Mad Chase (3)

The short man, who turned out to be the shadow of the king. He may seem harmless to anyone because of his face, which resembled a child. Hyun Sik could distinguish what this shadow was made of since he was the only person who could match him.

Round eyes and nose, small lips. Long and thick eyelashes. A small round face like a young child with a creamy complexion, contrast to his sister who was pale and a bit rosy.

'Shit. I stared at him for too long.' When he thought of what he was doing, Hyun Sik hurriedly averted his eyes from the person, shifting his gaze to the eunuch. 'Why does he look like a lady? And he should build up some muscle because he looks thin.'

He sighed to his remarks inside his head. What was his name again? Hyun Sik failed to recall the man's name yet he remembered it sounded girly.

"General Du and Minister Ha have arrived."

Soon as the door was opened, the eunuch announced his arrival along with the minister beside him. Greeted by the vast pungent smell, it caused his nose to crease in reflex. Just as he thought, he had loathed the oozing fume full of greed worn by these men.

Hyun Sik surveyed the area. The people wearing green silk clothing stood in the middle, thronging in front of the platform placed on the other side of the entrance, prominently announcing it was the throne of the ruler. He could not stand seeing these faces.

"General Du."

The one who called for him stood on his seat, a beaming smile was printed on his lips when he walked down the stairs of the throne. Hyun Sik fought the urge to draw his brows together and walked through the crowd, which appeared parting to make way as he casually stormed between.

"I've been waiting for your return," the king continued, "Since you have ended the mission sooner than I imagined, I must reward you."

As Hyun Sik reached before the throne, he lowered a knee on the rolled down carpet, stooped his head and shoulder before saying, "... I'm more than honored, Your Majesty."

By his comment, the king guffawed, his shoulders moved up and down as he roared a laugh that echoed inside the supreme hall. "Why don't you tell me what you desire to receive?"

"Your Majesty!" protested one of the men crowding the area. "You can't ask such a question. What if—"

"What if what?" The cheerful tone in his voice immediately disappeared.

"Y-Your Majesty."

The civil officer who denounced the king's word trembled as he spoke. Disappointedly, Hyun Sik could not see the person's face, so was the raging expression on the greedy beast standing in front of him.

"I'm rewarding General Du for his exceptional skills. What is wrong with it?" His voice appeared grumbling, like a tiger's roar filling the room and producing shivers to the people present inside it. "Are there any objections?"

When the king asked this, the supreme hall went in deep silence. "Now, tell me what you want. Do you desire money? Power?"

Hyun Sik clenched his fist as he heard the suggestions the king had given. The only thing he desired, what he and his sister wished. 'I want to slice off your head from your fat neck and hang your body outside the walls.'

To kill the beast. Hyun Sik's wish was to kill him right on the spot. The image flashed clear in his mind, showing their expressions filled with horror drawn on the greedy officers' faces thronging the supreme hall as they witnessed him slashing his sword at the king's throat.

Yet he failed to state his deepest desire. "I simply wish for my sister's wellbeing."

"Of course," the king joyed out. "But I heard your sister caught the flu."

"... Flu?" Hyun Sik lifted his gaze.

"Yes. Grand Concubine Jin told me the other day that your sister is sick. You haven't heard about it?"