The Year-End Party (4)
The day of the year-end party dawned.
Amid the bustle as everyone attended to their duties, Lee Yeon was checking the Korea Murim Alliance homepage on her computer.
She'd gone in to look up Murim people capable of breaking through glass windows, but within five minutes, she realized it was impossible to investigate properly.
There were over two hundred officially registered sects, plus branches of foreign sects.
As she moved to close the homepage, her hand paused.
She typed Jang Cheon into the search bar at the top.
One article link came up.
It was about an eight-year-old boy passing the BST. The article noted it was the youngest pass since the test's inception, accompanied by a single photo.
The boy was beaming brightly.
Then Kwon Hyeok-su spoke from behind her.
"He looks the same even as a kid. No surgery, huh."
"Yeah. He's cute."
Kwon Hyeok-su eyed Lee Yeon, who was smiling brightly without realizing it.
"Where's our heart-stealer at?"
"As you can see, he's on break."
The CCTV feed showed Jang Cheon sitting on a bench.
"The rooftop?"
"Yes."
"What's he doing up there in the dead of winter?"
"Guess he's not cold."
"Makes sense. They say Murim people have internal energy, so they don't feel heat or cold."
"Saves on cold medicine, at least."
Kwon Hyeok-su turned serious.
"Anyway, be careful today."
"You too, Team Leader."
The day had finally arrived.
"Got a bad feeling. Calling in outsiders for security is weird enough, and Hong Tae-sik just going along with it? Could be more serious than we think."
Just then, Lee Yeon's phone rang. Unknown number.
"Hello?"
"It's Jang Cheon."
She jumped at his name. Sure enough, the screen showed Jang Cheon calling.
"How'd you get my number?"
"You gave us the security office staff list."
"Oh, right. What's up?"
"Is this the operations room?"
"Yes."
"Can you see me well here?"
"Yes, I can."
Jang Cheon shifted position.
"Here?"
"That spot too."
"Here?"
He moved again, slipping out of the camera's view.
"Can't see you there."
"Got it. Hanging up."
"Wait, hold on—"
But the call had already ended.
"What the heck."
Lee Yeon glanced at Kwon Hyeok-su.
"Did you know there's a blind spot up there?"
"No clue. No need to cover the rooftop fully—you have to pass through us to get up, and we'll lock the door later anyway."
"What do you think he's doing up there? I should go check."
"Yeah, go see. That's your Mata Hari mission, right?"
"Oh my god! Not even Nikita, but Mata Hari? Elder, I'm off!"
As Lee Yeon left the operations room, Kwon Hyeok-su said to the other staff,
"Mata Hari's the go-to for female spies, right?"
One employee cautiously replied,
"I'm Team Black Widow, Salt Gen."
"What's that? Black salt?"
"Whoa."
The staff shot him baffled looks and averted their eyes.
"You punks, it was a joke! Don't be so uptight—live a little and laugh at lame jokes."
Kwon Hyeok-su grumbled, then realized belatedly,
"Wait, hold up? Lee Yeon! You know Mata Hari too?"
By then, she was already on the rooftop feed.
"Murim people don't get acrophobia either, huh."
Jang Cheon replied without turning.
"Most overcome it with training."
He was standing on the rooftop railing at the edge.
"Truth is, I have vertigo."
She approached beside him. Even with the railing, looking down made her dizzy.
"At least this won't be overcome by training."
"It will. Try it, and you'll see how amazing our bodies are."
"Politely decline!"
Just watching him up there made Lee Yeon anxious.
"Aren't you scared? What if a gust blows you off? Or sudden vertigo hits?"
"The less 'sudden' you are, the longer you live."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Enemy ambushes come suddenly too. Death arrives the same way."
"Ah."
Lee Yeon got it. Even as she understood, a stray thought crossed her mind.
"But if all sudden things vanished, wouldn't life get boring?"
His appearance in her life had been sudden, after all.
"Fair point."
Jang Cheon glanced at her with a smirk, then looked away. Her gaze followed naturally to the distant building.
"So why come up to the rooftop?"
"After scouting all the buildings, this rooftop has the highest intrusion risk."
He'd said yesterday: could jump down from here and break in through a window.
Does he really think it's possible?
Lee Yeon said carefully,
"Security thinks this rooftop has the lowest intrusion probability."
"Come here."
He stepped down from the railing and led her to one side of the rooftop building.
"Could you climb up there?"
"Not easily."
"Use my hand as a launch point."
"Okay."
Feeling bad but committed, she stepped on his palm and leaped.
Whoosh.
She landed nimbly on the roof. His slight boost made it easy.
Jang Cheon followed with a light hop, silent as the wind—like a wuxia film.
"Look here."
He pointed to the rooftop CCTV.
"Huh? Scratches."
"Yes. Someone recently forced it to turn. Created a blind spot over there."
"Suspicious. But how do they get here? Parachute?"
"No flights in the city, so no. Hang glider maybe."
"They'd have to land precisely in that blind spot. Possible? Even if so, a hang glider's too bulky—it'd stick out."
"Good point. This way."
He hopped down; she followed.
Jang Cheon checked the blind spot below.
"If they made this blind spot on purpose, they'll climb this wall."
Lee Yeon could tell he was dead serious. Just looking down dizzied her; she gazed at the sky to steady her breath.
"You're considering a Murim assassin."
"Unless it's a top-tier expert, killing Chairman Park at today's party won't be easy."
"If it were you, how would you infiltrate?"
"Me? ..."
Jang Cheon grinned.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
Curiosity piqued, but it touched on his martial skills, so she didn't press.
"Fine, say that's true. So you'd really jump there, smash a window? What about bulletproof glass?"
He tapped the sword at his waist.
"Cut it with your sword? Glass that stops bullets?"
He nodded.
Were Murim people, these experts, really like that? She'd met many but rarely seen them unleash martial arts firsthand.
Like fires or fights happening daily—you rarely witness them. Plus, Murim folk avoided showing off in front of civilians.
Hard to believe, but knowing there was an issue, she couldn't ignore it.
"I'll install a camera in the blind spot first."
"No. Leave it. If I'm right, we know their entry route. No need to tip them off that we noticed."
"Got it."
Lee Yeon peered down again.
Still dizzying.
The party began, VIPs arriving.
The invitees beamed. To them, an HT Group year-end invite proved they'd lived well that year.
A famous MC hosted, popular singers performed, followed by opera and piano.
Jang Cheon and Lee Yeon stood at the edge.
Onlookers glanced but showed no special interest. A Murim swordsman and beauty—not VIPs, but party performers, they figured.
Whatever. Lee Yeon was thrilled.
"First time at a bash like this."
"It's annual."
"We always stood guard outside. Team 1 handles Chairman protection. First time inside. But can you be here?"
"Where else?"
"With the Chairman."
"Ironclad security there now. I'm good here."
He seemed certain. Whatever happened, it'd be here in the party hall.
"Enjoy the party."
"Alright. Let's party!"
But she knew: this wasn't her party. VIPs wouldn't chat with a mere security grunt. Any interest would be in her looks, not her.
Like this guy Park Gwang-cheol, hitting on her till now.
"Our star, future of Park Enter, right here."
"Hello."
Lee Yeon smiled politely.
"When we grabbing food?"
"You're persistent."
"Once I dig, I go to the earth's end."
"Sorry, my fortune says I'm all water. Find an earthy girl."
Jang Cheon smirked behind her.
Park Gwang-cheol's gaze shifted to him naturally.
"Let's chat."
He eyed the sword at Jang Cheon's waist casually.
"Got anger issues? I piss people off easy."
"No worries. I've got patience."
"Good. Anyway, I'm a punk, but remember I'm the group chairman's blood. Now, real talk: heard Dad paid big for some job. Spill a hint?"
"Can't."
"So firm."
"Leak pre-info, and it's breach penalty."
"Life's business. I'll cover it. How much?"
"You can't afford it."
"How much?!"
Lee Yeon watched, pitying him. This chaebol heir living so pathetically?
Suddenly, applause erupted nearby. Chairman Park In-hwan entered the hall with his entourage.