The Ruler of Darkness

Book 8: Chapter 5

“Will you come with me?”

Su-ran and Guard Cheongho exchanged glances and immediately nodded.

“Of course.”

“We can’t miss this.”

As members of the Spring of Luoyang, facing a high-ranking local official would certainly be a burden to them, but there was no hesitation.

It wasn’t just because they were curious about how Yeon So-hyeon would handle the district head, who was a running dog of the Second Young Master.

It was an answer that stemmed from their willingness to help in any way possible with the House of Compassion’s affairs, even if it was just a little, if they could.

Even though they didn’t know the exact details of what was happening.

Knowing their intentions, Yeon So-hyeon didn’t just answer with an acknowledgment but said the following.

***

As Yeon So-hyeon was heading towards the surface through the passage, he suddenly stopped.

It was near a fork in the passage.

“…Please wait in the wagon first.”

Jung-ah bowed her head and led Su-ran and Guard Cheongho up the passage.

Even the armed shrine maiden who was guiding with a torch moved with them, so the passage where only Yeon So-hyeon remained was soon engulfed in darkness.

Only the sunlight reflected from the surface along the walls of the passage dimly illuminated the area, barely distinguishing Yeon So-hyeon’s silhouette standing with his back to the exit.

Yeon So-hyeon turned his head and looked in the direction leading deeper.

An ordinary person would have shuddered at that darkness of immeasurable depth, but Yeon So-hyeon, a practitioner of Dark Heavens Scripture, had no fear of darkness.

His eyes focused precisely on a point in the darkness.

“Divine Maiden. Do you have anything left to say?”

As if parting through the darkness like mist, the Divine Maiden’s divine form abruptly appeared.

The sunlight, reflected and reflected again on the wall, barely illuminated her pale face.

Her lips moved.

“The most unholy ones are moving. I can hear their crawling sounds coming up from the deepest part of the underground passage. I can feel their breath mixed with the smell of blood and pus.”

Her voice was so faint that it seemed like it would scatter completely if the wind blew, but for some reason, it pierced Yeon So-hyeon’s ears so clearly.

“…The most unholy ones.”

Yeon So-hyeon repeated.

If it were Yeon So-hyeon at this time in the past history, he would have dismissed the story.

A gentleman does not talk about supernatural beings.

The Yeon So-hyeon at that time, consumed by the fear brought by the fate of a thousand deaths and thousand lives, only tried to accept things as they were, without creation.

Superstition was something he wanted to keep the farthest away from.

However, the current Yeon So-hyeon was different.

Dark Heavens Scripture.

And its practitioner, Sovereign of Dark Heavens.

Wasn’t he himself no different from supernatural beings?

“The Demon Sect is already making a move?”

The Heavenly Demonic Divine Cult.

The most bizarre and dangerous cult group in the history of the Central Plains.

“Fate has been twisted, and so destiny has found its place.”

Her answer was too vague to be an answer, but it wasn’t entirely without a point.

“…Are you saying that their movements have accelerated because of me?”

The Divine Maiden gave another answer that was not an answer.

“They worship an unholy prophecy and live according to the prophecy of the end times. Since the time of the prophecy has arrived, it is not a coincidence but an inevitability that the unholy ones are moving now.”

Her lips moved quickly.

“The day the city overflows with blood and screams. The earth will be engulfed in flames, and the red moon will hide in the sky, thunder originating from the ground will echo, and mortal beings will be unable to distinguish front, back, left, or right, and will only devote themselves to killing and being killed.”

Her body swayed back and forth, and her eyes rolled back, showing only the whites.

It seemed as if something had possessed her body.

“At that time, the most unholy ones who have crawled up from the underground will target the ‘exalted one in the darkest sky without even the moon and stars’…!”

Her last words echoed and echoed again in the passage with no sign of human presence.

“Is that the end?”

The Divine Maiden slowly nodded.

“When will that happen?”

“Not much time remains.”

Yeon So-hyeon chuckled.

“That’s good.”

He turned his body and headed upward.

“I have business with those bastards too.”

Yeon So-hyeon, who had glanced at the Divine Maiden with a wave of his hand behind his back, strode up the passage.

There was not a shred of hesitation or a bit of unease in his steps.

His figure heading towards the exit where the sunlight was blazing seemed as if he was moving towards the light.

Seeing his appearance, the Divine Maiden unconsciously recited a line from an ancient prophecy.

“When the wielder of the swordless sword returns and stands tall, the stars will find their place, and all fates will flow properly.”

It was a phrase recorded in the prophecy book.

***

In Luoyang, the position of district head was a high-ranking position directly below the Prefect of Luoyang, responsible for the administrative affairs of each district.

He stroked his neatly trimmed beard and commanded his assistants with a nod.

“What is the commander of guards doing?! Immediately send these bastards back to their homes!”

Upon hearing those words, the commander of guards, the leader of the government soldiers, roared in a resonant voice.

“Execute the order!”

Over a hundred government soldiers approached the poor people in a leisurely manner.

They also didn’t want to engage in unnecessary arguments with the innocent poor people, but they had no choice since the district head was personally watching over them.

“Now, now! Everyone, please return to your homes!”

“If you don’t return immediately, you will be subjected to punishment!”

As they began to push the poor people who had packed their belongings and come out, a commotion erupted.

“Oh my! My lords! We are just following the guidance of the House of Compassion to go to another village!”

“We are not even saying that we will leave Luoyang, are we?!”

The relocation managers of the House of Compassion shouted to the poor people.

“Do not resist and return to your homes for now!”

“It’s alright! Do not resist the government soldiers!”

“The House of Compassion will continue to be with you!”

At those words, many of the poor people turned around and started to take heavy steps again, but not everyone was persuaded.

“We have received relocation support funds! We were also promised jobs!”

“We are trying to live like human beings now, so what crime have we committed to be treated like this?!”

They were dreaming of a new beginning in life, so they were not willing to back down easily.

Those who had barely grasped a glimmer of hope after waiting only for death feared letting go of it even for a moment.

“Do you have no law or reason?!”

An old scholar with missing teeth pointed his walking stick at the government soldiers.

“How dare you oppress the innocent people of His Majesty the Emperor….”

With a thud, a dull sound echoed, and the old scholar collapsed on the spot.

Blood flowing from his head trickled along the dirt ground.

“Oh no! Father!”

“Old man!”

Blood dripped from the wooden club held by the commander of guards.

“Tsk!”

He spat at the fallen old scholar and shouted at his subordinates.

“What are you doing?! Those who do not follow the district head’s control are all rebels!”

“Suppress the rebels!”

“Show no mercy!”

The government soldiers, who were more irritated by the rough resistance of the poor people than expected, drew their wooden clubs without exception.

“All personnel of the House of Compassion, evacuate the people! Hurry!”

Seeing the situation, physician Noh, the person in charge of the Hodu Village branch of the House of Compassion, shouted like a scream.

“Everyone, return to your homes immediately!”

‘I’ve contacted the headquarters, so the Eldest Young Master will lend a hand soon…!’

As soon as the situation erupted, he had completely withdrawn the armed forces of the House of Compassion first.

Clashing with the government and their forces was something that had to be absolutely avoided.

Those who were resisting in the front line were already being beaten severely.

“These rebel bastards!”

It was chaos as those who were running away to their homes and the government soldiers chasing them and swinging their wooden clubs.

“Rebels. How can you use such an absurd justification…?!”

They had anticipated that the Second Young Master’s side would play tricks, but the district head’s actions exceeded their imagination.

The sight of ruthlessly suppressing people who were merely protesting, without any persuasion and with an absurd justification, was something he was experiencing for the first time in his long life.

“Damn it, drag them out!”

“Kill them!”

There were even government soldiers who went into nearby shacks and forcibly dragged out people and beat them.

“Oh my!”

An old woman carrying a child on her back fell to the ground, unable to bear the weight of her belongings.

‘In the unlikely event of an unexpected incident, prioritize your own safety first.’

Yeon So-hyeon’s advice had long been erased from his mind.

Physician Noh quickly ran and helped the fallen woman up.

“Th-thank you!”

Physician Noh shouted at her.

“Hurry! Hurry and run…!”

With a thud, a dull sound rang out, and his consciousness faded.

***

“Pour water!”

Physician Noh, who had a bucket of cold water mixed with filth poured over him, regained consciousness.

He was conscious, but he was dizzy and had blurred vision due to the blow to his head.

“Are you the main instigator who incited this ‘civil unrest’?”

At the question of the district head’s assistant, physician Noh swayed.

The government soldiers forcefully made him kneel and tied him up, straightening his posture.

“The traitor should answer the question!”

“Traitor….”

To his left and right, members of the House of Compassion, who were similarly covered in blood, were tied up.

Physician Noh answered, revealing his blood-stained teeth.

“This old man is just a doctor who volunteers at the House of Compassion….”

“You bastard…!”

The commander of guards’ wooden club struck physician Noh’s shoulder.

“Ugh..!”

His collarbone was shattered, and he collapsed like a corpse, but he was held up from both sides.

“…The House of Compassion is the charity organization of the Eldest Young Master of the Luoyang Sword House.”

Physician Noh raised his blurred gaze and looked at the district head who was standing with his hands behind his back.

“Can the district head take responsibility for the consequences?”

“No, how dare a criminal like you…!”

This time, it was the district head who stopped the commander of guards, who was about to smash his head in one blow.

He walked forward and stood in front of physician Noh.

“I will show mercy and inform you of an obvious and important fact.”

The district head slightly bent his waist and spoke to physician Noh.

“His Majesty the Emperor has delegated the authority to control the people of Cheong-hak District to me.”

Next to him, the assistants chimed in.

“The district head clearly ordered to stop the relocation.”

“But they did not stop the illegal relocation!”

Physician Noh gritted his teeth.

“Illegal relocation! Since when did moving residences within Luoyang become illegal?!”

At those words, the district head smirked.

“We received information that there are rebels among you. So, I legally suspended the relocation to the extent permitted by my authority. It is within my authority to prevent the movement of a group that includes criminals.”

The assistants smirked together.

“But they ignored the notification.”

“They are very stupid people who do not know the fear of the law.”

Another member of the House of Compassion shouted as if having a seizure.

“Notification…! We never received such a notification!”

Then one of the assistants took out a document from his bosom.

“No, no. We clearly showed this document and requested cooperation, but you ignored it.”

“Lies…!”

He was struck by a wooden club and collapsed.

The district head nodded.

“I did the right thing by personally leading the government soldiers here because this incident seems serious.”

The assistants agreed.

“In fact, a civil unrest has occurred like this, hasn’t it?”

“The district head has earned great merits by personally arresting the main instigator!”

They all burst into laughter as if they had coordinated it.

Seeing them, physician Noh shouted while trembling all over.

“…The Eldest Young Master will not leave you alone!”

At those words, the district head shook his head with a relaxed expression.

“Well, that Eldest Young Master can file a complaint with the central government office of Luoyang. But what more can he do?”

A grin appeared on his face.

“The legal process to determine the truth of the incident will be indefinitely prolonged and eventually end up being dismissed. And during that time, the business in Hodu Village will be sufficiently delayed.”

“……!”

From the beginning, his goal was to delay the business in Hodu Village.

It would be a sufficient proof of loyalty to the Second Young Master of the Luoyang Sword House.

As long as the Second Young Master backed him, the Luoyang Sword House would not move.

He didn’t directly touch the Eldest Young Master.

He didn’t do anything beyond his authority.

Even if the nomads of Mount Bukmang moved, the Second Young Master’s side had hammered that they were not carrying the entire clan on their backs.

While engaging in legal disputes with fabricated justifications, he would have already been promoted to somewhere in Gangnam by the grace of the Second Young Master.

‘This plan is sufficiently safe.’

The warning from the Second Young Master’s side that had visited him last night came to his mind.

‘Never underestimate the Eldest Young Master!’

He shrugged his shoulders.

From planning to execution.

There were no loopholes.

At that moment, a government soldier guarding the perimeter shouted.

“A c-carriage pulled by beasts is approaching!”

Seeing the flag, he shouted again.

“It’s the Eldest Young Master of the Luoyang Sword House!”

A wagon drawn by gigantic spirit beasts barged in, ignoring the government soldiers.

“S-stop!”

“Ahhh!”

The government soldiers who tried to block the way panicked and jumped to the sides to avoid it.

“Nobody move!”

At the district head’s low shout, those standing around him barely managed to maintain their composure.

The district head tightened his lower abdomen and watched the iron wagon rushing towards them with the most relaxed expression possible.

Screech!

The braking device was engaged, and the wagon turned its massive body to the side and stopped.

Long and deep grooves were dug into the ground by the wheels, and vibrations and dust engulfed the district head and his entourage, but they remained still until the end.

Seeing the wagon that had stopped a few steps in front of him, the district head inwardly swallowed a sigh of relief.

‘…At least I won the initial battle of energy!’

He raised his hand towards the door that was opening with a bang.

“Well, I have to deliver bad news to the Eldest Young Master, so this official’s heart is not good….”

As he was speaking, he suddenly felt the sky spinning and the ground rotating.

‘Huh?’

He saw the sight of blood and teeth flying in front of his eyes.

Yeon So-hyeon, who had leaped out of the wagon, had punched his jaw with a fist.