Chapter 98. Toward Jeojeon(pig market)
As he stepped out of Kim Busik's residence, someone sprang out of the pitch-dark night.
"Who is it?"
"It's me." It was Do Gyeongtaek.
"Why? Why didn't you leave?"
"I waited to escort you when you came out."
"Where did they go?"
"They're all waiting in Jeojeon."
"They didn't go home…?"
"So it seems. They say there's a place there with good food."
The two took the reins and walked.
It felt different from walking across an empty plain.
Each step seemed as though it might brush against a house, as though someone on the road might be hurt.
He lowered himself instinctively, moving with care.
When school ends, one is meant to go home.
There are always those who do not.
The army was the same.
Not just one or two—everyone had gathered and taken over a single gukbap shop in Jeojeon.
Then a group of soldiers approached.
They were from the Geumowi (金吾衛).
Five stood back, two blocked the front.
"Who are you, and from where?"
There was a clear divide between central troops and regional forces.
Even at the same rank, the central army stood higher.
The authority of the Geumowi, charged with policing the capital, weighed heavily on common folk.
Yeong-u pulled aside the cloak covering him.
The silver armor beneath caught the light—and their eyes faltered.
He thought showing it would settle things.
Who walked around in full battle gear?
Behind his horse followed pack animals, laden with weapons, their presence unmistakable.
Gyeongtaek stepped forward.
"A unit stationed at Seonchunryeong Fortress. We're on leave."
"Let me see your leave pass."
Goryeo's administration was meticulous.
Passes and documents recorded the duration and bore the commander's seal.
They held it to the light, then smirked.
"Heh—Chulhajeom? Where's that supposed to be?"
They snickered among themselves.
Gyeongtaek raised his voice.
"We are currently stationed at Chulhajeom."
An officer stepped forward from behind, chuckling.
"Say something that makes sense."
At that moment, from not far off, So Cheollyong and the others rose from their drinks and came over.
Their shoulders rolled loosely, the smell of alcohol heavy in the air.
Gyeongtaek explained.
"We were stopped on patrol. They don't know Chulhajeom."
So Cheollyong swaggered forward.
"How would rear-line rabble know such a place?"
"Exactly."
The word rabble struck a nerve.
The man who seemed to lead the Geumowi barked,
"You bastards—arrest them all!"
As the seven moved to surround them, twenty-five surged forward.
There was no need for words.
Soldier met soldier.
At this age, a fight could break out over nothing more than a glance in a tavern.
Tonight, words had already been exchanged.
"Hey, you just glared at me!"
"I was settling the bill."
"Liar!"
"I told you, look at the receipt!"
Someone waved a receipt in the air.
That was the spark.
They all rushed in at once.
Twenty-five against seven—Yeong-u excluded.
Men who had seen real combat.
The beginning was fierce, the form quickly unraveled.
One man lifted a chair, hesitated—"Isn't this expensive?"—and got struck mid-thought.
Another tried a flashy kick, slipped on spilled broth, and took down friend and foe alike.
"My leg!"
"That's my leg, you idiot!"
Someone tried to throw an opponent, only to be dragged down with him, both rolling in a tangled mess.
"Let go!"
"You first!"
It was hard to tell if it was a brawl or wrestling.
A wooden platform shattered, and the innkeeper wailed.
"My platform! That was on credit! And now you'll make it worse!"
A soldier shouted,
"We're in the middle of a fight!"
"That's exactly the problem! Stop it!"
Yeong-u stepped back, clicking his tongue.
He had only meant to have a quiet drink.
Now it was chaos.
Behind him, spectators had gathered.
Children picked sides and cheered.
Women raised their voices, fueling the frenzy.
"The left's losing!"
"No—the right's funnier!"
Few sights were more entertaining than watching others fight.
Outnumbered and outmatched, the seven of the Geumowi collapsed quickly.
It ended too soon.
Then—
they exchanged glances.
"Run!"
They scrambled up and fled, almost on all fours.
One lost his shoe, hesitated, then bolted barefoot.
"My shoe!"
"Forget it!"
The twenty-five gave chase.
"Catch them!"
"Pay before you go!"
"Who's paying?!"
"The one with the receipt!"
"It's torn!"
In an instant, the tavern turned from battlefield to ruin.
All that remained were broken boards and the innkeeper on the verge of tears.
"All of it… on credit…"
Yeong-u let out a long breath.
"So much for a drink tonight."
As quickly as it had begun, it ended.
So Cheollyong puffed out his chest.
"They weren't even worth a fist."
So Cheol-un added with a grin,
"Didn't think they'd break that fast. They could've held a bit longer."
Gyeongtaek glanced around.
"They might return with more. We should move."
"We move."
At Yeong-u's word, the Fifth Unit rose at once.
They gathered money, paid for the food and drink, and compensated for everything broken.
Then they left Jeojeon behind.
It was easy to imagine eyes burning as they searched for them.
Yeong-u shook his head.
"Back home. At this rate, you'll end up in the Sunmaso."
So Cheollyong grinned through his swollen lips.
"After coming out like this, how can we just go home? Moments like this come again."
"You were the one singing about going back to your hometown."
So Cheollyong lifted his head.
"This is home. Fighting, eating, drinking, making noise—this right here."
Yeong-u exhaled softly.
"Hah."