Chapter 415

Chapter 415

Observing the Gansu Army below as they shouted his name with intense devotion, Il-mok addressed them without breaking his composure.

“Your lengthy travels have demanded much from you all.”

In contrast to his serene demeanor, his words were supercharged with internal force, vibrating clearly within the minds of every single one of the fifty thousand Gansu Army fighters.

“Waaaaah!!!”

The mere sound of Il-mok’s voice seemed to trigger pure ecstasy among the ranks, prompting the Gansu Army to hoist their blades and pikes simultaneously, unleashing a deafening roar.

Their collective cries thundered across the area, making the very ramparts of Xi’an seem to tremble under the vibration.

This response was a night-and-day difference compared to his interaction twenty-four hours prior, when he had spoken to the thirty thousand local garrison forces of Xi’an near these exact fortifications.

Following his expressions of gratitude for their arduous journey, Il-mok turned his focus toward the looming confrontation against the Central Army Command.

“We shall stand firm against the puppets dancing to the corrupt eunuch’s desires, and we will safeguard the citizens of Xi’an!!”

The moment Il-mok finished his rallying cry, the fiercely devoted warriors erupted into another massive wave of shouting.

Il-mok closely observed the fanatical display for a brief spell before pivoting and gracefully making his way down the fortifications utilizing Void Step.

Subsequently, the commanding officers came forward to restore order among the ranks as the massive host marched inside the gates of Xi’an.

The various regiments of the Gansu Army dispersed to their designated camps to unpack, recuperate, and adjust.

Shortly thereafter, a handful of local Xi’an garrison troops, driven by intense inquisitiveness, wandered over to the quarters where the newly arrived Gansu units were stationed.

“Ahem. Our unit assembled over in Dongcheon County right here in Shaanxi, but what about you folks? Where do you hail from?”

Responding to the query, several individuals from the newly arrived host offered answers.

“Lanzhou is my home.”

“I am from there as well.”

“Ahem. I represent Qinghai.”

A wide array of geographic origins was thrown out.

Out of the total fifty thousand men, thirty thousand were local to the Gansu region, whereas twenty thousand consisted of auxiliary regiments integrated from Qinghai.

Furthermore, a separate contingent of roughly three thousand nomadic cavalry warriors was recuperating in a different sector of the encampment.

Given such a diverse mix of backgrounds, the Shaanxi garrison troops stationed within Xi’an found themselves increasingly bewildered.

“Uh… just what kind of individual is this Il-mok fellow to make all of you behave so ecstatically?”

The instant one of the local guards lost his reservation and posed the question, every Gansu warrior in the vicinity locked their eyes onto him simultaneously.

Pressured by the suffocating intensity of their cult-like devotion, the local guard swallowed hard and took a defensive step backward.

“Mind your tongue when speaking of him.”

“How dare an outsider utter his identity and glorious deeds so casually.”

Sensing the hostile pushback, a different local guard stepped in to smooth things over on behalf of his intimidated comrade.

“Please overlook our lack of manners. We simply wish to comprehend the nature of the leader we are destined to serve from this moment onward.”

Seeing that the question had been reframed with proper deference, the clustered Gansu fighters let out broad smiles and began chiming in one after another.

“No mere words could ever encapsulate the magnitude of his legendary actions.”

“The moment he dictates ‘Let there be light,’ illumination manifests across existence.”

“And what is the purpose of that illumination? It is a divine force meant to obliterate all corruption.”

“Absolutely! He possesses the power to pull casualties straight back from the grave!”

The Shaanxi guardsmen who had wandered over to observe the Gansu forces felt their minds reel from the bewildering proclamations echoing around them.

‘Have… have these lunatics collectively lost their minds by consuming something toxic?’

Unable to swallow the absurd claims any longer, one of the listening Shaanxi guards voiced his skepticism.

“Judging by your descriptions, this Il-mok individual sounds less like a man and more like a deity.”

Far from taking offense at the remark, the fanatical soldiers chuckled and voiced their enthusiastic concurrence.

“You hit the nail right on the head!”

“With his presence on our side, losing a battle is an absolute impossibility—it is the exact equivalent of marching into combat beside a living deity!”

Right at that moment, as the grand praise continued to flow, an individual intervened to clarify.

“Quiet down, the lot of you! How can you label him a deity when the Cult Leader reigns above us? Young Master Il-mok is not a deity himself—he operates as the divine emissary of God!”

The precise warrior, who favored strict categorization over vague assumptions, then shifted his attention back to the Shaanxi guardsmen.

“That brings me to my next point: what can you tell us about the Cult Leader? Our eyes have only beheld the Young Master, so we harbor great curiosity regarding him.”

This inquiry reignited the tension, causing the Gansu fighters to fixate their intense gazes back onto the Shaanxi guards.

The local Shaanxi guards felt utterly overwhelmed.

“The physical prowess and martial expertise of the Cult Leader were undeniably breathtaking.”

‘H-however, it never reached the reality-bending thresholds these absolute madmen are rambling about.’

He could traverse the heavens on the wind, and whenever he walked past, those in his vicinity would buckle under the sheer weight of his aura.

Cult Leader Wi Jin-hak was undeniably a legendary figure of unfathomable capability.

Yet, none of the Shaanxi men had ever witnessed anything as reality-defying as generating pure illumination out of thin air or dictating the boundaries of life and death.

A few hours rolled by following the entry of the Gansu Army into the city of Xi’an.

Soldiers from Gansu and Shaanxi crossed paths throughout the city squares and alleyways, swapping stories and conversing.

Inevitably, the miraculous accounts surrounding Il-mok, who held the title of Brightness Left Envoy, began circulating across the wider Shaanxi forces.

Nevertheless, because these accounts bordered on absolute fantasy, the overall mood within the city remained highly skeptical.

“Those Gansu fellows. No matter how much grace you grant them, they appear entirely unhinged.”

“You aren’t kidding. They break into bizarre chants and melodies every single chance they get.”

A significant portion of the garrison dismissed the grand storytelling as pure delusion.

The silver lining in this bizarre situation was that the army’s general morale, which had previously plummeted into an absolute abyss, showed signs of recovery.

“Ahem. Even so, considering how incredibly confident they are, it stands to reason they have enjoyed an unbroken string of triumphs.”

“I was informed that their campaign initiated in Gansu, where they shattered both the Western Army Command and the forces of Qinghai before absorbing their ranks. If nothing else, they will provide massive leverage in the upcoming clash.”

The local leadership chose to look at the bright side, focusing on the sheer volume of reinforcement.

The Shaanxi fighters simply rationalized the absurd rumors as creative exaggerations meant to glorify their battlefield achievements.

In the meantime.

While the tales of Il-mok’s supernatural abilities and the fanatical conduct of his followers echoed throughout Shaanxi.

Deep within a central pavilion of the Xi’an Provincial Military Command, the primary leadership of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult convened for a strategic briefing, overseen by Il-mok along with the Right Guardian Envoys.

“Fortunately, the existing garrison forces of Xi’an have managed to regain a degree of psychological stability,”

Upon hearing Cheon-ryang’s update, the majority of the gathered commanders exhaled heavily in relief.

They were far from oblivious; they had already detected the volatile and concerning mindset lingering among the ranks.

For forty-eight hours following the departure of Wi Jin-hak, the high command had been racking their brains for strategies to revitalize the men’s fading spirit.

Certain officers had even proposed executing a handful of the more pessimistic soldiers by hanging them publicly to stomp out any defeatist chatter.

Other figures had put forward equally ridiculous and thoughtless recommendations, demonstrating a complete lack of tactical foresight.

“Kehehehe. Psychological stability? A soldier’s spirit naturally skyrockets the moment he starts splitting open enemy skulls across the front lines! Rest easy. I shall head the vanguard, sever the neck of the opposing general, and instantly ignite the passion of our forces!”

This boisterous declaration originated from Dokgo Ryong, who currently occupied the position of Brightness Right Envoy.

Had the army marched to the front without adjusting the troops’ mental state beforehand, scenarios would have unfolded precisely as Dokgo Ryong envisioned—making it a stroke of luck that they managed to avoid such an outcome.

Cheon-ryang, clearing his throat after visualizing that chaotic alternative, cast a subtle look toward Il-mok.

‘Just what sort of unearthly sorcery did the Young Master employ to forge Gansu’s ordinary recruits into such a fanatical elite force in such a brief window? It surpasses my comprehension.’

Because Cheon-ryang had departed for Xi’an prior to the clash between Gansu and the Western Army Command, he had not been a first-hand witness to Il-mok’s battlefield miracles.

Right at that moment, Il-mok scanned the faces around the table and initiated the primary topic.

“With that settled, shall we transition into our defensive strategy for Shaanxi?”

The opening response came from the military officer who had accompanied Il-mok, stepping up in the absence of the Gansu Provincial Military Commander who had relocated to Sichuan.

He originally held the rank of Vice Provincial Military Commander, a high-tier rank two official, and had stood by Il-mok’s side since the Gansu Army first pushed into Qinghai.

“These specific locations represent vital strongholds that we are obligated to retain regardless of the cost.”

The Vice Provincial Military Commander gestured toward the detailed strategic chart laid out across the table at the Shaanxi Provincial Military Command.

The pair of positions he highlighted were clearly labeled as Ankang and Hanzhong.

“To begin, let us look at Ankang. Pushing northward from its position provides a direct route to Shaanxi’s administrative center, Xi’an, while moving eastward leads straight toward Mount Wudang, which is the current destination of our Cult Leader.”

He outlined the territorial pathways extending from Ankang to those twin locations with the tip of his finger.

“Furthermore, charting a western course from Ankang brings one directly into Hanzhong, as I previously highlighted.”

The officer drew a heavy boundary around Hanzhong to emphasize his point.

“Hanzhong serves not merely as a critical geographical intersection but also features a protected valley with an incredibly productive climate, transforming it into a major agricultural center that rivals Sichuan itself. It is paramount for securing our army’s food reserves.”

The gathered commanders murmured and nodded, fully grasping the tactical weight of the officer’s assessment.

Even Il-mok, whose comprehension of grand strategy was heavily shaped by his previous existence as an ordinary administrative worker, found the logic easy to track.

Besides, even an individual like the past-life version of Il-mok, who possessed zero passion for ancient regional histories, had encountered the name ‘Hanzhong’ on multiple occasions—its strategic prominence required no further justification.

“In that case, we ought to establish our defensive front using those two locations as our main anchors.”

“Precisely.”

From that point forward, the tactical session entered its most critical phase.

The leadership coordinated the restructuring of their battalions, blending the veteran Shaanxi defenders with the newly arrived Gansu units, and debated the exact allocation of manpower to be stationed at Ankang and Hanzhong.

Endless debates erupted concerning the specific individuals who would be granted executive command over these respective regional defenses.

“Blast it all! This is nothing but a massive, unnecessary headache! Simply deploy me directly to the sector where the initial skirmish is bound to occur! Or better yet, the bloodiest one! I shall butcher every opposing commander myself and deliver an absolute triumph to the Divine Cult!”

Dokgo Ryong, whose patience wore thin during intricate structural debates, suddenly roared out a stream of self-glorifying remarks before pivoting and storming out of the assembly chamber.

“Ahem. Please overlook the behavior of the Right Envoy; his blood simply runs hot. His capabilities as a vanguard force are beyond dispute, so let us look past his departure.”

Il-mok smoothly smoothed over Dokgo Ryong’s abrupt exit to maintain a professional environment, allowing the planning session to press forward.

…

By the time the complex strategic discussions finally wound down after several grueling hours, the daytime sky had completely given way to deep darkness. Il-mok exited the main pavilion.

Yet, a direct path to his private quarters was interrupted.

“Young Master Il-mok—or rather, I should address you as Left Envoy now. Might you have a brief moment to spare?”

The voice belonged to Hwangbo Ak, who had intercepted him along the walkway.

“Has an issue arisen?”

“There is a matter of utmost gravity that requires our private consultation.”

Assuming the topic pertained to the recent reorganization of the martial units, Il-mok agreed to the request.

After relocating to an unoccupied chamber alongside Hwangbo Ak, the patriarch glanced toward the female attendants standing at Il-mok’s flank and requested:

“Forgive my imposition, but could we conduct this dialogue without an audience?”

“Very well.”

Il-mok gestured in agreement, instructing his attendants to remain outside before stepping into the private room.

“Now then, what is the nature of this confidential matter?”

Hwangbo Ak appeared to struggle for words for a brief second before locking eyes with Il-mok and inquiring with profound earnestness:

“I am aware that the Left Envoy has not yet entered into a domestic partnership. What are your thoughts on the matter?”

The question was so entirely out of left field that Il-mok’s initial instinct was to view it as a joke.

However, the expression carved into Hwangbo Ak’s features was dead serious.

The reality was that prior to tracking down Il-mok on this evening, Hwangbo Ak had already held a direct conversation with his youngest female offspring, Hwangbo Se-hee.

He had gauged her personal preferences regarding a political union with either Cult Leader Wi Jin-hak or Young Master Il-mok.

And the prospective partner she had chosen without a second thought was none other than the Brightness Left Envoy Il-mok himself.

After weighing his choices for an appropriate reply, Il-mok eventually offered his stance.

“I harbor no personal aversion to the concept of entering into holy matrimony. Be that as it may, our current circumstances do not permit it.”

“Do not permit it? What exactly do you mean by that?”

“We find ourselves deep in the throws of a massive military conflict, do we not? I refuse to engage in something so reckless as orchestrating a marital celebration when our collective survival hangs in the balance.”

“…Yet did the Cult Leader himself not forge a marital union with the female offspring of the Zhuge family?”

“The situation surrounding the Cult Leader stands on separate ground. While it manifests as a marriage, its true function is to cement the structural pact between our factions.”

Hwangbo Ak let out a tense, annoyed breath before pressing further.

“If it is a matter of cementing a structural pact, would the Left Envoy be amenable to marrying into our Hwangbo family for that exact purpose?”

“If the goal is purely to secure an alliance, would it not yield far greater political leverage for the Cult Leader to marry into your house instead?”

Hwangbo Ak found himself utterly choked up by Il-mok’s direct and seemingly naive counter-question.

He could hardly voice his true motives out loud—’You are clearly the frontrunner to inherit the mantle of the next Cult Leader, so we intend to secure our chains to you ahead of time!’—uttering such words carried immense risk on multiple levels.

Despite his bulky, bear-like physical presence, Hwangbo Ak possessed more than enough political wit to avoid playing such a dangerous card out in the open.

Particularly given their current state of active warfare, triggering internal friction among the leadership could easily bring about their total destruction.

While Hwangbo Ak frantically scrambled to think of an angle to sway Il-mok’s mindset, the young man seized the momentum to conclude the conversation.

“I have provided my definitive perspective regarding matrimony, so I shall take my leave now.”

Il-mok offered a respectful hand-and-fist salute before turning on his heel and exiting the private room ahead of the patriarch.

The female attendants who had been waiting a short distance down the corridor stepped forward to rejoin him.

“Did your private consultation yield positive results?”

In response to Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a’s inquisitive look, Il-mok provided a vague but reassuring answer.

“Indeed. It concerned certain diplomatic friction between the Hwangbo family and our Divine Cult, but the matter appears settled for the time being.”

Following his words, Il-mok paused and studied each of the women standing before him.

His eyes lingered for a fraction longer upon the form of Jin Ha-yeon.

‘Matrimony, of all things….’

In all honesty, there had been no real necessity for him to utilize diplomatic deflections to dodge Hwangbo Ak’s marital overture.

He could have chosen the simplest path by explicitly stating that a specific woman already held his pledge for marriage once the conflict concluded.

Yet, Il-mok found it impossible to voice those specific words.

It stems from no hesitation or regret regarding the understanding he shared with Jin Ha-yeon.

‘There is absolutely no way I am going to intentionally trigger a textbook death flag for myself. Not a chance.’

Could this hesitation be a byproduct of the lingering insights from his prior life?

Uttering statements along the lines of “The moment this grand campaign wraps up and I make it back to safety, I intend to propose to her”…

To speak such words aloud felt like a guaranteed recipe for some catastrophic disaster to unfold during the very next military engagement.