Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Spring Camp 2
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The wrap-up camp had been nothing.
"Alright, everyone, let's head out!"
On the first morning of spring camp, Woo Jeong-geun, the senior player, called out to the gathered athletes as they prepared to head to the training field.
"Whoa... We really don't have a bus? We're seriously running there?"
Jeong Gyeong-ho, unable to accept reality, said to Woo Jeong-geun.
"Gyeong-ho, it's real. No more bus to take us to the training field."
Woo Jeong-geun spoke to Jeong Gyeong-ho in a truly regretful voice.
"Spring camp starts right here. We've got one hour until morning training begins. They say it takes exactly an hour if we run."
Coach Han Geun-seong, and veterans like Woo Jeong-geun and Jo Woo-su who had experience, had already adapted to the reality. But the other players were still struggling to accept it.
"Get your heads straight and prepare to run. We're doing this every single day, so get used to it quick."
Crazy. It's chaos right from the start.
From that very first morning, Choi Seung-taek immediately realized that this spring camp's intensity would be even more nightmarish.
At least they could've dropped us off at the training field...
In the end, the veterans took the lead and started running, and all the players began sprinting toward the training field.
Annoyingly enough, after about exactly an hour, the training field came into view.
"Man, I'm pissed. How is it exactly an hour?"
"Then if we run faster from now on, we get there early, right?"
"Why run faster? Got more training to do?"
The players were catching their breath, but the manager soon started calling them out by name.
"Pitchers, head to the right field! Batters, morning session is all fungo hitting! Move now!"
They'd barely arrived, panting for air, thrilled just to have made it—but the morning training kicked off immediately.
After three hours of morning training came a brief meal break. Then, following that sliver of rest, six hours of hellish afternoon training awaited.
And before dinner, they had to run back to the dorms again.
From there, pitchers got evening rest for shoulder recovery, but no such break existed for the batters.
Night batting practice followed, and only after that could Choi Seung-taek finally crash in the dorm late at night.
This was the daily grind of spring camp.
Two weeks of this grueling routine had passed.
As morning fielding practice was wrapping up, a manager with a deeply troubled expression approached Choi Seung-taek.
"Seung-taek, got a minute to talk?"
"Talk?"
Choi Seung-taek felt something off since the manager had called him so suddenly.
And sure enough, the news the manager delivered was shocking.
"I'm really sorry. This came down from above out of nowhere for me too. Coach says you're headed to the second team."
The manager hated this situation.
Choi Seung-taek had never skipped a single training session, always grinding diligently. Unlike the other catchers, he'd held down the catcher's spot every fielding drill.
He was a player who'd put in the work and suffered for it, yet Coach Han Geun-seong had ruthlessly ordered him to second-team duty.
The other coaches, reluctant to deliver such sudden bad news themselves, had passed it down the line—ending up with the manager.
Sending him to second team now basically locks in the remaining three catchers for the first-team lineup. That's too harsh. After all this kid's been through...
Just as the manager was about to console Choi Seung-taek, the player responded brightly.
"So, you're saying I should train at the second-team field! Got it. Head back to Korea right away?"
"Uh... yeah. Pack your bags and head back for now. Second-team guys are at the Seosan training field."
"Understood! Thanks for everything while I was in Okinawa."
The manager felt even worse seeing Choi Seung-taek's confident, upbeat attitude.
At that moment, Choi Seung-taek was thinking something entirely different.
Second team? Jackpot! Shit, I was about to die from the exhaustion.
Choi Seung-taek was cheering inwardly.
They said spring training would be tougher, but I didn't expect this level.
Choi Seung-taek hadn't felt this close to death from training in a long time.
The other catchers had gotten injury breaks now and then, but thanks to the system's effects, Choi Seung-taek hadn't suffered any injuries.
Faking illness for a rest wasn't an option, so he'd been forced into the full-course grind nonstop.
No injuries? Great perk. But right now, it feels like a curse.
On top of that, his tastes had gotten picky, making second-team assignment a genuine escape hatch for him.
As he bowed to the manager and headed to the dorm, Choi Seung-taek started calculating in his head.
One hour back to the dorm, pack up—one hour to the airport. Three hours flight home.
The prospect of stacking up rest time lifted his spirits.
Then to Seosan... Whoa, if I'm lucky, that's nearly 24 hours straight with no training? Insane. Finally, some rest for me!
Everyone makes plans.
But things don't always go as planned.
Coach Han Geun-seong's whip was starting to swing in an unexpected direction.
Meanwhile, the catcher group was in emergency mode.
"What? Seung-taek got second-team notice and headed back to Korea?"
Park Gyeokpo shot to his feet in shock.
"Yeah. He's already packed up at the dorm and gone to the airport."
Jeong Gyeong-ho had just heard the news himself and was flustered.
"This is bad."
With Choi Seung-taek off to second team, it meant the remaining three catchers were locked into the first-team lineup. One might expect joy from the others, but they weren't happy at all.
Every time a catcher dropped out, the training intensity ramped up. They already had only four catchers—a small number—which meant the rotation cycled faster than usual.
At least during fielding drills, Choi Seung-taek had always taken the catcher's spot, giving the others tiny breaks.
But now, with him notified to second team and back in Korea, the rotation was down to three. They'd have to receive balls more frequently, and take turns in fielding drills too.
"We're screwed..."
Jo Woo-su, fresh from the hospital for knee injury aftermath, heard the news too.
"What the hell? Explain how a player who's been grinding like that suddenly gets second-teamed."
Jo Woo-su demanded reasons from the manager. When told it was just Coach's order, he clicked his tongue.
"Ah! He could've stayed here no problem. But he actually went?"
Jo Woo-su, who knew Coach Han Geun-seong well, quickly grasped what was happening.
He'd been sent to second team the same way when he was a young player, so he caught on fast.
"Aigoo, if I'd known, I could've told him to stay put. Why'd this hit while I was at the hospital...? No, you should've said something. How's a kid like that supposed to know?"
Jo Woo-su was frustrated with the situation.
He knew Choi Seung-taek had tanked most of the catcher group's frontline training load, easing the burden on the rest.
Now, after all that suffering, he'd gotten second-team notice. Outwardly fine, but Jo Woo-su figured his heart must be broken.
When Choi Seung-taek still hadn't shown up at the coach's office even after afternoon training ended, Coach Han Geun-seong called the head coach.
"Choi Seung-taek... Why hasn't he come?"
"You sent him to second team, didn't you?"
"He actually went?"
"Yes! He just boarded the flight home."
Coach Han Geun-seong realized his mistake.
That straightforward kid had actually flown home for second-team duty.
Aigoo, what a bonehead...
"Hold on... He's ditching."
But Coach Han Geun-seong was a seasoned veteran. He quickly spotted that Choi Seung-taek had jumped at second-team orders just to get a break.
"No, Coach, ditching? After how diligently he's trained?"
"Exactly... That's why he wants to ditch. Kid's already picking up bad habits."
Coach Han Geun-seong thought differently.
Then hit him harder!
Recalling how he'd handled Im Cheong-ryong in the past, he prepared an even fiercer whip.
"Tell Choi Seung-taek not to show his face at the training field for two weeks. If he goes to second-team coach, send him packing."
"Pardon? Choi Seung-taek?"
"Yeah."
A fiercer whip! It was advanced psychological warfare—banning baseball to make him crave it more.
At 6 p.m., Choi Seung-taek finally arrived at Incheon Airport.
"Hmm... Already 6 p.m. Can't make it to Seosan today, huh?"
Should he go straight to Seosan or detour to Daejeon first? Choi Seung-taek pondered.
Bzzzzt.
Bzzzzt.
His phone vibrated. Checking it, he saw the contact labeled "Second-Team Coach."
"Choi Seung-taek?"
"Yes! Coach, I've just landed at the airport and I'm heading to Seosan!"
Choi Seung-taek replied swiftly.
"No, no, Seung-taek."
The second-team coach sounded a bit flustered.
His voice carried reluctance, but he pushed through.
"Uh... Coach Han Geun-seong says you're not to come to the training field for two weeks."
"Two weeks?"
"Yeah. Anyway, that's the deal."
"Got it! Thank you!"
The second-team coach relayed the message and hung up.
What the heck?
Choi Seung-taek was dumbfounded.
"Coach Han Geun-seong's a way better guy than I thought. Rewarding all my hard work with two whole weeks off."
Choi Seung-taek felt like all his past suffering was finally being compensated.
"You really gotta experience things yourself. Clueless kids are always badmouthing the coach."