Chapter 3
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: The Reason for Learning
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A few days had passed since I met Master Chae. The world hadn't changed a bit.
The bandits still roamed freely, the officials remained incompetent, and the people kept dying. In a world like this, there was only one thing I could do.
"Big brother! Big trouble! Bandits are raiding a nearby county! It's a huge group! If we don't go now, the whole village is gonna get wiped out!"
Wei Sok came barreling into the barracks, shouting at the top of his lungs. Before he even finished, I shot to my feet.
I snatched up the spear leaning haphazardly against the wall of the barracks. The cold feel of the familiar metal in my hand. In this fucked-up world, this was the only thing I could truly trust.
"You lot, on your feet! Everyone out! We're mobilizing!"
At my bellow, the guys resting in the barracks scrambled outside. The clatter of armor being donned and saddles being thrown on horses filled the air noisily.
"Damn it, again?"
"Who the hell is it this time? They really can't stand to see us catching a break!"
These bastards grumbled, but their movements were crisp and efficient. The result of countless real battles.
In an instant, dozens of cavalry formed up. Their faces showed familiarity rather than fear, laced with trust in me.
Our goal was simple. Smash the bandits' skulls.
I spurred my horse toward the village where the bandits had appeared.
As we drew closer, the black smoke thickened, and the acrid stench carried a cacophony of sounds on the wind.
"Kahaha! Come here, you bitch! Let me give that ass of yours a squeeze!"
"No! Please... at least spare the child!"
"Mommy! Waaah!"
When we reached the village outskirts, the scene before us was pure hell on earth.
Houses were burning, and one drunken bandit was dragging a young village woman by her hair.
Another was ripping open sacks of grain and cackling, while a child wailed in terror.
The bandits were so engrossed in looting and raping that they hadn't even noticed us approaching.
"Charge!"
I kicked my horse's belly and plunged straight into their midst first. No one blocked my path ahead. Well, if anyone tried, they'd be gone in a flash.
"Who the hell are you?!"
The first one to spot me drew his sword and charged. His face showed more incredulity—like 'what crazy bastard is charging in alone?'—than panic.
Wei Sok, following behind me, clicked his tongue at the sight.
"Tch, these idiots are banditizing in Bing Province and don't even know our big brother. What worthless scum."
Before Wei Sok's mutter ended, I smashed the skull of the bastard blocking my way.
—Thud
With a dull sound, his body hit the ground pathetically.
"Wh-what!?"
"Gahk!"
My spear traced an arc, punching holes through the necks and torsos of those in my path. Their crude blades shattered before even grazing my armor.
—Neighhh!!
My red horse didn't slow. Gaining speed, it bulldozed through, bending their formation like taffy.
"Argh!"
"What the hell is that lunatic?!"
Only then did they start grasping the situation. But it was too late.
Every swing of my spear sent three or four spraying blood and tumbling. Simple thrusts, slashes, sweeps. Yet the bandits fell helplessly to those basic moves.
"Y-you monster bastard!"
The apparent bandit leader screamed, eyes rolled back in rage.
"Everyone, rush him! Just kill that guy! The ones behind him are nothing!"
"We've got more numbers! Don't chicken out!"
"He's human too, damn it! Stab him all together!"
Dozens of bandits, veins bulging in their eyes, swarmed me at his words. Wei Sok, trailing behind, clicked his tongue at them again.
"You morons. You won't even salvage a single bone from them."
He was right.
Far from stopping at the sight of them closing in from all sides, I laughed. A chance to sweep these vermin away at once.
"Die!!"
Spears and swords flew at me from every direction.
—Thoom
—Whoooosh
I slammed my spear into the ground as a pivot, spinning my body to bat away every incoming weapon.
"Wh-what?!"
"How with bare hands!?"
"Hic. This guy couldn't be—"
In that fleeting gap, I yanked the spear free and swung it horizontally.
"Uwaaaagh!"
"Gack-gack..."
"M-my guts, sa-save—"
The ones around me crumpled with waists snapped in two or ribs crushed, vomiting blood. In a blink, a no-man's-land formed around me.
"Shoot! Fire arrows! Kill that monster!"
The leader shrieked almost like a scream. At his command, they fumbled for bows, unleashing dozens of arrows like black rain toward me.
"Hah, you think that puny volley will do shit?"
I didn't dodge. Instead, I crouched low and spun my spear in a mad whirlwind.
—Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh! Clang! Clatter-clang!
The spear blade sliced the air, snapping arrows mid-flight or sending them veering harmlessly into the dirt. It was like an invisible wall enveloped me.
"I-is that even human...?"
That surreal sight visibly broke their momentum. Their faces twisted not with fighting spirit, but primal terror they couldn't comprehend.
Then one of them screamed, face drained pale.
"Th-that guy... the red horse, that spear... no way!"
"Who is he?!"
"It's the Wolf of Saibang! He's no man—he's a wolf pup! Cross him and you won't even leave bones behind!"
'Wolf of Saibang.'
The moment the name burst out, their formation collapsed completely. Fear spread faster than any plague. They shoved each other, fleeing in panic.
"R-run!"
"Get away from that monster!"
By the time Wei Sok and my men caught up and mopped up the surroundings, the fight had turned into a slaughter.
They'd lost all will to fight and scattered; all that was left was stabbing backs as they ran.
We rampaged like that for a while until no enemies stood. My armor was soaked red from how much blood they'd spewed.
The stench of blood and burning flesh assaulted my nose disgustingly.
The surviving villagers watched me from afar with eyes mixing fear and awe. Their gazes were familiar, but today they felt different.
'Is this... also righteousness?'
The thought crossed my mind suddenly.
"Clean up and head back!"
At my order, my men started rummaging through the corpse piles. Amid the foul mix of blood and sweat, they cheered as they found valuables.
The road back to the barracks was a spectacle.
"You see that? I blew that bastard's head clean off!"
"Bullshit, you were just pissing yourself on horseback!"
Listening to their crude jokes and banter, I thought.
How could those guys laugh like that? In a place where people had been dying moments ago.
Maybe living without a care in the world was their wise way of enduring this fucked-up era.
The moment we reached the barracks, I dumped the money pouch from selling the loot right in front of everyone.
—Clink-clatter!
The coins spilling out drew all their eyes at once.
"First, the shares for the ones who died today. Wei Sok, take care of it."
"Yes, big brother!"
I called Wei Sok over to set aside portions for the dead men's families. Then, as usual, I pulled aside another chunk of the coins.
"Send this separately to the families of the fallen. Send a few kids to deliver it personally, and if they're starving, bring 'em back. Got it?"
"Yes, yes, we always do it that way. Understood, big brother."
Finally, I pointed to the rest.
"Divide the remainder equally. By headcount. Any complaints?"
One guy snickered and shouted.
"Boss! You could take it all, and we wouldn't complain!"
"Right! We owe our lives to you!"
I chuckled.
"Must be the booze rotting your brains. If I took it all, you'd slit my throat by tomorrow."
"""Hahaha!"""
I played along with their lame jokes and split the rest evenly.
Grabbing their shares, they scattered noisily, vowing to drink themselves to death tonight. As Wei Sok tried to slip away, I grabbed him by the scruff.
"Wh-whoa! Big brother, what?!"
"Come with me."
I ignored his dragging protests and headed out of the barracks. After divvying the loot, thoughts of that old man and our talk bubbled up.
"Ha... If only I could serve a new father figure."
Hearing my mutter, Wei Sok grumbled with a fed-up look.
"Come on, big brother! That again? How many times have you said the exact same thing these past few days?"
I ignored his whining and set off toward Master Chae's place.
Wei Sok freaked, blocking my path.
"Seriously, why serve some frail old geezer as father? Ugh, I don't get it. Let's just go drink! Or hit a brothel with today's haul!"
"That's why your skull echoes hollow every time I smack it."
Wei Sok shot back, incredulous.
"What? Hollow skull? That's too harsh!"
—Wham!
"Gahk! Talk, don't hit!"
"Too noisy."
I dragged the wide-eyed, aggrieved Wei Sok toward Master Chae's. The whole way, he yapped nonstop.
"Big brother, I really don't get it! What're you gonna learn from that old man? Letters? You could swing that spear once and wipe out a hundred, a thousand scholars—what good are ink stains?"
"Shut up."
"Shut up? It's true! You're plenty strong as is. Why bother with books and all this hassle? And why drag me along? I hate headaches!"
He had a point. But he didn't know. What I wanted to learn wasn't just letters.
'To make every betrayal I face ahead into "righteousness."'
That was my real reason. Justification to twist this fucked-up fate with my own hands.
No way a guy like Wei Sok would get it.
"...So you dragged me 'cause you don't wanna listen to that boring crap alone?"
"Huh? What? So you hate it solo and that's why? Big brother!?"
"Shut it, you punk!"
"Kyak! Really! It hurts!"
I gave his head another good punch.