Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: Unexpected Gift
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The news that the Doppelganger Legion, including the Dark Knight, had been completely annihilated by the allied forces of the Balhae, Goryeo, and Yongho Guilds struck the entire Atlantis dimension like a thunderbolt.
The Yongho Guild had discovered the Doppelganger Legion's hideout and launched a surprise attack.
The Dark Knight, along with the Balhae and Goryeo Guilds, responded to the support request and arrived to successfully subjugate the Doppelganger Legion.
The Balhae, Goryeo, and Yongho Guilds made a huge public announcement about this fact.
-Dark Knight really is something else.
-Yeah, I heard that in the Mulan Kingdom, they blocked a demon invasion, but a ton of named players and rankers died in droves.
-That's why the Dark Knight's leader received a divine title.
-Balhae, Goryeo, and Yongho Guilds are impressive too.
-Of course. It's like a secret organization and three massive guilds driving back the demons.
Naturally, the prestige of the Dark Knight, Balhae, Goryeo, and Yongho Guilds soared dramatically.
-But what the hell was the Rokto Empire's subjugation force doing?
-Well, they must have at least cheered them on.
-No, they say they were on the move during the battle.
-But the subjugation ended while they were still moving.
-Were they scared to fight the demons and dragging their feet on purpose?
-Could be.
In contrast, the Rokto Empire's subjugation force couldn't avoid a massive humiliation.
But the Rokto Empire's subjugation force was truly wronged.
Far from going slowly on purpose, they had moved as fast as possible right after receiving the support request.
The battle had concluded during their transit via the spatial transfer gate.
-If the Rokto Empire's subjugation force had arrived just a little faster, the Dragon King and Tiger King might have survived.
-Yeah, for real.
-What a shame.
Sacrifices were inevitable in subjugating demons.
The greatest sacrifice came from the Yongho Guild.
They suffered devastating losses, with the guild master, vice guild master, and a huge number of executives wiped out.
There were surviving executives, but not enough.
They lacked both the reputation and the capability to maintain the massive bulk of the Yongho Guild.
Many pitied the Yongho Guild.
They hailed them as heroes.
But that didn't solve the guild's problems.
In the end, the Yongho Guild.
Plunged into massive chaos.
* * *
'It worked.'
Kang Hyun-soo had disguised his summons—the Doppelganger King Taliman and the top-grade doppelgangers—as Yongho Guild executives and infiltrated them.
He had worried they might get caught.
But true to form as the Doppelganger King and top-grade doppelgangers, they perfectly played their roles.
'Now I just need to break them into pieces.'
Kang Hyun-soo hadn't sent the doppelgangers disguised as executives into the Yongho Guild to preserve and control it.
'No point, and no need.'
The Yongho Guild's level had plummeted with its leadership wiped out.
But its bloated size remained the same.
'It could be normalized with time and money poured in.'
But there was no need to bother.
Tying down the Doppelganger King and doppelgangers in the Yongho Guild was inefficient.
Even if normalized, managing a weakened mega-guild was a full-time job in itself.
'It's different from the Zhonghua Guild.'
The Zhonghua Guild had a usable pawn in Jin Gu-pyeong.
'As the test case, it got tons of support from various countries.'
But the Yongho Guild had no such luck.
Decisively.
'The Zhonghua Guild would have slipped from my grasp without my direct oversight.'
It probably would have been torn apart and absorbed by the Mightor Kingdom army or another mega-guild like the Gold Guild or Red Flower Guild.
However.
The Yongho Guild wouldn't face that.
Because Kang Hyun-soo had.
'The Balhae Guild and Goryeo Guild.'
If he used the doppelgangers to incite division and shatter the Yongho Guild into pieces?
'The Balhae and Goryeo Guilds would scoop up the scraps themselves.'
The doppelgangers disguised as Yongho Guild executives just needed to prevent those pieces from being absorbed by other guilds or the Terra Kingdom army.
'And the rumors about the clash between the Yongho Guild and Doppelganger Legion have spread nicely.'
The Dark King Cecilia's power played a big role.
From the perspective of the Four Dukes' Orpheus or other demon king subordinates.
'It must be confusing as hell.'
After all, it was like allies killing each other.
'Get even more confused.'
And.
'Spread the word upward.'
Then?
The Yongho Guild's backers and the Doppelganger Legion's backers.
'Would have no choice but to suspect each other.'
For Kang Hyun-soo, it meant he'd achieved his goal perfectly.
'Well, things got a bit tangled.'
Kang Hyun-soo had planned to meet the Crimson Flame Emperor Dorchov directly after the doppelganger subjugation and persuade him to join his ranks.
'The Crimson Flame Emperor Dorchov keeps holding onto his current title even later on.'
He hadn't obtained a divine title.
But what mattered was that his skills hadn't regressed or stagnated—he'd steadily grown to maintain his fame.
'Decisively, he's also been the representative for Earth-origin players.'
A mega-guild master.
A top-tier named player with the Crimson Flame Emperor title.
If he'd only cared about living well himself?
He could have done so easily.
But he hadn't.
'He openly opposed the Rokto Empire's imperial family, knowing it would hurt, all for the rights of Earth-origin players.'
Maybe he was nosy, or overflowing with a sense of justice.
Some might mock him as a fool.
But Kang Hyun-soo liked that about him.
Before regression.
'I received no small help from him.'
He'd planned to recruit him through persuasion into his ranks.
Or at least form a loose alliance and support his actions.
'Didn't expect him to return this soon.'
Now, the only way for Kang Hyun-soo to meet the Crimson Flame Emperor Dorchov was to go to the Rokto Empire himself.
'A natural meeting would be ideal.'
Still, he'd mentioned during their first meeting that he'd visit again later.
'It won't feel too forced.'
It might burden the Crimson Flame Emperor Dorchov for Kang Hyun-soo to show up.
'But recruiting the Crimson Flame Emperor Dorchov is simple.'
Just fulfill what he'd desperately wanted before regression.
'If it goes well, I might even get him under my command.'
Even if not, he could establish a cooperative or allied relationship.
'Time to deal with those two.'
Hwang So-wook and Shin So-hee.
He'd been too busy cleaning up the doppelgangers to do more than monitor and investigate them.
Now it was time to handle them.
But then.
-My lord, it's Cecilia.
A sudden call from the Dark King Cecilia.
-What is it?
-Emperor Rodius I of the Rokto Empire has formally invited you.
-A formal invitation?
-Yes. He wishes a private audience with the Dark Knight's leader, the Blood God Slayer.
-A private audience?
Kang Hyun-soo's expression hardened.
'No reason for him to want to meet me one-on-one.'
Until now, Kang Hyun-soo had continuously exchanged with Rodius I through his summons.
Unless there was a special reason.
'No need for him to meet me in person.'
Moreover, a private audience with the emperor wasn't for just anyone.
The emperor wasn't merely an individual—he was the empire's supreme power.
Even with impeccable status, assassination risks made private audiences nearly impossible.
Having a private audience with the emperor.
'Meant absolute trust.'
In other words, a private audience with Rokto Empire's Emperor Rodius I was itself a form of power.
'And he sends a formal invitation?'
That was as good as bolstering the Dark Knight's strength.
-The date?
-Tomorrow.
-That's too soon.
-It seems Rodius I doesn't have much time left.
Hearing Cecilia's words, Kang Hyun-soo quickly grasped the situation.
'His health must be failing.'
Before regression, Rodius I would die in a few months from now.
Naturally.
'It wouldn't be strange if he's already on his deathbed.'
The butterfly effect from meeting Kang Hyun-soo couldn't be ignored.
'The emperor, who should have spent his final days in peace, clashed head-on with Duke Opgong.'
That must have drained his physical and mental strength considerably.
'And he even gave me the Robust Ring.'
As the Great Rokto Empire's emperor, he'd surely obtained a replacement.
'But as an EX-Rank item, it must have taken months.'
Given his advanced age.
That mere gap of months could have worsened Rodius I's health.
'He might die even sooner than before regression.'
This couldn't be delayed.
-Tell him I'll go.
-Understood. But you plan to go in person?
Since first meeting Rodius I, Kang Hyun-soo had only dealt with the Rokto Empire through summons.
But this time.
'Better to go myself.'
The Great Rokto Empire's Emperor Rodius I had formally requested his direct presence.
'Something tells me it won't end with just a ring like before.'
He sensed there would be rewards only obtainable by the player going in person, not a summon.
-That's the plan.
-There's a low chance, but it could be dangerous.
-For me? Or the emperor?
At Kang Hyun-soo's question.
-I spoke out of turn.
The Dark King Cecilia quickly acknowledged her mistake.
If it were a trap, even by a slim chance?
It would be a massive disaster for the Rokto Empire.
If Kang Hyun-soo clashed with the Rokto Empire?
'Leveling the imperial palace and cutting off the emperor's lifeline would be entirely possible.'
He could summon the Dragon Demon, Doppelganger King, Fist Emperor, Martial Sovereign, Mulan's Guardian Star, Blade King, Flame Knight, Demon of Mass Slaughter, Tiger King, Dragon King, Magic Knight, One-Kill Fist, Sword Ghost, Hungry Ghost, and more at any time.
Additionally, he could mobilize the Benevolent Army King Shin Chang-hoo, Sword King Jang Seok-won, Demon-Slaying Spear King Jin Gu-pyeong, Slaughter Emperor Song Ha-na, War Emperor, and Dark King Cecilia.
Plus, summoning the summon brigade based on high-level players, demons, and monsters?
That would bring out a force numbering 5,900.
'And that's all troops with at least 600-level player or monster combat power.'
With that?
More than enough to raze the Rokto Empire's capital.
'Well, no way that'll happen.'
From the start, the odds of Rodius I's official invitation being a trap were near zero.
Rodius I wasn't a fool—he wouldn't antagonize the Dark Knight's leader, with whom he'd built rapport.
Plus, they'd witnessed Dark Knights turning into smoke and vanishing in the palace multiple times.
'And if it were a trap to detain me, no need for an official invitation.'
A secret one would be cleaner for cleanup.
Forcibly detaining a guest formally invited by the emperor?
'Would be like dunking the Rokto Empire's face in shit.'
Even in the worst case.
Kang Hyun-soo wouldn't need to blow up the capital.
'Snatch the emperor and crown prince in a blitz, and it's done.'
Then pressure them to make their subordinate commanders?
'Easily claims the Rokto Empire.'
Reinforcements would pour in from across the empire.
But escape was simple.
Uns summon the summons.
Kang Hyun-soo himself uses Moon Shadow to slip out of the palace.
'Well, only if Rodius I strikes first.'
The crown prince Rodius II aside.
'Emperor Rodius I isn't some pushover I can just pressure into submission.'
If conflict erupted?
The Dark Knight would officially become the Rokto Empire's enemy.
And if the elderly emperor died securing him?
'An enmity to the death.'
Kang Hyun-soo had no intention of clashing with the Rokto Empire right now.
'No need to rush.'
Rodius I would die soon anyway.
'Plenty of time to act after.'
Infiltrate the palace with Moon Shadow.
'Kill the new emperor Rodius II after he ascends from crown prince, or turn him into a puppet.'
From Kang Hyun-soo's standpoint.
No need to make an enemy of the Rokto Empire while Rodius I still lived.
'No point rushing and stirring up trouble.'
Once Rodius I died anyway?
'The Rokto Empire heads straight to ruin.'
The only way to stop it.
'Cecilia ascending as the Rokto Empire's first female emperor.'
Then automatically.
'The Rokto Empire falls into my hands.'
Of course, it wouldn't be easy.
But.
'I have to make it happen.'
No matter the trials and tribulations.
Cecilia had to become the Rokto Empire's ruler.
Not just for Kang Hyun-soo's personal gain.
But for all humanity's survival.