Chapter 222 - Why Does Looking at You Put Me in a Bad Mood?

The basement was fitted out like a prison.

Each prisoner was locked in a separate cell. Since Geom Mugeuk had stayed close to the Poison King, he was assigned the cell opposite him.

"You saw what happened to the man who caused trouble."

After delivering that threat, the martial artists left.

Their one small mercy was the palm-sized window in each iron door. It allowed them to look into the cells, see one another's faces, and talk.

"Goddammit! We got out of prison only to be locked up in another one!"

"This place is even filthier than where we were."

"I once overheard the guards talking. They said they were taking prisoners out and sending them somewhere for secret experiments."

"Shit! We're going to die for nothing!"

"We have to get out somehow!"

The prisoners all had something to say, cursing furiously.

Geom Mugeuk sent a sound transmission to the Poison King, whose face had appeared in the window opposite him.

—Have you ever been locked in prison before?

—No.

—I'm sorry for putting you through this hardship.

—It's fine. When else would I ever experience something like this? Don't worry about me.

The Poison King truly sounded unconcerned. In some ways, he seemed exactly the sort of person who would hate such an ordeal. Yet looking at his calm face now, one could also imagine him handling it better than any other Demon Supreme.

—From what I saw earlier, that third-rate poison hack is quite skilled at administering poison.

For the first time, he praised the True Poison Recluse. There must have been something only the Poison King could see.

—Whatever else he may be, isn't he the foremost poison-arts master among the unorthodox factions?

—That's what makes me even angrier. With skill like that, he should have made a proper drug.

About two hours passed before food arrived.

It was an excellent spread, like a final feast before death.

Everyone began wolfing it down. They had deliberately been starved on the journey, and the food was so good that even a full stomach wouldn't have kept them from reaching for their chopsticks. The reason for serving such delicious food was simple.

—There's Berserk in the food.

—They're feeding it to us already?

—Not just Berserk. They've thrown in all sorts of other drugs, too.

—Starting the moment we arrive... It seems Yelü Han or Ae Cha ordered them to hurry.

That much was evident from the fact that prisoners coming from twenty days away had been brought here in just ten.

—That's actually good for us. We can get out of this stifling place all the sooner.

—Take the medicine I gave you beforehand, and it will neutralize Berserk immediately.

—Yes.

Of course, even without taking it, Geom Mugeuk could never have been poisoned in the first place. Even Formless Poison had no effect on him. These assorted drugs certainly couldn't.

Like livestock being raised, they ate only what they were given.

Those who had complained until the first meal now quietly looked forward to the next one. With fine dishes and liquor worthy of the most luxurious inns being served, men who had eaten nothing but garbage in prison went wild over the food and drink.

—You do have a solid plan, don't you?

—Didn't you say you would leave everything to me?

—You seem far too carefree. Training your martial arts in here?

Whenever I had a moment, I sat cross-legged in the middle of my cell and practiced the Heavenly Demon's Body-Protection Art.

Opportunities to spend an entire day undisturbed like this were rare. Since I had yet to achieve complete mastery of the art, I concentrated on practicing it whenever the chance arose.

The Poison King seemed curious about what I was doing.

—What martial art are you practicing?

I couldn't tell him honestly that I had learned the Heavenly Demon's Body-Protection Art.

—I'm practicing an internal cultivation method.

—Why do you work so hard at it?

—Because I believe I must grow stronger to be free.

—Aren't you strong enough already?

—Not enough to enjoy the freedom I want.

—What freedom is that?

After a brief pause, I answered him.

—A life where I can stop walking wherever I choose.

Perhaps the answer was unexpected, for the Poison King said nothing for a while. It sounded like something anyone could do, but he knew very well that no one could do it easily.

—The road you're walking... isn't one where you can stop whenever you wish.

—That's why I'm working on it. So I can stop when I want and look up at the sky.

A life with close companions who had shared life and death, joy and hardship, yet precisely because of that, did not bind one another. That was the freedom Geom Mugeuk wanted.

The Poison King gazed at him in silence.

This time, Geom Mugeuk asked a question.

—Do you have a dream, Poison King?

What sort of dream did the Poison King have now?

—Dreams? At my age?

Perhaps unwilling to answer, he disappeared from the little window.

'Poison King, things might have been different if you hadn't met me. But now that you have, I won't let you live out your old fate.'

That was why Geom Mugeuk had embroidered the words "Poison Supreme" on the gloves.

To keep his dream from becoming a dark obsession. To let him contemplate what "I Alone Reign Supreme in Poison" truly meant, out in the light.

Geom Mugeuk sat down and began practicing the Heavenly Demon's Body-Protection Art.

* * *

"Your meal is ready!"

Seo Daeryong entered the Wicked Laughing Demon's room. The tray in his hands held several neatly prepared dishes. Some he had bought; others he had cooked himself.

Had he ever been this nervous in his life? Even stepping into the final match of the Young Dragon Tournament surely hadn't made him tremble this much.

"Thank you."

The words were quiet but gentle. His goodwill toward Geom Mugeuk was extending to Seo Daeryong as well.

"Please let me know if you need anything!"

Seo Daeryong bowed so deeply he nearly folded at the waist.

Then the Wicked Laughing Demon spoke.

"There's no need for such excessive courtesy. You'll be a Demon Supreme yourself one day."

At the words "Demon Supreme," Seo Daeryong's heart began pounding again. Could he really become a Demon Supreme on equal footing with this terrifying Wicked Laughing Demon? Could he truly do it?

He was about to leave, but unable to contain the surge of emotion, he opened his mouth.

"I don't know if I'm worthy of that."

At that instant, his reason shouted at him.

Hey, what are you doing? Shut that mouth!

His head frantically tried to stop him, but his mouth, won over by his heart, was already pouring out words.

"I became my master's disciple almost before I knew what was happening, but I don't know whether it was really because of my abilities or because of the Pavilion Master. I don't know if this is the fate meant for me, or if I'll get ahead of myself and die trying to stretch my legs farther than they can go. Right now, I feel as though I'm just being pushed along by the current. Can someone like me become a Demon Supreme? Can I become someone like you, Laughing Demon?"

When he finished, Seo Daeryong felt as though he had floated up into the air. What had he just done?

'Ah! I've finally done it. Of all the people in the world, I had to pick the Wicked Laughing Demon to pour out my troubles to? Asking if I can become the Laughing Demon? Is that a challenge?'

Seo Daeryong hastily bowed.

"I'm sorry. I must have suddenly lost my mind."

He hurriedly turned away, but the Wicked Laughing Demon spoke.

"The Second Young Master is very fond of you."

Seo Daeryong flinched and turned back.

The eyes within the Wicked Laughing Demon's eyeholes were staring straight at him.

"Yes, I know!"

As soon as he said it, Seo Daeryong realized his mistake.

'I know? What do I know? I should have said, "Thank you for telling me."'

He was so nervous that his words kept coming out wrong.

"That's not what I meant. What I said just now..."

Then the Wicked Laughing Demon said,

"I know, too."

It sounded as though he meant he understood exactly how Seo Daeryong felt as he spoke.

Their eyes met. Those eyes were smiling. It was the first time Seo Daeryong had encountered the Laughing Demon's smile. Seeing those smiling eyes frightened him.

"I've made so many mistakes today. I'm truly sorry."

The Wicked Laughing Demon answered calmly.

"If you made no mistakes in front of me, wouldn't that be the real mistake?"

Once outside the room, Seo Daeryong let out a sigh. His mind was blank about what had just happened. He had said goodbye before leaving, hadn't he? It felt exactly like a dream. To have such a long conversation alone with the Wicked Laughing Demon, the most terrifying man in the world! He was both overwhelmed and afraid.

'Pavilion Master! Please come back soon! Your cherished right-hand man is going to make a mess of things at this rate!'

* * *

Three days after they were locked up, one of the prisoners began showing symptoms.

"Aaaaaargh!"

He screamed and pounded on the door, but it must have been more than an ordinary iron door, for it refused to break. His face was visible through the little window. Blood streamed from his eyes and nose. He had lost his reason and was rampaging madly.

The prisoners didn't know that Berserk was the reason they had been brought here. They thought he had simply gone mad from being unable to bear his confinement.

"You crazy bastard! Stop it!"

"Shut up! Do you want to die?"

But his frenzy only grew worse.

The sight angered the Poison King.

—That third-rate poison hack actually charged money for a drug like this?

Speak of the devil: the True Poison Recluse arrived at once and watched the rampaging man through the little window. The man charged over and thrust his face into the opening. His murderous intent was erupting.

BANG! BANG!

He slammed his head against the iron door.

The blood pouring from his eyes, nose, and forehead made for a horrific sight, but the True Poison Recluse's gaze remained cold.

In the end, the prisoner smashed his own head against the wall and collapsed, dead on impact.

The subordinates who had followed the Recluse carried the body out with practiced efficiency, as though they had done this many times before.

The True Poison Recluse inspected the other cells as well, checking each prisoner's condition.

He looked into Geom Mugeuk's cell. Geom Mugeuk sat leaning against the wall with his head hanging low, betraying no distinctive qi presence.

Next, he looked into the Poison King's cell.

Seated in the middle of the cell, the Poison King glanced toward the window.

The instant their eyes met, the True Poison Recluse sensed something different from the other prisoners.

'Is he mocking me?'

Surely not. There was no reason he would, but the Recluse disliked the look in his eyes.

The Poison King bowed his head and lowered his eyes, and the True Poison Recluse moved on to the next cell.

After inspecting every cell, the Recluse turned to leave, only to look into the Poison King's cell once more. This time, the Poison King was sitting with his back turned, lost in vacant thought.

The Recluse watched him briefly, then left with his subordinates. Geom Mugeuk immediately sent the Poison King a sound transmission.

—How did it go?

—Why even ask? Naturally, it worked.

—I knew it! You're incredible.

During that brief encounter, the Poison King had administered Berserk to the True Poison Recluse. When the Unorthodox Alliance eventually examined his corpse, they needed to discover that he had been poisoned with Berserk. That was one of the main reasons we had infiltrated this place.

—Poisoning the unorthodox factions' foremost poison-arts master while looking him in the eye! Who else in all Murim could possibly pull that off? You truly are the Poison Supreme!

—For now, I've only administered a minute amount, too little for him to notice. I'll have to increase the dose bit by bit.

His words were modest, but his expression said, "This much is nothing."

Sensing that he wanted to boast some more, Geom Mugeuk added to his praise.

—And you did it from inside a cell, to someone outside! When I get back, I'm going to brag to everyone! I'll tell Father about this magnificent feat. "The Poison King's poison arts were a work of art, Father!" That's what I'll tell him!

—There's no need to go telling the Cult Leader, too.

At the mention of telling Father, the Poison King looked embarrassed, yet quietly eager as well.

Perhaps that was why he seemed even more confident and assured.

—I'll poison him a little more each time he comes down.

The True Poison Recluse might think he was conducting the experiment, but the real test subject was the Recluse himself.

* * *

When the second and third victims followed in succession, the prisoners realized something had been added to their food.

Only then did they stop eating.

The True Poison Recluse appeared again. Walking slowly down the prison corridor, he said,

"I hear some of you aren't eating?"

They had hurled every curse imaginable, vowing to tear him apart if he came down, but now no one dared step forward. The sight of Blood Snake dissolving into bloody liquid had been seared too shockingly into their minds.

"Leave any food, and you'll die by my poison. Even if you beg me to kill you, I will show you no mercy."

After wielding that merciless stick, he tossed them a rotten carrot as well.

"If you survive this place, I won't send you back to prison. I'll simply release you. One or two of you might survive."

No one believed him.

Yet the words would certainly have an effect. In the despair of watching people die one by one, that rotten carrot would eventually become their only comfort.

Then the True Poison Recluse stopped in front of the Poison King's cell. Peering through the little opening, he told a subordinate,

"Open this door."

The subordinate opened the iron door of the Poison King's cell.

"Come out."

The Poison King walked out. This was an unexpected turn that neither he nor Geom Mugeuk had anticipated.

The True Poison Recluse looked at the Poison King and said,

"Why does looking at you put me in such a bad mood?"

He, too, was a supreme master of the unorthodox path. It seemed he had sensed some ominous fate in his encounter with the Poison King.

He offensively tilted the Poison King's chin upward with a finger.

"For some reason, I don't like the look in your eyes."

Even now, there was not the slightest fear on the Poison King's face.

Even if Geom Mugeuk sent him a sound transmission saying, "Poison King, look frightened!" he could hardly produce an expression he had never worn in his life. Especially when he was already in the foulest of moods.

The True Poison Recluse slowly raised his hand to slap him. The Poison King's lips moved slightly. Don't do it unless you want to fucking die. It looked as though he might say exactly that. The situation hung by a thread!

Geom Mugeuk shouted through the little window.

"It's because you two are alike."

The Poison King and the True Poison Recluse looked toward him at the same time. One spoke aloud; the other said it with a ferocious expression.

"What? We're alike?"