"So, what actually happened? What kind of mistake would lead an elder from a sect to kill the previous administrator? While it's true that an elder has that much power, I don't think he would do such a thing without a reason. It would create a tension between the government and cultivators after all." Hao Yu furrowed his eyebrows.
"Certainly, Sir. It's just…" The middle-aged man scratched the back of his head. "Actually, the previous administrator didn't make any mistakes at all. He was a great man who did his job splendidly."
"Hmm?" That statement confused Hao Yu. If there was no mistake, then there must be something the cultivator wanted. However, Hao Yu was aware that the cultivator could kill him on a whim, considering that was how he died.
"I know that you're confused, but the real reason for that tragedy is that the elder was a new elder at that time."
"A new elder?"
"Yes. Because he was a new elder, he was trying to prove himself. He became a supervisor in that mountain and forced the people to continue working tirelessly. However, the previous administrator rejected that idea, believing that the rest is important."
"Did he kill him out of spite?"
"No. There was indeed a conflict, but it wasn't that big of a deal. In the end, the people worked tirelessly since the government had little authority against an elder. After a period of time, people began to lose their lives due to exhaustion."
The middle-aged man was clenching his fists as he recalled the event. It was clear that the event must have created a big hole in his heart.
"Due to that, the output of the mine decreased. The elder tried to get more people from the town while the previous administrator rejected it again. In exchange, he would prove that he could get a good output for the mine with just the remaining people."
"So, the elder agreed to that condition?"
"Yes. The administrator gave them rest, proper meals, and other things to bolster the miners' morale. Due to this, they chose to work for the administrator, and the mining output increased to the original level."
"That's amazing. While it was true that working people to death could boost productivity, it needed a constant supply of people. That was why I disliked that idea as well." Hao Yu nodded in agreement.
"But because of that, the elder harbored hatred. After all, the previous administrator had proven that his method was correct."
"As a result, he exterminated the family?"
"Yes. He started causing problems for them and used it against the administrator. Ultimately, he used all those excuses to kill the administrator and exterminate his entire family. The men are killed and hung, the women are sent to the brothel to suffer, and the workers either die or flee."
"I see. What a tragedy…" Hao Yu closed his eyes, clearly disturbed. He couldn't help but recall what happened to his mother and father. His father died as a punching bag while his mother was hanged for a petty mistake. "Still, just like you, there must be some survivors, right?"
"…" The man fell silent as if he didn't want to talk about it.
Hao Yu squinted his eyes, thinking, 'It seems that there are survivors. And he has been protecting them this whole time. They should hate that elder and cultivators right now… Maybe I can use them…'
Hao Yu waved his hand as if treating his refusal as not a big deal. "Alright. I won't ask about it anymore. Who is that elder's name? And which sect he belongs to? And is he still working in the mine? I should be careful if he is."
"He was Qin Li, an outer elder from the Mystic Void Sect. He has been transferred elsewhere."
"!!!" Hao Yu couldn't help but widen his eyes as if recognizing the name. A flash of an image appeared in his mind… the memory that he had buried for more than fifteen years.
…
Fifteen years ago.
After his father's death, his family became the center of attention of the entire village. Hao Yu could sense the pity from everyone's gaze.
It was coincidental that when he was weaving behind his house, he overheard people talking about that incident.
"The Hao Family is truly pitiful. Hao Peng was a good man. He worked hard and helped a lot of people. But because he was helping those people, he got picked by those cultivators. After that, my husband overheard them saying, 'I am Qin Qiong from the Mystic Void Sect. I will tell all of you here… If you help one another, I will beat you up like this guy!"
"My child said the same thing. There were three people at that time…"
"…" Hao Yu could only drop all the matters and cry at that time, not wanting to believe it was true.
However, after fifteen years, recalling this memory had just re-ignited the blaze in his heart.
'Was it a coincidence? No, it might be someone with the same surname. Qin Qiong… Qin Li… They might be brothers or something. And those two might be involved in the murder of my father with one more person… I have been searching for the records about my father, but I only know that the murderers are three brothers. So, there is a high chance that my speculation is true.'
Hao Yu's expression turned grim, his eyes burning with a smoldering intensity. It was as if he was ready to devour these people who had killed his father. And unlike other cultivators, he wouldn't just let them die a painless death.
"Is there something wrong, Sir?" The man asked, concerned about Hao Yu's sudden change.
"Oh? It's nothing. I seem to recall this name, but I guess he is a different person." Hao Yu shook his head while adding inwardly, 'Ah, I can't do this. I have to remain calm and maintain my poker face… I have to let the fire of hatred remain in my heart, not on my face.'
"I see. Another elder has taken over the position, and it seems that the relationship has improved. So, it's good for now…"
"Alright. For now, I'll be inspecting the building. Since I'm going to create my own team, I'll be looking around the town tomorrow. Of course, if you have someone smart or experienced to handle this kind of job, then please don't hesitate to recommend them."
"Yes, Sir." The man nodded politely, ready to leave.
"Ah. I haven't asked you for your name. Since you were a former worker of this building, I would ask you to take care of the workers and this building."
"You can just call me Old Si, Sir."
"Alright. Take it easy for today, Old Si." Hao Yu smiled.
When Old Si left the room, Hao Yu's expression darkened even further. The burning hatred was clearly reflected in his eyes.