After preparations for departure were finished and weapons and packs inspected, more mounts were led into the courtyard.

  They had already received enough the day before.Yet the number increased again—and not by a little.

  Seongjin frowned.

  “Hm… why?”

  He looked to the squad leader.

  “We already got horses yesterday.And today again?”

  The man scratched his head.

  “Yeah.Looks like we’re going far.”

  At that moment, Hwang Hyeon-pil’s voice cut across the yard.

  “Everyone—saddle the mounts and get used to them!”

  “Loyalty!”“Loyalty!”“Loyalty!”“Loyalty!”“Loyalty!”

  The replies echoed.

  When even the foot archers were issued horses, the courtyard stirred at once.

  “Horses to spare!”“Hah—me, riding a horse at this age. I’ve made it.”“Is this for riding, or for eating later?”

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  Laughter burst out here and there.

  In the army, good fortune did not always mean good intent.

  When beef soup appeared, blood was shed the next day.When arrows overflowed, it did not mean wealth—it meant shooting until blisters rose on the hands.

  But this was different.

  To issue mounts even to foot archers meant this was not a fight to hold a wall,but a march to somewhere far away.

  Seongjin lifted a worn saddle and set it on the horse’s back.

  As his fingertips traced the spine, warmth and the smell of sweat rose together.The horse pinned its ears, uneasy.

  Seongjin spoke softly as he tightened the straps.

  “It’s all right.It won’t take long.”

  Oh Jinchul came up beside him.

  “We’re really going far now.”

  He looked over the horse as he spoke.

  “This kind of preparation—you only see it when we’re marching on Beijing.”

  “Then… how long until we come back?”

  Oh Jinchul tilted his head, calculating.

  “Fifteen days out.Fifteen days back.”

  He gave a short laugh.

  “If we ride hard and turn straight around—a month.”

  After that, he said nothing more.

  A brief stillness settled.

  One by one, soldiers saddled up and mounted.Those riding for the first time wobbled, cursed, clutched the mane.

  The rough breathing of warhorses mixed with the sound of hooves striking packed earth.

  Then the horn sounded.

  Low.Long.

  It cut across the fields.

  Every gaze lifted at once.

  Seongjin straightened in the saddle and tightened the reins.The wind brushed the red banners.

  At one side of Botongwon’s yard, Hwang Hyeon-pil sat mounted.His shadow stretched long across the horse’s neck and shoulders.

  “Movement preparations complete!”

  “Movement preparations complete!”

  The replies rolled back.

  From far off, the horn sounded again.

  Lower this time.Longer.

  Seongjin felt it then—

  they had set foot on a roadfrom which they might not return.

  The column began to move.

  A hoof struck the ground.

  Dust rose,mingled with the sky,and vanished.