Glen moved quickly into the passageway as his priests followed along. Then the sound of bombing came from behind.
“They’re coming in!”
Men shouted from behind and began cramming themselves into the small passageway that only allowed two or three people to fit at a time.
“I’m first! I am…!”
“Stop pushing me!”
People began to fall as they pushed each other to squeeze through and trampled over other fallen. Those who fell were stepped on mercilessly, breaking their skulls and bones. Ainos guards who just stepped in watched it all unfold in disbelief. It was a total mess.
“Pitiful.”
“Drop your weapons and you’ll live.”
“P-Please! Spare me!”
“I just did it for the money! I’m not a believer!”
“YES! I just did it because of mon- UGH!”
“DEATH TO THE TRAITOR! FOR HORUN! FOR- ARGH…”
A man tried to ask for mercy when a Horun zealot thrust a dagger into the man’s back, killing him. The zealot then was killed by an arrow to the neck. There were others around that met the same fate as the Ainos Guards shot down anyone who resisted.
“I SURRENDER!”
Then men began to surrender as they threw down their swords. At that moment, the sound of something exploding was heard from the secret passageway. Aiden, from the Ainos Guards, smirked as he turned to the passageway.
“Their path is sealed.”
“Yeah, these guys are so predictable.”
Pav walked up and agreed as he wiped blood off his blade.
“I believe there should be more passageways.”
“Yeah, I think so too.”
“Right. That’s why Chieftain Howen was working so hard.”
“Will they able to run?”
“No, I can bet my life on it.”
Then another Ainos came up to them.
“Oh, Miller. Is it done?”
“Yeah, all of them have been dealt with.”
Miller gestured by slicing his throat with his hand as he smiled brightly. Pav smiled back bitterly and commented, “So everyone’s up for the job then.”
“Yeah. We were all shaken by the previous attack. These people should not be forgiven.”
“Right. But still…”
“Pav, I know what you mean. But we should trust Joonbum’s judgment on this.”
Miller told Pav firmly and Pav couldn’t continue.
“But I’m not too sure if we got all of them.”
Aiden spoke to change the subject and Miller answered.
“Oh, I heard the drones were deployed.”
“Drones?”
“Yeah. Also with a sniper rifle that has a heat-sensing camera.”
“Wow. Then they’re done for.”
“Right.”
They all agreed and moved out. There was another man who glanced at them and the battle area. It was Hinen, the captain of the Ainos Guards.
‘They’re too weak.’
He had been questioning himself. These people were too weak. It was possible for them to be dealt with by only a handful of Ainos people, not full squad of them.
‘And to imagine that they can be such that…’
However, he also knew how people used everything they had to acquire what they wanted. Their physical prowess wasn’t up for discussion.
‘Too greedy.’
Humans were a greedy race. They were never satisfied with what they had and this was very different from the Ainos.
‘But that greed made them prosper.’
He sighed. That very thing was what made humans powerful while the Ainos were still stuck in the mountain. He then shook away his thoughts and turned to the sounds.
“We have arrested all the Horuns from the left building!”
“Everyone in the right building killed themselves.”
“Everyone in the center building from third to fifth floor has been apprehended!”
Reports were starting to come in as the battle was coming to an end.
“Captain Hinen, they have already sabotaged any evidence that might be used against them.”
“Yes, there’s nothing we can gather. It’s all been destroyed. They must have been ready for something like this.”
“I have found a secret prison cell from the basement!”
The Ainos who were reporting turned at once. It was Argen who walked in with a grim face.
“Prison?”
“A prison cell?”
“Huh?”
The Ainos were confused. It was a secret hideout. There seemed to be no reason for a prison.
“I think… it was here from the beginning.”
Argen, who was reporting, seemed to be angry as he ground his teeth. He was filled with rage.
“There… there are women… common women. Ten of them.”
Argen shivered as he continued reporting. Ainos Guards quickly understood what had been going down in the prison by the way he was talking.
“Let’s go.”
Hinen moved out with the other Ainos down to the prison. After a long walk down the staircase, they were in a pitch dark basement with a foul stench. As they pressed further, they have found several small, dug out caves.
“Ugh…”
“Hmmph…”
The Ainos moaned as they found naked women walking out of the cells. Ainos gave them cloaks to cover themselves.
“You… you are the Ainos…?”
“Yes. Who are you?”
“S-save… save me! No. No. KILL ME! PLEASE!”
A girl who looked like she was fifteen began to beg as she shouted with a hoarse voice.
“We are the Ainos Guards. Prince Joonbum ordered to eradicate the Horuns. We are here to save you.”
They all looked at each other and began to cry. They were saved. Hinen bit his lips and ordered to his men.
“Escort them out of this place and give them shelter, fast. Call the other women and doctors to tend to them!”
*
“It’s here.”
Joonbum looked upon the mansion that was covered in the dark. It was midnight, but the bright moon lit up the area well.
“It’s the court of a knight,” Jinpok commented. The courtyard in front of the mansion was very big. It was like the type of mansion that a knight presented to a lord.
“There are so many passageways.”
“Yeah, that’s already the third one.”
Doral frowned as he answered. He was glaring at a door where an old priest named Gordon just walked in. But unlike Doral, Jinpok looked delighted.
“Hah, that doesn’t matter. I’m looking forward to seeing him when he finds out that everything has been sealed off.”
Joonbum smiled.
“Isn’t that too cruel?”
“Cruel? No way. Haven’t you heard from the capital? There were fifteen hideouts! They also had been keeping young girls under their hideouts! I’ll kill them myself when I return.”
“Don’t worry. Jackson is on it.”
“No way! I have to see to it myself! That’s why I work for my place!”
Joonbum sighed. It was true that Jinpok had the power to kill people and just claim it a passing mistake. He was a noble after all.
“Let’s bet.”
“Bet?”
“What?”
Doral and Jinpok turned to Joonbum.
“Let’s bet to see when we can end this. Losers buy a drink.”
“A drink? That’s too cheap.”
“Not if you have to buy it at the capital’s Starry Gaze.”
Jinpok opened his eyes in shock. Starry Gaze was an upscale saloon targeted at nobles and emissaries from foreign countries. It was a huge place with over two hundred employees. There were a lot of beautiful dancers and waitresses and it was a place where money could buy anything. It also had all kinds of liquor and cuisines from around the world.
