These people might be connected to him.
"Go to bed. You have training tomorrow morning," So Jeo interrupted his train of thought.
"Ehn?" Confusion was clear on Seo Jin's face.
"I despise weak people," So Jeo spat. "Your courage is admirable, but it's not going to be useful on the battlefield if you don't know how to fight."
Seo Jin nodded, a little speechless at why he was suddenly despised.
"You can leave."
"Okay." Seo Jin did not say anything as he walked back to his room. This time, no escort. Thank God he had a good memory.
He managed to remember the path he had passed before he got to the bedroom.
---
Morning slipped in earlier than Seo Jin expected, or maybe it was because he never truly slept.
The ceiling was still unfamiliar, but not like yesterday when he had just woken up. For a moment, he simply stayed on the bed, blinking slowly.
The bed was soft, and the room quiet.
He sighed, pushing himself up. The movement caused a slight pull at his bruised rib, and he inhaled through his teeth.
He lowered his feet to the floor, pausing for a second as dizziness hit him, but he shook it off.
The room was large for someone who had just signed his life away.
He rubbed the back of his neck out of habit.
Knock.
One firm tap came from the door.
Before Seo Jin could say "come in," the door was pushed open, exposing the same burly man who had come for him previously. His face was cold and unreadable, posture straight, as if breathing itself was against the law in this house.
"The training ground is ready," he said.
"Already?" Seo Jin asked, confused at this early hour.
The burly man gave no response.
Seo Jin understood that silence was an answer in this place.
Like boss, like worker.
He grabbed a jacket beside him and slipped it on.
"Lead the way," he said.
The burly man only nodded before walking away, Seo Jin following behind him.
They walked through the hallway. The guards were few, all dressed in black, with cold expressions.
No one spoke.
Seo Jin did not know why, but he felt he could practically read their thoughts through their eyes.
"So, this was the new stray dog their boss had picked up."
They walked for several minutes before exiting the building. Cool air instantly hit Seo Jin's face.
He immediately spotted a large training ground: sand-filled floor, metal racks where weapons were stored, punching bags hanging around.
"What is So Jeo training them for exactly?" The thought slipped in.
Several men were already in the training ground. They instantly turned at the sight of Seo Jin.
Some were curious, wondering how he had caught their boss's attention.
Some were amused by his thin figure, while most of them were burly or muscular.
Some were unimpressed.
Seo Jin ignored their looks. His gaze landed on the man in the middle of the training ground.
He was tall, with broad shoulders and arms crossed over his black training shirt. He looked tougher than any of the men present.
The several scars on his body told how many battles he had been through.
Seo Jin was confident this had to be the trainer. The burly man walked toward him, and Seo Jin quickly followed.
"This is him," he said simply.
The trainer's eyes scanned Seo Jin from head to toe.
The silence stretched, making Seo Jin a little uncomfortable.
"This?" The man scoffed, a flash of disgust in his eyes.
A few of the men laughed.
Seo Jin did not react.
The trainer stepped closer, his boot crunching on the sand.
"You are the one the boss personally brought?" he asked.
Seo Jin nodded.
The man tilted his head. "But you look almost half-dead."
"Maybe because I barely escaped an accident," Seo Jin replied calmly.
The trainer gave him a glance. "Pathetic…" he added.
Seo Jin just shrugged. "You are right, probably."
The answer seemed to surprise the trainer, who was expecting a snappy reply. He was prepared to "tame" Seo Jin.
He uncrossed his arms. "Name?" he asked.
"Seo Jin."
The man nodded. "I'm Kang Dae."
He gestured lazily to the sand-covered floor, the training ground.
"This is where the boss's guards are made."
Seo Jin looked around again. "And injured?" he couldn't help but comment.
Kang Dae smirked.
"That depends."
Kang Dae walked around him, examining him like a product delivered to the wrong address.
"You are so thin…"
Pause.
"And injured in so many places."
"I remember telling you I was in an accident," Seo Jin whispered in his head.
"Are you done listing all my problems?" he blurted.
Kang Dae stopped in front of him.
His expression hardened.
"The boss said to train you," he said, his voice dropping slightly.
"But he didn't say I had to go easy."
Seo Jin met his eyes without blinking. "I never told you to."
This earned surprised glances from the surrounding guards.
Kang Dae stared at him a moment longer, then stepped back and gestured toward the center of the training ground.
"Good." He flashed a smile. "Then step in."
Seo Jin walked in without hesitation. The sand shifted slightly under his feet.
His ribs still ached, but turning back would be worse—and embarrassing.
Kang Dae rolled his neck once before raising his fists.
"Let's see what the boss found so interesting."
Seo Jin lifted his hands slowly.
Not a professional stance, but based on pure instinct.
The men watching leaned in for their own amusement.
Kang Dae barely gave him a second.
The punch came fast—faster than Seo Jin expected.
It slammed straight into his side.
Pain exploded through his ribs. He staggered.
The sound of laughter erupted around them.
Kang Dae lowered his fist.
"That's it?"
Seo Jin dropped to one knee trying to catch his breath. His palm pressed on the sand.
For a moment the world spun
Someone in the crowd whistled.
"Boss really picked up trash this time."
Kang Dae turned away already looking bored.
"Get up," he said casually.