The Price of Freedom
"Gah!" For the first time in a long while—or rather, for the first time since his rebirth—Yoon-gi let out a scream.
"You insane bastard!" Im Seon-ho, who had been standing some distance away, sprinted over and delivered a clean dropkick straight to Kim Son-hwan.
"Ugh!" Having taken the full force of Im Seon-ho’s body weight, Kim Son-hwan went tumbling across the floor, only to be immediately pinned down by the bodyguards who had been waiting in the wings. This was an act that would have been impossible anywhere but on a university campus. Yoon-gi had intentionally kept his bodyguards at a distance while on school grounds, not wanting to disrupt the academic atmosphere. It was a decision he’d made because Choi Deok-bae usually acted as a reliable sensor for any impending danger, but this time, the spirit hadn't given a single warning.
'H-hey, Grandfather, why...?'
Yoon-gi reached out toward his twisted knee, his expression one of resentment toward the spirit.
[Breaking: YK Chairman Attacked on University Campus!]
[Assailant identified as the son of the bankrupt Gyeongwan Construction.]
[Hatred fueled by exam scores?]
[Police investigating potential for contract killing.]
The newspapers were in an absolute frenzy. Yoon-gi was a figure of immense recognition in Korea, and the fact that he had been assaulted was monumental. If Yoon-gi had died from this, it would have been a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions. As for Kim Son-hwan, he would never lead a normal life again. Had Yoon-gi died, Kim Son-hwan might not have even faced the judgment of the law; he might have been dragged off to suffer a horrific fate before becoming "meat-feed." Because Yoon-gi survived, at least he would have to face the legal system.
"According to his statement, he acted because he convinced himself that his life falling into ruin was entirely your fault, Chairman," Superintendent Seo In-pyo said, causing Yoon-gi to sigh.
"He kept arguing that anyone could return to their rightful place if they just put in the effort, yet he chose to put his effort into dragging others down instead of climbing up himself."
"Exactly. He’s the textbook definition of a thoughtless fool. Dragging someone else down doesn't magically return you to where you were."
To be honest, it wasn't that Yoon-gi hadn't considered the possibility of Kim Son-hwan seeking revenge. But he had truly believed he could block any such attempt. There was no reason he couldn't handle Kim Son-hwan approaching from the front, and there was no way Choi Deok-bae would miss someone approaching from behind. Yet, because the spirit hadn't warned him, he had taken the hit head-on.
"What will happen to Kim Son-hwan?"
At Yoon-gi’s question, Seo In-pyo offered a bitter smile. "I don't know if this will be any comfort to you, Chairman, but the police intend to forward his case with a recommendation for indictment. The prosecution plans to charge him with 'attempted murder'."
A true collaboration between the police and the prosecution. This was the beauty of power—other people took care of the messy details for you.
"And he won't have an easy time in prison, either. The guards and the other inmates will make his life a living hell. Let him rot."
"Don't kill him, though."
Seo In-pyo nodded. "Understood. It was just a figure of speech."
"Just in case." It wasn't that he felt sorry for Kim Son-hwan; he just thought it would be better for him to live a long, long life in agony. There was no reason to show mercy to someone who had shattered another person's leg.
"We questioned witnesses who were nearby at the time. They said when he was approaching you, he kept muttering 'Head, head, head,' but then suddenly switched to 'Leg, leg, leg.' I suppose he changed his mind at the last second."
"Did he realize the consequences of the aftermath?"
"Likely. He wanted to commit the act, but he didn't want to bear the heavy responsibility. Though, it seems he didn't realize that there's no such thing as 'small responsibility' in a case like this."
Having finished his report, Seo In-pyo asked cautiously, "By the way, Chairman, how is the treatment...?"
A young man who had just started university had suffered a torn cruciate ligament. In truth, while media often trivialized it, a torn cruciate ligament was a serious injury. If it were a minor issue, the Ministry of National Defense wouldn't have let him off the hook for military service. The Military Manpower Administration was always desperate to secure even one more "slave"—why would they let him go? While those with torn ligaments might seem to walk fine in daily life, the lifelong problems, ranging from degenerative arthritis to constant, aching pain, were far more severe than people realized. For that reason, Seo In-pyo was genuinely hoping for Yoon-gi’s swift recovery.
"They say I need reconstructive surgery." It was only natural his knee wouldn't be fine after taking a full-swing metal bat to it. After various tests, he had received the doctor's opinion that he needed surgery and was currently awaiting the procedure.
"Ah..."
"Thanks for your concern. But they say medical technology is good these days, so I'm sure I'll have no trouble with daily life."
At Yoon-gi’s calm words, Seo In-pyo quickly chimed in, "Y-yes, that’s right. I truly... hope for your full recovery."
"Thank you."
After Seo In-pyo left and some time passed, Yoon-gi entered the operating room for his reconstruction surgery.
"The surgery went very well, and the prognosis is excellent. Perhaps because you are still young, your recovery rate is remarkable."
The doctor was a sixty-year-old man with snow-white hair, yet he used the most formal, respectful honorifics toward Yoon-gi.
"It’s all thanks to you, Doctor. Thank you."
At Yoon-gi’s praise, the doctor bowed his head slightly, as if embarrassed. "Not at all. It was an honor for me."
"Will there be any aftereffects?"
The sudden, sharp question caught the doctor off guard. "Umm... well, since you are still young, if you work hard on your rehabilitation... it appears there shouldn't be any major problems. If you feel any discomfort, please come see me immediately."
In truth, he had no choice but to say it like that. The way doctors spoke was fundamentally different from how patients interpreted it. For example, when a doctor said "there is no danger to life," a layperson thought "there's no problem," but a doctor meant "the patient is still breathing." Likewise, regarding aftereffects, if a patient could manage daily life, a doctor would judge it as "fine." Of course, this was usually for the average patient. With someone like Yoon-gi, the doctors had to be extremely careful with their words.
'Well, it can't be helped.' Yoon-gi nodded, accepting the answer. "I understand. I’ll be counting on you in the future."
"Yes—oh, no. I hope you never have to see me again."
Yoon-gi smiled at the doctor, who had hastily corrected himself, and proceeded with his discharge paperwork. Back home, Yoon-gi sighed and looked at Choi Deok-bae.
'Well, should I consider myself lucky that it ended like this? I think I need to break the habit of relying on you, Grandfather.'
At Yoon-gi’s words, Choi Deok-bae let out a sigh. 'You said you’d show me heaven, but quite a bit of time has passed since you said that. Surely that heaven isn't the literal heaven, right?'
Since his family had been effectively destroyed by Catholicism, Choi Deok-bae wouldn't have any work to do even if heaven existed. Thus, the "heaven" Choi Deok-bae had spoken of was metaphorical. Yoon-gi was still in a situation where he had to use crutches.
'Eh?' Yoon-gi grabbed his crutches.
'But it hurts?' Yoon-gi stood up with a puzzled expression.
'Huh?' Following Choi Deok-bae’s instruction, Yoon-gi lifted his leg high in a front kick.
'It doesn't hurt...?' Even though he lifted his leg until his calf touched his nose, his right leg, which served as the support, didn't hurt at all.
'What is this...?'
'That’s true, but what does that have to do with this?'
'Eh?' Yoon-gi’s expression turned incredulous.
'G-Grandfather...'
Yoon-gi wore an expression of deep emotion. He lunged forward to hug Choi Deok-bae, who was floating in mid-air. Of course, he ended up passing right through the spirit and hugging empty air, but Yoon-gi was sincere.
"Thank you..."
The words of gratitude spilled out in his own voice. Yoon-gi really, truly did not want to go to the military. He had only intended to go because he saw no other way out.
"What do you want to eat? I'll prepare everything."
For the first time in a long while, Choi Deok-bae experienced a version of Yoon-gi with 140 percent intimacy.
"Grade 5!"
At the conscription examiner's shout, Yoon-gi had to put every ounce of effort into controlling his facial expression.
'Yes!!!!!!!'
But his inner thoughts were beyond his control. Yoon-gi toasted himself internally for receiving a Grade 5. Grade 5. Since Grade 5 meant you didn't even go to basic training, Yoon-gi had received a perfect exemption. Furthermore, there was no reason to undergo a re-examination. The hospital records clearly showed he had undergone surgery, and the reason for his exemption had been broadcast to the entire nation through the newspapers. Of course, there were conspiracy theories that Yoon-gi had commissioned Kim Son-hwan to do it, but because Kim Son-hwan was currently being tried for attempted murder, those theories quickly faded away.
"Sigh... it would have been better to go to the military without getting hurt..."
At the examiner's words, Yoon-gi sighed as if he were truly devastated.
"I know, right... haa... Honestly, I can walk naturally, but it throbs every time I take a step, which is really uncomfortable."
"Cruciate ligaments are always like that. To others, you look fine, but you’re the one suffering. Tsk... anyway, hang in there."
Because the examiner knew who Yoon-gi was, he finished confirming the grade using polite honorifics.
"Yes, thank you..."
Yoon-gi bowed his head lightly to the examiner and left the examination center. To anyone watching, he looked like a man deeply disappointed that he couldn't serve in the military. The others at the center watched him and felt that Yoon-gi was truly having a hard time. Of course, Yoon-gi wasn't having a hard time at all.
'I’m not going to the military twice! I’m not going to the military twice!'
If Won-hee ever found out the truth, she might just smack the back of his head for the first time in her life.
While Yoon-gi was having a truly colorful university life, N and YS were bickering over a single issue.
"Mr. President, that is why I told you it is right to tear it down," YS, who was serving as Prime Minister, urged N.
"I’m not saying we shouldn't tear it down, but we should do it after the Olympics. The world’s eyes are on Korea right now."
"Isn't that exactly why we should tear it down? Tearing it down now is the best move."
"This is really..."
"Just once, please let me tear it down. Yes? That Government-General building... we need to tear it down as soon as possible."
YS was proposing the demolition of the Japanese Government-General building to N.