Chapter 192
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 192
Chapter Title: Physical Negotiation
A few of the mercenaries scowled at Na Gang-in's words. But none of them attacked.
Na Gang-in muttered softly.
"They're not reacting even when I poke at them verbally? That means these guys really want to negotiate."
The international mercenary Jackal, who had raided a Gangnam restaurant before, knew about the basement escape route. So he hadn't needed to negotiate with the police.
"These guys have no escape route except negotiation."
One of the hostages slowly opened the box, then suddenly grinned wide and said to the mercenaries.
"Look! It's real first-aid supplies! Not a bomb!"
Inside the box were medical supplies and tools for emergency treatment.
The mercenary confirmed it with his eyes, then asked Na Gang-in.
"Why is this here? This wasn't on our list."
"Service."
"We didn't order any service!"
"It's the kind they throw in when you order a lot of burgers."
"Answer properly!"
"They don't know the hostages' conditions outside. I added it in case someone was hurt."
The mercenary lowered his gun barrel, tension easing as he smirked.
"Unnecessary work. We have meds too."
The mercenaries each grabbed a burger and a bottle of water. One radioed out.
"Food's here. Checked—no issues."
A mercenary from the outer lobby came in, took some burgers and water, and left.
Moments later, a masked mercenary walked in from the inner corridor. His clothes were bloodstained.
Na Gang-in frowned and asked.
"Whose blood is that?"
The mercenary shrugged.
"Not mine."
Na Gang-in had entered disguised as a negotiation expert.
"If a hostage dies, no negotiation. That's the higher-ups' call."
"Relax. There was a scuffle taking over the place, someone got hurt, but the doc patched them up fine."
Na Gang-in needed to find Dr. Yuna-rin first. He demanded of the mercenary.
"I need to check the injured person's condition myself."
"Let's talk our conditions first?"
"Let you guys get out of here safely?"
The man grinned slyly.
"Isn't that obvious? Get us out safe, and we let all the hostages go."
"Nothing else you want?"
"What would we grab in a situation like this?"
Na Gang-in said.
"We need guarantees no one's dead too. If bodies drop and we still let you go, our bosses are toast. Might as well grab you guys if we're getting fired anyway."
The mercenary snorted.
"One dead versus all dead are different."
"Dead is dead—bosses get canned either way."
The mercenary scowled.
"Fair point. Anyway, the injured guy's with the doc. We've done our part. He's still alive, of course."
"To proceed with negotiations, I need to see with my own eyes that everyone's alive."
"Hm..."
The mercenary patted Na Gang-in down. He'd come in just a dress shirt and slacks—no place to hide a gun. Plus, they'd already searched him in the lobby.
He figured easily.
'What can one guy do alone?'
Besides, the mercenaries weren't exactly swimming in time either.
They'd planned to wrap up before the cops caught on and slip out. But the police response and building lockdown had been too fast.
The mercenaries wanted to get out alive.
"Fine, we'll let you check."
The mercenary beckoned two comrades. They drew pistols from their waists and approached.
The bloodstained mercenary said.
"Head inside. They're there."
Na Gang-in led the way, footsteps echoing. The three mercenaries followed.
The bloodstained mercenary said.
"Left there."
Na Gang-in turned left down the corridor. Another hallway branched off, with an open office door midway.
The bloodstained mercenary said.
"In there."
Na Gang-in entered.
A blood-soaked man lay on the conference table. A woman in her thirties stood beside him.
The mercenary said.
"He resisted, had to stab him. But there's a doc, so we told her to treat him."
Dr. Yuna-rin said tensely.
"I'm not a surgeon. I just went to med school—no residency. I can't save him on my own. He needs a hospital now."
The mercenary shrugged.
"That depends on him cooperating."
"Who is he..."
"Cop. Came in to negotiate. Even brought us food."
Dr. Yuna-rin said to Na Gang-in.
"Detective. We need to get this patient out fast."
Na Gang-in whispered.
"How long can the patient hold out?"
Na Gang-in touched the patient's body, checked his pulse, and assessed other vitals.
Na Gang-in told the mercenary.
"To save him, we need to get him out now."
The bloodstained mercenary shook his head.
"Looks fine to me still."
"Deep stab wound. Internals are a mess."
"Then hurry the negotiation if he's at risk."
"Fine, at least give me the emergency kit I brought. Need to stop the bleeding."
"The doc said she can't do surgery."
"I can."
"Hm? You a doc? Whatever, doc or not."
The mercenary signaled a comrade, who went for the kit.
"If I do surgery here, yeah."
The mercenary returned with the emergency kit Na Gang-in had brought. Handing it over, he said.
"Took out the scalpel. Just so you know."
Na Gang-in took the kit and said to Dr. Yuna-rin.
"Help me out here."
Dr. Yuna-rin stepped up beside him.
"Of course. Which hospital's surgery department? Ah, police hospital?"
Na Gang-in dodged the question and told the mercenary.
"Can't operate with the door open. Want to watch? Come in. Hate blood? Go out and shut the door."
The mercenary smirked and signaled his comrades. The two armed ones entered, then he shut the door. He said.
"No weakling who faints at blood does this job."
Dr. Yuna-rin checked the kit right next to Na Gang-in and asked.
"Where do we start?"
Na Gang-in whispered in her ear.
"Dr. Yuna-rin."
She whispered back, eyes wide.
"Pardon? You know me?"
The kit originally had a surgical knife, but the mercenaries had removed it.
Na Gang-in grabbed scissors. These small ones were barely big enough to cut bandages after several snips.
"When I start, hit the floor flat immediately."
"What..."
One mercenary approached.
"Hey. Speak up so we can hear too..."
Na Gang-in spun and chopped the mercenary's throat.
"Gurk!"
Na Gang-in's strength far exceeded human limits. Hit dead-on by his hand blade, the mercenary collapsed without a proper scream.
The other two urgently drew pistols. There was a slight gap between them.
Na Gang-in gripped the scissors with both hands and twisted. The rivet snapped, separating the blades.
He thrust both hands toward the enemies. The scissor blades flew like daggers, embedding in their throats.
"Guh!"
"Kek!"
The tiny scissors didn't fully neutralize them.
That wasn't the goal from the start. Stab throats to silence them—that was it.
Na Gang-in lunged at the left mercenary. A direct kick would be too loud. He grabbed the throat around the blade and snapped it, then stomped the collapsing head to ensure blackout.
One mercenary left—the bloodstained one.
His throat had the deeper stab. He staggered from shock and pain.
He had just two seconds without combat power. He shook it off, endured the agony, and swung his pistol toward Na Gang-in.
Two seconds was plenty for Na Gang-in to grab one and close on the other. He'd already seized the mercenary's pistol.
The gun disassembled in his hands instantly. The enemy yanked the trigger desperately, but no bullet flew.
The foe couldn't make noise with his throat ruined.
"Gurk."
Na Gang-in said.
"Got questions for you too, but no time. Save it for the interrogation room."
Na Gang-in struck the enemy's jaw.
The body toppled like a scarecrow. Na Gang-in kicked it mid-fall to muffle the thud.
Na Gang-in turned.
Dr. Yuna-rin lay flat as instructed. Even so, she'd watched the whole fight clearly.
She asked.
"Um... can I get up now?"
"Yeah."
She sprang up. Her eyes were saucers.
"My god. Our country's SWAT is insane. Three guys with pistols, down in seconds?"
Na Gang-in told her.
"Keep your voice down or the others notice."
She clapped a hand over her mouth.
"Ah, right. Of course."
Na Gang-in collected their pistols. He handed one to Dr. Yuna-rin.
"Know how to shoot?"
"No. Never interested."
Na Gang-in positioned her hands on the gun first, then wrapped his around hers from behind, raising to eye level. He taught stance, then firing.
"Aim like this, pull trigger—bullet goes. Always two hands. Finger off trigger till ready to fire. Keep it alongside like this."
She gulped nervously.
"I... have to fight too? I'll do my best."
Na Gang-in stepped back.
"Don't shoot."
"Huh?"
"Just for self-defense, worst case."
He pointed at the unconscious mercenaries.
"Shooting now wastes the quiet takedown. Only if it's dire."
"Ah... phew... right... Ah! The patient!"
She checked the gunshot victim on the table.
"Needs hospital now."
"How long can he last..."
"He'll hold an hour. Wrap this up in ten, ambulance waiting—plenty of time to Sinchon hospital."
Her eyes widened again.
"Oh! You weren't faking being a doctor—you really are one?"
"Not a doctor. Just gauged from the signs."
"No way a civilian..."
She clapped lightly.
"Ah! You've seen lots of battlefield wounds! Overseas deployment?"
"Watch the gun. It'll go off."
"Ah, sorry."
"Hasn't won yet. And stress might bring this out."
She asked.
"Pardon? What'd you say?"
"Talking to myself."
"Ah, okay."
Na Gang-in found cord nearby and bound the three unconscious men's hands and feet. His hands moved so fast it looked like the cord wound itself.
Then he reassembled the disassembled pistol parts. One gun complete in seconds.
Dr. Yuna-rin stood to the side, staring fixedly at Na Gang-in.