Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: A New Guest
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Steam rose in appetizing wisps.
The smell of cooking rice made his nostrils flare, and the beasts in his stomach roared and rumbled.
It was truly a heartwarming scene.
Was this the charm of country living?
Those with hale appearances and overflowing spirits scooped up bowls of freshly cooked rice to fill their bellies, while those who looked like they needed care for their various physical ailments diligently served the food and drink.
Yet, no one complained.
The faces of the providers were full of smiles(?), and those who hastily shoveled food into their mouths quickly felt their hunger sated.
Was it because they hadn't eaten properly for a full day?
He never knew rice could be this delicious. Daesik must have truly cooked it with all his heart.
Then again, his life was on the line...
After the meal, a bath was prepared.
The water was the perfect temperature. As he settled into the wooden tub, the fatigue from the previous day seemed to vanish without a trace.
There was no luxury quite like this. Perhaps because it was a rest after a grueling day that felt like a year, it was exceptionally sweet.
When he emerged from his bath, the bandits had already set up a place for drinks.
Such considerate fellows.
If they knew how to satisfy guests like this, why were they bandits?
Before leaving, it might be a good idea to suggest they run an inn.
But first.
“Hey, Daesik.”
“Yes, Great Hero!”
Neung Un-bi savored the taste of the alcohol, emptied his cup, and called out casually. Daesik answered respectfully.
“How many horses do you lot have?”
“We have at least one per person.”
“So how many is that? Exactly.”
“A-Around... Uh, well.”
At Neung Un-bi's question, Daesik stammered, counting on his ten fingers one by one. After folding them all, he started unfolding them again, so it seemed they had at least more than ten.
But this guy... doesn't he know basic arithmetic? How many times is he going to fold and unfold them?
“You don't know?”
“Well...”
“Hah, how can a leader like you not even know the state of your own household?”
“I-I'm sorry. I've never counted them... I'll go check right now!”
“...Hah, you're going yourself?”
“...”
“Don't you know what efficiency is? Send your men. Your men. I have more things to ask.”
“I'm sorry, Great Hero.”
Daesik turned to his subordinates with a sullen expression.
“Thirty-two horses, five foals, and ten mules.”
It was the fifth brother, the one who had thrown down his sword and offered to prepare drinks after seeing his brothers beaten. He whispered in Daesik's ear, but he was so close that one could hear him even with their ears covered.
“Oh? You've got a pretty sharp one under you, eh? What's your name?”
“Huh? I-I'm Hwangseo.”
“Come here, have a drink.”
“...”
“Aren't you coming?”
“Yes!”
Hwangseo, who had been watching cautiously, scurried over and picked up a cup only after Daesik gave him a look of permission.
*Gurgle.*
The cup was filled to the brim.
“What are you doing? Drink.”
“Yes!”
Over thirty horses. That was good. There was no better means of transportation for crossing the desert.
The Lunar Eclipse members wouldn't have to run on their own two feet, which would be less grueling, and if anyone was chasing them, they could put some distance between them.
“And, Daesik.”
“Yes.”
“You guys have things like dried jerky, right? Emergency rations are more important than anything in the desert.”
“Well...”
As Daesik hesitated, Hwangseo whispered in his ear again.
“I don't know where you're headed, but we will prepare more than enough for the number of people you have.”
The mouth belonged to Daesik, but the words might as well have been Hwangseo's.
He might as well have just said it himself.
“Water...”
“...He says he'll prepare that too.”
“Good.”
Neung Un-bi nodded.
What did it matter if Daesik said it or Hwangseo said it?
With this, he had secured horses, food, and water.
All that was left was...
“Daesik.”
“Yes?”
“Got any money?”
“Money... you ask?”
“Yeah, money. You're bandits. You must have filled your pockets by robbing good people all this time.”
“About that...”
“What? You don't have any?”
“Lately, we haven't been able to... do business for a while...”
Daesik scratched his head and made excuses, but Neung Un-bi wasn't one to let it slide.
He had already finished his investigation in Sangnak.
He hadn't even needed to try. While waiting for the rest of the Lunar Eclipse to join him, he had only to sit in a restaurant, and the stories came to him.
That the bandits were running rampant, and no one knew what the government troops were doing.
*Shing.*
Neung Un-bi personally half-drew the Flying Swallow Sword to threaten Daesik.
“Lie, and you die.”
“We do have some. But I... where did I put it...”
“Oh, is thaaat right?”
As Neung Un-bi furrowed his brow, the Lunar Eclipse members, who had been resting and patting their full bellies, suddenly drew their swords with murderous glints in their eyes.
They looked ready to chop Daesik's body into more than thirty pieces at any moment.
“W-Wait a moment. I really can't remember...”
Daesik felt like he could die.
These guys are worse than bandits...
It's obvious they're taking the horses, they're taking plenty of food and water, and now they demand money too?
Even demons aren't this demonic. Where in the world did these bastards drop from to torment him like this?
He absolutely couldn't let them take his wealth. If he lost that too... he'd be bankrupt. He'd have no choice but to suck his thumbs for a while.
“Oh, you can't remember? Should I chop off a few of your men's heads to jog your memory? You might not know this, but these guys are experts at beheading people. The dead probably won't even know why they died.”
Neung Un-bi threatened with a sinister grin.
But Daesik had something he was counting on.
Judging by how they treated them, it didn't seem like they intended to kill, did it?
If he held out just a little longer, he might be able to get away with giving them a very small amount.
“Ah!”
“...!?”
Suddenly, Hwangseo clapped his hands and leaned toward Daesik's ear.
*What? This is making me anxious.*
“Chief...”
His careful whisper suggested he knew something.
“The bed...”
“...!”
*Damn it! How do you know that?*
*Don't! You bastard! Just shut up!*
Daesik wanted to clamp a hand over Hwangseo's mouth. But the crazy bastard Hwangseo had already spat out the rest.
“Ah! It was under the bed?”
“...Yes, ah... was it? My memory is so terrible, it's only just come back to me, you see? Hahahaha!”
Daesik wanted to cry, but he had to laugh.
*That damn Hwangseo, when did he see that... Hell, I showed it to him myself when I was drunk. I boasted that this was our brothers' future...*
*And he just blabbed it.*
*Hwangseo, you bastard. From now on, you are no brother of mine.*
*Just you wait. After those guys leave, I'll tear that mouth of yours to shreds.*
“Wang Cheon.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Go and scrape it all up.”
“Understood.”
“Jooseung.”
“Yes.”
“Have the men bring the horses. We've filled our bellies and rested enough. Let's depart. We have a long way to go.”
“Yes!”
It was time to go.
They had crossed the desert and erased their tracks; now it was time to change their identities.
He already had a method in mind for that as well. Though he didn't know if that place still existed.
The horses were prepared, and Wang Cheon returned after scraping up enough treasure to make a large pouch heavy.
“Well then, keep up the good work.”
“Yes, Great Hero! We will pray day and night for your safe journey.”
“...”
Daesik shouted, full of joy, and bowed low.
If not for the way he was grinding his teeth, his politeness was impeccable. It was as if he were begging them to leave as quickly as possible.
*I'll pretend I didn't see that.*
*After receiving so much help, how could I possibly find fault?*
Horses, food, money... Having lost everything they owned, they were probably planning to start pillaging indiscriminately from now on.
But that was just his wish. Pitifully, they might never be able to act as bandits again. Because if the ones chasing him were to encounter them, they would show absolutely no mercy.
“We're leaving. Hyah!”
With a sharp crack of the whip, more than thirty riders galloped south toward the desert.
*Thudududu.*
Daesik, who had been seeing them off with a low bow, only raised his head when the earth-shaking sound of hooves faded from his ears.
“Phew, those damn bastards are finally gone.”
“...”
Hwangseo shook his head and sighed, while the other bandits, having survived a near-death experience, collapsed to the ground as the tension left them.
“It's a relief. Everyone's injured, but not many died. Isn't that right, big brother?”
“...”
At Hwangseo's words, Daesik slowly turned his head to look at his younger brother.
His eyes were indifferent, his expression as cold as ice.
“W-Why?”
*Why, indeed?*
Daesik stretched his mouth into a wide grin and raised his broadsword.
“C-Chief.”
Hwangseo faltered and backed away, but Daesik's eyes were already brimming with killing intent.
“Chie—no, big brother! Wait a moment.”
*Wait my ass, get over here, you bastard.*
*A relief? What's a relief? Because of you, I just lost every bit of wealth we tenaciously gathered while enduring these sandstorms!*
“...Dieee!”
“Ugh!”
Furious, Daesik's broadsword, raised high, fell forcefully as if to split Hwangseo's head open.
*Claaang!*
“Kuh!”
But the broadsword never reached Hwangseo's head; it was knocked aside.
*W-What was that? Don't tell me those guys came back?*
Startled, Daesik whipped his head around in the direction Neung Un-bi's party had gone.
...Nothing but sand.
“Phew...”
Thinking he had been too sensitive, Daesik calmed his heart... wait, no. Then what hit the blade just now? The impact had been strong enough to make his hand tingle.
Daesik blinked, staring at the blade of his broadsword.
The middle of the wide flat was dented... no, pierced through?
There was a fist-sized hole in the body of the sword.
“How in the world?”
Daesik tilted his head and turned toward the direction from which the object that struck his sword must have flown.
The band of bandits also turned their heads silently in the same direction.
A petite figure, covered head to toe in dirt and dust...
*Riiip!*
A woman roughly tore off the veil covering her face.
“Gah! Damn it, of all the times to be riding away on horses.”
“...”
*Who is she?*
*I can't tell from her appearance. She's completely covered in dust...*
“Who are you?”
“Food!”
“...”
*I asked who she was, and she just says 'Food'.*
“Drink!”
“...”
*And 'Drink'...*
“Horses!”
“...”
Daesik stared blankly at her as she spoke, one word at a time.
*What is this now? What kind of woman confronts a band of bandits in the middle of the desert...*
“What kind of crazy bitch is this!”
“...”
One of the reckless bandits, having learned nothing from the ordeal with the previous guests, mindlessly approached the woman.
*Thud.*
And a head rolled across the ground.
*Spurt!*
Belatedly, the headless body, spewing blood like a fountain, collapsed to the ground.
“Food, drink, horses... bring them as fast as you can. There's no time.”
“...”
Daesik couldn't hide his bewilderment.
*This is crazy! Killing someone without warning?*
*Swish! Thud, thump.*
Another head rolled on the ground.
“Until the three things I mentioned are ready, I will kill one of you with every step I take.”
With that low threat, she took another step, and another head rolled, gushing blood.
He couldn't even see a sword. The petite woman was undoubtedly a peerless master.
*These damn bastards!*
*What is this place, a damn revolving door?*
*Did you all take a number?*
*Why don't you just pass by? Why are you all showing up one after another!*
But the woman looked far too angry for him to argue the point.
*I get it. How angry must she be, having crossed the desert as a woman?*
Moreover, she possessed a cruel nature that couldn't even be compared to the guy who just left. In that case?
“Great Herooo!”
“...”
*Woman, schmoman, when your head's on the line, what does 'Great Hero' matter?*
Having made a timely judgment, Daesik shouted forcefully and prostrated himself, his head to the ground.
“We will prepare everything immediately. Please, stop walking.”
*Swish! Thud, thump.*
“I told you. One man per step.”
“...”
The woman took another step without the slightest hesitation.
Realizing that his pathetic pleas were completely ineffective, Daesik yelled with all his might.
“Food! Drink! Horses! Bring them now, you sons of bitches!”