The Precious Baby of the Bandit Leader Chapter 84

He was no longer there.

 

He no longer missed this place, nor did he suffer for it.

 

The child who wept bitterly and begged for love was now quietly asleep in a corner of his heart.

 

Instead.

 

“Uncle!”

 

“I missed you! So much!”

 

That child.

 

The Chief, the family at the mountain stronghold.

 

Because they were by his side.

 

Swoosh.

 

Gaon looked at the main gate for a moment, then soon turned back to his father.

 

“How, how are you here…!”

 

“You said you would provide funds. I will not refuse, so please give them to me right now. I will take them.”

 

In his voice, there was no longer even a hint of affection.

 

“Wh-what did you say?”

 

Lord Kim Junmo could not hide his flustered state, his face turning red. 

 

He quickly composed his expression, coughed lightly, and forced himself to continue speaking.

 

“Ah, yes. I certainly sent a letter saying so. But not like this. Don’t you know? I want to provide you with continuous support, so I asked you to tell me the location of the mountain stronghold…”

 

“Ah, there’s no need for that. Since I came here like this.”

 

“….?!”

 

“It actually saves you the trouble. You wrote on and on in your letter about how much you wanted to see me, and now you get to see my face like this. Isn’t it wonderful?”

 

Gaon tilted his head slightly with a mocking smile.

 

“The bond between father and son will become very strong.”

 

Clench—

 

Kim Junmo clenched his fists. But he couldn’t move rashly.

 

‘I need to capture him and torture him to find out the location of the stronghold… The problem is, this b*stard is… a monster beyond imagination.’

 

His gaze briefly lingered on the sword at Gaon’s waist and the arrows on his back.

 

He knew.

 

That child born from a foreign woman was a stain on him. His very existence was a flaw, and he had hoped the boy would live quietly, holding his breath.

 

However.

 

‘Did they say a gimlet in a pocket?’ (An idiom meaning true talent will naturally reveal itself)

 

That child was far too exceptional.

 

To the point where it couldn’t be hidden.

 

“Passing the state examination with top honors was a guaranteed outcome.”

 

“If only it weren’t for his foreign blood…”

 

His talent shone not only in martial arts but also in scholarship. He caught the eye of the youngest master calligrapher and even the Inspector General.

 

Eventually, the current King and the Prime Minister, who saw him at the examination grounds.

 

“That child’s eyes and hair… are hideous.”

 

“I heard he’s the illegitimate child of Lord Kim Junmo, a second-rank official.” 

 

“Disgusting. Get rid of him at once!”

 

Following the current King’s public mockery, Kim Junmo gained the ‘justification’ to expel him from the family.

 

‘I thought he would be an easy opponent.’

 

In his memory, Gaon was full of talent but still just a child who did everything he was told.

 

‘And yet… to return and act so insolently like this.’

 

He ground his teeth inwardly.

 

‘For now, it seems I have no choice but to hand over the funds.’

 

In a fleeting moment, Kim Junmo racked his brain.

 

‘However, I must buy time while pretending to hand over the funds.’

 

In that gap, he had to inform the Prime Minister of this fact and receive support from the best troops to capture this bastard.

 

‘He might not reveal the location of the fortress to the very end… but there is no other way.’

 

Lord Kim Junmo forced a bitter smile.

 

“Yes. Is there any reason for me not to grant your request? Take it quickly and go. Look here, open the safe for my son.”

 

He hurriedly gave orders to his servant.

 

At Gaon’s signal, the stronghold members behind him rushed to bring the carts to load the funds, gold, and silver treasures.

 

However, Gaon remained standing in place without budging, still staring at the lord.

 

“Why aren’t you going? You should go to the safe as well. Go and see for yourself if there’s anything useful for you.”

 

“It’s been a long time since we met, so I want to spend more time with you, Father.”

 

Gaon smiled warmly.

 

It seemed as if he had somehow noticed that the lord was trying to send someone to the Prime Minister.

 

The lord avoided Gaon’s gaze and cleared his throat for no reason.

 

“Ahem, I’m sorry about that. I have some urgent matters…”

 

“Where are you going?”

 

Gaon’s chilling voice caught the lord.

 

“Do you have a message you need to urgently deliver to someone?”

 

Gaon murmured with a coldly hardened expression.

 

Actually, he had wanted to believe it wasn’t true. Until he came here.

 

But the moment he saw the lord’s words and actions.

 

He saw everything that he couldn’t see in his childhood because he had been blinded by emotion.

 

‘He is thinking of something else.’

 

Gaon was quick-witted.

 

Until now, he hadn’t been able to be like that only towards his father, but now that his emotions were sorted out, he could see clearly.

 

That his eyes were shaking and his breathing was irregular.

 

That he was extremely anxious.

 

“Don’t trust him.”

 

That child was right.

 

“No. How could that be? I was just going to check the locks…”

 

“Ah, if that’s the case, don’t worry.”

 

Gaon slowly turned his head to look at the main gate. Gaon’s subordinates were standing there, guarding it firmly.

 

“I have already checked them.” 

 

And Gaon smiled. Very slowly, beautifully.

 

‘This is big trouble.’

 

Unable to say anything more, Kim Junmo fumbled with the hilt of his sword.

 

Swoosh—!

 

In an instant, he drew the sword from his waist and aimed it at Gaon’s neck.

 

It happened in a flash, but Gaon didn’t waver in the slightest, looking at him with an unfazed expression, not even blinking an eye.

 

“Hah! Everyone kept talking about what a genius you are, but you’re nothing special.”

 

“….”

 

“How dare you think of crawling into this house with that dirty, disgusting face of yours?! You are a disgrace to our family. You parasite-like bastard.”

 

Thinking he had immediately subdued Gaon, he continued speaking with a flushed face from excitement.

 

“You want me to hand over the funds? Did you leave them with me? How dare you, you filthy bastard! You foolish, arrogant brat! Killing you right now wouldn’t be enough, but since I have to catch that Kim Gangdu, I will offer you to His Excellency alive. I will torture you to the point where you’ll wish you were dead.”

 

“…Thank you, Father.”

 

Gaon spat out the words silently.

 

His gaze remained unchanged, without the slightest hint of agitation.

 

“For not changing at all.”

 

Clang—!

 

At the same time, Gaon’s sword flashed, striking away Kim Junmo’s blade.

 

* * *

 

“Uh, uh, uh?!”

 

Damho raised his voice abruptly and looked at me with eyes as big as saucers.

 

“Urrrrk?! Cough!”

 

He let out another strange sound and then started coughing violently.

 

It seemed the sweet potato had gotten stuck in his throat.

 

“Seolyeong! How are you here?! Wait, what’s with that outfit?!”

 

It was quite funny seeing him blinking his eyes repeatedly in surprise.

 

‘Wait a minute, what should I answer?’

 

As I hesitated, unable to give an answer right away.

 

“Uh, huh? You are?!”

 

While I was dawdling, Uncle Gaeddong suddenly stepped in front of me protectively.

 

“Ain’t you that pirate kid from last time?”

 

Ah, come to think of it, Uncle Gaeddong saw Damho in the cave too, didn’t he?

 

“H-hello!”

 

Damho smiled bashfully, bowed his waist, and then raised his head sharply.