Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Team Leader
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The Jackal gang's occupation of the seven-story building in Gangnam had been assigned to the Joint Investigation Headquarters. But before that case was even wrapped up, the West Sea pirate incident exploded onto the scene.
Jackal and Rakgwi shared the same objective. That's why this case got transferred to the Joint Task Force as well.
The detective from the Joint Task Force who had shown Na Gang-in the building blueprints and explained the situation during the Gangnam Jackal incident met with him once more.
The detective smiled awkwardly.
"Looks like we're meeting again like this."
"Yeah. It's probably better for both of us if we never cross paths this way."
The detective placed a photo of the pirate leader on the table.
"Nickname's Rakgwi. He's a pirate operating out of Southeast Asia."
"He spoke Korean pretty fluently, though."
"There's a rumor his grandfather was Korean, but we haven't confirmed it."
The detective also laid out photos taken from the helicopter of the ship's deck, along with individual shots of the pirates. In the pictures, the pirates were sprawled out on the second-level auxiliary deck.
"You really went all out, huh."
"It wasn't a situation where I could afford to hold back."
"Fair enough. The pirates all had pistols, while you only had a kitchen knife and chopsticks. But here's the thing."
The detective asked cautiously.
"Why did you fight the pirates so fiercely...? Was it because, like last time, it was just something that had to be done?"
"I was hired onto that ship for the day. Trouble broke out at work, so I had to handle it."
The detective nodded as if he understood.
"So Scarlett Kelly really did hire you as her bodyguard."
"No. She hired me as kitchen help."
"Pardon? The kitchen? Wait, what were you even doing there...?"
"I checked the food, made some desserts too."
"Ah. So that's how you took down the pirate crew with a kitchen knife and chopsticks... Wait a second."
The detective's face twisted in confusion as he spoke.
"It's this weird explanation that almost makes the scene make sense, but not quite. So you're saying you weren't hired as a secret bodyguard, but as a cook?"
"Yes. Just a one-day gig."
"On top of that, a part-time job..."
Na Gang-in made a suggestion.
"Detective, why don't you just take it at face value. Plenty of witnesses saw me making desserts or fighting because I had to."
"You're right. There are lots of witnesses. But even they could hardly believe what they saw. It was just that astonishing."
Reports from witness interviews and on-site analysis had been forwarded to the Joint Task Force as well.
In the conference room, the head of the Joint Investigation Headquarters let out a sigh.
"The Jackal case isn't even closed yet, and now this? Pirate Rakgwi? Bandits first, now pirates?"
A police executive sighed along with him.
"Cases are popping off left and right. Why do incidents keep happening wherever Na Gang-in is? Could he be the real mastermind behind all this?"
Another Joint Task Force executive spoke up.
"Both times, it was because of Scarlett Kelly. And Omega Tech says they hired Na Gang-in as a pastry chef."
"What? Not as a bodyguard, but a pastry chef?"
"Lots of witnesses saw him making desserts. Scarlett Kelly claims she hired him to inspect the party food. Of course, we're assuming it was a precaution against something like this."
"So you're saying Na Gang-in was posing as a pastry chef?"
"Not posing. They say the desserts he made were genuinely delicious."
An official from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety chimed in.
"From the investigation last time, his cooking and dessert skills are indeed top-notch."
"I've seen those reports too. But why's a guy like that serving rice bowls at a PC bang? He has serious connections in entertainment too."
"These days, he's not selling there every day—just drops in occasionally for a bit."
"That's not the point!"
The Joint Task Force head cut in.
"The cooking talk isn't important anyway. Let's leave that for individual follow-ups."
The head asked.
"Witness statements say Na Gang-in took several bullets. But he was fine?"
"Yes. He was wearing a bulletproof vest."
"They say it was so thin it didn't even show under his clothes?"
The police executive pulled up photos on the large monitor on the wall. The Dragon Plate that Na Gang-in had made himself had been submitted as evidence.
"It's proof the pirates were trying to kill people, so we're holding onto it for now."
"It doesn't look like any bulletproof vest I know. Looks like it's assembled from small pieces."
"Exactly. It's a type that disperses the impact of bullets across the entire vest. The connecting structures between parts get destroyed with each hit. So after a few bullets, it loses its protection."
"Still impressive. Blocking multiple shots means it did its job perfectly."
"Agreed."
The Joint Task Force head looked at the screen with keen interest and asked.
"Where'd a cook get something like that? He didn't make it himself, right?"
He had.
"It's a new product developed by Cheolin Machinery."
"Ah, right. Cheolin Machinery. How much does it cost?"
"It's custom-made for individuals, so mass production isn't feasible—extremely expensive."
"Why would a cook have something that rare?"
"Cheolin Machinery's president Lee Jeong-min's second son is THO Entertainment's president Lee Tae-ho. Lee Tae-ho owes Na Gang-in big time from filming and the Jackal incident."
"I know that. So it was a gift?"
"Given Na Gang-in's exceptional combat skills, probably for field testing the product."
"You didn't confirm that far?"
"Na Gang-in isn't a suspect. He's the hero who saved people—we couldn't exactly interrogate him."
"Still, check it out."
"Got it. We'll reach out to Cheolin Machinery."
Na Gang-in returned to his apartment, his residential base.
He turned on the TV and sprawled out on the living room floor.
"Home really is the best."
His phone, right beside him, buzzed. Na Gang-in answered without getting up.
"Hello."
Shin Eun-ha's voice came through.
- Oppa, Gang-in. Where are you?
"Home."
- I was heading there, but reporters are tailing me. Can't make it.
"Tough luck."
- If you came out and just said, 'I'm the guy who beat the pirates,' it'd all be solved.
"It'd solve it for you. Then those reporters would hound me instead."
- Tch. I've dealt with reporters plenty—I'll handle it. Tomorrow... No, this won't wrap up in a day. Make me something tasty with sand."
"Come to the workshop."
There was a small sink there.
- Okay!
"If I'm gonna cook there, I should hit the recycling center and grab a used fridge. Portable gas stove too."
- No way! I'll order a four-door fridge and a three-burner induction! You'll be making food for me from now on, so we need the good stuff!
The next day, the Joint Task Force detective visited Cheolin Machinery.
Headquarters chief Lee Tae-seong greeted him.
The detective smiled awkwardly.
"I just need to see whoever handles the bulletproof vests. Why the headquarters chief...?"
"I'm the one in charge."
"Pardon?"
"Dragon Plate is a product I manage personally."
"Dragon Plate?"
"It's the product name for the new impact-dispersing bulletproof vest."
"Ah, I see. In that case, just a few questions."
The detective first asked about the vest's performance. After a few more questions, he got to the point.
"Na Gang-in was wearing that vest at yesterday's incident. He took several bullets but no injuries thanks to it. Did Cheolin Machinery ask him to field-test it? Is that why he had it on?"
"There's a bit of a misunderstanding."
"What...?"
Lee Tae-seong explained.
"Na Gang-in is the team leader for the Dragon Plate design team."
"Pardon?"
"As I mentioned, Dragon Plate is custom-made, so we redesign the parts for each customer's body every time. Na Gang-in is the team leader in charge of that design."
Na Gang-in handled the Dragon Plate designs. Cheolin Machinery did have a design team, but the members lacked the skills to do it themselves.
Their current tasks were measuring client body sizes or analyzing blueprints Na Gang-in sent.
The detective was flustered.
"Wait, what? Isn't Na Gang-in a martial arts director or a cook?"
"He shoots guns well too."
"Well, he's the founder of Gun Kwon Do..."
This time, Lee Tae-seong was the flustered one.
"What? Gun Kwon Do? What's that?"
"You didn't know. It's a martial art Na Gang-in created. Wait, no—that's not it. You're saying Na Gang-in is Cheolin Machinery's design team leader? An employee here?"
"Not a full-time company employee, but he handles team leader duties."
The detective caught the implication.
"So this is another part-time gig, like the others?"
"You get it."
Two days after the incident, Shin Eun-ha visited Na Gang-in's workshop base.
Shin Eun-ha was a little excited.
Na Gang-in asked.
"Why are you in such a good mood?"
"Because I'm about to eat something delicious."
She held up a bottle of liquor.
"Brought some good booze too."
It wasn't the cheap soju from a regular mart.
"They say a master traditional liquor brewer made this one with flowers. I got it as a gift—let's crack it open today."
Na Gang-in set down the parts he was assembling.
"Sure. Let's eat first."
Shin Eun-ha asked.
"But what were you working on?"
"Bulletproof vest broke, so I'm making a new one."
The vest he'd used fighting the pirates was being held by the police as evidence. Even if returned, its durability was shot—easier to make a fresh one than repair it.
That's what he was doing.
Shin Eun-ha panicked.
"What? You made that vest yourself? So you trusted your handmade gear with your life to protect me?"
Na Gang-in had taken bullets for her while wearing that vest.
Shin Eun-ha clasped her hands, her face full of emotion, sniffling.
"Oppa..."
"Let's eat."
"Really, food...? Huh? Food? Food's more important than this moment? Nothing else matters?"
"You not eating?"
"Ugh... I have to. I brought booze."
Today's ingredients were brought by Shin Eun-ha. Na Gang-in washed his hands before cooking.
Shin Eun-ha pointed at the fridge and induction cooktop.
"What do you think of these?"
AI Jeon Ji-in evaluated.
- Outdated tech. Obsolete models with poor performance.
"They work fine. Water boils fast."
"Heh heh. Both are the latest models—ordered from a place with quick delivery, paid extra."
Na Gang-in cooked with the new induction.
Shin Eun-ha beamed.
"Looks so tasty."
"Felt like something spicy would hit the spot."
Spicy food that's delicious helps relieve stress a bit. Shin Eun-ha had been through the pirate mess two days ago. Na Gang-in made it spicy on purpose.
They set a table in the open space in front of the workshop and enjoyed the booze and meal. As the bottles emptied, Shin Eun-ha's laughter grew.
"This is so nice today. Great weather, delicious food, tasty drinks."
Shin Eun-ha swirled her glass and took a sip. But as she drank, she spotted a taxi pulling up.
"Huh? Who's that?"
A young woman got out of the taxi. She asked.
"Excuse me, is this the Earth Union workshop?"
A bit tipsy, Shin Eun-ha checked her out and asked in a slightly louder voice.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Cha Ji-hee from the Cheolin Machinery design team."
"Pardon? Cheolin Machinery? Isn't that President Lee Tae-ho's family company? Why from there...?"
Na Gang-in explained.
"I do some part-time work at Cheolin Machinery."
"Huh? Even at their cafeteria?"
Cha Ji-hee quickly clarified.
"Team Leader is our team's team leader."
Shin Eun-ha gasped in surprise.
"Whoa! Oppa, you're a team leader? How'd I not know?"
"I didn't either."
Na Gang-in asked.
"Why am I the team leader?"
Cha Ji-hee hurriedly explained.
"Yesterday, a detective came to the headquarters chief asking about Dragon Plate. But the chief told him you're our design team leader... So it got made official yesterday."
"I'm not an employee of Cheolin Machinery."
"Team members are company staff, but the team leader's outsourced. Like hiring a university professor as team leader?"
Na Gang-in shrugged.
"I get the situation. But if you were coming today, you could've called."
"Team Leader's phone was off."
He'd turned it off while making the new vest. Shin Eun-ha had scheduled ahead, so it was fine.
"Understood. So what's up?"
Cha Ji-hee glanced at Shin Eun-ha hesitantly.
Na Gang-in said.
"Eun-ha can hear it."
Shin Eun-ha grinned widely.