Chapter 150

<Summer Camp of Chaos (2)>

***

Woof-.

The brats are here.

No intention to slander or look down on them.

Jang Gun-i is a politically correct dog, so he avoids expressions with discriminatory or hateful connotations. It’s just that, being a dog, there’s no better way to put it.

Anyway, those brats seemed like Son Wang-wang’s underlings.

The brats petted and touched Hong-shi, Cheon-ma, and Gwang-ma, leaving their stinky scent all over them.

Well, no complaints.

After all, dogs are animals that grow and adapt to the world by soaking up human scents.

Thanks to those brats, I got to eat a lot of delicious stuff last night.

It was really tasty—was it eel?

You know, that long fish.

Jang Gun-i is a smart dog, so he knows these things.

Anyway, with more people to play with, the underling dogs are thrilled, so it’s actually a welcome thing.

Heheheh-.

Jang Gun-i stuck out his tongue and panted.

It’s the peak of summer, and even though the sun has just risen, the air is scorching.

“Jang Gun-i, are you thirsty?”

Son Ang-ang brought over a hose, rinsed the water bowl, and filled it with fresh water.

As expected of my kind and considerate underling.

Worried about the boss being thirsty, she takes care of the water first.

While Cheon-ma and Gwang-ma lap up water from anywhere, Jang Gun-i and Hong-shi are dogs with standards and don’t just lick anything. They only drink water given by Son Wang-wang’s family.

Slurp slurp-.

Ah, this water is so clean and refreshing, it could cure kidney disease.

Wooaarr-!

Dogs, drink up!

Jang Gun-i is a good dog, so he takes care of his underlings.

That said.

It’s suspicious how Son Wang-wang suddenly brought his underlings.

Grrr-.

Four on that side, four on this side—could it be that he’s planning for war?

I think I heard Grandpa Cheon Ong-ong say something about a “dai dai” or something.

Jang Gun-i is a smart dog, so he can make such predictions.

Heheheh-.

‘What a dog’s nonsense.’

Daring to challenge Jang Gun-i and his underlings.

Even the seasoned martial arts dog couldn’t handle Cheon-ma and Gwang-ma’s teamwork.

How dare these two-legged creatures cross into Jang Gun-i’s territory?

They don’t even have tails on their butts.

After observing them last night while they rested in the compost area, I found out.

Strangely, they only have short ones in the front.

It reminded me of Gwang-ma’s chewed-up tail.

If that’s the case, they must be as clueless and gentle as Gwang-ma.

Wooaarr-.

Let’s see…

How should I teach these guys the majesty of Jang Gun-i?

Just then, the brats came out, stretching.

Seeing Son Wang-wang stretching, Jang Gun-i recalled last night’s events.

– “If only our Jang Gun-i were a fierce dog, it would help with training.”

Heheheh-.

That’s a good idea!

I’ll crush them in the event they’re confident in!

Jang Gun-i is a generous dog, so he knows how to show such magnanimity.

Again, it’s not out of loyalty or cooperation with Son Wang-wang.

It’s to teach them the law of the jungle.

Woof-.

Hey, gather around, you brats.

Jang Gun-i called his underlings together.

***

The first morning of the summer camp dawned.

Maximizing strengths and compensating for weaknesses are important, but the most crucial thing is basic physical fitness.

Jin-hyeok planned a moderate-intensity workout to help his friends release their healthy energy and overflowing stamina.

‘I do this every day, so they should be able to handle it without a problem.’

The track team members, still rubbing sleep from their eyes, stepped outside and were immediately mesmerized.

The sight of a steaming pot in the yard and the savory aroma of cooking rice captivated their senses.

But it was only for a moment.

Beep-!

“Don’t get distracted! Arms apart!”

Moon Seok-il, wearing a red cap gifted by Jin-hyeok, blew a whistle.

“Not the military calisthenics, but the national calisthenics—start!”

Beep-!

The importance of warm-up exercises can’t be emphasized enough. It prevents muscle shock, avoids joint injuries, and stimulates growth plates… Well, you know all that.

Moreover, morning exercises stimulate appetite and clear the mind. Even without listing these facts, the kids, who had years of exercise ingrained in their bodies, reflexively swung their limbs.

As the middle schoolers started the national calisthenics, Kim In-rang and Kang Heon-chang joined in.

“One, two, three, four—.”

After finishing the national calisthenics, they moved on to individual stretches and light partner exercises.

“Ughhh—so tired—.”

“Ahhh—! Jo Seol-chan! My back, my back!”

“President, you’re heavy…”

Everyone has dreams they call aspirations, romantic fantasies, and small daily wishes they can’t help but desire. However, those should be enjoyed as bonuses while achieving short- and long-term goals. Especially for those with jobs and immediate tasks at hand.

“Alright—, knee rotations—.”

The kids, who knew how to channel their overflowing energy into one focus, didn’t complain much about their dream vacation disappearing. After all, they had signed consent forms with their parents to participate in the training camp.

“Ankle exercises—.”

They just hoped the schedule they saw last night wasn’t real.

But as they say, sad premonitions always come true.

By the time they finished the ankle exercises, Moon Seok-il stuck out his lower jaw and made a sound that was a perfect mix of tenor vocals and mechanical noise. He was fully possessed by the red-capped coach persona.

“Before breakfast, we’re running to Gubongsan and back—. Reach the summit and come back—. Last place gets no food—. Go!”

Beep-!

As the whistle blew, Jin-hyeok started running lightly.

“Uh-oh.”

This is going to be tough.

Thinking the schedule was real after all, Yeom Byeong-taek hurriedly followed Jin-hyeok.

The good-natured Jo Seol-chan quickly followed Yeom Byeong-taek. He knew well that if you fall behind early, it’s hard to catch up.

Left alone, Park Sang-ki muttered under his breath, ignoring Moon Seok-il’s sharp glare.

“Damn it…”

“Hey—, what are you—.”

“—taek, let’s go together…”

Few things are as scary as being left alone in a group setting.

Park Sang-ki remembered last fall when he was left at the training center due to thigh muscle pain. The loneliness was terrible, but the silence was equally daunting. And answering the questions of his returning teammates was also a pain.

‘I have a bad feeling…’

I haven’t even taken my morning dump yet.

Gurgle-.

With a gloomy face, Park Sang-ki started running after finishing his business, with Kim In-rang and Kang Heon-chang following behind.

When all six had passed the hill.

“Go—!”

At the signal from Yoo-jin, sitting on the rice bicycle’s cargo rack, Min Yong-rak also started running.

And then…

Bark bark bark-!

Grrr-! Woof woof! Grrrrr-!

Under Jang Gun-i’s command, three large dogs barked fiercely as they chased after Park Sang-ki.

With sharp teeth bared and drool dripping.

Grrr-! Woof woof woof-!

The dogs, who were so gentle and obedient to humans until yesterday, had turned into fierce beasts.

Park Sang-ki quickly moved up to second place.

“Ahhh! The president’s dogs must have heatstroke!”

It was the first time.

The usually quiet and reserved Park Sang-ki had shouted so loudly.

***

Han Yu-young busily moved between the kitchen and the yard.

Her son had made a request that felt like a real request for the first time, and she couldn’t ignore it.

It was a chance to showcase her cooking skills and apply the knowledge she gained from studying food nutrition at the broadcasting university.

“They’re active kids, so they’ll eat a lot, right?”

“Of course. They’re at the age where they can digest stones.”

Jang Jin-nam, who enjoys cooking, helped the busy Han Yu-young.

“I’m so grateful for your help. If I were doing this alone, I would’ve been exhausted before the athletes.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s nice to prepare together and share the food with the staff.”

“But I’m not sure if this menu is right.”

“It seems very well-balanced.”

Jang Jin-nam nodded as he looked at the menu Han Yu-young held.

Still, Han Yu-young’s expression was uncertain. Even though Jang Jin-nam had a chef’s license, he was the type to only say positive things, so she wasn’t sure if she could trust his opinion.

“At that age, quantity is more important than specific nutrients. As long as there’s no specific nutrient deficiency, it should be fine.”

“Okay. I’ll trust your word and go with this.”

But she couldn’t just ignore the opinion of someone who could be considered an expert. Han Yu-young was just relieved that it wasn’t wrong.

Through the open living room door, the babbling of a baby could be heard.

“Baby boo—.”

“Oh my—, is our Jeong-won hungry?”

Even though he was past the age for it, Jeong-won still craved breast milk, so Han Yu-young hurriedly turned back home. It was endearing how the well-behaved toddler called for his mother without throwing a tantrum.

While Han Yu-young was briefly away, Jang Jin-nam scanned the menu and puffed out his cheeks.

The basic side dishes included fried eggs, rolled omelets, bean sprout salad, bellflower root salad, cucumber salad, young radish kimchi, tofu pancakes, braised soy sauce, and more. Even Jang Jin-nam, with his good memory, couldn’t remember all the varieties.

On top of that, there was beef bone soup, beef seaweed soup, samgyetang, grilled eel, pork belly, beef bulgogi…

The menu was filled with dishes that made your mouth water and gave you energy.

Phew— Jang Jin-nam let out a breath and turned to Moon Seok-il, who was squatting by the sink trimming bellflower roots.

“Are you trying to remodel the human body?”

“Well…”

Moon Seok-il pushed up his sunglasses with the back of his hand.

My legs are killing me. Has this guy been affected by the heat? What a terrifying thing to say.

‘Must be a body improvement thing.’

***

Son Yoo-jin was thrilled.

Even before the vacation, she had often ridden bikes around the neighborhood with Min Yong-rak, but it was rare to go as fast as today.

Son Yoo-jin is a kid who enjoys speed, but Min Yong-rak always rode slowly, saying it was dangerous. But today, Min Yong-rak pedaled like crazy. His breathing sounded like Myung Hyun-woo riding an indoor bike in a bear costume.

“Huff huff— Yoo-jin! Heheheh— Gasp— Hold on— Ughhh—.”

“This is awesomeee—!”

Whether Min Yong-rak was gasping for breath or not, Son Yoo-jin, sitting on the rice bicycle’s cargo rack, enjoyed the refreshing breeze.

She even had a black rubber band cut from a bicycle tube as a safety belt around her waist.

Uncle Min Yong-rak said he had to record things and take pictures while the older boys were running. That’s why he was following them.

Anyway, for Son Yoo-jin, it was the start of a festival.

Her brother always went out to exercise before she woke up and went to the mountains alone after school. So in the mornings, Son Yoo-jin had to play with Cheon-ma and Gwang-ma in the yard.

‘Finally, I’m going to the mountain!’

Even if she couldn’t climb the mountain, being able to follow them to the entrance was something.

Uncle Min Yong-rak was slower than the running older boys, so the bicycle started to lag.

“Uh-oh—, this won’t do! Put some strength into it!”

Son Yoo-jin encouraged him by hitting the metal pole installed like a partition between the driver’s seat and the cargo rack.

“Ah, I’m dying.”

“You won’t die from that!”

She didn’t hold back on warm words of encouragement.

If she could reach him, she would’ve poured strength into him, but the tall partition got in the way. All Son Yoo-jin could do was watch Uncle Min Yong-rak’s buttocks bouncing as he pedaled without sitting on the saddle.

“Uncle, don’t fart.”

“Hahaha—! Don’t make me laugh, it’s so hard—.”

Min Yong-rak finally burst into tears.

If it weren’t for Jin-hyeok’s request, he would’ve been enjoying a late sleep. His thighs were sore, and his heart felt like it would burst. The brat sitting behind him kept saying things that drained his energy.

“How can they run so fast?!”

Jin-hyeok was one thing, but maybe it was because they were athletes. By the time they reached the third year of middle school, their physiques were comparable to adults.

Gritting his teeth, Min Yong-rak mustered all his strength and put his weight on the pedals.

Thinking he should buy a scooter.

***

The track team members were going crazy.

The scorching heat, the muggy weather, and the heat rising from the asphalt were expected in summer.

“Don’t drag your feet, run, you brats!”

From behind, the scary uncles in red caps were yelling.

“Sparrow—! Why aren’t the older brothers chirping?”

The kindergarten kid in a wide-brimmed princess hat sitting on the bicycle rack was cheerfully oblivious.

Grrr-! Woof woof-!

And if you fell behind even a little, the fierce dogs would chase you.

It was a complete chaos party.

Like a pack of wolves chasing prey that had strayed from the herd, Jang Gun-i and his underling dogs snapped their teeth at the heels of the trailing athletes.

Thanks to that, Jo Seol-chan and Park Sang-ki had to alternate positions as they ran. It wasn’t intentional, but being chased by dogs naturally led to that. Son Jin-hyeok and Yeom Byeong-taek were already hard to overtake.

“Ahhh—! What kind of training is this?!”

“Jin-hyeok! Are you trying to send us to North Korea?”

“Girlfriend…, morning call…, I need to poop.”

Why do sprinters have to run a marathon? The kids’ minds were filled with that thought. And it wasn’t just any marathon. They were running at a speed that could rival a 1-kilometer sprint. If their time was measured now, they’d probably finish a kilometer in under 3 minutes.

“Shut up and run, you brats!”

They couldn’t even try to cut corners because of the scary uncles following closely behind. Their physiques were no joke, and their stamina and speed were impressive. Why did Jin-hyeok’s house have such terrifying coaches?

The kids wished they had the gangster-like teacher Lee Byeong-se instead.

***

“Yoo-jin, stay here and play with Uncle.”

“I’m a kid, so I can’t go up.”

After catching their breath at the trailhead, Jin-hyeok left Min Yong-rak and Yoo-jin behind and took the lead again.

While those monsters went up and down the mountain, Min Yong-rak decided to record the time it took to get here and the time it took to climb and descend the mountain.

“Whew—, it’s tough. Let’s see… It took eighteen minutes to get here?”

“Don’t swear.”

“Sorry.”

While Min Yong-rak and Yoo-jin chatted in the shade at the mountain entrance, the track team continued to climb the mountain, chased by the uncles and the pack of dogs.

About halfway up, a change came over the kids’ mental state as they panted up Gubongsan.

“Ahhh—, Grandma, I was wrong—. I’ll be filial—.”

Jo Seol-chan made a sudden confession and vowed to be filial.

“Jin-hyeok! Miss Kim! Me!”

Yeom Byeong-taek seemed to be proposing an inappropriate deal.

“…Last place… no food.”

Well, Park Sang-ki seemed to be holding up okay.

Even if he wasn’t, there was no other way.

With nothing but fields around, where could they even run to?

Hehehe-.

Jin-hyeok, running at the front, had more energy than usual.

‘It’s fun climbing with friends.’

Hehehe-.

Jin-hyeok’s smiling face was as bright as the sunny weather.

But this training wasn’t just for his own enjoyment—it was for his friends.

Before the vacation, Jin-hyeok called Teacher Kim Young-tae to ask for teaching advice.

He thought it might help since the kids liked and respected him the most.

– “I’m not a fan of the whip. First, it has to be fun for the kids to follow. The carrot is important.”

That made sense.

‘Give them a carrot.’

Thud-.

Glancing back at Yeom Byeong-taek, who was following in second place, Jin-hyeok took a sports drink from his backpack and placed it on a nearby rock.

Carrots are hard to chew while running, and you might choke on them.