Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 752

“You fools! What are you doing!” Hwangbo-jeok roared.

“Seize these rebels immediately! If they resist, kill them!”

“Oh, my.”

Peng Mu-gang tapped Hwangbo-jeok’s face with his long sword.

It was a truly humiliating act. Both Hwangbo-jeok, who was being subjected to it, and the palace guards who were watching, were trembling with rage.

“Think carefully. Are you going to die because of the machinations of a traitor? Honor and principles are good, but it’s too unfair to throw your life away for just anything.”

“Kill them now! Don’t worry about my life!”

Hwangbo-jeok was sincere.

That was something the palace guards, Peng Mu-gang, and even Jeagal Ayeon and Moon-seok could all see.

Flash!

The palace guards’ eyes changed.

Peng Mu-gang was inwardly tense.

‘It wouldn’t be good if we really clashed.’

If they were determined to fight to the death, he could easily kill a hundred and escape.

The problem was that there were allies here who couldn’t die. There was Jeagal Ayeon, and Yeon-wi, who had gone to the audience chamber. Moreover, Moon-seok and the soldiers he brought couldn’t lose their lives either.

Even the palace guards facing them shouldn’t lose their lives. Even if Yeon-wi had reached the Emperor, they should avoid a premature clash unless a fight had already broken out over there.

“Hmm, so that’s how it is.”

Peng Mu-gang grinned.

“Alright! Then I’ll make a proposal.”

“Shut up! The palace guards don’t negotiate with rebels!”

“You shut up. Your breath stinks.”

Hwangbo-jeok’s eyes bulged out.

How could he make such a joke in this serious situation? He was so dumbfounded that Hwangbo-jeok’s already pale complexion turned completely white.

Peng Mu-gang nodded.

“Even I can’t subdue you all without hurting you. But it’s not a good situation to kill you all and run away.”

“…What nonsense!”

“One ‘gak’ [a unit of time, approximately 15 minutes].”

“…?”

“Let’s just wait for one ‘gak’. Who knows? Maybe an imperial decree will come down from the audience chamber to have us withdraw.”

“That’s ridiculous!”

“No, it makes sense. We came here to correct the palace.”

“Wh-what did you say?”

“If His Majesty is determined to cast out the traitors, then from that moment on, we and you are in the same boat.”

Peng Mu-gang looked around at the palace guards and said.

“Aren’t you all veteran warriors who endured bone-breaking and flesh-tearing hardships to join the palace guards? The palace guards are a glorious army that protects His Majesty and the palace, so catching the traitorous group is also one of your duties.”

It was both true and false.

The palace guards didn’t move like that. As Hwangbo-jeok said, they were an organization that moved with strict obedience to orders.

Even if they were facing traitors, they would only draw their swords if an imperial decree to capture them was issued. Autonomous judgment was absolutely forbidden in the organization.

“If there are any among you who have joined hands with the traitors who have deceived His Majesty and wasted the nation’s power, you may attack us. But if not, please just bear with it. One ‘gak’ shouldn’t be too much of a burden for you.”

Hwangbo-jeok shouted.

“Don’t shake the loyalty of the palace guards with strange logic! What are you doing! Kill the rebels quickly!”

“Listen here.”

Whoosh!

A terrifying aura surged from Peng Mu-gang’s body.

He was completely different from his previous appearance, which seemed somewhat easygoing and careless.

The overwhelming aura swept through the palace guards in an instant. The faces of the soldiers who had been gripping their spears and swords tightened.

Hwangbo-jeok was the same. Rather, because he was too close and his internal energy was sealed, the pressure he was receiving was truly enormous.

“Do we really have to shed blood?”

“…”

“We didn’t come here to fight you, the palace guards of His Majesty. We came to catch the real traitors. But even so, if you try to capture us…”

Saaaak!

The overwhelming force of the Qiankun Mi Xu Divine Art [a powerful martial arts technique], which filled the heavens and the earth, was imbued with a dignified killing intent.

“Then I and my group will leave the Great General’s group and fly to the audience chamber.”

“…!!”

It was an extremely absurd and, as absurd as it was, threatening threat.

They had seen Peng Mu-gang’s power, and they had also seen Yeon-wi’s martial arts, which had disappeared towards the audience chamber in an instant.

It was a speed that the palace guards could not easily stop.

Of course, since they had openly stated that they would move, the palace guards would immediately take out their gunpowder weapons if they saw even the slightest sign. No matter how skilled a master was, they would not survive if they were hit by the newly developed gunpowder weapons.

The reason they hadn’t used those weapons on Yeon-wi was because he had moved before the palace guards could even react. Moreover, there was an equally skilled master here, so they couldn’t easily respond.

But now it was different.

If they took out ‘that,’ even if he was the head of the Peng family, the probability of breaking through to the audience chamber would not be high.

The problem was there.

They couldn’t be sure.

If Peng Mu-gang, who was revealing his sincerity by even emitting killing intent, really flew like lightning at the same time as he cut off Hwangbo-jeok’s head?

If they couldn’t stop him with the new gunpowder weapons, what would happen to the audience chamber?

“I know it’s an absurd threat. But we have no other choice.”

Peng Mu-gang’s eyes sank coldly.

He now looked like a general facing enemy soldiers. The soldiers flinched at his sharp aura, as if he were about to attack at any moment.

“Orders are orders, but I hope you understand this one thing. If we were really trying to start a rebellion, I wouldn’t be here either. I would have gone to the audience chamber with the Yeon family head.”

“…!”

“Think about what that means.”

It was then.

“All of you, lower your weapons.”

Chiriring.

At the command of the captain at the front, the palace guards lowered their weapons in unison.

Hwangbo-jeok shouted.

“In Mu-jang! What are you doing!”

“It’s one ‘gak’.”

The captain glared at Peng Mu-gang and said.

“Never before has anyone disrespected the palace guards so much, nor has anyone lectured them. We are merely tools that move according to the imperial decree.”

“I suppose so.”

“I will let it go this once.”

The captain turned around and shouted.

“The Third Army, head to the audience chamber immediately! Guard the perimeter of the audience chamber like an iron wall, and if there is even a hint of danger to His Majesty’s safety, kill the rebels immediately!”

As soon as he finished speaking, countless palace guards turned and headed towards the third palace gate.

“The remaining Fourth Army, take out the small fire guns!”

Click!

The soldiers took out metal objects slightly larger than their palms from their chests and aimed them at Peng Mu-gang, Moon-seok, and all their subordinates.

Not all of the remaining soldiers took out the metal objects. Perhaps about two hundred?

But that would be enough firepower. At least, it was enough to kill everyone here.

“It’s one ‘gak’. If there is no change after one ‘gak’.”

Killing intent flickered in the captain’s eyes.

“Then none of you will survive.”

Peng Mu-gang grumbled.

“How bloodthirsty.”

Although he said that, Peng Mu-gang could instinctively feel it.

The small fire guns that the captain had mentioned were incredibly dangerous. If they were caught in the crossfire of those countless small fire guns, even the greatest master in the world could lose their life without even swinging their sword once.

‘Did I make the situation too bloody?’

But he understood the captain’s actions. If he didn’t take such a strong stance, he might be punished after everything was resolved.

“Don’t worry. After one ‘gak’, either you will join us, or we will be captured by you. One of the two results will come out.”

Peng Mu-gang glanced towards the audience chamber.

Contrary to his confident expression, a slight anxiety was swirling in his eyes.

‘Was the persuasion not enough?’

Now he had to be prepared to swing his sword in earnest.

* * *

Woo-oo-oo-oong!

Woo-heon’s face was now so red that it looked almost blue.

Yeon-wi’s formless energy was incredibly powerful. Although it couldn’t compare to the masters who had reached the peak, his three dantian [energy centers in the body], which had pushed the limits of martial arts with just his sword energy, showed a more perfect response than anyone else.

As much as the lower dantian was full of energy, the middle dantian boasted the might of an iron wall, and as much as the middle dantian was as solid as a golden iron wall, the upper dantian also showed a vast majesty.

Yeon-wi’s eyes turned cold.

“Minion of the Divine Flame Church.”

“…!”

“Originally, eunuchs are supposed to have their manhood cut off, making them unable to function as men, but you didn’t. It’s not just because you’ve mastered the Divine Flame Church’s Scorching Yang Art, the primal energy you possess is too vivid.”

The Empress’s eyes widened.

‘Could it be?!’

Woo-heon’s voice was quite high for a man. Moreover, he didn’t have a beard, and his skin was only white. Anyone could see that he was a typical eunuch.

But was he not an eunuch?

“If one of the organs that humans are born with is removed, the innate yang energy cannot be intact. No matter how much of a genius one is, they cannot break through the wall of martial arts with such a body. That is the limit of a eunuch.”

“Eek!”

“But in your body, there is an overwhelming internal energy that only those who have broken through the limits can possess.”

“Y-you!”

Flash!

Yeon-wi’s pupils glowed bright blue.

It wasn’t a metaphor, they were really blue. The deep blue color, without a single blemish, evoked a bizarre fear in those who saw it.

“I can see sealed fire energy in your eyes.”

Srrr.

Yeon-wi raised his sword.

Jurrururuk.

Woo-heon’s body moved little by little towards Yeon-wi.

It was as if an invisible giant was forcibly pulling him. It was a great mastery of internal energy, an overwhelming technique of energy.

“If you want to die, keep resisting. That would be a good thing in itself.”

Jiiiiing!

Yeon-wi’s iron sword was also dyed with a blue glow, just like his eyes.

“Y-Your Majesty!”

Woo-heon looked at the dragon throne.

But no words came from the dragon throne. The Emperor’s face, hidden in his unique shadow, was still not visible.

“Your Majesty the Empress!”

Woo-heon looked at the Empress.

“Although we were political enemies, Your Majesty the Empress is also a member of the royal family and an elder. Are you just going to stand by and watch this outrageous situation!”

Of course, there was no answer from the Empress.

She had gone through countless life-and-death situations in one ‘gak’ due to the Emperor, who was so different from usual, and the appearance of Yeon-wi, who was unpredictable.

For her, this flow was the best possible. A faint sense of pleasure, and a subtle light of contempt, flickered in the Empress’s face.

Woo-heon looked at the Emperor and Empress with despairing eyes.

Yeon-wi clenched his fist.

Kkuuk!

Woo-heon’s body became stiff as if it was completely bound.

“Farewell.”

Just before Yeon-wi swung his sword.

Woo-heon’s eyes, which had been stained with despair, changed in an instant.

“You are truly helpless.”

Flash!

A lightning-like quick sword energy cut through Woo-heon’s body diagonally in an instant.

Jjeoooooong!

A deafening roar that shook the eardrums.

Tsutsutsutsu.

Even with Yeon-wi’s sincere slash, Woo-heon’s body did not split.

Hwaaaaa.

Thick steam rose from Woo-heon’s body.

Yeon-wi nodded.

“Finally, you’re revealing your true form.”

The second-in-command of the Divine Flame Church’s military organization, the Fire Cloud Secret Pavilion.

It was the appearance of Woo-heon, or rather, Gi Woo-heon.