The Tale of Hong Gildong

by Heo Gyun

Meanwhile.

The Hamgyeong governor barely suppressed the fire at Neungso and returned to the provincial office.

However, the soldiers guarding the warehouse ran up, their faces pale, and shouted,

“We’re in big trouble!”

“The bandits opened the warehouse and stole all the military supplies and grain!”

At that moment, the governor’s face hardened.

“What did you say?”

He immediately dispatched soldiers in all directions to search.

But it was already too late.

The bandits had vanished without leaving a trace.

Only then did the governor realize that he had been completely deceived.

Ultimately, this incident was also urgently reported to the court via a janggye.

That night.

Gil-dong, who had returned to the mountain stronghold, held a grand feast.

The bandits drank alcohol and cheered loudly.

But Gil-dong put down his cup and quietly began to speak.

“Listen carefully.”

Suddenly, the mountain stronghold fell silent.

Gil-dong’s gaze was much more solemn than before.

“From now on, we will not steal the property of the common people.”

The bandits’ faces stiffened.

Gil-dong continued slowly.

“Corrupt officials and magistrates.”

“And we will only take the wealth accumulated by oppressing the people.”

He looked around and declared firmly,

“Furthermore, with that wealth, we will relieve the hungry people and those who have been wronged.”

A moment of silence passed.

Then Gil-dong said in a low voice,

“From today, our name is Hwalbindang.”

Suddenly, the atmosphere inside the mountain stronghold completely changed.

They were no longer a simple band of bandits.

They were now becoming a group with their own cause.

But Gil-dong sighed deeply again.

“The Hamgyeong provincial office incident too…”

He paused for a moment.

“Many innocent people will suffer because they can’t find our tracks.”

The bandits quietly looked at Gil-dong.

“If innocent people are unjustly harmed because of my sins…”

Gil-dong’s eyes darkened.

“Even if people don’t know, how could Heaven not know?”

That night.

Gil-dong had a message written and posted on the north gate of the provincial office.

〈The one who raided the warehouse and the military arsenal is Hong Gil-dong, the leader of the Hwalbin Party.〉

He did not hide his name.

A few days later.

Gil-dong was lost in deep thought, alone.

‘My fate is so unfortunate that I left home and joined the bandits in the mountains…’

He quietly looked up at the sky.

‘This was not my original intention.’

He wanted to achieve fame and success, help the country,

save the people,

and even bring glory to his parents.

But—

Because he was an illegitimate son, he was scorned and pushed aside, eventually leading him to this point.

A bitter smile appeared on Gil-dong’s lips.

‘If that’s the case, then rather…’

His gaze turned cold.

‘I will leave behind a great name.’

After that, Gil-dong created seven superhuman beings.

All of them looked exactly like Gil-dong.

And he divided his soldiers into groups of fifty, sending them to scatter across the eight provinces.

Since they were clones created by magic, no one could tell who the real Gil-dong was.

Even the Hwalbin Party soldiers were confused.

From that day on—

The eight provinces were completely turned upside down.

The Hwalbin Party seized the wealth of corrupt officials everywhere.

They confiscated bribes from magistrates who tormented the people.

They opened government warehouses and distributed grain to the starving populace.

The people secretly cheered.

But the government troops trembled in fear.

The soldiers guarding the warehouses couldn't even sleep properly at night.

Because—

Every time Hong Gil-dong moved, strange things happened.

Suddenly, a storm would rage.

Thick fog and dark clouds covered the sky.

In the chaos where even people in front of them couldn't be seen—

The Hwalbin Party would raid the warehouse and disappear.

Soldiers were repeatedly found with their hands and feet bound.

But what was even stranger was—

Hwalbindang always left their name behind whenever an incident occurred.

〈Hong Gil-dong, Leader of Hwalbindang〉

That name spread like a legend.

Eventually, the governors of all eight provinces simultaneously submitted their reports to the king.

The entire court was abuzz.

The king was greatly surprised after reading the reports.

But what was even stranger was—

The dates of the incidents reported from each province were all the same.

On the same day.

At the same time.

There were reports that Hong Gil-dong had appeared simultaneously in Jeolla-do, Gyeongsang-do, Hamgyeong-do, and Chungcheong-do.

The king's face hardened.

"How can this be..."

The court officials also trembled in fear.

Finally, the king issued a royal decree throughout the nation.

"I will bestow a thousand nyang of gold upon anyone, regardless of their status, who captures Hong Gil-dong."

And he sent secret royal inspectors to the eight provinces to stabilize public sentiment and apprehend Hwalbindang.

However—

No one had yet even caught a shadow of Hong Gil-dong.