Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth

Chapter 05

Queen Regent Jiso arrives and looks out over her new Hwarang with triumph. She shoots a look at Minister Park that reminds him that the officials' sons lives are hers now, and he thinks that she'd better not let down her guard, or he'll find Sammaekjong and steal his throne.

The queen regent notices that her ace card against Ahn Ji-gong, Sun-woo, hasn't arrived yet. At the same time, Hwa-gong sees that the spot reserved for "Kim Ji-dwi," the name he knows Sammaekjong by, is also empty.

The boys have stopped fighting, but only because their ropes have gotten so entangled that they can't reach each other anymore. Sun-woo says that Ah Ro is his sister, wondering why Sammaekjong even cares, but Sammaekjong says they can discuss it further once they get free. Funnily enough, Sammaekjong seems much more inclined to work with him upon hearing that Ah Ro is his sister and not his lover.

They work together to untangle their ropes, and look around the building. They realize it's a slaughterhouse, judging by the sharp implements and bloody meat everywhere.

Doo-woo and his minions are nearby, planning what to do with Sun-woo and Sammaekjong. Doo-woo argues for not killing Sun-woo, since Minister Park has offered a bounty for him, but he doesn't care if they dispatch Sammaekjong and Ah Ro.

The Hwarang boys get antsy when the ceremony doesn't begin, and Yeo-wool, the notorious pretty boy, muses that it's a test. Only Su-ho doesn't seem to care as he takes the chance to look his fill at the beautiful queen regent.

Sun-woo and Sammaekjong hear footsteps, and a mountain of a man enters the slaughterhouse carrying a massive ax. The giant stops to paint his face with blood, then inexplicably licks what looks like a raw leg of lamb, which is both gross and alarming.

Sammaekjong politely asks the giant not to do what he's thinking of doing, but the giant picks up his ax and approaches. Sammaekjong avoids the first few swings, then Sun-woo yells at him to kick, so Sammaekjong kicks the giant's ax-hand, hard.

The ax flies into the air, and Sun-woo catches it with the hand he's just freed from his bonds. Sun-woo cuts himself down and lands in an ungraceful heap, and the giant picks him up and flings him across the room. The giant pulls out a couple of small knives, and Sun-woo smacks one of the hanging slabs of meat into his face. This is awesome.

Sun-woo gets in a few good jabs to the giant, but his punches do absolutely nothing. Even a mighty kick to the giant's chest just ends up with Sun-woo on the floor again.

Doo-woo goes to see Ah Ro, who's blindfolded and gagged in a nearby building. He tells her in an ominous voice that he'll take care of her since "that Dog-Bird" likes her, all the while running the point of his knife along her face.

Sun-woo is badly losing his fight with the giant, and he picks up the nearest thing he can find to wield as a weapon, which turns out to be the leg of lamb. He whacks it right into the giant's family jewels, and follows it up with a leg-of-lamb-smack to the face, knocking the giant out cold.

Sun-woo bandages his hand, seeming to have no intention of cutting down Sammaekjong as long as the suspended man keeps barking orders at him. When it looks like Sun-woo might actually leave him there, Sammaekjong asks humbly, "Save me," and Sun-woo turns back.

Eventually, the queen regent can't delay any further and orders the ceremony to begin. She hands Hwa-gong a ceremonial sword, and they each note that they seem to be missing their "card" (they each agreed to give the other one choice they wouldn't challenge - the queen's is Sun-woo, Hwa-gong's is Sammaekjong).

Doo-woo and his minions enter the slaughterhouse to find the place seemingly empty. Sun-woo and Sammaekjong burst out of hiding at the same time, taking the bandits by surprise and knocking them out one by one, even employing some pretty impressive teamwork.