Free Web NovelMa Manager’s voice was trembling.
“Pyeongchang-dong was attacked. But... Myeonghun-hyung was shot.”
“What?”
The ominous premonition hit dead-on.
“More people came in than we expected... Fortunately, we subdued them.”
“What about Grandfather? Is Grandfather safe?”
“Ha Manager blocked the shot with his body. The shooter is dead.”
Ma Manager’s expression returned to normal, as if he had regained his composure. His way of addressing Ha Manager had changed, too.
“He was taken to the emergency room. Both Ha Manager and the assailants used pistols in Pyeongchang-dong.”
“What about Grandfather?”
“We tried to escort him home, but he insisted on going to the hospital where Ha Manager was taken... So the entire security team had to move with him. Team Leader Jin turned himself in to the police.”
Since firearms were involved, someone had to take responsibility. Even if he was a police officer who came to help us, this couldn’t just be brushed aside. Especially not in a place like Pyeongchang-dong.
“Ahahaha!”
Lee Yonghyeon, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, suddenly started laughing like a madman.
“Have you gone insane because things didn’t go your way?”
“Funny, isn’t it? Isn’t it hilarious? Only Ha Myeonghun got hurt? When it was me and Cheon Taesan clashing? Ha, I can’t even tell where it all went wrong.”
Lee Yonghyeon spoke in a detached, almost enlightened tone, but his eyes were dead.
“No matter how I think about it, there’s no way Cheon Taesan could have had this kind of power. I thought I knew all the power in Myeongdong. There was something I didn’t know about. What the hell did he do?”
“Killing my parents was your first mistake. Trying to hand Myeongdong over to the yakuza was your second. Acting as nothing more than Japan’s lapdog was your third.”
“Don’t underestimate Japan. Even if I die here, my comrades in Japan will avenge me.”
Whether to call that loyalty to Japan or sheer delusion, I didn’t know.
I couldn’t hide my smirk.
“Watanabe, who came to Korea, is already there waiting for you.”
“...What?”
“Japan? Why do you think that glorious Japan can’t spare a single thought for you right now, because their own house is on fire?”
Lee Yonghyeon shook his head.
“Don’t tell me you’re behind this? That you shook the economy of the great Japanese Empire? That’s ridiculous.”
“What about the Yamaguchi-gumi’s internal conflict?”
“Big talk.”
“Believe it or don’t, that’s your choice. But doesn’t it feel strange to you? Didn’t you notice that everything started going wrong right after you had me thrown into the prosecution? Being arrogant in this tiny little country was your fatal mistake.”
“...”
Lee Yonghyeon stared at me, unwilling to believe.
“Don’t cling to false hope. Japan? The yakuza? I’m not scared of people like them. Manager, give me the gun.”
“Boss, I’ll do it.”
“This is something I have to do myself. It only means something if I do it personally.”
“But...”
“I know what you’re worried about.”
He was worried that this might become my weakness.
“Give it to me.”
Ma Manager stared at me, then shut his eyes tightly.
“I’m sorry, Boss.”
Before I could stop him, he snatched the pistol from Oliver Team Leader.
Bang! Bang!
Two gunshots rang out, smoke rising from the muzzle. Lee Yonghyeon looked like he wanted to say something, but the gun was faster.
“Ha...”
Ma Manager bowed his head to me.
One shot to the head, one to the heart. Perfectly placed.
I looked back and forth between Lee Yonghyeon’s instantly lifeless body and Ma Manager, shaking my head.
“Never disobey an order again. I know you did it for my sake, but don’t do this next time.”
“Yes, Boss.”
Even though Lee Yonghyeon was dead, I didn’t feel good about it. I thought I’d feel relieved, but it didn’t hit me as much as I expected.
Killing this bastard wasn’t going to bring my parents back, nor would it compensate for my past life.
“Check the Dongsu faction’s situation. Something might have happened to Park Dongsu.”
“Yes, Boss.”
“Here...”
The outside was noisy—probably because of the police cars responding to the gunshots.
“I’ll take care of it.”
I nodded at Ma Manager’s words.
Oliver’s team and Ma Manager’s men threw their weapons to the ground and walked out of the mansion with their hands raised.
* * *
The news of Lee Yonghyeon’s death reached the Blue House sooner than expected.
President Kim Hakgwon, who had been asleep, woke up to a call from the Chief of Staff.
He summoned all his closest aides to his office.
“Are you saying Lee Yonghyeon is really dead?”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
Kim Hakgwon furrowed his brows.
“Heh... That stubborn bastard really died? And at Kim Muhyuk’s hands? Are you saying he personally killed him?”
“We haven’t even been able to start a proper investigation yet. We just received a call from the Gyeonggi Provincial Police. We ordered Director Lee to gather proper intel and report to the Blue House.”
As Chief of Staff Park Wonseop spoke, Kim Hakgwon sank into thought.
This is an opportunity. To sweep away the remnants of Cheongpunghoe and put a chain around Kim Muhyuk’s neck...
Listening to the report, he smiled inwardly.
“There was also an attack on Chairman Cheon’s mansion. His secretary was shot. The attackers were killed in return fire.”
“What? Since when was it this easy to get guns in Korea? Lee Yonghyeon was shot dead too, wasn’t he? What the hell is going on...”
“The Japanese yakuza group, which entered under Cheongpunghoe’s orders, was wiped out.”
Kim Hakgwon clicked his tongue in displeasure.
The Chief of Staff shook his head with a look of disgust and added:
“The Dongsu faction is involved, too. Apparently, a yakuza boss named Watanabe and the faction leader Park Dongsu both died together. Firearms were used there as well—Watanabe fired first.”
“Hah, this isn’t even the military dictatorship era. And we have this many armed groups in Korea?”
At that moment, the internal line rang.
Chief of Staff Park Wonseop picked up.
— “Director Lee Chanjong of the National Intelligence Service has arrived.”
“Send him in.”
— “Yes, sir.”
Setting the receiver down, Park looked at President Kim Hakgwon.
“Director Lee has arrived.”
“Good.”
The office door opened, and NIS Director Lee Chanjong entered, bowing.
“Mr. President, apologies for being late.”
“It’s fine. Sit.”
As soon as he sat down, Lee Chanjong began his report.
There was much to cover.
“Lee Yonghyeon’s death is confirmed. Two precise shots—to the head and the heart. He likely didn’t /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ even realize how he died.”
“And Chairman Cheon?”
“The team leader of the security firm who fired turned himself in. All attackers were captured; one is dead.”
“Who was it?”
“No identifiable records. But it’s confirmed they acted under Lee Yonghyeon’s orders.”
President Kim Hakgwon sighed, frowning as he listened.
“So Kim Muhyuk killed Lee Yonghyeon, and Lee Yonghyeon tried to take out Cheon Taesan, but failed?”
“That’s the current assessment.”
“What about this yakuza, Watanabe? Do we know anything? There won’t be diplomatic issues with Japan, will there? It’ll be difficult if relations sour further.”
“We’ve been monitoring him since he entered Korea. He’s the successor to Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan’s largest crime syndicate, which holds significant influence in politics. It’s hard to predict how this will unfold.”
Kim Hakgwon’s face visibly hardened.
He bit his lip, then turned to his Chief of Staff.
“If we don’t cooperate with Japan now, who knows how much longer it’ll take to overcome the IMF crisis. Park, handle this delicately. Make sure it doesn’t escalate diplomatically.”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
But Pyeongchang-dong’s shooting incident would shake Korea by tomorrow.
“Can we manage the Pyeongchang-dong situation? Can we stop the press from reporting it?”
“Media isn’t the problem, Mr. President. That area houses many conglomerate chairmen and politicians. Opposition party politicians might hold a press conference as early as tomorrow.”
Kim Hakgwon groaned, pressing his forehead.
“Right, this isn’t the military regime anymore...”
He already knew, but asked out of sheer frustration.
“What’s the plan?”
“I’ve drafted a rough scenario on the way here.”
“Tell me.”
The NIS Director spoke cautiously.
“The public already despises Cheongpunghoe. Push all the blame onto them. Announce that this Pyeongchang-dong incident was also orchestrated by Cheongpunghoe, and launch a full-scale investigation.”
“But there are Progressive Party members tied to Cheongpunghoe.”
“The Conservative Party will take a bigger hit. Two presidential candidates have already been linked to Cheongpunghoe in recent articles. If you coordinate quickly with the opposition, they’ll cut ties to survive.”
“Hmm...”
As Kim Hakgwon hesitated, the NIS Director pressed on.
“There’s no better option. It’s a chance to weaken your political enemies, and within the Progressive Party, you can tighten control over dissenting members. If you announce countermeasures to prevent a recurrence and mobilize the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office for a large-scale investigation into Cheongpunghoe, your approval ratings will rise.”
After weighing it, Kim Hakgwon smirked.
“Then send the scenario to the press by morning. Draft a speech for a national address at noon.”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
Kim Hakgwon’s face, once tense, now carried a sly expression.
“Even with Pyeongchang-dong handled, we need to deal with Lee Yonghyeon. I’d like to use his death to put a noose around Kim Muhyuk’s neck. What do you think? If we get leverage on Kim Muhyuk, we can control Han Kyungyeong and Eva Zhu.”
“That’s a good idea,” the Chief of Staff quickly agreed.
But NIS Director Lee Chanjong looked worried.
“It would be good if things go as we hope, but it could backfire.”
“Director Lee, this is murder. Whether Kim Muhyuk killed him or not, he was there.”
“That’s what I’ve been told.”
“Exactly! If murder doesn’t work, we’ll charge him as an instigator. Isn’t this exactly the kind of thing NIS has been doing for years? Both sides fired shots. We can take over the case immediately.”
The atmosphere grew tense, but Kim Hakgwon had already decided.
“Even if not for murder, find something—anything. Tie him down.”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
Lee Chanjong’s shadowed face was unreadable as he bowed.
Kim Hakgwon nodded with satisfaction.
“Director Lee, head back to the NIS and draft the scenario. Take everyone involved from the police right away.” ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
“Yes, sir.”
“Chief Park, make sure tomorrow’s press conference prep goes smoothly. Send press releases to all media outlets.”
Once they left, President Kim Hakgwon sat alone, smiling.
“The winning card is in my hands now.”
* * *
At the police station, I sat blankly, waiting.
“Are you all right, Boss?”
“I’m fine. I expected this. The gunfight is a problem, but Black Bear is an American mercenary company. We can use U.S. influence if necessary.”
Ma Manager’s phone rang.
As he answered, the voice on the other end was loud enough for me to hear.
— “Ma Manager. Kim Hakgwon has other plans. He’s ordered the NIS to take over the case.”
“Understood.”
— “Please explain this to Kim Muhyuk. It’s not my decision. The case will be handed over to the NIS.”
“Yes.”
Ma Manager hung up.
“It was Director Lee. The President has other intentions.”
“I heard.”
I almost laughed, running my hand through my hair.
“This is why politicians...”
