Along with the God of Law - Chapter 1
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Chapter 1
[Translation By Divinity]
[On the 21st, around 10 PM, Mr. Lee from the vicinity of the Dahak-dong Goshi Village in Seoul jumped from an 8-story building in the village after repeatedly failing the bar exam, landing on a passerby. Fortunately, both are reported to be in good health…]
“Gasp!”
“You startled me. Are you alright, student?”
The nurse, who looked a bit older, quickly calmed Kang Hyun, who had sprung up.
“…Yes. I think I’m okay.”
“That’s good. Do you feel any pain anywhere?”
“…I don’t think so.”
“Your mother was here since last night and left a little while ago. It seems like you lost your phone, should I contact her for you?”
“Ah… yes. Thank you. She’s probably at work now, as it’s her working hours. Please contact her at her workplace.”
His mother, working as a contract cleaner, hadn’t slept and stayed here all night before going to work. He felt like an unfilial son.
The nurse got up from her seat, did a few checks, and then continued.
“You were completely caught in the crossfire, student. You have a hairline fracture in your skull, but it’s fortunate it’s only this much. Who would have imagined someone falling from the sky.”
Hearing those words, the memory from before he lost consciousness flashed back.
“How much time has passed?”
“It’s morning now, a day has passed. It’s seven-thirty.”
“What about that person?”
“Who?”
“The one who fell.”
“Ah…. I heard he’s still unconscious. He needs to wake up….”
“Indeed. If he remains unconscious, he lacks the capacity for responsibility, making it impossible to claim damages. And if he passes away, we’d have to claim from his inheritor, making the process complicated….”
Surprised by Kang Hyun’s sudden words, the nurse’s eyes widened as she asked again.
“Excuse me?”
“That’s right. According to Article 750 of the Civil Act, the perpetrator, who is the target of a claim for damages, must have the capacity for responsibility to be subject to a criminal lawsuit. Only after receiving criminal punishment does it constitute a general tort, making them eligible for a civil lawsuit.”
At Kang Hyun’s answer, the nurse looked at him with a bewildered expression as he expounded on legal principles.
Only then did Kang Hyun realize something was wrong.
“…That’s what I saw on YouTube. I must be talking nonsense because I’m not fully awake yet….”
With an awkward laugh, Kang Hyun scratched the back of his head and avoided the nurse’s gaze.
* * *
“What’s going on? Why is this happening!?”
Kang Hyun, his head tightly wrapped in bandages, diligently headed home.
Just yesterday, even recognizing white as paper and black as letters was a miracle for Kang Hyun.
But a moment ago, he clearly explained to the nurse about the possibility of claiming damages.
No, it wasn’t that; the problem was that he was blabbering on like a madman about legal knowledge he had never studied before.
‘That man committed an act of harm against me when he fell, and that act is negligence causing injury, so it’s an illegal act, and since he has the capacity for responsibility and caused a hairline fracture in my skull, it’s right that damages are established! If only he wakes up… Ah, no!’
Something was definitely wrong.
“No! That’s not the issue! What’s wrong with me!”
Even in this situation, Kang Hyun was bewildered by himself for thinking that applying Article 750 instead of Article 760 of the Civil Act was the correct judgment, and he held his head.
Then he stopped abruptly.
Screech!
“Hey! Can’t you look ahead? A bicycle is coming, how can you walk like that?”
“What? Don’t you know ‘Article 27, Paragraph 1 of the Road Traffic Act’? All drivers of trams must temporarily stop when pedestrians are crossing crosswalks or the like so as not to obstruct or endanger the pedestrian’s crossing.”
At Kang Hyun’s rapid-fire words, the bicycle owner flinched and slowly backed away.
“…So, sorry.”
“Ah, that… On narrow roads without cars, just slowing down would be… This isn’t right… I’m sorry!”
Kang Hyun hurriedly started running.
‘I’m crazy! I must have lost my mind from the head injury.’
Splash.
Swoosh. Gurgle gurgle.
Returning home, Kang Hyun rushed into the bathroom, washed his face with cold water, and looked in the mirror.
“…Can this happen if you injure your head? I need to rest first. Let’s rest a bit.”
Kang Hyun, feeling dazed, flopped down on his bed in his room.
And then…
‘The Constitution, Criminal Law, Civil Law, Commercial Law, Criminal Procedure Act, Civil Procedure Act, Road Traffic Act, Health and Medical Service Act, National Spatial Information Act, Intelligent Information Society Act, Green Transition Act….’
Unidentifiable content flooded his mind.
“Argh! Stop!”
There was no other way to explain this except that he had gone mad.
‘Why was this happening to him all of a sudden!’
“First… they said I need outpatient treatment for over two weeks, so I should get a medical certificate and a physical examination report for the damages… No!”
Kang Hyun tapped his bandaged head in frustration and lay down.
“…First, let’s rest a bit until Mom comes back.”
Kang Hyun took deep breaths and calmed his mind. He tried his best to empty his head.
Then, his rapid breathing calmed down, and he eventually fell asleep.
Just as Kang Hyun’s mind was in chaos, his body, which had experienced the shocking trauma of a robust man jumping from the sky and injuring his head, was also quite exhausted.
Time flew by in the blink of an eye.
“Ugh.”
Kang Hyun, feeling a bit refreshed, regained consciousness and stretched.
It was evening, and seeing no one around, it seemed his mother hadn’t returned yet.
“Phew.”
Perhaps thanks to the rest he had taken, he was able to push away the thoughts that were messing with his head to some extent.
“When will she be back?”
His mother’s voice on the phone, when he briefly connected with her at the hospital, was a mix of relief and distress.
“Come to think of it, I don’t even know when she’s coming back.”
Suddenly, he wondered if he had been too indifferent toward his mother.
‘A single mother with only her son. How must she have felt, not being able to take a day off from work even when her child was injured…’
He had tried to ignore their poor circumstances and not worry about them, but at times like this, his heart ached.
But then.
Ding-dong. Ding-dong.
“Who is it?”
Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong!
“What the…”
Someone was ringing the doorbell incessantly, making his head throb again.
Irritated, he grabbed his sore leg and limped towards the front door, wondering who could possibly be visiting at this hour.
‘Did Min-soo come because he was worried?’
But that couldn’t be it. It wasn’t time for school to be over yet.
Even if he came early because he was worried about not being able to reach him, he would have called the house or his mother instead of ringing the bell like that.
Bang! Bang!
-Open the door!
“…!”
Only after hearing the loud noise and the angry voice of the person outside did Kang Hyun realize who the visitor was.
‘Are they debt collectors? I should stay quiet.’
Bang! Bang!
-We know you’re in there!
-Come out quickly!
The situation outside wasn’t looking good.
Even after his family went bankrupt, Kang Hyun had never met the creditors. His mother had protected him diligently, preventing them from even coming near the house if she sensed any danger.
If his mother suddenly told him to go to the PC room or spend a day at a friend’s house, that was a signal.
‘I’ve been neglectful.’
Honestly, he knew, but he pretended not to. Or maybe he didn’t *want* to know.
Bang! Bang!
-Open the door!
The people shouting fiercely outside were not just one or two. They yelled, demanding money and cursing, then even resorted to tearful begging.
Come to think of it, they were also victims.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
-Open the door! Give me my money!
As time passed, the angry screams and groans of the people grew louder.
Kang Hyun, who had been silently listening to the noise at the door, sat down dejectedly.
‘Why do we live like this?’
Bang! Bang!
-Please, give us our money!
Their voices began to pierce Kang Hyun’s heart.
His innocent mother, who had tried to do good, had gone from an ordinary office worker to a stock scammer overnight.
Even though they were driven to this shabby neighborhood, they showed no sympathy for Kang Hyun and his mother.
‘Do we have to live like this forever?’
Kang Hyun realized how much he had been protected like a flower in a greenhouse. His mother had shouldered the burdens of the world alone, while he had hidden behind her.
As Kang Hyun was overwhelmed with self-blame and anxiety about the future,
Crash!
-There she is!
-Catch that woman!
The commotion outside subsided, and their anger turned towards someone else.
It was Kang Hyun’s mother.
“Mom….”
The sounds gradually faded, and Kang Hyun, filled with fear, took a few steps back. He stood blankly at the door for a while.
Then, at some point, a spark.
He came to his senses.
“I can’t live like this anymore!”
Kang Hyun clenched his teeth.
He was lacking in many ways, but he had to do something. He couldn’t just let things drift.
He had to try *something*.
Bang!
Kang Hyun flung the door open and started running.
“Mom! Mom!”
“What? You even have a son?”
Kang Hyun blocked their way with a desperate voice.
“Mister! Get your hands off her! You guys….”
But he couldn’t continue.
What stopped Kang Hyun’s words was the sight of his mother kneeling and begging, tears streaming down her face.
“You think you can get away by running?”
But it seemed that only Kang Hyun felt pity for his mother’s state. One of the burly men raised his large hand toward his mother.
His mother was about to be hit.
In an instant, Kang Hyun’s eyes changed.
“You guys! Article 261 of the Criminal Act, Special Assault! Committing the crime of assault by displaying the power of a group or carrying a dangerous object is punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not more than 10 million won! You’re currently displaying the power of a group and are on the verge of committing assault. Don’t you dare lay a hand on her!”
“What is this kid saying?”
“Kid, go back inside quietly if you don’t want to see something ugly!”
One man blocked Kang Hyun’s path.
“You! Article 284 of the Criminal Act! Threatening someone by displaying the power of a group, as stated in Article 283, Paragraph 1, is punishable by imprisonment for not more than 3 years or a fine of not more than 500! Watch your words!”
“What? This little punk….”
“You cursed again! I’m recording this, and I’ll call the police, so keep it up! You know that threat is a crime that can’t be dropped even if the victim wants to, right? If you guys get arrested, you’ll have to beg me. Understand?”
He didn’t have his phone, so he couldn’t record anything. He had no intention of calling the police either. But where was this sudden courage coming from?
“Ha, kid. Do you even know what your mom did?”
The men sneered, and his mother, kneeling beneath them, looked up at Kang Hyun with disheveled hair.
“…Kang Hyun, go inside.”
“No!”
Kang Hyun took another step forward.
“Whether my mom lost all your money or stole it, do you think what you’re doing is justified? We were scammed too, that’s why we’re like this! Did we say we wouldn’t pay you back? If you’re frustrated, solve it legally!”
“Legally? What law!”
Leaving his mother behind, the men surrounded Kang Hyun.
There were five of them.
“Ka… Kang Hyun!”
But Kang Hyun’s eyes shone even brighter, and he didn’t back down.