The Ruler Of Darkness - Chapter 561



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Episode 561

Part 10 Urgent News

Early hours.

At dawn, Luoyang.

“Gaga (Brother)! Let’s go there this time!”

As the woman in silk took his arm and led him diligently, the man in silk laughed in vain and said to her.

“After sightseeing all night, is there still something left to see?”

The woman’s eyes sparkled.

“Because this is Luoyang…!”

“… The morning fog is thick and dangerous, so watch your step.”

“Okay, okay!”

The man shrugged his shoulders and pretended to be defeated, letting the woman lead him.

That’s what I said though.

Not only them.

Many people who visited Luoyang from out of town stayed up all night and were visiting every corner of Luoyang by this time.

Isn’t this the joy of holding the Yongbongjihoe (Dragon and Phoenix Meeting) and the grandeur of the super-large city of Luoyang that never sleeps every night?

“oh…!”

As she walked down the alley, the woman’s footsteps stopped as she discovered something.

“what’s the matter?”

The man’s footsteps also stopped.

“… This is an incredible palace! It looks like a guest house, but it’s so extravagant!”

It was hard to see clearly because of the fog at dawn.

Nonetheless, the magnificent scale glimpsed through the fog and the golden roof tiles reflecting the sunlight were enough to elicit admiration.

“Gaga! Let’s come closer and take a look!”

The woman grabbed his hand and pulled him towards her, but this time the man did not follow along obediently.

“wait for a sec.”

“yes?”

The woman soon realized why the man had pulled her back instead.

“Stop.”

Before I knew it.

The one who revealed himself was covered in thick armor all over his body, and the eyes visible through the helmet were truly creepy.

“This is a restricted area.”

“Sorry, sorry…!”

“Let’s go…!”

The lover turned around and left the place without even answering.

It had to be that way.

Because what they saw was not just a single heavily armored warrior.

Clank, clank.

From the massive crossbows aimed at them, to the countless troops waiting with a wall made of iron shields and spears.

It was the military.

That too, of the highest caliber.

* * *

“We were just a couple wandering around for sightseeing.”

“i get it.”

The one who nodded to his subordinate’s report was the current head of the Sunwoo family, one of the sixteen imperial families.

It was Sunwoogang (淳于?).

“then.”

Only after Soo-ha closed the door and left did Sun-woo-gang open his mouth to the person across from him.

“First, I would like to thank Elder Biao.”

“What can I be thankful for?”

The man called Elder Pyo waved his hand as if it was nothing, but inside.

He seemed satisfied with receiving direct thanks from the heads of the sixteen families.

“Haha, of course I should be grateful.”

Sunwoo Kang shook his head and said.

“Thanks to the elders of the Sword Family personally intervening, we were able to bring the escort troops into Luoyang.”

That’s right.

Elder Pyo was an elder of the Sword Family.

And thanks to his efforts, the Sixteen Houses of the Yellow Emperor were able to send their best troops into Luoyang.

“It’s nothing.”

Whether in quantity or quality.

No matter where you looked, they were not just any mere escort force, but Elder Pyo did not find fault with that expression and continued speaking.

“It’s not even the inside of the main house. Of course, we should at least provide escorts to the city of Luoyang.”

“That was difficult.”

Sunwoo Kang smiled bitterly.

“After all, the current governor of Luoyang is that person… ”

“Tsk.”

Elder Pyo clicked his tongue as if he was displeased.

“Gongryang. That crazy old demon became the governor of Luoyang, and things have gotten so messed up.”

Gongryang was the leader of the reformist faction in the Central Plains and was a monster among monsters who had risen to the position of prime minister.

Gongryang’s hand warmly patted Yeonseonhyun’s hand.

“Whatever the reason, you have returned. You have returned to the world proudly.”

He laughed heartily.

“I am so grateful for that.”

Until I met Yeon So-hyeon again.

Noma was waiting for the right time at Bukmangsan Mountain.

He was a very lively person only to Yeon So-hyeon, but to everyone else, he was nothing more than a living nightmare.

“Besides, it’s not just that Norma…!”

Elder Pyo seemed excited and his speech became faster.

“The head of the Sword Family Money Shop has already gone over to that bastard Yeon So-hyeon, and in the sacred Elder’s House of the main family, that bastard’s faction is already running wild as if it’s their own world!”

“…I heard that the situation has become serious.”

“This is beyond serious, this is…!”

Elder Pyo said, his teeth chattering.

“When the second prince, Yeonjacheong, was locked in the brain prison and his clan collapsed, it felt like the sky was falling, but I somehow persevered. It was because the clan of the third prince, Yeonjeokgwang, remained strong!”

Elder Pyo was originally a member of the Yi Gongja faction, but later switched to the Sam Gongja faction.

It was the so-called ‘bat’.

“… … .”

However, Sunwoo Kang was careful with his words.

There were more than one or two elders who did such a bat-like thing, and even.

Isn’t it because Elder Pyo was such a person that he is benefiting now?

“That was the case, but now the situation of the main house elders has become even more dire! Yeon So-hyeon, that devilish bastard, has won the war in the north, and the faction of the Three Princes-!”

but.

Elder Pyo kept talking nonstop, and Sunwoo Kang had no choice but to intervene to make him stop.

“The lineage of the Three Princes is also on the verge of collapse. I know that.”

The biggest blow was the departure of Elder Namgung Hyukcheon, who was the most powerful supporter of the Samgongja Yeonjeokgwang and the head of the sect.

He was abandoned by the Namgung family, who wanted to keep their hands off the North, and he joined hands with Yeon So-hyeon.

Even though he felt like something he wanted to say about him was about to rise up from his throat at any moment, Elder Pyo held back.

“… … .”

From the expression on Sunwoo Kang’s face in front of him.

It was because he felt that she would no longer tolerate him beating around the bush.

“… Ahem.”

Elder Pyo coughed once and opened his mouth.

“Well then, I guess it would be better to get to the point.”

Sunwoo Kang nodded.

“That would be good.”

“… … .”

Elder Pyo did not like Sunwoo Kang’s attitude, but he could not help it.

Sunwoo Kang was the head of the Hwangdo 16 family, and wasn’t he the person who could be his lifeline in the current situation?

“I won’t beat around the bush.”

Elder Pyo looked straight at Sunwoo Kang and asked.

“What would I gain by siding with the Sixteen Families?”

Sunwoo Kang answered immediately, still holding his teacup.

“The complete destruction of Yeon So-hyeon and his followers.”

Sunwoo Kang’s tone was confident and resolute.

“I will restore freedom to the swordsmanship family.”

“… … .”

To give back freedom to the swordsman.

It was a shameless and absurd statement, but no words touched Elder Pyo as much as it did.

But his mouth moved in the opposite direction.

“…it won’t be easy.”

The elders of the Luoyang Sword Family have suffered too much from Yeon So-hyeon.

Even if the opponent is Sunwoo Kang of the Sixteen Houses of the Yellow Emperor.

It was not easy to make such an important decision that might lead to a traitor to the sword family.

“So far. Even within our swordsmanship, many people have maintained neutrality and are tacitly keeping Yeonseonhyun’s power in check, but I’m not sure…”

Until a little while ago.

It was an attitude change so drastic that it was hard to believe that he was the type of person who had always appealed to Sunwoo Kang in all sorts of ways.

“No matter what, even if it’s the sixteen families. Is it possible…?”

“… … .”

Sunwoo Kang smiled bitterly to himself.

‘They say even a rotten tooth is a good tooth. It doesn’t go away easily, does it?’

No matter how foolish he may seem, the opponent is an elder of the sword family.

“Then what else do you need?”

Elder Pyo shrugged his shoulders in response to Sunwoo Kang’s question.

“In this situation, what else could I possibly wish for? I just wish that there was at least a definite ‘plan’.”

He asked me to share the plans of the sixteen families.

“… … .”

As Sunwoo Kang narrowed his eyes, Elder Pyo smiled slyly.

“Of course, you may be suspicious. Of course, you should be. If you were to ask me to share my plans with you just by allowing me to bring my troops into Luoyang, then of course you would be suspicious.”

How would we know if Elder Pyo was a spy sent by Yeon So-hyeon?

“But.”

Elder Pyo spoke, fiddling with the teacup from which he had not taken a sip until now.

“Both of us here are in dire straits. But if we had to compare, wouldn’t the heads of the Sixteen Clans be even more desperate?”

His eyes flashed sharply in his generous face.

“If I wanted to save my life, I would leave everything behind and run away right now. Well, I’m just an insignificant person who hardly anyone would care about. But not for the lords.”

If the elder of the Sword Family was nothing special, even a passing dog would laugh, but it was different when the subject of comparison was the head of the sixteen families.

“…exactly.”

Sunwoo Kang nodded obediently.

There was no need to deny or obscure the obvious facts.

“We will not give up power in order to survive, and as long as we do not give up power, Yeon Soo-hyun will chase us to the ends of hell.”

“That’s it…!”

When Elder Pyo clapped his hands, Sunwoo Kang nodded happily.

“Let me show you our plan.”

“… … .”

This time.

Elder Pyo’s expression hardened.

‘So obediently…?’

Sunwoo Kang got up from his seat and asked him.

“Aren’t you going to go see it?”

“T, that can’t be…!”

Elder Pyo immediately got up.

‘If we know anything about their plans, it might come in handy later on when things go wrong…!’

He immediately left the room, following the Sunwoo River.

* * *

“This is our plan.”

Standing at the entrance, which overlooked the room that was kept dark for security reasons despite the daylight, Sunwoo Kang asked.

“Do you like it?”

“… … .”

Elder Pyo couldn’t open his mouth.

No, to be exact, I couldn’t close it.

‘They are…?!’

The interior that Sunwoo Kang opened was too wide and dark due to the lack of lighting, and even parts of it were blocked off by partitions and screens, making it difficult to see properly.

It didn’t matter.

“… So, the agenda for our next meeting is… .”

“… our local high-ranking officials should be more active in influencing the imperial court… .”

Although.

Because of my limited field of vision, I couldn’t recognize all of them, but even among those whose faces I could see, each and every one of them was a remarkable person.

‘Isn’t that guy the vice-governor of Luoyang?! And that guy is the commander of the Yellow River navy?!’

That wasn’t all.

“hmm?”

“Hey. Doesn’t the person standing at the entrance look familiar?”

“Huh? Isn’t this Elder Pyo?”

‘You’ve already gathered this many elders of the main family…?!’

There were so many elders here that it was confusing whether this was the elders’ house of the Luoyang Sword Society.

‘The Sixteen Clans have already contacted and dragged in this many people under the surface…?! Not in the Imperial Capital, but here in Luoyang…?!’

Indeed, the sixteen zodiac families.

It was an ability that could chill Elder Pyo’s liver and gall.

“What do you think? Our plan?”

Strictly speaking.

Of course, what Sunwoo Kang showed could not be said to be a proper plan.

but.

“… … .”

I saw so many elders and people in power directly that it wouldn’t be a problem if one or two elders didn’t join.

What on earth could Elder Pyo say?

“… From now on, I ask for your help.”

He bowed his head deeply.

Only then did a satisfied smile appear on Sunwoo Kang’s lips.

“This way.”

Sunwoo Kang tapped his shoulder.

“Okay, let’s go in.”

“… … .”

Sunwoo Kang spoke without even looking back at Elder Pyo, who followed him obediently, without showing any sign of displeasure.

“As Elder Pyo said, the situation is urgent.”

Elder Pyo nodded.

“… While that bastard Yeon So-hyeon is in the imperial palace, everything must be finished.”

“Yes. And besides… .”

Sunwoo Kang, who exchanged quick glances with those passing by, continued speaking.

“We don’t know what he’ll do next in the zodiac. We have to hurry up and-.”

That was when.

“My lord…!”

A person who appeared to be unmanned approached with an ominous aura and casted a close-range attack on Sunwoo Kang.

“… … .”

“… … .”

Elder Pyo narrowed his eyes at the sight.

Every moment.

As the conversation continued, Sunwoo Kang’s expression became worse.

“Elder Pyo.”

Sunwoo Kang spoke to him in a hurry.

“Wait a minute. Something important came up that I need to check on, so I need to leave first.”

“What by any chance-?”

“You are hanging out with other people.”

Before Elder Pyo could even catch him, Sunwoo Kang hurriedly left the place.

“…this!”

There was no time to panic.

Shouldn’t Elder Pyo himself immediately find out what happened?

but.

Fortunately or unfortunately.

He was now in the same position as many powerful people.

The identity of the news could be quickly confirmed.

“Urgent news, urgent news…!”

The person who ran in from the entrance shouted at everyone.

“They say that the Dark Heavenly Lord appeared in the Imperial Capital yesterday…!”

At first everyone laughed.

“What a funny guy.”

“Do you still believe those rumors?”

But, one by one.

Then, as news began to arrive from outside, the atmosphere began to change.

“…really?”

“To the Min family?!”

“So many people saw it?”

and.

The news that drove the wedge in came.

“Out of the sixteen heads of the clans, two were affected…!”

It travels a long distance.

It was the moment when the news of the zodiac reached Luoyang.