If Treated Like a Dog, You Become One
Treat someone like a dog, and they'll turn into one. What the hell was wrong with Lieutenant Na Se-hyeong? What made him act like such an asshole? Oh. Was it because he was a lieutenant that he strutted around like that? Ah, fuck, fuck, fuck. …Damn, I'm starving.
I hadn't gotten a chance to fill my empty stomach after the fight. The cook had been praying he wouldn't have to make food just to stay alive. Fair enough. Even I hadn't expected such an easy win. I understood his situation and told him to hurry up and cook something.
While the rice was boiling, I took sixteen soldiers and headed out of the fortress.
"Move carefully. Four-man teams. If anything looks suspicious, stab first with the bayonet and check later. Make sure they don't have weapons in either hand."
We couldn't ignore the dozens of structures set up about a hundred paces from the fortress. Soldiers could be hiding behind the bamboo rafts, and they'd make good cover for a later charge. We had to clear or burn them now while we had the chance.
"Only one of you cuts off heads per group. The rest keep watch on all four sides."
We needed proof for the report anyway. We reached the bamboo rafts just minutes after leaving the fortress. The rafts the Japanese had used as cover while advancing were surprisingly small. I could touch the top without even standing on my toes—just stretching out an arm.
And the bamboo bundles they'd trusted to stop bullets...
"What the hell? Did they actually block shots when they tried?"
They were completely shredded. The raft that had taken concentrated fire was missing more than half its bamboo bundles. The plank that should have been the final shield had fist-sized holes punched through, letting you see straight to the other side.
"I'll check it out first."
I drew my revolver from my belt and gripped it two-handed. I cocked it and locked the hammer back for an instant shot, then sidestepped around the side of the bamboo raft.
"Ugh."
My stomach, which had been howling for food moments ago, clamped shut. And for good reason—the ground was littered with someone's guts spilled wide open. The round balls I'd been shooting didn't make wounds that big. They rarely even penetrated the gut. But the guy hit by the Neuller bullet had his insides completely exposed. Like his deepest secrets were laid bare even in death.
I swallowed hard to fight down the nausea and holstered my pistol. Scanning the blood-soaked surroundings, I gave the soldiers instructions one more time: move in four-man teams, stab the chest even if it looks like a corpse, check for weapons if it seems alive. After looting and taking heads, shove the rafts over the cliff.
The soldiers recoiled at the sight of the eviscerated bodies just like me. But the more time passed, the faster they worked. Humans really are creatures of adaptation.
With the thrill of battle fading, a heavy dose of reality slammed into the back of my head. I stopped supervising and stared blankly at the sea. This port used to see hundreds of ships a day, but now there wasn't a single one in sight. No Joseon ships. No Japanese ships. No Tsushima boats. Just the sound of waves crashing, and the harbor sat eerily still. It looked so peaceful. Here we were, drenched in blood and cutting off heads, while over there, it was like none of it mattered.
The work wrapped up as our hands reeked of blood and the sun began to set. We'd salvaged two intact bamboo rafts, three survivors, loads of Japanese matchlocks and powder, and twenty-six enemy heads before returning to the fortress. Just the heads numbered twenty-six—factoring in the ownerless limbs, casualties probably topped thirty easily.
"...!"
"...!"
"Ah, shit. What now?"
Commotion filtered through the open gates. Exhausted in every way, I scowled hard as I entered the fortress. Soldiers were gathered in the open space between the main gate and headquarters. I told the men who'd worked with me to handle cleanup and pushed through the crowd.
"What's going on? What happened?"
"Ah, sir! Platoon Leader! The company commander's back!"
A soldier who recognized me shouted toward the center of the crowd. The others spotted me too and parted to make way. In the middle stood Sergeant I Cheol-dong, fuming in front of Lieutenant Na Se-hyeong.
"Ugh...!"
What the hell? Why's he like that? Lieutenant Na Se-hyeong looked even worse than an hour ago. His uniform was caked in dirt like he'd been rolling on the ground, and his face was a swollen, bloody mess—like someone had beaten him with a club. Seeing blood drenching Sergeant I Cheol-dong's fists, I got the picture.
I approached Sergeant I Cheol-dong and asked quietly,
"You hit him?"
"Tr-tr-tr-treason!"
It wasn't the sergeant who answered—it was Lieutenant Na Se-hyeong. Clutching his swollen face, he pointed at me accusingly.
"You traitor! How dare you steal my command and claim my achievements! Even His Majesty would never forgive you for this!"
Well, yeah. He's right. I'd taken command without even consulting the platoon leader properly. Calling it treason wasn't wrong. But the second part? No.
"You mean the achievements?"
"Yes! Achievements! The ones you stole from me! What you just did—I could've done that too! But you took it!"
If it was that easy, do it yourself. I didn't want to either.
"Got it. I'll give 'em back."
Like giving extra rice cake to someone you hate. I nodded vaguely at the lieutenant and scanned the crowd. I spotted a soldier trudging by with a bundle of heads on his back.
"Hey! You! Yeah, you! Come here! With that!"
I called him over. He grabbed one of the heads from his back and tossed it to me like a ball. I lobbed it at Lieutenant Na Se-hyeong.
"Here. Your achievement."
"Ugh, uwaaah!"
The lieutenant freaked out and fell backward clutching the still-bleeding head. I approached, tossing him one achievement after another.
"What's wrong? You love achievements so much. Take 'em."
"N-no, don't! Stop it!"
"You're a weird one. Begging for them earlier, now telling me not to give 'em? Huh."
Achievements were literally raining from the sky. But Lieutenant Na Se-hyeong rejected them with his whole body. Who knew he was such an upright guy? As his subordinate, how could I not respect that?
I picked the smallest head from the pile—one whose jaw had been blasted off, tongue lolling out. Gripping its hair—eyes rolled back white—I shoved it at him.
"Hey, you fucking bastard. Take it. I'm giving you an achievement."
I went through the motions with all the ceremony of a ritual, hoping he'd get my sincerity. I shoved each head right in his face, spelling it out.
"While we were out cutting these, what were you doing? While we risked our lives firing, what were you doing? While I was out there making noise, what the hell were you doing?"
"...!"
His eyes were fixed on the achievement inches from his nose—the one with its tongue dangling between its teeth.
"Just... take it nicely while I'm asking."
I plopped the head on his chest. Patting the top to make sure it didn't roll off, I continued.
"Take this and get lost, you useless fuck."
Tears welled up in Lieutenant Na Se-hyeong's eyes as he stared at me.
"If tears are welling up, lift your head."
I scanned the crowd with my cryptic line no one would get. Soldiers and officers alike glared at the lieutenant with disdain. Sergeant I Cheol-dong too. If this went on, it wouldn't end with just a few punches.
"Lieutenant Na Se-hyeong."
Treat someone like a dog, and they'll turn into one. Treat someone like a madman, they become one. Treat them like a traitor, and they become a traitor.
"By authority of the acting platoon leader, I deem you unfit to perform platoon leader duties. Lieutenant Na Se-hyeong, I hereby relieve you of your platoon leader position. You'll be confined until this is over, then you can report me for treason."
"Wh-what, what the-?"
He clearly hadn't expected actual treason. It wasn't just him—the surrounding soldiers and officers murmured in shock.
I ignored their surprise and pointed at two soldiers.
"You two. Disarm the former platoon leader and escort him to his private quarters."
"Y-yes, sir...!"
"Pl-please stand, sir."
The soldiers stammered in confusion but helped the lieutenant up. He offered no real resistance, like he couldn't believe it.
"Y-you bastard. N-no, Junior Officer Kim. What is this? Relieved? What the hell?"
Turnabout's fair play. Sometimes you gotta flip the script for people to realize their own fuckups.
"And Senior Sergeant I Cheol-dong."
I turned from the dazed lieutenant shuffling away and approached the sergeant. As always, his face was impassive. I issued his punishment.
"Assaulting a superior calls for punishment, but given the urgency, I'll substitute night watch duty tonight. Understood?"
"Senior Sergeant I Cheol-dong. Yes, sir."
"Good. Eat first, then head to the watchtower."
"Senior Sergeant I Cheol-dong. Yes, sir."
I nodded and looked around. Everyone was stunned. Not because of the heads rolling on the ground.
"Hey, it's fine. Just say I ordered it. I'll take the blame alone."
Munjong had my back anyway. He'd grumble but overlook a little "treason" in an emergency like this.
But was this the right call? Was there another way besides treason?
Ding ding ding ding!
Reality didn't give me time for second thoughts. The watchtower bell clanged wildly, signaling enemy approach.
"Four cavalry approaching from the front! But they're flying a white flag!"
A white flag? They're surrendering? Why?