Chapter 215
Chapter 215
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 215
Chapter Title: Kim Mu-gwan's Martial Prowess
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Golden Army headquarters on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital.
Though the main base had moved to the Imperial Palace, this place still housed virtually the entire Golden Army, now surrounded by layer upon layer of security.
Countless troops encircled the entire headquarters like an iron fortress centered on the main gate, allowing no one in or out.
“Think you can shake me off?!”
“You bastards!”
Shouts erupted one after another at the main gate. The ministers under escort were practically dragged across the threshold by the Golden Army soldiers.
There stood Cheol Mu-ok, Ju Tae, and Kim Mu-gwan.
“Does this mean all the ministers on the roster have been brought in?”
“Two are still missing. But the deputy general went after them, so he’ll have them soon. Looks like our work here is done. Let’s take a break.”
“Aigoo, my back. Running around all day has left my whole body aching.”
Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae sat on chairs placed off to one side beyond the main gate, wiping sweat from their brows.
Kim Mu-gwan sat beside them and asked,
“What’s to be done with the captured ministers?”
“No orders on that yet. The lord will be here soon enough, so let’s wait.”
Ju Tae shot to his feet.
“Let’s go grab something to eat. My stomach’s about to stick to my backbone at this rate.”
“Shall we?”
The three headed toward the mess hall inside the headquarters.
They halted midway upon spotting Go Mi and Hwa Ryeong entering the premises.
“Has the lord arrived too?”
Ju Tae scanned behind the two women. But Yi Hwan was nowhere in sight.
The women approached.
“When will the lord be here?”
“He’ll arrive shortly. We came ahead to handle some preliminary matters.”
“Have you eaten? Join us if not.”
“No, we ate before coming. See you later.”
Go Mi and Hwa Ryeong headed straight for the office.
Kim Mu-gwan stared at Go Mi’s retreating figure and asked,
“Seems the Great Prince places absolute trust in the Moon Lord. Is it because of her intelligence network?”
“Exactly. Without the Moon Lord’s information, this affair wouldn’t have wrapped up so smoothly. They supported the Empress, sure, but they’re still this kingdom’s ministers. Rounding them up rashly could’ve blown up in our faces.”
“Honestly, at first I thought the intel on their corruption was fabricated just to justify the arrests. Too many of them implicated to take at face value.”
“These past years, while backing the Empress, they ignored the people and chased only their own wealth and glory. That’s why so many commoners cheered when the Reverse Heaven Society assassinated high officials. Of course, the Society exploited that too…”
“Corrupt officials grinding down the people—it’s much the same everywhere.”
“Even in Haedong?”
“Not as bad as here, but Haedong’s got its share of crooked ministers. They just punish them so harshly once caught that things have improved a lot lately, from what I hear.”
“I’ve always wondered—how’d a man from Haedong end up alongside the Crown Prince?”
“Can’t say.”
“Could it be…”
Crack!
“That’s enough.”
Cheol Mu-ok grabbed Ju Tae by the nape of the neck.
Just then,
“Instructors!”
A general came running up from behind. They all stopped and turned to him.
“You must head to Manjuk Bridge immediately!”
“What’s going on?”
“Mysterious assailants ambushed the deputy general’s unit en route, and a battle’s broken out! The enemy’s so strong our casualties are mounting!”
“...!”
“Guess food’ll have to wait.”
Boom!
Cheol Mu-ok kicked off the ground first and soared away. Kim Mu-gwan followed right after, launching himself forward.
“Hope I can fight properly on an empty stomach. Damn it.”
Boom!
* * *
A fairly wide river spanned by a bridge.
Wide enough for five men abreast, the bridge was now the site of a brutal melee.
Clang!
“Argh!”
“Gaaah!”
Screams rang out as blood sprayed and men plummeted into the river below. The fight raged on the bridge above and in the waters beneath.
Deputy General Yu Woo-seong was there too.
His armor was drenched in blood no longer recognizable as anyone’s, and harsh breaths poured from his gaping mouth.
“Rebels! Don’t fall back!”
“You dogs! Who’re you calling rebels? Kill ’em all!”
Swoosh!
Boom!
Yu Woo-seong blocked the enemy strike but was pushed back. Another foe leaped into the air and slashed down at him.
Boom!
He blocked again, but staggered, losing his balance. Seizing the opening, a sinister aura shot up from the river.
Thud!
“...!”
Blood spurted from Yu Woo-seong’s side. But the attacker who’d sliced his waist lost his head.
“Deputy General!”
Two generals rushed to shield Yu Woo-seong.
“Fall back now!”
“I’m fine!”
Gritting his teeth, Yu Woo-seong pressed forward. All the while, the number of fallen warriors grew.
Flames ignited in Yu Woo-seong’s eyes.
“To dare challenge the Golden Army…”
A hulking figure watched him coldly from afar, head wrapped in a hood.
Pushing aside comrades blocking his path, the giant advanced on Yu Woo-seong. As he stepped up, the faces of those who’d faced Yu Woo-seong earlier lit up.
“That’s the Fourth Prince’s deputy general! Take his head quick!”
“Step aside then.”
His comrades retreated, and the giant raised his massive blade, aiming for Yu Woo-seong’s neck.
“Fourth Prince’s deputy general? To soothe this grudge, I’ll have your head at least.”
“You scum! Reveal yourselves!”
“Ask King Yama that.”
The giant moved. But his blade swung not at Yu Woo-seong, but at the generals flanking him.
They reflexively swung their swords to parry the incoming greatblade.
Crunch!
“Urk!”
One general let out a short scream, spraying blood as he staggered. Astonishingly, his sword had been cleaved diagonally in two, like tofu sliced by a knife.
The shock didn’t end there.
The giant’s left hand simultaneously smashed the other general’s sword.
Boom!
“Guh!”
Blood spurted from the general’s mouth. The greatblade followed, severing his head.
Thud!
The gushing blood splashed across Yu Woo-seong’s face.
It had all happened in the blink of an eye.
Smirk.
“I’ll cut your head off and toss it at the Golden Army headquarters gate.”
Whoosh!
The giant moved again.
In the instant he did, his greatblade was already descending toward Yu Woo-seong’s neck.
But Yu Woo-seong was no pushover. Among the Golden Army generals versed in Imperial Palace Martial Arts, he ranked as an elite.
Boom!
“...!”
Sword and greatblade clashed, sending powerful shockwaves rippling out. Yu Woo-seong was hurled back, while the giant charged again, utterly unfazed.
Boom!
Yu Woo-seong parried once more.
This time the impact was too much; he spat blood and reeled badly.
Crack!
To keep from collapsing, Yu Woo-seong thrust his sword into the ground. The giant merely paused briefly, showing no sign of strain.
“Not bad for an nameless officer. But this ends now. Ptui!”
Spitting roughly, the giant raised his greatblade for the finishing blow. Then he froze for a split second, spotting something.
Behind Yu Woo-seong, a figure landed silently. It was Kim Mu-gwan.
Without so much as glancing at the giant, he supported Yu Woo-seong.
“You all right?”
“Feels like death. Urp!”
Yu Woo-seong finally vomited blood. Kim Mu-gwan signaled the warriors behind to take him away. They rushed over, hoisted him, and retreated.
Only then did Kim Mu-gwan turn to face the giant.
Just then,
Crunch!
“Argh!”
“Gaaah!”
Piercing death cries erupted at the bridge’s end.
The giant’s head whipped around. His eyes pierced by the sight of Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae butchering his men.
“...!”
“No time to get distracted, is there?”
The giant faced Kim Mu-gwan again. Kim Mu-gwan advanced on him.
“A Shaolin defector monk?”
“...!”
“Else you couldn’t wield Shaolin’s Prajna Blade Technique.”
Shaolin martial arts centered on fist and staff techniques, but lesser-known were their equally formidable sword and blade methods.
The Prajna Blade Technique was one such obscure elite blade art of Shaolin, forbidden to low-ranking warrior monks.
Smirk.
“Care to rampage some more?”
* * *
Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae slew without mercy, cutting down all in their path. With their arrival, the Golden Army, pushed to the brink, began counterattacking.
Some time passed—about the span of a incense stick.
Ju Tae, dancing through foes like a blade whirlwind, suddenly halted and stared at one spot. Cheol Mu-ok, moving up beside him, followed his gaze.
Ju Tae muttered in astonishment.
“So that’s Fist Qi.”
“First time I’ve seen it myself.”
Where their eyes met, Kim Mu-gwan was overwhelming the giant.
Incredibly, each punch sliced the air with radiant qi energy, and the giant’s steel greatblade shattered against Kim Mu-gwan’s bare flesh-and-bone fists.
Truly devastating destructive power.
“He really is a master.”
“Indeed.”
Then,
“Watch your back!”
A desperate shout rang out. Ju Tae thrust his sword backward without turning.
Stab!
“Gah!”
Cheol Mu-ok whirled around.
“No time to get distracted elsewhere. Keep moving.”
* * *
Yi Hwan, arriving late at the headquarters, went straight to Go Mi’s office.
Go Mi and Hwa Ryeong, who’d been poring over documents spread across the desk, straightened up.
“Everything going smoothly?”
“Yes. Almost finished.”
“Where’d Mu-ok and Ju Tae go?”
“They headed for a meal earlier. Oh my, has it gotten this late already...”
“I’m hungry. Let’s eat first.”
Hwa Ryeong rubbed her belly and slumped into a chair.
“I’ll wrap it up. You two go eat.”
“It’s fine. We’re nearly done.”
As Hwa Ryeong pouted at Go Mi’s words, a commotion arose outside the window.
Yi Hwan opened it.
Warriors were flooding in through the main gate, followed by more crossing the threshold.
“What’s happening?”
Hwa Ryeong and Go Mi came over.
“Someone’s hurt.”
Through the throng, an arm dangling from a stretcher came into view. But with so many warriors, identity was unclear.
Then Yi Hwan spotted Cheol Mu-ok, Ju Tae, and Kim Mu-gwan entering in sequence.
Go Mi stepped forward.
“I’ll check.”
“I’ll go.”
Yi Hwan vaulted out the window. As he emerged, Cheol Mu-ok approached. Yi Hwan’s unease surged at the man’s grim expression.
“What happened?”
“Assailants ambushed us near Manjuk Bridge during the escort. The deputy general took heavy wounds in the clash.”
Yi Hwan’s eyes flicked instinctively to the stretcher. Warriors parted, revealing the prone Yu Woo-seong.
Yi Hwan strode up. The unconscious man’s face was deathly pale.
Ju Tae said gravely,
“He seemed lucid, but collapsed suddenly.”
“Get him to quarters and fetch the army physician at once.”
“Yes!”
One general dashed off.
Yi Hwan watched them carry Yu Woo-seong away, his gaze steadying.
Then Kim Mu-gwan approached.
“One of the assailants was a Shaolin monk. Looks like the deputy general suffered severe internal injuries blocking his attack.”
“You’re certain?”
“Yes. Unmistakable Prajna Blade Technique of Shaolin.”
Shaolin’s name naturally evoked the Third Prince, Yi Seong-ji.