Chapter 4 Part 23

Yet, even as he spoke, the man seemed to have found a readable book, as he sat down a few paces away from Jeong Tae-ui, holding a book in his hand.

Jeong Tae-ui looked at him with wary eyes, surprised by his surprisingly compliant retreat. Of course, he didn’t wish for a knife fight to break out, but he was certain that the next time he met this man, all hell would break loose.

The man, Ilay League-row, looked no different than he had in the morning. And no different than he had the previous night. The only thing that had changed was his attire; his calm and relaxed movements, his perfectly pale face, and his expression, showing no trace of fatigue, were all the same.

He seemed to pay no mind to Jeong Tae-ui, sitting down and opening his book as if he hadn’t spoken at all. And silently, he turned the pages. His gaze, through his glasses, was steadily fixed on the book.

Did this bastard perhaps forget…? Did he forget that I pointed a gun at him this morning?

As Jeong Tae-ui stared at him with a dubious expression, Ilay League-row, who had been turning pages, sensed his gaze and looked up. Their eyes met. He calmly stared back at Jeong Tae-ui, who couldn’t even think to avoid his gaze, then seemed to ponder something for a moment before closing his book.

“Why? Do you want help?”

With that, he gestured for the remaining notebook and pen, as if readily offering to help.

“So that’s the punishment for the Weapon Possession Violation. Light. Chief Instructor Jeong must have gone easy on you because you’re his nephew.”

Jeong Tae-ui frowned at his calm, unsmiling words.

“You seem to want to say I’m getting special treatment. If so, I have something I’d like to ask you. If I get special treatment because I’m an instructor’s nephew, then what kind of relationship do you have with whom, that you can brutally smash people and still walk around without any sanctions?”

At that, he smiled. And waved his hand.

“There’s no need to bristle like that. I merely thought that Chief Instructor Jeong dotes on his nephew. Don’t be angry; I’m simply stating the obvious fact that I wouldn’t be displeased even if you received no punishment at all.”

“…Did the rumors of my relationship with my uncle reach even the Europe Branch?”

“News of a rare brave man who pointed a gun at my throat came to my ears even before the long hand of the clock completed one revolution. Mr. Jeong Tae-ui, the ‘lion of justice,’ who was dragged into the Asia Branch by his uncle’s hand less than a month ago.”

So he hadn’t forgotten after all. But why is this crazy bastard so quiet?

Jeong Tae-ui tilted his head, silently glaring at him. He raised an eyebrow as if amused.

“Why that face? I think I’m the one who should be glaring.”

“…”

“Or did you think that as soon as I saw you, I’d immediately bite out your throat?”

“Yes.”

To Ilay League-row’s question, Jeong Tae-ui replied, frowning discontentedly. Ilay League-row laughed.

“I might, but I don’t feel like it right now. Just wait a little longer.”

Having said that, he reopened his book. And, as if he didn’t want to be disturbed further, he kept his eyes on the book and didn’t look up again.

Jeong Tae-ui watched him for a moment before looking away and starting to move his pen again. As he mechanically moved the pen, he slowly mulled over the man’s words. The words he pondered the longest were the very last ones.

“I don’t feel like it right now. Just wait a little longer.” And the interpretation of those words quickly came to him, even before he repeated them a few times. It meant that he wouldn’t do it at this very moment, but whenever the mood struck him, he would rip out his throat. That could be in just one minute, or it could be the day they returned after the Joint Training.

It would be better to act right now. What’s the difference between this and being told to stay on edge for the next two weeks?

Suddenly, a surge of emotion rose within him, and he tightened his grip on the pen. Rip, the notebook tore, making a hole.

Kim So-wi, the unlucky bastard, suddenly came to mind. That guy was like this too. When the news that Jeong Tae-ui was involved in a knife fight at a shop frequented by homosexuals returned to the Military Academy, Kim So-wi happened to be the first to hear it. At that time, he too looked at Jeong Tae-ui with a sneering laugh. And as if to be heard, he muttered, “Well, there’s no need for the rumor to spread right this instant, is there?”

Are unlucky bastards similar even in that? No, but Kim So-wi was just unlucky; he wasn’t dangerous like that guy. In that sense, Kim So-wi was better. Though it was six of one, half a dozen of the other.

As indignation surged, perhaps due to his increased speed, Jeong Tae-ui had already finished transcribing the second notebook and pulled a new one towards him. On the first page, he wrote again: “UNHRDO Rules and Regulations, Article 1, concerning the organizational structure of the organization, et cetera.”

The advantage and disadvantage of such repetitive work was that while his hands kept moving, no other thoughts came to his mind. Perhaps because a threat to his life was before him, only the dark two weeks ahead occupied his thoughts.

“Nothing’s changed, really. Just keep a low profile, hide well, and when there’s no other choice, stick close to colleagues, and somehow just cling to life…”

Even if he was called cowardly and contemptible, if his safety was guaranteed, Jeong Tae-ui was ready to follow the instructors’ coattails for the entire two weeks. Surely, they wouldn’t commit murder right in front of an instructor.

As Jeong Tae-ui mumbled and moved his pen, he suddenly felt a gaze and looked up.

The words he had mumbled very softly to himself couldn’t possibly have been heard, yet at some point, Ilay League-row had been watching Jeong Tae-ui with an amused expression. As their eyes met, he smiled as if daring him to continue.

“…What happens if someone kills a person in front of an instructor?”

Jeong Tae-ui paused his pen for a moment and, since their eyes had met, asked the question. His intentions might be obvious, but this was no time to hide them. Ilay League-row chuckled deeply, then pointed a finger at Jeong Tae-ui’s palm.