The Martial Artist Who Flew First Class (2)
Lee Yeon guided Jang Cheon to the HT Group Residence, not far from the headquarters.
This was a lodging for VIPs, boasting facilities on par with a six-star hotel. Rooms ranged from suites to standard ones, and Jang Cheon was assigned a standard room—not by Lee Yeon's choice, but because that's how it had been arranged from the start.
"As you know, the year-end party is in three days. Rest easy until then."
Most year-end party attendees arrived on the day itself, but guests coming from abroad like this often showed up a few days early.
"If anything comes up, contact me. Just tell the security staff in the lobby, and they'll reach me right away."
"Sure. And I'd like a car."
"We'll prepare one immediately. One of the headquarters drivers will take good care of you."
"No, just the car. Not a big one—something ordinary would be fine."
"Got it. We'll leave the keys at the lobby."
"Thanks."
"Rest well."
After leaving Jang Cheon's room, Lee Yeon returned to Team 3's temporary office on the second floor.
With the year-end party event underway, the entire security team was on high alert, and each team had set up temporary offices in the residence.
Team Leader Kwon Hyeok-su said to her,
"You're late."
"Yes. Park CEO's schedule changed suddenly, so that's what happened. Still, I managed to pick him up from the airport just in time."
"No issues? You can never predict Murim folk."
"He was a total gentleman."
"Good to hear. And Park CEO?"
"Arriving in an hour."
Kwon Hyeok-su lowered his voice, speaking quietly to her alone.
"Heard the rumors about that Park Gwang-cheol guy?"
Park Gwang-cheol—that name alone said it all.
He was the youngest son of HT Group Chairman Park In-hwan. The chairman had three children, and Park Gwang-cheol was the biggest troublemaker among them.
Having caused endless scandals since childhood, he'd only started to mature past thirty. A few years ago, he'd founded Park Entertainment and jumped into the entertainment business.
But old habits die hard, it seemed. Right from the start, he'd tangled with various actresses in scandals. His real problem? He wore those messy affairs like badges of honor.
He rarely came to this residence out of deference to his father, but today—when Jang Cheon arrived—there happened to be an entertainment-related event here.
"If you don't feel like it, send someone else."
"It's my job, so I'll handle it."
"Park CEO might get handsy."
"A compliment, right?"
"You think so?"
Lee Yeon flashed a bright smile.
"You told us when we joined: everything hinges on that first time. Dodge once, and you'll keep dodging forever. It becomes habit, and you make excuses for the cowardice."
"That was just a speech I pulled off the internet. Everyone dodges smartly and gets by."
"Sure, but I'll tough it out without smarts until I'm thirty."
"Lucky you, so damn young."
"Yep! Feels damn good!"
She bowed politely and turned to leave, then spun back.
"Oh, one more thing. About Jang Cheon."
"Why Jang Cheon?"
"Young, handsome. If he's loaded too, maybe I'll give him a shot. What kind of guy is he?"
Kwon Hyeok-su chuckled.
"I'd love to turn our Lee Yeon into Cinderella, but sadly, I don't know much."
"Even you don't know?"
He had every VIP invited to this year-end party memorized, given his role.
"Then who does?"
"The one who invited him, probably."
Kwon Hyeok-su jerked a thumb upward.
"The chairman's guest? Doesn't seem like it."
"Why not?"
"He got a standard room, not a suite."
Even invited VIPs had tiers: chairman's guests, president's guests, executive guests. Chairman's guests naturally held the most power—no way they'd get a standard room.
"That's weird."
"Dangerous, even."
"Huh?"
"At my age, anything weird goes in the 'danger' folder. Best to pretend you didn't see it."
"What do I do? For me, it's in the 'adventure' folder."
"What can you do? Moths always burn up from curiosity—young ones, anyway."
"Haha. Your moth's heading out."
A large Rolls-Royce pulled up in front of the residence.
The man who stepped out was none other than Park Gwang-cheol.
"Welcome, Park CEO."
Lee Yeon was there to greet him.
Park Gwang-cheol eyed her up and down without a word. Manners on first meetings? Not in his vocabulary.
"I'm Lee Yeon from security."
"Pretty."
Casual speech right off the bat. She showed no reaction to his rudeness.
"Thank you."
"Nice mask, even better proportions. Ever thought about showbiz?"
"Thanks for the excessive praise, but no."
"Not that you haven't thought about it—you just haven't had the chance."
"Maybe."
Park Gwang-cheol framed her with his fingers like a camera, scanning her figure again.
"Murim?"
"No."
"Shame. With that physique plus Murim skills? Perfection."
"Shall we head in?"
"Yeah. When a beauty leads, even hell's worth following."
As the two of them and Park Gwang-cheol's entourage entered the lobby, Jang Cheon was just picking up his car keys from the female desk staff and walking out.
Lee Yeon paused and called out.
"Heading out?"
"Just getting some air."
"Take care."
Jang Cheon passed them and exited.
Park Gwang-cheol stared at Jang Cheon walking away in the distance.
"These days, every punk struts around with a sword, dogs and cows alike."
Even non-Murim types sometimes carried fake swords for show—it was trendy among the young.
"He's a real Murim man."
"Yeah? Who?"
"A VIP invited to the year-end party."
"So, who?"
"Can't disclose per protocol."
"You're into him, huh? That look in your eyes."
She thought, what a piece of work, but replied politely.
"No interest."
"Really? You'll tell me about that guy later?"
"Doesn't matter."
"Playboy types like that are a scandal nightmare down the line."
He spoke as if she worked for his company.
"Let's go."
She urged him on, but Park Gwang-cheol stood watching Jang Cheon get into the car.
"Bullshit. VIP? Why ride that junk?"
He was convinced no invited guest would drive something like that.
"Not a lie."
"I'll find out who."
Park Gwang-cheol nodded to one of his entourage. The man peeled off to investigate Jang Cheon.
Lee Yeon didn't stop him. No point; it'd only rile Park Gwang-cheol up, and do Jang Cheon no favors.
Only then did Park Gwang-cheol follow her. At the elevator, he asked,
"Chairman doing well?"
"Yes, he's fine."
"Figures. Old man's too damn healthy. Devours heavenly peaches and elixirs—probably immortal."
Offensive as hell, but Lee Yeon's expression didn't flicker. She wasn't amateur enough to react to this.
She saw it as an occupational hazard. Like working through back pain with a patch—you grit your teeth and ignore it.
Park Gwang-cheol got the 25th-floor suite.
"My door's always open for beauties."
His face screamed certainty she'd come knocking.
"Rest well."
She bowed politely and left.
Wait a hundred years, asshole.
"Tough world to eat and survive in, huh?"
Lee Yeon, who'd been spacing out, looked up at Kwon Hyeok-su's words.
"Sharp eyes."
"It's your weakness too. Can't hide when you're pissed."
"Why I never touch poker."
"Park Gwang-cheol's a bastard, but he's still family blood. Suck it up. Life's suffering, pure suffering. Even cavemen struggled to eat."
"True. Can't hunt mammoth young with a stone axe."
"Note that under the billiards hall: even if you can, don't."
Lee Yeon chuckled. Chatting with Kwon Hyeok-su lifted her mood.
"Here, take this."
She picked up a shopping bag from the floor and handed it over. Inside was a wrapped gift box.
"It's here at last. Sorry, but I'm married. Twenty-year pro husband. No office wives."
"Pro hubby not clocking out on wife's birthday?"
"Huh? How'd you know?"
"I'll deliver it to sis. No pressure—you know my pitiful salary anyway."
"Raised two kids on that rat tail."
"Sis raised them, not you. Go—I'll cover ops room duty tonight."
"Kinda touching."
"Failed. Aimed for big."
She grinned wide; Kwon Hyeok-su chuckled.
"Thanks."
"Say that to the one enduring silently on days like this."
"Back in an hour or two."
"No way today. Grab the chance—rack up points."
"You rascal!"
"Rascal-free me's staking claim tonight!"
Kwon Hyeok-su left, and Lee Yeon headed the opposite way. At the end of the L-shaped corridor was the security ops room.
"Senior, senior."
Someone calling snapped Lee Yeon awake. She'd dozed off in the ops room chair. Clock read 1 a.m.
"What?"
Habitually, she glanced at the wall of screens.
Dozens of them—CCTV covering the residence perimeter. But all but a few exterior ones were blacked out.
Startled, she shot up.
"What the hell?"
"Central shut them down. Word from Team 1 just now."
"Why?"
"No reason given."
"They do whatever."
Security Team 1 handled the chairman's detail—the elite of elites, top power in the team.
If Team 1 moved, the chairman had too. Shutting cameras meant an off-the-books meet.
Who's he seeing?