Chapter 174
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 174
Chapter Title: The Goods
Na Gang-in slipped past the enemies' watchful eyes, moving from the outer wall of Warehouse 2 to the entrance of Warehouse 4.
The walls of Warehouse 4 were made of thick reinforced concrete. The entrance was a massive steel door.
Next to the steel door was a numeric keypad lock.
Na Gang-in leaned in close to examine the buttons and asked,
"Any guesses on the password?"
"Only four? This isn't some home front door—it's a fortified facility."
Several four-digit numbers scrolled into view in the air.
Na Gang-in punched them in from the top down. On the third try, the digital lock clicked open.
"7641? You're kidding me—this actually worked?"
"What's the point of splurging on security systems if the guy managing it sets a lazy short password like this?"
"Places using crap like that must be easy pickings for hackers."
"Yeah, sure. Then use that advanced tech to pick this lock before those guys show up."
This steel door didn't just have an electronic lock. It also had a mechanical key lock.
Na Gang-in pulled a pouch of lockpicking tools from his pocket. He usually kept it in his car.
Jeon Ji-in used a thin metal probe to lightly scrape inside the lock, gathering data. A holographic image of the lock's internal structure appeared before his eyes. She guided the tools to manipulate the pins.
Na Gang-in slid the door handle sideways. As it swung aside, an electric motor whirred, and the heavy door glided open smoothly.
"You really nail locks."
"Bragging even now. And these are my hands."
He stepped inside Warehouse 4 and closed the door behind him. He re-engaged the manual lock.
From inside, the door was easy to open. From outside, though, you'd need the password, a security card, and the key to break in.
The steel door was plenty thick.
"Even if those bastards barge in, this'll hold 'em off for a bit."
No risk of getting jumped from behind now.
Na Gang-in scanned the warehouse interior. The lights were off, but combining his smartphone's beam with Jeon Ji-in's night vision mode lit everything up clear as day.
"Hope Soo-yeon's in here."
Na Gang-in bolted that way.
In one corner of the warehouse, Kwon Soo-yeon sat slumped against the wall, her face pale as a ghost.
"Soo-yeon!"
Kwon Soo-yeon jumped at the sight of him.
"Gang-in? What are you doing here? Did they grab you too?"
"Nah. Came to rescue you."
"How'd you even know..."
"You called me."
Her call earlier had only mentioned the Gapyeong warehouse before cutting off.
Kwon Soo-yeon's face lit up.
"Oh, thank God. You called the cops, right? Are they outside? They catch those weirdos?"
"Nope. Came alone."
"Huh? Why?"
"Couldn't be sure it was safe to call the cops."
Kwon Soo-yeon fretted.
"So what do we do now?"
Na Gang-in took her wrist to check her pulse. Jeon Ji-in reported.
But first, there was something else to handle.
Na Gang-in stood.
"Gotta deal with those bastards first."
He hadn't touched the enemies outside because there were too many. He didn't know Soo-yeon's situation, so rescuing her came first.
If combat broke out while she was captured, she could get hurt.
But now he'd found her.
"Any other signs of life in this warehouse?"
Na Gang-in spoke to Jeon Ji-in.
"This place is solid. Safest spot for Soo-yeon is right here."
This time, Jeon Ji-in made a suggestion.
"Scan for anything useful in here."
Na Gang-in looked around the interior. Jeon Ji-in analyzed the visuals and reported.
"Something punchy would be nice."
The crate was sealed with a mechanical button lock. Another four-digit code.
It popped open on the fifth try. Na Gang-in lifted the lid.
Na Gang-in blinked in shock.
"Whoa, what's this doing here?"
Inside the crate lay a wireless guided anti-tank missile and its controller.
"Not that heavy. Where the hell am I supposed to use this?"
"Got it. But where'd this missile come from?"
This was a Palseong Tech warehouse.
"They smuggling it out?"
"So it's domestic?"
"Looks pretty much done... Anyway, not smuggled across the border?"
"Then they're smuggling it out of the country. So that's what those guys are after."
Na Gang-in pulled out a folded paper tucked inside the crate and unfolded it.
Jeon Ji-in scanned the document and reported.
"So it won't blow?"
"Go through all this hassle to smuggle out a pre-production dud without a warhead? Not for shooting— they want to reverse-engineer the tech."
Na Gang-in paused, then asked,
"Ji-in, you knew the missile's design because it's already public, right?"
"And the casing material's no secret either?"
"Could you make one?"
Na Gang-in gestured in the air.
"Say this warehouse explodes—fire breaks out, this thing blows, whole place goes up in smoke."
"And bits of this missile's casing get found nearby. They'd think it blew and started the fire—or maybe the fire set it off."
"That's their plan to erase evidence of the theft."
Suddenly it clicked why the enemies hadn't shot Yang Yong-jun, why they'd just loosely tied him up without laying a hand on him.
"They're planning to kill everyone here alive. Make it look like they all died in the missile explosion inside the warehouse."
"Yeah. These guys are straight-up enemies—no mercy. Let's take 'em all."
Kwon Soo-yeon asked,
"Gang-in, why are you gesturing at the air and mumbling to yourself?"
"Just planned your rescue. We're ready now."
Anderson jingled the keys.
"No need for the drill after all."
Not just Yang Yong-jun—the seven warehouse staff were also herded in front of Warehouse 4. Pistol-armed mercenaries kept watch over them.
Anderson eyed the warehouse and ordered,
"Open it."
The warehouse manager shot Yang Yong-jun a panicked look.
"Team Leader Yang, why do you have the key to Warehouse 4?"
Warehouse 4 normally used only the electronic lock. In emergencies like this, when switching to manual lockdown, someone had to be inside. No matter how much outsiders threatened, they shouldn't be able to get the key.
That was the security protocol.
So that key should be at HQ, not here.
Yang Yong-jun muttered,
"To show off..."
"Pardon?"
Anderson had lied, claiming he needed to inspect how Palseong Tech's storage ran. Yang bought it hook, line, and sinker, even grabbing the key to show off secure Warehouse 4.
"To brag about how secure this place is... Who knew it'd go south? Damn it."
"How'd you even meet this guy?"
"At a party..."
At a Gangnam party, Anderson had handed Yang his card, claiming to be an Omega Tech exec.
Yang took the "chance" meeting at face value. He'd always wanted to work with Omega Tech, so no suspicions.
Anderson had sniffed out Yang's interest in advance and prepped the card. Cost a few bucks to print.
Yang figured he'd schmooze Anderson today to land an Omega Tech deal.
So he brought all his cards—including the manual key to secure Warehouse 4.
One of Anderson's mercs swiped Yang's security card on the electronic lock. It disengaged without needing the code.
Anderson tossed the key to a merc. The guy caught it one-handed and slotted it in.
The merc turned the key. Manual lock released. Then he shoved the adjacent lever.
The motor hummed, and the steel door slid open slowly.
The merc who'd unlocked it stood right in front.
Anderson ordered another subordinate,
"Go grab the dummy."
"On it!"
The merc dashed to the parked van. The fake missile parts were loaded there.
Anderson watched from afar as the warehouse door opened, licking his lips.
"Our goods are in there..."
Suddenly, a hand shot out from inside, grabbed the merc in front by the throat, and yanked him in.
"Gurk!"
Anderson jolted.
"What the—?!"
Na Gang-in struck the moment the door opened, seizing the nearest merc.
He yanked the merc with his left arm while snatching the pistol from the guy's waistband—not by the grip, but the upper slide.
Enemies on both flanks!
Jeon Ji-in highlighted the enemies' positions.
Without even glancing left, Na Gang-in hurled the merc that way.
At the same time, he racked the pistol in his right hand with a quick shake. With the slide gripped, the body slid back and forth, chambering the first round from the mag.
He released the slide, then gripped the handle mid-air. Safety flicked off as he took hold.
The merc on the right grabbed for his waist pistol. Too slow to draw.
Na Gang-in squeezed off rounds at the right-side merc. Bullets tore through both shoulders.
"Argh!"
Two mercs flanked the staff, one per side. Na Gang-in advanced, firing at them.
The other mercs snapped to and drew. But he was faster.
The right-side merc crumpled, two to the shoulder.
Na Gang-in swung his muzzle left.
Na Gang-in put two in the left merc's shoulder anyway.
"Gah!"
"If you kill 'em, the joint unit can't cover it up."
Pistol racking from left-rear flank!