The Three Bannermen | Vminkook ✓

Twenty Three: Discreet Departure

Jihoon

Blood spurted from the neck of the man that Jihoon had just stabbed. 

Maroon liquid distastefully leaked onto his new riding boots, which immensely displeased him. He kicked the dying servant away with a retributive boot. With building euphoria in his eye, Jihoon watched as his men ravaged the rest of the Stone Castle. 

On his left, a band of his men let out animalistic hoots while raping the gray-haired female cooking staff.

On his right, one of his men was strangling a rather large gray-haired guardsman. 

Why so many goddamn gray heads up north?

In front of him, a pleading brown-haired Sungwoo. 

Finally. A hair color that didn't disgust Jihoon. He stormed up to the man bound with ropes sent up north to stop him. Angrily, Jihoon kicked him once in the gut, digging the toe of his boot into the man's ribs. Laughter shrieked from his throat as Sungwoo keeled over in pain and spit out blood on the castle floor. 

Jihoon circled the defeated man, smiling triumphantly to himself as his gory boots clicked on the gray stones. Squatting down next to the man, he saw irritation and fear in the man's pressed expression. Sungwoo was now defeated...and all because of his army's failure to show.

The army that didn't receive the order to defend...because Jihoon intercepted the order from the Oak Castle. My spies are everywhere. They'll never escape me.

"So, Sungwoo. Tell me one thing." Jihoon lightly brushed the hair out of Sungwoo's eyes, which made the captured man bare his teeth in hostility. "Why isn't the Stone Prince up here in your place? Was he too scared to show his precious face? Too afraid to meet me?" 

At the words, Sungwoo lunged forward, biting down on Jihoon's arm. Jihoon screamed and punched at Sungwoo's face with his free hand. After teeth left his aching flesh, Jihoon stood up and took a step back from the crazy man. He decided to try a different method to get information out of Sungwoo. Clearly taunting didn't work.

"Bring me one of the kitchen women!" He demanded the soldier on his left. In a matter of seconds, a naked woman was brought before him and thrown at his feet. She couldn't be over 20 years old, and it must've been her first time, Jihoon noted, as blood was dripping down her bare thighs. 

"Bring me my sword." Jihoon snapped. 

Sungwoo looked at the woman with fear in his eyes. "P-please...don't hurt her. You don't need to do this."

Jihoon tilted his head at the man who had just bitten him seconds ago. He smiled sweetly and clapped his hands together. 

"Yes, I do need to do this. You haven't been compliant. There are consequences for that...and she'll die because of your insolence..." Jihoon retrieved a blood-smeared sword from one of his men. He pointed it ruthlessly between the breasts of the naked woman, tip digging into her pale skin. "Unless you give me all of the information on the three princes staying at the Oak Castle."

Sungwoo pulled against his restraints. The sword cut deeper into the woman's chest. Sungwoo winced. "I--I...promise I d-don't know much about the three princes-"

The sword dug deeper, eliciting a scream out of the silver-haired girl.

"Okay, okay! I--well, I was told Prince Park could not command an army because of a health condition..."

"Health condition?" Jihoon rubbed his chin in giddy thought. "What do you mean by that?"

Sungwoo spit out a glob of thick blood. Drips of perspiration fell down his shaking head. "I, really...I don't know. I never saw any of t-the princes, they just-"