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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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“Ah, about that.”
The village headman avoided my gaze.
“Only one was sighted. If that’s the case, we can’t know the scale. So why was it specified as small-scale?”
This bastard, don’t tell me… Did he arbitrarily decide the scale based on uncertain information just to save on the commission fee, treating it as a small-scale request?
Then it’s fraud.
This fucking bastard.
“Ah, that’s! If the scale was large, they would have obviously attacked the village, so that’s why I said that! It’s a small group, so they didn’t attack the village! That’s why I said that!”
The village headman said that with a chuckle, but
I’m not a sucker who’ll just let this slide.
“Then, headman. What will you do if the Gobulin group is larger than expected?”
“Hmm?”
“We clearly came based on a small-scale group request. But now that we’re here, the situation proves that the information was inaccurate. Therefore, if the Gobulin group’s size is larger than we knew, it becomes a fraudulent contract. Can you take responsibility for that?”
“Th, that’s…”
As I pressed him, the village headman avoided my eyes and trailed off.
This kind of thing needs to be firmly addressed.
“Ah, wait a moment!”
Then, the scrawny-looking Jang Yeomin interrupted.
“Hmm? Jang Yeomin?”
“Kim Geun-hyeop! We can just handle this smoothly, so why do you keep picking a fight with the village headman?”
“What?”
What is this?
“Making a fuss over this won’t do us any good! Village headman! We’ll just smooth things over, so please forgive his rudeness!”
“Uh, uhm.”
What the hell is this nonsense.
“Jang Yeomin. What are you talking about? We came to carry out a combat request. Therefore, the request details must be specific, and the compensation must be clearly stated. What do you mean by smoothing things over?”
“This man is so frustrating! I’ll talk, so you stay out of it!”
Jang Yeomin shouted, as if frustrated.
“Smoothing things over” is something you do with friends. Like when you go somewhere to have fun, you just brush aside minor issues and enjoy yourselves.
But this isn’t some game. This is a life-or-death combat contract. There’s no such thing as “smoothing things over” in a contract like this.
“What’s so frustrating! Jang Yeomin! I’ll negotiate with the village headman, so stay quiet!”
“I’m saying let’s just smooth things over, what’s with the negotiations…!”
This bastard, I really want to beat him up!
What is this guy doing!
“Alright.”
While I was arguing with Jang Yeomin, the village headman intervened and said,
“If there are more Gobulins than expected, I’ll increase the compensation. So please be quiet.”
“Understood, headman. Then, specifically, how much compensation per head…”
“Ah! I said let’s just smooth things over! Kim Geun-hyeop! The village headman is giving us face, and you keep trying to make a scene!”
“This son of a bitch!”
This bastard, really!
“Ah, ah! Calm down! Kim Geun-hyeop!”
“You too, Jang Yeomin!”
Oh Geunsik and Do Samcheol each stopped us.
That Jang Yeomin… he reeks of Go Seok-sam.
I really want to teach him a lesson, but for now, we’re on the same team, we have a job to do, and the fact that we’re in someone else’s village strengthened my patience.
Whatever it is, the village headman said he’d give us more compensation, so let’s move on.
We stepped outside the village headman’s house.
Even then, Jang Yeomin seemed unable to contain his anger, constantly glaring at me and muttering.
“I really don’t understand why you do things that way.”
My fist itches, really.
“Jang Yeomin… Let’s go over this again. This is a contract where we have to fight for our lives. And you say “smooth things over”? Don’t say such ridiculous things. If we don’t address this specifically, there will be problems later, don’t you understand?”
“As if the village headman wouldn’t take care of it! Isn’t it tiring to always act like that?”
“Who are you to say ‘always act like that’?! You’ve barely met me!”
“Uh…”
Time for some discipline!
“Damn it! I told you to stop!”
“Ugh…”
I held back for Oh Geunsik, who was stopping me.
Jang Yeomin, you bastard, we’ll talk after this is over.
“Sigh, I apologize. Oh Geunsik. Do Samcheol. Since it’s late, we’ll stay in the village and move before dawn tomorrow.”
Calming my anger, I directed the team.
Let’s get separate rooms from Jang Yeomin.
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Late at night.
After finishing our preparations for departure, we moved to the mountain the village headman told us about. But that damn Jang Yeomin, still disgruntled about something, kept badmouthing me as he walked behind me.
“The village headman was giving us face, and he ruined it… He doesn’t seem like a proper warrior.”
Oh Geunsik and Do Samcheol gave noncommittal responses to Jang Yeomin’s words.
I doubted they were joining in on his backbiting, so I just endured it. The important thing wasn’t that bastard, but the Gobulins.
“Hmm, still, it would have been fine to smooth things over.”
Then, Do Samcheol muttered softly.
“…”
These guys…
No way, right?
You guys aren’t incompetent, are you?
“Sigh. Forget it. According to the information, Gobulins were sighted around here, so we’ll slowly search and find them.”
“Understood.”
“Let’s do that.”
At my words, everyone dispersed and began searching for the Gobulins.
“…”
I moved, searching for Gobulin tracks as Song had taught me. Knowing exactly what to do boosted my confidence and made my actions fluid.
As expected, nothing is more valuable than specialized knowledge in this world. Song’s precious information had made me more experienced.
Let’s worship him.
Originally, I would have shared this information with everyone… but because of that bastard Jang Yeomin, I can’t. I know it’s petty, but I don’t want to tell that asshole anything.
While I was thinking that,
“Bingo.”
I found Gobulin tracks carved into a tree.
“Everyone, over here!”
“Did you find something?”
Oh Geunsik, the first to arrive, asked.
“It seems like Gobulins have moved around this area. Look, there. Judging by the broken branches and flattened plants.”
“Oh, ohh?”
Oh Geunsik was impressed by my made-up explanation. The other two arrived while we were talking.
Jang Yeomin glanced around and muttered.
“These are Gobulin tracks? Doesn’t seem like it… Can you take responsibility for that?”
Really.
Should I just kill him?
My murderous intent soared. But I’m not a crazy serial killer… I can’t kill him just because he’s acting like a jerk.
This kind of guy just needs a good beating.
While fighting for my life against those robbers before, I established a principle for killing: If someone needs to be killed, I kill them. In other words, if they don’t need to be killed, I don’t kill them.
“Jang Yeomin.”
This guy just needs to be beaten to a pulp.
“Hmm?”
“This is your last warning. Run your mouth one more time and I’ll beat the crap out of you. Got it?”
“Wha, what? What is this bastard saying…! Ha! This guy’s been getting on my nerves since yesterday! Spouting nonsense in front of the village headman!”
“Hey.”
I couldn’t take it anymore.
I didn’t want to cause conflict before battle, but then I realized it didn’t really matter. Even on the battlefield, discipline exists. Disciplining incompetent soldiers who lower morale with fists is a long-standing tradition.
“Didn’t I just tell you? Run your mouth one more time and you’re dead?”
“Oh, Oh Geunsik!”
Jang Yeomin called out to the other team members, but
“Shut up!”
They all switched to observer mode. I immediately threw a punch at Jang Yeomin’s face.
Wham!
“Kyaaagh!”
Struck by the blow, Jang Yeomin fell backward. This bastard’s weight class is far below mine. Martial arts mastery? That doesn’t matter much for third-raters like us. The strong and tough win.
“Y, you bastard!”
The moment Jang Yeomin grabbed the hilt of his sword in a rage,
Shink.
I pointed my sword at his throat.
“Huh?”
I’m faster at drawing than he is when he’s on the ground flailing around. Jang Yeomin’s expression quickly hardened as the tip of the sword touched his chin.
“Thinking of drawing your sword? If we have a sword fight, one of us will definitely die.”
“Th, that!”
He wasn’t someone who needed to be killed, but if he drew his sword and fought, then he would be.
“I don’t know why you keep provoking me, but should we just finish this here?”
“Spare me…!”
Tears streamed down Jang Yeomin’s face.
“St, stop it!”
“Yeah!”
Oh Geunsik and Do Samcheol intervened between us, stopping the fight. In the end, Jang Yeomin seemed deflated and slumped down, and I sheath my sword.
“Sigh. I apologize for starting a fight before battle. But this is entirely Jang Yeomin’s fault.”
“That’s true, but…”
“Jang Yeomin. Isn’t that right?”
“…”
Jang Yeomin silently nodded.
“So, let’s resolve our feelings here. Hey. Man to man, let’s settle this with our fists. The winner gets the final say, no complaints. How about it?”
“I, I’m sorry! I was wrong!”
When I threatened to beat him up some more, Jang Yeomin bowed his head. That’s right, this is how it should be. I’ve been so frustrated since yesterday I thought I’d die.
Whether it’s Earth or this world, it’s the same.
A whip is the right medicine for a crazy person.
“I accept your apology. Then don’t complain and follow my instructions from now on. Got it?”
“Understood…”
“Good!”
Discipline established.
No more distractions.
“I’ll say it again. This is Gobulin territory. And Gobulins have a habit of patrolling their territory. We’ll ambush here, and they’ll show up.”
There were no objections.
We set up the ambush.
“Kim Geun-hyeop. How long do we have to wait?”
“About an hour.”
“You… seem to know a lot about monsters.”
Oh Geunsik and Do Samcheol said that to me.
Their voices held more respect than before, because they had just witnessed me punch Jang Yeomin.
“Well, you learn as you go. Now be quiet. Wait for them to appear. Two of them should come out; we’ll kill all but one. We’ll injure the survivor and let it go, and it will lead us to their base.”
“Ohh.”
Everyone was impressed when I shared a bit of the knowledge Song had taught me. Even Jang Yeomin up ahead was listening intently.
And so,
After waiting for some time,
“Keruk keruk.”
“Keruruk.”
Gobulins began approaching from over there.
Two of them.
“…!”
As expected of Song!
They appeared just as Song said…! This makes me worship Song even more. Song, how can you be such a wonderful man? I can’t stop worshipping you.
I continued to worship Song in my heart, waiting for the opportunity.
Thud.
When the Gobulins approached Jang Yeomin’s vicinity,
“Now! Attack!”
I gave the order.
“Uwaaaaaaaa!”
“Aaaaa!”
“Keruk?!”
The two Gobulins were startled as four men suddenly jumped out. Oh Geunsik’s sword fell on the head of one of them.
Thwack!
“Kehek!”
One was finished off in an instant, and
“Die!”
I charged at the other one holding a stone axe and tackled him. Not a soccer tackle, but a fighting tackle.
“Keruk?!”
The one I grabbed fell backward, and I pinned him down with my weight, mounted him, and beat him senseless.
“Die! Die, you bastard!”
“Keeek!”
Thwack! Thwack!
The Gobulin wailed pathetically as I beat him black and blue. After beating him for a while, I got off him.
“Now we’ll let it go. It will lead us to its home. Ah, Jang Yeomin. Before we let it go, break both of its arms.”
“U… Understood.”
“Keeek!”
The Gobulin struggled, but in its injured state, it couldn’t overcome the strength of a grown man. Soon, Jang Yeomin broke its arms as I instructed.
Crack!
“Keryaaaagh!”
A mournful scream echoed through the sky.
“Keeek!”
And so, the Gobulin fled into the depths of the forest.
“Let’s pursue. It’s time to fight the enemy’s main force.”
“…”
“This is nerve-wracking…”
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