Chapter 288
Chapter 288
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 79
>Chapter Title: Escape Attempt (2)
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The entrance to the underground Golden Prison was nothing short of a scene from hell.
The Brocade Guards of the Execution Division were thrown into chaos by the sudden collapse of the Avici Golden Prison.
Even if the Execution Division's leader, Sixth Division Commander Lim Gyu-wol, had been present, he might have maintained command and tried to contain the situation somehow. But as it was, they were barely managing to ascertain whether there were any escapees from the underground Golden Prison.
Amid the turmoil, an even more shocking event unfolded.
"Wha... how..."
Thousand Guard Commander Mak Myeong-ho of the Execution Division was prostrating himself, sweating profusely in terror beyond mere tension.
Before him stood a being he dared not even glance at.
An elderly man, pale and utterly exhausted, reclining on an ornate jade throne within a palanquin, clad in a golden dragon robe.
That being was none other than...
"His Majesty has personally graced this place?"
The emperor.
The ruler of the realm had descended in person, and Thousand Guard Commander Mak Myeong-ho's mind went blank with dread.
Already grappling with the worst crisis in the Execution Division's history and racking his brains over how to handle it, he was utterly at a loss.
Then, the emperor's voice rang out.
"If red smoke is rising, does that mean the Avici Golden Prison has collapsed?"
"......Y-Yes..."
Thousand Guard Commander Mak Myeong-ho trembled so violently he couldn't answer properly.
Someone beside him snapped at him.
"Can't you answer properly?"
The weighty voice made Mak Myeong-ho's eyes quiver.
He knew immediately who it was.
There were two official escorts and close aides who attended the emperor.
Among them, the most renowned figure—practically his direct superior.
"Answer the question at once."
"Y-Yes! The Avici Golden Prison has collapsed."
Mak Myeong-ho's face, pressed to the ground, twisted in despair.
With His Majesty here in person, containment was impossible.
Even if they managed to resolve it somehow, responsibility would be assigned.
Beheading was the most likely outcome; at best, exile or imprisonment in the Golden Prison.
As he agonized over what was to come, the emperor's voice reached his ears.
"Then someone attempted an escape. Has anyone emerged?"
"N-No, Your Majesty. This subject was guarding the entrance, but there were no signs of anything unusual until the red smoke rose. Please believe me."
"So an escape attempt occurred in the Avici Golden Prison, but no one came out?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Hmm."
Mak Myeong-ho's lips dried out at the thoughtful groan.
Indeed, no escapee had appeared while he was on watch.
No, there shouldn't have been.
That was the only way he might preserve his life when blame was apportioned.
At that moment, the emperor spoke.
"Gu Seong-baek, in your view, with the Avici Golden Prison collapsed, is it likely no escapee slipped out?"
"If the Avici Golden Prison collapsed, anyone attempting escape would have fallen with the crumbling ground and lost their life."
"Are you certain?"
"I cannot guarantee it."
"Why not?"
"Those imprisoned in the Avici Golden Prison are freaks who cannot be taken lightly for even a moment. As Your Majesty knows, it houses all manner of monsters who survive for decades without food. We cannot discount variables."
"Variables..."
"........."
"Gu Seong-baek."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Among those in the Avici Golden Prison—no, across the entire imperial palace—who could fool you with martial arts?"
The response came without the slightest hesitation.
"No one, Your Majesty."
"No one?"
"That is correct, Your Majesty."
He exuded absolute confidence.
The emperor's lips curved upward.
"If you set your mind to it, how long to scour the entire palace?"
"Three quarters of an hour would suffice."
"Then go."
"But, Your Majesty..."
"By my side are Grand Eunuch Guo of the Inner Guard and him. No need for concern. An escape attempt from the Avici Golden Prison is no mere accident in a short span. We mustn't take chances—hurry."
"......This lowly Gu Seong-baek obeys Your Majesty's command!"
-Swish!
No sooner had the words ended than the man called Gu Seong-baek vanished.
* * *
Mok Kyung-un gazed with interest at the hand of Six Blood Star Ni Baek-ha protruding from the swill bucket.
With his Heavenly Eye open, he could see it.
The bizarre waveform emanating from Ni Baek-ha's hand.
Mok Kyung-un realized it was the same strange energy she had tried to use on him in the Avici Golden Prison.
At the time, he had wondered what it was.
But now, as the energy spread in all directions, an intriguing result emerged.
It seemed to stimulate the senses of those it touched, deceiving them—and they all collapsed unconscious.
"......Sound. The energy's form must be a incantation."
He couldn't pinpoint the exact incantation from the shape alone but made a rough guess.
The intent repeated steadily.
That repeating intent turned into a stimulus, deceiving the opponent's senses.
Which meant it was a form of hypnosis.
'Interesting.'
The corner of Mok Kyung-un's mouth twitched.
Then a voice spoke.
-What was that just now?
It was Cheong-ryeong.
She had been observing from above, descended to help when things seemed to go awry, but was puzzled by the sudden collapse of the Guard Division warriors and Western Depot eunuchs.
-Who knows. Not exactly sure. Seems like hypnosis.
-Hypnosis?
-Yeah. I read about it in Grandfather's books once. By repeatedly stimulating with sound or visuals...
-Pop!
"Pfft."
At that moment, Ni Baek-ha's face popped out from the swill bucket.
Not just her—the Holy Fire Spirit Lord, who had been enduring in the food scraps, also couldn't hold out and lifted her face.
"Hah... hah..."
"Elder, are you all right?"
Seop-chun asked the Holy Fire Spirit Lord.
Even with the breathing technique taught, she was elderly and untrained in martial arts, making it especially hard to endure.
"F-Fine... hah... hah."
In response to Seop-chun's question, the Holy Fire Spirit Lord nodded with a pallid face.
Frankly, the stench of the swill and holding her breath were both excruciating, but she gritted her teeth and bore it.
Then Mok Kyung-un approached Six Blood Star Ni Baek-ha, who was catching her breath, and said,
"How about continuing to use that technique from before?"
"How so?"
"If it's a form of hypnosis, it could deceive their perception entirely—make them see you as nonexistent from the start, no?"
'!?'
Six Blood Star Ni Baek-ha's eyes widened at Mok Kyung-un's words.
She had never told him about the technique.
No reason to, in the first place.
Yet Young Master Mok knew it was hypnosis?
Puzzled, someone appeared then.
-Swish!
The one approaching them had changed into a palace maid's outer garment—Sixth Division Commander So Ye-rin.
With a black mask in her right hand, it seemed she planned to conceal her identity and mobilize force.
Looking at the unconscious Guard Division warriors, she said,
"You used the Illusion Veil, didn't you?"
"Yes. As expected, you know of it too, Lady So. My master learned it directly from him."
"I see. In that case, using the Illusion Veil would be more helpful than hiding in the swill bucket."
"......That's difficult."
"Why?"
"Unlike his blood kin, I cultivate deceptive innate energy, not true—can't chain hypnosis repeatedly. Even consuming spirit beast blood to bolster my origin energy only got me this far. Using it continuously in one day is too taxing."
"Ah......"
So Ye-rin nodded as if understanding.
To her, Six Blood Star Ni Baek-ha said,
"Alternatively, why not have you use the Illusion Veil, milady?"
At this, So Ye-rin looked troubled and replied,
"I'd love to, but I can't."
"What do you mean?"
"My father hadn't fully matured as heir when he learned it from Grandfather, so he never passed it to me. I don't know it."
"Ah!"
Ni Baek-ha exclaimed instead.
Wondering why,
"I'm truly glad. It seems he taught it to my master solely for this day. A chance to repay the grace received by his blood descendant."
"Six Blood Star......"
"Before we leave, I'll teach you the Illusion Veil incantation."
"......Thank you. But first, we must hurry. With the search party at the central gate all unconscious, they'll soon notice and flood this area with search forces."
"Understood."
They closed the swill bucket lid again and hurriedly set off.
Past the central gate, reaching the outer southern gate swiftly would greatly boost their escape chances.
Pulling the swill cart, they picked up speed.
With So Ye-rin scouting on the ground and Cheong-ryeong from the air, their path posed no issues.
They moved without hindrance, drawing ever closer to the southern gate.
But after traveling some distance like this.
-Clatter clatter clatter!
-Flinch!
Mok Kyung-un, pulling the cart, suddenly halted.
As he stopped abruptly, Mong Mu-yak and Seop-chun also stopped, puzzled, and asked,
"My lord. Why the sudden stop?"
"......They're coming."
"What do you mean?"
-Pop!
Suddenly, Six Blood Star Ni Baek-ha burst out from the swill bucket, lid flying open.
She assumed the Blood Jade Hand seal, her face full of wariness.
Ni Baek-ha gulped dryly, staring northwest.
It had been ages since her senses were stimulated this intensely.
"Hey. You brats. Hide with the old hag."
"Pardon?"
-Swish!
Puzzled, black-masked Sixth Division Commander So Ye-rin appeared before them.
So Ye-rin had already drawn her sword.
"Sixth Division Commander?"
Even Masked Brocade Guard Ma Ra-hyeon asked, baffled by their reactions.
So Ye-rin urgently waved him back.
"Ma Ra, Thousand Commander. Fall back. Now!"
No sooner had she spoken.
-Rooooaaar!
The ambient energy grew so heavy it choked breathing; in an instant, Ma Ra-hyeon staggered, shoulders crushed.
'Wh-What is this...'
It wasn't just him.
Mong Mu-yak and Seop-chun also grimaced under the immense pressure.
'This!'
'What energy?'
An immeasurable, colossal energy enveloped the entire area, making their hearts pound wildly.
-Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
Their gazes slowly turned to one spot.
-Step step!
There appeared a thickset, handsome middle-aged man in black guard robes with a golden sash.
So Ye-rin's eyes trembled violently at the sight of the man approaching with hands behind his back.
'Ah...... Of all people.'
The absolute worst of the anticipated scenarios had come to pass.
This black-robed Brocade Guard, alongside Northern Advance Warrior Hyeon Sun, stood at the pinnacle of practical Brocade Guard operatives.
Southern Advance Warrior Gu Seong-baek of the Brocade Guards.
The emperor's personal escort, the palace's supreme expert, known in the martial world as:
One of the Six Heavens—Northern Blade King.
"Three have scaled the wall. No mercy needed."
-Shing!
The grandmaster occupying one seat among the six apex figures of the Central Plains martial world now drew his blade toward them.