journey towards the northen duke

In the midst of the gentle sound of rain, a young boy was seen running through the downpour, his clothes in tatters as he clutched something tightly in his hands, which upon closer inspection appeared to be a collection of rocks typically found along mountain paths. The boy was notably lean, resembling a figure of skin and bones, with sunken cheeks and dark circles under his eyes. Anyone who observed him would immediately recognize that he was a malnourished child.

Upon arriving at a dilapidated house that appeared on the verge of collapse, the young boy paused and entered. He first placed the stones he had gathered into a jar that was already filled with similar stones. Then, he proceeded to dry his clothes by igniting firewood in the fireplace. Contrary to what one might anticipate despite the numerous cracks in the walls.....the interior of the house was surprisingly clean, devoid of any dust on the walls and the empty tables.

After drying his clothes, he ascended to an upstairs room, where he opened a lavish dressing cabinet filled with four sets of shirts and pants, each appearing to be a patchwork of various garments. He selected a simple short-sleeved shirt and shorts, changing into that outfit. As he glanced outside, he noticed the rain had ceased and the sun was shining brightly. After changing, the young boy stood before the mirror.

The young man's name was Yoon Seon, the only gift from his birth parents before they abandoned him at the orphanage. Seon gazed at his reflection and mused to himself, "No matter how often I look, I remain the most handsome in this area. It's fortunate I escaped that wretched orphanage; if I hadn't, the dean might have sold me to some wealthy master, which would have been a true tragedy."

As Seon pondered where to go to charm someone into providing him with food, a group of people began making their way toward the village where he resided.

A group of soldiers clad in black and equipped with bulletproof gear moved in a synchronized formation, their experience evident in their precise movements. With a subtle hand signal from their leader, they swiftly approached the village, encircling several unassuming homes. The national flag emblems on their vests unmistakably identified them as military personnel. As they entered the houses, chaos erupted; the seemingly ordinary villagers began firing back, revealing their true nature.

After a tense exchange of gunfire, the soldiers in black subdued the villagers, resulting in four casualties among the civilians. The commotion drew the attention of other residents, who fled in terror, while some hastily shut their doors to quell the panic.

A fierce-looking soldier stepped forward, taking the microphone to address the crowd. "Everyone, please calm down. We mean you no harm to you. We are soldiers here to apprehend some criminals who have escaped from us. We ask for your cooperation in identifying those involved. After we ask a few questions, you will be free to go. Please form two lines, separating men and women."

The speaker was Captain Jane, an elite member of the Eastern Recruits military corps. Upon hearing his words, most villagers began to settle down, though a lingering wariness remained due to the soldiers' weapons. They complied and formed organized lines as the questioning commenced after seeking information about those who were absent. The village, originally home to 50 families, was soon brought back into focus as the soldiers continued their inquiries.

Sean observed the unfolding events from a rooftop adjacent to the incident. He had been present when the fire was ignited, and due to his unfortunate experiences in the orphanage, he had become quite skilled at remaining concealed. He listened intently to the words emanating from the loudspeaker, yet he remained an unidentified boy, lacking any form of identification. Although he had never attended school, his past experiences had imparted valuable lessons, enabling him to understand the importance of not being caught.

However, he found it increasingly difficult to hide, as many villagers recognized him. To maintain his cover, he had fabricated a story about staying with his ailing grandfather, playing on their sympathies to secure food and stave off starvation. It had been two months since he escaped from the orphanage, having hidden in a vegetable truck belonging to a local farmer. Since then, he had been surviving by assisting the villagers with errands and occasionally stealing bird eggs from the nearby forest.

Sean contemplated his situation. He realized he could remain hidden from the soldiers for a few days, but the threat of starvation loomed large. His only option was to continue the charade of being a devoted grandson and report the disappearance of a non-existent person. Perhaps if he evoked enough pity, he could extract some money from them. With this thought in mind, he quickly descended from the rooftop, making his way down the water pipeline.

After descending, Sean took mud from the ground and smeared it on his face, rolling around and poking himself in the eyes to create a distressed appearance. Subsequently, he began to cry loudly and approached the questioning soldiers. The villagers turned their attention towards him, with many recognizing him and starting to inquire about his situation. He made his way directly to Captain Jane, still sobbing loudly. Noticing a child rushing towards him, Captain Jane narrowed his eyes and signaled to the other soldiers to refrain from intervening. When Sean reached the soldier, he spoke in a choked voice, "Big brother, big brother, my grandfather is missing, and everything in our home is gone. Big brother, can you help find Grandpa?" The soldiers were taken aback by the child's boldness in addressing their captain as "big brother." It was noteworthy that even the captain's own nephew refrained from calling him "uncle," opting instead for "sir." This was not due to any malevolence on the captain's part, but rather a result of strict military discipline and his imposing stature, which often intimidated children. The soldiers were simply astonished by the unknown village boy's informal address, but they understood that the captain would not harm the child for his choice of words. With a glance towards their captain, they quickly returned to their duties.

Captain Jane did not respond to Sean's plea; instead, he scrutinized the boy from head to toe and inquired, "What is your name, child?"