Salt Fields (5): The Peril of Misguided Beliefs
"More dangerous than having no beliefs is having the wrong ones. A person without beliefs only ruins their own life, but wrong beliefs destroy others' lives too. They strut around like absolute evil, preaching their made-up order as if it's the truth."
He kept talking as I tilted my head defiantly.
"Breaking through the injustices you stumble upon by chance and realizing justice? That's plenty appealing material. Especially at your age, right...!"
"Who said anything about realizing justice?"
I deliberately pursed my lips in a punkish sneer, dropping the formal speech for an elder. Ripples spread through his eyes.
"You think I'm doing this out of some bullshit sense of justice? Nah, it's just that old man Choi's antics are pissing me off."
I took a step toward Cheon.
"There's three things I can't stand. First one's self-proclaimed apostles of justice."
His breathing grew ragged.
"Second's foxes playing king where the tigers aren't."
His eyes wavered.
"And last... middle-aged has-beens peddling their sob stories like some kinda villain."
His lips twitched, then he burst into mad laughter. The mask around him shattered.
"Ahahaha!"
Suddenly, the laughter stopped. The air around us turned ice-cold.
"You're as fun as they say. But can you back up those words?"
Blue veins throbbed on his forehead as he turned to face me fully.
"...Detective Kang Cheol-gu."
"...!"
A squirrel passing by froze mid-step, thinking no one was around. An acorn dropped from its tiny paw.
"...You knew who I was?"
"How could I not know the famous guy who's on every TV channel lately?"
"Then you must have a rough idea of what I'm gonna do to a guy like you."
"I can guess your attempt. Not sure about the outcome, though."
Absolute confidence in his own power. The moment I sensed his lips curl, the distance closed.
Not a strike. His hand moved. I heard his breath, then his body rocked with his left foot as pivot. His weight shifted, twisting my left arm to its joint's limit. If he transferred his center of gravity, my wrist would snap.
I kicked off a thick tree—easily over thirty years old—and spun my whole body half a turn around my arm. My hand, caught like in an industrial compressor, finally broke free. The instant my right foot hit the ground, I launched my left.
Cheon's waist nearly grazed the dirt dodging my kick. Dust flew everywhere, maybe from the wind. In the brief moment it took to draw a deep breath, we exchanged four or five blows.
No ordinary island villager could show moves like that. My surprise widened his eyes a bit too.
That's when it happened. Rustling came from the bushes, followed by faint voices. A familiar shadow entered my view. About ten meters away. She hadn't spotted us, snapping photos nonstop while scanning the island.
A scene totally out of place in this suffocating battlefield. It was those college girls from the ferry.
Cheon's and my gazes locked in mid-air. He smirked, and the killing intent squeezing me vanished in an instant. Astonishingly quick shift in demeanor.
"You're one lucky bastard. In your position, you gotta hide to stay alive... We'll call it here for today. I'll come find you soon."
"You know who I am and you're still spouting that crap?"
His eyes screamed he'd like to chew me alive raw, but he turned away without hesitation. A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. He wouldn't get rattled by clumsy taunts. Power aside, he wasn't an easy mark.
This Sinseon Island. Definitely part of Korea like Seoul, but it felt alien.
* * *
"...So both those outsiders are cops, huh? Heh heh, what a mess!"
Night fell early on the island village. Not even 6 p.m., but inside a two-story house as the sun dipped, Cheon huddled with Village Head Choi.
"Yeah. What'd you make of chatting with 'em?"
"...No swaying them. Cops make it a bit dicey, but elimination's the only way."
"Right. That's how it is, eh?"
Choi stretched his words, crossing his arms. He leaned deep against the wall, eyes closed.
"Just do it your usual way, sir."
"...You seem unusually fired up today. Not like you. Normally... you'd avoid this method as much as possible."
"Can't deny it. Feels like looking at my younger self. Guy's got that satisfying snap when you break him."
"Gonna call in the village vigilantes? That might be..."
"Nah. Since they're cops, I'll just bring a few reliable brothers and handle it quietly. Too many mouths mean some fool might blab. We'll need Do-seong hyung too."
"Alright, if you're set on it."
After Cheon left, Choi let out a low chuckle in the empty room.
"What about that punk got you so riled... Heh heh. Anyway, the cell tower guy's that bean field Shin clan's youngest, right?"
Choi perched his reading glasses and pulled out his phone. The moment the ringtone hit, an excited voice picked up.
- Aigoo! Village Head? What brings your call?
"Hey, Shin. Doing well? Your mom's health good?"
- Sure is. Thanks to your help with the hospital bills back then, surgery went smooth, and she's spry as ever. Can't thank you enough...
"Got a favor to ask, that's why I called. Don't ask why—just cut off comms to the mainland for a few hours today, yeah?"
- Well, that's...
"Heh heh, this old man's asking too much, huh?"
- No, no! For you, I'd fake my own death. After what you did for my mom? On it right away.
"Thanks, man. Oh! Your little bro's at the Songtak Ferry terminal on the mainland, right? Can you scrap the boarding report for two passengers?"
- Hmm. Sure. If I'm helping, might as well do it clean. No trouble, right?
"Heh heh, you forgetting who I am?"
He hung up, eyes narrowing slyly. Kang Cheol-gu... On-duty cop, huh? But here, he's just prey. Time to start the rabbit hunt.
* * *
Moonlight stretched long over the night sea, eerie and cold. The hill I'd climbed earlier with Cheon. Foam crashed against the rocks, screaming. Fierce wind had Gwang-il clutching his collar as he asked,
"...No one's around but us. Spill it now. Who was that ghost-like guy?"
"That's the bastard they call Village Head Choi's shadow. Oversees all the dirty work—kidnappings, assaults, murders."
Gwang-il's fidgeting fingers stopped on his flapping jacket.
"Ha! No wonder the vibe was heavy... Hyungnim, we gotta request backup from the station. I get why you've been worried. Scared they won't get real punishment, right? But."
He drew a deep breath.
"His right-hand man's out now. Real victim Mr. Hwang can testify under protection. Teacher Seon-mi said she'd witness too. With this, we can investigate ourselves and shake down every last crime!"
It didn't take long for a low groan to escape Gwang-il, who'd boldly pulled out his phone.
"H-Hyungnim. Phone's dead. No signal at all!"
His trembling fingers fiddled desperately. Choi's gaze when talking about stray dogs flashed by, along with Cheon's face promising a reunion. So they went with this play.
Fear and thrill crept up together.
"That Village Head Choi's crazier than I thought."
"You mean...?"
"Comms are cut, and our arrival records are probably scrubbed. Officially, we never came to this island."
"Then these fuckers are gonna... on active cops?!"
"Murder and cover-up. Even if we drop dead here, no one knows."
My lips curled coldly. Every cell in my body writhed. That damn rebel streak reared up again, rejecting the easy path for the rough one.
"But flip it around... whatever we do here, it wasn't us who did it. Alibis don't just work for them."
"We're flipping the whole damn table, huh?"
Gwang-il's eyes narrowed. He swallowed hard but showed no sign of backing down. He dug into his bag, pulling out a black plastic case the size of a palm. No brand, rough box. Portable relay from Park Jin-tae at the Pungsan electronics market. I'd packed it just in case for remote areas.
A faint beep sounded. The minute waiting for signal felt like an hour. Sweat beaded on my forehead. After a few tries, the antenna finally caught.
- Whew! Lieutenant Kang. Nice weather out there?
Hearing Sergeant Hwang Woo-sik's bright voice nearly made me drop the phone. Gwang-il clenched his fist in a quiet cheer, shoulders shaking.
He snatched the phone from me, words tumbling out urgently. The laughter faded from Hwang's voice on the other end.
That's when it hit. Starting from the village head's house in the distance, five or six flashlights flickered to life. Gwang-il's voice dropped. The lantern procession seemed headed for our minbak, then scattered every which way. Men's gruff voices carried on the wind. Footsteps rustled through the grass. Closing in. No hesitation—they knew the terrain.
They're here!
Gwang-il's voice grew frantic on the phone.
"...Anyway, situation's this: Emergency, Sergeant. They're coming. Gotta hang up!"
- Hello! Hey! Gwang-il!
Hwang was vacationing with family on Cheonun City's coast. Same South Sea, but this was an island. Slim chance of backup in time...
Unlike his rushed words, Gwang-il's face was surprisingly calm as he set the phone down.
"Hyungnim, time to greet the guests."
He stripped off his thick windbreaker, down to just a round-neck tee. Judo fighter's prep for street grappling—no snags.
I almost asked if he'd be okay, then shook my head. That'd insult him now.
"...You there?"
The small noise boomed like through a megaphone in the night. Cheon.
"Guess you like the place. Detective Kang Cheol-gu. I fancy it myself."
Behind him trailed Choi's brother Do-seong and two guys in their late thirties.
"Just four of you? Gonna cut it?"
"Oh dear, what do you take me for?"
A low chuckle escaped Cheon. He shook his head at his crew, then stepped forward heavily.