Chapter 199
Chapter 199
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 199
Chapter Title: Crisis (2)
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[The Palace of Illusory Flowers and the Crimson Moon moving together? They've been targeting us from the start. But why are those bastards fighting among themselves?]
[I don't know why, but the situation is helping us. Now's the time. Hurry and move.]
[Got it.]
Before turning away, Hwa Ryeong tightly grasped both of Go Mi's hands.
[I'll come back as fast as I can, so hold on somehow. Okay?]
[I will.]
Left alone, Go Mi watched the assassins from the Palace of Illusory Flowers and the Crimson Moon. Since they couldn't peer inside from outside, there was no need to hide separately.
'I should have been a bit more cautious...'
Go Mi bit her lip hard in belated self-reproach. The enemy had likely been surveilling them since they entered the palace.
In truth, she hadn't anticipated they would come at them this aggressively from the very first day of entering the palace. That had only invited disaster.
'How long can Jin hold out?'
Arrays inherently followed set rules and formations. And if one discerned those rules and formations, breaking them wasn't difficult.
However, even without that, there were several ways to dismantle an array.
For instance, overwhelming physical force to shatter the array was one. If they all charged in and hammered at it, she couldn't guarantee how long it would hold.
'As long as the rain doesn't start...'
Go Mi scanned the sky. Fortunately, the moon and stars had risen again, twinkling brightly.
"Huu."
Go Mi took a deep breath and finally began circulating her qi. Thanks to learning Yi Hwan's breathing technique, she could circulate qi even in a clear-headed state. This allowed her to continuously bolster the central position.
* * *
"Grand Overseer, a messenger pigeon has arrived."
Mun I-jong immediately unfurled the report handed to him by his subordinate. He furrowed his brow.
"To think the wench has mastered arrays as well..."
"What do you mean?"
"She deployed an array and hid inside it, and there's no way to breach it. I'll have to go to the scene myself for now. You stay behind and go straight to Yi Hwan—find out if there's anyone versed in arrays!"
"Understood."
Mun I-jong stepped out immediately. As he did, he gazed toward the Golden Army headquarters.
Most rooms, including Yi Hwan's office, were dark, and the surroundings were extremely quiet.
'No way they expected us to move on the first day. That means the wench is as good as dead. Heh heh heh.'
Feeling like things were finally falling into place, Mun I-jong let out a cold laugh.
"Let's go."
"Yes!"
* * *
Having barely climbed the cliff, Hwa Ryeong poured all her strength into running.
'Hold on, please!'
With Go Mi's life on the line, Hwa Ryeong drew forth every ounce of her inner energy.
Pa-pa-pat!
Fortunately, no one pursued her from behind. Even as she scanned her surroundings while running, no more pursuers were visible.
Had the clouds gathered again?
The world without moon or stars was once more shrouded in pitch-black darkness.
Pa-pa-pat!
After crossing one mountain, she began to see the imperial road glowing with torches.
Hwa Ryeong ran in a straight line to shave off even a moment of time. It was when she descended the mountain and reached the plains.
"......!"
Figures were charging toward her, slicing through the darkness ahead. At first glance, they were over fifty paces away, but in a few blinks, they were right upon her. The opponents were just as fast as she was.
Hwa Ryeong ignored them and veered slightly to the side. At that moment, she caught sight of the face of the one leading the charge.
'Mun I-jong!'
It was unmistakably Mun I-jong.
Hwa Ryeong's heart sank. If Mun I-jong joined them, Go Mi would be in even greater danger.
'Please, let there be no one versed in arrays...'
Kwaak!
Gritting her teeth, Hwa Ryeong kicked off the ground.
It was right then. Mun I-jong and the Crimson Moon assassins abruptly changed direction, blocking her path ahead.
"Halt!"
'Did they recognize me? No, I'm wearing the human skin mask right now.'
Though tense for a moment, Hwa Ryeong, with no time to spare, widened the gap to the side even more. But Mun I-jong and the assassins came at her diagonally, closing the distance in an instant.
"I said halt!"
Hwa Ryeong unleashed a palm strike without warning.
Hwaaak!
Kwang!
The assassin who blocked her palm strike staggered for a moment, his speed dropping sharply.
Using that opening, Hwa Ryeong tried to surge forward. But that was merely her wishful thinking.
Swaeaaeak!
"......!"
Sensing the chilling energy piercing toward her back, Hwa Ryeong twisted her body mid-air and raised a sword barrier.
Kwa-gwang!
The powerful impact tore her martial robes in several places.
But Hwa Ryeong used the recoil to instantly widen the gap by over ten paces. It was a brilliant display of adaptability in that split-second peril.
'Experts like this in such a remote place at this hour.'
Mun I-jong suddenly recalled the report's contents. The report had clearly mentioned Go Mi and another woman.
'Did she slip out of the array? No, with the Palace of Illusory Flowers assassins there too, that's impossible.'
Mun I-jong immediately shouted.
"You lot, pursue that wench! Catch her by any means necessary!"
"Yes!"
Prioritizing Go Mi, Mun I-jong veered alone toward his destination.
Meanwhile, Hwa Ryeong pressed her left hand to her chest. She'd taken considerable shock while blocking the enemy's attack solely with her sword barrier to use the recoil.
"Ugh!"
Hwa Ryeong vomited the blood that had risen to her throat. Her foggy mind seemed to clear a bit.
Kwaak!
She gritted her teeth. Glancing back, she saw one less pursuer.
Mun I-jong was gone.
Kwang!
Kicking off the ground, Hwa Ryeong ran across the plains without diving into the forests on either side. The Crimson Moon assassins pursued her ferociously.
But thanks to Hwa Ryeong's profound inner energy, the distance barely closed.
Bewilderment crept into the assassins' eyes.
One of them shouted.
"If that wench is the Moon Lord's companion, she's undoubtedly heading to the Fourth Imperial Prince for aid! We must catch her before she reaches the palace!"
"Yes!"
Pa-pa-pat!
As they poured in their all, the distance began to narrow bit by bit. Then one assassin touched his face and shouted.
"The wench seems injured!"
Blood stained the assassin's hand. It appeared to be Hwa Ryeong's blood, carried by the wind onto his face.
"She blocked the Grand Overseer's direct hit with just a sword barrier— it'd be weirder if she weren't internally injured! Put some strength into it!"
"Yes!"
Pa-pa-pat!
* * *
Yi Hwan headed somewhere alone.
No one knew he had left his quarters—not even Cheol Mu-ok or Ju Tae.
So where exactly was Yi Hwan going?
'I hope it contains what I'm looking for.'
He was currently heading to the Imperial Palace Treasury.
> Only those guarding the treasury obey the emperor's command. Tell them this code, and they will open the treasury doors without suspicion.
The method to enter the treasury that the emperor had told him. Yi Hwan recited it to himself as he headed north in the palace.
He then reached a heavily guarded area and climbed onto the palace rooftops.
He could go boldly, but he wanted to hide his visit to the Imperial Palace Treasury from the Empress or Yi Tae-ji. He planned to tell Yi So afterward.
Yi Hwan moved stealthily, suppressing his presence. Moments later, a massive structure housing the Imperial Palace Treasury appeared before him.
Yi Hwan lightly descended to the ground. Immediately, chilling energies arose from all directions.
'Impressive.'
Yi Hwan walked toward the main gate.
No one was visible around the main gate. They were all undoubtedly guarding from the shadows.
Soon, Yi Hwan reached the main gate and halted. From beyond the darkness, a eerie voice flowed out.
"This is no place for the Great Prince. Turn back."
"Can't we talk face-to-face?"
"Impossible."
The voice echoed like a resonance. But Yi Hwan stared precisely at the source and continued.
"I've come by His Majesty's decree."
"You know that even an imperial prince will be punished for invoking the imperial edict falsely?"
"As the Great Prince, do you think I wouldn't know that?"
A moment of silence passed. Then, from beyond the darkness, a shadow slowly revealed itself.
It was a middle-aged man with an atmosphere sharp as a honed blade. Wearing only plain martial robes without armor or weapons, he stood before Yi Hwan. Their gazes clashed across the air.
Yi Hwan said indifferently.
"Shouldn't you greet me first?"
"I greet the Great Prince."
"Your position."
"It is classified; I cannot say. Then, first present proof that you bear His Majesty's decree."
Yi Hwan looked straight into the middle-aged man's eyes and recited the code the emperor had given him. The code was quite long and extremely complex.
Chak!
As the code ended, the middle-aged man prostrated himself on the ground. Simultaneously, the chilling energies from all sides vanished completely.
Yi Hwan asked indifferently.
"Can I enter now?"
"Follow this servant."
Yi Hwan followed the middle-aged man inside. It was just a narrow, long corridor.
But Yi Hwan couldn't hide his inner surprise at the pressure emanating from all around.
'At this level, it won't be breached even after a thousand or ten thousand years.'
Yi Hwan asked, looking at the middle-aged man's back.
"Does this code grant passage to everything?"
"This code is known only to His Majesty and us servants."
"I heard there's one key each in the Palace of Illusory Flowers and the Crown Prince's Palace?"
"That is a separate matter."
"Then do you live only here?"
"My apologies, but it is classified."
"How many are there?"
"That too is classified."
He asked a few more questions, but the answers were all the same. Yi Hwan stopped asking.
Soon the corridor ended, revealing a place like a cave entrance. If hell had a gateway, it might look like that.
The middle-aged man stopped and turned to Yi Hwan.
"This servant cannot enter beyond. And in half a shichen, the mechanisms will activate automatically, sealing the doors—so strictly adhere to the time."
"Just one question."
"Ask."
"Do I need to have items I take out inspected?"
"No."
"No limit on quantity either?"
"Correct."
'Truly the emperor's domain. Alright, shall I go in?'
Yi Hwan steadied his breath softly and stepped inside. As he entered, the middle-aged man vanished like a ghost.
* * *
Flash!
Kwa-jijik!
Two streams of energy grazed past Hwa Ryeong and struck the ground ahead on both sides. Soaring dust covered her face.
Hwa Ryeong focused solely on running without counterattacking. But the distance to her pursuers had closed to mere arm's reach, and at this rate, they could catch her in a few breaths.
Kwaak!
Gritting her teeth, Hwa Ryeong kicked off the ground.
Kwang!
The palace was now just over thirty paces away. After scaling the walls, another two hundred paces to the Golden Army headquarters. A distance that was short if short, endlessly long if long—but for Hwa Ryeong, it was the latter.
Swaeaaeak!
Another chilling energy flew in.
Hwa Ryeong gauged the direction from the whoosh alone and twisted her body mid-air.
Pat!
Blood spurted from her shin.
Fortunately, it was just a graze, so her speed didn't drop, but her breathing faltered for an instant, and blood rose to her throat.
In such cases, spitting it out was best.
"Ugh!"
Blood sprayed into the air where she passed.
The Crimson Moon assassins charged at Hwa Ryeong without minding the blood.
Kwa-kwang!
By a hair's breadth, their swords struck the castle walls. At that moment, Hwa Ryeong twisted back mid-air and thrust out her right hand.
"......!"
Puk!
"Kraaak!"
Half of one assassin's head flew off.
The sudden nighttime commotion drew warriors bursting out from various places.
But the chase continued unabated.