Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Tragedy of the Demon Mine
The secret alliance between Shang Jiuya and Chang Dong is like a boulder thrown into deep water; the surface appears calm, but beneath lies a turbulent undercurrent, altering the balance of power. However, everyone knows that this fragile balance needs a significant event to shatter it, a catalyst that can tear away all pretenses and force all parties to reveal their true intentions.
This fuse was quickly ignited in the bloodiest way.
The message was initially delivered to the Demon Palace as an urgent military report stained with blood, risked by a border messenger covered in blood. He practically tumbled off the magic-powered vehicle, hoarsely shouting, "Black Prison Mine... massacre... all dead..." before collapsing from exhaustion.
Panic spread like a plague from the palace gates in an instant.
Even more shocking intelligence was then delivered to Shang Jiuya as quickly as possible through Li Yue's shadow guards.
Black Prison Mine is a medium-sized magic iron ore vein located on the northwestern border. It is rich in reserves, but the mining rights have always been disputed. The vein was originally guarded and exploited in a limited manner by a small tribe called "Stoneskin" for generations. This tribe is honest and stubborn, and although it is not powerful, it attaches great importance to tradition and territory.
Rhinoceros King, a demon general under Qi Mu known for his cruelty and greed, coveted the value of this mine and led his tribe to forcibly demand its takeover. The chieftain of the Stone Skin tribe resolutely refused, citing an ancient border treaty and claiming the land as his ancestral homeland.
Negotiations quickly broke down. The Rhinoceros King disdained to waste words with a small tribe. Tragedy ensued. According to fragmented footage risked by Shadow Guards to retrieve from the vicinity and the heart-wrenching account of a survivor (a young tribesman who was hunting at the time): the Rhinoceros King's forces launched an immediate attack after being refused. They did not merely drive them away, but carried out a complete massacre.
The mining camp was instantly transformed into a living hell. Resisting tribal warriors were slaughtered like vegetables, and even the elderly, women, and children were not spared. Cries for mercy, screams, maniacal laughter, and the ripping sounds of demonic blades mingled together. In the fragmented images, one could see burning tents, children lying in pools of blood, and charred, mangled limbs… The Rhinoceros King himself even beheaded the tribal chief who refused to hand over the mine map, displaying the severed head on a spear as a show of defiance.
The entire Stoneskin tribe, numbering nearly a thousand, was almost entirely slaughtered, except for a very few who managed to escape. The Demon Iron Mine was stained dark red with blood, and the overwhelming resentment and stench of blood lingered for days.
The news struck like a thunderbolt, instantly shaking the upper echelons of the Demon Realm. A brutal massacre targeting a non-hostile tribe, purely for the purpose of plundering resources, was extremely rare in the Demon Realm in the last hundred years.
The emergency meeting bell in the Daqing Hall rang, its sound urgent and heavy, carrying an unusual sense of panic.
Shang Jiuya changed into the Demon Lord's robes, her face as cold as frost, but her eyes burned with suppressed anger. This anger stemmed partly from the shock of the tragedy itself (she ultimately retained the moral bottom line of modern society), and partly from her indignation at the disastrous consequences caused by You Chi and others' leniency, as well as... a decisive realization that the time had come.
When she entered the Daqing Hall, the hall was already filled with a subdued clamor. Most of the elders were already seated, each with a solemn expression. You Chi's eyes were half-closed, revealing no emotion. Gong Liang's plump face carried a hint of barely perceptible irritation. Jiang Zheng was flipping through the dossier in his hand, his brows furrowed. Chang Dong, on the other hand, had a livid face and sat upright. Representatives of her three elder siblings were also present, their eyes darting around as they whispered among themselves.
The meeting had just begun, and the official in charge of border affairs was still stammering as he reported the initial situation, when Shang Jiuya abruptly stood up from her throne. All eyes instantly turned to her. "Enough!" A sharp shout interrupted the official's statement and silenced the whispers present.
Her gaze swept across the entire area, finally settling on You Chi and Gong Liang. Her voice suddenly rose, filled with undisguised grief and rebuke: "Black Prison Mine! Stone Skin Tribe! Over a thousand people! Slaughtered to death! The old, weak, women, and children, all turned to dust! Is this the result of your indulgence?! Is this what you call 'putting the greater good first'?! Is this what a general of the Demon Realm should do?!"
Shang Jiuya's stern questioning instantly exploded within the Daqing Hall. You Chi's half-closed eyelids twitched violently, a flash of shock and anger crossing the depths of his turbid eyes, but he was, after all, a shrewd and calculating man, and forcibly suppressed it. Gong Liang, on the other hand, was so angry that the fat on his face trembled. He pointed at Shang Jiuya, his lips quivering, wanting to refute but choked by the phrase "the interests of the mining vein have blinded his conscience," and could only utter breathy sounds of "you...you..."
The hall was deathly silent for a moment, then a variety of reactions followed.
The representative of Fourth Brother Ao Li was a gloomy-faced civil official. A look of disbelief flashed in his eyes at first, but quickly turned into undisguised schadenfreude and smugness. He turned slightly to the representative of Guan Shanyue next to him and whispered, "Heh, I didn't expect this puppet to stand up for itself today, daring to bite the Sixth Prince directly? It's really audacious... However, it saves us a lot of trouble." He was happy to see Seventh Mu suffer misfortune, as it was equivalent to eliminating a powerful military rival for his master Ao Li.
The representative of Ninth Sister Guan Shanyue was a female official dressed in the uniform of the Imperial Household Department. She was shrewd, but her expression was much more reserved. She was initially shocked, then her eyebrows furrowed slightly, revealing just the right amount of "worry," but the hint of pleasure in her eyes could not be hidden from discerning people. Her voice was not loud, but it was enough for those nearby to hear: "Your Majesty, please calm down. This matter is indeed shocking, but... isn't it too impulsive? Such a strong stance may cause unrest among the border troops..." She seemed to be advising, but in reality, she was adding fuel to the fire, implying that Shang Jiuya's decision would bring chaos, while also distancing herself from any potential connection between the Guan Shanyue faction and mineral plunder.
The representative of Qi Mu—a demon general clad in heavy armor—had already paled when Shang Jiuya directly mentioned Qi Mu's name. Now, hearing words like "the Zong tribe committed atrocities" and "the shame of the demon realm," he could no longer contain himself. He took a step forward and roared, "Nonsense! Your Majesty, do not listen to slander! It was clearly the Stone Skin tribe that defied orders and attacked our army first! General Xi Kui was acting in self-defense! His Highness Qi Mu has guarded the border with outstanding achievements; how can he be slandered like this! You are..."
Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by an even more violent roar.
"Well said!"
The Sixth Elder, Fan Jiao, who was sitting in the elders' seat, slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly. He was tall and burly, exuding a fierce aura, and his face was flushed with anger. "You brat! How dare you spout such nonsense and slander meritorious officials! His Highness the Seventh Prince is fighting bloody battles abroad, expanding the territory, while you all live in peace in the palace. Do you know how dangerous the border is? A mere small tribe, killing them is nothing, why make such a fuss! I think you have been deceived by villains and are deliberately trying to destroy your own Great Wall!" He was hot-tempered, a supporter of the Seventh Prince, and a warmonger. He did not think there was anything wrong with the massacre, but only felt that Shang Jiuya was looking for trouble and weakening the main force of the war.
"Sixth Elder!" Fifth Elder Changdong immediately spoke up, drowning out Fan Jiao's roar, "Watch your words! How dare you be so insolent before His Majesty and the Great Celebration Hall! When did slaughtering women and children become a merit of my Demon Army?! Such behavior is no different from that of demons! It is precisely such atrocities that will destroy the foundation of my Demon Realm and make the borders never peaceful!"
Elder You Chi frowned, the situation unfolding somewhat beyond his expectations. He supported Ao Li, and the setback of the Seven Mu was advantageous to him, but Shang Jiuya's forceful use of Chang Dong's power to launch an attack made him uneasy; this puppet seemed to be slipping out of his control. He had to speak again, trying to stabilize the situation, "Silence! Sixth Elder, watch your step. His Majesty, Fifth Elder, although this matter is egregious, however..."
Before he could finish speaking, the Seventh Elder, Qingcheng, cleared his throat and slowly began to speak. He was in charge of machinery and usually didn't speak much in such situations, but now he spoke calmly: "Elder Youchi, everyone, I believe that what His Majesty said is not without reason. The laws of the Demon Realm are ultimately the foundation. The evidence of the Shadow Crystal is conclusive; if we turn a blind eye, it will be difficult to convince the people and will further chill the hearts of the many dependent tribes on the border. Resources are certainly important, but if they are acquired unjustly, it will lead to endless troubles, which is not desirable."
Following closely behind, Ninth Elder Xing Yuan spoke up, "Elder Qingcheng is absolutely right. For the Demon Realm to become strong, it cannot rely solely on plunder by force; it also needs strict laws and the unity of its people. The Black Prison massacre has already crossed the line. If the higher-ups of our Demon Palace continue to condone and cover up such atrocities, what will become of the Demon Realm? I fear that all the smaller clans will live in fear, and wouldn't our Demon Realm be isolated?"
Qingcheng and Xingyuan's consecutive remarks, though not particularly forceful, were like two precise assists, instantly increasing the pressure on You Chi, Gong Liang, and the others. They hadn't expected these two usually unremarkable elders to explicitly express their support for Shang Jiuya at this moment.
You Chi's face darkened completely. While he, who supported Ao Li, and Gong Liang, who supported Guan Shanyue, were happy to see Qi Mu suffer, they absolutely did not want Shang Jiuya to use this opportunity to establish her authority, nor did they want to see Chang Dong, Qing Cheng, and Xing Yuan seemingly forming a united front around Shang Jiuya. However, now that Chang Dong had firmly grasped the evidence and publicly stated his position, and Qing Cheng and Xing Yuan had invoked the law and the greater good of the people, if they continued to forcibly protect her, not only would their position be untenable, but they would also appear to have something to hide, and might even be labeled as "accomplices."
Gong Liang's expression also changed, but he finally gritted his teeth, snorted coldly, and stopped talking, which was considered an admission that he could not directly refute.
You Chi took a deep breath, knowing that things were beyond saving, at least outwardly he couldn't continue to defy the situation. He could only grimly say, "Since Elder Changdong has confirmed the evidence is conclusive, and Elders Qingcheng and Xingyuan also believe the law must be upheld… then let's proceed with the investigation as His Majesty wishes. However, how to investigate and who to send must be carefully considered to avoid causing further turmoil…" He still wanted to make one last attempt, trying to manipulate the "execution" process to delay or control the proceedings.
But Shang Jiuya will not give him that chance again.
Her gaze swept across the entire room, taking in everyone's reactions. She sneered inwardly, knowing that the time was ripe.
She took another step forward:
"The truth has come to light! Evil cannot be denied! The demon general Xi Kui has committed the heinous crime of slaughtering his own kind! His master, Qi Mu, has allowed his troops to commit atrocities and cannot escape blame! Such a disgrace to the demon realm cannot be tolerated by the law and must be punished by heaven and earth!"
She proclaimed loudly, "In the name of the Demon Lord, I hereby order: effective immediately, strip all military ranks and titles of the Seven Mu! Declare them and their followers who participated in the massacre as traitors of the Demon Realm! Elder Changdong is hereby ordered to lead the border legion, with Li Yue leading his own guards in coordination, to immediately dispatch troops to quell the rebellion! Apprehend the ringleaders and punish them severely! To uphold the law! To comfort the souls of the dead! To appease the hearts of the people!"
"This matter concerns the dignity and stability of the Demon Realm's laws, and is by no means a trivial matter! Anyone who dares to harbor or obstruct the rebellion will be treated as an accomplice!"
After saying that, she flicked her sleeves and strode away from Daqing Palace amidst countless shocked, angry, and incredulous gazes, as well as the barely perceptible supportive looks in the eyes of Qingcheng and Xingyuan.
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