Chapter 42

Chapter 42 — There Are Rules Even in a Bandit Stronghold (2)

"..."

"..."

Cheongun and Doyul were both left speechless by the horrifying scene before them.

Donggu...

"Oh, Young Master. You're here."

"...Yeah. What exactly happened here?"

"The bandits drew their swords on me."

"So I hit them."

"...Hm? They did?"

Doyul looked around the fallen bandits.

There really were swords scattered all over the ground.

If Donggu had simply beaten them for no reason, that would have been another matter.

But if he had subdued armed men, then he hadn't necessarily done anything wrong.

Cheongun, utterly flustered, questioned Donggu again to confirm what had happened.

"W-Wait. Is that really true? They didn't just rob you, they even drew their swords?"

"That's right."

One of the fallen bandits groaned and desperately raised his head.

"N-No! Sir! That's not how it happened! W-We did draw our swords, but that's not what happened!"

"...What do you mean you drew your swords, but that's not what happened?"

At Doyul's question, the bandit hurriedly explained.

"W-Well! It's true that we drew our swords to frighten Chief Honggak because he was chasing us!"

"But the moment we realized he was the chief, we all put our swords down!"

"...Hm?"

"...Huuuuuh?"

Cheongun's thoughts spiraled.

W-What is going on?

Don't tell me Kang Doyul deceived me!

Donggu's true identity is... the leader of the bandits throughout the eight provinces?!

Doyul's thoughts went in a very different direction.

What nonsense is this now?

Why would Donggu be Hong Gil?

Donggu replied with a bored expression.

"They held swords anyway."

"So I hit them."

"B-But even after we put them down, the chief forced the swords back into our hands and beat us! Ugh..."

"I only hit each of you once."

"...Ah."

Doyul finally understood roughly what had happened.

He misunderstood "you can hit someone if they're holding a sword" as "you can hit anyone as long as you make them hold a sword."

"...Donggu."

"Speak, Young Master."

"Your loyal servant Donggu will obey your command."

The fallen bandits recoiled in terror.

"G-Gasp!"

"The legendary great thief, the Bandit King, leader of all eight provinces...!"

"He bowed his head!"

"Th-Then that man must be someone even greater than the Bandit King!"

Dun!

"The Mountain Lord!"

"Obviously."

Donggu nodded calmly.

The bandits immediately crawled over to Doyul and bowed their heads.

"W-We failed to recognize such an exalted person!"

"M-Mountain Lord!"

"Please spare our lives!"

"......?"

Doyul stared at them in confusion.

Why are they doing this to me?

He wasn't the only one confused.

Cheongun stared at him with a complicated expression.

"...They say the darkest place is beneath the lamp, but d-don't tell me..."

"Donggu is Hong Gil..."

"And you, Scholar..."

"...are the one behind Hong Gil?!"

"No. Please calm down."

"That obviously isn't true."

Some of the bandits still looked doubtful.

But their lives mattered more than their suspicions.

"W-We greet the leader of the eight provinces..."

"W-We greet the Mountain Lord..."

"...Scholar."

"You're absolutely sure I'm misunderstanding this... right?"

Doyul pretended not to notice Cheongun's suspicious gaze and clenched his teeth.

Please stop.

It did not take long to clear up the misunderstanding.

The moment they reached the mountain stronghold and met Gwidol, who had been sitting there with an imposing expression, he immediately began shouting.

Unlike the others, Gwidol had actually seen the true leader of the eight provinces.

"What?! Who is this bastard?!"

"That man is not our chief!"

"How dare he impersonate the Great Thief!"

"You'll pay for that crime with your life!"

Shing!

The moment Gwidol and his guards drew their swords, Donggu gave a short reply.

"They drew swords."

BOOM!

Once again, it took a single punch.

In any case, thanks to Gwidol, the misunderstanding about Donggu's identity was cleared up.

Practically speaking, however, not much changed.

"M-Mountain Lord..."

"What brings someone as exalted as you to our humble stronghold...?"

You people robbed me.

After Donggu flattened Gwidol in an instant and introduced Doyul as the Mountain Lord, the bandits had no choice but to humor Doyul.

Doyul suffered from embarrassment at the ridiculous title.

"Could you... call me something else?"

"How could we address the Mountain Lord with some vulgar title?"

"M-Mountain Lord..."

"Mountain Lord..."

Haah...

Gwidol kept his head bowed while nervously watching Donggu.

"The general who guards the Mountain Lord is so powerful that even Chief Honggak would not surpass him."

Gwidol's expression turned distant as he remembered the first time he had met Honggak.

"You bastard! Do you know where you are, daring to enter Gwidol's stronghold?!"

"Don't... raise your voice."

Thud!

Honggak had defeated him in a single exchange.

Donggu's strength was easily comparable.

"Has the Mountain Lord descended upon us to conquer Joseon?"

Obviously not.

Being mistaken for the head of a criminal organization was absurd enough.

Fortunately or unfortunately, once Cheongun saw that Gwidol had no idea who Donggu was, his misunderstanding was finally resolved.

After that, however, he began enjoying the situation and put all his effort into teasing Doyul.

"Indeed..."

"The Mountain Lord has personally descended upon this stronghold..."

"...to save all bandits."

"O-Oh..."

"I see..."

"Mountain Lord..."

Why are you doing this to me?

Meanwhile, Gwidol began thinking this absurd situation might be the opportunity of a lifetime.

If I play this right...

I might be able to get rid of that bastard Honggak and become a real bandit again!

"As expected!"

"The Mountain Lord came here because you intend to create a new bandit alliance!"

Dun!

"...What? No, that's..."

Doyul wondered where he should even begin correcting that statement.

Gwidol, having no idea what Doyul was thinking, began shamelessly flattering him.

"Mountain Lord! Everyone in this stronghold has complaints about Chief Honggak!"

"Please lead us!"

"Mountain Lord, please lead us!"

"Why would I lead bandits..."

Doyul was about to scold Gwidol when he suddenly stopped.

Wait.

Could this be why these bandits were so aggressive?

"...Keep talking."

Gwidol's eyes lit up.

"Shouldn't bandits act like bandits?"

"When I saw the spirit of the general who serves as the Mountain Lord's right hand, I couldn't help but think, now that's what a true bandit should be!"

"Th-That's right!"

"He's worse than a bandit!"

"I've never seen anyone rob bandits before in my life!"

"..."

Gwidol quickly dropped to his knees.

"Please, Mountain Lord!"

"Conquer Joseon!"

"Bandits ought to live like bandits!"

"We are ready whenever you are!"

So that's what happened.

The situation finally began making sense.

"Let me ask you one thing."

"Y-Yes! Mountain Lord! Ask anything!"

"Then did you voluntarily disobey Chief Honggak's orders when you robbed us?"

"...That..."

At that moment, Gwidol's mind worked faster than it ever had in his life.

This is obviously a test of my loyalty!

He couldn't appear too loyal to Honggak.

If he did, this terrifying Mountain Lord might kill him.

But he couldn't look too much like a traitor either.

Without loyalty, a bandit was nothing.

After agonizing over it, Gwidol finally answered.

"O-Of course we didn't directly disobey the chief!"

"But the stronghold has been struggling financially, so we merely... exercised a little ingenuity. Hehe."

"O-Of course, we didn't know that the person we targeted was the Mountain Lord..."

"...I understand."

Doyul finished sorting through the situation.

So after Hong Gil became their leader and prohibited indiscriminate plundering, this man started interpreting the rules however he pleased.

That makes everything fit together.

"Mountain Lord!"

"But we are ready!"

"Please take us in!"

"Open a new world with us!"

Dun!

Everyone looked toward Doyul after Gwidol's dramatic declaration.

Haah...

Doyul slowly spoke.

"I believe there has been a misunderstanding."

"M-Mountain Lord, what misunderstanding could there possibly be...?"

Doyul briefly considered wiping the bandits out.

But if Hong Gil truly was their leader, leaving them under his authority probably wouldn't let them stray too far.

So Doyul made a different decision.

"...Chief Honggak is my friend."

"I came all this way at my friend's request to inspect whether his mountain strongholds were being managed properly."

"I never imagined I would find you making mistakes like these."

"G-Gasp!"

He decided to pretend he was Hong Gil's friend.

"......!"

"W-What?"

"Is that... really true?"

The bandits immediately went pale and bowed even lower.

H-He really is Chief Honggak's friend?

Of course, some still had doubts.

But then...

"Oh, that's how it was?"

"Donggu, that's how it is."

"I didn't know."

With the death-god-like Donggu standing there, no one had the courage to voice those doubts aloud.

"M-Mountain Lord...!"

"Hahaha! Scholar, I truly see you in a new light."

"Your spirit was extraordinary."

"The title Mountain Lord suits you perfectly."

"Please stop teasing me."

"Oh, when the Mountain Lord commands me like that, my knees tremble too much to move!"

"Please..."

After firmly warning the bandits never to plunder travelers again, Doyul recovered his belongings and finally reached Eonyang.

As soon as he arrived, he went to find Choi Sihyeon.

"Hm? What brings you here?"

Since Yeongsan was geographically much closer to Daegu, Choi Sihyeon had expected that even if Doyul participated in the review, they would next meet in Daegu.

Doyul briefly explained why he had come to Eonyang.

"Hmm. So that's what happened."

"Very well. I'll help exchange your coins."

"And since things have turned out this way, travel with me to the provincial office."

"Thank you for your generosity, Magistrate."

Choi Sihyeon then looked toward Cheongun.

"...And who is this man?"

"Well..."

Kim Jiseok had taught Cheongun, so naturally he knew who he was.

Choi Sihyeon, however, had never had many opportunities to see a royal prince.

So he had no idea that the man standing before him was Prince Changheon.

"Would you leave that to me?"

Cheongun pulled Choi Sihyeon aside.

A short while later, Choi Sihyeon's entire demeanor had become extremely respectful.

"I-I failed to recognize such a distinguished person..."

"Oh, don't worry about it."

"And I've heard that you govern Eonyang extremely well."

"I'll speak favorably of you to His Majesty."

"You needn't worry! Hahaha!"

"Th-Thank..."

"Thank you!"

Cheongun had only introduced himself as a secret royal inspector.

But even between a county magistrate and a secret royal inspector, the difference in standing was enormous.

"I was already on my way to Daegu."

"We might as well travel together."

"I'm glad to have companions on what would've otherwise been a dull journey."

"I-I see."

Cold sweat ran down Choi Sihyeon's face.

Good heavens.

Now I have to travel all the way to the provincial office with a secret royal inspector!

A short while later, Choi Sihyeon went outside to inspect Doyul's coins so he could arrange the exchange.

It didn't take him long to become flustered again.

"...D-Doyul."

"Is all of this... truly your money?"

"...Yes."

Choi Sihyeon looked troubled.

"Hmm. I don't think I can exchange this entire amount here."

"I can give you some of Eonyang's stored silver, but for the rest, we'll need help from someone else."

He stroked his beard for a moment before speaking.

"A fairly large merchant caravan happens to be staying in the marketplace."

"Why don't you ask them?"

"I'll write you a letter to give them."

"Take it with you and speak to their people."

"I will. Thank you for your consideration."

Then Cheongun called out to Doyul with an unusually earnest voice.

"Scholar!"

"I have an important favor to ask while you're out."

"Would you do it for me?"

"Go ahead."

"Buy me one rice cake on the way back."

"...Excuse me?"

"I'm feeling a little hungry."

"......"

Doyul stared at Cheongun in disbelief before sighing.

Secret royal inspector, my ass.

He may not have drawn a sword, but he's still a highway robber.