All the villagers gathered at Cheongangmun’s training hall, and upon hearing Ganghwan’s explanation, a shiver of fear ran through them.
“How can we trust what they say? We might as well fight to the death!”
The young men of the village, mostly Cheongangmun members, wanted to fight.
But their parents and the women argued that if they only had to comply with the demands, there was no need to risk their lives.
Frustrated, Ganghwan tried to persuade them once more.
“It seems you don’t fully grasp the seriousness of the situation. They aren’t just thieves or bandits. One of the two is a master beyond my comprehension, and the other is no match for me. But do you honestly think you can stand against them?”
With that, the matter was settled.
***
Inside Ganghwan’s office.
Ganghwan gathered with his eldest son Gangcheon, the village chief Jang Elder, and Gangmuk, the leader of the Kang Geomdae—the only armed force of Cheongangmun and Ganghwan’s younger brother.
“Brother, the Government Army must be on their way here. If those bastards manage to escape through the village with the gold, all the villagers could be punished for aiding thieves.”
“I’m aware. But what can we do immediately? It would be ideal if we could just refuse, but do you think they’ll leave the villagers alone?”
The village chief shook his head, troubled.
“Gangmunju! Is there no way?”
“Do you think I have a brilliant plan right now?”
Gangcheon, who had been silently listening until now, cautiously spoke.
“Even if we let them go peacefully, the Government Army won’t just let us be.”
“We haven’t done anything wrong, would they really go that far?”
“It’s not just any cargo, it’s gold. Someone has to take responsibility for failing to protect it, and the officials will pin that blame on us.”
“But isn’t it impossible to confront them?”
“Fighting them with our strength is unthinkable. No one outside this room knows the current situation, and all access is blocked, so no news escapes. We must use this to our advantage. About ten ri southwest of the village lies a small, hidden basin. A waterfall shields it from view, so unless someone is looking hard, it remains unnoticed. We must secretly send around ten children there each day, followed gradually by women.”
“And on the day they pass through the village, just before dawn, everyone except the Cheongangmun members should escape to that place. The Cheongangmun must buy time for them to flee.”
“Also, someone must be prepared to set fire to the northeast entrance, opposite the hideout, drawing their attention, even at the cost of their life.”
“At the same time, traps must be set along the escape route to the hideout. If they’re after gold, the Government Army will come crashing here soon. They know this too, so they won’t have much time. If we scatter and flee, they won’t pursue us but will rush to escape with the gold.”
“Of course, all Cheongangmun members will die. No, they must die at their hands. That way, when the Government Army arrives, it will be clear evidence that we resisted to the last. This isn’t a pointless death—it’s a sacrifice of a hundred lives to save four hundred.”
Everyone looked at Gangcheon.
His plan made sense.
Contrary to everyone’s feelings, Ganghwan found his son unexpectedly admirable.
He had thought him immature…
Gangcheon’s plan opened a path to save the four hundred villagers at the cost of a hundred lives.
Now, the plan was set.
A few fast Cheongangmun members and Gangcheon would lure the enemies northeast.
That group would total ten.
If the group was too large, the number of Cheongangmun guarding the northwest entrance to the Plains would be too few.
They selected the lurers for the northeast and the defenders for the northwest.
The only son who must continue the line was excluded, as were householders with ill parents and those unwilling to participate.
Gangchan, now ten years old, would naturally flee with his Yumo.
Whether by choice or not, life and death had been decided this way.
There were four hundred and twenty villagers evacuating, and ninety-six awaiting death.
From that day on, about a hundred children and women quietly disappeared from the group of four hundred and twenty.
***
At the hour of You, as the sun tilted westward, In the yard of the village chief, Jang Elder’s house,
Eight men sat on a wide wooden platform around a youth dressed in black.
Next to the youth, the Deputy Leader Muchideok watched him with a grave expression.
The youth, under six feet tall and in his early twenties, had a handsome face with sharp eyes.
“Danju, the villagers have already promised to cooperate if spared. Isn’t it pointless to spill blood when killing everyone gains us nothing?”
The youth called Danju scowled.
“That’s the problem, Deputy Leader. If we spare these fools, how much will others look down on us? We are bandits, not gentlemen.”
“But the previous Danju valued innocent lives…”
The youth raised his hand, cutting off Muchideok’s words.
“That old man used to kill people recklessly when he was young, and now he’s lost his mind. He kills without hesitation but tells me not to. When have I ever gone around killing needlessly? Secrecy is life in this matter.”
“If word gets out that we stole this much gold, before even reaching the Plains, we’ll be swarmed like flies. The moment rumors spread, all bandits in the world will hunt us down. Deputy Leader, are you confident you can fend them all off? If not, kill them all. No more arguments.”
Bloodwolf Tiger, the Danju dressed in black, looked away from Muchideok’s gaze, displeased.
Muchideok knew well that the Danju’s thoughts were not entirely wrong…
Yet somehow, he did not want to kill innocent lives this time.
Especially since the number was so great.
Unless he was a murderer, he could not bear the thought of slaughtering five hundred civilians.
The previous Danju had asked him to look after Yeopae as he died.
But that did not mean Muchideok was ready to pledge his life to the current Danju.
Still, bound by the promise to the dying former Danju, ‘what else could he do…?’
“Yes, understood.”
Muchideok issued orders to the seven Sub-leaders.
“At dawn tomorrow, fifty wagons loaded with gold will enter the village from the southeast entrance. Apart from the sixty who will transport the wagons, ninety men will block three entrances, excluding the northwest entrance, dividing thirty men per entrance. The Danju, I, and the Sub-leaders will guard the northwest entrance, our escape route. Move to your positions.”
“Yes, understood.”
Ninety bandits moved swiftly and orderly to their assigned locations.
***
Late at night, when the world was asleep.
Ganghwan summoned his eldest son Gangcheon and his ten-year-old son Gangchan to his office.
Ganghwan had only two sons: the eldest, Gangcheon, and the younger, Gangchan.
In fact, Song, their mother, had been in poor health even before giving birth to Gangcheon.
Ganghwan had spared no effort to find a reputed healer and acquire potent medicine, but her condition hardly improved.
After much hardship, Gangcheon was born.
Hoping for no more children, Song unexpectedly gave birth to Gangchan when Gangcheon was ten.
Due to her fragile health and advanced maternal age, Song passed away soon after, leaving her final wish that Gangchan—who never properly nursed—be raised in good health.
Unlike his older brother, Gangchan was frail and often worried Ganghwan while growing up.
Fortunately, he was very bright; by age five, he had already mastered the Saseo Samgyeong, earning a reputation as a prodigy in the village.
Tears welled in Ganghwan’s eyes as he looked at his weak youngest son.
Would Gangchan truly grow well without him? The thought pained him deeply.
“Come here.”
Without a word, Ganghwan embraced his small, fragile son tightly.
Gangchan silently nestled into his father’s arms.
Tears filled Gangchan’s eyes too.
Shaking his head to wipe away his own tears, Ganghwan looked toward his eldest son, Gangcheon.
“Cheon, are you prepared?”
“Yes. Everything is in order.”
Ganghwan smiled warmly at Gangcheon’s calm reply.
“Good. I trust you.”
Then, he turned to Gangchan.
“You probably already know the situation roughly.”
“Yes, Father.”
“You will go secretly with your Yumo to the hideout in the forest southwest tomorrow.”
Gangchan bit his lip as tears fell like drops of dew at his father’s words.
“Father! I want to help you with Hyung (older brother) too!”
But Ganghwan, unwilling to hear more, rebuked him sharply with a stern gaze.
“You brat. Have you forgotten who your father and brother’s sacrifice is for? Your brother is walking that path knowingly toward death for your sake. Do you really want all their sacrifice to be for nothing?”
Tears streamed from Gangchan’s eyes as he cried out.
“No, it’s not like that. How can I live without Father and Hyung? Without them…”
Sobbing, the youngest son cried bitterly for a long time.
Ganghwan silently held Gangchan once more.
How could he not understand his son’s feelings! Yet now, even saving one child was a matter of fate.
“That’s right, my son. This is hard now, isn’t it? But look around. You’re not alone; most villagers have decided to die to save someone in their family. This father hopes you live and become a great man. Chan, promise me this: no matter what happens, survive. Don’t seek revenge, but live doing what you want. Understand?”
Gangchan could not answer his father’s question.
He was too heartbroken and overwhelmed.
He could not understand why innocent villagers had to die.
Nor could he bear that he had no power to stop it.
For days, Gangchan wept alone in his room.
***
One night several days later.
Gangchan knelt at his father’s door and bowed his head.
“Father! Hyung! I will live in a way that makes you both proud.”
It was the reply to his father’s earlier request.
That night, the moonlight was veiled by clouds, casting darkness.
The three silently wept, their hearts laid bare.