The Red Dragon Martial Emperor - Chapter 38

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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 Reign 38

Chapter 38 — Change of Plans

Late into the night, Go Mi sought out Yi Hwan at his quarters.
She received a single instruction from him and returned to her own barracks.
The moment she stepped inside, she collapsed onto her bedding.

He wanted her to examine the relationship between Peng Wu Wei and the two of them carefully. If she discovered anything unusual, she was to report it at once.

It was an order from Yi Hwan.
He’d given no reason.
‘He might at least explain why.’
Go Mi disliked Yi Hwan’s methods. They were too arbitrary, too abrupt — and whenever she asked for clarification, his answer was always the same: later. She would find out in time.
Creak.
Go Mi sat up on the bedding and spoke softly toward the door.
“Bring Jo Jang here.”
“Yes.”
Moments later, a warrior entered. It was Jo Jang, who had taken on the role of assisting Go Mi in place of the Deputy Moon Master left behind in the Imperial Capital.
“You summoned me?”
“Starting tomorrow, I want closer eyes on Jwa Jang Gun, Young Ho Chung, and Mo Jae Hwang. This comes from the General herself — I need you to handle it personally.”
“Close surveillance?”
“Yes. Don’t miss a single detail. Report everything.”
“Understood.”
“Go rest now.”
“Yes.”
Once the warrior had gone, Go Mi stripped off her armor and settled on the bedding, drawing her Cherished Sword.
Slide.
The blade, veined with azure light, emerged slowly, casting a pale blue glow across her face.
Her eyes suddenly filled with cold intent.
“I’ve been waiting for you to leave the Imperial Palace. Only then can I kill you.”
The face in her mind was Mo Jae Hwang. The chill in her eyes deepened, transforming into murderous intent.
Then his image receded, pushed aside by another face that rose to fill her thoughts.
A woman of breathtaking beauty. She lay dying slowly in Go Mi’s arms. Tears spilled down Go Mi’s cheeks and fell upon the dying woman’s face.

Don’t ever face the Geumui Guard before Bi Wol grows stronger. When we’re strong enough to stand against them, Bi Wol must become the Crown Prince’s sword. If you become Moon Master and make that happen, I’ll have no regrets.

The woman spoke those words and breathed her last.
She had been the Moon Master of Bi Wol, cherishing and loving Go Mi as though she were her own blood.
Crack.
Go Mi bit her lip, forcing the memory away. The woman’s face faded from her mind, replaced once more by Mo Jae Hwang.

All the more reason to kill him.

Yi Hwan’s words from earlier in the day echoed in her ears like a haunting.
Crack.
‘I will kill him myself.’

* * *

Two days later, Go Mi sought out Yi Hwan again.
Fresh from his Heart Method cultivation, Yi Hwan was still damp with sweat when he sat across from her.
“I’ve come to report on the task you assigned.”
“Did you find anything?”
“From what we’ve observed, Young Ho Chung and Mo Jae Hwang treat Peng Wu Wei with utter disdain. When all three are together versus when the two are apart, their demeanor shifts dramatically.”
“You’re certain?”
“What we’ve seen with our own eyes goes deeper than surface observation — that’s the skill of Bi Wol. You can trust this.”
Yi Hwan nodded silently at her confident tone and continued speaking.
“If Peng Wu Wei becomes Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Military Division, then those two will be the ones wielding real power from the shadows.”
“Indeed.”
Yi Hwan sank deeper into his chair, his gaze growing distant. After a moment of silence, he spoke again.
“I need to change the plan.”
“How so, sir?”
“That’s not your concern. You’ve done well—you’re free to go.”
“Understood.”
Go Mi rose and left the barracks without hesitation. In her eyes burned a faint, smoldering anger.
Yi Hwan watched her departing figure and smiled dimly.
‘She’s offended, it seems.’
Once Go Mi had gone, Cheol Mu Ok spoke.
“She appears upset. Wouldn’t it be wise to share the plan with the Moon Master?”
“I’ll handle that myself. Don’t concern yourself with it.”
……
Clink.
Yi Hwan took a sip of tea, then broached a new subject.
“We need to elevate Peng Wu Wei to Commander-in-Chief.”
“Sir?”
Cheol Mu Ok’s eyes widened.
Yi Hwan continued calmly.
“If we remove Peng Wu Wei, Yi Hwang Ja will simply send another—someone more capable, inevitably. Then we’re trapped in an endless cycle: each time we knock one down, we must expend twice the effort to dislodge the next. It becomes a war of attrition we cannot win.”
Cheol Mu Ok listened in silence.
Once, he would have voiced his own opinion, but since capturing the assassin who killed Hwang Ho, he’d decided to trust Yi Hwan’s stratagems.
“If Peng Wu Wei ascends to Commander-in-Chief, wouldn’t Yi Hwang Ja turn his attention elsewhere—away from the Southern Military Division?”
“Possibly, if he believes the division is firmly in his grip. But what does that gain us?”
“We mold him.”
“Sir?”
“Instead of Young Ho Chung and Mo Jae Hwang pulling the strings, we do. From the shadows. We shape him, gradually.”

* * *

Go Mi stared at Yi Hwan’s lit barracks with furious eyes.

That’s not your concern.

‘I understand his lack of trust. Our past connection is real enough, but it amounts to nothing more than ships passing in the night. Still, even so……’
She felt utterly dismissed. Not merely overlooked—actively excluded.
“Hmph!”
Go Mi’s eyes flew wide as she spun around, her cold snort cut short.
Yi Hwan stood before the barracks entrance.
‘When did he……’
It should have been impossible. Even an assassin couldn’t have closed the distance so soundlessly, deceiving her so completely.
“Shall we talk?”
“I’ve already given you my full report.”
“I have something to say to you.”
……

* * *

Go Mi brewed the tea herself. It was Dragon Well Tea, which Yi Hwan had given her.
Clink.
“Please.”
Go Mi watched Yi Hwan savor the aroma, and when he took his first sip, she asked coolly.
“I thought you said Dragon Well Tea didn’t suit your palate?”
“So you give it to me, and now you ask that? What’s on your mind?”
……
“Still angry, then?”
“I’m perfectly calm.”
“Good. That’s a relief.”
Clink.
Yi Hwan set down his teacup and fixed his gaze on Go Mi. She met his eyes without flinching.
“I intend to eliminate Young Ho Chung and Mo Jae Hwang.”
“……!”
“That’s the revised plan. The reason I’m telling you beforehand is that I need Bi Wol’s assistance.”
“If bloodshed is your intent, wouldn’t it be wiser to kill Peng Wu Wei instead?”
“If I’m choosing targets by capability alone, wouldn’t you also prefer those two over Peng Wu Wei? You possess more intelligence on them than anyone.”
“…….”
Go Mi had no rebuttal. When factoring in competence across all domains—not merely martial prowess—Peng Wu Wei was indeed the weakest of the three.
“What would you have me do, and how shall I do it?”
“If I’m to kill them cleanly, without aftermath, I need to know their vulnerabilities, don’t I?”
“You’re asking me to reveal their secrets.”
“I’m asking.”
Go Mi fell silent. Yi Hwan waited for her answer without pressing. The silence did not linger long.
“I wish to kill Mo Jae Hwang with my own hands.”
“……!”
Yi Hwan was genuinely taken aback by her unexpected words.
“The Previous Moon Master lost her life to that man’s cunning conspiracy. Dozens of warriors fell without ever drawing their blades. For that achievement, he rose to Deputy Commander of the Geumui Guard and has lived in comfort and luxury ever since, nourishing himself on their deaths.”
Go Mi’s eyes glistened faintly, but her pupils burned with a killing intent so fierce it seemed to bloom like a flower.
“You mean to have revenge?”
“Yes.”
“Then do it.”
“……!”
“I’ve decided to kill him too. If you’ve also decided to kill him, then it’s settled. Only remember—if you fail, the consequences could be grave.”
“I will stake my life to ensure no burden falls upon the General.”
“Accepted.”
Yi Hwan drained the last of his tea and rose to his feet.
“You’ll receive the information on those two at the barracks tomorrow. Sleep well.”

* * *

On the road toward the Southern Military Division.
Two riders came galloping like a whirlwind. They were messengers sent from the Imperial Palace.
Thud-thud-thud!
Shortly after, the riders reached the entrance to the Narrow Gorge and came to rest.
The rest did not last long.
Flash!
A streak of light tore through the air.
It aimed straight for one messenger’s neck. Blood should have sprayed and a head should have fallen, but the outcome was different.
Clang!
The messenger’s blade deflected the light.
The other messenger widened his stance and drew his sword. The blade sang as it transformed into a Large Sword.
Clash-clash!
Figures materialized like phantoms before the two messengers—warriors clad in Black Robes from head to foot.
They advanced toward the messengers, their blades trailing downward.
Whoosh!
Qi flowed along the steel, rippling with lethal force.
Then one of the messengers spoke.
“Did you come from the Crown Prince’s residence?”
“Now you have one more reason to die.”
A chill swept through the air around them. Yet neither messenger so much as blinked.
One of them removed his helmet.
The face revealed was Cheol Mu Ok’s.
“The General wishes to meet with you.”
“……!”
“We already knew you were here. But given the density of the forest, we deemed this disguise the swiftest approach.”
Clash-clash!
The Large Sword shifted back into a blade and slid into its sheath.
The Black Robed assassins sheathed their swords as well.
“You witnessed us killing Imperial Palace messengers?”
“We did.”
Gong Sun Tae spoke first.
“The truth is, we were lying in ambush here ourselves to kill those men. Then you suddenly appeared, and—” He drew a finger across his throat with a sharp grin.
He made the gesture with a thin smile.
The figure in the black robe finally removed his mask. The face revealed was Jang Han’s—sharp as a honed blade.
Once he removed his mask, the others did the same. All of them were much the same age, sharing a similar bearing.
Jang Han asked a question.
“Whose order was it to kill the messenger?”
“The General’s. The reason is likely the same as the Crown Prince’s motivations.”
Gong Sun Tae pressed ahead.
“The General is waiting, so shall we continue our talk as we go?”

* * *

“I greet the General.”
Yi Hwan regarded the bowing Jang Han with calm eyes. It was as if a sharpened blade had disguised itself as a man and offered a salutation.
“All of you, sit.”
Jang Han and his men took their seats across from Yi Hwan.
Cheol Mu Ok stood behind Yi Hwan.
Yi Hwan posed a question.
“Was killing the messenger your best means of buying time?”
“We merely follow His Majesty’s command.”
Yi Hwan understood that pressing further would be futile. Men with eyes like those carried convictions stronger than death itself.
The chances of extracting the answer he sought were slim to none.
“Has His Majesty recovered somewhat?”
“He is recovering swiftly.”
“That’s fortunate.”
Just then Gong Sun Tae and Song Cheon Mu entered carrying tea, and the conversation lapsed.
Jang Han watched Yi Hwan savor the tea’s aroma with a composure that struck him. Standing before him felt like standing before a mountain.
‘Is this who he truly is?’

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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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