Chapter 22
On the road to Mount Taebaek.
This time, it felt like a journey in the truest sense of the word. When heading to the Moyong Family, it was closer to an official duty, so I had to hurry, and I was stuck with Moyong Chun like an unwanted growth.
No matter how tempting the restaurants or how beautiful the scenery, the goal was to get there by the shortest route.
‘It’s nice to be reminded of the old days.’
As I’ve mentioned before, the joy of traveling comes from doing it occasionally. Back when I wandered year-round, I never imagined I’d enjoy something like this. It might be that I’ve grown accustomed to staying in one place for too long.
‘Let’s take it easy.’
If it were urgent, they would’ve sent someone else. To be exact, this mission was technically overtime. When they sent me to the Moyong Family, they made it sound like they’d grant me anything once I returned, but as soon as it seemed like I’d make it back safely, Namgung Hyuk turned around and pushed me somewhere else. What a piece of work.
‘So quiet~.’
There’s a certain charm to mountain roads that people rarely travel. It’s not exactly a path, more like a rugged, uneven trail. Dodging pebbles underfoot was surprisingly fun. The only downside was that remote areas like this are prone to a common occurrence.
“Stop right there!”
“Hands up!”
“D-don’t move!”
Highway robbers who specialize in targeting isolated roads.
More widely known throughout the martial world as bandits.
‘No matter the region, their lines are all the same.’
Three scruffy-bearded men blocked my path.
Come on now. Couldn’t they at least trim those beards? It’s not intimidating if it’s just a mess.
“Raise your hands, quick!”
“If you don’t listen, we’ll kill you!”
“H-Hey, we can’t kill him!”
They were a clumsy trio, clearly unfit for their ‘business.’
Two short, scrawny ones looked half-starved, and the last one was slightly bigger but still too thin.
A sickle, a spear, and a short dagger—pathetic weapons that they didn’t even seem to know how to use properly.
“And who might you be, demanding money out of nowhere?”
“This is our territory!”
“Yeah, get lost!”
“What? We can’t let him go, brother!”
“Ah, right! This is our turf, so pay up if you want to pass!”
If you’re going to be a bandit, at least rehearse your lines.
They were a textbook example of guys starting trouble without any real plan.
“I think we need to have a little talk.”
“Talk? Just hand over your money!”
“Money!”
“D-don’t raise your hands!”
In this case, the best form of communication was a good punch.
***
“You fools! Do you really think yelling at someone to hand over money will make them do it? Don’t you even think?”
“We’re sorry.”
After a brief ‘physical’ conversation, the bandits were kneeling before me, both hands raised as they listened to my lecture. They even apologized in unison, as if they’d rehearsed it.
‘These guys are trash!’
Even bandits have levels.
I’m not talking about some mythical ‘Noble Bandit’ like in folktales. That doesn’t exist.
Does having a noble cause justify their means? Absolutely not.
They might claim to be noble bandits, but they’re just petty thieves.
Stealing from corrupt officials and giving to the people? Please. How do we know they didn’t skim most of it for themselves and leave the scraps?
Even so, there’s a reason I bring up different levels of bandits. Surprisingly, there is such a thing as a ‘proper bandit.’
It’s all about sincerity.
Whether or not they make an effort to collect tolls with some respect.
In that sense, this trio blocking my path didn’t have the right attitude. They lacked basic manners.
“Why do you pay for your meals when you go to a restaurant?”
“We don’t pay for food.”
“We just run away. Why would we pay?”
Damn it.
Even when I try to lower myself to their level, they won’t cooperate.
“You pay because you received something, right?”
“If a Great Hero says so, then it must be true!”
“I think so too!”
Alright. Just a little more patience. Think of it as cultivating my endurance.
“Then what exactly are you doing now? You’re collecting a toll, but does this look like a proper road to you? You’re acting like thieves! If you at least levelled the ground, someone might pity you enough to toss you a coin!”
“But… we are thieves?”
“Shut up, youngest!”
“T-The Great Hero is right!”
If they had at least made the distinction between the dirt path and the grass, I would’ve gladly opened my wallet. But this? No way. I’m disappointed in you.
“For now, take a day to smooth out the path so it at least looks like a road. Then, at odd hours when there are fewer people, gradually expand the trail. Understand?”
“Yes, Great Hero!”
At least their responses were loud and clear.
I didn’t really expect them to start smoothing the path tomorrow.
But still, I had a sliver of hope that over time, as they gained more experience, they might get better at it.
‘It’s for your own good.’
This is what you call a ‘proper bandit.’
The world is relatively stable now. Even so, there’s no stopping the influx of impoverished people who can’t find decent work or settle down anywhere.
These people end up driven to the mountains, turning to banditry out of sheer desperation.
But can they really survive like this?
A cornered rat might bite the cat, but once it bites, it dies.
All that emaciated bandits can really do is collect tolls.
‘Everyone’s just being nice.’
It’s an unspoken rule in the martial world.
Have you ever seen someone scold a beggar for asking for alms?
Who would point fingers at a monk for collecting alms?
Similarly, when pitiful bandits tried to collect tolls, the dignity of a martial artist was to feign compliance and let it slide.
‘Not many would be as systematic about it as these guys.’
I gave them the best advice I could with what I knew. The rest was up to them. If they fixed the road properly, they wouldn’t end up getting slashed for no reason.
Why do I know so much about banditry, you ask?
Think about it.
I ran away from Wudang Sect as a child.
Surrounded by mountains on all sides.
Clashing with bandits was part of my daily life from a young age.
As I grew older, I even started to wonder why they resorted to such a lifestyle.
That’s how I ended up learning a thing or two about them.
“This will be the last thing I’ll say, so listen carefully. It’s the most important part.”
“Yes, great hero.”
“Don’t ever ask for more than five coins. Ideally, ask for three. If the person looks kind-hearted, ask for two. If they look mean or try to pick a fight, only take one.”
“Why only one from the nasty-looking ones?”
“That’s how you’ll live longer. Remember that.”
That was all the advice I could give them.
Hoping they’d take it to heart, I left the foolish bandits behind and continued on my way to Shaanxi.
***
[“To my dearest father,
I am leaving to find love.
At the age of twenty-four, they say no flower blooms for ten days. I have done my part for the family with what little talent I had, and now I wish to live for myself. Please do not try to find me.”]
Moyong Hye disappeared, leaving behind only this brief letter.
The Moyong Family was thrown into chaos by this sudden incident.
While Moyong Chun had been running wild with reckless behaviour, hiding behind vague expectations, it was Moyong Hye who had been carrying out the real duties of the family head.
The rumour within the family was that Moyong Guk had confined Moyong Chun to the training quarters and given Moyong Hye more power to handle things.
And now, she had suddenly run away in pursuit of love?
Moyong Hye was famously distant from men. Despite her natural beauty, she had never shown affection to any man. Her attention was solely focused on the family’s progress.
So who could she have run away with?
“Could it be that man, Lee Se-woong?”
“……”
In the Moyong Family’s main hall,
A secret meeting was held with those Moyong Guk had gathered.
Since they couldn’t narrow down the suspects, they brought up the name of Lee Se-woong, who had recently spent the most time with Moyong Hye.
“That’s absurd. Have you seen how that man treated our lady?”
“Yes, I saw. He treated her with such cold indifference. Does he think he’s part of the Namgung Family or something, trying to act like a son-in-law?”
“The reason Hye was kind to him was only to uphold the dignity of the family!”
Naturally, the suggestion was immediately dismissed.
It was because of how coldly Lee Se-woong had rejected Moyong Hye’s feelings.
“This letter must contain a secret code.”
“A code?”
“Yes, think about it. Hye has always been devoted to the family. For her to leave the family on her own? Impossible! If we decode this letter, we’ll uncover the truth!”
“Oh, can you do it?”
“Of course. I’m the one who taught her the basics of coding. Just give me a moment.”
Tap, tap tap.
Moyong Hak, known as the family’s mastermind, tapped his fingers on the table as he fell into deep thought.
A short while later,
When he opened his eyes, Moyong Guk, eyes bloodshot, asked urgently,
“So, what does it mean?”
There was no secret code, of course.
But the family’s wild imaginations, fueled by their assumptions, began to lead Moyong Hak to an absurd conclusion.
—
Read More at – GENZNOVEL.COM!!
PLEASE JOIN OUR DISCORD AND SUBSCRIBE THE ROLE TO RECEIVE LATEST NOTIFICATIONS!!
Comment