The Dawn of the New World

"Gi-An, his name is Gi-An," the captain emotionlessly informed the silver warrior.

"Ah, yes. There are so many of them here that I can't keep track hahaha," he sheepishly scratched his head, "Should I...bring him out? He's the one they wanted to see right?"

But the captain shook his head, "No, not him. I just stopped after seeing a familiar face."

"Oh, you knew him?"

"Not knew, just happened to meet a couple of times. What happened to him?" he asked referring to his apparent muddled state.

Gi-An's eyes were completely empty and he didn't even react to their presence.

The silver guard tilted his head sideways for a few seconds trying to remember but couldn't come up with any specifics.

"The usual mostly, but he was a big shot outside so some of the boys got a little carried away you know, it happens."

"The usual? What's the usual?"

"Oh you know the same as you- Um, everyone, whenever the others need to let out some steam they come here and have a go with the prisoners. The males get tortured and beaten half to death while the females...well, I don't need to tell you about that part, huh?" he nudged the captain with a knowing look making Hao Xuan understand exactly what he meant.

But it left behind an even worse knot in the pit of his stomach.

'Even if she is a prisoner they wouldn't dare touch the sister of their great master.'

Hao Xuan threw away all pretense but kept the First Gaze active so as not to undo the illusion on the rest of the outer city residents.

"The one I'm looking for is a girl, Dai Zhi's sister. Where is she? Take me to her, now!"

"Oh, her? She is still in the same cell. It's at the end of that hall to the left," the silver warrior pointed to the front as if he had done so a hundred times before.

Hao Xuan's eyes widened as he strode deeper into the dungeon with a clenched fist, praying and hoping that it wouldn't be true this one time.

He turned around the corner and saw the same rotating staircase he had seen not too long ago when using [Arbiter]. He jumped down before the silver warrior could even react and landed in front of the single cell.

It was big enough for a dozen people but in the dark he could only see one shivering figure huddled in the corner, hugging its legs.

The stench was horrendous enough to make even the silver warrior recoil when he caught up.

"Urgh, he must have forgotten to call the cleaners this week, this is even worse than usual. Give me a second, I'll bring her out," he reached into his armor and took out a black key.

He walked over the puddles of body fluids, blood, and excrement to reach the door, trying to open it without touching all the disgusting stuff that was stuck to it.

He kicked the door open and waltzed straight in, dragging her out by her hair and throwing her at his feet. He wiped his hands on the side walls trying not to wretch.

"We'll have to get her cleaned up first. There is a new cell nearby with some water, we can use that," he pointed towards the stairs but upon seeing the look of utter shock and disbelief on the face of his 'captain' the silver warrior clarified.

"Ah, it's been a while since you last visited her right? Lord Dai Zhi gave permission so basically anyone could use her and some of the guys...well you know how rough they can get. If I remember correctly the captain had some great fun too, am I right?" he 'joked' again trying to lighten the mood but the captain's expression was only getting worse by the second.

Thinking it was because of her appearance he tried to point out the positives, "She is still not that bad looking when you can actually see her face. Half of her hair is still there and the bruises and marks, well, they get cleaned up easily with the tonic that Lord Dai Zhi sent."

"He wanted to make sure she wouldn't have any permanent scars so the tonic heals her up real nice. After that she is almost as good as new...well, everything but her mind. All she does is scream and cry so we usually keep her drunk unless some sicko likes that kind of stuf- Oh, I mean no judgment even if you do. To each their own I say!"

The silver warrior tried everything to get in the captain's good graces but nothing seemed to be working.

"L-Let's move her first and then-"

"Don't touch her!" Hao Xuan roared, startling the silver warrior to his core, "Bring the tonic, NOW!"

"Y-Yessir!"