Chapter 14: The Price of a Bet

“Was the investigation tough? Why do you look so gaunt?”

“Team Leader…! Are you feeling alright? No matter how much our team leader enjoys lounging around, you’ve never been bedridden for an entire month!”

Ah-jun, a man of mountainous stature, stomped his feet and fussed, his voice laced with concern.

Sa-yoon sighed, rising from his chair as Ah-jun’s bulk completely filled the doorway.

“Indeed, there’s no one quite like our Ah-jun. Were you truly so worried about your team leader?”

“Of course! All I could think about, throughout my entire interrogation underground, was you, Team Leader. How much you must have suffered, stopping that bomb all alone. I worried about lingering after-effects.”

A commendable fellow. Though Ah-jun was famously immature, it seemed even he knew to worry about his team leader.

Sa-yoon clapped Kang Ah-jun’s shoulder, a rare sense of pride swelling within him.

“You don’t need to worry. I’ve fully recovered now. I’m even more vibrant than before the mission.”

“Really? Are you truly as healthy as you used to be? Enough to knock anyone out with a single blow?”

“Of course.”

“Enough to beat up someone you don’t like and hang them upside down in the mess hall? Like, for example, Team Leader Han Do-hoon?”

“That’s as easy as breathing… Huh?”

Sa-yoon, who had been confidently puffing out his chest, abruptly stopped. While he certainly had a past of hanging troublemakers from the ceiling, the specific example of Han Do-hoon gave him pause.

“Ah-jun.”

“Yes, Team Leader. Just say the word, our healthy Team Leader.”

“Why are you suddenly comparing me to Han Do-hoon?”

Bear-like Kang Ah-jun’s pupils subtly darted to the upper right. He timidly twiddled his index fingers. Where did this bandit-like man learn such a display of aegyo?

“Strange. Why would someone who just came out of an interrogation be curious about that? Why would you suddenly wonder who’s stronger during an interrogation? You never asked that when Han Do-hoon first returned. Why now?”

“No, it’s just that…”

“Tell me honestly.”

Sa-yoon, using the same hand that had patted Ah-jun’s shoulder, smacked his back. Even with a light slap that barely connected, Ah-jun whined, feigning pain.

He was truly nothing short of a giant puppy.

“No. It’s just that when I came out after the interrogation, the Team 1 guys started picking a fight. They were puffing out their chests, claiming their team leader had a greater contribution, and it was infuriating to just stand there and listen. So, I was on my way back after proudly proclaiming that our team leader is the best.”

Team 1’s Esper Team Leader was Han Do-hoon. Team 1, the longest-running Esper team, was comprised of genuine Han Do-hoon fan club members who had graduated from the Academy with him.

Kang Ah-jun, despite his immaturity and penchant for causing trouble, was not a liar. The claim that Team 1 had provoked him was likely true.

However, his past record of causing trouble was quite extensive, making it difficult to simply believe him.

“High trust in your team leader is an excellent thing. So, did you simply yell at the Team 1 kids and leave?”

“That, and… a little… compromise?”

Don’t tell me this guy…

“Ah-jun.”

“Yes…”

“How much did you bet this time?”

“Huh? What? No, I didn’t!”

Kang Ah-jun broke out in a cold sweat at Jin Sa-yoon’s gentle, smiling question. Given that reaction, it was obvious without even looking.

“You made another bet, didn’t you? About who’s stronger, me or Han Do-hoon?”

Kang Ah-jun, an A-rank Esper, was truly outstanding in both appearance and ability, yet he possessed one significant flaw: he had been disciplined several times for repeatedly initiating high-stakes gambling over trivial matters.

Seeing Kang Ah-jun’s mouth sealed shut as if with honey, Sa-yoon’s suspicion solidified into certainty. How on earth did he intend to verify the results of such a bet?

More importantly, the very act of making a bet was a significant problem.

“Military Law Article 3, Section 8: Gambling for stakes exceeding one million won within the unit is prohibited. Violation of this may result in a reduction in salary for up to six months or imprisonment for up to twenty million won.”

“No, but… didn’t Team Leader say before that military law needed to be a bit more flexible…?”

“Quiet! Is that the same as this?”

Sa-yoon shamelessly dismissed his own past. In truth, the military laws Sa-yoon bent typically involved using minor abilities to secure small conveniences.

Gambling, however, was illegal not only under military law but also in civilian life; it was an entirely different caliber of offense to equate with Sa-yoon’s minor transgressions.

“Lead the way. We’re going to see your accomplice. Move out.”

“Hmph.”

“Stop with the baby talk. It’s disgusting.”

“…Excuse me, Team Leader. Do whistleblowers get a reduced sentence?”

“I’ll be the whistleblower, so don’t get your hopes up.”

“Yes…”

Kang Ah-jun trudged forward, his shoulders slumped. Following his back, before exiting the infirmary, Jin Sa-yoon subtly gave Jung Hyun-woo a slight nod.

He composed his emotions, which had momentarily drifted back to the past at the sight of Jung Hyun-woo waving. It was time to return to reality.

At the brief nod, Kang Ah-jun glanced between the two men.

“What was that, Team Leader? Was I interrupting a good conversation?”

Both Jung Hyun-woo and Jin Sa-yoon’s faces crumpled into exasperated frowns. Truly, he was such a ‘goody-two-shoes’ team member, not even allowing his team leader a moment for sentimentality.

Pimbulbert III. Such was the name of the bomb used in the recent terrorist attack.

In the past, Airene had detonated it in northern Norway, leading to the annihilation of all of Northern Europe. It was a devil’s weapon, a modified bomb that, upon explosion, rapidly spread across a wide area, freezing everything in its path.

To think that this bomb, which had appeared and vanished a century ago, now a mere whisper of a name, was used in this latest terror attack.

“So that’s why its discovery was delayed.”

Sa-yoon tapped the paper with his finger as he reviewed the uploaded report. During the mission, Sa-yoon had entered the underground facility, scouting for highly condensed energy sources.

For newly developed freezing bombs, the explosive reaction was weak, which consequently slowed Sa-yoon’s detection.

Had it not been for this particular bomb, he would have discovered it before it detonated, and the ground wouldn’t have collapsed, sparing him double the trouble. It seemed fate had truly conspired against them, twisting events in unforeseen ways.

“Team Leader, I want to scratch my head too.”

“Be quiet.”

“Hmph…”

Kang Ah-jun, kneeling beside him with both hands raised, whimpered. The gambling incident had been reported to higher-ups, resulting in a six-month salary reduction for Kang Ah-jun and some members of Team 1.

Consequently, his free time was revoked for a week.

As the team leader of Kang Ah-jun’s unit, Jin Sa-yoon was obligated to supervise him. He had to ensure Ah-jun refrained from private outings and contact, and report any additional offenses.

In short, Sa-yoon had to keep Kang Ah-jun tethered to him at all times, except when sleeping, for an entire week. Had he known this, he would have just hung Kang Ah-jun upside down and omitted the report entirely.

“The Team 1 kids were doing push-ups next to Han Do-hoon. Do you want to do that too?”

“I will rectify my behavior.”

“Do well. Today’s the last day of supervision, but you know that if you mess up, it’ll be extended by a week, right?”

“I will do my utmost.”

Sa-yoon chuckled mischievously at the sharp, immediate response. In this incident, Han Do-hoon’s injuries were more severe than Sa-yoon’s.

A body that had escaped the dangers of an uncontrolled rampage was difficult to recover in a short amount of time. He was surrounded by more Guides than Sa-yoon, indulging in a veritable paradise of pleasure.

Alcohol would be forbidden, of course, so he was simply enjoying the “forest of delights.”

Even with his body in such discomfort, Han Do-hoon was saddled with cleaning up after his team members. There was no way he could have been in a good mood.

Thanks to this, the screams of Espers, running laps in the training ground with 100kg packs, often reached Sa-yoon’s office.

“I think I can grant your wish of not wanting to lose to Team 1. They ran 80km in the training ground recently. Want to give it a try before it’s too late?”

“No, sir. I have lived my entire life as a loser. I believe my place is here.”

“Still, our team has its pride. Rather than running a little more, I think it would be better to enthusiastically run twice as much.”

“Our team’s pride is none other than the great Jin Sa-yoon, Your Excellency. How could I dare claim to be our team’s pride?”

Hm. He’s certainly straightened up. Jin Sa-yoon nodded with satisfaction at the perfectly straight angle of Kang Ah-jun’s raised arms.

That oversized dog, despite his large frame, often caused equally large troubles that vexed Jin Sa-yoon. Hopefully, this would keep him out of mischief for a while.

“Mr. Sa-yoon’s team always has such a good atmosphere.”

The director, who was styling Sa-yoon’s hair, smiled subtly as he observed the two men. Sa-yoon and Kang Ah-jun were not in the austere office of the headquarters.

Bright lights illuminated their faces, and a row of change of clothes hung neatly on a rack.

They were heroes who had saved the nation from a massive terrorist threat. The first part of the documentary, showcasing the exploits of Jin Sa-yoon and Han Do-hoon, had received an explosive response.

This led to fervent requests from the broadcasting station to feature the actual individuals in the second part. They were currently receiving makeup for that Part 2 interview filming at the broadcasting station.

The director, a stylist who always handled Sa-yoon whenever he appeared on television, smiled as he brushed Sa-yoon’s bangs aside.

“Hmm. Yes, it’s truly good. It’s more rewarding than working with most celebrities, I tell you.”

“Should I quit being an Esper and debut as a celebrity after all?”

“Wow, Team Leader, if you came over to this side, I’d immediately resign and follow you as your exclusive coordinator!”

Sa-yoon smiled, pleased by the flattering compliments.

“I’d have to earn a lot to cover Director Seo’s annual salary, wouldn’t I?”

“With you, Team Leader, I bet you could easily earn my annual salary in just one month.”

As they exchanged compliments about their skills and how well Sa-yoon carried his clothes, Kang Ah-jun’s face steadily soured.