The Red Dragon Martial Emperor - Chapter 77

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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 Martial Emperor, Chapter 77

Chapter 77 — Ambush

Peng Wu-wei had not left the barracks all day. He turned away not only those sent by Mun Chi-yong, but even his own officers when they tried to see him.
Now he was passing through the most difficult hours of his life.
‘Kill the Crown Prince? How could I possibly kill him?’
‘Why can’t brothers just live in peace? Why all this… this hunger for power?’
‘If this goes wrong, I’ll be branded a traitor.’
A storm of doubts tormented Peng Wu-wei.
What troubled him most was his affection for Yi Hwan. Though the feeling had been artificially induced by brainwashing, Peng Wu-wei — ignorant of its origin — believed his feelings genuine.
‘Damn it!’
Crunch.
Peng Wu-wei wrapped his hands around his head, anguished. He could only pray that this impossible situation — unable to refuse, unable to obey — was nothing but a nightmare.
Then it came.
“The Crown Prince is returning. He’ll reach the camp within half a day. Shouldn’t you move before then?”
A cold voice seeped through the walls like frost seeping into cracks.
But Peng Wu-wei said nothing in return.
“If you do nothing, the General-in-Chief will suffer, and so will the Peng Clan. The higher-ups will not take kindly to your failure.”
The words that followed were a clear threat.
Tremor…
His eyes, bloodshot from sleeplessness, quivered slightly. Then a fierce resolve bloomed from the depths of his pupils.
Clench.
Blood dripped from his bitten lip, and his wavering gaze turned sharp and cold in an instant.
Thump.
‘Whatever happens, happens.’

* * *

The military camp came into view in the distance.
Yi Hwan gazed upon the camp — now as familiar to him as home — and felt a strange sense of time’s passage.
‘It’s as much my birthplace as anywhere else now.’
Cheol Mu-ok ventured a question.
“Would you accept the Crown Prince’s offer to appoint you commander of the Gold Army?”
“I’m still thinking about it.”
Now it was Yi Hwan’s turn to ask.
“What do you think?”
“In my judgment, you must accept. As commander of the Gold Army, you would oversee all the major cities around the Imperial Palace. That is no trivial power, is it?”
“I agree.”
Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae, who had heard detailed accounts of the Gold Army from Go Mi, both offered their strong support.
“And you, Moon-joo — why so quiet?”
“I… ”
Go Mi trailed off, then turned the question back instead of answering directly.
“Do you intend to involve yourself in Central Politics?”
“Does accepting the position of Gold Army commander mean entering Central Politics?”
“Yes. It is a post of tremendous power. If you become commander of the Gold Army, neither the Empress nor Yi Hwang-ja will remain idle.”
“That sounds like a threat.”
“I apologize if it came across that way. I was merely stating the facts.”
“And if I were prepared to step into Central Politics?”
“Then do as you see fit.”
“If I rise to the capital, will you follow me without reservation?”
“The Crown Prince has commanded me to serve you as I would serve him. I will follow his command.”
Yi Hwan felt a bitter smile tug at his lips.
To him, it sounded like Go Mi didn’t want to follow but was being forced to because of the Crown Prince.
Yi Hwan turned his thoughts inward as he walked.
‘If I can command the Gold Army, it will surely aid my future steps. But if I must enter Central Politics as she suggests…’
Politics made him recoil.
Even in his previous life, whenever he had to make political calculations, he found himself overwhelmed. He had always preferred to settle matters by force when possible.
Whee-whine!
The wind suddenly picked up, sharp and strong.
And in the forest ahead, a flock of birds erupted into the sky.
Flutter-flutter!
It was then that Yi Hwan’s eyes shifted, almost imperceptibly.
“It seems we have guests waiting for us.”
Click.
Ju Tae and Go Mi drew their blades slightly upward. Cheol Mu-ok lowered the Great Sword from his shoulder.
Yi Hwan maintained his pace and stride as though nothing were amiss.
Ahead, the path narrowed starting some thirty paces forward. Thick-leafed branches hung down to the very center of the road—perfect cover for an ambush.
‘They mean to strike at me right under the barracks’ nose?’
Yi Hwan drew upon his inner strength as he walked.
What set him apart from other martial artists was that none could sense his rising power—a gift of the Inner Method he himself had devised.
The distance closed steadily.
The three following him kept pace without expression, hands at their sword hilts, ready to draw.
Swish!
Yi Hwan brushed aside the overhanging branch with his hand.
That was when it happened.
Whoosh!
Multiple streaks of light erupted from beyond the forest—but not aimed at Yi Hwan. They flew straight at Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae. A faint smile crossed Yi Hwan’s lips.
‘They’re more concerned with those two than with me?’
Now it was certain.
The enemy saw him as the weakest of the four. That was why they’d decided to kill Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae first.
Clang-clang-clang!
The streaking attacks bounced harmlessly off their defense. At the same moment, figures rose up from the forest.
Yi Hwan’s sleeve turned blue.
Blue River Water.
“How dare they!”
Ju Tae and Cheol Mu-ok charged forward. Go Mi quickly moved to Yi Hwan’s side, taking a defensive stance.
Crack-pop!
“Argh!”
“Ahhhhh!”
Two figures that had risen into the air met a gruesome end, their upper and lower bodies torn apart. Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae, having dispatched them without mercy, plunged into the forest.
Clang-clang-clang!
Crash-crash-crack!
“Screeeech!”
“Argh!”
From beyond the trees came successive shrieks of agony.
Yi Hwan called out a warning to Go Mi.
“Be careful.”
“Yes!”
Those who had held back from Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae’s assault now descended directly toward Yi Hwan.
Yi Hwan deflected the side of a falling blade aimed at his crown with a light tap.
Clang!
“Ugh!”
Splurt!
With a muffled cry, bone and blood sprayed from the man’s wrist.
“Pin him down!”
“Yes!”
Go Mi ruthlessly severed the reeling attacker’s legs. Yi Hwan turned the man’s own blade toward another assailant’s waist, but two more came at him from both sides, forcing him to retreat using his Stepping Technique.
Thud-thud!
Dust erupted where he had stood. Yi Hwan unleashed a Palm Force into the cloud. The earth torn up by the force flew toward the two attackers.
Their vision obscured for a moment?
The attackers moved left and right, searching for him. But it was already too late.
Thump!
“Ugh!”
A blade released from Yi Hwan’s hand pierced one attacker’s skull. Simultaneously, Blue Light engulfed another’s head, and with a wet sound, it vanished—utterly obliterated.
Splatter-splatter!
Brains and blood spattered to the ground.
Yi Hwan descended upon that spot.
‘I’ve made reasonable progress.’
Yi Hwan was satisfied with his current state. Now he commanded roughly eighty percent of his full strength. At this level, he had confidence he wouldn’t perish against anyone under heaven.
“Are you certain you’re all right?”
“I’m fine. Just stay focused until this ends.”
“Yes.”
Yi Hwan stared into the forest where screams and flashes of light collided. Go Mi watched him from beside the one she had captured, her eyes wide with shock.
The martial prowess Yi Hwan had just displayed was enough to astonish anyone. More remarkable still was that he hadn’t even drawn his sword.
“Argh!”
“Gaaaah!”
Desperate death cries shook the forest.
Then silence fell. Go Mi waited tensely for Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae to emerge.
How many blinks of an eye passed before they appeared?
Whoosh!
The undergrowth stirred, and a figure broke through. It was Cheol Mu-ok. He looked like a demon fresh from hell itself.
Blood covered him so thoroughly that with each step, clots fell from his body. But Ju Tae was nowhere to be seen.
Go Mi’s face hardened.
‘Surely not….’
Then it happened.
From a spot nearby, Ju Tae suddenly appeared. He too was drenched in blood as heavily as Cheol Mu-ok.
Both men bowed their heads toward Yi Hwan.
“All targets have been eliminated.”
“No one escaped?”
“None, sir.”
Yi Hwan slowly turned toward the man who lay gasping in agony, his wrist shattered and one leg severed.
Go Mi first examined the condition of Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae. But they were so drenched in blood that she couldn’t determine whether their bodies were intact or wounded.
“Are you hurt?”
“What a disheartening thing to ask.”
“This isn’t my blood.”
“Are you unhurt?”
“I barely did anything, so of course I’m fine.”
“Then step out of sight for a moment.”
“……What?”
“It won’t look pleasant.”
Go Mi didn’t understand at first. But she quickly grasped his meaning and spoke with resolve in her eyes.
“It’s all right.”

* * *

Not long after the interrogation began, Go Mi turned her head away.
The man held out to the end, and Yi Hwan did not relent. He employed the simplest and most violent method available.
Though it took time, such an approach proved crueler than any torture technique known to the world, more certain to break a man’s will entirely.
Soon enough, Yi Hwan extracted the answer he sought.
“Chaek-sa… Chaek-sa ordered the… the Crown Prince to be killed.”
“You mean Yi Hwang-ja’s Chaek-sa?”
“……Yes.”
“Was Peng Wu-wei involved?”
“Truthfully, I’m uncertain. Since receiving the letter, he hasn’t left the Barracks for two days.”
Had he resigned himself to fate?
The rogue spoke freely now.
Yi Hwan thought of Peng Wu-wei.
‘If he were involved, this would become a very difficult battle.’
Yi Hwan turned to look at Go Mi.
She shivered at that moment. It was because Yi Hwan’s eyes held not a trace of emotion.
“Do you have any intelligence on Yi Hwang-ja’s Chaek-sa?”
“He’s difficult to approach at all. For now, we have almost no information. I apologize.”
“Then start gathering proper intelligence from today forward.”
“Understood.”
Slice!
Ju Tae severed the rogue’s neck.
Cheol Mu-ok spoke up.
“What will you do about the men in the barracks?”
“A pointless question.”
“I’ll kill them all.”
Yi Hwan stepped forward with purpose.
Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae exchanged glances, their brows drawing together slightly.
‘He’s genuinely furious, isn’t he?’
‘Seems so.’
Go Mi, meanwhile, watched Yi Hwan’s retreating figure with poorly concealed anxiety.
‘Men sent to kill us are waiting in there, and he’s just going to walk in blind like this?’
As she moved to protest, Yi Hwan stopped in his tracks.
“The three of you—head to the barracks and wait there. Remember: no one must know you’ve entered.”
“Only us, then?”
“I have somewhere else to be first. There’s nothing to worry about, so just stay in the barracks and look after those men.”
“Understood.”
Pop!
Yi Hwan launched himself skyward, striking the ground with explosive force.
The three watched his figure vanish beyond the forest, their faces grave.
“So it’s almost certain now?”
“You mean the post of commander of the Gold Army?”
“I haven’t served him long, but one thing I’ve noticed with absolute certainty—he never backs down from a fight once it’s brought to him.”
Chuckle.
“Has anyone ever challenged him first?”
“That so?”
“It’s always him who strikes first. Always him who achieves the perfect ending he desires. This situation will likely be no different.”
Grin.
Ju Tae bared his teeth in a smile.
“This just keeps getting more entertaining, doesn’t it? Heh-heh-heh.”
“You seem to be enjoying yourself.”
“The life I’ve lived until now was so dreadfully dull.”

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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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