Weeding Hell
Vrrrrrrm.
"Whoa, this is a literal jungle. I can't see a single thing."
Feeling the vibrations rattling up through his seat, Dojin carefully controlled the machine.
After a few close calls when he first started driving it lightheartedly, he was now focusing all his attention on steering.
"Who knows where another landmine might be hiding."
This place was completely different from the area around Sekki House.
Unlike the grounds back home, which had already been cleared and only required routine maintenance, this area was choked with all kinds of weeds and trash.
Because of that, Dojin had already slipped into ditches and bumped into mounds several times.
"It's a relief this machine is sturdy. Otherwise, I would've had to send it straight to the repair shop."
"Meow~"
A familiar cry answered him from atop the dashboard.
It was Samsaek-i, who had tagged along when Dojin headed out to clear the weeds.
Of course, Dojin hadn't brought him along on purpose.
The cat had been hiding somewhere, only to sneakily show himself once Dojin drove the machine out of Sekki House.
"Samsaek-i, how on earth do you keep escaping the playroom? None of the other kids can get out."
"Meow~"
Despite Dojin's question, Samsaek-i simply kept grooming himself.
He acted as if he couldn't hear a thing.
Shaking his head at the sight, Dojin stopped the machine when he saw the clean path ahead.
Now that he had finished clearing the perimeter, he wanted to inspect his work.
"Hmm, looks clear."
Perhaps because he was looking down from the machine, but the boundary line he had worked on clearly marked the area he needed to weed today.
He was glad he had cleared the perimeter before starting the work in earnest.
"But... I expected it, but it really is huge."
The work area was visibly massive.
It wasn't so vast that his jaw dropped the instant he saw it, but it was large enough for anyone to agree it was spacious.
In fact, it was only natural to feel that way.
The area spanned a whopping 3,000 pyeong.
"I think they said the total area of Sangam Stadium is a bit over 2,800 pyeong."
Including the buildings and other facilities, the stadium would be much larger, but it meant the area he had to work on today was larger than the actual playing field itself.
The thought of having to manage this massive plot of land from now on made Dojin feel dizzy for a moment.
"Should I say I can't take it, even now?"
It was a fleeting thought, but Dojin shook his head.
It was already far too late for that.
The conversation he had with the Director a few days ago flashed through Dojin's mind.
Did I hear that right?
Dojin reflexively scratched his ear.
What he had just heard was that shocking.
I must have misheard. Land isn't like a bowl of rice. What does she mean, 'take it'?
Just as he was thinking he should visit an ENT clinic soon, the Director spoke again.
"I'm telling you to take the land. You know that abandoned plot next to yours? It's about 3,000 pyeong. Take that one too."
"..."
It was the final blow.
The Director's subsequent words made it absolutely clear that he hadn't misheard.
"...So, you mean you want me to manage the land on your behalf, Director?"
Dojin, who had been frozen for a moment, barely managed to squeeze the words out.
In his desperate attempt to make sense of her words, he had interpreted "take it" as "please look after it for me."
However, Dojin's efforts were instantly shattered by the Director's next words.
"What are you talking about? Why would you manage my land?"
"She means you should put that land under your name as well," Secretary Cho Yeong-jin chimed in.
"..."
"Hoho. You probably didn't know, Dojin, but that land was originally purchased to be used as part of the school grounds. It was a pity to leave it abandoned after we moved elsewhere, so you might as well take it and use it."
As the Director finished speaking, she looked at Yeong-jin, who handed over a document as if he had been waiting for the cue.
"This is the land register for that plot. Take a look."
Dojin took the document, only to startle when he realized what was in his hands.
Hye-sek's actions had been so natural that he had accepted it unconsciously.
"Director, more land? You know that what I have right now is more than enough. Besides, I don't have the means to buy a plot of this size."
"Hoho. You don't have the means?"
"..."
Dojin shut his mouth at Hye-sek's chuckle.
He had spoken hastily out of panic, but thinking about it, he did have the means if he wanted to.
And in cold, hard cash, no less.
Hye-sek, of all people, was the one who had handed him that cash, so there was no way she didn't know.
"Let me correct myself. I have the funds. But I don't need that much land. I'm already leaving parts of my current property idle because I can't use it all."
"Yes, that's true. If it's just for your personal use, what you have now is indeed enough."
The Director nodded in agreement.
Seeing this, Dojin thought Hye-sek would soon drop the matter.
She wasn't the type to force him to buy land he didn't need.
However, her next words were completely contrary to his expectations.
"Then, what if you used it not for yourself, but for the villagers?"
"Pardon? The... villagers?"
As Dojin faltered at the sudden suggestion, Hye-sek turned her gaze back to Yeong-jin.
Right on cue, Yeong-jin stepped forward.
"Dojin, you know how dangerous the recent accident was. Fortunately, you had firefighting equipment, but if you hadn't, it would have caused massive damage."
"..."
Dojin couldn't find the words to refute Yeong-jin.
In reality, that was highly likely what would have happened.
Dojin glanced over.
His eyes drifted to Chief Park Hong-sik, who was watching their conversation from a short distance away.
Even if it was the truth, it was an uncomfortable topic for him to overhear, considering he was Sun-ja Hal-meoni's nephew.
Fortunately, because of the distance, he didn't seem to have heard them.
"So? What does that have to do with me buying this land?"
At Dojin's question, Yeong-jin pulled another document from his bag.
For a split second, Dojin wanted to rummage through that bag.
It was like Doraemon's pocket; no matter what they talked about, documents just kept appearing.
"The Chairman has three conditions. If you fulfill them, the land will be registered under your name, Dojin."
Yeong-jin said, pointing to the land register in Dojin's hand.
But Dojin's eyes were fixed on the new document Yeong-jin had produced, not the land register.
Conditions? The Director wants something from me?
The part about getting the land in return didn't even register.
Just the fact that the Director had a request for him made this document his top priority.
"So there's something I need to do? What is it? Just say the word."
"...Ha!"
"Hohoho! Just as I said, right? Secretary Cho lost this bet."
Unlike Yeong-jin, who looked dumbfounded by Dojin's shining eyes, the Director chuckled merrily.
Dojin probably won't care about the land at all.
That was what the Chairman had said when they were preparing the contract.
At the time, Yeong-jin had thought that even Dojin would be swayed by a vast plot of land, but seeing him now, that wasn't the case at all.
Having lost the bet with the Chairman, Yeong-jin explained the conditions in a somewhat deflated voice.
"First, establish a temporary shelter on the land. Boseok-ri originally suffers from heavy flood damage during the monsoon and typhoon seasons, and fires are frequent, just like this time. Until now, the villagers evacuated to the town hall during emergencies, but..."
"The town hall is very old and run-down."
Dojin nodded in understanding.
There was a reason to build a separate emergency shelter.
An emergency shelter needed to be structurally safe and stocked with various emergency supplies, but the current town hall met none of those requirements.
It was doubtful whether emergency supplies could even be stored properly there.
"Yes. The Chairman wants an emergency shelter built on that land for the residents. Of course, if you agree, we will handle the construction ourselves. All you need to do is manage and oversee it during normal times. For your information, we will also purchase some equipment for emergencies, which you will need to maintain."
"I would actually request that myself. I was already worried because the town hall is so old."
"Alright, then we'll consider the first condition accepted..."
At Dojin's immediate agreement, Yeong-jin moved on to the second condition.
"There are several waterways on that land. However, because they haven't been maintained for a long time, they must be completely blocked. You must restore and manage all of them."
"Waterways? Well, that's..."
"Hoho. It won't be that simple. They branch off from the Imjin River and Nolno Stream, so they'll start clogging up if left alone for even a day."
"Hmm..."
The Director's words gave Dojin pause.
Considering all the trash that would flow in from the river and stream, it wasn't something to take lightly.
But...
"I'll do it. Those waterways pass near my house anyway. I have to clean them up regardless, so I might as well do it all together."
"Hoho. I like how simple-minded you are."
Cleaning the waterways was not as simple as Dojin made it sound.
Clearing waterways that had been blocked by debris accumulating for nearly ten years required a significant amount of labor.
And restoring them completely?
That would require a massive budget in addition to the manpower.
Of course, for Dojin, it wouldn't be much of a burden.
He has good people around him, and he has plenty of wealth now.
In truth, even if that weren't the case, Dojin would have agreed.
The Dojin the Director knew was someone who would do what he thought was right and necessary, even if he had to do it alone.
"Is that the last one? Director, is there anything else you want from me?"
"Hoho. Save those words until you hear the final condition. This one is quite sensitive."
As soon as the Director finished speaking, Yeong-jin delivered the condition.
"Sell us a portion of your channel's shares."
"Shares?"
As expected, Dojin couldn't answer as readily this time.
It was only natural, as the shares of his channel were a crucial matter not just for him, but for everyone working with him.
Pleased by his reaction, Yeong-jin explained further.
"Yes. We don't need much. A minimum of 10% and a maximum of 15% will do."
"Isn't that too little? If it's only that much, there's no real need to demand shares..."
Dojin reacted with confusion to Yeong-jin's words.
He had assumed they would want at least 30% if they were going to demand shares at all.
And he was willing to accept that much.
He would have to discuss it with the Sekki House staff first, but since it was the Director, he was fine with handing over that amount.
Yet, the shares the Director requested were less than half of what he had expected.
"Hoho. Why? Did you think I wanted to take over your management rights, Dojin?"
Hye-sek asked, laughing again at Dojin's flustered expression.
"Ah, no. Of course not, but..."
"Hoho. Don't misunderstand. We are asking for your shares purely for administrative purposes."
"Administrative?"
"Yes. Unlike the cash you took last time, land transactions leave a paper trail. We need proof that we received something of equivalent value in exchange for the land."
"Ah."
At the Director's explanation, Dojin realized why she was asking for the shares.
They were going to structure the transaction as an exchange of channel shares for the land.
Under those terms, Dojin had no reason to refuse.
The shares traded away were minimal anyway.
The land he acquired in this manner was quite vast, even excluding the area for the temporary shelter.
Ideas on how to use the land to make both the villagers and the Sekki House family happy were already blooming in Dojin's mind.
"It was great to receive it like that, but..."
Recalling his conversation with Hye-sek, Dojin sighed again as he looked at the land stretching out before him.
The land he had received was larger than expected, and it was in an even worse state of neglect.
"Will I be able to finish all of this today?"
If it were a place he had been maintaining regularly, it would be one thing, but having been abandoned for nearly ten years, it was a total mess.
The boundaries had collapsed to the point of being unrecognizable, and trash was scattered everywhere.
It was a mix of debris swept in by typhoons and garbage discarded by passersby.
"Should I just pick up the trash first today?"
The weeding itself was a task, but the trash would easily double the work time.
While vinyl and paper were fine, bottles and cans could damage the machinery.
But Dojin soon shook his head.
The trash was scattered across this massive area.
There was no way Dojin could clean it all up by himself.
Besides, there was far more trash hidden beneath the weeds than what was visible on the surface, making the effort largely pointless.
"Well, I'll just have to trust the machine. The manual did say it could operate without issues even with debris around."
It was made in the USA, after all.
Deciding to trust the craftsmanship of the American manufacturers, Dojin started up the machine.
"Samsaek-i, hold on tight. It's going to get really bumpy now."
"Meow!"
At Dojin's warning, Samsaek-i, who had been grooming himself with a haughty posture, immediately flattened his body.
It was proof that he had been deliberately ignoring Dojin's words earlier.
Dojin chuckled.
He was about to scold the cat, but forgot his intention and laughed instead.
Samsaek-i's tense little backside was simply too adorable.
Because the ground was so uneven, the machine vibrated intensely.
Having almost fallen off the dashboard several times while Dojin was clearing the perimeter, the cat was naturally on edge.
"Come here."
In the end, Dojin picked up Samsaek-i and tucked him into his vest pocket.
Since he was wearing heavy-duty work clothes and a utility vest for weeding, there were plenty of pockets to choose from.
"Meow~"
"Right, right. You like it here, don't you?"
Out of all the pockets, Samsaek-i settled into the large one on the chest and cried out in satisfaction.
He had always taken a particular liking to this spot.
It was likely because it was roomier than the other pockets and gave him a better view of the outside.
Grrrrnd...
Aside from the occasional scary grinding noise, the machine went about its work quite smoothly.
Of course, the progress was slow due to the abundance of trash.
"Still, this is a lifesaver. In the worst-case scenario, I was thinking of using a hand-held brush cutter."
A standard walk-behind mower couldn't be used in a place left neglected for this long.
It wouldn't be able to handle the bottles and cans, let alone the small wild shrubs scattered around.
Normally, Dojin would have had to clear such areas manually with a brush cutter, but this machine spared him the trouble.
"As expected of American-made! Those guys don't build things half-heartedly."
He had learned this lesson thoroughly during his days working in factories.
America, Japan, Germany.
Setting aside international relations or national images, products manufactured in these three countries definitely lived up to their price tags.
*Kyah!*
*Kee-yak!*
Dojin, who had been focusing on driving, turned his head at the sound of familiar cries.
The cries sounded much closer than he expected.
"Huh? Is that Hwindung-i and the others?"
Looking toward the sound, he saw Hwindung-i, Cheongdung-i, and even Hwanggeum-i circling overhead.
Surprised by their sudden appearance, Dojin looked up and spoke.
"What are you guys doing here at this hour?"
The raptor trio usually flew out early in the morning and didn't return until late afternoon.
Returning before lunchtime was highly unusual.
Just then, the three of them slowly glided downward.
They checked the machine, or more precisely, peered at the face of Dojin, who was driving it.
"What? Have you never seen someone working before?"
*Kyah?*
*Kee-yak.*
Chattering among themselves at Dojin's words, they folded their wings and landed right on the machine.
Hearing the rustling of feathers on the machine, Dojin cried out in bewilderment.
"What's gotten into you guys? Aren't you hunting today?"
*Kyah.*
Hwindung-i let out a short cry in response, but made no other move.
It seemed they intended to tag along with Dojin.
Just as Dojin was wondering about their strange behavior and turned his head back—
*Whoosh!*
A creature lunged toward Dojin from the opposite side of the discharge chute.
Flying in a straight line, the creature easily breached the machine's cabin and reared its head.
*Hssssss...*
"Huh? What's that sound—*gasp!*"
Feeling a sudden chill, Dojin turned his head and froze instantly.
He had locked eyes with the creature rearing its head at him.
It was about a meter long, with vibrant orange stripes.
A snake, flicking its tongue incessantly, was glaring right at him.
*A-A venomous snake?*
The thought flashed through Dojin's mind.
He didn't know much about snakes, but he had heard that the more colorful the pattern, the more likely it was to be venomous.
The problem was his current attire.
Although his work pants were thicker than sweatpants or cotton trousers, they weren't thick enough to stop a snake's fangs.
To make matters worse, he was wearing low-top shoes today, so he couldn't even kick it away safely.
As Dojin stood frozen, unable to move a muscle, the snake made its move.
*Slither, slither.*
It moved in a flash, climbing onto the seat. Just as it flicked its tongue toward Dojin's thigh—
"Meow!"
Samsaek-i, who had been tucked inside Dojin's chest pocket, sprang out and delivered a swift kitty punch straight to the snake's head.
*Thwack!*
*Hssssss!*
Reeling back from the surprise attack, the snake reared its head high again, as if realizing its attacker was merely a tiny kitten.
It looked ready to strike and bite Samsaek-i.
"Ah, no!"
Terrified that the snake would attack the kitten who had just protected him, Dojin reached out frantically.
It wasn't a calculated move.
His only thought was to grab the threatening snake and fling it away.
But Dojin grabbed nothing.
*Kyah!*
Flapping his wings, Hwindung-i had already swooped down and snatched the snake into the air.
*Hssss!*
Even from a distance, the snake's sheer panic was palpable.
But that panic was short-lived.
*Kyah!*
Hwindung-i drove his beak straight through the snake's head mid-air.
It was a departure from their usual hunting method of dropping prey to stun it or pinning it to the ground to kill it.
But the surprises didn't end there.
*Hsss!*
Having lived undisturbed in the neglected field for so long, other snakes began leaping toward the machine that was destroying their habitat.
*Kyah!*
*Kee-yak!*
And each time, they became easy prey for the raptors perched on the machine, snatched up and carried into the sky.
[Author's Note]
Since some readers were curious about the weeding machine model, I'm adding a brief description! ^^
This is the ride-on mower most frequently used at Sekki House. Because it is an open-type machine, it is easy to access from the outside.
Dojin modified the machine slightly to block the sunlight, installing a simple canopy overhead.