Not Keycaps, But the Keyboard
More than two weeks had already passed since the Tae Shin Mulsan task force headquarters began its aggressive maneuvers.
Kang In-hyuk stepped into the Tae Shin Asset Management building for the first time since returning from the United States.
Every employee he encountered in the underground parking garage and elevators was too busy being startled. After all, the chaebol son-in-law who had been dismissed as a parachute department head at Tae Shin Asset Management until early this year had now been appointed head of the headquarters task force.
“They say the headquarters brought him in as a disposable knife because he was too reckless.”
“Is it because of that investment deal in Silicon Valley? But he’s made an enormous amount of money so far.”
“Even so, it’s a hundred million dollars. Throwing fourteen hundred billion won into a company no one’s ever heard of… Maybe they’re just trying to protect the remaining fifty million?”
At the same time, all sorts of rumors began to spread.
The gossip was so rampant that Kang In-hyuk overheard it while passing the break room after getting off on the seventh floor where the system management team was located.
“Ah.”
Kang In-hyuk made eye contact with one of them.
It was the employee who had just been leading the rumors.
“I-I’m sorry!”
The employees who had been facing away from him also flinched and bowed deeply from the waist. Kang In-hyuk watched them in silence, then gave a curt nod with an expression full of annoyance before walking away.
Before long, he arrived at the system management team’s office.
“What brings you here, Director?”
Team leader Jang Seo-won rose from his seat and approached. It was their first meeting since the recent recruitment interviews.
“I was curious how the new security processor work was progressing.”
“It’s moving forward without issues. We’re nearly at the final stage.”
Kang In-hyuk nodded and glanced around the office. In one corner, a red-haired employee was hunched over their monitor, deeply focused on work.
“Is the new hire doing well?”
Jang Seo-won replied with a slightly subtle expression.
“Their skills are quite solid, so they’ve been a great help. Their personality is lively too, so they get along well with the others.”
“That’s a relief. By the way, that over there…”
As he slowly scanned the room, Kang In-hyuk noticed something near the break room.
【♡ Handmade Cookies / Feel Free to Take As Many As You Like ♡】
The sign was written in colorful marker and highlighter, the handwriting neat and earnest. Beneath it, cookies wrapped in stiff packaging were displayed—cookies with a familiar look.
At that moment, Jang Seo-won spoke hurriedly.
“Ah, you don’t need to worry about those!”
“Someone brought them in, I see.”
“…It was Go Mi-ah. But despite her enthusiasm, the taste is rather terrifying.”
While Kang In-hyuk had been away in the United States, victims had finally appeared.
Hong Yu-geon shook his head beside him with genuine pity.
“Who got sick after eating them?”
“Hong Je-yoon, the server management team leader…”
“Ah… Still, the office atmosphere seems quieter than expected.”
If someone had actually fallen ill because of her cooking, the current mood wouldn’t have been so calm.
“Fortunately, he ran straight to the restroom and only threw up. Besides, it wasn’t intentional, and Hong was understanding about it.”
Jang Seo-won lowered his voice, clearly worried Go Mi-ah might overhear.
“That’s fortunate.”
“Anyway, there are no problems with the work itself.”
“Please see it through to completion.”
As Kang In-hyuk headed outside, he heard Hong Yu-geon muttering under his breath.
“See! I told you! I knew this would happen eventually…!”
Thwack—
Suddenly, something flew through the air, and Hong Yu-geon clutched the back of his head before collapsing forward.
“Ugh—!”
When the pain was extreme, even screams failed to emerge. Hong Yu-geon was experiencing exactly that.
Kang In-hyuk spotted a keyboard component on the floor. It wasn’t ordinary plastic—it was the metal one Go Mi-ah had purchased, claiming she needed it for work.
She had reached out from behind the partition and fired a slingshot she had somehow acquired, striking Hong Yu-geon.
“What happened?”
Team leader Jang Seo-won, who had been about to return to his seat, noticed Hong Yu-geon and hurried back over.
“It’s nothing. This guy sometimes gets severe headaches.”
Kang In-hyuk and Van Hester dragged him away and boarded the elevator.
Once the pain had subsided somewhat, Hong Yu-geon’s rough voice emerged.
“She’s completely lost it…!”
“You brought it on yourself. You should’ve just ignored it quietly instead of making such a fuss.”
“Even if it tastes bad, it was too bad!”
“Then just don’t eat it…”
Vrrr—
At that moment, a message arrived via Ghost Link from Go Mi-ah.
A long sigh escaped Kang In-hyuk’s lips.
Just then, Van Hester pulled out a familiar cookie from his coat.
Rustle, rustle.
“When did you even grab that?”
“…Earlier?”
Kang In-hyuk shook his head and headed down to the floor directly below the M&A/PEF headquarters.
─┼
As night deepened, Tae Seok-ho entered his study upon Lee Jae-jun’s sudden visit.
“You said AMK Partners’ movements are suspicious?”
He was receiving the report now instead of waiting until tomorrow because of the news.
“The Accentia investment that was mentioned has been confirmed, and according to their information, a fifth round of investment is also planned.”
“That much?”
If everything went through, it would total a hundred million dollars—fourteen hundred billion won in Korean currency.
Even Tae Seok-ho had investigated separately and found it difficult to confirm that level of value.
“Initially, it was only supposed to go up to the second round. The fact that it increased suggests they’re aiming to join Greenbyte Labs, which Director Kang In-hyuk invested in.”
Along with the explanation, Tae Seok-ho examined the prepared investigation documents.
Vrrr— Vrrr—
A tense silence hung in the air until a phone vibration broke it.
Tae Seok-ho’s expression grew increasingly grim as he took the call.
“…Are you all right?”
After ending the call, Tae Seok-ho slowly opened his mouth.
“Noah Gardner has disappeared.”
The owner of that name was currently the representative running the H&T Fund in New York on Tae Seok-ho’s behalf.
“You mean he’s missing?”
“No. He’s completely vanished from both the company and his residence. At that point, it’s voluntary, not forced.”
The atmosphere grew even heavier.
“Don’t tell me he betrayed you… Did he also siphon off the funds he was managing at H&T?”
“That’s what they’re saying. Given how deliberately he pulled this off, it seems he’s been preparing for quite some time.”
Tae Seok-ho had deliberately avoided creating any direct connection between himself and the H&T Fund for the future. Moreover, he had believed Noah Gardner had enough fatal weaknesses to keep him firmly leashed. Yet the situation had come to this.
“The amount is substantial. Should we frame it as embezzlement and request an Interpol trace?”
“And what if Noah Gardner gets caught? Do you think he’ll return quietly?”
“…My apologies. I spoke too hastily.”
Noah Gardner was the only link connecting Tae Seok-ho to the H&T Fund. If he betrayed them further than this, Tae Seok-ho himself would be in danger.
Of course, he had prepared weaknesses to mitigate such risks, but he had never imagined Noah would disappear with all the slush funds he had been managing separately.
“He vanished far too cleanly. There’s a high chance someone helped him.”
“You’re saying he’s joined forces with a third party. Shall I dispatch someone to investigate?”
Tae Seok-ho shook his head.
“No. I’ll have someone else look into that side. You focus on the SpinTech situation.”
The relationship between the H&T Fund and Tae Shin SpinTech was fatal to Tae Seok-ho. With problems erupting simultaneously from both places, he had no choice but to feel the pressure.
“Understood. Also, I’ve secured the operatives you mentioned. They’re members of a mercenary unit called Warborn, active in the Middle East.”
“…How many?”
It was manpower to deal with Kang In-hyuk.
“Six have been sent. They’re scheduled to arrive this morning.”
“Are their skills reliable?”
“They’re professional contract killers specializing in eliminating key figures in war zones.”
Tae Seok-ho frowned at the explanation.
“I’d prefer it to look like an accident if possible. Is that doable?”
“They said they’d need to calculate the estimate first. However…”
“However?”
“Director Kang In-hyuk also has bodyguards who appear to be former mercenaries. Considering them, an accident might be difficult.”
The explanation was very serious.
After several failed attempts at tailing and tracking, they had now given up entirely.
Tae Seok-ho listened quietly, then tapped his fingers on the sofa armrest as he spoke.
“In the end, no matter the method, the priority is handling it as quickly as possible?”
“That’s my assessment.”
His thoughts deepened once more.
“…If we proceed that way, how soon can it be done?”
“Since the target hasn’t been revealed yet, based on average estimates, I believe it can be completed within a month at the latest.”
“It’s taking longer than expected.”
After all, simply removing Kang In-hyuk’s existence would resolve all unnecessary problems.
But since they were entrusting it to professionals, they were also planning thoroughly on their end.
“What will you do?”
Only the final decision remained.
Tae Seok-ho let out a deep breath and gave his orders.
“Proceed with the operation. As quickly as possible. Make sure it’s thorough.”
“I’ll issue the instructions immediately. Please rest easy.”
After finishing his reply, Lee Jae-jun stepped outside and got into his car. He sent an email somewhere, checked the time, then pulled out another phone from under the dashboard and made a call.
[Speak.]
The voice on the other end, connected as if it had been waiting, belonged to Baek Si-hwan.
“Tae Seok-ho has given his approval. Warborn will be handling Kang In-hyuk, so I’d like you to identify his upcoming schedule and movements and send them over.”
Though they belonged to the same organization, the two had not even known each other’s faces until recently.
They had only become acquainted after sharing information related to Kang In-hyuk.
[Has the higher-ups’ approval truly been granted?]
At Baek Si-hwan’s question, Lee Jae-jun’s voice grew colder.
“Do I look like the type to act independently without approval?”
It was a question laced with warning.
Baek Si-hwan quickly continued.
[No, sir. However, there’s more to investigate than expected. I’ve judged that the information we have could be useful and have already reported it to the higher-ups.]
“To Lady Kitsune?”
The owner of that name was Baek Si-hwan’s direct superior, someone positioned above even Chairman Baek Ji-woong.
[…That is correct.]
“The organization’s current objective is operations against Tae Shin. Kang In-hyuk has been identified as an obstacle in the process, so the decision cannot be reversed. Therefore, share everything requested as quickly as possible.”
It was ultimately an impossible request.
Baek Si-hwan could no longer offer any other opinion.
[I’ll do as you say.]
“Once the disposal date and plan are finalized, make sure you don’t interfere.”
The words carried a warning to the very end. He was reacting sensitively to the fact that Baek Si-hwan had voiced an opinion.
After ending the call, Lee Jae-jun quickly left Tae Seok-ho’s neighborhood.