Goblin Library - Chapter 28

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Chapter 28

「To punish the School Gang members, you’ll have to take a beating from me.」
「A beating?」
「That’s right. First, I’ve already recorded video of you getting hit.」
Choi Tae-sik showed the children the video of themselves being struck. Watching them flinch, the Goblin Man continued.
「But these bastards hit places that wouldn’t show obvious injuries. If it comes to that, they’ll likely face only a slap-on-the-wrist punishment. So I’m going to cover your faces and bodies with bruises.」
「Bruises…」
「Yes. But don’t worry too much. It won’t hurt as much as you’re imagining.」
Choi Tae-sik was a master of striking. He knew exactly how to punch without leaving bruises yet still cause pain, and how to strike in ways that left bruises while minimizing the sting.
Of course, it wouldn’t be painless, but it would certainly be less severe than what the School Gang members would inflict.
Still seeing the children hesitate at the prospect of being hit, Choi Tae-sik spoke again.
「There’s a saying that a cornered rat will bite a cat. Even a rat has that much courage… and you can’t muster even that?」
「That’s…」
「If you do nothing, nothing will change. You need to change to some degree before I can truly help you.」
At Choi Tae-sik’s words, one of the students hesitantly spoke up.
「If we take a beating from you, will those guys get punished?」
「I promise you that. If the law can’t handle it… I’ll make sure they never show their faces in front of you again, even if I have to use my fists.」
At Choi Tae-sik’s resolute words, one student stepped forward.
「Then… I’ll take it. I’ll take a lot of hits.」
Choi Tae-sik looked at the other students. This wouldn’t work if only one person came forward.
If even one of them got scared and told someone else about this, everything would fall apart.
Under Choi Tae-sik’s gaze, the other students also stepped forward. He nodded and clenched his fist, then relaxed it slightly.
「It’ll sting a little.」
With those words, Choi Tae-sik began striking the children’s faces.
Whip-whip-whip-crack!
As his fist struck their faces, it made a sound like a whip grazing something.
A straight punch could fracture bone. But by striking as if merely grazing, the bone remained intact while the skin bruised and swelled.
Choi Tae-sik was leaving no internal damage, instead creating the appearance of severe injury through bruises and swelling marks on the surface.

***

Choi Tae-sik photographed every bruise and swelling on the children’s bodies. Then, while reporting the school violence to the media, he also wrote an exposé and posted it directly online.
The bruises and swellings covering the pixelated faces of the children shocked the entire nation.
To anyone’s eyes, it was the image of a school violence victim in its most horrific form.
In the eyes of the public, children were beings who deserved protection. The revelation that such children were being brutally assaulted by fellow students within school walls was both shocking and infuriating.
Moreover, the thought that such a victim could be their own child only intensified public outrage.
Naturally, the police launched an investigation, and even though the School Gang leader’s father held a high position in the Prosecutor’s Office, he couldn’t stop it.
Had the police report come first, they could have prevented it through settlements with victims or by exerting pressure beforehand, but the media had already spread the news too widely to contain it.
On top of that, other students who had suffered at the hands of the School Gang members came forward with reports, and when the incident became a case, it was revealed that the School Gang leader’s father had previously used his power to suppress investigations into assault incidents.
In the end, the high-ranking Prosecutor’s Office official—the School Gang leader’s father—was forced to resign.
The School Gang members were sent to Juvenile Detention Center, and the victim students returned to school, bringing the episode to a close.
Even though the episode ended with the School Gang members being punished, Tae-poong thought Lim Sung-un was ruthless because he had assaulted the victims.
Regardless of the reason, he had beaten children who had already suffered from violence, but Lim Sung-un had chosen this method as the fastest and most certain approach possible.
It was Lim Sung-un’s style to punish the guilty as quickly as possible, regardless of age, gender, or means.
Tae-poong, who had been reading the book, tapped his own head lightly.
“Should I try doing it this way?”
If he recorded a video of Lee Jong-hyuk beating Noh Hong-su and re-ignited the school violence issue, it seemed like it could be resolved quickly.
Moreover, with this method, Noh Hong-su wouldn’t just be receiving help.
First, he would have to be beaten by Choi Tae-sik. Though Tae-poong didn’t know the current state of Noh Hong-su’s body, if Lee Jong-hyuk’s gang hadn’t beaten him severely, it might have ended as just another ordinary school violence case without drawing particular attention.
As Tae-poong was thinking such thoughts and reviewing the book again, he heard the voice of the Bamboo Sword Goblin.
[Are you still worried about that child?]
About ten days had passed since meeting Noh Hong-su. For Tae-poong, each day had been peaceful and ordinary, but for Noh Hong-su, it would have been anything but.
“He must be experiencing hell every single day.”
[There are countless children suffering from school violence. You can’t save every single student.]
At the Bamboo Sword Goblin’s words, Tae-poong gently stroked the book before speaking.
“I’m not saying I’ll save everyone. But… I saw him.”
[You saw him?]
“A child in need of help appeared before my eyes.”
Tae-poong paused briefly before continuing.
“I cannot save every school violence victim in Korea. But for a child within my reach, shouldn’t I be able to do something?”
[There’s nothing you can do…]
“That’s why I’m researching.”
The Bamboo Sword Goblin, who had been silent at Tae-poong’s words, spoke.
[You’re writing Noh Hong-su’s book.]
“Noh Hong-su’s book?”
Noh Hong-su wasn’t the type of character the Bamboo Sword Goblin favored. Rather, in being weak and fearful, he was the complete opposite of the Bamboo Sword Goblin’s taste.
[If he overcomes the situation the way you’re thinking, Noh Hong-su’s book will become an unfinished book, just like Lee Jong-hyuk’s book.]
“The method I’m thinking of?”
[An episode where the situation is resolved by taking a few hits isn’t the kind of material I enjoy. What I like is… overcoming a feared opponent through one’s own strength.]
The Bamboo Sword Goblin continued.
[What you said… it’s easy to speak the words asking others for help with courage. And you know this as well.]
“I understand.”
What I said was nothing but the truth. I knew full well that it wasn’t easy for the person involved to actually put it into practice.
But that’s precisely why I had to say it. Like advising a smoker that they need to quit to be healthy.
[But as expected, it’s not easy. Moreover, the memories of being beaten for two years are trauma for Noh Hong-su. Like how someone bitten by a dog as a child remains afraid of even small dogs as an adult.]
“That’s true enough.”
[If Noh Hong-su overcomes his trauma and resists, I plan to keep writing about him.]
Tae-poong nodded at Bamboo Sword Goblin’s words.
“Overcoming fear is a remarkable thing. So where is Noh Hong-su’s book?”
[Are you asking me to find it when you already know how to search?]
“Huh? Ah….”
Tae-poong nodded and gripped his glasses, focusing his eyes intently.
“Noh Hong-su, Bamboo Sword Goblin.”
Wondering if there might be another person with the name Noh Hong-su, I murmured even the writer Goblin’s name, and an arrow appeared.
Following the arrow, Tae-poong moved his feet. Noh Hong-su’s book was wedged on the lowest shelf of the bookcase.
Being on the bottom shelf, it seemed impossible to discover unless one deliberately searched for it.
‘Was it placed here deliberately to keep it hidden from others—no, from the Goblins—because the subject matter didn’t appeal to them?’
If the story progression pleased Bamboo Sword Goblin, it would be displayed on the front shelves, but since it didn’t, it appeared to have been tucked away in this corner.
Out of sight of the Goblins.
Tae-poong crouched down and pulled out the book.

【Noh Hong-su】
Author: Bamboo Sword Goblin.

The moment I opened the book, my eyes widened.
“Huh, that’s me?”
Noh Hong-su’s story began with meeting me.
My name wasn’t written there—I was simply referred to as “a man”—but it was definitely me who had that conversation with Noh Hong-su and gave him the canned coffee.
After parting ways with me, Noh Hong-su went home with the canned coffee. Along the way, he briefly spotted a police officer conducting traffic enforcement and handed him the coffee.
It seemed he had judged that a hardworking police officer was a more worthy recipient than a complete stranger.
“Well done.”
I murmured softly and continued reading. Noh Hong-su’s daily life hadn’t changed much.
He went to school, ran errands for Lee Jong-hyuk’s gang, and whenever those thugs grew bored, he was beaten and tormented.
The one thing that had changed was that Noh Hong-su now packed several drinks in his bag when heading to school.
Even at a budget chain like Two Plus One, drinks cost at least three thousand won, usually four thousand.
With the school gang extorting money from him daily, it was impossible for Noh Hong-su to afford buying drinks at those prices every day.
So he brought drinks from home instead. And he gave them to police officers and elderly men pushing carts.
At first it felt awkward and uncomfortable, but after doing it several times, it had become natural.
Moreover, he could feel the genuine gratitude from those who received even a single drink.
Thanks to this, Noh Hong-su was experiencing the small joy of sharing with others.
“He’s doing well.”
Even though he was still being beaten by the school gang, it was fortunate that he was discovering the pleasure of giving to others.
It starts with small things. Small things change and become big things.
At the very least, his fear of people must have diminished somewhat.
It wasn’t a dramatic change, but I smiled as I watched Noh Hong-su’s efforts to transform, and I continued reading.

***

Noh Hong-su was packing several drinks into his bag again today.
“Son, you’re drinking a lot of beverages lately.”
At his mother’s remark, Noh Hong-su nodded and replied.
“I feel good.”
His mother tilted her head at his answer. She had commented about him drinking many beverages, but his response about feeling good seemed oddly off-topic, leaving her puzzled.
“Still, don’t drink too much. It’s bad for your teeth.”
“Yes.”
After answering, Noh Hong-su hurried out of the apartment. He took the elevator down to the first floor.
As he left the apartment building, Noh Hong-su saw the Delivery Driver stacking packages at the entrance.
Noh Hong-su pulled a drink from his bag and quietly offered it to the Delivery Driver.
“Hello. Please have this.”
At Noh Hong-su’s words, the Delivery Driver set down his box and looked at him. He glanced at the drink in his hand, hesitated for a moment, then accepted it.
“Thank… you.”
As the Delivery Driver awkwardly accepted the drink, Noh Hong-su bowed his head and continued on his way. The Delivery Driver watched him for a moment, then sighed and returned to organizing the packages.

***

Tae-poong’s gaze halted at the passage about the Delivery Driver as he read Noh Hong-su’s words. Though expressed only through text, unable to discern the man’s true nature, something about him felt destined to become an important character.
A foreshadowing character, perhaps?
[You caught that.]
At the Bamboo Sword Goblin’s sudden remark, Tae-poong asked.
“Is he someone significant?”
[Just days ago, I didn’t give him much thought either—he was simply a character I wove into the narrative….]
The Bamboo Sword Goblin paused before continuing.
[If you’re curious, keep reading as time unfolds.]
At the Bamboo Sword Goblin’s words, Tae-poong turned his attention back to the book.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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