I Will Become a Phoenix More Noble Than the Emperor - Chapter 17

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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17.

 

 

 

 

“You’re not really brainwashed, are you?”

 

At that question, Baek-ryu’s eyes, which had been calmly sunken in thought, stiffened and froze.

 

Seon-o suddenly reached out and grabbed his necklace with both hands, pulling it forcefully. The tightly locked necklace clicked open and came loose. Seon-o tucked the necklace into her pocket and said.

 

“This is Bujingak’s reward. Look for an opportunity to escape. Oh, do you happen to know where the other superhumans are imprisoned?”

 

At that whispered question, Baek-ryu stared intently at Seon-o without moving a muscle. Just as Seon-o was starting to feel embarrassed by his gaze, he opened his mouth.

 

“Do you recognize me?”

 

Huh…?

 

As an unexpected question flowed out, Seon-o’s eyebrows twisted in bewilderment.

 

Do I recognize you? Of course I did. Because…

 

After thinking for a moment, Seon-o answered honestly.

 

“It’s not exactly a forgettable face…?”

 

At the honesty that came out without any sign of embarrassment, Baek-ryu’s lips parted slightly.

 

Ah.

 

Baek-ryu, who had been looking at Seon-o like someone hit by an unexpected attack, suddenly took a step closer to her.

 

“?”

 

Just as Seon-o, flustered by his sudden action, was about to step back, he lowered his head first and brought his face close. An interesting light lingered in his dark brown eyes.

 

“What do I look like, Master?”

 

It was a question far too innocent for this situation. Flustered, Seon-o looked at his face, which seemed to be holding back a smile somewhere.

 

‘Master? Is he really brainwashed?’

 

Since Seon-o had been expecting Baek-ryu to be pretending to be brainwashed, this was quite perplexing.

 

‘How do you break the brainwashing of a brainwashed superhuman?’

 

Then Baek-ryu moved his lips again.

 

“If you tell me, I’ll tell you where the superhumans are imprisoned.”

 

As his soft voice whispered like the wind, Seon-o’s eyes lit up.

 

“You know?”

 

Then Baek-ryu raised the corners of his mouth as if affirming. Though it was somewhat annoying, since there was no time, Seon-o decided to accept that deal.

 

“Fine. Your face is pale and your skin is very good. Your hair is dark brown, and your eyebrows and eyelashes are the same. Hmm, your eyelashes are long but they suit you well.”

 

An unbiased facial evaluation continued rapidly. Seon-o’s gaze meticulously swept down Baek-ryu’s face to describe it.

 

“Your eyes extend in gentle curves and your pupils are also brown. Your nose is straight and high like a sculpture, and your lips are…”

 

The words that had been spilling out rapidly like rap stopped for a moment.

 

His pale red lips evoked a particularly strange feeling even among all his well-formed features. But no matter how much of a deal it was, she couldn’t go that far.

 

“…Well, anyway, you’re handsome. Is that enough?”

 

The objective evaluation was finished. Baek-ryu was staring at Seon-o intently with quiet eyes that made it impossible to gauge what he was thinking.

 

Looking at him, Seon-o remembered something and raised her eyebrows.

 

Wait, didn’t he say he couldn’t disobey his master’s commands?

 

“…You’re not brainwashed, are you?”

 

As Seon-o muttered with certainty, Baek-ryu slowly smiled.

 

“The other superhumans are imprisoned in the opposite underground, Master.”

 

Seon-o’s eyebrows sharpened at Baek-ryu’s behavior as he continued to play around until the end. However, Baek-ryu’s somewhat mischievous smile didn’t fade.

 

“Are you going to save them?”

 

Baek-ryu continued to ask meaningless questions. Though Seon-o found him quite annoying, she answered matter-of-factly. Seon-o had already made up her mind to destroy this place when planning to come here.

 

“I have to save them.”

“Why?”

“They brainwash people and make them into slaves, don’t they?”

“What does that have to do with you, Master?”

 

This guy?

 

Seon-o irritably furrowed her eyebrows, then soon smiled brightly as if copying Baek-ryu.

 

“Then what does our Baek-ryu have to do with me that he saved me?”

 

Baek-ryu didn’t back down and answered with a bright smile.

 

“A handsome man?”

 

At those words, Seon-o’s smile froze in place. Soon, a hot flush rose to Seon-o’s face.

 

“Wh-what do you take me for!”

 

When footsteps could be heard from far away, Seon-o’s eyes widened. Seon-o left Baek-ryu behind and hurriedly sat back down in place. Baek-ryu continued to stare intently at Seon-o without being flustered or surprised.

 

Soon the door opened and Byeon Jang-chun entered.

 

When Seon-o quickly managed her expression and looked at him leisurely, Byeon Jang-chun grinned.

 

“Young Lady, this is wonderful news. A friend of yours has come.”

 

At that excited voice, Seon-o’s eyes, which had been pretending to be calm, hardened. A friend…? Baek-ryu also glanced over to see the black shadow behind Byeon Jang-chun.

 

“My goodness, I didn’t realize you were a friend of Lady Gong. Haha! Lady Gong must have been worried that we might not recognize the Young Lady’s true worth, so she personally came to visit, didn’t she? She said she would surprise the Young Lady! What wonderful friendship this is!”

 

Following behind Byeon Jang-chun, a woman in splendid attire entered.

 

“You flatter me. If it’s Cho-hee, she would naturally have men waiting, so I came to enjoy watching as well. That’s fine, isn’t it, Cho-hee?”

 

Lady Gong, who had been speaking crudely and smiling wickedly, locked eyes directly with Seon-o. Lady Gong’s eyebrows, which had been smiling, twisted.

 

“Oh my, Pavilion Master. It seems you’ve found the wrong room?”

 

When Lady Gong muttered displeasedly, Byeon Jang-chun’s face went blank.

 

“Pardon? What do you mean…? Isn’t that Lady Min…?”

“That’s supposed to be Cho-hee?”

 

When Lady Gong sharply raised her eyebrows, Seon-o’s blood ran cold.

 

‘I’m screwed.’

 

Byeon Jang-chun’s complexion changed like lightning when his eyes met Seon-o’s.

 

The bastard, who had grasped the situation like a ghost, urgently clapped his hands to summon warriors, and Seon-o hastily commanded.

 

“Baek-ryu! Knock those guys out!”

 

Then Baek-ryu sprang forward as if a button had been pressed.

 

“What is this! Hey there! Ahhhhh!”

“Kyaaaah!”

 

Flying toward the two people in an instant, he broke Byeon Jang-chun’s neck, then subdued the woman and pressed firmly on the back of her neck, causing both to collapse like paper.

 

Seon-o quickly grabbed the wine bottle and ran over to retrieve the bracelet bundle from the fallen Byeon Jang-chun’s chest. Baek-ryu tried to escort her out, but warriors were already rushing from all directions. It was a force that looked to be dozens strong.

 

“Can you handle them?”

 

At that urgent question, Baek-ryu smiled gently.

 

“As you command.”

 

Immediately after his response, a black cloud formation appeared between the warriors and the two people.

 

“Clouds?!”

“Impossible! Using Yin Power in this place!”

 

The moment the startled warriors hesitated, dozens of fierce lightning bolts shot from the clouds. When the lightning struck each target precisely, the electrocuted warriors fell backward without even being able to scream.

 

At that amazing sight, Seon-o forgot about her own situation and opened her eyes wide.

 

‘Insane.’

 

However, without time to admire, a second wave of warriors was rushing in. There were more than before.

 

“Please handle them!”

 

Seon-o left only those words behind, then turned around and ran toward the underground prison on the opposite side. At that moment, a warrior who flew from somewhere tried to block Seon-o’s path but was instantly electrocuted and burned black.

 

Seon-o’s spine tingled at the tremendous skill.

 

With Baek-ryu’s cover, Seon-o reached the end of the opposite hallway in one breath and went down underground.

 

Then, just as he had said, a new prison unfolded. It was a prison with a much wider and simpler structure than where Baek-ryu had been confined.

 

“Who are you! Ugh.”

 

The warrior who tried to block the sudden intruder was knocked unconscious when Seon-o swung the wine bottle and hit his head.

 

“Get out of the way!”

 

Leaping over the fallen warrior and running forward, prison cells spread out on both sides. At that terrible sight, Seon-o’s steps slowed.

 

“…”

 

Among them, Seon-o discovered a prison cell that contained only children and swallowed a bitter sigh.

 

‘Even kids? These crazy bastards.’

 

As Seon-o’s steps headed toward that place as if enchanted, the children in the prison cell pressed against the wall in fear. Seon-o grabbed the tightly closed iron bars and tried pulling.

 

Clank. Clank, clank.

 

However, no matter how much she shook it, it wouldn’t budge. It seemed a key was needed.

 

Or…

 

‘If I could just control the water element, I could probably fill this with water and break it open.’

 

But right now, I don’t have that kind of ability. Seon-o, fired up with determination, gripped the wine bottle again.

 

“Stay back.”

 

After calmly warning the children, he struck down with the wine bottle, but the firmly locked lock wouldn’t break.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

“Heh heh. As if something like that could break it.”

 

Startled by the tongue-clicking sound, Seon-o raised the wine bottle and turned around. Then he saw an old man sitting alone in meditation posture in the prison cell on the opposite side.

 

‘An old man?’

 

Seon-o widened his eyes and examined the old man’s appearance. White hair tied up in a round knot and worn green clothes.

 

And… two dots on his forehead!

 

Seon-o immediately ran to his prison cell and grabbed the prison bars with both hands.

 

“Are you Dang Pa-baek?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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