Chapter 272
Chapter 272
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 272
>Chapter Title: King of the Ratlings (1)
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The day after Il-mok's meeting with the Left Magistrate.
A group of porters arrived at the Maitreya Cult's estate, loading several chests onto a cart.
Il-mok, who had been waiting at the Maitreya Cult's estate, immediately opened the chests. They were filled with silver taels and sacks of rice.
It was compensation from the Left Magistrate.
But Il-mok hadn't demanded money as compensation from the Left Magistrate.
The money was merely a tool.
Confirming that the Left Magistrate had sent more than enough, Il-mok shouted toward the Maitreya Cult followers gathered around to watch.
"You've all heard about the plague by now. That plague arose from filthy water, and per the Left Magistrate's orders, our Maitreya Cult will now commence construction work! We'll divide the waterways running through Nanju, separating the water we use for eating and drinking from the channels that carry away the filth!"
It was a kind of sewerage project.
Il-mok, who had never been involved in civil engineering even in the modern world, didn't know the specific methods or principles of such work.
He just planned to separate them in a primitive fashion.
On top of that, in line with the Maitreya Cult's longstanding creed of "one day without work means one day without food," he intended to distribute jobs among the followers.
'Even if it was the Blood Cult's sorcery, honestly, living surrounded by that shit water would breed plagues even if there weren't any before.'
It was only natural for murky streams to flow around slums.
People naturally gathered where water was available, and the clean upstream areas were claimed by the wealthy and powerful.
In the end, the powerless poor had no choice but to live downstream, using water that others had already dirtied several times over.
The problem was that in the process, slum residents fell ill, and the disease could spread throughout the entire settlement.
And this wasn't a problem unique to Nanju.
'The Singang area will see more vegetation and population growth, so the same issue might arise someday.'
To prepare for that day, sewerage projects would eventually be needed in Singang too.
'This sewerage work here can serve as practice.'
Il-mok casually plotted ways for Singang's Demonic Cultists to be ground under the wheels of labor in the future.
After announcing the purpose of the construction and crediting it all to the Left Magistrate—as he always did—Il-mok handed off the next tasks to his subordinates.
"Select those who wish to work on the construction. Oh, and tell the sorcerers to survey the water veins running through Nanju and draw up a map."
Without modern tools, it was advantageous to detect the water veins first and align the construction with the natural flow paths.
"Heaven bless him! Heaven bless him! Heaven bless him thrice!"
"To think the Left Magistrate cares for us like this."
Il-mok wore a bored expression as the Maitreya Cult followers cheered and praised the Left Magistrate.
He didn't mind the credit going to the Left Magistrate.
'We've already set roots in Gansu Province anyway, so maintaining good relations with him is more beneficial.'
It was far better than constantly clashing with meddlesome officials.
Thanks to that, they were carrying out work that would have emptied the Maitreya Cult's coffers by dipping into the Left Magistrate's instead.
* * *
Around the time the Maitreya Cult was busily preparing for the sewerage project.
"Left Magistrate, sir!"
Voices periodically called for the Left Magistrate at the Chengxian Left Magistrate's Office.
"Hah."
Letting out a sigh thick with irritation, the Left Magistrate addressed the official who had come rushing to see him.
"You've come to complain about the Maitreya Cult as well, I presume?"
"Y-Yes, that's right."
As the official faltered at the unexpected reaction, the Left Magistrate asked again.
"You heard some rumor that the Maitreya Cult is a seditious bunch and came running, did you?"
"…Y-Yes."
The man tried to hide the letter in his hand behind his back as he answered, prompting the Left Magistrate to sigh openly.
"Get out."
As the official fled like a startled rabbit, the Left Magistrate pulled out brush and paper.
"It seems I can't just sit around waiting any longer."
The Left Magistrate muttered to himself, thinking of the Maitreya Cult's so-called sewerage project.
In truth, he didn't fully understand what this sewerage construction they demanded as compensation even entailed.
To be precise, he had no idea if it would truly prevent plagues or greatly benefit the people.
The reason he'd accepted it anyway was simple.
If spun right, this sewerage project could make for an impressive achievement.
"The ones who quelled the plague under the Left Magistrate's orders" were now "carrying out construction to prevent plague recurrence and relieve the people's suffering."
And that construction too was "by the Left Magistrate's directive"—what a splendid tale.
The Left Magistrate wasn't a man who truly cared deeply for the common folk to begin with.
If he were, he would have taken action long ago when the black道 gang known as the Nancheon Society began rampaging in Nanju.
He had ignored the Nancheon Society's antics and sat idle even when the Maitreya Cult drove them out. The simple reason he was stepping forward now?
He had caught the scent of "merit."
Like most officials, his top priority was his own promotion.
The difference was his caliber.
Unlike the foolish corrupt officials who schemed petty graft, devoured bribes, and offered them up to climb the ranks, he knew how to see the big picture.
That was why, even after reaching the lofty rank of Junior Second Grade Left Magistrate, he still aimed higher.
"Sewerage project, was it? I thought it from the moment I heard they'd quelled the plague, but those folks will be useful down the line too."
And he had a gut feeling that the Maitreya Cult would greatly aid his ascent to those higher seats.
He couldn't afford to lose them to such low-level slander and intrigue.
Whoosh.
Like a swordsman swinging his blade, he dashed off letters across the paper.
Some warned that he would not tolerate those spreading nonsense about the Maitreya Cult.
They were showpieces meant for the Chengxian Left Magistrate's Office and other Gansu officials—a kind of warning.
On others, he swiftly penned accounts of the splendid achievements performed by the Maitreya Cult "under his directive."
Reports to protect the Maitreya Cult and broadcast his own merits.
* * *
A few days after beginning the sewerage project with funds from the Left Magistrate.
Around the time treatments for plague patients were nearly complete, a letter arrived for Il-mok.
[Found the head rat.]
Confirming the letter from his Third Senior Brother, Il-mok summoned Dam Bin and Gu Yang-mun to the hall.
He showed them the letter and spoke.
"Tonight. We leave Nanju."
"We'll prepare at once."
At Dam Bin's reply, Il-mok shook his head.
"Team Leader Dam Bin and Young Master Gu Yang, you two stay here."
"Young Master. Even if I've recovered, my duty is to escort you."
To her response brimming with sense of duty, Il-mok replied.
"That's precisely why you must stay. If we all leave, the Hao Gate might catch wind of it. If the head our Third Senior Brother barely tracked down goes into hiding again, who knows when another chance will come."
"Then leave someone else behind, Young Master."
"I'm leaving you because you're the most trustworthy. While I'm away, lead the Maitreya Cult. Especially this ongoing project—it's vital for our Divine Cult too."
As Dam Bin made a puzzled face, Il-mok added.
They were practicing sewerage here in Nanju, to implement it later in Singang.
"No one else I can entrust such a task to but you, Team Leader Dam Bin."
Dam Bin pondered briefly, then bowed her head in assent.
"I shall follow your will, Young Master. And so I can apply it in Singang later, I'll record every detail of the construction progress while you're away."
"You've thought it through well."
Having persuaded Dam Bin, Il-mok turned to Gu Yang-mun.
"Young Master Gu Yang, stay here too and assist Team Leader Dam Bin. She'll handle reports and directives from the branch here to organize progress, while you shuttle between sites and her to ensure no disruptions in the work."
Gu Yang-mun glanced between Il-mok and Dam Bin thoughtfully, then bowed his head.
"Understood."
With the two convinced to stay, Il-mok separately summoned the team assigned to strike the Hao Gate Leader.
He ordered them to prepare within the time it takes to eat one meal: weapons each would use, travel funds and spare clothes, and certain other items to pack.
And one meal's time later.
A dozen or so figures slipped out of Nanju under cover of darkness.
* * *
Some ten days passed.
Il-mok and his group arrived at Nanning, the provincial capital of Guangxi.
Absurdly, it was a completely different destination from when they first set out.
The Hao Gate Leader kept changing hideouts periodically, so their target shifted midway several times as a result.
Il-mok met Seo Wan-pyeong, who had been steadily sending updates while pursuing the Hao Gate Leader, and greeted him with clasped fists.
"You've worked hard, Senior Brother."
His already gloomy face had grown even gaunter.
Hiding his own presence while constantly tailing someone meant he couldn't eat or sleep properly.
"No one in the Central Plains can match you in a chase, Senior Brother."
This time, it wasn't mere flattery to soothe his senior brother's paranoia.
It was sincere gratitude for his efforts.
"Hahaha. I'm glad I could help our capable little junior. But little junior, what on earth happened? How did you advance so much in such a short time?"
Seo Wan-pyeong marveled once more at Il-mok's growth.
He'd always thought his little junior a genius, but this was on another level entirely.
Around when he'd begun tailing the Hao Gate Leader, the little junior had been about his equal—now, he couldn't even gauge his level.
For Seo Wan-pyeong, who had focused solely on the pursuit and knew little of other events, Il-mok gave a rough summary of what had transpired.
The Heavenly Demon's secret abode, the Blood Cult's plot, and the life-or-death duel with the Flying Dragon Pavilion Lord.
"Finding Blood Tears Heavenly Demon's remains and avenging him to boot! What joyous news."
Il-mok smiled softly at Seo Wan-pyeong, who rejoiced as if it were his own affair.
After briefly catching up after so long apart, they headed somewhere under Seo Wan-pyeong's guidance.
Nanning's red-light district, vast as befits a provincial capital. Toward one pleasure house nestled amid the crimson shadows.
"The Hao Gate Leader entered the VIP chamber there."
Il-mok nodded as Seo Wan-pyeong pointed out the building housing their target.
"Plenty of guests coming and going to the pleasure house. Better to rest up first, then strike—rather than rushing in now."
To avoid ensnaring innocents in the fight. Especially if innocents saw their faces; to conceal identities, they'd have no choice but to silence witnesses.
Il-mok and his group took rooms at an inn near the pleasure house where the Hao Gate Leader was holed up and began resting.
Since they were resting anyway, Il-mok chatted with Seo Wan-pyeong about various matters.
The plague that broke out while he pursued the Hao Gate Leader, the Martial Alliance Lord's visit, the meeting with the Left Magistrate.
All major events, and with Seo Wan-pyeong exclaiming in awe at each, the conversation naturally stretched on.
Time flowed until around the hour of the tiger (3-5 a.m.).
"Seems it's about time to begin, Senior Brother."
At Il-mok's words, Seo Wan-pyeong nodded in agreement.
Just before sunrise. The darkest hour. Perfect for hunting a vile rat.