Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 280 – Holy Fire Priestess (3)

Embroidered Uniform Guard Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo looked at someone with a slightly tense expression.

In front of him stood a middle-aged man with a strong impression and only a mustache, paying his respects.

Although he was clearly in a higher position, the pressure he exuded as one of the top five masters in the Imperial Palace was no ordinary matter.

He was none other than Hyun Soon, the Northern Pacification Commissioner, one of the two Pacification Commissioners who could be considered the pinnacle among the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s field officers.

‘He seems to be getting stronger.’

Sang Ik-seo had watched his growth since he joined the Embroidered Uniform Guards.

He had already surpassed him in strength long ago, but now he was incomparable.

It wasn’t for nothing that he had become one of the top masters in the Imperial Palace.

-Murmur murmur!

The area behind Northern Pacification Commissioner Hyun Soon was chaotic.

A crowd of people wearing Embroidered Uniform Guard attire kept gathering, including Lesser Banners of junior 7th rank, Chief Banners of senior 7th rank, Probationary One Hundred-men Commanders of junior 6th rank, One Hundred-men Commanders of senior 6th rank, Deputy Thousand-men Commanders of junior 5th rank, Thousand-men Commanders of senior 5th rank, Six Offices Commanders of junior 4th rank, and Pacification Commissioners of senior 4th rank.

The reason they had gathered here was singular.

It was an emergency summons.

From the Associate Military Commissioner and above, they gained the authority to mobilize the Embroidered Uniform Guards in an emergency summons.

Here, mobilization didn’t mean the complete entirety of the force.

Even if it was called mobilization, it excluded the Southern Pacification Commissioner who closely guarded His Majesty the Emperor, the First Office that guarded the Inner Palace and the Imperial Family, and the Fourth Office that was in charge of the Prisons.

However,

‘…… These Sixth Office bastards.’

Most of the Embroidered Uniform Guards had gathered, but only those from the Deputy Thousand-men Commander and below had come from the Sixth Office.

The Six Offices Commander of the Sixth Office, So Yerin, and the Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon did not come.

-Crunch!

‘Now that this guy has escaped from the poison, is he refusing the emergency summons….. No, wait. Is he planning to stab me in the back along with Six Offices Commander So Yerin?’

If that was the case, it would become very troublesome.

Although he had escaped the poison thanks to Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom, who was from the same organization as the deceased Embroidered Uniform Guard One Hundred-men Commander Gyeom-chang, he still had the weakness of the human skin mask.

If an investigation were to be conducted with that, his position would be in jeopardy.

‘Damn it.’

So he informed Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom about being caught with this weakness.

Then, Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom said,

[I will take care of the human skin mask. So, Associate Military Commissioner, pretend to be the Chief Eunuch Ho of the Western Depot and catch that person.]

[Catch that person, you say? But even Gyeom-chang was no match for him, so how……]

[I’m not telling you to catch him alone.]

[Don’t tell me…]

[Issue an emergency summons for the Embroidered Uniform Guards. If we can deploy at least half of the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s forces, we can catch him without difficulty.]

[That….. That may be true, but…..]

[We have sufficient justification. Since there is suspicion that the person close to Prince Gyeong is an imposter, no one will question or object to the emergency summons.]

For this reason, Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo had issued the emergency summons.

However, now that the masked Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon, who held his weakness, did not come, he hesitated on what to do.

It had to be one of two things.

Either they had read his moves and were trying to backstab him, or Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom was in the process of taking away his weakness from them, as he had boldly claimed.

If that was the case,

‘We must hurry.’

In any case, both they and he had no choice but to make diversionary moves.

Trusting Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom and catching that fake Chief Eunuch Ho was the only way to resolve everything.

Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo looked at the gathered Embroidered Uniform Guards.

Nearly 60% of those in the Imperial Palace had gathered.

In terms of military strength, this was sufficient.

If they pressured that person with Northern Pacification Commissioner Hyun Soon at the forefront, they could sufficiently subdue him, no, kill him.

-Thud!

Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo raised his hand and spoke in a loud voice,

“It seems we don’t have the luxury to wait for the leaders of the Sixth Offices. From now on, we will go to Prince Gyeong’s Icy Palace to save His Highness!”

***

Like that, the Embroidered Uniform Guard forces led by Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo were heading towards Prince Gyeong’s palace.

Originally, it was forbidden for a military group exceeding the designated number to enter the palace of the Imperial Family, but if it served the purpose of rescuing the Imperial Family, it was exceptionally allowed.

That was also why Defender-in-Chief Muk Seom had proposed this.

Before long, they had almost reached the vicinity of Icy Palace.

They just needed to pass the palace hall.

‘We must kill him without fail.’

There was no need for subduing him.

Since they couldn’t let him speak, as it would be dangerous, he had to issue an order to execute him.

Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo was about to give the order.

But right at that moment,

-Rumble rumble rumble!

“Wh-what?”

“The ground?”

The ground shook, and an earthquake occurred.

Startled by this, the Embroidered Uniform Guard forces stopped moving towards Icy Palace.

The sudden earthquake occurred throughout the entire Imperial Palace, causing roof tiles to fall, and it was utter chaos everywhere.

‘What the hell is this?’

It was already frustrating that they had to hurry, but the earthquake made it even more difficult.

While wondering what was going on, red smoke was seen rising from somewhere.

The red smoke made the Embroidered Uniform Guards more agitated than the earthquake.

That was because the red smoke signified that a major incident had occurred in the underground Prison, and it was a red signal requesting assistance accordingly.

With this, the Six Offices Commanders approached and said,

“Elder Associate Commissioner. What should we do about this? Shouldn’t we also send forces to the underground Prison by dividing the personnel?”

“That’s right. The red signal means there was an escape attempt in the underground Prison.”

At the opinions of these Six Offices Commanders, Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo’s stomach churned.

‘No, this is driving me crazy. The goal is right in front of us.’

To catch that guy, he needed all the current forces.

With only half, it was extremely unsettling.

However, he couldn’t ignore the red signal from the underground Prison either.

Just as he was agonizing over what to do,

“Elder Associate Military Commissioner! Pacification Commissioner! Look over there!”

At that moment, a Thousand-men Commander from the Third Office raised his hand and pointed towards Icy Palace.

Wondering what was going on, he turned his head and saw Prince Gyeong standing on the roof of Icy Palace.

“It’s His Highness Prince Gyeong.”

“Why is His Highness on the roof?”

The Embroidered Uniform Guards couldn’t hide their perplexity at Prince Gyeong’s sudden action.

Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo was no exception.

His head was already messed up, and now that Prince Gyeong was on the roof in a precarious state, it felt like his head was about to explode.

“We must save His Highness.”

At that moment, Northern Pacification Commissioner Hyun Soon tried to step forward.

They were right in front of the Icy Palace hall, so they couldn’t ignore the danger to the Imperial Family member.

However, just as Northern Pacification Commissioner Hyun Soon was about to take a step forward,

“The Embroidered Uniform Guards are driving this king to his death!”

-Swish!

Prince Gyeong suddenly shouted those words and jumped off the roof.

“Oh no!”

-Thud!

In an instant, Northern Pacification Commissioner Hyun Soon used his lightness skill to the fullest to catch him somehow.

However, no matter how skilled he was and how outstanding his lightness skill was, there was a distance to catch him.

-Thud!

‘!!!!!!!!!’

He missed him by just five steps.

Prince Gyeong, who had fallen head-first, had his neck twisted grotesquely and collapsed.

Blood flowed from Prince Gyeong’s twisted body, dyeing the surrounding ground red.

Shocked by the sudden action followed by a sudden, no, the worst situation, Northern Pacification Commissioner Hyun Soon and the Embroidered Uniform Guards were at a loss for words.

The one who was most speechless among them was Associate Military Commissioner Sang Ik-seo of the Embroidered Uniform Guards.

‘Da-damn it……’

He had come to catch the fake supervisor of the Western Depot, but the situation had spiraled out of control.

The justification for issuing the emergency summons was to save Prince Gyeong, a member of the Imperial Family.

But he had died.

Moreover, as he jumped, he said that the Embroidered Uniform Guards had driven him to his death.

Sang Ik-seo sat down on the ground as if he had fallen into despair.

-Flinch! Swish!

At that moment, Northern Pacification Commissioner Hyun Soon, who had been examining the body of the deceased Prince Gyeong, half-drew the sword from the scabbard at his waist and looked around.

Northern Pacification Commissioner Hyun Soon, surveying the surroundings like that, couldn’t understand.

Just a moment ago, he had felt something eerie from Prince Gyeong.

But it had disappeared in an instant.

‘…… What was that just now?’

There was a spirit body in the air watching him, who was puzzled like this.

She was none other than Cheong-ryeong, clicking her tongue while holding a long pipe.

-Not bad.

After absorbing the demonic energy of the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox, one of the Six Demons Kings, her spiritual energy had become almost Indigo-level sprit.

So even if it was someone who had surpassed the limits, she thought they wouldn’t easily detect her spiritual energy, but he noticed it in an instant.

If her spiritual energy hadn’t evolved further, she might have been discovered.

Cheong-ryeong flew upward.

-I did as that mortal brat told me to, but I wonder if this alone will be enough to divert attention.

***

Around the same time.

In one of the Imperial Palace’s food storage warehouses, about fifty jang away from the entrance to the underground Prison.

This place, which stored dried seafood and such, had a particularly strong smell, so it had unusually low traffic unless one came to get food ingredients.

-Rumble rumble rumble rumble!

Due to the earthquake shaking the entire warehouse, someone got up from their spot and slightly opened the warehouse door.

-Creak!

And through the gap, they couldn’t hide their astonishment at the red smoke they saw.

That was the red signal indicating that a major incident had occurred in the underground Prison.

When that smoke signal appeared, regardless of the reason, all the Embroidered Uniform Guards, except for the First Office, had to be dispatched, just like in an emergency summons.

-Thud!

Someone hurriedly closed the warehouse door.

He was none other than the masked Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon.

Ma Ra-hyeon was dumbfounded.

‘Didn’t they say they would quietly help them escape?’

The situation had become extremely complicated.

If the red signal had been raised, it was as good as confirming the fact that there was an escape from the underground Prison.

Ma Ra-hyeon walked to one side of the warehouse, frowning deeply at the seriousness of the situation.

It was no exaggeration to say that escape had become nearly impossible.

‘How the hell are they going to come here?’

He had urgently searched and found a safe base for the escape because he was told to prepare one.

But it seemed that everything was about to be ruined.

The situation had become difficult.

In this case, should he go to the underground Prison for now, in response to the red signal?

Just as he was contemplating what to do,

-Thud!

At that moment, without sensing any presence, the warehouse door suddenly opened.

The startled Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon hurriedly hid his body between the stacked wooden crates in the warehouse.

Then, the opened warehouse door closed again.

‘Who is it?’

Ma Ra-hyeon suppressed his presence to the maximum.

Judging from the fact that he couldn’t feel the presence of the person who entered, they were clearly a tremendous master.

But then, he heard a sound as if something was being dragged.

-Ha….. Ha…..

The breathing was uneven.

It was the breathing of someone who had been injured.

At that moment, a voice was heard.

“Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon.”

‘!?’

At that voice, Ma Ra-hyeon couldn’t hide his inner perplexity.

The owner of the voice was none other than his master, no, his superior, the leader of the Sixth Office, Six Offices Commander So Yerin.

Ma Ra-hyeon’s eyes slightly trembled.

Why did she come to this place where he was?

While he was puzzled, Six Offices Commander So Yerin said,

“What the hell were you doing to be tracked by someone like this?”

‘Tracked?’

What does that mean?

Wondering about it, he had no choice but to come out from between the dried seafood crates.

In front of So Yerin, who had her arms crossed, a person who seemed to be injured, with bruises on his face, was lying face down.

Judging by his attire, he was a low-ranking eunuch of the Eastern Depot.

‘!?’

Was she saying that person had secretly followed him?

If he could hide his presence to that extent, he had to be either a trained person or a master one level above him.

However, based on his breathing and energy, he wasn’t a master one level above him.

At that moment, Six Offices Commander So Yerin, who had her arms crossed, spoke.

“Thousand-men Commander Ma. What the hell are you doing?”

“………”

“An emergency summons was issued by the Associate Military Commissioner of the Embroidered Uniform Guards. So I went to get you and accidentally discovered this person following you. What are you hiding from me?”

At her words filled with suspicion, Ma Ra-hyeon was at a loss.

The reason he had come here was to help a prisoner from the underground Prison escape.

Therefore, he couldn’t reveal this fact.

-Tap tap tap!

Six Offices Commander So Yerin approached him with a cold expression.

Although she trusted Ma Ra-hyeon, who was her deputy and almost like her disciple, taking such secretive actions without informing her of anything was an act of betraying that trust.

Feeling the disappointment from her, Ma Ra-hyeon hesitated on what to do.

“If you don’t tell the truth…..”

Before she could finish her sentence,

-Swish swish swish!

At that moment, the space right next to them rippled, and suddenly, smoke rose, creating a round entrance.

‘!!!!!!’

At the sudden bizarre phenomenon, the heads of Six Offices Commander So Yerin and Thousand-men Commander Ma Ra-hyeon simultaneously turned towards it.

The eyes of the two people who turned widened.

What the hell was this?

Why did such an entrance suddenly appear in the warehouse?

As Six Offices Commander So Yerin was puzzled by this incomprehensible phenomenon, her expression hardened.

It was because of the people she saw beyond the entrance.

‘Prisoners?’

Although she had never been assigned to the Fourth Office and had never entered the underground Prison, as an Embroidered Uniform Guard, she was familiar with the prisoners’ attire.

Two of them were wearing prisoners’ uniforms, and the one unconscious over there was…..

“Joo Woonhyang?”

Trainee Joo Woonhyang.

And the one holding something strange between his index and middle fingers at the entrance was Trainee Ahn Jong-hu.

Seeing these two, she could instinctively be certain.

Although it was hard to believe, this mysterious entrance made of smoke seemed to be connected to the Imperial Palace’s underground Prison.

Because she knew that both of them had entered as apprentices of the Fourth Office, which was in charge of the Prison this time.

At that moment, Trainee Ahn Jong-hu, who was standing in front of the entrance, alternately looked at Ma Ra-hyeon and So Yerin and spoke,

-Did Thousand-men Commander Ma bring that person?

‘!?’

The moment he heard the transmitted sound ringing in his ears, Ma Ra-hyeon realized that Trainee Ahn Jong-hu was Mok Gyeong-un.

Because of this, Ma Ra-hyeon’s mind became complicated for a moment.

Not only did he change his face again, but was this what he meant when he said he could escape from the underground Prison?

Right then,

-Swish!

Six Offices Commander So Yerin drew her sword from the scabbard at her waist, aimed it at Mok Gyeong-un, who had the face of Trainee Ahn Jong-hu, and said,

“What the hell are you doing right now?”

At her words, Mok Gyeong-un looked at Ma Ra-hyeon’s reaction and let out a soft sigh.

Judging by his vigilant appearance, it seemed he hadn’t intentionally brought her.

Having this woman involved was somewhat annoying, but there was no choice.

They had to cross the entrance first.

This treasure he was holding between his fingers was something he had received from Yeo Su-rin, the disciple of Scarlet-Tailed Old Immortal, the master of Harmonious Immortal Pavilion, one of the two most mysterious pavilions among the Sixty-Four Pavilions of Diviners.

This treasure, which he had won in a bet, was a useful item that created a door to a desired location within a radius of about two hundred jang, but only once.

However, while it was very useful, it was a one-time use.

So they had to quickly cross to the other side before it closed.

-Swish swish swish!

Seeing the entrance gradually becoming unstable, it seemed they had to hurry.

With this, Mok Gyeong-un pulled out the demonic sword Plundering-killing Sword, which was stuck in front of the entrance, and gestured towards the Holy Fire Priestess and the Nine Blood Cult’s Sixth Blood Saint Dam Baek-ha behind him, saying,

“For now, let’s hurry and cross before the door closes.”

Of course, he altered his voice.

Six Offices Commander So Yerin thought he had died after being ambushed while injured at the medicine house.

There was no point in letting her know he was alive.

However,

-Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!

At that moment, the demonic energy of the Plundering-killing Sword surged, trying to erode Mok Gyeong-un.

Mok Gyeong-un’s eyebrows raised at the demonic energy, which was much stronger than expected.

To this extent, it was far more severe than the Evil Commandment Sword.

Because of this, Mok Gyeong-un had no choice but to draw upon his demonic energy to avoid being eroded by the sword’s demonic energy and suppress it.

However, the moment he drew upon his demonic energy,

-Clang!

A sword flew at him like lightning, and Mok Gyeong-un hurriedly pulled out the Plundering-killing Sword to block it.

The one who had swung the sword was none other than Six Offices Commander So Yerin.

So Yerin spoke with a stiffened face,

“……. You were alive?”

Her energy perception was very sensitive, so she accurately remembered the energy she had experienced before.

For her, revealing a unique energy like demonic energy was no different from revealing his own identity.

At her words, Mok Gyeong-un scratched his head as if he was in a predicament.

“Ah, I unintentionally got caught.”

“How did you……”

“More importantly, I don’t have time, so I think you should step aside.”

-Boom!

With those words, Mok Gyeong-un infused demonic energy into the Plundering-killing Sword, creating a repulsive force, and flung Six Offices Commander So Yerin away along with her sword.

-Swish swish swish swish swish!

Pushed back about six steps by the sudden strong repulsive force, her eyes wavered.

‘This guy……. His martial power has increased.’

It wasn’t just a matter of increasing.

It had been enhanced to an incomparable extent compared to when she had fought him.

Not only was the person she thought had died actually alive, but what the hell had happened in just a few days?