The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 1622: Resurrecting Anark (I)

Although the Chief Counselors were curious about what the Scarlet King intended to discuss privately with Minxet and Razputin, they knew better than to question Cain. They immediately bowed respectfully and took their leave without hesitation.

Once only the three of them remained, Cain’s gentle smile quickly faded, replaced by an icy seriousness that sharpened his features.

“How are things progressing with the Dark Army?” Cain’s voice carried a cold and authoritative edge.

The Dark Army was the secret rebellion Razputin had skillfully constructed under the direct command of Cain himself. It consisted of individuals who rejected Cain’s vision for a unified society.

These were the people who despised the blending of races, seeing it as degradation and impurity. They longed for a return to the old ways of racial segregation and discord. Ironically, they had no awareness—or perhaps willingly ignored—the blatant hypocrisy of their organization, with members from both the Light and Dark races cooperating closely to achieve their misguided ideals.

Razputin’s expression became solemn, recognizing the immense importance of the mission entrusted to him by the Scarlet King. “We have followed your guidelines meticulously, my King. We successfully staged events to portray Minxet investigating the Dark Army but failing to uncover its secrets, thus enhancing the rebels’ trust in their secrecy. Our numbers have greatly increased as a result.”

Razputin then summoned a crystal and respectfully handed it over to Cain. The crystal contained an exhaustive list of every single known member of the Dark Army.

Cain accepted the crystal, his eyes narrowing as he reviewed the detailed information. “I see. Good,” he remarked coldly, analyzing the data swiftly. “Roughly thirteen and a half million members identified. Given this, there must be at least another four to five million cowards too afraid to openly affiliate with the Dark Army, choosing instead to secretly harbor their hatred.”

While nearly twenty million dissidents might have seemed catastrophic to some, Cain saw it quite differently.

In the grand scheme of Aether’s vast population, twenty million represented less than 0.1%. This fraction, although numerically significant, indicated only a tiny minority fiercely opposed to his enlightened rule. These were individuals whose hatred ran so deep that they willingly embraced violence and chaos to restore an outdated order.

Of course, this percentage accounted strictly for those fanatical enough to take active steps against the current regime. If one considered individuals harboring less aggressive forms of resentment or mild disdain toward racial integration, the number could easily swell tenfold or even thirtyfold.

Nevertheless, Cain viewed such dissent as a natural byproduct of change. He understood that absolute unanimity was impossible, and as long as the resentment didn’t breed violence, he would tolerate it.

“Everything is prepared, my King,” Minxet interjected firmly. “We are ready to initiate the skirmishes and publicly expose the existence of the Dark Army.” Minxet’s eyes gleamed sharply as countless strategies and tactical considerations danced through his mind.

Before leaving for the Everstrife Empyrean World, Cain had meticulously outlined how they would publicly reveal and then decisively crush the Dark Army. However, much had changed since then.

Cain shook his head slowly. “We will no longer follow the original plan. My mind can now span the entire world, so the potential of this scheme is no longer worth the effort.”

Upon hearing these words, complicated expressions arose on the faces of Minxet and Razputin. They had poured immense effort into constructing and manipulating this scenario, so the thought of discarding their hard work so abruptly was somewhat disheartening.

“Do not be discouraged,” Cain continued, sensing their internal conflict. “While the scheme involving the Dark Army has lost its immediate utility, the lessons and insights gained from this operation remain invaluable. Consider this a successful trial run, one you will greatly benefit from when we finally enter the Everstrife Empyrean World.”

Cain paused briefly, annoyance and fatigue visible in his expression as he considered the monumental challenges awaiting him in the Empyrean World. “In that realm, simply being the strongest entity will not suffice. To seize control, I will need intricate strategies and complex tactics far beyond what we employed here. The chaos of an Empyrean World will make Aether’s minor unrest appear trivial. Prepare yourselves thoroughly and ensure you internalize every lesson learned during this mission.”

Hearing the gravity of Cain’s warning, Razputin and Minxet instinctively clenched their fists, solemn determination evident in their eyes. Both men fully understood the immensity of their next challenge. If managing the Dark Army in Aether had already been arduous, handling a rebellion or gaining control in the Empyrean World would be infinitely more difficult.

Aether, in comparison, was simpler—a smaller world where tracking movements, even those of hidden dissidents, was manageable. In contrast, the sheer scale of an Empyrean World magnified every problem exponentially. It was akin to comparing the ease of controlling ants on open farmland with attempting to manage ants hidden deep within an immense fortress. Destroying one nest meant hundreds more would surface unnoticed.

Exchanging resolute glances, Minxet and Razputin silently vowed to meticulously review every step they had taken to infiltrate and control the Dark Army, determined to refine their strategies for the much greater challenges ahead.

“My King,” Razputin spoke solemnly, “should we eliminate these individuals immediately?” His eyes held neither mercy nor sympathy as he posed this question. Despite forming superficial relationships with these people during his undercover work, Razputin deeply loathed every single one of them.

Razputin had lived a long and turbulent life and vividly recalled how the world had once been—a place constantly plagued by senseless wars and relentless bloodshed, resulting in the deaths of billions of innocent beings from all races. Under Cain’s new order, however, Aether had become a true paradise by comparison.

Though death and conflict still existed, they were now largely limited to powerful cultivators and strictly regulated confrontations. Common people and novices embarking on their cultivation journeys lived in peace, free from the fear that they or their loved ones might suddenly perish at the whim of a vengeful, misguided powerhouse from another race.

Razputin saw that those who opposed Cain’s new era were enemies of peace itself. To him, anyone willing to threaten the smiles, joy, and safety he saw every day on children’s faces deserved no mercy and no exception—only death.