Chetamja: The King’s Eyes — Chapter 1

GRAB WHATEVER YOU CAN SEE!

KILL THEM ALL!!

THE BARBARIANS ARE HERE!

RUN!!

RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!

MY SON! WHERE IS MY BOY?!

HELP ME!!

P-PLEASE DON'T KILL US...

PLEASE... SPARE THE CHILD...

PLEASE DON'T KILL US...

HMM... MAYBE I WON'T.

WE'LL BE PULLING OUT ANYWAY.

NAH, I CHANGED MY MIND. YOU'RE TOO NOISY.

JUST DIE.

HUH...?

MY... ARM...!

AAAH...!!!

MY ARM!!!

IT'S YOU...

GWIYEONG!!

"GWIYEONG"

I'M GONNA KILL--

THE BARBARIAN INVADERS KNEW FACING GWIYEONG MEANT CERTAIN DEATH.

HE WAS KNOWN AS THE GRIM REAPER IN THEIR RANKS.

THE GWI STANDS FOR GHOST, AND YEONG FOR SHADOW.

GWIYEONG, THE GHOST'S SHADOW.

THAT'S WHAT THEY CALLED HIM.

THE BARBARIANS CALL HIM THE GHOST'S SHADOW.

THAT MEANS HE'S ON OUR SIDE.

SURE, BUT WHAT'S THE POINT?

THE BARBARIANS COME TO RAID US EVERY MONTH, AND THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.

LIFE HERE IN THE NORTH FEELS LIKE HELL EVERY SINGLE DAY.

IF THE WINTER DOESN'T FREEZE US TO DEATH, THE BARBARIANS COME TO FINISH THE JOB.

DOES THE KING KNOW HOW HARD WE HAVE IT HERE?

OR DOES HE CARE AT ALL?

YOU SEE, SIR. THE NORTH IS A CURSED LAND ABANDONED BY THE KINGDOM.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?

TRYING TO GET YOURSELF KILLED?

NOBLES...

YOU ONLY SHOW UP AFTER EVERYTHING IS OVER! YOU HYPOCRITES!

WATCH YOUR TONGUE... OR I'LL CUT IT OFF.

NO.

IT IS NOT HIS FAULT. LET THE BOY--

DON'T STOP ME! LET GO!!

I SAID LET GO!

DOESN'T THIS MAKE YOU ANGRY AT ALL?

I APOLOGIZE, SIR.

THE BARBARIANS KILLED HIS FAMILY SEVEN YEARS AGO.

I HEARD HIS ENTIRE VILLAGE WAS WIPED OUT OVERNIGHT.

IT SEEMS LIKE HE'S BEEN DRIFTING AROUND...

...WITHOUT A HOME SINCE THEN.

PITY...

BUT THAT'S NOT THE END OF IT.

THAT WIDOW OVER THERE LOST HER HUSBAND LAST YEAR.

AND LAST NIGHT, THE BARBARIANS KILLED HER SON.

THOSE CHILDREN LOST THEIR MOTHER TWO YEARS AGO AND THEIR FATHER LAST NIGHT.

AFTER EACH RAID, WE ARE LEFT WITH COUNTLESS ORPHANS.

THE SITUATION IS MORE SERIOUS THAN I THOUGHT...

WE MUST MAKE HASTE AND FORM THE CHETAMJA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

FIND THIS MAN NAMED GWIYEONG IMMEDIATELY.

WHAT DOES IT SAY..?

HMM...

DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO READ?

THE AUTHORITIES FINALLY POST A NOTICE IN THIS TOWN, BUT NO ONE CAN READ! DAMN IT!

LET'S SEE NOW...

THAT'S GWI... THAT MEANS GHOST...

IT'S GWIYEONG.

THE KING IS LOOKING FOR GWIYEONG...

TO BESTOW A JADE PLAQUE.

THE KING WISHES TO RECRUIT HIM AS A ROYAL GUARD.

THE JADE PLAQUE? THAT'S A STRAIGHT TICKET TO JOIN THE GUARDS!

NOT JUST ANY GUARDS! ONCE YOU JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD, YOU'RE OUT OF THIS HELL FOR GOOD!

I HEARD THIS GWIYEONG IS QUITE WELL-KNOWN IN THE NORTH.

DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM?

OH, EVERYONE HAS HEARD RUMORS ABOUT HIM.

BUT HAS ANYONE ACTUALLY SEEN HIM?

OLD LADY JANG IN THE NEXT VILLAGE SAYS SHE SAW HIM.

I HEARD HE’S A GIANT OVER EIGHT FEET TALL!

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

I HEARD HE HAS A HUNCHED BACK AND LOOKS LIKE A DEVILISH GHOUL!

I CAN TELL YOU THIS. NO ONE WANTS TO MEET GWIYEONG.

THEY SAY HE GOES BERSERK AND SLAUGHTERS PEOPLE.

WHO’S TO SAY HE MIGHT NOT ATTACK US?

HMM... SO NO ONE KNOWS MUCH ABOUT HIM.

THAT’S A SHAME.

THIS COULD BE HIS TICKET TO STRIKE GOLD.

WH-WHAT CAN I GET YOU?

I'LL HAVE A BOWL OF TAKJU.

*TAKJU: RICE-BASED CLOUDY ALCOHOL SUCH AS MAKGEOLLI

MAKE IT TWO BOWLS.

MIND IF I JOIN YOU?

THERE ARE PLENTY OF TABLES AROUND. WHY?

AND YET, THIS IS THE ONLY ONE I WANT TO SIT AT.

DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?

WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?

GWIYEONG.

ARE YOU THE ONE...

...THEY CALL GWIYEONG?

WHAT MAKES YOU SAY THAT?

I SAW YOU. IT WAS A YEAR AGO.

TO BE FAIR, I ONLY GOT A GLIMPSE OF YOU.

THE BARBARIANS DON’T CARE WHETHER ONE IS A NOBLEMAN OR A COMMONER.

YOU MIGHT NOT REMEMBER IT, BUT YOU SAVED ME THAT DAY.

I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU EVER SINCE.

YOU MUST BE MISTAKEN.

IT WASN’T ME.

PERHAPS SO.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

A MAN WHO HAS TAKEN LIVES...

...CARRIES THE BEGRUDGED SPIRITS OF THEIR VICTIMS.

MY FATHER TOLD ME...

...THE KING ISN’T RECRUITING FOR THE ROYAL GUARDS.

ACTUALLY, HE’S FORMING A SPECIAL UNIT...

...TO EXTERMINATE THE BARBARIANS IN THE NORTH.

ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THIS? IS HE AFTER THE JURCHENS?

YES. AFTER ALL, MY FATHER AND I...

...HAVE SOLELY DEDICATED OURSELVES TO THE ERADICATION OF THE JURCHENS EVER SINCE MY MOTHER DIED AT THEIR HANDS LAST YEAR.

I’M SURE YOU HAVE YOUR REASONS FOR SLAUGHTERING THEM...

...DESPITE THE KIND OF LABELS YOU GET FOR IT.

SO? WHAT DO YOU THINK?

WILL YOU JOIN ME AND DEDICATE YOUR LIFE TO THE ERADICATION OF THE BARBARIAN INVADERS?

GWIYEONG. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CONTINUE WHAT YOU’VE BEEN DOING.

I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER...

TO HELP YOU DO IT BETTER.

WHAT’S YOUR NAME?

OH, HOW SILLY OF ME. I FORGOT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF.

I AM IL OF HOUSE TAE. I'M IL TAE.

YOU COULD GET KILLED BECAUSE OF ME.

IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT, I WILL JOIN YOU, IL TAE.

HEH... WOULD I BE HERE IF I WASN'T READY FOR THAT...

...GWIYEONG?

I'M TELLING YOU...

I AM THE GWIYEONG YOU ARE LOOKING FOR!

COME ON, DONG!

SAY SOMETHING! TELL THEM IT'S TRUE!

THEY JUST WON'T BELIEVE ME!

WHAT IS ALL THIS COMMOTION ABOUT?

OH! GREETINGS, YOUR... LORDSHIP.

THAT DELUSIONAL BOY CLAIMS TO BE GWIYEONG.

UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE MORE...

I'M GWIYEONG!

NONSENSE!

NO, I AM GWIYEONG!

ALL THESE PEOPLE CLAIM TO BE HIM.

UNFORTUNATELY, NO ONE KNOWS WHO HE IS...

SO THEY ARE ALL HERE, HOPING TO GET A FRESH START WITH HIS MAJESTY'S JADE PLAQUE.

NONE OF THEM LOOK SKILLED.

DO YOU THINK THE REAL GWIYEONG IS AMONG THEM?

HMM... I COULDN’T SAY...

PLEASE MOVE ASIDE.

LET US THROUGH.

I HEARD YOU ARE LOOKING FOR GWIYEONG.

SO I BROUGHT HIM HERE.

ARE YOU SAYING HE'S THE ONE?

CAN YOU PROVE IT?

I'M THE REAL GWIYEONG, YOU FRAUDS!

HOW INTERESTING.

BUT THAT'S STRANGE...

...BECAUSE...

...I DON'T SEE ANYTHING ON YOU.

ARE YOU THE ONE THEY CALL THE GHOST'S SHADOW?

GWIYEONG?

YES, MY LORD.

I'VE SEEN HIM IN THE PAST--

TELL ME.

IS THE KING RECRUITING ROYAL GUARDS...

...TO CREATE A SPECIAL FORCE TO SLAUGHTER THE INVADERS?

I BELIEVE THE KINGDOM IS TO BLAME FOR THE BLOODSHED BETWEEN JOSEON AND THE JURCHENS.

THE BATTLES HAVE LASTED FOR DECADES. IT ALL STARTED WHEN THE LATE KING STARTED HOSTILITIES WITH THE JURCHENS.

IN FACT, THEY ACTUALLY TRIED IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH JOSEON.

BUT WHAT HAS THE KING OF JOSEON DONE IN RETURN?

NONE OF THIS WOULD’VE HAPPENED IF THE KING HADN’T NEGLECTED THE REGION.

H-HEY... WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT...?

THAT IS A BOLD CLAIM. HOWEVER...

...IT IS NOT ENTIRELY FALSE.

WELL, WHAT NOW? WILL YOU LET THE PAST HINDER YOU FROM THE DUTIES OF THE FUTURE?

REGARDLESS OF THE PAST, IT IS THE ACTIONS OF THE PRESENT THAT TRULY MATTER.

FURTHERMORE, JOSEON HAS NEVER GIVEN UP ON ITS NORTHERN REGIONS.

DON'T BE RIDICULOUS. YOU DON'T SPEAK ON BEHALF OF JOSEON.

TELL THE KING TO COME HERE AND SAY IT HIMSELF!

GWIYEONG! STOP IT!

YES. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I AM HERE TO DO.

I CAME ALL THE WAY HERE...

...TO SAY IT MYSELF.

WHAT...?

HUH? WHO IS THAT MAN...?

IS HE SAYING... HE'S THE KING...?

YEAH... I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE SAID...

YOUR...

YOUR MAJESTY..!!

SEJONG

DO LEE THE FOURTH KING OF JOSEON

HUH...?

H-HEY... GWIYEONG.

WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH YOU? BOW DOWN--

HELLO... I SAW THE NOTICE ON THE WALL.

I HEARD YOU’RE LOOKING FOR GWIYEONG.

I SAW HIM WITH MY OWN EYES.

WHAT? YOU’VE SEEN HIM?

YES... THE BARBARIANS WERE ABOUT TO KILL ME LAST NIGHT...

...WHEN GWIYEONG SAVED ME AND MY CHILD..

HUH...?

WHAT IS IT?

SHE MUST BE ONE OF THE SURVIVORS, YOUR MAJESTY.

SHE IS PROBABLY HERE TO SEE GWIYEONG...

H-HIM...

TH-THE BARBARIAN...

WHAT?

WHAT IS THAT BARBARIAN DOING HERE?!

HE'S A DEMON!! WHY IS HE HERE?!

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? THAT MAN IS GWIYEONG--

N-NO... I SAW HIM WITH THE OTHER BARBARIANS...

HE...

...TORE JOSEON PEOPLE APART WITH HIS HANDS..!

HEY, GWIYEONG.

WHAT IS THAT WOMAN SAYING-?

I’M IN LUCK...

I CAME HERE TO HUNT GWIYEONG DOWN...

BUT IF WHAT YOU’RE SAYING IS TRUE...

...I DON’T CARE ABOUT HIM ANYMORE.

DO YI! KING OF JOSEON!

I SHALL KILL YOU THIS DAY AND FINALLY UNITE THE JURCHENS ONCE AND FOR ALL!

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING AB--

I WARNED YOU, IL.

YOU COULD GET KILLED BECAUSE OF ME.

DON'T YOU DARE! YOU'RE ON JOSEON SOIL, BASTARD!!

UGH...

AAAH...

DON'T JUST STAND THERE!!!

GET HIM!

DIE--

DIE, YOU BASTARD--

YOU...

...MONSTER...

HOW...

...FOOLISH I WAS...

HOW COME...

...I DIDN'T REALIZE...

...THOSE WERE THE SPIRITS OF THE BEGRUDGED JOSEON PEOPLE?

PROTECT HIS MAJESTY!

WHERE IS SUNMONG LEE?!

HE WENT OUT TO TOWN ON HIS MAJESTY'S ORDERS!

DON'T RUN FROM ME NOW!

YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE KING!

CAN I BORROW THIS FOR A SECOND?

YOU WILL APOLOGIZE TO MY PEOPLE IN THE AFTERLIFE!

DIE!!

KING OF JOSEON!!

WOW... I THOUGHT THAT WOULD FINISH HIM OFF.

YOU WERE RIGHT, DONG.

HE'S PRETTY GOOD...

...FOR A BARBARIAN.

UGH...!

WHAT...?

WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!

AAAAH...!!

YOU...!

WHO AM I?

HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY IT?

OH...

THERE HE IS...

I TOLD YOU. I AM GWIYEONG.

THAT'S HIM... THE REAL GWIYEONG.

to be continued