Chapter 4 Part 19

Leaving just those two people behind, the conflict between his colleagues and a group of Europe Branch members was steadily intensifying. With the serving table placed in the middle, they, who at first only hurled insults and slander, gradually escalated the intensity as they moved closer, and now were throwing spoons and forks, or anything they could get their hands on. If they moved just a few more tens of centimeters closer, it seemed they would grab each other by the collars over the table and engage in a brawl.

Rather than get involved in that fight, Jeong Tae-ui wished he could discreetly slip away, even if it meant being called a traitor, but they were blocking the way to the door, so he couldn’t leave. Nor were there any windows at the back through which he could exit to the hallway.

Sighing, wondering how much darker things would get if he was already this exhausted, even though the fight was still relatively mild, Jeong Tae-ui rolled up his sleeves. He couldn’t help it. If they started fighting, he’d pretend to help out a bit, then bolt.

However, just as Jeong Tae-ui made that decision and was about to step forward to pretend to join the fight, a helping hand descended from an unexpected place.

“You bastards, you trashed the dining hall, now you’re going to ruin this place too?! Don’t you want to eat?! If you don’t want to starve, go fight outside, you punks! Pay for all the wrecked tables, chairs, and equipment, you damn fools!”

The meal service staff, who had been silently clearing leftovers amidst their fighting, was hit by a chopstick thrown by one of them, causing their pent-up anger to explode, and if they hadn’t furiously pounded the side dish containers with a ladle, the fight would have escalated to a full-blown brawl in just a few minutes.

They, who were more subservient to the branch’s Director-General or even the headquarters’ Director-General than to the meal service staff, immediately lowered their voices and could only threaten each other with “Just you wait until this afternoon’s sparring, you bastards, I’ll beat the snot out of you.”

Most of the people who said, “Just you wait, you bastards, I’ll beat the snot out of you,” kept their word. Lined up in order, glaring at each other as if to devour them even before the command to start sparring was given, they lunged at their designated opponents as soon as the signal to begin fell. And they fought, quite literally, ‘to the death’. In doing so, they all succeeded in beating their opponents until tears and blood flowed freely.

In other words, they all got beaten just as badly.

Jeong Tae-ui, who was relatively far back in line, repeatedly watched his colleagues and the opposing men crawl out, bleeding profusely, one after another, right before his eyes, and he became utterly disgusted with the situation.

“Are they all crazy?”

As Jeong Tae-ui rubbed his chin and spoke very seriously, Wien-ho, who was standing right behind Jeong Tae-ui as it was his turn next, nodded very gravely.

“Exactly. For crazy bastards like them, a beating stick is the only cure. Giving them a good thrashing at times like this is even good for them. Otherwise, where else would they learn such a lesson?”

“…”

I thought he was somewhat normal, always so cheerful and lively, but this guy’s crazy too… Turns out it’s not the people who are bad, but this place has bad vibes. It’s a society that encourages bad behavior.

Jeong Tae-ui looked at Wien-ho regretfully for a moment, then turned his head. Even now, two men were fighting like dogs, biting and tearing at each other right before his eyes. The instructor seemed to only be watching to see if they were acting outside the rules of their chosen martial art, regardless of whether blood was soaking the floor profusely. Then, if one of them showed signs of defeat, or if it was clear to anyone that the outcome was decided, he would stop them.

The Medical Ward will be bursting at the seams today. There wouldn’t be enough beds to lay everyone down in the Medical Ward, and considering their current state, if they were laid side by side, it seemed they would continue to throw things and fight even while lying down. The medical supplies would run out.

What exactly was supposed to improve by having them fight like this? Jeong Tae-ui, who had been skeptical about whether there was even a need for Joint Training, put those thoughts aside as the sparring progressed.

After each sparring match, the instructor pointed out one by one the good points to note from the preceding match. For example, how an opponent blocked by bending their right leg at almost a right angle when a left arm was swung from one direction to another; listening to him was not just surprising but spine-chilling—so accurately did the instructor observe and remember. Even when they replayed the recorded footage to re-examine, the instructor’s words were flawless.

What was also surprising was, that the men who stood around, seemingly just shouting wildly and cheering for their colleagues during their matches, also properly understood which movements influenced the outcome, and what each person’s strengths and weaknesses were.

The fights might have been dogfights, but they served as excellent research material for the spectators. And the spectators were also excellent enough to discern that information.

Jeong Tae-ui scratched his neck and muttered to himself. Yes, though he felt it as rarely as a bean sprouts in a drought, even if these guys were crazy, to outsiders they were considered top elites. Even that colleague, who had just been beaten to a pulp and dragged out covered in blood, was a guy who was assigned to a US intelligence agency and had obtained special permission for a two-year job training, intending to learn at the branch from last year until the end of this year. There were many others who came in the form of training from other public institutions, seeking further self-improvement.

…It’s a mystery why such brilliant guys risk their lives over such trivial matters.

Jeong Tae-ui shook his head and sighed.

“Don’t sigh. You’re not going to die, are you? If things get tough… well, I can’t bring myself to tell you to surrender, but if it comes to that, just faint and let them carry you out. But make sure you land at least one good punch on that guy.”

From behind, Wien-ho firmly gripped Jeong Tae-ui’s shoulder and spoke. It seemed this friend had completely misread Jeong Tae-ui’s true feelings. He must have thought Jeong Tae-ui was sighing out of anxiety because his turn was approaching.

Jeong Tae-ui thought, ‘Well, it’s true I don’t want to get beaten and I am anxious,’ and looked towards the opponent’s side. He then observed the opponent he would be fighting against.