Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: Here Comes Chunhyang!
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Clenching my fist, I could definitely feel vitality surging through my entire body.
Just from Grandma stroking my head a few times, an uncanny surge of life force filled me to the brim.
─Chick, chick.
"Phew─ now what."
The curling cigarette smoke drifted out through the gaps in the prison's dirt walls.
So damn flimsy.
From the gaps where the smoke escaped, lively folk music drifted in.
"Hmmm."
─Boom!!
One kick shattered the thick wooden bars.
Shackles, prison walls, bars—everything was ridiculously makeshift.
As the rising dust settled, my eyes met a jailer's amid his coughing and blinking.
"Wh-what the hell."
"What do you think, you punk? It's Chunhyang."
─Smack!
One slap spun his jaw around as he toppled over.
"Phew─"
Ignoring the twitching jailer on the ground, I smoked as I headed for the entrance, the cigarette smoke trailing behind me like footprints.
Stepping outside, a brilliant moon and crisp air greeted me.
The air back then was this pure, huh.
The folk music grew clearer outside.
The gong leading the rhythm.
The hourglass drum splitting the beat.
The heavy cymbal laying down the bass.
"Not bad."
Strolling slowly, I spotted a traveling troupe under the bright moonlight, hyping up the crowd.
Were they throwing a feast? Everyone sat on mats spread across the wide dirt yard, knocking back drinks while watching the troupe.
'Where's the exit?'
Glancing around, I saw jailers with six-sided clubs standing at what looked like the gate.
Torches flickered here and there where moonlight fell short, sparks flying.
And at the highest spot sat a man with a booze spread out. That guy's the root of all evil.
As I locked onto the target and moved to approach, someone came toddling up.
"Oh my, Chunhyang! You okay? What're you doing here."
Her outfit screamed banquet server.
"Auntie, is that guy the magistrate?"
"Oh dear!"
I jabbed my finger toward the guy on the platform, and Auntie freaked out.
She grabbed my hand and pulled it down like someone might see.
"What if someone sees!"
"He's not?"
"He is, he is. Big shot. New magistrate of Namwon. Folks like us gotta watch our step to live long."
From what Auntie said, it must be Magistrate Byun's birthday bash today.
Explains the middle-of-the-night racket.
"Phew─ got it. Thanks."
"But what's that smoky thing?"
"Tobacco."
"Oh lord! A lady smoking in public!"
Patriarchal society and all—kinda expected reaction.
I left the nagging Auntie behind and headed for the magistrate.
Should've called in the full wind-and-drum band to make him think he was king, but playing with the traveling troupe showed he knew his place.
As I drew closer to the magistrate, one of the seated guests—a ragged beggar type—locked eyes with me.
His eyes went wide.
"What're you staring at, punk. I'll smack you."
Hearing me, he gaped in shock.
No lip balm here—hope it doesn't split.
I ignored the guy staring dreamily and headed for the magistrate.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ding!]
"Come here!!"
─Kwa-gagak!
My voice tore through the air like a storm.
Did Grandma's head pats buff my vocal cords too? Thunderous as hell.
"Wh-what? How's the prisoner bitch out here...?"
"Let's wrap this up quick. My fluffball's waiting."
"Guards! Seize that wench now!"
Late to the party, jailers rushed in swinging their clubs.
Whoosh!
Ducking low, the club whistled over my head.
Too slow.
"Stop!"
─Crunch!
My fist crushed the jailer's jaw.
"Gut!"
─Crunch!
"Knees!"
─Crunch!
Clatter!
The jailers charging at once crumpled amid the noise.
"Uh... huh?"
The troupe froze mid-spin, drunks mid-laugh with cups tilted—whole place went dead silent.
And the magistrate stared at me like his soul left his body.
"I've come to attend you, milord."
"......"
"What, cat got your tongue? Said I'm here to attend you."
I hooked my thumb on my middle finger and aimed at his forehead.
Still just gaping at me.
"Next life, try not being a corrupt dog magistrate—be a righteous one instead."
─Thwack!!
"Gahk!"
The magistrate flipped backward, eyes rolling back, and at the same instant,
💥 CRITICAL HIT! 💥 [Catastrophic Failure]
"Why! How...!"
No time to argue—the world flipped.
"Stop! Urk!"
When the world flips, you gotta close your eyes. Keeping 'em open made my guts churn too.
Dizzy, I locked eyes with Baeksul huddled on the grass.
"Baeksul, failed."
Hearing me, Baeksul hopped onto my shoulder and smooshed my cheeks.
Fluffball's way of comforting, I guess.
"Phew! Baeksul, again!"
Baeksul kept smooshing and rubbing my cheeks, then poked the air.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [You have selected Chunhyangga] [Repositioned to the training ground of previous failure] [Chunhyangga - Prison Song: Understood]
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"Magistrate, you jerk. Hit too light last time—must be why I failed."
I was about to flick the forehead of the dazed magistrate staring up at me.
"Secret inspector here─!!"
"What?"
Turning, the beggar guy from earlier charged with soldiers, eyes gleaming.
"Son of a bitch, a narc! Come at me!"
I rushed the soldiers swinging clubs—they all looked panicked.
"I am! Saint! Chunhyang!!"
Grit.
Muscles tensed to the max.
─Kwaaaang!!
💥 CRITICAL HIT! 💥 [Catastrophic Failure]
[Despairing Failure] ...... [The user has no hope] "Why!!"
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"Haa...."
Clenching my eyes shut, soon the musty mold smell hit my nose.
─Chick, chick.
"Phew─ maybe it's not about comprehension?"
─Crunch!
"Sigh."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ding!]
I tossed the broken sword aside and shoved a bed into the corner—cozy enough.
"Phew─"
Lying on the bed smoking, the musty mold faded under the tobacco haze.
Wiggling my feet to kill time, I sensed footsteps—patrol time.
"Wh-what!"
"What do you think, you dick? Chunhyang. Scram?"
The jailer bolted like he was calling backups.
I'd busted out countless times before, but nothing changed.
The only difference: that beggar guy yelling "secret inspector!" and charging during the standoff with the magistrate.
Secret inspector, my ass.
A government official throwing a birthday party, another breaking out to mess with him—who's the villain here? Me, obviously.
Figured they were after me, so I laid 'em all out—failed again.
"He was Mongryong's lackey."
After loops, even the damp, moldy prison felt familiar.
Lying there sorting thoughts, the jailer returned with buddies in tow.
"Prisoner Seong Chunhyang, come forth!"
"Already locked up, idiot. Don't piss me off—get lost."
Ignoring me, he fiddled with the iron lock.
They swarmed in, binding me tight with ropes.
Always escaped before—staying put for once triggered new shit.
Went along meekly: soon reached a familiar spot, familiar faces.
Was rowdy earlier—now dead quiet, cleared out.
"Sit!"
Magistrate glared fiercely, plopping me on a rickety chair in the dirt yard.
"Rebel's daughter, gisaeng Seong Chunhyang, hear this!"
"I'm no gisaeng?"
"How dare! Mother's a gisaeng, so's the daughter—impudent wretch!"
"So?"
After a flick knocked him flat before, now veins bulged in his neck.
"Daring to insult an official eating the king's rice with your lowly status—face your crime!"
"Make it quick."
"Won't shut up! You'd float mouth-up even drowned!"
He signaled jailers; they approached with long sticks.
"Spread her legs!"
They crossed sticks between my legs and yanked hard.
"Ow, too much! Save meee."
Tried it myself—brutal punishment.
Crossed sticks crushed my shins.
Jailer gripping ends piled on weight; my shins bore it like an axle.
Shin even yelps from a tap.
What barbaric shit.
Full-grown man slamming body weight? Normal person'd have crushed shins.
This world's insane.
"Ow, hurts so bad I wanna turn you into a corpse, magistrate. Save meee."
My calm, even voice turned his face beet red.
Thanks to skills, I felt no pain falling roof-first on my back; Grandma's pats made me unbreakable.
"Waaah. Hurts, you bastard."
"Grr! Pull harder!"
Others hung off the sticks.
Dunno how long the chaos lasted.
Too lazy to fake more sobs, watched 'em tire out; he ordered me back to prison.
"What, not gonna fuck me? I'm peachy sweet."
"Lock the bitch up now!"
"All jiggly."
"Hurry!"
They hauled me up and dragged me back.
Soon in cell.
"Stay put or suffer again."
"Yessir."
Jailer eyed my bed weirdly, shook head like "no more bullshit," and left.
"Phew. Now what."
Lounged smoking— no new changes.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ding!]
"Huh? Ding! Welcome back."
Half-given-up, system chimed.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Jongmori rhythm begins] 『Alright!』
Suddenly the world flipped; vision floated free like an out-of-body trip.
Looking around: my prison.
Below: haggard woman sobbing sadly.
『Ah, ah─ poor Chunhyang's plight!』
『Bald ghost in the silent prison cell, only lover comes to mind』
"Ah, ah─ longing for him, longing for my Yangban lord in Hanyang."
She chanted through sobs.
"If I die pining in this cell without seeing my young master, the tree by my grave shall become a lovers' tree."
Sang through sobs.
"Shall I write a letter in my blood pleading my case, draw my love's portrait with tears rotting in ink."
Sobs of longing.
"The stone before my grave shall become a grieving stone—what soul will know my lifelong, deathly grudge?"
『Chunhyang wails in great lament』
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Hwimori rhythm begins] ......
Watched for a while.
Chunhyang's prison diary.
Chunhyang's prison longing.
Chunhyang's rotting heart.
Is missing someone that agonizing?
Didn't get it at first.
Still don't, really.
But as time passed, I sank into her sorrow.
Now I've got precious things too.
My home's white fluffball loves being with me.
Lives centered on me, not herself.
Loves sharing body heat.
Loves eating with me.
Loves sleeping beside me.
Why does she love me this much?
So I gotta protect my fluffball who loves me so.
And cold-faced Darin unnie who trails after me saying she likes me—gotta protect her too.
Just a bit, I get her feelings now.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Beginning to understand love] [Great Success!] [Acquired Chunhyangga - Prison Song] [Returning] Opening my eyes, Baeksul smooshed her face to mine.
"Hungry."
"You ate just now."
"More!"
"Fine, let's eat."
"Yay!"
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⚔ STATUS ⚔ 👤 Name: Baek Seol 📋 Form: Cutie Human Form 🧬 Race: Ancient Azure Moon Clan 🌱 Origin: Child of □□ and □□ 📊 Status: Bad school lunch, dark evolution underway 💭 Mind: Pondering how to devour owner ⚔ STATUS ⚔ 👤 Name: Han Ga-eul (Guild Master) 📊 Status: Originally in dark state