00041 --- The Little Prince in the Ossuary ---
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#Inner Chamber (3), Camp Roberts
The efficiency of 「Instruction」 increases as the number of subjects decreases. That was why Gyeo-ul pushed Yura even on weekends. These were trainings that tested the limits of both body and mind, and she endured them with gritted teeth.
Currently, it was shooting training. Eight large targets were lined up at a distance of 10 meters. Each target had ten numbers written on them. Among them, only multiples of 7 should be shot. It was a moving shoot, and one must not stay in one spot for more than three seconds.
"Multiple of 7, multiple of 7,"
Yura endlessly murmured.
Gyeo-ul pressed the stopwatch and blew the whistle.
"You filthy whore! Being born itself was a mistake for a slut like you! Damn it, why were you even born! Aren't you ashamed to your parents?! Or is your mother also a whore?!"
A middle-aged man was hurling all sorts of curses at Yura. He even pushed her roughly. Yura bit her lip. Bang! The first shot missed. She immediately took another shot, and another, and another. Before three seconds passed, she fired four times and took two steps to aim again. The aim was shaky. The man continued to scream. His breath was foul. Yura felt confused. Was 42 a multiple of 7? Her heated mind was too foggy to think clearly. She fired. Leaving behind an uncertain feeling, she moved on.
The next target. Her shaky eyes quickly scanned the entire target.
19? No. 25? No. 63?... 7 times 9. Right. I should shoot. Did I shoot? Did I miss? Again... Ah, three seconds!
Gyeo-ul moved in stride with her, scoring as he went. Starting with 100 points, deductions were made. Points were deducted for missing, for staying still for more than three seconds, for shooting the wrong number, and also for not shooting the correct numbers. When Yura passed the second target, her score dropped to 79.
Tsk. She ran out of bullets. Yura removed the magazine with one hand and took out a spare with the other.
"Ah!"
She dropped it. Yura's face crumpled. Gyeo-ul deducted five points. As she frantically picked up the magazine, the foul-mouthed man's cursing poured over her head like a waterfall.
Distracted, she eventually left two numbers unshot before moving to the next target.
Still, she gradually improved. If she had performed like she did at the start, her final score would have been zero.
"47 points?"
"Yes. 47 points in 1 minute and 19 seconds. You did well."
"Haaa..."
Yura squatted down, covering her face. Her shoulders trembled slightly. Huff. She wiped her tears with her fingertips. The man who had been cursing felt genuinely sorry.
"Uh... I'm sorry, Yura. You know it wasn't sincere, right?"
"I know. It's just tough. It'll be okay after a while. It's not the first time."
Gyeo-ul plopped down next to her. He offered her a handkerchief. She accepted it silently. Wiping her eyes dry, the middle-aged helper sat next to Gyeo-ul, looking around hesitantly. Clearing his throat, he coughed. Gyeo-ul smiled, searching his pocket. He took out a pack of cigarettes and offered it to the older man, who sighed and pulled one out. As he placed it in his mouth, Gyeo-ul lit it for him.
Sss- the cigarette tip burned visibly. Holding his breath, the older man finally exhaled with a relieved 'Puh' after reaching a point of concern. Then he muttered,
"I came because I could smoke, otherwise, it's unbearable. When they asked me to prepare a bunch of insults, I wondered what it was for... The hardest is definitely Yura. Honestly, I was afraid she might shoot me."
Half-joking, half-serious, he smoked continuously. Gyeo-ul didn't bother to reply. They needed this quiet moment. After a few minutes, Yura, her tears dried, asked,
"Why are we doing this practice?"
Then, Yura added,
"I really don't hate it. I'm just curious... Isn't it more important to shoot from afar?"
Just then, she started coughing. Cough, cough. The smoke from the cigarette blew in her direction due to a change in the wind. The older man sheepishly moved aside.
With a soft smile, Gyeo-ul spoke.
"This is training to maintain composure and judgment under urgent situations. You're in a combat team. When a platoon is formed, you'll be a squad leader. If you get confused during a real operation, it could endanger not just you but your entire squad. I want to prevent that."
"I see..."
Yura wiped her face dry, kept the handkerchief stating she would wash and return it, and stood up with determination. She slapped her own cheeks. Smack! Then, she winced from the pain. Her eyes glistened again, but for a different reason. The older man laughed. Yura, feigning ignorance, stated confidently.
"I want to try harder. What's next?"
She ran and rolled diligently. Shooting drills were repeated a few more times. She endured well. Partly due to Gyeo-ul's 「Perception」 of her potential, wanting to meet expectations, and reduced exhaustion from the 'instruction'.
By dusk, Yura was completely exhausted. Gyeo-ul offered to support her, but she refused. She didn't want to appear weak in front of others, especially wary of the eyes of other organizations over the alliance members. It was evident she understood the role she was taking on.
"Wait, something seems to be happening here?"
The older man, a step ahead, sounded surprised.
Near the base of the 「Gyeo-ul Alliance」, a crowd was gathering. The crowd was divided, pointing fingers, and shouting at each other. Gyeo-ul entrusted Yura to the older man.
"Come slowly. I'll go ahead."
As he approached, the atmosphere shifted.
One side consisted of the 「Gyeo-ul Alliance」 members. Familiar faces brightened quickly. Cheers erupted.
The other side was from the 「Damul Development Society」.
Gyeo-ul recognized the people who had been with Im Hwasu. Meeting eyes, they visibly feared. The crowd stirred and retreated. In addition, the woman, children, and elderly who were with them showed visible fear.
Why were non-combatants here?
Two deputy leaders wedged between the crowd approached.
"Just in time, leader. We were about to send someone..."
Jang Yun-cheol warmly welcomed Gyeo-ul. Sweat beaded on his forehead. Min Wan-gi tried to act calm but his hands trembled slightly. For a typical scholar, standing before a group of burly laborers couldn't have been easy. Both deputy leaders showed responsibility.
Gyeo-ul asked,
"What's going on here? Could you explain?"
Just as Jang Yun-cheol was about to answer, a boy darted out from the 「Damul Development Society」 side.
"That guy took our Mong-gi!"
He seemed about ten years old. His small eyes were filled with tears and hatred. A woman, presumably his mother, rushed out. She hugged the boy and repeatedly bowed to Gyeo-ul.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
Despite trying to retreat, Gyeo-ul stopped her. She jolted as he touched her. He quickly withdrew his hand to reassure her.
"Please, just a moment. I want to hear your story. I won't harm you. I promise."
She didn't seem to trust the promise. She stood rigidly, unable to resist Gyeo-ul. It appeared she had only heard negative rumors about Gyeo-ul, which was to be expected as part of the 「Damul Development Society」.
The boy broke away from his mother's grasp. Gyeo-ul kneeled to meet his eye level.
"I'm not sure what happened with Mong-gi. Is he a dog?"
"A dog! Mom said he's like my brother!"
Gyeo-ul nodded, understanding the situation.
"I see. And who took Mong-gi?"
"That guy!"
Following the boy's pointed finger, Gyeo-ul saw a man appearing flustered. The crowd parted as he moved toward Gyeo-ul.
"Could you come over here?"
The man approached, wearing a resentful expression. Gyeo-ul confirmed his name.
"If I remember correctly, your name is Yu Jae-heung... was it?"
The man's face lit up.
"That's right, little leader. You remember."
Jae-heung wasn't anyone special. Gyeo-ul just made an effort to remember as many names of the 「Gyeo-ul Alliance」 members as possible. It was part of a task for good leadership. Regardless, the man seemed to misconstrue it as something more favorable to him. Gyeo-ul asked,
"Did you, by any chance, take this boy's dog?"
Expecting a simple yes or no, a lengthy explanation ensued.
"Ah, actually, there was some misunderstanding, you see..."
People who need self-justification tend to ramble. Gyeo-ul wanted to frown but restrained himself. Doing so would lead to even longer excuses.
"In short."
After hearing him out, Gyeo-ul discarded the unnecessary parts.
"So you took the dog thinking it had no owner?"
Jae-heung nodded vigorously.
"That's right. There was a dog wandering, and no one around..."
The boy shouted.
"Liar! I was with Mong-gi! You took him! You bad jerk!"
"Hey! It's rude to call an adult a jerk! Where did you learn such manners?!"
Yu Jae-heung shouted, pointing at the mother.
"Teach your kid properly! No wonder the situation happened because you couldn't take care of a dog properly! A leaking jug inside leaks outside too. Get it?!"
Mutters of dissatisfaction spread among the 「Damul Development Society」 side. But they were noticeably quiet. Gyeo-ul was their deterrent. Yu Jae-heung gained more confidence. He seemed to believe speaking loudly equated to winning. Gyeo-ul grabbed his pointing hand.
"Uh? Little leader?"
Jae-heung, ceasing his rant, looked tense. Gyeo-ul lowered his hand and calmly asked,
"Let me confirm again. Was there really no one around when you took the dog?"
"Yes, exactly! So I..."
"Stop there. Please answer as concisely as possible from now on."
Despite feeling uncomfortable at having his words interrupted, Jae-heung nodded. Gyeo-ul requested the boy's mother to cover her child's ears briefly. It was because he could anticipate the answer to the upcoming question. However, he couldn't not ask it as he needed to confront Jae-heung on it.
"Then, what did you do with the dog?"
"Well... I tried to find the owner, but, you know. Our circumstances are not so favorable..."
"Please keep it short."
"... I cooked and ate it."
The murmured answer came out. One could only imagine how much the child wailed when he learned his pet dog was eaten. The mother tightly shut her eyes. Since she referred to the dog as her child's sibling, it's likely her attachment was significant as well.
"Yu Jae-heung, surely you realize your words are inconsistent, don't you?"
Gyeo-ul tilted his head, his voice lowering.
"It's strange from the start. If there was no one around when you took the dog, how could this child identify you? What are the odds of an uninformed child pointing at someone and them genuinely being a dog thief?"
"Dog thief! That's too much!"
"Would you prefer being called a liar or a fraud? Either way, they're as detestable as thieves to me. Choose one."
In response, the alleged dog thief looked vexed. Yu Jae-heung put his hands on his hips, staring at the ground for a while, then sighed as he replied.
"Little leader, this isn't right."
"What did I do?"
"We're on the same side!"
He thumped his chest as if it might burst from frustration.
"I'm not that stupid. When I made up a reasonable story, you should support me! Everyone's watching, what is this supposed to be? It's embarrassing. This doesn't benefit you either."
"What harm does it do?"
"Who's going to follow a leader who doesn't even back his own? Huh? If he pressures someone over a small thing like a dog, how will he inspire trust in significant matters later... that's the point."
He waved his hands emphatically as he spoke.
"Now that we're on the topic, keeping a dog makes no sense in these times, does it? Supplies for humans are scarce, so how can we talk about dog food? Did dogs come before humans? No! It's something that would offend anyone. Everyone has to bear it!"
"......"
"Yes, I acted wrongly. But the world has changed. In such times, we should be flexible and clearly define the boundary of our people. Only then will people commit wholeheartedly. So, let's send those people off and talk among ourselves."
"You can stop."
Gyeo-ul halted his words.
Nearby, the boy was crying. He hadn't heard the part about eating, but he was perceptive enough. He knew why his mom covered his ears, why everyone around them looked the way they did.
Facing the boy and his mother, Gyeo-ul knelt.
"I'm sorry."
A low cry rippled through both sides.
He wasn't bothered. Gyeo-ul bowed deeply, his head almost touching the ground.
"I truly apologize on his behalf."
Murmuring followed, "This is crazy, really crazy."
The mumbles came from the beside Yu Jae-heung. He tried to lift Gyeo-ul, urging him to stop. Meaningless effort.
The status persisted for a while. From the 「Damul Development Society」 side, a man stepped forward.
"Uh, that's enough, please stand."
Gyeo-ul replied,
"I'm apologizing not to the 「Damul Development Society」 but to Mong-gi's mom and brother."
"I am Mong-gi's father."
"......"
Gyeo-ul stood, dusting off his knees. Not giving a glance to the trouble-instigator, he spoke.
"Yu Jae-heung."
"Wha—what is it?"
"I'll give you a choice."
"A choice...?"
"Yes."
Speaking audibly for everyone nearby to hear, he continued.
"Either leave 「Gyeo-ul Alliance」 or let me hit you. Choose one."
Blinking, doubting his ears, Yu Jae-heung looked flabbergasted.
"Excuse me?"
"Initially, I'd prefer just asking you to leave, but you'd likely be killed immediately outside. So, I'm giving you options. Choose. If you don't decide in ten seconds, I'll assume you're leaving the alliance."
"No, wait! Wait, leader! Little leader!"
Yu Jae-heung, stricken with fear, clung desperately, but Gyeo-ul was already looking at his watch. A purchase made at the PX upon becoming an officer.
As Gyeo-ul said, being expelled from the alliance would likely be fatal. Other organizations were undoubtedly watching this unfold.
Ten seconds. Already a short time felt even shorter. As Gyeo-ul shifted his gaze from the watch, Yu Jae-heung cried out his choice.
"I'll take the beating! I'll take it...!"
Gyeo-ul struck immediately. Blood spattered along with his teeth.
He hit as menacingly as possible. Aiming for caution, the intent wasn't to kill, so he held back a bit. A genuine hit could be fatal. Moderately enough, making it difficult to walk or eat properly for about a week seemed appropriate. The interaction between his Level 10 「Close Combat」 and 「Insight」 calculated the optimal intensity and frequency.
After about three minutes of being pummeled, Yu Jae-heung cried like a child.
"Sp-spare me! I didn't know! I'll never do it again."
Phew. Gyeo-ul caught his breath. His chest was burning. He wanted to vent his anger. Suppressing that urge, he addressed the dazed Jang Yun-cheol.
"Take him away. Let me know if you need any medical supplies later."
"Y-yes? Oh, yes!"
Jang Yun-cheol hurried over. Those friendly with him and those he could benefit from quickly joined him in assisting.
Yura, who arrived a bit later and had watched the whole scene, hesitantly approached, watching for Gyeo-ul's reaction.
"You're not still angry, right?"
"Do I seem like I am?"
Relieved by his calm response, she smiled brightly.
"When you knelt earlier, it was impressive. I thought, wow, he really is the little leader. That weird guy babbling about being on the same side? Don't worry. When you hit him, it felt so satisfying. Everyone probably felt the same."
"Thank you. Go rest."
As she headed in, she gave him a thumbs up.
While Gyeo-ul was cooling his insides in the evening breeze, Min Wan-gi stood beside him.
"You did well."
"No, it was something that had to happen at least once. I hope it serves to solidify our internal cohesion."
"I haven't forgotten the little leader's inaugural speech. I'll hint it to Deputy Jang as well."
After a brief pause, Min Wan-gi spoke.
"It wasn't intended, but this turned out mutually beneficial."
Amidst the dog thief's blabbering, there was one noteworthy remark.
Keeping a dog in times like these made no sense.
Correct. Not just anyone could afford it. Feeding pets was a luxury. Therefore, 'Mong-gi's family' must be of high rank within the 「Damul Development Society」.
Why did Mong-gi's father intervene at the last minute? While the mother already had.
A staged incident to share a sense of 'unjust victimhood'. Ultimately, the 「Damul Development Society」 also aimed to strengthen its inner workings. With Gyeo-ul's adversarial prestige rising, it was even more critical.
Yu Jae-heung was the baited fish. Yet, his selfishness provided no room for absolution.
Such thoughts immediately translated to the 「Telegraphy」 strings.
Gyeo-ul assessed.
"It was a dull play. I hope this kind of thing ends today."
"I'll be cautious. Seeing as you hit him quite significantly, I think people will regulate themselves. Ah, may I smoke one?
Min Wan-gi asked, holding a cigarette. Gyeo-ul lit it for him.