Do Not Cut These Trees
“A farmer, my ass. He’s one of the most detestable bastards alive!”
“Detestable? What do you mean by that?”
As Mo Cheol-dong raised his voice as if he had been waiting for exactly this moment, Yoo Eunhyeon widened his eyes in a show of complete ignorance.
It was only natural. From the instant Won Ilchu had first revealed himself, Mo Cheol-dong had made no effort to hide the discomfort the man stirred in him.
A person’s heart could be swayed by the slightest of reasons, yet Mo Cheol-dong was different. In his eyes lingered a shade of something that did not quite sit right for mere dislike.
“You’re the manager, aren’t you?”
“I am the manager, just as you say. But the man’s character is rotten through and through. From the start, the work here was divided under the assumption that eleven people would handle it. Yet here we are, shouldering his share as well—does that make any sense? The labor is hard enough on its own, but watching that sorry spectacle turns my stomach so badly I can barely stand it!”
Mo Cheol-dong ranted with veins standing out on his neck. From the sound of it, the work itself was not the true grievance so much as the sheer gall of watching Won Ilchu loaf about. One man poured sweat into the fields while another idled and still drew the same pay—no, as manager, Won Ilchu’s wages were almost certainly higher.
“Isn’t there someone above him? Couldn’t you report him?”
“Hah… I’d love nothing more. But how easy do you think that is? We’re nothing but temporary hired hands with a fixed term, while that fellow is a formal member of this farm. Making an enemy of him would do us no good at all.”
Mo Cheol-dong kicked a stone at his feet with a bitter smile. Yet the more he spoke, the more Yoo Eunhyeon found himself growing curious about this Won Ilchu. Just how skilled was the man to sit back so nonchalantly? What was the source of that confidence? He wanted to confirm it with his own eyes.
No need to rush just yet, though.
Yoo Eunhyeon quietly averted his gaze. A faint premonition brushed him that he might learn the answer before long.
Half a day slipped by until the sun hung directly overhead at noon. When mealtime arrived and the duty crew brought the food, Won Ilchu rose from his spot with uncanny timing and opened his eyes.
“Hwaaam~ Already time to eat? Everyone dig in and then we’ll get back to it!”
No one had even called him, yet Won Ilchu scratched his head and casually began shoveling the prepared rice into his mouth. Watching that shameless display, Yoo Eunhyeon suddenly realized something.
He’s doing it on purpose. No doubt about it.
The greedy way he attacked the food alone was enough to tell. Needling people had long since become second nature to him. Yoo Eunhyeon quietly clicked his tongue. Mo Cheol-dong and the others glared daggers, but Won Ilchu merely flicked a glance their way as if it were nothing and let out a short snort of laughter.
It was the kind of laugh that asked, What exactly do you think you can do about it? The sort only a man who knew his position perfectly and delighted in using it to grind others down could produce.
They say the world is full of every kind of person, and it’s true. Someone who finds joy in standing above others and constantly needs to confirm that fact… Does that really amuse him?
The best way to deal with such a type was usually either to walk away in disgust or to give him no reaction at all. Mo Cheol-dong, however, seemed far too simple a man to grasp that principle.
In the end Won Ilchu cast a sidelong look at the trembling Mo Cheol-dong, as if the sight had only sharpened his appetite, and polished off every last grain. Then, for some reason, he rose from his seat and began walking slowly toward the fields. Watching him with mild puzzlement, Yoo Eunhyeon asked Mo Cheol-dong in a low voice,
“Where’s he going?”
“After noon, for about half a shichen, the officer in charge from the Heokryeon Sanghoe comes to inspect the work. He’s putting on a show for those eyes. Tch, crafty bastard.”
Mo Cheol-dong muttered darkly, still thoroughly displeased. Unlike the morning when he had sprawled about sleeping, Won Ilchu was now nimbly thinning weeds. He seemed to know every shape and root by heart; the speed with which he cleared the field looked genuinely practiced. Outwardly, at least, he appeared more diligent than anyone.
“Still working hard, I see. Good work.”
“Hahaha. Don’t worry, Adjutant. No problems at all.”
The adjutant who had just appeared looked upon Won Ilchu with clear satisfaction and even offered praise. The moment the man left, Won Ilchu let out a long breath, returned to the shade of the tree, and calmly went back to sleep. Mo Cheol-dong ground his teeth while glaring at him, yet in the end he said nothing.
From that day on, Won Ilchu’s behavior did not change in the slightest. He moved diligently only when under watch; the rest of the time he spent beneath the tree shade, and the pattern repeated without fail.
Three days passed in that fashion.
“Younger brother. How is it? Managing the work all right?”
After the evening meal, Mo Cheol-dong approached Yoo Eunhyeon, who had been leaning back lost in thought. Yoo Eunhyeon smoothed his expression and answered,
“It’s hard.”
“Hahaha. Of course it’s hard. Farm work isn’t nearly as easy as it looks from the outside.”
Mo Cheol-dong laughed heartily and settled down beside him.
“Still, you’ve got energy left to talk, so you must be handling it. You’re definitely different from the other newcomers.”
“I’m just a little more used to it. When it gets tough, it’s better to let your mind wander.”
“You know how to work, all right. Well then, rest up. We move early again tomorrow.”
Mo Cheol-dong grinned as if agreeing and returned to his own place. Soft conversation drifted from here and there, but most of the men spent the time quietly on their own. Yoo Eunhyeon eased his posture a little further and sank back into thought.
It’s about time I started moving…
After three days, the daily routine here had proven thoroughly monotonous—eat, sleep, work, and nothing more. Choosing this job to stay out of sight had been the right call, yet remaining too invisible made it difficult to achieve his actual purpose.
Don’t get impatient. It’s not as if there’s been no progress.
The previous night, while everyone else slept deeply, Yoo Eunhyeon had pretended to step out for a call of nature and scouted the surroundings. The mountain terrain was familiar to him, and after days of moving about for work he already held a clear map of the area in his head.
Recalling it once more, Yoo Eunhyeon clenched his fist tightly.
All that’s left now…
was simply to wait for the right moment and move in one decisive stroke.
Two more days passed, and it was already the fifth day since Yoo Eunhyeon had begun the work. Everyone seemed fully accustomed now; they moved like machines without a word of complaint.
Having drawn dish-washing duty that evening, Yoo Eunhyeon stepped outside. He glanced up at the sky and faintly furrowed his brow.
“Rain’s coming soon.”
Unlike the clear skies of the past days, thin clouds had gathered today. Cloudy weather did not always mean rain, of course, but from Yoo Eunhyeon’s long years of farming experience the chance of a downpour looked very high.
He turned toward Mo Cheol-dong, who was just coming out as well.
“Hyung-nim. What happens to the work if it rains?”
“If it’s light we just push through. Why?”
“It looks like it’s going to come down hard.”
At those words Mo Cheol-dong also looked up. The sky was indeed overcast, as if a proper soaking might arrive any moment. After a short grunt he approached Won Ilchu.
“Rain’s coming soon, so anything that takes a long time might be a problem. Is there other work?”
The instant the words left Mo Cheol-dong’s mouth, Won Ilchu narrowed his eyes. Still making no effort to hide his annoyance, he snapped,
“Honestly. Always looking for an excuse to slack off. Quit the chatter and grab an axe. There’s a mountain of work!”
With that he spun on his heel for all to see. Hot glares stabbed into his back, yet he strode ahead without the slightest concern. The men could not hide their displeasure, but in the end they picked up axes without further protest and followed.
A short while later the group halted on a mountain slope some distance from the lodgings. Beyond a sparse chestnut grove rose a dense stand of tall, straight cedar trees.
When the wind brushed past, the upright trunks knocked against one another and gave off a low, humming drone.
Won Ilchu swept the scene once with his eyes and tossed out the order as if it were nothing.
“Cut down every tree here before the day is out.”
The moment the words fell, the air around them grew strangely heavy. Hands gripping axes hesitated; a few men exchanged quick glances. Everyone seemed to share the same thought, yet no one spoke first.
Then—
“We’re cutting these down?”
A low murmur slipped from Yoo Eunhyeon as he studied the inner chestnut grove. His voice was not loud, yet in the deep quiet of the mountain it rang out clearly.
At the sound the surroundings froze into silence. Axes stilled; gazes gathered on him one by one.
“Got a problem with that?”
Won Ilchu stepped right up in front of him, and the air tightened another notch.
Yoo Eunhyeon said nothing for a moment.
His eyes remained fixed on the chestnut grove; the axe in his hand had already tightened into a firm grip.
After steadying his breath, Yoo Eunhyeon finally spoke.
“You must not cut down the trees here.”