right quick. Spitting to the side, Siyars globule of phlegm narrowly missed the boot of a Death Corps soldier, and the scout held his hand up in apology, though the Death Corps soldier appeared indifferent to it all. Whole places puts me on edge, he added, barely repressing a shudder. Unclean is what it is, feel it in my bones I do.

Hmm. Even if the other three buildings had been empty to begin with, they couldnt possibly fit so many people. This begged the question, where had all the slaves gone? Thinking to share his concerns with the other two experts under his command, he reached out to them through Sending, as they were off overseeing the Death Corps encirclement. He started with Pichai, a dark-skinned southerner most famous for surviving the destruction of his first Spiritual Weapon at the tender age of twenty-four. Rare for a Warrior to outlive his Weapon, but despite his leaking core and crippled Spiritual self, Pichai persevered along the Martial Path. Three decades later, the once formidable young talent re-emerged as an indomitable Expert, having relearned how to use his Chi and bound a second Spiritual Weapon, the same giant scimitar hed used to open the gates. Now, at the ripe age of ninety-seven, the story of Broken Blade Pichai was often told to young warriors across the Empire, a living example of what one could accomplish with hard work, dedication, and perseverance.

Pei. Broken tongue more like it. After hearing all of Min Gyus concerns, the tight-lipped southerner replied in his almost lyrical lilt, Understood. No slaves spotted, only guards. Will inform commander if situation changes. End Sending.

End Sending, how pretentious. As if people wouldnt know hed finished speaking without confirmation. Besides, since when was it his prerogative to end their conversation, as if he were the superior and Min Gyu his underling? Good, good, he Sent, more out of spite than need. Remember the mission and keep your guard up. Send word if artillery is spotted.

Orders received. End Sending.

He wasnt fooled by Jun Baos friendly banter or flattery. Min Gyu knew hed been chosen for one simple reason: he was disposable. Why else forbid him from bringing his own troops and saddle him with Eccentric Gam and Broken Blade Pichai, two relics of the past not unlike himself? If they failed or Falling Rains accusations proved false, he had no doubts Jun Bao would execute all three of them and the Legate would spin a story about three aged drunks getting into a dispute with a local winery or some other such nonsense.

Displeasing as the truth might be, Min Gyu understood the Legates need for discretion. Though only a piddling merchant company, even children knew the Canston Trading Group was backed by the Immortal Zhu Chanzui, an Ancestral Pig of foul temper and prodigious greed. Anger him and his vengeance would be terrible to behold, and the battle against the Imperial Dharma Protector sent to stop him could turn Nan Ping into a second Arid Wastelands, the impassable stretch of desert straddling the border between South, West, and Central, said to have been formed by a decade long battle between Divinities.

All drivel of course. The desert bordered both ocean and Azure Sea, where the cold currents made it all but impossible for the air to hold moisture, giving rise to the desiccated wastelands. Cause and effect, a simple explanation as any. At most, Nan Ping would be burned to the ground and be decades in recovering. Even Ancestral Beasts werent powerful enough to do something as drastic as altering the climate and landscape.

Or so he hoped.

While he mused over the consequences of failure, the Death Corps searched the fort and uncovered no hidden tunnels or waiting ambushes. This, combined with the setting sun, emboldened Min Gyu into ordering the attack, a little disappointed he wouldnt have the opportunity to use any of the countermeasures hed come up with during the ride here. After stressing the need for prisoners to his colleagues, he led the charge himself, leaping over the barricade with a single bound. A powerful burst of wind erupted from his palms, impacting harmlessly on the steel breastplates of two nearby assailants. Though the attack did no direct damage, it sent both luckless targets hurtling away to crash into their comrades, clearing the area and allowing the Death Corps to tear down the barricade and stream in unopposed.

Ah, it felt good to finally stretch his muscles again, both physical and spiritual ones. When was the last time he faced a true challenge at the peak of health?

The Canston Guards put up a staunch defense, but well-trained as they were, they proved no match for the Death Corps and were quickly overwhelmed. Guard corpses littered the ground while even more were taken prisoner, pummeled unconscious with closed fist and heavy boot as it was the only way to subdue them. Clearly, theyd been ordered to fight to the bitter end, lashing out with tooth and nail when no other options were left to them, determined to find death on the point of a Death Corps blade.

The fighting continued for long, grueling minutes as the last pockets of resistance held out, and after judging they had enough prisoners, Min Gyu gave the order to end things. Not ten seconds later, the battle ended, a lop-sided engagement from start to finish. Giving the order to clear the battlefield and secure the area, he brought Jun Bao, Siyar, and Jorani to check the warehouse, only to find it empty save for a few broken boxes. The other three buildings were the same, and to make matters worse, they found no tunnel entrances either, collapsed, covered, or otherwise.

How can this be, he asked, speaking to no one in particular. Where did they go? Furrowing his brow, he sought Gam in person and grabbed the scruffy half-fox by the arm. Are you certain there were people escaping from tunnels beneath us?

Covered from head to toe in the blood of his enemies, the odd warrior tilted his head in an almost innocent gesture. Never said escaping, and no were about it. Dropping to all fours, he placed his human ear the to ground and closed his eyes, his fox ears flicking left and right as he listened. Yep, he exclaimed after a moment of silence. Are. Is? Still plenty of boots trudging around right beneath us. Closer too. Ten meters away at most.

Realization dawned on Min Gyu as he checked the surroundings. Their backs against the buildings and empty space all around, a tailor-made killing ground prepared just for them. Form up, he shouted, heading towards the gate where their wagons awaited. Fall back to the wagons!

But alas, his orders came a minute too late.

The earth erupted in a spray of dirt as three bald, misshapen creatures emerged from below. Arranged in a neat semi-circle around his troops, the wrinkled mole-like Demons roared in challenge as a steady stream of hostile warriors emerged from their tunnels. Though the buildings blocked line of sight, the cries of alarm told him there were still more Demons to contend with on the other side, his people neatly encircled by the Enemys devious trap. Theyd known someone would come, how he did not know. Traitors in the Legates household, or perhaps someone noticed the two missing vessels Siyar stole. Whatever the reason, hed led his people into an ambush, and seeing how well the Enemy prepared for this, he judged their chance to escape slim to none.

Well, at least hed found proof of collusion.

A shame his end would come so soon. He would have liked to spend another decade with his doting granddaughter, but a year would have to be enough. Warriors of the Empire, gather to me, he commanded, his voice calmer than hed expected. Their only chance was to punch through before the Enemy finished arranging their forces. The math was simple enough, three Demons, three experts. Turning to his old rival, he said, Jun Bao, hang back and do not engage. The first chance you see, take to the skies and escape while we hold their attention. You must get word to the Legate. The Defiled wasted no time consolidating the West. Theyre here, and they have allies amongst us.

Conflicting emotions flashed across Jun Baos face, his warriors pride demanding he stay and fight, but in the end, he merely saluted and said, By your command, General.

Happy to have won the final exchange of their rivalry, Min Gyu turned to face the Demon, giving his orders out loud for all to hear while gathering the Divine Wind into a rotating, razor sharp disc. Slaves though they might be, even the Death Corps were mortal men, prone to despair as any, and in order to escape, they would need every advantage he could eke out. Broken Blade Pichai, at my left, Eccentric Gam, to my right, and stalwart warriors of the Empire at my side. With such formidable forces gathered at my side, I, Du Min Gyu, have nothing to fear! Forward into the Enemy!

Finally, a challenge worthy of the Sanguine Tempest, Du Min Gyu.

Chapter Meme