Goblin Library - Chapter 29

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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 29

Today as well, the Typhoon was reading Noh Hong-su’s book.

***

As Noh Hong-su stepped out of the Apartment, he could see the Delivery Driver setting down packages.
“Hello there. Here, take this.”
The Delivery Driver, no longer showing any awkwardness around Noh Hong-su, smiled as he removed his gloves and accepted the item.
“You go to Cheongseong High School?”
“Yes.”
“I graduated from there too.”
“So you’re my senior.”
“Senior? Don’t be like that…”
The Delivery Driver chuckled and looked at Noh Hong-su before speaking.
“I’ve got some time after I finish unloading this. Wait here—I’ll give you a ride to school.”
“Oh, that’s really not necessary…”
“Think of it as payment for the drink. Besides, I’d like to see the school again after all this time.”
As he spoke, the Delivery Driver set down the remaining packages and closed the truck’s cargo door.
Then he pointed to the passenger seat.
“Get in.”
At the Delivery Driver’s words, Noh Hong-su climbed into the passenger seat. The Delivery Driver then got into the driver’s seat and started the engine.
Watching the Delivery Driver, Noh Hong-su glanced back at the packages by the Apartment entrance and spoke.
“But won’t those packages be okay left there like that?”
“People don’t steal packages these days.”
“Then… are you deliberately skipping delivery because of me?”
At Noh Hong-su’s question, the Delivery Driver laughed and shook his head.
“I always load the packages I need to deliver at dawn and drop them all at the Apartment entrance. Then I deliver them later when it’s past rush hour and there are fewer people around.”
“But doesn’t that mean you have to come twice?”
Since he’d drop them off at the Apartment entrance and then return later.
At Noh Hong-su’s question, the Delivery Driver smiled and explained.
“People are happy to see a delivery driver at their doorstep, but they hate running into one in front of the elevator.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I have to stop at each floor, place packages, take photos—it takes time. So people waiting for the elevator are inconvenienced.”
“How much time does that really take?”
“Ten minutes of me standing around doing nothing feels easy enough, but one minute of inconvenience caused to others feels tedious and frustrating.”
Then the Delivery Driver looked at Noh Hong-su.
“That’s why I drop them off in the morning and deliver everything at once later. And apartments are faster to deliver to than Villas or single-family homes anyway.”
As we exchanged pleasantries, the delivery truck pulled up in front of Cheongseong High School.
Screech!
The Delivery Driver brought the truck to a stop and spotted Noh Hong-su.
“Thanks to the drink that student gave me these past few days, I’ve been in a great mood every morning. I really appreciate it.”
As the Delivery Driver shook the beverage to show it, Noh Hong-su smiled.
“I’m glad you’ve been feeling good. Thank you for the ride.”
Noh Hong-su bowed his head, opened the car door, and stepped out. The Delivery Driver nodded and gazed at the school.
“High school, huh…”
As he briefly recalled his own school days with a quiet chuckle, the Delivery Driver’s eyes caught sight of three students approaching alongside Noh Hong-su.
The moment the three students crowded around him, the Delivery Driver’s eyes narrowed as he sensed Noh Hong-su’s body shrinking back in fear.

***

While reading, Typhoon became curious about the Delivery Driver.
“There’s something about this guy… what could it be?”
Aside from the fact that he was a high school senior, nothing else had been revealed about him.
With such thoughts, Typhoon continued reading. The narrative then shifted to the moment Noh Hong-su was leaving school.

***

Noh Hong-su’s face darkened rapidly as he left the school. Now he had to go to where Lee Jong-hyuk and the School Gang were waiting, run their errands, and get beaten again.
Trudge, trudge.
With heavy, dragging steps, Noh Hong-su made his way toward the Back Alley where the School Gang was waiting, and soon encountered Lee Jong-hyuk.
As Noh Hong-su arrived, Hong Guk-jin squinted and approached him.
“Why didn’t you come earlier!”
With a growl, Hong Guk-jin immediately drove his fist into Noh Hong-su’s stomach.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
Hong Guk-jin watched Noh Hong-su groan with a sneer, then reported to Lee Jong-hyuk.
“Jong-hyuk, Hong-su’s here.”
Only after hearing Hong Guk-jin’s words did Lee Jong-hyuk slowly rise to his feet.
Just as Lee Jong-hyuk was about to grab Noh Hong-su, a voice came from behind.
“Juniors.”
At the voice from behind, Lee Jong-hyuk turned his head. There, the Delivery Driver was approaching.

***

“The Delivery Driver.”
Sensing the story was taking an interesting turn, Typhoon read the text more rapidly.

***

Lee Jong-hyuk tilted his head at the sight of the Delivery Driver standing there.
『A junior?』
The Delivery Driver laughed and answered Lee Jong-hyuk’s question.
『Graduated three years ago.』
The Delivery Driver then scanned Lee Jong-hyuk and the School Gang members before fixing his gaze on Noh Hong-su.
Noh Hong-su recognized the Delivery Driver and looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Under that scrutiny, the Delivery Driver glanced around the Back Alley.
『Nothing’s changed here.』
Lee Jong-hyuk smiled as he watched the man survey the Back Alley.
『Say, senior, how about you treat your juniors to some spending money?』
『Spending money?』
『You’ve entered society as a senior, so your wallet must be quite full. Why don’t you give your cute juniors some spending money?』
The Delivery Driver laughed at Lee Jong-hyuk’s words and removed his cap, which bore the Delivery Company logo.
『Spending money, huh… My salary isn’t much, so I can’t give you cash. I’ll give you something else instead. Should I give you ten? Or a hundred?』
Lee Jong-hyuk and the School Gang members stared at the Delivery Driver in disbelief.
Hong Guk-jin chuckled and approached the Delivery Driver.
『Delivery hyung, do you really think we’ll respect you as a senior just because you went to our school? How about I refresh your school memories?』
Crack! Crack!
As Hong Guk-jin approached with the sound of knuckles cracking, the Delivery Driver laughed and spoke.
『Whew! If I remember my school days, you’re all dead. It’s better that I don’t remember.』
Hong Guk-jin laughed at the Delivery Driver’s words.
『Crazy!』
Whoosh!
Hong Guk-jin’s fist swung toward the Delivery Driver’s face.
Slip!
The Delivery Driver lightly tilted his head back to dodge the punch, then struck Hong Guk-jin’s cheek with his palm.
Crack!
『Ah!』
It didn’t hurt much. But Hong Guk-jin’s face flushed red.
Being slapped brought more shame than pain.
Hong Guk-jin glared at the Delivery Driver. But the moment he did, his face shook left and right.
Slap! Slap! Slap!
Hong Guk-jin, struck three times across both cheeks in rapid succession, staggered backward with his hands covering his face.
The Delivery Driver turned his attention to Lee Jong-hyuk, leaving Hong Guk-jin dazed and shaking his head.
『Want some spending money too, junior?』
Lee Jong-hyuk glared at the Delivery Driver in response, then rolled his shoulders.
Crack! Crack!
The Delivery Driver glanced briefly at Noh Hong-su as he watched Lee Jong-hyuk approach with his shoulders twisted, then turned his gaze back to Lee Jong-hyuk.
Whoosh!
Lee Jong-hyuk charged straight at the Delivery Driver like a raging bull. Seeing him barrel forward, the Delivery Driver took a light step back.
Just before Lee Jong-hyuk could ram into me, the Delivery Driver sidestepped and swung his hand.
The Delivery Driver’s palm struck Lee Jong-hyuk’s cheek with force far exceeding what he’d dealt to Hong Guk-jin.
Whoosh!
Crack!
The sound that erupts when delivering a back-hand smash rang out as Lee Jong-hyuk’s head snapped to the side.
Stumble!
As Lee Jong-hyuk staggered backward several steps, the Delivery Driver’s palm moved toward him again.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
After taking consecutive slaps, Lee Jong-hyuk’s face flushed with rage as he charged at the Delivery Driver once more.
With the ferocity of a maddened boar, the Delivery Driver laughed and twisted his body to the side. But having experienced it once, Lee Jong-hyuk also twisted as he pursued him.
Seeing Lee Jong-hyuk rush toward him, the Delivery Driver raised his hand.
Flinch!
Upon seeing the palm, Lee Jong-hyuk flinched and raised his guard. But….
Thud!
Lee Jong-hyuk’s stance crumbled as he staggered. The moment he covered his face, the Delivery Driver kicked his knee.
With Lee Jong-hyuk’s guard down, the Delivery Driver’s palm moved toward his face.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
After delivering three consecutive slaps, the Delivery Driver had already seized Lee Jong-hyuk’s jaw.
Then he began striking one cheek repeatedly.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Under the Delivery Driver’s assault, Lee Jong-hyuk stumbled backward and was driven against the back alley wall.
Unable to retreat further and continuing to take slaps, Lee Jong-hyuk’s state was incomprehensible to Noh Hong-su.
‘Why…?’
The strong and skilled Lee Jong-hyuk wasn’t even resisting—he was simply taking the blows.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
After striking one side of his face hard enough to draw blood, the Delivery Driver released him.
Gasp!
Lee Jong-hyuk collapsed and fell to his knees. The Delivery Driver, watching him, turned to the School Gang members and beckoned them forward with a gesture.
The gang members flinched at this, then slowly approached him.
The Delivery Driver’s gaze shifted to Noh Hong-su.
『Come here.』
The Delivery Driver winked slightly—a signal to play along.
Noh Hong-su lowered his head and approached.
As Noh Hong-su drew near, the Delivery Driver glanced over all the gang members.
Then he grabbed Lee Jong-hyuk’s head and lifted him up.
『Ugh!』
Though he’d only taken slaps, the impact was so severe that Lee Jong-hyuk couldn’t regain his senses.
The Delivery Driver then pressed hard on Lee Jong-hyuk’s philtrum.
“Ahhh!”
The Delivery Driver spoke as Lee Jong-hyuk jolted awake with a scream.
“Hey junior, you with us now?”
“W-who are you?”
Lee Jong-hyuk trembled as he asked, and the Delivery Driver replied.
“Back in my day, only third-year School Gang members smoked in alleys like this… You a third-year?”
“Y-yes, sir.”
Lee Jong-hyuk nodded with a terrified expression. Noh Hong-su’s face twisted into an indescribable look upon witnessing this.
It was an expression beyond words. The Lee Jong-hyuk who’d been like a demon at school now trembled in fear.
The Delivery Driver looked at Lee Jong-hyuk after his response and spoke.
“I’m Kang Woong from Cheongseong…”
The Delivery Driver let out a snort of laughter. The tone he’d once used on students in his school days had slipped out unbidden.
Shock flickered across Lee Jong-hyuk’s and the gang members’ faces.
“Senior Kang Woong?”
“You’ve heard my name before?”
At Kang Woong’s question, Lee Jong-hyuk stared at him in astonishment before speaking.
“Kang Woong of Cheongseong… they say everyone trembles at that name…”
“And?”
“I heard you got scouted right after graduation, but…”
He couldn’t fathom why this legendary figure wore a delivery driver’s uniform. Kang Woong, observing Lee Jong-hyuk’s confusion, addressed the gang members.
“I did get scouted after graduation. I didn’t realize it would destroy my life.”
“Sir?”
Kang Woong spoke, watching the bewildered Lee Jong-hyuk and his gang.
“When I got scouted, I thought I’d live glamorously. Managing territory at night, driving fancy foreign cars, being called ‘hyung’ by my juniors…”
Kang Woong looked at Lee Jong-hyuk and the gang members.
“You’re all thinking the same thing I did back then.”
“But that’s…”
Kang Woong spoke to Lee Jong-hyuk, whose eyes questioned whether things weren’t exactly as he imagined.
“But when you get there, you’re the one bowing your head while others call you ‘hyung.'”
“Sir?”
“You drive up in a foreign car, patrol the territory hearing ‘hyung,’ then bow your head and clean up behind those people…”
Kang Woong looked at Noh Hong-su.
“What you’re doing now, you’ll experience the exact same thing once you enter society.”
Then he shifted his gaze back to Lee Jong-hyuk’s group.
“This talk probably won’t resonate with you. I just happened to pass by…”
Kang Woong paused for a moment, then sighed before continuing.
“I remembered my regretful actions from back then and the kids I wanted to apologize to, so I threw a few punches.”
Then Kang Woong turned away with his arm draped across Noh Hong-su’s shoulder.
“I’m taking this student with me.”
Lee Jong-hyuk and the gang members watched in bewilderment as Kang Woong led Noh Hong-su out of the Back Alley.

***

I tilted my head as Kang Woong led Noh Hong-su away.
‘It doesn’t feel like the story should end this way.’
Turning the thought over in my mind, I flipped to the next page of 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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