Almighty God of War - Chapter 99

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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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099

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

With only a single candle illuminating the darkness, a man in a black mask knelt before a Lord wearing a bizarre mask.

He broke out in cold sweat and reported in a trembling voice.

“My Lord… Blood Sea Heaven Killer has failed.”

The Lord’s hand gripped the armrest of his chair.

The wooden armrest instantly turned to dust.

“Failed?”

“He and about sixty assassins from Blood Sea were killed, and only about ten managed to escape.”

The Lord’s gaze became frighteningly intense.

“That’s practically total annihilation…”

The killing intent emanating from his body was so strong that even the candle flame flickered.

The Masked Man pressed his forehead to the floor and spoke.

“Blood Sea Heaven Killer and the assassins couldn’t last even a moment, they say.”

The Lord clenched his fist.

“What happened after?”

“Yeom Pung, who received Hahou Gang’s contact immediately, erased the traces of the battlefield so no rumors spread. However, it was reported to Emperor Changseong that they were annihilated while trying to kill Hahou Gang.”

“What was his reaction?”

“He ordered the Imperial Guards and Eastern Bureau to protect Hahou Gang.”

The Lord’s gaze sharpened.

“Who was assigned to the protection detail there?”

“Jo Ilsan from the Eastern Bureau and Muk Wijin from the Imperial Guards.”

“You mean the sons of the Minister of War and Left Prime Minister were attached?”

“That’s correct.”

The Lord gave a bitter smile.

“The Emperor is cunning. That crafty old man…! He’s made the two factions monitor each other, binding them so that neither can lay a hand on Hahou Gang.”

The Masked Man asked cautiously.

“What do you mean?”

“Jo Ilsan is the Left Prime Minister’s son, so he’s the Crown Prince’s man, and Muk Wijin is the Minister of War’s son, so he’s on the Second Prince’s side. If Hahou Gang dies even while they’re protecting him, it means he’ll have grounds to hold both sides responsible and settle the factional fighting in one stroke.”

“Then…”

“It means no one can move carelessly anymore.”

The Lord continued in a tone filled with killing intent.

“Hahou Gang promised to completely cure the Princess within a month. Less than half a month remains until then, but both the Princess’s condition worsening failed, and Blood Sea was annihilated.”

He stopped and looked at the Masked Man.

“Half a month until the Princess’s complete recovery… If we can’t eliminate him by then, the Crown Prince’s secret will be revealed, and the grand plan the Cult Leader established will crumble.”

“My Lord, we don’t have many people left.”

“We’ll use a method that makes it impossible for him to avoid death.”

The Masked Man’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Surely… you’re not thinking of acting personally?”

“Because it’s the most certain method.”

“But it’s too dangerous. If you act personally, My Lord, there’s a risk your identity will be revealed…”

“I don’t care about such things!”

The Lord shouted angrily.

“What meaning does personal safety have before the great cause! Just because of one mere brat, we cannot let the tower we’ve carefully built over decades crumble.”

His voice, filled with madness, echoed through the secret chamber.

“Hahou Gang, you think you’re hidden in the safest castle called the Imperial Palace. But that place can also become the most brutal tomb in the world. You’ll realize that soon.”

The conversation was over.

The Masked Man bowed and left the secret chamber.

* * *

Several days later.

Guyang Cheongang finished Princess Myeonghwa’s morning treatment and left Myeonghwa Palace.

With treatment continuing for over half a month, the Princess’s condition had noticeably improved, and now only about ten days remained until complete recovery.

Two newly assigned young warriors flanked him as guards.

The youth with features so delicate he could be mistaken for a woman was Jo Ilsan, son of Left Prime Minister Jo Mungyeong, and the youth a head taller and built like an iron tower was Muk Wijin, son of Minister of War Muk Cheolgang.

While their protection of Guyang Cheongang was very thorough, they looked at each other like strangers.

As they walked through Myeonghwa Palace’s garden toward the main gate.

A Palace Maid who appeared to be in her thirties with a sharp-looking expression blocked Guyang Cheongang’s path.

She asked.

“Are you Young Master Hahou Gang?”

“I am, but who are you?”

“I am a Palace Maid serving the Princess at Sohwa Palace.”

A strange light flashed in the depths of Guyang Cheongang’s eyes.

The contents about Princess Sohwa recorded in the booklet Shangguan Wana had given him came to mind.

‘She’s Princess Myeonghwa’s half-sister, the Current Empress’s only biological daughter.’

He said.

“You’re from Sohwa Palace. Is there some business you have with me?”

The Palace Maid answered with an expressionless face.

“The Princess wishes to meet with Young Master.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“For what reason?”

“She said there’s something she wants to ask Young Master.”

Guyang Cheongang was bewildered.

He had no idea what Princess Sohwa, whom he’d never met, could want to ask him.

“Surely not right now?”

“Right now.”

“Hmm… I have many things to do, so right now is inconvenient.”

“It won’t take long.”

Guyang Cheongang clicked his tongue inwardly.

It was an unpredictable situation that made him feel uneasy, but there was no proper justification to refuse a Princess’s invitation.

If he said he had to go to the warehouse for engraving work, there was no way she’d understand and say ‘Oh, I see.’

“Understood. Let’s go.”

Sohwa Palace was located about three hundred zhang away from Myeonghwa Palace.

When they arrived at the main gate, the Guard Warriors on duty blocked Jo Ilsan and Muk Wijin, who were trying to follow Guyang Cheongang inside.

“You two cannot enter.”

Jo Ilsan frowned and said.

“We are Young Master Hahou’s guards.”

The Guard Warrior in his forties didn’t budge.

“Sohwa Palace is a forbidden area for men. No male not permitted by the Princess may enter, not even princes, so how could guards enter?”

Jo Ilsan and Muk Wijin looked at each other and sighed.

They couldn’t insist on entering when the Princess hadn’t given permission.

The Palace Maid who entered Sohwa Palace walked toward a modest hall overlooking the pond in the back garden.

Akasha’s voice reached Guyang Cheongang’s mind as he followed behind her.

[Doctor, this is strange.]

‘Are you talking about the movements of the warriors surrounding us?’

After his martial arts reached the supreme level, Guyang Cheongang could detect presences within ten zhang.

The nanobots constantly monitoring the surrounding area within a range of thirty-three zhang were one thing, but his abilities were by no means low-level either.

[Yes. Multiple presences of armed soldiers are detected around Doctor’s movement route. Their deployment pattern suggests they are not following Doctor, but rather waiting at the destination.]

Guyang Cheongang frowned.

‘What is their martial arts level?’

[They are ordinary soldiers. Even the strongest among them does not reach first-rate level.]

‘They wouldn’t be thinking of attacking me with just those… aren’t they just the princess’s guards?’

[There are too many for that. Within the Imperial Palace, no one except the Emperor receives an escort of fifty armed soldiers.]

‘Then what could it be?’

Guyang Cheongang was curious about the intentions of Princess Sohwa who had invited him.

Of course, he was also suspicious.

‘Akasha, monitor the surroundings thoroughly. I need to find out what the princess is trying to do. Whether we’ve misunderstood, or if she’s really plotting something.’

[Understood. If the princess is a member of the behind-the-scenes forces, a dangerous situation could arise. Please be careful, Doctor.]

‘Yeah. I’ll be careful.’

The palace maid who had stopped in front of the hall announced inside.

“Your Highness, I have brought Prince Hahou.”

A clear and cold young woman’s voice flowed from inside.

“Let him enter.”

Guyang Cheongang entered through the door opened by the palace maids.

Inside the hall sat a peerless beauty in her early twenties with a cold impression, wearing splendid palace dress in a chair.

She spoke.

“You must be Prince Hahou Gang.”

Guyang Cheongang gave her a cupped fist salute and bowed his head.

“That is correct. It is an honor to meet Your Highness.”

“I heard you are treating Myeonghwa. I truly thank you.”

Princess Sohwa’s voice was gentle, but Guyang Cheongang sensed something indescribable deep in her eyes.

It was definitely malice.

“But what business do you have in seeking me…?”

“There is something I want to ask you, Young Master.”

“Please ask. If it is something I know, I will tell you without reservation.”

Guyang Cheongang and Princess Sohwa sat facing each other.

“Young Master, can Myeonghwa’s illness truly be completely cured?”

“Yes, Your Highness. She will recover completely within a few days.”

Guyang Cheongang’s gaze deepened.

‘Surely she didn’t invite me just to ask such a trivial question…?’

[Doctor, the soldiers have completed their encirclement. And the princess’s heart rate is rapidly increasing. This is not a fear response. It’s similar to an excited state right before an attack.]

Akasha’s words continued.

[Simultaneously, the external forces have begun tightening their encirclement toward the hall. All movements are synchronized. It’s a trap, Doctor.]

Guyang Cheongang’s gaze intensified.

‘Akasha, if this is a trap, what method do you think the princess will use?’

[A honey trap is most likely.]

‘What’s that?’

[A strategy mainly used for espionage activities, information gathering, or luring specific targets, utilizing attractive or seductive elements to trap the target.]

‘The soldiers’ encirclement, the situation of being left alone together, and that woman’s acting. Everything was an elaborate trap designed to ensnare me from the beginning.’

[Doctor, the opponent is a princess of the Empire. If she uses a honey trap here… it could become truly dangerous.]

However, Guyang Cheongang did not lose his composure.

Rather, he calmly picked up the tea cup from the table.

Princess Sohwa suddenly sighed and spoke.

“Young Master, your medical arts and martial arts have exceeded many people’s imagination.”

“Why do you suddenly say such things?”

“It’s somewhat regrettable that someone with abilities sufficient to become a pillar of the Empire should perish like this.”

“Pardon?”

It was when Guyang Cheongang wore a bewildered expression.

“Aaaahhh!”

Suddenly Princess Sohwa let out a desperate scream while tearing the upper part of her palace dress to shreds.

In an instant, half of her snow-white chest was exposed.

“Help me!”

Princess Sohwa’s cry filled the hall.

“Your Highness!”

Crash! Bang!

The hall’s door was smashed to pieces.

And more than ten warriors rushed in with their eyebrows bristling.

Even in this chaotic situation, Guyang Cheongang was surprisingly calm.

‘Akasha, what would happen if I subdued all of them and escaped in this situation?’

[Physical escape probability is 100%. However, in that case, Doctor would become ‘a traitor who attempted to assault the princess, failed, and fled.’ 100% probability of incurring the Emperor’s wrath. Both the Guyang Family and Ten Thousand Gold Mountain Villa would be in danger.]

‘Then there’s only one answer.’

Guyang Cheongang ignored the dozens of blades pointed at him, picked up the cooled tea cup, and muttered quietly.

“The tea in this Imperial Palace really tastes bitter.”

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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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