Poachers Get Their Comeuppance
I'm Kim Si-jin, the Search Captain. Winter was the off-season for farming, but that didn't mean there was zero work. Folks stayed cozy indoors weaving straw into all sorts of gadgets, fixing up farm tools, or prepping kimchi for spring. For the Chaekho Village folks from Hwacheok stock, it was hunting season. When the snow fell, they'd head to the mountains to bag wild game. The meat might be lean from hunger, but the hides, horns, and bones fetched top coin.
And today, I was right there with them on the hunt.
"Son-in-law! Let's take a breather here!"
"Yes, sir!"
I bellowed back at Father-in-law leading the hunt and trudged over to the nearby rock. At his word, the other Chaekho Village men plopped down around us to rest. I swept the piled snow aside with my hand, sat on the rock, and took in the view.
Man, the old days were pretty, alright. Nature in this pollution-free Joseon era was beauty incarnate. The cloudless sky was a piercing blue. The snow-capped mountains loomed majestic like a white tiger's back. And that roe deer bounding around over there... ah, roe deer still exist in modern times too.
The Chaekho Village guys barely blinked at the roe deer. No point—tasteless meat, gamey as hell, worthless hide. Plus, no need after the wild boar I bagged(?).
"Brother-in-law. Here, have some."
Eori's little brother—my brother-in-law Eosu—held out a waterskin to me.
"Oh, thanks."
I took the leather waterskin and pulled down the cloth covering my face for warmth. Cold wind kissed my damp mouth from my breath, stealing away the heat. I wiped my lips roughly with my sleeve, brought the spout to my mouth, and quenched my thirst. Leather, not stainless steel or aluminum, so it had that funky smell, but when you're parched, beggars can't be choosers.
"Son-in-law."
As I handed the waterskin back, Father-in-law approached, huffing white clouds of breath.
"Looks like we're done for today. How about we just check the nearby traps on the way back?"
I stood up before answering. Even as acting captain, I couldn't sit while talking to Father-in-law.
"You know better than me, Father-in-law. I'll follow your lead."
"No, no. What do you think?"
"I wanna head home and cuddle with Eori right now."
"Hahaha! Easy there!"
Easy? With a pregnant wife? Father-in-law, grinning ear to ear, shared the plan with the others. The Chaekho Village men sighed in disappointment but nodded agreement. After a ten-minute break, we headed to check the nearby traps.
Just like buying lottery tickets doesn't guarantee a win, setting traps doesn't guarantee a catch. Sometimes no beast even touched them, or they escaped, or a predator snatched the prize. After several duds, we were en route to the last one.
"Hm?"
Father-in-law, out front, halted. I caught up with my jochong at the ready and saw the same sight.
"See? Told ya to trust only me!"
"Roe deer for dinner tonight!"
"Hey, hey. People. People are here."
Some young punks I'd seen around the nearby village had the roe deer surrounded. It was dead from a spear in its flank, tied to an iron-wire snare.
"Father-in-law."
"Yes, one of ours."
He nodded grimly and confronted them.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? That's our snare!"
His massive frame bulked up even more in thick winter gear—he must've looked like a bear charging them.
"Pfft!"
One snorted derisively.
"Hey! You little shit!"
Another struck a pose like he'd done something grand.
"How dare Hwacheok trash like you bark at us? Need a taste of the magistrate's stick to wise up?"
What? Hwacheok trash? This fucker wants a bullet in the head? I fumbled in my pocket for matches to light the jochong fuse.
Father-in-law stopped and glanced back at me over his shoulder.
"Son-in-law. I'll handle this."
"They're calling you—"
"It's fine. Not the first time I've heard that shit."
"Still—"
"I'll take care of it. No need for you to step in."
He insisted, so backing down was polite.
"Fine. I'll hold my temper as long as I can."
"Heh, thanks."
Father-in-law flashed a kind smile and approached them again. The punks didn't flinch at our three-to-one odds—in fact, one jutted his chin arrogantly toward the deer.
"This roe deer yours?"
"Yup. Ours. Caught it in our snare."
"Right! No lie there! You set the snare, so... but!"
The snorter dramatically pointed at the deer, still snared by the leg, spear in its side.
"You think it waltzed here on its own?"
The fuck, it flew?
"Look at this spear! We herded it from the base of that mountain! Haha, fast little bastard, running with a spear stuck in it!"
They spewed whatever bullshit came to mind. The nonsense was bad enough, but that brazen attitude took the cake. Believe it or not, this deer was theirs, end of story.
"But! I won't deny your contribution!"
Acting like the deer was already theirs, he magnanimously offered charity.
"Thanks to your snare, we caught it. Hell, we could even toss you its balls!"
His buddies cackled like it was the funniest shit. We Chaekho Village men couldn't laugh. Fists clenched, lips bitten, bows gripped tight.
Okay. That's it.
My fuse finally blew first. I brushed past Father-in-law, who watched approvingly without a word. I approached the punks, eyeing the surrounded deer and the area around it. They scowled, confused.
"Who the fuck are you?"
"You caught the deer?"
I fired back with their own question.
"This thing ran here with a spear in it?"
"Hey! Who the hell you talking to like that?"
They looked early to mid-twenties. I was barely out of my teens, so polite speech was proper, but I pulled off my face cloth, revealing my mug, and kept it casual.
"You fucks wanna die?"
"Wh-what? You...!"
"Whoa!"
One flushed red with rage, but another recognized my face.
Sigh, my fame precedes me.
"Y-you... you're...?"
He glanced between me and the Chaekho men behind, then clasped his hands politely.
"A-are you... Kim Si-jin, Idle Captain?"
"Nah. I'm Kim Si-jin, Search Captain."
"Ahh... I see..."
"I see? I se-e-e?"
I nodded along like an idiot, then jabbed his gut with the rifle barrel. Not as brutal as shooting or clubbing, but it worked.
"Urk!"
He crumpled with a dying groan, clutching his belly.
I sidelined him and turned to the others. Their smirks drained to pale terror as reality hit.
"You really caught this? Huh?"
I nudged the deer lightly with my foot.
"Y-yes, sir!"
The boldest one barked without thinking.
"We caught it! S-see the spear?"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes! That's right!"
"Righ-h-t!"
"Gah!"
Barrel to the gut for him too. He joined his buddy on the ground, curled up.
"Then why's all the blood just around here?"
If it'd run here spear-stuck, there'd be a blood trail. But the blood was local—no trail leading in.
"M-m-mercy! Forgive us!"
The last one dropped to his knees unprompted, face whiter than snow, head bowed deep.
I was considering leniency at this point.
"Hey, uncles. What should we do?"
I didn't know the Chaekho guys' thoughts yet.
"Sp-sp-spare us!"
The plea shifted from forgiveness to survival. I winked at the Chaekho men behind his back.
Scare 'em good.
"Bury 'em?"
My other brother-in-law Eoji caught on first.
"Just bury 'em in the ground. No one'll know if we're quiet."
"N-no! Please no!"
He rubbed his hands like a fly, truly thinking live burial.
Ground's frozen solid this time of year—no digging anyway.
"Yeah. Let's bury 'em."
I nodded approvingly. Approaching the blue-faced punk, I patted his shoulder.
"Hey. We don't have shovels. Take your buddies, go grab some. One each. Got it?"
"Y-yes, sir! Right away!"
Trembling, he bolted up and hauled his groaning pals away.
"G-get up! Hurry!"
"Kgh...!"
"Urgh...!"
Pain somewhat eased, they staggered off with his help, shooting terrified glances back.
We waited till they were gone, then grabbed the dead deer, abandoned spear, and split.
Heehee! Dumbasses! We'll put your spear to good use!