Political Statement (6)
“I-identity guarantee? Why?”
“Why? You think this mess ends just by catching small fry like you?”
Park Bin-woo stared at Ju Kang-rim with a frozen expression.
Ju Kang-rim's goal had been clear from the start. His uncle. Park Tae-hyeon.
Park Bin-woo recalled the face of his younger uncle, who had pulled out all the stops to cover his corruption and crimes. The voice demanding a cut of the profits while pushing the Awakener Management Act. The casual way he'd summon friends to a restaurant charging hundreds of thousands per head, all under the guise of “let's grab a meal”...
“If I sell out Uncle, I'm safe, right? You can definitely send him to prison?”
“...No, I didn't say it quite like that.”
“L-let's make it clear. Uncle can't just get off lightly. He can't retire quietly for a bit and then slink back. If we're selling him out, bury him for good! Otherwise, I'll end up dead later!”
“Dead?”
“U-Uncle has scary people behind him! Scarier than him!”
Ju Kang-rim chuckled. It was information he already knew. In fact, he'd approached Park Tae-hyeon precisely because of them.
“S-so, make sure he can never return to politics! Or rot in prison for life!”
“Wow, you really are human trash.”
Ju Kang-rim laughed in disbelief, but he was satisfied with the words.
“Don't worry. You won't see him again.”
Park Bin-woo looked startled for a moment, then nodded calmly. He even seemed relieved. Prostrating himself, he looked ready to sign a blank check.
“W-what do I need to do? Who do I vouch for your identity to?”
Ju Kang-rim answered flatly.
“The National Assembly.”
***
“What the hell does that mean?”
In the temporary National Assembly office in Sejong City, Park Tae-hyeon furrowed his brow at the report from his aide.
He paused his work, pushed up his silver-rimmed glasses, and spoke.
The aide timidly set down the phone he was holding.
“Taeung Group asked me to pass that along...”
“I'm already dying of headaches from the Gangbuk incident, and now they're pulling funding for the Awakener Management Act? We just barely got Yoo Seo-kyeong on board, and suddenly this? It's all but done, so now they think it's a waste of money?”
Park Tae-hyeon tapped the desk irritably.
“Contact them right now and demand an explanation. Are they insane?”
“Park Bin-woo says he's on an overseas business trip starting today, so he's unreachable.”
“What?”
Park Tae-hyeon started to rage, then sensed something off. Park Bin-woo was his nephew, but more than that, he was firmly under his thumb. Not just a convenient money bag—he knew defying him could cost his life.
Yet suddenly cutting all support and fleeing?
“And there's an explanation of sorts... a link from Park Bin-woo. But it's so sloppy and half-assed...”
“Send it.”
Park Tae-hyeon received the link via email. It was a post about him and the Awakener Management Act. Not even a news article or interview—just a run-of-the-mill flyer on an anonymous site. He scowled.
But reading the content, he ground his teeth.
“What is this shit? Who the fuck...”
Park Tae-hyeon muttered behind his hand to hide his agitation. The format was worthless tabloid trash, but the contents weren't.
It laid out in detail the awakener groups tied to him, their intentions, the current status, and even the names of involved political and business figures—all real names.
“Call the police right now... No, wait.”
Park Tae-hyeon clenched his jaw, calming his fury. Views: 1,123. Not insignificant, but not viral. Replies were negligible. No one cared.
Reporting it might draw unwanted attention from police or others, making things worse.
But this was written by someone who knows the real inside story.
Details that could only leak from a key player in the Awakener Management Act.
Park Tae-hyeon thought of the awakener groups cooperating with him. Park Bin-woo and others, but none seemed likely to leak this. It would mean blood for everyone if it blew up.
There's a traitor.
Someone inside leaking intel. He didn't know who.
“Contact Red Hook... No, I'll do it.”
If his hunch was right, they'd dodge calls too. Park Tae-hyeon started phoning the awakener groups supporting him one by one.
No one picked up.
Nothing in the news yet, so they'd gotten threat emails too.
Park Tae-hyeon pondered why such detailed info ended up on an obscure board instead of media.
The enemy could strike anytime. But they hadn't. Only one reason.
They're blackmailing me.
This wasn't about exposing truth to the public. It was a threat aimed at him. Park Bin-woo had caved and pulled support.
Someone who wants to sabotage the Awakener Management Act.
He'd anticipated opposition. First thought: awakeners. Protests flooded his office—calls, emails. But filtering them was the aide's job; he ignored it.
Real action from them would be trouble. Bari Unit would crush riots, but terrorism was a risk. That's why he'd reined in Taeung Group and the groups.
Now something had seized those groups.
Park Tae-hyeon tapped the desk anxiously. The Act was as good as passed. Gate outbreaks fueled public fear; zombie plagues were slipping control. Awakener crimes were rampant. Even Yoo Seo-kyeong seemed to be flipping.
So why blackmail?
With this intel, they could derail it from the start—or end his career. No evidence or witnesses was a relief, but other motives possible.
He couldn't ignore it. The Act was inevitable, but failure meant his life.
Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine.
“Out.”
“Pardon?”
Park Tae-hyeon glared, slamming the ashtray on the desk.
“Get out now!”
His pupils blazed electric blue, then faded. The aide bolted.
Park Tae-hyeon panted, staring at his ashtray-gripping hand. Veins bulged blue, pulsing, then vanished. The room's heat couldn't stop the invading cold. Frost crept over the window.
“────.”
In the empty office, he heard a whisper. He wanted it to be hallucination, but he knew better.
“No problem at all.”
A scoffing snort echoed. Then crushing heart pain. No time to groan—strength drained, head thudded on the desk.
“Guhk, heuk, huk, heuk...”
His face turned purple instantly.
The whisper returned.
“────?”
“The Awakener Management Act is, heuk, an unstoppable, kuhk, guhk, trend! You can't block it even if you, heuk, wanted... no need to worry...”
He couldn't finish. Eyes rolled back.
The whisper droned on unheard. The chill slowly receded; his purple face normalized.
He came to after about five minutes. Pain shot from his palm. Lifting it, the ashtray lay shattered inside.
Silently dumping it in the trash, he stood. Couldn't stay put. Had to move.
The Act wasn't the issue. He was.
Confident in passage, but failing to uncover the blackmailer's scheme meant his doom.
He started to glove his wounded palm, then stopped. The cut had healed clean, no scar.
Unfamiliar, even now.
The aide jumped up seeing him suddenly dressed.
“Where to?”
Park Tae-hyeon paused, then replied coldly.
“They're not answering, so I'll go myself.”
***
“Ahh, home sweet home!”
Park Ha-yuri burst into the admin office back at base, hurling her gear and flopping onto the sofa.
Hardened by training and missions, her competence drew demands everywhere. Fighting was fine, but endless car time exhausted her.
No rest—Sergeant Jeong Yi-young hurried over.
“Captain Park Ha-yuri, a visitor.”
“Visitor? Who? This late?”
She checked the clock: 11:30 PM. Fresh off a grueling op, unwelcome.
“Hard to say here... but they insisted you hurry.”
Jeong eyed the team with her, speaking carefully. Even they knew high-ups sometimes sought her discreetly.
He tapped his left collarbone—gold badge holder.
Park Ha-yuri got it instantly.
“They're really up to something.”
She muttered, standing.
“Clean up here before you go.”
“Nah.”
She waved off the wet towel, heading to the guest lounge.
The expected man waited: neat suit, gray hair slicked back, silver-rimmed glasses.
“Assemblyman Park Tae-hyeon.”
“Captain... Park Ha-yuri.”
He started to greet, then froze at her state. Blood-soaked, filthy.
Entering filled the room with gore and sweat.
She picked flesh from her epaulet.
“Rushed over for an important guest—no time to wash. Bear with me?”
“Of course. My unannounced visit.”
His lips quivered, but he stayed composed.
“This mess makes sitting awkward. But urgent trip means urgent business. State it briefly; I'd appreciate it.”
“Very well.”
Potentially rude, but what he wanted. He cut straight in.
“My nephew mentioned Bari Unit.”
“Nephew?”
Park Tae-hyeon had just seen Park Bin-woo. No matter how hidden with awakeners, he couldn't escape Park Tae-hyeon's network and power. With plants around him, brutal interrogation—bordering on threats, no, outright threats—drew out the truth.
“Runs a small business. Said he met a Bari Unit member the other day. Something weird happened.”
Park Tae-hyeon stared quietly at Park Ha-yuri.
“He was blackmailed.”