Audio titled: BODY GOLD
Chapter
003
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Invitation
(How He would get Invited?)
***
"Stuck-up is the word I'd use..."
Jung Hwa ignored him. "If he is able to make leaders join him as mere members, there must be something different about him!"
"He's even more stuck-up?" Jong Woo suggested with a crooked grin.
Jung Hwa frustrated threw her hands in the air. "Jong Woo, you have to join a group somewhen..."
"Not if I can help it..."
"Somewhen soon," said Jung Hwa seriously. "Even leader Lee begins to think it would be easier to only have the task force in town."
Jong Woo snorted. "He's been thinking that for a long time Jung Hwa. I'm amazed he hasn't killed off the smaller groups yet."
Jung Hwa looked at him with a sad expression. They never discussed Lee Kwang Jae's politics because they knew they weren't on the same side.
"Sorry," Jong Woo murmured.
"It's alright Jong Woo, I know it, I'm not stupid. But we care for you, we don't want you to get hurt. I would have recommended to leave town, but where could you go? Please Jong Woo we just want you to be safe. And the world isn't safe, especially if you have no one there to protect you! Could you not at least consider to meet this new leader?" Jung Hwa looked at him with puppy eyes. Damn her!
"I can protect myself," Jong Woo snapped .
"I don't doubt that stupid! But there's more to life than sit around alone inventing new traps to keep out intruders!"
"Well I never knew another life!" Jong Woo shot back.
"Why do you think we want to show it to you so desperately?" Jung Hwa cried .
It hurt to see her so sad. Jong Woo sighed. "Look I'm just not a person who follows others. I just don't trust them enough like you do with Lee Kwang Jae."
Jung Hwa smiled sadly. "That's because everyone is an idiot compared to you. No one trusts someone who is stupid in their eyes."
Jong Woo couldn't help but return her smile. "Was that a compliment or an insult?"
"I heard this new leader is exceptionally intelligent..." Jung Hwa began innocently.
"Oh for Christs sake Jung Hwa! I've never met a person more stubborn than you!" Jong Woo laughed .
"You should meet yourself then," Jung Hwa retorted grimly, "I'm nothing compared to you."
"Fine whatever! You win! How do I meet this marvellous leader?" he asked, just to make Jung Hwa stop nagging him.
Jung Hwa face lit up with excitement. "I heard he holds something like a party in the local inn tonight. Apparently he'll invite anyone he wants in his group."
"There you go, maybe he won't even invite me," Jong Woo said, trying not to sound too hopeful and failing miserably.
"I seriously doubt that. And if he doesn't, then he's not clever at all and doesn't deserve our little Jong Woo," teased Jung Hwa.
"I'm not that small!" protested Jong Woo, but Jung Hwa just laughed at him and walked to the door.
She turned to him with pleading eyes. "Just promise me you'll go."
"If it makes you that happy..."
"It does."
"Fine, I promise."
Jung Hwa beamed at him and walked out.
Jong Woo turned away from the counter—still no sign of the knife—and wondered how he would get invited if the new group didn't even know him.
Oh well, if he didn't get an invitation all the better; he could use the evening to mix the new paint for another knife.
At 10 o'clock in the evening, he decided that he would indeed not get invited. He really didn't mind, but he couldn't help but wonder why.
It wasn't unusual to scout members of other groups, hoping they would change their alliance, but nonmembers were far easier to get to join. And as far as Jong Woo knew, he was one of the last nonmembers in town.
But whatever, he had promised Jung Hwa to go if he got invited, so he still would be able to keep his promise.
He closed the shop and went to bed.
***
He awoke with a start. Something had exploded.
He heard violent cursing and screaming. There had to be at least three people in his hall.
He got up quickly and headed for the commotion. He was armed, but he didn't think they wanted to harm him. No one ever attacked him, who the hell were they?
Sure enough one man lie on the floor; his face twisted in pain, his left leg separated from his body, blood pooling from the wound. Three others kneeled beside him, cursing.
"What the hell was that?" yelled one.
"A small portable mine I'd say. But it shouldn't have been on the floor... did he touch the shelves?" Jong Woo asked cooly.
"Who are you? Did you put that there you bastard?! Just wait 'till I get my hands on you!" yelled another, his face an angry grimace.
The injured man was obviously their friend. Jong Woo felt bad for the man—a cripple would not survive long. It was true that most of his inventions were rather harmful, but Jong Woo had always valued people's lives.
"I suggest you wait with that until after he's been to a doctor" Jong Woo replied calmly.
Damn, why couldn't they keep their hands to themselves! He hated it when someone got injured out of pure stupidity. They looked angry, but more so desperate and the man wouldn't live if they didn't stop the blood flow soon.
He wasn't really concerned that they were going to hurt him. As far as he could tell no one wanted him dead, he was way more useful alive when his brain was still working. And they hadn't even moved towards him, despite their threats.
Jong Woo set down his flash gun in favour of pulling a few bandages out of one shelf. Nothing much, but it was a start.
Just when he began to walk towards the injured man, someone grabbed him from behind and roughly pulled something over his head. Jong Woo cursed and began to kick. He couldn't see anything and his flash gun was somewhere in the next shelf. Brilliant.
'How stupid can they be?' Jong Woo thought furiously. They've seen he wanted to help them, what the hell could be more important than their friend?
"Yoon Jong Woo I assume?" came an even voice from behind, "you're coming with us." The fourth man obviously didn't care for the injured man as the others did.
Jong Woo wanted to tell them that their friend was going die if they didn't let him help, but something hit his head hard and he blacked out.
***
To be continued...