The Red Dragon Martial Emperor - Chapter 144

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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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Red Dragon Martial Emperor, Episode 144

Chapter 144 — Jin Kingdom’s Intervention

Southwest King Zhao Yun had fallen into deep contemplation.
The generals still did not understand why he had issued the order to retreat.
The mood in the military camp was grim.
They had lost the fierce general Han Seom, and thousands of soldiers had fallen, among them many commanders.
Moreover, ominous rumors had begun to spread.
“There are terrifying masters among the Yen Military Forces. They cannot be stopped by sword or blade, and they are more cruel than demons themselves.”
“The great general of Yen is a supreme master. He broke through our martial artists and killed General Han Seom. Han Seom could not withstand even a single moment of his assault.”
The rumors grew flesh and bone, spawning even wilder tales.
“The Yen warriors consume stimulant drugs before battle, which is why they know no fear. Even with their arms severed, they charge forward like demons.”
In a single engagement, Zhao Kingdom had lost far too much. Everyone had been certain of overwhelming victory, and so the shock was all the more crushing.
“Why on earth did you issue the order to retreat?”
“I have no explanation myself.”
The generals stood watching Zhao Yun’s command tent, muttering amongst themselves.
Since issuing the retreat order, Zhao Yun had not set foot outside the tent.

* * *

Zhao Yun’s face was rigid with tension.
The Green-robed Official regarded him in silence. As time stretched on and the tea that had been hot grew cold, Zhao Yun finally spoke.
“I believed such a person existed somewhere in the world, but who would have thought the Crown Prince of Yen was the Successor of Dae-ya Castle? Does this mean the Yen imperial house itself carries that lineage?”
“Is it not possible that this Yi Hwan merely inherited the teachings of Dae-ya Castle?”
“A prince of the imperial house secretly inheriting the martial traditions of a Martial World faction — does that make sense? And Dae-ya Castle no less, which brought unspeakable shame upon three kingdoms?”
“We should investigate the matter thoroughly, it seems.”
At the Green-robed Official’s words, Zhao Yun nodded silently.
“The generals are curious about the reason for your retreat order. If we leave this matter unaddressed much longer, the entire army may become destabilized.”
“Hmm…….”
Zhao Yun leaned back in his chair, his brow furrowing.
He needed to offer some explanation, as the Official said. But he could not mention the existence of the Poison King.
That was a secret that could never be revealed.
“The Yen martial artists were truly that formidable?”
“According to the martial artists who participated in the battle, those arrayed around the great general were simply unstoppable.”
“If they are Successors of the Three Kings, then of course. Use that as your pretext — tell them we discovered masters among the enemy forces that were not in our intelligence reports, and we withdrew temporarily to reassess.”
“Understood.”
The Green-robed Official departed the command tent.
Zhao Yun settled back into his chair, his gaze growing distant.
‘If a successor of the Poison King exists, the outcome of this war cannot be assured. Even in victory, we would suffer irreparable losses.’
He was in a bind.
He could achieve victory if he fought, but the cost would be a devastation he could scarcely bear to imagine.
That was not what he wanted at all.
Though he held true power, he had not yet formally ascended to the throne. A pyrrhic victory in this situation could undermine his position.
The Imperial Palace still harbored factions that supported Crown Prince Zhao Guang, and they were waiting for him to stumble.
‘A curse from two hundred years ago, appearing suddenly to shackle my feet.’
Crack!
The teacup shattered in Zhao Yun’s grip. At that moment, the Green-robed Official who had gone outside returned.
“I have delivered your orders as commanded.”
“What was their reaction?”
“Most seemed to accept the explanation. However, they are curious as to when we will resume the offensive.”
“Before that, I must meet with him.”
“Who…….”
“The Crown Prince of Yen. If I observe him closely, I can determine whether he truly is the Successor of Dae-ya Castle or merely a trivial branch. Send an envoy at once and tell him I wish to meet.”
“The Poison King’s successor did not appear during the battle. Would it not be wise to launch another attack and probe further?”
“A second offensive would require committing more troops. It is possible that he deliberately concealed himself in the first engagement, waiting for us to deploy greater numbers.”
“But——”
“You speak too much.”
At Zhao Yun’s cold rebuke, the Green-robed Official bowed his head at once.
“Understood. I will send an envoy immediately.”

* * *

As the enemy withdrew from the other defense lines, the battle drew to a close. Yi Hwan waited in the command tent for Guo Chongwu to arrive. Shortly after, Guo Chongwu entered.
The moment he stepped inside, the stench of blood hung thick in the air. Blood dripped steadily with each step he took—he had clearly been through fierce combat.
“Are you wounded?”
“I am unharmed, Commander. And you……?”
“I’m fine. But tell me—what are our casualties?”
“I haven’t had time for a full accounting, but by my reckoning we’ve lost roughly a thousand men. However, we’ve cut down several times our number in enemy forces, so I’d call it a decisive victory.”
Guo Chongwu continued at once.
“They tell me you slew the enemy commander Han Seom. A remarkable feat, Commander.”
“Was he such a distinguished opponent?”
Han Seom was among the Zhao Kingdom’s most prized generals—a fierce warrior whom the Southwest King held in high regard. It seems they withdrew once he fell.”
Yi Hwan recalled Han Seom.
‘The fool looked away with me standing right before him.’
Then it happened.
An officer strode in.
“Commander, an envoy from the Zhao Kingdom has arrived.”

* * *

Yi Hwan regarded the returned envoy with indifference. The cheek he had been struck last time still bore visible swelling, puffed and round.
“The Southwest King wishes to meet with me?”
“Yes.”
The envoy’s eyes, expression, and bearing were markedly different from before. He could not even bring himself to meet Yi Hwan’s gaze directly.
“For what reason?”
“I am merely here to convey his wishes, sir.”
Yi Hwan took a sip of tea.
Tap!
“Tell him I will meet him. We shall meet at a neutral point between our lines. Tomorrow at dawn, just the two of us.”
“Understood.”
The envoy departed.
Guo Chongwu spoke up.
“Surely this is not without risk? The Southwest King is inscrutable—there’s no telling what he might attempt.”
“The risk runs both ways. If it comes to it, I’ll take his head.”
“Commander!”
“That’s merely speaking. Don’t worry yourself needlessly.”
Yi Hwan drained his cup and rose.
“I need rest. See that the Crown Prince gets some as well.”
“Rest well, Commander.”
After Yi Hwan withdrew, two officers entered. Guo Chongwu removed his armor and drank cold water straight from the bowl.
Tap!
One officer spoke with barely contained excitement.
“Fortunately we achieved a decisive victory in this first engagement. The Western Defense Line under the Commander’s command was said to have nearly overwhelmed the enemy entirely.”
“I heard as much.”
Guo Chongwu drank another bowl of water.
Tap!
“Since we cannot know when the enemy will strike again, we must hasten to collect the wounded and reinforce all defense lines.”
“Orders to that effect have already been issued. But I wonder—why did the Zhao Kingdom send an envoy?”
“The Commander and the Southwest King have agreed to meet.”
“They have?”
“The Southwest King first requested a meeting with the Commander. The Commander has accepted on the condition that they meet alone, just the two of them.”
“I’ve heard the Southwest King is quite a master himself. Will this be safe?”
“He felled the fierce general Han Seom with a single stroke. The danger cuts both ways—no need for idle worry. Go get some rest. I need to wash myself; I can’t stand the reek of blood anymore.”
“Please rest well, Crown Prince.”

* * *

Yi Hwan turned toward the Western Defense Line rather than the military camp.
‘A meeting with someone who knows of Dae-ya Fortress…’
He found himself looking forward to encountering Zhao Yun.
So without a moment’s hesitation, he accepted the meeting. He didn’t even wonder what Zhao Yun might want. Whatever the man desired, Yi Hwan had no intention of granting it.
“Your Highness.”
Go-mi’s voice rang out from behind him.
Yi Hwan stopped and turned. Go-mi came running toward him.
“Has something happened?”
“I have a question for you.”
“What is it?”
“About the martial technique you taught me—did you perhaps intentionally weaken it to account for my level?”
‘She noticed that?’
Yi Hwan was inwardly surprised.
Just as Go-mi said, he had indeed reduced the technique’s power with her level in mind. It would allow her to master it more quickly that way.
“Was there a problem with it?”
“During combat, when I fought the enemy, I felt the flow breaking apart. It was as if my blade weren’t made of metal at all, but of some weak, bending branch. Something felt wrong about it.”
Yi Hwan stared at Go-mi in silence. Her eyes widened, and she took a step back.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Have you ever had a master?”
“No. I only learned my family’s martial arts from my father and the Imperial Palace Martial Arts from the imperial instructors. But why do you ask?”
Yi Hwan didn’t answer, only began walking again. Go-mi followed at his side, pressing for a response.
“Please answer me.”
“You’re right. I weakened the technique’s power to match your level. The full version would be beyond your current inner strength.”
“Would it be possible if I simply increased my inner strength?”
“Even more than that would become possible.”
“What would happen if I tried to execute the full technique in my current state?”
“Your dantian would give way and be damaged. If you’re unlucky, you might never be able to use martial arts again.”
“So it all comes down to inner strength.”
Disappointment flickered across Go-mi’s face.
She wanted to find a solution immediately, but building inner strength wasn’t something that could be done overnight. Of course, she was gradually increasing it through Yi Hwan’s Mental Cultivation method, but for someone like Go-mi who wanted to become a master as soon as possible, it was impossible to be satisfied.
“You look disappointed.”
“Yes. Building inner strength doesn’t happen in a single day, does it?”
“Don’t neglect your meditation practice for now, and we’ll look for other methods as time goes on.”
“Do you mean something like a Spirit Pill?”
“That would be the most reliable method, but… let’s wait and see how this war develops first.”
“Very well.”
Shortly after arriving at the defense line, Yi Hwan headed straight to where the warriors stood guard. Reverence flickered in their eyes as they watched him pass.
Word had spread throughout the army that Yi Hwan had killed Han Seom, one of Zhao’s fiercest generals.
“Welcome, Your Highness.”
Jeong Cheon greeted Yi Hwan.
Yi Hwan surveyed the defensive perimeter. The rocks and logs he had used were piled together again in one place.
“What of the enemy’s movements?”
“They’ve retreated deep into the Mountain Region and haven’t stirred since. They’re not even conducting reconnaissance, so it seems certain that something serious has happened within their ranks.”
Yi Hwan nodded silently and gazed toward the southwest, where the Zhao forces lay.
Dense forest obscured the view, and only the flags that had pushed through the trees wavered in the wind. There were so many of them that the entire forest seemed like a single massive blossom.
“I’ve arranged to meet the Southwest King tomorrow morning. Until then, refrain from any independent movements.”
“Meet the Southwest King, sir?”
“He asked to meet, so I have little choice but to oblige. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Rest well.”
Jeong Cheon watched Yi Hwan’s departing figure toward the camp, his mouth falling slightly open.
‘The Southwest King asked to meet with the Fourth Prince instead of the Crown Prince. What is Zhao Yun plotting?’
Jeong Cheon felt uneasy about what the Southwest King, Zhao Yun, might do. Of course he trusted Yi Hwan’s abilities, but his concerns about Zhao Yun himself were greater still.
‘Let nothing go wrong.’
Jeong Cheon could not take his eyes from Yi Hwan’s figure until it disappeared from view.

* * *

Zhao Jingwu entered the Southwest King’s camp.
“Father!”
“You made it back safely.”
The faint brightness that had begun to dawn in Zhao Yun’s eyes dimmed slightly. Zhao Jingwu’s complexion was far too pale.
“Are you hurt?”
“Only a minor internal injury, sir. Please don’t worry. But why did you order a retreat?”
“There were reasons for it.”
Zhao Yun called out toward the entrance, his voice low.
“You there! Bring the military physician at once!”
“Yes, sir!”
Zhao Yun turned his attention back to Zhao Jingwu.
“Why are you only arriving now?”
“I left half the unit to engage the enemy’s vanguard, then pressed forward with the main force as planned. But I was delayed helping our troops who were fighting Guo Chongwu’s forces.”
Zhao Jingwu asked immediately.
“I heard General Han Seom fell in battle.”
“He fell to the Crown Prince of Yen. Clearly he underestimated his opponent and failed to concentrate properly. I’ve long suspected it would end this way.”
“Is that why you ordered the retreat?”
“I’ll explain everything soon enough. For now, eat something and get proper rest.”
It was then.
A commander burst in urgently.
“Your Majesty! The Central Military Unit is retreating—they’ve taken heavy fire from the Jin Military Forces!”
“What?”
Zhao Yun’s eyes widened in shock.
“The dispatch didn’t contain all the details, but it appears the Central Military Unit has indeed suffered severe losses from the Jin forces and withdrawn to the rear!”
Trembling……
Black flames quivered slightly.
“Why would Jin……”

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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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