Chapter 50 - Special Prison for Criminals

* * *

“Is this one of those conflicting interests?” Hyeonyul asked.

“There are other, more complicated ones. So, do you feel a little better?”

“Yes. A little.”

He liked knowing they weren't living in comfort. Did they take turns doing this? He hoped so.

“Then... shall we head upstairs?” Haeryeon asked, covering her mouth. She truly hadn't wanted to come here, but this was what Hyeonyul needed.

“Yes. We should go upstairs.”

“Doesn't this bother you at all...?”

“No. The smell of my own flesh burning or rotting is worse...”

“Let's go, Hyeonyul.”

Haeryeon pushed him along by the back. She didn't want to stay here any longer.

“... Thank you.”

Something sounded different in his thanks. Haeryeon stopped pushing and looked at him.

'So he can make that expression, too?'

Pleased, she began pushing him along again.

“...?”

Not knowing what had happened, Hyeonyul was propelled forward. He couldn't quite bring himself to say he could walk on his own.

* * *

“... Um, next time, I would appreciate it if you told us before going down there,” the guard told Haeryeon, visibly flustered.

“I'm sorry. I'll be sure to tell you next time. It was absolutely necessary.”

Haeryeon smiled serenely. For some reason, that smile made the guard shrink back and bow his head.

“Thank you. May I resume guiding you, then?”

“No need to tremble. You only have to take us partway. Understood?”

“... Yes, of course.”

“Then are we done here?”

“Of course.” The guard nodded.

Hyeonyul looked between the guard and Haeryeon. He'd noticed it with the warden, too: they were clearly intimidated by her.

'... Why?'

The Haeryeon he knew wasn't one to insist on hierarchy.

When their eyes met, she gave him a bright smile. As the guard stood, she rose as well.

“... A battle of wills. It's a battle of wills. If you give ground, it's over,” she whispered quietly.

'Oh, a battle of wills.'

Hyeonyul nodded. There had been plenty of those when he'd worked for a company run by villains.

He followed Haeryeon. Just as silence settled over them, she spoke.

“Even within the special prison for criminals, where they're held depends on their classification.”

“Where is the Poison King?”

“We have to go to the building on the opposite side. Unlike these cells, where several prisoners are held together, they're kept individually there.”

“Are they all major figures?”

“That's right.”

“How many are there?”

“Six. Apparently, there used to be eleven.”

Fewer than he'd expected. Only eleven to begin with?

“Now do you see what an incredible thing you've done?”

Haeryeon grinned. She wanted him to hurry up and feel proud of himself.

“Why are there so few?”

But his response wasn't what she'd hoped for. Disappointed, she answered.

“It isn't many, is it? The major figures aren't easy to capture. They choose death over being caught.”

Her words reminded Hyeonyul of the Red Witch.

[“I don't intend... to put up an ugly struggle. Nor do I intend to beg for my life.”]

'So it wasn't just Asan?'

He found that very strange. Didn't they act as though they were noble independence fighters?

“That's strange.”

“I agree.”

“Do you know why, Team Leader?”

“... Hmm, I know a little. But I don't know whether it's true, so I won't tell you. Nothing is scarier than bad information, after all.”

“That's true. Nothing is more terrible than bad information.”

The distaste in his voice made Haeryeon burst into laughter. Even when Hyeonyul looked at her as if asking why she was laughing, she couldn't stop. It was simply that his ordinariness had struck her. She found it both surprising and welcome, and laughter spilled out.

“Hyeonyul.”

“Yes?”

“I'll do better for you.”

A gentle smile spread across Haeryeon's face.

[“I'll treat you well.”]

Once again, words that resembled the Red Witch's, yet felt unfamiliar, reached his ears.

“I'll make sure you get off work on time, give you plenty of leave, and bring you any benefits you're eligible for as soon as I can.”

Why are you doing this? Hyeonyul wanted to ask. Was keeping him really that profitable?

“Please stay healthy and stay with Team Three.”

It sounded almost like a plea. Hyeonyul couldn't read the tangled emotions within her.

“I have no intention of leaving.”

He simply told the truth. If she kept all those promises, he wouldn't leave.

* * *

The moment they crossed into the opposite building, he smelled a faint trace of poison. It wasn't enough to kill, but prolonged exposure couldn't be good.

“Did they fail to contain the poison?” Hyeonyul asked, puzzled.

“Looks that way. They definitely said they'd contained it, but apparently not.”

Haeryeon touched the area around her mouth. She could smell it, too.

“Wait a moment. I'll have to talk to them about this.”

“Yes.”

Watching Haeryeon move away, Hyeonyul pretended to touch his eyebrow and let one eye dissolve into darkness. He thought it would be wise to remember the layout. A villain might come here to destroy the place, after all.

He swiftly moved the eye he'd sent into the darkness, surveying the building. Each floor held no more than three people. All were restrained in the same way, their hands and feet bound in an X against something enormous and very thick.

Countless things were inserted into their bodies, and Hyeonyul knew what they were: drugs that temporarily suppressed their abilities.

'The Poison King is still giving off poison after being injected with these?'

Hyeonyul found the Poison King. Unlike the other floors, his held no one else. He wasn't restrained in an X like the villains Hyeonyul had just seen. Instead, he was trapped inside a round, magically imbued tank, surrounded by an unidentified liquid.

'They're administering ability suppressants, but they still can't contain it?'

That couldn't be right. They no longer worked on Hyeonyul, but he'd been injected with them himself and knew how effective they were.

'... Oh. Looks like there's a hole.'

A careful examination revealed the cause. Just how poorly was this place maintained? Finding it strange, Hyeonyul lowered his hand at the sound of footsteps.

“Have you been waiting long?”

“No.”

“Did you happen to check where the Poison King is?” Haeryeon asked with a smile.

Hyeonyul's power was darkness, shadows, or something of that sort. Even he, the one using it, couldn't define it precisely.

“I did.”

He didn't bother hiding it. She'd already seen his body dissolve into darkness.

“Good preparation. Still, be careful. Make sure you avoid the security cameras.”

“You're letting it slide?”

Using abilities here without permission was illegal. Hyeonyul knew that, too.

“Call me flexible. Except when it comes to my teammates' health, of course.”

Haeryeon singled out that point. They were constantly exposed to danger; someone had to protect them, even if it was only her.

“Still, Hyeonyul.”

“Yes?”

“Tell me what I need to know.”

She gave him an inscrutable look. It was as though she knew something.

'What does she know?'

Impossible. Hyeonyul immediately rejected the idea. She might suspect him on a hunch, but she had no evidence.

“What am I supposed to tell you?” he replied in his usual manner.

“I can cover up a lot for you.”

Her voice and eyes brimmed with confidence, as though she could truly do anything for him.

Hyeonyul disliked that sort of confidence. Every villain who'd recruited him had worn similar expressions and said similar things. Not one had kept their word. Besides, if he told anyone other than Jeongmin what he'd done, they were bound to look at him strangely.

“I don't want to hear about you from someone else. By then, it's too late. It cuts down my options drastically. If you cause trouble or make a mistake, let me be the first to know.”

Haeryeon clenched her fist, as though the mere thought angered her. In fact, she'd already missed several opportunities. She could have screwed over the bastards who'd heaped abuse on Hyeonyul even more. The regret still made her kick off her blankets in bed.

“... Oh, I've told everyone on our team this, so don't feel pressured.”

She didn't forget to add that final reassurance to keep him from spiraling. He seemed to prefer being treated the same as everyone else rather than being singled out as special.

“... Are you different, Team Leader?”

She'd expected an “Understood,” but instead came a somewhat pointed question. Haeryeon reined in the smile that had risen to her lips without her realizing.

“I can't say I'm completely different. But I can say I'll be a little different.”

“Understood.”

Hyeonyul smiled. That was something he'd never heard before.

“If I cause trouble or make a mistake, I'll tell you first.”

Perhaps he could start telling her just a little now. The thought did cross his mind.

“Good.”

Haeryeon walked ahead, grinning.

* * *

Around the Poison King's holding area, they saw guards equipped with all manner of protective gear. Their expressions were grim, as though merely being there meant they'd entered hell.

“... So you're telling us to go in there on our own, while poison is leaking everywhere?”

Haeryeon was appalled by what the guard had told her. He'd merely handed her a card and said they could go inside.

“That's not it. Um, surely we can't interrupt your conversation with the Poison King.”

“Are you trying to gloss over this?”

Haeryeon's eyebrows rose slightly.

“Come on, you know how things work. You're putting us in a difficult position.”

“A difficult position? We're the ones in a difficult position. We can go inside, but we aren't allowed to use our abilities?”

She let out a derisive breath, her eyes sharpening.

“... Are you kidding me?”

When she'd met with the warden earlier, and again when she'd reported the poison leak, he'd promised to cooperate as much as possible. It wasn't anything complicated. All he had to do was sign a form authorizing the use of their abilities. They were dealing with the Poison King. Would he answer just because they asked?

“That's not... I believe they said that out of concern that you might provoke the Poison King unnecessarily.”

“That's the same thing. Since when has the special prison for criminals been afraid of criminals?”

'How ridiculous.'

Watching Haeryeon argue with the guard, Hyeonyul thought this was a waste of time. The poison was leaking in the first place because a tiny hole had formed in the Poison King's enclosure. It was entirely their responsibility.

Yet their apparent determination not to ask for help, even if it killed them, was laughable. Were they that afraid of the Poison King?

“Team Leader, didn't you tell them about the poison leak?”

“I did. They told me it hadn't exceeded the limit. Do you believe that?”

As he listened, Hyeonyul approached a guard. The moment he reached for the man's equipment, a shout erupted.

“What do you think you're doing?”

“As you can see, they can't be trusted.”

Hyeonyul gestured at the guard's reaction.

“I didn't realize the limit allowed conditions where people can't even take off their protective gear.”

“There's protective gear right over there!” the guard snapped.

What was the problem? Why were they whining so much?

“Team Leader, perhaps it does meet the standard. These people are simply cowards.”

Making a point of it, Hyeonyul went inside without putting on any gear. As the guards recoiled in horror, he calmly walked back out. He looked completely unaffected.

Haeryeon held back her laughter, while the astonished guards asked, “Are you... all right?”

“Yes, I'm fine. It seems to meet the standard. Will you show us in now?”

“... Y-yes? What?”

“Why are you so surprised? I saw a notice earlier saying we must be accompanied by a guard wherever we go. Aren't you going to guide us?”

“... No, what I mean is...”

“Surely you've kept it within the limit by checking on the Poison King regularly? I'm concerned I might make a mistake and press the wrong button.”

“What I mean is...”

“We can't even use our abilities, so you need to protect us. Being accompanied by a guard is the rule, isn't it?”

Hyeonyul approached the guard and stared steadily at him. Without a smile, his face felt strangely frightening.

“Don't you want to go?”

The guards swallowed hard at his question. None of them spoke. They were terrified of the Poison King, and apparently the warden was, too.

“Then you should contact someone instead of keeping your mouths shut. Tell your superiors you can't do it.”

Hyeonyul pressed them. Whether they went whining or crying or whatever else, contacting someone was the right thing to do.

“If you don't want to, there's nothing I can do. I'm new, so there's no telling what I might do with these inexperienced hands.”

There were certain things that could be forgiven because he was new. Even if someone behaved tactlessly, the moment people heard “new recruit,” they'd go, “Oh,” and understand.

The guards were horrified when Hyeonyul went inside without hesitation. They were afraid to follow him, but they couldn't decide what to do, not knowing what he might wreck.

“Wait.”

It was Haeryeon who stopped him.

“He's new. I'm sorry.”

Haeryeon approached Hyeonyul, invoking his status as a new recruit while pretending to hold him back.

“What's gotten into you? You promised not to cause trouble.”

“Team Leader, I simply don't understand.”

“What don't you understand?”

“The rules here say we must always be accompanied by a guard, but that changes when it comes to the Poison King. What could that mean except that the special prison for criminals is afraid of upsetting him?”

The guards bristled at his words, but not one could open their mouth. If they spoke up, they'd have to follow him inside.

“... That is a bit questionable. Pretty damn embarrassing, actually.”

Haeryeon conspicuously waved the card. Look. Look at this card you simply handed over.

“As far as I can see, either there's no one capable of subduing the Poison King, or you don't check on him regularly. Isn't that dangerous?”

Hyeonyul openly raised the issue of misconduct. If this wasn't misconduct, what was? If they were this flustered and couldn't even accompany visitors inside, how bad must it be on an ordinary day?

“Oh... You're right. I don't tolerate things like this. I'll have to report it immediately—”

“Wait!”

The guard stopped Haeryeon.

“W-what are you doing?”

“I'll ask you the same question. What are you doing? You won't authorize us to use our abilities, you just hand over a key card, and when we arrive, poison is leaking everywhere. As our new recruit pointed out, it's all very suspicious, so I'm going to report it. Is there a problem with that?”