I'm Not Chinese

Park Sang-hyun's business was wrapped up in an instant.

"It was a bit noisy, but all things considered, it was over in a flash."

Naturally, the arrest of the Mabong-ri village chief's son—the man who practically ran the local economy—was never going to be a quiet affair.

Everyone from the village chief to the residents involved with the eel farm, and even their distant relatives, flocked to the police station and Sekki House to stage protests.

But even so, it changed nothing.

"Public authority is hard to set in motion, but once it starts moving, nothing is more relentless."

The only problem was when it occasionally pointed in the wrong direction and created innocent victims. In a clear-cut case like this, there was no ally more reliable.

"Still, if it weren't for the video... things might have been delayed a bit, right?"

Even before Park Sang-hyun started making a scene, Dojin had been streaming the footage from the CCTV cameras he installed earlier as a private broadcast.

The moment Sang-hyun began throwing his fit, Dojin swiftly switched the stream to public. He didn't forget to post an announcement on his channel, either.

"I knew animal protection groups frequented the channel, but their influence is stronger than I thought."

They were incredibly fast, too. Within five minutes of the stream going public, a deluge of report calls flooded Paju City Hall and the police station.

According to the city officials and police officers, their operations were practically paralyzed by the sheer volume of reports from various organizations with confusingly similar names.

"Hel... lo."

In front of Waterway 3, a familiar man bowed his head to Dojin, who had come to check on the otter nest. It was Chang-sang, Sang-hyun's former employee and the biggest contributor to his arrest.

"Ah, hello. Have you eaten breakfast?"

"Yes... ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thank you," Chang-sang replied with an awkward smile.

Chang-sang and the other foreign workers who had worked with him were currently staying at Sekki House. This was thanks to them being released with a warning after the investigation.

Although they had damaged public property, the authorities recognized that they had not acted of their own free will.

However, since they could no longer stay in the lodging provided by Sang-hyun, Dojin had offered them the empty rooms in the annex.

"How is your body feeling?" Dojin asked.

Chang-sang smiled as if to say he was fine.

But contrary to his gentle smile, his physical condition was far from good. Perhaps because he had been subjected to intense labor without proper food and shelter, his body was a wreck for someone so young.

How on earth are malnutrition, herniated discs, tendonitis, and ruptured ligaments their baseline common ailments?

On top of that, they each had a custom menu of various fractures, bloodshot eyes, athlete's foot, and joint dislocations.

"It's a relief they're young. If they were ten years older, they would have needed immediate intensive care," the doctor who examined them after their release had said. Their conditions were just that terrible.

"Please make yourselves comfortable here until you return home. You'll have to find another job once you go back, so you should recover as much of your health as possible."

"..."

At Dojin's words, a shadow fell over Chang-sang's bright face.

Even though they were cleared of charges, they couldn't stay here forever. Their employer had been arrested, but even if he hadn't, no employer would keep workers who had reported them.

Furthermore, except for Chang-sang, all of them had expired visas.

Once they go back, they probably won't be able to return to Korea for several years.

It was unfortunate, but there was nothing that could be done. As long as they didn't hold South Korean citizenship, they couldn't bypass the work visa regulations.

Allowing them to rest and recover their health like this was the best Dojin could do for them.

The Director's help was huge this time, too.

From the workers' release and medical checkups to delaying their deportation until they recovered, Director Lim Hye-seok's influence was behind it all.

Of course, Dojin hadn't asked for help. Hye-seok had called him first while he was waiting to be questioned as a witness.

"Ah, of course you already know."

Dojin, who had assumed it was just a routine check-in call, smiled awkwardly at Hye-seok's opening remark. He had intended to tell her himself once everything was sorted out, but the Director truly had eyes and ears everywhere.

But Hye-seok wasn't finished.

That was all she said. However, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the consequences that followed were far from simple.

Chang-sang and his colleagues, who had been sitting in the holding cell with their heads buried in their knees, were prioritized for questioning and released in the blink of an eye.

A hospital they hadn't even booked took them in immediately.

Even Sang-hyun, who had been screaming at the top of his lungs just moments before, unable to break his old habits, was left stuttering in utter bewilderment.

Was it also the Director's doing that their wages for this month and their severance pay were deposited in advance?

Dojin had been quite flustered when Chang-sang and the others suddenly came to him, bowing and thanking him.

Fortunately, after hearing their explanation, he cleared up the misunderstanding, but the workers' gratitude did not diminish in the slightest.

"We stay comfortably thanks to Boss. Unlike former boss. Thank you."

"Thank you."

At Chang-sang's words, the other workers bowed in unison. It was the best expression of gratitude they could offer, given their still-clunky Korean.

Kki-uk, kki-uk, kkik!

As Dojin recalled the events of the past few days, a peculiar cry reached his ears. It was the sound of the otters, who had completely settled down in Waterway 3.

"By the way, this is a bit of a problem."

The otter nest had completely blocked Waterway 3. For now, they had blocked the junction with Waterway 1 to divert the water there, but this was only a temporary fix.

If it rained like this, the surrounding land would turn into a swamp in no time.

"But I can't just tear down their nest, either."

If the creatures before him were beavers instead of otters, he would have demolished the lodge without hesitation. Beavers actually became healthier when they stayed active rebuilding their homes. But otters were different. The stress might drive them to bite their own pups to death.

"Should I build a bypass channel?"

"Should I do it?"

Having overheard Dojin's muttering, Chang-sang stepped closer and asked.

"Pardon? You, Chang-sang?"

"Yes. Looking at it, it does not seem very difficult."

"Hmm..."

Dojin fell into thought at Chang-sang's offer.

He had intended to decline immediately, but Chang-sang's expression was quite serious. It was the same look he had given Dojin over the past few days whenever he asked if there was anything he could do to help.

Is he feeling guilty about just staying here?

It seemed receiving free food, lodging, and medical treatment was weighing heavily on his conscience.

Just then, Chang-sang picked up a stray branch lying nearby and began drawing lines on the ground next to the waterway. He was actively making his pitch before Dojin could refuse.

"I think we can do it like this. It will be fine for the animals, and we only need to use a little bit of land."

"...Hmm, that actually doesn't look too bad."

Just as Chang-sang said, the path traced on the ground was quite good. It completely avoided the otter nest while staying close to the original waterway, meaning very little land would go to waste.

"We work very well. It will take only two hours. Please leave it to us."

Seeing Dojin's positive reaction, Chang-sang thumped his chest. Seeing the earnestness in his eyes, Dojin finally nodded.

"There should be tools and leftover channel stones in the warehouse from last time. Use as much as you need. Let me know if you need anything else."

"Yes! Thank you, Boss!"

The moment Dojin finished speaking, Chang-sang bolted toward Sekki House. He was so excited that his Korean, which had been relatively smooth until now, slipped into broken grammar.

"Well, look at that. A human beaver."

Most people would look miserable if asked to work, but seeing Chang-sang practically cheer made Dojin think that if a beaver ever turned into a human, this is exactly what it would look like.

The human beaver—no, Chang-sang—had not been exaggerating. Exactly two hours after Dojin made the request, a neat bypass channel had been created around Waterway 3, looking as if it had always been there.

Kki-ruk?

Near the nest, the father otter stared back and forth between the new channel and the lodge. Sensing a bad omen, Dojin quickly spoke up.

"Hey, you. Don't you dare block this one. It has nothing to do with your home anyway."

Kki-ruk...

At Dojin's warning, the father otter hung his head low, looking thoroughly dejected.

"What, were you planning to build a food pantry or something?"

Considering how the otter raided the eel farm multiple times a day to bring back eels, it was highly plausible.

"Great job, Chang-sang. You're really skilled."

"Thank you for praise. I was excited to work after a long time."

"..."

Dojin looked past Chang-sang. It wasn't just empty talk; despite having just finished manual labor, the workers actually looked more energized than before.

"Is there anything else to do? My body is just warming up."

At Chang-sang's question, Dojin found himself scanning the area for chores. The man asked with such an earnest face that it was hard to flatly refuse.

To make matters worse, Chang-sang's colleagues had approached at some point and were now staring at Dojin with the exact same expression.

"Well, there isn't any construction work left..."

"N-none...?"

As Dojin panicked at the sight of Chang-sang looking like he was about to cry, a memory flashed through his mind.

"...Well, we do need to prepare dinner."

"Dinner prep? No cafeteria tonight?"

At Dojin's words, Chang-sang's eyes began to sparkle, his tearful face vanishing instantly.

While staying at Sekki House, Chang-sang and his crew had been eating in the cafeteria alongside the security team. Although they were always grateful for the delicious and abundant meals, just for today, they had hoped the cafeteria would be closed.

They wanted to treat Dojin and the others to a meal they prepared themselves.

Even if it's not as delicious as the cafeteria food, just for one meal...

Since they had spices sent from their respective hometowns, they could serve a unique, flavorful meal for once.

Then, the answer they had been waiting for came from Dojin's mouth.

"Ah, every two or three weeks, we all gather to grill meat. The cafeteria staff take the day off then. It's about that time, and since you guys are here, why don't we all grill some meat together tonight?"

"Great! We grill meat very well. Former boss also liked meat we grilled. When he ate, he did not swear for a few days."

"Haha, well... let's take turns grilling. Shall we start preparing first?"

"Where is grilling equipment? We prepare it."

"...In the warehouse over there."

At Chang-sang's urging, Dojin pointed toward a warehouse. That was where the grills and various barbecue equipment were stored.

"Let's go!"

"..."

Dojin stared at his own finger. He had merely pointed at the warehouse, yet dinner was practically preparing itself before his eyes.

"Whew, I can't eat another bite!"

"Put down your chopsticks before you say that, girl."

"I want to, but this piece keeps tempting me!"

With those words, Do-hee glared at the meat on her plate before popping it into her mouth and chewing happily.

"Mmm~! This is it! They grilled this absolutely perfectly."

"Mm... I have to admit. If there was a meat-grilling competition, Chang-sang and his crew would definitely win first place."

Even as they spoke, their chopsticks never stopped moving. Unlike the muggy outdoors, eating meat at a cool temporary table connected to a compressor felt absolutely heavenly.

It wasn't just the two of them; praise for the meat was pouring out from every temporary table set up around the yard.

"You're going to gain weight in the blink of an eye at this rate. You know you're getting married in a few months, right? You need to manage your figure until you put on that wedding dress."

"Gasp! That's right. Ugh... I can't help it. Just one more piece and I'm done!"

"That's the last piece, you brat! Hand it over right now!"

"Ah, no! Hmph, my precious last piece of meat..."

"The last piece is always the one that makes you gain weight. Thank me for saving your waistline."

"Ugh... Seung-wan has fallen. You demon."

A chuckle escaped Dojin's lips as he listened to the banter behind him. Having ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dealt with so many serious matters lately, this kind of lighthearted bickering was a welcome change.

Just then, Chang-sang offered a plate to Dojin.

"Boss, eat more meat."

"Oh, I'm done. I'm too full to eat any more. You guys should eat now. I'll take over the grilling from here."

Dojin reached for the tongs as he spoke. However, his hand only swiped through empty air. Chang-sang had quickly pulled the hand holding the tongs backward.

"No. We grill. Boss only needs to eat."

"Haha, but I really don't have room for more..."

"Hmm, then rest a bit and eat again. Boss is still young. Digestion is fast."

"..."

Dojin could feel his absolute determination not to hand over the tongs. In the end, he had no choice but to nod and lower his hand.

Just then, familiar cries echoed from above.

Kki-yak!

Kkya-ak!

"Oh? Looks like they're back."

It seemed Hwindung-i and Cheongdung-i were returning from their hunt. After obsessively eating eels for a while, they had returned to their usual prey once Sang-hyun was arrested.

Kkya-ak!

At the cry from overhead, Dojin slipped on his leather arm guard and raised his arm. With a soft flutter of wings, Hwindung-i landed gently on Dojin's arm.

"Welcome back."

Kkya-ak!

"How was the hunt? Successful today too?"

At Dojin's question, Hwindung-i proudly tilted his beak upward. That gesture alone made it obvious how the hunt had gone.

"You didn't bully the otters on your way back, did you? You shouldn't mess with them."

Hwindung-i let out a short cry as if to say he understood, then rubbed his beak against Dojin's cheek.

After showing his affection to Dojin for a while, Hwindung-i turned his gaze to Chang-sang, who was standing in front of them, and hopped down to the ground.

Landing with a light flutter, he waddled over to Chang-sang with his characteristically awkward gait and began tapping the man's shoe with his beak.

Tap, tap.

"Oh, white Shonghor. Hungry? Want meat?"

Speaking naturally to Hwindung-i, Chang-sang offered a small piece of raw meat to the goshawk.

Kkya-ak!

Hwindung-i looked back and forth between the meat, Chang-sang, and Dojin. Once Dojin gave a nod, the bird quickly snatched the meat and flew up to his nest.

Watching him ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠go, Dojin turned his head to look at Chang-sang, who was also watching the goshawk fly away.

"In Korea, we call it a mae, but I guess they call it a shonghor in China? By the way, you're really good with birds of prey."

"Uh... about that..."

While Chang-sang hesitated at Dojin's question, Cheongdung-i approached this time.

Kki-yak!

As Cheongdung-i landed on Dojin's arm guard just like Hwindung-i had, Chang-sang mumbled to himself for a moment before speaking quietly.

"I am not Chinese."

"Pardon?"

Dojin, who had been stroking Cheongdung-i's beak, froze at the unexpected statement and stared at him.

Chang-sang smiled awkwardly and continued.

"I am Mongolian. My name is not Chang-sang, but Chanarshanhu."