The Red Dragon Martial Emperor - Chapter 16

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

Red Dragon Warlord, Episode 16

Chapter 16 — Peng Wu Wei Again

Each time Yi Hwan cycled through his Core Cultivation Method, the movement in his Dantian shifted perceptibly. His flesh, too, grew visibly harder, compressing into something like tempered steel.
Yet it remained far from enough to unfold the Martial Arts that once crowned him sovereign of Dae Ya Fortress.
‘I haven’t even faced true masters yet.’
The world was vast, and Exceptional Experts were countless as grains of sand on a shore.
Not knowing when, where, or against whom he would next contend, he had to reclaim his former strength as quickly as possible.
“Haah—”
Yi Hwan finished his Core Cultivation Method and exhaled a long, deliberate breath. As always, his entire body burned with heat, his skin slick with sweat.
After another deep breath, he drew up his Martial Power.
Five flames ignited, hovering above his head like fireflies. It was the same technique he’d used when he killed the Black Tiger Unit member who came disguised as a Yeon Nation soldier to find Cha Jung Gyeong.
The five flames drifted through the empty air like insects before boring into the wooden wall behind him.
Thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack!
Five holes punched clean through the timber-built wall.
Wind flowing through the gaps brushed gently across his scorching skin.
‘Not bad.’
No nausea. His breath came steady and even.
Then it happened.
“Ugh—— my head.”
A groan drifted in from outside.

* * *

Cha Jung Gyeong, who had been chopping wood in the backyard, suddenly clutched his head with both hands against the shock of something striking the back of his skull.
“What kind of bastard——”
He spun around with a furious face, but no one was anywhere to be seen.
Then blood seeped between Cha Jung Gyeong’s fingers.
“Ow! Blood!”

* * *

Yi Hwan turned away from Cha Jung Gyeong, whose head was now wrapped in cloth.
‘If it hadn’t been the wall, I’d have killed an innocent man.’
Without the wall to cushion the impact, Cha Jung Gyeong would have died with a hole through his head.
Song Cheon Mu asked, “Who threw the stone?”
“Who threw the stone?” he repeated.
“Yes. Whoever that bastard is, when I catch him, I’ll tear his limbs off and hang them out like laundry!”
Song Hoe spoke with a look of exasperation.
“No one here loves you, so you should’ve kept your guard up at all times. And you used to be in the Black Tiger Unit, yet you cracked your skull over a stone. Tsk, tsk, tsk.”
“I was chopping wood—what was I supposed to guard against? This is the Military Camp of the Great General! This is an affront to the Great General, so we must find the culprit!”
“Your mouth runs faster than your head works.”
“Dammit!”
Cha Jung Gyeong huffed like an enraged boar, his temper still burning hot.
Yi Hwan, however, ignored him entirely, turning his attention to his chopsticks.
“The meat is well cooked.”
“Yes. Good beef came in today, so we prepared it specially.”
Yi Hwan studied Cha Jung Gyeong.
“Stop your huffing and eat. The meat will all disappear. It’s beef.”
“……Yes.”
A moment later, Yi Hwan set down his chopsticks and stood.
Song Cheon Mu asked, “Are you taking a walk, sir?”
“Yes.”
“Shall I accompany you?”
“No need. Finish your meal.”
“I’ve already finished, sir.”

Yi Hwan and Song Cheon Mu stepped outside.
Yi Hwan headed toward the outer perimeter of the encampment.
Years of bloody battles had raged in this place, yet the landscape remained strikingly beautiful. Especially higher up the gorge, a vast mountain region spread out like a painting—a perfect refuge for settling the mind and spirit.
Yi Hwan paused and gazed southwest. The mountain slopes, bathed in morning light, were shrouded in mist—like gazing upon a sea of clouds.
“Is the family truly struggling so much?”
“…….”
“The palace offers no support?”
“No. They were never compassionate to begin with, after all.”
Song Cheon Mu smiled bitterly and continued.
“Please don’t worry too much about the Princess, my lord. As your brother said, her health has improved greatly.”
Chirp-chirp!
A flock of birds descended onto a branch, trilling in bright, crystalline tones.
Yi Hwan gazed at the birds, and unbidden, his thoughts turned to that man’s sister. Or rather, the thought rose in him regardless of his will.
‘I ought to visit her sometime.’
“My lord.”
“Hmm?”
“What weighs so heavily on your mind?”
“Nothing of consequence.”
Yi Hwan turned toward the barracks.
“May I ask you something?”
“What is it.”
“Why have you been concealing your true strength?”
“I haven’t been hiding anything.”
“But you clearly have been.”
“I said I haven’t.”
“…….”
Song Cheon Mu realized Yi Hwan was deliberately avoiding the question and pressed no further.
Yi Hwan asked abruptly.
“What is your dream?”
“To become an excellent general.”
“For the sake of your family?”
“Yes. I have received more than enough love thus far. Of course, it is also a dream for myself. But I worry that my martial arts progress so slowly. I train without cease, refining my skills constantly, yet… I fear I may never become the exceptional general I wish to be.”
‘Martial arts, then…….’
Song Cheon Mu’s ability was certainly superior compared to his peers. At his current level, he could easily qualify for a military rank.
But higher military command was not a position one could reach simply by being slightly better than others.
In Yeon and all the nations, the key posts in the military hierarchy were held almost entirely by martial artists from prestigious clans and sects—families like the Peng Family.
The martial arts of established families and sects were built upon centuries of tradition; their depth and refinement were simply incomparable.
Moreover, from the moment one entered into such traditions, one had access to instruction from masters of exceptional skill—something only the great families and sects could provide.
To compete with them and claim a senior military post was an extraordinarily difficult endeavor.
‘Fools…….’
This only deepened Yi Hwan’s displeasure with the situation.
That his carefully honed martial discipline should be wielded like fangs—transformed into a hunting dog for the military hierarchy—kindled an anger in him he could not fully suppress.
Rumble!
A distant roll of thunder echoed softly across the sky.
“Oh? It seems rain is coming. Let us hurry back down.”
Yi Hwan quickened his pace. But then, in a sudden moment, something struck him, and his brow furrowed.
‘I forgot about them entirely. If they had been watching the barracks, they would have noticed the tracking scent was spread on someone other than me. What a careless mistake.’
A bitter smile crossed Yi Hwan’s lips at his own lapse in vigilance.
“What troubles you?”
“Nothing of importance.”

* * *

“This wretched fool sits heavier than a stone. How does he manage not to move for days on end?”
Cheong Po In grumbled as he kept watch on Yi Hwan’s barracks.
Cheong Po In and the Unknown Man had no idea that Yi Hwan had left the barracks.
After all, if the tracking scent stirred, the fox would react, so there was no need to keep their eyes fixed on it every moment.
“If we were certain he was the one, it would be simpler just to kill him.”
“I’ve told you several times already—we watch a while longer.”
“How much longer, exactly!”
“This bastard…….”
The Unknown Man’s gaze turned cold, and Cheong Po In quickly bowed his head.
“Forgive me. I spoke out of frustration……. My apologies.”
“Our ancestors endured far longer in darkness than we have. Yet here you stand, unable to bear even this much, growing impatient. Foolish creature.”
“…….”
The Unknown Man turned his attention back to Yi Hwan’s quarters.
That was when his eyes narrowed.
He had spotted Yi Hwan emerging from the rear of the barracks.
“How is this possible? Why has he come out from there?”
“Indeed. He left the quarters, yet this creature didn’t so much as stir.”
The fox had been sleeping in Cheong Po In’s robe. Had Yi Hwan moved, it should have woken and reacted.
“Could Cha Jung Gyeong have revealed everything? Perhaps he deliberately placed the scent on someone else?”
“If he’d discovered what Tracking Incense truly was, he might have done exactly that.”
The Unknown Man nodded, his expression darkening. If the nature of the Tracking Incense had been exposed, then they had been thoroughly duped by Yi Hwan all this time.
A spark of indignation flared in the Unknown Man’s eyes.
“We move on his quarters tonight.”
“What will you do?”
“Capture him and see what he knows.”
“Yes.”
Cheong Po In’s expression brightened. At last, he thought, this tedious waiting could end.
‘Truthfully, he’s been far too cautious all this while.’

* * *

Suk Su was lodging in Yi Hwan’s quarters. Fortunately, Suk Su’s skill was exceptional, and everyone, including Yi Hwan, was satisfied.
Hum-hum-humming.
Suk Su hummed as he busied himself with lunch preparations. A warrior assisted him.
“Are you preparing lunch already?”
“The great general enjoys meat, doesn’t he? You see, meat tastes better when it’s been aged slightly before cooking. So I must begin preparations now.”
“Since when have you cared for the great general so? Truthfully, when you were first assigned here, your complaints were the loudest, were they not?”
“Is then the same as now? Haven’t you seen it yourself? The way people regard the great general—it changes by the day. So hold your tongue and focus. Greens burn, and burnt greens lose all flavor.”
Sizzle!
The warrior shook his head with a wry smile and trimmed fresh vegetables. Then something felt amiss, and when he looked up, someone was peering through the window from outside.
“Huh?”
“What is it?”
“Someone was watching us.”
“Likely one of the great general’s company.”
“Then why would they spy on us in secret?”
“True enough. But who on earth would be lurking about the great general’s kitchen…….”
The warrior hurried outside and opened the door. But there was no one to be found.
“What was that?”

* * *

Just as Yi Hwan finished his walk and began his descent, he caught sight of someone rapidly disappearing behind the barracks toward the Peng Family quarters.
‘Is Peng Wu Wei watching me?’
Yi Hwan’s eyes took on a peculiar gleam.
He entered his quarters as though nothing were amiss.
Song Hoe and Cha Jung Gyeong greeted him.
“Nothing unusual?”
“How could there be anything unusual?”
“Go to Peng Wu Wei and tell him I wish to see him.”
“Why do you wish to meet with him?”
“I have something to discuss. Song Cheon Mu, you go.”
“Understood.”

* * *

“The great general wishes to see me?”
“Yes.”
“What business did you say you had with me?”
“I’ve merely come on the Crown Prince’s orders.”
Peng Wu Wei’s gaze fixed on Song Cheon Mu, a peculiar light flickering across his eyes.
Twitch.
Song Cheon Mu’s composed demeanor grated against Peng Wu Wei. Had it not been for the Crown Prince’s escort duty, he would have thrown a punch on the spot.
‘What scheme is this fellow cooking up now……’
Peng Wu Wei fastened his armor and stepped outside. As someone who took pride in his position as the Left General, the foremost rank among the Four Directional Generals, he enjoyed wearing his armor in his daily life.
It was a form of ostentation.
“Huff!”
Arriving at Yi Hwan’s quarters shortly after, Peng Wu Wei took a deep breath before entering. The moment he crossed the threshold, his eyes caught on a teacup sitting atop a table.
‘Not this time, Crown Prince.’
“Have you found what you were looking for?”
“I thought we might share a cup of tea. Please, sit.”
“My stomach hasn’t been agreeable lately, so I’ve been avoiding tea. I’ll have a bowl of cold water instead.”
“Your stomach troubles you greatly, it seems?”
“Yes. It came about quite suddenly.”
Song Hoe set down a bowl of cold water before Peng Wu Wei and withdrew.
Clink.
After taking a sip of tea, Yi Hwan asked matter-of-factly.
“Are you managing well enough here?”
“Would I be here if I had a choice? I’m simply doing my utmost because it is the nation’s command.”
Peng Wu Wei drank the cold water without hesitation. His thirst satisfied, he finished the entire bowl.
“The tea has quite a pleasant aroma. Won’t you have a cup?”
“Forgive me. I’m grateful for the Crown Prince’s thoughtfulness, but I must decline.”
‘Not a chance, you scoundrel.’
Peng Wu Wei nearly laughed despite himself.
“Very well. You may go.”
“……Pardon?”
“I’ve suddenly grown tired.”
The moment Yi Hwan withdrew into his chamber, Peng Wu Wei’s face flushed crimson.
‘This insufferable wretch! There are limits to playing with a man’s patience!’
Song Hoe spoke quietly.
“It appears he’s fatigued from his recent walk.”
The protest rose to Peng Wu Wei’s throat—why summon a man if you’re tired?—but he dared not voice it.
Peng Wu Wei shot a glare at the hapless Song Hoe that could have killed, then stormed out.
Watching his departure, Song Hoe entered Yi Hwan’s chamber.
“I’ve done as you instructed, but what was it you had me dissolve in the cold water?”
“A medicinal tonic.”
“Pardon?”
“Don’t bother me with it. Now go.”
……

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