Book 9: Chapter 8: The Solution

Luoyang Central Government Office.

A soaking wet government official rushed into the government office building.

“Dammit. What on earth is the leadership doing…”

Even if he had fallen into the Hwangho and come out, he would be less wet than now.

He as soon as he entered the office, he shouted first.

“Why on earth is the permission to open the sluice gates not coming down?!”

“I certainly submitted the report.”

At his shout, a fellow official who was on emergency standby due to the heavy rain shrugged his shoulders.

“Then why is the permission not coming down?!”

Taking off his official uniform and wringing it out, the official burst in anger.

“Do those above not know that the levee of the upper reaches of the Yellow River will burst if we go on like this?!”

“Surely not. As long as they are people of Luoyang, how could they not know that.”

Just then, another official opened the door and walked in.

“Did the permission come down from above?!”

The one who opened the door and entered shook his head.

“They said that because the Governor is out sick today, the permission is delayed as those above are shifting responsibility to each other.”

“That damn Governor usually does absolutely nothing and only gets massages in his office, yet he is not at his post in the moment he is absolutely needed!”

However, they did not worry about the Governor's absence.

“Since things have turned out like this, we must go to the Luoyang Sword Family to get the permission.”

Because the practical ruler of Luoyang was the Luoyang Sword Family.

“Since I am already wet anyway, I will go.”

The official who had been wringing out his uniform put it back on and walked out the door.

“Damn it. In the first place, we should be commuting to the Luoyang Sword Family instead of the government office, really.”

The position of Luoyang Governor had immense authority and responsibility given to it.

But in reality, when it came to major matters, was he not a presence who merely stamped seals in accordance with the decisions of the Luoyang Sword Family?

“Go ahead.”

“Several cases of carriage rollovers on the rainy road have already been reported, so be careful.”

“…Damn it.”

And therefore, until then.

No one had noticed that the Luoyang Governor, who was supposedly resting due to illness, was not even at his private residence.

For at his residence, they believed he had gone to work in the morning and was still on emergency standby, unable to leave work yet due to the heavy rain.

* * *

The capital of the State of Zhongyuan, the Imperial Capital.

A certain place on the main street of the Imperial Capital.

The Second Young Master's lounge.

The tacticians directly under the Second Young Master were celebrating their success.

“Things are going smoothly.”

The talks with the patriarchs of the Sixteen Families of the Imperial Capital were progressing more smoothly than expected.

“Since the very fact that those heavy-bottomed people gathered upon receiving my lord's invitation was no different from half the success, now you only need to wrap it up well.”

Already the patriarchs had decided to accept the Second Young Master's proposal for an alliance, which prepared for the alliance between the former patriarchs and the Eldest Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family.

Now, only fine adjustments of a few conditions and such remained.

Although the Kong Family had been absent, that level of situation was within expectation.

“With this, the Eldest Young Master will not be able to back himself with the prestige of the Sixteen Families of the Imperial Capital in the future either.”

“Even if he tries, it is obvious. The extent of continuing to mobilize the Kong Family, who stood on that side, will be all.”

The report regarding the attack by the Eldest Young Master's side against the Lee Family, which had occurred around noon, had already come in.

“Rather, thanks to that, my lord was able to win over the remaining fifteen patriarchs who hold the real power…”

“Things have worked out very well.”

The tacticians directly under the Second Young Master looked at each other and smiled insidiously. "……."

Yet the back of the Second Young Master, who had been looking out the window in silence for a while, showed no change at all.

“Although we had to make unreasonable promises to them for my lord to lead the alliance…”

“Considering that they are the current patriarchs of the Sixteen Families, it was a cheap price to pay.”

Still, the Second Young Master had no reply.

He was merely repeating the action of clenching and opening his hand clad in armor, out of habit.

“…My lord.”

Seeing him looking uncomfortable in mind, the tacticians read his countenance.

“Is there something weighing on your mind?”

Grit—.

The Second Young Master opened his mouth.

“…It is smooth.”

The tacticians forced a smile at that hoarse voice that sounded as if it had phlegm.

“Yes, yes. You are correct. It has been very smooth so far—” the Second Young Master turned around.

“Do you not understand?”

His golden mask beneath, a red glow was cast down bleakly.

“I mean that everything is smoothly progressing to an excessive degree.” "……."

If it was smooth, that was good, so what was this about being uncomfortable in mind because it was too smooth?

The tacticians checked each other's countenances.

“…That is indeed the case, but is that some sort of problem?”

“Please, grant us enlightenment…”

The Second Young Master did not answer, turning back to look out the window.

'Yeon So-hyeon…'

His eyes grew sharp.

'A guy who caused such a fuss since his first outing, left no countermove in the Imperial Capital…?'

He opened his mouth.

“…Did you say the old devils of Mount Beimang are still not showing any movement?”

Recalling the regular report received through the carrier hawk of the Luoyang Sword Family, the subordinates nodded.

“Yes, that is correct. According to the most recent report as of noon today, since they all returned to their private residences last night, no one has left their residence.”

“The regular report after that has not come yet, but…”

Since the Second Young Master already knew the information about the Kong Family, they omitted the report.

“Since there would have been no high-ranking officials cooperating anyway, we believe there is no need to worry.”

“Rather, it is to the point of being a bit of a waste that we made sufficient preparations in anticipation of those old devils moving…”

Leaving behind the chatter of his direct tacticians, the Second Young Master thought.

'…Strange.'

There was definitely something.

He stared at the night view outside the window where the wind blew fiercely.

Watching the landscape trees swaying in the gust, he turned over thoughts in his head repeatedly until he reached a hypothesis.

'…Could it be.'

The reason the old devils of Mount Beimang showed no movement.

The reason the Eldest Young Master did not set up any preparations in the Imperial Capital.

And the reason he was continuing a struggle of power with himself, despite the immense difference in power.

'Yeon So-hyeon, that guy…'

A single answer that penetrated all those questions came to mind.

'Has he already achieved the purpose he intended to accomplish through the old devils?'

* * *

The fortified poor workers' district.

The rebellion forces' command post.

Although it was grandly called the command post, it was merely a pavilion that was slightly closer to completion than the other surrounding buildings. "……." "……."

Even the food eaten by those comprising the command post was merely white rice scooped into a gourd, so.

It had no difference from what other poor workers were eating.

“…Since the ambush failed once, they will not be able to try a second time in this heavy rain either.”

A chivalrous swordsman belonging to the Spring of Luoyang opened his mouth to break the heavy atmosphere.

“With this, we have bought another day or so for now.”

He wanted to say words that would breathe strength into the surroundings, saying that today was successful as well. "……."

Yet for some reason, his own words sounded, even to himself, as if they merely meant they were now able to survive just one more day. "……."

The situation returned to them merely chewing rice with each other in a heavy silence again.

“…Dammit.”

Someone muttered a curse, but it was buried in the sound of rain and wind and could not even be heard properly.

“Ahem.”

Amid the chivalrous swordsmen of the Spring of Luoyang, the leader of the poor workers, who had emptied his bowl clean, cleared his throat.

“…As you said, today's thwarting of the attack was successful.”

The surrounding gazes gathered on him.

As a former low-ranking military officer with combat experience who had taken the position at the urging of the poor workers, the leader encouraged the surroundings.

“Since they too must have realized what we are capable of, they will not be able to pounce on us easily.”

Those around him forced a smile one by one.

“…Indeed.”

“Whatever else they might not care about, they will be startled to death by the loss of the buildings on the verge of completion.”

While those around were forcing themselves to nod in agreement, the Spring of Luoyang member who was in charge of explosives opened his mouth.

“But, as everyone knows…”

Avoiding the gazes gathering on him, he said.

“…The reason today's explosion was possible was because the heavy rain poured like this.”

He put into words the fact that they had been ignoring.

“On a day when the rain does not pour like this, if we cause an explosion like today's…”

He could not bring himself to put the subsequent story into words.

However, everyone knew the result.

Since fire suppression was impossible for both sides in such a situation, the entire complex would be completely burned down in the next explosion.

And inside the blazing complex, they would all burn to death.

“…That is correct.”

As the leader of the poor workers agreed they all bowed their heads with bitter expressions.

“Even if they control the fire, if they feel the damage grows beyond a certain point, they will accept the sacrifice. They will try to finish us off even by pouring in their full strength like that.”

At the word 'full strength,' everyone's face turned sallow.

Even now, it was a situation that could only be explained by the expression of barely holding on.

“So…”

The leader spoke toward the surroundings.

“It would be best for the chivalrous swordsmen to withdraw from here by now.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

A chivalrous swordsman with disheveled hair asked.

“Could it be you are telling us to wash our hands of this now?”

“Although the siege network is extremely tight, if it is a heavy rain like this, you chivalrous swordsmen with outstanding martial arts will surely be able to escape.”

The leader let out a bitter smile.

“In a situation where an obvious ending is waiting, there is no need for you to meet the same end as well.”

“Nonsense.”

Unexpectedly, the one who answered that immediately was the explosives-in-charge chivalrous swordsman who had just spoken of the pessimistic ending.

“From the moment we set foot here upon hearing the news of the workers' uprising in the first place, we all came prepared.”

“Well said.”

The chivalrous swordsman who had failed to lift the atmosphere smiled broadly.

“Everyone has already written their wills before coming, so do not worry.”

The other chivalrous swordsmen also smiled and chimed in one by one.

For such were the figures who belonged to the Spring of Luoyang.

“The road to the afterlife will not be lonely.”

“We must not think of going by ourselves. Shouldn't we take down even one more enemy with us?”

“Since I have not yet properly competed for superiority with the famous warriors of the Sword Family, withdrawing is something that cannot happen.”

At those words, a chivalrous swordsman who was a former warrior of the Luoyang Sword Family chuckled.

“Aren't you crushed even by me all the time?”

“…Hey, man. It is just a figure of speech. Must you embarrass me like that in a situation like this?”

Everyone burst into laughter at that conversation.

And the dozens of chivalrous swordsmen, without exception, shared a smile that came from their hearts.

It was comradeship, and it was solidarity.

It was also an expression of the pride and self-esteem of those who decided to dedicate themselves to making the world even a little bit better. "……."

The leader of the poor workers bowed his head deeply.

The rims of his eyes were red.

“I guarantee you.”

Seeing that, the explosives-in-charge chivalrous swordsman said.

“I will deliver to them the most wonderful explosion that they will not be able to forget even after death.”

However, the answer to those words did not come from the leader.

“Indeed, I too look forward to seeing just how great that explosion will be, but…”

It was a clear boyish voice, and everyone's gazes became bewildered.

“For now, it would be best to postpone it until later.”

Since the chivalrous swordsmen of the Spring of Luoyang had all come prepared to lay down their lives, they had not brought any youth.

“…Who are you?”

Because no one had felt a presence before the voice carried over, everyone gripped their weapons in hand.

And they all felt a chill. "……."

Did they feel that chill because a voice without a presence suddenly carried over, or did they feel it due to the white mask that revealed its appearance?

Probably the latter.

They thought.

Because even the light of the oil lamps illuminating the space dimmed, as if feeling a chill.

Their entire bodies, soaked by the rain, felt as if they were freezing.

“While the screams of the innocent pierce the sky in this place…”

It was a voice like boiling molten iron overflowing.

A voice like the resentment and sorrow of hundreds of people mixed together.

“Did you think that on this land of Luoyang, I would not have heard it?”

Abruptly.

The presence wearing a white mask walked out of the darkness that was cast in the corner.

Who in this place would not know that presence?

Since there were even those here who had participated in the battle against Geum-ju at the time.

“A-Ah, Dark Venerable…!”

“Did you say the Dark Venerable?!”

Everyone gasped.

And looking at that appearance, the Dark Venerable—Yeon So-hyeon closed his eyes briefly behind the mask.

'They have sufficiently shown their resolve.'

Even in the history that remained only in his memory, they met a tragic end.

Without a single person in this place being left out.

“That is correct. I am indeed the presence called the Dark Venerable.”

Now was the time for him to show his resolve as well.

The resolve to take risks and persuade them to write a new destiny.

“And…”

Yeon So-hyeon took off the mask.

Even though he had only worn it for a short moment, the mask tore a part of his face as if refusing to detach.

Drip, drip—.

Ignoring his own blood dripping onto the floor, Yeon So-hyeon showed a smile to the crowd.

“Greetings, everyone.”

Although it was eerie with part of his facial skin peeled off, his appearance, which was still to the point of drawing admiration, was revealed in the light of the oil lamps.

“I am the Eldest Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family.”

The boy smiled and introduced himself.

“I am called Yeon So-hyeon.”

At those words, the eyes of the crowd grew wide as if tearing.

Even wider than when the Dark Venerable had revealed his appearance.