—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: cyno
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Thud-.
In the cold confines of the iron bars, Jin Gwang-woo gritted his teeth, unable to contain his anger.
Under normal circumstances, he might have broken through the iron bars, but with his internal energy suppressed, nothing was permitted to him now.
Yet, he hadn’t lost hope.
The reason?
‘The Elder Council still remains.’
In the Taewon Jin Family, punishments for direct lineage members were decided by the Elder Council.
‘Given the situation, I can’t bribe them immediately.’
When the representative of the Elder Council arrives, if he explains the whole story, he might be able to escape this crisis.
Moreover, the charges haven’t been finalized yet.
The missing thousand nyang… it was money that Wang Sa-bang likely embezzled.
There’s no evidence anywhere that he took it.
If Jin Ga-young fabricates evidence again, as she has done before, there’s no way out.
‘Before that happens, I must contact the Elder Council somehow.’
The reason Jin Gwang-woo is imprisoned now is simply because he lost his temper and caused a disturbance.
It’s still a minor charge.
Before this minor charge grows larger under Jin Ga-young’s schemes, he must turn the situation around.
“Open the door.”
Just then, there was a sound of movement outside the door.
The iron door opened, and a middle-aged man entered.
Jin Gwang-woo could tell immediately from his attire that he was from the Elder Council.
“You’ve come! You’ve come at last!”
“Jin Cheon-geom, what is this about? Why are you in this state? What are all these rumors?”
“Don’t mind them! Just listen to what I have to say and deliver it exactly to the Elder Council!”
“Ah, understood… Please calm down……”
Jin Gwang-woo clung to the man’s pant leg and poured out all the truths and circumstances he knew.
That it was all Jin Ga-young’s doing, that the money wasn’t taken by him but by Wang Sa-bang.
That the contract was initially for two thousand nyang, and that the documents Jin Ga-young presented were forged evidence.
The man listened silently from beginning to end.
“I see, such a thing has happened. Don’t worry anymore. I’ll go back and inform the Elder Council of everything.”
He clenched his fist as if to reassure him and left the prison.
Creak…!
“Huh? What’s that in your hand……?”
He returned to the cell with a club in hand.
And then, without mercy, he began to beat Jin Gwang-woo.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
“Kuaaak!! Aaak!! Wha, what are you doing!! Why are you doing this!!”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
“Aaaak!! Aaak!! St, stop it!! Stop!!!”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
“Aaaak!! Aak!! Wai, wait! Just wait……!!!”
No matter how much he screamed, the man showed no response and continued to swing the club mercilessly.
This went on for what felt like an eternity.
By the time it stopped, there wasn’t a spot on his body without bruises, and every joint felt like it had been shattered.
“Next time, you should speak properly.”
“Kkk… Uuuuuk…….”
“You don’t want to suffer more, do you?”
Only then did the man stop beating him and left the cell.
That night, Jin Gwang-woo ground his teeth in rage until late.
****
The Next Day
A new man entered.
He was dressed in the attire of the Elder Council.
“Uuuk…!”
As Jin Gwang-woo barely lifted his head to look at him, the man hurried over and helped him up.
“S-sir! What on earth happened to you!”
“You… are you real……?”
“What are you talking about! What are all these injuries! We need to treat you immediately……!”
“No, no time for that!”
“Huh?”
“Quickly, go to the Elder Council and deliver my message! Don’t miss a single word of what I’m about to say……!”
Jin Gwang-woo repeated everything he had said the previous day.
The only difference was that he was even more desperate.
“……Did you get it? You memorized everything, right?”
“Yes, yes… I memorized every word without missing a single one…….”
“Good! Then it’s done! Go and deliver it! Before that bitch Ga-young gets her hands on me!”
“Yes… I understand….”
Only after the man awkwardly left did Jin Gwang-woo let out a sigh of relief.
Now, he thought, he could escape from the clutches of that wicked Ga-young.
It took only a few seconds for that naive thought to shatter.
Creak…!
The man, clearly dressed in the Elder Council’s attire, entered holding the same club he had seen yesterday.
The sight of the club, stained with his own blood, sent shivers down his spine.
“W-wait……!”
“Sigh, you should face reality sooner rather than later.”
“St-stop…! Don’t come closer……!”
“Do you think I’ll stop just because you say so? Can’t you see the situation clearly now?”
The man began to beat him again, but this time in a different manner—more painful, more vicious.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
“Aak!! Kuaak!! Kraak!!”
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
“Kkhek!! St-stop! Please stop!!!”
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
“Kkk… St-stop… Please stooop……!”
The club tore through his body, but it never touched his mouth.
That terrified Jin Gwang-woo even more.
“Whew, you’ve worked up a sweat.”
“Huu… Ugh…….”
“……You’ve lost a lot of blood.”
After enduring the beating, Jin Gwang-woo was left alone again, trembling in fear.
The pain was unbearable, but what scared him more was the thought of what was to come.
That night, Jin Gwang-woo spent muttering through a hoarse voice filled with resentment.
****
The Next Day
A new man entered the prison.
Jin Ga-young followed him in.
“……?”
As Jin Gwang-woo barely lifted his motionless neck to look, Jin Ga-young pointed at the man and spoke.
“This is someone from the Elder Council. He said he needs to hear your side of the story.”
“Uuk…….”
“Why are you like this? Weren’t you waiting desperately for this moment?”
“Uuuh…….”
“You should speak quickly. You’ve been waiting for this moment to prove your innocence, haven’t you?”
“Aaah……. Hh, hhuuk…….”
Only then did Jin Gwang-woo realize.
That he could never escape Jin Ga-young’s grasp.
If he told the truth again, he would likely be beaten to a pulp like yesterday and the day before.
If he gets beaten anymore, he might really die.
“You… bitch…….”
“Huh? What did you say? Your voice is too soft. How can you expect the Elder Council to hear the truth like that?”
“…….”
I don’t want to be beaten.
It’s obviously another fake.
But what if it’s real?
Jin Ga-young is here vouching for him. If I miss this chance, what will happen to me?
“Are you… really real……?”
“Of course, he’s from the Elder Council, right?”
“Yes. I’ve come under the orders of the Grand Elder.”
He’s fake.
I shouldn’t fall for it.
But the lingering attachment to life forced Jin Gwang-woo to his feet.
“Hhuuk… I’ll… trust you…….”
Of course, that day too, he was betrayed.
“Kuaaak!!! Aaaak!!!”
Jin Gwang-woo lost both his hands as the price for telling the truth.
That night, Jin Gwang-woo spent his time soaking the iron bars with tears of regret.
****
Another Day
“S-sir! What’s wrong with you!”
“You… fake too…….”
“What are you talking about! Lie down first! Wh-what happened to you……!”
“All… fakes…….”
They’re all the same.
Pretending to be from the Elder Council, then turning on him when he tells the truth.
If I tell the truth again, I’ll be beaten again, right?
Like I’ve been beaten to death over the past week.
“Please… stop…….”
“Sir! I’m Jo Pil-bang from the Elder Council! Tell me everything that’s happened to you here!”
“It’s pointless… futile struggle…….”
“Pointless? I don’t know what you’ve been through, but I’ll tell the Elder Council everything about your innocence! Then you can be released!”
“It… hurts…!”
“……!”
“Hhaaa……. Aaaak……!”
His body, devoid of internal energy, was too weak.
As his body weakened, so did his mind.
Even though he knew the man wasn’t holding a club, his entire body began to tremble.
“Sir…! Please tell me…! Only then can I help you……!”
It’s a lie.
If I fall for this wicked scheme, all that awaits is another beating.
“Please… go away……!”
“…….”
“Get out…! Get out of here…! Leave my sight……!”
I don’t want to be beaten.
If I get beaten anymore, I’ll really die.
This guy’s probably fake too, so what’s the point of telling the truth?
“I embezzled the money…… so please stop…….”
……It’s better to die comfortably.
****
Mistake
The man who came on the last day was real.
I… chased away the only ‘real’ one.
“Uncle, see this?”
Jin Ga-young unfolded a letter in front of me.
“It’s the verdict. According to the Gwanmu Non-Interference Treaty, you’ll be punished by the family without official intervention. It’s all written here.”
“…….”
“The verdict is… death. The fact that you confessed to the crime yourself played a big part. We already buried Father’s body, but it’s a shame we couldn’t bury you on the same day.”
“…Even in death.”
“The execution is in three days. You know that bearded executioner from the village across the river? He’s the one who’ll behead you.”
“Even in death, I’ll curse you……!”
I’ll curse you. I’ll hate you. I’ll take revenge.
Even after death, I’ll haunt you as a vengeful spirit.
I’ll make sure you live a miserable life, worse than death.
That’s my revenge for the suffering I’ve endured.
“Your eyes are still fierce.”
……?
“I wonder if you’ll still be this composed after spending three days in a place where no light or darkness enters.”
A place where no light or darkness enters?
“Take him away. To the underground solitary cell.”
“Yes.”
Wait, Baek Do-gaek, why are you coming in?
I know you’re not on my side. I know you’ve been on Ga-young’s side from the start. But why are you coming in?
Flash-.
Wait…! Where are you taking me……!
The underground solitary cell… are you really taking me, Jin Cheon-geom, to such a place?
……Are you serious?
“……! ……!”
My throat tightened again.
I shouldn’t have spoken earlier.
Clang-!
Through my swollen eyelids, which I couldn’t even open, darkness seeped in.
Thud!
The cold, narrow floor pressed against my skin.
“See you in three days.”
“……!”
“…You shouldn’t have done something you couldn’t handle.”
What followed was hell.
Perhaps because I was a death row prisoner, or because of Jin Ga-young’s influence, they didn’t even give me food.
Occasionally, someone would come to give me water, but it was never enough to quench my thirst.
“Huuu…….”
How much time has passed?
It feels like a lot, but has it not been three days yet?
It’s only been thirty-six hours, but has it not passed yet?
My sealed internal energy still hasn’t moved.
My arms are in a state worse than being severed, so I can’t touch anything.
Am I supposed to die like this?
As a branded criminal of the family, unable to even receive ancestral rites?
“No……!”
I don’t want to.
Tomorrow, everything will end.
I’m supposed to become a vengeful ghost, but it seems I won’t even get that.
Am I really going to die?
Just like this, so meaninglessly?
Rustle-.
The bugs living in the underground cell crawled all over my body.
I want to eat them to fill my stomach, but I can’t see or touch them, so there’s nothing I can do.
“Ugh…….”
I feel nauseous even though I haven’t eaten anything.
My throat burns, so it must be blood.
How did I end up like this?
Just ten days ago, I was the elder of the Taewon Jin Family, Jin Cheon-geom.
“I’m… going to die……?”
Today.
I shed tears of fear.
The fear of death is something no human can remain indifferent to.
****
The Next Day
“Uncle, want to hear some good news?”
“Huaa?”
Jin Ga-young’s voice echoed.
Is it time for my execution?
……I’ve accepted it.
After crying my heart out, everything feels meaningless.
Just kill me quickly, end this suffering.
Please-.
“That executioner got a stomach ache. Thanks to that, your execution has been postponed by a day! Wow, isn’t that great news?”
“……What?”
I’m… not going to die today?
I’m going to die tomorrow?
“Oh, of course… he might get a stomach ache again tomorrow, hehe.”
“Ah……!”
“Oh, your expression. It’s a shame you can’t see your own face. I almost want to bring you a mirror.”
“Aaaaah……!!”
That night, I bashed my head against the cell wall.
I don’t know where the strength came from.
It was just a desperate attempt to end it all.
Revenge? Such thoughts no longer even cross my mind.
****
The End
“Uuuh…….”
Jin Gwang-woo was found dead.
In the solitary cell where he had been confined, his skull was shattered, and his brain matter, blood, and vomit were mixed together.
It wasn’t a pleasant sight, but Jin Ga-young looked at it with satisfaction.
With the pale-faced Jin Ye-ryeong by her side.
“Ye-ryeong, take a look at that.”
Jin Gwang-woo’s corpse, unlike when he was alive, had turned white-haired like me.
In just a few days.
It showed how much he had suffered mentally.
“Doesn’t he look ridiculous? What do you think?”
“Uuuh… S-sister……! I’m sorry……!”
“You should be sorry.”
“P-please spare me…! I’ll be your slave for life…….”
“Oh, you know that’s not what I want, right?”
“S-sister……!”
“Sacheon Dang Family, will you go or not?”
Jin Ga-young.
She’s an extraordinary girl.
For someone just eighteen years old, she carries out actions that are far beyond her age without a second thought.
“I-I’ll go! I’ll go tomorrow! I’ll never come back!”
“That’s right, pack your things. I’ll be busy driving our Ye-ryeong insane.”
“Yes, yes! I will!”
With that desperate reply, Jin Ye-ryeong bolted out of the underground prison.
By now, she’s probably gathered all the servants to pack her things.
“How was it, old man?”
As I was imagining that scene, Jin Ga-young asked me a question.
With a confident smile on her face.
“I told you I’d show you my revenge.”
“You did.”
“So, what do you think after watching for a few days?”
“My thoughts, you mean?”
“Yes, I’d like to hear the evaluation of someone who was once a Sword Saint.”
“……It was quite impressive.”
It wasn’t bad.
That’s my honest opinion.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
[Your Text Here]
