Chapter 38
Chapter 38
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Plan Change
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Late at night, Go Mi visited Yi Hwan's tent.
After receiving one instruction, she returned to her own tent.
No sooner had she entered than she lay down on the camp bed.
*Examine the relationship between Paeng Mu-wi and the other two very closely. Report back immediately if you find anything unusual.*
That was Yi Hwan's order.
He hadn't explained why.
*It would have been nice if he'd at least told me the reason.*
Go Mi didn't like Yi Hwan's way of doing things. It was too arbitrary, and his instructions lacked any smoothness. Even when she asked for a reason, he always said he'd explain later.
Creak!
Go Mi sat on the edge of the camp bed and murmured softly toward the outside.
"Go bring the squad leader."
"Yes."
A moment later, a warrior entered. He was the squad leader assisting Go Mi in place of the Vice Moon Lord left behind in the capital.
"You called for me?"
"From tomorrow, keep a closer eye on Left General Paeng Mu-wi, Young Ho-chung, and Mo Jae-hwang. It's the Great Prince's command, so handle it personally."
"Close surveillance?"
"Yes. Don't miss even the smallest detail—report everything."
"Understood."
"Go rest now."
"Yes."
Once the warrior left, Go Mi removed her armor and sat back on the camp bed, drawing her beloved sword.
Shing.
The blade, infused with a blue glow, slowly revealed itself, tinting her face with azure light.
Suddenly, her eyes filled with cold menace.
"I've been waiting for you to leave the Imperial Palace. That's the only way I can kill you."
The face that appeared in her mind was, unexpectedly, Mo Jae-hwang's. The coldness in her eyes gradually turned to killing intent.
Then, pushing Mo Jae-hwang aside, another face filled her mind.
It was a woman of stunning beauty. She was dying slowly in Go Mi's arms. Tears rolling down Go Mi's cheek fell onto the dying woman's face.
*Don't confront the Golden Imperial Guards until Moon Pavilion grows stronger. Once we're strong enough to face them, Moon Pavilion must become His Highness the Crown Prince's sword. I'd be grateful if you could make that happen as the new Moon Lord.*
The woman breathed her last after those words.
She had been Moon Pavilion's Moon Lord, who cherished and loved Go Mi like her own flesh and blood.
Crunch!
Go Mi bit her lip and shook off the memory. As the woman vanished from her mind, Mo Jae-hwang's face reappeared.
*Then I must kill you all the more.*
Yi Hwan's words from earlier that day echoed in her ears like a hallucination.
Crunch.
*'I'll kill him myself.'*
* * *
Two days later, Go Mi visited Yi Hwan again.
Having just finished his meditation technique, Yi Hwan sat facing her, his body drenched in sweat.
"I have a report on the task you assigned."
"Anything noteworthy?"
"From what we've observed, Young Ho-chung and Mo Jae-hwang thoroughly ignore Paeng Mu-wi. Their attitudes differ starkly when all three are together versus when the two are alone."
"You're certain?"
"What our eyes see—and more—that's Moon Pavilion's specialty. You can trust it."
Yi Hwan nodded silently at Go Mi's confident tone and continued.
"If Paeng Mu-wi becomes the Southern Legion's Commander, those two will wield the real power from behind the scenes."
"That's correct."
Yi Hwan leaned deeply into his chair, his gaze steadying. After a moment of silence, he spoke.
"We need to change the plan."
"How so?"
"That's not for you to know. You've done well—go rest."
"Understood."
Go Mi stood and left the tent straightaway. A faint light of anger glimmered in her eyes as she departed.
Yi Hwan watched her retreating figure and smiled faintly.
*She must be offended.*
After Go Mi left, Cheol Mu-ok spoke.
"She seems angry. Wouldn't it be fine to share the plan with the Moon Lord?"
"I'll handle that. Don't worry about it."
"……."
Clink.
Yi Hwan took a sip of tea and brought up something else.
"We need to put Paeng Mu-wi in the Commander's seat."
"Pardon?"
Cheol Mu-ok's eyes widened in surprise.
Yi Hwan continued calmly.
"If we topple Paeng Mu-wi, the Fourth Prince will just send another. Naturally, it'll be someone even better. Then we'd have to double our efforts to bring that one down too—repeating the same hassle."
Cheol Mu-ok listened quietly.
Before, he might have offered his own opinion, but since capturing the assassin who killed Hwang Ho, he had decided to trust Yi Hwan's strategies.
"If Paeng Mu-wi takes the Commander's seat, won't the Fourth Prince turn his attention elsewhere, away from the Southern Legion?"
"If he thinks he's secured the Southern Legion, that's likely. But what do we gain from that?"
"We manipulate him."
"Pardon?"
"Not Young Ho-chung and Mo Jae-hwang—we control Paeng Mu-wi from the shadows. Knead him slowly, bit by bit."
* * *
Go Mi glared at Yi Hwan's lit tent with furious eyes.
*That's not for you to know.*
*'He might not trust me. We have some past connection, but it's barely a passing acquaintance. Even so…'*
She felt thoroughly dismissed. No, she had been dismissed.
"Hmph!"
As she turned away with a cold snort, Go Mi's eyes widened in shock.
Yi Hwan stood before the tent.
*'When did he get here…'*
It was impossible. Even an assassin couldn't approach her this closely without detection.
"Shall we talk?"
"I already gave my full report just now."
"I have something to tell you."
"……."
* * *
Go Mi personally brewed the tea. It was Dragon Well tea from Yi Hwan.
Clink.
"Have some."
Go Mi stared straight at Yi Hwan as he savored the aroma. After he took a sip, she asked indifferently.
"I recall you saying Dragon Well tea wasn't to your taste."
"You offer it and then ask that—what's your angle?"
"……."
"Still haven't cooled off?"
"I'm perfectly calm."
"Good to hear."
Clink.
Yi Hwan set down his cup and looked at Go Mi. She didn't avert her gaze.
"I'm planning to eliminate Young Ho-chung and Mo Jae-hwang."
"……!"
"That's the new plan, and I'm telling you ahead of time because I need Moon Pavilion's help."
"If blood must be spilled, wouldn't killing Paeng Mu-wi be the better choice?"
"If we judge by ability alone, wouldn't even you pick those two over Paeng Mu-wi? You know more about them than anyone."
"……."
Go Mi couldn't argue. Factoring in abilities beyond mere martial prowess, Paeng Mu-wi was indeed the weakest.
"What do you need from me, and how?"
"To kill them without backlash, don't I need their weaknesses?"
"You're asking me to hand over their information."
"I'm requesting it."
Go Mi fell silent. Yi Hwan waited patiently. The silence didn't last long.
"I want to kill Mo Jae-hwang with my own hands."
"……!"
Yi Hwan was inwardly surprised by the unexpected declaration.
"The previous Moon Lord lost her life to his treacherous schemes. Dozens of warriors died before they could even bloom. For that merit, he's risen to Vice Overseer of the Golden Imperial Guards, living in luxury and glory to this day—feeding off their deaths."
Go Mi's eyes reddened slightly. But her pupils bloomed with thick killing intent.
"Revenge?"
"Yes."
"Then do it."
"……!"
"I've decided to kill him too, and so have you. That's settled. Just keep in mind failure could lead to serious consequences."
"I'll stake my life to ensure it causes no harm to you, Great Prince."
"Accepted."
Yi Hwan drained the rest of his tea and stood.
"I'll receive the information on those two at my tent tomorrow. Sweet dreams."
* * *
On the road to the Southern Legion.
Two riders galloped toward it like the wind. They were messengers dispatched from the Imperial Palace.
Thud thud thud!
Soon, the riders reached the gorge entrance and stopped to rest.
The break was short-lived.
Flash!
A streak of light sliced through the air.
It headed straight for one messenger's throat. Blood should have sprayed and the head fallen—but the outcome differed.
Boom!
The messenger's sword deflected the light.
The other messenger created distance and drew his sword, which soon rang with metal as it transformed into a greatsword.
Clank clank!
Ghostly figures appeared before the two messengers. They were clad head to toe in pitch-black cloaks.
They approached the messengers, swords dangling loosely.
Sizzle!
Sword energy flowed along their blades, surging wildly.
Then one messenger asked.
"From the Crown Prince's Palace?"
"That's another reason you must die."
A chilling aura swirled around them. But the two messengers didn't so much as blink.
One removed his helmet.
Revealed was Cheol Mu-ok's face.
"The Great Prince wishes to see you."
"……!"
"We already knew you were here. The forest is too dense, so we judged disguising as messengers would be faster."
Clank clank!
The greatsword reverted to a sword and sheathed itself.
The black-cloaked figures also sheathed their swords.
"You saw us kill the Imperial Palace messengers?"
"Indeed."
Gong Son-tae spoke up for the first time.
"Truth is, we were lying in ambush here to kill those messengers ourselves. Then you suddenly appeared and—slash."
Gong Son-tae mimed slitting his throat with a grin.
The black-cloaked leader finally removed his mask, revealing a sharp-featured man like a honed blade.
As he did, the others unmasked too. All were similar in age and demeanor.
The leader asked.
"Whose orders were you following to kill the messengers?"
"The Great Prince's. The reason is likely the same as yours from the Crown Prince's Palace."
Gong Son-tae urged them on.
"The Great Prince awaits—shall we talk on the way?"
* * *
"We see the Great Prince."
Yi Hwan regarded the bowing leader calmly. It was as if a sharpened blade had taken human form to greet him.
"Sit, all of you."
The men sat opposite Yi Hwan.
Cheol Mu-ok stood behind him.
Yi Hwan asked.
"Was killing the messengers to buy time the best option?"
"We merely follow His Highness's command."
Yi Hwan realized further questions were pointless. Those with such eyes usually held convictions stronger than death.
They were unlikely to give the answers he hoped for.
"Is His Highness recovering well?"
"He's improving rapidly."
"Good."
Just then, Gong Son-tae and Song Cheon-mu entered with tea, interrupting the conversation.
The leader watched Yi Hwan leisurely savor the tea's aroma, inwardly surprised. It felt like standing before a towering mountain.
*'Was he always like this?'*