Chapter 73. Regime Change (2)
Thud. Thud. Thud.
The ground-shaking booms echoing from the arena spread far and wide.
It was the sound of Philip carrying out the order to kill them all—executing the Jo family.
Jeonghyeon didn't even glance that way. He simply followed Jeonghu and Jo Yoon's guidance toward the Jo family guild building, focused solely on clearing the next quest.
"Here it is."
Just a ten-minute walk from the arena.
The sleek, towering structure was shorter than expected—barely thirteen stories.
"Was Jo Hwi the type who didn't indulge in extravagance?"
"Compared to his ambitions, he didn't splurge much, but…"
Jo Yoon trailed off, then shrugged and opened the door. We'll know when we see it.
The first-floor desk was manned by Jo family members who weren't direct kin, mixed with a few non-awakened humans.
"…!"
Whether they'd heard the news or seen the broadcast, they all wore tense expressions, eyeing Jeonghyeon with hostility but shrinking back all the same.
"…"
Jeonghyeon walked slowly through their midst.
Every step he took made them flinch, yet not one dared block his path.
What guts on these bastards…
Those who'd fattened themselves by screwing others over always hid away like this when their own necks were on the line.
He despised every last one of them.
"Um… are you going to execute these people too?"
Jo Yoon, who'd been trailing silently, finally whispered from behind.
"Excluding direct kin, they ran the arena or cleared dungeons just like us. Of course, they're not innocent…"
"Take me to the guild master's floor."
"Ah, yes."
Instead of answering, Jeonghyeon issued another order and poured power into his Demon King's Eye.
Come to me, Philip.
Commands this simple didn't even require much mana. What a damn useful ability.
Jeonghyeon boarded the elevator at one end of the building and headed to the top floor—thirteen—where Jo Hwi had ruled.
***
Beep. Unauthorized user.
The elevator doors opened, and the announcement blared immediately upon reaching the door at the end of the wide hallway.
"Jeonghu."
"Yes."
At Jeonghyeon's call, Jeonghu assumed position and smashed the door with a single strike.
"No, I meant, do you have a key?"
"Y-Yes?!"
"Do I look like some rampaging lunatic to you? You brute."
Jeonghyeon's joke left Jeonghu and Jo Yoon staring at each other in stunned silence, while he cackled darkly and stepped through the debris.
"Was that really the same guy who just ordered everyone killed…?"
"Beats me…"
Jo Yoon's question drew an incredulous tongue-click from Jeonghu.
Both assumed Jeonghyeon was plotting something elaborate, but in truth, he simply had no more reason to rage.
"Alright… this must be it."
The spacious room, devoid of even a guest sofa, was piled high with documents gauging Seoul West's explosive growth—and countless safes.
"You two, check what's in the safes."
"Yes, sir!"
"On it!"
At Jeonghyeon's command, Jo Yoon and Jeonghu moved in unison to crack them open.
Tens of billions in cash poured out—ill-gotten gains from exploiting humans.
"There must be records somewhere."
Jeonghyeon's goal was domination of the West, per the quest.
A quest meant clear conditions. Uncovering hints would kill two birds—one for the quest, one for ties to the Hunter Association.
Most files were ledgers of mana stone trades with the Association or records of yields from specific dungeons.
After rummaging through stacks for a while…
"Oh."
Finally, something useful appeared before Jeonghyeon.
"What is it? Just a map?"
Nus, perched on his shoulder, peered over.
A large-scale map of Seoul West, marked with big and small notations everywhere.
"Not just any map. It's a dungeon map for the West."
It pinpointed every dungeon's location and scale.
"So what now? You've already wrecked the main one. These small fry will vanish soon enough."
Nus had a point.
Learning dungeon spots now was pointless.
Jeonghyeon half-agreed, but as Demon King, he planned to devour the entire West—subordinates and all.
"Big ones, small ones. I'll dismantle them all."
To do that, he had to erase every trace of the true Demon King's domain.
"Think of it as a handover."
"I've arrived, Master Jeonghyeon!"
"Good timing."
Philip appeared, drawn by the mana pulse, and Jeonghyeon handed him the map.
"This… a dungeon map?"
Thanks to Uldran, Philip knew dungeons inside out and recognized it instantly.
"Gather the Jo family remnants and hunters downstairs. Assign them to these dungeons."
"Ah… but couldn't I handle it myself?"
Philip flexed, brimming with energy. But Jeonghyeon's response dashed his hopes.
"The Jo family has direct and branch lines, right? You're my direct subordinate. Why waste you on disposable pawns?"
"Oh…"
That hit Philip right in the feels.
He pored over the map, pondering assignments based on his own experiences.
"Found it!"
Nus, burrowing through documents, yanked out a single sheet.
"Mana stone warehouse map!"
"Nice."
Jackpot.
From the massive safes also spilled Jo Hwi's prized gauntlets, weapons, top-grade mana stones, and items.
Jeonghyeon swept them into his inventory and stood.
"Alright, time to properly claim the West. Hey, Jo Yoon."
"Yes!"
"You said some of the arena drones were human-operated."
"Yes. A few are still running."
"Then there's a way to contact all the West's bosses directly?"
"Ah, yes. Probably in that drawer."
True to his word, smashing open the drawer revealed a microphone.
"It's for forced broadcast across the West. Has call authority—most people will hear it."
"Perfect."
Jeonghyeon gripped it and infused a trickle of mana.
Bzzz—!
With the hum of mana activation, his test breaths echoed across the West.
Nice item.
Quite satisfied, Jeonghyeon launched his first address to claim the West entirely.
"Hey there, you pieces of trash."
A bit provocatively.
Underworld scum fattened by Jo family protection, thrill-seeking awakeners from the arena, innocent civilians exploited—all paused and tuned in.
Click.
Disconnecting the mana ended the broadcast.
"Not bad… good speaker too? Thought you only fought well."
"Oh? What's that supposed to mean?"
Jeonghu let out an admiring chuckle amid awkward laughter.
Jeonghyeon's near-maniacal actions had already captivated him with charisma, but this eloquence sealed it.
"You branded the Jo family pure evil, offered escape, loyalty, or challenge."
"People don't change."
Jeonghyeon stood, heading downstairs to greet arrivals.
"Dragging unwilling fools is pointless. Only the voluntary matter."
The old Jeonghyeon romanticized his past as humanity's vanguard, leading hunters.
That vibe lingered.
"But is all this necessary?"
"I'm taking over the West…"
Building his "domain" meant subordinates and territory. Unneeded for battle-hungry hunters, but a must for him.
"First, win their hearts."
***
Thirty minutes later, the guild plaza teemed with West residents.
Jo branch followers mourning arena dead, fighters, backroom mana dealers, everyday folk—under five hundred total.
"Good to see you all."
His greeting made them gulp dryly.
He was deliberately exuding mana for instinctive dread, but his broadcast-seen rampage was pure unpredictability—terror incarnate.
A calculated villain scared less than a true madman.
"Mana traders, right side. Detail all contacts. Special treatment."
A few eagerly shuffled over, scribbling on Philip's prepared scrolls: trades, warehouses, ledgers.
"Knew it'd come to this—brought my books!"
Some had receipts ready.
"Non-awakeners who didn't collaborate with Jo family, left side."
"…"
Snapping his fingers leftward, most shuffled over dejectedly.
"Lucky bastards. Thought we'd get a break."
"What can ya do? Needed power, connections. We're screwed again."
Such sighs, these pricks.
Tsking, Jeonghyeon eyed the center group.
"Jo collaborators, right side by the scrolls. List merits. Special treatment."
They rushed forward.
"Me first! I did more!"
"Me too!"
Chaos like a marketplace.
Far left: innocents.
Next: arena fighters, dungeon slaves.
Far right: collaborators, traders.
Jeonghyeon spoke.
"Quiet."
"…"
"Last chance to leave. Freedom awaits—step back."
A few cautiously slipped away—loyal Jo diehards.
Jeonghyeon nodded at the stacked scrolls.
"All signed?"
"Yes!"
In unison.
With their reply, Jeonghyeon issued the regime change decree.