Chapter 194

Chapter 194

The prison at Crossroad.

Crack!

Kuilan poured Magic Power into his fist and tore off the metal cuffs that bound his wrists.

"Heh heh, stupid imperial bastards."

Following that, Kuilan, who tore off the cuffs that bound his legs, loosened his now-freed body with a snap.

"I am Kuilan, who catches bears with my bare hands. Did they think they could bind me with this?"

Kuilan looked around the prison. Inside each iron-barred cell, he could see his comrades and refugees lying down to rest, almost as if they had collapsed.

How long will it take to escape and take them all with me?

This place where he was brought to was the fortress city Crossroad, a frontline constantly battling with monsters. The level of the soldiers here was quite high.

...Im in for some trouble. Darn it. Messing with the prince was a mistake.

He had made a decision that threw everything away just to earn a few measly coins.

But a mistake was a mistake, and now he had to think about escaping. If they stayed put, they would all be killed.

As Kuilan loosened his fist, lost in thought,

"Cough, cough! Ku, Kuilan."

A dry cough, along with someone calling his name, reached him. Kuilan looked towards the voice.

It was a young man with the same red scarf wrapped around his neck as Kuilans.Nnêw n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com

His lean body, face showing the traces of sickness, and a particularly frail-looking leg.

Kuilan grinned at him.

"Kureha."

He was Kuilans older brother, Kureha.

"Cough, cough!"

After a rough cough, Kureha gave him a faint smile.

"Kuilan. Youve freed yourself from the cuffs."

"Ill free you too, brother. And the followers. Lets escape together."

"Dont do that, Kuilan."

Kureha slowly shook his head.

"You should escape alone."

"What?"

"Even for you, escaping with everyone here is impossible."

Kureha gestured towards the outside.

"Go alone."

"..."

"All this time you have taken care of me, the sick one, and these wretches. Now live for yourself, Kuilan. Leave behind banditry too, and..."

Clang!

Instead of answering, Kuilan swung open the iron bars of the cell where Kureha was imprisoned, leaving a surprised Kureha yelling.

"Kuilan!"

"Dont talk nonsense, brother."

Fully opening the iron bars with a grin, Kuilan squatted down in front of his brother.

"Youve raised me and protected me all my life, and now I should just give up and run away like this?"

"..."

"We can escape together. Most of all, who am I? I am Kuilan of Kangwon, Kuilan the miraculous."

Kuilan pointed at himself, laughing confidently.

"They say I always make miracles happen in any situation. Itll be the same this time. Just trust me and rest a little longer, brother."

"..."

Kureha just looked up at his brother with tearful eyes.

Thats when it happened.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

"Very touching story indeed~!"

A mocking voice accompanied by applause came from the prison entrance. A startled Kuilan and Kureha looked in that direction.

"I never knew that the notorious bandit king had such brotherly love?"

Prince Ash and his knight Lucas were entering the prison.

"But dreaming of escape would be a mistake, my bandit friends. If you cause a commotion within my city, then truly... You will suffer a most unsightly fate."

Prince Ash wickedly smiled, drawing his finger across his throat.

"Damn...!"

Kuilan clicked his tongue, fists raised.

So, it was all the more unbelievable and suspicious.

"We are bandits, and they are also refugees driven from your country. Plus, havent weve done harm to you? Youll take people like us under your command? Why?"

"Well, there are several reasons, but Ill tell you just two."

Ash grinned and counted on his fingers.

"First, Crossroad needs people. It needs as many soldiers and laborers as possible, even if its just one more person."

Crossroad had always suffered from chronic labor shortages.

In this situation, an SR-grade character like Kuilan, his party, and the battle-hardened bandits were talents that Ash did not want to miss.

If I can just secure them firmly, theyll be worth using.

And fortunately, Kuilan had a sick brother.

By placing him in the temple for treatment, Kuilan would have no choice but to move according to Ashs orders.

"Second, your crimes are not that grave."

Kuilan was a notorious bandit known for attacking only the citizens of the empire. However, he was a bandit who kept to a set line.

He robbed wealth but did not casually take lives, and if he received ransom, he cleanly released the hostages.

He had long made his reputation known in the southern continent, but there was a reason the imperial army did not take the trouble to capture him. He hadnt greatly aroused their hatred.

Whether its because of a belief or simply to avoid pursuit, theyve set principles and moved accordingly. Such fellows can surely be reformed.

And third.

Though he did not need to tell them and kept it to himself.

Crossroad has embarked on an independent path from the Imperial Family.

What does an independent path mean?

It means that in exchange for not receiving any support from the Imperial Family, he could run the front line here without regard to the Imperial Familys opinions.

In other words, there was no need to adhere to the principles that the existing empire had maintained.

Those who had been considered enemies by the empire. Those who were despised and scorned. Those who had been driven out of the territory... All can be accepted.

It was not just refugees, but also the knight orders of nations destroyed by the empire. Mercenaries... Even different races. All kinds of wanderers were now to be embraced.

Those who were accepted this time were just the beginning. Ash was thinking of gathering the exiles from various parts of the continent to this front line.

And Kuilan. I know the origin of you and your brother.

Ash glanced at the red hair of the Kuilan and Kureha brothers.

Red hair was not uncommon in this world. Lilly had red hair as well. But the purity of the red was different.

Lilly and other redheads had a color closer to brown with a red tinge.

But these two brothers had pure red hair, like flames.

It must be tiresome for our mixed-race friends in this world. Their lineage is revealed through their hair color...

The four great mixed-races of the continent were elves, dwarves, mermaids, and werebeasts.

Kuilan had inherited the blood of the werebeasts.

Ash suddenly thought of the green-haired elf members of the Shadow Squad and Serenade, who had blue hair from inheriting mermaid blood.

All had vivid colors that caught the eye.

Anyway, having Kuilan on board will help when gathering the remnants of different races later on.

Thats why Ash wanted to recruit Kuilan all the more.

"You said you were lucky, Kuilan. Indeed, you are," Ash said, smiling slyly and pointing to himself. "Because you met me."

"...

Kuilan stared at him with fierce, deep eyes like a tiger.

"For the next three years, come under my command. Ill provide you with everything you need."

"...

"You said you needed a lot of money? Rather than living on an irregular income by gambling and banditry, saving the regular wages I give you will accumulate much more, wont it?"

Ash gestured to Aider, who handed him a draft contract prepared in advance.

Upon seeing the amount written, Kuilans shoulders twitched. Ash laughed ominously.

"This is the base salary, and there will be incentives depending on how hard you work."

"...

"Of course, youll have to complete a six-month probationary period diligently."

"...

"So, what will it be?"

Suddenly, Ash recalled the time when he had recruited Jupiter.

Whether then or now, whether on Earth or here, there was always only one way to secure a character in a draw.

Spending until you get it!

"...

Finally, Kuilans head nodded heavily. With a beaming smile, Ash also nodded in return.

Indeed, the capitalist mentality always succeeded.