Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 787

“Hey, Prophet. Is this right?”

Level 5 of the Spirit Tower’s underground, the frozen prison known as the Tomb of the Frost Lord.

In the frigid common area, where icy winds howled, and within the cells, prisoners slowly froze to death.

Those who normally wouldn’t even make eye contact, let alone converse, were now bustling about their cells as if they had made a pact.

“We still don’t really understand why we have to do this, though…”

“I told you not to make me repeat myself.”

Lenok coldly retorted to the prisoners who kept glancing his way.

“If you want to get out of here, listen quietly. How many more times do I have to show you?”

“No, it’s not that we doubt the divine power you’ve shown us, Prophet…”

One of the hesitant prisoners straightened his hunched back with difficulty and spoke.

“What does this have to do with escaping the prison?”

The prisoners looked like they wanted to say something as they wiped the floor and the bars of their cells.

They were using scraps of clothing or old cloths to wipe the frost-covered floor, a simple task.

The order Lenok had given the prisoners, using escape as a pretext, was to clean the prison thoroughly.

“No matter how I think about it, we don’t need to clean to get out of here…”

“I think it would be better if the Prophet did another reading for us.”

Of course, not all the prisoners in the prison were obediently following Lenok’s words.

There were also prisoners who didn’t believe Lenok and didn’t get their fortunes read, so the number of prisoners cleaning their cells was less than half.

However, just them cleaning their own cells was enough to make this frozen prison look busy.

=…….

The white ghouls, who had been watching the prison corridor without any reaction, were now staring this way.

It was no wonder that the prisoners showed discomfort at the white ghouls’ gaze, which flashed beneath their gray-white hoods.

“They complain even when they’re told to clean up after themselves.”

Lenok sighed coldly as he looked at them.

“Or would you rather sit cross-legged on the prison floor and pray all day?”

“Wouldn’t that be more useful?”

“……”

Lenok shook his head at the prisoners’ retort, which seemed to genuinely believe that.

The prisoners who had been in Yorta for a long time, where spiritual superstitions and beliefs were strong, knew that prayer was not a meaningless act.

Well, it was partly because of that tendency that Lenok’s role as a prophet had worked so well, so it was something he had to accept.

That’s why Lenok had no choice but to put on a straight face and urge the prisoners on.

“This is a process of shedding the karma that has accumulated on your unclean bodies, so shut your mouths and cooperate. It’s absolutely necessary to get out of here.”

“Hmm, if it’s a process of shedding karma…”

“You should have explained the reason earlier.”

As he made up a reason and spouted nonsense, the prisoners began cleaning their cells more actively than before.

Lenok, who had been watching the prisoners with a dumbfounded expression, muttered to the priestess.

“I think I understand a little why cults are so prevalent on this continent.”

[It seems that only your nature of distorting the truth has been proven.]

“……”

There might be some who were dissatisfied with being made to do this after just one fortune reading, one divination.

But since he had mentioned that there was a way to escape and was making them work, there were also many who were following him with a half-believing heart.

And for Lenok, that number of people moving around in the prison and drawing the attention of the white ghouls was enough.

‘Apart from playing the role of a prophet, I don’t need anyone else’s faith. Relying on faith is not my style.’

Lenok was lost in thought as he watched the prisoners shivering and cleaning their cells.

‘Adjusting the judgments and revelations appropriately, making them an excuse called divine power, and approaching the core district of Yorta.’

Being imprisoned in the prison itself was an accidental situation that was not part of the plan.

He needed to figure out the structure of this place as quickly as possible and find a way to get out.

Fortunately, with the priestess’s revelation and Lenok’s own intuition, he had secured enough clues.

‘The direction the wind is blowing is from the north, near both the ceiling and the floor.’

Lenok, sitting on the cold prison floor with his eyes closed, calmly raised his senses.

‘But due to the internal design of the 5th underground level, there can be no escape route in the north.’

Through the priestess’s revelation, he was aware that the cold wind that permeated the entire prison was flowing from some kind of crack.

However, after spending time in the prison and checking the surroundings, he couldn’t see any cracks from which the cold wind was flowing.

The possible scenarios were that the crack itself existed outside the prison, or that it was hidden somewhere unseen within the prison.

Lenok was leaning towards the latter possibility.

‘What I confirmed through the revelation was a means of escape. If the priestess had directly executed the function, it’s unlikely that it would deviate greatly from that topic.’

There were two things Lenok had tried to confirm through the function of the revelation activated on the Spirit Tower.

The first was the observation of the flow of curses, and the second was related to the escape from the 5th underground level where Lenok was imprisoned.

Even if the meaning of the curse observation had faded due to an unexpected anomaly, the revelation that confirmed the escape route of the prison was unlikely to be greatly off.

Lenok was trusting that possibility and stirring up the prisoners, deliberately making the inside of the prison noisy.

“Shall we begin?”

The moment the inside of the prison became noisy enough, and the attention on Lenok himself momentarily waned.

Whooong…!!

Lenok, having fully drawn up his magic power, began to calculate the direction of the wind blowing from all sides.

A technique of exploring the inflection points where the wind directions collided, split, and changed in strength and flow.

He traced back the locations that could not be guessed according to the original design of the prison, riding the flow that subtly changed as the prisoners moved.

A sharp strand of thought rose, bringing the entire prison into his field of vision, and scanned the vast common area in detail before disappearing.

Against the flow of the chilling cold that seemed to freeze even his thoughts, Lenok finally found the source of the wind.

‘It’s there.’

Among the white ghouls patrolling the entire prison, the corridor at the eastern end of the prison, which they never left.

Among them, the empty cell that had been left unattended with all sorts of corpses and filth hardened and piled up.

The wind was irregularly leaking out from beyond the blocked wall, rotating throughout the prison.

That was probably the location of the crack from which the wind was directly flowing, and the only escape route in this prison.

‘Was it not for nothing that they left the frozen corpses in various places in the cells.’

If those many corpses were part of the trial and error to find the hole where the cold wind was flowing, it made sense.

Now that he had confirmed the location of the crack, all that was left was to decide on the timing of the escape and put it into action.

Just as Lenok was thinking that and was about to turn his thoughts back and open his eyes.

=…….

Behind the white ghoul standing blankly at the end of the corridor.

On the wall where the ghoul’s gaze did not reach, something was written.

[Ghost Observation Log. I like to record things, but since there is no suitable place to write, I will temporarily leave these words in the tomb.]

A careless handwriting that was scribbled down.

However, the content itself contained a fact that was important enough to immediately pique Lenok’s interest.

[Ten days since I was caught secretly tampering with the Spirit Tower and was imprisoned in the tomb. Most of the prisoners who came in with me are dead.]

“……”

The message was cut off there.

However, Lenok soon found a message that continued nearby.

[This tomb is not a prison designed to imprison mortals, but a junkyard where problems that even the Soul Calming Hall could not solve are left unattended.]

A subtle location where the gaze of the white ghouls patrolling the prison did not reach.

Nevertheless, once a message was found, the next phrase was written in various places on the ceiling, floor, walls, and bars, one phrase at a time.

It was amazing how a prisoner trapped in the prison had left messages in various places in the cells.

And the person who wrote the phrases was briefly explaining how to get out of this place.

[If you have good and sensitive senses, you can know that the direction the wind is blowing is the only escape route.]

[You must choose the timing and numbers well to reduce trial and error. You must not look back until you leave the tomb.]

And the last record that the owner of the message was conveying to others.

[There are times when an old man who rarely smiles like a child walks around the underground levels of the Spirit Tower.]

[He is a fallen Man-Gui [a high-ranking spirit], so commit suicide if you encounter him.]

“……”

A Man-Gui, who was in a higher position than even a Cheon-Gui [a mid-ranking spirit].

Was he saying that a Man-Gui who had lost his intelligence and fallen was wandering around the underground levels?

The moment Lenok, having confirmed that the phrases left in various places in the prison had ended, opened his eyes.

“Hey, Prophet. What should we do now?”

The prisoners were calling out to Lenok, sweating profusely.

“It seems like we’ve wiped everything that needs cleaning.”

As they said, it was noticeable that the filth piled up in various places in the prison had been completely removed and piled up outside the corridor.

Even while Lenok was not paying attention, they had been working hard in their own way.

Lenok, who had pulled his hood down, finally leaned against the prison wall and replied.

“Wait until night.”

“……Huh?”

The prisoners blinked and asked back.

“Thanks to your hard work, I’ve found the way. We’ll be able to get out of here by tomorrow.”

“……”

A preposterous assertion compared to what Lenok, who had been sitting still until now, had done.

Lenok smiled as he looked at the hesitant prisoners who couldn’t easily believe him.

“I will personally show you the way.”

* * *

The prison, which had been cleaned up, became dark as night fell.

It was strange that there was a distinction between day and night even on the 5th underground level, but considering the power of the Spirit Tower, it was not something that could not be understood.

The prisoners were shivering from the cold, trying to sleep on the prison floor.

However, instead of falling asleep, Lenok watched the quiet prison.

Even if he didn’t try to stay awake, he wouldn’t fall asleep because of his insomnia.

Although he had improved his penalty to a considerable extent, staying up all night without taking sleeping pills was something Lenok was used to.

The moment he was leaning against the wall in a familiar pose, silently looking at the ceiling.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?”

Swoosh!!

A blurry shadow fell in front of Lenok’s eyes.

“This is the only time the wind becomes faint enough to fall asleep. If you don’t get some sleep, tomorrow will be difficult.”

“……”

“Weren’t you just trying to get your fortunes read by other prisoners, and be comfortably supported by them?”

At the shadow’s question, Lenok stared at him through his mask before chuckling.

“There will be those who want to see if I have really found the escape route.”

“……”

“If there are those who came into the prison before me and were trying to escape, they will definitely want to confirm the truth. Isn’t that right?”

“……Indeed.”

The shadow nodded and slowly rose from his spot and approached.

At that moment, the shadow’s size and presence swelled up, transforming into that of a giant who was looking down at Lenok.

The hairy giant who had been imprisoned right next to Lenok’s cell.

He was the one who had picked a fight with him for being noisy, and the first to be the subject of the revelation, was now staring at Lenok in the dark.

“You weren’t someone who should have been trapped in a place like this for long.”

“……”

Unlike when he had seen him during the day, there was not even a hint of excitement on the giant’s face.

He was calm, looking like a completely different person from how he had been so boisterous and trying to kill Lenok.

Perfect stealth that did not match his thick physique.

“You knew from the beginning. Right?”

“You were being too dramatic. I could see that you were deliberately trying to elicit my reaction.”

Lenok nodded indifferently.

“Besides, when you grabbed my collar through the bars, I saw what kind of technique you were using.”

“What kind of technique do you think it was?”

“It was a kind of body transformation technique.”

When Lenok was talking to the priestess and the giant had grabbed his collar through the bars for being noisy.

Lenok had recognized that the giant had twisted his own joints and muscles to squeeze through the bars.

Transformation techniques were abilities specialized in infiltration, stealth, and assassination, so not many physical ability users had mastered them.

If there was a prisoner who had mastered such a technique, there was no way he wouldn’t try to escape from this cold and gloomy prison.

Lenok had looked around the prison and was already convinced that there were those who had escaped from this prison in that way.

“There are a few empty cells, even though the doors are locked. They must belong to the prisoners who have already tried to escape?”

“……”

“If there are success stories, there’s no way someone with such a useful ability wouldn’t try it.”

“Okay. You’re very smart.”

The giant nodded coolly.

The eyes looking at Lenok shone sharply.

“Apart from having divine power, I knew you wouldn’t be stupid. This is enough.”

The moment he said that and touched both of his wrists, the giant’s hands shrank as small as a baby’s.

Clang!!

The giant, who had broken free from the shackles so easily, waved his hand at Lenok and said.

“As you can see, I am a contract killer who uses body transformation techniques. I am good at passing through narrow gaps, walls, or safes.”

“……”

“I was trying to leave the organization I belonged to and start a contract company, but I was betrayed by a fellow contractor and ended up here.”

The giant’s gaze, looking at the obsidian mask, shone strangely.

“Even though you didn’t know about my background and abilities, your fortune was very accurate. Even I, who know the circumstances, am getting goosebumps.”

“I’m not really interested in your boring past.”

Lenok smiled.

“What do you want to say?”

“I’ll get you out of here. Let’s go together.”

The giant said that and reached out his hand to Lenok.

“I don’t know why you were imprisoned here, but your divine power is too good to be buried in this place. Don’t you think so?”

“……”

“If we escape this place and go outside the tower, we can reach the living area. How about we cooperate to find a way to survive?”

“So you weren’t trying to leave Yorta.”

“Of course not. Why would I be crazy enough to come all the way here and leave?”

The giant scoffed.

“Yorta is a closed-off place, but it’s also a source of rare artifacts and formulas that can’t be seen in the world. If we can break through that distribution network, raising funds will be easy.”

Even after being betrayed by a business partner once, he had not given up his desire for business.

“I’ve already gathered a few prisoners who share my views and formed a team. If you’re thinking of joining, I’ll unlock your shackles right here. If I touch your joints with my body transformation technique, shackles like that will be easily-”

“No. I’ll pass.”

Lenok smiled and shook his head.

“What I want is not to escape with a small number of people who have preempted information.”

“……What do you mean?”

“All the prisoners trapped here will leave the prison at the same time. That’s the only way to escape this place.”

At Lenok’s words, the giant asked in a cold voice.

“You seem to be more sentimental than I thought. Are you being so generous to the prisoners you met for the first time today?”

“Generous? I said it’s the only way.”

Lenok chuckled and replied.

“I’ll say it again. This is the only way to escape the prison. Not your plan, but my plan is right.”

“……”

The giant, who had been silent, slightly turned his gaze and quietly asked.

“Have you ever thought about why this prison is so cold?”

Without waiting for an answer, the giant immediately continued.

“There’s a hole somewhere in the prison. A very strong cold wind is freezing the prison solid through it.”

Even with Lenok’s indifferent reaction, the giant didn’t care and continued.

“Most people don’t even try to go near that cold wind, and they don’t even guess where that wind is coming from…”

The giant kicked a frozen corpse and pushed it away.

“There’s a story that among the seniors who escaped this place first, there was a crazy guy who was curious about the location of that hole.”

“I know.”

“……You know?”

Lenok chuckled as he looked at the giant, who was blinking his eyes as if he hadn’t expected that answer at all.

“Not the prison corridor or the ceiling, but the empty cell located at the eastern end. There’s a crack hidden inside, right?”

“……”

“It took me a little time to find the direction using only a cross-sectional image. Staying up tonight was for that preparation.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. No, no… let’s start over from the beginning.”

The giant, looking confused, waved his hand and touched his forehead.

“Did you really find out the location of the escape route by reading fortunes? We, how much time did we spend trying to find it-”

KWAHAAANG!!!

At that moment, a huge explosion and shockwave erupted from the far end of the prison corridor.

Most of the prisoners who had been sleeping woke up and jumped up at the sudden explosion.

“W-What’s going on!!”

“It’s an explosion!! Who set off a bomb!”

The empty cell located at the end of the eastern corridor collapsed, and the appearance of a huge crack that had appeared beyond it.

Those who realized that a huge cold wind was flowing out of it mumbled in a panic.

“T-That’s an escape route……”

“How can such a hole appear in an empty cell……!!”

“Did the Prophet really make a way?”

Clank!!

Lenok, who had casually opened his cell door and walked out, raised his head towards the other prisoners.

“I told you I would show you the way out.”

“P-Prophet!!”

“Then that useless cleaning was really……!!”

“I believed in you, Prophet!!”

The moment he confirmed that the crack was hidden inside the prison wall, Lenok decided to greatly increase the scale of the escape process.

Unless he accurately grasped the structure or principles of the Spirit Tower, the possibility of being discovered in the process of attempting to escape was very high.

Moreover, according to the phrases left in the prison, there were various problems and dangers lurking in the underground of the Spirit Tower.

In that case, he judged that it was better to increase the number of escapees to disperse the attention and make the direction unpredictable.

Lenok, standing in the center of the frozen common area, turned to look at the prisoners who were moved to tears and nodded.

“I have opened the way. Let’s go.”

Clank, clank, clank!!

The moment Lenok lightly lowered his hand, the prison bars all opened at once, and the doors swung open.

“Waaaaah!!”

“Let’s go, let’s go!!!”

The prisoners, seeing the doors wide open in front of them, screamed like crazy and ran out.

They didn’t even doubt how the doors opened or why the escape route had appeared in front of them.

They were just entrusting themselves to this rapidly escalating flow and running out vigorously, following Lenok’s words.

“Freedom!! I’m getting out of here!”

“Thank you, Prophet!!”

Hundreds of prisoners ran through the frozen prison common area and ran out through the crack.

Lenok, standing in the center of the crowd surging from all sides, turned his gaze back.

“……”

The giant, who had been urging Lenok to join him just a moment ago, was looking up at him with a blank expression.

The giant was unable to keep up with this rapidly changing situation and was hesitating.

In his eyes, only the backlight of Lenok, who was guiding the prisoners who were going berserk from all sides with a single gesture, was visible.

Lenok, who had climbed onto the crack where the cold wind was blowing, turned to look at the prisoners and smiled.

“From now on, we will escape the 5th underground level of the Spirit Tower and go up to the surface. Those who want to live, crawl out on your own.”