novelraw Chapter 50 : Chapter 50
Chapter 50 : Chapter 50
Chapter 50 - Rain Forest Pavilion (4)
“Follow me carefully without making a sound.”
Jaun entered the passage first, and the rest of the group, excluding the Inspection Leader who decided to guard the entrance, followed behind him.
The passage, filled with hazy dust, was packed with stones, and judging by the processed state of the stones and the degree of weathering, it seemed to have been made quite a long time ago.
Sweeping away the cobwebs filling the passage, Jaun asked towards the back.
“Do you have a light?”
From the back, the Pavilion Master took out a fire stick from his bosom and lit it.
Inside the passage where even right in front wasn't clearly visible, the shadow of the fire the Pavilion Master brought out flickered.
“Let's go down.”
The group moved slowly downward along the sloping passage, holding their breath.
“This Rain Forest , weren't you guys managing it? What is this place?”
The Ice Rakshasa whispered to the Pavilion Master.
“It's my first time seeing such a large structure. I heard this was a tomb for military officials of a past dynasty, but with this scale, wouldn't it be a royal tomb?”
“Hey. Don't say ominous things. If this is a royal tomb, your sect above it has to vacate the spot. I've never seen anything good happen from getting involved with officials.”
The Ice Rakshasa grumbled and chased after Jaun.
While descending for a while, Jaun, standing at the front, raised his hand to restrain the group.
“There is a door ahead.”
At Jaun’s words, the group slowed their steps. Jaun approached the door slowly.
Creeaaaak
As Jaun placed his hand on it and applied a little force, the door slowly pushed backward, making a creepy sound.
“It isn't locked.”
Beyond the open door, a stone passage continued.
Confirming there were no particular danger factors, Jaun examined the door and then swept his hand once over the corner entangled with cobwebs.
“There are no traces of recent use.”
“Indeed. The inside of the passage is full of dust.”
The Ice Rakshasa, poking her face out from behind Jaun, said while examining the door.
“Since the Demonic Energy continues inward for now, let's go in further.”
At Jaun’s words, the Pavilion Master, who had been gauging the mood until now, cautiously stepped forward.
“Um…… You keep saying Demonic Energy since earlier, are you perhaps talking about that Demonic Energy used by the Demonic Cult members?”
“Yes. That Demonic Energy is correct.”
At Jaun’s words, the Pavilion Master, who was nodding, slowed his steps little by little.
“Euhahaha. That…… come to think of it, I feel I have sufficiently fulfilled my duty by escorting you two here, so I will try going up now. I shall guard the entrance with the Inspection Leader. I will hand over the fire stick now.”
The Ice Rakshasa struck the wrist of the Pavilion Master, who was stealthily handing over the fire stick, with a slap.
“You said you're the Pavilion Master of the Rain Forest . You should check what's on your land.”
“I am merely occupying one pavilion, so to speak……”
“Then if I burn down that pavilion above, you will have nothing to do with this place anymore, right?”
“No, why do you speak so drastically……”
At the Ice Rakshasa’s words, the Pavilion Master scratched his head with a troubled expression.
“Shut up and follow. You might know something we don't.”
As the Ice Rakshasa grabbed the Pavilion Master’s wrist and moved forward, the Pavilion Master let out a small sigh and chased after her, grumbling.
Still, perhaps happy that the beauty Ice Rakshasa held his wrist, the corners of his mouth twitched.
How long did they descend the passage like that?
Jaun, who was leading the way along the passage, stopped his steps right there.
‘This is…… the smell of blood?’
It felt like some time had passed, but it was definitely the scent of blood.
‘It’s not very old.’
“From now on, we will move quickly.”
Confirming there was no human presence ahead by expanding his senses, Jaun’s steps became much faster. The group moved out of the passage almost running.
The passage, barely wide enough for one person to pass, began to widen gradually as they moved forward.
When the passage widened enough for five or six people to walk in a line, a small light flickering was seen not far away.
As Jaun instantly silenced his footsteps and waved his hand, the entire group slowed down.
A huge cavern unfolded before the eyes of the group that moved forward slowly.
“……Who did this.”
The Ice Rakshasa, having exited the passage, looked around with a pale face.
A wide space characterized by a round ceiling unfolded before the group's eyes, where dozens of corpses with their bellies cut open were tangled together.
“Urrgh.”
Ban Cheol-hwi, who entered last, saw the half-rotted corpses and leaned against the wall right there, starting to retch.
Jaun’s eyes, watching the same scene, sank heavily.
“They are not martial artists.”
Jaun, examining the corpses here and there, frowned.
“They cut open the bellies and took out the internal organs. For what on earth…….”
The Ice Rakshasa’s expression also hardened terrifyingly.
The Pavilion Master, approaching cautiously from the back, frowned and looked around, then discovered something, flinched, and stopped his steps.
The Pavilion Master, sticking his head out and staring intently ahead, began to slowly back away, dragging his trembling legs with difficulty.
Bump
Having backed away to the stone wall like that, the Pavilion Master slumped down on the spot with a pale face.
“Huh? This?”
The Ice Rakshasa, examining the fallen corpses, pointed to the shoes worn on the corpses' feet with her finger.
Thick leather was attached to the soles of the corpses' shoes, and small stone fragments were embedded here and there.
“This…… aren't these work shoes? Usually people working in rough places—”
Realizing something in an instant, the Ice Rakshasa turned her head sharply.
“Quarry.”
At the Ice Rakshasa’s words, the Pavilion Master, who was already pale, trembled.
“N-No! It's not me!”
“You…….”
The Ice Rakshasa approached the Pavilion Master slowly, emitting an aura as cold as her gaze.
“R-Really! I'm a guy who doesn't even have the guts to do something like this! I just manage the business site and skim a little off the top…….”
Jaun, approaching the Pavilion Master quickly, grabbed him by the collar.
“Speak honestly. Who are these people?”
Unlike before, at Jaun’s stiff voice, the Pavilion Master trembled.
“The work shoes the corpses are wearing are indeed ours. They are items we supply to the quarry laborers. Yes. It is true they are our items but……. I also do not know why these people are dead here in this state!”
“So many working laborers disappeared like this, and you say you don't know?”
The Pavilion Master couldn't look Jaun in the eye properly and lowered his gaze to the ground.
“……That is.”
Bang!
The Ice Rakshasa’s fist grazed the Pavilion Master’s face and struck the wall.
The slowly seeping chill covered the Pavilion Master’s face with frost.
“Let's see what happens if you don't speak properly. I'll freeze your flesh and carve it off bit by bit until you beg me to kill you.”
The Pavilion Master, shuddering at the Ice Rakshasa’s eyes, prostrated himself on the spot just like that.
“Just spare my life! Heroes. I really have no relation to this matter! I only made people who lost big money at our gambling house come here to quarry stones! That is all!”
The Pavilion Master continued speaking while trembling all over.
“I made them work at the quarry until they paid off their debts. In the meantime, laborers often ran away. Even when a bunch of laborers disappeared a while ago, I just thought they plotted somehow and ran away as a group……”
At the Pavilion Master’s words, the Ice Rakshasa answered coldly.
“Ha. You treated people like slaves using debt as collateral? You committed such an act while belonging to the Sado Alliance? You must know clearly what happens if you get caught?”
“S-Spare me. I was short-sighted. Since there are so many guys who borrow money and then say ‘cut my belly’ when they lose it all, I tried to cover the loss somehow…….”
As the Ice Rakshasa raised her energy more, the cold air spreading from the floor encroached upon the Pavilion Master’s ears and began to slowly freeze them.
“I have committed a mortal sin!”
“Then you must die.”
At the Ice Rakshasa’s cold answer, the Pavilion Master banged his head on the ground.
“Just once, if you give me just one chance…….”
“When did those people disappear?”
At Jaun’s words, the Pavilion Master hurriedly raised his head and pointed at one person with his hand.
“Th-That spotted guy. I clearly remember that guy. Until just last week, he was definitely working at the quarry.”
Instantly, Jaun raised his hand to silence the Pavilion Master and lowered his body.
“Everyone quiet. Someone is approaching from afar.”
The group held their breath at those words.
After a little time passed, the group also began to sense the presence of people approaching from afar.
The presence was felt from a small door at the opposite end.
Judging by the absence of traces of people in the passage they had passed so far, it seemed the place the group passed was an unused passage, and beyond that door was the mainly used passage.
Jaun, approaching the door slowly, put his ear against it and sat down.
At Jaun’s gesture, the group hid their bodies in the corner, and only the Ice Rakshasa approached Jaun’s side while keeping a low posture.
“Fourteen?”
At the Ice Rakshasa’s question, Jaun nodded.
“Yes. Among them, three are guys who learned Demonic Arts. Let's wait for now.”
After a little time passed, the sound of people murmuring was heard from beyond the door.
“Where on earth is this?”
“You definitely said you would help us escape the quarry!”
“Don't worry and stand in a circle around that stone altar over there. I will tell you how to get out.”
Faint Demonic Energy was felt from the person who just spoke.
Jaun and the Ice Rakshasa exchanged glances and stood a little closer to the door.
“How many left?”
“Counting the people here, exactly five are missing.”
“Tsk. To think we have to do this annoying task again.”
Conversation between those with Demonic Energy continued, and soon a laborer’s voice cut in.
“Hey there. What on earth are you talking about. Damn it. If I knew we would suffer like this, I would have found another way. Didn't we walk down this steep cave for a long time. You mean we have to climb up this much again?”
At the voices of people continuing to be heard, the Ice Rakshasa sent a telepathic message to Jaun.
[It seems they are laborers from the quarry.]
At the Ice Rakshasa’s telepathic message, Jaun nodded and answered.
[So they dragged the laborers here and killed them like this. For what reason on earth did they do such a thing…….]
Jaun, clenching his fist tight, let out a big breath once.
Jaun, having calmed his mind a little, continued the telepathic message to the Ice Rakshasa.
[Let's save the people first.]
At Jaun’s telepathic message, the Ice Rakshasa also nodded.
[Understood. Young Hero Jaun open the door. I will go in first. It would be better to subdue the guys with Demonic Energy first and hear what they have been doing, right?]
At the Ice Rakshasa’s words, Jaun nodded.
[Alright. I will count to three. Get ready. One.]
At the moment the Ice Rakshasa was about to count, loud laughter from a person with Demonic Energy was heard from outside the door.
“Kuku. You guys can't grasp the situation. Going up, you say. Right, you must go up. Not to the ground you are thinking of, but to the side of the Blood Demon God .”
“Blood Demon God…… what? What on earth are you talking about?”
Instead of answering the laborer’s question, the person with Demonic Energy shouted to those whom it was unclear whether they were colleagues or subordinates.
“Kill them all!”
At the sudden shout, Jaun quickly smashed the door and ran inside.
Crash!
Before Jaun’s eyes, who kicked the door open and came out, a huge stone cavern and people gathered in its center were seen.
Jaun hurriedly flew towards those with Demonic Energy, but no matter what, he couldn't be faster than the three men in black swinging swords right next to the laborers.
“Aaaah!”
“Kuhuk!”
With the sword strokes of the men in black, the heads of over ten laborers flew off just like that.
Those who pushed the headless laborers onto the stone altar placed in the center turned their bodies towards Jaun running in after breaking the door.
“Enemy!”
Jaun, rushing in at high speed, looked at the fallen laborers pouring blood from their necks and gritted his teeth.
‘I should have entered faster.’
But there was no time to blame himself like that.
Jaun, narrowing the distance with the men in black in an instant, extended his fist and struck up the abdomen of the one at the very front.
Thwack!
“Kuhuk!”
The man in black hit by Jaun’s fist was pushed back a long way.
“He’s a master. Everyone be careful!”
Following that, Jaun threw his body to the side, twisted another man in black's arm, and threw him onto the stone altar.
Crash
At the same time as the man in black hit the stone altar and fell, the Ice Rakshasa, who had chased closely behind, jumped over the stone altar and unleashed a palm force just like that.
Crackle
Two men in black who were a little distance away from the stone altar were hit by the Ice Rakshasa’s palm force and bounced off to the wall covered in frost.
“Everyone stop right there!”
The Ice Rakshasa’s voice rang buzzing through the huge cavern.