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chapter 195
About an hour before the psychic was to be released.
“Artist! Geomhwa! Are you there? It’s an emergency!”
“!”
“!”
After leaving Prison Island, Yeon Mirae and I thought it was too late to go home, so we had booked a place in Jeju Island to rest.
We had dinner at a nearby restaurant and were about to go to sleep in our accommodation when a sudden shout startled us. We jumped up and opened the door.
“… Oh, it’s the person who took us to Prison Island earlier today. What’s the matter?”
We weren’t in the best mood after being woken up just as we were about to sleep, but the person at the door was from the Navy.
… And since he was probably just following orders from his superiors to wake us, there was no reason to be angry at him.
“Yes! We received a support request from Prison Island! It seems there’s been an intruder!”
He spoke as if he were saluting a superior far above him.
An intruder on Prison Island…
“Understood. Where should we go?”
“Oh, the vehicle is ready…”
“We’ll be much faster if we just run.”
“In that case… just come to the place where you took the boat to Prison Island earlier today!”
Hearing that, Yeon Mirae and I immediately left our accommodation and headed to the naval base where we had taken the boat.
Knowing it was urgent, we ran at full speed. It didn’t take long for us to reach the base.
“Hmm?! You came quickly!”
A boat was waiting for us at the naval base, ready to depart immediately whenever we arrived.
‘Did the other boats leave first?’
Since time was critical, most of the boats that could move had already departed, leaving only the one waiting for us and the ones guarding the base.
“Get on board! We’ll explain the situation as we go!”
We boarded immediately at the captain’s instruction. The boat then quickly set off toward Ieodo, where Prison Island was located.
“What’s the situation?”
“About thirty minutes ago, vibrations were detected inside the magical concrete that forms the outer wall of Prison Island. According to subsequent reports, the elite guards, including the warden, judged that the intruder was breaking through the concrete and went into the water.”
… So Albatross PMC really was trying to break through the concrete, just as I suspected.
But the warden had followed my advice and discovered their plan before they could enter the island.
So it was unlikely that Albatross PMC would complete everything and escape before we arrived.
‘… Although the distance between Jeju Island and Ieodo is quite far, so it might take a little time for the boat to arrive.’
After some time, as we approached Ieodo, where Prison Island was located…
“… A submarine.”
I sensed a submarine underwater.
“A submarine?”
“Yes. They probably came near Prison Island using that.”
The captain of our boat frowned at that and contacted other ships. Communications were then actively exchanged between the vessels.
Of course, capturing a submarine itself isn’t that difficult. Due to its nature, a submarine has almost no defense, so just knowing its location allows you to take it down with torpedoes.
But…
“… Can we capture the submarine instead?”
The captain cautiously asked. The Navy had decided to capture the submarine and take its occupants alive. Normally, they’d destroy it to avoid casualties.
‘But now, Yeon Mirae and I are on the ship.’
The Navy likely judged that with us on board, capturing the submarine would be feasible.
Of course, they still had to split forces: one to capture the submarine, one to support Prison Island.
And for us… it would be inefficient to put both of us in one place, so we split up.
“Yeon Mirae.”
“Yes?”
“You’ve never fought at sea before, right?”
“No. You have?”
“I have some experience, but you don’t.”
That was enough reason to decide who would go where. I went to handle the submarine, and Yeon Mirae went to help at Prison Island.
And now…
Swoooosh…
I lifted the submarine I had detected underwater. I rose to the surface with it still in my grasp.
“… Are you human?”
“They said you prevented a plane crash…”
The Navy murmured something as they saw me, but I ignored it.
Inside the submarine, an Albatross PMC employee who recognized me shouted.
“(… Why… why did you betray us, Artist…!)”
“What are you saying? I never considered you guys allies in the first place.)”
It was as if they expected us not to betray each other. But just because the enemy of my enemy is supposedly my friend doesn’t make it true.
“(… If you hadn’t carried out this plan, I would’ve let you be. But this time, you really crossed the line.)”
I said that to the PMC employee, then addressed the Navy commander who had been staring blankly.
“Arrest everyone.”
“Ah… Yes! All units, move in!”
Seeing me lift the submarine, the stunned Navy commander shouted.
Meanwhile, in the cell where the psychic had been confined, none of the guards could move.
The psychic hadn’t done anything yet. They were frozen simply because they understood just how dangerous the person in front of them was.
[A notorious villain who kidnapped children to experiment solely for enhancing their abilities.]
[Over a hundred children confirmed dead by his hands, possibly more.]
[In terms of psychic power, among the strongest of current psychics.]
This was what the guards knew about the psychic.
“Fuu…”
“…!”
“…!”
“…!”
As he checked his condition and let out a sigh, the guards shivered. He had only sighed.
“This is the worst. Especially after being restrained and locked up in a cell, my muscles are in terrible shape.”
He muttered to himself, then addressed the guards.
“Step aside. I don’t enjoy killing people either.”
“…?”
“I won’t say it twice.”
Feeling something strange, the guards instinctively stepped back, opening a path.
“Good.”
He walked slowly down the path, and the guards could do nothing but watch. After he passed, one guard finally spoke.
“… I thought he would crush us as soon as he saw us…”
The others agreed. They had expected death, but surprisingly, they survived. For now, they were grateful for that luck.
The psychic, having safely passed the guards, climbed the stairs.
‘I wonder what it’s like outside.’
After twenty years without seeing the outside, he wanted to see it. He kept walking toward that goal.
“Tch… what a hassle.”
But the stairs did not lead directly to the ground. After climbing one floor, the staircase ended. To reach the next floor, he would have to go to the opposite side.
‘… I could break through the ceiling with my powers, but…’
His body was weak from twenty years of inactivity, and burns from destroying the restraints had injured his skin. It would be too risky to break the ceiling.
Especially…
‘The water that came through the hole earlier was seawater.’
Only now did he realize he was in an underground cell below sea level. Breaking something recklessly could flood the place.
‘I can stop the seawater with my power, but my mental energy is drained from the guards’ daily torment… so I should avoid unnecessary use of powers.’
He walked along the corridor, hoping to eventually find stairs going up.
‘… Bingo.’
Though there were no signs, the prison’s simple layout allowed him to find the stairs and move to the next floor.
“… Who is that guy? They said it’s an emergency, and everyone should stay in their cells…”
“Wait, that guy isn’t restrained.”
Other prisoners noticed him.
‘… Unlike me, these guys had some freedom all day.’
He briefly considered killing them in anger but decided against it to conserve mental energy.
“An unfamiliar face…”
“No, wait! That face… I’ve heard he’s imprisoned here, but I never saw him myself… I thought it was just a rumor…”
Children Slayer.
“Wh…?”
Had it not been for the words that triggered his wrath, he might not have acted.
Bang!
“Gaaah?!”
“You…!”
Children Slayer, a nickname given because he was falsely accused of killing over a hundred children to enhance his powers.
“Ugh…? Why… suddenly?!”
One prisoner tried to escape his grip, but his psychic power activated faster.
Crack…!
“Gaaah?!”
The prisoner’s limbs were crushed. Unable to endure the pain, he screamed. And…
Snap…!
His neck broke, and he died instantly.
“……”
“……”
Prisoners across saw, or at least heard, what happened, and all remained silent.
“I didn’t do it…! I’m a victim too…! It wasn’t me…!”
Only that man’s voice echoed through the prison block.
“Why does everyone think I did it…!”
The prisoner across thought the same but remained silent, knowing speaking could cost him his life.
‘But… why aren’t the guards coming? Even with this commotion… or even if there wasn’t, shouldn’t guards have been posted throughout the prison when the sirens went off?’
Prisoners prayed for any guard to come and remove the madman. They knew it might be impossible by force.
And then…
Step… step…
As if answering their prayers, someone approached. Children Slayer paused and stood in the corridor.
“I suppose I’ve been too relaxed. I didn’t expect casualties so soon.”
A female voice. The prisoners recognized her from occasional appearances on TV in their common room.
“Geomhwa…?”
“Why is Geomhwa here…?”
Geomhwa Yeon Mirae, Artist’s disciple, who publicly acted as his mentor before his identity was revealed.
“Prison escapee. I’ll subdue you.”
Surrender if you don’t want to get hurt.
