Almighty God of War - Chapter 100

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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100

Guyang Cheongang’s words and attitude were nothing but calm.

The soldiers were flustered by his reaction, which didn’t match the situation, but that was literally only for a moment.

The one who appeared to be the leader among the soldiers drew his sword, pointed it at Guyang Cheongang, and shouted.

“You bastard, how dare you try to lay hands on the Princess’s sacred body! Don’t move!”

‘Akasha, scan and remember everything at the scene.’

[What are you planning to do?]

‘I’ll tell you later.’

[Understood. Beginning comprehensive evidence collection.]

A barely noticeable smile crossed Guyang Cheongang’s lips.

[Recording started. Full space 3D scanning in progress… Simultaneously analyzing all individuals’ movement patterns, facial expression changes, and voice frequency analysis.]

Several palace maids from Sohwa Palace who were watching the scene from afar tilted their heads.

Something was strange.

Above all, Guyang Cheongang’s reaction, despite being framed as the culprit, was too composed.

As if he had anticipated everything.

Princess Sohwa clutched the outer garment that the palace maids had hurriedly covered her with, tears streaming down as her whole body trembled like an aspen tree.

“Sob sob… How could such a thing happen…”

Her face was contorted with terror and despair.

On the surface, she truly looked like a victim who had suffered something terrible.

Princess Sohwa cried out in a trembling voice.

“That… that man suddenly pounced on me like a beast…! I was scared… scared to death…!”

But at that moment, Guyang Cheongang was able to catch a glimpse of cold, victorious satisfaction that flashed like lightning in the depths of her eyes.

[Analyzing Princess Sohwa’s vital signs… Heart rate 95 beats per minute, adrenaline levels within normal range, no pupil dilation. Fear response level 0.2%. Probability that the Princess is acting excited: 97.8%.]

Princess Sohwa shouted in an impassioned voice.

“What are you all doing! Hurry and cut off that man’s head! That bastard tried to rape me!”

Her anger shook Sohwa Palace, but the soldiers couldn’t carelessly swing their swords.

They too knew that Hahou Gang was treating Princess Myeonghwa and had Emperor Changseong’s trust.

Guyang Cheongang slowly rose from his seat.

‘Akasha, you’re also recording the positions and reactions of all witnesses, right?’

[Of course. Total of 17 witness positions confirmed. Recording each person’s expressions, gaze directions, and even subtle gestures. Particularly noteworthy are the reactions of three palace maids expressing doubt.]

Guyang Cheongang nodded inwardly.

The leader of the soldiers spoke as if he had made up his mind.

“Prince Hahou, we will bind you with rope for now. Do not resist.”

“Understood.”

Guyang Cheongang’s attitude was so calm that it rather flustered the soldiers.

[Overall situation recording progress: 94%… 95%… 96%…]

The rope wrapped around his wrists.

“Sob sob… I was so scared…”

Princess Sohwa continued to shed tears while trembling.

Guyang Cheongang looked back at her and smiled broadly.

Then he bowed his head politely and said.

“You’ve worked hard, Princess.”

Princess Sohwa’s face instantly hardened as she realized the meaning contained in those words.

She gritted her teeth.

‘Hahou Gang… you will never escape this trap.’

A sound transmission pierced her ears.

[My Lord, it’s a success.]

But a smile still lingered on Guyang Cheongang’s lips as he left Sohwa Palace surrounded by soldiers.

In front of Sohwa Palace’s main gate.

Jo Ilsan and Muk Wijin watched Guyang Cheongang’s back as he was taken away with blank expressions.

Their eyes held confused light.

Jo Ilsan let out a sigh that seemed to make the ground cave in and muttered.

“What the hell is this… They say you can know ten fathoms of water but not one fathom of a person’s heart…”

After looking around, Muk Wijin asked with an expressionless face.

“Brothel boy, do you really believe that Prince Hahou tried to assault the Princess?”

“Bear… there are over ten witnesses. And I saw the Princess’s torn clothes and tears with my own eyes.”

The two were publicly known as sons of rival faction leaders, but in truth they were childhood friends without equal in the world.

Of course, not many people knew about their relationship.

Muk Wijin muttered in a heavy tone.

“What you see isn’t always the truth.”

“Bear, do you think it’s not true?”

“Prince Hahou isn’t a madman.”

Conviction filled Muk Wijin’s voice as he continued.

“He has His Majesty’s trust, and there are less than ten days left until the promised deadline for Princess Myeonghwa’s complete recovery. At a time like this, he tried to rape Princess Sohwa? Even if he was blinded by the Princess’s beauty, no one in their right mind would do such a thing.”

Deep furrows appeared on Jo Ilsan’s brow.

“Hmm… even Bear sometimes says reasonable things.”

When he spoke as if acknowledging it, Muk Wijin’s gaze intensified.

“Brothel boy, this doesn’t seem like a simple incident as it appears.”

“Hmm…”

A moment of silence passed.

Muk Wijin continued.

“Prince Hahou’s final expression was strange.”

“What about it?”

“He didn’t seem to feel wronged or angry. Nor did he seem to admit that he was the culprit. He just had a peculiar smile, as if he had anticipated everything.”

Jo Ilsan’s eyes widened.

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t know. But something’s strange… It seems like there’s something extremely complex behind this incident.”

Jo Ilsan let out a deep sigh.

“What are you planning to tell your father?”

“I can’t tell him everything. But I should convey that there’s something suspicious about this incident. What about you?”

“Same here. If I rashly defend Hahou Gang, I’ll only earn father’s distrust.”

The two men’s gazes met.

“See you later.”

“Indeed.”

After parting, the two quickly walked in different directions.

* * *

The rumor that the Divine Physician of Life and Death, Hahou Gang, had tried to assault Princess Sohwa spread throughout the Imperial Palace at a quiet but uncontrollable speed.

The Crown Prince’s faction used this rumor to fan public opinion, saying ‘a Gangho practitioner of unknown origins has insulted the Imperial Palace,’ while the Second Prince’s faction remained silent in bewilderment.

Emperor Changseong was furious when he saw Princess Sohwa’s tears.

Though the incident had many suspicious aspects, the victim was his own daughter.

By his command, Guyang Cheongang was imprisoned in the deepest part of the Imperial Prison.

Shangguan Wana turned pale when she heard the news.

Something unimaginable had happened.

She immediately sought out Hanlin Grand Scholar Moon Hongseo, but his answer was despairing.

“Trading House Master, this matter involves His Majesty’s wrath. No excuses will work now. If we act rashly, the entire Ten Thousand Gold Mountain Villa could be branded as traitors’ accomplices and face danger. Right now, we have no choice but to wait quietly like dead mice.”

She returned to the Yeom Estate, where Yeom Pung greeted her with a face filled with rage.

“Wan-a, I’d rather break down the Thunder Prison myself and rescue the Young Master!”

“Uncle!”

Shangguan Wana desperately stopped him.

“That would… be killing the Young Master twice!”

The tears she had been holding back finally flowed from her eyes.

Before the massive walls of the Imperial Palace, they were utterly powerless.

* * *

That afternoon, at the Imperial Palace’s Thunder Prison.

This stone cave prison, dug three zhang below ground, was called the tomb of the living.

In the complete darkness where not a single ray of sunlight reached, only one oil lamp hanging on the wall illuminated the despair with its flickering light.

From the damp stone walls came the stinging smell of moss and mold that had seeped in for decades, and countless scratches that seemed clawed by fingernails were carved all over the wall surfaces.

The faint groaning sounds of other prisoners heard from afar and the sound of iron chains dragging on the floor made one realize this was the boundary between the living and the dead.

Drip… drip… drip…

In the midst of it all sat Guyang Cheongang, with only the regular sound of water drops falling from the ceiling and hitting puddles on the floor echoing around.

Strangely, even though his limbs were bound by iron chains connected to the walls as he sat on the cold floor, not a trace of anxiety could be found in his appearance.

Clank- creeak-

With the sound of a lock being undone, the iron door of the Thunder Prison opened with difficulty.

And a man wearing a bamboo hat with his face covered by a face veil entered.

Though his body was thin like a patient suffering from a serious illness, his entire being emanated an unwavering strength like bamboo that wouldn’t easily break.

Guyang Cheongang recognized at a glance that he was Crown Prince Han Do.

His physique was so rare within the Imperial Palace that it was impossible not to recognize him.

The Crown Prince looked around his surroundings and spoke slowly.

“A dark and damp place. In such places, truth appears like lies, and lies appear like truth.”

Clank- clank-

Guyang Cheongang rose from his seat, dragging his iron chains, and gave a cupped fist salute.

“What brings Your Majesty the Crown Prince to such a humble place?”

An intense light flashed in the Crown Prince’s eyes.

It was not internal energy, but pure mental strength.

Meeting his gaze, Guyang Cheongang realized that he and Akasha might have misjudged the Crown Prince.

A man with such eyes wouldn’t meekly fall victim to others’ schemes.

‘Akasha, it seems the Crown Prince was aware of the conspiracy surrounding him.’

[I lack relevant data, so I find it difficult to agree. Why do you think so?]

‘Just intuition.’

Then the Crown Prince began to speak.

“I heard you tried to assault Princess Sohwa. Is it true?”

Guyang Cheongang answered in an indifferent tone.

“No.”

The Crown Prince readily nodded.

“I see. I didn’t believe it either. Father wouldn’t believe it either.”

A moment of silence passed.

The light from the oil lamp cast flickering shadows on both men’s faces.

“What brings you here?”

“I came because there’s something I want to discuss with you.”

Guyang Cheongang’s gaze sharpened.

“Are you suggesting that people with the same enemy should join hands?”

“Clever.”

The Crown Prince took a step closer.

Guyang Cheongang suddenly asked.

“Your Majesty, do you happen to know about the foreign object in your heart?”

The Crown Prince’s eyes widened instantly.

Both surprise and admiration appeared on his face simultaneously.

“…To think you know even that. You truly deserve to be called the Divine Physician of Life and Death.”

“Your Majesty’s illness is absolutely impossible to develop without an insider’s help. It’s the work of those with unbelievably precise skills.”

Guyang Cheongang continued in a calm tone.

“That means there’s an enemy in Your Majesty’s closest circle.”

As if shocked, the Crown Prince’s eyes widened and his shoulders trembled slightly.

“Are you saying… you know who the culprit is?”

“The culprit must be someone who has been right beside Your Majesty for the past thirty years yet has never been suspected. And they must have the power to control everything about Your Majesty. There aren’t many who meet these conditions within the Imperial Palace. No, there’s only one person.”

At Guyang Cheongang’s words, the Crown Prince opened his mouth with a pained expression.

“Stop…”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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