The Dark King

by Steffen Schmidt

  Dozens of people looked at each other as they were afraid to make a sound.

  Dudian winked at Jenny.

  Jenny was nervous, but as she saw Dudian's funny expression, she revealed a smile.

  After a short while, the exam began.

  Sand was slowly passing down from the top bulb to the bottom one.

  Dudian was holding the quill while checked the papers. Afterward, he began to write down the answer. He knew the answer to many questions, so he thought a little to write the answer. However, there were questions that brought a headache to him. He remembered them fuzzily as he couldn't remember the answers. After all, he gained knowledge of the law from scavenger training. He squeezed out a little bit of time every day to learn. So his foundation was not solid.

  "If you were a judge, where do you think the law needs to be improved?"

  Dudian looked at the last question. The question was meant to test great overall understanding of the law. If his answer were already implemented or abolished, then the understanding of the law would be exposed. They will know that his knowledge is not comprehensive enough.

  "If I were a judge, the first thing I would change would be slavery and nobility. If we are equal before the law, then we have weighed the same," he wrote. "Everyone is equal, and there is no distinction between differences!"

  "Time up!" At this time, one of the gold-robed men shouted out loud.

  Dudian's put down his pen.

  Jenny finished writing too. She looked at Dudian. They made eye contact, and both of them knew that they had finished all the questions.

  All the papers were collected.

  "Please go back! You can come back three days later for the results." The man announced.

  The doors opened, and the other left.

  Dudian said to Jenny, "May I send you back?

  Jenny's face was reddish as she said, "My auntie is here to pick me. She's waiting outside."

  Dudian laughed: "That's good! See you after three days."

  "Ok."

  After they had said goodbye to each other at the gate, Dudian looked at Jenny, who was taken away by a noble lady in a snowy white cashmere leather jacket. After they had sat in the elegant, aristocratic carriage, he withdrew his eyes.

  He went back to the castle and began to practice scattered arrow shooting.

  The young instructor asked him a few questions about examination, but reminded him that his main job was hunting and he shouldn't be distracted a lot.

  Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

  Dudian had told the young instructor in advance. He ate breakfast early on and went to the magistrate.

  A dozen or so people had come to wait for the results. The weather was still early when he arrived. He didn't wait too long when Jenny's carriage arrived. The Burong family knight accompanied her. She looked out to the crowd and found Dudian.

  "It's so early," Jenny said as she smiled.

  Dudian winked, "The early bird gets the worm."

  Jenny laughed at his words.

  Two were quietly chatting when the door of the magistrate building was opened. An old man came up with a list. He began to read out the names.

  "Jennifer Burong!" The old man read.

  Jenny heard her name and was relieved.

  "Dean!" The old man read again.

  Dudian was also relieved. His heart was hanging on a slim hair-like string after he had submitted the answer sheet. He knew that several answers written by him were wrong. He didn't expect to be qualified.

  "Good!" Jenny clapped as she heard Dudian's name.

  Dudian was affected by her happy appearance: "We are going to be work-mates."

  Jenny?s face was reddish, "Are you going to be a scavenger again?"

  Dudian couldn't help but think of the desolate cruel scenes he saw outside the giant wall. He received trainee status. If he could get an official position, then he could change his life. Peter and the other executives at the scavenger headquarters were retired hunters. He could get a normal life.

  No sane person would choose a precarious life of a hunter over a normal one if they had better life conditions. Even a senior hunter was risking death when going outside the giant wall.

  Dudian was out of himself as he was thinking about the possibilities. Jenny realized that this was the choice that could change his future. She hesitated for a moment: "If the wall is as dangerous as my father has told me then... then... Would you still go outside?"

  Dudian looked at her. On impulse, or on a whim, he wanted to promise her that he would never go outside. But eventually he shook his head: "I don't want to live only within the giant wall."

  Jenny stared at him and smiled: "I know, I was not mistaken."

  Subsequently, both of the received their trainee status medals. Moreover, they got appointed time and date for an old man regarding their official reporting date and basic criteria.

  The basic principles were: 'fair,' 'just' and 'open-minded'!

  "I'll go back first." Jenny waved to Dudian and got into the carriage.

  Dudian also hired a carriage and returned to the training ground. He was thinking through the way back. "Trainee's had to work about eight hours a day. If they had an outstanding performance, then they will be promoted to a senior probation officer. Afterward, they wouldn't need to report to the magistrate every day. Only will need to help official magistrates, while dealing with various regional law cases."

  "Eight hours. I won't have much time for hunter's training then."

  "If I don't want to be promoted to a judge or senior probation officer then I don't have to report every day," he murmured.

  "But I want at least the status of a probation officer. There is a layer of security within the wall that comes with the status. In the future, it would be convenient for my alchemical activities."

  Dudian decided that for now, he had to focus on finishing hunter's training. It was a job that brought a lot of gold. It was a high-risk but high-return job.

  As he reached the training ground, he continued to practice scattered arrow shots.

  ...

  ...

  Chapter 136: One year

  Time passed by.

  Dudian's skills were getting better and better at scattered arrow shots. He was able to quickly pull arrows and shot at the same time at four targets. It had been only half a month from his first study.

  Young instructor was very happy as he observed Dudian's amazing progress. He continued to teach Dudian other skills that would be helpful to him outside the giant wall.

  He was teaching Dudian how to eliminate sounds while acting, cover up his smell and rapid transposition.

  There were some monster who preferred eating undeads. So blindly smearing undead powder was like courting death. This time he was taught other methods and tricks to cover up his smell. These things included plant juices, rotting mud and mixture of crushed insect body, vines or mud.

  The tracking was based on footprints. Such as tracing monsters actions or direction according to the footprints. Determining whereabouts of a monster was an additional advantage to Dudian. After all, not all the hunter had the ability to sense beasts up to 40 miles.

  Crossbows were used while hunting large beasts or in destroying nest of demons. According to the young instructor, primary hunter had learn either archery or crossbow skills. However after reaching silver level, the archer had learn crossbow skills too. It would help increase their melee ability.

  Crossbow's could be used in close distance to get enough time for retreat.

  After all, the essence of the archer lied in the distance control!

  "If there is enough distance then there will be enough opportunities to attack!" Young instructor repeatedly stressed this words to Dudian to let him keep in mind.

  Dudian studied seriously. He also understood that in the last three hundred years the hunter's career has long been developed and perfected. The differentiation was extremely meticulous.

  During
the training, Dudian took time to check Jura and Gray to see if they have moved to the commercial district. He found them work. Jura was working as a doctor for eight hour a day. She had a stable job. Gray worked in a tailor shop. He had a steady income and worked easily. He was much happier than the days when he worked in the factory. There was no overtime work every day, and would get ocassional vacations. Moreover he would be payed at least twice as much.

  Dudian was no longer worried about them as he saw their live stabilize.

  A month later, he took the time and returned to the slums. He found Barton, Kroen and the others. They had found a waste plant. It was too remote and in a desolate place. They had bought many building materials. The waste inside the factory had been cleaned out. Many broken workstations were repaired intact.

  Dudian thought that they would have gone their separate ways because so much time had passed. He didn't expect that hey would do so many things on their own account. His heart was moved but also increasingly trusted them.

  "Here is a hundred gold coins." Dudian's main purpose of the return iwa to allow them to collect materials, said: "This is the list of materials that you have to purchase. Pile them up in a row and write the names of the components on each pile."

  Barton and the other looked at bag of gold coins in Dudian's hand. Their eyes glowed while they swallowed their salivas. Barton said: "Dean, where do you get so much money?"

  "Are you desperately in need of money?" Dudian smiled.

  Kroen looked at the list and his face reddened as he said: "Dean... We don't know much of the words in this list."

  Dudian thought for a moment: "Well, first you gotta learn. So study well have better understanding and then drop out to work with me."

  "But tuition ... ..." Barton hesitated.

  Kroen immediately touched him.

  Dudian laughed: "Tuition fees will be paid by me. The money what I give to you is at your own distribution."

  Although one hundred gold coins was a large amount but for him it was nothing. He wanted to nurture Baron and the others. The first was to make them have ability to manage money and restraint of desire for money.

  If they spent it left and right then Dudian could withdraw his hands earlier on.

  Their eyes shone and were excited as they heard Dudian's words.

  Barton hesitated: "so much money, if we lost, this ... ..."

  "It depends on your ability," Dudian laughed.

  Dudian ate lunch with them and then hired a carriage to return to commercial district. There was concern in his heart. Although Barton was alert and smart but their ages were too small. Moreover he nurtured them to prepare an additional escape route.

  In addition to day-to-day boring hunter training, Dudian would go and report to magistrate once a month so that his qualifications as trainee wouldn't be cancelled.

  He would meet Jenny every time he went there. Dudian would feel good and his mood would be uplifted everytime he chatted with the girl. He found that Jenny was totally different from a usual aristocratic girl. Her character was very easygoing. Both of them had too many hobbies that crossed.

  Later on, he would go to magistrate three or four times a month.

  Six months passed by in the blink of an eye.

  Dudian came out from the building and looked at the gray sky. It was 'black snow season' and the air was particularly cold. Heavy radiation clouds would cover the sky all day long so even during the day the weather would be gray. From time to time black snowflakes would fall. People would try their best to avoid them.

  Black snow and black rain were the existences that people tend to avoid.

  "The wind is so nice!" Jenny came out from behind. She was wearing a tight sweater.

  Dudian saw her pale face so he took off his coat and draped over her should: "Aren't you cold?"

  Jenny was anxious,as she quickly said: "You wear it or you will freeze!"

  "I'm not cold," said Dudian warmly.

  "You are lying!" Jenny bit her lips: "The last time you sheltered me from the rain and got wet. So you were sick the next day."

  Dudian didn't think that she remembered that occasion three months ago. It was 'black death season' and the temperature was very high. It would little very little during that season. However the day when both of them had free time and went out to play a sudden and heavy rain poured. The rain was cold even to him who had the constitution of a hunter.

  "Why are you so good to me?" Jenny grabbed Dudian's clothes and looked up at him.

  Dudian looked into her eyes and said: "Because I like you!"

  After expressing his feelings his heart paused for a moment. The whole world turned silent in that moment. Remorse gushed in his heart but he tensed because he hoped... He hoped...

  Jenny did not expect that Dudian will suddenly confess. Her cheeks reddened as she bowed her head. She spoke but her voice was so low that even a mosquite flying around would sound louder than her: "I like you too."

  Dudian felt like his brain exploded in that instant. His blood was boiling up. The cold wind felt like spring-like warmth: "Really?"

  Jenny saw Dudian's excited look but she didn't avoid and gentle said: "uh."

  Dudian felt unprecedented happiness. Even if the whole surrounded him, he would be happy if he had her in his arms.

  After a long time...

  "I'll take you back." Dudian rejoiced.

  Jenny's face flushed as she gently nodded.

  Dudian looked at Jenny's carriage and her family knight on the street in the distance.: "But we gotta take a detour." He took her hand they run away.

  That night Dudian sent her home and later returned back. He was very excited along the way. He immediately went to training ground and shot thousands of arrows.

  Two weeks later.

  In the library of the magistrate building in Pus Avenue. Jenny was finishing the book which was the work of her probation officer. Dudian was also here standing on the ladder and helping her classify the books.

  After sorting out the books, Dudian took the ladder and whispered to Jenny: "Close your eyes, I got a surprise for you."

  Jenny was puzzled but as she saw Dudian's happy face she slowly closed her eyes. Her eyelashes were slightly trembling

  Dudian took out a thing from his pocket and said: "Now, you can open."

  Jenny opened her eyes and saw a string of jade bracelet: "How did you know I like jade?"

  "You mentioned it two months ago," Dudian laughed.

  She took the jade bracelet. But when she heard Dudian's words her body slightly trembled. She stood on her tiptoes as she quickly kissed Dudian's cheek.

  Dudian stared as his hert beating accelerated.

  Jenny blushed and looked down.

  Dudian excitedly looked at her and was about to embrace her when his face suddenly changed. He quickly said: "Come."

  Jenny was also surprised. She quickly put away the bracelet, turned and quickly organized the books.

  Dudian grabbed the ladder and pretended to be doing the adjustment.

  After a moment a young magistrate came and looked at the both of them: "Do you know where I can get the history of the rule of slavery?"

  Dudian, raised his hand, "in that bookshelf. "

  "Oh, thank you." The young man turned around and said casually left.

  Dudian and Jenny looked at each other and giggled.

  ...

  ...

  Burong family castle.

  One of the most spacious and luxurious rooms.

  There were two rows of tall bookshelves filled with books. Moreover you could find antique porcelain and sculptures in the room. On the wall there were rare gold oil pointings. A middle-aged stalwart figure was sitting on the sofa and reading a book. He turned towards the middle-aged housekeeper and said: "I heard that recently Lady got very close with a trainee!?"

  Middle-aged housekeeper heard the man's flat tone and shivered: "Yes, sire!"

  "Investigate the other sides background." Middle
-aged figure indifferently said.

  "Yes." Middle-aged housekeeper quickly promised.

  ...

  ...

  A year passed in the blink of an eye.

  Dudian stood by the street and patiently waited. Suddenly, a familiar smell drifted into his nose. His eyes lit up.

  After a while, he saw an extravagant carriage ride from the corner of the street and stop in front of him.

  Jenny jumped out of the carriage and threw herself into Dudian's arms, "I got wonderful news! Do you want to hear?"

  Dudian smiled and said: "What is the good news?

  Jenny blinked a few times," My father agreed us to be together "

  "Did he agree?" Dudian was shocked by the fact that Jennifer's father knew that he was a couple with Jenny. Moreover, her father had threatened him, offered a lot of money but he didn't agree to break up.

  Because of his trainee identity the other didn't use any arbitary means.

  After so long the other side had agreed?

  Jenny nodded as she looked at dudian's suspicious expression: "MY father said that he refused you before not because he despised civilians but worried that you were useless. You were neither a judge nor a hunter. So he said he will personally arrange a hunting mission for you. If you can complete then he will agree to us to be together!"

  "He will personally arrange a hunting mission!?" Dudian frowned slightly. His heart felt a trace of misdemenaur.

  Jenny saw Dudian worried expression so she smiled: "Do not worry, my father said that he will not give you a difficult task. However it will be a specific task. I don't know the details, I don't know whether you will find it dificult. I have already told him that if he deliberately embarrassed you I'll not talk to him in the future"

  "Well," Dudian nodded.

  ...

  Chapter 137: Atlas

  "After you finish this mission, you are not going to be a hunter anymore. Will you?" Jenny looked up at Dudian. After a year she already knew that Dudian was no longer a scavenger but a hunter.

  Although she was not interested in consortium's business but she still was aware of some stuff. The hunter's job was to kill dangerous beasts. In the meantime, she unconditionally supported Dudian to do what he wanted to do. Deep in her heart, the thought of Dudian facing a risk as he left the giant wall, made her feel sad.