Book 13: Chapter 22: Demonic Hindrance

Volume 13 Chapter 22 - Demonic Hindrance

The teahouse in front of the Elders' Hall.

The blood relatives of the Yeon clan were pressuring a man, as if spitting fire from their mouths.

“So, how is it going?!”

“And why on earth did the Central Inspection Department storm the Elders' Hall?!”

“And what is the reason why several leaders and senior figures slipped out first before it was even over?!”

At the scolding of the Yeon clan blood relatives “That is…” the one who brought the internal information from the Elders' Hall replied while reading their expressions.

“…It seems that, somehow, things are going in favor of the Eldest Young Master.”

“No, what do you mean by that?!”

“Just how on earth are things going?!”

No proper news was coming in, and the things heard were all bad news without exception.

As time went on, the complexions of the Yeon clan blood relatives turned dark and lifeless.

“……!”

At that moment one of the Yeon clan blood relatives, who had been anxiously staring in the direction of the Elders' Hall from the window, sprang up from his seat.

“Th-that is…?!”

Forgetting even the dignity they did not have scurrying and gathering by the window, the Yeon clan blood relatives were shocked out of their wits as they looked at the entrance of the Elders' Hall.

“Why on earth is that guy…?!”

The one who was being escorted away under arrest by the members of the Central Inspection Department wearing eerie red uniforms was none other than the Deputy Director of the Sword Family Bank.

“…….”

The Deputy Director of the Bank, whose eyes looked like a dead fish rotting after being washed ashore was practically being dragged away with his legs completely given out.

Looking at that state, it was no exaggeration to call him a dead man already.

“…No, for that man to be captured like that.”

With all color drained from his face a Yeon clan blood relative said while trembling.

“…Then.”

“Does it mean that instead of striking down the current Bank Director, we were the ones counterattacked…?”

Why had they tried to place the Deputy Director of the Bank in the position of the Bank Director?

“Oops.”

With a playful tone, someone suddenly showed himself by stepping onto the railing of the window.

“So the high and mighty elders of the Yeon bloodline were here.”

“……!”

Fluttering his red robes and wearing a mischievous smile on his gentle-looking face it was Hwa-bok, the right hand of the Chief of the Central Inspection Department.

“No, even though we summoned you so many times and requested witness investigations.”

He spoke as if he were disappointed.

“For those who refused the investigation because they were so busy with public and private affairs to be gathered so leisurely in a place like a teahouse at this hour?”

Hwa-bok mocked them to the fullest.

“Is there some kind of event for the bloodline?”

Normally, they would have burst out in a roaring scold.

“…….”

“…….”

As if slowly licking them even under Hwa-bok's gaze that scanned them, the Yeon clan blood relatives could not say a single word.

It was like mice in front of a cat.

“Since you are people whose faces are hard to see, it was difficult to visit and inform you one by one, but in any case, this worked out well.”

In the quiet space, the sound of Hwa-bok chuckling alone echoed.

“…….”

“…….”

However, all of the Yeon clan blood relatives could see clearly that there was not even a speck of laughter in the eyes of Hwa-bok, who laughed like that, the one whose duty was inspection, but who had not been able to conduct a proper inspection for a long time, said.

“Now, since your last lifeline has been severed…” and they could even see an eerie aura flashing past.

“Try to resist as much as you can.”

“Stake those petty lives of yours, and drag in everything you can drag in to resist.”

At those words, which were arrogant beyond measure, the faces of the Yeon clan blood relatives, who had been holding back, immediately stiffened.

“You bastard…!”

“…Let's see, we've been patient enough.”

“How dare a mere investigator…!”

“Do you think that just because we are in this situation, we cannot do anything to a guy like you?!”

A spine-chilling murderous intent.

Normally, no matter how bold Hwa-bok was, he would have left the place out of fear.

But “Just now, those words are the will of the Central Inspection Department, but…” today was different.

“They are also the message that the Eldest Young Master of the Main Family personally ordered me to deliver to you all.”

And that was also what the Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon had said to the Deputy Director of the Bank.

“……!”

“……!”

The Yeon clan blood relatives, who were about to rush at Hwa-bok at any moment, froze stiff in their postures.

“By any chance…” toward them, who looked as if they had become stone statues alive, Hwa-bok sneered openly.

“It would be best for you not to expect the Law Enforcement Court to cooperate with you as they did this time.”

Watching the situation from behind with a displeased face, an elderly Yeon clan blood relative opened his mouth.

“…Did the Law Enforcement Court, did the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court join hands with the Eldest Young Master?”

At the blunt and direct question, Hwa-bok shrugged his shoulders.

“It seems there is not enough loyalty between you and me to tell you that much.”

What kind of expressions would they make if they found out that the Lord of the Law Enforcement Court had been ousted and a new Lord of the Law Enforcement Court would enter?

Hwa-bok's mouth was itching, but he held back.

“Well then, by all means, I ask for your smooth cooperation in the upcoming forced summons.”

Grinning, he lightly leapt away from the railing.

“…….”

“…….”

Hwa-bok vanished like that, but the words telling them to stake their lives and drag in everything they could to resist.

Not from a mere investigator but due to that message from the Eldest Young Master, the atmosphere was heavier than ever before.

“…….”

“…….”

As if breaking that heavy silence, the rattling sound of a chair echoed and everyone's gaze directed there.

“…Elder.”

Supported by others, the old man who stood up and received the gazes of the bloodline stood silently without finding words to say, then opened his mouth like a sigh.

“…It is a demonic hindrance, a demonic hindrance indeed.”

Demonic hindrance.

It meant the mischief of a ghost.

How else could they express their current situation?

'Since that bastard of an Eldest Young Master moved directly, I knew he would have hidden some move, but…' for everything to be overturned like this in a single move, they had never imagined it.

How could they accept this situation if it were not the mischief of a ghost?

“…Or was that bastard of an Eldest Young Master a ghost himself?”

Reaching this point he seemed to understand why the Grand Patriarch had hidden and protected his eldest son so deeply.

“Elder…” supported by others, the old man said as he left for the lower floor.

“…Everyone.”

The old man's tone was heavier than ever.

“From now on, seek your own path to survival.”

* * *

At that time, in the Grand Hall of the Elders' Hall.

“…….”

“…….”

Countless elders of the great Luoyang Sword Family, who poured out eloquent speeches whenever they opened their mouths, were gathered, but among them, there was no one who dared to clearly explain this situation.

“Are they saying that all of them are the Eldest Young Master's faction…?”

“…Three tenths.”

“Then, those people.”

“Were the three tenths who cast invalid votes in the beginning.”

“…Was the worst-case scenario we tried to prepare for already happening?”

The senior elder, who had wanted to prevent the Eldest Young Master's faction from forming and rising to the surface at all costs, put his hand on his forehead.

Since they had revealed themselves so publicly it was no different from the official launch of the Eldest Young Master's faction.

“…Just when did the Eldest Young Master contact so many people?”

“Did we not all thoroughly monitor the Eldest Young Master's side, not just ourselves?”

“The Eldest Young Master had no opportunity to contact them after arriving at the Elders' Hall…!”

“Then how…?”

There was no one who could deduce a clear answer, and everyone was only filled with doubts.

“Do you still not understand?”

The sighing senior elder clicked his tongue and spoke.

“They were not recruited today at this Elders' Hall.”

“If not today…?!”

At those words, the eyes of the elders listening nearby widened.

“Yes.”

The senior elder nodded and continued.

“The period during which votes were gathered to drive out the current Bank Director and appoint a new Bank Director.”

In the Elders' Hall, results are decided before the vote.

And 'before the vote' naturally did not refer only to the day of the vote itself.

“During that period, did the Eldest Young Master also secretly contact them beneath the surface…?”

The secret agreement between the elders that took place beneath the surface.

Yet, in the even deeper abyss below that surface the Eldest Young Master had been moving.

“…I do not know the specific method either. But at least.”

The senior elder narrowed his eyes.

“I now understand why those bizarre occurrences today, the massive number of invalid votes and the revote, came to be.”

At those words, the elders swallowed hard and turned their heads along his gaze.

The three tenths of the people there.

In other words, the Eldest Young Master's faction, as if they had iron plates on their faces wore smiles and shared conversations and greetings even while receiving everyone's gazes.

* * *

“In the beginning, I did not know why the Eldest Young Master said I would understand if I just cast an invalid vote, but…!”

“The moment the invalid votes reached as much as three tenths and a revote was declared, I could not help but admire…!”

The elders gathered around the Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon spoke in competition.

“It was not a very difficult task.”

The Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon spoke as if it were nothing, as usual but no one gathered in this place, not even his political enemies, thought so.

“I merely gave you all a little bit of courage.”

“No, Eldest Young Master.”

Shaking his head at Yeon So-hyeon's words, the new elder whom Yeon So-hyeon had patted on the shoulder stepped forward.

“To us, who could not even dare to dream of it, let alone have courage, you only requested that we cast an invalid vote.”

As he stepped forward like that, other elders also chimed in.

“And just by casting an invalid vote,” the result was a revote due to invalid votes reaching as much as three tenths.

“We were able to clearly confirm that there are many comrades who share the same will…!”

Because Yeon So-hyeon had only demanded that they cast an invalid vote they were able to confirm each other's existence through a simple method without any burden, and because that number could be verified by everyone, the Eldest Young Master's own ability and capability were also proven.

“At the same time, we could also clearly feel the Eldest Young Master's influence in gathering so many people…!”

“And yet, no one dared.”

“Noticed that this process was the process of our faction being formed in real time…!”

Everyone thought that the massive number of invalid votes was a midway process of the Eldest Young Master persuading specific factions or cliques.

No, they had no choice but to think that way.

Therefore, the Eldest Young Master's political enemies had put vain efforts into recovering as many votes as possible under the illusion that it was not too late.

“And once three tenths of the invalid votes were gathered like that,” he waved his hand toward the hostile elders who were looking at them.

“The ten percent of the people whom the Eldest Young Master had secured through 'political deals' saw a chance of winning,” at those words, Yeon So-hyeon turned his head.

“And they added another ten percent of invalid votes in the following revote.”

“…….”

“…….”

Most of them wore displeased expressions, turned their heads, or snorted, but among them, certainly although they had not joined the faction, the ten percent who had made political deals with Yeon So-hyeon in this matter were hidden.

“And…” the Lord of the Elders' Hall followed up and spoke.

“Those invalid votes reaching four tenths,” no sooner was that final nail mentioned, elder Hwangmok, who had received the slip containing the voting results, began the announcement.

“Plus the arrest of the Deputy Director of the Bank practically became the final nail in the coffin…!”

“N-Now, I will announce the results of this revote…!”

“The results of the third vote on the no-confidence motion against the Bank Director of the Sword Family Bank: twenty votes in favor of no-confidence, ten invalid votes, eighty against. Therefore…” sensing defeat, most of the elders chose to end this moment quickly.

“Therefore, the motion of no-confidence against the Bank Director has ultimately been rejected…!”

“I declare the meeting adjourned.”

At that moment, cheers and loud applause erupted from the Eldest Young Master's faction.

“Great…!”

“We won…!”

The victory of their political enemy was a bitter thing and if that victory stemmed from their own defeat, it was enough to turn their stomachs.

“…Damn it.”

Leaving the cheers behind, the elders spat out curses and stood up one by one from their seats.

“…Let's prepare countermeasures immediately.”

“…An immediate response is needed.”

“…I will also immediately inform Elder Namgung, who left his seat early.”

The contrast between the winner and the loser was clearly divided and amidst the strong atmosphere of adjournment, there was someone for whom the announcement of the results did not mean simply a single defeat, but rather meant something much more.

“…So-hyeon.”

“Yeon So-hyeon, you bastard—!”

Along with a bizarre shriek the moment a fearsome pressure clearly caused by internal energy erupted, one of the corrupt Yeon clan blood relative elders rushed at Yeon So-hyeon, scattering lines of murderous intent and madness from his rolled-back eyes.

“Die—!”