The Returner - Chapter 459

The reason why ‘labour’ could be treated as work was because you’d get paid according to the labour performed. Most of the time, the payment would be financial in nature. Simply put, people endured and laboured away to make money.

 

In case you couldn’t make money, then people needed to receive something physical as a reward, or at the very least, some kind of satisfaction knowing that they did a good job.

 

A human couldn’t continue doing the same labour without any reward whatsoever. In that sense, the job these people were doing belonged in the category of ‘utterly horrifying’.

 

“Urgh, bloody hell. More metallic bits.”

 

The workers ended up inhaling so much metallic particles in the air that they were tasting sourness in their mouths.

 

The difficulty of the labour was nothing to laugh about, yet they weren’t getting anything much in the way of rewards. No, the only consolation they were getting at the moment was knowing the fact that their labour helped out with the effort to repel the demon king armies in the frontlines.

 

Inevitably, though, there was a limit to that as well.

 

They couldn’t erase this voice inside their heads that kept asking, ‘How will doing this hard labour help anybody out?’

 

Their bodies were shivering away from the cold weather every single day, so trying to shift these bone-chillingly cold scrap metal bits made it doubly tough and irritating.

 

“Eii, screw this sh*t. I can’t do this anymore.” (Choi)

 

Clatter!

 

Someone simply chucked the load on his back away and plopped down on the ground.

 

However, none of the other workers blamed him. Even at a casual glance, this person didn’t seem like someone who had performed this sort of labour before.

 

“Seriously, though. Give me a f*cking break. Just send me off to the frontlines, will ya? Why should I keep doing this crap, anyway?” (Choi)

 

“Mister Choi, I hear that you didn’t even go to the military properly, so what would you even do at the frontlines?”

 

“What are you on about? You think you can do something against those monsters if you get proper military training? I mean, aren’t we just going there to become meat shields?” (Choi)

 

“…”

 

“If I’m at the frontlines, at least I’ll get to shoot some guns and have a nicer time than this. So what the hell am I doing here?” (Choi)

 

“Fella, you should watch what you say. How can you say the ones fighting at the frontlines are having a nicer time?”

 

“Did I say something wrong?!” (Choi)

 

“Calm down Mister Choi. Why are you suddenly getting angry?”

 

“F*ck me. Look at the situation we are in, okay?” (Choi)

 

Mister Choi hit the ground hard and continued on.

 

“We are all going to die, anyway! All of us, dead!” (Choi)

 

“…”

 

“Isn’t our outcome too obvious to see? Hey, don’t you guys have functioning eyes? China couldn’t stop them, and even America can’t do it, so how are we supposed to do something they have all failed? Even if we waste our f*cking time doing this sh*t, we’re all going to die anyway, so why should I break my back in this place?” (Choi)

 

“…Look here, Mister Choi.”

 

What this man said was something everyone had been thinking, but too afraid to say out aloud.

 

“Of course we can stop them. Just because the Chinese couldn’t do it, we can’t do it, either? Who said that? Yes, they failed, but does that mean we’ll also fail, too?”

 

“What bullsh*t are you even talking about?” (Choi)

 

Mister Choi spat on the ground and continued on.

 

“F*ck me. You think we can do something that not even the Americans managed to pull off? Seriously, when that spot thing or whatever showed up, I should’ve quickly escaped to another country.” (Choi)

 

The other people began paying more attention to what Mister Choi was saying.

 

“Sh*t. I’m telling you, all the higher-ups have fled from the country a long time ago. This dude I know works in that kind of field, and he told me that all those people with money have already fled from the country. The government is keeping everything hush since they don’t want to make people worried and sh*t…” (Choi)

 

“Listen here, Mister Choi. You’re out of line.”

 

“What do you mean, I’m out of line? Did I say something wrong here?” (Choi)

 

Mister Choi didn’t want to rein in his agitation and even began shouting at the top of his lungs.

 

“They don’t even feed us properly! Even the military won’t feed me this bad, you know! What point is there in slaving away like this with some sh*tty dog food as my reward?!” (Choi)

 

Everyone seemed to be agreeing with him.

 

There was a limit to fairly distributing rations. After the mass evacuation from Seoul, the financial system of South Korea had completely collapsed. People were not in a situation where they could independently produce something for their own consumption.

 

Meaning, they had no choice but to subsist with the rations provided by the government. The problem here was the fact that the government itself had never faced a situation like this one before, so it simply didn’t have the power or the knowledge to feed all of the surviving citizens.

 

And even if such a thing was possible somehow, it’d still be too much of a stretch to provide all these refugees with meals they were used to eating.

 

“We’re about to die anyway, so what is the point in enduring while toiling away like a bunch of slaves?! Screw it, I quit. I’ll just do whatever I want until I die. I mean, nothing will change just because this little me worked my ass off, right? You think us sending or not sending bullets from this place will make any big difference over there? I don’t think so.” (Choi)

 

Mister Choi spoke with a confidence-filled voice.

 

“I’m going to die anyway, but they want me to slave away like some worker ant and then die? Sorry, but hell no. I’m leaving. I really will, but…” (Choi)

 

Mister Choi glanced at his audience with a somewhat probing face.

 

“…But, what about you folks?” (Choi)

 

“Ng?”

 

“Are you going to stick around and slave away while inhaling all these metal particles? If it was me, I wouldn’t continue with something that stupid, you know?” (Choi)

 

“…But, we’ve been assigned here.”

 

“Why are you listening to the orders of a country that’s about to fall?” (Choi)

 

“But, still…”

 

Mist Choi tutted audibly.

 

“We’re all going to die, right? So why be a madman and keep doing this crap? I’m leaving, so you folks, why don’t you keep slaving away until your dying day?” (Choi)

 

“L-look here, Mister Choi. The police officers are guarding the outside, aren’t they?”

 

“The police, you say?” (Choi)

 

Mister Choi snorted derisively.

 

“Who cares about some stupid cops when our situation is like this?! Do they even have holding cells to put people in, anyway? The police, my a*s!” (Choi)

 

Mister Choi leapt up to his feet and asked.

 

“Okay, so. Anyone coming with me?” (Choi)

 

“…With you?”

 

“That’s right. All of us together. I find all of you just too pitiful, you see. Instead of working like slaves here, let’s just get out of this stinking place and enjoy our remaining freedom on our own terms.” (Choi)

 

“…”

 

The workers stared at each other as hesitation floated up on their faces.

 

It’s just that they hadn’t said anything so far, but everyone here knew that their current job was basically meaningless in the grander scheme of things. Defending the frontlines was getting harder with every passing moment, and eventually, it’d no longer be possible to stop the monster horde.

 

No matter how hard they tried not to give up, there just didn’t seem anything they could place their hope on.

 

“None of you want to come with me?” (Choi)

 

“I…”

 

It was then, someone opened his mouth to speak.

 

“Oiii, uncle.” (Chang-Sik)

 

“Ng?” (Choi)

 

Mister Choi turned around to see who had called out to him only for his eyes to widen. A young man at least a head taller than him was scowling away while glaring at him.

 

“Here’s the thing. I get what you mean when you say there’s no point doing this so you don’t want to carry on.” (Chang-Sik)

 

“…”

 

“In that case, just leave by yourself quietly, okay? And stop inciting other people trying to do their jobs.” (Chang-Sik)

 

“Y-you…” (Choi)

 

Now normally, Mister Choi would’ve blurted out ‘you young punk a*s son of a b*tch’ first, but he operated on common sense, and lacked sufficient courage to say something like that to Chang-Sik’s face.

 

Just like what Mister Choi said, the police had already lost much of their influence these days. They didn’t have any places to lock up the offenders, so unless the situation called for a serious incarceration, the police would turn a blind eye.

 

With the things at this point, it was easy for Mister Choi to understand the simple fact that he should never get in the face of someone like Chang-Sik. But backing off now would hurt his pride a little too much, wouldn’t it?

 

“Did I say something wrong, then?” (Choi)

 

“No, you didn’t, so leave already. And stop yapping on about useless crap.” (Chang-Sik)

 

“What was that?” (Choi)

 

“Argh, are you deaf or something?” (Chang-Sik)

 

Choi Chang-Sik strode fearlessly in front of Mister Choi and stared straight into the latter’s eyes.

 

“Do you know who else said the exact same thing as you, uncle?” (Chang-Sik)

 

“…Ng?” (Choi)

 

“I heard that those Jap stooges from the colonial days said the same thing as you, uncle.” (Chang-Sik)

 

“…”

 

“They said, Korea will never be liberated anyway, so what’s so bad about collaborating with the Japanese? And apparently, they tried so hard to become like the Japanese, too.” (Chang-Sik)

 

Mister Choi was unable to say anything.

 

“Even a dumb*ss like me knows that much from history classes, but uncle, you look like someone who got a decent education, so how can you not know something so basic like that?” (Chang-Sik)

 

“W-working with the Japs aren’t necessarily a bad thing, so what?!” (Choi)

 

“Who said it’s bad?” (Chang-Sik)

 

Chang-Sik waved his hand as if he was chasing a fly away.

 

“I don’t think what those Jap stooges did was particularly bad. I mean, they wish to keep surviving by doing that, so what can anyone do about that, anyway? Honestly speaking, if I was in their shoes, I might have also ended up as a Japanese stooge. Well, I would’ve probably become Nakamura or something. But then…” (Chang-Sik) [1]

 

Chang-Sik’s face twitched noticeably.

 

“At the very least, you should be aware that what you’re doing is going against your morals, right? If you want to commit a sin, then do it by yourself, got that? Stop trying to drag in other people to lessen your guilt. Get my drift?” (Chang-Sik)

 

“…”

 

The thought of ‘a bear-like punk can sure talk up a storm’ popped automatically in Mister Choi’s mind.

 

“So, get going already.” (Chang-Sik)

 

“You want me to go?” (Choi)

 

“Stop ruining the mood for everyone and go away already. If you want to stick around, just go around the corner over there and take a smoke break or something. If you stick around, uncle, you’re just going to worsen the mood even more. So, get going. What are you waiting for?” (Chang-Sik)

 

“I-I got it.” (Choi)

 

Mister Choi and his pouting face trudged away and disappeared from view. Chang-Sik slowly shook his head.

 

“Seriously, what a strange guy.” (Chang-Sik)

 

“Oh, not bad, fella. Aren’t you surprisingly eloquent with your words?”

 

“…I am?” (Chang-Sik)

 

He was always getting led around the nose by Yi Ye-Won, so to be praised as eloquent was…

 

‘Did my level rise up after being around that witch-like girl?’ (Chang-Sik)

 

Just as a chuckle broke out on Chang-Sik’s face, the site foreman rushed over to where the workers were from afar.

 

“Wow, he is really on top of things, isn’t he?” (Chang-Sik)

 

That uncle, he probably was wasting his time goofing off somewhere and only showed up here belatedly after getting the news from someone.

 

Chang-Sik cackled to himself and was about to pick up his A-frame, but then the foreman shouted out in a loud voice.

 

“Excuse me, but who’s Mister Choi Chang-Sik among you?”

 

“Uh?” (Chang-Sik)

 

Chang-Sik turned his head at that voice searching for him.

 

“Me?” (Chang-Sik)

 

His face was quickly filled up with questions.

 

*

 

“I’m not going.” (Chang-Sik)

 

Choi Chang-Sik stared at his conversation partner with a face that asked, what on earth are you even talking about?

 

The person in question was a soldier with all sorts of indistinguishable medals of honour adorning his uniform. He was looking at Chang-Sik with an expression that said he couldn’t comprehend this situation.

 

“You don’t want to go?”

 

“Yes, I ain’t going nowhere.” (Chang-Sik)

 

Chang-Sik snorted derisively.

 

“Isn’t it embarrassing for a man to get out of here alone? But, that’s what you’re telling me to do, right? Do you have any idea what I was talking about before you came?” (Chang-Sik)

 

“…Listen to me, student.”

 

“Nah, you can stop now.” (Chang-Sik)

 

Chang-Sik didn’t need to listen anymore.

 

He was trying to get up from the chair, but the soldier grabbed his arm.

 

“It looks like you misunderstood something here. We are not trying to do something bad to you. I’m not supposed to tell you this, but the truth is, you have been classified as an acquaintance of Mister Yi Ji-Hyuk and therefore will be specially managed from now on.”

 

“No, I hear you.” (Chang-Sik)

 

Chang-Sik shrugged his shoulders. The government wouldn’t have any other reason to seek him out, after all.

 

“I get it, but I’m still not leaving.” (Chang-Sik)

 

“…But, why not? Not just you, but all of your family members will be moved to a shelter. And the shelter is not even in Korea, but in America, no less.”

 

“Argh, seriously man.” (Chang-Sik)

 

Choi Chang-Sik displayed his annoyance.

 

“What am I supposed to do in America when no one speaks Korean there?” (Chang-Sik)

 

“…”

 

“Besides all that, uncle, you gotta understand this one.” (Chang-Sik)

 

Chang-Sik lightly sucked in his breath and spoke in a determined tone of voice.

 

“Our country is in this state, so it’s wrong for me to flee alone, hoping to live my life somewhere else. Especially when it’s someone like me, a healthy young man who can do the job of two people. If I go to a shelter and stay there for no good reason, Ji-Hyuk hyung will try to crack my skull later on, you know? So, stop wasting your time with this matter, and just secure the ladies first.” (Chang-Sik)

 

Chang-Sik tutted as he left the office.

 

“Don’t they know how Ji-Hyuk hyung even operates? Tsk.” (Chang-Sik)

 

< 459. So, you want to use us as meat shields? -4 > Fin.

 

(TL: I didn’t really get the “Nakamura” reference in [1]. I’m assuming that’s a derogatory slang of some kind, or maybe Chang-Sik was simply saying that his surname might have changed to Nakamura during the Japanese occupation of Korea.)