Clues
Drunk By Wood Scent (1)
Bang out! Shocked by the roar that shook the entire courtyard, the dead looked around with their necks shrunk like a bunch of turtles. They were already completely intimidated by the atmosphere of hell, which was much scarier than they had imagined, but when the judges, who were mechanically handling things were expressionless, starting to talk amongst themselves in anger, the fear grew even greater.
"Why is the King so angry today?"
"By good. Could it be because of the sinners who ran away? I heard that six people recently escaped. He was very angry and wanted to catch them himself. He even set a trap on the road to death, but if he knew where they were running, he would not still roam here.”
“Ck ck's. You silly things. Even if they avoided the devil's eyes for a moment, they would not be able to escape the angel's hands. They must have done so without knowing that if they were caught fleeing, the punishment would have increased tenfold. The word 'courage is ignorance' is the undeniable true truth, regardless of age and age.”
The dead, who concentrated on the conversations of the judges with their ears outstretched, gulped and breathed in surprise. The architect who listened to the conversation and believed that he would be reborn of course, came to the Underworld because the judgment meter was tilted to the right. He was secretly looking for a way out, feeling very unfair inside. But officials with long and sharp weapons guard everywhere, and ferocious flames blaze here and there that seem to melt you just by touching it. But there seems to be a way out of this hellhole, and the 6 deceased who escaped must have known it.
Most souls were struck by severe anxiety even before passing through the gates of the Underworld and could not gather their thoughts properly, but he was different. The first impression that he, who worked as an architect in his lifetime, felt upon arriving in the Underworld was a vast area of hell. There were buildings with unique and extremely complex structures everywhere, and it seemed impossible to monitor every single corner of it.
He thought no one would find him if he hid somewhere here…. Yes, because there are so many people, it will not be obvious that there is one person missing. Moreover, a small citizen like him did not make much mistakes. He just lives hard day by day. In a competitive society, if you were born without a background and you don't have much morality, there is no other way than to destroy others and rise, right? Did he hit or kill anyone? All he said were a few words. Of course, sometimes he made up words that didn't exist, but….
However, if he was caught escaping, his punishment would increase by tenfold…. What's he supposed to do? I didn't make a lot of mistakes, so should I be unfairly punished? The architect who nervously bit his lips upon seeing the line in front of him gradually shrank, shocked and determined to escape upon hearing the decision towards the deceased.
“Gwen Sentieno's. You were sentenced to 60 years in prison for four frauds and two false charges. You will serve your entire sentence in Coal Jade. Thank you for your generous disposition. Please reflect on the sins you have committed with your lips.”
60 years?! Just 4 scams and 2 false accusations? The chief architect, measuring his mistake, became busy. A mistake that he thought was meaningless, and did not even remember him at all, began to appear in his mind.
If that's the standard, I think I'll get 200 years if I count it roughly? Swallowing his dry saliva, he crawled out of place and approached cautiously, looking for someone with limited expression among the rude government officials.
"Well, do you know what Coal is?"
“Hell that makes you swallow burning coal every day. Once your lips, tongue, and throat are burned to ashes and recovered, you will receive new coal by fire the next day. This is an easy place to live among people because you only need to swallow coal once a day and no other labor.”
The architect, paled by the official's blunt answer, staggered back, unable to hide his shock. Impossible. He couldn't rot in hell like that for hundreds of years. Turning his wildly trembling eyes, he found two government officials standing side by side looking in different directions. For a moment, his heart began beating nonstop.
Now chance. No chance except now. The architect, who started running carelessly towards the crack without much time to think about it, made eye contact with the person who was blocking it and hardened like ice.
"Where did this fearless rat come from?"
A tall young man with a beautiful beauty that made anyone admire him was naturally staring down at the architect with his head tilted. Although his voice was not too loud, as soon as the young man's mouth opened, the inner part of the buzzing Buddhist temple became silent as if cold water had been poured.
Oh, this is King Yama. He was angry that I, one of the sinners, was trying to escape…. No one told him, but the architect instinctively knew that the man standing in front of him was the most powerful person in the region.
"The Chief Judge."
"Okay, my lord.
Hayul, who gestured to the white-headed judge sitting on the top seat with a single move, looked at the architect who was caught off guard, with a ridiculous look. At any moment, he might bet with his slaves to see if the foolish deceased, who had just arrived in the Underworld, could leave safely. But unfortunately, Hayul's mood was too dirty today.
“Jaga with regulation.”
"Okay, my lord."
As Hayul, who gave a brief command, disappeared like the wind, waving his red sleeves, the look of the architect, who was staring blankly at his back, slowly turned black. By regulations…? With an intelligent brain, he instantly understood the intent of Hayul's command.
“They do not know that if they are caught escaping, the punishment will increase tenfold.
At that moment, the architect, who had lost all strength in his hands and feet, slumped into his chair with a stunned face. Soon after, he started shaking like a leaf. But no one reached out a sympathetic hand.
Hayul who arrived at the palace across the field in great fury, took off his coat and threw it violently to the floor. He did something impulsive to meet Gaon casually in a place where there was no one, but the mischievous eyes of the young boy with him scratched his uneasy feelings without mercy.
This is the first time he has seen her, but at first glance he can see that Ji-Won's heart is fixed on Gaon. In the end, men, whether they were humans or animals, would definitely reveal their enmity as soon as one invaded their territory, as he did. Ji-Won recognizes him as an enemy once she sees Hayul.
"My master…"
“Do not enter.”
Hayul answered in a cold voice at the worried servant call, and opened the bottom of the palace and flew into the distant darkness. Hayul, who had fallen endlessly through countless various hells, was only able to reach the ground after falling for two hours.
The place he landed was like an open pit. Landing in a space that contained nothing, let alone light, or a small sound, Hayul began to walk through the terrifying darkness. After walking for a long time, a dim light appeared in his eyes in the distance, and at that moment Hayul, who was in a state of extreme anxiety and anger until his hair fell out, finally regained his composure.
Amidst the total darkness, where the walls and floor were indistinguishable, two white scrolls floated up. The two scrolls were the same size and shape, but the conditions of the two were clearly different. Hayul, who was staring at the scroll tied tightly with a strong rope, reached out to pick it up. And the scroll, which was loosely hovering, was released soundlessly. It was shocking that the portrait of Gaon was painted inside the scroll.
Hayul, who was carefully scattering the scroll, stared at Gaon's pretty face for a long time and smiled gently. The first time he saw her face was still clear and clear to him even after a thousand years later.
At that moment, Hayul, who was as usual looking around the law palace, was sitting at his desk with his legs crossed and that was when he saw her, dragged in. How could the Emperor of Heaven act so strictly like that… . She did not even realize that her skirt was rolled up. Hayul shakes his head and grabs the scroll thrown by Chae-yi by reflex.
"What the hell is going on?"
“Last candidates. This time a 22 year old girl.”
"22 years? Isn't he too young for this? How could he make a judgment at such a young age? I'm not expecting a lot from someone who won't live for a hundred years, but no matter how big you want to be a judge, at least you have to be over 40 years old to be….
"Why don't you see it?"
Hayul releases the scroll with a reluctant face at Chae-yi's insistence, but soon hardens her expression. Then he raised his eyes ferociously and glared at Chae-yi.
"What do you think?"
"What do you mean?"
“Hayul, King Yama.”
Due to Chae-yi's playful tone that always changes in earnest in an instant, the overwhelming air that made the World King Yama also nervously envelop him tightly.
“I don't want to choose this time. I always choose the most beautiful of foolish young people. I'm showing you three candidates, so you can vote this time. Do you want to make him the Lord of Jungcheon?
He never regretted his choice that day. Hayul gently swept the tightly closed knot of the scroll with his fingertips, and muttered in a lethargic voice as if he was chanting a spell.
“Yes, there's not much time left now. Just a minute. This time he will be mine.
Hayul, who nodded his head solemnly, swung the scroll into the air once more. Then he slowly turned towards the direction he came. Only two hanging scrolls emitted a subtle glow in the darkness where all of their light was erased.
***
"Sir. Speaking of…. I checked the map, and the location of my exhibition is near.., That's what happened.”.
Ji-Won smiles as much as she can, thinking that her time has come. Yeah, I was wondering when I'd talk about this. Ever since the young painter, who is always full of unknown confidence, steps into the gallery with a face full of hope, Ji-Won can clearly guess his business.
If he was here to complain, he would have to start fast. What's the point of talking about a car for 30 minutes? Apparently, Ji-Won's mood isn't in a state where she can show generosity to others, but for now, it's, he decided to listen to some childish complaints that he didn't really care about. He is not afraid of public criticism, but in fact, it is difficult to treat the former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism's son carelessly.
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