The Ruler of Darkness - Book 4: Chapter 7

Yeon So-Hyeon, who was to attend the Supreme Operating Council meeting, was carried in a palanquin by four bearers, racing through the main streets without hesitation.

In the rapidly changing landscape they crossed, there was no sign of any pedestrians.

Even beyond the walls and looking out the windows, no one was visible.

This was the power of the ‘priority authority’ that the organization known as the Organ held within the Luoyang Sword House.

“Are you not feeling dizzy?”

It was a question from the commander sitting opposite.

“While the bearers run with agility, covering our eyes, circling the same alleys several times, or occasionally jumping over rooftops, you ask if I’m not feeling nauseous?”

Yeon So-Hyeon leaned back.

It was difficult to lean back comfortably in the cramped palanquin.

“I apologize, but…”

“It’s a directive. I know.”

The commander, who had been bending his body as much as possible to give Yeon So-Hyeon space, smiled.

“….”

After he sent a silent message to his subordinates, the warriors who were running around the palanquin, guarding it, adjusted their formation more widely.

Then, they took out small bells from their bosoms and shook them.

However, peculiarly, no sound of the bells could be heard.

“…Is this the Organ’s unique sound-blocking stance?”

Yeon So-Hyeon asked, to which the commanding warrior replied silently.

‘Yes, that’s correct. Your ears are sensitive. With this, my silent message will not leak out.’

Yeon So-Hyeon, without responding, simply nodded his head.

“You must have many questions after seeing my signal, but please understand that our travel time is short and so is the time I have to explain.”

He continued with his silent message without waiting for Yeon So-Hyeon’s reaction.

“According to a source only I know of…”

Information starting like this usually had very low credibility.

Yet, Yeon So-Hyeon silently listened to the entire message.

That signal had significant value.

“At an unspecified time in the past, the second and third young masters were summoned by the Supreme Operating Council meeting.”

Yeon So-Hyeon’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“They received a firm answer from the Supreme Operating Council meeting. That was…”

He looked straight at Yeon So-Hyeon, who sat with his eyes covered.

“The Supreme Operating Council meeting has decided not to let the current head of the family influence the selection of the successor.”

Yeon So-Hyeon closed his eyes behind the blindfold.

The commanding warrior hurried his silent message.

“I’m not asking you to believe me right away. Soon, when you meet the top members, you’ll be able to verify it through their actions.”

He looked at Yeon So-Hyeon with earnest eyes.

“I beseech you, Eldest Young Master.”

His emotion was palpable even through the silent message.

“Please be cautious of them. And make sure to maintain all courtesies so as not to disturb their moods.”

They seemed to be nearing their destination.

He conveyed his urgent advice as quickly as he could.

“For now, it is time for you to bow your head as much as possible. Only by overcoming this crisis can you later pursue a greater cause…”

Yeon So-Hyeon interrupted him.

“When I return, a different commanding warrior will accompany me according to the regulations, right?”

“It’s a matter of security, so I cannot give you a direct answer.”

The commanding warrior replied in a doubly cautious manner using silent messaging.

‘Yes, that is correct.’

Then, Yeon So-Hyeon replied to him using ‘silent messaging’.

‘In that case, I will say what I have to say now.’

The commander was startled by Yeon So-Hyeon’s silent message that penetrated his ears.

“……!”

His surprise was so evident that the Organ’s warriors outside felt his agitation and instinctively reached for their swords.

“There is no issue here! The Eldest Young Master is preparing, everyone keep your distance and maintain vigilance.”

The sound-blocking stance was lifted.

The destination was imminent.

‘You know, how to, use martial arts?’

His silent message was unstable, revealing his psychological turmoil.

‘It seems you are fighting a lonely battle within the Organ.’

‘…Yes.’

‘Listen well. This is the same advice I gave to your brother and my friend, the former head of the Organ.’

“…!”

Yeon So-Hyeon had realized who he was just from the signal.

The palanquin stopped at its destination.

‘Remember this if you ever face a situation you cannot handle alone.’

As Yeon So-Hyeon was assisted out of the palanquin by the commanding warrior, he continued the silent message.

‘In this Sword Family, there is me, Yeon So-Hyeon.’

The commander felt as if Yeon So-Hyeon, behind his thick blindfold, was looking directly at him.

“If there was a reason for your brother’s death, it was undoubtedly because he forgot or ignored my advice.”

Another team was approaching to take over the guard duty.

‘Come find me.’

The warriors from the other team entered the range where they could eavesdrop on the silent messages.

The commander could only stare blankly at Yeon So-Hyeon.

He could read nothing from the face of the boy his brother had praised so highly.

“Are you alright?”

Snapped back to reality by his subordinate’s question, he responded.

“Ah, I’m fine. Listen, everyone. We will now move to the first withdrawal point.”

The Eldest Young Master had already disappeared.

As he ran using agility techniques with his subordinates, he remembered his brother’s will.

He thought of his brother, who had been the former head of the Organ.

The will he had read over dozens of times, memorizing every word.

‘If you are reading this will, it surely means I am dead.’

His brother had been nonchalant even in preparing for his own death.

‘If so, it must be because I forgot or ignored the advice of my close friend, the Eldest Young Master.’

‘Remember, my brother.’

‘That in the Luoyang Sword House, there is Eldest Young Master Yeon So-Hyeon.’

He clenched his teeth.

‘If he comes out of seclusion and returns to the world, make sure to meet him.’

He earnestly hoped that Yeon So-Hyeon would overcome this crisis.

Ever since rumors of Yeon So-Hyeon’s seclusion began, he had been searching for information to aid him.

Finally, he had succeeded in conveying the crucial information he had learned to Yeon So-Hyeon.

‘The Supreme Operating Council meeting has decided not to let the current head of the family influence the selection of the successor.’

Now, it was up to Yeon So-Hyeon.

* * *

Luoyang Sword House, the camp of the 2nd Young Master.

Han Myeong-hwi, the strategist of the 2nd Young Master, spoke to Elder Son.

“…The conclusion will come by today.”

Elder Son, sitting relaxed with the 2nd Young Master’s chief strategists, nodded.

“The Supreme Operating Council meeting never delays matters. The issue of the Eldest Young Master will be resolved by today.”

They were all waiting for new information to arrive.

Chief Choi, biting his nails, asked Elder Son.

“…The Supreme Operating Council meeting wouldn’t break their promise to our lord, would they?”

Elder Son chuckled.

“If our lord were the only one present, perhaps. But the third prince was there too. The top members will surely keep their promise, if only for their own reputations.”

Elder Son smiled kindly.

“If they lacked trust and credibility, well…”

The strategists’ eyes turned towards him.

“Would they have silently accepted the continued operation of the main house in the absence of the head of the family?”

His eyes sparkled.

“The power players in the main house?”

* * *

Yeon So-Hyeon, still blindfolded, followed the Organ’s warriors, walking incessantly.

The heavy footsteps of the warriors echoed in his ears, lingering like tinnitus.

Yeon So-Hyeon was grumbling.

“…The location of the Supreme Operating Council meeting always changes irregularly, anyway.”

He muttered under his breath.

“Such actions are just an excuse for security, merely to psychologically pressure the summoned. It’s utterly unfair to do this to someone who is not a criminal.”

The commanding warrior responsible for internal security replied.

“If you have complaints, formally protest to the Organ, swordless one.”

His tone was full of sarcasm.

“It would be pointless, though.”

Yeon So-Hyeon shrugged.

“Really? If I really decided to charge in, you would be ‘destroyed like before’, wouldn’t you be okay with that?”

“….”

“Didn’t your seniors tell you enough stories about me?”

There was no reply.

Instead, for some reason, their footsteps quickened.

Yeon So-Hyeon, his arms locked by the warriors at his sides, was now being practically dragged along.

“Hey, guys! I’ll go easy on you this time, so let’s slow down!”

Of course, they only got rougher.

Yeon So-Hyeon laughed and giggled as he hung onto them.

“You guys, I’ll remember all of this.”

“Do as you please, swordless one.”

* * *

“Proceed straight ahead.”

They untied Yeon So-Hyeon’s blindfold and pushed him forward.

Yeon So-Hyeon staggered before regaining his balance.

“Guys, it was just a joke, isn’t this a bit too much?”

Behind him, a stone door closed with a thud.

“…Heartless bunch.”

Yeon So-Hyeon shook his head and headed down the long corridor.

Artificial streams flowed along both sides of the lengthy corridor.

Above the streams, the ceiling opened, allowing natural light to filter through.

“Only the Sword House could afford such extravagance, the best in the Central Plains,” Yeon So-Hyeon thought with a twisted smile.

The array set up along the corridor tried to shrink him psychologically and unsettle him.

But such a mere array could never affect him.

He lightly hummed a tune, moving with a carefree stride.

Reaching the end of the corridor, a large hemispherical space revealed itself.

“Please stand in the center, Eldest Young Master.”

A modulated voice, neither male nor female, echoed, a result of the huge hemispherical stone cavern’s acoustics.

“This used to be a personal training ground for my father…”

Yeon So-Hyeon muttered to himself, standing in the center of the cavern.

Sunlight stretched down from the hole in the ceiling, illuminating him.

“…We deeply regret that situation, Eldest Young Master.

But please try to understand our circumstances.”

It was a different person, but again a modulated voice.

And these voices were coming from the small caves pierced around the hemispherical stone cavern.

Nine caves, nine individuals.

Yeon So-Hyeon slowly turned around, greeting them.

“It’s been a while, nine members of the highest committee.”

As if he had just realized something, Yeon So-Hyeon slapped his palm.

“Ah. There must be some new members since my last visit. Nice to meet you, I am Yeon So-Hyeon.”

There was no reply.

He smiled.

“It’s odd only I am greeting. How about everyone exchanges greetings?”

A modulated voice responded.

“The highest committee members do not exchange such pleasantries.”

Another voice continued.

“According to the strict internal rules of the Supreme Operating Council meeting, all members involved must neither know nor attempt to know each other’s identities.”

Yeon So-Hyeon shrugged.

“At least two of you are seeing me for the first time since becoming committee members.”

“….”

“Not to boast, but…”

Yeon So-Hyeon smiled.

“Committee members who have ever faced me in this place wouldn’t ever respond to such trivial conversation.”