LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 124: The Phoenix (6)
Chapter 124 < The Phoenix (6) >
“Did you continue to investigate the emperor after that?”
“Yes.”
He quietly built up his power under Chairman Sung, waiting for the day he would overthrow the emperor.
“Why? I didn’t do anything for you…”
He had just found a child lying on the wet street. Anyone would have taken pity on a homeless kid. Seong Hyun-woo kissed the hand of Lee Seo-eun that touched his cheek.
“You may not think it was a big deal, but it was everything to me.”
“…”
“You saved me.”
In his lonely childhood, when he was dying, Lee Seo-eun was the one who found him. And Lee Hoon was the first person to make him feel the warmth of a family.
Lee Seo-eun shed a tear and hugged Seong Hyun-woo’s neck. Their lips met, and the screen faded to the night sky.
As dawn broke, Seong Hyun-woo buttoned up his shirt and approached Lee Seo-eun.
“By the way, is the phoenix really here?”
“Uncle probably couldn’t find it.”
Lee Seo-eun walked to the room at the end of the hallway, as if in a trance. It was the room where they used to play when they were young. In the messy room, where someone had rummaged through, she took something out of a pink bag with a character on it.
“Is that the real phoenix?”
“Yes.”
She smiled faintly at the wooden box covered with stickers. She must have thought the real phoenix was something amazing. She would have overlooked it as a simple toy for a child. She pressed a few spots with her thumb, and a sophisticated mechanical device moved, revealing a golden phoenix.
“It’s done.”
They were ready to oust the emperor. As they were about to leave, Lee Seo-eun’s phone, which she had charged, vibrated.
(Your Highness?)
“Hey, Choi Chamberlain. What’s wrong? Why do you sound like that?”
(Oh, thank God…)
Choi Chamberlain, who was whispering in case someone heard him, sighed with relief.
(The emperor imprisoned us. And he said you were dead… and told us to join him.)
“What?”
(We’re locked up and can’t move, and you’re not answering… We thought you were really gone and didn’t know what to do…)
Choi Chamberlain sobbed as he spoke.
Seong Hyun-woo’s undercover work had exposed the emperor and Lee Kang’s misdeeds, and a hearing was held. There was talk of deposing the current emperor and enthroning Lee Seo-eun, the rightful heir.
In the end, the emperor, driven to the edge, made a desperate choice to kill Lee Seo-eun.
(It seems like he’s trying to kill you and cover up his crimes. Where are you?)
While Lee Seo-eun was talking seriously, Seong Hyun-woo lifted the curtain slightly and looked outside. He saw a group of Sim Chamberlain’s men in the distance. Seong Hyun-woo’s face hardened. The person who killed Lee Hoon was right in front of him.
(What do we do? There are only three hours left until the hearing.)
“Two hours is enough.”
(Are you with Director Seong?)
Lee Seo-eun said she would come as soon as possible and hung up the phone.
“What are you going to do?”
“Do you see the car behind you?”
Lee Seo-eun nodded.
“I put the evidence of the emperor and Lee Kang’s corruption in there. You go first.”
“Then what about you?”
Seong Hyun-woo closed his mouth and shook his head. There were quite a few of Sim Chamberlain’s men. He decided to stay here to send Lee Seo-eun safely. Just like Lee Hoon had sacrificed himself to save the two children in the past.
“Come back safely.”
Lee Seo-eun, who read Seong Hyun-woo’s intention from his expression, handed him the real phoenix.
Lee Seo-eun had to have the phoenix. It would give her more authority at the hearing. But if he had it, Sim Chamberlain might take it from him.
Seong Hyun-woo was surprised and tried to give it back to her.
“No, keep it.”
“…”
“Come back soon. Make me the emperor. Promise me.”
“Okay.”
Seong Hyun-woo nodded with a determination to survive and return.
“This is the house.”
Sim Chamberlain, who arrived at Lee Hoon’s house, sneered. He ordered Hwang Chamberlain, who was standing next to him.
“Kill them both.”
“Yes.”
As Hwang Chamberlain was about to enter the yard, a car crashed through the gate and sped away. In the process, two guards were hit by the car.
“It’s the princess!”
“Follow her!”
As Sim Chamberlain’s men got in the car and chased after Lee Seo-eun, Seong Hyun-woo ran to the opposite side and shouted.
“Chief Sim!”
He shook the golden seal mockingly.
“Don’t you need the real seal?”
“Get him!”
Chief Sim shouted, and the guards rushed towards Seonghyun Woo.
[Seo Eun, why are you driving so recklessly?]
[Hyun Woo, you’re too cautious. Driving is supposed to be fun like this.]
[Wow… You could be a racer.]
Two cars chasing after Seo Eun. She swerved the wheel without hesitation to shake them off. A breathtaking car chase scene unfolded like a movie on the drone camera.
“Seonghyun Woo, why don’t you join us now?”
Meanwhile, Seonghyun Woo, who had lured Chief Sim and Chief Hwang to the abandoned warehouse, was cornered at a dead end. Under his fierce gaze, Chief Sim remembered a boy.
“So, you were that rat.”
“…”
“Do you remember? It was here too.”
Chief Sim, who had made Seonghyun Woo kneel, snatched the real seal from his chest. He was angry that he had made him suffer so much, and he taunted him by mentioning Lee Hoon, who was like a parent to him.
“Isn’t it easy to kill a person? Right?”
“…”
“One shot of this metal piece and it’s over.”
Yoo Yeon Seo had come to the filming site even though it was not his shooting day. And he observed the child actors’ performances from beginning to end for immersion.
Lee Hoon’s death, who was no different from his parents, and Chief Sim and the current emperor. He automatically associated the situation with Lee Hee Seo and the culprit who killed her, and the person who paid for her death.
[Because of you.]
Maybe that’s why, but Yoo Yeon Seo didn’t find the hallucinations that tormented him annoying today. Rather, it became an opportunity for him to immerse himself more in his role. He even felt like the camera that was filming him was breathing with him.
Seonghyun Woo felt the coldness of the gun touching his forehead. He glared at Chief Sim with hatred in his eyes, and he quickly struck his wrist.
“Ugh…!”
He then overpowered the startled Chief Sim and punched him. He pushed him to the corner and looked around.
‘I’m going to kill him.’
Seonghyun Woo, or rather Yoo Yeon Seo, sharpened his eyes as he approached the fallen Chief Sim with the gun in his hand.
[What will you do if you find the culprit?]
He seemed to have found the answer to that question.
Seo Eun safely shook off the people who were chasing her and entered the palace. And in the warehouse, Seonghyun Woo, who had quickly subdued Chief Sim, pointed the gun at his forehead.
“Do you remember…”
“Wait… Let’s talk.”
“I’ve wanted to kill you since then.”
His eyes, dangerously flickering, stared at Chief Sim’s trembling pupils, and Seonghyun Woo pulled the trigger. There was no bang, of course. The gun was a prop, not a real one.
“…Cut!”
After a moment of silence, the director’s cut sign was heard.
“Yeon Seo, are you okay?”
“Ah, yes.”
Yoo Yeon Seo came to his senses as he saw Chief Sim’s changed tone. He helped the actor who played Chief Sim up. He looked fine on the outside, but…
“Did I really hit you?”
“No, it’s okay. You controlled it well.”
Fortunately, he didn’t hit him for real even though he was immersed. Yoo Yeon Seo breathed a sigh of relief.
“I don’t think we need to see the monitor.”
The director’s voice was somewhat cautious. Even though he was looking through the monitor, he felt overwhelmed by Yoo Yeon Seo’s aura.
The director felt this way, so the person who faced his eyes directly must have felt more, not less. The actor who played Chief Sim sighed in relief as he saw Yoo Yeon Seo’s eyes change. If he could kill someone with his eyes alone, Yoo Yeon Seo would be the only one, he thought unrealistically.
‘Is this a complete immersion?’
Yoo Yeon Seo looked at himself on the monitor as if he was a stranger. If it was before, he would have just analyzed, ‘I’m acting, let’s try something different here,’ but now, it was Seonghyun Woo, not Yoo Yeon Seo, who was there.
He nodded in satisfaction and looked around, and all the staff and actors clapped their hands. The scene he had just done was the last shooting of ‘The Seal’.
“Good job, everyone!”
“Thank you!”
A staff member came up to Yoo Yeon Seo and handed him a Bluetooth microphone.
“Our lead actor Yeon Seo, please say a few words.”
Yoo Yeon Seo observed the people around him. The malicious eyes he had seen in the memory synchronization were gone now. He hesitated for a moment and opened his mouth.
***
The emperor’s shocking announcement that the princess had died. And he declared that all the corruption that had happened was done by the princess alone.
“What about Seo Eun…”
As the emperor dabbed his teary eyes with a handkerchief, a loud bang echoed in the hearing hall as the door opened.
“Wait a minute…”
“What’s going on?”
The reporters stirred and Lee Seo-eun, who entered the hearing hall confidently, climbed up to the podium and stood in front of the microphone.
“So, did I die?”
“What happened?”
“Until a moment ago, His Majesty the Emperor…”
The reporters jumped up and showered her with questions. Lee Seo-eun raised one hand to stop them. When the audience quieted down, she opened her mouth.
“I was kidnapped by Shim Naekwan, the emperor’s aide.”
Lee Seo-eun, who was thought to be dead, appeared and the emperor and Lee Kang were shocked and widened their eyes. Lee Seo-eun revealed the misdeeds of the emperor and Lee Kang based on the data that Seong Hyun-woo gave her.
“Therefore, I declare that I will inherit the throne as I have succeeded my father’s legacy.”
“No, this is invalid! The royal seal, the royal seal!”
“Shut up!”
Lee Kang sprang up and shouted. The emperor restrained his son. It was as good as admitting that the royal seal they had was fake.
However, it was also true that one could not ascend to the throne without the royal seal. As long as Lee Seo-eun was alive, the emperor’s fallback plan was to make Lee Kang the next emperor.
“That’s…”
Lee Seo-eun bit her lower lip. Seong Hyun-woo did not come. What happened?
“What, so the royal seal is fake now?”
“If the emperor’s corruption is true, then who is the next emperor? Lee Kang? Lee Seo-eun?”
The people stirred again. Lee Seo-eun, who felt humiliated, and the emperor and Lee Kang, who were cornered, glared at each other. Then, the door of the hearing hall opened again.
“Hwang Naekwan!”
The person who opened the door was Hwang Naekwan, Lee Kang’s aide. And in his hand, the real royal seal. Lee Kang jumped up again and cheered happily, while the emperor clenched his fist.
‘What’s going on?’
Lee Seo-eun, who felt anxious, lowered her head.
“Over here.”
But Hwang Naekwan, who was expected to go to Lee Kang right away, suddenly stepped aside and ushered someone in.
“Seong Hyun-woo?”
“What, what?!”
The one who ordered Hwang Naekwan as if he was his subordinate was Seong Hyun-woo. And behind him, the police officers who stood behind the emperor and Lee Kang, ready to handcuff them at any time.
The emperor and Lee Kang’s voices were heard in confusion, and Seong Hyun-woo took the royal seal from Hwang Naekwan’s hand and walked slowly toward Lee Seo-eun.
“Mr. Hyun-woo.”
Lee Seo-eun, who felt relieved, looked at him and Seong Hyun-woo smiled softly. Then he handed the royal seal to Lee Seo-eun’s hand and draped a red dragon robe over her shoulder.
“I kept my promise.”
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