Free Web NovelPatrick swallowed hard. He had a strange feeling.
The Seo Jaehun he had met in the Ilseong Group vice president’s office and the Seo Jaehun standing before him now were different people.
“Why... did you bring me here?” Patrick asked in a cracked voice. Seo Jaehun’s smile deepened.
“Because you annoyed me. A little ant swaggering around in front of me—irritating, really.”
“...”
“You thought of me as just another piece on the board. I have used people my whole life, but I have never been the pawn of someone else. Experiencing that... it did not feel good.”
Seo Jaehun watched Patrick with a cold smile.
“You kidnapped me for something so petty? How do you plan to deal with the aftermath?” Patrick asked.
“I’ll take care of that. Don’t worry. But let me ask you one thing—what on earth were you thinking, trying to use me as a pawn?”
Seo Jaehun’s tone, calm at first, grew harsher.
“You little money-grubber. Not even an owner—just a salaried vice president—and you act the big shot in front of me? How dare you.”
“...”
“Did you think I would accept that?”
Eunjin is out of his mind. Sensing the danger, Patrick opened his trembling mouth.
“Vice President Seo, we can’t solve this like this. Do you think you can put Ilseong Group back under your control without my help? So let’s talk—”
Patrick decided not to mention the agreement with Kim Muhyuk. Getting out of here alive was his only priority.
The sight of the knives in the cabinet from earlier and Seo Jaehun’s emotionless eyes mixed in Patrick’s head and magnified his fear.
“Manager Han, step outside for a moment.”
Instead of replying, Seo Jaehun told Han Jiho, who had been waiting behind them.
Han bowed and left the basement. The silent cellar now held only Seo Jaehun and Patrick.
“You did a lot of research on me, didn’t you...”
Patrick already knew something. While investigating Seo Jaehun and Ilseong Group, he had come across several mysterious disappearances. All the circumstantial evidence pointed to Seo Jaehun.
There was no solid proof, but Patrick had to pretend ignorance to survive.
“Research?”
“Can’t remember what you said in the VP’s office? Maybe the blow to your head scrambled your memory.”
Seo Jaehun rose from his chair and walked toward the cabinet.
He pulled leather gloves from his suit pocket and tugged them on, one corner of his mouth crooked.
He examined each weapon in the cabinet as he spoke.
“Vice President Patrick, you know? People do not die as easily as you think. I’m curious how long you’d last.”
Patrick shivered. Goosebumps rose over his skin.
Seo Jaehun’s familiarity with the weapons unnerved him.
“This part is my favorite. The most exciting.”
“...”
Seo Jaehun brought several weapons out and dropped them on the floor.
Thunk, thunk, thunk.
The heavy weapons hit the floor with dull noises that matched the beat of Patrick’s heart.
“Vice President Seo, I’ll find a way so you can regain Ilseong Group—by any means necessary—”
Seo Jaehun cut him off. He nudged a chosen blade with his foot as he spoke.
“Do you know how long I had to hold myself back? Ever since that Kim Muhyuk showed up, my actions have been restrained. I couldn’t leave evidence. I couldn’t let my weakness be exposed. They watched me with all sorts of excuses.”
After Cheongpunghoe was dismantled by Kim Muhyuk, Seo Yonggeon began to control Seo Jaehun’s moves.
From then on, Seo Jaehun had not killed anyone. Or rather, he had not been able to.
“This is a chance that’s come around after so long—am I supposed to hand it off to someone else?”
“...You’re insane.”
Patrick muttered the curse without meaning to.
“Haha, insane, am I? Maybe I am.”
Seo Jaehun sat back down. He produced a cigarette from his pocket and placed it between his lips.
“Want one?”
Patrick nodded vigorously.
Seo Jaehun smiled and put a cigarette into Patrick’s mouth too.
He pulled out a Zippo lighter, lit his own cigarette, and then lit Patrick’s as well.
“Thinking back, my life was hard. I was controlled at every turn from childhood. My father’s watchful glare, the jealousy from the people I called family. It was hell. Maybe that’s why I became what I am.”
As he smoked, Seo Jaehun spoke about his past.
“But in the end I put an empire like Ilseong into my hand. I took my father with my own hand... well, something like that.”
He trailed off, but Patrick understood what he implied.
“And you, a filthy little rat, had the nerve to stand tall in front of me and try to use me? How dare you.”
With those words chewed out, Seo Jaehun rubbed the burning tip of his cigarette into Patrick’s face.
“Aah—agh!”
The searing cigarette scorched flesh, a choking smell of burning skin filled the air, and a pained scream burst from Patrick.
Seo Jaehun tossed the smoldering cigarette to the floor and picked up a saw from among the scattered weapons.
The visual horror outweighed the ache in Patrick’s cheek.
Patrick trembled in terror.
Humming, Seo Jaehun removed Patrick’s shoes and socks.
“Let’s start with the toes.”
“Vice President—wait, please!”
Patrick cried out desperately, but Seo Jaehun ignored him and continued.
Soon the saw’s sharp teeth touched Patrick’s toes.
The basement filled instantly with Patrick’s screams.
Han Jiho gazed up at the ceiling, cigarette smoke curling from his lips. He already knew what would happen down in the cellar.
“Huh...”
A subordinate approached Han and reported.
“Manager, the car carrying Chief Lee Seokmin has entered the mountain road.” ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
Han nodded at the report.
Not long after, a car entered the lodge entrance.
“Welcome, Chief Lee Seokmin.”
Han bowed slightly.
“...Manager Han Jiho.”
“Long time no see. You know where you are, right?”
Han smiled thinly. Lee said nothing.
“I learned a lot from you, Chief.”
“Manager Han.”
“Didn’t you say? I am the vice president’s shadow. So whatever the vice president does, help him.”
“...”
“So that’s why I brought you here today.”
Lee looked around as Han spoke.
High walls ringed the mountain, forming a fort-like enclosure surrounding the lodge.
The place had the air of a fortress.
Lee knew about it. It was the lodge Seo Jaehun visited [N O V E L I G H T] when he indulged his ‘hobbies.’
He had known of the place, but had never come here in person until now.
“It takes about ten minutes from the mountain entrance where you passed by to get here. The winding path is long. Even if someone spots us, ten minutes is enough to remove any evidence.”
The whole mountain was private land registered under Han Jiho’s name, so ordinary people had no access.
Lee understood what Han meant.
Lee swallowed dryly and spoke.
“Why did you bring me here?”
“I don’t know. I just followed the vice president’s orders.”
“...Where is the vice president?”
Han glanced toward the door leading down to the basement attached to the lodge.
Lee followed his gaze.
“He’s down there.”
“I need to meet the vice president. Let’s go.”
As Lee moved toward the basement, Han blocked his way.
“Not yet. Not yet.”
Lee looked up. He stared at Han’s face standing before him.
“Manager Han, move aside.”
“Not yet. You’ll have to talk with me a bit more until the vice president finishes his business.”
Han produced a cigarette pack and offered one.
“Would you like one?”
“No thanks. I quit.”
“Oh, you’re tough, Chief. Quitting smoking—impressive. I can’t get by without this.”
Han lit a cigarette and, blowing smoke, muttered.
Through the curling smoke, Lee’s face flickered.
Han’s mouth crooked into a smile and offered once more.
“Still, how about one last one? You won’t be able to smoke even if you wanted to after this.”
“Is this my grave?”
“Maybe. The scenario is simple: you kill Patrick in the basement, then kill yourself. The suicide note will say it was all Kim Muhyuk’s orders.”
Lee grasped Seo Jaehun’s whole plan in that brief exchange.
“Haha... hahahaha!”
Lee suddenly laughed like a madman. Han narrowed his eyes and watched Lee’s laughter.
“You don’t know. Even if you kill me, Chairman Kim Muhyuk won’t take the blame.”
“That’s what you think. As always.”
Lee’s laughter stopped abruptly as if he had been lying about laughing. He shook his head resolutely.
“South Korea is already in Kim Muhyuk’s palm. You know that, right? Starting tomorrow, Ilseong Group will fall into his hands.”
“That won’t happen. Ilseong Group belongs to Vice President Seo Jaehun.”
“I thought so too. But set aside blind loyalty and look at the facts. You know the chairman collapsed because of the vice president.”
Han Jiho said nothing.
But Lee knew all too well that silence often spoke volumes.
“Even if you clawed your way to that throne, you’ll be down from it soon. You’ll lose everything and spend the rest of your life in prison. That’s the future waiting for you.”
As Han opened his mouth to retort, his phone rang.
“Yes, Vice President.”
— “Has Chief Lee arrived?”
“Yes, he just arrived.”
— “Then bring him down to the basement with you.”
“Understood. I’ll go down now.”
Han sighed after ending the call and looked at Lee.
“Chief, it’s your time.”
“All right. Let’s see then.”
He tried to sound calm but his hands trembled.
“From now on, make sure no one approaches this place. Use firearms if necessary.”
“Yes, Manager.”
Han opened the door to the basement.
When the two men stepped onto the stairs, the heavy door closed with a thud.
Silence settled over the deep mountain once again.
* * *
I, along with Manager Ma, headed to the place where Lee had been taken.
“CCTV?” I asked.
“Yes. There are many CCTV cameras installed at the entrance. No blind spots, we’re watching from a distance.”
CCTV wasn’t common yet in this era. From the mountain entrance all the way through—camera after camera. It confirmed Seo Jaehun was behind this.
“What about Black Secret employees?”
“They’ll join shortly.”
We could not let Lee die.
“How long until we get there?” I asked.
“About an hour.”
“Faster. Go faster.”
The car sped up down the national road.
By the time we arrived, dozens of cars were following the vehicle I rode in.
