The Bullet (2)
The car carrying the two pulled up in front of a high-end restaurant in the city.
This time, they had taken a VIP bulletproof vehicle. Even if that truck from yesterday came charging at them, the outcome wouldn't change much, but they had secured the best car available regardless.
After handing off the keys to the valet, Lee Yeon asked at the restaurant entrance.
"Another restaurant owner looking to lose big?"
"Haha, quite the opposite. The owner here is a very decent person, from what I know."
Jang Cheon spoke to the entrance staff.
"I'd like the special room."
"The special room requires advance reservations."
At that, Jang Cheon pulled a business card from his wallet. Lee Yeon glanced over— no company name, no phone number, just Madame Grace written on it.
Madame Grace?
The staff member smiled upon receiving the card.
"This way, please."
The staff led Jang Cheon to a room deeper inside the restaurant.
It was a space with striking antique decor. It felt like a woman in a lavish dress, long cigarette holder in mouth, might sweep in at any moment. Probably because of the name on that card.
"Is Grace the owner of this place?"
"No. Madame Grace is the one who introduced it."
"Ah, I see."
A business card with just a name on it.
She knew presidents and chaebol chairmen used cards like that.
Madame Grace?
Curious who she was, but it felt too personal to ask. Instead, something else nagged at her.
"Why here, though?"
She had figured they'd go shopping somewhere women liked. Yet here they were at this odd restaurant.
"You'll find out soon enough."
At that moment, a middle-aged woman entered the room.
Grace and elegance radiated from her expression, eyes, gait, and smile. Yet there was a subtle aura about her hinting her life hadn't been a bed of roses in some greenhouse—far from it.
"Hello. You're Jang Cheon, right?"
"Yes. That's me."
"I'm Master Shan. Call me Master or Shan, whichever you prefer."
"Pleasure to meet you, Master."
Shan's gaze turned to Lee Yeon.
"Wow! Beautiful! You're stunning!"
Lee Yeon flushed at the blunt praise.
"In my line of work, I see dozens of women a day. But someone as beautiful as you? Rare sight."
"You're too kind, Master. You're far more beautiful than I am."
"Wow! Beautiful and with an eye for precision and aesthetics. Perfect! Flawless!"
Her candid, cheerful personality drew smiles naturally. The kind of woman who made you think, I want to age like that someday. Could I? Lee Yeon pondered it briefly.
Shan looked at Jang Cheon.
"I've heard so much from Madame Grace. Wanted to meet you— and here you are."
"I've heard plenty about you too."
"Grace wouldn't have said only good things."
"I filtered it."
"Haha."
Shan laughed heartily, pleased.
"You met Madame Grace during your mercenary days?"
"Yes. She helped me a lot when I first started out."
"Comrades-in-arms. Fantastic word."
"A place where friendships can't help but get exaggerated. If you'd met her outside that world?"
"Not easy to become friends. Haha."
Shan laughed good-naturedly, as if she understood perfectly.
"Alright, time to shop. Follow me."
The woman placed her palm on one wall. A blank wall, but it reacted.
With a beep, the wall slid open. Even the display case ahead split in two. A passage that truly caught you off guard.
The two followed Shan inside.
At the corridor's end was a small room, empty save for a single table— a touchscreen tablet itself.
"Pick what you need there."
"One thing first: dealing with me might bring trouble your way."
"Should I take that as someone having eyes on you, Mr. Jang?"
"Quite possible."
This wasn't about the current incident's culprits. It was those they that Intelligence Director Jeong Yeong-gi had mentioned. Tied to Jang Cheon's past. Still lying low, quiet as mice.
Shan spoke confidently.
"No worries. What customer of ours doesn't have issues? This is the famous The Bullet."
The Bullet.
This place, meaning "bullet," was a military shop with a vast global chain.
No weapon you couldn't buy here, and utterly untraceable. Sure enough, categories went beyond standard guns and blades to things like, Do they even sell these?
Missiles, tanks, combat planes, even battleships.
One exception: they never dealt in chemical or biological weapons, nukes, or any WMDs. They actively cooperated with governments hunting those traders.
One reason The Bullet had survived crises over the years to become a world-renowned military shop.
Shan eyed Jang Cheon's sword.
"Regrettably, this branch has nothing better than the one you're carrying."
She hadn't even drawn it, yet she knew its true value.
"If you want, we can airlift from the China branch. You know, Beijing has some fine blades."
"Yes, Cheon Yeong-ji Sword, right?"
"As expected!"
"Not here for a sword today. Other weapons. And one for this lady too."
Shan smiled.
"A beauty needs a fine weapon. Go ahead, browse freely."
Contrary to Lee Yeon's guess that he'd pick a sword for her, Jang Cheon tapped the firearms category.
"You know how to shoot?"
"Yes. Trained."
"Better than fumbling with a blade when you're not even Murim yet. Safer with a gun. What have you used?"
"Glock."
"18?"
"No, Glock 19."
Jang Cheon swiftly navigated to the Glock 19.
"Not a bad choice."
She watched him add two Glocks, four mags, six packs of ammo to the cart without hesitation.
God, even buying ham at the mart wouldn't be this fast.
Lee Yeon had that absurd thought, then reality hit.
Wait—he's buying me guns right now.
Shan spoke then.
"Our weapons are safe to use. Completely untraceable."
A sudden twinge of criminality made Lee Yeon ask.
"Anyone can buy?"
"Of course not. Can't sell guns freely where it's illegal. We sell, but not to criminals. Only trustworthy folks."
"How do you trust me?"
"We don't, naturally. But this vouching for you?"
Shan held up the card Jang Cheon had given. Madame Grace to Jang Cheon to her—unbreakable trust.
Jang Cheon then selected a women's anti-sword suit from that category.
Shan admired it.
"Spot-on with the best one. Thin, stretchy, most effective."
Next, twenty boxes of shurikens. Looked just like those from ninja flicks on the tablet pics.
"Don't think you need those?"
"These are for me," Jang Cheon replied to Lee Yeon.
"Ah, sorry."
"No issue."
"You use shurikens?"
"Harder to learn than daggers at first, but far more efficient once mastered. Easier to carry too."
"I see."
Jang Cheon bought more: not just weapons, but protective gear, med kits, infiltration tools, survival gear—everything.
He got two S-grade med kits and two S-grade survival sets. For himself, he said.
Once done, Shan said.
"Grace warned me: you won't pose for pics, so get a signature at least. It'll be valuable someday."
"Just teasing."
"Take it as a joke and sign anyway?"
Jang Cheon ignored it, handing over his card. Shan smiled.
"Card receipt signature it is. Secure payment."
Lee Yeon gaped, dying to know the total, but couldn't see it. Guns, shurikens, S-grades—must be pricey.
But... should I accept this?
Her mind swirled, but arguing acceptance in front of Shan felt wrong. Not the vibe.
Payment done, Shan bowed politely.
"Come again."
"Won't need to."
"That's why we stay in business. You know how the world works."
Jang Cheon bid farewell with a smirk, bags in hand.
Shan called after, amused.
"Use us often!"
In the car, Lee Yeon stared blankly at the gun case, ammo, and anti-sword suit bag beside her.
Everything happening so fast—she could barely keep up.
"I took it on impulse, but... is this okay to accept?"
"A gift for not backing down and showing courage in this mess."
Their eyes met in the rearview.
"If you were gonna refuse, you should've then. Yeah, okay. I'll take it. Thank you so much."
"No big deal. Even outside this, life might demand it someday. Keep it for then."
Would her life ever require shooting at someone?
"Why are you so good to me?"
She felt it. Jang Cheon's kindness. Not just because she was HT Security staff or pretty—something more.
Jang Cheon, gazing at her, smiled faintly.
"Do I seem that way?"
"Don't I?"
"If so, maybe because you're the first compatriot I've met back home after fourteen years."
Lee Yeon couldn't tell if that was true or a dodge. Jang Cheon wasn't easy to read.
But whatever the reason, it didn't matter.
Many men had approached her before. Mostly drawn by looks, emotional flings.
No interest in dating now, yet it felt forced.
Jang Cheon was different. He treated her as person Lee Yeon, not woman Lee Yeon.
This near-indifferent straightforwardness wasn't bad. She could joke about Cinderella or spy stuff precisely because she knew he had no romantic interest—made it comfortable.
On a main road not far from the residence, Jang Cheon said.
"Drop me up ahead."
"Sure."
Out of the car, he leaned to her window.
"That day, I asked: what now?"
"Yes."
"You accepted, so repay it."
She knew exactly what he meant, swallowing hard instinctively.
"Lee Yeon."
"Yes."
"Never make a habit of forgiving those who try to kill you. Once might feel good, twice lucky—but someday that sloppy mercy becomes a blade turned on you."
Frightening words. From another world, still.
"I'll handle the revenge for you this time. That okay?"
"Pardon? Oh—yes. Fine."
God! Fine? I just okayed revenge against an assassin group.
Ah... this wasn't life changing. It was cataclysmic.
"Be careful."
"Will do. See you later."
Lee Yeon pulled away. Side mirror showed Jang Cheon with his bags.
She didn't see it.
The moment her car turned, a massive moving truck appeared from the bent road behind, stopping beside Jang Cheon as if waiting.
Jang Cheon boarded Phone Express.
"Boss!"
"Phone."
Once in, Jang Cheon separated the shuriken boxes, handing the med and survival bags to Phone.
"Said you were out?"
"Didn't forget. Thanks, Boss."
Phone took them. Face impassive, but his eyes smiled behind shades.
As he started the car, Jang Cheon opened a shuriken box.
Beautiful classical melody from the audio matched the sound Phone loved.
The shurikens stacked in Jang Cheon's palm with clear metallic rings.
Ching-ching-ching-ching-ching.