The Red Dragon Martial Emperor - Chapter 193

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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 Sovereign 193

Chapter 193 — Into the Forbidden Vault

Four days of rain had brought flooding to every corner of the city.
The Gold Guard Command Center had entered emergency protocol. The water level of a nearby river was rising steadily, and officials feared an imminent overflow.
Yi Hwan drank the Dragon Well Tea he had brought from Yi Young’s family. Once he finished this cup, he planned to make his way to the Forbidden Vault.
Crack!
Flash!
Thunder and lightning grew fiercer by the moment.
Cheol Mu-ok spoke.
“Suddenly, the number of watchers stationed around the command center has increased. The strange part is that they’re all facing the compound — watching it, not guarding the perimeter.”
Yi Hwan sipped his tea in silence.
Just as Ju-tae was about to speak, Cheol Mu-ok jabbed him in the ribs.
Clink.
Yi Hwan set down his cup and fixed his gaze on Cheol Mu-ok.
“Leave it as it is until I return.”
“Understood.”
At that moment, Go-mi and Hwa Ryeong entered.
“The rear door has been left open.”
Yi Hwan rose from his seat.
“Be careful, my lord.”
Yi Hwan departed with Hwa Ryeong at his side, accompanied by their farewells.
He intended to slip out through the rear entrance, not the main gate — a precaution against those keeping watch over the compound.
“Stay in my quarters until dawn. Don’t forget to keep the lamps lit.”
“Understood.”
Crack!
Flash!
Lightning branched across the sky above them like a spiderweb.
In the moment when the world, bleached white by the flash, plunged back into absolute darkness, Yi Hwan and Hwa Ryeong slipped past the rear door.
Go-mi watched his receding silhouette disappear into the darkness and bit her lip gently.
The unease she felt remained unshaken.
‘He must return safely. He simply must.’
This was the first time she had ever worried for someone with such desperate intensity.

* * *

Two men in black robes, stationed outside Yi Hwan’s office, narrowed their eyes.
“A man who refused to attend the court’s most important ceremony is now spending the night drinking. It’s beyond absurd.”
“What do you expect? An illegitimate child will only face contempt anyway — I wouldn’t go either if I were him.”
“Not all illegitimate children are equal. That fellow’s become someone of standing now — nearly as important as the second and third princes. You don’t think the Gold Guard Commander is a trivial position, do you?”
“That’s how we see it. But among the royal family, he’s still just a castoff. There are plenty of sticklers in those circles.”
“Fair point.”
The two men in black robes kept their eyes fixed on Yi Hwan’s office, rain soaking through their clothes.
Not long after, another pair of men in black robes came to relieve them.
“Anything unusual?”
“The great prince is having himself a drinking spree.”
“Is he?”
“Doesn’t look like he’s leaving tonight, but watch carefully just in case.”
“Don’t worry — we’ll handle it. Go rest and eat something.”
“Much obliged.”
The pair who had taken over stole quiet smiles as they gazed at Yi Hwan’s office, its windows blazing with light.
“He’s certainly enjoying himself. The Empress would have a fit if she knew.”
“Why should we worry about that? If he stays put like this, drinking and making no trouble, we’re the ones who should be grateful.”
“True enough.”

* * *

Yi Hwan and Hwa Ryeong made their way over the castle wall using the western section of the Imperial Palace, positioning themselves as close as possible to Manhwa Palace. Until they reached the Forbidden Vault, Yi Hwan followed Hwa Ryeong’s guidance.
She knew the surrounding geography better than anyone.
Whoosh!
The rain fell in sheets, and with the wind driving it sideways, the conditions were ideal for moving unseen.
[This way.]
Hwa Ryeong led the way, gesturing for Yi Hwan to follow.
The wet fabric clung to her body, revealing the curves beneath, but Yi Hwan’s mind had no room to register such details.
How much farther had they traveled?
Hwa Ryeong stopped and turned back.
[Let me go inside with you.]
[Out of the question.]
[Still, two are better than one. Please allow it.]
Yi Hwan shook his head.
[Make your way back to Command Center carefully.]
Grip.
Hwa Ryeong seized his arm.
[Be careful.]

* * *

When the mechanism activated, the cliff wall split open to both sides.
Yi Hwan stepped inside without hesitation. The interior was engulfed in pitch-black darkness, devoid of even a glimmer of light.
Yi Hwan lifted his body slightly using his Inner Strength, mindful of pressure plates that might trigger mechanisms below. Simultaneously, he raised his Protective Qi Enhancement to the highest level, sharpening his senses to their peak.
As he moved forward roughly twenty paces, he sensed nothing amiss, until he reached the end of the corridor and paused.
Where the hallway ended, the space suddenly opened into a wider chamber. And in the impenetrable darkness ahead, a single iron door stood waiting.
‘If that door also requires activating a mechanism to open, this will be troublesome.’
He had no information about the interior layout. If the door was indeed a mechanical lock, he would need to find the activation method quickly without being discovered. But that was far more easily said than done.
Yi Hwan approached the iron door, suppressing his presence. On impulse, he grasped the ring handle and pulled gently, but it wouldn’t budge.
Pushing it to the side proved futile as well.
He tried pushing inward, and finally the iron door swung open. Despite its mundane nature, the tension of the moment made his vigilance essential.
Yi Hwan carefully shut the door behind him and pressed forward.
How much farther did he venture?
Faint light began to seep through. It came from Night-Luminous Pearls embedded in the ceiling.
‘It seems they relied only on the initial mechanism and installed no other defenses.’
His greatest concern upon entering had been the mechanisms themselves—not the danger of the traps, but the noise they might produce if activated, risking discovery.
Fortunately, that fear proved unfounded.
Then he caught it—a faint sound.
‘Snoring?’
It was unmistakably the sound of someone snoring.
Yi Hwan tracked the sound to its source and moved toward it. Soon he came upon a strange sight.
It was a space that resembled an artificially cultivated garden. A small pond occupied the center, surrounded by an abundance of trees, plants, and flowers—a scene strangely familiar to his eyes.
‘The garden of Manhwa Palace.’
Yes. When he had visited Manhwa Palace to meet the Empress, the garden there had looked exactly like this.
Snore. Snore.
The snoring sound came from the middle of the garden. Prepared for any contingency, Yi Hwan manifested seven points of light in his hands and advanced.
How many steps had he taken?
Suddenly, the snoring ceased.
‘Have I been discovered?’
Then it happened.
Flare!
Light blazed suddenly around the pond from an unseen source, flooding the space with illumination.
A deep voice followed.
“Judging by your approach, you’re no one the Empress sent. So who might you be?”
“……!”
Yi Hwan’s face contorted for an instant.
To be discovered this quickly.
“If you cause a disturbance, the Empress’s guards will converge upon this place. So come here quietly, without a word.”
What was this now?
In that moment, a face surfaced in Yi Hwan’s mind—a face he had not seen since this body’s earliest years. The face of the Emperor.
‘Could it be…….’
Back then, he was called the Iron-Blooded Sovereign, a wise ruler revered by all the people of this land.
But to the master of this body, he was nothing more than a heartless father.
Yi Hwan took a final breath to steady himself, then moved toward the pond. Moments later, he could see a stone bed standing tall in the center of the water, and upon it sat an elderly man.
‘The Emperor…….’
It was undoubtedly the Emperor.
Yi Hwan examined the Emperor’s complexion first.
‘Was he truly confined here?’
For someone imprisoned, his color was far too vibrant. The Inner Strength flowing from his entire frame was like witnessing a tiger in its prime.
“Did the Crown Prince send you?”
“No, Your Majesty.”
“Then who sent you?”
“I came of my own accord.”
Yi Hwan was wearing a Human Skin Mask at that moment. Therefore, there was no chance the Emperor would recognize him.
Even as he answered, Yi Hwan remained vigilant of his surroundings.
“You need not worry. I have grown accustomed to acting like a madman, rummaging about this place so often that the Empress has installed no mechanisms here. And there are no watchers within this space either.”
“Are you imprisoned in this place, Your Majesty?”
“You! Reveal your identity first.”
Yi Hwan hesitated. Was it right to reveal himself here, or not?
But he soon made his decision. He would reveal his identity.
……!
Yi Hwan removed the Human Skin Mask. The Emperor’s eyes widened in shock.
“You…….”
“Do you recognize me now?”
“How did you come to be here…….”
“Before that, there is something I must clarify.”
Yi Hwan asked directly.
“Do you wish to leave this place?”
The Emperor’s eyes, which had been wide with shock, gradually returned to composure. Then he shook his head.
“I wish to leave, but I am bound by chains that cannot be broken.”
“Is it because of the Blood Seal?”
“How do you know of such a thing?”
Hwa Ryeong’s suspicion had been correct.
“If I remove the Blood Seal, would you leave this place?”
“You can remove the Blood Seal?”
“Yes.”
The Emperor fell silent for a moment. Yi Hwan waited for his answer.
After a time, the Emperor posed a question instead of answering.
“What has become of the Crown Prince?”
“He is well.”
“He still holds the position of Crown Prince?”
“Yes.”
Tremor……..
A flicker in the Emperor’s gaze. Yi Hwan saw through that flicker to the relief beneath.
The Emperor spoke again.
“Whose side are you on?”
“I stand with the Crown Prince.”
“Can I trust your words?”
“That rests upon Your Majesty’s judgment.”
“Then tell me how things stand in the Imperial Palace. Leave nothing out.”
“That would perhaps be better spoken of after we leave this place.”
“I shall hear it and judge. Speak now, without delay.”
The Emperor’s presence was such that the heavens themselves seemed to bow. Indeed, his authority was enough to make even Yi Hwan’s skin prickle.
Yi Hwan began to explain the state of affairs in the Imperial Palace. When he finished, the Emperor said something unexpected.
“Remove the Blood Seal. However, I shall not leave this place.”
……!
“If the Empress and those two are oppressing the Crown Prince, then I shall remain here and be a thorn in her side. And should I vanish, who knows what chaos the Empress might unleash? For the Crown Prince’s sake, it is better that I stay.”
“The Crown Prince and I possess sufficient strength to stand against the Empress. Should Your Majesty emerge, that strength would become far greater.”
The Emperor shook his head.
“You do not understand the Empress’s true terror. Do I myself know even half of her true abilities? Listen then—should you leave, tell the Crown Prince this: do not face her directly until you have secured the absolute support of the court ministers.”
After this, the Emperor gave several more instructions.
Yi Hwan listened in silence. And when the Emperor finished speaking, he asked what he desired most.
“I wish to know how to enter the Imperial Treasury without the Empress’s consent.”
“Is that what the Crown Prince desires?”
“Yes.”
It was a lie he couldn’t avoid.
The Emperor fell silent for a moment. But that pause was brief.
“I gave both the Empress and the Crown Prince a key to open the Imperial Treasury’s door, and separately, a key to the safe that holds it. Yet that was merely something I devised to check the Empress’s power—the Imperial Treasury’s door cannot be opened by those keys.”
“……!”
“I will tell you the true method to open the Imperial Treasury’s door, so from now on, commit every word I speak to memory without missing a single syllable.”
“Before that, I must ask: Do you trust me?”
“Since being confined to this place, I resolved to trust nothing in this world. Yet your eyes—I wish to trust them. And besides, I have no other choice.”
“I understand. Then please speak.”
The Emperor began to speak. Each word that passed his lips was etched into Yi Hwan’s mind with absolute clarity.
When all the words had been spoken, Yi Hwan’s tongue nearly betrayed his astonishment.
‘What in the world could be inside for it to be guarded so meticulously? It couldn’t be done with mere gold, silver, and treasures alone.’
The method to enter the Imperial Treasury was nothing short of extraordinary—beyond extraordinary. If the Emperor had not revealed it, all the minds in the world working together could never discover it.
Yi Hwan drew near the Emperor.
“I will remove the Blood Seal. Sit down at once.”
The Emperor crossed his legs into a seated position.
Yi Hwan placed his palm against the crown of the Emperor’s head.
“Even if it burns and aches, you must not cry out.”
“Did you resent your father?”
“……!”
A thin, sharp pain.
At those words, an uncontrollable sorrow surged from the depths of his chest. This was likely the reaction of whoever truly owned this body.
‘Yes. I resented him very much.’

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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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