"Bandits?"

Paejon’s comment about them appearing as bandits sparked various thoughts.

After the opening of the Magyeong Gate in the past—

The aquatic thieves who roamed the seas and the bandits who lived in the mountains couldn’t cope with the demons and were forced to descend into the cities, eventually joining the dark faction.

The few who remained had mostly met their end fifteen years ago when the Martial Alliance issued the extermination order on criminals.

Well, “ended” might be an exaggeration—there were still occasional mentions of encountering aquatic thieves at sea or bandits in the mountains.

Of course, upon …