The Red Dragon Martial Emperor - Chapter 28

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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 Undefeated — Episode 28

Chapter 28 — Cruel Discipline

Yi Hwan crossed the ditch and climbed toward the Peng Family Base barracks.
Song Cheon-mu followed at his heels.
Just as Yeong Ho-chung and Peng Mu-wi were emerging from the barracks after surveying the situation, they spotted Yi Hwan and hurried over to meet him.
Yeong Ho-chung bowed his head.
“I hear many of your men were wounded. I apologize on their behalf.”
“You said apologize?”
“…….”
“You should be begging forgiveness.”
“I was told it was merely a minor scuffle, Dae-gun.”
“A minor scuffle that wounded the Dae-gun’s own men…….”
Yi Hwan drew Song Cheon-mu’s sword and hurled it at Yeong Ho-chung.
“……!”
Yeong Ho-chung tilted his head sharply to dodge the blade. The sword flew past and impaled the shoulder of a warrior behind him.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
He was one of the Yeongho Clan warriors.
“Dae-gun! What are you doing!”
Yeong Ho-chung cried out, eyes flaring wide. Yi Hwan strode past him toward the wounded warrior, who was groaning in agony, and wrenched the sword free.
“Was it you?”
“No, no, it wasn’t me!”
“Then I made a mistake. Who was it?”
Yi Hwan’s gaze swept slowly across the gathered Yeongho Clan warriors. But no one stepped forward.
A flash of light erupted.
Another warrior crumpled, spraying blood across the ground.
“Argh!”
“Dae-gun! Please, show restraint!”
Peng Mu-wi moved forward. Yi Hwan drove the heel of his left palm into Peng Mu-wi’s chest.
As Peng Mu-wi was forced backward, Yeong Ho-chung stepped in.
“Stand down.”
“Please cease this, Dae-gun.”
His tone was respectful, but his eyes were not. The gazes of Yi Hwan and Yeong Ho-chung clashed in the air between them, locked and tangled.
Yi Hwan felt a cold laugh rise in his chest.
‘If you withdraw now, I’ll stake my neck on it.’
As expected, Yeong Ho-chung finally took two steps backward. No matter how much he served under Yi Hwang-ja, he could not openly defy a prince.
Crunch.
His insides burned with seething rage, but Yeong Ho-chung gritted his teeth and spoke to his men.
“Who started this commotion? Come forward at once.”
At his words, two warriors finally stepped forward.
Yi Hwan passed Yeong Ho-chung and approached the two men.
“Now I will explain everything from start to finish. If there is even a fingernail’s worth of falsehood in your account, your heads will hang from the Execution Grounds under Military Discipline.”
“……!”
The two warriors stared at Yeong Ho-chung, their faces pale with shock.
But Yeong Ho-chung did not step forward. Instead, he sent a Transmission of Sound to his men.
[Kneel and beg for forgiveness.]
The two warriors fell to their knees on the ground.
“Forgive us! We could not restrain ourselves in a moment of recklessness and committed the disrespect of wounding the Dae-gun’s warrior!”
“Forgive us!”
Thud-thud!
As the two warriors struck their foreheads against the earth, the skin split and blood began to flow.
Yi Hwan turned to face Song Cheon-mu.
Song Cheon-mu stepped to his side.
“Sever their arms.”
In ordinary circumstances, such a command would have prompted shock. But Song Cheon-mu, as if he had been waiting for this moment, cut off both warriors’ arms without hesitation.
Slice!
“Argh!”
“Ugh!”
The two warriors whose arms had been severed writhed in agony.
Yet neither Yeong Ho-chung nor Peng Mu-wi could step forward; they could only watch.
In truth, had Yi Hwan wounded a warrior belonging to a different prince, the responsibility could have fallen on them as well, and they too might have faced punishment.
Yi Hwan turned to face Yeong Ho-chung.
“To insult the Dae-gun is a crime that warrants death, yet given that only a short time has passed since enlisting, I shall end the matter here. Should such an incident occur even once more after this, the offenders will not escape with mere punishment.”
“……!”
Yi Hwan turned on his heel and headed toward the barracks.
Behind him, Song Cheon-mu’s lips curved into a faint smile.
“Outmatched?”
“I was careless.”
“Speak honestly.”
“I am. I never imagined he would counter with genuine killing intent…. I apologize.”
“If he were an enemy, you’d be dead already. Still, you call it carelessness?”
“…….”
Song Cheon-mu lowered his head.
Yet he was still smiling.
‘How exhilarating!’

* * *

Crash!
The table in the barracks shattered under Yeong Ho-chung’s fist. His eyes burned with fury, glimmering with a faint murderous aura.
‘I will repay this debt without fail.’
Yi Hwan was someone he had dismissed as negligible.
But now that Yi Hwan had thrown his status around and acted so arrogantly, there was nothing Yeong Ho-chung could do. No matter how incompetent a prince might be, a prince was still a prince—he could not dare to strike back.
“Is the Dae-gun taking to the field?”
“Yes. After his recovery from his wounds, he has reportedly become far more active in combat.”
“Is that so?”
Yeong Ho-chung’s eyes darkened with venom.
It was then that Peng Mu-wi entered.
The look in his eyes as he gazed down at Yeong Ho-chung’s head was peculiar. How to describe it? Almost as though he were relishing the sight.
Peng Mu-wi sat across from him and spoke with an air of gravity.
“Shouldn’t those two warriors be sent to the healers?”
Yeong Ho-chung answered with a drink of cold water.
Thunk!
“Was the Dae-gun always like this?”
“That’s unlikely. Only, I’ve heard much talk that after he suffered severe wounds and lost consciousness, then awakened, he became a different man. That was around the time I arrived here, I believe. In any case, if you act carelessly based on rumor alone, you’ll find yourself in difficult straits just as you did today.”
Yeong Ho-chung stared directly at Peng Mu-wi and pressed further.
“When the Dae-gun gestured just now, you were driven back. What exactly happened?”
“I was in the act of stepping forward and failed to secure my footing in time. Surely you don’t imagine I was overpowered in strength?”
“It seemed to me you deliberately yielded. And in doing so, you allowed the general here to stand aside and observe his rampage, did you not?”
A muscle twitched.
“What?”
Peng Mu-wi was about to spring to his feet when—
Dong-dong-dong!
Suddenly, the alarm bells rang out in a clamor. It was the signal for enemy attack.
A warrior from the Peng Family burst in, shouting in panic.
“General! The Zhao Army is advancing on us!”

* * *

Yi Hwan, who had been entering the barracks, stopped at the sound of the alarm bells and turned around.
Warriors were pouring out from every corner of the camp. Among them was Song Hoe.
Yi Hwan regarded Song Hoe calmly and asked.
“Has Mu Ok not yet returned?”
“No, Dae-gun!”
“Assemble the Yong-ho Army and move them south of the camp. Have some of them stay at Jung Gyeong’s side.”
“Understood!”
Song Hoe dashed toward the Yong-ho Army like the wind.
Yi Hwan made for Hwang Ho’s tent. Song Cheon-mu followed at his heels.
At that same moment, warriors were pouring out from the Peng Family Base and moving southward through the military encampment.

* * *

“The enemy forces are said to number nearly twenty thousand, sir!”
“After that crushing defeat last time, they’ll have hardened their resolve. Let’s take our positions.”
“Yes, sir.”
Hwang Ho and Jeong Cheon left the tent. At that moment, Yi Hwan stepped inside.
“Welcome, Dae-gun.”
“Have you confirmed the enemy’s strength?”
Jeong Cheon answered in his stead.
“We’ve confirmed approximately twenty thousand.”
Twenty thousand was an enormous force—in fact, it represented the entirety of troops that had been stationed at the Zhao Army’s forward garrison.
“We cannot rule out the possibility that their main force might send reinforcements.”
“Of course. For that reason, we’ve already dispatched scouts toward the enemy’s main encampment.”
“Let’s move.”
Yi Hwan stepped out first.
Hwang Ho and Jeong Cheon exchanged a glance, then followed. Hwang Ho spoke.
“Dae-gun, perhaps you should remain in the rear.”
“You’re worrying about me again?”
“I’ve received orders from the Crown Prince himself to ensure your safety above all else.”
“If the Defensive Line breaks, the rear won’t be safe either. Our best course now is to hold the line itself. Stop fretting over me and focus on the battle.”
……
Under ordinary circumstances, Hwang Ho would have pressed further. But he could not now. He had been overwhelmed by the force of Yi Hwan’s presence.
Roaaaar!
Crash!
“Argh!”
“Screaaagh!”
Combat had already begun at the outer Defensive Line of the encampment. The enemy’s battle cries and agonized death wails of unknown soldiers began flowing thinly through the forest.
Yi Hwan recalled Yi So.
‘Since I’ve committed to aiding the Crown Prince, I have no choice but to do my utmost.’
Yet he could not be certain of how the battle would unfold, for he did not know precisely the caliber and number of masters among the Zhao Army. Most troubling of all were those who possessed Demonic Qi—confirmed through the bodies of the scout soldiers.
‘In the end, the victor will be determined by the strength of the Martial World fighters.’
That was what worried Yi Hwan.
“General.”
“Yes, Dae-gun.”
“Leave the enemy’s Martial World masters to the Peng Family and the Yeongho Clan. See that every last one of them is deployed to combat.”
“Understood.”
“General Jeong, do not advance beyond the Defensive Line. Wait in position, and the moment you see our forces faltering anywhere, reinforce them at once. But hear me clearly—do not cross the line.”
……Yes, Dae-gun.
Yi Hwan was taking command of strategy. What was strange was that Hwang Ho and Jeong Cheon had not even realized it, responding to his directives as if it were only natural.
Yi Hwan stopped and met Hwang Ho’s gaze directly.
“Can you do this?”
“We will hold the line, prepared to die if necessary.”
“Then I’ll see you after.”
Yi Hwan moved toward the Yong-ho Army alongside Song Cheon-mu. Hwang Ho and Jeong Cheon watched them go, their expressions suddenly registering surprise.
‘Without thinking, I answered to the Dae-gun’s command. As if it were only natural.’
Jeong Cheon asked heavily.
“Will we be all right?”
“What can we do? He’s not the sort to retreat even if we tried to stop him.”
Yi Hwan’s sudden transformation.
It was already etched vividly into Hwang Ho’s mind—so much so that it made him forget the Crown Prince Yi So’s very orders.

* * *

Crack!
Crash-crash!
“Hold the line! We must hold our positions!”
“Sweep them all away!”
“Aaaah!”
“Krraaagh!”
The southern Defensive Line of Narrow Gorge had already descended into chaos, friend and foe alike locked in close combat.
It was the shortest approach from the enemy position, which was why so many defensive troops had been stationed there. The Zhao Army knew this and chose a direct assault rather than a flanking maneuver.
They had that much confidence in themselves—because the Blood Ghosts were there.
The leader and all his men were already drenched in blood, pressing the Yeon Army back with relentless fury.
The Yeon warriors fought with everything they had, but the gap in power was too vast, and the defensive line was already beginning to crumble.
The Blood Ghost leader’s smile turned cold.
“We gave up a fortified position to creatures like these.”
“If we press forward at this pace, we should reclaim the stronghold faster than expected!”
“Don’t get excited. Your task is to deal with the hulks from the Ha-buk Peng Family! The moment they appear, we move!”
“Yes!”
The leader’s words had barely left his mouth.
“The Peng Family is coming up!”

* * *

Peng Mu-wi took in the battlefield at a glance as he reached the defensive line, his eyes sharp and assessing. Then he spotted the Blood Ghosts watching him, and his gaze grew cold.
‘Are these the ones? The ones who annihilated our scouts a few days ago?’
As if his thoughts alone had changed the very air, the oppressive aura they radiated felt unmistakably sinister.
Peng Mu-wi turned to Yeong Ho-chung and spoke in a low voice.
“These are the ones we must face!”
“Understood.”
Yeong Ho-chung nodded in silence and drew his blade.
Shink!
The warriors of the Yeongho Clan drew their swords in unison, and as they did, a sharp aura swept through the air like a tempest.
Peng Mu-wi spoke once more.
“We must show them that without us, victory would never be possible. Give me your absolute best.”
“You have it.”
Thud!
Yeong Ho-chung launched himself from the ground. The warriors of the Yeongho Clan surged after him, and the fighters of the Peng Family, led by Peng Mu-wi, threw themselves forward as one.
Yeong Ho-chung ran at the vanguard, his eyes sweeping the battlefield. Then he caught sight of Yi Hwan emerging from the southern defensive line.
‘Watch carefully. You’ll see that I didn’t avoid this out of fear of you.’

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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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