Goblin Library - Chapter 96

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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 96.

The Police Officer told the Helpful Driver to wait a moment, then rushed toward where the Fire Department personnel were stationed.
Cha Im-beom, who had just emerged from rescuing someone, listened to what the Police Officer told him and glanced toward the back.
After confirming the ladder truck, Cha Im-beom nodded. Then he spoke loudly enough for the Helpful Driver to hear.
“Could you park a car right next to here?”
At Cha Im-beom’s words, the Helpful Driver leaned out and looked at the spot he was pointing to. It was one side of the Alley, where several cars were already parked.
“If a few of those cars move, I think we could manage it.”
“Will the ladder reach from there to the Motel?”
The Helpful Driver leaned out to confirm the position, then nodded.
“It’s a ladder that extends to high floors, so it should be sufficient.”
“Then I’ll have those cars moved.”
“But since there are a lot of Bars around here, even if you ask them to move their cars, they probably won’t.”
At the Helpful Driver’s words, Cha Im-beom shook his head.
“Normally that would be true, but in this situation, they’ll come move them right away.”
“Right away?”
Confusion flickered across the Helpful Driver’s face. Who would come move their car when they’re in the middle of drinking?
Besides, to move a car, they’d have to call a deputy or something. And moving a car while drunk would be subject to drunk driving enforcement.
Watching the Helpful Driver’s skepticism, Cha Im-beom spoke.
“When people hear a thief, they lock their doors. But when they hear fire, they run outside. And there is a fire here.”
Then Cha Im-beom led the Police Officer toward where the cars were parked and spoke.
“When the Car Owner arrives, Officer, could you help move the car to the side?”
“I understand that. But… they probably won’t come out.”
The Police Officer, who knew the situation well since he patrolled this area, spoke with concern. Cha Im-beom took out his phone and called the contact number written on the car.
“Hello, Car Owner? It seems you need to move your car right now.”
Just as the Police Officer and Helpful Driver said, a voice came back saying he was drinking and couldn’t drive. Then…
“I’m Cha Im-beom from the Fire Station. We’re currently suppressing a fire at the Motel, and your car is parked right next to it…”
[What, my car?]
He was about to mention that sparks were flying onto the car, but the moment the Car Owner heard his vehicle was near the fire, the call ended abruptly.
Cha Im-beom shook his head slightly and turned toward the next car, speaking.
“People might not care if others are inconvenienced, but they can’t stand it when their own car has a problem.”
“Ah…”
Cha Im-beom called the owner of the next car. The Car Owner, who had also said he was drinking and couldn’t help, immediately said he’d come out when he heard about the fire, then hung up hastily.
And shortly after, several people came running in a frenzy.
“Ahhh! My car!”
“What happened to it?!”
The Car Owners screamed in alarm when they saw their vehicles. Though Cha Im-beom’s words had been somewhat exaggerated, the cars’ exteriors were quite dirty.
Water droplets, sparks, and ash from the water spray being discharged outside the Motel had fallen onto the cars.
Startled by the commotion, the car owners who had been wiping their vehicles by hand shouted at Cha Im-beom.
“How are you going to take responsibility for this!”
“What are you going to do about it!”
Faced with this absurd situation, the Police Officer looked at them and spoke.
“This incident occurred near the fire scene. Please discuss the details with your insurance company and move your vehicles, would you?”
“But how do we even—”
As the irritable car owners continued their complaints, Cha Im-beom squinted his eyes, about to shout. But then…
Thud!
Suddenly, a heavy sound echoed from behind Cha Im-beom. When he turned around, the Helpful Driver, who had brought the ladder truck, was striking the road with a massive sledgehammer—what people commonly called an oh-hammer—that he’d produced from somewhere.
The car owners, startled by the sight, watched as the Helpful Driver’s face hardened.
“Hey, you damned bastards! Don’t you see the fire right now!”
Shouting, the Helpful Driver pointed toward the Motel.
“Don’t you see the people trapped in there! Don’t you hear them screaming for help! You demons! While you waste time here complaining about your dirty cars, people are burning to death and suffocating! How will you take responsibility for that! Will you die to pay for it!”
The car owners flinched and quickly glanced at the burning Motel.
Seeing people leaning out of windows, screaming for help, they hastily opened their car doors.
“We… didn’t know.”
As one car owner tried to start driving, the Police Officer quickly stopped him.
“You’ve been drinking. Please get out, and I’ll move the car to the side.”
“Yes… I appreciate it.”
The car owner, lowering his head as he exited, apologized to the Police Officer and the Helpful Driver.
“I was just startled… I didn’t mean any harm.”
“I didn’t realize either. I’m sorry.”
The Police Officer nodded and climbed into the car, while the Helpful Driver approached the vehicle behind it.
“I’ll drive this one.”
“Yes, please do.”
The car owner quickly unlocked the door, and the Helpful Driver got in. Watching him, the car owner spoke once more.
“I’m truly sorry.”
In response to the car owner’s apology, the Helpful Driver looked at him and said.
“No. I was harsh too. And… I’m glad.”
“Glad?”
“If you’d been a real demon, you’d still be screaming for compensation right now, demanding who’s responsible, whether those trapped people live or die.”
Then the Helpful Driver looked at the car owner.
“Seeing you understand and apologize like this… it means the world is still worth living in. Move aside. Let’s clear the car.”
“Yes… understood.”
As the car owner stepped back, the Police Officer and the Helpful Driver moved the car elsewhere.
And the two car owners were not bad people.
They had come out because a fire had started while they were drinking, and seeing gray ash and dirty water on their cars, they had simply lost their temper in that moment.
Once they understood the situation, they quickly realized their mistake—they were just ordinary people who cared about their vehicles.
The car owners who arrived a bit later also initially shouted in alarm at the state of their cars, but once they grasped the situation, they hurried to move them.
Of course, it was Cha Im-beom, the Police Officer, and the Helpful Driver who actually moved the vehicles.
With a spot prepared for the ladder truck, the Helpful Driver moved into position.
Seeing this, Cha Im-beom hurried over to the Helpful Driver’s side and spoke.
“Can you position it at the seventh floor?”
“Point with your hand to show me the direction.”
“Over there.”
As Cha Im-beom indicated the location, the Helpful Driver gauged the direction and nodded.
Whirrrrr!
The ladder began to move with the sound of machinery engaging.
Watching the Helpful Driver carefully adjust the ladder’s angle, Cha Im-beom spoke.
“But how did you manage to bring a ladder truck here?”
“I was eating grilled pork belly with some people working nearby.”
“Grilled pork belly? You didn’t drink, did you?”
Grilled pork belly without soju was unthinkable, after all. Seeing Cha Im-beom’s alarm, the Helpful Driver laughed.
“Would someone who makes their living driving a vehicle get behind the wheel after drinking?”
“That’s a relief.”
“I was about to eat when I heard there was a fire. I came out wondering what was happening, and everything was in chaos. People were screaming from high up, and I thought this was serious, so I brought the ladder truck.”
The Helpful Driver continued speaking as he raised the ladder toward where people were screaming.
“It’s not quite fortunate given the situation, but I had parked the truck here because there was furniture to move nearby.”
As he spoke, the Helpful Driver bit his lip.
“I ran as fast as I could to get here…”
At the Helpful Driver’s words, Cha Im-beom suddenly looked at his neck. Only then did he notice that the back of the Helpful Driver’s head was completely drenched with sweat.
It seemed he had indeed sprinted at full speed to where the truck was parked.
“What if we had been too late?”
Cha Im-beom bit his lip, understanding what the Helpful Driver meant by “too late.”
“As long as we’re not too late for those who need us right now. Ho-su, grab the axe and hammer and get on!”
At Cha Im-beom’s shout, the firefighter called Ho-su grabbed the axe and hammer and climbed onto the ladder truck.
He stepped onto the wide platform connected to the ladder, and Cha Im-beom climbed up beside him, then handed his radio to the Helpful Driver.
“You know how to use a radio, right?”
“Yes, I do. I’ll just do whatever you firefighters tell me to do and move as I hear instructions.”
At the Helpful Driver’s words, Cha Im-beom nodded and stepped onto the platform.
“Raise us up.”
“Hold on tight.”
At the Helpful Driver’s words, both firefighters crouched low and gripped the railings at the edge of the platform.
Whirrrrr!
The platform began rising slowly along the ladder at first, then the two firefighters balanced themselves well and the speed increased.
Whirrrrr!
The platform reached the window where thick smoke was pouring out.
“Cough! Cough! Help us!”
A young man and woman held towels to their mouths as they screamed, and Cha Im-beom pushed at the window.
Being a motel window, it didn’t open fully—only a small crack appeared.
‘I knew this would happen.’
Cha Im-beom had stayed at motels before, so he anticipated the window wouldn’t open completely.
『Cover your mouth well with the towel and step aside. I’m going to break the window.』
At Cha Im-beom’s words, the man grasped the woman’s hand and retreated to the side. Immediately after, Cha Im-beom swung his axe at the window.
Crash!
The window shattered, sending glass shards flying in all directions.
Crackle!
Cha Im-beom cleared away the remaining glass from the window frame with the axe head and thrust his body through the opening. The firefighting suit and oxygen tank made it difficult to squeeze through, so he called out.
『Push me!』
『Yes!』
Ho-su, standing behind him, pushed Cha Im-beom forward.
Lurch!
With his junior’s assistance, Cha Im-beom forced his body through and tumbled inside with a roll.
Thud!
『Ugh!』
Before I could recover from the considerable impact caused by the heavy firefighting suit and oxygen tank, I surveyed the interior.
The man and woman, crouched low and wearing only bathing robes, had their mouths and noses covered with towels. Their robes and towels were soaked through—they had clearly dampened them with water.
Moreover, there was far less smoke inside than expected. By staying low, they could easily avoid it.
Observing this, I looked at the man.
『You did well dampening your clothes and towels with water.』
『I learned it during reserve military training. Should we leave now?』
『Of course.』
Speaking, I approached the bed and yanked the blanket and sheets, spreading them thickly over the window sill. Then I laid pillows on the ground and said.
『There’s glass that could cut you. Step on my feet and then the pillows.』
『Your feet?』
『It’s safe.』
『It’s safe.』
When I extended my hand, the man looked at the woman.
『Hye-won, you go first.』
『Oh… what about you, oppa?』
『Of course I’ll follow right after. Hurry. You need to go first so I can go right after.』
Speaking, the man offered the woman’s hand to me.
I grasped the woman’s hand and pulled her into my arms.
『Pardon me.』
Then I lifted her and carefully lowered her out the window. As Ho-su caught her and set her down, I looked at the man.
『Come on.』
『Can I climb up too?』
To the man who approached uncertainly and peered outside, I replied.
『This is a moving truck lift—it can easily support several people.』
At my words, the man nodded and climbed over the window frame.
Ho-su carefully helped the Goblin Man sit down, then looked at Cha Im-beom.
“Get down.”
“What about you, senior?”
“I’ll head inside from here and search for survivors. Give me the radio.”
At Cha Im-beom’s words, Ho-su extended his own radio and spoke.
“Senior, you can’t move alone.”
“I know. I’m just going to look around here, so send these people down and bring up the other personnel. I’ll be waiting here.”
“Then you really can’t go anywhere.”
“Now go!”
At Cha Im-beom’s command, Ho-su signaled below, and the ladder began to descend.
After sending them off, Cha Im-beom struck the adjacent wall with his fist.
Thud! Thud!
As if it weren’t a concrete wall, the wall resonated with sound.
“Fire Department! Is anyone here!”

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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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