Chapter 359: Whispers Across the Kingdom
The morning court had barely ended when the Emperor remained seated upon the Dragon Throne instead of retiring to his study.
The ministers noticed immediately.
Something weighed heavily on His Majesty’s mind.
The attack on the Empress outside the capital had changed everything.
Until now, everyone believed the danger lay within the palace.
Now—
The enemy seemed capable of striking anywhere.
The Emperor’s gaze swept across the officials.
His voice was calm but carried unmistakable authority.
"From today onward, the Imperial Guard, the Ministry of Justice, and the local magistrates will begin a full investigation throughout the empire."
The court fell silent.
"Investigate every report of unusual incidents."
"Question nobles."
"Question wealthy merchants."
"Question common citizens."
"Do not accuse without evidence."
"But leave no place unchecked."
The ministers immediately bowed.
"We obey Your Majesty."
---
Outside the palace, imperial orders spread rapidly.
Teams of investigators rode toward every province.
Some traveled to wealthy noble estates.
Some entered crowded markets.
Others walked through quiet villages where fear had already taken root.
---
The First Noble Estate
An Imperial Guard captain entered a grand manor.
The elderly lord welcomed him nervously.
"Captain... has something happened?"
"We are investigating unusual activities."
The noble frowned.
"What kind of activities?"
The captain studied him carefully.
"Dark rituals."
"Missing people."
"Unexplained deaths."
The old noble’s face paled.
"I swear upon my ancestors..."
"I know nothing."
His servants were questioned.
His guards were questioned.
Every room was searched.
Nothing.
---
The Merchants
The investigation continued inside the capital.
Large trading houses opened their doors to imperial officers.
Ledgers were examined.
Warehouses searched.
Workers questioned one after another.
One merchant sighed helplessly.
"If we knew who was doing these things, we’d report them ourselves."
Another nodded.
"Business has become terrible."
"No one wants to travel after sunset anymore."
---
The Villages
Far from the capital...
A small farming village stood unnaturally quiet.
An elderly woman spoke with trembling hands.
"It starts after midnight."
The investigator looked at her.
"What starts?"
She swallowed hard.
"Crying."
"A woman’s crying."
"So sad..."
"So painful..."
"We hear it almost every night."
The young officer frowned.
"Have you seen anyone?"
The old woman slowly shook her head.
"No."
"When we go outside..."
"There is no one."
---
Another Province
A shepherd led the investigators toward a field.
Dead sheep lay scattered across the grass.
There were no bite marks.
No signs of wolves.
No blood.
Only empty eyes staring toward the sky.
The local physician examined them.
"I have never seen anything like this."
"They simply..."
"...died."
---
Missing People
In another town, desperate families gathered outside the magistrate’s office.
A mother cried while holding her son’s shoes.
"He went to gather firewood."
"He never came back."
Another man stepped forward.
"My wife disappeared."
"No struggle."
"No footprints."
"She was simply gone."
The magistrate lowered his head.
There was nothing he could tell them.
---
Fear Spreads
As days passed, similar reports arrived from every direction.
People claimed they heard footsteps outside empty houses.
Children woke screaming after seeing shadowy figures in their dreams.
Dogs barked wildly at nothing.
Temple bells rang without anyone touching them.
Travelers refused to journey after sunset.
Markets that once stayed open until midnight now closed before dusk.
The kingdom slowly changed.
Not because of war.
But because of fear.
---
The Reports Reach the Palace
Scroll after scroll piled onto the Emperor’s desk.
General Han stood beside him.
"We found no evidence against the nobles."
"No evidence among merchants."
"No organized cults."
"No suspicious gatherings."
The Emperor remained silent.
General Han continued.
"But..."
"The reports themselves are increasing."
He placed another scroll on the table.
"People hear voices."
"Children vanish."
"Animals are found dead."
"Some claim shadows follow them."
The Emperor opened another report.
Then another.
Every province.
Every region.
Different stories.
Yet somehow...
Connected.
He slowly closed the final scroll.
"This isn’t mass panic."
General Han nodded.
"I believe so too."
"There are too many identical reports."
The Emperor walked toward the palace window.
Beyond the walls, the capital bustled as always.
Yet beneath that ordinary appearance...
Something unseen was spreading.
Someone—
Or something—
Was moving through the empire.
Quietly.
Patiently.
Watching.
The Emperor’s eyes hardened.
"Continue the investigation."
"Expand it."
"I want every unusual incident reported directly to me."
General Han bowed deeply.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
As the General departed, the Emperor remained alone in the silent study.
For the first time in his reign...
He felt he was not facing a rebellion.
Not an invasion.
But an enemy that left almost no trace.
And somewhere in the darkness—
That enemy was already preparing its next move.
The Imperial Court had barely dispersed when a shadow guard silently appeared outside the Emperor’s study.
The morning sky was clear, yet an inexplicable heaviness lingered over the palace.
Inside the study, the Emperor sat reviewing memorials while Prince Liang stood beside the large map of the empire, discussing troop movements along the northern border.
A knock sounded.
"Enter."
The shadow guard knelt immediately.
"Your Majesty."
The Emperor put down his brush.
"Report."
The guard hesitated.
"This report... is unusual."
Prince Liang exchanged a glance with the Emperor.
The Emperor nodded.
"Speak."
The guard unfolded a sealed document.
"Within the last twenty days, similar incidents have been reported from seven prefectures."
The room became silent.
"What incidents?"
The guard continued.
"Villagers claim they hear crying every midnight."
Prince Liang frowned.
"Crying?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"The witnesses describe it as the voice of a woman weeping."
"It begins shortly after midnight."
"When people follow the sound..."
"...they find nothing."
The Emperor remained expressionless.
"And?"
The guard swallowed.
"The following morning..."
"...dead livestock are discovered."
Prince Liang’s brows knitted together.
"How many?"
"Cattle."
"Goats."
"Chickens."
"Even horses."
"No wounds."
"No poison."
"No sign of predators."
"They simply die overnight."
The Emperor leaned back.
"The Imperial Medical Bureau investigated?"
"They found no disease."
Prince Liang took the report and continued reading.
Another paragraph caught his attention.
His expression changed.
"This..."
The Emperor looked at him.
"What is it?"
Prince Liang slowly read aloud.
> "Several villages abandoned their homes after hearing children laughing inside empty temples. Lanterns were seen floating across abandoned graveyards. Some villagers claim to have seen black shadows standing on rooftops before disappearing."
Silence filled the study.
The Emperor finally spoke.
"How many reports describe similar events?"
"More than eighty, Your Majesty."
Prince Liang spread several reports across the table.
"They’re not all from one region..."
"The eastern counties."
"The southern mountains."
"The northern frontier."
"The western trade route."
He looked up.
"Too far apart to be simple rumors."
The Emperor’s fingers tapped the table thoughtfully.
"Could this be mass panic?"
The guard answered carefully.
"We considered that."
"But..."
He produced another scroll.
"This was written by Governor Han."
The Emperor opened it himself.
Inside was a detailed account.
Entire villages refused to leave their homes after sunset.
Travelers avoided forest roads.
Merchants canceled caravans.
Temple donations had tripled because people believed evil spirits had awakened.
Prince Liang sighed.
"Fear spreads faster than plague."
The Emperor nodded.
"And fear can destroy a kingdom without a single battle."
Another shadow guard hurried into the room.
He knelt immediately.
"Your Majesty."
"A new urgent message from Yun Province."
The Emperor accepted the sealed document.
Breaking the seal, he quickly read the contents.
His expression hardened.
"What happened?"
Prince Liang asked.
The Emperor handed him the report.
Prince Liang’s eyes widened.
"Another village..."
"Everyone disappeared?"
The report stated that forty-three villagers had vanished overnight.
The houses remained untouched.
Meals still sat on tables.
Doors were open.
There were no signs of struggle.
Only complete silence.
Prince Liang slowly lowered the report.
"This isn’t ordinary."
The Emperor walked toward the large map hanging on the wall.
He placed colored markers where each incident had occurred.
As more reports were added...
A pattern slowly emerged.
Prince Liang stared at the map.
"They form a circle..."
The Emperor’s gaze sharpened.
"...Around the Imperial Capital."
Neither man spoke for several moments.
Finally, Prince Liang broke the silence.
"Do you think this is connected to what happened to the Empress?"
The Emperor remembered the lake.
Her sleepwalking.
The unexplained attack.
The strange strength of the assassins.
His expression turned grave.
"I don’t know."
"But I no longer believe these incidents are isolated."
He turned toward the shadow guards.
"Issue secret orders."
"Increase patrols in every province."
"Do not spread panic among the people."
"Send trusted investigators—not local officials alone."
"If these events are connected..."
His voice became cold.
"...we must find the source before the kingdom descends into fear."
Outside the study, dark clouds slowly gathered over the Imperial City.
Neither the Emperor nor Prince Liang noticed.
But far beyond the capital...
In an abandoned mountain temple...
A lone figure dressed in black slowly opened their eyes.
A faint smile appeared beneath the hood.
"The first stage..."
"...has begun."
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