Rise of The Demon General

Chapter 404: Chapter 404. Escape Plan

After breaking out all those who declared they were willing to be friends with the rebels, Amon also opened the doors to the rest of the cells and broke the chains of the prisoners inside. These prisoners were confused.

Amon told them, ”Stay inside if you wish. Don’t regret this later when they chained you back and locked this door again.”

Hearing that, some decided to leave their cells. A few remained inside.

Amon ignored those who were too afraid to take the risk. He continued to open every cell door. In one cell, he saw a middle-aged man with long, disheveled hair and clothing. From the looks of it, this man had been here for a long time. He sat on the ground without showing an interest in what was happening. Other prisoners had chains binding only their feet. This one also had his hands in chains.

At first, Amon sensed nothing from the man. But when their eyes met, he sensed slight danger. That’s how he knew this man was a cultivator of the Martial Realm and most likely had a cultivation higher than him.

Amon stood still and watched him in silence. The man returned in kind.

Unfortunately, there was a crowd outside. This crowd might decide to act on its own if he insisted on staying here and playing the staring contest. So, he broke the silence first.

”Do you not wish to leave?” Amon asked.

The man chuckled. ”What is the price? Nothing is free. Don’t tell me that bullshit about you being a rebel. I know you are not.”

”How can you be so sure?”

”Because I was once a rebel. You don’t give off the vibe.”

”Once? You are no longer one?” Amon asked.

”I want nothing to do with them anymore,” the man answered.

Amon grinned. His dagger slashed. The chains binding the man’s feet and hands broke with the slash.

”Stay if you want. If you prefer to pay the price, follow me,” Amon said and exited the cell.

Amon continued until he opened all the cells. After that, he went to the crowd gathered down there. It was a big crowd. Not everyone left the cells, but the majority did. His eyes caught the middle-aged man with the disheveled hair among the crowd. Ah Bin and Bian Cheng stood together with the workshop supervisors who were detained with them.

He addressed the crowd, ”We will now make a break from this jail. I’m going to be frank with you. Not all of you will make it outside, but most will if you listen to me. As you have noticed, I have taken care of most of the prison guards. Otherwise, we won’t be able to have this conversation so leisurely. There are only a handful of guards on the walls outside. They are too few to pose a problem. The problem will come from the officers in the constable office next door and the city guards patrolling the streets.

”I have a plan ready that will stall the constables. As for the city guards, it all depends on luck if they happen to be nearby. In other words, speed is of importance here. Once we make our move, we will need to be fast. We also need to split into three groups. Each group will escape from three different sides, the North, East, and South sides. Avoid the Western side since that is where the constable office is. Once outside, we will split further to increase our odds of escaping. The constables and city guards do not have enough manpower to chase all of us simultaneously.”

One of the prisoners asked, ”You said we escape from three sides?”

”I did,” Amon answered.

”This jail has only one exit, the main door, which directly connects to the constable office. The other three sides have tall walls. How are we going to get past that wall?”

”I have already prepared the way. All you need is to get to the walls,” Amon answered.

”... Can we trust you?” Another prisoner asked.

”I don’t give a shit if you trust me. You can stay if you want,” Amon replied. ”What difference will that make? You will still be locked up. Are you going to doubt me and choose that option, or give it a try and maybe obtain your freedom? The choice is entirely up to you.”

Murmurs spread among the crowd.

Amon only gave them a few seconds before he spoke again, ”Unfortunately, you don’t have the luxury to discuss it. You must make your decision now. Those willing to make a break for freedom come forward and get into three groups. One on my right, one on my left, and the last in front of me.”

People started shuffling forward into the three positions Amon mentioned. Amon gave Ah Bin and Bian Cheng subtle eye signals indicating which group they should join.

After the three groups were formed, Amon took out a message talisman and sent another message. The message was one simple word, begin.

*

In the dining hall, Wu Chien rose from his pretend sleep. He knew the meals were drugged because he was the one who drugged them. He planned to pretend to sleep until everyone woke up, but staying still was harder than he thought. He should have just consumed the drug like those strangers suggested him to.

”Wu Chien, you are awake!”

Wu Chien heard a voice from behind and turned back. He saw another prison guard approaching.

”Lon Chang? Did... Did you not eat the meal?” Wu Chien asked.

”I have a stomachache earlier. When I return, everyone is like this. I’m so glad to see you are not like the rest. Why is everyone unconscious? Wait, you said something about the meal?”

”The meal... Uh, yes! I think it should be the meal. Everyone fell unconscious after consuming it.”

”Did you not eat your meal, too?” Lon Chang asked.

”I... eat only a little. That’s why I woke before the others,” Wu Chien answered.

”What should we do?”

”We... I think we should just wait until the others wake up.”

”We can’t do that. I’ve gone to try looking for Assistant Warden Cho Won once I laid eyes on this hall. I thought everyone was dead then. However, I can’t find him. I can’t even activate the alarm. All the enchantments are off. Moreover, I passed by the prison hall when I went around. I heard voices from inside. The prisoners are being set free. We must do something!”

”Like what?” Wu Chien asked.

”I don’t know..., something! It’s our job to keep those prisoners from escaping!” Lon Chang exclaimed.

’Fuck the job!’ Wu Chien cursed in his mind.

”I know!” Lon Chang said as he thought of something. ”Bie Han had the key to the talisman storage room. There are plenty of high-tier talismans inside to use for emergencies. We can use them to delay the prisoners until help arrives.”

Lon Chang ran to this Bie Han, who was unconscious. He searched Bie Han’s clothes and fished out a key.

”Let’s go!” Lon Chang urged.

’Damn it!’ Wu Chien couldn’t stop cursing himself in his mind. He should have endured the discomfort and kept pretending to sleep. It was not possible now. Lon Chang would be suspicious he had something to do with what was happening here if he didn’t help him.

The two headed to the talisman storage room. On their way, they heard loud explosive sounds from outside.

”What are those sounds?” Lon Chang asked.

”I don’t know... Nothing good, I suppose...,” Wu Chien replied. He was never privy to the strangers’ plan. His task ended after he drugged the meals.

Commotions were heard from outside. They couldn’t ascertain what the commotions were about.

”We are here,” Lon Chang said. He unlocked the door using Bie Han’s key.

The storeroom inside was small. Inside were shelves filled with stacks of talismans. The two took as many as they could.

*

”Are those explosions?” One of the prisoners asked.

”Don’t stop! Time is of the essence,” Amon stated. He was leading the group headed to the Eastern side of the jail. Ah Bin and Bian Cheng were also with this group but were further back in the crowd.

They were close to the exit. The door in front led them to a courtyard. Beyond the courtyard was the Eastern wall.

When they were almost upon the door, Amon sensed danger. His eyes quickly spotted several talismans stuck on the ceiling.

”Back!!” He yelled as he jumped back. He somersaulted above the crowd that was still rushing forward.

The talismans burst into effect then. The hallway close to the door was filled with lightning. Everyone at the front was electrocuted. They were caught off guard, so no one used any defensive art. Those below the Transformation Stage were fried to a crisp. Multiple uses of the same talismans intensified the power output. Only a few with the Transformation Stage survived the trap, but they were paralyzed and couldn’t move.

When the front of the group was halted, a fierce flame torrent washed over the middle of the group, killing more prisoners.