Chapter 64
Chapter 64
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Glad Mission (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It's been five years already since Hong Gi-jun's way of spending vacations changed.
He used to head to hotels at famous beaches or condos in renowned mountains for his time off. When his young daughter said she wanted to try camping, he even bought a tent and went tenting on weekends. But after his daughter, who had terrible sleeping habits, rolled around and accidentally slept on a tree root, ending up with a bump on the back of her head, he stopped even that.
Son Gwang-yeon, scanning the tidal flats with narrowed eyes, asked.
"What about the driving every time? Isn't it tough?"
"Don't say that. I just have to drive. No need to pitch tents, and it's way better than stuffy hotels with walls everywhere. And the food..."
Food that's hard to find anywhere else, eaten to his heart's content, and relaxed drinks with a friend. If he were vacationing somewhere familiar, this would be impossible—he'd be too busy planning and looking after the family.
That said, it's not like they're just lounging and eating.
Pant, pant. Hong Gi-jun stuck out his tongue like General and let out rough breaths nonstop.
Son Gwang-yeon shot his friend a pitying look.
"If you're tired, rest in the shade."
"Nah. Times like this are perfect for some exercise. Pant, pant."
Stepping through the mudflats in yellow rubber boots that came up to his thighs wasn't easy. The drained flats soaked up the sun and wind, making them scorching. The moisture-laden mud reflected the sunlight, so even with a hat, his face burned like it was cooking, and the hot breeze fanned heat across his whole body.
"It's fun catching together, but you'll catch a cold like that."
"I'll slap on some plaster. Eating mudflat octopus gives you energy you didn't even know you had."
Son Gwang-yeon nodded at his friend's joking. He kept his sharp gaze fixed on the mudflat bottom.
Maybe that's where the saying about feeding raw octopus to weak oxen comes from. Without knowledge of nutrition, he'd dismissed it as nonsense at first. But after seeing an ox perk right up after eating one, he changed his mind.
"I get that energy surge too when I'm beat in the summer after one raw octopus."
That was why Son Gwang-yeon couldn't give up summer octopus hunting. It was a tonic for his work-weary friend, and the kids loved it. Especially little Son Yu-jin, who cheered for octopus.
Seeing his ox-strong friend, Hong Gi-jun nodded approvingly. Maybe this guy was ox-like too, getting power from octopus.
"Folk remedies or whatever, seems there's some truth to it. Ah, here it is."
Where Son Gwang-yeon pointed, a faint hole gaped open.
He'd learned from Choi Jang-hwan: it was the breathing hole of an octopus hidden in the mud.
Son Gwang-yeon started digging with practiced form.
Dig too wide and the mud collapses fast or fills with water—speed was everything. Less digging a pit, more churning deep like drilling. Unlike winter loach in paddies, octopuses dug deep holes.
Hong Gi-jun watched in admiration, tongue clicking.
"Fun to watch, real fun."
Effortless rhythm—from ankles up the legs, through waist and shoulders to wrists—it looked like a perfectly oiled machine.
Not just frantic motion either.
Whoosh—whoosh. He even controlled his breathing like an athlete. And the digging never stopped. The expert dynamics of an octopus hunter were ingrained in his body, impossible for amateurs to mimic.
Hong Gi-jun grabbed a shovel too but gave up after a few clumsy tries. His waist felt like snapping, breath choking. The blue sky turned yellow quick, mudflat streams like the River Styx. Beyond, his grandfather who'd passed when he was in middle school beckoned.
If Son Gwang-yeon hadn't steadied him, he'd have embarrassing tumbled. Lesson learned: army digging didn't work on mudflats.
"Got it!"
Up to his knees deep, Son Gwang-yeon shoved his arm in. Out came a head bigger than a child's fist. Tentacles dangling or flailing for escape radiated life force, refreshing Hong Gi-jun's mind.
"Think we've caught enough?"
Son Gwang-yeon grinned, flashing neat teeth, as Hong Gi-jun opened the icebox.
About thirty thick ones crammed in the white styrofoam box. Filled with water-frozen PET bottles, oak leaves, and octopuses—it was precious summer sustenance.
"Let's head back."
"Already? I'm good."
Despite his words, Hong Gi-jun sweated like rain, so Son Gwang-yeon chuckled idly.
City slicker, bluffing since youth. Now half his sunburned face mud-smeared, panting away. Hadn't dug with his face like a loach, but somehow looked the best.
"Not for sale anyway—caught enough to eat, so time to go. Collapse here, no ambulance. Paramedics would collapse entering the flats too. Mudflats are for the experienced."
Haeruqi, fishing with son. After discovering sea joys, lessons from Jo Il-heon and Choi Jang-hwan. Innate strength, stamina, plus smarts made him top hunter.
Hong Gi-jun meekly followed.
Escaping this hellish midsummer mudflat? Inner relief.
"You usually go alone?"
"Nah. Buy if Yu-jin wants octopus. Sometimes grab a dozen with Jin-hyuk and bail."
Hong Gi-jun felt nonexistent energy surge.
Knew why friend endured this.
Moderation made sense too.
Seeds plentiful, but leave for neighbors.
Not just people-minded either.
"Who protects the mudflats? Resource duty for those who take."
Son Gwang-yeon released small ones plenty, despite heat-dug holes.
Balanced heart.
'If saw octopus like land, seeds would've dried.'
Thinking that, even in hardship, Hong Gi-jun's lips curved up.
Far off, village youths greeted Son Gwang-yeon.
Too far for voices, yet all waved spades, bowed hats.
Hong Gi-jun watched contentedly.
'Kid, worried you'd be lonely.'
Rural hospitality, sure—but cliques everywhere. Yet friend's life warm, like cliques others' problem.
Farmer providing for family, respected villager.
No landlord bullying rents, heard waives bad harvests.
- "Member duty. Little yield lets them thrive. No fun rich alone?"
Hong Gi-jun wiped face with neck towel. Sweat endless like tears.
Pulled icebox water, gulped for throat, poured on head.
"Phew—alive."
Shade-less mudflat sun pure hell, 'gonna die' natural. Cup ice water on crown enough hell-to-heaven fare.
Urged leg muscles, silently followed to embankment, beach sands scanning.
Something popped up, eyed friend.
Yelled at walking back.
"No plane Chuseok?"
Boom-splash!
Hong Su-jeong splashed excited then tumbled into the creek.
Fish-herding kid chased them all away.
"Oppa—!"
Her flailing didn't last. Desperate cry, but already safe.
Jin-hyuk strode up, hoisted the kid easy. Before she even called oppa. Shallow creek, but panic could mean swallowing water—danger. Right thing. Her safety his now.
"Aigoo, you little rascal pup. Gotta be careful."
Heh heh. Cute sight drew laughs natural.
Jin-hyuk moved her to bank, hastily rescued floating boot.
Head-to-toe soaked Seoul kid watched warmly. Reliable, she thought.
Good mood, plopped creek-side chattering.
"Oppa, promise know?"
"Know..."
Can't play dumb on kid, honest answer.
Year not passed? Or kid memory sharp?
Persistent one. Overlaps with noodle begs.
'Whatever, if remembers past 20, fine.'
Hat off, Jin-hyuk scratched buzzcut.
Better than strangers, simple math.
Looks at her.
'Whoa—when you grow.'
Stranger'd buy dad-daughter. Actually Jin-hyuk bigger than Hong Gi-jun; hide faces, real father-daughter vibe.
Not Joseon—couple act? Perfect handcuff pic.
Jin-hyuk mustered courage.
"Su-jeong, oppa likes tall girls."
"Wha, what?"
"You know—ones who eat well, sleep well, exercise."
Taste fine, right?
Crime? Jin-hyuk glanced around needless.
Somehow General bush-hidden peeking only soul.
'Why hiding? Solo hide-seek?'
Illusion? More peep than guard. Bulldog stare irked. Delinquent taunt vibe.
Su-jeong pondered deep, looked up.
"Grow big like mommy?"
"Yeah, 'bout that."
Not past-life picky dwarf warning—just eat exercise. Felt guilty odd. Glanced again.
Anyway, clarify.
"And Su-jeong, eels taste like dirt."
"Dirt? Tasty though."
"Yup. So no more."
"Okay!"
Seoul kid nodded vigorous.
Phew—Jin-hyuk inner relief sigh.
Eel escape success.
'Proactive future feels like this!'
Still, knowing kid becomes beauty? Not bad bet, sly thought.
Hong Su-jeong stared sparkly good-girl eyes. More wanted.
"Oppa, more, more?"
"More?"
"Yeah."
What now... Today scratching nonstop. Washed hair too. Listener pro, talker not.
Hmm—win-win best. Arms crossed ponder, finally spoke.
"Always warm-up before exercise, cool-down after."
"Okay!"
"Massage knees legs before bed good."
"Okay!"
"Lots milk anchovies, ramen not often."
"No ramen..."
After, each tip Jin-hyuk scanned surroundings.
Not bad teaching, why guilty? General gaze bugged.
"Brush morning night sure, knee hurts much doctor, bone break never push..."
Vacation sure, but eyelids heavy like class. Thought chatty oppa good, but priest drone.
Expectant peeking General chin-on-grass too.
General dozed thinking.
'Woof.'
- My fault.
Village scrawny males sniff butts? General barked, bit, growled chaos.
Dog tantrum prime.
Kid learned only that.
So they just growl.
Should demo lick. Failed. My bad teaching.
Long slimy bite sleepy.
Neighbor Dokku nose-bit by magpie-dog once?
Owner Iwalwal tied nose vs poison, near suffocation. Lucky General spared.
Stings bad. Bee-like double. Bee one spit, snake two. Smart dog knows.
Why darkening.
Dying?
'Woof.'
- Happy life...
Blustery sentiment, raging bluff not human-only.
Snore.