The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 182

When I struck the truck’s engine compartment, the chicken coops piled up like a castle in the cargo bed shook violently. It was just a punch, but the steel plate caved in, and coolant started dripping from under the vehicle. Kkeey-ing- Kkeey-ing-. A pitiful metallic sound came from the cargo bed. It was the groaning of dozens of dogs who realized something was wrong. ‘I’ll get you out. Just wait a moment,’ Jin-hyeok muttered to the dogs, but he had something else to do first. He glared at the driver’s seat and moved to the door. He wasn’t planning to open the door and take the driver out. Huh! Kwaang-! Kwajajak-. The driver’s side door crumpled nicely from a punch that carried all his weight and emotion. This time, he trudged toward the passenger side. Kwaang-! The passenger door also received a free modification. Click-click-. He checked if the door would open with a reasonable amount of force, but the door, which had lost its shape, seemed impossible to open, even for a strongman. Except for Jin-hyeok himself. ‘Don’t go anywhere.’ Jin-hyeok glared at the driver’s seat as he spoke, then immediately moved to the cargo bed. With movements as light as the wind, he jumped onto the cargo bed and opened the chicken coops haphazardly. ‘I’ll get you out. Don’t bite.’ As if proving they were terrified, they tucked their tails between their hind legs and trembled, but they licked Jin-hyeok’s hand. They were speechless animals, but he could tell it was a sign of gratitude. So many dogs whose names and homes he didn’t know. He petted each one, congratulating them on their freedom. ‘Looking at them like this, they remind me of our Jang-gun [a common name for a dog, meaning ‘General’].’ He didn’t count how many there were, but there seemed to be well over 30. ‘Go. Go on-. Go home. Go home!’ They were obviously used to people. They kept looking back, but they seemed to understand as they found their way and cut through the darkness. Wong! Kkeong-kkeong! Perhaps because of their newfound freedom, their voices were full of energy. On the other hand, there was one that stayed by Jin-hyeok’s side no matter how much he pushed it away, circling him and licking his shoes. Looking at how much it liked people, it didn’t seem like a stray dog, so why was it doing this? ‘Ah, maybe…’ Jin-hyeok moved back to the driver’s seat. The driver was just sitting there with a dazed expression, showing no intention of escaping. ‘Why is he acting like he’s seen a ghost?’ Thump-thump-. When he knocked on the driver’s side door with his fist, the driver, startled, made eye contact with him. Jin-hyeok tilted his head for a moment, finding the face somewhat familiar, then he straightened his neck. ‘Where did you get these dogs?’ ‘……Except for a few, they’re all from this neighborhood……’ ‘Except for a few? Where did those few come from?’ ‘Jaedong-ri……’ ‘You bastards, worse than dogs!’ Kwaaaang-! One blow was enough. The body of the 5-ton Mighty truck shook like a toy car. With Jin-hyeok’s furious blow, the side door of the cargo bed was severely deformed, and the empty chicken coops in the cargo bed tumbled down. ‘How many areas did you steal from!’ He quickly changed his question, about to ask how many he had killed. Just the thought of saying it made him want to kill this guy. ‘If you get out of the car, you’ll see hell.’ He gritted his teeth. Stay still if you don’t want to get hurt. It was a clear warning to the man in the driver’s seat. There was no way this guy could escape anyway. Jin-hyeok turned to look at his helper behind him. ‘Please keep an eye on him.’ ‘Hmm. Did you know?’ Mun Seok-il appeared from behind a thick ginkgo tree. ‘Even if you didn’t turn on the lights, I could hear the engine sound.’ ‘Okay. Go on.’ Mun Seok-il, with his hands in his pockets, gestured. But he tilted his head for a moment. When speeding on a bicycle, the sound of the wind would interfere with hearing, making it difficult to pick up the quiet sound of a gasoline engine. Well, he couldn’t judge that guy by human standards. It was nothing to be surprised about. Jin-hyeok got on his bicycle and pedaled without looking back. Why-ae-ae-aeng-. Thud-! Not long after starting, the bicycle’s generator light, unable to handle the rotation speed of the front wheel, exploded. He didn’t care and kept going. He had adapted to the darkness, so his vision was fine. He seemed to have a lot to do before this night was over. He needed to catch up with the patrol car he had passed to hand over the scene smoothly. ‘I hope Jang-gun isn’t drooling at the police too?’ He also had to feed Jang-gun. *** Mun Seok-il peered at the man in the driver’s seat as if he were looking at an exhibit. He was huddled in a position that made it unclear whether he was praying with his hands on the steering wheel or had fallen asleep. Tap-tap-. He tapped on the car window. ‘Do you want to come out?’ The man, without changing his posture, just shook his head silently. He seemed to be in a state of great mental shock. ‘Hmm-.’ A foul odor mixed with the refreshing autumn air. It was probably the smell of various animals that had permeated the car. He admired the vehicle that Jin-hyeok had remodeled and left behind. ‘How did he do this?’ One fist mark each on the front of the car and the doors. It wasn’t just a dent the size of a fist; it was crushed as if a meteorite had fallen. The steel plate was spectacularly deformed, like a crater. ‘Should I try it too?’ Mun Seok-il chuckled and shook his head at the thought. No matter how he thought about it, he wasn’t the same Mun Seok-il as before. Now that he was at peace, he was having absurd thoughts and even had the leisure to look around. He had quickly followed after hearing from Choi Mi-kyung that Son Jin-hyeok had suddenly run toward home. He followed quietly, riding his bicycle. It was virtually impossible to chase Son Jin-hyeok by running or cycling. It was only after he followed him to the vacant lot behind the health center and witnessed what Jin-hyeok had done that he understood what was going on. ‘It’s amazing every time I see it.’ He clicked his tongue, looking over the driver’s side door that was crushed like a can. It was true that the steel plate was less strong than that of a foreign truck, but was it possible to crush it with a human fist? He had known from the start that he was a strange guy who transcended human limits, but he had forgotten about it on many days. ‘Because he doesn’t show it usually, everyone just thinks he’s a fit athlete.’ Mun Seok-il wasn’t the only one. Kim In-rang also said he had a similar experience and patted his chest. He had said that he had unknowingly given Jin-hyeok a flick on the forehead while talking to him. ‘It’s a strange talent. He has the ability to make people comfortable and erase his own presence.’ That was the most important thing they were taught when training as agents. The most basic and essential skill was to blend in naturally with the surroundings without standing out. Jin-hyeok had the talent to hide his extraordinary abilities without even trying. Of course, he was extraordinary just by looking at him, but it meant he had even more abilities than that. ‘He’s an interesting guy, anyway.’ Mun Seok-il had often wondered what he could do if he had such superhuman strength. He could become a world champion as a professional boxer and make a fortune, or he could steal an entire bank vault. He could be treated like a god in illegal fighting rings where rich young masters gathered. Furthermore, he would have broken the necks of all the guys he didn’t like. Even the guys who had beaten him up and taken his money in the back alleys when he was young. ‘It’s normal for humans born evil to be like that.’ Mun Seok-il believed in the theory of innate evil. But Jin-hyeok was different. He used his violent strength, which was hard to explain with the simple word ‘physical strength,’ only to protect his daily life. He fixed bicycles, collected dog poop to research fertilizer, carried a frame on his back, and went up the hill to collect fallen leaves. He went for walks with his siblings, and on weekends, he pulled weeds in the garden. They were ordinary things that anyone could do, even without strength. He even gave the impression that he was exercising because he was worried that his unused strength might be used for something wrong. Well, it seemed like he still had strength left over even after doing that. Cheop-. Anyway, he was an incomprehensible guy. He had generously spared his life, even though he had tried to harm him, and now he had crushed a car like a can to create a temporary prison to save dogs he didn’t even know. ‘Ah, but he left without telling me how long I should keep watch?’ Maybe he’ll send the patrol car that passed by earlier? Should I drag the guy out of the driver’s seat and spar with him? He’s big, so he looks like he has some strength. Clunk-. ‘This won’t do.’ He pulled the handle as if he was just curious, but the door didn’t budge. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly when he felt several gazes. The dogs that had been kidnapped from other neighborhoods were sitting quietly, looking up at Mun Seok-il. However, the blue light in their eyes, reflected by the moonlight, was subtly eerie. A fear that a stray dog might feel when surrounded by a pack of wolves on a desolate night in the wilderness rose up. ‘Go on-. Go away-. Go, don’t come near me.’ Hehe-hek-. As if they hadn’t heard him, the dogs started to approach. ‘Ah, I said don’t come-. Hey-. Don’t get your slobber on me-.’ I polished my shoes to a shine for the party tonight…… The dogs seemed to consider Mun Seok-il an benefactor as well. *** Thanks to his innate slyness, Ma Gun-cheon avoided being chased by the dogs and escaped. He had a low intelligence and a personality that didn’t easily empathize with those around him, but he had been known for his shallow tricks since he was young. They were literally shallow tricks, obvious blunders. The moment Gong Seok-du, who was trying to run away, was bitten on the hem of his pants by a Doberman and fell, Ma Gun-cheon stepped on the window sill he saw and climbed up to escape. After that, he stepped on the gaps between the bricks, climbed up the drainpipe, and went up to the roof. ‘Ugh, is that guy the owner of the dogs?’ It seemed so, seeing how those scary dogs retreated at one command, and the mutt, who seemed to be the leader of the dogs, was happy to see him. It seemed difficult to save Gong Seok-du. Even if he managed to knock down one large dog, wouldn’t the other two attack? Fortunately, they weren’t tearing Gong Seok-du apart. The dogs circled around Gong Seok-du as if mocking him, and one of them climbed on top of him and jumped around. When Gong Seok-du tried to move even a little, they clicked their teeth near his ear, showing that they were intelligent dogs. ‘They’re playing with him, damn it.’ After the dogs’ owner disappeared, Ma Gun-cheon quietly entered the house. He went down the outdoor stairs from the roof to the second floor, and from the second floor, he went down the indoor stairs to the first floor. And now, he was eating in Choi Mi-kyung’s kitchen. Chop-chop-chop-. After escaping from the brink of death, his tension was released, and he was overcome with extreme hunger. Even if he was stupid, he wasn’t planning to eat. His priority was to hide and find something valuable to take. But all the items in the house were too big, and there was nothing he could carry. Chop-chop-chop-. A trophy with ‘Wrestling Tournament Champion’ written on it and a golden calf were shining in the display case, but they were probably just plated. You could buy those at a sports store if you had money, and even if you stole them, you couldn’t sell them anywhere. Who would buy them? He wanted to search everywhere, but he didn’t have time, and the dogs outside might react to the noise. Chop-chop-chop-. ‘Damn, this is delicious.’ The rice cooker was empty, and there were only side dishes in the refrigerator, so he was about to give up, but a flat hot pot on the table caught his eye. When he opened the lid, it seemed to be a local dish. ‘Gegukji? Gge-gukji?’ He thought he had heard that name before, so maybe that was the dish. Ma Gun-cheon, who was not very smart, could only guess. Inside the pot, there was a harmonious mix of blue crabs, cabbage, mackerel, and a kimchi-like dish. Overall, it tasted similar to blue crab soybean paste stew. It was served with a generous amount of rice, so all he needed was a spoon for a quick meal. There seemed to be enough for five people. The more he looked at it, the more he ate, the more peculiar the dish was. It even had diced radish kimchi in it, so he didn’t need any side dishes. Pak-pak-pak-. Could the last meal enjoyed by a death row inmate compare to this? He was so hungry that he scraped the pot clean. ‘Ugh-, I feel alive.’ Now that he had filled his stomach, he had to run away. When he pulled back the curtain and looked out into the yard, Gong Seok-du seemed to be crying out to God, and the mutt was constantly licking him as if trying to comfort him. It didn’t seem like a bad dog. The German Shepherd was pressing down on Gong Seok-du’s thigh, and the Doberman was now licking his left foot instead of his right. The retriever was sitting quietly, watching the whole scene. Gong Seok-du’s right paw, which had become unusually clean, was shining brightly in the moonlight. ‘I can quietly go out the back door.’ It was a shame for Gong Seok-du, but he had to survive first to plan for the future. Ma Gun-cheon decided to abandon Gong Seok-du with the same feeling as Cao Cao [a famous historical figure known for his ruthlessness], who had aimed for his uncle’s heart. It was a comparison that even made him feel like a hero, giving him a sense of elation. He took off his shoes and left the house like a stray cat. When he felt safe, he put on his shoes and ran to his motorcycle. Heek-heek-heek-. ‘Damn it! I’m finally-.’ ‘Yo-, dog thief, you’re here?’ ‘Ugh, damn it, you scared me!’ Ma Gun-cheon fell on his butt. He frantically moved his feet like a cockroach and turned to where the sound had come from, but there was nothing there. On the windless night, only the shadows of the forest quietly guarded their place. ‘What, what is it! Is it a ghost!’ Then, the shadow of the forest moved. It was a sight that made his spine tingle. However, when he looked closely, it had a human form. Black and tall. The figure slowly approached, and a dreamlike voice tickled Ma Gun-cheon’s eardrums. ‘I’ve been waiting. Let’s go.’ Ma Gun-cheon’s eyes shook as if they were about to burst from the chilling sense of déjà vu. Where had he heard those words before? Ah! Hometown Legends [a reference to Korean folklore and ghost stories]. Ma Gun-cheon’s body, frozen while sitting, slowly fell to the side. * ‘Huh?’ Jin-hyeok scratched the back of his head, which was sticky with sweat. This was annoying. He had to hand them over to the police, but all the patrol cars were gathered at Jin-hyeok’s house. They must have been dispatched to the address that Hong Ki-jun had given them. ‘Hey, mister? Are you okay? Wake up.’ He tapped the dog thief on the shoulder, but he didn’t wake up, his eyes rolled back. ‘Ha-, what should I do?’ He was planning to catch the guy who had escaped first and hand him over to the police, but he had gone out of his mind. There was something he had emphasized while giving emergency training to Yu-jin. Don’t discriminate against those in need of help. And above all, it was important to get consent, even if they were unconscious. ‘S-should I help you?’