novelraw Chapter 45 : Chapter 45
Chapter 45 : Chapter 45
Chapter 45 - Prison (2)
‘The smell…….’
Jaun, regaining his senses, looked around and scratched his head in bewilderment.
As the Heavenly Demon Divine Art surpassed the Seventh Star, the turbid energy remaining in his whole body was expelled, and the expelled turbid energy turned into something sticky and foul-smelling, sticking to the prison walls and ceiling completely.
Traces of turbid energy dripping from the ceiling.
Frowning, Jaun moved to the farthest corner of the cell and sighed.
‘……I’ve caused immense trouble. The guard cleaned diligently because he said there was an important matter today…….’
Looking around once again, Jaun made up his mind to apologize sincerely when the guard returned.
Since it was right after crossing a realm, he didn't want to think about martial arts anymore.
Jaun leaned against the sticky wall with his eyes closed and started thinking about this and that.
‘When will I be able to get out of here?’
It had been a while since the Murim Alliance investigators, who used to ask this and that with their eyes lit up, stopped coming.
‘It seems the investigation is over. For now, it seems they don't have the intention to kill me.’
Jaun looked down at the chains loosely wrapped around his wrists and ankles.
‘I wish they would at least tell me what will happen in the future. Surely they don't intend to make me spend my whole life here?’
The fact that he might never be able to keep his promise to his father if things went wrong pained Jaun’s heart.
‘Well, if it really doesn't work out, I’ll have to break out of here even if I have to destroy this place.’
Jaun looked at the iron bars made of thick Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron.
The iron bars could be easily broken.
However, if he escaped the prison, he would inevitably face the masters filling the Murim Alliance.
If he focused only on escaping, he was confident he wouldn't be caught by them, but he also didn't think the process would be easy.
‘I’ll definitely need to use the power of the Murim Alliance later, so I can't just blindly wreak havoc. It’s frustrating.’
Jaun looked up at the sky visible through the small window.
Still, thanks to Ice Rakshasa and Eun-wol who visited steadily every day, he was constantly receiving news from the outside.
They said the conflict between the Demonic Cult and the Murim Alliance, which suffered great damage, had entered a brief lull.
Yeon Seung-il, perhaps realizing something through this fight, applied for the position of Vice Squad Leader of the Anti-Demon Squad and took that seat a while ago.
Hyeon-dam and Baek-myo were said to be living their Anti-Demon Squad lives unchanged, but he hadn't seen their faces even once since entering the prison.
Although the reason was unknown, it was said that those belonging to the Anti-Demon Squad were not allowed to visit Jaun.
‘Everyone is doing well, right? I miss them.’
Jaun, stretching his stiff legs once, looked up at the sky again.
‘Tsk. Can't focus anyway, I should just sleep early.’
Jaun, who was immersed in sentiment, shook his head once and sighed looking around the cell covered in sticky waste.
‘Sleeping with legs stretched out is out of the question.’
Avoiding the traces of turbid energy as much as possible, Jaun squatted in the corner, and his head soon dropped between his knees.
***
“What is this? Did someone sprinkle sewage water in the prison?”
Jegal Mu-ui pinched his nose at the stench wafting from the prison entrance.
“Such old bad habits until now! Besides, that child hasn't even been confirmed as a sinner yet!”
The prison guard, frozen stiff by the cold gaze of the strategist, trembled.
“T-This can't be! I clearly cleaned the prison thoroughly yesterday morning……!”
“Tsk tsk.”
Jegal Mu-ui shook his head and walked down the stairs of the prison with heavy steps.
The escort warriors following him also frowned and glared at the guard with cold eyes.
“No, what on earth is this smell? It really shouldn't be like this……?”
The guard, muttering to himself, hurriedly followed behind, repeatedly wiping the sweat forming on his forehead.
The first basement floor they went down to.
It was a place where those whose crimes were not yet clear were temporarily detained, and Jaun was there.
Jegal Mu-ui, who came down to the first basement floor, walked into the innermost room.
“……Hah.”
Arriving at Jaun’s room, Jegal Mu-ui stopped in his tracks as if he couldn't believe it and stared blankly around the cell.
The inside of the cell was full of filth.
And the child inside was wearing old clothes soaked in filth, dozing off miserably in the corner while hugging his knees tightly.
“It is a shameful thing. A shameful thing.”
Jegal Mu-ui’s angry face turned toward the guard once again.
“Hic.”
The guard was just as surprised after checking the room.
Why was the prison, which was shining enough to be the envy of the Alliance Leader’s Hall just yesterday, in this state?
Too surprised, the guard couldn't utter any words and continued to hiccup.
“Even the Demonic Cult’s prison wouldn't be to this extent. Tsk tsk.”
Jaun, sensing a presence at Jegal Mu-ui’s angry voice, woke up groggily and rubbed his eyes.
“Guard-nim, I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”
The only person who would come here at this time is the guard.
Thinking so, Jaun repeatedly apologized toward the presence with eyes not yet fully opened.
Of course, it was an apology for messing up the room.
“How much did you torment him for him to talk in his sleep like that…….”
Jegal Mu-ui glared at the guard once again.
Every situation was leading to Jegal Mu-ui misunderstanding.
The guard’s face turned from pale to blue.
“Tsk.”
Jegal Mu-ui fluttered his robes and turned his body.
Jegal Mu-ui’s eyes, watching Jaun slowly waking up from sleep, trembled slightly.
It had already been seven months since Jaun was locked in the prison.
In the meantime, although Jegal Mu-ui could have made time, he deliberately postponed the meeting as much as possible.
‘Since he is the Heavenly Demon’s disciple, how arrogant and haughty must he be.’
He thought he should break that spirit a little in the prison, but…….
Jaun, rubbing his eyes and waking up from sleep, looked exactly the age that reminded him of his grandson.
Seeing Jaun struggling to uncurl his body crouched in filth, compassion surged from a corner of his heart.
‘For that small child to spend seven months alone in such a harsh environment. Tsk tsk.’
Jegal Mu-ui calmed his thoughts, suppressing the rising guilt.
“Child.”
Jegal Mu-ui’s soft voice flowed into Jaun’s ears, who was drunk with sleep.
‘Wait. Whose voice is this?’
Confirming it wasn't the guard’s voice, Jaun’s eyes snapped open.
Simultaneously as Jaun stood up from his spot, a massive energy pushed out toward the surroundings with a whoosh.
Jaun’s energy made a whistling wind sound as it brushed through the iron bars and greatly shook the robe of the old man who was wearing a scholar’s cap and proper attire.
The complexions of the escort warriors standing behind turned white.
The escort warriors, hurriedly taking a step forward, drew up their energy and struggled to block Jaun’s energy pouring toward Jegal Mu-ui.
‘……Who is it? Seeing that the level of the escort warriors is considerable, he is not an ordinary person.’
As Jaun moved his energy, the senses he had cut off to prevent useless waste of mental energy came alive one by one.
The movements of all living beings beyond the prison, in the Inner Court of the Murim Alliance, began to enter Jaun’s mind as if looking down from the sky.
“Do not be surprised. I am Jegal Mu-ui, holding the position of Chief Strategist of the Murim Alliance.”
‘The Murim Alliance’s…… Strategist?’
Jaun, taking a step back with eyes mixed with wariness, opened his mouth cautiously.
“I am called…… Han Jaun.”
“Right. You must have suffered a lot during this time.”
For someone who locked him up, his attitude was strangely soft and favorable.
However, Jaun, not letting down his guard, looked straight into the old man’s eyes and asked.
“……What brings you here in person?”
Jegal Mu-ui’s whole body tingled from the momentum pouring out of Jaun.
‘……To think the momentum piercing through the energy of five escort warriors is to this extent.’
Jegal Mu-ui felt the immense power hidden behind Jaun’s youthful appearance with his own body and swallowed saliva with a dry mouth.
‘It feels like seeing the Alliance Leader’s childhood.
If it is a child of this level…… it is right to bring him in even if we have to force it.’
Checking with his own eyes, the hesitation he had felt washed away completely.
Jegal Mu-ui, hardening his wavering heart, opened his mouth.
“Relax. I came to inform you that all investigations have ended.”
Jegal Mu-ui cleared his throat.
Hiding his trembling legs as much as possible, Jegal Mu-ui slowly took a step inside the prison cell.
Jaun, staring piercingly at Jegal Mu-ui, opened his mouth.
“……The result of the investigation?”
Jegal Mu-ui, glancing back at Jaun once, quietly continued speaking.
“We have confirmed through various channels that you are not colluding with the Demonic Cult.”
“Then can I go out now?”
Jegal Mu-ui, looking at Jaun, took out a fan from his bosom pretending to be calm and shook it.
“It would be good to do so, but investigation is such a thing, you see; its results do not always match the truth. Do you understand what I am saying?”
Jegal Mu-ui clasped his hands behind his back and stared piercingly at Jaun.
Feeling as if he were facing a sharp beast right in front of his eyes, Jegal Mu-ui repeatedly wet his dry mouth with saliva.
‘Still, since he is currently held by the Murim Alliance, it will be difficult for him to act rashly.
I must take this opportunity to secure the most advantageous position.’
Jegal Mu-ui took another step forward and spoke toward Jaun.
“I just want to clarify who is holding the hilt of the knife right now.”
“…….”
“Regardless of the truth, depending on my answer, you could rot in this prison for life or find freedom. No one in the Gangho would doubt the Murim Alliance’s investigation results…….”
Instantly, a massive aura harboring thick darkness shot forward from Jaun’s body.
─ Hwaaak
“S-Strategist! Please step back!”
Sweat dripped from the foreheads of the escort warriors who rushed in instantly and blocked Jegal Mu-ui’s front.
The moment the escort warriors brought their trembling hands to the swords at their waists, Jaun’s cold voice filled the prison.
“The moment those swords are drawn, I think the only one breathing in this prison will be me alone.”
At Jaun’s low voice, the escort warriors' hands stopped in the air simultaneously as if frozen.
‘……I thought wrong. This wasn't a situation for me to feel compassion.’
Jegal Mu-ui, tightly tensing his knees that were shaking without his knowledge, exhaled heavily.
Inside the prison filled with darkness before anyone knew it, only Jaun’s sharp eyes were twinkling.
“Withdraw your energy. Trying to throw a joke didn't fit the situation.”
Pushing back the bodies of the escort warriors blocking his way, Jegal Mu-ui approached toward Jaun.
“Since we have confirmed that there is no connection with the Demonic Cult and that you harbor hostility toward the Demonic Cult, no matter if you learned Demonic Arts, we have no reason to keep you locked up here.”
Hearing Jegal Mu-ui’s words, Jaun’s momentum subsided little by little.
“I am sorry for what happened in the meantime. However, since we also have principles, we had no choice but to investigate thoroughly. I hope you understand that it was unavoidable.”
At Jegal Mu-ui’s words, Jaun relaxed his expression and nodded slightly.
Jegal Mu-ui put his hand in his bosom, took out a small key and a pouch containing Jaun’s belongings, and pushed them toward Jaun.
“Now you are free. It doesn't matter if you leave this prison right now. However…….”
Jegal Mu-ui, watching Jaun gathering his belongings, trailed off.
“Before you leave, how about making a deal with this old man?”
‘……Deal?’
At Jegal Mu-ui’s sudden words, Jaun narrowed his eyes.