Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: Combat
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The boss aimed two pistols at Shin Eun-ha and Bora simultaneously.
Na Gang-in immediately hurled the steel pipe he was holding at the boss. It flew like a spear.
The boss hastily twisted his body to the side. The pipe grazed past him narrowly and missed.
By then, the boss had steadied himself and was aiming at the two women again. His plan was simple.
'He was even protecting the guy, so he'll protect the women even harder! With two to shield, he'll panic!'
The boss's plan worked to some extent. Na Gang-in had to decide whom to protect.
A hologram marking the firing moment flashed red.
Na Gang-in leaped to the side. He scooped Bora into his arms and dashed further sideways.
The boss fired his pistol. The bullet whizzed past where she had stood.
Shin Eun-ha couldn't dodge. The bullet struck her chest dead-on.
The boss's eyes gleamed.
'The woman's hit! If he panics even for a second, that's my shot to finish him...'
Shin Eun-ha, shot, let out a yell.
"Ow!"
The Dragon Plate she wore under her clothes had more than enough defense to stop a single pistol round.
But the thinner the Dragon Plate's defense got, the greater the impact from bullets. It had already taken a slight hit from arrows at Cheongpyeong Lake.
So now, the bullet stung her chest a bit. An involuntary "Ow!" escaped her lips.
One of the boss's pistols clicked empty, its slide locked back.
He tossed it aside and gripped the other with both hands. He'd fired at the women to rattle Na Gang-in, but now he was the rattled one.
'She's shot and all she says is "Ow!"? Where's the scream?!'
Na Gang-in, still holding Bora as he dodged sideways, slipped his hand into her pocket. She'd picked up a fist-sized rock earlier and stashed it there.
He yanked it out and whipped around backward.
The boss took aim at Na Gang-in with his pistol.
'No dodging this time. No pipe, and if you do, the woman you're holding dies! This last bullet ends you!'
The boss squeezed the trigger.
Na Gang-in was faster. He hurled the rock at the boss with all his might.
With his left arm cradling Bora, he couldn't torque his hips. Instead, he unleashed his full right-arm power.
Warning indicators scrolled as he threw: this attack might kill the enemy.
He knew, but there was no time to care. The boss was a split-second from firing.
Just as the boss's finger tightened, Na Gang-in's rock slammed into his torso.
It hit like a hammer blow to the gut.
"Guhack!"
The boss screamed and flew backward.
The gang members went pale. They'd been shocked watching Na Gang-in deflect bullets; now the boss who'd fired them was airborne too. And Shin Eun-ha, unscathed by gunfire, terrified them.
"That's no normal guy—you can't even tag him with bullets."
"H-He ain't human?"
Shin Eun-ha shouted.
"Drop your weapons if you don't wanna die!"
Half their crew was already down.
Plus, Na Gang-in batting away bullets with a pipe had them spooked.
One dropped his pipe first and knelt, throwing his hands up high.
"I surrender! Mercy, please! You're all celebs, right? You'll let us live if we give up? Yeah?"
The others snapped to.
No way they could outrun Na Gang-in anyway. The downed ones looked roughed up bad. Resisting more might get them beaten to death.
They stealthily lowered their pipes.
Suddenly, the boss, flung back, staggered up with his pistol raised.
"You bastards! I ain't dead yet!"
Na Gang-in quietly asked.
"Ji-in? You said one shot could finish him? That he might die?"
The boss wore a bulky jacket to conceal his pistol. Too thick to make out what was underneath.
His trembling hands raised the pistol.
"I'll kill you all..."
Na Gang-in charged at the boss.
The boss knew only one bullet remained.
'Nail this monster with it, and I'm home free.'
He aimed at Na Gang-in.
Na Gang-in jumped. His body soared into the air.
The boss tracked him, swinging his pistol upward with a yell.
"I'll get you!"
He pulled the trigger.
Na Gang-in flipped midair. The bullet streaked past him into the sky.
"Huh?"
The boss couldn't fathom dodging a bullet in the air.
Na Gang-in soared straight to him with a jumping roundhouse kick. His instep caught the boss's face. The boss's head snapped around.
"Kuh!"
He tumbled sideways two full rolls before faceplanting.
Na Gang-in landed lightly, then swept his gaze over the remaining gang members.
"Still holding those pipes?"
Pipes clattered from their hands. They dropped to their knees, hands up.
One suddenly kowtowed, hands behind his back.
"M-Mercy, please!"
The others instantly followed suit.
The fight was over.
Shin Eun-ha rubbed her chest.
"Ugh. That hurt."
Bora, face flushed, said,
"Gang-in oppa protected me. He left Eun-ha to get shot and shielded me."
Shin Eun-ha snorted.
"Hey. He gave me a bulletproof vest. You don't have one like that, so he had to babysit you even if it was a hassle."
"Huh? N-No, that's not—"
"It is."
Bora protested.
"The bullet could've hit you somewhere else besides the chest."
"Gang-in oppa knew exactly where it'd fly. That's why he could dodge, and knew I'd be fine."
"R-Really?"
"Yeah."
Shin Eun-ha still felt a little miffed.
"Sheesh. Still, he could've looked out for me a bit. Just hands me a gift and calls it done."
Bora envied her.
"I want that bulletproof vest too. Where can I buy one?"
"Civilians can't. He made it himself, remember?"
"If I ask Gang-in oppa nicely..."
"He won't make one for just anyone."
Bora bristled.
"I'm not 'just anyone' anymore!"
"You are."
Kim Yu-chan limped over.
"Guess I should ask for one too. Not as much as Eun-ha, but I've been in too many close calls lately. Ocean, now this mountain."
Shin Eun-ha lifted her chin smugly.
"Told ya, no can do."
"I'll request a bulletproof hat. Can't wear a helmet everywhere."
"Huh? Bulletproof hat..."
Shin Eun-ha wanted one too.
Na Gang-in stripped off the boss's jacket. A slim protective vest emerged underneath.
"Something after all."
"Handy in our country, then."
"Hold up. Was this guy gearing up for something a bullet might hit? Bank heist or what?"
"Where do you get a vest like this?"
"Probably same black market as the smuggled pistols."
Na Gang-in checked the boss's phone. A flip phone, not a smartphone. He used the boss's finger to unlock it. The last call was still there.
Shin Eun-ha approached Na Gang-in.
"Gang-in oppa. Can you make a bulletproof hat too?"
Na Gang-in snapped the phone shut.
"That..."
Na Gang-in summed it up in one line.
"Too weak even if made."
Shin Eun-ha's face lit up.
"So you can make it?"
"Heavy too. Wear it around, your head'll flatten out."
"Oh? Then something like head jewelry?"
"Huh?"
Shin Eun-ha swept her hair back with a hand.
"Accessories, y'know. Not asking for a crown—just clips or cute headbands."
"Those won't stop bullets anyway. And even if they could, you'd design it?"
"Huh? I suck at that stuff. You draw great and do makeup too—don't you handle that?"
"Gotta look pretty if you're wearing it, right?"
Shin Eun-ha grinned.
"Duh. I'm an actress. Actress. Pretty and elegant."
"Then forget it."
"Whoa. Even Gang-in oppa has limits. Accessory design's a no-go."
"Possible, sure. But look at those binoculars? See? Military-style head gear? Make one if you want."
Shin Eun-ha eyed the binoculars Na Gang-in made. Top-notch performance, cool design. But it screamed futuristic.
"E-Eh? Nah. It's fine. Head stuff like that? They'd think I'm filming sci-fi. Too much."
Local police, tipped off by Detective Park Ki-jeong, arrived on scene.
The detectives stepping from their cars were baffled.
"Huh?"
"Half down, rest kowtowing?"
Some alternated stares between the gang and Na Gang-in's group, confused.
"Who's the kidnappers?"
The team lead said,
"Celebs kidnapping and reporting themselves? Gotta be these guys."
"Sure, but... looks totally opposite."
"Yeah. Let's verify."
Kim Yu-chan was more famous than Shin Eun-ha or Bora.
The team lead approached him.
"Hello. Mr. Kim Yu-chan."
Kim Yu-chan spread his arms in a big grin.
"Hahaha! Detectives! Been waiting!"
"I bet. But what's with this scene? Looks like you all..."
Kim Yu-chan pointed at the gang, yelling angrily.
"They attacked me first! For real!"
"Aw, sure, sure."
The lead eyed Kim Yu-chan's clothes. He'd tumbled down the hill face-first. Looked like he'd been in a brutal brawl.
"Fought hard, huh? So you took down these guys, Mr. Kim?"
"Huh? No, that's not..."
The lead thumbs-upped.
"True beastly flower boy! Wife and daughter's your fans."
"Like I said, that's not..."
Na Gang-in nudged Kim Yu-chan's arm to redirect attention.
"Yu-chan charged first."
Kim Yu-chan had slid down the hill alone to the warehouse front.
"Well... not totally wrong..."
The team lead glanced at Shin Eun-ha and Bora.
"Heard these guys kidnapped an actor then let 'em go. Any..."
Suddenly, another detective shouted.
"Team lead! Pistols here!"
"What?"
"Two of 'em! Casings too!"
The lead bolted over.
"Secure the scene! Cuff and stand up the kowtowers!"
"Downed ones look hurt bad."
"Call an ambulance then! Dead bodies just mean more work for us!"
The four backed off, watching the chaos. Ambulances carted away the unconscious.
Support teams rolled in. Detectives found a cabinet stuffed with machetes inside the warehouse.
The team lead gaped.
"These punks prepping for war in our jurisdiction? Two pistols, and why so many blades?"
Detective Park Ki-jeong arrived.
Shin Eun-ha and Bora waved frantically.
"Here!"
"Park Detective! We're here!"
Park rushed to them the second he exited his car.
"You two okay?"
Kim Yu-chan chimed in.
"I'm here too."
"Yes. Noted."
"You see me. Thought you missed me."
Bora requested,
"Detective Park. Keep me out of the press? Handle quietly?"
"Investigation's local precinct, not me. But I called 'em, so I'll vouch for Bora's side."
"Thanks."
Park beamed.
"Your work—it's nothing!"
Park grinned big, then spotted Na Gang-in late. He hurried over.
"With you here, I wasn't too worried. Mind explaining what happened? You know best."