The Precious Baby of the Bandit Leader Chapter 108

Dupil continued his testimony. 

 

“General Jeon had already made his decision before I arrived. Ji Hakseung approached the General… and it seems they exchanged words we didn’t hear.”

 

Jeon Bongjin nodded.

 

“Yes, that is correct. That man tried to coax me… but ended up confessing the names and numbers of the traitors instead.”

 

“Then, the one who sent the letter was also that man.”

 

“That is correct.”

 

The Chief closed his eyes as if no more words were needed.

 

He had already received a report that Ji Hakseung was acting suspiciously. 

 

But he couldn’t just capture Ji Hakseung alone.

 

If he kept his mouth shut, further weeding out would have been impossible.

 

“Thanks to you, all of this became possible. Thank you.”

 

“Thank you, Your Highness. And… I shall follow you.” 

 

Jeon Bongjin quietly bowed his head. The Chief silently reached out and patted his shoulder.

 

Before they knew it, dawn was breaking and the surroundings brightened.

 

Jeon Bongjin raised his head.

 

The moment their gazes crossed, the time on the battlefield when they shared their intentions with just a look faintly crossed his mind.

 

“Your Highness, I heard a report that the location of this place might have been discovered by the Prime Minister. You must flee immediately.”

 

Jeon Bongjin, who was hurriedly looking around, stopped in his tracks.

 

The scenery of the mountain stronghold had changed significantly from when he left.

 

Most of the barracks were dismantled, and the carts and daily necessities near the grand plaza had disappeared.

 

Even Yeong’s playground was neatly cleaned up.

 

The people who were always moving busily around this time were nowhere to be seen.

 

“Everything has been prepared.”

 

The Chief smiled gently.

 

“I merely stayed behind to wait for you. Now, let us go together. After we sort out the traitors at the stronghold, let us discuss our future course of action.” 

 

“Yes. I shall follow your command, Your Highness.” 

 

The Chief took the lead with large strides, and Jeon Bongjin silently followed behind him.

 

Thus, leaving the emptied mountain stronghold behind, they moved their steps toward a new beginning.

 

And around the time they disappeared from sight.

 

Rustle—!

 

Four men who had been watching from a shaded place in the forest quite a distance away got up.

 

“Relocation…! I will follow right behind them immediately.”

 

“That’s right. We must track down their residence and report to the Lord!”

 

The man who appeared to be the second-in-command among them spoke first, followed by two other subordinates raising their voices one after another.

 

However, despite the urging driven by impatience…

 

“….”

 

Their captain remained silent, seemingly lost in thought.

 

“Captain, please say something. We will lose them at this rate!”

 

Pale white skin, intellectual eyes, and an impression that seemed calm yet cold.

 

He was the Prime Minister’s most cherished and trusted closest aide, Lee Seohoo.

 

As the heavy silence continued, one of the subordinates sprang up and took a step.

 

“This will not do. I shall shadow them.” 

 

But at that moment.

 

Thrust—!

 

Lee Seohou’s sword pierced the abdomen of the man who stood up and tried to run.

 

He collapsed without even being able to let out a single scream.

 

It was something no one had expected.

 

“Wh-what…?”

 

“H-Hieek!” 

 

The other startled subordinates stepped back in utter terror.

 

The sword vibrated slightly in Lee Seohoo’s hand.

 

Drops of blood fell from the tip of the sword.

 

Lee Seohoo drew out his sword, wiped it clean, and looked around at the remaining men. 

 

He wore an expression as if he had done nothing more significant than catching a pesky fly.

 

The two who ‘were’ his subordinates swallowed hard.

 

They instinctively realized.

 

‘This person… intended to kill us from the beginning.’

 

“R-run!”

 

The remaining two hurriedly turned their backs and started running. However,

 

Thwack, thwack—!

 

Before they could take even a few steps, two arrows cut through the darkness and flew in, and they tumbled down and breathed their last just like that.

 

Lee Seohoo was about to sling his bow back on, but stopped. 

 

The last one.

 

He approached the subordinate who was shot in the calf and was limping and crawling away.

 

“H-heughhh…!”

 

Step—.

 

With an expression devoid of any mirth, Lee Seohoo drew his sword once more. 

 

“Why, why are you doing this! Captain, how could you…!”

 

“…Why?”

 

Lee Seohoo tilted his head slightly. With bloodstains on his cheek, his appearance was incredibly eerie.

 

“Yes! At least tell me the reason…! Ugh…!”

 

Before the man could finish speaking. 

 

Swoosh—!

 

Lee Seohoo’s sword cut through the air, slicing the last man. The man died instantly from a single strike.

 

Drip. Drip.

 

Flicking the blood flowing from the sword, he stared at the corpses and muttered.

 

“…Because you guys killed that innocent woman first.”

 

Spitting out the words one by one, he turned his head and looked towards Jehan, where the Prime Minister’s residence was located.

 

With a gaze harboring an unimaginably cold, monumental rage. 

 

* * *

 

Late at night.

 

In front of Prime Minister Park Jutaek, injured private soldiers were kneeling and continuously reporting.

 

“A-ap-apologies. We lost the child and the group.”

 

“The slaves and commoners were helping them!”

 

“They escaped using the waterway! Pirates, the pirates were covering them!”

 

“C-Captain Jo Mujin… was killed in battle….” 

 

“What should we do? Should we launch a ship right now and pursue them?”

 

The endlessly pouring reports.

 

The Prime Minister gripped the teacup in his hand tightly. Perhaps because he was furious to the top of his head.

 

His fingertips trembled slightly, but his eyes were rather colder and calmer.

 

Jo Mujin.

 

He wasn’t very smart, but his martial arts skills were outstanding and his loyalty was unmatched, so he was someone he worked like his own limbs.

 

He never even expected to lose a subordinate he valued and raised so vainly.

 

Moreover, the loss of combat power was too great.

 

A person flashed through his throbbing head.

 

“Prime Minister, shouldn’t you return to the palace now?”

 

The puppet king.

 

The Prime Minister’s young grandson, a boy who was merely a puppet.

 

Until now, he had held him in his hands, shaken the royal authority, and controlled everything at his whim.

 

However, as he was away from the palace for a long time to catch Kim Gangdu.

 

At some point, the guy’s atmosphere changed.

 

As if he were building up power separately.

 

It was obvious that he no longer wanted to move according to the Prime Minister’s will.

 

To lose Jo Mujin in the midst of all this……

 

This was definitely a serious crack.

 

Just then.

 

“Your Excellency, Captain Lee Seohoo has returned!”

 

The Prime Minister jumped up from his seat.

 

“Let him in!”

 

The door opened, and Lee Seohoo slowly stepped in.

 

Before he could say anything, the Prime Minister urgently brought up the main point.

 

“What about the location of the mountain stronghold? Did you confirm it?”

 

“Yes. The place that man mentioned is indeed their base. Kim Gangdu was there as well.”

 

The Prime Minister rejoiced with a delighted face and slapped his knee!

 

The opportunity he had desired for a long time, the chance to capture Kim Gangdu, had finally come.

 

“We will immediately mobilize all our soldiers and go there. I will command personally, so follow me!”

 

“Th-then…! What about pursuing the pirate ship through the waterway?”

 

Ha. Looking at the subordinate who asked that question as if he were pathetic, the Prime Minister shouted.

 

“You fool. If we go through the mountain path, we will arrive much earlier. If we preemptively occupy their base, those guys are no different from fish jumping into a net.”

 

Drawing his sword, the Prime Minister smiled coldly and added.

 

“Wait, Kim Gangdu. This time, I will definitely make you kneel before my feet.”

 

* * *

 

After that, the Prime Minister personally led the troops, crossed the mountain, and finally reached a point where the mountain stronghold was visible.

 

‘I finally get to see the end of this.’

 

The mountain stronghold located next to the ice wall was cleverly hidden, but.

 

Once the exact location was known, the barracks inside were clearly revealed.

 

However.

 

As they got closer, the Prime Minister noticed something was wrong.

 

“Your Excellency, something is strange.”

 

“There are no… people in sight.”

 

The private soldiers keeping watch ran over and hurriedly reported to the Prime Minister.

 

The Prime Minister pushed them aside and stepped forward himself.

 

Squinting his eyes and looking down at the mountain stronghold, his face instantly stiffened.

 

As if proving their words weren’t a lie, there was nothing there.

 

No signs of presence, no traces of activity, no sound, nothing.

 

“P-perhaps they noticed and ran away?”

 

“Move!”

 

The Prime Minister shoved away the subordinates blocking his path.

 

Roughly entering the mountain stronghold, he ground his teeth with an enraged expression.

 

“Th-these… these rat-like bastards…!”