Rustling sound.
"Brothers!...it's time we pick up our swords again". Jae joon shouted, breaking the night silence.
The men looked at each other confused. Though they are excited to go back to operation again, but they needed to know why their code of silence has been broken.
"Comrade, why are we starting starting again?... There is a relative peace in the land". They had dissolved themselves due to the peaceful times. Going into action now means there is a major calamity coming.
Jae joon walked slowly to the man that voiced out his opinion and placed his shaky hands on his shoulders.
"There is no peace for me... they robbed me of my beloved". He stilled his breath then released it. The men got angry at his plight and roared in anger and asked him what happened. After narrating his story , they exploded.
"Who was it?. The man behind him asked through gritted teeth, obviously drowning in anger .
"Choi sang-min that bastard".
"Why is it him again?". One of the men shouted and the rest shuddered.
During their purge, they had left Choi sang-min alive due to his political expediency. Killing him would have unsettled the political balance and caused more chaos.
Choi sang-min was and is still evil . Oppressing the poor, forceful possession of property and wrongful and unlawful imprisoning and killing. In short, the man is pure bad news.
"He keeps on attacking the family I am protecting. I want to put an end to his miserable life". Jae joon whispered.
"it's my personal revenge, but I wanted my brothers to give their opinion on the best way to send him to hell".
We will support you, the men roared. They won't stand by and watch someone mess with one of them. Whoever any of them considers family will be family to all.
Right now, one of their families has been hurt , so why not?
A shrill voice broke the silence and sent the men reaching for their weapons. In their state of emotional outbursts, they failed to keep close tab on their surroundings. Well, they didn't expect anyone to come close because the thatched house is deeply located inside the mountains.
"Don't kill him". The owner of the voice appeared at the door revealing a young beautiful girl.
They surrounded and dragged her inside making Jae joon unable to breathe.
"Agassi, how did you find here?... did you follow me?... No , the question should be, how did you follow me undetected?" Jae joon bombarded her with question obviously ashamed that he was followed yet he didn't observe it.
She looked at Jae joon and smirked. "I learnt from the best".
The men were surprised that they could have been sneak attacked if she was an enemy. Watching their disoriented faces, Yoona smiled and felt elated that she could pass off as an assassin.
On the day Seohwa died, she witnessed him brutally killing those men. Those moves were out of the world and strange. A single strike brought two men to their death.
Using the breath holding techniques Jae joon taught her, she remained still as water and watched on from her hiding place. Jae joon would have sensed her if she had a bloodlust but she had none as she was only awed at his skills.
Yoona saw his insignia and recalled the story of men with such signs that left death everywhere they went . That was how she discovered his double identity and watched his actions closely.
"Jae joon, tell me what happened to the other assassin that lured you out". She probed and he recounted the incident.
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In the deepest part of the woods, the female assassin who lured him out stopped running and blocked his heavy strike with her own sword.
"Not bad!". She grunted while moving back due to the force of the strike.
Jae joon looked at her coldly and rushed to attack again. Caught by surprise because of his lightning speed, she got distracted and ended up with a wound on her left shoulder.
"Who are you?" ,She asked panicking.
Jae joon looked at her with his bleak eyes, not sparing her a minute to catch her breath he attacked again leaving her bleeding.
"You will know soon". he coldly answered.
The assassin panicked when she heard that. She knows that the guy is not even using his whole strength but she has already lost the fight.
Jae joon removed his small dagger from his waist and drew closer. Seeing the assassin wincing in pain , his heart grew colder.
With an accurate precision, he rushed towards her and cut her legs. She fell to the ground gritting her teeth and pressing her hand on the wound.
"I just cut your femoral artery... well you know already". Jae joon mocked.
"F**k you !". She caused.
"Don't get too agitated, the more restless you become... the faster you bleed to death".
He removed her veil and became shocked. Is this not the prime minister's bodyguard? Why is it her? How did he find them? He had many questions to be answered.
"Why did that bastard, Choi sang-min send you here?"
She smiled mockingly. It seems like she has been exposed. Facing him squarely, she laughed out loud. "Why should I answer that?"
Jae joon slapped her heavily making her mouth filled with blood. She spat it out and continued laughing, her wounds bled faster.
"Just kill me already... I won't say anything to you".
Jae joon smiled wickedly at her and brought out his arrow. "Then , you leave me no choice... you are not worthy to die by my sword".
Click.
It occurred to her where she has seen that arrow. She pointed at him weakly and asked.
"Are you one of them?... the fiery arrows?"
Jae joon snorted. " What if I am?"
She bit her lower lip and sighed. "My lord sent me to eliminate all future obstacles for him... The crown princess selection will soon take place".
Jae joon was confused and asked for clarification. "My Lord's daughter is a candidate... he is afraid your mistress will be chosen over his daughter."
Jae joon finally got the whole gist but was still confused. "My miss likes the prime minister's son and has no interest in any royal position, why is he attacking her?"
She gave a cold laugh and mocked him. "You are quite gullible. My lord has only one son who is a moron... Your miss is in love with the crown prince not my master's son"
It took him a while to gather his emotions.So that's what happened? His miss suffered because the crown prince fell in love with her? The bastard was the crown prince?
Suspiciously he asked, "Why are you giving me all this information?"
White as paper due to loss of blood, she hoarsely told him she has always wanted to meet the men . "I'm sorry that I attacked you".
Jae joon softened a little when he saw the look of admiration in her eyes.
"What is your name?". he asked her.
" Tae hee".
Reaching into his pocket, he brought out a pill and a cream and gave her. "Take this pill and rub this cream on your wound, the rest depends on your fate"
He stooped low to tie up her injuries, after all she is just a servant following instructions . But right now, he regrets not watching her die . They killed his Seohwa.
While he was tying up the wound, he felt an instant fear in his heart and looked at her abruptly. She saw that look and startled.
"Oh my god! My men must have already succeeded". She whispered guiltily.
Like a wind, he flew out and left not knowing if she lived or died.
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Jae joon ended his story but left out the part where the boy was a crown prince. Not that he didn't want to but because, he didn't want her to feel sad on remembering him.
"But what is my business if his daughter wants to be the crown princess?". Yoona asked feeling that the story is not complete.
"Maybe because miss is too beautiful and is at the marriageable age". Jae joon fidgeted with his hands.
"Hmm... then I want to be the crown princess too".
"Nooooooo!" Jae joon screamed. "Miss, we should be hiding not exposing ourselves."
"I won't hide anymore, I will become the person he will bow to every single day... the person he will see everyday".
Jae joon didn't try to convince her against her decision again, he believes that the best revenge is watching the seat of power taken away from his daughter but he wondered if the bastard that broke her heart will choose her.
The men looked at her and wondered what exactly is her story but they still liked her.
"Jae joon, I want him alive... don't kill him yet"
Jae joon looked at his comrades and nodded.
"Now I want to buy your loyalties... will you guys be my shield?"
The men looked at Jae joon who cupped his hands and knelt down before her bowing. "I will follow miss to the end of the world".
The men followed suit. Hey why not? It will be quite good serving a master for the first time, especially one that has too many revenge to dish out.
But that's not the main reason they are swearing allegiance. They have long wanted to affiliate with a royal family member in order to watch them closely. If the girl becomes one, they will be killing two birds with one stone.
Yoona smiled and nodded her head. Choi sang-min, you poked the wrong person. I have never done anything to you, I didn't even know you but you chose to destroy my family and I... Watch as I ruin your ambition.
As for your son, he wanted to be a general? Well, I will make sure he is sent to the war-ridden zone where he will be tortured. He will scream my name at his deathbed.