Chapter 395

Il-mok had forced down the backflowing blood to put on a strong front, but in truth, his internal injuries were acting up with side effects running rampant.

‘Shut up!!’

While Il-mok wrestled with the rampaging side effects.

Cheon-ryang suddenly cupped his fists and bowed his head.

“It was not my intent to test you, Young Master. It was merely that this old man had many worries, as the matter concerns the future of our clan. Now that I am certain, this will never happen again.”

Before overwhelming violence, Cheon-ryang had swiftly become deferential.

I’ve never seen Grand Duke Tae in person, but he wouldn’t show such freakish prowess. And this Young Master isn’t even the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s Leader! Then how monstrous must that Leader be….’

Even in this moment, Cheon-ryang had finished such calculations in his mind.

Of course, since he hadn’t seen Grand Duke Tae or the Leader himself, it was all based on speculation.

When Zuo Po Zheng-sa expressed his intent to join forces, Il-mok nodded and issued his first command.

“Then, I have one request for you.”

“If you command it, I will gladly obey.”

“Select capable individuals. Above all, officials dissatisfied with the current imperial regime, and inform me of them. Conversely, compile a list of those unconditionally loyal to the imperial family, or those corrupt ones who torment the common folk.”

Il-mok was requesting lists of those to recru

Having given Cheon-ryang his first order, Il-mok turned to look at Jin Ha-yeon.

“Please escort Zuo Po Zheng-sa back safely.”

ey.”

Jin Ha-yeon cupped her fists in response, then hoisted Zuo Po Zheng-sa onto her back and unleashed her lightness skill toward Nanju.

“Whew.”

Only after sending Zuo Po Zheng-sa off did Il-mok let out a deep sigh, faint traces of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

“Young Master!?”

The remaining maidservants reacted with alarm, but Il-mok waved them off.

“It’s nothing serious, so don’t worry. I need to circulate my qi and adjust my breathing for a bit, so please stand guard.”

Having instructed the maidservants, Il-mok sat cross-legged without even waiting for their reply and began circulating his inner energy.

Sinking deep into his mental world, Il-mok came face-to-face with two figures identical to himself, one cloaked in blue and the other in red.

‘Chant that you’re dead, you bastards.’

• Well, you said you were us.

• Indeed. Be honest with your desires. Wait! Speak without violence, violence is wrong.

• Th-that one’s saying something right for once. Violence is.

  ‘Why? Didn’t you tell me not to hold back? Today’s the day you die.’

  Enveloping them in a massive gray aura, he began beating them unilaterally.

  Several hours later.

  Still a bit early for dawn.

  Having recovered from his internal injuries and suppressed the side effects, Il-mok felt refreshed and visited Zuo Po Zheng-sa’s hall once more.

  “Here it is, Young Master.”

  Cheon-ryang, far more deferential after wity

  lists with both hands.

  Nade Palm firsthand, presented the

  Il-mok lifted his gaze from the lists with a puzzled expression, and Cheon-ryang continued.

  “If we execute the officials on the kill list first, even those we intend to recruit might see it as suppression by force and rebel. After all, they’re officials who’ve been sidelined precisely because of such temperaments, unable to w the imperial will.”

  “You mean contact the recruitment targets first, then eliminate the obstructors.”

  “Yes.”

  After organizing his thoughts for a moment, Il-mok nodded and replied.

  “A good plan, but on one condition. If recruitment fails, there’s a risk the information about our planned uprising leaks. Therefore, one of our people will accompany you during recruitment attempts.”

  “I am grateful.”

  Finishing the conversation, Il-mok took the lists and left the hall.

  Time passed until around noon.

  While handling affairs at the Provincial Enforcer’s Office, Zuo Po Zheng-sa summoned one official.

  Facing the middle-aged man with a sullen expression, Zuo Po Zheng-sa smiled gently and spoke.

  “That grumpy face of yours hasn’t changed, Lord Kang.”

  “Why have you summoned me, Senior Zuo Po Zheng-sa?”

  “I thought we might have a frank chat.”

  “A frank chat?”

  The middle-aged man called Lord Kang let out an overt hollow laugh.

  But Cheon-ryang didn’t show displeasure; instead, he wore a kindly smile and asked.

  “I wonder what has you so dissatisfied, Lord Kang. You rose to office young, yet you’re still stuck at the mere rank of Clerk of Experience (sixth junior rank)-is that it?”

  To Zuo Po Zheng-sa’s question, the middle-aged man gritted his teeth and replied.

  “It has nothing to do with rank.”

  “Then what has you so dissatisfied?”

  “…At least I believe you’re not one to gossip idly, Senior Zuo Po Zheng-sa. Since you ask for frankness, I shall speak.”

  As Cheon-ryang nodded as if to say go ahead, the middle-aged man opened his mouth.

  “No matter how much I speak up or submit

  and strengthen the nation, nothing changes, and that fills me with anger.

  e implemented to care for the people

  “How can I smile and live seeing those who merely plunder the commoners’ wealth and take bribes sitting in high ranks, frantic only to fill their own coffers?”

  Right after the man vented his fury, Cheon-rvang smiled softly and spoke.

  en heh heh. Then, if a chance arises told even a little as you desire, would that ease your anger somewhat?”

  At Cheon-ryang’s out-of-left-field remark, the middle-aged man pondered deeply before countering.

  “Are you planning to appoint me as Inspector (fifth senior rank)?”

  The Inspector was a fifth senior rank, a type of monitor.

  But his guess missed the mark spectacularly.

  Zuo Po Zheng-sa shook his head once, then tossed out another abrupt topic.

  “Have you heard the recent rumors circulating around Nanju? I mean the ones about those ruffians calling themselves martial artists.”

  Both prior topics had been abrupt, but combining them painted a picture in the middle-aged man’s mind.

  A terrifying picture he hadn’t even dared imagine.

  “…Surely you’re not saying you plan to side with those Heavenly Demon Divine Cult ruffians or whatever, Senior Zuo Po Zheng-sa?”

  The middle-aged man stared openly at Zuo Po Zheng-sa, who outranked him vastly, as if he were a madman.

  Instead of answering, Cheon-ryang countered with a question.

  “Isn’t this your chance? With your temperament, you’d never reach high office even in death. Changing the world as you dream is impossible forever. But if you join hands with that Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and succeed in opening new heavens, what then?”

  For some reason, Zuo Po Zheng-sa’s words sounded sweet as honey to the man.

  But snapping to his senses, the man eyed Zuo Po Zheng-sa suspiciously.

  “Didn’t you find me distasteful, Senior Zuo Po Zheng-sa?”

  He suddenly suspected that accepting this offer here would lead to being branded a rebel and executed.

  At the man’s suspicion, Zuo Po Zheng-sa let out a light chuckle and replied.

  “And didn’t you find me equally distasteful? You saw me as a greedy old man blinded by promotions.”

  “That’s…”

  Faced with Zuo Po Zheng-sa’s blunt words,

  Watching him, Zuo Po Zheng-sa leisurely continued.

  filth to change it, no? Yet you were busy keeping yourself clean, merely lamenting the world’s dirt. That’s why I found you distasteful.”

  The man was momentarily speechless at the overt criticism delivered with a smiling face.

  er a brief internal struggle, he barely

  question.

  “Why bring this up to someone you find distasteful?”

  “They want someone like you.”

  “!!!”

  “An upright man. One who worries for the commoners well-being over his own coffers even in this filthy world. They’re seeking such people.”

  “My words are done. Now decide. What will you do?”

  The man fell into thought.

  “They want someone like me?

  They say a man risks his life for those who recognize his worth. Even now, his heart pounded.

  Only one thing.

  ‘Is rebellion truly right?’

  Such a dilemma blocked his decision.

  But the hesitation didn’t last long.

  …Senior Zuo Po Zheng-sa’s words are all true. I’ve been pretending to be aloof, too afraid to dirty myself with filth.’

  If fear of the rebel stigma kept him from stepping forward, what would change from now?

  The current filthy heavens wouldn’t heed his advice anyway.

  “I accept Senior Zuo Po Zheng-sa’s proposal.”

  He didn’t even weigh the odds of the rebellion’s success. He simply chose what he deemed right, valuing his life little.

  As the middle-aged man bowed and replied, Cheon-ryang nodded and said.

  “You’ve thought well.”

  Afterward, Cheon-ryang summoned and per

  But he didn’t call in everyone on the list indiscriminately.

  It sufficed to recruit just the leaders among such upright or defiant ones.

  Having recruited a few officials during the daytime, Zuo Po Zheng-sa left the Provincial Enforcer’s Office in the afternoon.

  had already instructed a servant to a

  “Why summon me here, Lord Cheon?”

  The stern-faced elder who asked Zuo Po Zheng-sa thus was the Provincial Military Commander overseeing Gansu’s military authority.

  “Heh heh heh. I have urgent matters to discuss in a quiet place, so I sent word.”

  After appropriately bowing to the second senior rank Provincial Military Commander, Cheon-ryang led him out of Nanju to a secluded spot.

  After a short ride in the carriage with questions in mind, the Provincial Military Commander alighted and felt an eerie sensation.

  The carriage had stopped at a desolate, scorched clearing.

  …It’s as if dozens of divine thunderbolts exploded at once.’

  At that moment, Zuo Po Zheng-sa’s voice pierced the Provincial Military Commander’s ear.

  “Thank you for coming all this way.”

  “Heh heh heh. There must be a reason for dragging me out here, right? So, what do you wish to discuss in such a place?”

  Instead of answering immediately, Cheon-ryang glanced at the men around the Provincial Military Commander.

  They were a sort of bodyguard detail.

  Understanding the implication, the Provincial Military Commander spoke.

  “They’re trustworthy, so don’t worry. They follow my will completely.”

  In turn, the Provincial Military Commander eyed the woman standing by Cheon-ryang.

  A beauty with a cold demeanor, who hadn’t uttered a word during the journey here.

  Curiously, Zuo Po Zheng-sa had brought only this one woman, without any other guards.

  “Our wills align, so no need for concern.”

  The Provincial Military Commander felt something odd at that response.

  If she were a maidservant or subordinate, she’d simply obey orders, but aligning wills?

  ‘Does that mean he cherishes her that much

  discuss something important, yet bringing a concubine here. Surely he doesn’t plan to ask to place one of her family in the Provincial Military

  That their lives hung in the hands of the woman he mistook for Zuo Po Zheng-sa’s concubine.