C473
The precognitive vision left by Timorang, the High Priestess, before losing consciousness:
“At night, the city will be covered in gray, and gray monsters will attempt to devour the demons.”
“The city will burn, and the screams of the demons will cover the heavens and earth—!”
“A red-haired man will climb the bell tower, but the bell tower will be destroyed by a blue dragon!”
“The gray rain… will not fall… dawn will break… and the city will be covered in gray ash…”
This information quickly reached the leaders residing in Midi and Mika.
“…….”
Ed, the Demon King’s advisor. His face paled at the message he received from his subordinate. For a moment, he felt dizzy. But his expression quickly calmed.
Dalgak. He re-entered the room with a normal expression.
“What has happened?”
At the words of the Dragon King, one of the Three Emperors, who smiled slightly, the advisor replied indifferently:
“They say the High Priestess guarding the ruins has lost consciousness.”
This was true. He couldn’t afford to lie.
“Hmph.”
The Third Emperor snorted and looked away from the advisor. He had a bored expression.
“…….”
And seeing the Demon King’s unwavering gaze, he clicked his tongue.
“Tsk.”
And he stood up.
“Considering our cooperative relationship, I’ll be leaving.”
The negotiation was over. There was nothing more to discuss.
“In this situation where the Chaos God’s sect has betrayed us, shouldn’t we at least cooperate, the two of us?”
Siiik. Smiling slightly, he added:
“So, keep your promise to cooperate in the search for Cale Henituse and the Wanderers I’ve spoken of.”
“So it shall be.”
The Demon King said calmly, leaning back in his chair.
“As long as our cooperative relationship remains, it won’t be us who betray first.”
The words of a ruler of a world carried weight. The Third Emperor finally smiled in satisfaction and stood up without hesitation.
“Then, I’ll just explore the south, which I haven’t visited yet, and leave the Demon Kingdom.”
He added:
“Of course, I won’t attack the demons.”
The Third Emperor, along with his subordinates, headed for the door. Ed, the advisor, gestured, and the Demon King’s First Army guard followed the Third Emperor and his subordinates. To ensure they left without problems.
Dalgak. When the door closed and only the Demon King and the advisor remained… the Demon King opened his mouth.
“A Transcendent…”
He had the information Cale Henituse had given him.
‘The First Emperor wants to become a Transcendent.’
The Demon King hadn’t heard of that from the Wanderers. That is…
“Since we started with a lie, how can we cooperate?”
The Wanderers had already started with a betrayal. The Chaos God’s sect had also betrayed. There was no longer any cooperation to be trusted.
“What’s wrong?”
The Demon King opened his mouth, and Ed, the advisor, with a worried expression, conveyed the High Priestess’s precognitive vision.
“There are two things.”
The Demon King, after hearing everything, continued in a monotonous voice. He was filled with boredom and weariness.
“First, Mika and Midi. There are hidden infected somewhere in those two cities, or someone is hiding them.”
They cause problems at night, and the city is plunged into fear and chaos.
“Second. The Third Emperor hasn’t left.”
The precognitive vision of a blue dragon attacking Cale. That means the Third Emperor has disobeyed the Demon King’s orders.
“Then, what does Cale Henituse want?”
The advisor immediately replied:
“He says he wants unconditional cooperation until sunrise tomorrow morning.”
“The Demon King’s army demons and the Demon King’s castle officials residing in Midi and Mika will follow Cale Henituse’s orders.”
“…Yes.”
“The advisor will help.”
“Understood.”
Kiiik. The Demon King stood up.
“Is there anything else?”
The advisor squeezed his eyes shut. He found it difficult to mention what was written in the message. But he had to. Because Cale Henituse’s decision was correct, no matter how he looked at it.
“Cale Henituse requested that you keep an eye on the Third Emperor.”
Ja ja— The Demon King laughed. Asking him to secretly follow the Third Emperor? Well, in fact, he was the only one who could secretly follow the Third Emperor here. Cale wanted the Demon King’s side to control the Third Emperor, who were too powerful for him to confront.
“He wants me to handle the Third Emperor.”
And when the Third Emperor causes trouble, the Demon King will be the only one who can stop them.
“I will.”
The Demon King nodded indifferently.
“I should secretly watch the Third Emperor, right?”
“Yes. I don’t want them to notice.”
It would be problematic if the Third Emperor noticed anything strange. The Third Emperor must lose interest in this city without noticing anything.
The advisor bit his lip, seeing the interest that faintly shone in the Demon King’s eyes, unlike his bored face. But the Demon King’s gaze was already directed at the Third Emperor heading outside Mika city. The Demon King soon disappeared.
But at that moment. When the Demon King was following the Third Emperor, who had gotten ahead, and couldn’t see his expression…
Siiik.
A smile appeared on the Third Emperor’s lips.
“Interesting.”
Siz, the leader of the Demon King’s First Army guard, who was closely following, reacted to his words, but the Third Emperor and his subordinates paid him no attention. The Third Emperor simply smiled slightly and left Mika with his subordinates, unaware that the Demon King was following them. But he thought:
‘It seems something is happening here.’
The Third Emperor was more perceptive than he appeared and was good at understanding the situation. He had considerable confidence in his judgment. Although he sometimes made mistakes, like letting Cale Henituse escape.
‘The Demon King has personally come to the city.’
This isn’t just because of the Chaos God’s sect’s gray disease. Reaching that conclusion, the Dragon King, one of the Three Emperors, smiled even more as he stroked his long beard. His subordinates followed him. As always, they were the ones assisting the Third Emperor. The subordinates who had been with them since the ruins.
Only two people were missing. People who hadn’t been there from the beginning.
“Sister.”
“What is it?”
“It seems that bastard Third Emperor thinks we’re his slaves.”
“…….”
The Wanderer siblings Cho and Ryeon. The two Wanderers who had gone to the eastern area of the Demon Kingdom following the Third Emperor’s orders to find Choi Jung Gun, and had arrived late near Midi.
“No. Right? He’s going to see the ruins with his subordinates, and now he’s asking us to hide in Midi and observe the situation?”
“…He must have his reasons.”
“Ugh.”
Although his brother Cho sighed and expressed his irritation, Ryeon thought this situation was fortunate.
‘Being near the Third Emperor isn’t good.’
It’s better to move separately following his orders. Ryeon, along with his brother Cho, secretly infiltrated Midi. As there were no guards with the skills to detect them, they could easily infiltrate Midi. The order they had been left with was simple:
<Observe Midi and Mika, and report if anything strange occurs.>
A secret message sent by the Third Emperor before the negotiations with the Demon King began. That message was in Ryeon’s hands.
And the Third Emperor leaving Mika…
Tuuk.
Several drops of water fell from his fingers. Secret drops of water that no one would notice. Those drops of water had a salty taste. The drops of water containing the sea penetrated the earth of Mika. The drops of water headed towards where there were the most people. Mika’s military camp, where the city’s soldiers and the Demon King’s army were gathering. The drops of water headed there.
Ssusus-
At that moment, although the High Priestess hadn’t yet regained consciousness…
Ssus-
The leaves of the vines growing on the four watchtowers protecting the Demon God’s ruins moved. As if they had detected something bad that had seeped into the earth.
Cale was looking out the window from the highest room in the Midi lord’s castle, and he asked the person who had just entered:
“Did the Demon King follow them?”
“Yes.”
The advisor frowned for a moment at Cale calling the Demon King informally, but continued speaking calmly. He had to obey his orders today.
“The Third Emperor and his subordinates headed south from Mika. Based on their speed, it’s estimated they will be out of our reach tonight.”
“…Advisor-nim.”
Cale asked in a low voice:
“Were only his subordinates with the Third Emperor?”
“Yes, that…”
A glint appeared in the advisor’s eyes, who was comfortably answering Cale’s words. It soon turned into surprise. Cale asked again:
“Are you aware of the Wanderers Cho and Ryeon?”
The Demon King’s castle advisor couldn’t possibly know nothing about the powerful hunters of the Purple Blood Family. The advisor quickly, though calmly, replied:
“We’ve confirmed that they headed east, and we confirmed their location until two days ago.”
“And their current location?”
“…I don’t know.”
Because of the gray disease, they couldn’t accurately confirm their location. For the advisor, it was difficult to connect this incident with the Wanderer siblings. But after hearing the precognitive vision…
“We can’t lose a single variable.”
Cale ordered the advisor:
“Find out the siblings’ location. And prepare for the possibility of them entering this city.”
“Yes.”
Cale had already considered the possibility of them being here. That’s why…
“Choi Han. Lord Eruhaben.”
“Yes, Cale-nim.”
“Alright. We’ll handle it ourselves.”
He entrusted the search to Choi Han and Eruhaben, who had fought against the Wanderer siblings.
“Search every corner thoroughly before nightfall.”
“Yes, Cale-nim.”
“Good.”
They would be able to detect the Wanderer siblings or any intruders.
“The guards of the two cities and the Demon King’s army search forces will follow these two people’s orders.”
“Yes.”
Cale looked out the window. The blue sky, with the sun still shining brightly. Midi, the ruins, and Mika, far from there. Cale ordered the advisor:
“You mustn’t conduct a noisy investigation.”
There could be Wanderers in this city.
“But you don’t have to be overly cautious.”
The top priority was to finish the job before nightfall.
“Use all troops and officials to search every corner of the city, under the minimum necessary to track the Wanderers. You can also involve the citizens.”
“…….”
The advisor’s expression wasn’t good. Seeing that, Cale said indifferently:
“I’ve heard that Midi and Mika supported the previous Demon King.”
“…….”
In fact, Cale felt something strange. The Demon King, who could become a Demon God. He had seen the Demon King, but the High Priestess didn’t even greet him. It was something strange. But now, the situation was clear. There was a reason why the High Priestess didn’t allow the current Demon King to visit the ruins, didn’t even greet him. The lords of Midi and Mika, who had supported the previous Demon King. The current Demon King’s faction, who had killed those two lords, had killed many demons from those two cities. Of course, they weren’t ordinary demons, but soldiers. Even so, the scars remained in those two cities.
Those two cities don’t welcome the Demon King. Or rather, they don’t trust him.
Cale learned this later through information from Aurora, the mediator, who had contacted him.
‘I understand why she had that precognitive vision.’
He thought the Demon King’s castle officials had quickly controlled the situation, but that wasn’t the case. He didn’t see the city lord here. The two cities where there were only officials sent from the Demon King’s castle, without even the city lord. Midi and Mika were clear examples of why Count Lupeh’s territory opposed the Demon King’s castle officials becoming lords. Of course, the Demon King’s castle faction was paying close attention to those two cities, putting a lot of effort into their management and well-being.
‘The resentment is strong.’
The two cities were filled with resentment towards the current Demon King, which they couldn’t openly show. There weren’t many citizens who sincerely followed the Demon King’s castle officials. This was also a result of the current Demon King’s actions. The current Demon King had created too many enemies and shed too much blood to reach that position. Even after reaching that position, he had committed many atrocities. However…
“Advisor-nim.”
Cale had to do what he had to do. To be honest, it wasn’t something he worried about. Cale, focused on the task before him, was firm.
“We must do what we must do.”
“Yes.”
The advisor’s reply was also firm. Regardless of the circumstances, what needed to be done had to be done.
“Register all locations as quickly as possible.”
“Yes.”
They had to find the infected or potential infected.
“It might not be one or two.”
For the city to be filled with gray monsters at night? That’s impossible with only one or two. What’s going on? I don’t know. But something is happening.
“Ron. Clopeh.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“…….”
Ron, with a kind smile, and Clopeh Sekka, with bright, almost burning eyes. Why does Clopeh Sekka have such a lively look, even though she hasn’t fully recovered yet? Cale looked away from those two people, who made him uncomfortable, and said:
“The two of you will handle the search.”
The Heavenly Demon hadn’t arrived yet, and Choi Jung Soo, Sui Khan, and Beacrox weren’t either. Cale entrusted the work to his companions, and they acted quickly. Because they all knew the urgency of the situation.
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
And Cale confirmed the three pairs of eyes staring intently at him.
On, Hong, Raon. The 10-year-old children were watching him. Cale said firmly:
“You’ll move with me.”
Nyaaaong!
Nyaong!
“Trust us, human!”
The average 10-year-old children shouted seriously. Cale looked at Midi’s tallest tower with an uncomfortable expression.
Bell tower. They say there’s an identical bell tower in Mika. They’re called twin bell towers. According to the precognitive vision, Cale will have to climb one of those twin bell towers.
Where will the bomb explode? In Mika? In Midi? Cale didn’t know.
Midi and Mika. The ruins located in the center. As it’s the only place related to the Demon God, many demons came here for sightseeing. Because of that, the hotel industry was very developed in Midi and Mika.
“Heok. Heok.”
A long-term guest. An Elder who had decided to spend a week here to see the Demon God’s ruins and honor him. He had lost consciousness in bed, gasping for breath. He had come sightseeing alone, and had rushed back to his hotel room after seeing the battle at the Demon God’s ruins.
The scene of a young demon exploding.
He had to lock himself in his hotel room to calm down and forget that scene.
“Heok. Heok.”
That’s why he couldn’t encounter the demon officials who were searching for those at the scene of the incident. Even the hotel owner didn’t know this Elder had gone there. And this morning… The Elder lost consciousness upon seeing the tips of his feet turning gray. The last thing that covered him was despair, an endless despair.
“Heok. Heok.”
His body was rotting and turning gray. No one was looking for the Elder, who had lost his entire family and had come to the Demon God’s ruins to console himself.
“Heok. Heok.”
The infection began in the potential infected’s body. The speed was exceptionally fast. In the morning it was the tips of his feet, but now it covered his body, past his chest. It could be completely covered in gray before nightfall.
“Heok. Heok.”
A large five-story hotel. The furthest room on the top floor of that hotel. The Elder was sleeping there. It was unknown how he would wake up when night came.
“Ah, ah—”
And another person. He looked at his sleeping wife and child and left the room. The living room of a house where the windows were completely closed, with not a single ray of light entering.
“…Damn it!”
He grabbed his hair with both hands. His wife and child had gone to see the ruins. Both had fallen unconscious with a horrible appearance.
“Damn it!”
And they scream every night. They had tied their bodies to prevent convulsions, but they didn’t know how much longer they could endure.
‘Should I go to the lord’s castle?’
Should he go to the lord’s castle right now to report it? That his wife and child seem to be infected.
“No.”
It can’t be. What kind of person is the Demon King! A cruel fellow who burned his hometown because it was the place where an important subordinate of the previous Demon King lived! They had heard that they were secretly taking the infected and potential infected somewhere.
“…No!”
If they take them there…
“No!”
He doesn’t know what will happen to his wife and child! They had escaped their hometown and built a life here!
‘Husband. You can’t trust the people of the Demon King’s castle.’
The man also thought the same as the last words his wife had uttered before passing out. The people of the Demon King’s castle can’t be trusted.
“Huuk!”
The man knelt in the living room and wept. His wife’s neck had turned gray. And his son… his precious son, the gray had reached his chin.
‘What do I do?’
The man, huddled in the darkness, thought and thought about what to do. Midi and Mika. It was still afternoon, with the sun shining. In several dark places, people who were turning gray appeared.
“Huuk, huuk—”
The man who was crying…
Tok tok tok.
At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Surprised, but at the continued knocking, the man opened the door and saw a priest. A man with a wide gray priestly robe. White hair and green eyes. A man with an elegant smile opened his mouth:
“Is there anyone who needs purification?”
It was Clopeh Sekka, who was searching. And…
“What a grand hotel.”
Ron Molan, who ran a hotel that loved hope and adventure, opened his mouth as he entered the hotel.
“Which rooms have been closed for several days?”
He was also searching.
But there wasn’t enough time or people.
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
Hiding their gazes, distrusting the Demon King’s castle, the breathing of those turning gray became increasingly difficult.
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