Under the blazing sun, two hundred Celestial Wolf Troops were riding south across the grasslands.
Thirty mounted riders led the way, keeping a measured distance ahead of the 170 foot soldiers following behind.
At the head of the column, Baek Un-hoe drove his horse forward in silence. His expression was calm, but his thoughts were tangled beyond measure.
The thirty men from the Dok Go Clan…
Until their dying breaths, they had never spoken of the one who had persistently sabotaged his efforts. Only Yi Min-geol, the Deputy Chief, had cursed him with his final breath, leaving behind strange words.
They had said that even if they told him, he wouldn't believe it, and in truth, they themselves didn't know much. They claimed there was nothing to tell—then raged at him for even asking.
From the fear and hostility in their eyes, Baek Un-hoe felt certain they were not lying.
"So even they don't know who it is… tch."
Muttering to himself, he clicked his tongue, then shook his head sharply, as if casting off the thought.
In time, he would find out. If there was no answer now, he had to focus on the reality before him.
He considered pushing the pace… but decided against it.
The Black Wolf Warlord, Cho Ji-myeong, had already moved ahead. Arriving too quickly at their destination might look as though he didn't trust Cho Ji-myeong.
Cho Ji-myeong was a man worthy of respect. If possible, Baek Un-hoe wanted to preserve his dignity and authority as a commander.
Though he was personally on the move in case of unforeseen trouble, this was, in essence, an insurance measure.
Suddenly, he furrowed his brow and stared fixedly at a point in the sky.
Against the painfully blue heavens, a gray pigeon was gliding gracefully.
In the western regions of Sichuan, pigeons were rare—seeing one crossing the grasslands was rarer still.
"A carrier pigeon."
Baek Un-hoe's eyes lit up as he pulled on the reins. Judging by its direction, it was heading toward the Sichuan Branch without a doubt.
A subordinate who heard him also reined in his horse.
"Shall we catch it?"
Baek Un-hoe was already drawing the bow from behind his saddle, but he shook his head and instead called into the air:
"Geum-yeong!"
At his ringing shout, a large, golden-feathered bird appeared from behind a cloud—the golden hawk he had named Geum-yeong.
As it dove toward him, Baek Un-hoe pointed to the pigeon with his index finger.
As if it understood his intention, the hawk banked sharply and beat its wings toward the carrier pigeon at frightening speed.
Startled, the pigeon tried to flee, but Geum-yeong, faster than any eagle, seized it and returned to Baek Un-hoe.
"Gu-guuu…"
The hawk fluttered in front of him, showing off proudly. Baek Un-hoe smiled faintly, reached out to stroke its head, then untied the small cylinder from the pigeon's leg.
Inside was a tightly rolled note.
Unrolling and reading it, Baek Un-hoe's brows drew together.
It was short but well-summarized. When he had finished, he crumpled it in his hand, clicking his tongue, and said to those around him:
"It's from the Black Wolf Warlord. All three Elders have perished."
His sigh darkened the faces of the mounted officers and veterans, as well as the Celestial Wolf Troops arriving nearby. The message meant that the six hundred men under Black Ghost Blade Ma Shin-rang had been defeated.
One squad leader swallowed and asked:
"What's the scale of our losses?"
"Fewer than fifty remain. Had the Black Wolf Warlord arrived any later… they would have been annihilated."
At his grim words, silence fell. This was nothing less than a disastrous defeat. More than two hundred Celestial Wolf Troops had also been sent to that battlefield.
None of them could understand. The Black Ghost Blade and the Cold-blooded Twin Elders were top-tier masters, and the subordinates they led—including Celestial Wolf Troops—were elite.
Even against the combined forces of the Dok Go Clan, Kunlun Sect, and the Black Tortoise Unit of the Murim Alliance, they should not have been so utterly crushed.
Baek Un-hoe shook his head slowly, then his gaze sharpened.
"Once again, that unknown man must have been at work. Without some trickery, this kind of devastation is impossible."
The note was well-summarized, but far too short to grasp the details.
He swept his eyes over the two hundred Celestial Wolf Troops. They were all elite—naturally, as the Heavenly Demon Cult's strongest field unit.
But some, lacking in internal energy, were panting heavily. The very best had been left at the Sichuan Branch, so those with him now were of mixed caliber. New recruits and low-ranking members, especially, were gasping for breath.
Baek Un-hoe dismounted.
"The Black Wolf Warlord is in pursuit. He says he will cross the mountain to the east. If that's his judgment on the ground, then he must see a chance for victory."
There was trust in his voice.
He approached the youngest in the unit.
"Ja-un. Are you tired?"
The eighteen-year-old Ja-un shivered. He had never imagined the Celestial Wolf Warlord even knew his name.
Startled, he bowed low.
"N-no, sir. I'm fine."
"I'll lend you my mount."
Shocked, Ja-un looked up. The Warlord's sharp eyes and white smile were dazzling at such close range.
It was for this man that Ja-un had poured every effort into joining the Celestial Wolf Troops.
The man destined to be the Star of the Overlord—
The living legend who had walked out of the Heavenly Demon Cave, from which no one had ever returned alive.
"Commander… I truly am fine."
"I know your sword skill is impressive, but your internal energy and battle experience are still lacking. If you're too exhausted to show your best when the enemy comes, I'll be disappointed. Conserve your strength and energy."
"Sir…"
"I brought you into the main unit because I believe in your talent and hard work. Your Violent River Flow will become one of the most renowned sword arts in the martial world within a few years. Don't let that brilliant skill wither before it blooms—take care of yourself and keep training."
Ja-un bit his lip, overwhelmed. Not only did the Warlord know his name—he even knew the very martial art he trained in. Something welled up fiercely inside his chest.
For a man, praise from a respected superior is like a drug. Is it any wonder they say women die for love, and men give their lives for the one who truly recognizes them?
Baek Un-hoe handed him the reins and turned away. Immediately, the mounted veterans began handing over their own horses to the younger and lower-ranking troops.
In an ordinary unit, such a thing would be unthinkable—especially in the Heavenly Demon Cult, where strength was the ultimate measure and determined one's treatment. Caring for the weak was nearly unheard of.
But in the Celestial Wolf Troops, it was common practice.
Protecting and fostering the juniors—that was their way.
The senior Celestial Wolf Troops knew from experience that one day, that same junior—if given the chance to train and grow—might save the senior's life in return. And of course, that tradition had begun with Baek Un-hoe's own example.
After the small commotion, the Celestial Wolf Troops fixed their burning gazes on their commander, the Celestial Demon Sword. Baek Un-hoe's lips slowly parted.
"It's possible… that by the time we arrive, the Black Wolf Warlord will already have won. But in war, you never assume the outcome."
"…"
"On any battlefield, where you don't know what might happen next, you must always keep yourself in peak condition. Only if you are strong can you truly be of help to your comrades—and only then can you seize victory."
"Yes, sir!"
Two hundred voices answered in unison.
"If the Black Wolf Troops have already won, we'll congratulate them. If they're still fighting, we'll support them. Either way, we will enter the battlefield without breaking formation—showing the pride of the Celestial Wolf Troops."
The pride of the Celestial Wolf Troops.
At those words, heat flared in their eyes, and proud smiles tugged at their lips.
Seeing the solid resolve in his men's eyes, Baek Un-hoe looked satisfied—until he suddenly stopped, as though nailed in place. A dark thought struck him.
He hastily unrolled the message in his hand and read it again. His thick brows and long lashes trembled slightly. The 7th Squad Leader, sensing something was wrong, asked carefully:
"Commander, is there a problem?"
Baek Un-hoe bit his lip, a heavy sigh escaping between his clenched teeth.
"As I thought… I don't like this."
"Sir?"
"Of the forces under Elder Black Ghost Blade, fewer than fifty remain. And yet the orthodox forces, upon the Black Wolf Troops' arrival, immediately pulled back with their wounded?"
He continued, almost as if checking his own reasoning aloud.
"If I were in their place—numerically superior, morale high after being on the verge of victory—I would never turn my back and flee."
The 7th Squad Leader asked nervously,
"You mean the Black Wolf Warlord might be walking into a trap?"
Baek Un-hoe stayed silent for a moment, gathering his thoughts.
Faced with a battle nearly won and the sudden arrival of two hundred Black Wolf Troops, there were two normal choices: quickly finish off the remaining enemies and prepare to face them, or ignore the fifty and pull back slightly to regroup.
But instead, they had chosen to flee with their wounded.
Why?
A low murmur slipped from his lips.
"Mmm… They must have feared there was another wave of reinforcements behind the Black Wolf Troops. That could throw the whole battle into chaos."
As he spoke, his suspicion solidified into certainty. This unknown strategist was extremely cautious.
"They didn't flee. They changed the battlefield to avoid chaos and minimize casualties. Imagine it—locked in combat with the Black Wolf Troops in a narrow mountain pass, then suddenly ambushed by another force. There'd be no time to react. The damage would be catastrophic."
He tapped his forehead with a finger, thinking aloud.
"But in the open plains, it's different. They'd have the numbers to fight the Black Wolf Troops while also keeping watch for any other threat. Crossing the hill also gives them the advantage of scouting from high ground for incoming reinforcements. Hah… Remarkable. They're the enemy, but I can't help but admire that."
He shook his head, though his eyes shone with an even brighter, sharper light.
"And I'll bet… they exaggerated the number of wounded during their retreat."
There were fifty men left on the battlefield. But surrounded and fighting for their lives, they'd have had no chance to count their enemies' wounded accurately. If many of those retreating over the hill had only pretended to be injured, the Black Wolf Warlord would have seen a golden opportunity—and taken the bait.
Baek Un-hoe let out a slow breath and reached his conclusion.
"That unknown man is trying to break us apart and crush us one piece at a time—Black Wolf Troops first, and any other reinforcements after. And if there are no other reinforcements? Then they'll simply take down the Black Wolf Troops. That man… he's so thorough it's chilling. Not a single weakness in sight."
The 7th Squad Leader looked stunned, but then regained his composure with a faint, knowing smile.
"Commander, but this is Cho Ji-myeong, the Black Wolf Warlord. He won't fall so easily."
The 9th Squad Leader nodded in agreement.
"Yes. A slight numerical disadvantage is nothing to the Black Wolf Warlord. If anything, the orthodox forces might underestimate his breakthrough power and end up paying dearly for it."
In the Heavenly Demon Cult, the Black Wolf Warlord was also called the "Spear of the Battlefield"—meaning nothing could stand in his way.
Baek Un-hoe nodded.
"True. I think so as well. But… I still have a bad feeling. Because that cunning orthodox dog has been sabotaging us all day long."
His hand curled into a fist. Now was not the time to worry about Cho Ji-myeong's pride.
His gaze turned forward, the corners of his lips curling into a cold smile, a frost-edged light gleaming in his eyes.
"Interesting. You're really exciting me now. No matter what happens today, I'll have your head."
Who was he speaking to?
He swept his gaze over his subordinates and spoke briefly.
"I'll go ahead. Follow me."
With that, he stamped a foot lightly against the ground—and in an instant, his figure blurred and shot forward at terrifying speed.
"Ah!"
The Celestial Wolf Troops gasped in awe.
Baek Un-hoe, the Celestial Demon Sword, raced across the earth like a bird in flight, covering five or six jang with every stride.
The 7th Squad Leader clicked his tongue in amazement.
"Commander's Land Flight Technique… he's brought it to perfection."
The 9th Squad Leader said,
"Let's move. Quickly."
The 7th Squad Leader nodded.
"Celestial Wolf Troops! Full speed after the commander—keep formation!"
Baek Un-hoe had not only intercepted the carrier pigeon by chance, but had also used the brief message to see through Cheon Ryu-yeong's plan.
And now, a deep crack had formed in Cheon Ryu-yeong's strategy to destroy them piecemeal.