Chapter 64: Ridicule

“Yes… It was the doing of our Village Head.”

Sang-woong spoke cautiously.

“A few days ago, there was a bit of trouble at our restaurant, and since then, I think he’s been holding a grudge.”

The civil servant fell silent, lost in thought.

“Hmm… Illegally dumping Waste Materials on City-owned land is clearly against the law, but since he’s insisting it’s Recycled Material, things get a bit complicated. This isn’t exactly my area, so let me look into it and get back to you.”

“Thank you. Please, do get in touch with us.”

Sang-woong followed the official to the restaurant door, bowing his head and pleading earnestly.

Worry and hope were mixed on his face.

Luckily, the call from the civil servant came that very afternoon.

Sang-woong was preparing dinner when the phone rang, and he picked up the receiver at once.

“Hello, Gentle Breeze Restaurant.”

“Boss. It’s Na Han-su. I looked into it, and there seems to be a good solution.”

Na Han-su’s calm voice came through the receiver.

“Yes? What solution is that?”

Sang-woong’s voice rose slightly with anticipation.

“If the City-owned land is adjacent to a residence, you can get permission to use it from City Hall. The fee is very low—just tens of thousands of won a year. Once you have the Permit for Land Use, the Village Head will have no choice but to remove everything.”

As Na Han-su explained, Sang-woong’s face brightened.

At last, it seemed he had found a thread to untangle this troublesome situation.

“Thank you. Next time you have a company dinner at our restaurant, I’ll treat you to something special.”

Sang-woong couldn’t hide his joy as he expressed his gratitude.

“Hahaha, your thanks are enough. As a civil servant, I can’t accept entertainment like that so easily.”

Na Han-su declined politely with a laugh.

“In that case, I’ll give you extra service!”

Sang-woong, with a hint of regret, once again expressed his thanks.

“By the way, could I have another of those apples you served today? I can’t get the taste out of my mind.”

The fruit Sang-woong had served at lunch was freshly harvested apples.

No wonder it tasted so good.

“Of course. We have other delicious fruits as well. Please look forward to it.”

“Thank you, boss. I’ll stop by soon.”

After hanging up, Sang-woong felt as if a decade-old weight had been lifted from his chest.

He immediately called his father to share the good news.

The next day, Park Mancheol went straight to City Hall and easily obtained the Permit for Land Use.

Now, the right to use that land belonged to him.

With a resolute look on his face, Park Mancheol went to visit the Village Head’s house.

In his hand was the freshly issued Permit for Land Use from City Hall.

His heart swelled as he thought it was finally time to release the resentment he’d been holding in these past days.

“Village Head! Are you there!”

Park Mancheol’s booming voice echoed across the Village Head’s yard.

“Oh my, who do we have here? Isn’t it Mr. Park? What brings you all the way here?”

At the commotion, the Village Head came out and frowned as if he’d encountered an unwelcome guest.

“I’m here to talk about the Waste Materials issue.”

“Waste Materials?”

The Village Head acted as if he had no idea, raising his chin arrogantly before suddenly raising his voice.

“What Waste Materials? Didn’t I tell you it’s Recycled Material? And besides, that’s not even your land. Why do you have so much to say?”

In response, Park Mancheol stepped closer and unfolded the Permit for Land Use before the Village Head’s eyes.

“And what’s this?”

The Village Head frowned and glanced at the permit.

“This is the Permit for Land Use. So now, it’s as good as my land.”

Park Mancheol’s firm voice made the Village Head’s eyes widen.

“What? Permit for Land Use? What nonsense is this!”

“A few days ago, you stacked what you called Waste Materials next to our house, didn’t you? I got a permit from City Hall, so now I can legally use that land.”

At Park Mancheol’s words, the Village Head’s face flushed and then paled.

He was speechless for a moment, then burst out in a furious voice.

“So what do you expect me to do?”

“Remove it immediately!”

Park Mancheol pushed forward, unwavering.

“Village Head, let me be clear. This land is as good as mine now. If you don’t remove those Waste Materials by tomorrow, I’ll do it myself and bill you for the cost. And if necessary, I’ll take legal action as well.”

Faced with Park Mancheol’s determined attitude, the Village Head couldn’t hide his confusion.

He glanced between the permit in Park Mancheol’s hand and his own scowling face.

“Tch, hmph… Fine. I’ll clean it up, okay!”

The Village Head turned his head away, answering gruffly.

His voice was still full of dissatisfaction, but he couldn’t argue as forcefully as before.

Only after confirming the Village Head’s answer did Park Mancheol unclench his tightly held fist.

A light smile spread across his face, as if he’d finally laid down a burden he’d carried for so long.

Without another word, he turned and left.

His steps were incomparably lighter than before.

He felt relieved, knowing that the ugly heap of trash beside his house would soon be gone.

***

The next morning, with a stiff expression, the Village Head sought out Baek Dong-hoon and Do Wonwoo.

His voice was still sharp, the sting of yesterday’s defeat by Park Mancheol not yet faded.

“You two free? I need you to help me with something today.”

Baek Dong-hoon, who came out to the yard slowly, shot a disgruntled look at the Village Head.

“What is it now, Village Head?”

His tone was openly irritated.

Do Wonwoo, standing beside him, crossed his arms and wore an equally displeased expression.

Just a few days ago, they had helped clean the Livestock Shed, a dirty, grueling task, and all they got in return was a few bottles of makgeolli and some meager side dishes—nothing like the grand treat the Village Head had promised.

The two men, who had hoped for a proper meal in the town center, felt more than just disappointment; they felt betrayed.

Yet here the Village Head was again, brazenly asking for help.

No matter who he was, it was impossible not to be annoyed.

“What? What now?”

At their sullen attitude, the Village Head’s eyebrows twitched furiously.

“What’s with that disrespectful answer!”

As the Village Head’s mood soured, Do Wonwoo stepped in to mediate.

“Village Head, sir, we have a lot to do ourselves today. It’ll be hard for us to help right now.”

Already fuming over Park Mancheol, the Village Head exploded at the insubordination from two people he had always regarded as subordinates.

“You little punks, you want to go against me? Fine, just wait and see how well you do once you’re out of my favor.”

When the Village Head shouted, Baek Dong-hoon realized he’d gone too far.

No matter how annoyed he was, nothing good would come from openly opposing the true power of the Village.

“Oh, Village Head, what could possibly make you so upset? Of course we should help you first, that’s only right. Just wait a moment, I’ll change clothes and be right out.”

With a nervous laugh and a bow, Baek Dong-hoon managed to ease some of the Village Head’s anger.

The two men went inside and changed into work clothes.

Their backs, as they turned, were full of discontent.

The place the Village Head led them to in the Porter truck was right in front of Park Mancheol’s house.

Do Wonwoo asked in confusion.

“Village Head, why are we here…”

Even the thick-skinned Village Head seemed embarrassed, clearing his throat before replying.

“Well, Mr. Park pleaded with me, so I’m helping him clean it up again.”

Baek Dong-hoon chuckled softly.

The Village Head he knew would never do that on his own.

But in any case, the job needed to be done, and he was irritated by the fact.

They had worked hard cleaning the Livestock Shed but hadn’t been properly compensated.

He also remembered making it clear that dumping Waste Materials next to Park Mancheol’s house was not a good idea.

But the Village Head had acted all tough and responsible, and now, when the situation had changed, he just called them back out for more work.

Ignoring Do Wonwoo’s suspicious gaze, the Village Head crossed his arms.

“Come on, enough talk. Let’s get this done and go eat.”

His tone was still authoritative, but something about him seemed uneasy.

Baek Dong-hoon got out of the Porter grumbling.

He was already annoyed at being dragged out for work early in the morning—now he had to haul Waste Materials again.

“What are we, some volunteer group? Didn’t you say you’d handle this yourself, Village Head?”

His complaint now turned into open protest.

“Shut it! You think I’m just making you work for nothing? I’ll make sure you’re properly rewarded, so get moving!”

The Village Head shouted urgently, but his blustering promises no longer worked on the two men.

They had already experienced just how stingy the Village Head could be.

Baek Dong-hoon kicked at the Waste Materials and spoke with cold sarcasm.

“‘Properly rewarded’ isn’t just a few bottles of makgeolli and a plate of anchovies, is it?”

His voice dripped with contempt.

The Village Head’s face stiffened instantly.

Confronted by Baek Dong-hoon’s blatant disregard, he had no reply.

In just a few days, his authority had sunk to rock bottom.

He would have to accept that his word no longer carried any weight.

“Makgeolli, you say? Last time, I was unwell, so we just ate simply. Today, we’ll go out to the town center for a meal.”

“You promise?”

“Yes, so let’s get this over with.”

In the end, the two men began silently removing the Waste Materials.

They hefted heavy planks and tossed the stinking refuse onto the truck, their irritation plain in every movement.

Just like before, villagers began passing by one by one as they worked.

They all glanced at Baek Dong-hoon and Do Wonwoo as they cleared away the Waste Materials, and at the Village Head, who stood off to the side as if supervising.

“Oh my, the Village Head himself is cleaning up trash, it seems!”

An old man, passing by, made the remark with a laugh, and the Village Head’s face hardened even more.

Word had already spread throughout the Village that the Village Head was giving the Park Mancheol family a hard time.

Now, seeing him personally removing the Waste Materials just days later made it all too clear who had won.

Another passing lady clicked her tongue and said,

“Good grief, that’s just too much. Who puts stuff like that beside someone else’s house when it isn’t even their own land?”

Her words were a direct criticism of the Village Head.

The villagers’ glances and whispers were like sharp blades stabbing at the Village Head’s chest.

His face grew redder and redder, and his fists clenched so tightly that they turned white.

‘How dare they treat me like this?’

His pride felt utterly shattered.

Finally, the truck bed was filled with Waste Materials.

Baek Dong-hoon and Do Wonwoo climbed up, breathing heavily, while the Village Head, worn out, sat in the passenger seat.

“Village Head, where should we take this?”

Baek Dong-hoon asked as he started the engine.

At that, the Village Head sat there, dazed for a moment.

He’d only thought of clearing it out—he hadn’t actually thought about where to take it.