Chapter 288
Chapter 288
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 288
Chapter Title: Long-Awaited Reunion
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The capital of the Qin Kingdom was engulfed in flames everywhere, resembling a living hellscape.
The blood spilled by the dead bubbled and boiled, unable to withstand the heat, evoking the thought that if hell existed, it must look exactly like this.
"If not for the Lord's swift response, the Yeon Kingdom might have ended up the same way..."
"Indeed. And if the capital is in this state, the other regions must be even more devastated. The aftermath of suppressing this rebellion will be enormous."
Yi Hwan and his group passed through the heart of it with grim expressions.
The Qin Kingdom warriors accompanying them trembled at the horrific sight in the city center.
Yi Hwan asked,
"Are there not enough troops to put out the fires?"
"...Yes. The current reserves are solely the Golden Army defending the Imperial Palace, but His Highness the Crown Prince has issued a strict order forbidding them from marching out."
Yi Hwan could not comprehend it.
No matter how sudden the uprising, could the situation have deteriorated this badly? This could not be explained merely by a failure in the initial suppression.
"Was there a faction inside that responded to them?"
"Yes. The troops defending the western side of the Imperial Palace failed to deploy at the outset. Later, it was confirmed that their commander had forbidden deployment in the name of an imperial edict."
"That man was a member of the Dark Heaven Cult."
"That is our estimation."
"Estimation meaning he wasn't captured?"
"Yes. He vanished without a trace on the third day."
Now it made a bit more sense.
Even in the Yeon Kingdom, unexpected individuals had sided with the Dark Heaven Cult, amplifying the damage.
However, it had not reached the point where an entire region's forces were completely immobilized, as in the Qin Kingdom.
Kagang!
"Argh!"
"Uwaaak!"
Piercing screams suddenly erupted from the left.
"That way."
Everyone leaped to the left.
Watching Yi Hwan's group soar impossibly high in a single bound, the Qin Kingdom warriors hurriedly followed.
"Incredible lightness skill!"
As all were martial artists, they knew well what Yi Hwan's group's lightness skill signified.
"The rumors of him being a heavenly expert were true!"
"We'll lose him! Give it everything!"
* * *
It was a massive man in yellow robes.
He felled Qin Kingdom warriors left and right with a butcher's knife used for slaughtering cattle.
Emboldened by him, his companions charged, pushing the Qin warriors toward a blazing palace hall. One warrior who approached too close without noticing the flames caught fire.
"Uwaaak!"
The massive yellow-robed man bellowed,
"Slaughter them all!"
Waaaa!
"Hold your positions! Do not retreat!"
Kagang!
Kwajijik!
"Graaak!"
"Ugh!"
In group combat, morale greatly influences victory or defeat. Once the Qin warriors' momentum broke, they were helplessly pushed back by the Dark Heaven Cultists charging like enraged bulls.
"Keh heh. Pathetic weaklings."
The yellow-robed man wiped the blood from his face and sneered coldly. Another shouted,
"We must hurry to join the main force!"
"I know, so quit nagging."
The yellow-robed man uncorked the gourd at his waist and brought it to his lips.
Gulp gulp!
Overflowing liquor mixed with the blood on his chin and dripped to the ground.
Plip plop!
"Everyone, turn ba—"
The yellow-robed man's words did not finish.
His widening pupils clearly captured the image of a man flying toward him at tremendous speed. Then, a single ray of light flashed.
Puk!
The severed head shot up high before falling. The headless body slowly toppled backward.
Thud!
"Huh!"
"W-What!"
The sudden event threw the Dark Heaven Cultists into chaos. To them, the yellow-robed man had been like a god. For his head to fly off so abruptly.
It was then.
"Enemy!"
"Behind us!"
* * *
A ruthless order fell from Yi Hwan's lips.
"Kill them all."
"Yes!"
"Understood!"
Sword energy rose from Yi Hwan's blade.
The energy spun horizontally and flew toward the Dark Heaven Cultists.
Whiiing!
"Block it!"
Pupu puk!
"Graaak!"
"Kwaaak!"
A brutal slaughter began.
It lasted but a moment, ending as the last Dark Heaven Cultist lost his head to Tae-seon's sword.
This all occurred before the Qin Kingdom warriors who had followed the banner arrived at the scene.
Yi Hwan gazed at the cluster of Qin Kingdom warriors.
"Is this all the troops here?"
"T-The main force is over there!"
"Then hurry and join them."
"Yes!"
The warriors dashed off without even knowing who Yi Hwan was. Their attire marked them as Golden Army for certain.
Yi Hwan watched them, recalling the Yeon Kingdom's Golden Army.
'Isn't the difference in combat prowess too vast?'
The Yeon Kingdom's Golden Army had many seasoned generals who had experienced frontline combat. The same went for the captains.
Thus, the entire Golden Army received training specialized for actual battle, making their prowess comparable to any elite frontline unit.
This had been key to swiftly suppressing the Dark Heaven Cult's rebellion.
By contrast, the Qin Kingdom's Golden Army fell somewhat short.
"Follow them."
"Yes!"
* * *
Figures emerged onto the battlefield after Yi Hwan's group departed. They were Dark Heaven Cultists who had hidden from Yi Hwan's group's overwhelming might.
One in green robes cried out in anguish.
"Why is that man here..."
"Do you know him?"
"It's the Great Prince of Yeon Kingdom, Yi Hwan."
"What? Why would Yeon Kingdom's Great Prince be in the Qin Kingdom's capital? Are you sure you saw right?"
Trembling with rage at his subordinate's question, the green-robed man replied,
"It's unmistakably him! How could I forget the man who mercilessly slaughtered our comrades in Yeon Kingdom's capital!"
Indeed. The green-robed man was one who had barely escaped with his life from Yeon Kingdom's capital.
"Could Yeon Kingdom have sent reinforcements?"
"Damn it. That would be the worst..."
Having felt the Yeon Kingdom army's strength to his bones, the green-robed man bit his lip until it bled.
"We must inform command immediately! Everyone, hurry!"
"Yes!"
* * *
Northern part of the Qin Kingdom capital.
Closest to the Imperial Palace, this was where the Dark Heaven Cult's command post was located. It was also swarming with cultists, as breaching the Qin Golden Army's defensive line would lead straight to the capital.
Whoosh!
Amid the blood-scented wind blowing fiercely, both sides halted their bloody clash and entered a standoff.
The Dark Heaven Cult held the high ground linked to the mountains, while the Qin Golden Army blocked the path to the capital, forming a defensive line.
In the center, thousands of corpses lay tangled and strewn about.
"Have some of this at least, Your Highness."
Yi Seong-ji quenched his thirst with the water Gong Ya-un handed him. His entire body was soaked in blood, his face and hands crusted blackish-red.
"Are you injured anywhere?"
"No. I'm fine."
How could he be? He had faced countless foes thus far, many of them experts the Qin Golden Army dreaded.
Yet his eyes showed no change.
Yi Seong-ji glanced left. There stood the Golden Army general commanding the defense line.
His gaze toward the general was far from favorable, displeased by the extremely defensive strategy.
"You suppressed it in a single day, didn't you?"
"That was just the capital's uprising. Including other regions, even Yeon Kingdom struggled considerably."
"I'm talking about the capital."
"..."
"If we continue like this, even suppressing the rebellion won't avoid the people's resentment. Naturally, the Emperor will face political difficulties."
"What are you worried about?"
"Regardless, the Qin Kingdom's imperial family is the only pillar I can rely on. If they falter, we won't escape unscathed either. That's what concerns me."
"Don't worry too much. The Qin Kingdom maintains solid authority with no one threatening the Emperor's power. What Your Highness fears will never happen."
Even with Gong Ya-un's reassurance, Yi Seong-ji's eyes remained tense.
It was then. Qin Kingdom generals approached.
One general looked straight at Yi Seong-ji and said,
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
"Thanks to your exceptional martial prowess, we repelled many enemy experts. On behalf of all, I thank you."
"I merely did what was required."
"When this rebellion ends, I will report your excellence to His Majesty directly, so I ask for your continued support."
"Understood."
The general gave Gong Ya-un a nod of thanks as well before turning away.
Then, a warrior came running and shouted toward the general.
"General! Yeon Kingdom's Great Prince is heading this way!"
It was the moment Yi Seong-ji and Gong Ya-un's expressions changed drastically.
* * *
The Golden Army parted left and right. Through the center, Yi Hwan and his aides appeared.
Yi Seong-ji's steely eyes twisted for an instant. Gong Ya-un wore an incredulous look.
'Why is the Great Prince here...'
It was likely the common question among all with Yi Seong-ji.
Yi Seong-ji kept his eyes fixed on Yi Hwan's face. Watching stirred something hot bubbling up from within.
Moments later, Yi Hwan stopped before him. Their gazes clashed across the air.
Yi Hwan spoke first.
"Glad to see you're safe."
"Why are you here?"
"There were circumstances warranting it. Anyway."
"Does your purpose here include me as well?"
"Not at all."
Yi Hwan resumed his halted steps. Their long-awaited reunion curtain fell just like that.
Yi Seong-ji stared indifferently at Yi Hwan's back as he headed toward the generals.
His insides boiled, but he struggled not to show it. Showing it would only make it more miserable.
Gong Ya-un said gravely,
"We should first find out why he came here instead of returning straight from the Ten Thousand Great Mountains."
"No. For now, focus on this war."
"...Understood."
Yi Seong-ji sat on the ground. Even a proper chair to sit on was absent—this was Yi Seong-ji's reality.
* * *
The general, having received word of how far the Emperor had authorized Yi Hwan, bowed toward him.
"Senior General Yeo Mun-chu greets the Great Prince."
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Yi Hwan."
Snap!
The surrounding generals simultaneously clasped fists and bowed. A stark contrast to their treatment of Yi Seong-ji.
That was natural; with the Emperor's official recognition, they could not treat him the same as Yi Seong-ji.
"May I ask when the troops from the Ten Thousand Great Mountains will arrive?"
"Well... During the return march, the Grand General suffered severe injuries from a fanatic ambush, making it impossible to predict."
Yi Hwan was inwardly quite surprised.
'Won Gae-se severely injured?'
"The fanatics sent experts for an assassination attempt. We've only heard he's in a critical state where survival is uncertain."
Yi Hwan recalled Won Gae-se.
No doubt, he had grown complacent relying on his hundred thousand troops. And the Dark Heaven Cult had likely exploited that.
Yi Hwan nodded silently, gazing toward where the Dark Heaven Cult had entrenched.
Go Mi's transmission voice flowed into his ear.
[It seems someone well-versed in strategy and formations is leading them. Their deployment is even more flawless than the Qin Golden Army's.]
Yi Hwan nodded, agreeing with her assessment. Indeed, the Dark Heaven Cult's formation appeared exceedingly solid, without even a gap to exploit.
'No wonder the Qin Kingdom suffered such heavy losses.'