Chapter 19

Chapter 19
## Chapter: 19

### Chapter Title: Unreasonable Demands (1)

—

The entrance to the Juhae Escort Agency, which usually stood wide open to the world, was now bolted shut.

Within the suffocating, grim environment, the high-ranking members of the organization hurried into the assembly hall in rapid succession.

Bang Seo Hong, the agency leader who had been keeping watch in the meeting room with eyes bloodshot from exhaustion, struck the table with his knuckles to quiet the murmuring crowd.

“The terms of their ransom arrived just a short while ago.”

“What is the price those criminals are setting? No, more importantly, who is responsible for this outrage?”

Deputy Leader Bang Chuk questioned with a voice thick with fury.

Bang Chuk, the younger sibling of Bang Seo Hong, was approaching his sixties but remained a powerhouse in active service. His explosive temperament was as well-known as his martial prowess, earning him significant fame within the escort industry.

“Golden Fox Bandit Lair.”

“Golden Fox Bandit Lair? Weren’t those thugs crushed into the dirt recently? I was under the impression they had been entirely eradicated.”

Bang Chuk inquired, his expression one of pure bewilderment.

“It appears their Bandit Chief, who had been traveling elsewhere, has made his return. He is evidently attempting to reconstruct the stronghold from its ruins.”

“Bah! That lunatic has lost his mind!”

“There is no use in just talking. Witness it for yourself.”

Bang Seo Hong slid over a battered parchment that looked as though it had been crumpled and smoothed out countless times, its surface a map of deep creases.

Bang Chuk grabbed the paper and devoured the text, his complexion shifting through various shades of rage.

“Those despicable scavengers! This isn’t a mere request; it’s an astronomical sum!”

The already damaged letter was shredded into pieces by Bang Chuk, who found it impossible to restrain his temper.

“What figure did they name to provoke such a reaction from you?”

In contrast to the fuming Bang Chuk, Bang Gon—who had moved into retirement to enjoy his twilight years—looked at the bits of paper on the floor and asked.

Bang Seo Hong provided the answer since Bang Chuk was still too livid to speak.

“One hundred nyang of gold.”

The atmosphere in the assembly hall turned to ice in a heartbeat.

“Ha! That is nothing less than a death sentence for this agency.”

Bang Gon produced a hollow, mirthless laugh, stunned by the audacity.

The Juhae Escort Agency did not even clear thirty nyang of gold in a single month of operation. Once the various overhead costs were paid, the actual profit was significantly lower. One hundred nyang of gold was a staggering fortune that would take years of labor to accumulate.

“Regardless, we cannot simply disregard it. The stolen shipment is a major issue, but the lives of our kidnapped brothers are the priority.”

Bang Seo Hong’s features had grown haggard, clearly weighed down by the immense psychological pressure.

“How many have been taken?”

Responding to Bang Gon’s inquiry, Deputy Leader Bang Il Sam, who was positioned across from him, spoke up.

“Two senior escorts, thirteen guardsmen, and twenty laborers, Uncle.”

“That is a massive group for a single caravan. The value of the freight must be enormous as well.”

“It is. We were transporting goods entrusted to us by the Xiaoxing branch of the Water Dragon Merchant Association.”

“The Water Dragon Merchant Association? Do they not operate the Water Dragon Escort Agency? Why would they seek us out…?”

Bang Gon appeared startled by this revelation.

“The Water Dragon Merchant Association has expanded aggressively of late. Their scale has grown beyond what the Water Dragon Escort Agency can manage on its own. They have been funneling overflow business to us for some time now.”

“I see. Of all the possible jobs, it had to be Water Dragon Escort Agency cargo. It is no wonder those bandits have the gall to ask for such a ransom.”

“It is a dire situation. In all honesty, one hundred nyang of gold is a weight we cannot support.”

“We are left with no choice. If the worst comes to pass, we sacrifice the goods, but we must secure the safety of our people.”

Bang Il Sam let out a quiet, internal sigh at Bang Seo Hong’s unwavering resolve.

They could potentially scrape together one hundred nyang of gold by liquidating every single asset and reserve the agency possessed. However, the period of crippling debt that would follow was an abyss no one wanted to contemplate.

“My brother is correct. We can find a way to pay back the value of cargo, but we cannot resurrect the dead. If we fail to save the comrades who bleed for the Juhae Escort Agency, what client would ever trust us again? To lose our people is to lose our soul. We must rescue them. As long as they draw breath, we have a foundation to build upon again.”

Every person in the chamber nodded in fervent agreement with Bang Gon’s sentiment.

“Why have you gone so quiet?”

Bang Seo Hong directed his question at Bang Chuk. Bang Chuk, typically the sort of man to charge headlong into a fight with his brash personality, was uncharacteristically hushed.

“Is negotiation truly our only path?”

Bang Chuk spoke with a low growl.

“What are you implying?”

“Compromise is one thing, but this is essentially waving a white flag and handing over our lives.”

“The bandits hold our people, so our hands are tied…”

“Let us go in and take them back.”

“You are suggesting an all-out assault?”

Bang Seo Hong asked, visibly taken aback.

“Hmph! And why shouldn’t we?”

“No. Consider the state of mind that Golden Fox Bandit Chief must be in after finding his home in ashes. We would be gambling with the lives of the hostages. Even if we triumphed, the cost in blood would be too high.”

“Rescuing our brothers is non-negotiable. But Brother, look at the larger picture. If we allow common thieves to walk all over us like this, how can we maintain our reputation as an escort agency? This is a world where the strong devour the weak. Even if we suffer losses, we must demonstrate that we are not easy prey.”

“But…”

Bang Seo Hong attempted to argue, but the words failed him.

With his years of leadership experience, he understood that Bang Chuk’s perspective wasn’t entirely flawed.

After a tense silence, Bang Seo Hong looked to the other leaders.

“What is the consensus on the Deputy Leader’s proposal?”

The officers traded looks before a cacophony of voices broke out.

A spectrum of opinions was voiced, but the majority gravitated toward a middle ground: proceed with negotiations while simultaneously scouting for an opening to launch a rescue. Furthermore, given that Bandit Chief No Geuk was famous for his lethal skills, they resolved to petition nearby martial clans or prominent families for assistance. If no help arrived, they would abandon the idea of a raid entirely.

Bang Chuk maintained he could settle the matter personally, but his aggressive stance was voted down.

—

No Geuk had returned to the site of the Golden Fox Bandit Lair exactly ten days prior.

When he first lost communication with the Golden Fox Bandit Lair and sent scouts to investigate, his fury and sense of devastation were beyond description.

Even so, he hadn’t been able to rush back immediately. The political vacuum surrounding the leadership of the Eighteen Bandit Strongholds was a matter of extreme urgency.

No Geuk had been backing the Five Dragon Stronghold—a top-tier candidate for the vacancy—with the goal of raising the status of the Golden Fox Bandit Lair within the alliance of the Eighteen Bandit Strongholds.

With his own base burned to the ground, those ambitions vanished. It was no longer about status; it was about staying alive.

Having lost his entire power base, No Geuk had prostrated himself before the master of the Five Dragon Stronghold, offering his personal service as a subordinate. In doing so, he played a pivotal role in ensuring that their leader, Neung Cheong Kang, claimed the title of head of the brigands.

Appreciated for his contributions, No Geuk earned the rank of protector and regained some footing. With the blessing of Neung Cheong Kang, he made a temporary return to the Golden Fox Bandit Lair. Even though the place was a ruin, he was driven to find the truth behind the massacre and identify the culprits to carry out a gruesome vendetta.

Upon his arrival, No Geuk immediately tasked his men with a manhunt for information.

Because many captives from the day the Golden Fox Bandit Lair fell had been left alive after being freed, gathering leads was simpler than he had anticipated.

The hurdle was that even those survivors were ignorant of their savior’s identity. The only concrete detail was that two men had carried out the raid, one of whom was a massive brute with a hideously deformed face.

“Hoo!”

A heavy breath escaped No Geuk’s lips.

He was seated within a makeshift lean-to—constructed from a few charred pillars draped in coarse fabric and topped with a roof of woven grass. He looked like a shadow of his former self.

“Chief.”

No Geuk turned toward the hesitant voice, his eyes moving away from the grey wreckage of his home.

“Have they been located?”

“I ask for your forgiveness. We are searching every corner, but we have no solid trail yet.”

Guard Captain Gwak Jeung San lowered his head in a display of contrition.

“Damn it! We are running out of time…”

Calculating the passing days, No Geuk realized the deadline set by Neung Cheong Kang was looming and bit his lip until it nearly bled.

“What of the Juhae Escort Agency? Was the message delivered?”

“Yes. We have confirmation that the letter reached them as intended.”

“Hmph! They are likely scrambling right now, desperately trying to figure out how to put out the fire I’ve set under them.”

No Geuk gave a dark sneer, his eyes drifting to a wooden chest sitting nearby.

The previous night, he had successfully extracted both goods and a ransom from the Ilseong Merchant Group—the first victims to fall into his trap—in exchange for their captured traders. It wasn’t as large as the demand he’d sent to Juhae, but it was a respectable haul.

In the natural order of things, bandits, escorts, and merchants shared a complicated, symbiotic existence.

They fought and clashed, but usually, both sides avoided pushing things to the brink of total war, respecting certain unspoken boundaries. However, with the fall of the Golden Fox Bandit Lair and the rise of the Five Dragon Stronghold, those old rules were dead. His only goal now was to strike hard and vanish.

“Do not give them a moment’s peace. Send messengers every two hours. Keep the pressure mounting so they lose the ability to think clearly.”

No Geuk commanded with a chilling grin.

It was the same strategy he had employed against the Yeonhwa Escort Agency.

They had buckled instantly, paying his demands without a fight.

The Ilseong Merchant Group had followed suit, and he expected the Juhae Escort Agency to do the same. With his time at the ruins drawing to a close, there was no benefit in delay.

‘In the worst-case scenario, they might attempt a rescue. It won’t matter.’

No Geuk was aware that Juhae might not submit quietly.

He had accounted for the possibility that they might ignore the ransom or send an elite team to infiltrate the camp.

He wasn’t concerned. His own guards might be spread thin, but they weren’t the only ones stationed here.

No Geuk shifted his gaze toward the area that used to be the main entrance of the stronghold.

At that moment, a man with a thick beard appeared, leading three elder figures and more than twenty warriors through the shattered gate.

No Geuk stood up from his makeshift seat with measured movements.

He had gained the title of protector through his submission, but he could not remain seated while welcoming the firstborn son of Neung Cheong Kang—the man who now held the title of chief inspector of the brigands.

—

“…That is the current state of affairs. I ask that you place your confidence in our agency and wait just a little longer. We will ensure everyone returns home safely.”

Deputy Leader Bang Il Sam offered a deep, respectful bow to the assembled family members who had come to hear news of the catastrophe.

The relatives, paralyzed by the fear of losing their loved ones, began hitting him with a barrage of questions.

Bang Il Sam kept his responses vague, promising only that they were doing everything within their power, while being extremely careful not to overpromise.

Dissatisfaction was plain on the faces of the families, but no one shouted. They were terrified of doing anything that might jeopardize the rescue or ruin their standing with the agency.

“Are you looking into other paths? Specifically, are you preparing a strike team for a rescue?”

Sima Ho, who had been listening with a grim, set jaw, finally found he could no longer stay silent.

Bang Il Sam’s eyebrows twitched at the bluntness of the question.

In an environment where Golden Fox spies could be hidden in the shadows, he could not afford to reveal strategic details. After a moment of visible hesitation, he answered with caution.

“While that remains a potential course of action, our primary focus is on a negotiated settlement to bring this to a close.”

Bang Il Sam believed his answer was sufficient, but a flicker of mistrust appeared in his gaze.

“If I may, who exactly are you?”

A sharp edge of suspicion entered Bang Il Sam’s voice as he stared at the questioner.