Namgung Myung had never set foot inside the prison, nor did he know exactly who was confined there. The only clue was the faint cries echoing from within.
Yet, humans possess intuition.
And intuition has a peculiar trait: while it often fails in good situations, it is eerily accurate when it comes to bad ones.
In Namgung Myung’s mind, the current situation was one of those rare instances where his intuition screamed of impending doom.
He lay flat on a rooftop, observing the guard stationed at the prison entrance for a long while before returning to the guest quarters.
Since entering the Sama family estate, Dang Moo-jin had spent a month and a half immersed in research with Sama Yu-gong.
As a result, five young members of the Sama family, including Sama Lin, had developed minor flaws in their meridians. They had become artificially induced cases of meridian blockage.
However, the timing for their treatment was staggered.
The first person to receive treatment had just completed it today.
He had been treated a month after the artificial blockage was created, and the results exceeded expectations. In just five to seven days of focused meditation, he would gain the equivalent of over a year’s worth of internal energy cultivation.
There was another who would be treated three months after developing the blockage, and Sama Lin was scheduled for treatment in six months.
But the remaining two were a problem.
“They decided to hold out longer?” Dang Moo-jin asked.
Sama Yu-gong nodded. “Yes. They think this might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so they want to push it as far as they can.”
When Dang Moo-jin had first created the artificial blockages, there had been no talk of this.
They had been rational up until the procedure, but once they faced the potential, their greed seemed to grow. Dang Moo-jin clicked his tongue at their foolishness.
“They have no idea how much suffering it might cause or what side effects could arise. They’re treating their lives too lightly.”
“That’s precisely why they’re being so reckless. They want to push the limits of the blockage before any standards are set.”
“It’s a foolish move.”
“I know. But I understand their feelings. All five of them have suffered deeply from a lack of internal energy.”
Dang Moo-jin could understand their thoughts but couldn’t accept them emotionally. He had rarely faced difficulties due to a lack of internal energy.
Most of his internal energy had been easily acquired through black peony and great elixirs, not through meditation.
Dang Moo-jin shook his head. “If they die, it’s not on me.”
“I know. No one can blame you. But to be honest, both of them have already left the Sama estate on their own. They probably don’t want to be caught and treated early… But don’t worry too much. If it gets too hard, they’ll come back.”
Hearing such words did little to ease his mind. As Dang Moo-jin scratched his head in frustration, Sama Yu-gong changed the subject with a sly smile.
“By the way, any progress with Lin?”
“None, and there won’t be. I have a wife and children back home.”
Recently, Sama Lin had been openly hovering around Dang Moo-jin. With her training hindered by the blockage, she seemed to spend all her free time on him.
Dang Moo-jin felt a twinge of fear. He wasn’t used to building relationships with women, and he’d never encountered someone so forward.
“She was lingering around my quarters late into the night. Wandering around in the cold with a flawed meridian is a surefire way to ruin her health. Please tell her to rest early in a warm place.”
“If you’re so worried, why not invite her into your warm room?”
Dang Moo-jin frowned deeply at Sama Yu-gong’s suggestion. Sama Yu-gong quickly stepped back.
“Just kidding, don’t get too upset. But it’s not something I can interfere with. How can I stop a young heart?”
“Please hint to her that it’s a hopeless endeavor.”
After wrapping up his work, Dang Moo-jin stepped outside for a moment.
The work he and Sama Yu-gong were doing had captured the entire Sama estate’s attention, so as soon as he appeared, people glanced his way. Among them was, of course, Sama Lin.
Upon spotting her, Dang Moo-jin quickly retreated back inside. It was better not to get involved than to try and talk her out of it.
Just then, a voice whispered in his ear.
The unexpected voice was unmistakable. There was only one person who would arrange a meeting on a rooftop.
As he naturally walked back inside, Dang Moo-jin thought to himself.
‘Don’t show any reaction?’
Whatever it was, it wasn’t a simple prank. Before Sama Lin could approach any closer, he swiftly slid the door shut.
Just before dawn, Dang Moo-jin rose from his bed.
Unlike his friends who stayed in the guest quarters, Dang Moo-jin resided in Sungcheon Pavilion, which served as both the Sama estate’s medical room and Sama Yu-gong’s residence.
With Sama Yu-gong likely sleeping in the adjacent room, Dang Moo-jin moved as quietly as possible.
He slid the door shut and surveyed his surroundings. Despite the late hour, a few people were loitering around Sungcheon Pavilion.
At first glance, they seemed busy with their own tasks, but Dang Moo-jin often suspected they might be keeping an eye on him.
He leaped onto the roof. Namgung Myung wasn’t there, but Dang Moo-jin wasn’t surprised.
Within moments, a voice reached him.
Dang Moo-jin scanned the area. In the shadows, he spotted a figure moving stealthily across the rooftops. He followed Namgung Myung’s lead.
Eventually, they stopped near a small building on the outskirts of the Sama estate.
At first glance, it looked like a tiny outhouse. But if it were an outhouse, there wouldn’t be a guard at the entrance.
Its secluded location and stark appearance were telling. Having been imprisoned underground before, Dang Moo-jin quickly realized it was a subterranean prison.
He tiptoed to peer inside the small building. Inside, a wooden door separated the ground from the underground.
Dang Moo-jin whispered to Namgung Myung, “Why did you bring me to a prison?”
“There are people trapped inside.”
“Aren’t they criminals?”
“They don’t seem like ordinary criminals. It’s just a hunch, but I think it might be related to your research.”
“Who could be in there? And how do you know?”
“It’s just a feeling for now… Let’s wait and see.”
The two lay flat on the roof, waiting.
The guard, struggling against the cold, leaned drowsily against the prison wall.
After some time, the guard straightened up and walked away.
He headed towards a small building opposite the prison, specifically to the furnace used to heat the building’s kang (a heated floor).
From there, he could keep an eye on the prison while warming himself by the fire.
As the guard moved towards the furnace, the two slipped silently into the prison.
Before the guard could notice, they quickly lifted the trapdoor-like entrance and descended underground.
Their relief at successfully entering was short-lived, as a cacophony of wails filled Dang Moo-jin’s ears.
“What is that noise?”
“Let’s find out.”
Dang Moo-jin and Namgung Myung cautiously explored the prison’s interior. There seemed to be at least a dozen people shackled by their wrists and ankles.
Their hair was unkempt and hung down, and the length of their hair and beards suggested they had been imprisoned for a long time.
About half of them appeared mad, while the other half huddled like animals, sleeping against the walls. In the farthest cell, a pile of bones lay carelessly stacked. They seemed to be the remains of those who had died in the prison.
‘How many must have died for there to be so many bones?’
The two surveyed the scene with grim expressions. Then, Dang Moo-jin recognized a familiar face.
A plump man. The third patient Dang Moo-jin had treated for meridian blockage at the inn was now howling in madness.
Namgung Myung squinted. “Dang Moo-jin, didn’t you complete the treatment perfectly?”
“The treatment itself was fine. I can’t speak for long-term effects, but it shouldn’t have gone wrong this quickly…”
Dang Moo-jin reached through the bars to grasp the man’s hand.
But the man, lost in madness, shook and trembled violently, unable to recognize Dang Moo-jin. It was impossible to assess his condition.
“Hold on a moment.”
Namgung Myung picked up a few small stones from the ground, flicked them with his fingers, and sent them flying towards the plump man.
The stones struck several of the man’s acupoints with pinpoint accuracy, and he soon fell into a deep sleep. Namgung Myung had used the stones to perform acupoint manipulation.
Though the opponent was just an ordinary person without martial arts training, what Namgung Myung had done was something even Tang Mujin found hard to replicate.
“This guy hasn’t just been lazing around, it seems.”
Tang Mujin glanced at Namgung Myung before reaching out to grasp the wrist of a plump man. As Tang Mujin’s internal energy seeped into the man’s body, he soon discovered something unusual in the man’s meridians.
“The meridians I treated are fine, but there are new flaws. And not just one or two.”
Tang Mujin released the man’s wrist, clenching his teeth in frustration.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
“The treatment was fine, but someone tampered with the meridians again, causing problems.”
This wasn’t the work of a lone individual. They couldn’t have found so many test subjects or imprisoned them alone.
Tang Mujin breathed heavily, scanning his surroundings. Among the crowd, he noticed two madmen dressed in relatively clean, warm cotton clothes.
“These two seem different.”
Namgung Myung didn’t recognize them, but Tang Mujin did.
“They’re the descendants of the Sama family who helped Sama Yugong create the flawed meridians.”
Namgung Myung chuckled awkwardly.
“Mujin, just so you know, I don’t need any flawed meridians.”
“Who said you did?”
“But why are they locked up here?”
“Sama Yugong claimed they delayed their treatment voluntarily. But it seems they hid the problem from me, pretending it was their choice.”
Tang Mujin and Sama Yugong had created flawed meridians for five people. Two went mad and were imprisoned, one was successfully treated and gained internal energy, but the remaining two were in a precarious state.
Tang Mujin panted as if he had been running at full speed.
“This isn’t the outcome I wanted.”
As Tang Mujin wrestled with his confusion, a desperate cry came from behind.
“Please, save me!”
Turning around, Tang Mujin saw a familiar face. It was Wang Jincheong, the first child he had treated. In the adjacent cell, a woman he had treated second lay asleep.
Tang Mujin whispered softly.
“Wang Jincheong! You’re alive. What’s going on?”
“I was about to leave after the treatment, but the Sama family caught me again. The old man with my brother did something to me, and I’ve been unwell since… That man over there went mad recently, too.”
“Stay still for a moment.”
Tang Mujin examined Wang Jincheong’s meridians. As expected, they were flawed, with an imbalance of yang energy, putting him at risk.
Tang Mujin released Wang Jincheong’s wrist and stood up, gripping his sword. Fortunately, the bars weren’t too thick; he could cut through them.
“I’ll get you out. Step back a little.”
But before Tang Mujin could draw his sword, Namgung Myung grabbed his shoulder.
“Wait.”
“Why?”
“It seems the entire Sama family is involved in this. Right?”
“That’s clear from the circumstances.”
“Then just rescuing this kid won’t solve the problem.”
“Why not?”
“If we escape with him, the Sama family will send people after us. Right?”
“I’m confident we won’t get caught.”
“If you don’t get caught, it gets worse. Sama Yugong won’t stop this madness just because you’re gone. Am I wrong?”
Tang Mujin froze. Namgung Myung’s words were spot on.
Dizziness washed over him. He had only wanted to help people with his research. He never imagined it would lead to this.
“No, Sama Yugong knows how dangerous this is. He won’t continue.”
Namgung Myung stared at Tang Mujin, then raised his right hand to slap him.
But Tang Mujin instinctively dodged.
Namgung Myung raised his hand again.
“Hey. Don’t dodge. One slap will clear your head.”
”…No need. I didn’t get hit, but I’m clear-headed now.”
Tang Mujin’s mind raced, reassessing the situation.
Sama Yugong and the Sama family knew two of their descendants had gone mad. Yet none of them tried to stop the research.
The reason was simple. They believed the gains from the research outweighed the sacrifices.
Was the Sama family willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the world?
If so, it might be considered noble, but realistically, it seemed unlikely. The Sama family probably intended to monopolize the results for their own advancement.
“No, that’s something to verify later.”
As Tang Mujin pondered, Namgung Myung spoke to him.
“Let’s make one thing clear.”
“What?”
“Do you plan to continue this research?”
“Am I crazy?”
Namgung Myung seemed satisfied with Tang Mujin’s response and smiled.
“Then, are you just going to wash your hands of it and run?”
“No. This research shouldn’t continue. The results might be impressive, but there’s no guarantee they’ll be used for everyone’s benefit.”
“Then how will you stop the research?”
Tang Mujin closed his eyes, deep in thought.
After a moment, clarity emerged.
“At the very least, Sama Yugong must die. I need a way to kill him and escape alive.”
Tang Mujin knelt and asked Wang Jincheong.
“Wang Jincheong, how are your symptoms?”
“Sometimes my chest feels tight, but other than that, nothing strange.”
Tang Mujin observed Wang Jincheong. Though the boy didn’t seem to notice, he appeared less sensitive to the cold, wearing thin clothes with only a slight shiver.
It was a sign that the imbalance of yang energy in his body was worsening.
Tang Mujin placed his fingers on Wang Jincheong’s shoulders, releasing a clear liquid from his fingertips. In case he was shackled like the others, his tongue could reach this spot.
Tang Mujin applied the medicine thinly on Wang Jincheong’s shoulders.
“Soon, you’ll have headaches. When they become unbearable, lick where I applied the medicine. It’ll help you endure for a while. Don’t lick both sides at once. Start with the left, and if you can’t bear it again, lick the right.”
Wang Jincheong was horrified by Tang Mujin’s instructions.
“What? Aren’t you getting me out now?”
“I’m sorry. But not now.”
“Please…!”
Wang Jincheong was just a child, unable to fully grasp the situation.
Even if everything was explained, he might not accept it.
‘Did I overestimate a child’s resilience?’
No, even an adult might not handle it differently.
As Tang Mujin pondered his next move, Namgung Myung caught Wang Jincheong’s attention with his prosthetic hand.
“Hey, Wang.”
Namgung Myung grinned mischievously.
“No need to be so scared. Remember Hong Geolge?”
Wang Jincheong had an unusual fondness for Hong Geolge, and Namgung Myung knew it well.
”…I do.”
“I’m staying with Hong Geolge inside the Sama family. I’m the type to abandon anyone in danger, but Hong Geolge won’t abandon you. You think so too, right?”
At the mention of Hong Geolge, Wang Jincheong’s trembling noticeably subsided.
He closed his eyes tightly and nodded. Namgung Myung reached out, patting Wang Jincheong’s greasy head.
“Good. Just wait a little. We’ll get you out as soon as we can.”
Tang Mujin then woke the woman in the next cell, applying the medicine to her shoulders as well.
The two cautiously slipped out of the prison. They were prepared to discreetly poison the guard if necessary, but fortunately, he was dozing by the stove.
Tang Mujin wanted to rush and kill Sama Yugong immediately. But the cold air helped him regain his composure. His burning anger was now hidden beneath a calm exterior.
Namgung Myung asked Tang Mujin.
“What will you do?”
“I need to think of a plan.”
”…Alright.”
“Namgung Myung.”
“Yeah?”
“When I was young, I thought I was pretty smart.”
In Namgung Myung’s opinion, Tang Mujin wasn’t a genius.
But that didn’t mean he was foolish.
In fact, as Tang Mujin said, he was quite smart. If he were a fool, he wouldn’t have excelled in medicine, and from what Namgung Myung had seen, Tang Mujin was quick to assess situations.
Namgung Myung chuckled.
“Why? Looking for a compliment?”
“No. Meeting the old master made me realize I’m not as smart as him.”
“Of course. That old master was something special.”
“If it were him, he wouldn’t have fallen for this plan. He’d have seen through the dark intentions and left with a laugh. But I can’t do that.”
Namgung Myung glanced at Tang Mujin. His face was expressionless.
“Admitting all this changed my perspective. I can’t avoid every trick, so I need a different approach.”
“What approach?”
“Make sure they never think of deceiving me again.”
Namgoong Myung glanced to his side again. Dang Moo-jin, unlike a moment ago, was now grinning slyly.
“What are you up to?”
“Who knows.”
Without another word, Dang Moo-jin leaped effortlessly across the rooftops.