“Boss, we’ve got a serious problem!”
“I’m watching.”
“What on earth is going on…?”
Gorio stood on the rooftop, arms crossed, gazing down at the streets of Hwangseong.
An angry mob was gathering, denouncing the atrocities committed by the Yohaim people and hunting them down.
Rumor had it that a spy sent from Yohaim had attempted to poison the emperor.
“Could it really be true?”
“Do you think Yohaim’s crazy enough to mess with the emperor?”
“I thought the same, but judging by how many people have risen up, something serious must have happened over there.”
“The people gathered out there probably think the same as you.”
“Huh?”
“When things blow up this big, the poisoning attempt is probably real.”
“Uh…”
“Louder voices tend to sound more convincing.”
His subordinate scratched his head awkwardly.
“Boss, do you think they’ll really start rounding up and killing Yohaim people?”
“Very likely.”
Gorio was the head of a violent gang that made its money through gambling and loan sharking. He had seen human nature up close like no one else.
Corrupting people wasn’t difficult.
All it took was a crowd.
What halves when divided isn’t sorrow, but guilt.
“At that scale, it wouldn’t be surprising if they cause serious trouble.”
“So what should we do? Just keep things under control inside? I’m not from the area, but I’m worried…”
“Wait.”
Gorio closed his eyes and fell into thought.
Lately, he’d noticed the number of things he had to consider was growing.
Before, he only thought about money. If it was profitable or not, that was all he needed to decide.
But now, there were other factors.
It was a change that came after meeting the third prince of Briol.
“Can’t be helped.”
Gorio cracked a bitter smile and opened his eyes again.
Even as night fell, the mob’s frenzy showed no sign of dying down, spreading throughout Hwangseong.
Yet the peacekeepers remained inactive.
That meant the palace was allowing this to happen.
So what was coming next was obvious.
Gorio muttered under his breath.
“Don’t tell me they sent me here knowing this would happen.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind.”
He turned and headed toward the exit below.
“I’m going to meet with the Hwangseong Mountain Bandits.”
The meaning was clear.
His subordinate bowed his head in respect to his boss.
“Yes, sir!”
If the Gorio faction represented the Briol-born thugs, the Hwangseong Mountain Bandits were a gang formed by Yohaim immigrants.
Going to meet them now meant offering support to the Yohaim people.
“You really are something, boss. Heh heh heh…”
“Don’t get the wrong idea. If Yohaim falls like this, we’re next. I’m just moving first.”
“Yes, yes. That makes sense.”
“Their boss isn’t stupid either. He’s probably already making moves.”
The Hwangseong Mountain Bandits were moving quickly.
“Huff, huff…”
Suddenly, chaos erupted in Hwangseong. Yohaim natives were being threatened.
In times like this, the gang had to step in.
They also served as problem solvers for the Yohaim community settled in Hwangseong.
Their job was to resolve troubles faced by Yohaim people and collect protection fees in return.
If they ran now, those people would never walk with pride again.
“Is this really going to blow up? Or will it just fizzle out?”
“Who knows? The boss told us to hurry, so we’re doing this. Has the boss ever been wrong?”
“He said he could take Gorio in a fight, but he lost.”
“Forget that.”
“Yeah, nothing else to say.”
The Mountain Bandits were gathering Yohaim people scattered across the city and moving them to a secret location.
But the situation was grim. The enraged crowd kept growing.
“There are too many people. It’s going to be hard to rescue them all.”
“They’re just civilians. Maybe we can manage?”
“Whether civilians or gangsters, if you’re outnumbered, you’re done for.”
A crowd had gathered in front of a restaurant run by a Yohaim chef.
The door was tightly locked, but the mob shouted angrily, threatening to set it on fire if no one came out.
“When I give the signal, just run. They’ll be waiting at the back door.”
“This is dangerous…”
“The crowd’s only getting bigger. We can’t hesitate any longer.”
“Damn it…”
Then, from a nearby alley, the Mountain Bandits spotted a group of shadows approaching.
“Uh…”
Everyone froze.
If you lived in Hwangseong’s back alleys, you’d know this man—Gorio—leading his men forward.
“Those bastards…!”
The Gorio faction was the Briol gang that had recently taken control of Hwangseong’s backstreets.
Even at full strength, they’d lose a fight. Attacked like this in an emergency? No chance.
Even if they were enemies, to barge in while they were rescuing people was just despicable.
No wonder their loan shark had such a high collection rate despite not running credit checks.
“Damn it…”
“Heartless bastards…”
The Mountain Bandits raised their fists, ready to fight back.
“Man, I…”
“We have to move fast…”
“This is crazy…”
Meanwhile, Gorio strode forward steadily.
“Where’s your boss?”
He slipped on his signature black leather gloves as he spoke. Rumor had it that wiping them with a wet towel would reveal dried blood stains.
“Y-you don’t know anything, you trash.”
“Oh…”
“Coward.”
“You ready to back that up?”
“There’s nothing to back up. Come at me if you want, punk!”
“Who said we came to fight?”
“What?”
“Do we look like we came to fight?”
“W-well, yeah…”
“What are you talking about…?”
Gorio glanced back. His men were grinning fiercely.
Even Gorio flinched and quickly retracted his words.
“Fair enough.”
“…”
“But we didn’t come to fight.”
“Then what?”
“Just clear these people out of here.”
“What?”
“We’re not planning to hold out long. Get them out fast and run. Then we’ll scatter.”
Only then did the Mountain Bandits realize.
Gorio had come to help.
“W-why…?”
At someone’s question, Gorio’s usually expressionless face curved into a faint smile—a rare sight.
He turned and said,
“The owner of that restaurant cooks well.”
Then Gorio began walking toward his target.
Even in battle, he never rushed. His men followed, shouting as they charged forward.
The Mountain Bandits finally understood why Gorio was called the Night King of Hwangseong.
“Damn, he’s cool…”
“Let’s move quickly.”
“Right.”
“Charge!”
That night, the Gorio faction and the Mountain Bandits ran through the streets, rescuing surrounded Yohaim people.
At first, only the two gangs were involved, but soon the Seagull faction from Bursen, the Light and Salt faction from Liberta, and various smaller groups joined in.
“How many gangs are there in Hwangseong?”
“It’s where all the continent’s people gather…”
But they couldn’t save everyone. Some Yohaim were dragged out and beaten, and there were even casualties.
The peacekeepers expressed grave concern but did nothing more.
The madness, sparked by unknown causes, spread rapidly.
Not just Hwangseong, but the entire empire boiled with hatred for Yohaim.
Amidst this, news came in.
The empire’s 5th Knight Order was secretly crossing Yohaim’s border, advancing toward the royal castle.
The gap between the two nations was clear.
People believed Yohaim wouldn’t hold out long.
Now, Yohaim’s fate flickered like a candle in the wind.
The empire’s 5th Knight Order reached the dense forest surrounding Yohaim’s royal castle.
“We need to make our move before Sir Graham and Yalta arrive.”
Separated from the main force, they were tasked with a swift assault on the castle, using their mobility.
If the operation succeeded, Yohaim would fall with minimal losses.
“They’re weak anyway.”
“After killing a few, they’ll fall in line.”
“Why not just capture the king alive?”
The mood was optimistic.
Yohaim’s national power was a fraction of the empire’s. Their army’s quality and size were no match.
Above all, these knights were among the empire’s elite.
They were confident they could break through Yohaim’s forces, no matter how many.
“Those Yohaim don’t even know how to fight properly.”
“Just charge in. That’s all it takes.”
The knights chuckled as they spoke.
There was some truth to it.
But they forgot one thing: war isn’t just brute force.
Especially not in forested mountain battles.
“Alright, everyone, move inside.”
Under the 5th Knight Order commander’s command, the knights stepped into the woods.
At that moment, a faint sound echoed.
Piiiiiiiiii—
The knights saw an arrow shoot up into the sky.
It soared sharply, emitting a piercing, birdlike cry.
It was the signal shot—the opening salvo.
The knights, seeing such a strange weapon for the first time, stood frozen, unsure how to react.
“What is that?”
“It’s making a noise.”
“Looks like there are troops inside.”
In any case, it meant enemies were in the forest.
The entire order drew their swords.
No one was overly tense. They thought it would be like a game of hide-and-seek—find the enemy and cut them down.
Then—
Someone fell.
“Huh?”
All eyes turned toward the knights. Through the narrow opening in a helmet, an arrow was lodged firmly. The sudden attack froze everyone in place.
But that was only the beginning.
“Everyone, stay alert!”
“Prepare yourselves!”
Another knight was struck by an arrow and collapsed.
In an instant, two knights lay dead. Everyone immediately took defensive stances, scanning their surroundings.
“What is this? Arrows?”
“There was no sign of anyone nearby.”
“Damn it…”
The captain of the Fifth Knights shouted.
“Everyone, be on guard! Watch for arrows!”
“Yes, sir!”
The canopy of leaves overhead cast shadows across the entire forest, making it impossible to spot the enemy.
Though startled by the surprise attack, the Fifth Captain still underestimated their foe.
He gave his orders.
“Alright, clear this area. Form squads of three and sweep through the forest. Kill anything you see.”
“Yes, sir!”
At his command, the knights quickly grouped up and plunged into the woods.
The Fifth Captain stayed behind to gather the bodies of the two fallen knights. One had an arrow through the eye, the other through the neck.
Skilled knights rarely fell to archery, yet these silent arrows had ended their lives.
It was too precise to be mere chance.
A bad feeling settled in his gut.
“Captain, are you alright?”
“No, I’m fine.”
He forced himself to shake off the unease and lifted his gaze.
It was still daylight.
Though a forest, the visibility wasn’t completely blocked. He chose to trust the strength of his knights.
The Fifth Captain called his lieutenant.
“Let’s move out.”
“Yes, sir!”
“These are the ones who tried to poison His Majesty. We show no mercy to the Yohaim scum.”
With that, he stepped decisively into the forest.
Tall underbrush blocked his view, and the rustling leaves in the wind muffled sounds.
Gnarled roots tangled beneath his feet, tripping him up.
Progress was slow.
“Living in a place like this… what a dump.”
The Fifth Captain muttered irritably, swinging his sword to clear the thick brush. The foliage was sliced away in chunks.
At that moment, an arrow suddenly flew toward him.
He instinctively swung his sword, deflecting the shot.
Though imbued with mana, the arrow’s power was not exceptional.
What troubled him was the complete lack of any sign—no sound, no movement.
It was as if an invisible blade was striking from nowhere.
“Damn it…”
If these kept coming, even seasoned knights would be in danger.
He shouted.
“Watch for arrows! No warning at all! Stay alert in all directions!”
His voice echoed through the forest.
Responses came from all around. Reassured, the Fifth Captain and his lieutenant pressed forward.
The lieutenant spoke up.
“Captain, I think I saw something back there.”
“What?”
It was the direction the arrow had come from.
The captain nodded.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, sir!”
They quickened their pace into a run.
Suddenly, the ground seemed to give way beneath them.
“St-stop!”
The Fifth Captain scrambled backward, stepping into thin air, but his lieutenant wasn’t as quick or experienced. The lieutenant fell along with the collapsing ground.
A trap.
The Fifth Captain licked his lips and stepped forward.
“Damn it…”
His lieutenant’s body was impaled like a porcupine on sharp wooden spikes thrust up from the pit.
He raised his eyes.
Suddenly, the forest felt overwhelmingly vast and empty.