Rebirth of the Thunder God

The identity of the familiar face was none other than.

The man named Adjutant Yang, whom he had met when he had visited the Imperial Palace.

The descendant of the Yang family's spear art and a subordinate of General Yi, he had uttered a meaningful remark before parting.

‘He said it was dangerous to even mention the word 'General'.’

As if the General were eavesdropping, he had even stopped him from uttering the word 'General' itself.

He even said that speaking it telepathically was dangerous.

Could it be that General Yi's third eye could detect even that realm?

If so, shouldn't it be called the Third Ear instead of the Third Eye?

"Is it alright for a gate guard to be dozing off like this?"

"Hup! My apologies!"

Even though the guard's rank was by no means low, he was flustered by Adjutant Yang.

When you think about it, his rank should be seen as the same as an adjutant.

Nevertheless, the fact that he was even using honorifics meant that Adjutant Yang's real power was immense.

"You haven't seen anyone suspicious?"

"No, sir! Not even a single rat has been loitering around."

At the word 'rat,' Chichi, who was in his bosom, peeked his head out.

[He's talking in a way that makes a listening rat feel bad. Should I give him a taste of Thunder Ki?]

-Stop it. What's the use if we get caught after all the trouble of climbing the wall?

[I was just kidding. Where should I guide you today?]

Perhaps because he had quite liked the alcohol he was fed last night, Chichi was unusually cooperative today.

What was the name of the alcohol again? Was it Maotai?

It was an alcohol that the Fist King had personally given him when he had visited Guizhou Province, and seeing Chichi's reaction, it was worth saving.

‘I was thinking of having a drink with Seolhwa, but I can't seem to find the time. I want to see Seolhwa drunk.’

-Chichi. Today, we're going to find a person. I need you to follow the scent from this edict. Can you do it?

[Uhm... It's really not because of a hangover, but there are a lot of formations installed here, aren't there?]

It was none other than the Imperial Palace, said to be the most heavily guarded place in the Central Plains.

If the castle where the emperor resided was rather lax, that would be strange.

It was a self-evident fact that not only formations but also various barriers and mechanical traps would be installed.

Hadn't he experienced it firsthand at the Imperial Palace's secret repository last time?

Even such a secret repository was so heavily guarded, so if it was a place where the emperor personally resided, there was no need for an explanation.

‘Rather, I can just use this heavy guard to my advantage.’

-Chichi. Where is the place your Ki sense can't reach the most?

[Over there, in the very center. I can't feel anything from that place, as if it were a bottomless pit. Should I say it feels like I'm seeing an illusion?]

-Then that must be the place where the emperor or a being equivalent to him resides. For now, let's go there.

There was no reason to guard a useless place so heavily.

Wasn't it a situation where they were in a confrontation with the Hoicheon Association?

It was a situation where every single person was precious, so they wouldn't waste unnecessary manpower.

Namgung Hui performed the Hidden Dragon Steps and melted into the darkness.

Namgung Hui's form, which disappeared without a trace.

Even General Yi's third eye would not be able to detect this.

On top of that, Namgung Hui did not let his guard down and even brought the red bead that erased his presence.

It must have been something the Black Tortoise Troupe Leader had given him to use at a time like this.

Namgung Hui did not stop there and even killed his own life force with the Danhyul Great Art.

Even the insects around him did not perceive Namgung Hui and passed by.

Moreover, even a cat, famous for being very cautious, brushed past Namgung Hui.

How long had he walked like that?

Soldiers popped out from here and there without warning.

Perhaps because of the influence of the formation, even Namgung Hui had a hard time detecting them.

It was rather a good thing.

Because if it was a world of formations like this, it would mean that they would also have a hard time perceiving Namgung Hui.

-Chichi. Do you see the Gate of Life?

[Uh. Here and there, it's full of blue light. Just follow me.]

Chichi took the lead, and Namgung Hui followed behind.

Even if the soldiers saw Chichi's small form, they would probably just see it as a single rat.

Even that was difficult to perceive as he passed by so quickly.

Finally, he entered the central part of the Imperial Palace, which Chichi had first felt.

There were no soldiers passing by here, and only the high castle walls greeted Namgung Hui.

Only the gate guard guarding the inner castle gate was standing in a firm posture.

Namgung Hui realized that this was the first gateway and carefully looked around.

For now, the only person was the guard in front of him.

But his subtle Ki sense was telling him that that wasn't all.

‘Someone is hiding.’

Perhaps because they were performing a stealth art, a presence was detected in his electric net.

Moreover, to climb the wall, traces of mechanisms were visible here and there on the castle walls.

A look that seemed it would be noisily activated with just a touch.

Rather, the inner castle gate where the guard was standing absent-mindedly seemed to have the most openings.

Because it meant that at least the place where that guard was standing was a space that could be entered.

‘If so, the key will be how to deal with the one who is hiding.’

It wasn't enough to just subdue him.

Usually, people who stand guard like this periodically send a signal to someone.

It was so that they could notice the sign even if they were subdued.

Since this was the most basic of the basics for a sentry, he had to devise another method.

‘First, I need to know what this place is for. Infiltration comes after that.’

There was an order to things.

The success rate of infiltration would go up only if he knew whether it was the emperor's territory or the Hoicheon Association's territory right now.

Namgung Hui decided to wait for the right time without thinking impatiently.

Since they were also human, an opening was bound to appear.

Moreover, there would be a time for a shift change, and it seemed he could aim for that fleeting moment.

And so, when about two hours had passed, as if the shift change time had come, another guard was walking from the outer castle.

He skillfully took out his identification tag from his bosom and showed it to the guard on the other side.

The moment the hidden person also peeked his head out from outside the castle wall to confirm the identity.

‘The castle gate is empty now!’

Namgung Hui sensed that this was the opening and immediately performed the Wind God Steps to its extreme.

[Wind God Steps, Fifth Form. Divine Wind's Chapter. Light Speed]

Namgung Hui, who passed by as fast as light.

A wind naturally rose between the guards.

"What's this? I think a wind just blew. Don't tell me!"

The guard looked at the castle wall and continued.

"Watcher, sir. Did you fart?"

"..."

The watcher, who suddenly raised his killing intent.

And for good reason. He couldn't help but be dumbfounded as he was framed as the fart culprit.

"Do you want to die?"

"Goodness. If it's not, it's not. Why are you even raising your killing intent? Don't you know that the one who farts gets angry? A person who should know better is getting angry."

"Ahem. Anyway. I did not fart. If you're really curious, I'll even show you my underpants."

"What's the point of looking at a man's underpants? There's no need to go that far. It seems a ghost passed by. Anyway. I'll be getting off work now, so good luck."

The guard, who disappeared while subtly teasing him.

The man called the watcher, as if his patience was extraordinary, suppressed his killing intent to the end and waited for the guard to disappear.

Since Namgung Hui had also finished his infiltration safely, he was about to enter the interior, but the watcher whispered softly to the guard who had taken over the shift.

"You brought the goods, right?"

"That's right."

Namgung Hui, smelling a strange scent, eavesdropped on their conversation a little more.

"Then take it out."

The guard looked around and then carefully took out a bundle from his bosom.

Indeed, there was a smell.

A really appetizing smell.

"Here are the dumplings. I bought them specially from the Manli Inn, so you'll have to pay me double for today's wages."

"Alright. Here are five silver nyang."

It seemed he was hungry as he had been on watch for a long time.

Unlike a regular guard, it seemed he was guarding the castle wall all day.

He was even worried if he could properly relieve himself.

Perhaps the reason the guard had asked if he had farted was because of this.

Namgung Hui shook his head and shook off the absurd thoughts.

‘Still, it's a relief that I entered safely. Rather, because of the iron-fortress-like castle walls and mechanical traps, the inner castle gate was lax.’

And more than anything, it was hard to find a lightness skill that could rush at an extreme speed like the Wind God Steps.

At best, only the Shadowless Divine Thief would be capable of such a feat.

Although Beak Seolhwa might be capable in terms of speed, her footwork was accompanied by frost, so it was clear that they would notice.

Hadn't Namgung Hui also almost been exposed because he had caused a wind?

Anyway, Namgung Hui, who had entered safely, strode into the interior.

‘What is this place for? It's so quiet that I can't even tell what's going on.’

Not even the sound of insects crying could be heard.

It was that heavily guarded, but it also meant that even insects were not allowed in due to other special devices.

It was probably because of the mechanisms and formations that surrounded the castle walls.

Still, Namgung Hui followed the presence that was leaking out, however faintly.

The largest pavilion.

A human presence was felt from there.

But it was so faint that he wondered if it was a living person.

It was also said to be that of a sick person, but it also felt artificial, as if he had performed the Danhyul Great Art.

Namgung Hui, for some reason, sensed that he had come to the right place with this faint breathing.

‘It seems to be the emperor's breathing. Shall I check if my guess is correct?’

As Namgung Hui approached the castle, life gradually welled up from the breathing.

The closer he got, the clearer it became.

And.

[Huh? This scent is the same as the scent from that edict.]

Chichi even finished the confirmation process.

Since Namgung Hui no longer needed to hide his presence, he released his stealth art and opened the door.

Namgung Hui's visit, which broke the lonely silence.

The owner of the breathing, as if he had seen through the Hidden Dragon Steps, greeted Namgung Hui without any sign of surprise.

"You've done well to find your way here."

Although it was a rather listless voice, it was more energetic than the weak life force he had first felt.

And although he couldn't guess the age of the middle-aged man in front of him, he certainly felt something invisible.

Although he couldn't put his finger on what it was, if he had to define it, he thought that this might be the dignity of a king.

"Are you really His Majesty the Emperor?"

"Then who do you think I am? The emperor's double? Or someone imitating the emperor? Or it could be someone who has stolen the emperor's mask."

Namgung Hui hesitated for a moment and then began to pay his respects to the person who seemed to be the emperor.

The moment he was about to bow his head and prostrate himself.

"That's enough of the formalities. I have no intention of demanding them from a martial artist. And it wouldn't be sincere anyway. In that time, let's sit down and talk."

Time was precious for both of them.

Since Namgung Hui also liked to get to the point as much as the emperor, he immediately sat down and opened his mouth.

"Your Majesty. I would like to hear the reason why you wanted to see me, even sending an edict."

"What other reason could there be? Of course, I called you because there is something you have to do. And it's a matter that must be handled very secretly."

The emperor's two eyes, which had finished speaking, momentarily emitted a killing intent so intense that it looked eerie.

Although the emperor seemed to be a body that had not learned martial arts, it was just amazing that he could emit such a killing intent.

‘Is this why he is called the one who acts on behalf of heaven? The emperor is the emperor.’

At that sight of the emperor, Namgung Hui sensed it.

That the matter the emperor would ask for was related to that killing intent.

"Do you wish for me to kill someone?"

"You're quick-witted. I like it. Yes. I'll say it right away. The one who must be written on the death list is... the Empress.”

(End of Chapter)