Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Breakfast with Bandits
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Three members of the Lunar Eclipse Squad had collapsed from exhaustion.
Even after Neung Un-bi and Wang Cheon gave up their horses, the Lunar Eclipse Squad only managed to reach the Akwaji Oasis at dawn. Upon arrival, as if they had discovered some sacred land, they fell to their knees and stared at the sight before them.
A crescent-shaped spring shimmered under the moonlight.
They had thought it was a lie, but there was truly a spring in the middle of the desert.
The sight of all sorts of animals, having woken early, gathering around it to lower their heads and drink was truly a spectacle.
“I-It was really here?”
“…”
Wang Cheon’s eyes widened as he gazed at the Akwaji Oasis, his expression rapturous.
“Ah, the mystery of a shaded spring deep in the mountains… no, deep in the desert…”
“You believe me now?”
“Of course! I believe you. I absolutely believe you!”
Wang Cheon exclaimed, nodding his head vigorously.
It was truly astounding.
It wasn't just the spring. Around it stood no fewer than ten buildings, large and small.
To think people actually lived here…
It was hard to believe even seeing it with his own eyes. The oasis was surrounded by towering sand dunes, so not a single light was visible until they had crossed over.
“Alright! Let’s go! Let’s go get some proper rest!”
“Uwoooo!”
At Wang Cheon’s cry, the members of the Lunar Eclipse Squad, who had been kneeling and staring for a while, rose with beast-like howls.
“Wait!”
“…?”
But their joy was short-lived. Neung Un-bi shouted forcefully, halting them in their tracks.
“Hold on a moment.”
“…?”
Their eyes all seemed to ask the same question: why?
For what reason? Why! What for!
A place to rest is right in front of us, so why are you telling us to stop!
Even if he is our lord, how can he stop us after putting us through so much hardship!
They looked ready to stage a rebellion on the spot, but Neung Un-bi ignored them, his gaze fixed on the village settled at the Akwaji Oasis.
A small village.
It had been thirty years, but if his memory served him right…
*Bwoooooo!*
At that moment, as if in response to Neung Un-bi’s gaze, the sound of a horn suddenly echoed.
Simultaneously, numerous figures burst out from the ten buildings.
What they held in their hands, reflecting the moonlight, was none other than sharpened steel.
Seeing this, Neung Un-bi let out a smirk.
“As expected… even after all this time, this place is the same. It hasn’t changed a bit.”
“…?”
At Neung Un-bi’s murmur, Wang Cheon and the Lunar Eclipse Squad tilted their heads in confusion.
I know. You’re curious what I mean, aren’t you?
You’re wondering who those guys with the blades are.
Just as there are mountain bandits in the mountains and pirates on the water, the desert has these guys.
Mounted bandits.
They’re a nasty bunch who commit all sorts of crimes, using guides to ambush merchant caravans crossing the desert or even going outside the desert to plunder villages.
And the Akwaji Oasis is their base.
Government troops can’t reach it, and martial artists don’t come here. What better place is there to hide?
Plus, since caravans that can’t afford the cost of going around take the desert shortcut, their income is quite handsome.
I was worried they might have moved elsewhere in the past few decades, so I checked around while staying in Sangnak.
As it turned out, there were more than a few people who had been attacked by them or merchants who had paid a toll to pass.
That’s why I came. Because I was certain their base was still here.
In their hideout, there would be plundered treasures, as well as food and alcohol, and surely enough horses to carry about thirty people.
How perfect is that?
Having discarded the identity the Third Elder’s Office gave me and decided to be reborn, I can’t receive support from the Cult anymore. I can’t let the Lunar Eclipse Squad walk forever, can I?
We need to buy horses and earn enough money for food and drink. And we need to secure ample funds to sleep comfortably at inns from time to time.
That’s what a lord should do.
That way, I won’t feel so sorry when I eventually leave them as if I’m abandoning them.
“My lord.”
As Neung Un-bi just stood there smiling at the approaching horde of mounted bandits, Ju Seung cautiously asked for his orders.
“What should we do…?”
To that, Neung Un-bi replied with a bright smile.
“What do you mean? They’re a truly vicious bunch.”
“…”
“Crush them. Try not to kill them, if you can. Got it?”
“…Yes?”
“Then we can rest.”
“…!”
With that one phrase, the atmosphere seemed to change in an instant.
Of course, the Lunar Eclipse Squad didn’t know the identity of their opponents. And for now, their lord hadn’t even been attacked.
To the Lunar Eclipse Squad, whose eyes were already filled with venom from their desire to rest, their lord had just added a little more.
The mounted bandits, who had been living peacefully without a care in the world, had just run into a pack of venomous Demonic Cultists.
“Ju Seung, Commander of the Lunar Eclipse Squad! I accept my lord’s command!”
Ju Seung shouted forcefully and dashed across the desert.
The Lunar Eclipse Squad, spreading out in a crane wing formation, followed him with imposing strides, their eyes gleaming with demonic energy.
The result… was obvious.
*Crack! Thwack! Crunch! Splat!*
Watching them, a pleased smile naturally formed on my face.
No matter how skilled they think they are, they’re just mounted bandits.
There wasn’t much of a fight to begin with.
Led by Ju Seung, the Lunar Eclipse Squad charged like an arrow, and the bandits they clashed with fell like autumn leaves in the wind.
“Wang Cheon.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Let’s go. We’ll have breakfast over there.”
“Yes!”
Accompanied by Wang Cheon, Neung Un-bi walked leisurely, his hands even clasped behind his back.
There were no obstacles.
*Crack!*
Wang Cheon took care of any who occasionally dared to charge at them.
* * *
“Ch-Chieftain! You must come out quickly.”
“What?”
Daesik, the leader of the Akwaji mounted bandits, who had just woken up, scowled in annoyance at the urgent cry of his subordinate who had rushed in.
“Enemies!”
“Wha-What? Enemies?”
“Yes, they’re incredibly brutal!”
“…?”
Daesik was simply bewildered.
Enemies, out of the blue?
Ever since he became chieftain, no enemies had ever appeared at their base. What madman would cross that grueling desert to get here?
Even desert guides who knew of Akwaji’s existence avoided the place, not knowing what kind of retaliation they might face later.
“Don’t tell me it’s a subjugation force?”
“Th-They didn’t look like it.”
“Then?”
“I don’t know either. In any case, they’re formidable. They’re already close!”
“Damn it! Let’s go!”
Without further thought, Daesik grabbed the crude broadsword hanging next to his bed and shot to his feet.
*KABOOM!*
“…”
The door—no, the entire wall where the door had been—was shattered.
“Go where? I came to you to save you the trouble.”
“…”
A youth with a boyish face and a sturdy-looking warrior with twin swords on his back. It was Neung Un-bi and Wang Cheon, who had comfortably walked the path cleared by the Lunar Eclipse Squad.
“…Who are you?”
“Someone who’ll be staying here for a bit?”
“Government troops?”
“Nope.”
“Then?”
“For now, I’m the young master of some countryside sect, but is there really a need for formal introductions?”
“…”
Daesik, failing to grasp the situation, blinked blankly at the grinning Neung Un-bi.
“Make a choice. We’re hungry right now. We need to eat, so are you going to go down and cook right now? Or are you going to cook after getting a beating?”
“…”
Just as he was feeling utterly baffled by Neung Un-bi’s sudden demand.
“Chieftain!”
“…”
His brothers, having seen that Daesik’s quarters were under attack, rushed in with their weapons drawn.
His four brothers.
Having been with them for a long time, Daesik knew their skills all too well. The second and third were skilled with short spears, while the fifth and seventh were masters of the sword and saber.
There were seven in total, but it seemed three were fighting outside. Still, four against two should be more than enough.
Daesik’s expression immediately became triumphant.
“Well, I’ll be damned, listen to the mouth on this kid! Do you know where you are, acting so cocky? Does the name Daesik the Raging Gale Blade seem like a joke to you?”
“…”
This guy, this is why he’s considered a low-level fighter.
You should be able to tell at a glance whether an opponent is someone you can take on, but he’s getting all high and mighty just because his gang showed up.
And what kind of name is Daesik? Is he a big eater or something?
As Daesik, sitting with his legs spread wide on the bed, spoke with an arrogant expression, Neung Un-bi let out a dry laugh.
“…You bastard, you have a cheap way with words. Did you really think I came here without knowing it’s a bandit den?”
“You knew, and you still pulled this stunt?”
“Shut up and answer me. Even while I’m talking to you, my stomach won’t stop growling. To the point where it wouldn’t be strange if I killed someone.”
“…Haha, well now. I’ve seen all sorts of crazy brats first thing in the morning.”
“…”
As Daesik burst into a hearty laugh of disbelief, a cold chill emanated from Wang Cheon behind him. He didn’t like his lord being disrespected.
But he had to stop Wang Cheon now. After all, you shouldn’t rashly take the head of the leader.
You have to keep him alive, at least for a while, to make it easier to control his underlings.
“Wang Cheon.”
“…?”
“He’s the one who needs to cook.”
“To hell with cooking, are you just going to let him be? He deserves to have his mouth ripped off.”
“…”
And you? You’re always calling me ‘lord’ just with your words…
It’s a classic case of ‘I’m right, you’re wrong.’ What you do is right, and what others do is wrong?
“I’ll leave him breathing.”
“Still no.”
“What?”
“Don’t you remember? They say Chu Seong-gyun, the one you beat up before, still can’t control his bowels. And what about Dongsang? I’ll just do it myself.”
“But my lord, why would you personally deal with scum like them? I’m sure I told you that I am a sword meant to be used…”
“What does it matter? Just think of it as a case of a chicken sometimes getting killed with a good sword.”
“But…”
Daesik wore a dumbfounded expression as Wang Cheon and Neung Un-bi bickered over who would get to beat them up.
“These bastards! Boys! Get them!”
“…”
Why are they always like this?
Get what? Using demonic energy on you would be a waste.
*Swish!*
Simultaneous with Daesik’s shout, a short spear from behind shot straight forward.
*Whoosh!*
Neung Un-bi, who had dodged by slightly twisting his upper body, wrapped his hand around the wrist of the man holding the short spear.
“You’re not the one who’s going to cook.”
*Crack!*
The bandit, his wrist snapped in an instant, let out a scream.
“Kuaaack!”
As the startled enemies flinched at the sudden turn of events, Neung Un-bi’s body twisted like a whirlwind as his foot cut through the air.
*Thwack!*
The second bandit was slammed to the ground without even being able to scream.
“Y-You bastard!”
Daesik’s eyes widened as he shot up to swing his broadsword, but Neung Un-bi snatched the short spears dropped by the first two bandits and swung his arm.
*Shwaaak! Thunk! Vrrr…*
“…!”
Daesik was frozen in place.
Two short spears.
One had passed between his legs and embedded itself in the bed, while the other was vibrating finely right before his eyes.
“Don’t think for a second that was a mistake. I spared you because you have to cook.”
“…”
“And you two, want some?”
As Neung Un-bi glanced at them, moving only his eyes, Daesik’s fifth and seventh brothers instantly dropped their sword and saber and put their hands together, grinning sheepishly.
“The food! What should we prepare?”
“Side dishes! I’m good at those.”
“…”
Fortunately, they were quick to assess the situation.
“This guy is going to cook.”
As Neung Un-bi shook his head and pointed at Daesik, the fifth and seventh brothers glanced at their two fallen brothers, trying to read the room.
“Th-Then what should we do…”
“Hmm, alcohol?”
“What a coincidence, we have some fine liquor! We’ll prepare it at once, Great Hero!”
“Alright, then you go heat up some bathwater. I feel disgusting from all the sand.”
“Of course! You must wash, absolutely.”
“It’s for thirty people. You know how to keep a consistent temperature, right? If it’s too hot or too cold, you’re dead.”
“Yep! Don’t you worry about a thing!”
The two of them, bowing at a ninety-degree angle, quickly rushed out of the room.
They’re a truly loyal bunch. Their own chieftain is just standing there wide-eyed, trying to figure things out…
“Daesik, was it?”
“…Y-Yeees? Th-That’s right, Great Hero!”
“What are you doing?”
“…?”
“Go cook. I’m hungry. Make sure you use the right amount of water. If the rice is too hard or too mushy, you’re dead. I’ve been having some digestive issues lately.”
“…”
“Not going?”
Neung Un-bi, perched on the bed, narrowed one eye, and the terrified Daesik shot out of the room like an arrow.
Neung Un-bi smiled in satisfaction at the sight, but Wang Cheon’s face was scrunched up in displeasure.
“Why?”
“You were too soft.”
“Hm?”
“What was that, for someone who will one day inherit the throne? It’s beneath you.”
“…”
“You should have ripped off an arm or broken a leg. To instill fear in their eyes. But to merely threaten them with words… I worry how you will navigate the harsh road ahead with such a soft heart.”
Neung Un-bi stared blankly at Wang Cheon, who was shaking his head with a grave expression.
…What a cruel Demonic Cultist.