The Bandits of Sawtooth Mountain

13. Tumbleweed Mingi

"What exactly do you remember of the incident involving Mingi? Did he say anything unusual or did you by any chance fight before you.... enchanted him?"

Hongjoong was sitting in Yunho's living room opposite of the other man who was constantly sipping on his tea in order to avoid Hongjoong's piercing glare. It was in vain however, Hongjoong reading his nervous mind way too easily.

"He... I think he was strange for a few days yes. He seemed more absentminded than usual and I think he fought with Jongho a few days prior. Jaebeom tried consulting him once when he started closing off but Mingi seemed cold. I actually made him that potion to cheer him up.", he mumbled hesistantly, seemingly aware of the trap that Hongjoong was building around him.

Hongjoong was very sure that he knew Mingi to be one of the bandits.

"And when he drank the potion, what happened then? Did he turn in the night?"

"No, no. I was leaving the room to go put his mug away and when I came back there was already this tumbleweed instead of his human body which was looking at me all sadly. I don't think he would have been able to pull off some runaway stunt in that short time and really- why would he? So we just accepted that new form and went on with our lives."

Hongjoong wrote down that Mingi had been in contact with the bandits earlier already and probably got an offer he could not refuse. Now he just needed to find out how willingly he took it.

"What was Mingi's job here? Did he go out quite often?" Hongjoong's shoulders were tensed, his eyes shining with the need to trace this hint he had received. He forgot everything around him that was not Yunho's hunched form.

"No, he... He worked at Kunpimook's. They were good friends and poor Kunpimook was absolutely heartbroken when he heard. He adored Mingi."

So this influence did come from somewhere inside of the village. Hongjoong nodded briefly.

"Mary?"

"They never met as more than acquaintances as far as I know. Are you implying he had ties with the bandits?" Yunho sounded scandalized and Hongjoong lifted his head, giving the other man a sugary sweet smile.

"I'm implying that I think basically all of you fuckers here are having ties with the bandits. I'm just trying to find out who doesn't.", he drawled, giving the man a stern glance at which his eyes widened.

"Oh... Do you now? That is... quite disappointing. After all you were sent to protect us, not to turn us into criminals."

Hongjoong leant back in his chair, observing the big man in front of him who showed no signs of hostility. He had made his decision.

"I won't falsly accuse anybody. However, while you are keen on believing the whole tumbleweed Mingi thing you also dropped a few too many hints for me to ignore. I just don't know whether you are being threatened or if you are trying to protect someone. But Yunho, I can promise you, I will not be able to protect anyone if I don't get the information I need. Because then everybody is just the same kind of murderer and robber in the eyes of the law." Hongjoong shut his notebook determinedly, rising to his feet.

"Think about it. I think we are both very aware of two names I know for sure also to exist in their group and both lead to you, Yunho. You don't need to tell, especially if it endangers you but I need you to know that I am no friendly figure automatically because I am the sheriff. I am the sheriff responsible for destroying those people and anything that has ties to them. Have a good day."

Hongjoong raised his hat at him, stepping out of the house then while Yunho stayed back in silence. He hated to destroy the man's delusions, him thinking he magicked some spell quite obviously just a way for him to protect himself from the cold truth.