Praise the Orc! Chapter 176:
Chapter 176 – What Happened on the Beach (1)
Ian stretched…
The sea stretched out before him . He was currently on a beach in Gangwon-do, facing the East Sea . Ian had been stuck in his house all day playing Elder Lord, so his body was a bit stiff . He’d gone on a solo trip in order to rejuvenate himself, and he’d picked this place because he missed the sea . Just looking at the blue sea made him feel better . He stretched his body and took in the fresh air . The sunshine was also pleasant .
“You have to tilt your upper body . You shouldn’t bow . Don’t touch the board . ”
On one side of the beach, a surf class was in session . Brightly dressed men and women were repeatedly lying down and standing up on the surfboard . It seemed moderately amusing .
Surfing… Ian should learn it once . He had never learned any sports apart from martial arts . Turning his gaze away, Ian saw surfers splashing in the water . Most of them weren’t able to stand properly, but they didn’t get tired, and some managed to slip nicely towards the beach .
“I don’t like the rashguards . ”
Ian turned his head as he unexpectedly heard a voice . A man was standing there . He wore glasses, and his hair was strangely gray . However, he didn’t seem old . In fact, he was in his mid-30s .
As he stared into the sun, the man spoke with furrowed brows, “It is annoying . People should go into the sea with bare skin . That is real . But the clothing companies make all these things, and they cover up their body unnecessarily . Youth is just a fleeting moment . Don’t you think so?”
The man looked at Ian . It was the first time they’d met .
Ian started laughing . “That’s right . ”
This might be the attraction of traveling . He had accidentally met an interesting person .
The man nodded . “Take your clothes off . The sun should see you . ”
Then the person in question took off his coat, revealing a body without any obvious fat . He was wearing aloha shorts . He walked forward with clear eyes .
“You . ”
“Huh?”
“Do you know how to surf?”
“I don’t know . ”
“Indeed, you look like you don’t know how . ”
Ian’s eyebrows twitched . He looked like he didn’t know how? What did that mean? Ian had never failed at any exercise . Even when he played with a ball during his childhood, his natural athleticism meant he could easily get the ball past his peers .
It was like Cristiano Ronaldo with a soccer ball, Stephen Curry with a basketball, and Roger Federer with a tennis ball . They were different . Although it was true that Ian didn’t know anything about surfing, it was unacceptable to be seen as a desk-bound person .
The man didn’t sense Ian’s anger as he spoke casually, “Then do you want to learn from me?”
Ian made a questioning sound and laughed . “You can surf?”
“Didn’t I say it? This friend, you should learn how to look at people . ” The man draped his jacket around his neck . “Follow me . I’ll teach you one on one . This opportunity isn’t common . ”
Ian was interested… in surfing, as well as this person . The man left the white sand with Ian and headed to the surf store across the road . There was a man with a suntanned body and a reggae hairstyle sitting on a rocking chair . He raised his sunglasses to his head and waved . The eyes behind the sunglasses were unexpectedly innocent .
“Hey, Hyung-nim . ”
“You look good . ”
“Hah, I was active until dawn…”
“I’m teaching him how to surf, so please give me a few things . ”
“I understand . Jinchul! Get me one set of equipment! One set!”
“Yes!”
An answer called out from inside . Then a charming young man appeared . He greeted Ian with blurry eyes as if he had also been awake until dawn .
“Ah, hello . It must be your first time . ”
“Yes . ”
“Do you want separate clothing or rashguards? If not, there is this suit . Your height is similar to me, so the size should be…”
Ian received a full body suit which appeared to be used for scuba diving . Then when Ian tried to pay for the rental, he was rejected .
“This is fine . Hyung-nim’s guests always receive it for free . ”
Ian looked at the man outside the store and the store owner . The man outside was looking at the sea with his hands behind his back .
He asked, “What is that person like?”
“Hyung-nim? I have no idea . ” The young man laughed . “He is just close to the boss . Shouldn’t you know?”
“We met for the first time today . ”
“Really? How strange . Well, it is like this . You can change inside . ”
Ian put on the equipment, received a big surfboard, and exited the store . Ian’s board was thick and felt like a sponge, while the man’s was nice and waxy .
“This surfing equipment **** . ”
“It isn’t good?”
“That isn’t the main part . Surfing is . It’s cool . ”
The man said before looking at Ian . Ian jumped with surprise . The man now had blue makeup on his face which drew across his cheekbones and nose . It was like seeing the battle makeup barbarians wore in movies .
“What is it? Do you want some?” The man handed the tube to Ian . It was sunscreen . Unlike other clear sunscreens, this one had a vivid color . “Just put it on your nose . It is expensive, so I am saving it . ”
Surfers seemed to pursue their own beauty, so Ian tried it as well . Thus, they headed towards the sandy white beach .
“We can only surf in this area, so be careful . ”
A separate surfing area was designated on the beach . They headed there . In addition to them, there were other people receiving surfing lessons . Most of the people on the surfboards weren’t able to ride the waves properly and hung on like seaweed .
“I am harsh, so you should be prepared . ”
***
Unlike his harsh words, the man was a really shabby teacher . He just said that Ian had to move his arms on the board and get up . Then he demonstrated once or twice before immediately pushing Ian into the sea .
Ian couldn’t even practice and had to try it out on the waves . Of course, that was enough . Ian did well with his natural athleticism . He waited for the waves before gently getting up at the right time . Then he balanced himself .
lan was satisfied . He was like Ronaldo with a soccer ball, Curry with a basketball, and Federer with a tennis ball . Now, he took on the board… like Phelps with swimming .
“Well done . ”
The man spoke . Ian replied, “You are really good . ”
The man was skillfully riding the waves . His hair barely got wet, unlike most of the people who couldn’t ride or balance .
“Kyaaak!”
During a moment of waiting, a woman slipped on her surfboard and slid towards Ian . Her board hit Ian’s back…
And he was pushed by it .
Ian and the woman tangled together, and the two of them fell below the surface of the water . They struggled for a moment before reaching the surface . The woman with wet hair apologized to Ian,
“Wah! I’m sorry . Are you okay? I’m so sorry . ”
Ian touched his back . It was fortunate that the woman’s board was for beginners . So, this was why they used a sponge-like material . If it were the board, which the man teaching Ian had, that hit him, his flesh would’ve been torn .
Ian smiled as he touched his back .
“I’m fine . Please be careful . ”
“Ah…” The woman was speechless at Ian’s gentle reaction . Then she grabbed Ian’s arm as he moved away . “Are you sure you’re okay? That would’ve hurt . What can I do?”
“It’s okay . ”
“I’m really sorry . ”
Ian shrugged, saying that it was okay . Then the woman grabbed her board and said,
“Please tell me if you get any problems later on . ”
“I will . ”
“If you need a number…”
“No . It’s really fine . Have fun surfing . ”
“Ah, yes . You too . ”
The woman bowed and pushed her board towards the other side of the beach .
“You didn’t notice . ”
Ian flinched . The man had approached .
“You surprised me,” Ian said .
“No . You noticed . ”
“What are you talking about?”
“Look . ” The man shouted, “Hey, you over there! Come here! What are you doing just hitting someone?”
The woman turned around in surprise at his shout . She looked at Ian and then at the man . The man beckoned and she returned .
“Girl, you were wrong . ”
“Huh?”
“You shouldn’t hit people with your board . Isn’t that right?”
“That’s right . I’m sorry…”
“You are a very dangerous girl . ”
“……”
“So, give me your phone number . ”
“Huh?”
“I need a phone number to contact you if there are any problems later . ”
“Ah, yes . Yes . Then my number…”
She gave her number . Then he spoke to Ian, “Tell me your number as well . ”
“Why?”
“Do you really not know? Quickly . ”
“That…”
“Give your number to the other person so they will know it is you . ”
Ian gave his number . The man repeated it a few times for the woman to remember .
“Girl, you do remember it?”
“Yes . I remember . ”
“That’s great . Did you come here for a few days to play? Is it a vacation?”
“Yes, I leave the day after tomorrow . ”
“This boy as well . ”
The man winked . The woman laughed .
“Then I’ll be going . Have fun . ”
“Yes, I’m sorry . Have fun . ”
The woman smiled and pushed away on her board . The woman’s group were watching her anxiously, and she waved .
Ian laughed and asked, “What are you doing now?”
“This is youth . Eat a lot, pray a lot, and love a lot . ”
“But my situation…”
“You don’t have a girlfriend?”
“……”
“Then it’s okay . ” He tapped Ian’s shoulders . “Let’s get out . I did a lot . I’m thirsty . I’ll buy you a beer . ”
The man spoke informally to Ian, but Ian didn’t feel any anger towards this unknown man .
“Understood . ”
Ian smiled and followed him .
***
They put their equipment away and found a homemade beer store not far from the beach . There were surfboards and equipment displayed inside the beer store . Surfing was famous at this beach, so it had a lot of influence .
The man ordered beer and fries for himself .
The screen in the store was showing Elder Lord .
“There was an uproar . ”
The man leaned back in his chair and pointed to the screen . The headline was ‘Shocking Heaven and Earth Clan . ’ It was a coverage about the Heaven and Earth Clan’s crime .
“It is a scary world . Drugs to put people into a game world . ”
“Yes . Their actions have eventually come back to them . ”
Ian told the Rehabilitation Brothers the information he received from Rommel . Then Edgar’s former lover, Robina, reported it to the police, and the prosecution started working with the Rehabilitation Brothers .
The ‘sleeping room’ was formerly a workshop . There, they were able to find countless people who had disappeared, and Edgar was also rescued . They had started voluntarily for money . However, they testified that they hadn’t been able to quit even if they wanted to as they were subjected to intimidation .
‘Keynes’ Choi Sunggil, who planned all of this, and his right-hand man, ‘Luin’ Kim Hyunchul, were arrested . Public opinion turned against them . The Heaven and Earth Clan turned from South Korea’s pride to their disgrace . The overseas community was also shocked at this situation, and it was a rude awakening for some people .
“What happened to Rommel?”
“I don’t think it will be hard to check if he participated or not . ”
“He was the commander? Right?”
“That’s correct . The War Maestro . ”
“How was it? Is he like the rumors say?”
“He was definitely great…”
Ian stopped talking . He looked at the man . The man smiled at him quietly . He looked to be in his mid-30s, and the glasses gave him an intelligent air . The man’s black eyes seemed to pierce through Ian .
“What did you say?”
The man chuckled .
Ian leaned back in his chair . His mind felt like a mess as he opened his mouth, “You…”
“It has arrived . Please enjoy . ”
At that moment, the employee served the beer, and the conversation between Ian and the man was suddenly halted . The employee put a beer down in front of both of them . There were cold water droplets on the surface of the bottle, and Ian touched it with his fingers .
Then the employee went away . Ian sipped the beer . It was cool, and he felt his mind calm down .
The man also drank his beer . Then he asked Ian, “How was Rommel, Crockta?”