Almighty God of War - Chapter 94

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

094

Guyang Cheongang took a deep breath and spoke.

“Your Majesty, there is something I discovered after meeting His Highness the Crown Prince a few days ago.”

“What did you discover?”

“After examining His Highness’s pulse, I detected an unnatural vibration in his heart. As if there were a foreign object inside his heart.”

Emperor Changseong held his breath.

“A foreign object?”

“Very small, but definitely there. And it is continuously stimulating the blood vessels leading to His Highness’s brain.”

Guyang Cheongang hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“What’s even more surprising is that the energy emanating from that foreign object is very evil and negative. It’s unlike any natural disease I’ve ever encountered.”

“Evil and negative?”

“Yes. It feels as if someone intentionally created it to absorb life force. This kind of energy is similar to the effects of evil sorcery or demonic cultivation methods.”

Emperor Changseong’s face turned pale.

Guyang Cheongang’s voice became more serious.

“And there’s one more strange thing. His Highness the Crown Prince is clearly suffering from a serious illness, yet he tried very hard to act normal in front of me. For someone with such strong willpower to show no change in symptoms for thirty years… it’s medically difficult to explain.”

“What does that mean?”

“If it were a natural disease, it would be difficult to maintain such a consistent state for so long. Usually, it would either gradually worsen or improve to some degree, but in His Highness the Crown Prince’s case, it seems as if someone is intentionally maintaining a constant state.”

Guyang Cheongang looked directly at the Emperor and said.

“Your Majesty, may I ask you something? Was there anything strange when His Highness the Crown Prince was born? Even the smallest detail?”

Emperor Changseong fell into thought for a moment.

“Back then… the court physician said it was strange. That the child was too quiet. Usually newborns cry loudly, but the Crown Prince hardly cried at all.”

“Were there no other strange things?”

“Ah… and he suffered from high fever for several days, enough to worry the court physicians.”

Guyang Cheongang’s expression darkened.

“Who was the court physician at that time?”

“I can’t remember… wait, that court physician suddenly disappeared shortly after. He left the palace saying there was a big problem in his family, and we lost contact with him after that.”

A heavy silence flowed between the two men.

Memories from the past flashed through Emperor Changseong’s mind.

The various ailments the Crown Prince had suffered from since childhood, the countless moments when court physicians tilted their heads unable to find the cause.

“Your Majesty, if I directly examine His Highness the Crown Prince’s pulse, I can get a definitive answer. But…”

“But?”

“If my suspicions are correct, this will become a very dangerous matter. If there’s a force that has been manipulating things like this for thirty years, it’s hard to predict what they might do the moment I discover evidence of the truth.”

Emperor Changseong was momentarily speechless.

Distrust and confusion tangled in his eyes.

“Is such a thing… really possible?”

“It is possible.”

Emperor Changseong’s face turned pale, then immediately reddened with anger.

“How dare… how dare some bastards target the Imperial Palace!”

His voice was low, but the killing intent contained within seemed capable of freezing the entire room.

“Your Majesty, there are still many uncertain aspects. But treating His Highness the Crown Prince is possible.”

Emperor Changseong looked directly at Guyang Cheongang.

“Can you really save the Crown Prince?”

“Yes.”

Guyang Cheongang’s eyes grew intense as he continued speaking.

“It will be very dangerous. If there’s a force that has continued such sophisticated manipulation for thirty years, there’s a high possibility they’re monitoring all movements in the Imperial Palace, including myself.”

Terrible killing intent flashed in Emperor Changseong’s eyes.

Guyang Cheongang’s words meant that the shadowy forces were even monitoring him.

But he was not an ordinary man.

After a moment, the Emperor, having regained his composure, spoke.

“If this matter becomes known, the entire Empire will be shaken.”

“That’s correct.”

“But I cannot lose the Crown Prince.”

A resolute light appeared in Emperor Changseong’s eyes.

“What do you need? How can we save the Crown Prince?”

“First, I must complete Princess Myeonghwa’s treatment. After that, I will carefully approach His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Good. However…”

Emperor Changseong looked at Guyang Cheongang with darkly sunken eyes and continued.

“This matter must remain absolutely secret. No one must know.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

Emperor Changseong, who had been deep in thought for a moment, took out a small object from his robes.

It was a small plaque the size of a palm, made of gold with the Imperial symbol of nine dragons intricately carved into it.

“Take this.”

Guyang Cheongang carefully received the dragon plaque.

“This is called the Nine Dragon Divine Seal. It is a divine object imbued with my authority, allowing you free access to any place in the Imperial Palace. Also, without my direct command, no one can interrogate or harm you.”

Emperor Changseong’s following voice lowered.

“Remember that you are now my eyes and ears, and my invisible sword.”

Guyang Cheongang deeply tucked the dragon plaque into his robes and bowed respectfully.

“I am grateful for Your Majesty’s grace.”

He was no longer a simple physician but had become the Emperor’s secret agent.

As Guyang Cheongang lowered his hand, the invisible barrier surrounding the room disappeared.

But the heavy silence flowing between the two men did not disappear.

* * *

In the underground secret chamber of a manor somewhere in the Imperial Capital.

In the darkness where only a single candle flickered, two shadows faced each other.

One person knelt with his face covered by a black mask, while another wearing a demon mask sat in a chair looking down at him.

“My Lord, I have something to report.”

The kneeling figure carefully opened his mouth.

“Speak.”

The voice of the one called Lord, wearing the demon mask, was cold as ice.

“Princess Myeonghwa’s illness is rapidly improving due to the Divine Physician of Life and Death’s treatment. At this rate, she might be completely cured within a month as he claimed.”

“Hmm…”

“If she is completely cured, the Emperor will surely have that bastard examine the Crown Prince’s pulse.”

The Lord slowly nodded.

The Masked Man continued.

“If that bastard treats the Crown Prince’s illness or notices the secret hidden in the disease… our sect’s tower built over decades could collapse.”

“The higher-ups have reached the same conclusion.”

Killing intent appeared in the Lord’s following voice.

“His treatment of Princess Myeonghwa must fail.”

“But My Lord, if we kill Hahou Gang, His Highness the Second Prince will be greatly disappointed. He intended to use Hahou Gang as his sword.”

The Lord laughed cynically.

“A sword can be discarded when it becomes dull from use. The Second Prince is still too young. He doesn’t yet know that true power can only be obtained by those who aren’t afraid to stain their hands with blood.”

He paused for a moment before continuing.

“Hahou Gang was a variable anyway. The situation was briefly shaken by this variable, but once he dies earning the Emperor’s wrath, the disturbance will disappear.”

The Lord’s eyes shone with passion bordering on madness.

“To open a new era, we must first fell the old giant tree called the Empire. The Crown Prince is just the beginning. We cannot let a brat called the Divine Physician of Life and Death become an obstacle to our great cause.”

“This incident will also be good learning for His Highness the Second Prince.”

The subordinate nodded and said.

“But Lord, what will you do? The security at Myeonghwa Palace is tight.”

The Lord took out several thin incense sticks from his sleeve and said.

“This is an absolute poison called Soul Dispersing Ascension Incense that the Demon Physician made in preparation for such cases.”

“An absolute poison, you say…”

“There’s no antidote, and it’s colorless and odorless. But the truly terrifying aspect of this poison lies elsewhere.”

A wicked smile appeared on the Lord’s lips.

“The more Hahou Gang tries to treat the Princess, the more rapidly this poison will worsen her condition.”

The subordinate’s eyes grew sinister.

“Then on the surface, it will appear as if the Divine Physician of Life and Death’s treatment is failing.”

“Exactly. Furthermore, it might even look like he’s trying to kill the Princess.”

The Lord continued with a quiet laugh.

“Hehehe, if the Emperor’s beloved daughter dies because of him, what do you think will happen?”

“The Emperor’s rage would be… unimaginable.”

“That’s exactly it. He’ll be torn apart by the Emperor’s order, and with Princess Myeonghwa’s death, the Imperial Court will be plunged into grief. In that chaos, the Crown Prince’s illness will worsen even more…”

He handed the bottle containing the poison to the Masked Man and said.

“Our plan will flow smoothly once again.”

“Since we just need to work through the court ladies serving the Princess, accomplishing this won’t be difficult.”

“Execute it tonight. Then tomorrow, after he treats her, it will appear as if the Princess’s condition has worsened.”

“Understood.”

The subordinate bowed deeply and asked.

“But Lord, if the Divine Physician of Life and Death notices the poison’s identity…”

“That won’t happen. This poison is a masterpiece that the Demon Physician completed over ten years. Even a renowned physician at Hahou Gang’s Divine Physician Hwata level couldn’t identify what this is.”

The Lord’s voice carried absolute confidence.

“Moreover, it’s a perfect trap where if he stops treatment the Princess dies, and if he continues she’ll die even faster. Whatever choice he makes, his end will be death by dismemberment.”

The candlelight flickered once greatly, then grew small again.

The subordinate bowed deeply and left the underground chamber.

The footsteps gradually grew distant and eventually disappeared completely.

Left alone, the Lord slowly raised his hand and touched the black mask covering his face.

Swoosh-

The sound of the mask being removed echoed softly in the quiet underground chamber.

However, the candlelight’s faint glow couldn’t illuminate his true face.

Dense darkness still concealed his identity.

Only two eyes glowed coldly in the darkness.

The Lord carefully placed the mask on the table.

Looking down at the mask carved with the grotesque shape of a demon, a chilling word flowed from between the Lord’s lips.

“Divine Physician of Life and Death…”

He picked up the mask again and put it on his face.

Swoosh-

The shadow reflected by the candlelight, looking like the form of a giant monster, danced on the wall for a while, then eventually went out along with the candle.

The underground chamber was plunged into deep darkness once more.

All that remained was only darkness and cold silence.

* * *

Deep in the night, at the Yeom Family Warehouse.

Having finished his engraving work and taking a rest, Guyang Cheongang looked up at the ceiling, lost in thought.

Moonlight seeped through the window cracks, softly illuminating his face.

‘Akasha, I was thinking there would be someone interfering with the Princess’s treatment somehow, but it’s strange that nothing has happened for half a month. Don’t you think it’s too quiet?’

[I agree, Doctor. The excessively peaceful situation is rather unsettling.]

Guyang Cheongang stood up and looked outside the window.

‘If I succeed in treating the Princess, I’ll officially get the opportunity to examine the Crown Prince. They’re not the type to just watch this happen.’

[That’s right. If your thinking is correct, Doctor, they will definitely attempt to make the Princess’s treatment fail.]

‘What method will they use?’

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