Dark Heaven Village
Near the entrance of Great Thunder Prison, about ten elite warriors stood guard as if specially selected. Despite the desolate and treacherous terrain, the number of personnel waiting there gave the impression that Great Thunder Prison was indeed nearby. They wore black robes to conceal their identities, but they were likely the Golden Eagle Guards. It’s hard to think of any elite that would be worthy of guarding such an important location.
At the forefront were Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong. They carefully positioned themselves to approach stealthily and then simultaneously launched a lightning-fast assault.
Swish!
With evidently no intention of taking hostages, they effortlessly severed six heads from their bodies mid-air. Once Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong made their move, I and Geuk Ho also sprang into action. Soon after, the remaining guards fell, creating a scene of carnage, and soon the most capable warrior among them, who seemed to be a peak master, staggered as he raised his sword in a last attempt.
“Guh…!”
He appeared to be the last line of defense. Having taken a hit from Lee Kwang’s divine Thunder Strike, he was bleeding from the mouth. Lee Kwang spoke flatly.
“Don’t make foolish moves. I’m letting you live for now because your skills are regrettable.”
Lee Kwang had already placed the man within his reach. No matter how swift his movements, it was impossible for him to alert anyone without Lee Kwang noticing. The peak master forced a smile at Lee Kwang’s words.
“Ha! You intend to torture me for information, don’t you?”
“Perhaps, but today is not the day for that.”
With a swift swing of his spear, Lee Kwang added,
“You’re likely a Chun Ho. That’s your level of skill.”
“……”
“If you ventured into the martial world, you’d gain recognition as a leading figure or a VIP among major sects. Yet, how could someone of your caliber end up squandering his life here, nameless and meaningless? Haven’t you ever found this situation peculiar?”
It was unlike Lee Kwang to express himself so emotionally. His words carried a poignant feeling. Given Lee Kwang‘s usual demeanor, which typically involved simply killing or torturing without a second thought, this was strange.
Perhaps Chun Ho’s skills were far beyond what a mere gatekeeper should possess, sparking a sudden pity in Lee Kwang. That was an emotion only shared among warriors. Perhaps sensing this, the Golden Eagle Guard stayed silent for a moment before replying.
“Lee Kwang-seonbae, do you truly not understand? We are the Golden Eagle Guards, the Emperor’s loyal subjects. Our lives are devoted to loyalty, and the peace of the Imperial family and the nation is our duty. You’ve been active for decades, haven’t you?”
“I know. But the path isn’t just that.”
“That’s not convincing, Lee Kwang-seonbae.”
The peak master let out a hollow laugh and raised his sword to point at his own heart, his eyes filled with sorrow.
“While we met as enemies, many within the Golden Eagle Guards respect you. Some even entered the ranks out of respect for you. I’m one of them, mesmerized by the might of the Azure Dragon.”
“……”
“Long live the Emperor.”
Thud
With that, he plunged his sword into his own heart. Lee Kwang essentially allowed him to do so. By simply preventing him from dying through torture, Lee Kwang had permitted him to preserve his honor in death, gazing down at the peak master’s corpse for a moment.
“……”
Lee Kwang’s face was stoic and hard, making it impossible to grasp his thoughts.
Boom…
When I operated the mechanism hidden within the rocks, just as Mangnyang had informed me, the door to the device opened. A dark cave revealed itself, marking the entrance to Great Thunder Prison, notorious for being the worst prison of all. Before entering, Lee Kwang gave instructions.
“The positions of the Living Gate and the Death Gate continuously shift at a diagonal. It’s impossible to memorize their locations to pass through. Hence, we need to reach the Secret Path as quickly as possible.”
Secret Path!
This was a route that could be used if a special matter arose requiring the release of a prisoner. According to Mangnyang, following this Secret Path would allow us to bypass the Great Thunder Prison’s traps and head straight to the cell of our target. We had already thoroughly studied the route to the Secret Path via a map.
Geuk Ho spoke worriedly.
“What if we don’t reach the Secret Path and someone falls into the traps?”
“In that case, we abandon them. No one has ever passed through the traps of Great Thunder Prison.”
Lee Kwang looked steadfastly at the three of us.
“Remember this: whether it’s me or Jin So-cheong, do not go back or concern yourself for anyone left behind! We don’t have the capability or time to rescue anyone.”
“Understood.”
“Let’s go.”
As we entered Great Thunder Prison, a dark tunnel extended for a while before the lights began to brighten. Soon, we reached a colossal chamber seemingly carved out of the mountain itself, which was filled with passages resembling ant tunnels.
Whoosh…
However, Mangnyang had said that every step from this point on would be a series of choices. Just touching a single mechanism could alter the entire structure, making it impossible for anyone other than a genius to read the breath between the Living Gate and the Death Gate to find a way out. So, everyone remained on high alert as we searched for the entrance to the one true Secret Path.
After a short moment, Jin So-cheong pointed.
“Over here.”
He indicated a small cave hidden beneath a stone. It was nestled between rocks and was nearly invisible, making it impossible to find unless one was aware of its existence. Given it matched Mangnyang’s indication precisely, Lee Kwang cautioned again.
“Listen carefully. Stay close behind me. A slight misstep can lead to death.”
Leading the way, the rescue team adjusted their movements accordingly. We concentrated all our senses on the breathing and steps of the person ahead, ensuring no one fell more than an arm’s length apart. Following the map, Lee Kwang continued onward.
And just as he was sure we had entered the Secret Path, he instructed everyone to remain focused on the person in front.
About a meal’s duration later…
We had certainly moved a considerable distance and seemed to descend into the depths. The darkness deepened, and an eerie chill filled the air. Geuk Ho, walking in front, muttered.
“I’d rather be in a brothel than here. What kind of sinister energy is this?”
“Be quiet, Geuk Ho. Focus.”
“Oh, right… my apologies.”
Though Geuk Ho grumbled, everyone present felt the same. Having entered via the Secret Path, the great prison’s traps were no longer a threat, and safety was assured. But the further down we went, the more we could feel an ominous energy emanating. No matter how feared the prison was, what reason could there be for such a dense aura?
Tap, Tap
Soon, we sensed moisture underfoot, and moss adorned the cavern walls. The air changed in quality. The light grew brighter, and shortly after, we stumbled into a grand chamber filled with torches.
We had arrived.
This appeared to be the dungeon where prisoners were held, flanked by iron bars made of pure metal. Although the prisoners inside were not visible, there was no doubt this was a corridor leading to their cells. Lee Kwang spoke softly.
“Alright, we’ll split into pairs and search for General Hwang Yeon.”
“Understood.”
All four of us held portraits of General Hwang Yeon. He likely had deteriorated while imprisoned, but as human features typically remained largely unchanged, we were confident that with thorough searching, we would certainly find him.
While we began to scour the prisoner’s quarters looking for General Hwang Yeon, something seemed off.
‘What is this…?’
With each step, the eerie energy intensified, and at times, we spotted humans cowering in the corners of the cells.
“We’ve come to rescue you! Look this way!”
“……”
“Hey, look!”
I called out to them one by one to confirm, but no matter how much I beckoned, none responded.
“Damn it.”
I cursed under my breath and channeled my energy into my sword. Then, with a swift strike, I cleaved through the iron bars of one of the cells. Since none of the Golden Eagle Guards guarding the entrance possessed the keys for the prisoner’s quarters, this was unavoidable. It seemed the keys could only be carried by individuals who entered the Great Thunder Prison occasionally.
After breaking the bars and entering, I forcibly pulled out a cowering prisoner.
“……!!”
I, along with Geuk Ho, gasped in shock. The face of the prisoner huddled in the corner had transformed into that of a creature that was anything but human. Though parts of them still resembled a human, their facial features were grotesquely distorted, as if taking on traits of an octopus, with tentacles writhing in the air.
Geuk Ho fell on his rear in shock.
“Wh-what in the world?!”
“……This…”
I was certain this person was going through the transformation from human to a mutated being. If this transformation continued, they would eventually resemble the sorcerer I encountered in the previous disaster. Memories of the past flooded back, making me uncomfortable, but for now, I dragged them out and set them on the floor of the corridor.
The prisoner simply sat there, uttering meaningless sounds at times, appearing devoid of thought. They seemed like a plant rather than a sentient being. It was likely that everyone huddled in the corners was in a similar state, so I turned to Geuk Ho.
“Older Sister, let’s break the remaining bars. It’d be better to bring everyone out first and then see what to do.”
“Ugh… I lack your internal strength. Do you think it’s that easy to cut through iron bars?”
“Just do it if you can.”
“Tch.”
Clang!
Together with Geuk Ho, we managed to pull out six prisoners, setting them in the corridor. It seemed it was tough for him to cut through the iron bars, requiring multiple strikes to be effective. But then again, it was unreasonable to expect one strike to slice through an iron frame as tough as steel.
The six prisoners seated there, silently like plants, all appeared to be mutated beings. However, the degree of transformation varied from person to person; some had only part of their face transformed while others had their entire neck and arms changed.
Geuk Ho looked at them with an expression like he was about to be sick and said,
“This is maddening. I’d rather encounter corpses or piles of bones.”
“There are more prisoner quarters deeper inside. Let’s head further in.”
“Alright.”
We pressed deeper into the dark passage. Suddenly, we heard sounds of movement, and humans seemed to scurry away from the passage. They were clearly prisoners who appeared human.
“Ahhhh!!”
“Help me!!”
Rather than shouting to be saved, they looked horrified, pleading for mercy. Geuk Ho stepped forward and shouted.
“Calm down!! We’ve come to rescue you.”
“Re-really?”
“Indeed, so tell us who you are!”
There were three human prisoners present; one female and two males. They hastily shouted out.
“I am Senior Official Jo Chung-myeong!”
“I am Bu Jong-hwan, the Blood Thunder Swordsman.”
Jo Chung-myeong seemed to be a high-ranking official, likely a third-grade official originally. The Blood Thunder Swordsman, Bu Jong-hwan, appeared to be an expert from the evil faction.
‘Hmmm.’
I approached the room beside us to check on the female prisoner.
The woman was a beautiful maiden in her twenties, with a sharp nose and distinct facial features. But all that was now irrelevant as her entire body emanated the smell of decay, and she sat there with lifeless eyes. Her clothes were nearly torn, showing signs of a horrific ordeal. Even with her private parts exposed, she showed no reaction, despite our presence for rescue.
‘She has been… violated.’
As I stared at her, Bu Jong-hwan spoke.
“She is the Virtuous Flower Goddess from the Ami Pa.”
“What’s a martial world woman doing in such a state?”
“The Virtuous Flower Goddess entered our ranks most recently. It has been eight days since she was brought in… She was subjected to the Golden Eagle Guards for several days before the leader took her away.”
“……”
She seemed to be in a state of mental collapse. Observing the Virtuous Flower Goddess, Geuk Ho was seething with fury, clenching his fists in rage.
“Damn the Emperor’s loyalty! Is treating a woman like this the deed of a humane being?”
Clank!
In a fit of rage, Geuk Ho swiftly sliced the bars open for the Virtuous Flower Goddess and pulled her out. Even when Geuk Ho embraced her to move, she showed no responsiveness, as if she were completely catatonic. Geuk Ho looked down at her with pity and said,
“Hey, I’m taking her with us.”
“Don’t ask me, ask the Master.”
“Tch.”
Geuk Ho clicked his tongue, and I turned to Jo Chung-myeong and Bu Jong-hwan and asked,
“What crimes have you committed to end up imprisoned here? To be locked away in Great Thunder Prison…”
Jo Chung-myeong exclaimed fiercely.
“No!! I had no prior knowledge of being sent to Great Thunder Prison.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Golden Eagle Guards suddenly searched my home and detained my whole clan. Then they claimed I was under suspicion and took me somewhere for a brief investigation. The next thing I knew, I was here.”
When I turned to Bu Jong-hwan, he said desperately,
“I…I committed no crime! A month ago I was just taking a stroll in Luoyang when I came across some strange formations. Intrigued, I approached closer, only to be ambushed by the Golden Eagle Guards and trapped here.”
“……”
After a moment’s thought, I asked,
“How long have you two been imprisoned?”
“I’m not sure, but it’s been a little over ten days.”
“I came in under similar circumstances.”
That is to say, they had not been there long. I recalled the mutated beings I had gathered earlier and went to bring one of the monsters back to show them. They didn’t react with surprise but merely frowned, confirming that they already recognized these mutated beings.
“What in the world happened to them?”
“I don’t know… But what’s clear is that if you linger here too long, you’ll be dragged somewhere, and those who return will scream in agony for a day and a night. I’ve seen one occasionally released, wandering in the prison corridor.”
“Hmm.”
Those transformed into mutated beings seemed to be the sad fate that awaited those who stayed long enough. I contemplated for a moment before saying to Geuk Ho.
“Older Sister, please wait a moment. I’ll find the Master and report the situation.”
“Okay. Hurry back.”
I quickly used my skills to find Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong. The passageway wasn’t that long, so I soon found them. Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong were kneeling before someone, and the atmosphere did not seem right.
Cough!
Jin So-cheong was crying tears unlike before, while Lee Kwang looked similarly affected as he held a mutated being close, silently trembling. As I stood there in shock, Lee Kwang spoke.
“We’re heading back. The mission has failed.”
“What? What do you mean…?”
“General Hwang Yeon has passed away…”
“……!!”
As Lee Kwang stood up, I examined the mutated being he was holding. Unlike the others, this one was only partly transformed, with an oddly squirming body but maintaining the face of an elderly human.
I instinctively realized.
‘It’s General Hwang Yeon.’
I thought about where things had started to go wrong. As I recalled the ‘transformation period’, one conclusion struck me.
‘… We were too late in our rescue.’
We should have acted at least a month prior.
I felt a pang of shock but quickly reported to Lee Kwang the information I had gathered. He listened in silence before replying,
“Then at least let’s rescue the lone survivor.”
“Understood. What about the mutated beings…”
“Carry one in each arm. There’s a chance we could revert them back.”
So, we proceeded to withdraw from the rescue operation for General Hwang Yeon in failure, following the Secret Path out of Great Thunder Prison.
Once outside, Mangnyang and the others from the Bancheon Alliance awaited, dealing with the corpses of the Golden Eagle Guards, with horses readied.
Mangnyang glanced between the mutated beings and Lee Kwang before saying,
“It’s a failure then.”
“I’m ashamed.”
“How can this be blamed on you, Lee Kwang? The timing was unfortunate…”
“What should we do now?”
Lee Kwang seemed shaken, clearly affected by General Hwang Yeon’s transformation into a mutated being, as if unable to make a judgment. Mangnyang seemed to understand and hesitated before calmly saying,
“For now, let’s return to the base. If there’s any chance to revert the mutated beings, it could save some.”
“……”
However, unspoken among all present was the knowledge that it was likely an impossible endeavor.
At that moment, Miho’s shikigami stealthily contacted me.
[I felt something was off at that earlier location. It radiated a frightening magical energy.]
I had kept Miho’s shikigami for communication purposes. Miho could ascertain my status from afar and exchange thoughts through this entity. I poured my will into Miho’s shikigami.
[Miho, why didn’t you say anything earlier?]
[You all are martial artists with no immunity against sorcery, aren’t you? The depths of that prison contain a powerful magic, and without precautions, even the strongest warrior could easily perish. Strong magical arts are incredibly terrifying.]
[……]
[This operation was a flawed one in many ways. Baek Woong, be ready to run at any moment.]
As I absorbed Miho’s words, I felt an instinctive foreboding.
Something was going wrong this life.
No, it felt like I had misplaced a button in my life.
