***
“What are you going to do? Are you going to wait until those bastards come again today?”
Jo Sang-nim asked immediately after coming out of the director’s office.
She seemed to be in quite a hurry. She must have been even more upset because the director was in that state. Just because one was in a hurry did not mean things were handled faster, but there was no need to be laid back either.
“Is there a need for that? I’ve already seen the director’s face. I should start right away.”
“But we don't even know who those bastards are?” she said, furrowing her brow as I spoke nonchalantly.
I looked straight at Do-hwa.
“Do-hwa, you said you ran into those guys in front of the CCTV yesterday, right?”
Do-hwa nodded his head.
I asked Sang-nim again.
“Sang-nim, if we find out their faces, we can find out who they are, right?”
“Hmm, if it’s Daejeon… There is a CCTV Integrated Control Center. If I secretly hack into it and compare them with the guys' photos, I’ll be able to find them easily. Since I also know their movement path that day…”
She stopped talking, looked at me with narrowed eyes, and put her hand on her chin.
“Ooh~ your brain is working quite well? When shall we check?”
“Let’s handle it right now. Sang-nim, you set up the laptop. We’ll bring the footage.”
“Okay.”
Do-hwa and I headed straight to the orphanage management office. Mr. Tae-ho, who worked in the management office, had already been collecting the CCTV footage recorded every time those guys came.
“No, didn't you report them with this?”
When I asked, feeling puzzled, Mr. Tae-ho said with a bitter expression.
“The director told me not to…”
“Why?”
“It seems they threatened that if we reported them, they would harm the children. Wicked bastards…”
The pent-up anger could be felt in his voice. How much he must have suffered in silence alone. I fully understood his position of having to endure without being able to take revenge.
“Ha, this son of…”
I barely managed to hold back the curses that came out automatically in front of Mr. Tae-ho.
“I understand. Thank you for the footage. You did a really good job.”
“I’m glad it helped. If there’s anything else you need, tell me anytime.”
“Yes. Mr. Tae-ho.”
We bowed our heads lightly, left the management office, and headed straight to the manager’s lounge. Jo Sang-nim had already set up the laptop and was connected to the Daejeon CCTV Control Center.
“Ooh, that’s fast?”
When I said that while peering at the screen, Jo Sang-nim raised the corners of her mouth and replied.
“This much, at least. Did you get the footage?”
“Yeah. Here.”
I handed the USB to her. She plugged it into the laptop immediately and played the video to capture the guys' faces. While watching the video inadvertently, I saw Do-hwa getting hit by the guys.
“Huh? You got hit by such sloppy punches?”
“I let myself get hit on purpose.”
When I teased him slightly, Do-hwa replied with an expressionless face.
“I don't think so…”
I provoked him a little more.
“I’m not in the mood to joke.”
“Yeah. Sorry.”
Still a cold Undonghwa.
In times like this, a quick apology.
“Found them!”
At that moment, Jo Sang-nim shouted.
Thank you. Jo Sang-nim.
“I turned it back to the time they came here yesterday and searched by predicting the guys' route, and I found the guys' van. The van returned to Daejeon and stopped in front of the ‘Light’ Nightclub in Yuseong-gu. I found guys with the same faces on the CCTV at the intersection in front of the nightclub.”
Jo Sang-nim said while showing the videos in succession.
“Light Nightclub, huh.”
As I muttered and fell into thought, she said with a look of disgust.
“What a damn tacky name.”
In the meantime, my thoughts were organized.
In truth, there was no need to think about this level.
“Sang-nim, you find out about that vehicle and who those guys are. And if you can find out what kind of organization they are and whose orders they were moving under, find that out too. And keep a close eye on the CCTV near the orphanage. If guys who look like them come up, call me immediately.”
“Okay.”
She gave an OK sign with one hand.
I placed my hand on her shoulder and continued.
“You have a lot of work to do. And it’s that important. In the meantime, we have to approach those guys and catch their leader.”
“But is there really a need to do something so dangerous? I think we can find out who’s behind it through other methods.”
She said while pointing to her laptop.
“We aren't going there to find that out.”
“Huh? Then?”
When she asked, looking puzzled, I answered firmly.
“Since they made the director like that, I have to pay them back tenfold.”
“Ah… still, don't kill them. Because things will get blown out of proportion.”
“I’ll try my best. I don't know if it will work, though. Let’s go. Do-hwa.”
We left the orphanage immediately and came down to the road below where we had parked the car. I took the new hats and masks from the trunk and put on leather gloves with the fingers exposed.
“Are you going to storm in right away?”
Do-hwa asked while driving the car toward the city.
“Just in case, let’s check the escape route first. Will your condition be okay?”
“It’s not bad. What’s the level of intensity?”
I thought for a moment before answering.
“Since they are bastards with a very bad nature, I think it’ll be fine if the lackeys are seriously injured.”
“Received.”
It was a story that would have startled the bastards if they had heard it, but we spoke nonchalantly.
“Good, let’s start.”
Vrooom—
I increased the speed and headed straight for Yuseong-gu.
How dare you touch our director and the orphanage?
It is time for blood revenge.
<><><>
Choi Gyeong-u gathered his subordinates in the nightclub’s basement parking lot.
It was the meeting spot whenever they went out to a scene.
The number was about 15.
Because the lighting was dim, their faces could not be seen in detail.
Everyone was wearing black leather jackets and masks, and all sorts of hideous weapons such as iron pipes, baseball bats, and sashimi knives were neatly displayed on the parking lot floor.
It was an atmosphere as if they were going out to war, but in fact, they were absurdly planning to storm into the orphanage and smash the building to pieces as they pleased.
There could be no act more despicable toward the socially vulnerable.
However, not a single pang of conscience could be felt in their eyes. They had become nonchalant because they had accumulated all kinds of evil deeds by bullying and assaulting the weak until now.
“Listen carefully. You must get the stamp of approval today. Think of today as the last day and do your best!”
“Yes!”
Satisfied with his subordinates’ loud answer, Choi Gyeong-u tried to get into the van.
Thud, thud, thud!
At that moment, the sound of footsteps coming down to the basement parking lot was heard. It was the sound of footsteps with quite a lot of leisure.
Choi Gyeong-u furrowed his brow, took his foot off the car, and looked at the entrance where they were coming down.
“Why are you doing that? Hyung-nim?”
Then, several of the strike team members who noticed it approached and followed his gaze.
“Didn't you say all the kids were gathered?”
“Huh? Yes. They are all gathered, but…”
“Then who are those guys?”
Choi Gyeong-u narrowed his eyes and looked closely.
Black jackets, black hats, and masks similar to theirs.
Since even the lighting was dim, there was no way their faces could be seen.
The two entered the basement without hesitation, looked around, and exchanged words while whispering to each other.
“What is it? You guys!? Outsiders are forbidden from entering here.”
To say a parking lot is forbidden from entering.
When Choi Gyeong-u shouted angrily, one of the two men pointed at himself with his index finger and said:
“That guy.”
Then the man beside him nodded his head.
“What is it, you crazy bastards?”
Watching that sight, Choi Gyeong-u’s eyes gleamed as he strode toward the two people.
Because he had 15 armed subordinates behind him, he had nothing to fear.
“I’m asking you right now, who are you—”
Swish—
In that moment, the man who had been nodding his head threw a punch at Choi Gyeong-u’s face without further ado.
Thwack!
“Gk!”
It was a movement truly like lightning, and because he had hit him so strongly, Choi Gyeong-u’s body flew backward and hit the van.
Bang!
Crash!
The van was dented and the window was shattered.
Trickle—
Choi Gyeong-u’s face, which hung limply as if he had fainted, had his nose sunken in, and his front teeth were all missing.
“Stay asleep quietly. I have business with you a little later.”
The man who had thrown the punch said in a cold tone.
The 15 strike team members watched the events that had just unfolded while being dumbfounded for a moment.
“Uh…?”
“What?”
Then, perhaps having come to their senses while looking at the fainted Choi Gyeong-u, they didn't care who went first, picked up weapons, and rushed in.
“You crazy bastard!”
“Kill him!”
Unhesitating movements and killing intent emanating from them. They looked accustomed to joint attacks. They weren't guys who had done this once or twice. They were guys who didn't need to be shown mercy.
As expected, the two men’s movements were unhesitating.
Grab!
Crack—
“Arghhh!”
He grabbed the arm of the strike team member who had swung an iron pipe and then stomped down on it with his knee, snapping it to the opposite side.
The bone protruded, and even if he received treatment, he would likely never be able to use his arm properly for the rest of his life.
Swish—
Someone else swung a knife. Then the man beside him kicked his wrist, rotated his body again, and kicked the guy’s head with his other leg.
He kicked him so strongly that his neck snapped, and his head plunged straight into the ground just like that.
If he was lucky, he wouldn't be paralyzed from the neck down.
“Ugh!”
“Wha, what! You crazy bastards!”
Only then did the remaining strike team members begin to feel a bit of fear at the two men’s ruthless hands.
The emotion they hadn't felt when they were harming others themselves—when they thought they could actually be on the receiving end, fear began to creep up.
They quietly threw away the iron pipes and square timber and picked up all the sashimi knives that remained.
The thought that if they didn't kill the opponent, they would die, began to dominate their heads.
“Kill them!”
When the strike team member with the best physique among them shouted, they all began to jump toward the two men at once.
Ten-odd minutes later.
The basement parking lot had become a shambles.
Blood was splattered everywhere, and the 15 strike team members were moaning or convulsing on the floor. Their condition looked serious at a glance.
At least seriously injured.
Slap! Slap!
“Hey, hey. Wake up. How long are you going to stay asleep.”
“Uuuugh…”
“Where is your leader right now?”
“Ugh…!”
Choi Gyeong-u came to his senses when someone slapped his cheeks repeatedly. But he couldn't speak. His sunken mouth and jaw were not moving according to his will.
“Hey, that’s why you shouldn't hit the mouth. You can't talk.”
“Did you think you would be hit so stupidly? I thought you would avoid it.”
“Ha, who avoids your punch. Even Muhammad Ali would have a hard time with that.”
Two men exchanging empty talk in a hellish landscape.
Choi Gyeong-u’s head was filled with confusion.
‘Who are these guys?! Are they devils? Are they ghosts?’