Chapter 212
Chapter 212
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 212
Chapter Title: Fox Den Hunt (2)
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Yi Hwan opened the door to the forbidden area alongside his close aides. Since he had already visited once before, he proceeded without hindrance all the way to where the Emperor was.
The Emperor appeared before them all.
“Pay your respects. It is His Majesty.”
At Yi Hwan’s words, Cheol Mu-ok and the others gasped in shock and hurriedly prostrated themselves on the floor.
The Emperor asked,
“Have you begun the great undertaking?”
“Yes.”
“Has the Crown Prince joined as well?”
“Of course.”
As he answered, Yi Hwan furrowed his brow. He belatedly realized that the Emperor’s complexion was far too pale.
That wasn’t all. His eyes were as hazy as those of someone who had long suffered from illness.
It was then. The Emperor staggered for a moment. Yi Hwan swiftly approached and supported him.
“Could you lay me down?”
Yi Hwan helped the Emperor onto the bed.
“What happened, Your Majesty?”
“That wicked woman released poison into my body.”
“……!”
It was incomprehensible. The Empress wouldn’t know that the Emperor had removed the blood oath. So why resort to poison?
At that moment, the Emperor resolved the question.
“I was careless and got caught removing the blood oath. I had no choice but to claim I’d found a way to remove it myself. That was the only way to hide that you had been here.”
“She poisoned you simply to control Your Majesty?”
“Since it didn’t kill me outright, that must be it.”
“Once this is over, I’ll fetch the royal physician.”
Grip!
The Emperor seized Yi Hwan’s arm tightly.
“Once you’ve started the great undertaking, you must succeed without fail. The Empress is creating a substitute for me somewhere in here. If you fail, she’ll use that fake to devour this nation.”
“How could that even be possible?”
“The lords across the sea in Dongyeong have long used doubles resembling themselves to ensure safety from enemies. It seems that wicked woman drew inspiration from their customs.”
It was astonishing. That meant a fake Emperor resembling the real one was being prepared somewhere within the Palace of Illusory Flowers.
“If she used poison because she judged the fake was ready enough to replace Your Majesty...”
The thought sent a chill through Yi Hwan’s heart, as if it had frozen solid. In that case, the Emperor was likely afflicted with a lethal virulent poison beyond recovery.
Yi Hwan turned and issued an order.
“Hwa Ryeong, go fetch the royal physician at once.”
“Yes!”
Hwa Ryeong rushed out.
Yi Hwan looked down at the Emperor and reassured him.
“When the physician arrives, we’ll escort Your Majesty straight to the Crown Prince’s Palace.”
“I wish to see the Crown Prince.”
“You’ll meet him soon.”
Yi Hwan suddenly realized it. In the meantime, the Emperor had grown much weaker in spirit.
“I’m fine, so get moving.”
“If we lock the door from inside, no one can enter from outside?”
The Emperor shook his head.
“The inner chambers are designed so the door can never be locked from within.”
It was perfectly understandable. Even Yi Hwan would have done the same if he were the Empress.
“Cheol Mu-ok.”
“Yes, Great Prince.”
“Guard His Majesty’s side.”
“Understood.”
Yi Hwan pried the Emperor’s hand free and slowly rose.
“I’ll return soon.”
“Be careful, my son.”
“……!”
A father’s heart laid bare by the Emperor. Yi Hwan felt a pang in his chest.
If it were that ‘fellow,’ how would he have taken this situation?
Being the soft-hearted sort, he probably would have forgiven him already upon meeting here.
Suppressing his emotions, Yi Hwan asked,
“Is there anyone inside who must be spared?”
“They all follow the Empress, so forgive not a single one.”
“Understood.”
Yi Hwan quietly stepped out with Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae. The two following behind exchanged glances, their eyes heavy with gravity.
[He’s angry, right?]
[Yeah, seems like it.]
[Somehow, it feels chilling...]
* * *
Seven rays of light descended.
Thud!
“Gahk!”
“Keuk!”
Two black-robed men pacing the end of the corridor collapsed without knowing what hit them.
“Huh!”
“Intruders!”
Commotion erupted from beyond the corridor.
Shing.
Yi Hwan drew his sword.
“Just kill them all.”
“Understood.”
White light flared from Yi Hwan’s body. Enveloped in it entirely, he charged straight through the wall on the left side of the corridor.
Boom!
Crash!
It was a fairly spacious room. Five black-robed men were inside, and they recoiled in shock as the wall suddenly crumbled.
Yi Hwan’s sword radiated light.
Thud!
“Krahk!”
“Grahk!”
Two black-robed men who hadn’t drawn their swords in time had their upper and lower bodies severed as they toppled. The rest fell to Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae.
Yi Hwan leaped into another space.
It was then.
Clank clank!
With metallic sounds, hidden weapons poured from the ceiling. In that split second, Yi Hwan dodged backward, and dozens of iron spikes slammed into the spot he’d just vacated, kicking up stone dust.
Boom boom boom thud!
‘Unlike where the Emperor was, this place is rigged with traps.’
“Be careful. Traps.”
“Yes.”
Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae moved to Yi Hwan’s left and right.
At that moment, green-robed men appeared at the opposite entrance. Upon recognizing Yi Hwan, they couldn’t hide their astonishment.
“How in the world did you get here...”
“Dodge!”
The seven rays of light detached from Yi Hwan’s body and flew toward them, forcing the green-robed men to hurriedly leap back.
But that wouldn’t save them. The lights moved like living beings, striking those who hid behind walls.
Thud!
“Urk!”
One green-robed man clutched his chest and fell.
“Activate all traps!”
“Activate the traps!”
Rumble...
The surrounding area suddenly began to vibrate. Then, the only forward path split left and right, as blood mist began to spread.
The blood mist instantly obscured all vision.
Cheol Mu-ok said in a grave tone,
“These traps are no joke. Better not to rush in.”
Ju Tae shouted,
“But we can’t just stop here!”
Yi Hwan fell into thought.
He couldn’t recklessly charge into unknown traps. If he lost Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae here by some fluke, even success in the undertaking would leave him with nothing to gain.
The deliberation didn’t last long. Yi Hwan thought of the most primal and brutal method.
[Mu-ok.]
[Yes, my lord.]
[Go to the Crown Prince’s Palace, report the situation, and bring back as many incendiary oil flasks as possible. As many as you can.]
Flinch.
[Hurry!]
[Understood.]
Cheol Mu-ok flew back the way they’d come. Yi Hwan turned to Ju Tae and ordered,
[You escort His Majesty to the Crown Prince’s Palace with the guard.]
[Will you be alright alone?]
[If I can’t advance, neither can they. So go.]
[Take care.]
Ju Tae departed as well.
Sword qi shot from Yi Hwan’s blade.
Boom!
The blood mist roiled here and there.
From beyond it came furious shouts brimming with rage.
“Hey, Fourth Prince! If the Empress learns of this, do you dare bear the consequences?”
“Plenty.”
“Since you drew your sword first, I’ll leave what follows to your imagination! You’ll meet a death more agonizing than anyone in the world!”
“Go on, keep dancing like a madman from there. See if you last. Hahaha!”
“Kekeke!”
Did they trust in the traps’ power?
The green-robed men beyond the mist burst into mocking laughter all at once. Flash!
Yi Hwan ignored them and continued unleashing sword qi.
Boom boom boom!
Explosions rang out successively from beyond the mist, but it only grew thicker. Occasionally, flashes sparked in the directions his qi passed. The traps were reacting to the air currents.
‘They’ve made it so not even a god could enter head-on.’
At this point, Yi Hwan thought of Yang Chan.
If only his poison techniques were here, that blood mist and those traps would be rendered useless—a deep regret welled up.
It was then.
“……!”
Light flared from beyond the mist. By the time he sensed it, it was already right before his nose.
Thud thud thud!
The light grazed Yi Hwan’s face by a hair’s breadth, punching a hole in the stone wall and vanishing. Yi Hwan eyed the five holes in the wall, his gaze cooling.
With that much power, even protective qi might not hold.
Yi Hwan steadied his breath and heightened his senses to the utmost. He detected the presences beyond the mist surging rapidly.
‘If they’ve confirmed no anomalies elsewhere and are all converging here...’
Yi Hwan smiled coldly and unleashed more sword qi.
Flash!
Boom!
The qi he launched this time carried less power than before, so the explosion was much weaker. Mockery flew in response.
“Running out of strength already?”
“Kekeke!”
Amid it all, Yi Hwan sensed a few presences slipping away to the sides.
‘Are there other paths leading here?’
Maintaining his senses, Yi Hwan quietly retreated backward.
And after the time for a few breaths had passed, seven lights rose from his body once more. The lights shot upward like lightning toward the ceiling above his head.
Thud thud thud!
“Krahk!”
“Urghk!”
Agonized death cries erupted.
Blood poured through the holes. Yi Hwan’s sword cleaved the empty air.
Crunch!
“Krahhk!”
Part of the ceiling collapsed, dropping three green-robed men. All three were already dead.
Yi Hwan scanned above the ceiling. A maze-like space barely wide enough for one person to crawl through sprawled out.
But Yi Hwan gave up on climbing up. In a space too cramped to move properly, facing enemies without knowing trap locations would put him at an absolute disadvantage.
It was then. A head suddenly poked out from a bent section on the left of the ceiling.
But upon spotting Yi Hwan, the foe vanished swiftly. Another moment where Yang Chan’s poison techniques were sorely missed.
Yi Hwan turned his gaze back beyond the blood mist.
The mist remained thick, occasionally writhing like a living creature.
It was then. An urgent voice rang out from beyond the mist.
“The Golden Imperial Guards seem to be under control!”
“What!”
“The comrade we sent to check is already dead! From the looks of it, they took control of the Golden Guards before coming here!”
“This is...”
Moments later, Yi Hwan felt multiple presences rapidly vanishing, and he leisurely leaned against the wall.
But his eyes burned with a chill more ruthless than ever.
‘I’ll make sure no one ever dreams of rebellion again.’