Chapter 471 : Founding the Nation (5)

Over ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the past month, the fledgling empire was in a constant flurry of activity.

They ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had been constructing a new Imperial Palace to prepare for the capital's relocation, opening basic academies to educate children across Gansu, Xi'an, Qinghai, and Sichuan, while simultaneously working to convert and trade with the willing northern nomads and drive the hostile ones north beyond the Gobi Desert.

Although ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍voices praising the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult were spreading far and wide, the actual situation within the court was far from comfortable.

"Your ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Majesty, it appears we may need to slow the work of building schools and teaching the Divine Cult's doctrine."

"Is ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it because of the budget?" Emperor Wi Jin-hak asked.

Zhuge ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Mun wore an apologetic expression, while Hyeokryeon Cheon-gang clenched his teeth for a moment before offering a bow and speaking.

"Your Majesty! The doctrine is the very foundation of the empire! Even if we cannot provide stipends, we must continue training instructors and preparing academies and Elementary Demon Halls across the Central Plains! Besides, if they're actually devout believers, working without a paycheck shouldn't stop them from teaching!"

It was exactly what you'd expect from an old zealot who had bled for the Demonic Cult his entire life.

Il-mok just shook his head in absolute disgust.

'What era is he living in with this 'pull yourself up by your bootstraps' and 'work for the cause' garbage?'

It might work in the short term, but this kind of toxic labor practice would destroy their workforce in the long term.

"Your Majesty. It is not only the Ministry of Education. We basically can't afford to launch any new welfare projects right now. Since the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs is currently heading back from his Western Regions trade route, it’s best we suspend all new spending and just focus on keeping our current projects afloat."

The moment the words escaped his lips, several ministers whose projects had been stalled sent him murderous gazes.

And Il-mok met their eyes with an expression of utter indifference.

Right as the room was about to explode into a full-blown deathmatch, Wi Jin-hak broke the silence.

"And what exactly is your backup plan if the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs's profit proves not so great, Grand Preceptor?"

"In that case, I believe it would be best to wait for the next harvest season and use the collected tax revenue to resume our unfinished projects."

Il-mok answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world, which only made the ministers bare their teeth at him even harder.

It was a reaction Il-mok found difficult to understand.

'It's not like they're getting paid overtime. Shouldn't they be thrilled I just gave them a paid vacation?'

Seeing them practically froth at the mouth out of loyalty to the new dynasty reminded him that a cult is still a cult after all.

Though why the Beggar King looked just as displeased was beyond him. The man had come from the Orthodox Faction, so it’s a weird sight for Il-mok to see that the man was also foaming at the mouth like the oldies from the Divine Cult.

"We have only just opened a new era, and halting our undertakings does not seem right. For now, we wait for the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs's return. If the profit proves insufficient, I will consider increasing tax revenues at that time!"

With Wi Jin-hak putting his foot down, the assembly somehow managed to adjourn without anyone getting stabbed.

And a few days later, Jong-ri Chu returned from his journey to the West. And he brought a monstrous fleet of overflowing wagons with him.

Looking at the haul, Jong-ri Chu had managed to pull a staggering five-hundred-percent return on their initial investment.

"Hahaha! Splendid work, Vice Minister. You've done the empire a great service."

Jong-ri Chu bowed in response to Wi Jin-hak's praise before giving his report.

"Rumors were rapidly spreading throughout the Western Regions that the pagans who recently seized the capital of the Muslims’ empire are secretly amassing an army. Perhaps because of this, every last one of the Muslims we traded with purchased our goods without hesitation, as though their feet were on fire."

The news that a civil war might genuinely erupt in the Western Regions was concerning in many ways, but it’s not their priority right now.

"Well then, I suppose it's time we discuss how to allocate the profit the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs has earned."

No sooner had Wi Jin-hak finished speaking than the ministers stepped forward without hesitation and started fighting each other.

No matter how much Jong-ri Chu had earned, it was nowhere near enough to govern an empire the size of the Central Plains.

In the end, they were in the same position of having to divide limited resources.

"I've been waiting three whole months for this day, Minister of Education."

The speaker was none other than the Beggar King.

His smile was savage and radiating challenge at the Minister of Education.

Hyeokryeon Cheon-gang responded with a cold sneer of his own.

"Dreaming of revenge after a mere three months? How hasty of you."

It was not just those two.

All across the hall, you could see ministers squared off against one another and each one was determined to wrest a little more of the budget from the rest.

Il-mok let out yet another weary sigh.

'At least submit your project proposals before you start fighting, you crazy bastards.'

The Emperor had clearly instructed them that debate came first, and that duels should only be used as a last resort when a decision couldn't be reached. Yet, these meatheads skipped the trash-talking and went straight to throwing hands.

"Hahaha! You know what, this is actually perfect!  Then let us hold a martial contest today and determine the order of priority!"

And hearing his Eldest Brother’s cheerful mood, Il-mok's sigh grew longer.

***

By the time the spectacular clashes between the ministers had finally come to an end, Wi Jin-hak had returned to the imperial residence with a smile on his face.

“Maybe we should make this a regular event. It would keep the ministers from growing complacent and continue to hone their martial skills."

The Hidden Guard Pavilion Lord bowed and voiced his agreement.

"A most fitting decision, Your Majesty. It embodies the very spirit of our faith."

If Il-mok had been in the room to hear that conversation, he probably would have banged his head against the wall.

***

After returning to Beijing, Jong-ri Chu took his share of the profits and set out once more.

The money was meant to finance another shipment of goods for the western markets.

Whatever the case, the fortune he had brought back was enough to breathe life into projects that had been on the verge of grinding to a halt.

The Ministry of Education extended its educational reach beyond Sichuan all the way to Yunnan Province.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Welfare managed to wrestle hefty funds from the last martial contest and began recruiting beggars from several provinces to repair city walls, reinforce dikes, and undertake other public works.

The treasury was still far from overflowing, so there was no hope of launching projects across the entire Central Plains at once. So, bit by bit, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult continues to spread its influence as its supporters grow in number.

In the south of the Central Plains. On a steep mountain in Jiangxi Province.

"Boss, have you heard the news? They say the war's been over for quite a while now."

"Shouldn't we stop living as bandits and head back home?"

The rugged man they addressed as Boss frowned at his men's suggestion.

"You fools. We fled into these mountains to escape conscription. Do you really think we can stroll back into the villages now and come out of it alive?"

Some had chosen to hide in the mountains, surviving like beggars until the world forgot them.

Others, like the men gathered here, had turned to banditry instead.

By the final stages of the war, forced conscription had become rampant across the southern reaches of the Central Plains, sparking unrest wherever it spread. It was under those conditions that bands like theirs had flourished.

"This is actually a stroke of luck for us. Now that the war is over, haven't the number of merchants traveling through increased recently? Rather than rotting away plowing a field in the countryside, let's just make a fortune up here and live like kings."

While the bandit boss was placating his men, one of the subordinates he had sent to scout the base of the mountain came rushing up.

"B-Boss! A group of merchants is coming up the mountain!"

"Hehehe. See? What did I just tell you?"

With eyes full of greed, the bandits marched out of their stronghold.

Before long, they encountered a group that appeared to be a merchant caravan.

Slash!

But not long after the battle began, half of the bandits had already dropped dead to the ground.

"P-Please spare me!!"

Only then did the bandit boss desperately throw himself to his knees and beg for his life.

The young woman leading the group, Bang Mi-hwa, elegantly snapped her fan open and let out a haughty scoff.

"Ohohoho. Give me one good reason why I should let you live."

As a graduate of the Hall of the Demonic Way in the same class as Il-mok, Bang Mi-hwa had not only survived the recent war but also grown more powerful through countless real battles.

Thanks to that, she had accumulated enough merit to win her an official position at the Junior Sixth Rank.

She now spent her days leading martial officers across the Central Plains, hunting down the bands of brigands left in the war's wake.

"W-We only fled into the mountains to escape the war! W-We did what we did because we were desperate to survive. W-We will never do such things again, so p-please spare our lives just this once."

"Hmph. What a pitiful excuse. If that were really the reason, why are you still hiding in these mountains now that the war is over?"

"Th-That is…"

"You weren't the only ones who suffered. Plenty of people endured the war without preying on the innocent. Some disappeared quietly into the forests. Others scraped out a living on reclaimed hillsides. Yet you call yourselves refugees, then arm yourselves and rob honest folk. So give me another answer."

Cornered by her flawless logic, the bandit boss just knelt there in silence.

Taking pity on his silence, Bang Mi-hwa elegantly fluttered her fan and provided the answer for him.

"Did you think I wouldn't realize that you lot attacked me because you were smitten with this lady's beauty and entertained improper thoughts!"

"!?"

As the bandit boss froze from the confusion—

Slash!

"Hmph. Filthy lecher."

Bang Mi-hwa already swept her fan in one clean stroke and severed the bandit boss's head.

"H-Hiiik!"

The remaining bandits jolted in fear and started to run, but—

Slash!

The martial artists at Bang Mi-hwa's side swung their weapons in turn, and they were annihilated in an instant.

"Ohohohoho!"

On the mountain strewn with corpses, her haughty laughter echoed ceaselessly.

***

Bang Mi-hwa's squad wasn't the only one turning the mountains of Jiangxi Province upside down to exterminate bandits.

Multiple hit squads from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult were currently scouring every peak and valley in the province.

The news that the Divine Cult was actively purging the local outlaws spread in a flash across the region.

As countless bandits fell by the Cult's blades, the civilians of Jiangxi—who had been suffering under those very outlaws—were caught in a dilemma.

This was the force that had not only raised a rebellion but gone on to conquer the Central Plains. The same force that butchered bandits without mercy. And above all else, they hoisted the banner of the Demonic Cult.

They felt gratitude, but fear of the Demonic Cult eclipsed the gratitude.

It was right in the middle of this tension that officials draped in the formal robes of the Hong Dynasty marched into Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi.

And they came bearing banners inscribed with 魔 (Demon) on their flags.

While the residents of Nanchang trembled in fear, a peculiar rumor circulated.

"Th-The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult is apparently taking children away."

"T-Taking children away! Don't tell me they're kidnapping them to train them in some dangerous martial art!"

When someone asked whether they intended to raise the children into killers, the man who had brought the rumor shook his head.

"I heard they're taking them to teach them how to read."

"Teaching them to read? Why would those terrifying people go out of their way to do something like that? Teaching them letters must just be an excuse to brainwash them with something sinister!"

As neither the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult nor the Maitreya Luminous Cult had yet spread their doctrine properly in this region, the people could not easily trust their goodwill.

As a result, the devout believers of the Divine Cult who had come to gather children for the academies were greeted with all manner of bizarre situations.

"N-Not our son! P-please, not our son!!!”

"P-Please, spare our child."

Parents clung desperately to their children, sobbing as if the Divine Cult had come to drag them off to the execution grounds.

"…We're only here to teach them and look after them."

"Then why would you do such a thing without charging a single coin!"

"We are paid by the state."

Even after the instructor patiently explained everything, the village residents remained full of distrust.

"Why would the state pay people to teach children!"

Trying to help people who refused to believe a word they heard was enough to drive anyone mad. In the end, the instructors sent a letter back to the Forbidden City asking for guidance.

And the reply that came back read, "For now, gather those who are willing and teach them."

"Since we cannot drag them away by force, so let us follow orders for the time being."

"Yes. I am certain that as time passes, the locals will eventually accept His Majesty's great will without twisting its meaning."

"Exactly! It's not like any of us were devout believers from day one, either!"

"We just have to patiently guide these misguided sheeps until they finally see the light of the one true god!"

Hilariously enough, hitting this peculiar wall of resistance only made the Divine Cult's missionary teachers burn with even more zeal.

To them, there was no calling more meaningful than bringing the truth to the ignorant. It was exactly the sort of mission that set a zealot's heart ablaze.

So they devoted themselves to every child who attended their classes, sparing no effort for their education.

And whenever lessons were over, they took to the streets of Nanchang to help the city folks in whatever way they could.

Day after day, the instructors taught children from sunrise to sunset, enduring suspicious stares and cold shoulders from the townspeople wherever they went.

"O Heavenly Demon. Forgive them their sins."

"They know no better. Grant us the strength to open their eyes."

If anything, hardship only deepened their devotion.

And it wasn't just the teachers.

Officials from the Ministry of Welfare arrived to gather beggars from around Nanchang and put them to work on various projects for pay. Physicians and nurses came as well, treating the sick without asking for a single coin in return.

Little by little, those quiet acts of kindness began to wear away the townspeople's distrust.

"E-Excuse me, could our child also attend the school as well?"

One by one, parents began voluntarily sending their children to the Divine Cult's schools.

As the classrooms filled, so too did the streets with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's teachings and hymns.

“Glo~ ry! Glory! O’ Divine Cult!!”

The songs drifted beyond Nanchang, spreading to every corner of Jiangxi Province.

The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's influence was no longer confined to the northwestern reaches of the Central Plains, where it and the Maitreya Luminous Cult had long held sway.

Bit by bit, its teachings were taking root in the heart of the South as well.