n

n

n53. Group C

nThe contact point was crowded since all the special forces had flocked to it for their supplies.

nThe support group set up a portable shower and toilet for the special forces. The food truck that came with them served proper food, not combat food.

nThat supply day, which came every six days, was a kind of banquet.

n“Oh, come on. Let’s do this quickly.”

n“Conserve water. There are a lot of people waiting.”

nThere was a long line in the shower room. They were all S-class hunters and were good-looking men and women but had currently looked scruffy.

nThey basically didn’t get tainted in combat. However, they couldn’t prevent natural bodily discharge. Even sweat and greasy hair that had been scorched for six days gave off a considerable stench.

n“It’s been a long time, Mr. Byeong-gap. Here, take this. Group C supplies.”

n“Thank you.”

n“Thank you. This is what I do.”

nJang Yong-il, a member of the support group, handed him a large backpack. Ko Byeong-gap handed over the empty backpack and received the new one.

nJang Yong-il put out an additional sheet of A4 paper. It was a piece of paper with their supplies listed on it.

n“Please confirm it.”

nKo Byeong-gap glanced at the paper. There was nothing wrong with the food, potions, and daily necessities; anyways, the only thing important was cigarettes.

n’70 packs. No problem.’

nAbout ten packs for himself. The rest was all for Jeong Seon-kyung. Ko Byeong-gap nodded with satisfaction and folded the paper into his pocket.

n“Do you want to go for a smoke?”

n“Sounds good.”

nThe two went to a dark place to smoke, and then they shared a little chat. Were they okay with work? How were they? Their desires to go home, etc. It was small stories like that.

nJang Yong-il suddenly exclaimed and brought up a new topic. “Oh! I heard on the way here that some of the hunters were seriously injured again and were taken away one after another.”

n“Oh, really? How many people?”

n“A dozen or so? More people are coming in today and tomorrow.”

n“Oh, so there are already more than fifty casualties.”

n“It would be like that. Apparently, accidents are frequent here because there are Variant Cracks everywhere.”

n“Whew, it’s a disaster if you come here to make money but end up getting hurt.”

n“You’re right. Tsk tsk tsk.”

nJang Yong-il clicked his tongue as if he felt sorry for them. The operation to restore the North Korean Peninsula was divided into two sections.

nThe subjugation teams slowly advanced north from the truce line and conquered any cracks that they came across. A special mission team also directly killed monsters spread across the northernmost part of the North Korean peninsula.

nIn the case of Jang Yong-il, he was part of the subjugation team, but whenever supply day came, his role would change into the support team.

n“Anyways, take care of yourself, Yong-il.”

n“I will. I have a wife and a child… I’m more worried about you, Byeong-gap.”

n“Me?”

n“Yes, I don’t think I’ll be able to camp in a place full of monsters and risk dying before I even wake up.”

n“Ah.” Ko Byeong-gap grinned.

nHe was frightened at first, too, since there were monsters everywhere. How could they set up tents when the place was infested with them? What if those beasts cut their throats while they slept?

nIn fact, he couldn’t sleep at all on the first day since he was so nervous. Some days, he would even secretly sleep in Ashvilam.

nBut there was a saying: humans were adaptable animals.

n“Well, at first, I thought it was ridiculous, but it wasn’t that bad. I have S-class hunters on my side. I changed my mind when I saw these humans brandishing their swords.”

n“S-class hunters must be really strong, huh?”

n“Don’t tell, but they’re like a different species.”

nThe two of them giggled for a while.

nBy the time their cigarette burned out. Ko Byeong-gap gently stepped on the butt and said, “We should go now and have dinner—”

n“Hey, Yong-il. Have you been hiding here smoking? Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you?”

nIt was then, a man suddenly appeared and slapped Jang Yong-il on the back of his head.

n“Ouch!”

nKo Byeong-gap was so dumbfounded that he also felt numb. Jang Yong-il looked at him, embarrassed.

n“When it’s time to eat, you have to think about getting your meal. What kind of a joke are you playing me? The line for the food truck is getting long!”

n“I just came here to deliver supplies.”

n“What’s in your hand? Are you even lying now?”

n“No, this is just a quick talk…”

n“Are you talking back to me?”

n“… I’m sorry.”

nThe mysterious man glared at Jang Yong-il for a few seconds, and then out of the blue, he burst into laughter.

n“Hahahaha! Hey, Yong-pal! It’s a joke, it’s a joke!” He put his arm around Jang Yong-il’s shoulder.

n“Anyway, you couldn’t tell the truth from a joke. You had a straight face. Relax, dude.”

n“Oh, yeah.”

n“Yes, yes. It’s time to eat, so I was looking for something to eat. Come quickly and eat.”

n“I’ll go when we’re done talking.”

n“…”

nFor a moment, the man’s expression darkened, but he was conscious of Ko Byeong-gap, so he quickly relaxed his expression and smiled.

n“Yes, yes. Take your time.”

nThe man made eye contact with Ko Byeong-gap while he loosened his arms. Ko Byeong-gap stared at him with a deep frown. The man’s eyes were curved like a half-moon. However, the real eyes hidden in the playfulness were cold.

nThe man shook his head and greeted Ko Byeong-gap. “You’re working hard, aren’t you?”

n“…”

n“Heh heh. Come as soon as you’re done talking.”

nThe man walked away with a smile on his face. Jang Yong-il couldn’t even raise his head because his face turned red.

nKo Byeong-gap stared at the place where the man had left and said, “What is he doing?”

n“… Nothing. Never mind.”

n“What do you mean nothing? Is he a bully? Why the ** would you hit a kid at the back of his head?”

nJang Yong-il just kept his head down. Ko Byeong-gap glanced at his curled fists that trembled full of strength.

nAfter a while, he looked up. His face distorted with rage.

n“…”

nKo Byeong-gap spoke as he pulled out an extra cigarette from the pack.

n“Don’t be upset alone, talk to me.”

n***

n“He keeps saying it’s all a joke… It’s funny that this stresses me out. I’m not even a high school student. I’ll be 30 soon.” Jang Yong-il sighed heavily. The story he unraveled was the best way to make a person mad.

nIn short, it was bullying disguised as a joke. The name of Jang Yong-il’s bully was Jo Gwang-heon. As an A-class hunter, he seemed to be a talented person and even a leader.

n‘Their leader is a bully.’

nAt first, Jo Gwang-heon approached as if he wanted to be close, but he began to cross the line at some point. His age was used as leverage to make him run errands, rub legs, and fetch water. In addition, he had been using his hands for a few days.

n“No… What are the other members doing to stop it?”

n“They don’t stop him. They don’t even care. At least one of them is on my side, but even that doesn’t work.”

n“…” Ko Byeong-gap pursed his lips and immediately shut up.

n‘Are you just being bullied like an idiot?’ came up in his throat, but he never said it.

nJang Yong-il smiled and said, “It’s okay. We’re not going to see each other in two months anyway… Whew. Talking openly makes me feel a little more comfortable.”

n“… Cheer up.”

n“That’s right, and we should get going.”

nPeople were eating at a table in front of the food truck. The spicy smell stimulated their appetite. Was it spicy pork?

n“Enjoy your meal, Mr. Byeong-gap.”

n“Yes, enjoy your meal, Yong-il.”

nThe two greeted lightly and parted ways.

nKo Byeong-gap moved his luggage to the right place and headed to the food truck. He held a round plate and filled it with food.

n“Enjoy your meal, hohoho.”

nThe people who were busy preparing food were ordinary cooks and housewives. Although they weren’t hunters, they came to that dangerous place to donate their talent. Of course, they were all awakeners.

nKo Byeong-gap looked around for a suitable seat with his tray. Many people sat on the floor to eat since the number of tables wasn’t enough. Even Ko Byeong-gap tried to get in between them.

n“Hey, Ko Byeong-gap, here, here!” In the corner somewhere, Jeong Seon-kyung waved her arms and shouted. She seemed to have finished taking a shower.

nKo Byeong-gap went there without hesitation. Song Han-gil was with Jeong Seon-kyung.

n“Why are you so late? I’ve been looking for you for a long time.”

n“Why did you look for me? What happened to you?”

n“Why? Let’s eat and smoke together.”

n“Oh, okay.”

n“Mr. Byeong-gap, enjoy your meal.”

n“Oh, yes. Enjoy your meal, Han-gil.”

nKo Byeong-gap silently scooped rice and put it into his mouth. It was so delicious that he didn’t even know if the rice went to his mouth or nose.

n“What have you been up to?”

n“I was just talking.”

n“Talking? To who?”

n“With another group of people.”

n“Oh, you must know someone.”

n“It’s not like that. I got to know him here.”

nJeong Seon-kyung’s plate was already empty. She rested her chin and stared at Ko Byeong-gap as he ate.

n“What did you talk about? Is it a girl?”

nKo Byeong-gap slurped the bean sprouts soup and ignored her words. A sudden thought occurred to him.

n‘If Seon-kyung is a noona, would she be able to solve it?’

nIt wasn’t an easy problem.

n‘Is this a problem that can be solved by taking a strong man and putting him down? What if I tell her to scare him right now, but then he goes back and harms us? Would Seon-kyung noona help with something like that?’

nKo Byeong-gap by no means had a nosy personality. His throat felt sore in the middle of the night. What could he say that they talked about?

nHowever, he felt uncomfortable just thinking about Jang Yong-il’s situation. He wanted to help one way or the other.

n‘Let’s just bring it up.’

nKo Byeong-gap made up his mind and hurried.

n“The truth is…”

nThe story lasted about 10 minutes. Jeong Seon-kyung and Song Han-gil listened to Ko Byeong-gap, who told every story of Jang Yong-il. Even the fact that he was the father of a three-year-old daughter.

nAfter the story ended, the reaction was more intense than he thought.

n“What a punk! Who the hell is that guy to do that at work?”

n“It’s absurd that there are such ignorant people in the expedition team. It’s a place where you have to be careful with your words, so why would they give out such resentment?”

n“Who is it? What’s his name?”

nJeong Seon-kyung tried to run out right away. Ko Byeong-gap was a little surprised because he didn’t know their sense of justice would be so strong.

n“I heard it’s Jo Gwang-heon.”

n“Jo Gwang-heon? That Jo Gwang-heon of Undermoon?”

n“Undermoon? I don’t know if he belongs to that guild.”

n“Look, isn’t he that torn-eyed guy?”

nJeong Seon-kyung tore her own eyes. Song Han-gil giggled as if it was funny.

n“How did you know?”

n“I’m in Undermoon. You didn’t even know that?”

n“How would I know that?”

n“Wow. I really feel sorry for you, Ko Byeong-gap.”

n“What else are you upset about…?”

n“Anyway, you mean Jo Gwang-heon, right? Okay.”

nJeong Seon-kyung got up from her seat. Ko Byeong-gap grabbed her by the arm in a hurry.

n“What are you gonna do?”

n“What?”

n“Are you going to go to Jo Gwang-heon?”

n“What are you talking about? I’m leaving. I can’t wait for you.”

n“Oh.”

n“And don’t worry too much. If I see him on the street, I’ll tell him something.”

nJeong Seon-kyung left peacefully. Song Han-gil, who finished eating around that time, also got up from the table.

n“I’ll figure out a way to help you. Until then, I’ll get up first.”

nSong Han-gil also left suddenly. Ko Byeong-gap was left alone. Somehow, he felt empty.

n‘What? I thought they’d help me right away… After all, other people’s business is someone else’s business.’

nKo Byeong-gap ate his meal in a breeze. His tray quickly emptied too. He chewed on the pork and looked back at the hunters.

n‘Considering that Korea’s first-class people are gathered here, it would be suitable to have a hamburger house under construction.’

nAs he thought of such senseless things, something caught his eye.

n“Jang Yong-il?”

nJang Yong-il sat on a stone and ate alone, a place away from people. Ko Byeong-gap tried to call him, but someone approached Jang Yong-il.

nIt was Jo Gwang-heon.

n‘What are they talking about?’

nJang Yong-il and Jo Gwang-heon exchanged words. It was far away, and there was a lot of noise around, so he couldn’t hear them.

nAfter a while, Jang Yong-il put his plate on the floor and disappeared somewhere with Jo Gwang-heon.

nHe had a premonition of something ominous.

n‘Damn it.’

nKo Byeong-gap followed them and forgot what he was eating.

nJo Gwang-heon and Jang Yong-il went to a gloomy place. They stopped at the foot of a remote mountain 10 minutes away from the campsite, and there…

nSlap!

n“Hey, Yong-pal. Do you think you’re funny?”

n“… What did I do wrong?” Jang Yong-il replied while he stroked his sore cheek. Jo Gwang-heon’s eyes were fierce.

n“You have to eat quickly and set up the tents. Do I have to wait for you?”

n“No, there are other porters—”

nSlap!

n“Don’t talk back. Why don’t you listen to me?”

n“Whatever, don’t hit me!”

n“What? Say that again.”

n“Don’t hit me! I’m not here to be treated like this by you!”

nJang Yong-il went out hard. Jo Gwang-heon also appeared to be a bit bewildered, but it was only for a while.

nJo Gwang-heon trembled and put his arm around Jang Yong-il’s shoulder. Jang Yong-il got out quickly.

n“Hey, Yong-pal, are you angry? Why are you suddenly doing something you haven’t done before?”

n“Don’t touch me, and don’t even call me that. Why am I Yong-pal?”

n“What did I do? I’m just putting my arms around you. Yong-pal is a nickname.”

nThere was no such thing as a simple nickname. Tears fell from Yong-il’s eyes, and his face was full of shame and humiliation.

n“I’ve been thinking about it, but I can’t do it anymore. I’m also the head of a family. I can’t stand this disgrace anymore. I’ll be in touch with the media or anywhere. I’m going to expose everything you’ve ever done to me!”

n“Hey, I’m kidding. Why are you so serious?”

n“You’re the only one who can pull a prank on me!”

n“Oh, my ears are going to fall off.”

nJo Gwang-heon punched Jang Yong-il on the arm. At first glance, it looked like he hit him lightly, but it wasn’t like that at all.

n‘That crazy guy. He hit him with Karma!’

n“Argh…” Jang Yong-il hugged his arm and groaned.

n“Just kidding. It’s just a joke. Yong-pal, don’t you know what a joke is?”

n“… Argh! What kind of joke is this?!”

n“What’s the joke? Like this? Like this?”

n“Ahh! Argh! Hey!”

nJang Yong-il crawled on the floor and barely escaped. He was obviously terrified.

n“Don’t come near me! I’m going to tell everyone. Help! Help!”

n“Oh, you’re making me tired. Did Yong-pal pick something up wrong? Hahaha.”

nJo Gwang-heon smiled gruesomely and closed Jang Yong-il’s mouth. Jang Yong-il, a low-level awakener, couldn’t resist.

n“Yong-pal, who cares if a man like you dies this far up north? No matter where I bury you in the mountains, no one would look for you. Do you know that?”

n“Huh!”

n“I didn’t mean to do this either, but it can’t be helped because you’re making a strict person look like a criminal. You know what I’m talking about, right? You brought this on yourself.”

n“Uh! Uh! Hmp!”

nJo Gwang-heon raised his arm, and a formidable Karma flocked to his hand. It was as precarious as a bowstring stretched to its maximum. He was really going to kill him.

n“It was a real joke.”

nJo Gwang-heon said so as he shot his arm, and at the same time, a powerful kick flew straight at Jo Gwang-heon’s face.

n“Gasp!”

nJo Gwang-heon broke his neck, flew off, and crashed into the floor.

n“Argh! Khuk! Ack!”

nHe grabbed his neck with a distorted look of pain, and he quickly looked in the direction where the attack flew. Soon, a person was caught in Jo Gwang-heon’s sight.

n“You, you, earlier?”

n“I really shouldn’t let you live.”

nKo Byeong-gap opened the door to Ashvilam, and from there, he pulled out his cold, long sword.

n“Thanks for being a piece of trash. I don’t think I’ll feel guilty about killing you.”

n