If We Don't Protect Them (1)
"No."
Baek So-cheon flatly refused and turned away.
Beon Saeng hurriedly rushed over and blocked his path.
"Please let me call you big bro!"
Beon Saeng's decision was utterly impulsive. Up until he'd arrived here, he hadn't entertained the thought for a second.
There were several reasons for it.
For one, his emotions were running high while he was drunk; he'd been inspired by Baek So-cheon's training; the man was old enough to make a fine big brother. And on top of that, Baek So-cheon had once been a warrior of the Cheol-geom-dan—Beon Saeng's lifelong dream.
Though less than a day had passed since they met, Baek So-cheon stood out from any warrior Beon Saeng had ever encountered.
Do you have to drain the entire ocean to know what seawater tastes like? One sip was enough to tell Beon Saeng that Baek So-cheon wasn't some run-of-the-mill Murim Alliance grunt like him.
"From now on, I'll handle everything for you, big bro. Not just branch duties—laundry, cleaning, errands, all of it."
"That sounds more like a servant than a little brother."
"It's my loyalty!"
"Go home. If I accepted every offer like this, I'd have over a thousand little brothers by now."
"I don't care if I'm the thousandth!"
And in that moment, Beon Saeng's mind flashed.
'A thousand? The guy's not exaggerating.'
Of course, to the current Beon Saeng, even that seemed humanizing.
"Even if you don't accept it, I'll treat you like my big bro. That's my freedom, right?"
Baek So-cheon silently stared at Beon Saeng.
"Why do you want to be my little brother?"
His tone had softened. Seizing the opening, Beon Saeng poured out his honest feelings.
"Ever since I was a kid, my dream was to join the Cheol-geom-dan. Sure, I'm rotting away here now, but meeting you feels like heaven's gift—a chance for me. I want to change my life, starting today."
"...Changing your life isn't easy."
"I'll work hard."
"Even hard work might not cut it."
"Then I'll work twice—no, three times as hard."
"Hmm... You'll regret it once the hangover wears off."
Sensing Baek So-cheon's heart softening, Beon Saeng pushed relentlessly.
"No regrets. Consider it accepted, then. Thanks, big bro! Haha!"
Feeling Baek So-cheon about to refuse, Beon Saeng made a promise he couldn't keep.
"Tomorrow, I'll handle those Taejeong Faction bastards myself!"
The next morning, Beon Saeng clutched his head in the branch office. It wasn't just the throbbing hangover.
"Argh, I must be crazy. Gotta quit this damn booze!"
He regretted it deeply. Swearing brotherhood to a new recruit after just one day? And declaring he'd change his life because of it?
"Ugh, what an idiot!"
On top of that, he'd boasted about cleaning Baek So-cheon's room and doing his laundry. What kind of moronic stunt was that?
'Kid, clean your own damn room first.'
Anyone would think he'd set up a formation in there.
Beon Saeng banged his head on the desk.
'Ah! I wish this was all a dream.'
It was like spotting a quack medicine peddler on the street, thinking he'd watch the scam for laughs—only to snap out of it later with arms full of bogus pills. What the hell had possessed him?
"Should I say it was a joke? Or just play dumb and bail?"
A voice came from behind.
"What're you mumbling about to yourself?"
Startled, he turned to see Im Choong.
"You keeping discipline in line?"
Beon Saeng raised a fist to the air.
"Of course! You haven't seen my fighting skills yet. I was an aspiring Cheol-geom-dan warrior once, too."
Just then, Baek So-cheon entered with a greeting.
Seeing him perfectly fine, Im Choong whispered in Beon Saeng's ear.
"He's unscathed?"
Beon Saeng lowered his voice further.
"Must be hiding some internal injuries."
"Good work."
Im Choong chuckled and headed to his office. He didn't buy it, of course.
'As long as he didn't get beat up, that's a relief. No big deal anyway.'
As Im Choong left, Baek So-cheon pointed to the papers on the desk.
"Aren't you taking these?"
"Huh? What?"
"You said you'd handle my work too. Grab 'em and get to it."
"Well..."
Beon Saeng hemmed and hawed, unsure how to respond.
Baek So-cheon smirked.
"I said you'd regret it once sober, remember?"
The words struck like a hidden weapon, piercing Beon Saeng's pride.
He shot to his feet.
"I keep my promises! Don't treat me like a joke."
Beon Saeng strode over, snatched Baek So-cheon's papers, and brought them to his own desk. But before he even sat, regret flooded in.
'Argh, you idiot! This isn't how you do it. Couldn't hold out for one second? Should've said it was a joke.'
Staring at Baek So-cheon's face made it impossible. The man had this inexplicable pull—stirring one's pride and emotions.
"What about the promise?"
"What promise?"
"You said you'd handle the Black Society Taejeong Faction today."
Beon Saeng jolted.
"Me?"
He'd feigned ignorance, but he remembered clearly. In that drunken moment, he'd felt capable of smashing them all.
But he could handle proxy work—not taking on the Black Society.
Baek So-cheon walked over and took his papers back.
"Forget it. Happens when you're drunk."
Instead of scorn, the polite dismissal stung worse, making Beon Saeng bristle again.
His lips twitched.
He'd always felt guilty for failing to help those bullied. Fine, screw it.
'I'll handle the Black Society bastards! I keep my word!'
Twenty-six-year-old Beon Saeng's resolve blazed, the words rising to his throat.
But another voice held him back.
'You nuts? You know how ruthless the Taejeong Faction boss is? Say you catch him by luck. What if his outside goons come for you? And that's not all—behind him is Shin-hwa-bang. They'd kick a nobody like you out of the Murim Alliance overnight.'
Yet another voice urged courage.
'That drunk promise means it's what you've always wanted deep down! You coward. Do one right thing! Isn't that why you became a warrior?'
'And if you die like a dog, you think he'll shed a tear?'
'This isn't for him. It's for the suffering people. It means something. Even death would mean something.'
He'd have fallen into qi deviation if he weren't careful.
Then the branch chief's door opened, and Im Choong emerged.
"Squad Leader Beon, come with me. Got a place to go."
As they left the branch, Beon Saeng muttered dejectedly.
"Thanks."
"For what?"
"I know. Voices carry from outside."
He'd said it loud enough for Im Choong to hear, hoping for intervention.
'Sneaky bastard. Scheming an out even now. You're hopeless trash.'
Im Choong comforted him.
"Why let a newbie push you around?"
"Tell me about it. Shouldn't have called him big bro."
"You called him big bro?"
"...Yeah."
"Always acting smart, huh."
"..."
Pausing mid-stride, Beon Saeng asked cautiously.
"We can't do anything about Taejeong Faction? Maybe request branch support."
"Then what?"
The real issue was Shin-hwa-bang behind them. If it were just Taejeong, Im Choong wouldn't have let them run wild.
Beon Saeng knew it too.
'Branch chief must feel bad about it.'
Feeling guilty, he changed the subject.
"Where we headed, anyway?"
"Asking early, huh? To the Jo estate."
Im Choong and Beon Saeng arrived at the Jo estate.
They were investigating the Yang Chu family massacre. The estate lord, Jo Jin, had been Yang Chu's closest friend in life.
'Jo must know something.'
Guided by a servant toward the guest hall, the two were walking when two men approached from the opposite direction.
Astonishingly, they were Wang Gon and Heuk Su.
"Branch Chief Im, what brings you here?"
Encountering Wang Gon unexpectedly, Im Choong was startled.
"There was a murder yesterday. Here to question Lord Jo about it."
"I heard. Tragic. Catch the bastard."
"We'll do our best."
"Oh, and we have old grudges to settle. Let's grab a drink sometime."
"Sure, next time."
Wang Gon and Heuk Su passed them with smiles—Wang Gon grinning, Heuk Su sneering.
As they vanished into the distance, Beon Saeng spat.
"See that scum's glare?"
"I saw."
Every look from Heuk Su dripped mockery and contempt.
"That mutt gets off on crushing people with brute force."
Im Choong resumed walking.
'Too many like him in the world—that's the problem.'
"I never dreamed that friend would suffer such a miserable fate."
Jo estate lord Jo Jin looked weary and haggard.
"Our deepest condolences."
"Yang Chu and I knew each other for thirty years."
"Like blood kin, I imagine."
"More than that, even."
After expressing sorrow and sympathy for Yang Chu's death, Im Choong got to the real questions.
"When did you last see Great Hero Yang?"
"A month ago."
"Anything different about him?"
"No."
"Anything he said that stands out?"
"Just the usual chat before parting."
Im Choong could tell. Jo Jin's voice trembled. He was off—far from normal. But losing your closest friend's entire family to slaughter would shake anyone.
"Anyone recently on bad terms with Great Hero Yang?"
The answer came after a long pause.
"Not that I know."
Whether deliberate or involuntary, one thing was clear.
'He's hiding something.'
As Yang Chu's friend, he'd seem eager to help catch the killer.
What was he concealing? A man of his stature had little to fear.
Then Wang Gon's face flashed in Im Choong's mind.
Meeting him here today felt off.
"Ran into Lord Wang on the way."
Jo Jin flinched at the sudden mention.
"Saw him after a while myself."
"He does a lot for our region."
"Indeed."
At Wang Gon's name, Jo Jin's eyes wavered more; he couldn't meet Im Choong's gaze.
'No way? Connected to them?'
Few in Jeol-gang Province could silence a Jo estate lord—and Shin-hwa-bang was among them.
'Was Yang Chu at odds with Wang Gon? Shin-hwa-bang?'
Wang Gon might have come first to threaten Jo Jin. Or even without threats, his visit alone was intimidation enough.
Why show up just as Im Choong arrived? Coincidence?
'Did he anticipate me coming?'
Im Choong had sent word ahead for an appointment—Wang Gon could have timed it perfectly.
If so, this wasn't just a threat to Jo Jin.
It was one to Im Choong himself.
He shook his head. An entire family massacred.
'Still, they're a righteous faction... Probably not.'
Leaving the Jo estate, the two returned to the branch.
Near the branch, Im Choong told Beon Saeng,
"I'll explain the Black Society issue to Baek So-cheon."
"No. I'll handle it."
"You sure?"
"My mess, my cleanup."
It might bruise his pride, but better than dodging now and regretting later.
Back at the branch, Beon Saeng told Baek So-cheon,
"Got something to say. Drinks later?"
"Sure."
The day dragged; work wouldn't stick. Regret over promising to wipe out Taejeong Faction mixed with guilt toward the merchants, plus anger that his chance to impress his new "big bro" had soured.
'Gotta come clean.'
Beon Saeng steeled himself.
After duties, Baek So-cheon and Beon Saeng headed to a tavern.
At the hardware store before it, a crash of shattering metal rang out.
Recognizing the spot and the crowd, Beon Saeng sighed.
'Ah!'
What cruel twist of fate?
The Black Society Taejeong Faction thugs surrounded the hardware store entrance. The owner was old man Go—the latest complainer.
'Why test me like this, heavens?'
He resented the sky. Wanted to turn back. Alone, he would have.
Then Baek So-cheon spoke softly.
"Drinks another time?"
A direct call to help might've made him hesitate, excuses ready.
But the consideration—likely deliberate provocation—hit home as always.
Instead of answering, Beon Saeng bellowed at the Taejeong Faction.
"You bastards! Cut it out!"