The Precious Baby of the Bandit Leader Chapter 53

It wasn’t an especially tall tree, but once I climbed to the top, a fair amount of the surrounding scenery spread out before my eyes.

 

“Hoo—hah!”

 

Inhaling the refreshing air of the dim dawn, I rubbed my sleepy eyes and let out a yawn. 

 

I stared at the mountain range for a moment, lost in thought.

 

‘Unlike the original story, the Chief has started preparing for a rebellion… so now I can’t accurately predict what will happen next.’

 

Normally, Gaon should be receiving a secret letter from his biological family around this time, attempting to sniff out the location of the mountain fortress…. 

 

But with Gaon currently missing, it wasn’t even clear whether he’d received such an offer at all.

 

‘The food Gaon said he secured… maybe it’s connected to his family.’

 

With the entire Great Ho Kingdom groaning under hardship, just what route could he have used to procure food and funds?

 

A sudden, ominous premonition brushed past my mind.

 

‘If that’s the case… then in the worst scenario, Gaon may have already fallen into a trap.’

 

I gripped the tree branch tightly out of anxiety. 

 

An image of the fortress’s location being exposed and soldiers storming in played out in my head.  

 

Rustle.

 

Just then, something hopping about in the bushes caught my eye.

 

‘Huh? What’s that?’

 

Looking closer, it was a brown rabbit!

 

Ssslurp. Instinctively, I swallowed and my eyes sparkled.

 

I had been worried because wild animals were becoming scarce due to the recent forest fires, but what a windfall! 

 

‘Grilled rabbit for breakfast today!’

 

I quickly grabbed the tree and slid down a little.

 

Then I positioned myself where the rabbit wouldn’t notice and loaded a stone into my slingshot.

 

‘Alright, aim…’

 

Holding my breath, I took aim. But at that moment, an unexpected presence made itself known.

 

Crash—!

 

Someone burst out of the bushes right beside me, then vanished into the brush on the opposite side in an instant.

 

‘Huh?’

 

I looked around, trying to find the person who had disappeared.

 

And the moment I caught sight of his face again in the distance—

 

‘That’s…!’

 

So shocked that I dropped the stone in my hand with a dull thud.

 

‘That’s Gaon?!’

 

My hands trembled violently from the sheer surprise. 

 

It had been five years. It had been a full six months since contact was lost. 

 

“Could it be that the Commander was discovered by the royal troops and couldn’t make it back…?”

 

“The Chief even sent people to search, but there’s still no news.”

 

Everyone whispered in hushed voices,

 

and most had already assumed that Gaon, while delivering the Chief’s secret letter, had been discovered by the royal troops and lost his life.

 

‘Could it be… that something really did happen to Gaon?’

 

I, too, had gradually begun to lean toward that possibility.

 

Of course, if Gaon never returned, then unlike the original story, he wouldn’t fall into a trap and expose the mountain stronghold’s location.

 

But that didn’t mean I wanted him to die.

 

Seeing him again, relief came first.

 

‘But… where is he running to?’

 

I hurriedly tried to climb all the way down the tree so I could call out to Gaon.

 

Then armed warriors entered my field of vision.

 

There were about ten of them.

 

And they were running urgently in the same direction Gaon had disappeared.

 

‘Gaon is being chased!’

 

I didn’t know exactly what was going on, but one thing was certain—this was a crisis.

 

I’d only seen him briefly, but Gaon’s right leg was clearly limping.

 

‘I have to help him!’

 

My mind snapped fully awake.

 

Gaon was a crucial asset to our mountain stronghold.

 

Even Master Dupil had often said that after Gaon left, the absence of their finest archer was keenly felt.

 

I couldn’t let someone like him meet such a futile end.

 

“Young Miss! Are you up there?!” 

 

Just then, an urgent voice called out to me from beneath the tree.

 

Looking down, I saw Bokhee—still wearing her apron, as if she’d rushed over in the middle of cooking—staring up at me.

 

“Oh honestly! It’s dangerous to go out alone at dawn! And please stop climbing trees already—it’s dangerous!”

 

“Auntie Bokheee!”

 

This was it. I quickly slid down the trunk like a monkey and landed on the ground.

 

Gripping my slingshot tighter, I spoke to Bokhee in a rush.

 

“Go right now and ask Master Dupil and Dad for help!”

 

“Huh? What do you mean?”

 

“Wailing Cliff! The enemies are there! Just tell them that!”

 

Judging by the direction, Gaon was definitely heading toward the cliff.

 

When I urgently pressed her, Bokhee nodded without fully understanding.

 

“Alright, I will. But Young Miss, first come back with me—Young Miss? Young Miiiss!!!”

 

The moment I got her answer, I bolted without hesitation.

 

There was no time.

 

Gaon, with his injured leg, might already be falling prey to those men. 

 

“Where are you goiiing! Miss!”

 

“Please tell the uncles, quickly!”

 

Step, step, step!

 

I scaled the rocks like a flying squirrel, quickly ascending the mountain.

 

‘This is easy!’

 

At least three times a day.

 

I ran up and down this mountain every single day, training myself to traverse it for over an hour at a time without fail.

 

I’d received systematic training from Master Dupil—said to be the greatest martial artist in Joseon after the Chief himself.

 

And at night, I even reviewed and trained on my own.

 

In other words, I now knew the terrain around the stronghold like the back of my hand, even with my eyes closed—and I knew every shortcut there was!

 

Leaving Bokhee behind as she chased after me, I rushed toward the direction Gaon had vanished.

 

And then…!

 

“Hah… huff…”

 

How long had I been running?

 

‘There are footprints. This way.’

 

Finding the trail, I stilled my breathing and adjusted my direction, then moved forward again.

 

At last—

 

Clang, clang, clang!

 

The chaotic sound of blades colliding reached my ears.

 

I hid my body in the nearby brush and observed the situation.

 

‘It’s Gaon!’

 

Dragging his injured leg, Gaon was facing five men on his own.

 

He moved with remarkable agility, but the slight limp in his right leg was impossible to miss.

 

‘The problem is… the opponents don’t look weak either.’

 

I suppressed the urge to jump out and looked for an opportunity. Stepping out now might actually become a hindrance. 

 

Just then, Gaon ground his teeth while locking blades with an opponent. 

 

“The water and food I worked so hard to get! You burned it all?! You’re all dead by my hand.” 

 

“What do rebels think they’re doing hoarding food? I’ll drag you before the Prime Minister. Why don’t you confess where the mountain stronghold is? Where is Kim Gangdu—that wretch worse than a dog—hiding?!”

 

At the mention of the Chief’s name, Gaon’s eyes flashed sharply.

 

He lifted one corner of his lips and muttered lowly.

 

“That mouth.”

 

Slash—!

 

In an instant, Gaon’s sword cut through the air and plunged downward. The arc was terrifyingly smooth and fluid.

 

“Argh!” 

 

The man, his chest slashed in an instant, fell to the ground groaning in pain.

 

Gaon flicked the blood from his blade indifferently and spoke again.

 

“Shut up. You filthy traitor.”

 

‘Traitor?’

 

I heard that word clearly, too.