Ch.57 Yarikiri
The government’s damage assessment using drones and human personnel has concluded.
Gradually, multiple construction and repair requests are being issued for the affected areas.
Today, too, in order to protect my work-life balance, I stepped into the labor office, and the workers blinked at me.
“Whoa, what the—? Who’s this guy?”
“Man, even among laborers, this one’s something else.”
“Hoh… Could it be, that person…?”
Perhaps it’s because I’m two heads taller than the other men, or maybe it’s because I flaunt my muscular physique.
From the moment I open the door, people’s eyes are drawn to me, and foremen from various sites try to coax me into working with them.
“Hey, you interested in demolishing buildings that aren’t completely wrecked?”
“Hey now! This guy’s a better fit for our site!”
“You okay with dark places? If you do well, I’ll double your pay.”
“Hmm.”
Demolition sites, construction sites, material hauling, underground groundwork.
As I was about to choose from the various jobs being shoved in my face—
“Well, look who it is! If it isn’t Bongbap!”
At the sound of that familiar name, I lowered my head and saw a man I remembered giving me a light thump on the chest.
Definitely someone I worked with before, handling monster carcasses.
“Long time no see.”
“You’re alive and well! I was worried when you got off the truck and disappeared—what happened?”
“Making enough for baby formula?”
“Haha! We’ve even started on baby food lately!”
“You’ll need more money, then.”
After asking about the baby’s well-being, I noticed the red hardhat the man was wearing and tapped his head.
“You’re a foreman now?”
“Well, luckily, a bunch of like-minded folks got together.”
“Congratulations.”
“Hahaha! Thanks. So, how about it? Wanna work together today?”
Not particularly interested in the offer, I shook my head.
“Monster carcass disposal pays too little.”
“Aw, come on, I’ll hook you up better, Bongbap. Gotta pay back that baby formula money, right?”
“Don’t need it. Feed your kid.”
“Besides, I’m not on carcass duty anymore. We’re doing road restoration now.”
“Road restoration?”
That was a new one. Curiosity piqued, I showed interest, and the man grinned, making a familiar offer.
“For you, it’d be hauling bags of recycled asphalt and breaking down cracked road blocks to load onto trucks. How about it? Both are right up your alley.”
“Any personal Yarikiri?”
“Huh? Personal Yarikiri? What’s that?”
“It means if I finish my work first, I leave early.”
“What kind of rule is that…? You got plans today?”
“I’m really hungry today. I’ll do Yarikiri and then take on other work.”
“Oh, still eating like a beast? Alright. Then, if you finish your assigned work, you can Yarikiri, deal? It’d help us wrap up faster too.”
“Deal.”
I shook the man’s hand.
At the labor office, where you work to eat day by day, contracts are often sealed with just a handshake.
“What time’s the job?”
“Ah, we’re starting a bit late—equipment hasn’t arrived yet. Still no phone, I take it? Can you come to District 3, Road 17 by around 1 PM?”
“Got it.”
Well then, time to find some work before that.
As I turned to leave, something I’d forgotten came to mind, and I spoke up.
“My name isn’t Go Bongbap anymore. It’s Kwak Chan-sang.”
“So Go Bongbap was a fake name? This one at least sounds like a real person’s name.”
“It means I want to eat until the table’s packed full today.”
“Heh, nice name.”
“Mhm.”
After my self-introduction for the day, I approached other foremen hiring workers and picked up jobs.
I made sure to negotiate Yarikiri for each one—finish early, leave early. Four foremen agreed.
And so, from morning onward, I started working hard to earn my meals.
“Hahaha! Thanks to you, we’ve already filled the truck! Gonna take this to the disposal site—wanna do more later?”
Building debris removal, Yarikiri!
“Man, talking about ‘personal Yarikiri guarantees’ like it’s nothing—guess you’ve got the skills to back it up!”
Construction material hauling, Yarikiri!
“You already finished two sites and came back? And you’re not even tired?”
Pipe material hauling, Yarikiri!
“Hey, hey, gimme your number!”
“Don’t have one.”
“Huh? No number…? What do you mean no number? What kind of convenience-store-girl nonsense is that?”
Shaking off the annoying foreman, I went back to building debris removal, Yarikiri!
“Wait, so you’ve finished four sites since morning?”
“Hauling jobs are quick—that’s why they’re called hauling.”
“Who even says that?”
After finishing all four jobs and stuffing the cash into my pocket, I arrived at the road restoration site by 1 PM as promised.
District 3, Road 17—I hadn’t recognized the name at first, but it turned out to be a place I’d been to before.
Hoisting four bags of asphalt on each shoulder, I lined them up at the designated spot while others carrying one bag at a time stared blankly.
After setting them down, I grabbed a heavy sledgehammer and started breaking the pavement.
Roads are designed in rectangular blocks to minimize damage spread—less durable but easier to replace.
For me, working with such tiny tools feels inefficient, but it’s fun in its own way.
Like that game kids play in front of grocery stores—what was it called? Dalgona?
“Bongbap! Stop playing and work!”
“Mhm.”
“That guy’s faster even when he’s playing around.”
“First time I’ve seen someone break roads into star shapes for fun.”
As my crew and I smashed the damaged pavement to lay new asphalt, others rushed in to fill sunken spots underneath.
Then, a vibrating machine rolled over the surface, compacting it smooth.
“Not bad with the compactor.”
“Oh? You know about compactors?”
“Learned it during concrete work. Is this Yarikiri now?”
“Yep. Just a bit more, and I’ll pay you right away.”
I grabbed broken road chunks and loaded them onto the truck.
When stacking, big pieces go at the bottom, small ones on top—basic skill.
Watching me lift slabs bigger than people with one hand each, the workers gaped.
“Whoa… Who is this guy? Insane.”
“Wait, isn’t this that ‘Double Bowl’ guy?”
“Nah, it’s ‘Reason Han,’ right?”
“I heard it was ‘Generous Portion.’”
“Bongbap—no, Chan-sang! Are you all of them?”
“Mhm.”
I gave a thumbs-up, loaded the last of the heavy slabs, and dusted off my hands.
“Done. Yarikiri.”
“Still a beast. Half the work done in no time… Guess we’re clocking out early today. Can go see my baby.”
“Man, I kinda wanna make you do more.”
“Foreman! At least leave some work for the rest of us!”
Amid the laughter, the man handed me a wad of cash.
I took out a single bill and handed the rest back.
Understanding, he waved it off.
“B-Bongbap, you don’t have to. I’m making enough now.”
“Feed your kid.”
“Hey! You’re the one always saying you’re short on food money!”
“I can tough it out when I’m hungry. A baby can’t.”
“Ugh, damn—! You’re making it seem like I called you here just for this!”
I shoved the money into his pocket and strode off before he could follow.
“Th-Thanks! Seriously!”
Already out of reach, I raised a hand in farewell as his voice cracked.
Seeing that, I felt fuller than after two bowls of soup.
Not that I was actually full.
Time to eat. Today’s destination: a nearby tonkatsu place.
I recalled a conversation I had with Yoo Hyena at a free meal center not long ago.
She asked how hungry I must’ve been to eat double my usual portion and told me to visit her company if I was ever starving again.
But next time, she said, it had to be something other than soup. Hence, this place.
She insisted it was delicious and that we should go together, but hearing how good it was, I couldn’t wait.
With plenty of cash on hand, I figured I’d try it today as a preview.
“Move it! Ugh—this is why places outside A-City are such a pain!”
On my way to the tonkatsu place, I stopped at the sight of a woman causing a scene.
Tanned skin, blond hair, wearing what looked like an aviator jacket.
The sharp-tongued woman was arguing with people in line.
“Hey, miss, no idea who you are, but can’t you see there’s a line?”
“Just move! Don’t tell me to wait!”
“Why should I? I said I’m hungry! Know your place, peasants!”
“Peasants? What the hell is wrong with her?”
From what I gathered, she was trying to cut in line.
Was she that hungry? Just as I thought that, she curled her hand like a claw and summoned her ability.
A superpower human—and a powerful one at that.
“Enough. My mistake was wasting words on insects.”
“Wh-What’s she—?”
“Villain! She’s a villain!”
“Calling me a villain? Stupid cattle!”
Zap!
The moment lightning shot from her hand toward the crowd, I grabbed her wrist.
The energy surging through her—sharp, spicy, and unpleasant.
Her ability, her emotions, her scent—all left a bad taste.
Disdain for others, superiority, zero remorse. Pure selfishness.
She was about to use her power on defenseless people.
I glared, disgusted.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
***
“Why the hell did you send that lunatic to W-City?”
Government. Hero HQ. One of the operator rooms.
Yoo Anna, having received a call from Kage, was in a secure communications room with a private line.
[I told you. Reinforcements to handle Despair-class monsters.]
“We already took care of the Despair-class monsters! Why send support now?”
[…Saying you’ve handled all Despair-class monsters is strange. The Black Cat is still there.]
Yoo Anna clenched her teeth.
“The Black Cat is—!”
[A variant. A monster exhibiting abnormal behavior. A ticking time bomb. You’re not about to say we shouldn’t eliminate the Black Cat, are you, Starlight?]
“Tch…”
Kage sighed at her silence.
[I doubted the reports, but… Are you really a monster sympathizer now?]
“Don’t call me that! It’s just rumors—”
[Shut it, Black Cat otaku.]
“I’m not!”
[Tch. Pathetic. Even if the rumors aren’t true, their existence alone proves you’re failing to lead the public.]
“The ones spreading that crap are a minority.”
[Sure. The loud ones always are. Most citizens probably support you. But the masses follow the noisy few.]
Kage gestured to an A-class hero beside him.
[You lack the skill to control public opinion. That’s why I’m helping you.]
“Helping? Sending an unnecessary S-rank hero after everything’s over is helping?”
[I read the report. You had the Black Cat pit the Despair-class monsters against each other to take them down separately… Textbook. My strategy was to make them fight and finish off the survivor.]
A woman lit his cigarette as he took a long drag.
[So why didn’t you eliminate the Black Cat afterward? He should’ve been wounded from the fight.]
Schedule: Pending
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