Warlord Han Yegum

Chapter 13

Makjeong and Deokheung, two men of the same age, had been looking at Officer Pyeong for quite some time. Or, more precisely, they were staring at his armor.

While they wore ragged armor covered in the blood of fallen warriors, the officer's armor was entirely dark, sleek, and sophisticated. It looked both impressive and practical, with many parts intricately layered and parts of it hidden away.

Additionally, the black, high-quality leather boots and the sword sheath that was only issued to officers made everything look even more magnificent in Deokheung’s eyes, a former slave.

However, Makjeong’s thoughts were entirely different.

"I never used to think this officer’s uniform was anything special..."

That’s right. Back when he was Han Yegum, he had seen officers as pitiable figures who couldn’t even lift their heads.

The mansion of the kingdom's grand general. High-ranking ministers and various generals frequently came and went. Even the most seasoned officers had to live in constant tension under the roof of General Han Jin’s estate.

In such a place, an officer was no different than a mere soldier guarding the gates of Myeon Fortress. It was no surprise that the young Han Yegum thought officers were just soldiers doing errands.

"I never expected this. Now, if this officer orders me to run to my death, I’d have no choice but to obey... Ah, should I have deserted last night?"

Makjeong, regretting not fleeing, suddenly became curious. He wondered how these officers were even appointed. It was pure curiosity.

"Excuse me, Officer."

"Hm? What is it?"

Makjeong spoke up first, and Officer Pyeong turned his head toward him.

"How does one become an officer?"

"What? Ha! Ha ha!"

Officer Pyeong chuckled slightly at Makjeong’s question.

In the midst of all the soldiers who looked like cattle being led to slaughter, this young boy seemed to want to distinguish himself and become an officer.

"An officer? Why, do you want to become one?"

"Excuse me?"

Makjeong quickly realized there had been a misunderstanding, but it was already too late.

"Hahaha!"@@@@

Officer Pyeong laughed loudly. Despite his young age, the boy seemed confident, and that made him look more promising than the other soldiers.

"What's your name? How old are you?"

Then the answer came not from Makjeong, but from Nam Pae and the other members of the squad.

"Wow! You were aiming for an officer’s position? Madal here wouldn’t even take the position of squad leader if it were offered to him! Hey, Madal! Don’t you feel anything after seeing Makjeong?"

"Oh- why are you always dragging me into this? This is something you should be saying to Tteokkeong! Hey, Tteokkeong! Even though we’re both seventeen, some are crying ‘I feel like I’m going to die,’ while others are fighting hard to become officers. Don’t you feel anything? Huh?"

"Ayong, you know who you should be learning from, right?"

"Hahaha! Makjeong? Seventeen?"

Officer Pyeong laughed loudly again, and then, after thinking for a moment, he looked back at Makjeong.

"Hm..."

Officer Pyeong seemed to be considering how to explain things.

Normally, soldiers with good martial skills and leadership abilities would be selected as officers, but it was faster and more certain to be appointed through family connections or money.

Children of powerful families, high-ranking officials, or wealthy households easily became officers.

Originally, those with superior skills and strength were supposed to become officers, but the reason so many officers were still lacking in skill during the war was precisely because of such factors.

However, unable to tell the truth, Officer Pyeong started to explain with a smile on his face.

Kang! Klang!! Klang!!

The rice was almost nonexistent, with mostly grains and barley, but the quantity was more satisfying. Plus, the little bits added to the broth made it flavorful, so it was easy to call it a stew.

"Would be nice if this was all meat. Slurp."

"Yeah, it’s been so long since I’ve seen meat."

Makjeong listened to his squadmates, and thoughts of the meat dishes he had eaten as a child came to mind. Before his family’s fall from grace, they had eaten meat almost every day.

His father’s estate was always filled with warriors who accompanied him on his campaigns. His father had never spared food for them, so the smell of boiling meat was constant in their house.

As a result, Makjeong had grown up eating meat often. The fact that he was more muscular and healthier than Deokheung, who was the same age, was likely due to that upbringing.

The support soldiers quickly finished their meals and moved to where they would be resting. Surprisingly, dozens of small tents were set up neatly in rows at the rear of the camp.

"Wow! They even have these?"

It wasn’t just Madal who was amazed. Back at Yeolgu Mountain, they had lived on mats and used blankets as bedding. While each squad had built crude shelters with wooden roofs to protect from rain and morning dew, they still couldn’t escape the cold winds and dampness.

But now, they would sleep inside cozy tents that protected them from both wind and moisture. Naturally, the soldiers were overjoyed.

"Five men to a tent! Five men per tent! The rest will have to use the tents for other squads!"

At Officer Pyeong's command, the soldiers began picking tents and settling in.

Inside, there were a few mats laid out, but the soldiers brought their own blankets and mats, spreading them out thicker to keep the cold and dampness from the ground at bay. If they didn’t take care of that, their bodies would suffer.

"This is pretty nice," one soldier commented as they stretched out on the mats.

"Well, if we’re going to sleep like this, it’s not so bad, right? Food’s good too," Gaesang added.

"I’d rather just die and be buried in the ground there. I'll wrap you in a blanket and bury you properly," Madal joked.

"Let’s wait until the weather warms up. We’ll think about it later," Gaesang replied with a chuckle.

The group had become so comfortable with each other that their jokes came more naturally now.

The tent was dark, but the torches for the camp’s watch flickered in the distance. Makjeong peeked out of the tent and saw soldiers on guard or patrolling the area.

He could faintly hear the sounds of footsteps and voices from far off.

Though they had just arrived today, Makjeong felt like they had been here for days. It was an odd feeling, like a sense of familiarity had already settled in.

‘Anyway, it’s too late to escape now... Ugh, I don’t care anymore. It’ll work out somehow. I’ll just sleep.’

Arriving at White Plains, a battlefield with so many soldiers, made it impossible to desert.

Makjeong felt like he had been swept into this place, helpless, caught in the vast tide of war.

On this massive battlefield where nations fought, an individual could do nothing but survive. The only option was to desperately kill the enemy and stay alive.

Makjeong had decided to surrender to this overwhelming tide.

Instead of panicking and dying, he would remain calm, hold his breath, and find a way to survive.

His path would come later, after he had escaped this chaotic current.

‘For now, I’ll just fight my hardest as a soldier of the U Kingdom and survive.’

Behind him, the sound of Gaesang snoring could be heard. The sour smells of feet and sweat from the soldiers who had walked all day filled the tent.

If Gaesang, Madal, or Nam Pae all took their turns passing gas, Makjeong thought he might have to open the door slightly for some ventilation.

Scratch scratch

Scrape scrape scrape

The squadmates hadn’t bathed in days, so even while sleeping, they were scratching at their bodies. Their clothes and blankets were full of lice, fleas, and bedbugs, so it was inevitable they would be itching.

Pffft!

Makjeong heard Madal’s loud fart, a familiar sound, and closed his eyes to try and sleep.