The Red Dragon Martial Emperor - Chapter 44

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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 Rulebook, Chapter 44

Chapter 44 — The Wanderer Who Sought Out the Southern Army Legion

Zhao Kingdom remained still, making no move.
This gave Yeon Kingdom the precious time to construct their military camp and reinforce their defensive positions with deliberate care.
Then came the day everything changed.
Amid the fragile peace that could shatter at any moment, the guests Lee Hwan had been waiting for finally arrived.
It was Cheol Moo-ok’s Branch.
Lee Hwan met them not in the military camp but in the city. Though their numbers were modest, their presence was reassuring.
Until suitable quarters could be arranged, he rented an entire inn in the city for them to occupy.
Meanwhile, Peng Moo-wei, now promoted to commander, sought out Lee Hwan almost daily. Whenever the smallest obstacle arose, he would ask for counsel; and whenever he followed that counsel, all matters flourished.
As a result, Peng Moo-wei’s trust in Lee Hwan was becoming absolute.
It was a perfect success of brainwashing. Thanks to this, Lee Hwan no longer needed to use the concealment drug.

* * *

It was early evening, as the sun began its descent.
Song Hui and the others returned to their barracks after training, their bodies releasing waves of steam from the exertion of sweat.
These were days of brutal training. All of them endured with grim determination, and as time passed, their very gaze grew sharper.
The one showing the fastest growth was Song Cheon-moo. His exceptional comprehension and martial power were bearing fruit.
“Have you memorized the Gugyeol?”
“Yes. I’m currently focused on applying it in practice.”
Lee Hwan had taken the Imperial Palace Secret Technique he received from Crown Prince Lee So and woven it with his own martial arts to create new forms.
Everyone was now learning these. Only Cha Joong-kyung, whose injuries had not yet fully healed, remained unable to train with them.
Soon after, everyone gathered in one place and began their meal.
Gong-son Tae began to jest.
“My! It seems the dishes grow more splendid each day! At this rate, they rival a royal banquet!”
The dishes were indeed magnificent. This was thanks to Peng Moo-wei, smitten with Lee Hwan, who supplied every fine ingredient he could procure.
While the meal was in full progress, Go Mi arrived.
“Have you eaten?”
“Yes, we’ve just finished.”
Go Mi held out a bamboo letter tube.
“It’s from the Crown Prince’s Palace.”
Lee Hwan opened the tube and withdrew the letter. Seeing his brow furrow slightly, Song Hui asked:
“Is it ill news?”
“They found the wanderer but let him escape.”
“What? How did that happen……!”
Smack!
Gong-son Tae raised his voice but was struck on the head by Cheol Moo-ok.
Cheol Moo-ok asked:
“When did this occur?”
“About six days ago, it seems.”
Lee Hwan read the letter once more, regretting the loss. Cheol Moo-ok and Gong-son Tae were clearly disheartened as well.
Go Mi brought up another matter.
“A major clash broke out between Qin Kingdom and Zhao Kingdom north of Guizhou, in Jing’an. Casualties on both sides numbered in the tens of thousands—a substantial conflict. A portion of Zhao’s forces withdrew several days ago, likely due to this same incident.”
“Wow! Tens of thousands? That’s nearly war-scale! Which side prevailed?”
“Must you meddle in everything?”
Smack!
“Oof!”
Cheol Moo-ok struck Gong-son Tae’s head once more.
Lee Hwan asked:
“How many withdrew at that time?”
“We estimate approximately ten thousand.”
Several days prior, soldiers had been observed slipping away from Zhao’s military camp. At the time, heated disagreement arose among the commanders—some urged an immediate attack, while others opposed it.
But when Lee Hwan voiced his objection, no further dispute ensued.
Lee Hwan fixed his gaze on Go Mi and asked:
“Is Qin Kingdom conducting espionage operations as well?”
“Yes. Not quite to the extent of Zhao Kingdom, but our Dongchang and Geumui Guard are both active in Qin Kingdom.”
“First, find out what caused the clash. After that, if any unusual movements are detected, report immediately.”
“Understood.”
“Cheon-moo.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Go to the kitchen and bring some meat for Go Mi.”
“Understood.”
“No, I’m fine.”
“It’s for the soldiers who’ve been working hard. Don’t refuse—take it with you.”
“…Thank you.”

* * *

Late at night.
Lee Hwan made his way to Go Mi’s quarters. Finding her alone nursing a cup of tea, she hurried to change her clothes and greet him.
“Is it too late?”
“Yes.”
……
Taken aback by such frank honesty, Lee Hwan faltered for a moment.
“I’ll prepare tea.”
Go Mi stepped outside.
‘Still hasn’t forgiven me, has she?’
A short while later, they sat across from each other.
“The meat you gave us this evening—everyone ate it with great appreciation. They’re all grateful.”
“There’s no need for gratitude. Your unit is already doing more work than anyone else.”
“Then what brings you here at such an hour?”
“I was suddenly curious about something. And there are matters I’d like to discuss.”
Lee Hwan took a sip of tea before asking directly.
“Do you have connections with Gaebang?”
“Since Gaebang operates only in Zhao Kingdom and Qin Kingdom, we have no formal ties. Though we do occasionally gather intelligence by force. In fact, the information about the clash between Zhao and Qin came from them.”
“I see.”
“But why the sudden interest in Gaebang…?”
“It’s a personal matter—difficult to explain.”
Lee Hwan quickly moved to another question.
“I’m looking to acquire an estate near the Imperial Capital—somewhere free from Dongchang and Geumui Guard’s reach.”
“That’s beyond the scope of our duties.”
“Put emphasis on ‘free from Dongchang and Geumui Guard’s reach.’ If anywhere, I’d wager you know those places better than anyone.”
Go Mi answered at once.
“There’s no such region near the Imperial Capital. The closer you are to the capital, the more active both organizations become compared to other cities.”
“Somewhere less active, then.”
Go Mi fell silent for a moment, thinking.
“The neighborhood where my family home is located is relatively less affected. It’s close to the Imperial Capital, but few nobles frequent the area, so both organizations rarely venture there unless something exceptional occurs. And there is one more place.”
“Where?”
“The region where the Princess resides.”
“Isn’t that quite a bustling area?”
“Yes. But since it’s densely packed with merchants, both organizations avoid going there recklessly. The risk of stumbling into conspiracies involving bribes is too great. Until just a few years ago, such incidents were far from rare.”
Lee Hwan let out a faint laugh.
“So they scheme against each other and strike at their rival—is that what you mean?”
“Yes. It’s been common knowledge within the palace for a long time. But why are you looking for an estate?”
“I have some people I know privately who need a place to stay. There’ll be just over ten of them, so if you know of any suitable location, I’d appreciate it.”
“I can’t promise anything, but I’ll do my best.”
A moment later, Go Mi gazed at Lee Hwan’s departing figure and let out a quiet sigh.
‘Now he’s asking me for everything under the sun?’
That was when Lee Hwan, whom she’d thought was leaving, turned back.
“Doesn’t your family home have plenty of vacant rooms? I could even pay well above the market rate.”
“That’s impossible!”
Go Mi raised her voice before she could stop herself, then quickly bowed her head in embarrassment.
“Forgive me. I didn’t mean to.”
“Don’t mind it—I was just testing. See you tomorrow, then.”
Go Mi watched Lee Hwan’s receding figure, her brow furrowed.
‘At first it was decent enough, but lately it seems to be getting worse.’

* * *

Lee Hwan and Cheol Moo-ok sat facing each other.
Cheol Moo-ok’s eyes widened.
“You’re establishing a residence near the Imperial Capital?”
“Why do you react that way?”
“Didn’t you say you’d build your power base in the Southern Army Legion?”
“I said I’d build a power base, but I never said it would be in the Southern Army Legion, did I?”
“It seems I misheard. But why near the Imperial Capital? Proximity to the capital would only invite complications.”
“If I’m to properly help the Crown Prince ascend to the throne, being as close to the Imperial Capital as possible serves us best. And I want to give your Branch a better life than what you’ve endured—living in the shadows, bound by chains of fate.”
At those words, Cheol Moo-ok’s eyes trembled.
“……Thank you.”
“Keep that in mind for now.”
“Yes. Please rest well.”

* * *

Cheol Moo-ok stepped out into the courtyard.
He felt pleased by Lee Hwan’s consideration toward his Branch.
‘Everyone will be glad to hear it.’
All of them had lived in shadow, enduring hardship without end. To live while concealing one’s status and abilities so thoroughly—nothing was harder than that.
“Sigh…….”
Cheol Moo-ok looked up at the night sky and released a long breath. Then, in an instant, his gaze sharpened, and he stared intently at the forest ahead.
‘Someone was there?’
He’d clearly seen a figure standing atop a towering tree. But when he looked again, it had vanished.
‘Did Zhao Kingdom send another Killing Squad?’
Just then, the door opened and Gong-son Tae stepped outside.
Creak.
“What are you doing out here?”
“Tae.”
“Yes?”
“Tonight we need to guard the commander’s quarters carefully. I’ll keep watch outside—you stay alert within.”
“Did Zhao Kingdom send another Killing Squad?”
“I thought I saw someone in the forest. Something feels off.”
“Understood.”

* * *

Whoosh.
The forest, unable to withstand the wind, swayed back and forth. Nang-in’s body, balanced on the slender branches, rocked along with it.
‘Watching from there—how impressive.’
He’d nearly been discovered. Had he not ducked behind the branch in that split second, he would have been exposed.
‘That’s the Fourth Prince’s command tent. So that man is the Fourth Prince’s guard…….’
Nang-in observed Cheol Moo-ok for a moment—the way he sat in a chair in the courtyard with a sword cradled against his chest—then shifted his gaze to the perimeter of the tent.
Torches burned in places, and soldiers maintained an airtight watch around the grounds, but to Nang-in’s eyes they looked like scarecrows.
Yet Lee Hwan’s command tent felt different. Of course, it was because of Cheol Moo-ok.
‘There’s no need to rush. Watching and waiting will be enough. My whole life has been nothing but waiting anyway.’
Nang-in leaned his back against the forking branches and pulled out a Wine bottle.
The wind was blowing from the opposite direction, so he didn’t need to worry about the smell drifting toward them.
Glug-glug!
Even as Nang-in drank, his eyes never left Cheol Moo-ok. Then a deep question settled into those two eyes that carried a cynical air.
‘Only those I taught the Tal-hon-gi to know my face. Which means there’s someone near the Fourth Prince to whom I taught the Tal-hon-gi…….’
Otherwise, there would be no way to create the Yong-mo-pa-gi. The real question was: why was the Fourth Prince searching for him? And to think they’d even mobilized the Dongchang.
‘If it’s because of Tal-hon-gi, then he’s either an enemy or an ally.’
Glug-glug!
Nang-in’s gaze grew still and quiet.
‘If enemy, even the Emperor’s son must fall.’
Whee-ing!
Whoosh!

* * *

The dawn was unusually crimson today.
The world wrapped in that spreading light resembled a single massive red flower.
Lee Hwan began his morning as he always did — with tea.
With the weather grown warmer, sitting outdoors to drink it felt like the greatest indulgence imaginable.
Steam rose from the cup, obscuring his view. He gazed through the haze at the forest across the way.
‘Zhao Kingdom is targeting me?’
A moment ago, Cheol Moo-ok had mentioned that there might be an assassin from Zhao Kingdom in the forest opposite them.
But he’d conducted no search. If they were truly an assassin, they wouldn’t still be here.
‘Officially, I remain an incompetent general. Yet they would come after me?’
The possibility suddenly occurred to him that information about himself might have leaked to Zhao Kingdom’s side.
That would be serious indeed — it meant there was an enemy spy among their own forces.
‘Even so, with Qin Kingdom pressing down on them, would they really dispatch assassins? Or rather, was there anyone worth hunting — not me, but “that one”?’
No matter how hard he searched his memory, no likely candidate came to mind. The only place that nagged at him was the Yeongho Clan.
Having lost their leader, they surely harbored some resentment.
Lee Hwan’s gaze drifted slowly toward the Yeongho Clan’s encampment.
Just then, Jang Han emerged and bowed his head toward Lee Hwan — the one now leading the Yeongho Clan in place of the slain Yeong-ho Choong.
‘They lack the nerve for such a thing.’
Lee Hwan set the matter aside and savored his tea at leisure.
‘If they show weakness, they’ll come of their own accord.’

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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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