God of War (Soldier / Military Official / Moo shin / 무신)

Look up the two young lords?

A matter of state?

Then...

Does he want me to see which of them should succeed him?

The thought is terrifying, to ask me, me, to choose? Is that it?

No, I must be wrong.

Is this to test my intentions? Is that it?

No, no, there's nothing to discuss, the young lords are immoral, worthless.

Yet, he told me to look them over.

Still, those two illegitimate sons are all he has left, his last hope, so to speak.

Saying it's an affair of state means he's looking at one of them as successor.

But why... Why entrust it to me?

I see.

He wants to see what I'll say.

He made up his mind before sending me here.

He knows what he wants.

And he knows what I must do.

Are you asleep? It's Gapi.

Right. Come in.

Well, anything to report?

Yes, sir.

What's this Im Yon like?

Is he worth the trouble of saving?

He's quite a character.

Known for his great strength and chivalry.

Really? Pak Songbi intimated he may be innocent.

Not innocent so much as "all-man".

Some petty official violated Im Yon's wife.

So, Im Yon beat him to death.

He killed an official?

But the death penalty?

The official in question was the magistrate's brother.

People say he was ranting, raving. He couldn't wait to pronounce death.

The magistrate is a piece of work.

He exploits the people. If they complain, he takes their land, property, everything.

Where is Im Yon now?

In prison. The sentence will be carried out at dawn.

I see. Can we see him?

Yes, sir. We thought you might want to, so we bribed the guards.

Then let's go.

Who are you?

Are you Im Yon?

What if I am? You don't look like provincial stooges.

What kind of talk is that? You're no market thug.

What?

State your business. I don't know you.

You're to be beheaded at dawn. You don't seem upset.

Life is what it is.

Am I the only one in Koryo to be killed for no reason?

If I'm unlucky, I die. If I'm lucky, I walk. It is what it is.

Why did you beat an official to death?

He ravaged my wife. What man wouldn't?

You know Song Onsang?

The general sent you?

I served him for years. When we beat the Mogols at Jinchon.

You were of the ninth rank?

What does it matter now? In a country without law?

Where are you from? You're not from Kosong.

Correct. General Song asked the Guard Corps to look in on you.

See you soon.

Hey, wait! You can't go without telling me your names.

Wait!

It's not easy running a province without the Guard Corps' support.

Who are you again?

This is Viscount Kim Jun.

Who? Viscount who-now?

We heard about what you're up to on the way here.

Exploiting the people, seizing their food, their animals, their lands.

Everything.

What? What's that?

Not to mention the women you've "confiscated".

Who are you? I agreed to meet you cause of the Guard Corps.

Who do you think you are?

And then...Im Yon killed your brother for raping his wife.

But, you passed sentence without weighing the evidence.

Enough! Enough of your lip!

I'm the magistrate. Who are you, huh?

Viscount Kim Jun.

And who is Kim Jun?

Scum! Living in the sticks, all you know is how to exploit your own people.

The viscount is on the Overlord's personal staff.

Not that a yokel like you would know that.

The Overlord? The Overlord's what?

Kim Jun?

So, shall we kill you then talk to Im Yon?

Or will you release him now?

The Overlord...?

You're that Kim Jun?

The Seal of the Guard Corps.

Now I see. You're Viscount Kim. My eyes aren't what they used to be.

Forgive me.

Enough talk. Tomorrow morning you will resign your post.

Resign...?

Im Yon will be released immediately.

He's a condemned man.

You're resigning tomorrow.

What do you care if he's condemned or not?

Do you choose exile?

Or would you prefer your family be stripped of all titles and sold into slavery?

Or do you choose death?

I see, whatever you say, sir.

I'd just as soon have you act like Im Yon had been executed.

With no one the wiser.

Understood?

Yes sir...

I can walk out?

Come with me.

You must be famished, we'll get something to eat.

What are you waiting for? Come on.

Father, thank you for saving me.

What? Father?

Yes, Father.

I lost my parents at a young age.

I swore if I met a great man, I would call him father.

The viscount is 40 and you're what, 30 or so?

"Father," are you kidding?

No, sir. Think of me as your son.

Be a father to me.

There's no time for this.

You have a death penalty on your head. We have to go. Move out.

First swear to me that you're my father.

Swear it or I won't move.

Father, I'm your son, Im Yon.

This isn't the time.

How old are you?

31, sir.

Enough. We have 10 years between us. What's this "Father" stuff?

Get up.

No, I can't. I'm begging you, Father.

This guy, I swear, there's no time.

- Sir, we have to go. - All right.

Fine, get up, let's go, then we'll talk.

Just my luck, stuck with a son. I'm not even married yet.

Yes, Father.

Father, how did you find me?

Kim Jun and Im Yon.

Records indicate they weren't far apart in age.

Nevertheless, Im Yon served Kim Jun as a father.

But, who knew that the day would come that Im Yon would be the death of Kim Jun.

Shall we?

By the way, Father, I had some fine men with me when we fought the Mongols.

- Oh? - Yes, Father.

When I was on General Song's staff, we were inseparable.

More than comrades. We were brothers.

There, look. There. That's them.

- Brother! - Sir, sir!

Pay your respects. Our father. Kim Jun of the Guard Corps.

Sir, yes sir.

Kim Hongchui. This is Cha Songu.

Think of us as your sons.

Rowdy kids you've got, wouldn't you say, sir?

I suppose so. Let's move out.

Sir.

Well? Clear the way.

Yes, sir. This way, sir.

This way.

Make way, make way.

Halt.

- Sir. - Yes?

The sun is just rising. What are you doing on the mountain?

Searching for food.

For food? On the mountain?

Wild berries, greens, roots, things like that.

- Is that so? - There's no food locally.

When you're hungry, you'll take what you can get.

When there's no grain, they scrounge in the dirt.

Cholla and Namhae have it better. They have it bad here.

This is the Guard Corps' responsibility.

When people are left to scrounge and beg, their leader's are to blame.

High or low, no official can ignore his people.

Overlord, are you all right?

I'm fine, I'm fine, something caught in my throat.

My stomach's upset is all.

I'll send for the doctor.

No, no, I've been drinking alone too much.

It's affected my stomach.

What did the chancellors say? About the succession.

I'm embarrassed to say that most of them favor Kim Mi, sir.

Kim Mi?

Your wife's son, Oh Seungjok, has many supporters too, of course.

But, not nearly as many as Kim Mi.

And you?

I haven't decided yet.

Really?

Something on your mind? Something can't bring yourself to say?

No, sir.

No one reads people like you do.

One's birth right is a terrible thing.

Sir?

One's station in life.

As much as I'd like to promote Kim Jun.

I'm not sure I understand...

Suppose I promote a former slave. Who would follow him?

Or my sons, Manjong and Manjon.

They're worthless, it's true, but they're still my sons.

But, in all their discussions, no one suggested my sons as successors.

It's because their illegitimate.

Now what is it you wanted?

We support you, Lord Kim.

In the succession discussions.