Escape
The drain was terrible.
Normally, he wouldn't have even gone near the drainage channel mixed with food waste and filth.
But there was no way.
Crash.
"Argh."
As if chased by the scream, Jincheon hurriedly put his bundle into the drainage channel first.
The precious goods would get dirty, but he could wash them later. He could not lose this luggage on which his and his friends' entire fortune depended.
'Ugh.'
Pushing the bundle forward, Jincheon pushed his upper body into the drainage channel.
Rotten smell and all kinds of dirty things covered his whole body in an instant.
'Kugh.'
Jincheon crawled into the narrow drainage channel forcing the luggage.
And following behind him, the man wearing splendid clothes also headed to the drainage channel.
Splash.
The middle-aged man who went down to the drainage channel looked around slightly, then reached out for the stone lid.
For a moment, the man's expression distorted with pain, but he endured it and put the drain stone lid back to its original place.
Creaaaak.
The stone lid covered the drainage channel.
The man pushed his body without hesitation towards the drainage channel where Jincheon was crawling ahead.
Dirty filth soiled the man's splendid clothes, but he didn't care. The foul smell piercing his nose was the same.
Like that, Jincheon and the middle-aged man quietly escaped the inn rampant with swords, blood, and screams.
Amidst the breaking sounds covering everywhere, the inn kitchen where the two disappeared was submerged into darkness as if nothing happened.
The drainage channel was long. No, it was endless.
He even felt fear that it might continue forever like this.
The disgusting smell didn't decrease at all. Every time he felt the squishy touch on his hands, chest, stomach, and legs, Jincheon felt like vomiting.
But he had to endure. Because if he vomited here, he would have to wipe the result with his chest and stomach.
'Ugh.'
In the darkness where he couldn't see an inch ahead, Jincheon constantly pushed the luggage with his hands and moved his feet.
It would be discovered soon that they ran away. They would also notice soon that they escaped through the drainage channel.
So he had to move quickly, even an inch more.
Swish.
Jincheon suddenly turned his head.
Although not visible, he felt the presence of that man, the middle-aged man wearing splendid clothes, following from behind.
Of course, his clothes would be covered with filth and food waste now.
'It's not the time to worry about others' business.'
Isn't he himself covered with filth right now?
The goods into which he poured his and his friends' entire fortune were the same.
'Still, it's fortunate.'
Goods can be washed later. The important point is that they were not lost or robbed.
Now, if he only escapes this place safely, nothing would be better. Of course, he would have to wash his body though.
Clothes, he decided to think about it when the time comes.
Swish, swish.
Jincheon crawled diligently forward.
How long did it pass like that?
Just when he wanted to give up and rather go back, he heard a sound.
'Uh?'
Jincheon paused.
That was the sound of water.
Not trickling, but the sound of some large water flowing.
'River? It's a river!'
He doesn't remember if there was a river around the inn. Anyway, it was night so it wasn't visible and he didn't care.
But if there is a river ahead, it means the end of this wretched drainage channel has approached.
Jincheon's motivation welled up.
Swish, swish, swish.
Jincheon moved his hands and feet faster than before.
Thinking the end is visible, his heart became more urgent.
Wouldn't he be caught right away? Perhaps they are already waiting in front?
If it were the escorting female warriors, it would be fine, but what if they are the attackers?
There was a high possibility that Jincheon would also lose his life along with them.
Swish, swish.
As if shaking off anxiety, Jincheon crawled fiercely.
Hardened filth scratched his stomach and chest, but he didn't care.
How long did he crawl like that?
Thud.
The bundle he was pushing suddenly fell down.
'Ah!'
Jincheon threw his body reflexively and reached out his hand.
Grab.
He caught the luggage. But Jincheon's upper body was already more than half floating in the air. And there was nowhere to support.
"Ugh!"
It was the moment Jincheon lost his balance letting out a strange sound.
Grab.
Someone grabbed Jincheon's foot from behind and pulled hard.
Thanks to that, Jincheon avoided falling.
Jincheon sighed in relief.
"Th-Thank you."
Jincheon spoke towards the back, but no answer was heard.
Just the grabbed foot was released gently.
'Phew.'
After breathing calmly, Jincheon examined the situation.
The drainage channel ended. And river water was flowing below it. Breaking ripples sparkle receiving moonlight.
'Let's see. Something to hold onto...'
Jincheon examined the surroundings carefully.
Just in time, a tree root protruding above the drainage channel was seen. As he held it carefully and pulled his body out, he felt a sense of liberation.
He finally escaped the terrible drainage channel.
'Groan.'
Jincheon gave strength and climbed up.
The tree root was harder than thought and supported Jincheon's weight well.
Swish.
Jincheon lowered his body and looked around. No person was seen.
There was no one in the direction of the inn either. Just the lights of the inn were seen dimly far away beyond the forest.
'Ha, we came quite far.'
He never thought the drainage channel would be this long.
'With what thought on earth did they make this...'
Come to think of it, the drainage channel was made of stone. Is there a reason to make such a long and full-scale drainage channel for a mere inn?
He was puzzled, but now is not the time to think about such things.
Jincheon bent his body and whispered towards the drainage channel he came out of.
"There is no one. Come out."
There was no answer. No sign of movement either.
Jincheon frowned.
"Quickly..."
A small sound was heard in Jincheon's ears trying to urge.
It was a groan.
Jincheon frowned and bent his body more to look inside the drainage channel.
In the dim moonlight, the painful expression of the middle-aged man was seen faintly.
'Oh no.'
It seemed he was hurt somewhere or a problem occurred.
Jincheon conflicted for a moment.
'What do I do?'
If arguing, it is right for Jincheon to leave him and escape this place right now. Wasn't all this commotion caused because of this middle-aged man in the first place?
'But...'
It is also an undeniable fact that the middle-aged man helped Jincheon.
Thanks to him informing, he could escape through the drainage channel, and he also helped when he almost fell just now.
'...Groan. Can't be helped.'
Leaving a sick person in the drainage channel also weighs on his conscience.
Thud.
Putting the luggage aside, Jincheon bent his body and reached out to the drainage channel.
But it was far short of reaching the middle-aged man.
"Reach, reach out your arm!"
Jincheon spoke keeping his voice as low as possible.
Whether he heard those words, the middle-aged man flinched and slowly reached out his hand.
Jincheon grabbed his hand.
Grab.
Holding the man's hand where not a single callus was felt, Jincheon gave strength.
"Eek!"
Slide.
The middle-aged man's body came out of the drainage channel easier than thought. The problem is next.
"Now, grab it. Anything, quickly!"
Jincheon, unable to handle the man's weight, said urgently.
Fortunately, the middle-aged man came to his senses and reached out his other hand to grab the tree root.
Thanks to that, the disaster of two people falling into the river together was avoided. Though it didn't look that deep anyway.
"Huff, huff."
Jincheon, who pulled up the man, breathed roughly.
His whole body was soaked in sweat. With filth sticking clottedly, his appearance is unspeakable.
"Are you alright?"
Jincheon asked the man.
The middle-aged man raised his head with difficulty.
It was then.
Boom.
"Oops!"
At the sudden sound, Jincheon quickly lowered his body. Looking around here and there, he saw flames soaring from the inn far away beyond the bushes.
'Gasp. What is that...'
The inn was burning.
Jincheon couldn't know the reason, but one thing was clear anyway.
The fact that it is dangerous to sit here like this.
"Let's go."
Jincheon said.
Whether those words were unexpected, the middle-aged man looks at Jincheon with renewed eyes.
Jincheon continued bluntly.
"Then are you going to keep staying here like this?"
The middle-aged man, who became a mess but still had a handsome face, smirked.
"Can't do that."
"Now, get up quickly."
Jincheon reached out his hand. The middle-aged man grabbed that hand but couldn't raise his body easily.
Eventually, with Jincheon half-supporting the middle-aged man, the two people started moving their steps.
Trudge, trudge.
There was no destination or anything. Just to get one step further away from the inn, the two people walked along the river aimlessly.
The flames rising from the inn were getting bigger, but it was too far to light the path of the two people.
So it was rather fortunate.
The riverside at night was not a terrain easy to walk.
While almost falling several times, Jincheon continued to move his feet supporting the middle-aged man.
How long did they walk like that?
Behind the hill rising along the river, Jincheon discovered a hollowed place.
Although not a cave, it was a place at least worth avoiding the night dew.
"Let's rest there for a moment."
Sweat-soaked Jincheon said. Walking anymore is unreasonable.
"...Let's do so."
The middle-aged man also agreed. He was also swallowing groans every time he moved his feet.
As soon as they entered the hollow place, the two people sat down with a thud.
There was no first or second.
Without even the energy to organize the place, the two people sitting down haphazardly calmed their rough breaths without saying anything for a while.
Then Jincheon suddenly frowned.
'Ugh, the smell.'
He didn't know because of the wind while walking, but sitting down, the stench pierces his nose.
Naturally, it is the smell coming from himself and the middle-aged man.
Since the two people practically swept the sewer full of all kinds of food waste with their whole bodies, no, actually swept it.
'Groan.'
Jincheon had no choice but to rise from his seat.
And walked to the river and washed off the filth while wearing clothes.
Splash, splash.
'What kind of plight is this.'
Jincheon, splashing water, suddenly felt annoyance rising.
Failing the provincial examination was also lamentable, but who knew he would experience such a commotion in the first business trip he started with a firm heart?
At this level, he felt like he should invite a skillful Taoist and receive an exorcism or something.
'Well, I can't do that though.'
As a person who once studied Confucianism, he cannot follow superstition.
Jincheon, who roughly washed his clothes and body, returned to the seat. And sat down while wet.
Thud.
"Phew."
Jincheon sighed. He thought it was fortunate that he didn't lose the bundle at least.
"Seems you have many thoughts."
Suddenly the middle-aged man's voice was heard.
As Jincheon turned his head, the face of the middle-aged man smiling calmly was seen.
Fine hair was disheveled and the splendidly groomed beard became a mess, but he is still a handsome man.
It wasn't that his masculinity was great, but it wasn't feminine either, so it was an appearance that even a man would have a good impression of.
"Many."
Is it a reaction to that? Jincheon answered bluntly.
"I am thinking whether I should leave you here and go or not."
It was sharp words, but the middle-aged man smiled broadly.
"Is that so? Then I can't stay still either."
"If you don't stay still?"
"I must do my best not to be abandoned."
Jincheon was dumbfounded. And soon let out a hollow laugh.
"It's a joke. Don't worry uselessly..."
"I will make a request."
The man said.
Although he wondered what he meant suddenly, the man's eyes were shining more seriously than ever.
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