The Ruler of Darkness

Book 5: Chapter 18

Luoyang Sword House, the 2nd Young Masters Camp.

The office of Strategist Han Myeong-hwi.

Han Myeong-hwi asked in a voice that trembled without him realizing it.

Empty-handed?

Im sorry.

The assassin known as the murderous hunting dog in Fuzhou, Hunting Dog that Brings Blade, showed an attitude that didnt match his notorious reputation.

Empty-handed again?

Im sorry.

He lowered his head like a dog kicked by its master.

Try explaining, at least.

Holding his head in his hands, Han Myeong-hwi spoke through gritted teeth.

A strategist of Han Myeong-hwi who had been working with the Hunting Dog that Brings Blade cautiously spoke up instead.

In order to retrieve the Sword House Identification Tag that Geum-ju had possessed, we were tracking a figure named Sovereign of Dark Heavens

No need for an introduction.

The strategist swallowed dryly and got to the point.

The last sighting of the Sovereign of Dark Heavens was near the Valley of Vice. However

Han Myeong-hwi spoke as if he had been at the scene himself.

The Valley of Vice is already under the 4th Young Masters control, so you couldnt investigate properly. Of all places, it had to be the 4th Young Master and the Eldest Young Masters business zone.

Thanks to that guy, only the Eldest Young Master and the 4th Young Master reaped the benefits without lifting a finger.

His subordinates couldnt say a word.

Any news from the Supervisory Department?

Theres still no information about the Supervisory Department moving to retrieve the Sword House Identification Tag, but

But we dont know about the movements of the Central Supervisory Pavilion. So theres a possibility theyve already made a move. Its a different situation from the usual Sword House Identification Tag-related incidents.

Han Myeong-hwi, who had only been in his office, was saying everything his subordinates who had been running around in the field should have said.

The subordinates kept their mouths shut.

It only meant their investigation had been lacking.

So who the hell is this Sovereign of Dark Heavens guy anyway?

No one could answer.

This time, even Han Myeong-hwi couldnt make a guess.

Like the last investigation, do we not have any proper information besides the nonsense of some fortune-teller going on about ghosts or whatever and the hearsay of unreliable witnesses?

First it was Geum-ju, for whom he had recommended the bestowal of the Sword House Identification Tag.

Next, the Valley of Vice, which should have been his opponents territory, had become the Eldest Young Master and the 4th Young Masters business site.

It was as if this Sovereign of Dark Heavens fellow had been born just to torment him.

Everyone, out.

The subordinates hurriedly vacated the office.

The blood vessels protruding and pulsing at Han Myeong-hwis temples hinted at his rage.

Sovereign of Dark Heavens, Geum-ju, the Sword House Identification Tag, the Eldest Young Master and the 4th Young Masters business. The new commander Elder Son had called.

Nothing was going right.

Before the so-called new commander arrived, he had done his utmost to interfere with the Eldest Young Master and the 4th Young Masters business.

He wanted to prove his usefulness somehow.

But all the means he had devised and attempted had already been shattered.

I had hoped to at least buy some time

He had mobilized every connection he had and even gone into debt for the connections he didnt have in order to carry out administrative delay tactics.

Even Strategist Choi, the 4th Young Masters strategist, had joined him with the resolve of dying together, but it had all cleanly fallen through.

Eldest Young Master!

Han Myeong-hwi tugged at his own hair.

Whatever means that monstrous fellow had used, he had borrowed the power of big shots Han Myeong-hwi couldnt even attempt to approach and cleared out the administrative officials in one fell swoop.

Elder Son didnt say it outright, but it seemed even he was quite flustered this time.

He didnt want to admit it, but

Was the Eldest Young Master someone I couldnt handle from the start?

While acknowledging his opponents skill in one sense, he didnt stop thinking.

I am Han Myeong-hwi I wont fall like this

The power of thought was all he had, and the tenacity he had cultivated in the battlefields of Shanghai was his foundation.

Even if I die, Ill at least bite off that bastards ankles before I do.

He abruptly rose from his seat.

The chair toppled over behind him, but he paid it no mind.

Right. Lets admit it. The opponent is bigger than me. Stronger than me.

Having come to the Luoyang Sword House by a stroke of luck, he had been pretending to be dignified until now.

Relying on the 2nd Young Masters power, he had suppressed and harassed those smaller than the 2nd Young Master, indulging in the pleasure of tormenting them.

But originally, this was my specialty

From the day he had lost both parents at a young age and had to survive in Shanghais illegal slave market.

He was someone who had survived by dragging bigger guys into the mud and devouring them.

Thats right the mud pit.

To push his opponent into the mud pit, he had to dirty his own hands.

His mind raced as if shedding a layer of grime.

It felt refreshing.

He quickly thought of a name he needed.

Geum-jil.

One of the six rulers who dominated Luoyangs underworld and Geum-jus adoptive father.

Until now, he had no proper dealings with him, and he was someone without the credibility to trade with.

He was even a much bigger player than Han Myeong-hwi, but that didnt matter now.

He had already lost his adoptive daughter and the Black Bone Faction he had raised well to the Sovereign of Dark Heavens.

And due to the Eldest Young Master and the 4th Young Masters business, he would have no choice but to give up on rebuilding his enterprises that had a significant presence in the Valley of Vice.

Whether he held a grudge against the Sovereign of Dark Heavens or the Eldest Young Master, he would be willing to deal with Han Myeong-hwi.

Han Myeong-hwi immediately rushed out of his office.

***

What did you say?

But unlike his spirited dash out, Han Myeong-hwi felt his plan going awry from the start.

Uh, I apologize, Strategist Han. We also have no way to contact this Geum-jil.

Han Myeong-hwi scratched his forehead at the other partys absurd answer.

Even the Daeseon Guild doesnt know how to contact him?

The Daeseon Guild was disguised as a merchant association, but was in fact the 2nd Young Masters direct information operations organization.

Werent we supposed to be in a cooperative relationship with Geum-jil?

Thats true, but.

After a moment of hesitation, the Daeseon Guild member rose from his seat.

Please wait a moment.

As the member opened the door and left, Han Myeong-hwi stroked his chin with a perplexed expression.

Even the headquarters of the Jiangnan Legion and the Daeseon Guild dont know how to contact or meet Geum-jil?

It was strange.

Then how has this so-called cooperative relationship been maintained all this time?

Are you Strategist Han Myeong-hwi?

When Han Myeong-hwi turned around, an executive of the Daeseon Guild was there.

***

Even the executives of the Daeseon Guild know nothing about Geum-jil?

Han Myeong-hwi had returned to the headquarters of the Jiangnan Legion and was searching the archives.

That executive clearly seemed to know nothing too. Just what is going on?

There was no information in the archives at the Jiangnan Legion headquarters that he, who held the highest-level confidentiality clearance in the Jiangnan Legion, couldnt access, even though it contained secrets of the Luoyang Sword House that must never be leaked.

But.

Hey!

At Han Myeong-hwis call, the archive manager scholar, who had been buried in unsorted documents, jumped up.

Yes! Strategist!

Han Myeong-hwi waved a few thin pages and asked him.

Are these all the documents on Geum-jil?

The scholar received the documents from him, checked the index, and searched the archive list.

Uh yes. This is everything.

At that moment, Han Myeong-hwi was convinced he was approaching something fishy.

***

Geum-jil.

The information left about him was only at the level Han Myeong-hwi had looked into as a formality before dealing with Geum-ju.

A figure who had appeared in Luoyang one day and rapidly expanded his power through usury, human trafficking, operating gambling dens, and the like.

The process had been extremely efficient, cruel, and effective, so it hadnt taken long for him to become a big shot in Luoyangs underworld.

Why is there so little information?

When Han Myeong-hwi was sitting lost in thought in his empty office, the door opened without permission.

Who?

Strategist Han!

The one who appeared was Strategist Choi, the 4th Young Masters strategist.

What is it?

Shh!

Without answering Han Myeong-hwis question, Strategist Choi checked that no one was outside, locked the door, and approached Han Myeong-hwi.

Answer quietly.

Even then, Strategist Choi spoke in a greatly lowered voice.

What have you been up to today? An urgent report about you came in to Elder Son from the Daeseon Guild.

There was definitely something going on.

After a moment of hesitation, Han Myeong-hwi told him everything about Geum-jil.

So thats why the Daeseon Guild submitted an urgent report about that person.

That person? Do you know something about Geum-jil?

Strategist Choi hurriedly covered Han Myeong-hwis mouth.

Dont utter that persons name!

Han Myeong-hwi looked at Strategist Choi with an expression asking what he meant, his mouth covered.

If I say dont say it, dont! Got it?!

When Han Myeong-hwi nodded, only then did Strategist Choi remove the hand covering his mouth.

Just who is that person? What kind of guy is he that we cant even say his name?

Strategist Choi sighed at Han Myeong-hwis question.

I dont know either.

Hey, are you kidding!

As Han Myeong-hwi was about to get angry, Strategist Choi continued.

But I do know that if you utter that persons name, youll be cursed without realizing it.

Cursed?

Han Myeong-hwis face greatly contorted.

Were you the type to believe in such superstitions?

Strategist Choi answered seriously.

Whether I believe it or not isnt important.

Think rationally, please think rationally.

Han Myeong-hwi sighed.

If simply saying the name gets you cursed or whatever in the first place, wouldnt more than half the people living in Luoyang have a problem?

But Han Myeong-hwi also shut his mouth at Strategist Chois next words.

But even Elder Son never utters that persons name.

Elder Son was one of the people Han Myeong-hwi knew who was farthest from superstition.

In the past, I had investigated that person for some reason. Just like you now. And I was warned by Elder Son not to look into him any further. Perhaps, youll also hear it directly from Elder Son soon.

One of the things I found out then was

Strategist Choi lowered his voice even more.

Only our lord, the 2nd Young Master, knows how to contact that person.

Only our lord?

Han Myeong-hwi now realized that he wasnt just approaching something fishy but sticking his head into the mouth of something terrible.

Just who is that person

As Han Myeong-hwi tried to say something, there was a knock on his office door.

Strategist Han Myeong-hwi. Elder Son is urgently looking for you.

As Han Myeong-hwi swallowed dryly, Strategist Choi quickly advised him.

Just say you understand, no matter what. Got it?

At that moment, Han Myeong-hwi thought.

If he was that dangerous, he could sufficiently drag the Eldest Young Master or Sovereign of Dark Heavens into the mud.