Yama Rising

Even if it was just for a moment, she desired peace and solitude.

It was the rooftop.

“Sigh…” She gently ruffled her hair as she scanned the devastation out there. Her heart was filled with sorrow and sadness.

Just then, a voice spoke from the rooftop, and the door to the roof slammed shut with a resounding bang, “Are you wondering if your life is going to go on like this?”

“Who’s there?” She took a deep breath and immediately lay prone on the ground, yet to her great surprise, she couldn’t see the feet of any single person at all!

“Lee Jung-sook, Queen of Samsung, a pillar of the Daehan economy. Even the president of Daehan has no choice but to defer to your decisions. Say the word, and there’s nothing you cannot obtain here in Daehan. Everything will be prepared for you on your desk so long as you give your instructions…”

Lee Jung-sook clutched at her head.

Waves of stabbing pain surged through her mind, filling her mind instantly with countless images. Her mind was filled with a lady just like her, and yet clearly wasn’t her right now.

“Haaa…” Finally, with a deep sigh, she raised her hands and looked at the tattoos etched on her arms.

Whoosh… The breeze gently tousled her hair, revealing the expression of mild bitterness on her face right now. The floodgates of her memories had been opened.

“You are a proud woman… and rightly so! You should never be content with your life right now!”

These final statements were like bolts of lightning that struck deep into Lee Jung-sook’s mind. She clutched her head in pain and collapsed to her knees. At once, her face was filled with all sorts of expressions, flowing from indecision, to confusion, anguish, and then finally… determination.

That’s right… I remember now. I’m… Lee Jung-sook…

I’ve died, but I’ve come back to life again… That’s right, I’m a person who transcends the limits of life and death itself…

The important memories accrued over the past 700 years!

She was still the very same person, but the fierce look in her eyes and the aura about her was completely different.

“Qin Ye?” She smiled, “It’s you?”

“Fine.” Lee Jung-sook smiled faintly, just like a beautiful orchid blooming at midnight. There wasn’t much fragrance to speak about, but it clearly bore a trace of otherworldly seductiveness about it.

Lee Jung-sook smiled, “You spoke to me in Cathayan.”

Lee Jung-sook elegantly swept her hair back behind her ears, “Of course not. When I prayed to Lord Ksitigarbha earlier, he once mentioned that you and I were… very compatible with each other. I roughly understood what he meant. He was talking about your mentality - the solitude that comes with the inability to die. There are many men suffering from deep inferiority complex who would come to Daehan to jolt me back to my senses. But there’s only one Emissary of Hell who would come to these parts to do the same.”

Qin Ye smiled back, “Naturally. We’ve both clearly moved well beyond the stage of passion and lust. I’d come over only because… it cannot bear to see a kindred spirit suffer like that. Besides, I still owe you one for saving my life back during the Hungry Ghost Festival.”

“That’s it?” Lee Jung-sook smiled mischievously.

Qin Ye proceeded to explain the current state of affairs here in Daehan.

Qin Ye walked over with a light cough.

Qin Ye glared at her, and then turned to look at her hooked finger.

“Phone.” Lee Jung-sook sighed.

“Samsung?” Lee Jung-sook glanced at him and smiled radiantly as she dialed a number and switched on the speakerphone.

“It’s me.” Lee Jung-sook’s voice was terrifyingly calm and placid, so much so that it even made Qin Ye doubt the events that had happened over the last two months.

“Yes.” Lee Jung-sook’s response was brief and concise, “Put Ahn Dong-wook on the line immediately.”

Five seconds later, an equally excited voice spoke from the other end of the line, “Ms Lee… Ms Lee, you’re finally back! This is excellent!”

“There’s no hurry.” Lee Jung-sook interrupted him placidly, “Let them stir up all the trouble they want for now. Besides, I’m currently in Pusan’s Geumjeong District.”

“Why are you--...”

“Firstly, inform the people in charge of Pusan that I’m here.”

“Thirdly, protect and secure all of my strongholds at once. At the same time, notify all of our personnel in Cheongwadae that I’ll need all the information relating to the MV Sewol incident as well as the Pusan incident, pronto.”

Lee Jung-sook smiled, “Director Ahn, I believe in your resourcefulness, mm?”

“That’s all.” Lee Jung-sook promptly hung up the phone and dialed a second number, “Sylow, have your men come pick me up from Pusan’s infected zone at Geumjeong District right away.”

Lee Jung-sook snorted, “That’s none of your business. Since when do mercenaries probe into their client’s affairs? Your customer service is worsening.”

“Yes. Head over to the Usonian military base in Hanyang, and I’ll make the arrangements to grant you permission to fly. I expect to see you all here in 90 minutes tops.”

With that, Lee Jung-sook hung up the phone and dialed a third number, “Kim Tae-ji, it’s me.”

“I’m now in one of Pusan’s infected zones at Geumjeong District. Immediately get in touch with the Pusan military and have the soldiers stationed here protect me with the highest level of security. Meanwhile, someone will soon be heading to the Usonian military base in Hanyang. Tell them to grant permission to fly so that they can make their way over to the infected zone for evacuation. Meanwhile, sound the emergency alert within the infected zones and clear these areas of all cultivators.”

She proceeded to make a series of a dozen or so other phone calls before finally tossing the scalding hot cell phone back to Qin Ye, “Thanks.”

“I give you three minutes! If you don’t show up in three minutes’ time, then don’t ever think of showing up before me ever again! The Lee family doesn’t raise idle good-for-nothings like you!”

“Don’t worry.” Lee Jung-sook revealed a frigid smile, “I, for one, have never been one to repay evil with good.”

“Are you going to kill them?” Qin Ye was clearly taken aback.

“What do you think about this - I’ll build two special huts to lock them up for twenty years, before releasing them back to where they had come from. Of course, I’ll see to it that they will be well fed with food and drinks, but… they won’t be able to see each other, and they won’t have access to any entertainment facilities.”

Sister… Are you ruthless, or are you ruthless?