Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 270 – Underground Prison (2)

-Creak!

Mok Gyeong-un unfolded the Prison Battlefield Map scroll and then rolled it back into the bamboo case.

Someone was closely observing Mok Gyeong-un, or more precisely, the one with Trainee Bae Ji-seok’s face.

It was none other than Joo Woonhyang, who had been assigned to the Eternal Hell Prison.

They hadn’t reached the third underground floor yet, and he found it odd that he was unfolding the Prison Battlefield Map.

But Mok Gyeong-un’s expression bothered him.

‘What is it?’

After looking at the map, his expression seemed somewhat unsettled.

So Joo Woonhyang looked at the scroll case of the Prison Battlefield Map hanging from his waist with a doubtful gaze.

Was there something wrong with the map?

He had doubts, but there was no way to confirm anything right away.

The trainees were deployed one by one to their assigned areas, and the only ones left were Joo Woonhyang and Yeom Gyeong, who were being deployed to the Eternal Hell Prison.

When they reached the lowest level, the remaining personnel were the two of them and two Lesser Banners of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

However, unlike their expectation of being assigned to the area closest to the exit since they were apprentices, even after descending to the lowest level, that area was taken by the two Lesser Banners who had accompanied them.

Yeom Gyeong, who had been holding back for fear of getting penalty points again, finally protested.

“We’re assigned to the inner area?”

“That’s right.”

“But even if we look at the Prison Battlefield Map, it’s difficult to know these winding cave paths.”

“So because you’re scared, you want me to change the deployment since we need to distribute the meals as soon as possible?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“You punk, if you get penalty points one more time, you’ll be eliminated from the Embroidered Uniform Guard selection process.”

At the Embroidered Uniform Guard Lesser Banner’s words, Yeom Gyeong had no choice but to shut his mouth.

He glared at Joo Woonhyang as if telling him to say something too, but he didn’t express any particular dissatisfaction.

In the end, they had no choice but to part ways with the only remaining Embroidered Uniform Guard Lesser Banner and head deeper into the Eternal Hell Prison.

Yeom Gyeong, who was pulling the meal distribution cart along the corridor, stopped.

The area marked with 丁 (ding) was where he would be deployed.

‘At least that’s a relief. It’s not the very end.’

He had to be relieved about this.

As he was about to enter the cave engraved with 丁 on the wall, Joo Woonhyang suddenly called out to him.

“Hey.”

Wondering why he was calling him, he turned his head, and Joo Woonhyang had already approached him.

“Wh- what is it? You?”

Although Yeom Gyeong disliked Joo Woonhyang, he had judged that he couldn’t recklessly confront him after seeing his skills during the internal energy measurement.

So he couldn’t help but feel intimidated without realizing it.

To him, Woonhyang extended his hand and said:

“Let me see your Prison Battlefield Map.”

“What?”

“I said let me see yours.”

He didn’t understand why he was doing this, but Joo Woonhyang’s gaze was fixed on the scroll of the Prison Battlefield Map hanging from Yeom Gyeong’s waist.

Already feeling intimidated by being alone with him in the Eternal Hell Prison, Yeom Gyeong reluctantly handed over the map.

After receiving Yeom Gyeong’s Prison Battlefield Map, Joo Woonhyang simultaneously unfolded his own map and Yeom Gyeong’s scroll.

However…

‘…They’re the same?’

The maps were not different at all.

***

Mok Gyeong-un pulled the meal distribution cart and moved along the corridor.

As he moved, Mok Gyeong-un’s mind was calculating the route to the Eternal Hell Prison.

He had to consider the various mechanical devices and the prison guards deployed in the middle of the corridors since he was assigned to the opposite side of the passage leading underground.

As he was pondering like that for a while, the prison where his first assigned prisoner was located came into view.

A thick iron gate blocked the cave-like dug-out area.

‘The smell is strong.’

He thought the stench would get worse as he went down to the lower floors, but the prisoners on the third floor of the prison were not being treated well as humans.

They were defecating and urinating in that narrow prison and leaving it as it was.

‘Ah.’

Mok Gyeong-un covered his nose with his sleeve.

It was nauseating because his sense of smell was more developed.

It seemed they were changed from time to time, but judging by the accumulated amount and the dizzying stench, the interval seemed quite long.

‘It’s inefficient.’

This method of confinement seemed suitable for causing long-term suffering, but it didn’t particularly suit his taste.

Rather than simply neglecting them to get used to it, wouldn’t it be more efficient to clearly imprint the pain, even if for a short time, and cleanly kill them?

Instead of wasting unnecessary manpower and space.

Mok Gyeong-un opened the meal distribution box.

-Clang!

As soon as he did that, a prisoner with disheveled hair clung to the bars, extended his hand, and wailed.

“Food! Food!”

The eyes visible through the tangled hair were far from human.

They were eyes that had become solely devoted to basic desires.

Well, if one was locked up alone in such a dark and damp prison for a long time, it would be stranger not to go crazy.

‘Oho.’

The prisoner grabbed the iron bars with his emaciated arms and extended his hand.

Mok Gyeong-un stared intently at the prisoner and eventually handed over the rice ball from the distribution box.

The prisoner snatched the rice ball and went inside, crouching in the corner and gobbling it up.

He seemed to be afraid of it being taken away.

Seeing this, the corners of Mok Gyeong-un’s mouth twitched.

‘He’s close to a beast.’

This was quite interesting.

It seemed that when humans were stripped of a layer, they became closer to their most primitive instincts.

Eventually, Mok Gyeong-un scooped water with a square bucket and poured it into the trumpet-shaped hole next to the prison’s iron bars.

-Glug glug!

The water that flowed in was collected in a small hole dug inside the prison.

They provide rice and water only once a day through meal distribution.

They only supply enough to barely sustain their lives.

‘I can see why the Embroidered Uniform Guards of the Fourth Office are desperate to transfer to another department.’

It was an interesting sight that made humans closer to their essence, but for ordinary people, working in such a place itself could be quite unpleasant.

Mok Gyeong-un then moved to the next prison.

After completing the second and third distributions, he pulled the cart for the fourth distribution deeper inside.

The corridors were truly complex beyond words.

‘It’s a maze itself.’

If the shape were neat, it would be understandable, but when it was so winding, it was difficult to remember.

The distance from one prison to another was quite far, and the corridors were designed like a maze to prevent any possible escape.

Moreover, the intersections were made to look almost the same, so it was bound to be confusing.

‘Well, I’ve memorized the entire map, so it doesn’t matter.’

In Mok Gyeong-un’s mind, these paths weren’t seen as simple flat surfaces but as three-dimensional.

Therefore, there was no way he would get lost.

As he was naturally pulling the cart towards the next prison, which was close to the passage leading underground, it happened.

-Thud!

-Clank! Thud!

-Argh!

From a nearby place not far away, a strange sound was heard, followed by a scream.

Mok Gyeong-un turned his head and looked in the direction where the sound came from.

‘…That place?’

The direction the sound came from was where the mechanical trap was triggered.

Why was there a scream from there?

-Aaaah.

But for some reason, the screams continued as if in great pain.

If it continued, it seemed that the prison guards, that is, the guards on standby, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard Lesser Banners might come.

So…

‘No choice.’

-Shwip! Woosh!

Mok Gyeong-un blocked the spreading sound with his true energy and moved there.

After going a short distance, he found a place with numerous arrows stuck in the floor, indicating that a mechanical trap had been triggered.

In front of it was someone with arrows piercing their entire body.

That someone was none other than Trainee Ahn Jong-hu, who had been assigned to the third floor of the prison along with him.

“Uugh.”

It was clear why he had screamed.

Mok Gyeong-un approached him.

Then, the suffering Trainee Ahn Jong-hu saw Mok Gyeong-un and desperately pleaded for help.

“Uugh… s- save me.”

He had desperate eyes, not wanting to die.

Mok Gyeong-un approached him, bent down, and said:

“It seems it’s already too late for that.”

“Cough… ugh… pl- please…”

Mok Gyeong-un looked at his condition with dry eyes.

Arrows had already pierced his abdomen and chest in several places, and the bleeding was too severe, so there was no hope.

The only unharmed parts were his face above the collarbone and his left arm.

“I… I…”

“I don’t know why you went into a place with a mechanical trap and caused trouble.”

“Wh- what are you… talking… about… I just… followed the map…”

“You didn’t misread the map?”

“That can’t be… cough cough… ack! Gasp! Gasp!”

Trainee Ahn Jong-hu coughed up blood and then couldn’t breathe properly as if his airway was blocked.

Mok Gyeong-un stared at him as he suffered and eventually…

-Tap tap tap!

He struck his acupuncture points.

As he pressed the acupuncture points, Ahn Jong-hu closed his eyes and dropped his head to the side.

It was just an acupuncture point that made him fall asleep, but it could allow him to pass away without further pain.

Of course, it wasn’t done out of pity or mercy.

Mok Gyeong-un stared blankly at his dead face for a while and then looked at the case held in his right hand.

Although there was an arrow pierced in his wrist, the case containing the Prison Battlefield Map was relatively intact.

Mok Gyeong-un opened the case, took out the Prison Battlefield Map, and looked at it.

And as he unfolded it…

‘!?’

One of Mok Gyeong-un’s eyebrows raised.

That was because the map that Trainee Ahn Jong-hu had was exactly the same as the incorrect map he had been given.

‘They used their brain a bit.’

***

Just half a quarter of an hour ago,

Thousand-men Commander Im Gyu-wol asked Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom with a puzzled look:

“What? You want me to replace all the Prison Battlefield Maps for the third floor and the Eternal Hell Prison with fake ones?”

“That’s right.”

Im Gyu-wol frowned at Muk Seom’s order.

If he did that, there would be other accidents besides Bae Ji-seok (Mok Gyeong-un) and Joo Woonhyang.

Was there a need to sacrifice innocent guys for something that could be handled by dealing with just one bastard?

To the puzzled Im Gyu-wol, Muk Seom held the scroll tied with red thread that Im Gyu-wol had tried to discard and said:

“If someone has even a little discernment, there’s no way they wouldn’t notice such an obvious trap. Don’t you think?”

“Th- that wasn’t intentional, but it was to mark it so that I wouldn’t get confused later and give it to that bastard. I was going to change it back.”

“It doesn’t matter either way. Since you said the guy already knew about it, it’s better to use it this time.”

“What do you mean by using it?”

“Give the same map to all the apprentice trainees who are supposed to be with him.”

-Tap tap!

Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom tapped his own head with his fingers and said:

“Use your brain more. When dealing with clever guys, you can’t be simple-minded and need to think in multiple layers.”

“Ah…”

***

-Clank!

‘!?’

Joo Woonhyang’s expression stiffened.

He had just stepped on something, and it slightly sank inward.

Swallowing dry saliva, he was about to lower his gaze downward with a feeling of disbelief…

-Swish swish swish swish!

At that moment, arrow-like objects rained down from the ceiling.

‘Tsk!’

Joo Woonhyang, without even having time to think, rolled forward in a hurry while holding the torch.

A rain of arrows covered the meal distribution cart where he had been standing.

If he had been a little late, he would have been riddled with arrows like a porcupine.

‘What?’

He had moved according to the map, so why was the mechanical trap here triggered?

Something was strange.

Yeom Gyeong’s Prison Battlefield Map and his own were identical.

That meant there was no way they could have played a trick with the map, so why…

‘Ah!’

Suddenly, Joo Woonhyang furrowed his brows.

Since the maps were the same, he had thought there was no way they could deceive him with the map.

But if they had given the same map to other trainees with the intention of sacrificing them to target him…

-Creak! Clang!

“Huh?”

Joo Woonhyang suddenly bent his waist backward at the huge blade flying from the side of the wall.

-Clunk!

It was at that very moment.

The cave floor supporting him collapsed.

Almost a 4-jang length opened up, so there was no way to do anything about it.

‘Damn it!’

Joo Woonhyang fell straight down the collapsed floor.

-Screech!

After Joo Woonhyang fell, the mechanical trap operated in reverse again, and the opened floor was raised back up as if nothing had happened.

-Thud thud!

After a while, two people walked there.

Those two were the Embroidered Uniform Guard Lesser Banners who had come to the Eternal Hell Prison with Joo Woonhyang and Yeom Gyeong.

One of the Embroidered Uniform Guard Lesser Banners looked at the place where only the meal distribution cart was left and said with a creepy smile:

“One has been dealt with.”

***

Around the same time.

Third floor of the underground prison.

The two assigned Embroidered Uniform Guard Lesser Banners arrived at the place where the mechanical trap had been triggered.

There was a trainee lying there with arrows piercing his entire body.

Judging by the absence of breathing or movement, he was definitely dead.

One of the Embroidered Uniform Guard Lesser Banners approached, turned the corpse’s face to the side, and confirmed the identity.

-Shwip!

The Lesser Banner who confirmed this smiled and said:

“Things went better than expected.”

“No way?”

“Yes. It’s Bae Ji-seok.”

“That’s good. I was worried that the guy assigned with him would die first and feel sorry for him… He’s really lucky. I’ll go up and report to that person, so you find that Ahn Jong-hu guy before he enters the mechanical trap.”

“Got it.”

As one of the Embroidered Uniform Guard Lesser Banners left, the other one also tried to lay the corpse straight before finding Trainee Ahn Jong-hu.

Then, the Embroidered Uniform Guard Lesser Banner hesitated and stared intently at the dead Trainee Bae Ji-seok.

Since he was dead anyway, he grabbed the face without being careful and turned it, but it felt like the skin was slightly shifting.

But it wasn’t just a feeling.

-Slither!

The skin shifted.

No, not just the part he touched, but the entire skin shifted to the side, and the face skin became a bizarre shape.

‘What the hell is this…’

-Shwip!

At that moment, someone placed a hand on his shoulder.

The startled Embroidered Uniform Guard Lesser Banner tried to shake it off and launch his body forward to gain some distance.

However, the force pressing down on his shoulder was so strong that…

-Thud!

He fell flat on the ground.

As he lay there, perplexed, a voice reached his ear.

“I didn’t expect you to come and check before the adhesive had even set properly.”

‘Adhesive?’

As he wondered what that meant, Trainee Bae Ji-seok’s face skin shifted and slid down, revealing a grotesque and eerie appearance underneath.

‘N- no way?’

The Embroidered Uniform Guard Lesser Banner turned pale at the sight.

The voice whispered to him:

“If you had just passed by, it would have been fine, but you’re really unlucky.”

“Wh- who the hell are you…”

-Grab!

Before he could even finish his words, the owner of the voice grabbed the back of his neck, and…

-Thud!

Threw him straight towards the trap with the mechanical device.

‘!!!!!!!’

Without any time to react, thrown into the trap, the last thing he saw was Trainee Ahn Jong-hu waving at him with a smile, as if bidding farewell.