Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Power is Used from Behind
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I crossed my arms and said to the little punks.
"You damn brats. You should be home sleeping instead of smoking in a public restroom and causing trouble. Do your parents know you're out here acting like this?!"
Now that I was an adult, I couldn't just stand by and watch kids from this new country go down the wrong path. I had to give them a stern scolding to set them straight. That was the role of an adult.
"Yeah, they know."
Wait, what?
"Huh? They know?"
"Yeah."
"Your parents know you're out here doing this?"
"Yeah, they know."
This wasn't going as planned...
"Even so, that's no excuse! Your parents work their asses off to support you, and you should be studying hard to make their lives easier later. What good is this?!"
"This kid's top of the class."
"Top of the class? Not from the bottom, right?"
"Fuck, what the hell? I said top of the class."
These delinquent teens nowadays were top students? They studied well, huh.
"If you're top of the class, then second and third place are gunning for your spot! You need to squeeze in study time even when you should be sleeping to hold onto first place!"
"He's second in the class, and I'm third."
"Whoa... you guys are all smart, aren't you?"
They say birds of a feather flock together... and here, smart kids hung out with other smart kids. No, wait, that wasn't the point! When I lectured them, they were supposed to shed tears of remorse!
"Anyway, get lost. What, you wanna fight? You looking to get beat?"
But why was this punk talking down to me this whole time?!
"You little shit!"
Slap!
"Guh?!"
"Kan! You crazy bastard?!"
"Die, you dog!"
I reflexively slapped one across the face, and the punks behind him came charging at me with curses flying. Fine, bring it on!
Slap!
"Aaagh!"
Slap!
"Kuhk?!"
Slap!
"You son of a—!"
I slapped them one by one in turn. The kids collapsed like deflated balloons, powerless.
"If you're gonna! (Slap!) Study well! (Slap!) Then you need! (Slap!) Good character too! (Slap!) Who the hell! (Slap!) Gave you permission! (Slap!) To talk down! (Slap!) To me! (Slap!) Am I! (Slap!) Your friend?! (Slap!)"
I disciplined them with slaps across the face. Tears welled up in my heart as I hit the kids. Did I want to hit them? No! But for their sake, I had to hold back my tears and wield the rod of love.
Teaching kids just with words without any physical correction would turn them into total assholes with a high probability. People needed to learn the timeless truth: act like a jackass, and you'll get smacked.
That way, when they grew up, they'd think, Oh, if I act out, I get hit! and learn to watch their mouths and behavior.
Since their parents hadn't taught them this truth, I had no choice but to swallow my tears and do it myself!
Slap!
"You need even more! Where do you get off talking down to me?! You fucking punk! I'm a precious child at home too, you know! Why the casual talk and cursing?! You've hurt my feelings! Hurt them, you fucking dog bastard!!!"
"Uwaaaagh!"
I grabbed the first kid I'd hit by the head and let out a roar. He screamed, then foamed at the mouth and passed out.
"Hoo!"
Finally, some relief. No, not relief—my heart was aching fiercely! I'd disciplined kids by hitting them! I was so sad, boo-hoo!
"Y-You bastard... guhk..."
"Oh?"
Still calling your teacher a bastard? Damn it! The education wasn't complete yet! Commander—no, teacher—is disappointed in you!
"This is the teacher's loving rod for you kids I've just met today, you bastard! Take it and become a proper child of this new country!"
"Hiiik?!"
It was already too late for them to become proper children!
I was about to continue the second round of education when—
Knock knock!
"Excuse me. It's the police. Sir? Could you open the door?"
"..."
Uh... huh?
*****
"No, officer, I was just disciplining the kids, I swear?"
I pleaded my case to the officer, but it fell on deaf ears.
"Who in the world 'disciplines' kids until they're in that state? Enough, tell me your name and resident registration number."
"..."
Aaah... rotten. This country—no, this city was rotten! How could they dismiss an educator's heartfelt desire for kids to grow up right as assault?!
Zzap!
"Hiiik?!"
"P-Please spare us!"
I glared at the swollen-faced punks, and they screamed and fell over. Those little shits! Pulling a Hollywood action scene now!
"Hey! I said give me your name and resident registration number!"
The cop yelled at me upon seeing it. I was going insane with injustice.
Aaah... bug farm! I need to go to the bug farm! See my bugs and find some peace of mind!
That's when a group of furious uncles and aunties kicked open the police station door and stormed in, breathing heavily.
"Jinwook!"
"M-Mom... sob... Mommm!"
"Oh my poor baby! What happened to my kid's face? Who was it? Who dared mess up my precious son like this? Get out here!"
One auntie grabbed her swollen-faced kid and started yelling. The funny part was how the cocky punk who'd been cursing and talking down to me before suddenly turned into a real crybaby. Even the other kids were clinging to their parents, tears streaming down.
Hmm! With kids like steamed buns, no wonder their parents had steamed bun faces too!
"I-It was that guy! He... waaah!"
"What?! That bastard?!"
The parents advanced on me like they were about to hit me any second.
"Hey, you dog! Who the hell are you to smash up my kid's face like that?!"
"Oh?"
A rough-looking uncle grabbed my collar. Sure, with his kid's face like that, I got why he was mad.
But this was crossing the line! If he'd raised his kid right from the start, none of this would've happened!
"Help! Officer, what are you doing? There's an assault suspect right here! Arrest him quick!"
"..."
"Y-You bastard! Do you know who I am? You've picked the wrong guy! I'll make sure you rot in jail for life!"
The uncle gripping my collar raised his hand high, looking ready to punch.
Hey, cop, do something! You're just standing there watching a crime?!
Fine, hit me if you dare! I'll give you the same treatment for failing to raise your kid right!
Just as the uncle swung his fist—
"Wh-What's with those guys?"
The police station door opened, and burly men in black suits and sunglasses filed in. They lined up on either side of the entrance, waiting for someone.
"Here you are, Chairman."
"Sigh... Never thought I'd have to come to a police station at my age over my kid."
A stylish gentleman in a long coat entered, guided by one of the men. I recognized him immediately. Who wouldn't?
"Dad?"
It was my dad, Chairman Bal Ji-un. But why had he come instead of a lawyer?
When I got arrested for assault, I'd called Uncle Chris for help! If I'd been nabbed as Steel Armor, that'd be one thing, but caught as Bal Jeong-nam, I couldn't just use my powers recklessly. Sticking to the concept was key.
Anyway, Uncle Chris said he'd send someone who could handle it quickly, and I figured it'd be a lawyer.
But Dad himself? And at a time when he should be in bed with Mom making little siblings!
"Uh..."
"What?"
The uncles and aunties surrounding me panicked at Dad's entrance. With that many bodyguards, anyone could tell he wasn't ordinary.
And one of them recognized his face.
"Chairman Bal Ji-un?"
"What? Bal Ji-un...?"
"The Sanctuary Corp chairman?"
"Why's he here...?"
They might not recognize the face, but the name and reputation? No way. Realizing it was Chairman Bal Ji-un sent everyone into uncontrollable chaos.
Dad pushed through the uncles and aunties and stood in front of me. Seeing the hand still on my collar, he furrowed his brow.
"Are you going to let go of that hand?"
"Pardon? What do you...?"
"You're slow on the uptake. Are you planning to keep holding my son's collar?"
"Son? His son... N-No way?!"
Dad nodded to the shocked uncle.
"Yes. The one you're gripping right now is my son. Bal Jeong-nam, my one and only."
"Gasp!"
Gasps echoed everywhere. I'd seemed like just some ordinary thug, but Bal Ji-un's son? Shocking, sure. Even the cop who'd yelled at me was stunned.
"Hmm... still holding on?"
"Ah, y-yes! Sorry!"
The uncle hurriedly released my collar and apologized to Dad. Hey, you grabbed me, apologize to me!
"What happened?"
Dad ignored the bowing uncle and looked at me.
"Dad! So here's what went down."
I told Dad every single detail from the restroom, sparing nothing.
The punks were smoking in the bathroom (true). While I was taking a dump, they sprayed water on me saying it stank (lie). They talked down to me, cursed, and told me to get lost (true). So I lectured them that you don't do that to adults, and they hit me first (lie), etc...
I told him everything 'honestly.'
The punks started protesting vehemently upon hearing me.
"W-We never sprayed water!"
"And the old guy hit first!"
"Shut up, you brats!"
But their protests were silenced by none other than their own parents. The parents fidgeted, eyes darting to Dad.
"Haha, Chairman Bal. Looks like there was some misunderstanding between our kids."
"Misunderstanding? Hmm... But why did this gentleman hold onto my son's collar without clearing it up?"
"S-Sorry!"
"Hmm... Fine, I get it. If it's a misunderstanding, we can let it go, right?"
"Of course! Kids, what are you waiting for? Apologize!"
"No, Dad! We got beat for no reason!"
"You little shit! Apologize now, or your card's cut off!"
"..."
The punks, who'd run wild thinking their parents had their backs, were utterly bewildered by this new side of them.
"It's fine. No need for apologies if it's a misunderstanding. Anyway, we'll be going."
"Yes, Chairman. Take care."
"Goodbye..."
And so, I left the station with Dad. Before going, I glanced back—the parents kept bowing until we were out of sight.
Uncle Chris really did send the guy who could handle it fastest. But was it okay for a butler to send the chairman to the station for his son's mess?
"Son. Tone down that temper a bit."
"Huh? But I told you, they started it."
"You wanna get into scraps with kids ten years younger than you?"
"Disciplining rude brats—age doesn't matter. Even if they're thirty years older, rudeness gets a scolding."
"Oh?"
Dad let out a disbelieving chuckle at my words.
"But we're just gonna let it end like this?"
"What else? What do you want?"
"Come on~ Your precious son~ Got his collar grabbed~ Doesn't sit right to just drop it~"
"Ha. Look at this kid. Getting more sly by the day?"
Dad shook his head like he couldn't do anything with me.
"Son. Let me give you some wisdom today."
"Wisdom, right here?"
"Power isn't used upfront—it's used from behind."
"Huh?"
"Use power upfront, and everyone hates you. Use it from behind, and no one knows. So if you don't want trouble, hide your identity and only use power from the shadows. Manage your image. Got it?"
"..."
Dad's gaze as he looked at me felt off. Not at me, but peering into my soul.
And what was that? Hide your identity?
Knowing Dad's true identity, his words about hiding hit differently.
"Anyway, your mom's waiting. Let's go. Ah, you can get home yourself, right? I'm off first."
"..."
"Oh? No goodbye for the dad who bailed you out?"
"...Heh. Hurry up and go. Mom's waiting. Shoo~ Shoo~"
"This punk shooing his own dad? Should've whooped you more as a kid."
"Who told you to leave the kids and run off with Mom? Anyway, get going."
Dad left with his bodyguards. I watched the car pull away, then turned to go myself.