HWARANG Rewritten✅

40. The heist

Actually he did have more than enough reasons to hate Park Young-shil but Ban-ryu didn't bother correcting her. Instead, he tested, "and you are convinced I won't expose you all and get you captured?"

Sa-do lifted her head to look at him. With trusting eyes and a confident tone, she proclaimed, "I know you won't."

...

Late that night, Seon-woo, Ji-dwi, Sa-do, Soo-ho and Yeo-wool moved stealthily through the capital as they made their way to Gakan's sprawling estate. Sa-do ushered them to duck behind some bushes as she peeked over the boundary wall. She watched the two night guards pass and then make a turn, moving out of sight. She quickly called the others and all five of them jumped across the low wall. With her directions they quickly reached the storage shed.

Seon-woo had requested Poong Wol Joo to create a distraction. But midway through their theft, Ban-ryu showed up, causing an even bigger scene than Lord Wih-wa's drunken antics, giving them ample time and cover. Any amusement that they felt at Ban-ryu's excellent method acting vanished however, when they entered the store house.

It was overflowing with gold, silver, gems, coins, jewelry, ornaments and other precious items. "I have seen all kinds of crazy behavior but this really takes the cake. There aren't just one or two places like this," Yeo-wool remarked in wonder. They opened a few chests to find them filled to the brim with all the herbs and medicines that could have easily cured the plague victims and saved countless innocent lives.

"People are dying so he can become richer. How many more lives have to be lost to satisfy his greed?" Sa-do pondered, her voice broken as she thought about all the deaths her father was responsible for. It made her stomach churn that one man was purposefully collecting so much just so he could control and make others suffer.

"More gold and medicine than the royal family. This kind of person is Silla's Gakan," Ji-dwi pronounced like a death sentence.

"Is this the norm of this place?" Seon-woo asked bitterly. And to imagine, this man was Sa-do's father.

"No," Ji-dwi replied, his voice choked and angry at the same time, "this is not it."

"We don't have time to stand around like this," Soo-ho interrupted their musings, "quickly." They had stuffed as much of the supplies in the jute sacks before quickly leaving. Soo-ho and Yeo-wool jumped over the wall. Sa-do balanced on it as she passed over the sacks to them. That was when two of Park Young-shil's men approached.

Sa-do recognized both of them and so did Seon-woo and Ji-dwi apparently. Seon-woo was about to step up but Ji-dwi intervened, claiming he had more negative feelings towards them for making him hang around unnecessarily. He easily beat the beefy guard and was dealing with Doh-go when a stone hit the shorter man on the head, knocking him unconscious. Ji-dwi turned back. "What are you doing?" Seon-woo hissed at Sa-do.

The girl merely shrugged. "I really hate that guy." The boys shook their heads, amazed and amused by her indifferent reply.

"You really are something else," Soo-ho murmured, grinning.

Yeo-wool extended his hand. "Come on now, you miniature bully," he teased as he helped her hop off. Seon-woo and Ji-dwi followed. Overall, that had been a very impressive and successful heist. Not too bad for their first mission.

...

It was only later, when the medicine was safely on its way to the Cheonin village where it was desperately needed, that Seon-woo had a chance to speak to Ji-dwi. The other three had already headed back to Seonmoon while these two arranged for the transportation as Poong Wol Joo had directly assigned the task to them.

"Park Young-shil," Seon-woo said breaking the silence, as they were walking back, "men like him don't deserve their position. They deserve the sharp end of the sword."

"Oh?" Ji-dwi uttered in interest, already giving him his full attention.

Clearing his throat and looking ahead, he continued, "as a King, I should probably clear officials like him and those who work under him, should I not? There are non-corrupt people whom I can trust. I wouldn't need them."

Ji-dwi completely stopped walking and the other Hwarang also halted when he noticed. "Are you giving me advice right now?"

Seon-woo shrugged, "it's just a suggestion. You don't have to use it."

Ji-dwi's eyes twinkled with mirth. "That is exactly what advice is," he pointed out. He shrugged again. After a few moments of contemplation, the King asked, "so you are telling me to execute Park Young-shil?"

"You don't think you should?" The King shook his head but Seon-woo noticed his slight hesitation and immediately understood its underlying cause. "If you are unsure, go talk to Sa-do." Ji-dwi's eyes snapped to him at the mention of her name. "I am sure she will be able to give you some sixty reasons more."

The King nodded, understanding what point his friend was trying to convey. "We make a good team, you and I," he commented off handedly and Seon-woo nodded in agreement.