Books lay spread out before Jeok Wigang.
Inside them, the personal records of the talented people Jeok Wigang had mentioned were written in detail.
He placed his hand on the books and recited a mantra.
“Summon the form. Absorb the words from paper. Engrave the knowledge. Attain complete understanding.”
In that instant, Jeok Wigang’s pupils turned white, then began trembling rapidly.
A moment later, his eyes turned black again.
Ye Yahyeon asked with a puzzled look.
“What did you do?”
“I put all the contents of the books into my head.”
“Pardon? You didn’t even open them. Sorcery can do that too?”
“Yes. I told you, didn’t I? This really is convenient.”
At Jeok Wigang’s words, everyone around them was shocked.
He could remember all these books without even opening them?
If there was sorcery that convenient, they wanted to learn it too.
“Can I learn it as well?”
At Ye Yahyeon’s question, Jeok Wigang thought for a moment, then said,
“You can learn it, but this sorcery can only be used once you’ve reached at least the Seven-Book Cycle.... For you to learn it, you’d probably have to devote at least twenty years to nothing but this.”
“Twenty years? In that much time, I could memorize every book here and still have time left over. Forget it.”
The others had also been hopeful, only to be disappointed by Jeok Wigang’s answer.
If even an expert like Ye Yahyeon needed twenty years, what more was there to say for them?
Just as they wondered whether he had truly learned the entire contents of the books, Jeok Wigang said,
“Mm. First, before selecting personnel for each ministry, I’ll have to choose the heads.”
“The heads?”
“Yes. I can’t manage every single thing myself. If I assign the right people to the right places, they’ll use them well on their own. Don’t you think?”
“How are you planning to choose the heads?”
“Looking at the books, there are some suitable people. First, for the Ministry of Personnel, which handles appointments and official employment, I think Human-Heart Thief Yu Muncheol would be good.”
“Human-Heart Thief?”
When Ye Yahyeon tilted his head, the branch master beside him bowed his head and said,
“It is an epithet given to him because he steals people’s hearts. His eye for people is exceptional. He can tell with uncanny accuracy whether someone is suited to a certain task. However, he does have one flaw....”
“He likes alcohol and has a rotten temper. Right?”
“That is correct.”
“Then we can fix that.”
No one asked how he intended to fix it.
They felt as though they already had a rough idea.
“For the Ministry of Revenue, which handles finance, Ghost Calculator Jang Seokdam.”
“When it comes to calculations, there is no one who can match him. He is someone the Lower Gate absolutely cannot do without....”
When Jeok Wigang looked at the branch master, the man quietly lowered his head and said,
“...If the Supreme Gate Master wishes it, then it is only right that we offer him.”
Jeok Wigang grinned, apparently satisfied with that answer.
Then he continued calling out names.
“For the Ministry of Rites, which handles ceremony and diplomacy, Sword-Tongue Han Gyeongun.”
“He is so eloquent that by the time you come to your senses while listening to him speak, you have already signed the contract and everything is over.”
“We’ll skip the Ministry of War. For the Ministry of Justice, Black-and-White Heart Un Jeok.”
“His ability to distinguish lies is outstanding, so he is the one who makes sure there are no wronged people even within the Lower Gate. He is in charge of the Lower Gate’s regulations.”
“For the Ministry of Works, which handles civil engineering and construction, Heavenly Craftsman Geonseong should be good.”
“There is nothing he cannot make with his hands. Every building of the Lower Gate, and the bridges, walls, and so on in the neighborhoods where Lower Gate members live, all passed through his hands. The one who built Heavenly Martial Castle was Geonseong.”
“That name sounds like someone who shouldn’t be doing civil engineering or construction....”
“Ha ha ha. It’s only his name. He has an incredibly meticulous personality. Those who work with him get so frustrated they feel like dying. He never lets even the smallest detail slide.”
After that, Jeok Wigang called out many more talented people and decided which departments they would be assigned to.
Just like that, all the talented individuals recorded in dozens of books were sorted out in an instant.
“I’ll take it that all of them will be gathered here in five days.”
“Yes! I’ll have them all assembled by then.”
“What are you going to do, Big Brother?”
“Now I need to go and see how work has been handled. Only then can I explain it to these people.”
“You’re going to learn all of it with sorcery again?”
“Yes.”
“You really do live life conveniently.”
Jeok Wigang grinned and said,
“If you’re jealous, you can learn it too.”
“You said it takes twenty years. No, thank you. I’ll just live like this.”
*****
Jeok Wigang returned straight to the imperial palace and went to the empty Hanlin Academy.
Then he began absorbing every book inside it.
A day passed like that.
Jeok Wigang came out while pressing a hand to his forehead.
“What is wrong?”
“I think I injected too much information into myself in a single day. My head is ringing.”
“You can feel pain?”
Ye Yahyeon looked at him as if the fact that he could hurt was more surprising.
“I’m human too, you know?”
“You were human, Big Brother? I didn’t know.”
“It’s not pain, exactly. How should I put it? It feels like I’ve been slightly overloaded. As expected, absorbing all the materials in the Hanlin Academy in one night was too much.”
“Pardon? You absorbed all those mountains of documents in there?”
“Yes. Oh? I feel a little better now. I suppose my head just couldn’t adjust because it was the first time.”
Ye Yahyeon stared in disbelief at Jeok Wigang, who was smiling brightly.
“All right, let’s go to the next place.”
“Yes....”
If he told the other Four Divine Demons what he had seen today, what would they say?
They would not believe him.
“The Hanlin Academy has barely done any work lately.”
“Pardon?”
“It seems they were busy playing politics. Looking at the recent materials, most of their attention had been focused not on matters for His Majesty, but only on the appointment of the Crown Prince.”
“Well, it isn’t as though the Hanlin Academy leads the country. The Six Ministries exist for a reason. State affairs are all handled there.”
“I’m saying this because most of the officials in those Six Ministries either came from the Hanlin Academy or are connected to it. The Six Ministries weren’t functioning properly either. Only the Ministry of War was operating to some extent.”
“That is true. Everyone was fiercely watching to see which line they should stand in.”
“Ah! There are many people from the House of Ouyang among the officials in the imperial palace, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Then they won’t leave.”
“Pardon?”
“I have a connection with them.”
“With those bastards? Those [N O V E L I G H T] slippery snakes? Did something happen?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
“Understood.”
As the two walked while talking, a group of people blocked their path.
“Are you Jeok Wigang?”
Ye Yahyeon narrowed his eyes, his expression turning unpleasant.
“What business does the Eastern Depot have here? And... this man is the first-rank Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. Use the proper form of address.”
“Grand Secretary of the Cabinet? Ha ha ha! The edict has not even been issued yet. What Grand Secretary of the Cabinet? Do you think we will sit still and watch that happen?”
“If you don’t sit still and watch, what? Are you going to take him away?”
“He has bewitched His Majesty and thrown the palace into disorder, so he must be investigated.”
“Investigated? What investigation? This is a position bestowed by His Majesty. What are you, that you dare speak of investigating him or not?”
“His Majesty does not know the laws of the palace, and because he is ill, he cannot govern the state properly. Therefore, we of the Eastern Depot must act in His Majesty’s place and deal with the vermin clouding his wise judgment.”
“Vermin clouding his wise judgment? That would be you. You bastards clinging to Noble Consort Man and scrambling for power.”
“Think as you please. All we need is to take the man called Jeok Wigang.”
“Do you think I’ll allow that?”
“This is not a place for the Embroidered Uniform Guard to interfere.”
“It’s not a place for bastards without manhood to interfere either.”
“Watch your tongue! How long do you think you will remain head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard? If you wish to leave the palace safely one day, you had best be careful with that mouth of yours.”
At the Eastern Depot man’s words, Ye Yahyeon’s eyes flushed red.
It was a trait that revealed itself when killing intent filled him.
Killing things like these would be easier than eating cold porridge, but Jeok Wigang was beside him, so he held back.
“Wow. You’re holding that in? You’ve really become patient.”
“I have to hold it in if I don’t want to get caught by you, Big Brother.”
“Don’t hold it in.”
“Pardon?”
“I was waiting because I thought you’d lose patience and send them flying, but you actually held back.”
“May I send them flying?”
“Yes. Send them flying. Send every last one of them flying as they come. Now that I think about it, those bastards are the biggest root of the problem, and I’ve just been leaving them alone.”
At Jeok Wigang’s words, Ye Yahyeon smiled and said,
“You heard him, right? He says I can send you flying. What are you going to do now?”
“W-what are you doing! Do you intend to make an enemy of the Eastern Depot?”
“I think we’re already enemies.”
“All we need is to take Jeok Wigang beside you.”
“Don’t say his name carelessly. He is my Big Brother.”
“What nonsense is that! There seems to be a considerable difference in age between you!”
“You didn’t know? The stronger person is the elder brother. Now then, you should pay the price for running your mouth carelessly.”
SHING—
Just as Ye Yahyeon was about to draw his guard saber, Jeok Wigang said,
“Just give them a suitable amount of pain and send them away.”
At that, Ye Yahyeon grinned and said,
“I think I like that better too.”
Clack.
He slid the guard saber back in and launched himself toward the Eastern Depot men.
“Kha ha ha! Come at me with everything you have! Let’s have some fun!”
“T-the Commander has gone mad! S-stop him!”
The Eastern Depot men hastily drew their swords and began facing Ye Yahyeon, but they were no match for him.
It was like watching a giant tiger rampaging joyfully among a flock of sheep.
THUD— THUD—
The Eastern Depot men were subdued and collapsed in an instant.
White foam bubbled up from their mouths.
Ye Yahyeon returned and said,
“They won’t be able to move for a while. Each time they try, they’ll feel pain as though every muscle in their body is being torn apart.”
“I had forgotten about these bastards. Haah. I really have mountains of work to do. I only came out to enjoy the world a little, but because of those White Horse Heaven bastards, I haven’t had a proper chance to rest.”
At the mention of White Horse Heaven, Ye Yahyeon’s mouth went quiet.
“If I could really go to White Horse Heaven myself, I’d love to go there and smash everything apart, but there’s no way to reach it.”
He was a man who would more than do that if he could.
“Haah. What can I do? First, I’ll have to clean out the ones here.”
Jeok Wigang sighed and asked Ye Yahyeon,
“You haven’t sensed the presence of White Horse Heaven bastards in the imperial palace?”
“No. Not yet.... If they are of another race, I cannot sense their qi.”
“We’ll handle it one by one. First, let’s fill the empty positions.”
“Yes.”
*****
“What is wrong with these men?”
“They cannot regain consciousness.”
“Wake them.”
When the men sent to bring Jeok Wigang did not return, the upper leadership of the Eastern Depot sent people after them.
As they searched, they found the Eastern Depot men unconscious on the floor, foaming at the mouth.
“Urgh!”
The Eastern Depot eunuchs who came to their senses suddenly twisted their bodies and writhed in pain.
“Grrrk!”
“Gaaah!”
The Eastern Depot captain looked flustered at the sight.
“What is this? What’s wrong with them?”
“We do not know.”
The captain grabbed one of the suffering Eastern Depot eunuchs and asked,
“What happened? Did you meet Jeok Wigang?”
“Gaaah!”
Watching the eunuchs writhe in agony without answering, he stood and looked around.
“What in the world happened here?”
“It appears they were poisoned.”
“Poisoned? What kind of poison?”
“Judging by the way their muscles are twisting, it appears to be the Muscle-Hanging Poison.”