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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Bang Tae-gyu
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"These fucking bastards are asking to die."
A raucous noise echoed through the abandoned factory early in the morning.
Thwack—! Thwack—! Thwack—!
Bang Tae-gyu kicked over three kneeling students, one by one.
"Did I tell you to bring 200,000 won each or not?"
"Ugh..."
"What's this? Not answering? You think my words are a joke?"
"Wa-wait... Gack!"
A soccer kick landed squarely on a student's face.
Thwack—! Thwack—! Thwack—!
As the kicking resumed, the students curled up like turtles, groaning in pain.
"Blocking it? You're blocking it? Look up."
As Bang Tae-gyu grabbed one by the hair and slapped his cheek, the other delinquents smoking in the back snickered.
But despite their outward appearance, they were tense inside.
Bang Tae-gyu's ruthlessness terrified them.
'That's Bang Tae-gyu for you. He's merciless even to the losers.'
'No wonder even the upperclassmen from other schools grovel before him.'
'I should never, ever mess with Tae-gyu.'
Bang Tae-gyu was 185 centimeters tall.
A rather large frame for a second-year middle schooler.
Naturally, he was overwhelming among his peers.
He was a good fighter, too, famous even among the other delinquents.
"Fuck, I was planning to buy a motorcycle with the money I collected today, but these assholes are no help at all."
Fuming, Bang Tae-gyu turned to the delinquents who had been watching.
"Hey. Any of you fuckers have some money?"
"Huh? U-us?"
"I'll pay you back next month for sure."
The flustered delinquents scratched the backs of their heads with troubled expressions.
"S-sorry. I just get a small allowance from my parents..."
"M-me too. I don't have anything saved up since I spent it on cigarettes. Haha..."
They tried to refuse as politely as possible, but Bang Tae-gyu's face was already contorted with rage.
"Useless bastards. Maybe I should just beat you all to a pulp."
"Huh?"
"W-was that directed at us?"
"Yeah, you motherfuckers. If you can't even lend me money, what makes you any different from these shuttle shits here?"
Bang Tae-gyu's anger was genuine.
Realizing this, the panicked delinquents bowed their heads and began to apologize.
"S-sorry we couldn't be of help..."
"I'll try to save up my allowance so you can buy your motorcycle..."
"Forget it, damn it. How long would it take to buy one with your pathetic allowance?"
Bang Tae-gyu, still fuming, kicked the fallen students irritably.
Thwack, thwack—!
"It's all because of these bastards!"
Thwack, thwack—!
"If these shits had just brought the money on time, then fuck!"
Only when the students went limp, unable to even groan, did Bang Tae-gyu's kicking stop.
"Tch, fucking pieces of shit. Ptooey!"
Spitting, Bang Tae-gyu raised a finger toward the delinquents.
One of them quickly pulled out a cigarette and handed it to him.
"Hooo..."
After taking a drag and striking a pose, Bang Tae-gyu turned back to his cronies.
"Hey, you know anywhere I can get some money?"
"Huh? Get money?"
"Yeah. Is there any way?"
"Hmm..."
"Well..."
The delinquents stroked their chins, pondering as if it were their own problem.
If they couldn't come up with the money, his wrath might turn on them again.
"How about robbing a convenience store?"
"You want to go to the police station?"
"What about stealing from the homeless guys begging near the station?"
"Might as well try to get blood from a stone. How much could a homeless person possibly make?"
"Then what about shaking down other students on the street?"
"That's the most realistic option."
"But where are we gonna find students at this hour? They're all cooped up at home for vacation."
"We could check PC bangs or coin karaoke rooms."
"There are a lot of CCTVs these days, so it'll be tough."
"That's why you have to cover your face and do it carefully."
As they put their heads together, casually plotting their crimes.
"Oh, speaking of which, Tae-gyu."
One of the delinquents asked Bang Tae-gyu.
"Why didn't you call that guy?"
"Who?"
"You know, the shuttle in your class."
"Ah, you mean that bastard Ryu Won?"
A sly smile spread across Bang Tae-gyu's lips.
"I was going to call him today anyway. He needs a good beating to celebrate the new year."
"What if you call and he doesn't show?"
"Don't worry. I know where he lives."
"We can just shake him down for some cash then."
"Right. That'll work."
The delinquents agreed, but Bang Tae-gyu shook his head.
"That bastard's broke. I heard he only eats ramen when he's home because he has no money."
"Huh? Seriously?"
"You think I'd be lying about something like that?"
"Ah... sorry."
"But how poor is he that he only eats ramen?"
"I know, right? To be living in Seoul, you'd think they'd have some money."
As his friends expressed their doubts, Bang Tae-gyu shrugged.
"I don't know either. But seeing as he never brings a single penny even after I beat the shit out of him, he must really be broke. He lives in some rundown multi-family house, too."
"Oh, really?"
"Still, isn't it weird? He's that poor but goes to school in Seoul? His parents must be out of their minds."
"That bastard doesn't have a mom or dad. They died in a car accident, so he lives with just his older brother."
Though the situation might have warranted some pity, the delinquents just snickered mockingly.
"What a fucking pathetic life. No parents. Hehehehe."
"So that's why he's a beggar, fuck. Kekekeke."
The mockery was followed by conspiracy theories.
"Tae-gyu. I don't think that guy is actually broke."
"I think so too. He must have gotten an inheritance. It doesn't make sense for him to have no money."
"I heard that kids without parents actually live better these days because of all the welfare benefits they get."
"Right. I think he's been playing poor from the start to avoid getting shaken down."
"He's probably out eating a fancy steak after school."
The delinquents' arguments seemed plausible enough that Bang Tae-gyu's face turned red with anger.
"That son of a bitch dared to play me? I'm gonna call him right now and beat him half to death, that motherf..."
Bang Tae-gyu was about to pull out his phone and make the call when he suddenly stopped.
"What's wrong, Tae-gyu?"
"Wait. Do you hear something?"
At Bang Tae-gyu's words, the delinquents listened intently.
Thud, thud—
Footsteps could be heard in the quiet, abandoned factory.
Not just one person, but what sounded like two or more.
A moment later, two men appeared before the delinquents.
One of them was a face Bang Tae-gyu knew well.
"Huh? You...?"
It was Ryu Won, the subject of their conversation just moments ago.
Bang Tae-gyu let out a long sigh.
All his tension drained away, making him feel foolish for being on edge.
"Speak of the devil... no, not the devil, but a dog? Ryu Won, you son of a bitch."
Upon seeing him, Ryu Won immediately wore a frightened expression.
While that sight was inwardly satisfying, it wasn't completely gratifying.
Because the man next to him showed no change in expression.
'Who the hell is that guy? He's so small, but his expression is fucking annoying.'
Bang Tae-gyu gestured with his chin, a scowl on his face.
"Who's the guy next to you? A new shuttle you brought along because you thought I might be bored?"
"H-here is..."
Before Ryu Won could speak, Ryu Min stepped forward.
"I'm Won's older brother."
"Brother?"
A short, derisive laugh escaped Bang Tae-gyu's lips.
"I told you before, right? Keep your mouth shut if you don't want to die. But you ended up tattling to your brother anyway? You even told him the location of our hideout?"
"N-no! I didn't say anything..."
"Cut the crap, you bastard. You're dead today. You and your brother."
Bang Tae-gyu's fierce eyes locked onto Ryu Min.
He was still maintaining a blank expression, but Bang Tae-gyu saw it.
For a brief moment, the kid's gaze flinched as if in fear.
'Heh, what an idiot. Getting scared by a simple bluff.'
He'd thought the kid had some guts since his expression hadn't changed, but it seemed he was wrong.
'No, it's too early to judge.'
Bang Tae-gyu glanced behind the brothers.
It didn't seem like they had called anyone else; there were no more footsteps.
'He must have heard about me, but he still came with just the two of them? Is he some kind of fighter?'
Bang Tae-gyu had fought countless opponents during his time as a delinquent.
Among them were smaller guys like this brother.
'Underestimating someone because they're short is something only an amateur would do.'
First, he needed to check his skills.
Bang Tae-gyu gave his friends a subtle glance.
Receiving the signal, the delinquents nodded slightly and stepped forward.
"Wow, the world's gotten soft. A shuttle that dares to talk back to Tae-gyu."
"Is your brother that good of a fighter? Fuck, if you're so confident, why don't you go a round with us?"
Three delinquents approached with menacing looks, but Ryu Min showed no sign of fear.
'He's got some guts. That's how he got here. Now, for his skills...'
He would find out in a moment.
The distance between the delinquents and the brother was now close enough to touch.
'Watching scrubs fight is the most entertaining.'
It was a tense, volatile situation.
Just as Bang Tae-gyu crossed his arms to watch comfortably.
Crack—!
Unexpectedly, the brother's side struck first.
"Ugh, this bastard!"
The delinquent, clutching his nose, threw a punch.
Whoosh, whoosh—
But Ryu Min dodged it deftly with a weave and landed a punch on his chin instead.
Thud—
As one of them fell limply, the other delinquents charged with fire in their eyes.
"You son of a bitch!"
But they were no match for Ryu Min from the start.
Thwack—! Thwack—!
The delinquents who took hits to the cheekbone and stomach fell one after another, and Ryu Min's follow-up kick broke their front teeth.
"Keoheuk..."
"Aaargh..."
It didn't take long for the three of them to be taken down.
Bang Tae-gyu's eyebrows arched like a bow.
'That bastard...'
He had wondered how well such a short guy could fight, and now he had his answer.
'He was just a scrub.'
He must have learned boxing somewhere, as his stance was decent, but that was it.
'He was planning to take me on with such pathetic skills?'
To Bang Tae-gyu, who also had a boxing background, it looked like nothing more than a beginner's attempt.
"Hey, Won's brother. You seem to be acting cocky just because you learned a little boxing..."
Bang Tae-gyu walked past the fallen delinquents and stepped forward.
"But it looks like you never learned how big a deal weight classes are in boxing, huh?"
"..."
As Bang Tae-gyu stood before him, Ryu Min looked up.
Bang Tae-gyu, 185 centimeters tall with a sturdy build.
Ryu Min, 165 centimeters tall with a frail, weak-looking frame.
The obvious difference in size made the outcome seem easy to predict without even fighting.
But surprisingly, his opponent showed no signs of being intimidated.
"And you must not have seen the news, huh?"
"What news?"
"Tsk."
Ryu Min clicked his tongue as if looking at something pathetic, and a vein popped on Bang Tae-gyu's forehead.
"What news, you motherfucker!"
Enraged, Bang Tae-gyu threw a surprise punch.
An ordinary person would have been hit in the face and staggered, with no time to react.
Whoosh—
But Ryu Min dodged the attack with a simple nod of his head.
His pride wounded, Bang Tae-gyu threw a follow-up, but that too was dodged.
The third, fourth, and fifth punches all hit nothing but air.
His plan to gain the upper hand with a preemptive strike was not going as he'd thought.
"You slippery little shit!"
Frustrated, Bang Tae-gyu alternated between punches and kicks, trying to land a hit on Ryu Min.
He thought he could land at least one blow, but that was a clear miscalculation.
"If you'd seen the news, you wouldn't be picking a fight with a Player like me."
Ryu Min, who had been leisurely dodging, threw a punch.
Smack—!
"Keuk!"
It landed squarely on Bang Tae-gyu's face.
But it wasn't enough to take down Bang Tae-gyu, who had a decent amount of durability.
"You piece of shit! Was that a mosquito bite? A hit like that just tickles..."
Crack—!
Another punch landed while he was still talking.
His nose throbbed.
"I'll kill you!"
He swung with the intent to kill, but it missed without fail.
Crack—! Crack—!
One hit, two hits. As the damage to his face accumulated, he no longer felt like talking.
"Kuaaaargh!"
Only rage clouded his vision.
Crack—! Crack—!
Regardless, Ryu Min continued to target only Bang Tae-gyu's face.
No matter how weak the power, a punch to the face was bound to do damage.
As proof, Bang Tae-gyu's nose was broken, and his lips were split and bleeding.
With such a one-sided assault, the difference in weight class was irrelevant.
'Fuck, just one hit. If I can just land one hit...!'
Even while getting pummeled, Bang Tae-gyu didn't give up.
His pride wouldn't allow him to admit defeat to such a scrub.
"This isn't the time to be prideful."
Ryu Min's fist once again struck Bang Tae-gyu's face.
'I got hit again, damn it!'
He didn't know how many times he'd been hit.
He couldn't even feel the pain in his face anymore.
Ryu Min's movements were so clean and efficient that it was hard to believe he was the same person who had fought earlier.
Bang Tae-gyu scowled and threw a wide hook.
As it missed, Ryu Min closed the distance and drove a fist into his chin.
"Ah..."
For a moment, his vision swam, and he saw another fist flying toward him.
He hated to admit it, but just attacking was getting him nowhere.
He instinctively raised his hands to block.
Thwack—
'Huh?'
Instead of hitting his guard, his opponent grabbed his outstretched fingers.
Snap!
"Kuaaaaargh!"
Bang Tae-gyu screamed as his fingers were bent at a grotesque angle.
But as soon as he bent over, Ryu Min's knee shot up and smashed into his face.
"Keoheok!"
"Hey."
Ryu Min had already grabbed Bang Tae-gyu's other hand.
Snap—!
"Uwaaaargh! I-it hurts! It hurts!"
Snap—! Snap—!
"S-stop! Pleeease! Aaaargh!"
Despite his pleas, Ryu Min mercilessly snapped all ten of his fingers like chicken necks.
"Hey."
Ryu Min spoke again, his voice as cold as frost.
"You know what happens if you mess with my little brother, right?"
"Khh-heup... Heup..."
"Not answering?"
"O-okay. I w-won't mess with him."
Though Bang Tae-gyu, his face now a mess of tears and snot, managed to nod his head.
Thwack—
Ryu Min grabbed one of Bang Tae-gyu's arms, clearly not finished.
"Wh-what are you trying to..."
"I have to make sure you don't get any funny ideas later."
"D-don't. Don't...!"
Despite Bang Tae-gyu's protests.
Crack—!
"Aaaaaaaaargh!"
Ryu Min twisted Bang Tae-gyu's arm in a grotesque direction.
"Try to get revenge or report this to the police. I'll hunt you to the ends of the earth and break your other arm."
"Khhh-heuh... O-okay... I go...t it."
It was the first time that the feeling of true terror had been seared into Bang Tae-gyu's mind.