The Red Dragon Martial Emperor - Chapter 200

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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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Crimson Dragon Emperor, Episode 200

Chapter 200 — Entering the Imperial Treasury Vault

Click.
Cheol Mu-ok opened the window of his quarters. He’d been about to drift off to sleep when a faint, anguished cry drifted through.
Whoosh!
Even within the Deep Palace Complex, the wind blew fierce.
Through that wind, he caught sight of warriors sprinting urgently toward some distant point.
‘What’s happening?’
Across the way, from the Gold Robed Guard’s Palace Hall, officers were hurrying out in alarm.
Click.
The window of the adjacent room opened, and Ju-tae poked his head out.
“What’s going on? What’s all this commotion?”
“I’m not sure. I think I heard screams.”
“I heard them too, definitely. But what’s gotten into those bastards?”
As Ju-tae’s brow furrowed, watching the Gold Robed Guard officers dash frantically in some direction, Cheol Mu-ok’s gaze turned toward Yi Hwan’s quarters.
The darkened windows were shut firmly.
‘Is he asleep?’
Go-mi and Hwa Ryeong’s rooms were the same.
Cheol Mu-ok slipped out through his window, then immediately climbed atop the Palace Hall’s roof. Ju-tae hauled himself up beside him.
Flash!
They saw flames flickering near the City Gate.
From all directions, warriors erupted and rushed frantically toward it.
“Looks like a fight broke out?”
“I’ll go see what’s happening.”
Whomp!
Cheol Mu-ok rocketed skyward and vanished toward the City Gate. At that moment, warriors from both the Sword King and Blade King clans emerged from inside.
“Should we go take a look?”
“Mu-ok’s gone, so we wait for now.”
Ju-tae’s brow remained furrowed as he stared toward where the light kept flashing.
‘I can’t stand not knowing.’
“I’ll be back. All of you stay put!”
Whomp!

* * *

“Halt!”
Several commanders and warriors blocked Hwa Ryeong and the assassins ahead.
Hwa Ryeong threw herself to the left to evade them.
She couldn’t ask them for help—the commander who’d barked the order was a loyalist of the Empress.
“Seize her!”
The warriors pursued her.
Other commanders and their men confronted Hongwol’s assassins and drew their blades as one.
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
Hongwol’s assassins faltered for an instant. But that moment was fleeting, and they soon abandoned the chase, vaulting over the City Gate.
Glancing back, Hwa Ryeong confirmed that Hongwol’s assassins had withdrawn, and relief flooded through her. Yet the Palace warriors pressing close behind meant the crisis was far from over.
‘I can’t go to the Guard Command Center under their eyes!’
That was the problem.
If she entered the Gold Guard Command Center, an investigation would begin immediately—and if she didn’t, it might bring trouble down on Yi Hwan.
No matter that Yi Hwan held the position of Guard Commander and had the backing of the Crown Prince Palace; causing a disturbance within the Imperial Palace would make matters grave indeed.
Whomp!
‘How do I shake them off?’
Hwa Ryeong changed course repeatedly, wrestling with the dilemma.
But no suitable method came to mind. Worse, she could plainly feel her speed slowing—the internal injury was taking its toll.
Then, figures emerged from ahead as well. These were the Palace’s security forces, and their Lightness Technique was exceptional.
Hwa Ryeong grew anxious. With her depleted stamina and Inner Strength, she wondered how much longer she could endure.
In her desperation, her eyes turned toward where the Gold Guard Command Center lay. Then they widened in astonishment.
It was then that he spotted Cheol Mu-ok heading toward the City Gate.
Hwa Ryeong shifted direction and launched a Mental Transmission infused with her Inner Strength.
[Over here!]
Had he heard her?
Cheol Mu-ok turned toward her voice.
[Go-mi is in danger! Right now Go-mi is——]
Hwa Ryeong relayed Go-mi’s location. But as she spoke, blood began trickling from the corner of her mouth in stuttering rivulets. She had worsened her condition by sending the Mental Transmission while carrying an internal injury.
[Please, go save Go-mi! Hurry!]
Having poured everything into that final message, Hwa Ryeong felt all strength drain from her body in a rush. She couldn’t stop the momentum of her forward charge and collided headlong with the Palace Hall wall.
Thud!
As consciousness slipped away, Hwa Ryeong felt someone catch her as she fell.
It was certainly not Cheol Mu-ok.
‘Who are you!’
The cry never left her lips.

* * *

The Forbidden Gold Area—the Imperial Treasury Vault.
The moment Yi Hwan stepped inside, his gaze was seized by a single sword standing vertically beneath a Night-Luminous Pearl that blazed with blood-red light.
Yi Hwan froze in place.
‘Why is my sword here…….’
His breath caught.
That blade was his Beloved Sword—the one he had carried two centuries ago when he had traversed All Under Heaven and forged an Invincible Myth alongside it. It was his very other self.
Yi Hwan stepped forward.
The sword resonated. It was as though it recognized him.
Hummmmm!
Without a second thought for any trap, Yi Hwan reached out and grasped the blade. Through his palm came a warmth that ran through the sword, and the subtle tremor born of its resonance.
‘To meet you here of all places…….’
Unable to contain his excitement, Yi Hwan drew the sword.
Shhhhk!
A blood-crimson brilliance far deeper than that of the Night-Luminous Pearl radiated through the blade and flooded the entire chamber. Yi Hwan’s face was bathed in that scarlet glow.
There was no doubt—this was his sword.
Yi Hwan stared at the spot where the blade had rested. There lay a gold plate no larger than a palm, and upon it was engraved in clear relief: The Treasured Sword of Dae-ya Fortress.
‘My sword should have been buried with me…….’
As his excitement subsided, a powerful question emerged in its wake.
Had someone excavated his grave and brought it here?
‘Should I make another trip to the Forbidden Gold Area?’
The Emperor—if anyone, he might know what had transpired.
That was when Yi Hwan’s eyes flashed with sudden light.
Beside where the sword had lain, a book rested. Upon its weathered cover was written: Rivers and Lakes Record.
Yi Hwan opened it at once.
True to its title, the Record began with the history of the Martial World.
Yi Hwan skipped the early sections and went directly to the history of two centuries past.
‘At last…….’
The words “Dae-ya Fortress” pierced his eyes like daggers.
Even at a glance, there were easily dozens of pages devoted to it.
‘I’ll take it and examine it elsewhere.’
Yi Hwan tucked the Record into his robes and began to slowly survey the Imperial Treasury Vault. A wry smile escaped him.
‘The common people worry about their next meal, yet who was this place built for?’
Everything his eye fell upon was gold and silver, treasure and wealth. He had not noticed before, but even the door through which he’d entered was crafted of solid gold, and the staircases leading throughout were adorned with gold and the rarest of jewels in dazzling profusion.
Suppressing his bitter feelings, Yi Hwan examined the vault methodically. Then his eyes brightened as his gaze landed upon a particular section to the left of the vault.
Beneath a soft glow lay several small vials, and before them a tiny gold plate describing what each contained.
Yi Hwan approached swiftly.
‘Pure Sky Stone Essence, Nine-Branched Immortal Leaf Herb, Ten-Thousand Year Fleece Flower Root…….’
Any single one of these would cause the entire Martial World to erupt if it left this place.

I want to grow stronger.

Go-mi’s desperate plea rose first in his mind.
Yi Hwan’s hand moved toward the vial containing the Pure Sky Stone Essence. Then, after a brief hesitation, he carefully gathered all the others into his robes as well.
He had no intention of questioning his conscience when he didn’t know when he’d ever return.
After that, Yi Hwan wandered through the vault, gathering things that caught his eye.
Before leaving, Yi Hwan made a firm resolve: when Yi So ascended to the imperial throne, he would distribute the wealth stored here to help his people.
‘I’ll come again next time.’
Yi Hwan turned away without hesitation.

* * *

Yi Hwan emerged from the Imperial Treasury Vault.
The middle-aged official regarded him with surprise. He noticed a sword that hadn’t been there when Yi Hwan went in.
‘So he took only a single sword?’
Since he couldn’t see what was hidden in his robes, such a thought came naturally.
The official soon bowed deeply to Yi Hwan.
“Fare well, Grand Prince.”
Yi Hwan gazed toward the city gate and asked, “What’s happened in the palace?”
“What’s happened in the palace?”
“We know nothing of such matters, sir.”
“If there’s been a disturbance, I should at least find out what it is.”
“Our duty is solely to guard this place. It is an imperial order, and we cannot break it under any circumstances.”
The official remained stubborn. Yi Hwan started to say something else but stopped. Men like this rarely changed their minds, even with a blade at their throat.
“Thank you for your service.”
“Yes, Grand Prince.”
Yi Hwan was about to head directly to the Gold Guard Command Center when he turned toward the city gate instead.
Warriors stood in various places, and particularly near the gate, several generals and soldiers were gathered in clusters.
As Yi Hwan approached, all of them bowed at once.
“We greet the Grand Prince.”
Yi Hwan turned to one of the generals. “What’s the matter?”
“What’s the matter?”
“Well… it’s…”
The general explained the situation to Yi Hwan, his account went thus:
Unidentified intruders had breached the Imperial Palace. Several were discovered and fled immediately, but while one was being pursued deep into the palace, a mysterious figure suddenly appeared, took the intruder, and escaped with him.
Yi Hwan was stunned. Intruders had dared penetrate the Imperial Palace itself.
What made it worse was that all these generals and soldiers had failed to capture even one of the intruders—they’d let them all slip away.
Yi Hwan surveyed the gathered generals and soldiers.
“Are there any Gold Robed Guard here?”
“They appeared late and left immediately once the situation ended.”
“What about the East Guard?”
“The East Guard does not participate in palace security.”
“Then you’re the one responsible?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Come to the Gold Guard Command Center tomorrow at the start of business hours and report to me.”
“…Understood, sir.”
Yi Hwan headed directly to the Gold Guard Command Center.
As he walked, he recalled what the general had said.
‘The general said the last intruder they lost seemed to be fleeing from the other intruders… but why would he enter the Imperial Palace of all places if he was being chased?’
It was puzzling. No matter how desperate, the Imperial Palace was a place one couldn’t simply enter or even think of entering lightly.
‘Perhaps he has some connection to the palace itself.’
Moments later, a warrior of the Sword King clan met Yi Hwan as he entered the command center.
The man spoke in a grave tone.
“A problem has arisen.”
“A problem?”
“Go-mi is said to be in crisis at the Northern Gorge in the mountainous region. Therefore, everyone has departed for that place.”
“…!”
Hwa Ryeong came to the palace to inform us of this fact, but she collided with some men on the way and has now lost consciousness in her quarters.”
Yi Hwan went directly to Hwa Ryeong’s quarters. Two female warriors of the Bi-wol Organization rose abruptly.
Yi Hwan gazed at Hwa Ryeong lying on the bed.
“What’s her condition?”
“She has lost consciousness, but fortunately there is no danger to her life, we’re told.”
Yi Hwan turned to the warrior who had followed him in. “Could the disturbance that just occurred in the palace have been because of Hwa Ryeong?”

“Yes. Our commander found her being pursued by the palace guards and brought her here. Fortunately, he says no one saw us.”
Yi Hwan stared at Hwa Ryeong’s ashen face, then strode immediately toward the door.
A warrior followed him out.
“Until I return, no one sets foot inside the Command Center. The Crown Prince Palace as well.”
“Understood.”
Yi Hwan launched himself onto the rooftops and surged northward at full speed.
Dread crashed over him.
What if something had happened to Go-mi?
His blood ran cold. He had never imagined a moment like this.
‘Hold on.’

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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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