Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 275 – Blood Saint (2)

Tap tap tap tap tap!

Six-Office Commander Im Gyu-wol of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, which oversees all the Prison Battlefields in the Imperial Palace, was leading four One Hundred-men Commanders of the Embroidered Uniform Guards and someone wearing a bamboo hat down to Eternal Hell Prison Battlefield.

Just by looking at Im Gyu-wol’s serious expression as he moved, it was clear that the situation was very urgent.

‘Damn it. Trying to catch a flea, we ended up burning down the whole house.’

Trainee Bae Ji-seok and Trainee Joo Woonhyang.

The Prison Battlefield Map was changed to catch those two, and that became the trigger.

Even if it was changed, it should have been designed to only lead them into the mechanism trap, but unintentionally, it led them to a place that should never be approached.

‘Cell No. 126……’

Not just the cell itself, but even approaching the surrounding area was forbidden.

That was because that place was very dangerous.

The monster known as the remnant of the Nine Blood Cult had enchanted the Embroidered Uniform Guards with a mysterious illusion technique despite being fully restrained.

Therefore, without sufficient preparation, one should never approach within the designated radius.

-Tap!

Im Gyu-wol, who had descended to Eternal Hell Prison Battlefield, hastened due to his anxious heart.

If, by any chance, the prisoner of Cell No. 126 were to escape, it would be no different from the worst-case scenario.

Not only was resolving the issue a problem, but as the head of the Fourth Office, he might have to take full responsibility.

Thus, he had to prevent it before it happened.

‘We must hurry.’

While running ahead through the cave passage of Eternal Hell Prison Battlefield, Six-Office Commander Im Gyu-wol frowned.

-Clang clang clang clang!

That was because the sound of weapons clashing could be heard from one of the guard posts deep inside Eternal Hell Prison Battlefield.

Wondering what was happening, he ran towards that location.

‘What in the world?’

The guards who were supposed to be guarding the post were desperately fighting against someone.

However, that someone was not the dreaded Cell No. 126.

To be precise, it was multiple people, and they were none other than the prisoners who should have been locked up.

“Hahahahaha!”

“Die! Die!”

“How dare you bastards try to capture us?”

The prisoners, filled with murderous intent, were rampaging with a strange madness in their bloodshot eyes, and the guards who had trained in martial arts were desperately trying to subdue them.

-Clench!

Six-Office Commander Im Gyu-wol bit his lower lip hard.

He didn’t know how they had managed to escape from the prison cells, but the situation had become even more twisted than he had feared.

‘Damn it.’

Im Gyu-wol glanced back at the person wearing the bamboo hat.

The one who slightly lifted his bamboo hat and shook his head was none other than Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom.

Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom muttered,

‘Handle it. I’ll go further in.’

At these words from Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom, Im Gyu-wol nodded his head as if he had no choice.

-Swish!

Then, he drew his sword and said,

“Subdue them.”

“Yes, sir!”

With that, Im Gyu-wol and the four One Hundred-men Commanders of the Embroidered Uniform Guards launched their figures towards the rampaging prisoners.

***

Near the innermost part of Eternal Hell Prison Battlefield.

Her eyes trembled.

‘That’s right. Even at a young age, not falling for the illusion technique is certain.’

-Crackle crackle crackle crackle!

Enveloped in the blue sparks of lightning, she suddenly retracted her thunder power upon seeing Mok Gyeong-un’s figure splitting into two and charging at her, leaving afterimages.

Then,

-Whoosh!

She widened the distance and held out her hand, gesturing for him to stop.

Mok Gyeong-un, who had intended to properly fight her, raised an eyebrow and stood still.

“Why the sudden change?”

Just a moment ago, she had been desperate to kill him, unable to trust him.

But why was she suddenly withdrawing the energy she had unleashed?

As he was puzzled, she suddenly clasped her hands together, bowed respectfully, and spoke in a trembling voice,

“Sixth Blood Saint Dam Baek-ha pays her respects.”

‘!?’

What?

Moreover, unlike before, she was even using honorifics.

He couldn’t understand why she was doing this.

As she kept her hands clasped, she raised her head, and with reddened eyes, she opened her mouth.

“Could it be that you are a member of the true lineage?”

“…… What are you talking about?”

He couldn’t comprehend what she meant by ‘member of the true lineage’ out of nowhere.

At Mok Gyeong-un’s reaction, she waved her hands and spoke as if telling him to lower his guard.

“I am the direct disciple of the previous generation’s Sixth Blood Saint Dam Ye-hwa, who was personally taught by that person. Although I have unintentionally achieved longevity beyond my station and continue this wretched life, if you are a member of the true lineage, you are no different from my superior. Please, I beg you to lower your guard and speak to me.”

“……”

At her polite words, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes narrowed.

It was still difficult to understand what she was saying.

Why was she showing this attitude?

‘What could it be?’

In an instant, Mok Gyeong-un traced back the cause of this.

It was something that happened after he had unleashed his demonic energy to properly fight her.

However, demonic energy was purely his own unique power.

Thus, it couldn’t be the reason for this.

Then,

‘…… Wind God Steps?’

To confuse her, he had performed the Wind God Steps that he had stolen and learned from the masked Thousand-men Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, Ma Ra-hyeon.

Come to think of it, when he performed this, she withdrew her thunder power and changed her attitude.

Her arrogant attitude from before had vanished without a trace.

At that moment, something flashed through Mok Gyeong-un’s mind.

It was,

[Do you perhaps have the surname Jin?]

[Surname Jin?]

[Yes.]

[No.]

[Then, it would be the surname So……]

[All sorts of surnames are coming up. I am from the Mok family.]

[Mok family?]

The conversation he had with the masked Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon.

When he said he was from the Mok family, Ma Ra-hyeon showed a strange reaction and then said,

[You really did steal and learn the lightness skill.]

Recalling this, Mok Gyeong-un was convinced that the change in her attitude was due to the Wind God Steps he had stolen and learned.

Ma Ra-hyeon had also abruptly asked him if he had the surname Jin.

What was the surname Jin or the true lineage that a single lightness skill could change her attitude?

Although he didn’t know the reason, based on her words introducing herself as the Sixth Blood Saint Dam Baek-ha, if he pieced it together to some extent, it seemed that her master, the previous generation’s Sixth Blood Saint Dam Ye-hwa, had received teachings from the person with the surname Jin.

‘Does she consider me his descendant and treat me respectfully like this?’

That was all he could speculate at the moment.

How great must the prestige of the person with the surname Jin be for the attitude of this monstrous woman to become so polite?

At this, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes became strange.

In any case, since he didn’t know who the true lineage was, he had no relation to this woman.

And if they continued to talk, she would surely realize this before long.

‘Hmm.’

However, Mok Gyeong-un’s thinking went beyond ordinary people’s and was quite bold.

Mok Gyeong-un judged that he could take advantage of this situation.

When she showed killing intent towards him, he had no choice but to kill her, but if he persuaded her appropriately, she could be useful in diverting attention, just like before.

Before that, there was one thing he needed to confirm.

With this, Mok Gyeong-un clasped his hands together, bowed respectfully like her, and said,

“Did you say you’re Dam Baek-ha? Did you perhaps recognize me because of my lightness skill?”

“Ah. So you are indeed from the true lineage?”

Dam Baek-ha asked with sparkling eyes.

Seeing this, Mok Gyeong-un reconfirmed that it was because of the lightness skill.

The reason he confirmed this was simple.

It was to determine if this lightness skill belonged to the person with the surname Jin, whom she and the masked Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon had mentioned.

‘I see.’

With this, Mok Gyeong-un shook his head and replied,

“I apologize. You may have had expectations because of the lightness skill, but I am not from the true lineage.”

‘!?’

At these words, Dam Baek-ha, who had been looking at him with hopeful eyes, frowned.

“What do you mean you’re not from the true lineage……”

“It’s exactly as I said.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Dam Baek-ha spoke in a disbelieving tone,

“That can’t be. You are definitely from the true lineage. Just the fact that you can easily withstand the Illusion Scripture, which that person passed down to me……”

“It’s true. How could I deceive you about this?”

“…… Could it be that you don’t trust me?”

“That’s not it……”

“If it’s because I said I’m the direct disciple of Dam Ye-hwa, I can also explain the secret of my longevity. Please don’t push me away with suspicion. After the cult fell, I spent a long time searching for the bloodlines of the Hundred Families and the Jin Family. So please……”

“I am truly not from the true lineage.”

“Sir!”

“However, my master who taught me the lightness skill might know that person from the true lineage.”

“……”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Dam Baek-ha’s eyes became complicated.

Based on the circumstances so far, she had been convinced that he was undoubtedly from the true lineage.

But even when he kept insisting he wasn’t, she felt disappointed and wondered if he couldn’t trust her.

‘Huh?’

At that moment, a doubt arose in her mind.

With this, she asked in a somewhat heavy voice,

“You said the person who taught you the lightness skill knows the person from the true lineage. Then, does that mean that person is also not from the true lineage?”

“Yes, that’s right. That person has a different surname. Do you perhaps know anyone with the surname Ma?”

Mok Gyeong-un asked, just in case.

It was certain that the masked Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon had a connection with the person with the surname Jin.

So when he imitated the lightness skill, he must have asked about that surname.

-Crackle!

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes, which had opened the Ghost Eye, saw Dam Baek-ha drawing upon her thunder power.

When he said that he had learned the lightness skill from someone with the surname Ma, her expression turned cold, and she was about to change her attitude once again.

With this, Mok Gyeong-un said,

“My master with the surname Ma, who taught me the lightness skill, also told me to treat those with the surnames Jin and So with the utmost respect.”

Of course, he had never said such a thing.

He had only asked if he had the surname Jin and then asked if he had the surname So.

So, just in case, he improvised and said this, wondering if the surname So might also be related.

However,

-Whoosh!

As soon as he finished speaking, the thunder power within her body subsided again.

Then, Dam Baek-ha approached Mok Gyeong-un, grasped the front of his robe with both hands, and spoke in an agitated voice,

“Your master! Where is your master? Take me to that person right now.”

She was convinced that the person with the surname Ma, whom Mok Gyeong-un mentioned, was related to the bloodline of that person.

Otherwise, there was no way he would have mentioned both the surnames Jin and So simultaneously.

Mok Gyeong-un, looking down at her emotionally agitated state, smirked with a shadowed face.

‘Ah.’

This was enough.

She had been well-prepared to be appropriately used.