Reclaiming the Overdue Debt
The three Yi brothers stepped out of Yi Gajang, followed by the warriors who had joined from Hwang Sabang. The only one missing was Gang Ryong, who had passed out snoring away.
Yi Jingang and Yi Jinun had no idea where their youngest brother Yi Jinpyeong was headed or why he was mobilizing every last warrior for it.
"Jinpyeong, where are you going? Who exactly do you plan to demand what from?"
"A place you brothers know well. In fact, no one else but you two would know. Now, lead the way."
It was absurd. He'd spoken as if he himself would handle everything, only to tell them to take the front.
"Where the hell are we even going?"
"Where else? Didn't you brothers tell me? That village where we lent twenty seok of rice to Hwang Sabang, only for them to pretend it never happened. The ones who came crying for help after the flood devastation, then wiped their mouths clean!"
Only then did the two older brothers grasp Yi Jinpyeong's intentions.
"But they're just desperate commoners scraping by day to day. Do you remember how wretched their village looked when they came begging us for aid? How could we go to people like that and demand the rice back, claiming our own hardships?"
"Who knows? Point is, I need to see with my own eyes if they can pay or not."
"......"
"Here's the deal. If the village is as destitute as you say, I'll drop it and we head home clean. Now, let's go."
Yi Jinpyeong strode forward purposefully. The Hwang Sabang warriors trailed after him like ducklings after their mother.
Yi Jingang and Yi Jinun exchanged glances, then called out.
"Jinpyeong. Wrong way."
The three brothers led the way, with quite a distance still to the target village. After pouring out their emotions earlier, an awkward tension hung between them.
Yi Jinun broke the heavy silence first.
"Jinpyeong, what the hell happened? That energy you showed back in the room... and making the Hwang Sabang brothers our Yi Gajang subordinates. We really have no clue what's going on."
"Ah, I meant to explain sooner. Bit late, huh."
Yi Jingang's ears perked up as he walked ahead.
"Truth is, I'm Yi Gyeol, the greatest under heaven."
Yi Jingang cleared his throat with a khm.
Yi Jinun snorted and wiped teary eyes.
"I thought our little brother was finally better, but nope—"
"...is what I dreamed."
Yi Jinpyeong corrected himself.
"For a solid fifteen years, no less. I don't know why the ancestor's words kept echoing in my head or why weird visions kept popping up. Guess that's why I suffered from that madness too. Anyway, even after snapping out of it, the ancestor's martial techniques just... floated into my mind on their own."
Yi Jingang and Yi Jinun gaped.
Yi Jinpyeong was quite pleased with his fabricated tale. Insisting he was Yi Gyeol's reincarnation wouldn't benefit him or his brothers one bit. Far more plausible: the ancestor appearing repeatedly in the dreams of his descendant Yi Jinpyeong. It even explained fifteen years of madness followed by a sudden recovery.
Yi Jinun grabbed eldest brother Yi Jingang's arm tight.
"B-big brother! Then our... our Yi Gajang's legendary martial arts too...!"
"Calm down. We don't know yet if what he saw in dreams is really our family's techniques."
"You'll know once you try it. Whether it's Yi Gajang's art or not."
Yi Jingang shuddered. He didn't know exactly what "try it" meant, but a chill ran through him all the same.
Second brother Yi Jinun couldn't hide his excitement.
"Anyway, if... if what Jinpyeong learned in his dreams really is our lost Yi Gajang arts, then we can relearn them from our little brother—"
Yi Jinpyeong grinned. That's the plan. Absolutely. First, though, he'd hammer some spine into these hopelessly soft brothers of his. By the time they begged to quit, tears and snot streaming, he wouldn't let them.
These men were direct descendants of the greatest under heaven, Yi Gyeol—the future faces of the reborn Yi Gajang. He couldn't tolerate them being treated like pushovers any longer.
Before long, the Yi Gajang brothers and their followers reached the village.
"This is it. But..."
Eldest Yi Jingang trailed off.
Second Yi Jinun's eyes wavered. Youngest Yi Jinpyeong smirked coldly.
Vitality buzzed everywhere. No trace of the flood-ravaged hellhole. Houses were being repaired, expanded; roads widened. A village booming with growth.
Knew it. 'Hard times' my ass.
With Dongjeong Lake's surrounding areas in peak prosperity these last few years, one spot lagging behind made no sense. Sure, a few poor households might exist amid the boom.
"This the place, right? Then—"
"Jinpyeong."
Eldest Yi Jingang blocked his path.
"Mind if I go first?"
Yi Jingang's face was deadly serious. Yi Jinpyeong stared a moment, then stepped back silently.
Yi Jingang took a deep breath and marched toward the village. Anxious Yi Jinun followed.
Yi Jingang scanned as he walked. No sign of the devastation from years ago. Villagers' clothes were clean, faces ruddy, expressions lively. Good for them—they'd overcome hardship and bounced back.
Soon, a familiar face: the village head who'd begged at Yi Gajang.
Yi Jingang smiled politely.
"Village head. Hope you've been well."
The head seemed not to recognize them at first. Emotions flickered across his face before he laughed awkwardly.
"Haha, it's the young masters of Yi Gajang. Doing well yourselves?"
His eyes flicked up and down them fast. Yi Jingang glanced at his own and his brother's rags—stark contrast to the villagers' tidy garb.
Spring for the world; eternal winter for them alone.
Upon hearing the purpose, the head balked.
"Well... yes, that happened. But wasn't it aid out of pity for our plight? And now, years later, you come demanding it back as a loan?"
Yi Jingang's face stiffened. He remembered the head's desperate pleas, his bowed gratitude. This reaction? Unforeseen.
Flustered Yi Jinun stepped up.
"Village head, I remember it clear as day. You said outright it was a loan, that you'd repay when times improved."
"Did I? Must've been hasty words. As you see, we're not exactly flush. Construction costs everywhere, money going out left and right."
"......"
"Anyway, twenty seok all at once? Tough to swallow. No contract signed, right?"
Yi Jingang's breath caught.
Yi Jinpyeong watched from the hill as his brothers returned.
His heightened inner power sharpened his vision; even from afar, he caught the scene with the head crystal clear. Some truths needed no words.
The head's attitude toward his brothers, his expressions, his glances. Their slumped shoulders. Result obvious.
Returning, Yi Jingang forced a smile.
"Turns out I misremembered. It wasn't a loan—just pure aid. Good news: head said he'd send five seok out of moral duty in a few days."
Yi Jinpyeong shot back.
"Bullshit."
The brothers fell silent. The youngest's rough tongue no longer shocked.
"Five seok? Moral duty? Brothers, this is reality. Listening to ancestors is great. Giving is great. But without power, you just get ignored and used."
"What now? You gonna bully them just 'cause you can fight?"
"Why would I dirty my hands on those idiots? Idiots need the idiot treatment. Gwak Chief Steward!"
"Yes sir!"
The bucktoothed youth stepped forward briskly.
"You know what to do."
"Yes! Leave it to me."
He pulled brush, ink, and paper, spread it on a flat rock, ground ink, and scribbled furiously—some incomprehensible text.
Yi Jinpyeong eyed the paper, nodded satisfied.
"Good. Proceed."
"Thank you, sir."
Yi Jingang and Yi Jinun blinked in confusion. Chief steward? Proceed with what?
At Gwak Chief Steward's signal, the (former) Hwang Sabang warriors marched after him. Fierce faces, swords at hips.
Villagers froze, eyeing them warily. A far cry from the Yi brothers' visit.
The head approached hesitantly.
Bucktoothed Gwak spoke.
"We're Hwang Sabang. Heard of us?"
"H-Hwang Sabang!"
The head paled. Nobodies to big shots, but infamous to lowly gamblers.
Their dissolution? Still secret.
"What brings Hwang Sabang elders here...?"
"That twenty seok rice Yi Gajang lent you years back."
"What? How do you...?"
"Rights just transferred to us. We're collecting."
"N-no way! It was humanitarian aid—no IOU!"
"Oh? Then what's this IOU I got?"
Gwak waved the fresh paper. Ink still wet, smudging.
"This is outrageous—!"
"What, calling us liars?"
"No! But... we need verification..."
"Verification. Good word. Round up the villagers. Interrogate one by one—did Yi Gajang lend twenty seok or not?"
The head went ghost-white, mute as a clam.
"Oh. And you weren't planning to repay just twenty seok, right?"
"...Pardon?"
"Loans need interest, duh. Our gambling dens—you know 'em? Their rates. Let me tally..."
Gwak counted fingers theatrically, then declared brightly.
"Perfect. Skip the pennies—nice round hundred seok it is!"