Chapter 1: A Peaceful Bandit Life

The sky is clear, and the wind gently brushes through the trees.

The mountain hideout is located in the innermost part of Mount Hyeongak, known for its rugged terrain. All my subordinates are out working, and I am enjoying my freedom alone.

“Ah! The taste of this liquor is amazing!”

The sunny weather and the cool breeze. Freshly caught wild boar meat and cool Bamboo Leaf Liquor. Truly a fantastic combination.

Ah, I should have become a mountain bandit earlier. The luxuries I couldn’t even imagine when I was a beggar have become a daily routine since I became a mountain bandit.

“Today, I’m going to drink until I’m really drunk.”

Seeing the pile of Bamboo Leaf Liquor in the corner makes me feel secure. Ah, of course, those were taken from passing merchants.

“Boss!”

Just as I was about to take another drink, I heard the voice of a subordinate from afar.

Ah, what a mood killer.

“Boss!!”

“Hey, Dongryong. Didn’t I tell you not to talk to me when I’m drinking? Do you want to get beaten up?”

Dongryong. He’s one of my few subordinates and the second-in-command. He used to be a bodyguard for a prestigious family but was expelled for some reason. I took him in a year ago when he was begging on the streets and made him my first subordinate.

“Eek!”

Maybe the bit of martial arts training I put him through traumatized him. Even though he’s six years older than me, he’s so scared that I feel a bit sorry for him.

“I’m just kidding. Have I ever hit you for something like this?”

“You always say that…”

“What did you say?”

“Ah, no! It’s really important, Boss!”

“What is it now? Is someone coming to catch us? Ah, it’s a hassle to run away with all this stuff.”

“No, it’s just that Bang-sam sent a message saying a carriage is coming up the mountain path.”

“A carriage? Can’t you handle it yourselves?”

“Well… the carriage is quite fancy, and it seems unusual.”

A fancy carriage?

I couldn’t help but tilt my head at that. A fancy carriage means someone important is riding it, but our area is quite remote, and the mountain path is rough, so it’s rare for such people to pass by.

But a fancy carriage… it certainly means they have a lot of money.

I swallowed my drink and asked.

“Do you know which family it belongs to?”

“No, there are no family or merchant guild emblems on the carriage, so we don’t know exactly who it belongs to.”

“Can’t you handle it without me?”

“What if there’s a skilled martial artist inside?”

“Hey, Dongryong. After all the training I gave you, you can’t handle one skilled martial artist?”

“No matter what, we’re just mountain bandits. How can we defeat an Orthodox Sect martial artist…”

“I’m an idiot for making you the deputy leader.”

I scolded Dongryong and took another sip of my drink.

I’m conflicted.

A fancy carriage means there’s a lot to loot, but I’m too lazy to move because of the alcohol.

“Ah… but if there’s a rich family’s daughter or wife inside, we could take them hostage and make a big score…”

“Exactly.”

“Hey, why are you drinking my liquor?”

“I took this, so technically it’s my liquor, not yours, Boss.”

“Nonsense. If the Boss says it’s his, then it’s his. Spit it out, you rascal.”

“Ah! Boss!”

After that, the subordinates who had gone out to plunder started returning one by one.

“Big Brothers! There’s a carriage passing by… huh? Why are you all drinking?”

“Huh? Big Brothers… are you drinking? Hehe, then I’ll…”

“Hey, you rascals, stop drinking and get to work!”

But just like kids who don’t listen to their parents, they didn’t listen to me. The pile of Bamboo Leaf Liquor gradually emptied.

***
Shanxi Yoo Family’s Yoo Somyeong.

The only daughter of the most prestigious family in Shanxi Province, she was on her way home for the Dragon and Phoenix Academy’s vacation.

In fact, it had already been nine days since the vacation started, but she stayed longer at the academy to train, which delayed her return.

So, to get home faster, she chose the shortcut through the mountain path, but the unpaved road made it difficult for the carriage to pass.

As the carriage jolted violently, the coachman glanced back nervously.

“I’m sorry, Miss. There are too many stones on the path…”

A clear voice flowed through the window connected to the coachman’s seat.

“I’m the one who chose this path, so don’t worry about it.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you, Miss.”

The coachman sighed in relief and continued on the path. In any other situation, he would have been scolded, but Yoo Somyeong let it pass quietly.

‘The rumors were true…’

The precious daughter of the prestigious Shanxi Yoo Family, which has protected Shanxi Province for generations. She was especially known for her exceptional talent with the sword and her kind heart.

She was a symbol of the Orthodox Sect’s young generation. The righteous sword of the Yoo Family.

The coachman took great pride in driving the carriage of such a person.

‘I must do my best to ensure Miss Yoo’s journey is comfortable.’

With that thought, he carefully handled the reins.

It was then.

“Oh? Ahhh!”

As the carriage passed, a quick figure appeared, and the coachman had to make an emergency stop. Even Yoo Somyeong, who had excellent balance, let out a small sound at the sudden stop.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. But what happened?”

The coachman quickly checked the front. The sudden figure was a young man with a delicate appearance. Fortunately, it seemed he hadn’t collided with the carriage, but his appearance was miserable.

“P-please save me…”

Upon closer inspection, his clothes were stained with dirt, and his face was filled with anxiety.

“Calm down! What happened?”

“M-mountain bandits… mountain bandits!”

“Mountain bandits?”

At the mention of mountain bandits, Yoo Somyeong got out of the carriage.

“Are there still remnants of the unorthodox sects in Shanxi Province?”

“I heard there were a few mountain bandits in this area of Mount Hyeongak.”

“They’re inside Mount Hyeongak… I’m a woodcutter from the lower village, and I encountered the mountain bandits while cutting wood…”

The man burst into tears as he continued.

“Sniff, they took everything I had, and I barely escaped with my life… If I don’t get back what they took, I won’t have anything to feed my old mother… Sniff, oh mother, I’m so sorry!”

“Oh dear.”

The coachman clicked his tongue sympathetically at the woodcutter’s sad story. Yoo Somyeong also felt sorry for him as he cried as if the world had ended.

And she fell into deep thought.

Although she was still a young martial artist, she was a proper member of the Orthodox Sect. Ignoring a person in danger was not the way of the martial world.

Even though she was tired from her recent training, she decided to offer her help.

“I am Yoo Somyeong, the daughter of the Shanxi Yoo Family. I will right your wrongs and retrieve your stolen belongings.”

At her words, the woodcutter looked up at her as if she were a goddess. Then he started crying again, even louder.

“Waaah! Thank you so much!”

His crying continued for quite a while.

**

“Oh dear, are we there yet?”

Yoo Somyeong had gotten out of the carriage to subjugate the mountain bandits. It was dangerous to be alone, so the coachman accompanied her. The coachman, who hadn’t climbed a mountain in a long time, groaned as they walked.

“We’re almost there.”

At that answer, Yoo Somyeong looked at the woodcutter. She didn’t say it out loud, but even with her inner qi, she was starting to get out of breath, yet he showed no signs of fatigue and was leading the way.

And although she didn’t mention it, the woodcutter was quite handsome. Yoo Somyeong, who had seen many people outside of Shanxi Province, had never seen such a delicate-looking man.

Her intuition told her that he wasn’t an ordinary woodcutter.

In the end, Yoo Somyeong couldn’t contain her curiosity and asked.

“Have you learned martial arts by any chance?”

“Pardon?”

“You seem to have extraordinary stamina… If it’s a difficult question, you don’t have to answer.”

At her words, he scratched his head shyly and replied.

“Actually, I learned a cultivation technique from a passing person a while ago, so I can handle my inner qi a little.”

“A fortuitous opportunity. To receive a cultivation technique from a passing martial artist…”

“It just allows me to move my body a bit more skillfully. I would have been in big trouble if I hadn’t met you, Miss.”

As he said that, he smiled brightly. Yoo Somyeong felt her heart flutter without realizing it.

‘W-what is this…’

Her heart was racing. All she did was see the woodcutter’s smiling face.

“Miss, your face is red. Are you alright?”

At his words, Yoo Somyeong was startled.

“N-no. It must be because it’s hot. By the way, are we far from their mountain hideout?”

“No, we’re almost there.”

The woodcutter turned his face forward again and continued to lead the way.

“There it is, Miss.”

It seemed they were indeed close, as a shabby mountain hideout made of branches soon came into view. In front of it, a few mountain bandits were gathered, drinking.

‘How dare they hold a drinking party with the goods they stole from common folk.’

She felt anger rising from within her.

“Miss, even if you’ve learned martial arts, are you sure you’ll be alright alone?”

The woodcutter asked cautiously with a worried expression. She found his concerned face quite endearing.

“These guys are nothing. I’ll be back soon.”

Yoo Somyeong adjusted the sword at her waist and approached the mountain hideout. The coachman and the woodcutter called out softly.

“Miss!”

“It’s dangerous to go so openly!”

Yoo Somyeong waved her hand dismissively.

“It’s fine. You two stay hidden.”

In reality, she was only 18 years old, still young, but she was the daughter of the prestigious Shanxi Yoo Family. She had a father who was one of the Top Ten Martial Artists in the Land and had inherited his talent.

Even among the geniuses at the Dragon and Phoenix Academy, her achievements were remarkably fast. There was no way a few mountain bandits could be her match.

She confidently approached the figures gathered around the bonfire. They were laughing and drinking, unaware of the situation about to unfold.

Yoo Somyeong drew her sword. It was time for subjugation.