The Ruler of Darkness

Lower Valley of Sin, near the temporary command tent.

The morning sky was so clear that it felt like a lie compared to the disaster of last night.

“Ugh.”

As he sat down in the morning sunlight, Gong Dam-woong groaned, feeling his entire body ache.

“Huh?”

At that moment, the armor straps that barely contained his giant-like build snapped in unison, and the armor completely slid off onto the ground.

The rest of the Four Heavenly Kings laughed as they watched.

But they were just as tired, so the laughter soon died down.

Having experienced an unprecedented crisis in their lives, they now had no strength left to laugh.

With the fire suppression over and thin wisps of smoke rising here and there, they merely felt the lingering sense of accomplishment from having achieved something.

“…”

It was the same for the twenty Emei Sect personnel sitting near them.

As they sat there blankly, their gazes turned to the side of the temporary command tent.

“Move this patient to the next area.”

“Can you make a sound? Try it once.”

The doctors of the House of Compassion were examining the patients.

Medical assistants with their faces covered by cloth were feeding the patients porridge and devotedly caring for them.

On the other side, people were sweating profusely as they boiled washed bandages.

There were also those moving corpses.

Every single one of them had a disheveled appearance from experiencing the chaos last night, and their faces were filled with fatigue.

However, their eyes still shone brightly.

The sweat they shed glistened like gold in the morning sunlight.

Watching them, the nun in charge of the Emei Sect recalled the memory from last evening.

It was the Eldest Young Master’s message when the deputy director nun and administrative nuns were being detained by the warriors of the Luoyang Sword House.

‘He said that along with your deep devotion to the Buddha, compassion and sympathy arising from deep within your hearts are needed for this matter.’

Compassion and sympathy.

She now seemed to understand what those words meant.

“…I think we’ve rested enough.”

The nun in charge stood up, supporting herself with her knees.

All the other nuns also rose from their seats without exception.

The armor, which they were wearing for the first time, was uncomfortable and cumbersome, but they had gotten somewhat used to it now.

“Haha, our alliance cannot lose!”

As Gong Dam-woong abruptly stood up, the rest of the Four Heavenly Kings also stood up, their eyes shining.

The day that never seemed to end had begun anew.

***

Eldest Young Master and 4th Young Master’s Valley of Sin Joint Venture Site Headquarters.

The flames had nearly reached the headquarters building, so they had constructed rough fire lines around it and almost given up.

“Fortunately, thanks to the quick fire suppression, the headquarters is safe.”

“If this building had also completely burned down, we would have lost all the stored documents, so how fortunate it is.”

They didn’t mind the smell of burning that had deeply permeated various places.

As the secretaries opened the door and entered, they saw the 4th Young Master standing tall amidst the busily moving people.

He was skillfully receiving reports and issuing orders.

“Moreover, being able to see our lord commanding so reliably at the first site he has taken charge of…!”

“And what about the Eldest Young Master’s display last night? Wherever you go in this valley, it’s all about him.”

“Haha, what’s the point of mentioning that? Even now, there are people lingering around the footprints left in the temporary command tent, hoping to indirectly experience the martial prowess the Eldest Young Master demonstrated…”

At that moment, a sharp voice flew towards them.

“You two over there! Where are you idly chatting?! Can’t you come here right now?!”

It was Tang Yerin, with a fierce look in her eyes.

“Oh my!”

The secretaries hurriedly rushed to her as she was operating the comprehensive status board.

Then the door flung open, and an agent from the Crescent Moon Pavilion rushed in.

“4th Young Master!”

She skipped the Crescent Moon Pavilion’s Valley of Sin field command and immediately ran to the 4th Young Master to report.

“Urgent news from the Luoyang Sword House!”

Without even catching her breath, she hurriedly continued her report.

“The Luoyang Sword House’s business support group has raised a proposal that the business plan for the Valley of Sin needs to be reconsidered from the beginning, and it is currently under discussion!”

The complexions of those listening changed.

“What? Reconsidering the business plan at this point…?”

“Hadn’t this matter already passed the review?”

“If the business support group blocks the business plan, there will be no answer…!”

The 4th Young Master’s closest aide, Elder Gwak, shouted in a resounding voice.

“Quiet!”

She slammed her cane on the ground.

“Didn’t you all already know that starting from today, 2nd Young Master’s faction would begin their interference in earnest?!”

At her shout, everyone closed their mouths.

It was a valid point, but they couldn’t help but be flustered when the name of the business support group with immense authority was mentioned.

They newly felt the gap with 2nd Young Master’s faction.

“That’s right. We knew.”

The 4th Young Master smiled slightly.

At the sound of his laughter, everyone’s gazes gathered on him.

“Everyone, keep this in mind.”

With his hands behind his back, the 4th Young Master looked around at the crowd and spoke.

“This is just the beginning.”

“…”

Everyone swallowed their dry saliva.

Some clutched their foreheads or rubbed the back of their necks.

Exhausted from the intense work beyond overwork, having stayed up all night, they were currently feeling the limits both physically and mentally.

“Tsk tsk.”

As if displeased with their appearance, Elder Gwak clicked her tongue, and Tang Yerin scoffed with her arms crossed.

“But it’s not something the headquarters needs to worry about right now.”

The 4th Young Master continued.

“We just need to wrap up the aftermath of the fire and do our respective duties as usual.”

He raised his finger.

“From now on, you can ignore all the interference from the enemies heading to this Valley of Sin.”

“Do you mean…?”

At a secretary’s question, the 4th Young Master nodded.

“Trust Big Brother.”

“…!”

No further words were needed.

At those words, the headquarters began to move again.

They immersed themselves in their respective tasks as if nothing had happened.

Rather, their faces seemed to have gained a sense of composure.

The 4th Young Master smiled as he looked around the revitalized headquarters.

‘In less than a single day, Big Brother has become a huge pillar that can support everyone’s hearts.’

He asked the Crescent Moon Pavilion agent,

“So, which division of the business support group raised that proposal?”

The Crescent Moon Pavilion agent replied,

“The First Support Division.”

“The First Support Division…”

As the 4th Young Master repeated the agent’s report, his face suddenly became peculiar.

‘Come to think of it, that’s the division where my sisters are.’

The faces of his twin sisters, the Third Young Lady and Fourth Young Lady, who were a year older than him, came to his mind.

***

Same time, old downtown of Luoyang.

“Eldest Young Master, this way please.”

A priestess of the House of Compassion guided Yeon So-hyeon and Jung-ah.

‘It’s been a long time since I’ve been here.’

Following behind her, Yeon So-hyeon raised his head and looked around.

It was an ordinary scene of a House of Compassion branch that could be seen in any slum, but the difference was that the scale here was slightly larger.

“It’s dark and the ceiling is low. Be careful of your head.”

The priestess picked up a lantern hanging on the wall.

They walked along a path leading underground, surrounded by solid granite.

The granite was not natural rock but processed to construct the passage.

It was undoubtedly an artificial underground structure that had been touched by human hands.

A relic of the past dynasty that could be easily found underground in the old downtown of Luoyang.

It was the Great Underground Waterway.

Yeon So-hyeon was currently walking through a section of that Great Underground Waterway.

“It’s right ahead.”

The priestess, who was not allowed any further access, bowed her head excessively politely.

“I will wait here until you come out.”

As Yeon So-hyeon and Jung-ah turned the corner, a wide passage was revealed where they no longer had to worry about hitting their heads on the ceiling.

The passage was bright enough that the lantern the priestess was holding was unnecessary.

At the end of the passage was a huge door.

“Everyone is waiting for you, Eldest Young Master.”

The two gatekeepers standing in front of it were wearing armor and armed over their priestess attire filled with mystical patterns.

They were clearly individuals who had reached considerable levels.

“Please enter.”

As they opened the door, a vast space was revealed.

“This place is…”

Although Jung-ah had already grasped the interior with her Golden Eyes, she inadvertently expressed admiration.

The ceiling was left as natural bedrock, and there were holes in various parts of the ceiling, allowing sunlight to shine down clearly.

The sunlight reflected off the colorful fabrics with mystical and religious significance, adding to the mysterious atmosphere.

And the huge walls were filled with hanging scrolls depicting the Fairy of Medicine.

As if answering Jung-ah’s admiration, Yeon So-hyeon said,

“Yes. This is the headquarters of the Fairy Sect, the ‘Lowest Hall’.”

Everyone sitting in tiers along the circular wall stood up from their seats.

The branch heads of all the House of Compassion branches in Luoyang.

And all the high-ranking priestesses.

They all greeted Yeon So-hyeon in unison with their palms together.

“Greetings to the Eldest Young Master, the son of the Fairy of Medicine, who is Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Bhaisajyaguru Buddha.”

In the center of the hall, at the lowest point, the blind shaman who had been waiting for Yeon So-hyeon bowed deeply to him with her palms together.

“Greetings to the leader.”

After responding to their greetings with a deep bow, Yeon So-hyeon said to them,

“Everyone, please be seated.”

As everyone sat down, Yeon So-hyeon immediately got to the point.

“What happened to the land in ‘Hodu Village’?”

Although Yeon So-hyeon suddenly brought up the topic of Hodu Village, no one was flustered.

“I will report.”

The one who stood up from his seat was the elder doctor of the House of Compassion’s Hodu Village branch.

“We have reclaimed all the land that the 2nd Young Master’s faction, the Daeseon Guild, had purchased.”

Yeon So-hyeon smiled at that report.

“Was it difficult?”

“Far from difficult, it was easy.”

The elder doctor laughed.

“Those bastards were only thinking about quickly selling off the land they had wrongly purchased to reduce their losses.”

“That’s good.”

“The Crescent Moon Pavilion provided more than enough cooperation, giving us all the necessary trading techniques and information, making the task much smoother.”

“Excellent.”

Yeon So-hyeon nodded.

He had successfully mobilized the House of Compassion to repurchase the land that the Daeseon Guild had bought for interference and sabotage at a low price.

“Then let’s start the relocation plan for Hodu Village.”

“Without a doubt!”

In the past, when Yeon So-hyeon visited the Hodu Village branch of the House of Compassion along with the 4th Young Master, he had said this to the branch heads,

‘I will create a few situations later, so plan accordingly and practice to make it feasible. Make sure there are no mistakes.’

His plan was steadily progressing.

“And now, let me introduce those who will oversee the House of Compassion’s business plans.”

At Yeon So-hyeon’s words, everyone’s gazes turned to one side.

Those who had arrived earlier than Yeon So-hyeon and had exchanged greetings with the House of Compassion personnel stood up from their seats.

“Let me introduce ourselves once again.”

A woman with a beauty that could captivate attention anywhere spoke as the representative.

“We are Daseollang. Following the Eldest Young Master’s instructions, we will be overseeing the House of Compassion’s business from now on.”

After exchanging glances with them, Yeon So-hyeon said to the crowd,

“With them at the core, start the redevelopment plan for Hodu Village as the first step.”

The redevelopment of Hodu Village.

At this point, it had become a project that was being carried out purely with the House of Compassion’s funds.

In other words, it was an area where the Luoyang Sword House’s business support group could not intervene.