Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Here Comes the Big One
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Deep into the night.
A group of people gathered in Su-ryeon's brothel.
From lowly street thugs to high-ranking court officials.
Their backgrounds and statuses varied wildly, but everyone gathered here shared one common goal.
Hatred for the Queen Dowager.
Toppling that wicked vixen who had ruined—or would surely ruin—their lives.
Amid these people united for that purpose, Su-ryeon spoke in a voice filled with resolve.
"Then, let us begin the final checks now."
All the events that had transpired so far.
Attacking the Queen Dowager's funding sources.
Fighting bloody battles against her loyal retainers.
And even meddling with relations to the Ming Dynasty to undermine her authority.
Su-ryeon and her followers had waged fierce, back-and-forth battles against the Queen Dowager's faction from the shadows.
And now, they had finally seized the chance to end this long struggle.
The Queen Dowager's one and only child—the king of this realm, His Majesty.
Whose health had always been frail, she was set to leave the palace temporarily for a temple to offer prayers for his well-being.
Of course, as the true power holding this country in her grip, she would be guarded by no small number of soldiers.
But compared to assaulting the palace crawling with countless troops and Royal Guards, this was practically a gift.
To seize this golden opportunity to strike at the Queen Dowager's neck, Su-ryeon and her forces had mustered every ounce of strength they could.
"The uprising begins tomorrow at this hour. At the north and west gates of the government office where the Queen Dowager will be staying."
"We've already arranged things inside. Those gates will be deserted for two shichen."
"Thank you, my lord."
"No thanks needed. Stepping up as an elder brother to avenge my younger sibling is only natural."
Minister of Finance Kim Chun-su spoke with icy fury.
Su-ryeon nodded and continued fine-tuning the details of the uprising.
"Once through the gates, head straight for where the Queen Dowager is staying."
"No matter what commotion arises, do not touch anywhere else. Time is our top priority. The Royal Guards stationed everywhere will swarm like bees soon enough, so focus solely on taking the Queen Dowager's head."
"Understood."
The preparations proceeded smoothly amid the group's unified resolve, bound by shared fury.
Of course, some were inwardly more focused on what came after killing the Queen Dowager.
But since they all harbored personal grudges, their immediate goal of witnessing her death aligned perfectly.
With the final discussions on the uprising concluded, the comrades dispersed swiftly.
After seeing them off, Su-ryeon let out a soft sigh and hurried somewhere.
A room located deep within the brothel.
As Su-ryeon arrived, a figure came into view.
Tap... Tap...
The person tapping the desk slowly with a finger, wearing a grave expression.
After cutting ties with Seong-ryong, he had become the one she trusted and relied on most in this world.
Han-seo.
Deep in serious thought, he spotted Su-ryeon and let a gentle smile grace his lips.
"Did everything go well?"
"Yes, Big Brother. All preparations are complete. Now, all that's left... is to sever the Queen Dowager's head with this sword."
Su-ryeon, gripping her father's sword, spoke in a bright voice laced with intense excitement.
At that moment.
"...Big... Brother?"
Han-seo gently grasped Su-ryeon's trembling wrist.
Looking into her face, he spoke calmly.
"...You're shaking."
"!.. B-Big... Brother..."
Su-ryeon's expression stiffened at his words.
She had been forcing cheer moments ago, but her exaggerated movements hid more than just excitement.
Anxiety and tension.
If all went well, tomorrow could truly end everything.
But if they failed...
If this uprising, into which they'd poured everything, failed,
she—and all her comrades—would lose their lives.
The fear of failure loomed larger than she'd imagined.
In the past, with nothing to lose, Su-ryeon had pursued only revenge.
But now, she had things precious to her.
The brothel family.
Her thug allies and low-ranking official comrades.
And...
A person who stirred feelings so precious and profound.
Someone she harbored deep affection for.
The thought that all of them might bleed and fall in this one gambit filled her heart with hesitation.
At that moment.
"Though I can't promise anything else... this one thing, I vow for certain."
"What... do you mean?"
As if sensing her worries,
Han-seo gently stroked her trembling hand and
spoke with unwavering conviction.
"I won't die. So don't worry about me."
"!.. Big... Brother."
"And no matter what happens, I'll protect you with these hands. On my life... I promise."
"Ah..."
It was a promise no one could guarantee.
No matter how skilled Han-seo's swordsmanship,
tomorrow they would both walk the line between life and death.
Yet,
the clear trust in his words
washed away the hesitation in Su-ryeon's heart.
"Thank you... Big Brother."
"Thanks? If anything... I should be thanking you."
Su-ryeon's voice lightened.
But Han-seo's carried a new weight, different from before.
"I'll protect you... No matter what..."
*
Oh Young-ae spoke with palpable excitement.
With the drama's true climax unfolding before her eyes, she couldn't contain her pounding heart.
It wasn't just curiosity over whether this "uprising" would succeed or fail.
It was Han-seo's long-portrayed inner turmoil.
Would he hold firm to his loyalty to the end?
Or would he betray the Queen Dowager and side with Su-ryeon?
The answer would come through this event.
And the other viewers watching with her felt the same.
Han-seo had operated on the Queen Dowager's side so far, yet created openings for Su-ryeon to escape amid it all.
Because of that, no one could predict his choice in this moment demanding a final decision.
Harboring curiosity and anticipation for the uncertain outcome,
Young-ae was about to end her live stream.
"Personally, based on everything so far, I think he'll betray the Queen Dowager in the end, but we'll have to wait for next week to confirm. See you midweek for the review..."
At that moment.
"...Huh?"
Young-ae's hand froze as she moved to close the screen.
This was due to a familiar face still on air even after the drama ended.
Dim, moody lighting.
Beneath it, a single figure stepped forward slowly.
His striking looks, shining even in the shadows—anyone watching this drama would recognize him instantly.
Chae Soo-jeong, the actress playing Han-seo.
Not in historical hanbok, but a crisp suit...
A sleek black suit.
As gentle violin music played, she walked toward somewhere.
Moments later.
Chae Soo-jeong stopped before a pillar.
She lightly touched the pillar, which rippled like a wall of water, and passed through,
flashing her signature picture-perfect smile.
Next appeared a cosmetics container in harmonious black and white.
Venaris's new product.
Boundary - Bounder
A luxury cosmetic for both men and women.
The ad ended with Chae Soo-jeong's radiant face and sweet voice, leaving a strong, concise impact.
"...Wow."
An involuntary murmur of admiration escaped her.
The ad was great, but seeing Chae Soo-jeong out of historical garb in modern attire felt refreshingly novel on its own.
Her captivating presence was the cherry on top.
Thus, leveraging the drama's hype and Chae Soo-jeong's unique aura to draw eyes,
Venaris's ad etched itself vividly into viewers' minds.
Though to those paying close attention, it left a subtle sense that something was missing.