Ambitions of the Throne
My eyes, following the clear and concise contents of the report letter written to brief my superiors, suddenly stopped at one spot.
Even so, I'd half-expected the sect leader to realize the full truth and put up some resistance—at least that much fire. Instead, the letter's unexpected contents made me tilt my head in confusion as I continued reading.
'What was the sect leader thinking, just meekly going along with the escort...?'
The letter I was reading now was a report on the outcomes inflicted on the orthodox Murim factions through the pillowside lawsuits. According to it, the main targets—the Namgung Family and Sacheon Tang Family—had already lost their family heads and heirs, and were so mired in internal political strife that when the Geumuiwi arrived, everyone was eagerly tearing into each other, cooperating to an absurd degree and allowing all measures to wrap up smoothly.
Namgung Family & Sacheon Tang Family: Family heads and heirs lost. Internal divisions rampant. Full cooperation upon Geumuiwi arrival. All procedures completed without incident.
Mudang Sect: Secret archive exposed via whistleblower. Scandal spread to visiting civilians. Uncontainable fallout. Sect leader and elders detained by Geumuiwi to resolve crisis.
As for the Mudang Sect, the existence of the secret archive—uncovered by my tip-off—had spread even to ordinary visitors, blowing up into an uncontrollable mess. To contain it, the sect leader and all the elders had been sentenced to detention by the Geumuiwi.
Recalling how, back when I was with the Mudang Sect, the sect leader had mercilessly slammed me into the dirt during our sparring match, I'd told the Geumuiwi to deliver a separate note with just the word "eviction" scrawled on it. But seeing how he'd entered qi deviation mid-escort after realizing I was behind every damn event... I could picture the old bastard flipping out in rage. A satisfied smirk tugged at my lips.
'Revenge is what matters most to a gentleman, after all. Heh heh.'
I nodded in approval, feeling like I'd landed a solid hit on that shameless sect leader who'd tried to hog all the spotlight if I hadn't been strong enough. Just then, the door burst open roughly, and an old man with fluttering snow-white beard stormed in, huffing and puffing.
His snorting breaths and murderous glare screamed he knew everything and had come for me.
Like the Cheonma, this opponent was at the extreme Fire Realm—a level I couldn't handle yet. I forced down the smirk twitching at my lip and greeted him with a calm smile.
"I've just confirmed all the results via the letter. Grand General... Truly befitting your reputation."
"..."
I tried flattering his hard work to shift the mood, but Dong Chobak, now right in front of me, just glared with those piercing eyes, doing nothing else. It was like he was silently threatening, That's not what you should be saying...
Bitter smile on my face, I quietly raised both hands.
"I didn't do anything special? Things just happened to turn out that way. You know damn well demanding anything from me won't get you answers, right?"
He'd already met Juyeonhui and heard the full story, so after twitching his lips for a moment, Dong Chobak squeezed his eyes shut, let out a rough sigh, and scratched his head irritably.
"I can't shake the feeling that everything's dancing in the palm of your hand. Goddamn it."
"Must be a misunderstanding. I'm no immortal... It's all just the natural flow of events."
"...Immortal..."
Seemed like they were spinning some weird delusions again via the Cheonma. Dong Chobak's gaze raking over me was filthy—like he'd spotted prime breeding stock.
'Did I overdo the customization...? Or is my look too alien for this era's people...? No clue.'
Fact was, as this world's true master, I could pass for a god or immortal from their perspective. No need to correct their fantasies. I just flashed a sly smile.
I didn't love their delusions, but if they were gonna hype themselves up into handing me favorable outcomes... I wasn't idiot enough to refuse.
And that lecherous stallion-staring gaze? In the end, didn't it mean they'd let me do my stallion thing?
'The imperial family is the real-life super stud farm. All for me. Heh heh.'
A nation's emperor striving to improve his bloodline was a vital duty. A talentless woman weds a genius to bear his seed; a talented but ugly man marries a kingdom-toppling beauty after centuries of "surgery." Getting to sample all the imperial women born from that...
Stud or whatever—as long as it tasted good, who cared? I willed down the stirring in my pants and spoke to Dong Chobak.
"So you just came to confirm? Like I said, nothing new from the princess's story. I've got nothing to add."
"Ho... So you share Yeonhui's view?"
"Yes."
"You aim to reach the pinnacle?"
"Yes... Yes...?'"
I nodded along to his nagging double-check, but one phrase I couldn't ignore hit my ears. Snapping my head up, I took in Dong Chobak's mischievous grin and madness-glazed eyes.
"W-what do you mean by that?"
"I've only got one bloodline to my name—Yeonhui—despite my childless curse, so I've buried it all. But our dear granddaughter lit a fire in this old man's heart, demanding the throne as her marriage condition to you."
"..."
"I'm at the peak of the Fire Realm. No one but the Cheonma—your 'lord'—stands above me. You think I relish some half-baked brat pointing fingers and screeching?"
"Hah..."
"I was ready to let it go, but Yeonhui fanned the flames. No more overlooking that whelp's antics... Heh heh."
The loyal grand general who'd once revered imperial authority and executed rebels was gone. Now Dong Chobak pleaded with gleaming eyes and flushed face.
For a moment, I wondered if this sudden shift was a test. But given his reverence for the throne and the emperor's glory, his words rang true—and his aura made my shoulders shrink. Shaking my head helplessly, I replied.
"How'd you hide that ambition all this time?"
"Hmph! All because of the Cheonma. Age bars me from surpassing him in martial arts, but strength has other paths. This is the one thing he can't do that I can. What choice do I have?"
"Impressive stamina for your age."
"...So, will you or won't you?"
He'd heard about using me and Dokgo Hwaryeon to weaken factions via Juyeonhui, sensing something bold enough to challenge the emperor. His eyes bored into me, waiting for my word.
'Emperor... Juyeonhui as empress, me or Dong Chobak as the late emperor or emperor consort?'
Never crossed my mind since she was a princess, not a prince. My heart pounded like Christmas with Santa's gifts.
Emperor. This wuxia game world centered on ancient China—the seat of absolute power. I'd been a regional lord in the apocalypse world, like a Japanese daimyo at best. Even then, I'd fucked every woman in the area and wielded unchecked power. How much more as emperor?
"Heh heh heh. No need to speak—I know your answer. That's enough. I'll take my leave. Preparations must be thorough..."
Dismissing my reply as unnecessary, he laughed heartily and vanished as swiftly as he'd come.
Alone now, his words nagged. I turned to the wall mirror—and there stood a man wearing the same expression as Dong Chobak, grinning back at me.
As one who claimed godhood, why not claim the throne?