The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  “This doesn’t seem to be their main lair. Where are the others?” Wang Chong frowned slightly.

  “There’s no news at the moment. It isn’t easy to stalk those people, and many of them were still delighting themselves in the casino,” Miyasame Ayaka reported with a hushed voice.

  Following the Goguryeons proved to more difficult than expected. Nearly all who dared to pass off as Han were formidable experts, and they were familiar with the layout of the capital, as well.

  Besides, having spent so many years here, they had already formed a complete system.

  The Goguryeon merchants would establish gambling dens, taverns, inns, and other businesses in the city’s west whereas the Goguryeon assassins (or rather, soldiers) would pass themselves off as rich Central Plain merchants, bodyguards, and tourists to frequent these businesses.

  When Miyasame Ayaka first learned of it, she was astounded. The Goguryeons were far more cunning than she could have imagined.

  With one’s attention preoccupied with the Goguryeons working in these establishments, who would pay attention to the Han customers and tourists?

  The Goguryeons had made full use of this opening.

  It was then that Miyasame Ayaka finally understood why the Great Tang royal court wasn’t able to make any progress despite their efforts.

  Turning to look at Wang Chong, she felt her awe for the latter deepening.

  It was as if Wang Chong had known the answer from the very start. Recalling the matter with the Spectre Steps, Miyasame Ayaka found the young man beside her becoming more and more unfathomable.

  If not for Wang Chong’s age, she might have heralded him as a deity.

  “Did you scout the interiors?” Wang Chong asked.

  “Un. There are around thirty people inside, and amongst them, there’s an exceptionally powerful expert. I dared not approach too near,” Miyasame Ayaka replied.

  “Thirty people?” Wang Chong frowned, falling into contemplation once more. Sou! In the next instant, Wang Chong leapt down from the tree and disappeared abruptly.

  “Gongzi…” Before Miyasame Ayaka could react, she found that she had already lost sight of Wang Chong’s silhouette. Gritting her teeth, she also slid down from the tree and hurriedly chased after him.

  ---

  The surrounding walls of the residence were covered with tall grass. Taking a brief look around, Wang Chong carefully kept himself out of sight from the open and hidden sentries and took a detour.

  Chi liu, like a nimble cat, Wang Chong climbed up a tree and jumped over the wall of the residence, landing softly on the other side. His movements were so nimble that even Miyasame Ayaka was left astonished.

  “I’m here!”

  “Two along the corridor, two in the bushes, two on the trees, and three in the open. A total of eleven of them.”

  This courtyard looked much bigger on the inside, and scattered around the area were eight Goguryeon martial artists.

  But due to the sheer size of the courtyard, it wasn’t too difficult for Wang Chong to sneak in.

  “Gongzi.”

  A gust of wind blew, and a familiar voice sounded from behind him. Miyasame Ayaka followed Wang Chong, and she was currently crouching amidst the bush beside him.

  “Gongzi, it’s too dangerous here. I advise that we should leave here immediately,” Miyasame Ayaka said worriedly.

  As an assassin skilled in Spectre Steps, she had no issues escaping from these assassins. But Wang Chong was different. Given the number of Goguryeon experts here, even she would be hesitant to make a move, less to say Wang Chong. If they were to be discovered and surrounded, death would be what that awaited them.

  “Don’t worry, it’s safe here!” Wang Chong chuckled.

  It was true that the sentries were on their guard, but Miyasame Ayaka was severely underestimating his capabilities. Without any guarantee, how could Wang Chong possibly barge in alone?

  Sou sou sou. Wang Chong’s gaze swept across the region, and a few moments later, he suddenly walked along the outer perimeter of the courtyard before sneaking inward.

  Unlike Miyasame Ayaka, Wang Chong proceeded slowly by making use of the shadows, the temporary lapse in the attention of the sentries, and exploiting blind angles.

  Watching the sight, Miyasame Ayaka was dumbfounded for a long moment.

  Around seven to eight breaths later, Wang Chong had already successfully penetrated the depths of the courtyard and hid behind a fake hill.

  Clearly, the Goguryeons couldn’t understand the aesthetics of the gardens that the Han liked to construct. Viewing it as a hindrance, they knocked it down, turning it a convenient cover for Wang Chong.

  Wang Chong scanned the courtyard with a sharp gaze. Even though it looked ordinary, he could still see various vague signs.

  On a pillar along the corridor, there was a picture of fiery red flames. A picture of a red child was pasted on the window paper.

  And through the doors of a room opposite to him, Wang Chong saw an insignia made up of a quiver and a cluster of arrows.

  This is the temporary base for the Goguryeons. However, it doesn’t seem to be highly-valued; the person in-charge here is only True Martial realm 5-dan, Wang Chong thought. Having come into contact with the Goguryeons and captured some of their assassins, he knew a thing or two about their rules.

  Flames represent the sun while the red child was a symbol for the Three-legged Crow. Goguryeons believed that the Three-legged Crow could morph itself into a red child.

  As the Three-legged Crow insignia was a little too conspicuous in the Central Plains, it might incur the suspicions of some. Thus, they decided to assume the insignia of the red child instead.

  On the other hand, the quiver and the cluster of arrows reflected the tier of the base. Up to a limit of nine arrows, the more arrows there were in the quiver, the higher ranked the base was.

  Also, the quiver also had another meaning: There was a master archer here, or to be more exact, a Goguryeon “Condor Sniper”!

  The Goguryeons’ Condor Snipers were even more formidable than the Turks’ master archers. In a base, a Condor Sniper could be viewed as a high-speed, mobile cannon.

  No matter how numerous the attackers were, forty to fifty arrows shot off would be sufficient to deplete their forces. At this point, Wang Chong couldn’t help but feel relieved.

  Miyasame Ayaka didn’t understand the meaning behind these symbols, so she brought him over to take a look. If she hadn’t done so and an order to attack the base was issued, it might have resulted in severe losses, or even worse, the Goguryeons might even have managed to escape under the strong covering fire.

  These Goguryeons sure are audacious. To think that they even dispatched a Condor Sniper here, do they really think that this is their own military base?, Wang Chong thought furiously.

  There were spies from Ü-Tsang, Mengshe Zhao, Abbasid Caliphate, Charax Spasinu, the Turkic Khaganates, and the other nations in the Central Plains, but only the Goguryeons had gone this far.

  The Goguryeons had already lodged itself into the core of Great Tang by spreading its force across it, forming a fearsome threat.

  These Goguryeons were no mercenaries, but soldiers under the command of their empire. Even Condor Snipers, prized assets of their military, were dispatched to the grounds of the Central Plains, it was unimaginable how far their forces had penetrated the country.

  It seems like I’ve to find some way to root all of them out!, Wang Chong thought.

  The Goguryeons in the Central Plains formed a frightening force. They might not be gathered together, but they were capable of assassination, destruction, scouting, and spying… It was this group of people who caused the greatest damage during the wars with Goguryeo back then, thus eventually resulting in Great Tang’s defeat.

  Chapter 238: The Assassination that was Brought Forward Half a Year

  Chapter 238: The Assassination that was Brought Forward Half a Year

  “Gongzi, we can’t p
roceed any further, or else we’ll alarm that Goguryeon expert.” In the midst of his contemplations, a gentle but forceful hand suddenly grabbed Wang Chong’s arm.

  “Besides, we still don’t know whether King Sosurim is here. If he’s here, I fear that we might not get off unscathed,” Miyasame Ayaka said nervously.

  It was no secret that Wang Chong intended to deal with King Sosurim, but that Goguryeon spy was not an easy person to deal with.

  Putting aside how elusive that person was, he also had a huge bunch of violent and formidable Goguryeon assassins beneath him.

  In fact, King Sosurim was the first name that Miyasame Ayaka heard after entering the circle of assassins.

  If not for Wang Chong, she would have never considered provoking King Sosurim! But Wang Chong was simply too daring, actually sneaking in here. Even she was unable to persuade him otherwise.

  “Heh, don’t worry. Your considerations are unfounded. King Sosurim isn’t here, and at most, that expert is just a Turk Condor Sniper,” Wang Chong turned around and revealed his findings with a hushed voice.

  “This… If King Sosurim isn’t here, our operation is meaningless, isn’t it? To expend so much effort for a mere Goguryeon expert… Why don’t we retreat for now? We can report this matter to the royal court to clear up this gathering,” Miyasame Ayaka advised with a suppressed tone. This was the safest option they had at hand.

  “Retreat? How is that possible?” Wang Chong chuckled. “The reason why we went through so much trouble to unearth the gathering point of the Goguryeons isn’t to let the royal court clear things up.”

  If Miyasame Ayaka thought that Wang Chong’s actions were just to exact vengeance for that night assault, she was severely underestimating him. The reason why Wang Chong went to uncover the den of Goguryeons wasn’t just to leave them to the royal court.

  “Wait here for me,” Wang Chong muttered. After which, he abruptly crawled across the floor as adroitly as a black lizard, heading for the room before him.

  “Gongzi…” Astonished, Miyasame Ayaka quickly stretched out her hands to stop him, but it was too late. This time, her face paled, and her body trembled with anxiety.

  The senses of those in the True Martial realm were extraordinary. Even she dared not go any further for fear of attracting the latter’s attention, and yet, Wang Chong was actually still advancing.

  What was even more surprising was that even though Miyasame Ayaka could still sense Wang Chong’s presence initially, in the blink of an eye, like a burst bubble, he disappeared from her senses.

  She could still roughly make out Wang Chong’s silhouette, but bizarrely, she wasn’t able to sense his aura at all. It was as if he was nothing more than a mere shadow.

  “This…” Miyasame Ayaka was stunned. Worried as she was, she dared not step any further. While Wang Chong could succeed, she had no confidence that she could do the same.

  Unaware of Miyasame Ayaka’s dilemma, Wang Chong was only glad that the Tortoise Breathing Art he had learned from Arloja and Ablonodon proved useful now.

  This secret art of the Sindhi Saddhus allowed one to plug all of their pores, preventing the slightest aura from leaking out of them. At the same time, one’s metabolism rate would be reduced to the minimum, allowing one to survive without eating or drinking for several months, or even several years.

  Even Wang Chong wasn’t capable of such a feat despite the incredible might he wielded back then. This technique was probably created out of necessity by the impoverished Sindhu. While it wasn’t offense-oriented, it could prove useful under extreme situations.

  Wang Chong’s Turtle Breathing Art wasn’t advanced enough for him to forsake the need for sustenance yet, but concealing his aura by plugging his pores was still within his means.

  Pairing that with his Constellation Steps, as long as he proceeded carefully, he should be able to stay off the enemy’s radar.

  Candlelight flickered by the window, and vaguely, he could hear foreign mutterings inside the room. Two Goguryeons were currently chatting.

  Wang Chong had learned Koguryoan back then, and the reason why he took his chances and sneaked over was because he had heard a familiar phrase.

  “How is the investigation going?” A cold voice sounded from the room. Judging from the authoritative edge to the voice, that person was likely to be a person of high standing.

  “It’s almost done. I have all of the information on the recruits of White Tiger Peak on hand,” a masculine voice replied.

  A feeling of goosebumps immediately rose up Wang Chong’s arm as he heard the very same phrase once again. The furrow on Wang Chong’s forehead deepened.

  “Un. After you’re done, submit the report on to the lord immediately. The lord must have a good reason for issuing such an abrupt order, and admittedly, there’s something very bizarre about our loss back then. By then, we will know what is going on,” the authoritative voice ordered.

  Weng!

  Wang Chong’s consciousness suddenly jolted, and countless thoughts flashed across his mind. A complete scenario was gradually taking shape in his mind.

  “I understand!” the masculine voice answered.

  “There’s also something you have to take note of. The lord has instructed for us to stay low for the next few months, and he has sternly warned against causing any ruckus. The Great Tang royal court may look lax on the outside, but they aren’t as simple as that. The several hundred warriors that our empire dispatched for the previous operation ended up being used by them to temper their soldiers. Not a single one of them managed to escape.”

  The authoritative voice sounded a little frustrated, and after a slight pause, he continued.

  “But their deaths were not in vain. They died for the prosperity of our empire. Besides, the lord has said that as long as we get through this ordeal, we will return the favor back to them manifolds. He has already gotten in touch with His Majesty, and a battalion of elite warriors will be traveling here in small batches. By then, we will be able to inflict grievous damage upon Great Tang. The lord has his eyes set upon a group of influential officials. Those people have always maintained a hostile attitude toward Goguryeo, so we shall wipe them off the face of the Earth!”

  “Long live Goguryeo! Long live Yeon Gaesomun!” that masculine voice suddenly chanted in excitement upon hearing those words.

  Beyond the window, Wang Chong’s heart skipped a beat. A furious wind blew in his mind, raising a ferocious tsunami.

  “... King Sosurim is going to make a move in advance!”

  Eventually, everything cleared, leaving behind this single thought in Wang Chong’s mind.

  This wasn’t the first operation by King Sosurim. His group would engage in assassination and mass destruction once every three to five years.

  King Sosurim had assassinated many influential officials in the past, but Wang Chong knew that nothing would compare to the operation that would occur half a year from now.

  The royal court’s censors, commanders and generals of the Bureau of Military Personnel, officials from the Bureau of Punishments, and some of the veteran officials of Great Tang; they would all be reduced to cold, lifeless corpses. Even the maids and servants in their residences wouldn’t be spared. That incident would shock the entire Great Tang and incur the wrath of the Sage Emperor.

  It was due to this that the royal court devoted everything they had to capturing King Sosurim. Even the Imperial Army and Chamberlains of Imperial Insignia were dispatched in that chase.

  But prepared for this, King Sosurim successfully retreated from Great Tang after all was done, safely returning to Goguryeo.

  With this incident, his name struck fear into the officials throughout Great Tang!

  But this incident should only happen half a year from now! Why would it be brought forward by so much?

  Wang Chong’s heart beat in agitation.

  Indubitably, the conversation between the two Goguryeon leaders inside was definitely regarding that incident.r />
  The Goguryeons had already formed a sizeable influence in the capital. There was only one operation throughout the history of Great Tang that would require the dispatchment of an army of elites from the Goguryeon Empire—the assassinations half a year from now.

  If not for Wang Chong’s ability to understand Koguryoan, the entire Great Tang would surely be caught off-guard.

  “Alright, you should leave for now! The army the lord requested will only arrive a month from now, so lie low until then. The Great Tang royal court is currently in the midst of tracking us down, make sure not to leave behind any traces.”

  “Hahaha, pardon my insolence, but my lord, I believe you are overestimating them! It’s not that I’m looking down on them, but if they really did possess such capability, we would have been captured a decade ago.”

  “Hahaha, indeed.”

  With hearty laughter, the two Goguryeons inside ended their conversation.

  Peng!

  A short moment after Wang Chong dived into the shadows, the doors opened, and a sturdily-built man carrying a huge, black scabbard on his back walked out and scanned the surroundings sharply. Sou! He leapt onto the roof and swiftly disappeared into the distance.

  With the departure of this man, the entire area was plunged into silence. By the candlelight, the other Goguryeon sat motionlessly in thought.

  Hmph! We can’t capture you? Such foolish thoughts!, Wang Chong sneered coldly before retreating on the path he took here previously.

  “Gongzi, how is it?”

  With Wang Chong’s return, Miyasame Ayaka heaved a huge sigh of relief. Wang Chong’s actions had really left her panicked. Throughout the entire duration, she waited with trepidation, fearing that Wang Chong would be noticed at any moment.

  In fact, she had even prepared herself to make a move at any moment.

  But deep in her heart, she felt a little impressed by Wang Chong. It seemed as though there was no shortage of secret arts Wang Chong was capable of. Did all clans in Great Tang possess such strong foundations, or was Wang Chong the only exception?

  “We can leave now,” Wang Chong said. Initially, he was prepared to stake out here for quite awhile, and he had changed his mind.