That morning, thick fog still shrouded the peaks of the Black Dragon Mountains, but the sound of hammers pounding on iron stakes seemed to be a natural alarm, waking all the inhabitants of Evernight Gate. At the front gate, the once-flat ground had now been transformed into a tangled network of trenches and concrete foundations. The smell of wet earth mixed with the pungent smell of sulfur and hot iron filled the cold air.
Yoe Choin, in the form of Moen Kang Yo, stood in a two-meter-deep pit. His face was streaked with mud, and his practical robes were soaked with sweat. He was holding a long wooden ruler, determining the inclination of the Black Iron plate that would trigger the sonic resonance.
"Foreman, move it slightly to three o'clock! The angle of reflection must not be off by more than one degree!"
shouted a hoarse voice from above the trench.
Choin looked up. There stood Baek-Un, the strategist who usually preferred to sit in a warm room sipping wine. This morning, however, he was wearing thicker robes and carrying several scrolls of technical sketches. Baek-Un's eyes widened at the sight below him.
"Young Master... You're really still there?"
Baek-Un asked in disbelief.
"I thought you'd returned to the pavilion after last night's inspection. Why are you wielding crowbars with the Year 2 students?"
Choin wiped the sweat from his forehead with his dirty sleeve, grinning faintly.
"A design is only as good as its execution, Baek-Un. If this pillar slips even an inch, all the 'Shock Floor' calculations we made on paper will be useless. Besides, this ground needs stable static pressure."
Baek-Un cautiously jumped down into the trench. He touched the surface of the installed iron plate.
"Insane... The density is incredible. You condensed Internal Finishing Qi into this bolt structure? This isn't just a trap anymore, it's an extension of your own meridians."
Inside the narrow trench, the two strategic minds began a technical argument. Choin pointed to the diagram he had etched on the earthen wall.
"Listen, Baek-Un. Our concept is 'Energy Demolition.' When the enemies from Mount Hua enter, they'll use the lightfoot technique. That means they'll exert a low but high-frequency dynamic load,"
Choin explained in his foreman-like manner.
"We'll install these Black Iron bells asymmetrically. When they step on a certain point, the vibrations of their footing will trigger a backlash that disrupts the flow of Qi in their feet. They'll feel as if they're walking on boiling water."
Baek-Un stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming.
"And when their balance falters, the lateral pillars will block the exit. We won't need a large force to restrain them. The structure itself will imprison them."
"Exactly,"
Choin replied.
"This is operational efficiency. Why waste the lives of students when we can use gravity as an executioner?"
Baek-Un let out a short laugh, patting Choin's grimy shoulder.
"Young Master, I've served many generals and sect leaders, but this is the first time I've seen a leader who treats mud as a comrade. Evernight Gate is truly gaining a new foundation."
After emerging from the trench, Choin summoned Gwi-Hyuk and gave him an important instruction. The atmosphere on the training ground lightened slightly as Choin gave his daily orders.
"Gwi-Hyuk, send a quick message to Liem of the Southern branch and Gowon of the Black Crow Guild,"
Choin commanded in an authoritative tone.
"Tell them the recruitment process begins now. I want them to recruit village youths with structural integrity those who are honest and strong. Don't look for instant warriors, look for 'raw materials' we can mold."
Choin then turned toward the main training building.
"Inform Instructor Ma. I want him to submit a copy of the 'Murim K3 Curriculum' the standard operating procedures for warm-ups, nutrition, and measured weight training that we've been implementing here to the Southern branch. New students there must be trained to the same standards as the central branch. I don't want any difference in quality between the central branch and the branch branch."
"And one more thing," Choin gazed at the gray Northern mountains.
"After yesterday's merchant rescue incident, I realized the Northern region is too exposed. Order Gowon to send a task force there. Build a 'Permanent Security Post' near the Wind Valley waterfall. Use the limestone from there to build a solid defensive wall. That area must become the 'Front Line' for our audit of the Orthodox Faction."
Gwi-Hyuk bowed deeply, then disappeared like smoke toward the bottom of the mountain.
Meanwhile, a few miles from Evernight Gate, the bustling atmosphere in Red Cloud City was bustling. This city was a transit hub for merchants crossing the faction border. Namgung Shiri walked slowly along the cobblestone market pavement, dressed in elegant yet modest sky-blue silk robes. Behind him, two loyal guards kept watch.
Shiri's eyes fell on a notice posted on the city gate wall. The black circle logo, illuminated by the dim moonlight, was once again visible the Evernight Gate logo.
"Sir, is it really Evernight Gate that posted this notice for safe passage through the Northern Valley?" Shiri asked a sweets vendor who was arranging his wares.
The vendor turned, his face beaming.
"Ah, Young Lady, you must have just arrived. That's right! The Evernight region has been in an uproar for the past week. They say their new Young Master Prince Moen Kang Yo has been 'clearing the land' of thugs and corruptors. They've even lowered the protection tax for small merchants like us."
Shiri frowned.
"Prince Moen Kang Yo? Isn't he rumored to be a dying trash prince?"
The merchant chuckled, shaking his head.
"That's old news, Miss. The latest rumor is that he's the 'Devil Overseer' who can collapse mountains with a single swing and build bridges overnight. Many say he's incredibly handsome but has an icy aura. He doesn't extort us; instead, he provides security to keep our business running smoothly. Quite odd for a Demon, isn't it?"
Shiri paused for a moment, her fingers fiddling with the ends of her shawl. This information was in stark contrast to what the Namgung clan had taught her about the bloodthirsty and savage Demon Faction.
"Guards," Shiri called softly.
"Find out where the Evernight Gate representative office is in this city. I want to know more about the 'Security Management' policy they're talking about. And if possible... I want to know if the man who saved us yesterday is really the sect leader they're talking about."
Shiri stared up at the mist-shrouded mountaintop. His curiosity has now blossomed into a deep fascination with the structure of Moen Kang Yo's soul. In the hypocritical Jianghu, he feels he has just discovered an honest building, albeit one built on demonic soil.
Back at Evernight Gate, the sun was already rising. Choin finally decided to stop for a moment. He sat on a pile of logs, accepting a cup of water from Jin-Pyo.
"Young Master, please rest. Your shoulders are starting to redden from carrying the iron,"
Jin-Pyo said with genuine concern.
"Shoulders can be healed with Ma's herbs, Jin-Pyo. But time cannot be turned back,"
Choin replied with a deep sigh.
"The Mount Hua Sect and those Orthodox 'inspectors' won't wait for my wounds to heal before they come to tear down this gate."
He gazed at the gate, now nearly fully reinforced. In his eyes, what he saw was not just a wall of wood and iron, but a legitimate declaration of war against anyone who tried to destabilize his project.
"Foreman, you are truly building a kingdom out of mud," the real Moen Kang Yo whispered from within, his tone filled with unprecedented respect.
"Not a kingdom, Boss. This is the foundation of our future,"
Choin replied quietly.
"And tomorrow... we'll conduct our first 'Load Test' to see if our sonic maze truly works."
Night crept in again, but this time there was no fear at Evernight Gate. Only a steely resolve, forged under the light of the Demon Overseer's torches and blueprints.