The Performer’s Secret

‘Could I possibly help Chang-yeon avoid getting that scar?’

A sudden thought crossed his mind, but Seol Ah-heon shook his head.

It wasn’t just out of fear that he might alter the course of the original story. He would have to know how the scar was formed in the first place to prevent it, and that part was conspicuously missing from the novel. In the first place, the reasons for Chang-yeon’s imprisonment in the Thunder Jail weren’t even described at all.

It was just like The Chronicles of Mount Hua to provide obsessively detailed explanations about the Mount Hua Sect, while only describing the bare minimum necessary for other factions.

‘I’m curious. What kind of hardship does he go through to end up with a scar big enough to need a mask? And before that, what crime made him a long-term prisoner of the Thunder Jail…….’

BANG!

Just as he was trying to piece it together, a roar echoed from afar.

“W-what was that?”

Ka-bang, bang! Ku-kwa-kwa-kwang…….!

Before he could even grasp the situation, the roars followed one after another.

Startled, Seol Ah-heon looked around, but all he could see were stone walls.

Those stone walls were trembling minutely. It felt like an earthquake.

Seol Ah-heon looked up at the ceiling with anxious eyes. If the ceiling were to collapse like this, he would end up flattened like dried squid.

‘I don’t know if this is a natural disaster or man-made, but whatever it is, please let it pass safely. Please…….’

He curled up like a shrimp and prayed desperately for a while. Finally, the roaring ceased.

Seol Ah-heon rose shakily and muttered.

“What was that just now? It sounded like something collapsing…….”

“I guess someone smashed a pavilion or something.”

Chang-yeon replied nonchalantly. As a veteran of the jail, he maintained a relaxed attitude.

“……Does this happen often?”

“It’s happened a few times. Do you know what happens after something like this?”

“No.”

“People get dragged in one after another. What did they call it? Cell-mates?”

“Cellmates?”

“Ah, right, that. The empty jail gets filled with prisoners.”

Ku-gu-gu-gu-gung…….

Before Chang-yeon could even finish, a sound like boulders rolling echoed. Seol Ah-heon felt his nerves fray, fearing some greater calamity might strike.

At this rate, his nerves would be completely worn down by the time he was released.

***********************************

It was just as Chang-yeon had said.

That night, a multitude of people were dragged into the Thunder Jail.

Seol Ah-heon couldn’t tell exactly how many there were. The window in the door was too small to see outside properly.

He could only estimate the headcount by listening to the hoots of the protectors, the chaotic sound of footsteps, and the pained groans.

“Aaaaaagh!”

“I won’t let you get away with this! If only I can get out of here……!”

“P-please spare me! Have mercy!”

Thwack.

A sound like a heavy blow to a punching bag echoed.

But it was unlikely there were punching bags in the Central Plains. That sound was probably…….

‘Don’t listen. You shouldn’t listen.’

Seol Ah-heon covered his ears tightly. Yet, the desperate, dying screams pierced right through to his inner ear.

“I’m going crazy…….”

Humans don’t just have vision. There’s the sense of smell to catch the metallic scent of blood, and hearing to catch the vivid screams. Plus, there’s imagination.

Thanks to that, a splatter movie was currently playing in Seol Ah-heon’s mind. If he had to classify the genre, it would be a documentary.

‘A special commemorative documentary for the O-th anniversary. Something like [Going to the Ten-Thousand-Mountain Range – Thunder Jail Edition]…….’

It was useless to try and force strange thoughts. The desperate, echoing screams were painful even for him.

Now that he thought about it, hadn’t the last few days been strangely quiet? This must be what the true Demonic Cult’s Thunder Jail was like.

“Ugh…….”

“Ah-heon, are you okay?”

Chang-yeon asked, having heard his groans.

“No, I feel like I’m going to have a nervous breakdown…….”

“What kind of peak master gets scared by this much?”

“I told you, I was subjected to the Soul-Binding Art and forgot my martial arts and everything else.”

Besides, even a real peak master wouldn’t be able to stay calm in the Demonic Cult’s jail. It was Chang-yeon, acting as if nothing was wrong, who was the strange one.

“Chang-yeon, how can you be so composed?”

“Well, that’s obvious~. Since things like this happen all the time, I have no choice but to be composed.”

“…….”

“You’ll get used to it soon, too.”

That wasn’t much of a consolation. Seol Ah-heon leaned his back against the stone wall and hugged his knees. It was one of the postures he had taken most often since being locked up.

It was cold. Both his body and his heart.

“Hmm……. Maybe this war of attrition will end soon.”

Noticing Seol Ah-heon’s despondency, Chang-yeon spoke in a more serious voice.

“Judging by how things are going, it looks like the Second Young Master is being pushed into a corner. Well, he’s held out for a long time at that.”

“How do you know what’s going on? You and I are both trapped here.”

“I can hear the voices~. The guys who came in today? They’re the Second Young Master’s followers.”

As soon as Chang-yeon replied, shouts erupted from all sides.

“Who are you to wag your tongue so lightly!”

“I’ll kill you!”

“Do not speak carelessly of the Young Cult Leader’s business!”

The air was filled with a menacing energy. Regardless, Chang-yeon taunted them cheekily.

“Try killing me, then. You were dragged here after losing the fight; let’s see just how great your martial prowess really is.”

“You……!”

Harsh curses could be heard from here and there. Chang-yeon didn’t care about that either.

“Well, anyway. It was certainly the Fifth Young Master who struck the Second Young Master. I don’t know who will win between the two, but one way or another, it’ll be decided soon.”

“Hmm.”

Seol Ah-heon didn’t ask, ‘Who do you think will win?’

Having read The Chronicles of Mount Hua, he knew very well that Baek Geon-ha would emerge victorious from this bloody battle.

Then what would become of those who were dragged in today?

“…….”

It was pitiful to see the end so clearly. However, Seol Ah-heon decided not to pity them.

It wasn’t because he was too busy worrying about his own life. Weren’t those who were dragged in this time eventually just bad guys too?

‘It’s just terrorists fighting terrorists…….’

Even if they met their deaths in the process, it was only karma.

Even so, Seol Ah-heon didn’t want to see people dying nearby. He hated torture, and he hated executions.

He wanted this hell to end as soon as possible. And if he were to make one more wish.

“I hope we get released soon…….”

“……Me too.”

Chang-yeon replied, having somehow heard his small mutter.

Unlike before, his voice was drained of energy, making Seol Ah-heon think, ‘Chang-yeon must be very exhausted too.’

**********************************

A few days passed.

Three days, maybe five. His cognitive abilities were blurring, making it difficult to keep track of the date.

Seol Ah-heon was curled up on the cold floor. Just as he was enduring the soul-withering time with his whole body.

A chaotic presence was felt. It seemed another dozen or so people were being dragged in.

‘Which side’s forces are they this time…….’

He couldn’t tell. Unlike last time, those imprisoned this time were quiet. Moans rang out, but that was it. Perhaps they didn’t even have the energy left to scream.

‘Is this Baek Geon-ha’s doing? Or could it be the work of another Young Cult Leader…….’

Seol Ah-heon groaned, recalling the scant descriptions related to the Demonic Cult in The Chronicles of Mount Hua.

Of course, he knew that the situation had diverged from the original work. He had shared the information about the Blood-Mad Demonic Blade, so Baek Geon-ha would have moved in some way.

He would only live if the result was good, but he had no idea what had happened.

“If I had known it would come to this…….”

A faint voice reached him. It was Chang-yeon.

“Hm? Did you say something just now?”

“……Ah-heon, do you know how I ended up getting caught?”

“No, I don’t.”

Seol Ah-heon perked up his ears. Regardless of what prompted the change of heart, it seemed Chang-yeon was finally about to share his story.

“I told you I worked at Hyangnak-ru, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I was a performer. A performer who played the pipa.”

He knew. Because Chang-yeon appeared in the latter half of The Chronicles of Mount Hua as a master of sound techniques. His pipa was as powerful as any sword. He didn’t know what his level of achievement was at this moment, though.

“One day, a young master visited the pleasure house. He had lots of money and was annoying, but nothing out of the ordinary. Most of the customers at Hyangnak-ru are like that.”

“Uh-huh.”

“He liked my pipa music. He’d even request performances just for himself from time to time. He threw silver around recklessly, so there was no reason for me to refuse. That’s how I found out.”

“…….”

“The fact that what that young master really liked wasn’t the pipa, but me.”

For a moment, Seol Ah-heon’s train of thought hit the brakes. Hadn’t he said ‘Young Master’ (Gongja)? ‘Gongja’ is a title used for men, which means……

‘He must be gay.’

Seol Ah-heon nodded. Because he had lived in a conservative society, it took a moment to understand, but he soon accepted it. It wasn’t like there wouldn’t be homosexuals in the Central Plains.

“Realizing his feelings, I stepped forward aggressively.”

“So you liked that young master too, Chang-yeon.”

“No? I just thought I could squeeze even more out of him if I played my cards right~.”

“…….”

This time, his thoughts really did grind to a halt.

He had known from their conversations over the past few days that Chang-yeon had somewhat immoral tendencies. But to step forward aggressively just to squeeze him for more?

In vulgar terms, he had ‘conned’ him.

‘He’s not even a host!’

Whether or not Seol Ah-heon was shocked, Chang-yeon continued.