To be honest, he wanted to dump the waste materials anywhere. He’d already been the talk of the village because of it, and he couldn’t stand to become the subject of another scandal.
“Come on, let’s go to my house.”
With no other choice, the Village Head ended up storing the waste materials once more in a corner of his own yard, where he’d torn down the livestock shed.
And just as he’d promised, the Village Head took the two men to the town center.
Baek Dong-hoon and Do Wonwoo must have been truly determined—just the cost of drinks that day came out to a whopping 500,000 won.
And all of their anger naturally turned toward Park Mancheol and his family.
But the Village Head’s torment did not end with the waste materials incident.
His petty revenge only grew more persistent.
A few days later, Park Mancheol headed to his farmland early in the morning.
The warm sunlight poured down pleasantly, but his face was filled with worry.
When he arrived at the farmland and looked at the pump that drew up underground water, he found the wiring cut and the machine broken.
It was obvious someone had sabotaged it on purpose.
Without water, the crops would be ruined.
And that wasn’t all.
Every time he tried to use the village Common Road, unfamiliar faces appeared and blocked his way.
In the countryside, it was common for several households to yield a bit of their land to form a road. However, Park Mancheol, who had returned to farming about ten years ago, held no share in the village’s road.
They were people who had been bought off or pressured by the Village Head.
It was a blatant message to leave the village.
He’d heard stories about the dark side of rural communities, but now that it was happening to him, the meanness and viciousness of it left him at a loss for words.
It wasn’t just a matter of causing inconvenience.
This was a matter of survival.
It was an act that shook the life he’d built over more than ten years, putting down roots in this land.
It felt as if he were in a transparent prison.
The farmland was right before his eyes, but he couldn’t water it, nor could he take his harvest to market. Rage welled up inside him, but at the same time, a deep sense of helplessness settled over him.
“How can someone torment another person like this? Just because I upset his mood, he’s trying to completely destroy my life.”
He could feel the truth in the saying that human malice knows no bounds.
And this wasn’t the end.
A few days later, as Park Mancheol was on his usual way to the farmland, it happened.
It was another pleasant morning, the sunlight mixing with the scent of earth, but suddenly his mind went blank, as if struck by lightning.
When he reached the familiar turn leading to his farmland, he stopped in his tracks, unable to believe his eyes.
“What is that?”
At the start of the road—where there definitely should have been nothing—a massive boulder and a heap of dirt blocked the path.
Someone had clearly blocked the road on purpose.
Park Mancheol frowned and looked around.
Naturally, his gaze landed on the Village Head’s farmland, right next to his own.
There, the Village Head, hoe in hand, was glaring at him with a mean expression.
He could guess what had happened.
As a last resort, the Village Head had blocked the only path to Park Mancheol’s farmland, barricading his own land.
Park Mancheol let out a sigh.
He’d expected something like this, but when it actually happened before his eyes, he was at a loss for words.
Slowly, he walked up the blocked road and approached the Village Head.
“Village Head, what is this about?”
Park Mancheol’s voice was calm, but inwardly his anger was boiling over.
The Village Head paused his hoeing and looked up at Park Mancheol with a sly grin.
“What do you mean, what? I’m just piling up some dirt on my own land. Is there a problem with that?”
His voice was dripping with mockery.
“This is the path we use to get to our farmland, isn’t it? We’ve always used this road—why are you suddenly doing this?”
Suppressing the anger churning inside him, Park Mancheol calmly protested.
The Village Head shrugged his shoulders.
“The past is the past, and now is now. My land is rightfully mine. Why shouldn’t I do as I please?”
His attitude was stubborn. His gaze said, “Why are you even asking?”
“But if you block the road like this, I can’t get my equipment into the farmland. Are you telling me to farm or not?”
Park Mancheol’s voice began to rise.
At this, the Village Head raised his voice as if he’d been waiting for this.
“That’s your problem, not mine. I don’t care. Find another way back to your own land, or bow down and beg me. Maybe then I’ll consider letting you use my land. Or better yet, you’ve got plenty of money, right? Pay a toll. How about five million won a month?”
The look in his eyes was filled with malice as he mocked Park Mancheol.
Park Mancheol clenched his fists.
His patience was nearing its limit.
“Village Head, why are you doing this? Did I do something wrong to you?”
He made a final effort to settle things peacefully.
The Village Head snorted.
“What are you saying, Mr. Park? Wrong? Who said you did anything wrong? I’m just exercising my rights.”
He slowly shook his head, as if he simply couldn’t understand what he’d just heard.
A sneering, petty smile hung on his lips.
“That pile of waste materials was something you dumped carelessly beside my house. All I did was ask you, through the proper channels, to clean it up.”
Park Mancheol pleaded his case.
“Why are you suddenly bringing up the waste materials? I only stored them on public land for a bit, and when I was told to move them, I did. Now you are picking a fight. Fine, then I won’t back down either. As long as I’m the Village Head here, you’ll never farm in peace.”
The Village Head’s face twisted with malice.
Seeing the Village Head’s sudden aggression, Park Mancheol realized there was no more room for dialogue.
“You’re truly petty. Did you think I wouldn’t know why you’re doing this? It’s because of the Field I sold to your son, isn’t it? Now that a road was built and the land price has gone up, you’re upset. But a person shouldn’t act like this. You were desperate for money and begged me to buy it, and now look at you.”
At Park Mancheol’s pointed words, the Village Head’s face contorted like a demon.
Seeing this, Park Mancheol knew there was no going back between them now, but he didn’t care much.
“Shut up!”
The Village Head, unable to contain his anger, shouted at the top of his lungs.
“What nonsense are you spouting? Are you accusing me now? I never thought you were that kind of person. I let you live in our village out of pity, and now you don’t even appreciate it…”
Though the Village Head yelled as if he’d been stabbed in the heart, his words merely echoed into the air.
Feeling there was no longer any point in talking, Park Mancheol turned his back and left.
“Where do you think you’re going? I’m talking to you! Just know you’ll have nowhere to set foot in this village from now on!”
The Village Head’s voice, shrill with malice, sounded uglier than ever.
Even the cold stares from the villagers he once thought honest pierced his chest like daggers.
As he watched them turn their heads away, unable to oppose the Village Head’s orders, he felt a deep sense of isolation.
“So this is the peaceful rural life I once dreamed of?”
A bitter sense of regret washed over him.
***
Park Mancheol was sitting at his favorite spot in his son Sang-woong’s restaurant.
The seat, with a beautiful view outside, was always where he sat for a meal or, like now, a drink.
Sang-woong respectfully filled Park Mancheol’s glass.
“Father, stop stressing and just live here with us. I’ll give you the best house in the building.”
Even for Sang-woong, resolving this matter through legal means wouldn’t be easy.
And even if they did take it to court, it would just drag on for ages, with no guarantee they’d win.
“Sometimes, it’s not that you’re afraid of dirt—you just want to avoid something filthy. Maybe leaving the village is the wisest option.”
“If living in the villa is uncomfortable, we can build you a house here with a yard. After all, you eat most of your meals at the restaurant anyway. You can also develop the Field and start farming here if you want. There’s plenty of land left. And if you want to invite friends over for a drink, I’ll make sure there’s a great outdoor space for you. You’ll even be able to grill meat.”
At Sang-woong’s words, Park Mancheol downed the drink in one gulp.
He was in such a foul mood, yet for some reason, the drink Sang-woong poured tasted sweet and refreshing.
It wasn’t just the taste.
He felt his heart calm down, and the stress seemed to melt away.
“Well, sometimes you step in crap in life. Just shake it off. You’re only hurting yourself by stewing over it.”
It felt as if the drink itself were saying this.
It made sense—Sang-woong had brewed it himself.
He’d used medicinal plants and fruits carefully grown on the land, so not only was it delicious, but it was also good for the body.
Even though it was quite strong, Park Mancheol felt refreshed the next morning, as if he’d had a tonic rather than a hangover.
“You know, what you’re saying doesn’t sound so bad. But…”
Park Mancheol hesitated as he set his glass down.
When it came to actually following Sang-woong’s suggestion, practical problems surfaced.
Money, for one.
Clearing the Field, building a house with a yard, and creating a space to drink with friends—all of that would cost quite a bit.
Noticing his father’s worries, Sang-woong smiled gently and spoke in a light tone.
“Dad, you don’t know this, but being a Hunter isn’t all I’ve done.”
“Oh? What else have you been up to?”
Park Mancheol looked at his son with wide, curious eyes.
“I’ve been investing. A friend of mine started a business, and I invested in it. That friend recently hit it big, so I made quite a bit of money, too.”
Sang-woong told the story a little differently than the truth, not wanting his father to worry.
“Ah, so that’s how you were able to invest in Ha Jin-yi. I wondered where you got the money. When you built this building, you took out a big bank loan. I was always curious where the extra cash came from.”
Finally, Park Mancheol understood his son’s actions and nodded.
“Haha, your son is pretty capable. So don’t worry about a thing. To be honest, we could just buy up the farmland in the village and resolve things by building a new road, but I don’t see the point. You didn’t come back to the countryside just to struggle and fight with the Village Head, did you?”
Sang-woong added a bit of humor to put his father at ease.
“You’re right.”
By now, the drink had gone to Park Mancheol’s head, making his face flush, but he nodded, feeling better thanks to his son’s cheerful words.
There was no need to remain in the village and keep up a sour relationship with the Village Head. With such a reliable son, he had nothing more to worry about.
With a gentle smile, Sang-woong topped off his father’s glass.
“Father, since we’ll soon be clearing the Field and building a new house here, is there anything you need for farming, or something you’ve always wanted? Just let me know—your son can get you anything.”
Sang-woong wanted to use this opportunity to ease his father’s pain, to show him his own financial strength, and to reassure him that he could provide anything his father wished.
At his son’s heartfelt words, Park Mancheol hesitated for a moment.
Fingering his glass, he spoke cautiously.
“Well… actually, there’s something I’ve really wanted…”
“It’s fine, just say it. Do you need a car? Sedan or a truck?”
At his son’s question, Park Mancheol gave a shy laugh.