The Ruler of Darkness

The 4th Young Master, Yeon Bi, thought.

One of the most frustrating things in life is living among those who fail to understand what is so obvious.

Like being the only one with open eyes in a world where everyone lives with their eyes closed, pointing at the stars in the night sky.

Like being the only one with open ears in a world where everyone lives with their ears plugged, hearing the chirping of birds.

When he was young, his speech development was exceptionally late compared to other children his age.

He didn’t even babble from a young age.

Even among the physicians, opinions varied on whether it was due to his ‘innate constitution of the Tang Clan.’

But his mother didn’t listen to their words.

Because Lady Yak So-yu, who had personally assisted in his birth despite her visibly ill health, had said something definitively to his mother at the time.

Holding the newborn in her arms, Yak So-yu had told his mother.

“But once he grows a little more, he will chatter incessantly like the birds chirping in the morning while nestled in your arms, so you don’t need to worry.”

Upon hearing those words, his mother gave him the name of her favorite bird, the kingfisher (Bi).

And Yeon Bi ‘understood’ and ‘remembered’ all of it.

Yeon Bi, who couldn’t speak even after becoming accustomed to walking, always visited the Wongak Pavilion.

In that mystical place, there was someone who could read his mind like an immortal from legends.

It was his Big Brother, Yeon So-hyeon.

“Bi, you’re here.”

Whenever he visited, his Big Brother would take out books as usual and teach him the things he was curious about.

How to see the world, the continents beyond the sea, how to read people, how to control one’s mind, nations and systems—there were no limits, no boundaries, and infinite depths to his teachings.

The scholars who were assigned to him at the time were incomparable to his Big Brother.

“…Why?”

As Yak So-yu had said, one day, his speech suddenly developed.

And he realized.

It wasn’t because he couldn’t speak that he couldn’t communicate with others.

Even if he spoke, they couldn’t hear.

Even if he showed them, they couldn’t see.

“Why?”

No matter how much he talked about and showed the ‘specialness’ of his Big Brother, there were hardly any who understood that specialness.

Rather, the more he talked and tried to show them, the more they exalted 4th Young Master, whom they could ‘understand,’ as even greater.

“4th Young Master, I know you respect the Eldest Young Master, your Big Brother, but you have the potential to become an even greater being.”

“The eyes of this old woman have never been wrong. 4th Young Master, you were born with the qualities of a superior ruler, surpassing anyone I have ever seen.”

No, no! No matter how hard he talked, it was useless.

He realized.

His Big Brother was a Peng, a mythical giant bird soaring through the vast universe above the clouds, while among people, the Peng was merely a creature of fantasy and legends.

So he waited for the day when the Peng would descend from the clouds and reveal its form to the earth.

Days passed, and passed.

And finally, that Peng left a slight ‘footprint’ here.

The footprint left by a single Vibration Step.

The footprint was extraordinary beyond compare.

The solid flagstones were shattered and sunken in a wide range, as if swirling.

But the appearance didn’t seem to originate from destruction; it looked natural as if it had always been in that shape.

When that footprint was imprinted, there was no thunderous noise, not a single speck of dust scattered.

That was how the footprint was engraved on the earth.

Now, no one present could doubt the existence of the Peng.

The 4th Young Master Bi’s gaze swept across the command tent.

“This area should be closed off, and water delivery should proceed like this from here.”

Old Lady Gwak, who had been issuing orders frantically while pointing at the fire status board, was staring blankly at that footprint even in the midst of her busyness.

She would find herself looking at it without realizing it.

“Ah! If we organize it this way, we’ll have to start all over again from the beginning!”

Tang Yerin, who was complaining while looking at the comprehensive situation board she had filled out, was also absentmindedly staring at that footprint while roughly scratching her head.

Everyone in this tent was like that.

Everyone’s gaze brushed over that footprint, either absentmindedly, blatantly, or out of curiosity.

“…”

Big Brother had left to carry out the rescue operation.

But as if Big Brother were standing there, that footprint represented his presence.

Finally, the existence of the Peng had been deeply ingrained in everyone present.

“Hahahahaha!”

It was delightful.

It was refreshing.

Those around him were startled by Yeon Bi’s sudden mad laughter.

It was because Yeon Bi, who had been ‘issuing orders,’ suddenly burst into laughter.

“It’s nothing.”

After a moment, Yeon Bi waved his hand.

And while continuing to issue orders verbally, he intermittently carried on his own thoughts separate from the orders.

“It’s nothing. Don’t mind it.”

Yes, it was nothing.

Yeon Bi had never imagined that his Big Brother was born with a talent for internal energy, nor had he imagined that he would have mastered martial arts to such a high level.

But he wasn’t surprised.

For the Peng, such things would have been ‘nothing.’

***

And here, there was someone whose eyes were fixed on the footprint left by Yeon So-hyeon as if nailed to it.

“…”

He was the Captain of the Guards that Yeon So-hyeon had conscripted from 4th Young Master’s escort troops and left behind.

‘…This.’

His gaze swept over the traces of the Vibration Step left by Yeon So-hyeon as if enchanted.

Looking at those traces, he searched and searched through his memories.

And finally, he reached a conclusion.

‘This is undoubtedly.’

He wiped the cold sweat that he had unknowingly been shedding.

He knelt on one knee and traced the wave-like traces of the Vibration Step left on the ground.

‘This is undoubtedly the former Grand Elder’s…’

***

Valley of Sin,

Fire suppression site.

Gong Damwoong, a member of the Yellow Tiger Society, was literally displaying his immense strength, holding up the collapsing ceiling.

“Hnngh!”

While he became a pillar, drawing out the power of the Diamond Arhat Technique to the extreme, the rescue team hastily pulled people out of the fire scene.

“Everyone has been rescued!”

Upon hearing the welcome voice, Gong Damwoong let out a loud shout, forcefully pushed the ceiling away, and rolled his body to escape.

At the same time, the building that had been engulfed in flames collapsed with a loud noise.

“Phew…”

As Gong Damwoong stood up, sighing in relief, applause poured in from the people.

“Thank you! All the rescued people are in no danger of losing their lives!”

“Brother! You’re not just big, you’re a real Diamond Guardian!”

“Tell us your alias or name! I’ll spread the word to everyone I meet later!”

Gong Damwoong humbly said it was nothing special and merely exchanged greetings with a modest attitude, not even leaving his name or alias.

He waved goodbye to those heading to the next fire scene to extinguish the flames and turned around.

“You did a good deed, but it wasn’t our mission.”

A fully armed woman spoke with an expressionless face.

She was a maid from the Wongak Pavilion’s maid unit, paired with him.

“Haha. Isn’t it good to do good deeds? As someone who calls himself a member of the society, I can’t just pass by a scene like that.”

Gong Damwoong grinned, his teeth gleaming white on his face stained black with soot and dust.

“You should have passed by.”

“Hmm. Is that so?”

At first, he was lost in confusion, but upon receiving a clear mission, he quickly regained his original personality.

“I apologize, but according to my training, in a situation like this, everyone should faithfully carry out their assigned duties under control.”

The maid shook her head.

“If our patrol route gets tangled because of us, gaps will occur, and when gaps occur, unforeseen problems will inevitably…”

As she spoke and took a step, she looked to the side, but Gong Damwoong was not there.

It seemed he had spotted something again and taken a detour.

“Sigh…”

***

“…me…”

‘Hm?’

As Gong Damwoong walked alongside the maid, a faint voice reached his ears.

It was a thin voice that he could hear because he had drawn out his internal energy at the fire scene.

He immediately turned into the alley where the voice came from.

He saw poor people fleeing far away from the fire.

Amidst their screams and shouts, there was definitely a thin voice.

“Save me…”

The owner of the voice that sounded like it would break at any moment was a child collapsed against the wall of the alley.

As soon as he saw the child wearing what could hardly be called clothes, just rags, Gong Damwoong instinctively ran to the child.

“Stay with me!”

The child he picked up and held in his arms seemed to have no visible external injuries, but perhaps the child had inhaled smoke.

“Over, over there, in the building, my younger sibling…”

Gong Damwoong’s gaze moved to the building the child pointed to with a trembling hand.

“That building?!”

At that moment.

Beep—!

The sharp sound of a whistle brought Gong Damwoong to his senses.

“Kugh…!”

He reflexively grabbed the blade, and a few drops of red blood fell from his grip.

It was the blade thrust by the child he was holding.

The child, confirming that Gong Damwoong had caught the blade, roughly spat out a curse.

“D*mn it…!”

At the same time, the maid who appeared struck the child’s head with the sheath of her sword.

As the unconscious child lay on the ground, Gong Damwoong muttered, staring blankly at the blade caught in his hand.

“…What is this?”

Although it was a crude blade, it was so sharply honed that if his training had been shallow, the nerves in his fingers would have been severed.

“Have you forgotten?”

The maid, still expressionless, spoke while putting the whistle hanging from her neck back into her pocket.

“First rule. Never answer a poor person’s question.”

At those words, Gong Damwoong reflexively retorted.

“I didn’t answer a question, I…”

“I must have told you when the pair was formed.”

Her glassy eyes turned to Gong Damwoong.

“Don’t even make contact with the poor.”

“…”

He closed his mouth, having clearly heard it from the maid several times.

“Originally, they would have approached in a group, acting innocent and asking various questions, and then one would have stabbed you when an opportunity arose. But given the current situation, they seem to have cleverly changed their method.”

“Changed their method…?”

“Kill a person maintaining security.”

As she continued speaking, the maid narrowed her eyes.

“This is an initiation rite to join one of the dark forces of the Five Malevolences.”

“Initiation rite…”

Her gaze turned to the child rolling on the ground.

“Although the child looks young, due to malnutrition, the actual age is probably over mid-teens.”

She added that it was just the right age to undergo the initiation rite and join an organization.

“No, what’s the point of an initiation rite if they die in the process?”

She looked at Gong Damwoong as if seeing something strange.

“If they die, they die.”

“Wait a minute! What are you doing…!”

The maid, who had drawn her sword and was about to strike the child, tilted her head at Gong Damwoong’s cry.

“Then you’ll let the child live?”

“…”

Gong Damwoong felt suffocated by her emotionless gaze.

It wasn’t as if he had never stained his hands with blood while carrying out his duties.

But to kill a teenager who was defenseless…

“Don’t touch our brother!”

“You murderers!”

The maid’s sword deflected the flying stones.

While a group of children threw stones, some of them took advantage of the gap and dragged the collapsed child away.

“…Hmph.”

The maid, after a brief moment of contemplation, sighed softly upon seeing Gong Damwoong’s condition.

“D*mn brats!”

He was blankly staring at the children while taking the flying stones head-on.

“Burn to death in the fire! You b*stards!”

“Fcking sword clan bstards!”

As the children disappeared deeper into the alley, leaving curses behind, the maid lowered her sword and spoke to Gong Damwoong.

“I believe you learned something from this experience.”

Gong Damwoong’s gaze lowered.

“From now on, I strongly advise against making contact with the poor.”

She turned around and walked away after sheathing her sword.

Toward her retreating figure, he suddenly asked a question.

“…How do you know so much about this Valley of Sin?”

Her footsteps faltered.

With her back turned, she spoke.

“Because I, too, am from the Five Malevolences.”

Most of the members of the maid unit were from the Five Malevolences or similarly impoverished areas like her.

“…”

Gong Damwoong sensed the deep-seated pain and hatred hidden beneath her calm words.

“I’m sorry. I asked something unnecessary.”

“Not at all.”

She took a step.

As Gong Damwoong followed her, he suddenly turned his head and looked in the direction where the child had collapsed.

The blood drops that had flowed from his hand and the blood that had flowed from the child’s head after being struck lay on the ground.

“…”

Sensing a gaze, he raised his head.

At the other end of the alley, a human-like figure was standing upright, staring at him.

He drew out his inner vision to identify the figure.

“…?!”

The figure was staring at him with pitch-black eyes, like an abyss, without any white.

Every hair on his body stood on end.

“That, that…!”

As he tried to shout something, the figure disappeared like a ghost into the flames.

“Did something happen?”

“That, that is…!”

Gong Damwoong tried to explain to the maid who had returned what he had seen.

But seeing his condition, his face pale and unable to speak properly, the maid shook her head.

“For now, getting out of here should be our priority.”

Her eyes sharply surveyed the surroundings.

“This is currently an ‘alley without people.'”

The rule came to Gong Damwoong’s mind.

Second, don’t mistake it for a path with people.

At that moment, Gong Damwoong realized.

The various noises that had been heard from afar until a moment ago, the poor people fleeing from the fire—there was nothing.

Nothing.

“…!”

They immediately used their movement techniques to escape the alley.

Having returned to their original patrol route, Gong Damwoong asked, shedding cold sweat.

“What, what was that just now?”

“That is…”

As she was about to answer, she pushed him against the wall and dodged herself.

“…!”

At that moment, a steel carriage pulled by two screaming oxen passed by them at a tremendous speed.

Following that, black armored carriages frantically chased after the carriage.

And 4th Young Master’s subordinates dressed in black were running alongside the Eldest Young Master’s procession on the rooftops with ghostly movement techniques.

***

Inside the carriage, Head Maid Jung-ah, her golden eyes gleaming, was transmitting a message to all the coachmen.

[No matter what happens, the procession must never stop!]

If the procession were to stop and get stuck in a narrow alley, it would be a tactical disaster.

“…”

Across from her, Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon sat cross-legged with his eyes half-closed.

Preparing his energy and breathing for the impending battle.

The procession was speeding like mad toward the forward base located in the middle reaches of the valley.

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