Jiyeon's Unexpected Rescue (1)
"Thanks, but I prefer to walk back home," Gojin shook his head.
Although he said he wasn't concerned, he was really worried about the area. But more than that, he knew asking Seo Ahri for any favors would come to bite him in the ass later.
Besides, he didn't want to be seen with gangsters because his mother would freak out. That's why he decided to leave on his own.
"Alright, but be careful, okay?" Seo Ahri sighed but nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow at school."
"Will do," Gojin replied before turning and walking away.
As he walked through the dark streets, he felt a sense of unease, as if someone was watching him. But even with his [Perception] skill, he didn't notice anything unusual, so he continued, thinking he might just be paranoid for no reason.
Lost in his thoughts, he almost missed the commotion happening a block away. Turning a corner, he saw a woman being forced into an alleyway by half a dozen men.
His instincts kicked in, and he wanted to rush in and save her. But then the final moments of his past life flashed before his eyes, where he had died while trying to help a woman, only to realize it was a trap.
Not wanting to end up in the same position again, Gojin hesitated and began walking away. But then he heard the woman yell, and he immediately recognized her voice. It was Jiyeon.
Gojin took another step, deep in thought about what to do next. He reached for his phone, hoping to call Seo Ahri for help, but it was dead. Normally, he would have charged it, but he had forgotten while worrying about Seo Ahri, the loan sharks, and everything else.
Should I go back and ask for help?
Gojin hesitated, then shook his head. If he left now, who knew what those jerks would do to Jiyeon? Even though he wanted nothing to do with her, he couldn't just ignore her when she was in such trouble.
Fuck this...
With his mind made up, he abandoned all the prior thoughts, spun around, and sprinted into the alley to save Jiyeon.
***
From the gangster's perspective, everything was going smoothly. Not only they had found a masterpiece of a woman to play with, but they had also found a buyer for her.
While the buyer would want the product to remain untouched, Jang Chul, the man in charge, couldn't let an untested piece go into circulation. So he graciously gathered some men to check the product.
"Please don't do this!" Jiyeon yelled, but one guy covered her face while the rest had her pinned to the ground.
"Stop struggling and it will all be over before you know it," Chul sneered as he leaned over Jiyeon.
"Hm-Hmm!" Jiyeon let out a muffled scream.
"Hold her tight," Chul ordered, reaching for Jiyeon's chest. "Let's see what you are hiding beneath all that-"
Before he could touch her, one of his underlings let out a howling scream and collapsed to the ground with a thud. The rest of the gangsters looked up in shock to see Gojin standing there, a metal pipe in hand.
"Why don't you try playing with me first?" Gojin asked, kicking the fallen gangster in the groin.
"You've got no business here, kid," Chul frowned, seeing the school uniform and realizing Gojin was a student. "Leave now, and I'll forget I saw you."
Gojin had no intention of leaving. But Jiyeon yelled, "Run, Gojin! Get out of here!"
Gojin shook his head in frustration at Jiyeon's foolishness. The gangsters were taking him lightly and there was a chance for him to take them by surprise. But Jiyeon yelled his name and now they knew that he and Jiyeon knew each other. Now, the gangsters wouldn't let him go.
"So, you two know each other?" Chul's eyes narrowed, confirming Gojin's thoughts. "Well, that changes things. Boys, teach him a lesson."
Gojin didn't wait for another warning. He swung the metal pipe at the nearest thug. The metal connected with a satisfying thud, sending the thug crashing to the ground, clutching his side in pain.
The other underlings hesitated for a moment, then charged at Gojin. The first one came at him with a wild punch. Gojin sidestepped, bringing the pipe down hard on the man's back. The thug cried out and collapsed.
Another thug swung a broken bottle at Gojin. He raised the pipe just in time to block the attack, the sharp edge scraping against the metal. Gojin twisted his body, using the momentum to slam the pipe into the man's knee. The thug fell, screaming in agony.
Two more thugs rushed him at the same time. Gojin ducked under their grasping hands and struck out with the pipe, hitting one in the stomach and the other in the jaw. Both men fell back, groaning.
But unlike the seniors he had fought, the gangster didn't go down with one hit. Two of them were down for good, but the other three were already back on their feet.
One of them, a burly man with a shaved head, grabbed a dumpster cover and swung it at Gojin's head. Gojin ducked and jabbed the pipe forward, hitting the man in the chest, and causing him to fall.
A smaller thug tried to tackle Gojin from behind. Upon sensing his movement [Perception], Gojin spun around and swung the pipe low, catching the thug between the legs. The man yelped and fell face-first onto the pavement.
The remaining thug, wielding a chain, whipped it at Gojin. The chain wrapped around the pipe, and the thug yanked hard, trying to disarm him. Gojin held on, using the thug's pull to propel himself forward. He let go of the pipe with one hand and punched the thug in the face.
But he wasn't done there.
[Skill: Suplex (Novice) has been activated.]
Gojin wrapped his hands around the thug's body before lifting him and dropping the man into the dumpster. Out of danger, he looked around the alley, panting. The thugs were down, but Chul should have no signs of worry.
"You've got guts, kid. But it ends here."