The Red Dragon Martial Emperor - Chapter 34

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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 Warrior — Episode 34

Chapter 34 — An Unexpected Crisis

He had just finished eating and was about to pour tea when it happened.
“Your Highness.”
Song Hui gestured with a glance toward the outside of the tent.
Mo Jae Hwang of the Geumui Guard was approaching, cutting through the downpour. Go Mi’s gaze fixed on him was sharp enough to draw blood.
“Send him away.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to at least receive his greetings?”
“I’m in the middle of drinking tea.”
“…Very well.”
And so Mo Jae Hwang left without meeting Yi Hwan once again.
Song Hui spoke.
“Is he trying to find his way in as well?”
“No. I’m going to provoke him instead.”
“Provoke him?”
Yi Hwan took a sip of tea and continued calmly.
“If Peng Mu Wei is a savage bear, then he is a cunning wolf. Wolves don’t tame easily. The moment an opportunity presents itself, they snap and lunge.”
“So you’re hoping he’ll strike first?”
Before Yi Hwan could answer Song Hui’s question, Go Mi spoke up.
“Is it about justification?”
“Well done. Then you’ve already guessed what I mean to do?”
“You intend to crush the Geumui Guard? Or rather, I should say ‘crush’ in a very comprehensive sense.”
“Close enough.”
Go Mi saw Yi Hwan differently now. She had known through reports that he had transformed into an entirely different person, but the man before her eyes appeared to be yet another person altogether.
She watched silently as Mo Jae Hwang’s figure retreated.
‘Mo Jae Hwang… he is no easy opponent.’

* * *

‘Let’s see who wins this, Your Highness.’
As Mo Jae Hwang turned back from the rebuff, he laughed coldly instead.
‘I can trample that insignificant prince’s authority whenever I wish. So enjoy it while you can, before that day comes. Hehehehe.’
Moments later, Peng Mu Wei greeted him as he entered the tent.
“How did it go?”
“He said he was drinking tea and told me to leave.”
“Infuriating. When you were summoned, he demanded respect, but when you visit him, he turns you away? This is absurd.”
“I need to dry off. I’ve been caught in too much rain.”
Mo Jae Hwang withdrew to his own tent.
Then Yong Ho Chung approached.
“The deputy commander came back without seeing him again?”
“Yes. He said the man was drinking tea and sent him away.”
“He’s quite serious about putting him in his place. Rather petty of him, if you ask me. Hehehehe.”
At Yong Ho Chung’s words, Peng Mu Wei let out a snort.
“Hmph! The generals in camp have suddenly started bowing and scraping before this prince, and now he’s become unbearably arrogant. This could turn into a real catastrophe. What is the Geumui Guard? Tsk, tsk, tsk.”
“Why don’t we simply watch and enjoy the spectacle?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. The Geumui Guard is our ally. We must certainly help them.”
“Of course. I only meant that the deputy commander is not someone to be easily dealt with. Let’s simply observe and wait.”
“That much is true.”

* * *

Boom!
A sound as though heaven and earth were splitting apart roared across the mountainside.
A landslide had finally erupted. The sight of one side of the mountain collapsing and thundering downward was terror itself.
“What the—!”
“Landslide!”
The soldiers froze mid-task, their faces draining of color. The only mercy was that they hadn’t finished moving the entire Military Camp—those working nearby had all managed to escape.
Yi Hwan and the others rushed outside.
Crash!
Crack!
“Damnable rain. It’s brought catastrophe after all.”
“Half the camp appears to be buried under the debris, sir.”
Everyone stood in shock.
Yi Hwan crossed his arms, his eyes fixed on the landslide. Indeed, half the Military Camp lay entombed beneath earth and rubble. If the rains continued, the destruction would only deepen.
Go Mi murmured to herself.
“Humans truly are insignificant before nature’s force. That raw power—knowing what’s coming and yet unable to stop it. Remarkable, really.”
“That tone suits you far better.”
“……!”
Go Mi’s eyes widened in surprise.
“My apologies. I wasn’t aware I’d slipped.”
“It’s more than that. You need to soften your approach in general.”
“Is it because I’m a woman?”
“Drop the victim’s mentality too.”
“…….”
Yi Hwan turned to face her, continuing.
“When I’m aggressive, others respond in kind. But when I’m gentle, they lower their guard. If you’re trying to observe someone covertly, to investigate them—to uncover something—doesn’t the latter approach prove far more effective?”
“……!”
Yi Hwan’s gaze shifted back to the scene before them.
Go Mi’s eyes flickered with understanding. In his words, she grasped a deeper meaning.
“I need to speak with General Hwang.”
“I shall accompany you, sir.”
Yi Hwan and Song Hui made their way toward Hwang Ho’s tent.
Rain still fell heavily, yet Yi Hwan walked through it bareheaded, without cloak or umbrella.
Go Mi could not tear her gaze from his retreating form.

Drop the victim’s mentality too.

Yi Hwan’s words lingered in her mind, circling endlessly.
‘That’s right. All this time, I’ve been pretending to be strong, afraid people would mock me for being a woman. When I could simply let my abilities speak for themselves.’

* * *

Yi Hwan and Hwang Ho sat facing each other.
The landslide had etched deep lines into Hwang Ho’s face. Jeong Cheon, seated in the back, bore the same weight.
“Perhaps it’s for the best.”
“Sir?”
“I think we should relocate the camp. This location was never suitable for a military installation in the first place.”
“Where would you suggest we move it to?”
“Twenty li northeast, there’s suitable terrain. A camp there would be closer to the city, easier to receive reinforcements in an emergency, and farther from the Zhao forces—no need to worry about surprise attacks. In addition, the location qualifies as neutral territory, so command shouldn’t object.”
“If we abandon this position, Zhao will seize it. We cannot surrender ground we’ve bled to hold, my Prince Consort.”
“If Zhao isn’t foolish, they won’t establish a camp here. What fool would attempt to excavate earth from a position half-buried by debris?”
“…….”
“The location I’ve mentioned is neutral territory, so headquarters cannot object. Of course, these are merely suggestions—consider them carefully and decide as you see fit.”
After Yi Hwan departed, Jeong Cheon spoke tentatively.
“As you say, this position has lost its strategic value. With the mountain that once served as our defensive barrier now collapsed, our defensive perimeter has only expanded. Our current forces will struggle to hold such ground.”
“Hah-hah-hah!”
Hwang Ho suddenly laughed.
“Isn’t he remarkable?”
“In what way, sir?”
“The Prince Consort. How quickly he conceived such a plan—and here I’ve been agonizing over what to do. The man is truly something.”
“Then you intend to follow his counsel?”
“What choice do I have? His reasoning is flawless. I can only defer to him. Didn’t you yourself say he rivals you?”
“Indeed.”
“Then we must move at once—no time for temporary measures. We’ll need tents for use as shelters. Send men to the city to procure as many as possible.”
“Yes, General.”
As Jeong Cheon stepped outside, he watched Yi Hwan walking ahead through the downpour. The ease with which he moved through the heavy rain was almost uncanny.
‘How much of the Prince Consort is his true self? I admire him, yet I cannot seem to adapt.’

* * *

Whoosh!
Whiiiine!
At the summit of a mountain overlooking the Yeon military camp, five warriors stood in the teeth of howling wind and torrential rain.
But they were Blood Ghosts of Zhao, disguised in Yeon uniforms.
Having received the special order to assassinate Hwang Ho, they gazed down at the Yeon camp ravaged by landslide and smiled with grim satisfaction.
“The landslide seems to have struck rather thoroughly. I’d say it’s nearly beyond recovery at this point.”
“All the better for us if things are in chaos.”
“Then perhaps we should wait here until nightfall before moving.”
“Good. We’ll do it that way.”
The captain, his smile still grim, watched Yi Hwan stride out from Hwang Ho’s tent and disappear into the downpour.
“That man is Yi Hwan, the Prince Consort of Yeon. Since we’re already here, wouldn’t it be wise to claim his head as well?”
“Not a bad thought. But the primary target is Hwang Ho. As for the Prince Consort — whether we kill him or let him live depends on how things go after we deal with Hwang Ho.”
“Understood.”
The captain warned his men.
“Be wary of the masters who appeared in the pursuit battle. If by some mischance we encounter them during the operation, remember this: better to die fighting than to be captured. That is absolute.”
“Yes!”
The captain’s eyes grew distant as he recalled Cheol Mu Ok and Gong Sun Tae. He had witnessed their power firsthand, mere paces away.
One of the Blood Ghosts spoke up.
“They were never mentioned in any intelligence we received. What if they’re Hwang Ho’s personal guard?”
“They’re absolutely not his guards. When the fighting ended, those two moved away from Hwang Ho’s side, not toward it. Had they been guards, they would have gone directly to him.”
“When did you discern that?”
“I saw it with my own eyes, right in front of me.”
The captain turned and continued.
“Into the forest. We’ll wait out the rain there.”
“Yes!”

* * *

The decision was made, but they could not move immediately. First, they had to wait for the downpour to cease.
Fortunately, as the sun began to set, the rain gradually subsided.
Clink.
Go Mi set down her teacup with hands that, for a warrior, were remarkably fair and delicate. The complete absence of calluses suggested that she had trained in the Inner Qi Technique rather than external martial arts.
The warrior across from her ventured carefully to speak.
“Moving the camp will mean hardship for us for some time. We’ll have to make do with tents for now.”
“Worried?”
“We’ll be fine, but you, Go Mi…….”
Go Mi smiled faintly.
“When I held the same rank as you, I once spent a fortnight on a frozen plain in a blizzard. We had nothing to eat but a piece of dried meat a day. Compared to that, this is nothing.”
Clink.
Go Mi took a sip of tea. It was Longjing Tea that Yi Hwan had given her.
The warrior expressed admiration.
“Indeed, expensive tea tastes different from the very first aroma. Thanks to you, Go Mi, my palate has been treated well. But I wonder—why would the Prince Consort give you such precious tea?”
“The Longjing Tea isn’t to his taste?”
“Pardon? That can’t be. According to our intelligence, the Prince Consort has favored Longjing Tea since childhood. Surely you read the report we provided?”
“……!”
Go Mi’s eyes widened slightly.
Just as the warrior said, the intelligence on Yi Hwan was remarkably detailed. The report clearly stated that Yi Hwan had enjoyed Longjing Tea since he was young.
‘I forgot about that because he spoke so casually. So then—why would he give such a precious thing to me?’
“Could it be that the Prince Consort is…….”
“Don’t waste your breath on such nonsense.”
“……Yes.”
Unpleasant memories suddenly surfaced in Go Mi’s mind.
Throughout her life in the Imperial Palace, countless men had coveted her. Some were from the Royal House, and many were officials of far higher rank than herself.
Even Prince Yi Tae Ji had been among them.
As a woman, it could have been perilous, but Go Mi had never given any of them a glance, and when pressure came, she did not hesitate to resign her position.
‘If the Prince Consort is of that same ilk…….’
Clink.
Go Mi drained the last of her tea and rose to her feet.
“I’ll step outside for some air.”
“The rain hasn’t stopped yet, ma’am.”
“It’s just a drizzle. Don’t wait up—get some rest.”
“Allow me to accompany you.”
“No need.”
Go Mi left the tent and made her way toward the ridge behind the camp. Since arriving at the Southern Military Corps, she’d come to favor this place for her walks.
By now the rain had thinned to a mist.
The wind had died away entirely.
Moments later, reaching the ridge, Go Mi sprang lightly onto a rock that jutted from the forest below.
From that vantage point, both Yi Hwan’s tent and the Peng Clan’s encampment spread before her at a glance.
Go Mi’s gaze fixed on Yi Hwan’s tent. A shadow wavered behind the lit window.
His voice echoed in her mind like a phantom sound.

Let go of your grievances.

That phrase had clung to her thoughts all day, refusing to loosen its grip.
“Hah……”
As Go Mi exhaled long and slow, her eyes suddenly flashed with awareness—she’d caught sight of figures moving covertly through a section devoid of torchlight.
The instant she’d seen them, they vanished. Her expression hardened.
‘That’s the direction of General Hwang Ho’s tent!’

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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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