- Lee Hui’s Visit (1)
By dusk, Lee Hui made his rounds, moving from one concealed Baekryong unit to another.
He divided the Second and Third Strike Companies into two groups and hid them behind the great mountain range, then personally inspected the ambush positions with only a handful of elite troops at his side.
He adjusted placements, pointed out anything too visible, and checked their equipment and weapons with meticulous care.
Lee Hui had spread the overall formation wide to maximize coverage, yet he had also ensured that rally distances remained as short as possible.
The core objective of the deployment was simple: secure numerical superiority at the point of engagement and detect the enemy before being detected.
Thus, most positions were relocated to elevated ground with clear visibility or to slopes that allowed a single bound down into the basin below.
“An unusual terrain.”
That was Lee Hui’s first impression upon visiting Sosam’s position.
Sosam had already recovered from his brother’s death.
If anything, a hard edge had settled into him.
“Hidden from the outside, excellent visibility from within, concealment and cover both secured… But assembling will take time. What are all these traps? If someone trips while rallying, I won’t tolerate it.”
“That won’t happen. The exit route is over there.”
Sosam pointed to a path that allowed a single step up the ridge and a direct sprint into open ground.
If one circled around the rounded hillock, the plain could be reached immediately.
“I heard you had some trouble. And… things happened.”
Lee Hui acknowledged the earlier engagement.
Over ten enemy soldiers killed, five horses recovered.
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He did not explicitly mention the fallen younger brother.
Sosam’s eyes hardened at the memory.
“It wasn’t difficult.”
“Avoiding close combat was the right call. And recovering the horses intact.”
“Thank you.”
The men accompanying Lee Hui circled wide, surveying the terrain.
“And the boy?”
“You mean the Scholar.”
“You really call him that?”
“Yes. It’s only proper to address him by his title.”
“You’re teasing him. Ha.”
Lee Hui smiled faintly.
A provincial licentiate in the army…
“No. I address him properly.”
“He’s truly a licentiate? There’s no such rank in the army. What will you do if he passes the higher examination next?”
If he passed, that meant a stipend of at least two thousand seok.
A government official earning more in a year than most soldiers would see in a lifetime.
“I treat him with sincerity.”
“Mm. And in battle?”
“He shoots well. Never misses. Even in confined spaces, he strikes true. His concentration is exceptional.”
“Better than you, then.”
“… ”
Sosam flushed but said nothing.
“I’m joking. He’s young. See that he gains experience. And… when this campaign ends, there will be something good waiting.”
“Something good?”
Hope flickered briefly in Sosam’s eyes—then dimmed.
Lee Hui’s “something good” usually meant new training.
“Another new training regimen?”
“How did you know?”
“We know what you like, Commander. Training us to death. Tiger Step nearly killed us the first time.”
Lee Hui raised a hand before Sosam could continue.
“If I don’t stop you, you’ll go on forever.”
Sosam fell silent.
“This time it’s martial arts. The real thing. I’ll turn the entire Baekryong unit into masters. Genuine masters. I brought back selected manuals from the Imperial Arsenal—true imperial techniques. Learn this, and you might dominate the jianghu one day. With luck, perhaps even serve the Imperial Court.”
Lee Hui embellished the explanation with enthusiasm.
Sosam remained unconvinced.
“We’d better survive first.”
“You killed them all from a distance with arrows, didn’t you? What survival struggle?”
“That’s just how I put it.”
“Let it be just words. If your heart thinks the same way, I won’t go easy on you.”
“Of course. Loyalty to the state, filial piety, obedience to superiors—”
Lee Hui slapped the back of his head.
“Watch your tongue.”
“Apologies!”
“You want to carry a shield instead?”
A pangbaesu’s shield was enormous—wood reinforced with leather and metal.
Heavy.
Cumbersome.
A walking arrow target.
Among mounted Baekryong troops, “Want to carry a shield?” was the gravest insult.
“No, sir. I retract my words.”
“Think about it. Armored horses, lances, moon-blades, composite bows, light but effective shields, heavy sabers. What other unit in the realm is equipped like this? If we had all that and lacked martial skill, we’d belong in an opera troupe, not the Baekryong.”
Sosam fell quiet.
“Have pride in your training. The Emperor himself granted us these manuals. If you doubt them, that borders on treason. When we return, close your eyes and endure one year. This time next year, we’ll wipe out every last one of these barbarians.”
“One year…?”