Chapter 22
Chapter 22
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Investigation
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A little elementary school girl had been kidnapped. When something like that happens, the police are put on high alert.
Even though the child had been rescued mid-kidnapping, that didn't make the incident vanish into thin air.
Police cars arrived one after another at the mountain set in Gangwon Province.
The detectives from the local precinct were baffled by the kidnappers' conditions.
The team leader, who arrived a little late, asked,
"Hey. How bad off are these bastards?"
The first detective on scene replied,
"This guy's got what looks like broken ribs. That one's jaw is smashed. Neither can even get up—probably banged up elsewhere too."
The detective pointed off to one side.
"The real problem's that guy over there, though."
The team leader turned toward the boss and flinched.
"Ugh. Shit. What the hell happened to that guy's hands?"
"The right one—the one holding the knife—has a few bones busted up. Left wrist is twisted clean around. Ribs are obviously shattered too."
"Both hands are no joke, huh?"
"Yeah. Needs to get to a hospital ASAP."
The team leader chewed out the detective.
"Then why the hell's he still lying in the street? Load him in the ambulance and ship him off!"
"Only one ambulance showed up."
"Then use it for him first."
"Thing is... when we tried putting him in, the kid's dad threw a fit..."
"Huh?"
"Said if we're using the ambulance, load the victim—his daughter—not some kidnappers first."
The team leader tensed up a bit.
"Is the kid hurt? Phone call said she was fine."
"Nah, kid's not scratched. But he kept insisting we keep at least one ambulance here in case something happens to his daughter."
The detective team leader snapped in irritation.
"Hey, you didn't load him up just 'cause of that? Parents protesting or not, those scumbags should've gone to the hospital first!"
The detective lowered his voice a touch.
"Kid's dad's the president of this film company. Girl's a child actress in the movie."
"And?"
"Tried loading the criminals first, and the whole film crew—not to mention the actors—lost it. See Kim Yu-chan and Shin Eun-ha over there?"
The team leader glanced over and froze.
"Huh? Oh yeah. Those TV stars."
"Kim Yu-chan said he'd hit up the news stations if we sent the kidnappers first. Shin Eun-ha threatened to film a protest vid and blast it online. How do we prioritize that guy in this mess?"
"R-right."
The detective team leader hesitated, then let out a sigh.
"Look, I get the pissed-off parents, but still... Fine. I'll handle it."
The team leader walked over to Lee Tae-ho.
Lee Min-ji was sniffling at Lee Tae-ho's side. Shin Eun-ha was comforting her alongside him.
The team leader spoke up.
"President. More ambulances are en route. Should be here any minute—let's get that guy to the hospital first."
Lee Tae-ho scowled.
"Why treat that bastard first? What'd he do to deserve it?"
"Still, leaving him like that—if something goes wrong, then what?"
"If that creep kicks it, I'll be dancing."
"Sigh. If he actually dies, whoever put him in that state could face charges too."
Lee Min-ji looked up anxiously from beside him.
"Daddy. Is the food truck uncle getting arrested? Is he going to jail because of me?"
Lee Tae-ho glared daggers at the team leader.
"No way. I'll pull every string to make sure that doesn't happen. Just trust Daddy."
Shin Eun-ha laid into the team leader.
"What the hell are you saying in front of Min-ji?!"
The team leader slunk back to his team empty-handed.
A new ambulance pulled up five minutes later.
The team leader loaded the most critically injured—the boss kidnapper—into it and sent a detective along for the ride.
Afterward, he approached the other detectives. They were poking around the kidnappers' van.
The team leader asked,
"Find anything?"
One detective pointed at a hole in the hood.
"Steel pipe punched right through here into the engine bay. Hit something vital—car died on the spot."
"Lucky break."
Kim Manager from THO Entertainment sidled up quietly.
"Think it was luck? No hesitation—nailed it in one shot. Knew it'd kill the engine."
The team leader frowned.
"What's a civilian doing at my crime scene?"
"Sent by the boss. Caught Na Gang-in rescuing Min-ji on our camera. Wanna see?"
The team leader perked up.
"Huh? You got footage? Figured we were screwed—no CCTV out here."
Kim Manager grinned a bit.
"This place is crawling with filmmakers. Something pops off, cameras roll."
"Nice. Job just got easier."
"Boss said even if the kidnapper boss croaks, that vid shuts down any talk of punishing Na Gang-in."
"Say what?"
Kim Manager leaned in.
"And if you still push to punish him after seeing it? He'll show you how killer our PR team's gonna make detectives look."
"PR, not legal?"
"Means you'll eat shit online."
Filming continued right through the police investigation. Miss today's shots, and the movie's toast. No room for an extra day here.
The temp lot and fight zone were plenty far from the actual set anyway.
So Director Son Tae-min pushed ahead.
"Detectives do their thing—we keep shooting! What's the holdup? Action!"
Detectives worked the scene, rounded up kidnappers, and carted them off in ambulances or squad cars.
Na Gang-in got to work too.
Original food truck owner Kim Byung-ho asked,
"Cooking in this chaos?"
"Rice later. Snacks for now."
Lee Tae-ho sat comforting Lee Min-ji at the food truck's folding table out front. She wouldn't even get in the car, so they were stuck.
Na Gang-in set a plate down in front of Lee Min-ji. Dessert, plated pretty.
"Wanna try?"
Lee Tae-ho had watched Na Gang-in save his daughter up close. Couldn't flat-out refuse—politely demurred.
"Thanks, but she's got no appetite right now..."
Lee Min-ji piped up.
"Uncle make this?"
"Huh? Kiddo?"
Na Gang-in said,
"Yeah. Made it to cheer you up."
Na Gang-in said,
"Tastes good."
Lee Min-ji scooped up the mishmash-looking bread-cake dessert and took a bite.
Sweet-tangy bliss melted on her tongue alongside soft cake. Chewy cookie bits added crunch.
Her eyes went wide.
"Whoa. This is really yummy!"
"I made it."
"Made it with my own hands."
AI Jeon Ji-in couldn't argue that.
Lee Min-ji lit up a bit.
"Cookies earlier were good, but this is even better. Everything uncle makes is the best!"
"Tasty 'cause I made it."
Lee Min-ji asked,
"What's the cake called?"
"Tiramisu-style mishmash cake. Stuffed with chopped mishmash cookies."
"Ah, so that's the cookie flavor."
Lee Tae-ho panicked. His teary daughter from moments ago had perked up visibly over a few bites—and scarfed it down.
'How damn good is it?'
Lee Tae-ho sneaked a hand toward the plate.
Lee Min-ji quietly slid it aside.
"Daddy?"
"Dad, it's just... the flying uncle who beat the bad guys gave it to me..."
Lee Tae-ho caught "flying" and got it—why she brightened up.
'The powerhouse who smashed those thugs is handing out treats all chill. Kid feels safe.'
Na Gang-in fetched another dessert plate from the truck. No frills on shape this time.
"Made extra."
Field Tactical Cooking meant batch cooking. Desserts too.
Shapes weren't fancy though—he baked big trays, sliced into neat squares like a checkerboard.
Lee Min-ji's was specially prettied up; the rest plain blocks.
Lee Tae-ho nabbed one and bit in.
"Huh?"
Delicious.
Looked like buffet slab cake, but beat fancy restaurant afters.
"No way—he whipped that up in seconds, how's it this good..."
Another take wrapped. Actors and crew mobbed the truck.
Lead Kim Yu-chan, eyes shining, asked,
"Na Gang-in made more snacks?"
Food truck owner Kim Byung-ho passed 'em out for Na Gang-in.
"Dude threw it together in a blink."
Folks munched and raved.
"Whoa, legit tasty."
"How? Gimme the recipe."
Kim Byung-ho fielded it.
"Watched the whole thing. Recipe or not, normies can't. Superhuman strength for that fast mix-shake, fire control's straight art. No copying that."
THO Enter President Lee Tae-ho sidled up to Son Tae-min, murmuring,
"Director Son. Na Gang-in a patissier by chance?"
"Dessert pro? Nah. Chef, far as I know. Lunch blew my mind. Dinner's gonna slap."
Lee Tae-ho baffled.
"Skill like that, why slum it on a food truck..."
Son Tae-min chuckled.
"Same head-scratcher I got."
"Huh?"
"Action instincts like his—food truck today? Makes zero sense."
"Yeah, no clue. So why the truck..."
"Oh, right. He's just covering today. That's the real owner."
Lee Tae-ho nodded like it clicked.
"Ah, ex-fancy restaurant chef, huh."
"Nah, sold grub at a PC bang. Part-time gig."
Lee Tae-ho floundered.
"Wait—what? That skill level? Why?!"
Son Tae-min smacked his lips.
"Beats me. Cooking god and action wizard? His moves read the camera perfect. PC bang kitchen side hustle? Bizarre."
Lee Tae-ho recalled Son Tae-min's pitch.
"You said he's essential for our flick."
Son Tae-min nodded.
"Tomorrow's action—he speedruns it, we get time for the rest. No him, no movie."
Na Gang-in saved Lee Min-ji from the kidnappers. And the film needed him bad.
Lee Tae-ho munched dessert, musing,
"Gotta make him a real offer..."
A car barreled down the dirt road, slammed brakes, skidded to a halt. Dust exploded.
Dessert-munchers stared.
Door flew open. Woman hopped out.
Lee Min-ji's mom, Jang Mi-jeong, raced over with her manager after hearing her girl got nabbed but freed post-brawl.
But her first glimpse? Hubby yukking it up with the director over casual desserts. Devouring 'em like gold.
Jang Mi-jeong bellowed at Lee Tae-ho.
"Hey! Food going down your gullet right now?!"
Lee Tae-ho eyed the plate, the director, his half-eaten treat.
He clocked how ridiculous he looked.
"Babe, Mi-jeong? Yeah, it looks bad—but there's reasons..."
Jang Mi-jeong charged, claws out.
"Get over here! You're done today!"
Jang Mi-jeong was an actress. Her manager, Jang Hyeo-rin, barely snagged her waist mid-lunge for Lee Tae-ho's throat.
"Sis! Cool it!"
"You cool it? This coolable?!"
"Too many eyes! Off bro-in-law where no witnesses!"