Introducing the New Worker, Kkobong (1)
YasaengGrill (Photo of an albino gorilla glaring fiercely with a mana suppressor collar around its neck)
Legally acquired new worker, Kkobong. Please take good care of him from now on~
ㄴCheonma) What a glare—like it's about to devour a person. Training this one will take time.
ㄴSwordTasteStar) With a dog collar around its neck, isn't that not legal?
ㄴYasaengGrill) What are you talking about? I don't do anything illegal.
ㄴSwordTasteStar) That's just a slave;; Isn't that illegal?
ㄴYasaengGrill) They damaged my property first, so per the law, I took them in as a 'temporary' slave.
ㄴSwordTasteStar) Slavery was abolished ages ago;; And who passed that judgment?
ㄴYasaengGrill) Me.
ㄴSwordTasteStar) lolololol
ㄴSo brazenly saying "me" lololol
ㄴJust say you made them a prisoner lololol
ㄴWhat kind of method is that lolol
ㄴIs that what makes him wild? lololol
ㄴStarlightPrincess) If you want, I can give you a potion to make him more obedient. Shall I?
ㄴYasaengGrill) What kind?
ㄴStarlightPrincess) A potion that kills you if you don't drink the antidote every set time.
ㄴYasaengGrill) That's so inhumane;;
ㄴStarlightPrincess) haha
ㄴThey're basically the same;;
ㄴCurious: So what crime did Grill commit? Animal abuse? Illegal slavery?
ㄴWho cares, he's just getting nabbed lol
ㄴCan they even catch him in the Four Seasons Forest?
ㄴWe just watch, no need to nitpick lolol
ㄴSeeing that gorilla get caught is kinda hot?
ㄴ?
ㄴ??
ㄴExcuse me?
ㄴSorry, but could you die for me?
ㄴAre you a beastkin by any chance?
ㄴYeah, and fyi I'm a girl
ㄴAh. That's a relief then.
ㄴIf it's a beastkin, that makes sense.
ㄴSusanghalJeongdorok) What makes sense my ass, beastkin don't do that to animals either. That guy's the weirdo, fuck
ㄴIt's a talking gorilla, what's the difference?
ㄴFr lol explain
Everyone seemed to welcome the new worker, Kkobong. Sure, some said to whip him if he didn't listen, but I ignored that. No matter how twisted I am, I'm not that bad. Besides, the moment he touches me, Ppareumbo would step in first.
First, I need to heal him...
I looked at Kkobong, who was frozen solid and glaring at me. Not just frozen—he was bound too. And stabbed with a sword on top of that, so treatment was necessary.
"Hey. Kkobong."
"……."
"Kkobong, I told you earlier. Your name is Kkobong now."
I didn't see the point in teaching him Jungwon language, so I stuck to Korean. Sure, it might be his native tongue(?), but I'm Korean. Plus, this guy tried to kill me and even steal my hard-built shelter. No mercy—I planned to speak only Korean.
"……Wi-baek."
"What?"
"$#%$ Kkobong, #5#! Wi-baek!"
What the hell? Kkobong yelled something while sputtering. From the vibe, it seemed he wanted to be called Wi-baek instead.
Smack!
"Gahk!"
"What'd you say? Speak Korean. And you're Kkobong from now on."
I smacked him on the head out of annoyance. Since he'd tried to kill me, no kid gloves. Disobey and get hit; obey and get rewards. So until he learned, I'd have to put in the effort(?).
"Hey. Look at me straight."
I crouched to meet Kkobong's eyes. He scowled but locked gazes with me.
"See this key? It's for the mana suppressor on your neck."
"@&#$!"
"Tch."
Listen to the end, damn it. As I raised my hand, Kkobong flinched. He'd already lost once, and even restrained, he'd taken more hits. I was drilling it into his instincts: resisting me is pointless.
"Anyway, you need this key to remove the collar. But I'm never giving it to you."
"……."
"You know it too, right? Surviving this forest without your precious martial arts is extremely hard."
Kkobong was an albino gorilla. Albinos have crap survival rates in the wild. White fur stands out, vision's weak, reactions slow. He had the power to compensate, but with the suppressor, he was just a regular gorilla.
"And look at that."
I pointed to one spot. There lay his handiwork—my workbench, trashed in his rampage. I planned to work this guy to the bone to fix it.
"From now on, you'll help me with woodworking. Got it?"
Better to explain nicely at first. Can't understand Korean? No worries—punish until he does. Even if he's more animal than foreigner, it'd take time... but
That's not my problem.
I stared at the silent Kkobong. If only he'd listen, his life would be easier. Too bad he didn't get it. Breaking his spirit would be ideal, but I lacked the methods.
Torture? Nah, not my thing. Just make him accept reality.
He knew it too: without the suppressor off, surviving the forest was impossible. So he'd stick around until he got the key.
First, thaw the bindings.
The freezing chill was melting. I lit a bonfire nearby to speed it up. His right arm thawed first. The moment it was free, he reached out—straight for my arm.
But zzzt!
"Gwaaah!!!"
Serves you right. The suppressor activated on contact. One more lesson: touch me, get zapped.
I snorted at the dazed Kkobong. "Told you to give up."
"Ugh……."
His eyes kept blurring and clearing—he wasn't hearing me. Apparently, physical contact triggered more juice than mana use.
Since it runs on the wearer's mana, no battery worries.
Kkobong was stuck here for good. While his body thawed, I fiddled with the key. No way I'd carry it—too risky for ambushes.
Sure, contact zaps him, but...
He's survived the Four Seasons Forest—guy's got grit.
And that grit could bite me. Even I claw for survival. This albino gorilla had probably done the same. Smart as a human too, so prep for worst-case.
So who gets the key? "Ppareumbo. Hold this."
"……."
To the shelter's top dog and owner—my back-hanging sloth. I made a cord from wood fibers during work. Thread it through the keyhole, tie it around Ppareumbo's neck—done. No one's stealing it ever.
If they try by force? Time for a real lesson.
While the ice melted, I headed into the cave. Needed him functional for labor, so heal up. Frostbite was iffy, but the stab wound? Manageable.
"There. Can walk now, right?"
"……."
Fully thawed and wounds treated. Kkobong flexed his limbs, inspecting them. His face said he was impressed by the elixir's power.
"Enough gawking—time to work."
"……."
"Look at this guy? If you don't..."
"Kai-si."
As I snuck my hand forward, he blurted desperately. Prideful, but zaps scared him.
Satisfied briefly, I explained his job. "Simple: Process logs to spec."
"……?"
He tilted his head like he had no clue. Not mocking—genuinely lost. Kinda deflating.
Teach him Korean for real?
No to Jungwon. No reason. Sighing, I ditched words for demo.
"Can't follow? More zaps."
"……."
Threats worked, huh? He uncrossed his arms, paying attention. Still sulky, but it'd fade.
"See this? It's a saw."
"……."
"And... ah, forget it. Watch and copy."
Talking to a brick wall.
*****
Humiliation. Utter humiliation.
That was the thought of the albino gorilla newly dubbed "Kkobong" by Grill.
One might say a mere beast has no business feeling humiliated, but even beasts have emotions. Especially Kkobong—smart enough to learn human speech. He felt a full spectrum, humiliation included.
I'll escape someday.
He glared at Grill. Poor vision blurred the face, but one thing was clear: rejected by his kind for being different, then taught words and martial arts by a human without bias.
Curiosity flickered... then vanished after events. Not all humans are the same. He'd been threatened by one before. Now? Only humiliation and vengeance.
He'd bowed for now, but escape was the plan.
This collar. Fucking annoying.
First, remove it. Didn't catch Grill's words, but the key was key. Currently on some sloth's neck.
Sloth down first.
"Gonna head to the river quick. Watch Kkobong good."
"……."
Opportunity came fast. Wi-baek—no, Kkobong eyed the sloth. Small, dopey-looking. Sharp claws bugged him, but caution would do.
Moves are slow and sluggish.
Learned from the Grill fight. But why ride it? For climbing? Gorilla brain couldn't ponder deep.
Kill it.
He resolved to off the dumb sloth. Action matched: slow approach.
Twitch!
"……?"
Weird. Growing unease nearing it. What was this? He scanned—no Grill. But
Something's off.
Beast instincts screamed danger. Whatever it was, deadly. Retreat? No. Quick strike instead.
He unleashed killer intent, staring.
"……."
Sloth gazed back leisurely, innocently—like "I'm harmless~". Who'd fear that? Slowpoke surviving was miracle.
Feeling a bit guilty.
Conscience twinged. But Four Seasons Forest: do anything to live. Massive hammer-fist rose slowly over sloth's head.
Sloth looked up sloooowly. Frustratingly so—even to beasts.
Blame your boss.
Kkobong muttered, smashing down.
Slash!
The white head severed clean from body, flying off.