WeTried Translations

Translator: Coughing Baby

Editor: Coughing Baby

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Little Prince in the Ossuary

Chapter 74

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After the Rain (4)

It was about time he got used to this. Most of the time, the gap between the two of them came from the line between principle and practical gain. Jang Yeon-cheol was the type whose sense of mission fed directly into his drive, but when he spoke with Min Wan-ki, he tried to approach things from a more practical angle.

“Why is that? I think trust is our greatest strength. The belief that the 「Gyeoul Alliance」 never turns away the weak and always walks the right path. Isn’t this large organization running smoothly because everyone believes that?”

At the young executive’s argument, the former scholar smiled with his eyes behind his glasses.

“Well... I agree with that much. The alliance gained members rapidly in a short time, yet it has run smoothly without major friction because everyone trusts it that deeply. Fair, clean, righteous. So weak people do not have to worry about being robbed, and strong people stop and think once more before taking from others. People are creatures that reshape themselves to match the stage and role they are given. Yes, that is an invisible asset of a community. Because you cannot see it, it is easy to overlook, but it is truly precious.”

“Exactly! That’s what I wanted to say. Do you remember what Little Captain said when we first built this alliance? He said he did not want to reject people for coming from another country, hate them for having different skin, or turn away from them for speaking an unfamiliar language. He also said we were people who wanted to live like human beings.”

Gyeoul was a little surprised. The boy remembered saying those words. In truth, much of this had been based on advance preparation, so forgetting them would have been stranger.

Still, Yeon-cheol repeating it word for word was unexpected. Yeon-cheol was not a genius. The only real possibility was that he had written it down and memorized it on purpose.

Yeon-cheol glanced at him for a reaction. Gyeoul briefly lifted the corner of his mouth. Relieved, the young vice-captain spoke with even stronger confidence.

“Isn’t this a perfect chance to prove that promise was real? And won’t people from other countries start seeing the 「Gyeoul Alliance」 in a new light too? Like, ah, this is not a place only Koreans can go. A lot more people will support Little Captain.”

So that was how he framed it, as a promise. Gyeoul nodded inwardly. It made sense. Every word a person spoke should be a promise. Careless words easily became someone else’s wound.

Most of all, the boy represented the alliance.

As its representative, Gyeoul gave his view on Yeon-cheol’s opinion.

“Yes, I agree. People of different nationalities hate each other too easily. We are all refugees anyway, all people... Before those emotional rifts get deeper, before they become irreversible, someone needs to say this cannot go on. Someone has to do it, but no one does.”

Yeon-cheol nodded, looking like he was steadying himself.

Min Wan-ki spoke up.

“Even so, we must always keep practical limits in mind. The world we live in is very rough. Sometimes we have to walk a path we do not like.”

Yeon-cheol looked visibly disappointed. Gyeoul turned to him.

“Vice-Captain Min-nim, you still oppose it. Can I hear why?”

Even as he asked, Gyeoul had already expected the issues Min Wan-ki would raise, at least three. Still, saying them first would have looked bad. Giving him the floor also mattered, both to Min Wan-ki, who was speaking, and to Jang Yeon-cheol, who was watching.

Min Wan-ki asked, “I have a few points. Is that all right?”

Just as expected. Gyeoul gave permission.

“Of course. Please go ahead.”

“First point. If we take those people in, what happens to the 「Triad」?”

The short groan came from Jang Yeon-cheol. Min Wan-ki continued calmly, acting as if he had not heard it.

“If their influence shrinks any further there, aren’t they facing collapse? Right now they are barely saving face through cooperation with us as it is. Personally, I do not care whether those punks live or die, but I imagine Captain-nim and Vice-Captain Jang-nim will feel uncomfortable.”

Jang Yeon-cheol pushed back.

“If we protect them, will other organizations really dare to move in?”

“I told you already. They are barely preserving face. Once a gang boss loses face, there is nothing left to see. The person who wrote that letter said the same. There are several factions inside them, Wo Shing Wo and Shui Fong among them, and at minimum they said they do not want Li Qinzhen as their boss. Up to now, the 「Triad」 was the biggest force, so there were enough scraps to share and they somehow held together. Not anymore. They will beat and kill each other.”

“......”

“Can our alliance, and Little Captain, stop all that? No, will they even accept help? We should count ourselves lucky if they do not just accuse us of betrayal.”

For Jang Yeon-cheol, it was an 「Insight」 that left a bitter taste. Internal splits and infighting were common in the real history of the Triad too. As the unnamed Baizishan testified in that letter, their internal factions were so hostile they used different organization names.

The middle-aged executive asked the witness for his view.

“Captain-nim, you spoke with them directly. How did it feel to you?”

“Same as Vice-Captain Min-nim.”

“I thought so.”

Min Wan-ki gave a faint smile and moved on.

“Now, second point. If we directly provide the trigger for the 「Triad」’s downfall like that, do you think only the 「Triad」 will call us traitors? How will other Chinese organizations see us?”

“They will call us backstabbing bastards who betray alliances.”

“Direct as always. In any case, the 「Gyeoul Alliance」 will have a harder time influencing Chinese people, and helping struggling people among them will likely become even more difficult.”

It was a valid concern. Gyeoul himself had hoped the 「Triad」 would become a channel for influence in the Chinese residential quarter. If he accepted the unnamed Baizishan’s request, he would gain only a small number of Chinese people. If he chose to maintain the status quo instead, he could reach far more Chinese people.

Yet Gyeoul’s own principle was that saving people could not be measured by numbers.

‘I fought with Jin-seok-ssi about that in Paso Robles too.’

Min Wan-ki’s next words were still within what Gyeoul expected. He knew Gyeoul’s priorities.

“Of course I know this too. The possibility of saving more people in the future cannot be more precious than the few we can save right now. People are not objects. It is hard to declare one side more valuable than the other. So we should consider other variables here.”

“By variables, do you mean our alliance’s internal circumstances?”

The words came from Jang Yeon-cheol like a sigh. Min Wan-ki nodded.

“Yes, exactly. I would call it the alliance’s interests, but let’s leave that as a difference in perspective between Vice-Captain Jang-nim and me.”

“......”

“If you eat too much at once, you get a stomachache. There are exceptions. Luckily, the people who came in recently through referrals from the Disabled Community had already been vetted in character. Of course, even watching them is still a bit tiring.”

The former scholar’s voice got quieter toward the end.

“Watching them? What are you saying?”

“I do not trust the disabled members one hundred percent either. What if they approached Vice-Captain Jang-nim intentionally from the start to enter the alliance, then brought in prearranged spies as the next step?”

Yeon-cheol’s jaw dropped.

Before Gyeoul spoke, Min Wan-ki already knew what he had to do. He was someone who found his own work. Yeon-cheol was the same, just in a different field.

Because there was an elderly woman in the same tent who could not speak, Jang Yeon-cheol protested in a low voice.

“They are people who have faced discrimination all this time. They should not be discriminated against here too.”

“Vice-Captain Jang-nim, beware of Underdogma. There is no basis for believing that the weak are always good.”

“I know that much. I am not an idiot either. But why would they do that? What do they gain by siding with another organization? In practical terms, our 「Gyeoul Alliance」 is the community where disabled people can live most comfortably. And now Little Captain has become someone everyone needs. No one can replace Captain-nim, and isn’t that also our alliance’s standing?”

Min Wan-ki shrugged.

“Mm, if it felt like I was looking down on you, Vice-Captain Jang-nim, I apologize. I only brought it up so we are prepared for that one-in-ten-thousand possibility.”

Gyeoul backed him up.

“I think the same on this point. I believe Vice-Captain Min-nim is doing necessary work. Even if it is hard to accept, please let it pass for my sake.”

“No, Captain-nim...”

Yeon-cheol looked wronged, but he said no more.

“Ahem. Then back to the main subject.”

With an awkward fake cough, Min Wan-ki took his turn again.

“The issue is that we do not have enough people we can trust for sure. Our management capacity is not keeping up with our growth. I suspect many mid-level managers are still unverified. In a situation like this, pulling in gang members is too heavy a burden.”

Unverified people. The boy thought of the man whose hand had felt warm.

It was not as if Jang Yeon-cheol did not know this issue. The young vice-captain let out a brief pained sound, then mulled over the contents of the letter Gyeoul had shown him.

“That Baizishan or whatever, they said if we cannot accept them into the alliance, then at least take over as their boss, right? If Captain-nim starts serving as their boss too... no, this will not work.”

It was not only discomfort at the idea of Gyeoul becoming a gang boss. Yeon-cheol scratched his head in frustration, and when dandruff fell, his face flushed red.

I should ease his embarrassment. Even knowing why, Gyeoul asked anyway.

“Why would that not work?”

“Uh, well, because Captain-nim is too busy. Even alliance operations are already mostly left to Vice-Captain Min-nim and me, so Captain-nim would have a hard time managing that side properly too. On top of that, those people are already split into Faction, right? Hwa Seung-hwa? That one and Su Bang-bang. If they are not managed, trouble will happen. Whatever their circumstances, they were criminals to begin with, and Chinese people tend to be like that too.”

“That last comment was unexpected. Not like Vice-Captain Jang-nim...”

The boy forced a smile as he said it, and Yeon-cheol’s face turned even redder.

“Anyway, I will not allow Little Captain’s name to be stained. So no.”

The discussion ended there. Jang Yeon-cheol asked carefully.

“What will you do? Should we look into their situation more?”

“Yes. Please both of you put in a little more effort. No need to decide in a rush. The side that needs us will wait. There is also something we should do before then.”

“What is that?”

“I mentioned it once before. Bringing in the police and sweeping up the drug dealers.”

“Ah... right. That was not long ago. I remember.”

“I think now is exactly the right time. Camp command was replaced, Lieutenant Colonel Capston was promoted to battalion commander, and with newly arrived troops and refugees, this is when existing collusive ties are being shaken, right?”

Whatever decision he made, he would face Li Qinzhen once more. Better to show what he could do before that.

Gyeoul changed the topic.

“This is another matter, but do either of you vice-captains know someone named Baek San-ho?”

Min Wan-ki raised his hand.

“I do. He is a newly recruited manager. Was there some problem?”

“I do not think he is a good person. Fire him once you have someone to replace him.”

“......”

No answer came right away. The former scholar looked a little unreadable, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Min Wan-ki was not the type to shield someone through connections, school ties, hometown ties, or favors. There had to be a rational purpose behind it. What was it? What did he want to use someone like that for?

After a moment, Gyeoul shook his head.

“He cannot be made into an example.”

“Even if that would be the result of his own free choices and actions?”

“Still no.”

“......It cannot be helped, then. Understood.”

Min Wan-ki let go of the idea with visible regret. Jang Yeon-cheol, who had not caught the context, blinked.

Min Wan-ki had likely planned to leave Baek San-ho’s behavior alone on purpose until his excesses grew large enough, so he could easily raise trust in organizational management.

The boy could not accept that plan.

============================ Author's Afterword ============================

1. I think last chapter’s Q&A was my mistake. There were almost no comments about the novel itself... orz
2. Now I need to sleep for three hours, wake up, and get ready for a meeting with a publisher. Hehe, I’m excited...

3. I was working with a friend who is a comic artist, but I’m done now, and my friend still does not look close to finishing.

...This is really exciting?

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