Chapter 314
Chapter 314
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 314
Chapter Title: God's Atlantis
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7 a.m.
I had to get out of bed because the guards were roaming around, yelling their heads off.
"Get up! You think you're gonna sleep all day? This ain't a damn hotel!"
Clang! Clang clang clang!
The guard battered the iron bars mercilessly with his metal baton. The racket forced me to sit up.
The inmates scrambled to their feet and started folding their bedding.
I leaned against the wall, dozing off. The Gu brothers—Gu-dong and Gu-jin—took care of my bedding for me.
For the record, the other four guys in this cell besides me hadn't slept a wink. I can't stand having a woman who's not a knockout sleeping next to me, so I'd made them huddle in the corner while I slept comfortably.
Once I tossed in an extra pack of smokes, they were ready to stand guard while I slept. Apparently, cigarettes doubled as currency around here. Oh, and Sevige—that gay bastard—didn't get a single one, obviously.
"Renji. When's chow time?"
"Any minute now... Ah, here they come."
The iron gate at the end of the corridor swung open, and a bunch of guys in inmate uniforms came rushing in. Each carried wooden tubs filled with food and water, dishing it out through the bars.
"What's with those guys?"
"Errand boys. The guards pick inmates they like for chores like cleaning... comes with some perks."
Meals were twice a day—morning and evening.
Renji and the others smoothly pulled out their bowls and received their portions from the errand boys.
The errand boys shoved dusty loaves of bread through the bars, then poured soup and drinking water from wooden pipes.
I sat leaning against the wall, staring blankly at the scene.
'Damn. This is usually when I'd be dead asleep...'
My head felt foggy from the early hour.
"You first!"
Renji set the food in front of me. The other inmates watched me nervously. Not just these guys—the ones in the other cells too.
I was the top dog here, with money and power.
'Looks like crap... Eh.'
Still, curiosity got the better of me. When else was I gonna get prison grub?
'...Not rice, though.'
I brushed the dust off the bread and took a bite. It was surprisingly edible. Bland and hard as a rock, sure, but otherwise fine.
"Fuck. Tastes like shit."
"Soak it in the soup. Makes it bearable."
I took a sip of the soup.
"Ptoo. Did they boil weeds from the prison yard? Why's it so bitter?"
"How'd you know? They make it with yard weeds every other day. I did errand duty a few times."
"For real...? Nah, I'm good. You guys eat it."
I shoved my share over to them and pulled a ham-and-cheese toast from my inventory. The inmates eyed it enviously. One pig in particular gave me puppy-dog eyes, but I ignored him.
Morning rolled around, and inmates with special skills or awakened mana headed out to work. The rest killed time in their cells—playing poker or chatting.
Bored, I auto-progressed until afternoon exercise time.
Word was, today was the weekly exercise and shower day.
???
2 p.m. Exercise time.
We finally got out of the stuffy cells and into the yard.
The guards habitually glanced at our feet along the way, checking the shackles. That's why I hadn't broken mine yesterday—just neutralized them with a spell scroll.
The yard was huge. Twice the size of a real university field. But with so many inmates out, it felt cramped.
Few actually exercised. Most wandered around or basked in the sun, talking.
I strode confidently across the yard.
The inmates from Building 4 swaggered behind me. They naturally followed the guy with strength and cash. Complaints? They'd seen what happened to Sevige's legs yesterday.
"Renji."
"Yes, S-Sex sir."
S-Sex.
My prison alias.
"Send the guys to fetch Owen. 100,000 pennies to whoever brings him."
"Got it. I'll tell 'em. Um... me too...?"
"Yeah. You bring Owen, you get 100,000 pennies."
"Thank you! I'll have him here in ten minutes!"
Just as Renji moved to go, a group of men approached me. At least 300, most built like tanks.
"Inmates from Building 20... "
Renji said grimly.
From him, I'd learned the prison had factions. The biggest was Buildings 20 through 25—assault convicts. No murderers, but rough as hell.
Second place: Buildings 4 through 7—rapists.
"Renji. Who's that guy? Never seen him before. Why's he the center of attention? Your new fresh meat?"
The apparent leader of the assault crew sauntered over. A 2-meter gorilla of a man with muscles and a matching head.
"Hah."
He was picking a fight. Makes sense. New guy like me, and assault and rape crews don't mix well. He wanted to establish dominance.
I could've ignored some posturing. I was on a mission, hadn't met Owen yet—couldn't draw guard attention.
But this gorilla crossed the line.
Way over it.
"S-Sex sir. Guards are watching. They're sensitive to brawls that could kill a bunch. Start trouble, and they'll drag you off for torture."
"...How much?"
Quick on the uptake, Renji scanned the guards and counted.
"1.5 million. That oughta do it."
"Cheap."
I handed him a pouch with 1.5 million pennies from my inventory. Renji and a few inmates ran it over to the guards.
"Ooh, what's that? Unique trait? No idea how you got in with that, but hand over everything you got..."
Thwack!
I smashed my fist into the gorilla's jaw. It shattered. Blood and teeth sprayed through the air. I grabbed his collapsing head and yanked. His eyes rolled back wildly, then up. Out cold.
'Lights out ain't the end.'
I struck his pressure point.
"Cough!"
He spewed blood, waking with a spasm.
"Why the fuck so many assholes after my ass? Pisses me off."
I gripped his left shoulder. Not going for major damage this time like yesterday. Just snap some bones.
Crack!
"Gaaahhh!"
Snap crack!
"Kyyyaaah!"
I worked over his arms and legs one by one. His screams echoed, but no one rushed me.
Cheonma Singong (Heavenly Demon Divine Art). Cheonma Force.
I'd seized the aura around us with Cheonma Force. To these weaklings, I loomed like a massive dinosaur.
Bribed guards pretended not to notice. They'd intervene if it was murder.
Crunch.
"Aaaahhh!"
Both arms and legs broken, I laid him out and scanned the crowd. No one dared meet my eyes.
"You lot."
"......"
"You've got ten minutes. Bring me Owen—unharmed. Late or scratched, and you'll end up like this gorilla."
"...!"
"What're you waiting for? Move."
They scattered, sprinting every which way.
"Owen! Anyone know Owen?!"
"Bring Owen!"
"Hey! Who's Owen?! Spill it!"
Dust kicked up; chaos ensued.
Exactly two minutes later, they dragged Owen to me.
"Wh-what do you want with me...?"
Owen was early 30s, sturdy build, average face. The kind you'd pass on the street and forget.
He was terrified of me.
"We need to talk. Just us."
"Huh? I-I haven't done anything wrong."
"Just talk."
He nodded at my irritated tone. I led him to a corner of the yard, had inmates block others off, then said,
"Pineapple Hell."
The key wasn't pineapple—it was Hell. Hell meant Helten.
"...!"
Owen, who couldn't even look me in the eye, lifted his head. Surprise twisted his face, then went blank.
"...From Hell? To save me? Or... kill me?"
"If I wanted you dead, I wouldn't bother. Here to rescue you."
"Hard to buy it... but fine. What's the plan?"
"Bust through the wall and run. Once out of this sector, teleport scroll outta here."
Section 1,067, Osten Prison—no scrolls or teleports allowed inside. Had to escape the sector first.
"That's reckless. Say we break the wall. Guards and knights nearby will catch us. Slim odds."
"You don't know my power. Think I'd come unprepared? I can pull it off."
This was a test too, but no need to spill mission details.
"...Sorry, can't leave alone right now."
"Can't leave alone? What?"
"Didn't come here solo. Teamed up with comrades for something unrelated to Hell—on purpose. Didn't report to Hell 'cause it was personal... Didn't expect a rescue."
"You're kidding."
I scowled. Guy I came to save didn't need saving.
"Really sorry. My fault for not reporting. But I can't ditch my team. Forget me—break out solo. I'll escape with them. If plan works, two months from now."
"...Then bring your team and break out now."
"Four comrades, one in solitary. Hot-tempered, clashed with guards. Back tonight."
"......"
Knock him out and drag? Or kill him?
...This is Elena's test. Gotta ace it perfectly.'
For perfect completion, I stepped back.
"Fine. Tonight, your cell. You and your four—five total. I'll get you all out."
"...Appreciate it. But you can actually do it, right?"
"I can. Worry not. Or what? Doubting me?"
"Fair. Hell sent you, so yeah. Who ordered it? Not acting solo on sentiment."
"Mirror."
"...Mirror? What's that mean—oh. Cadre codename? You know the cadre?"
"You asked."
"Usually, someone just relays orders—doesn't name the cadre. You meet Mirror in person?"
"Yeah. Said bring you."
"...Take me to that cadre?"
I nodded.
Owen stared in disbelief.
"Meeting a cadre... Even thirteen years in, most never do."
"What?"
"Impressed. Rank-and-file never meet cadres lifetime. You're high up, so maybe normal."
"Whatever. Stay up tonight—I'll come. Which building?"
"That one. But details on Mirror? Guy? Girl? Personality? Quirks? Pet peeves?"
"Dunno. You'll meet 'em in hours—ask yourself."
"Meeting a cadre... I'm nervous. Spill."
"Don't be a pain."
No intention of chumming it up with some stranger.