Chapter 176
Chapter 176
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 176
Chapter Title: Return Journey (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Early morning.
As the rain stopped, Yi Hwan's group resumed their march. But the party had grown by two. They were the yellow-robed men captured the night before.
The pair's faces were twisted as if they had chewed on raw liver.
Ju Tae grinned.
"Lighten up, you bastards."
"Where are you taking us?"
"To the Yeon Kingdom."
"Just kill us! We've told you everything we know, so we're no use anymore!"
"I'd love to, but our lord needs you alive. So straighten up and march like men before I chop off an arm or two."
"……!"
The night before, the two had kept their mouths shut until torture broke them. Under unbearable agony, they had spilled everything.
The result was a shocking revelation.
They were men under Gong Ya-un, whom the Third Prince Yi Seong-ji called master. They had been dispatched to assassinate the Empress.
Thirty men in total had been deployed.
Scattered to their positions, they no longer knew who lived or died.
For Yi Hwan, it was an unexpected windfall.
'The Third Prince has finally jumped into the war of greed? Well, with that bloodline, where else would it lead?'
Yi Hwan had not yet revealed his identity. Still wearing the human skin mask, the yellow-robed men had no idea who he was.
How long had they traveled?
More corpses appeared. Companions of the yellow-robed men. Soon after, more bodies turned up—again, their comrades.
Go Mi said,
"Only corpses from one side... It seems only elites remain by the Empress's side now."
Yi Hwan nodded silently.
"Will you use them to pressure the Third Prince?"
"We'll figure out how to play this as we go. For now, once we're back, dig deeper into the Third Prince's camp than before. Especially that old fox Gong Ya-un—get the full picture."
"Understood."
One of the yellow-robed men shouted then.
"If we return to the Yeon Kingdom, our families won't escape death! Please, kill us here!"
"Kill us!"
Yi Hwan spoke calmly to the two.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure no one knows you were taken alive."
"……!"
Yi Hwan gave a glance. Ju Tae promptly struck their pressure points.
An hour later, the group crested the mountain and descended to flatland. The Moon Pavilion operative, with her weaker inner energy, was breathing heavily. The relentless climb over rain-slicked slopes had drained her.
"Let's rest a bit."
"It's because of me—I'm fine! I can keep going!"
"I'm tired. Everyone, rest."
The group took a break.
Cheol Mu-ok handed Yi Hwan some rations and said,
"We need to find a town or village first. We're low on rations and water."
"Do that."
They were still in Qin Kingdom territory. The Empress's attack had forced an unplanned route, leaving them effectively lost. At least the rain had stopped.
"Share some with those two as well."
"Yes."
Yi Hwan chewed his rations and scanned the surroundings.
Mountains loomed ahead once more. The sky above was still dark and brooding, with occasional lightning forks.
Meanwhile, the captive yellow-robed men wondered about Yi Hwan's identity. Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae, who had subdued them effortlessly, treated him with utmost respect. He was no ordinary man.
*I really hate the Empress.*
That remark fueled their suspicions.
[What if we're heading to the Imperial Palace? He speaks of Her Majesty so casually—must be highborn.]
[Seems like it. Hates the Empress, so maybe from the Crown Prince's Palace.]
[Damn it. If word gets out we're alive, our families are in danger.]
[He said no one would know. Have to trust that.]
[Hey!]
One yellow-robed man suddenly widened his eyes. The other followed his gaze and did the same.
Figures emerged from the left forest.
* * *
Yi Hwan and the others stared at the men pushing through the woods.
A yellow-robed man muttered,
"Empress's guards!"
"You're sure?"
"I saw them kill my comrades with my own eyes."
The newcomers wore different attire from the corpses. Even Hwa Ryeong hadn't recognized them as the Empress's guards.
Yi Hwan glanced at Hwa Ryeong.
She shrugged, feigning they were strangers to her too.
Cheol Mu-ok asked,
"What now?"
"They seem to be here for these two. Let's see what they do first."
Yi Hwan watched the approaching men leisurely.
Ten in total. Each exuded an uncommon air, their eyes cold as if embedded with ice.
'Why do all these villains have that same icy glare?'
The leader at the front locked eyes with Yi Hwan.
Yi Hwan didn't look away, just chewed his rations. The man glared at the two yellow-robed captives and drew his sword.
Sring.
The others drew in unison.
Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching!
"Huh."
Ju Tae smirked and drew his sword, followed by Cheol Mu-ok and the rest.
But Yi Hwan remained seated on the rock, casually munching.
The apparent leader said to him,
"Hand over those vermin."
"Does that mean you'll spare us if we do?"
"We'll consider it once identities are confirmed."
"I might've believed you if you'd said that before drawing swords."
Yi Hwan spat out his ration and rose slowly. Hwa Ryeong's voice transmission came then.
[Feels like the Empress's shadows. Be careful.]
Yi Hwan had suspected the same.
"You should reveal yourselves before demanding ours."
Sring.
Yi Hwan slowly drew his sword.
"Do you know what kind of people in the martial world die the fastest?"
"What?"
"Those blinded by arrogance, unable to gauge their foes properly. Isn't that exactly you lot?"
Twitch.
"You'll cry only when the coffin shuts."
Rustle!
At the leader's signal, the Empress's guards spread out into attack formation.
Yi Hwan advanced unfazed and asked,
"Where's the Empress?"
"……!"
The guards flinched at the sudden question.
"You don't know us, but we know you."
Sizzle.
Yi Hwan's sword gleamed with white light.
The light, writhing like a living thing around the blade, grew steadily brighter.
Go Mi frowned.
'His body's not fully recovered—why push himself like this?'
* * *
When he realized they were the Empress's guards, Yi Hwan had already decided to kill them. He planned to go all out from the start.
He couldn't underestimate the so-called Empress's shadows. If even one slipped away in the numerically disadvantaged fight to target the Moon Pavilion operatives or yellow-robed men, there'd be no stopping them.
In the worst case, the captives could be sacrificed, but the operative was invaluable—her skills were a key asset.
The issue was killing them all. If even one escaped alive, the return journey would turn perilous.
'I have to crush them overwhelmingly. That way, even if one slips away, they won't dare challenge. For the Empress's safety too.'
Flash.
Yi Hwan vanished.
The nearest leader recoiled, sliding back. Just in time—dirt erupted where he stood.
Thud!
"……!"
The leader's eyes shook violently.
It wasn't just dirt. Amid the spray fluttered a severed robe hem.
Then Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae charged. Pa Pa and Hwa Ryeong split left and right, targeting the flanks.
Clang!
Kwachik!
Go Mi swiftly moved to Yi Hwan's side. The Moon Pavilion operative held position.
One yellow-robed man yelled at her,
"Release us! We'll help fight!"
"We don't need your help. Shut up."
"You don't know how strong they are!"
"I may not know them, but I know how strong our side is all too well. So shut up and watch."
She said that, but the operative's heart raced. To her eyes, the guards looked suffocatingly powerful.
"Argh!"
The first scream came from the left.
A man dodging Pa Pa's strike had his head sent flying by Hwa Ryeong.
"Yes!"
The operative clenched her fists, cheering unwittingly.
"Die, you bastards."
* * *
Cheol Mu-ok's greatsword cleaved the foe's waist. Simultaneously, the enemy's blade grazed his shoulder.
Thud!
"Urk!"
The foe crumpled, bisected. Blood sprayed from Cheol Mu-ok's shoulder.
Flames ignited in Cheol Mu-ok's eyes.
Blood excited him. But not enough to lose reason.
Another foe lunged like lightning. Ju Tae's sword flashed first.
Thud!
The arm targeting Cheol Mu-ok flew off cleanly. Cheol Mu-ok finished him.
Smirk.
Ju Tae asked,
"Excited?"
"Scram."
"You're excited."
Then—
Kwachik!
"Arghhh!"
A man spewing blood from Yi Hwan's sword crashed before them.
Smirk.
"Still in one piece."
"Quit yapping and move."
"Focus. These bastards aren't pushovers."
Before Ju Tae finished, Cheol Mu-ok leaped toward Yi Hwan.
Ju Tae shifted to Go Mi's side.
She had just parried an incoming strike and counterattacked. Her movements, incomparable to before, drew a gasp from Ju Tae.
"Whoa!"
Boom!
But the foe blocked her counter and merely retreated a few steps. Go Mi charged.
'Reckless. Too reckless.'
Ju Tae vanished from his spot. He reappeared behind her opponent, slashing mercilessly—when—
Thud!
"Whoa!"
Ju Tae stared wide-eyed at Go Mi, nearly skewered by her blade bursting from the foe's back.
Go Mi snapped furiously,
"No time for games—focus!"
Ju Tae's eyes bulged.
'Did the Moon Lord get stronger, or was this guy the weakest?'
* * *
'She's stronger!'
Go Mi was thrilled.
In the prior clash, she had used a new technique Yi Hwan taught her. Despite her doubts, the result was astounding.
But excitement faded as shockwaves rattled her body. She gritted her teeth.
'It hurts...'
Then she spotted foes charging Yi Hwan, who was focused on another and unaware.
'Danger!'
As startled Go Mi opened her mouth to shout, Yi Hwan's sword erupted.
Boom!
"Ugh!"
"Urk!"
Amid the explosion, two screams mingled.
The attackers staggered, blood gushing from their bodies.
Go Mi rushed them without thought, aiming to finish—when Yi Hwan's hand decapitated both first.
"Toss me a sword."
"P-Pardon? Yes!"
Go Mi threw him a dead man's sword.
Snap!
Yi Hwan caught it and charged. The blade exploded again, turning another into a pincushion.
Boom!
"Arghhh!"
"Sword!"
Go Mi tossed another.
Then—
The Empress's guards began fleeing. Only two survived.
One was the initial leader who faced Yi Hwan. As Cheol Mu-ok, Ju Tae, and Pa Pa moved to pursue, Yi Hwan's voice rang out.
"Don't chase."