Chapter 270
Chapter 270
-----------------------------------------------------------------
>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 74
>Chapter Title: Underground Golden Prison (1)
>-----------------------------------------------------------------
The next day, in the chilly morning.
Thousand Guard Leader Mak Myeong-bo visited the office of Im Gyu-wol, the head of the Death Row Division.
Upon entering the office, a glint of surprise flashed in Mak Myeong-bo's eyes.
Im Gyu-wol's face was swollen, likely from an injury, and he had removed his upper garment as the dedicated physician of the Embroidered Uniform Guard applied acupuncture and moxibustion to his right shoulder.
Judging by his expression, the injury did not seem minor.
Mak Myeong-bo asked in astonishment.
“Sixth Commander, where were you injured?”
In response, Sixth Commander Im Gyu-wol spoke in a voice laced with irritation.
“Can't you see?”
He had assumed the intruder had left last night and vowed revenge for later, only to get caught off guard in the most ridiculous way.
Who could have known the bastard would return?
Naturally, he thought the disciple had returned to the barracks.
In any case, he had paid a harsh price for it.
[Groooan.]
[Let's end it here. You're lucky, though. If you were utterly useless, it would've been better to just finish you off.]
Lucky?
That damned brat.
Not content with leaving him in tatters, he had completely shattered his right shoulder.
According to the physician, it would take over a month of recuperation for the broken bones to fully heal.
Worse still, he might never move his shoulder as freely as before.
For him, whose dominant hand was his right, this was nothing short of devastating news.
‘Bae Ji-seok!’
Rage surged within him, enough to tear the bastard apart, but with his ledger exposed and his weakness seized—not to mention being poisoned—he had no choice but to placate the fiend.
This made him feel even more wretched.
‘Damn you. This official will surely repay this grudge one day.’
Despite yesterday's humiliation, he had not given up.
As the saying went: endure on brushwood and taste gall.
For now, he would have to grovel, but if he endured this misery, an opportunity would surely come.
“But what brings you here?”
At Im Gyu-wol's question, Mak Myeong-bo clasped his hands in respect and said.
“I've come to borrow the Golden Prison maps needed for deploying the apprentice disciples today.”
“Golden Prison maps?”
The Golden Prison maps were extremely important items.
They detailed the locations of all mechanisms and traps within the Golden Prison, as well as its internal layout, so copies were limited and not to be leaked carelessly. They were kept by Im Gyu-wol, the head of the Death Row Division and overall supervisor of the Golden Prison.
“Those are in the wooden box over th......”
Im Gyu-wol started to speak but stopped himself with a start.
‘Tch.’
Two Golden Prison maps, still bound with red string, lay atop the genuine ones.
Deep down, he wanted to hand over those fake maps as is.
But since Bae Ji-seok (Mok Kyung-un) had already verified the fakes, he couldn't fool him with them.
Thus, he needed to swap them back for the real ones.
“......Go prepare the apprentice disciples outside, and I'll bring them personally.”
“But your condition isn't......”
“Hah. Didn't I say I'd deliver them myself?”
“Understood.”
Though puzzled, how could he defy a superior's order?
Thousand Guard Leader Mak Myeong-bo withdrew accordingly.
After he left, Im Gyu-wol was about to ask the Embroidered Uniform Guard physician to finish up.
Just then, someone knocked on the office door.
“Sixth Commander......”
It was Thousand Guard Leader Mak Myeong-bo's voice.
Sixth Commander Im Gyu-wol snapped irritably.
“Didn't I say I'd bring them personally......”
At that moment, the office door opened.
As it swung wide, revealing a middle-aged man in silver guard robes entering, Im Gyu-wol—still in the midst of bandaging—leapt to his feet in a fluster and bowed.
“I pay my respects to Guard Captain Wi.”
Rank 4th, Embroidered Uniform Guard Captain Wi (衛撫使).
Though prefixed with Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Guard Captain was not part of its formal structure.
It was, in a sense, a special rank.
Guard Captains served as personal protectors for princes granted by the emperor, and in special circumstances or emergencies, they could mobilize Embroidered Uniform Guard forces, hence the prefix.
‘Why is a Guard Captain here?’
The Guard Captain held the same rank as the True Martial Officer, the practical overall commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
In short, a superior with real power.
“It's been a while, Sixth Commander Im.”
“T-To think you remember me... I am deeply honored.”
They had met when he was merely a squad leader, yet the man remembered—Im Gyu-wol was truly moved.
The Guard Captain Muk-seom before him occupied the position he coveted most.
Though now ousted from the crown prince seat, he had once been the leading candidate for the throne, and Muk-seom served as his close protector.
Moreover, his martial prowess was said to rival that of the Northern True Martial Officers, Eastern Depot, or Western Depot eunuchs.
Guard Captain Muk-seom said to him.
“Might we speak privately for a moment?”
“Of course.”
At these words, Sixth Commander Im Gyu-wol hurriedly dismissed the palace physician.
He then personally locked the office door.
However, as he walked back with his upper body bare, Guard Captain Muk-seom's eyes narrowed sharply at the sight of his back.
Unaware, Im Gyu-wol prepared seats.
Once seated at the table, Muk-seom scanned the surroundings with his senses, then lightly waved his hand.
‘!?’
Im Gyu-wol couldn't hide his bewilderment.
The reason was that Guard Captain Muk-seom had used his qi to block all sound inside and outside the room.
It seemed a confidential discussion was in order.
“No need for preamble—straight to the point.”
“Yes? What is it?”
“You were coordinating with Embroidered Uniform Guard White Tiger Squad Leader Gyeom-chang under orders from Command Vice Director Sang Ik-seo, correct?”
‘No?’
Im Gyu-wol's expression hardened at the question.
This was a closely guarded secret.
Im Gyu-wol belonged to Prime Minister Hang Yun's faction, who also served as Admiral of the Central Inspectorate, and thus took orders from Command Vice Director Sang Ik-seo.
Normally, even within the Embroidered Uniform Guard, only Death Row Division members handled Golden Prison operations.
However, under Sang Ik-seo's orders, they had temporarily attached White Tiger Squad Leader Gyeom-chang to the Death Row Division under the pretext of joint interrogation of Radiant Flower Cultists.
This was conducted in strict secrecy only when trusted faction members were on duty—how did this man know?
Im Gyu-wol tried to feign ignorance as he replied.
“What do you mean......”
“No need to hide it. I'm a man of Prime Minister Hang as well.”
‘!?’
Im Gyu-wol furrowed his brow at the words.
A man of Prime Minister Hang?
He had heard there were many in the faction he didn't know, but Guard Captain Muk-seom was known as a retainer of this prince, a king's son.
Naturally, trust was hard to come by.
At that moment, Im Gyu-wol pulled something from his bosom.
It was none other than—
‘Huh?’
The military tally of Prime Minister Hang as Central Inspectorate Admiral.
Seeing this tally that could command the Central Inspectorate, Im Gyu-wol instantly knew the man's words were true.
This was proof entrusted only to those of utmost trust.
“You might doubt, so I borrowed this tally from the Prime Minister himself.”
-Thud!
In response, Im Gyu-wol dropped to one knee before him, clasping his hands in salute.
“I failed to recognize you.”
“Rise. It's natural you didn't know. Only a handful are aware, the Prime Minister chief among them.”
Im Gyu-wol's heart raced inwardly at these words.
Did this mean Prime Minister Hang intended to make greater use of him?
One of such stature wouldn't reveal his true affiliation otherwise.
As Im Gyu-wol rose excitedly, Guard Captain Muk-seom lowered his voice and said something unexpected.
“On that note, has White Tiger Squad Leader Gyeom-chang finished the interrogation?”
“The interrogation?”
“Indeed.”
“Not yet.”
Guard Captain Muk-seom stroked his chin beard and let out a groan at the reply.
“Hmm. No helping it, then.”
“......But how did you......”
“No, you needn't know that much.”
“Pardon?”
“More importantly, a slight issue has arisen—White Tiger Squad Leader Gyeom-chang can no longer conduct the interrogation.”
“What do you mean?”
Just days ago, Gyeom-chang had been frantic to resume interrogations to find that “precious pearl.”
He hadn't questioned why due to Command Vice Director's orders, but suddenly being told interrogations were impossible was baffling.
Thus,
“Exactly as I said. Now, there's something only you, as head of the Death Row Division, can do. It's a direct order from the Prime Minister himself—surely you can manage?”
“What order?”
“It will aid in safely extracting the Radiant Flower Cultist imprisoned in the Interminable Golden Prison, whom disciples from the Heaven and Earth Society will soon attempt to rescue. I need you to assist them.”
‘!?’
Im Gyu-wol couldn't conceal his shock as the words ended.
What in the world was this?
Bae Ji-seok last night, and now Prime Minister Hang's faction—why issue such an order?
Unlike regular Golden Prisons, from which prisoners could be extracted in various ways, the Underground Golden Prison made escape impossible.
That's why they had deployed personnel for direct interrogation of the cultist, unlike before.
He didn't know why they suddenly wanted extraction, but it was immensely troubling.
‘What to do?’
He didn't know exactly whom they aimed to extract, but Bae Ji-seok was in a position to be forcibly helped as well.
That bastard also intended to break someone out from the Interminable Golden Prison......
‘Wait......something's off.’
The timing overlapped strangely.
The higher-ups abandoning the Radiant Flower Cultist only to suddenly force an extraction, and Bae Ji-seok's plan to extract someone from the Interminable Golden Prison—it matched too perfectly.
‘Could it be......the one Bae Ji-seok aims to extract is also a Radiant Flower Cultist?’
Are they preemptively extracting to block him?
If so, the sudden order from above made sense.
But this was mere conjecture.
And the real problem wasn't this.
‘Damn it.’
He was not only compromised but poisoned as well.
Thus, he had no choice but to obey Bae Ji-seok.
But if his guess proved correct, he couldn't fulfill the higher-ups' order, effectively betraying them.
Caught in a dilemma, Im Gyu-wol's eyes shook violently.
At that moment, Guard Captain Muk-seom raised one eyebrow.
Then, abruptly—
-Thud! Swipe!
He lifted Im Gyu-wol's chin and peered piercingly into his eyes.
“M-My lord?”
Why this suddenly?
As he wondered, Guard Captain Muk-seom said something unforeseen.
“Ha......well, now.”
“Yes? What......”
“You've been poisoned too.”
‘!?’
Im Gyu-wol's eyes widened in shock.
How did Guard Captain Muk-seom know this?
He asked.
“Is it true? Or not? Answer that alone.”
“......”
Im Gyu-wol was at a loss.
With Bae Ji-seok holding his embezzlement ledger and other weaknesses, even speaking was fraught with caution.
Seeing this, Guard Captain Muk-seom shook his head slowly and said.
“Looks like he's got other weaknesses on you besides the poison.”
‘How did he......?’
Im Gyu-wol was inwardly astonished at Guard Captain Muk-seom's insight.
To deduce his situation so precisely without a word was impressive.
Yet fear crept in as well.
The weakness Bae Ji-seok held—the embezzlement ledger—linked even to faction leader Prime Minister Hang, potentially implicating him. Exposure could mean being cast out.
Unsure what to do, Guard Captain Muk-seom placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke coldly.
“I don't know what weakness has sealed your lips, but mark this: full confession now is your only path to survival.”
-Grip!
As he spoke, strength entered the hand on his shoulder.
* * *
Twelve of Master's disciples awaited.
Though prepared for Golden Prison deployment, they still hadn't received the maps and thus waited.
Then, an Embroidered Uniform Guard Deputy Thousand Guard Leader appeared from beyond the hall.
The wooden box he carried contained twelve scrolls.
“He's here.”
Thousand Guard Leader Mak Myeong-bo had grown frustrated waiting, just like the disciples.
What on earth did he discuss with Guard Captain Muk-seom to take so long?
‘He should've just given them then.’
He hadn't come personally anyway, sending the Deputy instead.
In any case, the delay postponed deployment and prisoner feeding.
Thousand Guard Leader Mak Myeong-bo called out irritably.
“Why so late?”
“My apologies. Whew......But surely Thousand Guard Leader Mak knows?”
Thousand Guard Leader Mak Myeong-bo shook his head at the Deputy Thousand Guard Leader's words.
He then extended his hand.
“Hand them over. I need to distribute to the disciples and assign deployment spots.”
“Must be the feeding delay. Then I'll distribute to the disciples right away.”
“Fine.”
Impatient, Thousand Guard Leader Mak Myeong-bo agreed.
Thus, the twelve apprentice disciples received their Golden Prison maps and assigned deployment positions.
Most were spread across Golden Prison levels one through three.
‘Hmm.’
At that moment, Mok Kyung-un—wearing Bae Ji-seok's face—narrowed his eyes.
His assignment was none other than Golden Prison level three.
‘......What's this about, Sixth Commander Im Gyu-wol?’
It deviated from the original plan.
They had agreed to assign him to the Interminable Golden Prison, the lowest level.
Assigning him to level three was as good as breaking the promise.
“What? I-Interminable Golden Prison?”
Then, someone retorted in bewilderment.
It was disciple Yeom Gyeong of the Volcanic Sect.
The Interminable Golden Prison, deepest level of the Golden Prison.
Assigned there were none other than Juwonhyang and Volcanic Sect disciple Yeom Gyeong.
* * *
Entering the imperial palace's Golden Prison, the disciples felt unease in the pitch-black interior.
Unlike provincial prisons, this one was dug underground, thick with dampness and stale air.
What chilled them more were the bloodstains and odors everywhere.
This intensified with each descending level.
Level one showed evident care in construction, but lower levels, shored up crudely from dug earth, shed dust everywhere, heightening anxiety.
Thus, the disciples were deployed one by one to their sections.
-Creak!
En route to level three underground, Mok Kyung-un unfurled his received Golden Prison map.
‘Ah.’
Mok Kyung-un sneered inwardly.
This was not the fake map bound with red string.
At first glance, it seemed unaltered, but parts had been subtly altered to twist paths without obvious signs.
Likely rigged deliberately for mechanism traps.
Ultimately, another fake map.
‘......As expected.’
The corner of Mok Kyung-un's mouth twitched.
He had doubted at first, but it seemed another party had intervened.
Poisoned and compromised, it was unlikely Im Gyu-wol dared such a bold betrayal in mere hours.
-Creak!
Mok Kyung-un promptly rerolled the fake map.
Whoever meddled was ignorant of one thing.
Having checked all genuine maps just in case, such tampering held no meaning for him.
[Chapter 74: Underground Golden Prison (1)] End