The Precious Baby of the Bandit Leader Chapter 35

‘It’s fast!’

 

He moved his feet with incredible speed, proving that all the training he did in the mountains every day had not been in vain.

 

Held in his arms, I couldn’t even dare to open my eyes. The fierce wind brushed against my cheeks and pierced sharply through my ears.

 

“Catch him! Hurry!”

 

However, those pursuing us seemed to have no intention of giving up the chase.

 

Hiiiing—!

 

Even the heavy sound of hoofbeats grew closer.

 

‘They’re chasing us on horseback. At this rate, they’ll catch up in no time!’

 

I clenched my fists tightly and looked up at the Chief.

 

Cold sweat had formed on his forehead, and blood was flowing so heavily from the arrow lodged in his back that it was soaking through.

 

‘What should I do? Can we really keep running like this?’

 

I bit my lips anxiously, not knowing what to do.

 

They probably hadn’t recognized him yet, since they still hadn’t seen the Chief’s face.

 

But if we really got caught like this, it would only be a matter of time before they discovered that he was the deposed crown prince, Kim Gangdu. 

 

‘Maybe it would be better to tell him to leave me behind and run….’

 

Just as that extreme thought crossed my mind.

 

“Kaaakh!”

 

“Keukh!” 

 

Just as that extreme thought crossed my mind.

 

“Who is that guy!”

 

Suddenly, arrows struck the chests of the very men who had been pursuing us so precisely.

 

The Chief quickly turned his head to check.

 

“Chief, go!”

 

“You’re late.”

 

It was Kim Gaon.

 

I had definitely felt a kind of emotional distance from him before, since he was like a thousand-year-old fox incarnate.

 

Meeting him in a situation like this, I couldn’t have been happier to see him!

 

“I’ll draw them away! Let’s meet at the entrance.”

 

“Be careful.”

 

Gaon didn’t even bother to answer; he just fired arrows at the enemies and ran swiftly.

 

The Chief also didn’t hesitate and quickened his pace while holding me in his arms.

 

“Haa.”

 

How long did we run like that?

 

The Chief, after confirming that no pursuers were following us anymore, hid behind the wall of an abandoned house and took a moment to catch his breath.

 

But…

 

“There! He went that way!”

 

The moment to catch our breath didn’t last long.

 

To reach the mountain entrance promised with Gaon, the Chief ran swiftly again, cutting across the village houses.

 

‘The entrance to the mountain!’

 

The memories of how hard I had tried to escape before were completely gone.

 

Right now, all I felt was pure joy!

 

“There it is!!”

 

But then, the soldiers of Park Jutaek, who had been chasing us on horseback, finally began to completely surround us.

 

The only relief was that, in the distance, Gaon was sprinting toward us at full speed.

 

I knew immediately.

 

Numerically, we were overwhelmingly outnumbered.

 

‘What should we do?’

 

As I closed my eyes tightly, worried about that.

 

Shot, shot, shot—!

 

Suddenly, I heard the sound of arrows whistling through the air and striking their targets.

 

Not toward me and the Chief, but at the warriors chasing us!

 

“Chief!”

 

A blunt and straightforward appearance.

 

A large, muscular, tanned body— it was Deputy Chief Kim Dupil.

 

And on top of that, even Saddong Uncle were following him!

 

Even though it had been a long time since I last saw them, I could recognize them at a glance.

 

“Shoot!” 

 

“Aaakh!”

 

Shoot, shoot, shoot—!

 

He protected the Chief thoroughly while directing the archer unit to shoot accurately at them.

 

“Aaaagh!” 

 

Gripping his sword and shield, Du-pil charged forward at incredible speed, weaving through the enemies as if flying, and cut down their throats.

 

‘Incredible.’

 

Watching countless enemies fall with every swing of his sword, my body trembled.

 

The Chief held me even tighter in his arms.

 

“I’ll handle this place. Go ahead!”

 

“Be careful not to let them follow you.”

 

“Yes! Follow the Chief!”

 

With Dupil’s shout, the Chief began running along the mountain path again.

 

As if protecting him, countless bandits followed alongside, each wielding a variety of weapons.

 

Clang—!

 

“Kwaak!”

 

Among them, I heard the sound of some being struck by flying arrows and falling back.

 

‘No!’

 

Startled, I struggled in his arms, but the Chief pressed my head down, burying my face even deeper against his chest.

 

“Chief!”

 

As we ran, I heard Gaon’s voice, joining us a little late.

 

Shot, shot, shot—!

 

Even while riding, he drew his bow and took down everyone chasing us.

 

Watching the battle rage far more fiercely than I had expected, I clung desperately to the Chief’s arms.

 

A crushing sense of guilt wrapped around my entire body.

 

‘To save me… going this far…’

 

The smell of the Chief’s blood, sharp as if piercing my lungs, made my heart ache unbearably. 

 

* * *

 

Flash—! 

 

When I opened my eyes again.

 

I was lying in a familiar place.

 

‘We made it back alive!’

 

The wooden roof of the hut.

 

Tiger skins spread across the floor and quaint little furniture that seemed to have been made by the bandits themselves.

 

A large rock placed in the center and scattered weapons.

 

And even the fresh mountain air brushing against my nose. 

 

Everything was just as it had always been.

 

Perhaps because I had grown, the only difference was that the blanket on the floor had become a bit larger.

 

‘Where’s the Chief?’

 

It was because the thought that he was hurt came to mind first.

 

Click—!

 

Just then, it seemed as if the barracks door was opening, and someone suddenly walked in.

 

“Buu…?” 

 

It was Uncle Gaeddong!

 

Perhaps having been ordered to check on me, the uncle was holding a damp cloth in his hand.

 

Thud—!

 

He dropped it to the floor and, overwhelmed with emotion, jumped up in excitement.

 

“Gasp! Baby! Something’s happened to the baby! Everyone, come see!!” 

 

He shouted so loudly that his face turned red, and immediately, familiar faces came running in a hurry. 

 

“B, b, baby!”

 

The first to arrive, Uncle Malddong, slumped to the ground as if all his strength had left him.

 

“Ah, move out of the way!”

 

“I’m coming through!”

 

Leaping lightly over him, the bandits poured into the barracks.

 

They had run so frantically that some of them came barefoot, without even properly putting on their shoes.

 

“You’re back!”

 

“My goodness, you’ve grown so much.”

 

“Oh dear, did you eat well? Has the baby gotten thinner?”

 

“How did you go through such a big ordeal, hmm?”

 

“Baby! Do you remember Uncle? Mhm?”

 

“Ah, would you remember me? Do you remember anything from when you were one year old?”

 

“You could remember! Our baby is a genius! Right? You remember, don’t you?”

 

The furry bandits bickered and celebrated among themselves repeatedly…

 

They surrounded me in layers like a massive wall, glaring with sharp, piercing eyes.

 

And at the sight of them…

 

“Hehe.”

 

I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

 

“Y, you’re laughing?”

 

“Hehe, it’s so nice to see you smile.”

 

“Are you really happy to see your uncles?” 

 

“Mhm.” 

 

“….?!”

 

The bandits, who had been laughing and chattering amongst themselves, suddenly stopped talking.

 

It seemed to be because of my small reply.

 

Seeing their surprised expressions, I ended up giving another small laugh.

 

‘Seeing them again, it’s even nicer than I expected.’

 

Strangely, they were exactly the same as when I first met them… yet now, I didn’t feel scared or burdened by them at all, which amazed me.

 

‘Is it because they’re so noisy and lively?‘

 

Looking back, in my previous life, all I remembered was living alone in a tiny one-room space.

 

Even in my childhood with my father, and even during the time when I clung desperately to work.

 

Whenever I came home, only a silent, unanswered quietness would wrap around me.

 

Maybe that’s why.

 

‘These people, this place, this atmosphere…’

 

Although at first it had all felt nothing but unfamiliar and overwhelming.

 

‘I think… I’d missed it a little.’

 

I smiled bashfully.

 

And then I looked up at the bandits watching me and said.

 

“I’m back, uncles.”

 

“What!”

 

Some of the bandits let out strange shrieks, clutching their chests before collapsing on the spot with a loud thud!

 

Others simply stood there with dazed expressions.

 

“B, baby!”

 

“I could never let you go, even if I die…!”

 

“I could never send you away…!”

 

“If you’re going to leave…!”

 

“Come out.”

 

While those desperate, familiar-sounding pleas continued—as if they would never end.

 

Fortunately (?) a firm voice cut through the chaos and brought the situation under control.

 

“C, Chief!”

 

The bandits split into two familiar lines, opening a path for the Chief.