Chapter 637 - The Battle of Song 1 (1/2)

It was still early in the morning, yet the capital was already overturned.

It was because a series of mass murders in the slums and other places of residence were recorded.

Murders were a frequent occurrence in large populations, but the problem was the rumors that accompanied them.

“Really? Hwang Bo-kwang has poisoned the capital?”

“Yes, in the neighborhood in the next street, two of the heads, who were kept as guards at night, died. It was also said that a poison that turns people into Kangshi was created. You should never drink that water from the well!”

“Ah, don’t joke about it. Where is such a poison?”

“That is because you don’t know. Didn’t you know that a Kangshi appeared in the slums last night? It was rumored that it was because of some disease, but in fact, it was because of Jo Won-gyun!”

At first, people weren’t believing the rumors, which were being spread by the men of Haomun at dawn.

However, the situation changed as people, who drank the water from the well, suddenly lost their lives and died.

Moreover, the controversy exploded when the body of the dead suddenly turned into Kangshi.

“You mean that poison is really Kangshi?”

“No mistake about it! Do you know Jang, the neighbor next door? The old lady in the family died after she drank water from the well, but then she got up and bit her daughter-in-law and killed her.”

“I don’t believe it.”

“But it is true. I saw it with my own eyes! If it weren’t for the warriors who were passing by, something huge would have happened.”

The words erupted everywhere.

In addition, shortly after, monsters, who were supposed to be Kangshi, appeared on the streets and killed everyone in sight.

While it was all happening, the Imperial Palace and ministers in the palace were rubbing their hands.

The situation didn’t worsen as they thought, the warriors of Haomun and the Zegal family were all stepping in to deal with the Kangshi.

They weren’t just dealing with the Kangshi, but they also told people how to deal with it with weapons and Zen.

“Everyone, never ever drink that water!”

“If you need water, get rainwater and drink it. Otherwise, make sure to boil the water before drinking it!”

“A body killed by Kangshi or bitten by it needs to be cremated!”

Hwang Bo-yun and Zegal Shin found that the boiled water was fine to drink after they experimented on it while feeding it to dogs and hens.

However, the poor were still exposed to dangers.

It was because the prices of clean water and firewood had skyrocketed since countermeasures for Kangshi poison were known.

The worst-case situations were prevented by using Haomun, but the rage of the poor couldn’t be stopped.

“Those crazy bastards! Why poison such good wells?!”

“Even the Red Dragon King has turned toward Jo Won-rak, so maybe the regent’s eyes went blind. He needs to hand over the power, isn’t it?”

“Does that make any sense for him to kill his own people?!”

“Have you heard the rumors yet? These men used the Kangshi as weapons during the conquest of Yemaek. They were all people like us.”

In an instant, public sentiment shifted.

However, it wasn’t just the public sentiment that turned so ugly.

A restaurant in the barracks of the Central Army located in the capital.

“What is even happening?! It is time to serve. Why are you being so sloppy?”

The military officer, who was there to eat, was yelling at the chef that was nervous.

“Well, this was supposed to happen. No one want’s to eat anything since morning.”

“What? Are you saying that these men reject the food that the emperor has given us?!”

“There were rumors that something strange was being spread in the water, so everyone is feeling hesitant.”

Even inside the barracks, the words were flowing.

Even the generals of the units were listening to what was going on outside.

In addition, Haomun deliberately spread the information to the soldiers.

“Is that an excuse? It is all okay if the water is boiled!”

‘Damn it. What am supposed to do if they don’t want to eat?’

The officer frowned at the chef.

Rumors were circulating all around the barracks.

“The prince said that he was going to make all the central army into Kangshi!”

It was an unpredictable rumor.

However, rumors that Hwang Bo-kwang’s group creating the Kangshi and using them for war was spreading, and in the current war where Lee Yong-mu turned toward Jo Won-rak, people couldn’t help but doubt.

If an ordinary person was made into Kangshi, they would’ve had the same fighting power as Kang Ho clans.

If the soldiers of the Central Army were all turned into Kangshi, the troops would be a lot stronger.

“Convene the entire army right now! Those who don’t eat will be punished according to military command!”

Thus, the soldiers of the Central Army were forced to eat.

Of course, they didn’t like it, and their angry hearts quickly turned into resentment toward Hwang Bo-kwang’s group.

“Damn it. If I turn into Kangshi, the first one I will bite would be Hwang Bo-kwang and his henchmen!”

“Don’t speak nonsense! If we turn into Kangshi, we will move according to their orders.”

“Yes, if they ask us to kill ourselves, we will do it.”

By the time an ugly story was circulating among the soldiers, the military command fell.

At first, they thought that it would be about stopping the enemy from advancing to Daeryang.

However, the Central Army wasn’t asked to move to the border of the capital but to a large city.

“What the hell is this?”

“There was a riot in the slums.”

“Riots?”

“Yes, the people started attacking the offices and the Imperial Palace.”

The reason they moved was because of the order of Hwang Bo-kwang.

When Eorim troops first appeared, the people thought that they were sent to solve the Kangshi situation.

However, Eorim troops left out the Kangshi into the slums and caught the people who were spreading the rumors, and they even arrested the men who fought against them.

Even if they refused to comply with the arrest, they were punished on the spot.

Of course, the enraged public sentiment was bound to explode.

“Let’s catch and kill the demons who are trying to kill the people in Daeryang!”

“Let’s get Jo Won-gyun and Hwang Bo-kwang, hit their necks!”