I was a bit worried, but I arrived at my old shack without any issues.
The experience with the Cheon Sal-pa was so intense that I hesitated to come back; it was just a stinky, rundown neighborhood on any normal day.
In fact, I lived in the shantytown for nearly two months without any problems.
“It’s been a while.”
Arriving at the shack after so long, it was not exactly a nostalgic place where I could hit the power button on the computer with my toes, so I opened the door nonchalantly.
Pulling the door, I realized someone had forced it open, leaving it partially damaged. The only window was open, letting in the outside air.
Why is there no lock on this door, but it’s in this state?
“Looks like it’s been ransacked.”
Looking inside, the place that once had a faint human smell was now barren, stripped of everything.
It wasn’t a house where I kept anything important, but it had been cleaned out to the point where even the moisture had been squeezed out of the dried towels.
“No way. They even took the dried hay away.”
The hay I used as a bed was completely cleared out.
It’s been empty for a long time, but isn’t this a bit too clean?
“This was the plan.”
I picked up a nearby branch and began to dig up the ground where I had hidden my brush and ink. They couldn’t have taken this, right?
Fortunately, the brush and ink were buried underground, nestled in a weedy wrap.
I shook off the dirt from the paper and tucked the brush and ink into my clothes.
I’m glad I came back.
Even if I buy good tools later and write a book, at least I can practice with this in the meantime. It will definitely help if I do write a book.
Now, I should hurry up and pack my things and leave…
Just then, I heard a bang! as the door opened behind me.
“What the hell! Who is this? Isn’t that our money pouch? Right after coming back to Chilgok County, huh? It’s been a while!”
Oh crap. Why are these jerks here?
Turning around, I was met with the members of the Cheon Sal-pa who had beaten me up on a rainy day.
“I told you, that guy lives here.”
“I heard he was gone. But here he is!”
Hearing the words from the gang members behind me, it became clear they had come for me and not by chance.
“Nice to see you again.”
Is there a way to escape?
The entrance is blocked.
Even if I land a Steamed Bun Punch on the first guy and a Strong Barbarian Roundhouse Kick on the other, the two remaining guys will subdue me.
“I can hear your brain working. If you come along quietly, you won’t get hurt, so just comply.”
The Cheon Sal-pa members waved their fingers at me arrogantly.
No matter how I think about it, there’s no way to escape right now.
So I decided to go along with them for the moment.
————————
You encounter the last thing you want to see at the least opportune time.
Maybe like running away from night study and bumping into a notoriously strict teacher, or trying to win fast with an all-in strategy in a game only to get spotted by the enemy scout, ruining everything. Or, right when you’re running late, you suddenly feel something in your stomach.
But why now?
As I was led into the gathering of Cheon Sal-pa members, the other gangsters started to greet me.
“Whoa! Look who it is! Is this guy still in business?”
“Hey! I heard he’s doing well these days, making a good amount!”
“Really? The young barbarian is working hard!”
Just listening to them, it felt like longtime regulars giving encouragement to the second-generation young owner at a local joint.
“It’s been a while since I saw the Cheon Sal-pa. Have you been doing well?”
I spoke to them as though I was a young shop owner dealing with troublesome customers who were sharing life advice for over thirty minutes, while not ordering anything worthwhile.
Damn these fools. Where have they been hiding?
The news I was most curious about was about these guys who had suddenly disappeared.
“Been doing well? Well, sort of.”
A guy who looked like a young hoodlum said, hardly good at fighting but with lots of words for a bully.
“Anything happened?”
“Our boss underwent a mourning period for his mother.”
The young hoodlum gestured toward the boss, who was trying to establish authority while flexing his shoulders.
Ignoring the looks from our side, the Cheon Sal-pa boss was watching his subordinates robbing innocent people.
“If you take that money, we won’t eat this month!”
“Shut up!”
“It’s for my wife’s medicine! Please don’t take it!”
“Survive as you will, and the dead can die as they please! Spit it out!”
“Where’s a street vendor supposed to get money?”
“None? Then you’ll have to compensate with your body! Hey, kids!”
“Yes! We’ll handle it!”
A scene of one-sided violence and extortion.
The people who got dragged in before me were surrounded by the Cheon Sal-pa and having their money and belongings taken away.
Filthy bastards.
If you’re a black knife organization, at least take over some business and collect protection fees or something. What money do people living in shantytowns have for this?
Why are there so many of them now?
There used to be around ten or so, but now it seems there are almost thirty.
Did they come here for a hostile takeover while attending a mourning?
“See? Our boss had to spend a lot on his mother’s funeral, so…”
“No way! Living here in Chilgok County, and I didn’t know about the Cheon Sal-pa boss’s mother’s funeral! I, Kang Mo, am just so embarrassed!”
I pretended to lament sincerely, pounding my chest dramatically.
It seemed like they were planning to drag me over there so they could beat me up and extort money. I can’t let that happen.
“Oh, oh.”
The young hoodlum looked taken aback by my genuine lamentation.
“If I had known, I would have gone and helped. Truly sorry. Please, allow me the honor to contribute to the mourning fund.”
I pretended to curiously approach the young hoodlum, giving off the impression of wanting to genuinely offer money.
“Uh, okay!”
“I’ll give you everything I have!”
Anyway, all that’s in my pockets are today’s earnings and some emergency cash.
As the young hoodlum rummaged through my pockets, he checked the contents.
“Ha! Look at this, is this guy really making it big in Chilgok County?”
The young hoodlum saw the few coins I had saved up for emergencies and grinned like a crab burger shop owner struck with a fortune.
“Haha! Isn’t this all thanks to the Cheon Sal-pa members who protected Chilgok County while I was working!”
“You know something? You’re off the hook.”
The dude seemed to chuckle, flattered by the compliment.
Moron. That’s just a nice way of saying I made good money while you guys were gone.
“It seems our boss is busy, so please convey my condolences and mourning donation on my behalf. I’ll take my leave now!”
“Wait! You. You need to stay here with us from today!”
“Wait, what?”
“We’ve grown bigger and are quite short on activity funds. So, we’re recruiting steady earners like you. From now on, you’ll live with us and hand over 80% of your income every day. We’ll ensure your business stays safe.”
These guys are trying to make me their little money slave.
What a ridiculous proposition.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not interested.”
I turned my body, putting pressure on my toes, trying to hurriedly escape the place.
Smack!
Suddenly, there was a bang like a drum in my head.
“Huh?”
In an instant, my legs buckled.
As my knees hit the ground, my head kissed the floor. My cheek scraped against the dirt. I could taste soil in my mouth.
Blood?
Blood flowed down from the back of my head along my cheek. The dull pain crept up my back like a slow tide. In my blurred vision, I spotted a stick being held by a Cheon Sal-pa member.
Ah, I got hit in the head with a stick.
“Damn it. I spoke kindly to a barbarian and look what I get. Hey, does the Cheon Sal-pa seem easy to mess with?”
I could hear the young hoodlum’s voice from behind, full of disbelief.
“You, you barbarian! You want to learn your place, don’t you?”
Gack!
Someone kicked my side while I was down. It was a terrific blow that would awe hard-hitting boxers long retired from punches.
“Ugh!”
The pain surged up my stomach and shot out from my throat, almost bringing up what I just ate. But this was just the beginning.
“You think you can show up in Chilgok County and extort money from innocent people? You must pay your taxes!”
“Why is the guy who got beaten last time not understanding his place?”
“Hey! Get him!”
The one-sided violence from that rainy day came rushing back. My body felt completely powerless, but I had to curl up to avoid dying.
It hurts.
“Enough!!!”
Just when I thought I might lose consciousness from the beating, the boss of the Cheon Sal-pa stopped his henchmen.
“Haah! Is there something you’re not satisfied with?”
The young hoodlum, panting from the beating, spoke to the boss.
“If he gets too messed up, we won’t make any money. Stop hitting him. Just make his legs useless.”
The boss pointed at the young hoodlum’s knife tied to his waist.
“Ah! You want to ensure he can’t run away by just cutting the tendons in his leg? Is that what you mean?”
“Quick learner.”
“Understood!”
“Oh no.”
Not the legs.
Breathless and dazed, I desperately struggled to pull away from the young hoodlum.
“Relax! You’ll be fine. You won’t die. We’re good guys, you know? We’ll only cut your tendons and then you’ll work hard for us afterwards. Got it?”
The young hoodlum pulled me forward by my back leg.
No! I can’t become a fool.
Please.
As the young hoodlum drew his knife, thinking it was the end, suddenly the atmosphere around us shifted.
An ominous feeling crept in as if a viper were aiming for the back of my neck. It was a chilling murderous intent that made me forget all my pain.
“Ugh! Wh-what is that?”
The young hoodlum, who was trying to stab my leg, looked startled and turned his gaze toward one side.
“You guys.”
A low voice enveloped the entire shantytown. With the sense of a viper hunting its prey, all the Cheon Sal-pa turned their heads in the same direction.
I strained to turn my head and see the source of that murderous voice.
“What are you doing?”
There stood Cheon Sal, who wore an expression I had never seen before.
