Free Web NovelAfter Kim Muhyuk left, only Ye Xiaotong remained.
She stood there for a moment in thought, then turned to ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) the bodyguard behind her.
“Tao. You knew too, didn’t you?”
“······.”
“I’m asking if you knew who my father is.”
“Yes. I knew.”
“Ha······. This is insane.”
Tao was the bodyguard her grandfather had assigned to her.
A former special forces soldier, sent to ensure her safety as she worked as a lobbyist.
“That must’ve been amusing for you. Every time I asked my mother and grandfather about my father, I wonder how ridiculous I must’ve looked to you.”
“That’s not true. I never had such intentions.”
“Tao. I trust you. But you don’t trust me.”
At her disappointed gaze, Tao’s expression finally cracked.
“That’s not it. I am someone who works for my boss.”
“Then you shouldn’t be hiding anything from me! You knew and still pretended you didn’t! You knew exactly how important this was to me!”
“······I’m sorry. The elder ordered me to keep it from you.”
Clicking her tongue, Ye Xiaotong rose and walked toward him.
“Tao. Choose. Me, or my grandfather? Yes, he’s the one who assigned you to me. But the person you’re supposed to serve is me. If you intend to remain his man until the end, then you can no longer stay by my side.”
Letting out a sigh, she gently brushed her hand along Tao’s arm.
She already knew that Tao, who had followed her like a shadow for so long, craved her attention.
“Choose. Otherwise, I’ll discard you.”
At her cruel words, Tao lowered his head slightly.
“Boss. I have always placed your safety and trust above everything else.”
“Then show me that trust.”
“······What should I do?”
“From now on, you will keep no secrets from me. If my grandfather asks about me, you only tell him what I allow you to. And any orders he gives—you report them to me. Can you do that?”
Tao nodded stiffly.
A satisfied smile formed on Ye Xiaotong’s lips.
“First, we need to leave for Beijing immediately. I have a lot to discuss with my grandfather.”
As she turned and walked away, Tao carefully asked from behind her.
“What about Wei Zhengcheng attempting to assassinate President Kim Muhyuk?”
“Leave it. If he dies like this, then that’s all he amounts to. But if he survives, it would be nice to see him again in Korea. Ah, and if he fails—tell the organization to kill Wei Zhengcheng.”
“Is that wise? Killing Wei Zhengcheng is extremely dangerous.”
At Tao’s concerned question, Ye Xiaotong shrugged.
“Make it look like a suicide. After the humiliation he suffered at the inauguration party, it wouldn’t be strange if he took his own life.”
“Understood. I will relay the order.”
Nodding, Ye Xiaotong continued walking.
Her eyes were colder than ever.
* * *
After meeting Bo Xilai following Ye Xiaotong, I returned to the hotel.
Cheon Jiyoung was waiting for me.
“You’re late. Did you meet her?”
The moment I stepped inside, Cheon Jiyoung clung to me.
“Aren’t you going back to Korea? There’s nothing left to do in Shanghai, right?”
“Even if I go back, there’s nothing to do anyway. I’ll stay a bit longer, do some shopping, and then go back with you. But why are you dodging the question? Did you meet her or not!”
Her pronunciation was slightly slurred.
I glanced around the room—and as expected, a whiskey bottle and glass were scattered across the table.
“Have you been drinking?”
“I had a little while waiting for you. Just answer me already!”
“Yeah. I met her.”
“What did you talk about? When we had lunch a few days ago, nothing special came up.”
I loosened my tie and slowly walked toward the sofa.
“What else would we talk about? Business.”
“Really? Hmm.”
Cheon Jiyoung glanced at me with a strange look.
I knew exactly what she was thinking. freeweɓnøvel.com
I flicked her forehead lightly, then sat down and poured myself a glass of whiskey.
“We’re going back to Korea in three days. If you want to shop, do it now. If there’s anywhere you want to visit, go ahead and see everything before we leave.”
“Okay!”
She answered brightly and sat across from me.
“So? She seemed like a nice unnie, right? I don’t know what you think, but she really helped me a lot during my activities in China. She wouldn’t approach me just to get close to you.”
There was no reason to shatter her illusion.
I gave a small nod and dropped ice into my glass.
“Yeah. Must be a coincidence. That’s what I think too. But what if I had gone back earlier? Why did you come all the way here without thinking?”
“Well······ if I couldn’t meet you, I would’ve just found your hotel and come there. It didn’t have to be that exact place. And I wanted to come to China anyway. My entire China schedule got canceled suddenly, so I ended up with nothing.”
What a luxurious complaint.
I took a sip and lightly scolded her.
“You should rest properly when you have time.”
“If I get older, I won’t be able to play the roles I want even if I want to.”
“What are you talking about? You’re still young, and you’re already worrying about age?”
“You’re the one talking nonsense. Younger people are already catching up from below. If you just sit still, you’ll fall behind.”
She snapped back immediately, but unlike before, her face was bright.
“Do you really like working in the entertainment industry that much?”
“Yeah. It suits me. It’s not something I’m doing just to make a living—it’s something I want to do, so maybe that’s why it feels easier.”
From there, Cheon Jiyoung started chatting endlessly.
I sipped my drink and asked her about her work, listening as she spoke.
At some point, I checked the time.
Quite a bit had passed.
“That’s enough drinking. Go inside and get some sleep.”
Her face was flushed now.
“You keep treating me like a kid. I’m all grown up now.”
I chuckled softly at her complaint and finished my drink.
Just as I leaned forward to set the empty glass down—
The sound of glass shattering suddenly rang out.
At the same time, the furniture behind me exploded apart, and fragments grazed past my cheek.
I instinctively leaped over the table and pulled Cheon Jiyoung into my arms.
Then I dove under the table without hesitation.
“Ahh!”
She screamed, but I didn’t have the luxury to calm her.
‘A sniper?’
The sharp gunshot vanished.
Then—silence.
No more bullets came flying in, but I stayed low, using the sofa and table as cover.
“Are you okay?”
“O-Oppa...”
Her face was pale.
The silence didn’t last long.
A loud crash followed, and the large window shattered completely. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
Cold air rushed into the wide living room in an instant.
Cheon Jiyoung trembled violently.
“It’s okay. I’m here. Calm down.”
I reassured her while waiting for Manager Ma.
Moments later, Manager Ma burst in with the security team.
“Boss! What happened—!”
He stopped mid-step.
The guard beside him had just been shot by a bullet that came out of nowhere.
The security team immediately dropped low.
Manager Ma calmly lowered himself and crawled toward me.
“Boss. Are you alright?”
I nodded, covering Cheon Jiyoung’s eyes as I spoke.
“It was a sniper targeting me.”
There was no time to be formal.
“I’ll dispatch people immediately.”
Manager Ma spoke rapidly into his radio.
“A sniper attack targeting the boss has occurred. Identify the location and neutralize.”
— Yes!
He gave the order, then looked between me and Cheon Jiyoung.
Noticing her trembling figure, he met my eyes as if asking for permission to move. I glanced at him—he shook his head.
“Boss, it’s dangerous to move right now. We haven’t identified the sniper’s position yet. We need to assess the situation a bit longer.”
Manager Ma slightly raised his head to scan the building opposite—
A bullet immediately flew past him.
He ducked instantly.
“We have to hold position until we locate the sniper.”
Then, with concern—
“Boss. You’re bleeding. Did a bullet graze you?”
Only then did I touch my cheek.
I hadn’t noticed—but there was quite a bit of blood.
I shook my head.
“No. Just debris from the furniture. It’s nothing serious.”
That wasn’t what mattered.
Getting out of here safely was.
— Location confirmed.
The radio crackled.
“Neutralize immediately. Capture if possible, but killing is acceptable. The boss’s safety is the priority.”
— Yes!
Manager Ma spoke again, as if to reassure me.
“They’ve confirmed the location. This will be over soon. Please hold on a bit longer.”
If Manager Ma said so, it would be handled quickly.
I nodded and continued calming Cheon Jiyoung.
“Jiyoung. Are you okay?”
“...Yeah.”
Her voice trembled, but she answered.
Keeping her eyes covered, I organized my thoughts.
‘Who is it? The Shanghai faction? Ye Xiaotong? Or...’
We had rented out the entire floor.
No one could enter.
Even room service was intercepted by security at the elevator.
Everything had been airtight.
And yet—a sniper.
This wasn’t something I had accounted for.
“Report the situation.”
While I was thinking, Manager Ma continued communicating.
— We are engaged. There’s more than one.
“What? ...Understood. Report again if anything changes.”
He cut the connection and immediately contacted the hotel security team.
“They might infiltrate the hotel. From this moment on, control all incoming personnel. Lock down the boss’s floor.”
— Understood!
After ending the call, Manager Ma gave hand signals to the guards inside the room.
They moved out, staying low, and closed the door behind them.
“I apologize, boss. You may have to wait a bit longer.”
Leaving it to a professional like him was the best option.
At that moment, my phone rang on the table.
Manager Ma swiftly grabbed it and handed it to me.
I checked the caller and answered immediately.
— President Kim Muhyuk, are you safe?
“What exactly is going on? You guaranteed my safety. And now there’s a sniper attack in a hotel in downtown Shanghai? Does that make any sense?”
Bo Xilai’s voice was full of shock.
— We’ve deployed armed police.
“My security team has identified the sniper’s position and is engaged. I’ve authorized the use of firearms, so I ask for your understanding.”
This could become a problem.
It was better to inform him in advance.
— I’ve already been briefed. Do not leave your position until the armed police arrive. I’ll be there shortly.
His voice trembled slightly before the call ended.
From that reaction, Bo Xilai could be ruled out as a suspect.
Time passed.
Only Cheon Jiyoung’s ragged breathing filled the room.
Then—
— Situation resolved.
“Any survivors?”
Manager Ma asked.
— We’re not sure. They were all shot down. We prioritized elimination over capture to minimize our casualties.
“...Our losses?”
— Not confirmed yet. The armed police have secured the area... What should we do?
Manager Ma looked at me.
“Tell them to stand down. Put down their weapons and wait. No resistance.”
He relayed my order, then stood and moved toward the window.
After checking outside through the shattered glass, he turned back.
“Boss. Let’s move to another room.”
I nodded and stood up, removing my hand from Cheon Jiyoung’s eyes.
My palm was soaked—whether from sweat or tears, I couldn’t tell.
“It’s over now. You’re safe.”
She looked at me with fear still lingering in her eyes.
For her sake, I forced a smile and led her out.
In the new room, the windows were covered with curtains.
“Go inside and rest for now.”
I gently pushed her into the room and closed the door.
The moment the door shut, the forced smile vanished from my face.
“Find out who’s behind this. No matter what.”
At my cold command, Manager Ma immediately bowed his head.
Whoever did this—
they would pay at least double.
