Chapter 36
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: The Fastest Persuasion Method (4)
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Kang Sang-cheol snapped out of his reverie and looked around.
Choi Mi-young, the team leader of Team 3, was half-reclining on her bed, reading a book.
Park Sung-soo, the team leader of Team 4, was snoring away despite the sun high in the sky, his hairy body sprawled out.
Heo Ik-deok, the muscle-bound gym rat of Team 5, was doing push-ups despite being wrapped head to toe in bandages.
Choi Mi-young and Park Sung-soo were one class below him, while Heo Ik-deok was two classes his junior.
Kang Sang-cheol glared at Heo Ik-deok, who was sweating buckets as he pumped out push-ups, then grabbed a pillow and hurled it at him.
“Argh, you fucking idiot! You think this is the time for working out?!”
Heo Ik-deok sprang to his feet and stood at attention, replying to his senior.
“Thank you for your concern, Senior! I’m doing great.”
“Argh, you’re always the same fucking moron. Your attitude hasn’t changed since you were the baby of the group?”
“Thank you for the praise!”
“…Sigh. Forget it. Anyway, what do you think about that guy from earlier?”
“Oh, you mean the police chief?”
“Why the hell is he our police chief?”
“He took me down in one hit, so he’s the chief, right?”
“You think anyone strong is chief?! Ugh, you simple-minded fuck.”
Kang Sang-cheol made a face of disgust and turned his head away.
Staring at Heo Ik-deok’s innocent expression any longer would make his stomach turn.
Kang Sang-cheol turned to Choi Mi-young, who was quietly reading her book, and posed the same question.
She had been the team leader of the Intelligence Unit in the old Investigation Division—quick on the uptake.
“Mi-young, what do you think? Any idea what that guy’s ulterior motive is?”
As if she’d been waiting for the question, Choi Mi-young closed her book and answered.
“Either cunning or naive—one or the other.”
“Cunning?”
“Either way, after that young man Lee Min-jun said what he did, the kids are looking at him in a better light. Even you’re confused enough to ask our opinions, right, Senior?”
“…”
Kang Sang-cheol fell silent at her words, which meant agreement.
“Anyway, I’m with Ik-deok on this. The world’s gone to shit—human rights vanished ages ago, and law books are just kindling now… In that kind of world, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to protect the weak. So what’s the most important thing we need right now?”
“…”
“I think it’s the power to uphold our beliefs. Whatever his true intentions, the guy looks cleaner than most cops on the surface, doesn’t he? And he’s got the strength to back it up.”
“So the kid can fill that role?”
“The chances of another Yoon Ki or Ho-cheol popping up… yeah, they’d drop for sure. You felt it too, Senior—we’re weak right now. For now, we should stick under him and level up our stats.”
“…”
“If he shows his true colors or things change, we can bail then—it won’t be too late.”
Thinking of the juniors who had always followed him so loyally made Kang Sang-cheol’s gut twist.
If he’d just been a little stronger, if he could’ve been their solid shield… things would’ve turned out so differently.
‘And here I am, with no power to protect my juniors, still clinging to my pride.’
Even though if Min-jun had been hostile, he’d have been dead long ago.
Even though in this situation, they had no choice but to obey without question to survive.
He was still thinking like the world hadn’t ended.
‘What am I gonna do if that kid has some hidden agenda… If he spares me, I should be grateful; if he protects me, I should grovel in thanks—and that’s the least of it.’
Hearing Choi Mi-young’s words made him realize just how deluded he’d been.
Only then did Sang-cheol truly wake up.
And with the situation as it was, the words of his senior—Goo Dong-beom, team leader of Team 1—came back to him.
“That man is Team 1’s benefactor. I get why you’re hostile, but try to keep an open mind.”
It wasn’t just Dong-gil hyung—even Goo Dong-beom, famous for his bull-headed stubbornness, called him a benefactor.
“Friend… friend, huh.”
Kang Sang-cheol murmured the word Min-jun had used, lost in thought, when the door clicked open and one of his juniors entered.
“Sir! Team Leader Kang, Team Leader Sung wants to see you as soon as you’re up to it.”
“Dong-gil hyung? Do you know why?”
“Uh… he’s with that young man who took us all down.”
The two of them together.
He must’ve called to hear an answer Kang hadn’t given before.
Kang Sang-cheol unwound the bandages around his head and stood.
“Yeah? Then let’s go.”
“Team Leader Sung said take your time…”
“No time to dawdle. Everyone here’s fine anyway, so tell him we’re all coming.”
At Kang Sang-cheol’s words, Choi Mi-young and Heo Ik-deok stared at him in surprise.
“What’re you gawking at? You all have stuff to say to him anyway, right? If there’s shit to settle, do it now, not later. Hey! Park Sung-soo! I know you’re awake—get your ass up!”
Even as Kang Sang-cheol yelled, the hairy Park Sung-soo showed no sign of stirring, so Choi Mi-young grabbed her book and chucked it at him.
The thick book’s corner hit his head dead-on, and only then did Park Sung-soo clutch his skull and open his eyes.
“Gah… argh, that hurts! Hey! You can’t even spare your one and only classmate—you trying to kill me?!”
“You look like a bear, but you act like a sneaky fox.”
“Classmates, seniors—everyone’s dying to eat me alive. No, Senior Kang! What’re you gonna say to that monster? You all passed out quick and missed it, but I stuck it out till the end! That kid’s not human. Argh, forget it! I’m too scared to go!”
As Park Sung-soo flopped back, exposing his hairy belly, the others grimaced at the unsightly sight.
But Kang Sang-cheol, unfazed as if he’d seen it a hundred times, straightened his clothes and tossed a word to Heo Ik-deok.
“Ik-deok, take good care of your senior on the way. Got it?”
“Yes, sir!”
Heo Ik-deok barked a crisp reply and scooped up Park Sung-soo in a princess carry.
* * *
Before the apocalypse, Min-jun had always been alone.
He went to school alone, ate alone, studied alone—and escaped the orphanage to live independently.
That’s right. He didn’t really have a hometown.
The orphanage? Physically, maybe… but recalling the hellish life there, it was no place to call home.
‘Looking back…’
Even his dream of a cozy nest and happy family might’ve stemmed from that void.
Of course, meeting So-hee and Uncle Dong-gil had filled much of it.
But as the saying goes, late bloomers bloom late—surviving crises together and meeting more people had sparked bigger desires.
In his drifting life, he wanted an anchor.
That desire grew until it swelled beyond control, now craving even a true hometown to fill the emptiness.
And… now. As if reading his mind, the System had plunked down exactly that.
This opportunity given to him.
Min-jun didn’t want to let it slip. So instead of grabbing info and bouncing as planned, he’d pushed a bit further.
He’d knocked on the door—now he just had to wait for an answer.
If rejected, it’d sting, but one try didn’t mean no second chances.
This gamble would be a huge stepping stone next time.
‘…’
As Min-jun sank into thoughtful silence.
So-hee, watching him, read his heart perfectly.
‘He’s a demon in a fight, but so naive about this stuff.’
She’d noticed it when they first met: Min-jun was a total blank slate with relationships.
Who the hell knocks someone out then outright declares friendship?
That’s why So-hee had been skeptical about their reaction when they entered the chief’s office for this talk.
“You’re not even fully recovered—why come right away instead of resting?”
“You know better than anyone that these things are best settled quick, Senior.”
Kang Sang-cheol sat across from Min-jun’s group, his tone polite unlike that morning.
There were multiple guest sofas, so the other team leaders took seats beside him in order.
Once everyone was settled, Kang Sang-cheol glanced over his juniors then looked at Min-jun.
“Team 1 under Senior Goo Dong-beom is out on urgent business. Trouble near Olympic Park where the Hornet is. But he talked it over with us before leaving, so take his opinion as ours.”
“I sent Dong-beom myself, so I know… What the hell is this, all of you crowding in?”
Dong-gil replied while nervously eyeing both Min-jun and his precious juniors, worried about another fiasco.
“We’re here to honor the bet we made with Mr. Min-jun. And we have one question about it.”
“…?”
Min-jun inwardly cheered but stayed silent to hear them out.
“By ‘friend,’ Camp Leader, you mean not just in name—a real bond where we help each other in crises. Right?”
“Of course. If it was just empty words, I wouldn’t have brought it up.”
“…I see. Then as long as you keep that promise, we’ll be your friends and subordinates.”
“No, I want to be your boss…”
Before Min-jun could finish, Kang Sang-cheol bowed his head and offered a handshake.
It was an apology for rejecting Min-jun’s handshake that morning.
Min-jun stared at his hand, sighed deeply, then gripped it firmly.
“Thank you. With Uncle Dong-gil here and all of you, this place is as good as my home.”
* * *
Kang Sang-cheol and the team leaders thanked not just Min-jun, but So-hee for treating them too.
Then they picked up the conversation from that morning.
“That must’ve been rough for you, Miss So-hee. My condolences.”
“In this mess, who isn’t suffering? I’m fine. But I heard you know about Garak Market. Anything on the Garak Market Station firehouse?”
Having exchanged names, So-hee questioned Kang Sang-cheol.
His answer was an oasis in a barren desert.
“It’s such a shitshow there that I don’t know the details, but someone who does is in the know.”
Kang Sang-cheol grinned at Min-jun and So-hee.