PASSION Chapter 2 Part 5

Chapter 2 Part 5

Carlo, who had been discussing with the men who had gathered close saying things like 'that one we'd only heard rumors about' and 'that legendary one', turned to look at Tae-ui when he heard those words. Then he shrugged and frowned.

"What are you talking about. Of course that's a separate issue."

After cracking his knuckles and loosening his wrists again, Carlo stuck his head out to look at Tae-ui and spoke with feigned sympathy.

"Looking at you, you've got no power, no skill, if you don't think you can win decisively why not just raise your hands and give up instead of using dirty methods to bring punishment on yourself."

"I won decisively with dirty methods though."

"..."

Carlo closed his mouth. That same man from earlier also approached with a menacing face. Other men too surrounded them with expressions on the ambiguous boundary between laughing and anger. Before they knew it, talk of his brother had flown away, and with it any reputation that might have brought even a fingernail's worth of hope from his brother's luck.

The one fortunate thing was that the atmosphere wasn't as fierce and dangerous as he had thought. It seemed there would be no need to worry about medical facilities.

However, the result of getting beaten up remained unchanged.

***

He took about seven or eight solid hits. Two of them hurt enough to momentarily make his mind go blank. However, many of the rest were more like just touching him roughly to match the atmosphere, with several punches that could be called cotton swabs - that was fortunate at least.

After taking what was too mild to really call a group beating, when he came to his senses, Tae-ui was drinking with those who had just beaten him.

"Isn't there anything to eat with this?"

"Earlier Yuan Ho said he bought some beef jerky when he went out, he's gone to get it now."

"Hey, that glass is empty. What are you doing beside him not filling it right away?"

"..."

Found another difference from the military... Tae-ui quietly thought while munching on corn snacks handed to him by a man sitting next to him whose name he didn't know.

These men who cheerfully smiled and dragged Tae-ui along saying "Then shall we drink to welcome our new team member?" right after thoroughly beating someone were something else, but so was he, sitting quietly drinking what was given and eating what was offered.

He wondered if these men were strange, or if that team was strange, or if that branch was strange, or if the whole UNHRDO was strange, or if he was strange for finding the situation odd.

"Is it okay to just drink like this? What if there's an emergency while you're drunk?"

When Tae-ui muttered this, a man sitting across from him called Qing Runzhao shrugged and laughed.

"What kind of emergency?"

Then Tou, who seemed close to this Qing as he sat beside him, added:

"Tai was in the military. Makes sense he'd have rigid habits."

"Aha."

Only then did Qing nod as if understanding. Beyond him, Carlo who was drinking alone explained:

"There's no reason to always be tense in a place that's not even military. Unless you're someone who's made enemies inside and might get stabbed by colleagues. There are no enemies who will attack us. Of course drinking is allowed after finishing duties. Though you'll get killed by the instructor if you get totally drunk and can't make morning training the next day."

"I heard sometimes you do dangerous work outside on external requests. What guarantee is there that someone who holds a grudge won't sneak in and stab you when you're vulnerable?"

Tae-ui asked while sipping his drink. Though he didn't know exactly what kind of work was done under what system, he had overheard something similar long ago when his uncle and Jae-ui were talking. So until now, Tae-ui had thought of UNHRDO as something like a contractor organization that handled miscellaneous jobs.

"Where did you hear that?"

"Well, rumors tend to have gaps where they come in if there are gaps where they go out."

"Ah right, you're Jung Jae-i's brother. You must have only heard half of it. We do sometimes go out for actual combat practice, but we don't take individual requests. Even though huge bribes might be offered, we're still wearing the mask of a United Nations organization after all, how could we just take on private jobs. There shouldn't be personal grudges to worry about. Rather than such enemies, what we need to watch out for is..."

Suddenly Carlo's voice lowered and took on subtle hints of excitement and anger.

"Those European branch bastards! Those shameless bastards who'll soon come crawling in!"

He heard it again. He didn't know how many times he'd heard curses about that 'European branch' just today. Tae-ui couldn't help but smile seeing grown men getting so worked up even though they should be colleagues under the same headquarters.

"They really are on bad terms... Though I heard members sometimes transfer between branches, so they're still colleagues in a way, I don't know why they're on such bad terms."

It was half muttered to himself. However, an icy silence fell on the place the next moment, and Tae-ui, who had been drinking, couldn't even properly swallow the alcohol in his mouth and just quietly rolled his eyes.

"Ah, right, you wouldn't know. Let me tell you. Of course members do transfer between branches. But..."

"..."

"There are no exchanges between the European branch and Asian branch."

"Huh?"

"No direct transfers, though it might happen if they go through another branch or headquarters first."

Gulp, gulp, Tae-ui swallowed the alcohol in his mouth in two goes while trying hard not to show his incredulity.

Indeed, so that's why 'as long as you're not from the European branch.' Right, I get it. You're on bad terms. But no matter how bad, it seems a bit extreme for even official exchanges to not happen directly between the two branches. In other words, this means the relationship isn't just bad between individuals or members, but is recognized as extremely hostile even by other branches and headquarters.

"What kind of blood-soaked history could there be between divisions under the same headquarters..."

When Tae-ui muttered this, Qing tilted his head while gripping his glass with both hands.

"We're not on great terms with other branches or American headquarters either. Things are a bit better with headquarters, but relations between branches can't even be called good as lip service. And for good reason, since we're each other's opponents in actual combat training. They say we have to fight as if facing real enemies during joint training. Then people die, and that builds up until next joint training someone deliberately kills for revenge. That kind of resentment has built up and solidified between us and the European branch."

"You're saying they deliberately kill rather than by accident?"

No answer came. Only silence meaning affirmation and bitter glances were exchanged.

"That's not to say we indiscriminately kill anyone from the other branch... Well, something like that. Anyway, looks like you'll see hell right after joining."

".... This joint training, you said it's once a year?"

"That's right. With the European branch, and with other branches too, once a year. In other words, we meet Europe, Australia, South America, and Africa in rotation with three month gaps."

So to survive and leave safely after half a year, I need to get through at least two hurdles... While cursing his uncle with a bitter taste in his mouth, Tae-ui suddenly tilted his head.

The math didn't add up. With five branches there would inevitably be remainders, so does that mean they take turns sitting out once? Or do they match with headquarters... no, but headquarters and branches were said to be different in nature. The headquarters where precious brains gather wouldn't be made to engage in hand-to-hand combat.

When Tae-ui asked after running through several possibilities in his head but coming up with no answer, the response came easily:

"We split the numbers in half for rotation. While half the European branch guys are here with us this time, half our branch members go to Australia. Half the Australians go to South America, like that for rotation. Next time we mix up the order and rotate again."

"Ah, I see. Then when do they decide who stays and who goes?"

"Drawing lots Friday night before leaving Saturday."

".... How do you secure plane seats while cooking beans on lightning like that?"

"Why would we need to secure seats on a private plane? As long as you have your passport since we all have visas for countries with branches."

Tae-ui briefly thought how ill-fitting the word private plane was with the crumbling abandoned building he had seen entering this island, but said nothing.

"Is there really need to decide so urgently like that? Wouldn't it be better to decide and prepare in advance?"

"If people knew in advance whether they'd go or stay, they might slack off on training."

"Haha, don't you all have to train hard whether you go or not if you don't want to die?"

"With branches other than Europe, some people get injured but hardly anyone dies."

Anyway those European bastards are the problem, last time Sangwat and Croix died right? Weol and Yun and Kiyomi are still not back after being hospitalized, when that bastard who killed Sangwat comes I'll wring his neck, etc - the men exchanged curses and grudges while chewing on them instead of the beef jerky that still hadn't arrived.

".... Do they choose who to send by lots over there too?"

"Mm, probably, since the basic operating principles are all the same. But if someone has a record suggesting they'd die if sent there, the branch tries not to send them if possible. ...Dirty bastards!"

If operating principles were the same then this side probably also tries not to send people who've made enemies over there, but though it seemed like a pot calling the kettle black, Tae-ui who had learned how to live wisely said nothing.

"Wonder if that bastard will come."

That's when Alta suddenly muttered. At that moment, as if on cue, everyone fell silent.

Only Tae-ui, who was chewing on dried fruit since the corn snacks were gone, looked around bewildered at everyone.

The faintly hardened expressions that appeared on the men's faces were various. Anger, anxiety, fear, or emotions similar to those.

"With so many holding grudges against that bastard, surely they wouldn't send him. If the European branch guys have any sense they won't push their member into certain death."

The man beside Tae-ui ground out through what looked like bloodshot eyes. Whether all those holding grudges were gathered here, all seven or so men drinking together wore similar expressions. Just then Carlo muttered heavily:

"But from the European branch higher-ups' perspective, it might be better for that bastard to come here. Think about if that bastard stays and kills people on his home ground. A bastard who crippled three people and killed one even on foreign soil - who knows how much he'd rampage on his own turf."

"Then we should wring that damned bastard's neck and make him eat shit while he's on his home ground!"

".... Who would?"

The voices instantly died down again. While glancing at the men who had fallen back into silence, Tae-ui thought it was fortunate he wasn't eating corn snacks anymore. It would have been awkward if only the sound of crunching snacks echoed in the dead silence, but it would also be wrong to stop eating and join in the gloomy silence.