The Red Dragon Martial Emperor - Chapter 116

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Red Dragon Warrior Emperors 116

Chapter 116—Yuryeong Gok-ju Returns Empty-Handed

A crescent moon, sharp-edged and curved like a blade.
Yuryeong Gok-ju sat upon the Manor’s roof, tending his Beloved Sword with meticulous care—a weapon as much a part of him as his own shadow.
Moonlight reflected off the steel, bathing his face in a pale, spectral glow. Yet the moon alone could not have cast such luminescence.
As an artifact of Yuryeong Gok, the blade drank in even the faintest light and poured back radiance.
‘I will take at least one of their heads before I leave this place.’
As Yuryeong Gok-ju steeled his resolve, a trusted aide climbed onto the roof behind him.
“Master, all preparations are complete.”
“Wait a moment longer. I have not yet finished my conversation with this blade.”
“Of course.”
Yuryeong Gok-ju lifted the sword to his face and began to murmur, as if chanting an incantation—his own ritual, performed always before a Killing Technique.
The aide watched silently from behind.
Shortly, the ritual complete, Yuryeong Gok-ju opened his eyes. Still seated, he posed a question.
“Have you prepared sufficient Fierce Fire Oil?”
“Yes. We have enough to burn several Palace Halls to ash without difficulty.”
“Then let us go.”
“Yes.”
Yuryeong Gok-ju was rising to his feet when—
“Hm?”
“What troubles you?”
“Someone approaches.”
“Merely passersby, I expect.”
“I think not.”
At his aide’s response, Yuryeong Gok-ju rose swiftly and moved to the roof’s edge.
The aide pointed into the darkness beyond.
“Look there.”
Yuryeong Gok-ju’s gaze followed the gesture. His brow tightened, and he bit his lip hard.
The movement was deliberate—unmistakably aimed at the Manor itself.
“Go down and order the men to prepare for combat.”
“Do you believe our presence has been discovered?”
“They would not move this way if it had not. Hurry.”
“Yes!”
Yuryeong Gok-ju watched the shadows draw near through the darkness, then suddenly stiffened and drew his blade.
Ring!
“Who dares!”
His gaze was fixed upon an ancient, towering tree at the rear of the Manor.
“Well? Who do you think I am?”
A calm, unhurried voice drifted down from the great tree.
It was Ju-tae.
He descended lightly onto the roof.
For an instant, Yuryeong Gok-ju’s eyes narrowed with a flicker of alarm.
‘He was at that distance all along—and I sensed nothing. Wait… who is this man!’
As Yuryeong Gok-ju finally beheld Ju-tae’s face, a chill of foreboding seized him.
‘The Crown Prince’s bodyguard—what brings him here?’
“You recognize me. That makes this far more troubling than I’d hoped.”
Ju-tae drew his sword slowly.
Whisper.
In that instant, Yuryeong Gok-ju threw himself forward with no warning. He moved, and dozens of afterimages bloomed around him, a blur meant to confuse Ju-tae’s sight.
But Ju-tae’s blade found true—striking precisely at Yuryeong Gok-ju’s true body.
Crash!
Thunder and sparks erupted where steel met steel.
Crack-crack-crack!
Both Ju-tae and Yuryeong Gok-ju were driven back five paces. In the force of the recoil, roof tiles scattered and tumbled to the ground below.
Thud!
Clatter!
Clang!
The door burst open and black-robed figures poured out. But they could not reach the roof. Almost simultaneously, Cheol Mu-ok and Yi Wang’s warriors rushed into the manor.
Cheol Mu-ok spoke in a low voice.
“Gold Guard. Resist and we will treat you as enemies and take your lives.”
“Attack!”
“Kill them!”
Despite the warning, the black-robed figures charged at them all at once with fierce momentum.
A faint killing light flickered in Cheol Mu-ok’s eyes.
“Definitely suspicious characters.”

* * *

Spark—spark—spark…
Yuryeong Gok-ju’s eyes trembled at the powerful impact traveling up through his hands.
‘To think this man was this strong…’
Ju-tae was equally taken aback.
‘What? There’s a master of this caliber in a place like this?’
Since meeting Yi Hwan, Yuryeong Gok-ju appeared to be the strongest opponent Ju-tae had faced.
Ju-tae quickly adjusted his grip and advanced toward Yuryeong Gok-ju.
“You’re part of that heretical cult that believes in divine prophecy?”
‘These fools don’t know our true identities.’
Yuryeong Gok-ju silently reset his stance.
Crack—crack—crack!
Splinter!
“Aagh!”
“Kraaagh!”
Agonized death screams erupted from below the roof.
By the familiar sound of the voices, his subordinates were clearly being slaughtered.
Yuryeong Gok-ju found himself torn between two paths.
‘Even if I kill this man, if I lose all my subordinates, there’s nothing left for me to do.’
Then he would need to drop down and save his men first.
But that was impossible. If he did, Ju-tae could use the opening to attack, which could put him in mortal danger.
“Well, answer first, won’t you?”
Swish!
This time too, Yuryeong Gok-ju moved first.
A streak of light curved downward in an arc. Ju-tae stepped back and swept his blade at the light.
Clash!
Splinter!
Again, roof tiles scattered violently in all directions from the impact.
Once more they were knocked back an equal distance. Ju-tae’s mouth twitched slightly.
“With skill like that, you must be the leader of this heretical cult. Is that it?”
That was when it happened.
Flash!
An enormous burst of light erupted from Yuryeong Gok-ju’s sword, blinding Ju-tae’s vision for an instant. By instinct, Ju-tae retreated and braced himself for the incoming attack.
But—
Boom!
Yuryeong Gok-ju kicked off the roof and shot skyward. Ju-tae’s face twisted because Yuryeong Gok-ju had thrown himself not into the structure below but into the darkness beyond.
“Damn it…”
Ju-tae did not give chase.
He had no choice but to admit that catching him would be impossible. Yuryeong Gok-ju’s Lightness Technique was that exceptional.
“He runs when his men are being slaughtered? What kind of leader does that?”
Ju-tae peered down from the roof with an exasperated expression. Cheol Mu-ok and Yi Wang’s warriors were performing their Sword Dance, and already several corpses lay bleeding around them.
Ju-tae lightly jumped down from the roof.
Cheol Mu-ok approached him.
“Where is he?”
“He fled.”
“Why didn’t you chase him?”
“The old man was too fast—chasing him would’ve been pointless. Looks like he’s the leader, though. Doesn’t seem to care if his foot soldiers die. Ha! Pathetic bastard.”
The moment Ju-tae finished speaking, the few remaining black-robed figures collapsed limply one after another.
The warriors fighting on Yi Wang’s side showed signs of confusion.
“They all took their own lives!”
“The way they treat their lives like disposable rags—they’re definitely part of that heretical cult. That’s how fanatics are, after all.”
“Seems that way.”
“Hell, these bastards were brazenly operating right under our noses? Could they have been after our lord?”
“It’s possible.”
Ju-tae and Cheol Mu-ok never once imagined that those who’d occupied the manor were assassins sent from Zhao Kingdom.
“Search every corner of this place.”
“Yes, sir!”
Ju-tae and Cheol Mu-ok headed inside as well.
“What is this?”
Ju-tae discovered several narrow-mouth bottles and brought one to his nose, inhaling deeply. His face twisted in displeasure.
“Is this Fierce Fire Oil?”
“Why would they stockpile this much Fierce Fire Oil? And in small bottles with wicks already attached, no less.”
“Looking at how they’ve sized everything for easy throwing and pre-fitted all the wicks, it seems they were planning to attack somewhere…”
Just then, soldiers who’d been searching through the rooms returned. One of them held out a piece of cloth.
“Sir, take a look at this.”
Cheol Mu-ok unfolded the cloth the young man offered.
“This is a map of our Official Residence, isn’t it?”
“So they really were after you.”
Cheol Mu-ok issued orders to the young soldiers.
“Let’s head back for now. Make sure you collect every last bit of that Fierce Fire Oil.”
“Yes, sir!”
Cheol Mu-ok crossed the Main Gate first, while Ju-tae walked alongside him, massaging his right wrist.
“Are you hurt?”
“My wrist seems to have come loose.”
“What?”
“It throbs whenever I move it. I think something’s wrong with the bone. But it’s nothing to worry about too much.”
A dry chuckle escaped him.
Cheol Mu-ok stared at the grinning Ju-tae with utter bewilderment.
“You won’t be able to touch a sword for at least twenty days, and you find this amusing?”
“Well, all I can do is hope nothing happens in the meantime. Come on, let’s go. I’m starving.”
……

* * *

Yuryeong Gok-ju, who had fled into the darkness, returned to the manor and looked down at the bodies of his subordinates scattered about in gruesome death.
The men who had crossed over with him from Zhao Kingdom appeared to have taken their own lives rather than fall to the enemy’s blade.
Trembling faintly…
‘Am I really supposed to return empty-handed like this?’
Yuryeong Gok-ju’s eyes wavered with the weight of futility.
Setting aside the fact that he was now alone, he too had suffered a broken right wrist—the same injury as Ju-tae.
‘To lose my wrist to nothing more than a bodyguard.’
Sharp pain shot through his wrist.
When he clenched his fist, his palm had no strength in it whatsoever. Even the journey home would demand caution now.
It was here that Yuryeong Gok-ju was seized by a troubling question.
It was here that Yuryeong Gok-ju found himself trapped by a troubling realization.
‘How does a master of such caliber serve as a mere bodyguard to a prince—not even the Crown Prince? This suggests the Fourth Prince has something the world knows nothing about…’
Yuryeong Gok-ju gazed heavily toward where Yi Hwan’s Official Residence lay, unable to tear himself away for some time.
But he could not linger. With Yi Hwan and Zhao Gwang now out of reach as targets, he had to return to Zhao Kingdom as quickly as possible to protect Yuryeong Gok from the Seonam King’s purges.
‘In the end, I’ve gained nothing.’
He hadn’t even found the Ronin who possessed the Soul-Separation Artifact—his original objective. It was a complete failure.
“Sigh…”
Yuryeong Gok-ju finally turned back.
And vanished into the darkness.

* * *

Time flows like water.
A month had passed since Yi Hwan took command of the Gold Guard.
In that time, the Protection Support Division had achieved remarkable results. Moreover, commanders who had received Yi Hwan’s strict orders to share intelligence from their respective units began sending reports steadily.
Go-mi herself found there was information startling enough to give her pause, and when she summarized it all, the sheer volume was enough to fill an entire book.
‘Perhaps this intelligence would become the most formidable power of all.’
Yi Hwan stored the intelligence compilation in the safe within his office.
Then came a day when the wind blew with particular bitterness.
Someone arrived at the estate from the Imperial Palace—sent by the Empress herself.

* * *

The middle-aged man had eyes black as a serpent’s.
He spoke to Yi Hwan with an expression and bearing dripping with arrogance.
“Her Imperial Majesty the Empress commands that you bring the Crown Prince of Zhao Kingdom to the palace.”
“The Crown Prince’s health is delicate, and he is unable to receive visitors for some time—I beg your pardon.”
“If his movement is merely limited, could he not be transported by carriage?”
“Is this matter so urgent?”
“It is the Empress’s command. Do not question her reasons—simply obey, Prince.”
“The Crown Prince Palace has charged me with safeguarding the Crown Prince of Zhao Kingdom. I cannot therefore obey the Empress’s order. Return and relay this to her.”
“My lord, this poses a problem. Surely you do not mean to defy Her Imperial Majesty’s command by claiming the Crown Prince Palace’s authority?”
Yi Hwan’s eyes glinted with sudden danger.
Yet the middle-aged man showed no concern, meeting his gaze directly.
“Does my meaning amuse you?”
Yi Hwan’s tone shifted.
“I serve only the Empress’s command.”
“Then let us begin again from the start.”
“Your pardon?”
Yi Hwan’s hand slashed through empty air.
Snap!
“Agh!”
The middle-aged man cried out and toppled backward in his chair, crashing to the ground.
“Had you been treated with courtesy because you claimed to be the Empress’s messenger, the least you could do is take a hint and leave.”
“……!”
“Now—try again, this time with respect in your tone, your bearing, and your expression.”
“My lord! I am the Empress’s emissary! To strike me is to insult Her Imperial Majesty—a grievous crime…….”
The middle-aged man could not finish his sentence.
Shatter!
A tea cup exploded against his head, fragments scattering everywhere.
“Agh!”
“I said, try again.”
“My lord!”
Shatter!
A second cup burst apart, blood beginning to drip from the man’s scalp.
“A mere functionary of the Inner Palace Bureau presumes to treat a prince of the imperial house like his inferior? Your audacity knows no bounds.”
Yi Hwan gestured, and a sword that had been leaning against the wall flew into his hand of its own accord.
“Try once more.”
“……!”
Swish.
Yi Hwan laid the sword against the man’s right arm.
“You clearly do not understand who I am. Had you the sense to defy me, you should have learned that first.”
Sizzle!
A pale blue light flared from the blade’s edge, and the man’s clothes began to char and smoke. In an instant, he lurched upright and threw himself flat on the floor.
“I have committed a crime worthy of death, my lord!”

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