Free Web NovelEva was in the middle of wrapping up negotiations with NEC.
Most of the differences had been narrowed down, and she planned to have Chairman Kim Byungwoo and Joongwoo Electronics’ key staff check the technical aspects once they arrived.
Leaving NEC headquarters, Eva climbed into her car under the protection of her security team. She was reviewing urgent documents while on the move when it happened.
“President, get down!”
At the sudden shout of the security team leader, her body moved before her mind could react.
As she dropped down and curled up tight against the floor of the car, gunfire erupted.
The speeding car did not stop. If anything, it accelerated to dodge the hail of bullets.
The escort vehicles surrounding Eva’s car formed a protective shell as they sped across a bridge.
But the attackers had no intention of giving up.
“President, don’t you dare get up.”
The team leader in the front seat barked, but Eva barely heard a word.
The sound of bullets striking the bulletproof glass, the violent gunfire—it all dragged back horrific memories. The incident in Hong Kong replayed in her mind, and her entire body trembled uncontrollably.
Yet the situation was too dire for the team leader to spare her a moment’s comfort.
“Our destination is the Russian Embassy. Drive like your life depends on it! Ignore the lights, ignore everything. President Eva’s safety comes first.”
The team leader had chosen the nearest safe haven—the Russian Embassy.
They could not know who the attackers were. The only reliable places were the Russian and Korean embassies.
Several motorcycles with helmeted riders latched onto them, weaving dangerously close in an attempt to reach Eva’s car.
The escort vehicles shielded her car, blocking gaps where the motorcycles tried to slip through. The mercenary team on the outer perimeter joined in, ramming bikes with their cars.
Crash!
Suddenly, the lead escort vehicle was shoved aside with a thunderous boom—slammed by a dump truck that had appeared out of nowhere.
“Turn the wheel! Dodge it!”
Peering through the cloud of dust, the team leader shouted frantically. The driver jerked the wheel hard, swerving into the opposite lane.
The dump truck smashed through several cars in a chain of collisions before grinding to a halt.
Eva’s car barely slipped past, veering into oncoming traffic and driving against the flow.
Chaos reigned. Car horns blared endlessly, collisions erupted, and flames burst from wrecked vehicles with heavy explosions.
In an instant, the very heart of Tokyo was thrown into turmoil.
“Damn it, if only we could return fire.”
The team leader in the passenger seat muttered bitterly while scanning their surroundings. With the mercenary team now fully engaged, Eva’s convoy managed to break free of the mayhem.
“How much longer?”
“Five minutes to arrival.”
Neither the bodyguards nor the mercenaries had imagined an ambush in the middle of Tokyo.
It was only thanks to Kim Muhyuk’s strict orders for tight security that they were escaping at all.
If even one layer of protection had been missing······ The team leader shook his head, unwilling to finish the thought.
“Haa······.”
He glanced back at their principal.
Eva was in total panic. Curled tight on the floor, clutching her head, she trembled violently.
“President.”
He called softly, but she kept shaking.
“President!”
He raised his voice, but still no response.
And the ambush was not over. They had no idea who else might strike or how.
“The Russian Embassy is in sight.”
The building came into view. Deciding it was more important to end this chase than calm Eva, the team leader snapped an order through clenched teeth.
“Do not stop. Even if you have to smash through the front gate, keep going!”
Stopping here would be suicide.
The Japanese police stationed outside the embassy panicked as the convoy roared forward without slowing.
Bang! Boom!
The lead vehicle rammed through the front gate and burst into the embassy grounds.
The police outside froze, dumbfounded, while Russian FSB agents and soldiers inside raised their rifles and advanced on the halted cars.
“I’ll get out and report the situation. Hold position.”
“Yes, sir.”
Opening the passenger door, the team leader stepped out slowly with his hands raised above his head.
“Down!”
The armed Russians barked in English. The team leader complied, lying flat with arms and legs stretched out.
Approaching cautiously, rifles still trained on him, they hauled him back up.
“Hands behind your head!”
He obeyed, lacing his fingers at the back of his head.
“Where are you from?”
The highest-ranking Russian officer stepped forward, demanding answers.
Knowing this could be mistaken for a terrorist assault, the team leader answered calmly.
“We are the security team under President Kim Muhyuk of the Republic of Korea.”
“The Republic of Korea?”
“Yes. If you are unsure, tell the ambassador the name Kim Muhyuk. Inside that car is a very important person.”
The officer nodded at a subordinate, who immediately sprinted into the embassy building.
The smashed gate, the stunned Japanese police unable to approach, the embassy grounds filled with vehicles—it was a disaster scene.
The officer grimaced, surveying the wreckage.
“Haa.”
Even after decades of guarding embassies around the world, he had never seen anything like this.
Just then, the embassy doors swung open and a stout middle-aged man came rushing out.
He surveyed the chaos, sighed heavily, and strode toward the officer in charge.
“Enough. Lower your weapons.”
“Sir?”
“Did you not hear me? Put them down.”
The Russian ambassador himself had given the order. He walked straight to the team leader.
“It’s dangerous, Ambassador.”
“It’s fine. You said this involves President Kim Muhyuk, correct?” frёeωebɳovel.com
Waving off his subordinate’s warning, the ambassador questioned the team leader.
“What on earth is going on? What business would Kim Muhyuk’s security team have to storm our embassy like this? And tell me—who in this world would dare to target someone of Kim Muhyuk’s?”
Pressed by the ambassador’s barrage of questions, the team leader answered without turning his head.
“While carrying out President Kim Muhyuk’s orders, we were attacked. The Russian Embassy was the only safe place near the ambush site. I apologize for our rudeness.”
“Who is inside?”
The ambassador’s gaze shifted to the car, more interested in its passenger than in the wrecked embassy gates.
“President Kim Muhyuk’s business partner, CEO Eva Zhu of Future Investment. She is currently in a state of panic and requires medical assistance.”
It made sense that someone would storm in so desperately. The Russian ambassador gave a small nod at the team leader’s answer and issued crisp orders to his men.
“Contact the medical staff. Clear out all bystanders outside, set up barricades. From this moment, no one enters our embassy grounds.”
Onlookers were gathering quickly, peering curiously into the gaping wreck of the Russian Embassy’s entrance.
“Put your hands down. Bring CEO Eva inside. Only essential personnel may enter; the rest will wait outside.”
At the ambassador’s words, the team leader lowered his hands and turned.
Bowing his head, he opened the rear door and called out.
“President. CEO Eva!”
But Eva, deep in panic, did not respond. Shaking violently, her eyes had gone unfocused—she seemed to have lost consciousness.
The team leader signaled for a few men. Hoisting Eva onto his back, he followed the ambassador into the embassy compound.
Meanwhile, on the rooftop of a building across from the Russian Embassy, a man stood watching everything.
Frowning, he muttered with frustration,
“Damn... I never expected them to run into the Russian Embassy······.”
Clicking his tongue, he turned away.
* * *
The moment I received the report on the plane, I shot up from my seat without realizing it. The news from Japan was that shocking.
― CEO Eva has been attacked.
“What!?”
My sudden roar brought Manager Ma running toward me.
I waved him off quickly and asked again.
“Eva? Is she safe?”
― Yes. She fell into a state of panic, but she is not injured.
“Haa······.”
A sigh of relief escaped me before I could stop it. Dropping back into my seat, I clenched my teeth hard enough to ache.
“Who? Who attacked her?”
― That part has not yet been identified. But... the attackers opened fire in the middle of Tokyo. Despite the chaos, the police never appeared.
Guns had been used, yet the Japanese police did not respond.
That narrowed down the suspects. Only someone with enough influence over the police could pull such strings.
‘Then it is not Seo Jaehoon.’
The sudden news left my thoughts in disarray. Running a hand through my hair, I spoke heavily.
“So where are they now? Is she in a secure location?”
Then the phone switched hands. I recognized the voice immediately—it was Eva’s security team leader.
― Boss, we are inside the Russian Embassy. freeweɓnovel.cøm
“The Russian Embassy?”
― Yes. We did not know who the attackers were, so we judged the safest havens to be either the Russian or the Korean embassies. We forced our way into the Russian Embassy. There was some trouble in the process. I apologize.
His judgment had been correct. Even if the Japanese government were involved, they could not set foot in the Russian Embassy without permission.
To trespass even a step inside would be tantamount to declaring war.
“······You did well.”
― CEO Eva is under medical care with the ambassador’s help. She is resting. We were told we may remain until the culprits are identified. We considered transferring her to the Korean Embassy, but...
“No. Stay in the Russian Embassy.”
It was safer than the Korean Embassy. Japan treated Russia and Korea very differently.
“I will contact Moscow myself. Once Eva regains consciousness, have her suspend all negotiations and remain at the Russian Embassy.”
― Yes, Boss.
I ended the call and drew a long breath. To think this would happen when I ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ left Eva alone in Japan.
I had expected danger, but hearing she had actually been ambushed sent rage coursing through me. They dared touch one of mine.
If I could, I would delay the U.S. schedule and fly straight to Japan.
But I could not break a promise made with the President of the United States.
Putting down my phone, I dragged a dry hand down my face. My chest felt oppressively heavy.
“Haa······.”
The vague unease circling my mind had become reality. Who could have done this?
The Japanese government? Ilseong? Killing Eva would gain them nothing.
As I brooded, Manager Ma entered. Seeing my troubled face, he asked carefully,
“Boss, what has happened?”
“Eva was attacked in Tokyo.”
His face hardened instantly.
“Is she safe?”
She was safe, uninjured. But remembering that she had fallen into panic made my brow tighten.
“Other than the panic triggered by what happened in Hong Kong, no serious harm.”
“······That is a relief.”
His words rang sincere. A bitter smile tugged at my lips.
But was it truly a relief for her? Why was it always Eva who suffered such ordeals?
“Why is it only Eva who goes through this?”
Perhaps my heavy smile said it all, for Manager Ma stayed silent.
“Our departure is delayed?”
“I explained the situation and postponed takeoff. We should have clearance again in thirty minutes.”
Had we left as planned, I would only have learned of this after landing in the U.S. I gave a small nod.
“You did well. Now tell me, Manager Ma—who do you think attacked Eva? Guns were fired, yet the Japanese police did nothing. That means someone with the power to move them.”
There were too many suspects. Even he struggled to answer quickly.
“It cannot be Seo Jaehoon. So who remains? The Yakuza, the Japanese government? Or some other force?”
“A third force would have no reason to target CEO Eva. It seems less like the government acted directly, more like someone with the clout to move them.”
He had a point. A third party would not risk provoking me without cause.
And even the Japanese government would be reluctant to oppose me openly.
Pondering his words, I sank back into thought.
By then, my private jet had lifted off from Gimpo Airport. After long hours of flight, it landed at Washington Dulles International Airport.
