The Red Dragon Martial Emperor - Chapter 49

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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 49

Chapter 49 – Sangjun Guest House

There were eyes watching the place where a tide of blood and wind swept through.
It was Ronin, who had been pursuing Yi Hwan.
‘This makes no sense. He slipped out of the military camp in disguise, and now he’s masked, doing something like this?’
He never took his eyes off Yi Hwan. Already, disappointment was gathering in his gaze.
‘Is he not one of our people?’
The man he was searching for could never do such a thing. It would be a betrayal of his ancestors’ honor.
‘No. Those being attacked could be villains. It’s too early to judge.’
The moment he hesitated in his judgment, Yi Hwan and Chul Mu-ok, who had been fighting well, suddenly vanished into the forest, and Ronin’s brow furrowed.
‘After going this far, he simply leaves without dealing with the man who appears to be the leader of the group?’
Deep suspicion settled into his eyes, replacing the disappointment that had been there.
Ronin stared at the forest where Yi Hwan and Chul Mu-ok had disappeared, then faded from sight like a phantom.

* * *

Yi Hwan and Chul Mu-ok watched Wang Ji-gyeong’s party hurrying away. Chul Mu-ok gazed at Yi Hwan’s profile, his eyes becoming calm and measured.
‘So he was indeed hiding his true strength.’
Today’s Yi Hwan was far more powerful than before. Even facing the Master Hukbaek-Isgeom, his breathing remained as peaceful as a child’s.
Chul Mu-ok, unaware that Yi Hwan was gradually recovering his power, could only come to this conclusion.
“Do you think he’ll move as planned?”
“Having tasted a terror worse than death, he will surely do exactly that.”
“But why did you ask me to show exhaustion on purpose?”
“We need justification for leaving Wang Ji-gyeong behind. If we simply walked away unscathed, he’d grow suspicious, and suspicion breeds variables.”
Chul Mu-ok didn’t immediately grasp the meaning of Yi Hwan’s words.
Yi Hwan removed his mask and turned to leave.
“Let’s go now.”
“Yes.”

* * *

Go Mi handed over a sheet of paper.
“The owner of the Sangjun Guest House has been introducing Murim Masters to Wang Ji-gyeong. He’s a former Master from an Evil Sect, and it was he who connected us with Hukbaek-Isgeom.”
“So he arranges introductions and takes a cut. That’s how it works.”
“Yes. Wang Ji-gyeong has been doing business with him for a long time. If we go through him, it should work.”
“Does the owner perhaps broker Murim Masters to other powerful families as well?”
“Yes. The Sangjun Guest House originally serves as a place where Murim Masters are introduced to work. The stronger the Master, the more money he receives and the more powerful the family he’s sent to.”
As Yi Hwan listened, he felt a bitter ache wondering how things had come to this for the Murim Masters.
“Well done.”
“But did you really kill Hukbaek-Isgeom?”
“Otherwise I wouldn’t be speaking with you right now, would I?”
Go Mi was inwardly shocked.
According to the information she had gathered, Hukbaek-Isgeom was an extraordinary Master. Yet Yi Hwan and Chul Mu-ok, the two of them alone, had killed such a Master.
Not to mention the other guards—nearly twenty in total.
‘I knew he was hiding his strength, but I never imagined he was this formidable.’
“Wolju.”
“Yes?”
“Are you staying?”
“Ah! Then I’ll take my leave.”
Once Go Mi left, Yi Hwan immediately sank into a bathtub filled with hot water.
Splash!
‘I’ve grown reasonably stronger, but…’
Every muscle in his body ached.
Especially his right arm, the one that had wielded the blade—each movement sent pain shooting through the muscles. He was growing stronger day by day, but he still lacked the capacity to fully command his own strength.
Yi Hwan lay back in the water.
He savored the warmth and cultivated the Sim-beop while his muscles gradually loosened.
‘Not bad at all.’

* * *

The Sangjun Guest House cut an impressive figure in the city. Its chef had genuine skill, which meant business thrived, and a recent renovation had left it gleaming with a polish that caught the eye.
Today, like most days, it bustled with patrons.
What stood out was how many of them bore the look of Murim folk—far more than you’d find in other establishments.
Yi Hwan and Chul Mu-ok stepped inside.
“Welcome!”
“Take us somewhere quiet.”
“Right away, sirs! Please follow me!”
The two climbed the stairs after their guide. Yi Hwan spoke to him with casual interest.
“I’ve heard this place helps people in the Murim find work. Is that true?”
“Are you here looking for employment?”
“Just answer the question.”
“Yes, sirs. If that’s what brought you, you’ve come to the right place.”
“Who do I need to meet?”
“If you’ll fill out an introduction form first, I’ll pass it along to the innkeeper.”
“So the innkeeper decides whether to see us based on a form?”
“Yes. So many people come through each day, we have no choice. Ah, this way, please.”
Yi Hwan and Chul Mu-ok were shown to a table by the window. Once seated, they surveyed the common room and spotted a fair number of people radiating formidable presence.
Some had brought brush, paper, and ink, and were busily writing something.
“Shall I bring you writing supplies?”
“Never mind. Go tell your master this: there are people waiting who’d regret letting us slip away.”
“But surely you need to fill out a form—”
Jeom So-i faltered and snapped his mouth shut. The killing edge in Chul Mu-ok’s gaze had crushed the words from him.
“Bring two bottles of Geum-jon-cheong and whatever your kitchen does best.”
“Understood.”
Jeom So-i fled downstairs as if chased.
Chul Mu-ok asked quietly.
“Do you think the innkeeper will see us?”
“He’ll come. Guaranteed.”
“What makes you so certain?”
“That boy Jeom So-i—he’s got some skill. And he just shriveled like a monkey under your stare. He’ll deliver the message properly. If the innkeeper doesn’t show, well, I’ll just pick someone in here and give a quick demonstration of what we can do.”
Chul Mu-ok smiled faintly.
He always spoke this way—casual remarks tossed out—but there was no fat on any of it.
“How much are you asking for?”
“Hukbaek-Isgeom was drawing five thousand taels a month. We should open at ten thousand, minimum.”
“Do you think Wang Ji-gyeong can pay that?”
“I told you already. He’s tasted fear worse than death. He’ll do whatever we ask. Though we’ll need to prove we’re better than Hukbaek-Isgeom first.”
“Hah.”
“What’s funny?”
“The way you say things so offhandedly—there’s nothing wasted in it. I find that remarkable.”
A soft laugh.
Jeom So-i returned with the liquor first.
He hadn’t brought the writing supplies.
“You there.”
“Yes?”
“Of the people who’ve come recently, who’s the strongest?”
“Well… Hukbaek-Isgeom has been here, and Sangsan Hyeoldo as well… but in my humble opinion, Hukbaek-Isgeom is probably the strongest. They’re both quite famous, after all.”
From the casual way he spoke, news of Hukbaek-Isgeom’s death hadn’t reached the inn yet.
“Have you told your master?”
“Yes, I’ve passed the word along.”
“Tell him again. Say if he doesn’t come by the time we’re finished eating, we’re leaving.”
“Yes, I’ll convey that.”
Jeom So-i departed.
A soft glug of liquid.
Chul Mu-ok poured wine into Yi Hwan’s cup and asked.
“When do you plan to visit the princess?”
“Once I’ve finished matters here.”
“Don’t you want to see?”
“Just drink.”
……

* * *

There were eyes watching Yi Hwan and Chul Mu-ok.
A middle-aged man with a goat’s beard and a large mole on his face. He was the proprietor of the Sangjun Guest House.
His appearance was unremarkable, but he had once been a Master of the Evil Sect with considerable renown.
“Hmm. The atmosphere does seem convincing enough.”
“The one sitting with his back turned doesn’t seem ordinary. His eyes are just… well.”
Jeom So-i gestured toward Chul Mu-ok’s back, shuddering.
The middle-aged man furrowed his brow and murmured.
“I’ve been fooled by appearances like that more than once…”
“This time, trust my instinct just once. I stake my word on it—of all the people I’ve met in my life, in terms of eyes alone, he’s the genuine article. Masters speak through their eyes, don’t they?”
“This fool exaggerates.”
“I’m serious. Just trust me this once?”
“How could I trust your eyes? There’s nothing for it but to test him like last time.”
“And what if people die like last time? The authorities won’t overlook it.”
“Wang Ji-gyeong is here—what’s there to worry about? He’ll handle everything afterward, so stop your noise and get downstairs.”
Once Jeom So-i had left, the middle-aged man fixed his gaze on Yi Hwan and Chul Mu-ok, his eyes turning cold.
‘If he’d just hit the jackpot like Hukbaek-Isgeom…’

* * *

“Qin State sent so many Murim masters that Zhao State got utterly demolished, or so I heard.”
“I heard that too. They say the Namgung Clan, the representative martial family of Qin State, made a move. I’m worried this might escalate into an all-out war. Qin State had been quiet for a long time, and then suddenly attacking Zhao State like that—something about it feels wrong.”
“You think it’ll spread into full-scale conflict? It’s probably just some chance collision.”
Yi Hwan listened quietly to the conversation at the nearby table. They were talking about the clash between the two states in Gui Province. As they said, Qin State had restrained its military movements for a long time. Now, suddenly striking Zhao State first, they had drawn the attention of everyone under heaven. What caught Yi Hwan’s ear was the Namgung Clan.
The Namgung Clan had been counted as the foremost of the Five Great Families in his era.
‘Strange. The martial schools and families we ruled still flourish intact, yet Dae-ya Castle has fallen.’
Yi Hwan asked Chul Mu-ok.
“Do you know anything about the Namgung Clan?”
“I’ve scarcely visited Qin State. Since the Namgung Clan has been nearly inactive until recently, I’ve only heard rumors about them.”
“What are they saying?”
“That a Genius of the Ages appeared in the Namgung Clan. Already in his youth, he surpassed the Peak, and I’ve heard rumors that the Emperor of Qin wishes to make him an Imperial Son-in-Law. If it’s true, it would be an extraordinary event. The Emperor of Qin has only one princess.”
It was astounding.
There was no precedent in history for an emperor taking a Murim master as an Imperial Son-in-Law. Even if one were a master of the highest caliber, to those who wielded power, Murim masters were little different from commoners.
Let alone an emperor.
‘That man back then was truly remarkable as well.’
Yi Hwan recalled the Namgung Clan Master from his own era, the one called the Sword God. He had been the first to defeat that man who wielded the Mujeok-haeng. Afterward, Yi Hwan rose to become a great master of all under heaven, and the Namgung Clan Master took his own life.
Splash.
Chul Mu-ok filled Yi Hwan’s cup with wine.
Yi Hwan turned his gaze away from his cup when he noticed people entering on the fourth floor.
Two sturdy-looking men in blue and black robes.
They approached and took seats at the table beside Yi Hwan. The problem was that they had walked over staring directly at him.
Chul Mu-ok, sitting with his back turned, hadn’t noticed this fact.
Yi Hwan quietly sipped his wine.
Just as he was reaching for a piece of food.
“Hey, you there.”
The Blue-robed Man called to Yi Hwan.
Yi Hwan fixed his gaze on the Blue-robed Man. Chul Mu-ok turned his head at last.
The Blue-robed Man swept his eyes over both of them and asked.
“How’s that dish? Worth eating? This is our first time at this guest house.”
Chul Mu-ok’s eyes turned sharp.
Then Yi Hwan sent a transmission.
[They’re testing our skills.]
Chul Mu-ok looked at Yi Hwan with a confused expression. Yi Hwan continued.
[Beat them senseless, but don’t kill them.]
[Understood.]
Chul Mu-ok drained his cup and rose to his feet.
The Blue-robed Man smiled with a faint smirk.
“What? Bothered by a little informality?”
Chul Mu-ok picked up a single chopstick and walked toward the Blue-robed Man. As the mood shifted, everyone in the room turned their attention toward them.
“You’re going to stab me with that chopstick? Think that’ll work? Why don’t you just draw your sword? Hehehehe.”
“This will be enough.”
The Black-robed Man stepped forward.
“You’re young but full of pride. Listen here, boy. Keep that up and you’ll lose your hand.”
“That won’t happen.”

* * *

Pour.
Clink.
Yi Hwan tilted his cup to his lips without a word.
But his eyes remained fixed beyond the entrance, where a middle-aged man stood watching with keen anticipation.
Yi Hwan had seen it.
When the two masters entered, that man had exchanged a knowing glance with them.
‘This will be settled far more easily than writing a letter of introduction.’
Pour.

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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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