The Story of Hong Gildong

by Heo Gyun

Around that time.

The Nokrim bandits, hidden around Haein-sa Temple, rushed in all at once as soon as the signal was given.

The warehouse doors opened—

And treasures worth tens of thousands of gold poured out.

The bandits each gathered gold, silver, jewels, silk, and grain, loading them onto oxen and horses.

The bound monks could only watch the scene, unable to move a single body part.

“This is outrageous!”

“Oh, Buddha!”

Cries of lamentation echoed through the temple, as if to tear it down.

At that moment.

There was one carpenter left in the temple, who had not joined the feast and was guarding the temple alone.

He turned pale as he watched the sudden arrival of the bandits plundering the warehouse.

“This is a disaster!”

The carpenter immediately left the temple and ran to the Hapcheon government office.

And without even catching his breath, he shouted.

“Haein-sa Temple has been robbed!”

“The bandits are taking all the temple's treasures!”

The Hapcheon-won was greatly surprised to hear those words.

“What did you say?”

He immediately sent an official to confirm the situation and, at the same time, quickly gathered government troops to pursue the bandits.

Meanwhile—

The bandits were driving oxen and horses laden with treasures, making their way out of the mountain path.

But the moment they looked back.

They saw thousands of government troops approaching, raising dust.

It was like a storm.

The bandits were instantly terrified.

“They followed us!”

“It's over now!”

“We're all going to die because of the general!”

Some even began to resent Gil-dong.

But Gil-dong was not flustered in the slightest.

He spoke in a calm voice.

“Do you still not understand my plan?”

And he pointed to the main road to the south with his hand.

“Don't worry, you all go down the main road to the south.”

A faint smile appeared on Gil-dong's lips.

“I will divert the government troops to the northern shortcut.”

After saying those words, Gil-dong entered the main hall of Haein-sa Temple alone.

A moment later.

He had transformed into a completely different person.

Dressed in a monk's robe.

With a flower hat pulled down, he looked exactly like an old monk.

Soon, government troops stormed near the temple.

Gil-dong deliberately ran out with a frantic expression.

"The bandits fled through the northern shortcut!"

He waved the sleeve of his monk's robe and pointed to the northern path.

"Hurry and chase them that way!"

The government troops did not suspect him in the least.

Because they couldn't even imagine that the old monk in front of them would be Hong Gil-dong.

In the end, the government troops abandoned the main southern road and rushed towards the northern shortcut.

Gil-dong chuckled as he watched them.

And immediately used the art of缩地法 (chukjibeop) to quickly catch up with the bandits.

The bandits cheered when they saw Gil-dong return safely.

"As expected of our General!"

"To even deceive the government troops!"

"He is a genius of the world!"

Gil-dong merely smiled calmly.

After that day, the Hapcheon magistrate led the government troops and searched the mountains for several days—

But ultimately, they couldn't even find a shadow of the bandits.

The rumor spread instantly.

The entire Hapcheon was turned upside down.

Eventually, this incident was reported to the provincial office.

The governor was greatly surprised upon hearing the report.

He quickly posted notices in each district to search for the bandits, but Hong Gil-dong's group never revealed their whereabouts.

Instead, the government troops only made futile efforts and flustered about.

A few days later.

Gil-dong once again gathered hundreds of bandits.

And quietly opened his mouth.

"Although we are part of the greenwood, we are all originally citizens of this country."

The bandits quietly looked at Gil-dong.

"When a time of national danger comes, we must risk our lives to help the king."

Gil-dong's eyes gleamed coldly.

"Therefore, we must also learn military strategy."

He paused for a moment, then opened his mouth again.

“Now I have a plan to seize the military provisions and the storehouse.”

At that moment, the bandits' faces hardened.

Gil-dong slowly began to explain.

“On the night of the promised day.”

“Set fire near the royal tomb outside the south gate of Hamgyeong Gamyeong.”

But he immediately added.

“Do not, under any circumstances, touch the royal tomb itself.”

The bandits bowed their heads simultaneously.

“We obey your command!”

Gil-dong divided his troops into two groups.

One group was to hide near the royal tomb and set the fire.

The other group Gil-dong led himself.

Finally, on the promised night.

As samgyeong (midnight) arrived, a huge blaze erupted near the royal tomb.

The light dyed the sky red.

At that moment, Gil-dong immediately ran to the gamyeong.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

He pounded on the gate fiercely and shouted.

“The royal tomb is on fire!”

“You must provide aid at once!”

The governor rushed out, half-asleep.

Looking outside, indeed, the firelight was burning the sky.

The governor was greatly surprised and hastily gathered his troops.

“Deploy immediately!”

In an instant, the inside of the gamyeong was turned upside down like boiling water.

Even the common people all rushed out to put out the fire.

As a result—

Only the elderly and infirm remained inside the fortress.

At that very moment.

Gil-dong led the ambushing bandits and stormed into the gamyeong.

The storehouse door was broken down.

Military provisions and grain were swept away in an instant.

The bandits systematically collected the goods.

And Gil-dong once again used his magical shrinking technique—

And returned to the mountain hideout in the blink of an eye.