The intruder couldn't hide his bewilderment.
Even those who had cultivated their inner strength would fall into a deep sleep when exposed to the sleeping incense unprotected.
Especially so for ordinary folks who hadn't practiced martial arts; a whiff was enough to send them abruptly into slumber. This was the power of the sleeping incense.
But, unexpectedly, an anomaly occurred.
While everyone in the government office's golden chamber had succumbed to sleep, this boy remained wide-eyed and awake.
'What in the world is this boy?'
Curious, the intruder placed a hand on the boy's abdomen and infused a stream of Qi.
Had the boy possessed even a trace of inner strength, a counterforce would have arisen.
However,
'There's no counterforce.'
The boy hadn't cultivated his inner strength at all.
Then, as he had heard from an acquaintance during the day, this must indeed be an ordinary person.
But why then had the sleeping incense not affected him?
'...This boy?'
Moreover, he was not afraid of the situation.
Overcoming the effects of the sleeping incense was one thing, but to remain unflustered even when a stranger had invaded the golden chamber and immobilized him with acupuncture was another.
His gaze was steady, observing, as if studying the intruder.
'Different.'
Though rumored to be a death row inmate, this boy was unlike any other ordinary boy of his age.
Was it a sense of unnerving potential that he felt?
The intruder found himself pondering.
'Perhaps...'
Just then, a voice came from behind.
"Have you not found it yet?"
Someone walked into the golden chamber from behind, also masked but of a smaller stature.
Not tall, but rather slender, it was clear that this was not a fully grown adult.
The intruder spoke softly.
"Young master. I was keeping watch outside as you instructed..."
"Is this the one?"
Before the intruder could finish, the youthful figure pointed at the boy and asked.
The prisoner, a tousle-haired boy unable to move due to acupuncture, was the subject.
Upon his nod,
"Yes."
"His face isn't clear. Lift his hair."
It seemed an attempt to see the boy's face better.
Hesitant at first, the intruder finally lifted the prisoner boy's hair.
An exclamation escaped the lips of the youthful figure.
"Ah..."
Genuine surprise was evident in his reaction.
The prisoner boy couldn't understand why this display of emotion was happening.
Why was this intruder reacting this way, having rendered him immobile?
Then, the youthful figure removed his mask.
'!?'
The prisoner's eyes wavered.
The face under the mask.
It was akin to looking at an aspiration, so similar to his own.
Almost believable as twins, the resemblance was uncanny.
From the hair down to the subtle differences in their faces, if dressed similarly, even those who had known them for a long time might struggle to tell them apart.
"Similar?"
"...Nearly identical."
"Truly... astonishing."
"I was shocked myself when I first saw him."
"It's understandable."
What were the chances of a complete stranger having such a similar face?
Almost none.
Yet, the death row inmate and the boy without a mask bore an incredible resemblance.
As they marveled, the maskless boy approached the prisoner and spoke.
"You're on death row, right?"
"...."
With his speech points sealed, it was impossible for him to respond.
The boy signaled to the intruder.
Then, the intruder tapped a vital point on the prisoner's chest.
-Tap-tap-tap-tap!
After releasing the seal, the boy spoke again.
"Now, you can speak. You're on death row, aren't you?"
After a moment of silence, the prisoner responded.
"...Yes."
His polite answer brought a smile to the boy's lips.
"You understand your situation well."
After all, even as a death row inmate, he was just an ordinary person.
In the presence of martial artists, he was as significant as a cat before a tiger – it would have been strange if he hadn't been polite.
The boy crossed his arms, speaking with an air of arrogance.
"I hear you're to be executed the day after tomorrow?"
"That's correct."
"What if you were given a chance to live a bit longer?"
"....I would want to live."
"Hahaha. Of course, you would."
The boy couldn't hide his satisfaction.
A death row inmate given a chance to live wouldn't hesitate to cling to it.
Smirking, the boy continued.
"Such opportunities don't come easily. Lucky for a death row inmate like you."
"...Are you offering me a chance?"
"Yes. A significant opportunity."
"What is it?"
"To think, even if it's just for five days, someone like you could live as the third young master of the Great Plum Sword Wall, Mok Gyeongwoon."
'Great Plum Sword Wall?'
It was unfamiliar.
From what was said, it seemed to be a prominent martial arts sect.
The boy didn't know, but the Great Plum Sword Wall was a prestigious martial family in the northern region of Anhui.
He couldn't know this, but one thing was clear.
"Do you wish for me to stand in as a substitute?"
At the prisoner's question, a smile crept up Mok Gyeongwoon's lips.
"Not stupid, I see. Yes. What use would I have for a death row inmate like you? What I need is your face."
The reason for seeking a lookalike was singular.
It was to have him serve as a stand-in.
"...So I just need to act as a substitute?"
"To think it's just for five days, what grand task were you expecting? Your role is simply to stay holed up in the family's villa, pretending to be the legitimate young master."
"I see."
It made sense.
But the boy was not foolish.
After all, a substitute was meant to assume risks in place of the real thing.
There had to be hidden dangers lurking.
'Substitute...'
Yet, he had no other options.
Already pondering how to escape the government's golden chamber, staying put meant facing a gruesome death by dismemberment.
There was no need to deliberate.
"Please give me this opportunity."
"Hmph."
Mok Gyeongwoon smirked, then gestured. The masked intruder pulled a small pouch from his robe.
The boy asked, puzzled,
"What is that?"
"Eat it."
"....?"
Bewildered by the command, the intruder took out a black pill from the pouch, emitting a foul odor – clearly, no medicine.
As the intruder brought the pill to the boy's lips, he asked,
"...Is this poison?"
Mockingly, Mok Gyeongwoon chuckled.
"Did you really think I'd trust a death row inmate like you outright?"
"....."
"If you complete your role as a substitute without issue, I'll give you the antidote. Hahaha."
It was clear: he intended to eliminate any chance of the boy acting rashly from the outset.
"Open your mouth."
He had no choice.
Gazing at the smirking Mok Gyeongwoon, the boy slowly opened his mouth and accepted the poison pill.
The intruder watched, intrigued, as he chewed without a hint of discomfort – an unusual reaction for someone aware they were ingesting poison.
'Indeed, this boy is different.'
Though sharing a face with the young master, he was a unique breed.
Having killed many without learning martial arts, becoming a death row inmate in the process.
'Good thing I prepared the poison pill in advance.'
Now that he had ingested it, if he wished to live, he wouldn't dare attempt escape or any foolish acts.
The boy stopped chewing and opened his mouth wide.
"I've swallowed it, young master."
Nothing remained in his mouth; the size of the pill made it impossible to pretend and hide.
With confirmation, Mok Gyeongwoon ordered,
"Now, release him."
"Understood."
The intruder found the key among a bunch, unlocking the wooden shackles binding the boy's hands and feet.
'Sigh.'
With his limbs freed, the boy felt alive again.
Though called wooden shackles, the insides were made of metal, heavily pressing down on his wrists.
The intruder moved towards the entrance of the golden chamber, whispering,
"I'll lead. You follow behind me. The young master will follow you."
"Understood."
Having ingested the poison pill, escape was not an option, but precautions were necessary.
If he led and the young master watched from behind, what could the prisoner possibly do?
To martial artists, even a death row inmate was no more significant than a child.
"Please, follow."
Just as they were about to exit,
"You! Agh!"
-Crunch! Thud!
Startled by the sound from behind, the intruder turned.
An unbelievable scene unfolded before his eyes.
Mok Gyeongwoon's neck was completely twisted, his horrified face collapsed on the ground.
'!!!'
It happened so swiftly, the intruder was momentarily speechless.
To him, the boy said nonchalantly,
"What do we do now? The death row inmate set to be the substitute is dead."