Chapter 397

The first rays of morning light broke over the horizon.

Across the expanse of Lanzhou within Gansu Province, operatives belonging to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult deployed in every direction.

Every single warrior carried a solitary slip of parchment containing a specific target’s identity.

Whenever a name of significant status and authority appeared on these sheets, elite experts such as Il-mok, Jin Ha-yeon, or Baek Un-hak personally oversaw the execution of the task.

The particular document handed to Il-mok bore the designation of a highly influential figure: the supreme leader of the Provincial Surveillance and Judicial Office, a prominent third-rank Inspector responsible for overseeing investigations and administering penalties across the entire administrative region.

Information provided by Left Cannon Priest Cheon-ryang and Provincial Commander Yang Guang revealed that this individual had previously functioned as nothing more than a subservient tool for the influential court eunuchs.

Though tasked with performing objective investigations, his legal verdicts consistently altered to align with the shifting desires of those palace eunuchs.

Under the absolute concealment of the midnight hours, Il-mok infiltrated the grand residence of the Inspector, effortlessly making his way into the private chambers where the target lay completely asleep.

Clicking his tongue in silent disdain upon discovering the man resting amidst a gathering of multiple concubines, Il-mok moved forward without making a sound and precisely blocked the target’s life-force meridians using a swift finger technique.

He determined there was no point in harming the sleeping women.

It remained uncertain whether these females had been taken by absolute coercion to the Inspector’s estate or if they had willingly participated in his household out of a personal desire for elevated status.

Identical operations occurred simultaneously across the territory of Lanzhou within a very brief window.

As the sky began to brighten, a chaotic storm broke out. Every single residence targeted during this sweep had been covertly infiltrated by the operatives of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult during the preceding evening hours.

“Master!!”

“Please open your eyes, Master!!”

While domestic workers wept in panic over the motionless forms of their employers, paramilitary units and local law enforcement stormed into the estates and administrative buildings without any advance notice.

“Confiscate every single piece of stolen property and coin that these treacherous bureaucrats extorted from the citizenry!”

Obeying the explicit directives of their superior officer, the infantrymen and law enforcers ransacked the residences and compounds, collecting every valuable object within sight.

A few individuals huddled in terror or simply watched the events transpire in silence, yet a segment of the guards drew their blades to mount a defense.

“You insolent fools! Are you completely unaware of whose estate you are invading?!”

However, the outcomes for those who resisted were uniformly disastrous.

“Hmph.”

The martial artists from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult who accompanied the infantry and law enforcers neutralized the combatants with absolute minimal exertion.

Given that this massive undertaking was directed by the commanding officers of both the Salt Patrol Office and the Provincial Command Office, there was virtually no opportunity for anyone to stage a coordinated defense.

Regarding the leadership vacuum at the Provincial Surveillance Office caused by the Inspector’s elimination at the hands of Il-mok, Cheon-ryang had successfully subverted a fourth-rank deputy director, transferring total administrative control over to him.

Furthermore, because the highest-ranking bureaucrats who possessed the authority to mount a legal counter-response had already been eliminated during the night, the entire restructuring proceeded without any viable opposition.

In roughly sixty minutes, the systematic purging of Lanzhou drew to a substantial close.

Minor bureaucrats holding positions at or below the seventh rank possessed virtually no understanding of the broader situation, functioning merely as low-level employees executing instructions passed down from their superiors.

Among the intermediate and elite echelons of the bureaucracy, approximately thirty percent were entirely eliminated within twenty-four hours. An additional fifty percent aligned themselves completely with Left Cannon Priest Cheon-ryang and Provincial Commander Yang Guang, while the remaining twenty percent maintained a mostly uncommitted stance.

Regardless of their loyalties, now that the elimination phase had concluded, the final objective involved emptying the food reserves and treasure vaults belonging to the neutralized officials.

In an intriguing turn of events, the law enforcers and infantrymen assembled every single piece of confiscated property and transported it directly to a centralized estate.

This location had previously served as the repository for the sacred texts of the Maitreya Illuminated Cult, but it had recently been rebranded under the banner of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

From an elevated vantage point at a window, Il-mok quietly observed the ongoing transport of wealth.

“Do you place absolute reliance on that Left Cannon Priest, Young Master?”

Il-mok responded with a counter-question, demonstrating that he anticipated the exact nature of her underlying concern.

“Are you questioning him because of the specific individuals he has chosen to elevate?”

“Precisely, Young Master. Our teams have been rotating shifts to keep a constant watch over his movements. Among the individuals he has integrated into the structure, there are undeniably numerous figures who possess immense animosity toward the royal government alongside fair-minded administrators, precisely as you predicted. However, several individuals who are fiercely loyal to the Left Cannon Priest himself continue to hold influential positions.”

Validating the statement of their companion, the trio of attendants offered affirmative nods toward Il-mok.

“The situation matches Lead Maid Jin’s assessment perfectly, Young Master!”

“Furthermore, the Left Cannon Priest is an elderly figure driven by an immense thirst for authority and status, is he not?”

“If you give the command this very moment, I will gladly decapitate him and present his head to you.”

Recognizing the protective nature of their anxieties, Il-mok offered a soft expression and responded.

“You are likely familiar with the ancient proverb: aquatic life cannot survive in environments where the water is entirely devoid of particles.”

“…Does that imply you foresaw this outcome and deliberately gave him the responsibility of assembling the registry?”

Il-mok confirmed this with a nod toward Jin Ha-yeon before elaborating further.

“According to the foundational tenets of our Divine Cult, greed is an inherent trait within all mankind. Naturally, our spiritual guidelines command us to entirely suppress selfish desires, yet even for the most committed disciples, achieving this is an immense struggle. How much more challenging must it be for ordinary citizens?”

“It must be vastly more difficult, I suppose.”

“Precisely. For that very reason, I chose to delegate this responsibility to Cheon-ryang. He is fundamentally human. He understands exactly how much self-interest to permit, which enables him to manage the angry insurgents, the honorable bureaucrats, and the untrustworthy ones with equal effectiveness. Consequently, I will purposefully ignore the fact that he takes a portion for himself.”

“…However, if his desires swell beyond a reasonable portion and he begins to steal what belongs to others, what actions shall we take then?”

Il-mok offered a stern reply to Jeong-hyeon’s inquiry, which directly addressed the core issue.

“In that scenario, we will naturally eliminate him without hesitation. It simply will not happen at this particular juncture.”

“???”

Observing the visible confusion among the women, Il-mok provided further context for his strategy.

“To put it clearly, he represents the very first high-level bureaucrat to capitulate to our organization. He functions as an essential emblem. If we were to execute him the precise moment he ceases to be useful, it would guarantee that no other regional leaders would ever entertain our demands for capitulation in the future.”

A complete lack of capitulation would force opposing factions to resist to their absolute final breath in every encounter.

No matter how overwhelmingly powerful the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult might be, engaging in constant, unyielding warfare would ultimately deplete their resources and numbers.

While he provided this explanation to the female attendants, Il-mok maintained a separate internal monologue.

‘At the very least, no such betrayal will manifest until the military campaign reaches its conclusion.’

‘He appears to possess incredibly sharp self-preservation instincts, after all.’

An individual who managed to navigate and endure for multiple decades in a political landscape where social awareness was paramount, eventually climbing to the rank of Left Cannon Priest, would not act blindly.

He possessed immense ambition, but he remained capable of comprehending the overarching strategy.

Furthermore, his internal motivations prioritized authority and organizational advancement far above the accumulation of mere currency.

Having already committed his fortunes to an armed uprising, he was not the sort of individual to prematurely hoard wealth before the insurrection had even achieved its primary goals.

He was entirely aware that a total collapse of the movement would result in his personal destruction as well.

Having successfully alleviated the apprehensions of his attendants, Il-mok redirected his gaze toward the view outside.

His eyes focused on the archival building where mountains of treasure were accumulating by the hour.

“Heh heh heh heh.”

When measured by pure enthusiasm for material wealth, Il-mok appeared to eclipse even the ambitious Cheon-ryang.

Yet his fascination did not stem from a desire to keep the fortunes for his personal comfort.

‘Excellent, we shall utilize these funds to commence our large-scale arrangements without delay.’

The gathered fortunes served merely as foundational resources for the upcoming strategic phase—preparing for the impending total mobilization and securing control over the conquered territories.

As if perfectly aligning with the internal strategy of Il-mok.

The following morning, a dispatch was delivered from Pyeongryang County, bearing the signature of Baek-cheon.

…

A handful of days prior.

The affluent members of the Baek family had mobilized to execute the specific task assigned by Il-mok.

Baek Un-hak along with his firstborn son journeyed to the archival center of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, where they commenced instructing performers from the local entertainment districts in various melodies and theatrical productions.

Meanwhile, Baek-cheon, adhering strictly to the guidelines of Il-mok, traveled to Pyeongryang County to re-establish the local Hall of Arts, organizing a competitive exhibition to draw in regional calligraphers and illustrators.

Exactly as Il-mok had foreseen, a large portion of potential participants withdrew from the event out of intense anxiety regarding potential retaliation from the royal government.

“Ahem. Please forgive me, but I simply cannot bring myself to wield the brush under these circumstances.”

Conversely, alternative creators eagerly took up their artistic tools while condemning those who fled out of fear.

“Bah! What absolute cowards!”

“Do you honestly believe I haven’t overheard you two complaining about the corruption of the empire in private on numerous occasions?!”

These individuals were dedicated adherents of the spiritual tenets of the Maitreya Illuminated Cult or citizens who harbored deep-seated resentment toward the current social order.

They funneled their accumulated life hardships directly into their ink strokes and brushworks, creating art with intense fervor.

The historical accounts and narratives supplied by Baek-cheon served merely as foundational inspiration for their creativity.

The narratives that truly resonated with them were not distant accounts of imperial armies slaughtering thousands of helpless peasants in Guizhou Province, but rather the personal instances of tyranny they had personally experienced.

Artistic compositions and written words overflowing with genuine rage and intense sentiments materialized in rapid succession, and Baek-cheon provided generous compensation to the creators of these pieces.

“Excellent! Transport these creations to Gansu without a moment’s delay!”

Baek-cheon dispatched the completed collections to the Gansu territory, and the cargo had just reached the hands of Il-mok.

Il-mok immediately delivered the shipments over to the three members of the Baek family.

Shortly thereafter, the individuals assembled by the Baek family members commenced the arduous task of duplicating every single piece of art and text.

This replication process was performed completely by hand.

“Is this truly accurate? Will you provide us with grain and provisions simply for replicating these written sheets and illustrations?”

“Hahaha. Without a doubt! The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult never goes back on its assertions!”

Baek Un-hak, who delivered that confident assurance, gestured toward a massive collection of treasures stacked within an area of the compound.

Following his indication, the gathered women, children, and elderly individuals stared at the vast fortunes and focused intensely on duplicating the phrases and drawings onto parchment to secure their livelihoods.

Since their past operations under the banner of the Maitreya Illuminated Cult, the organization had systematically promoted literacy among the peasant classes, resulting in a remarkably high turnout of individuals capable of participating in the endeavor.

Individuals with backgrounds in performance troupes or amateur illustrators were capable of accurately mimicking the advanced works, thereby securing a substantial income for themselves.

Observing this lucrative opportunity, the eyes of the remaining laborers naturally shone with sudden ambition.

“Beginning this evening, I intend to return to my household and dedicate myself to mastering illustration.”

“This calligraphy endeavor is far too complex. No matter. It appears I must dedicate my nighttime hours to practicing my script starting tonight!”

Without receiving any direct coercion from authorities, the participants voluntarily began refining their writing and artistic capabilities within their residences every evening from that point forward.

As a consequence of their collective industriousness, an immense volume of promotional records was generated, prompting Il-mok to issue subsequent directives to the Baek family trio.

“Oh? Is Gansu not already firmly within our sphere of influence? Is it genuinely essential to display these materials to our own populace?”

“In order to blanket the vast reaches of the entire Central Plains, the available workforce within Lanzhou alone is vastly inadequate. We must distribute the spiritual doctrines of our Divine Cult in tandem with these illustrations, delegating identical copying operations to congregations residing in external territories.”

“Incredible. So Young Master Il-mok intends to mobilize the entirety of Gansu for this grand endeavor!”

As Baek Un-hak expressed his deep admiration, Il-mok shook his head in disagreement.

“We will not stop at Gansu. Once we have saturated this province to sufficiently expand our production workforce, we shall transfer these materials to every single territory that embraces the teachings of our Divine Cult.”

This included Shaanxi alongside the northern sectors of Sichuan, as well as the regions of Qinghai and Xizang.

“Once we have replicated these informational sheets and public notices by the tens of thousands across all of those sectors, we shall distribute them simultaneously and without distinction throughout the entire Central Plains.”

Il-mok intended to merge spiritual dissemination methodologies with highly organized network expansion frameworks.

…

While the generation of revolutionary notices and informational documents proceeded at an unprecedented pace within Lanzhou, the administrative hub of Gansu Province.

A separate piece of correspondence was delivered to Il-mok.

This specific missive originated from Shaanxi Province, dispatched by Wi Jin-hak, who had previously departed with the objective of bringing both Mount Hua and Mount Zhongnan under total subjection.